‘Traitor’ Trump, Justin Bieber, Dana Rohrabacher, Michael B. Jordan, Funnel Cloud, Butch Pal for the Straight Gal: HOT LINKS

LAST NIGHT. Protesters yell “traitor” outside the White House.

Protesters chant “Traitor” outside White House after #TrumpPutinSummit pic.twitter.com/MYWM1rSjwr

— Andrew Blake (@apblake) July 17, 2018

JOHN BRENNAN. Trump attacks former CIA director who called him “treasonous.” “I think Brennan is a very bad guy, and if you look at it, a lot of things happened under his watch. I think he’s a very bad person.”

MICHAEL COHEN. Former Trump lawyer opposes him on Russian interference.

As I said to @ABC @GStephanopoulos, “I respect our nation’s intelligence agencies who determined that Russia, had in fact, interfered or meddled in our democratic process. I repudiate Russia’s effort…and call on all Americans to do the same.”

— Michael Cohen (@MichaelCohen212) July 16, 2018

BREAKUP OF THE DAY. Justin Bieber and his hot pastor.

CALIFORNIA. Democrat narrowly leads hideous anti-gay Rep. Dana Rohrabacher: “Democratic nominee Harley Rouda narrowly leads Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) in one of California’s most competitive House races this cycle, according to a new poll. A Monmouth University Poll released Tuesday found Rouda ahead of Rohrabacher by 3 points, 46 to 43 percent, among all potential voters. Rouda’s small lead is within the survey’s margin of error, of 4.9 percentage points.”

LEBANON. Court of Appeals rules homosexuality is not a crime: “In a progressive and momentous ruling, on July 12, 2018 a Lebanese Court of Appeals in Mount Lebanon as presided over by Judge Randa Khoury issued a new judgment holding that homosexuality is not a crime. This came as a re-examination of Article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code (which prohibits having sexual relations that are “contradicting to the laws of nature” – an interpretation that many previously used to prosecute people suspected of homosexuality).”

CELEBRITY BEEFCAKE OF THE DAY. Michael B. Jordan.

LAMBDA LITERARY. LGBTQ literary organization forms leadership council as it marks 30th anniversary: “The Lambda Literary Leadership Council’s members are writers Hilton Als, Kate Bornstein, Jennifer Finney Boylan, Alexander Chee, David Ebershoff, Chuck Forester, Cherríe Moraga, Chinelo Okparanta, Justin Torres, and Alok Vaid-Menon. Two former board presidents who are also novelists, Katherine V. Forrest and Judith Markowitz, have joined the council, as have J. Michael Samuel, a long-serving board treasurer, and writer/publisher and major donor Chuck Forester.”

WEATHER OF THE DAY. Funnel cloud over Brooklyn.

#BreakingNews TORNADO over Brooklyn? pic.twitter.com/v78LTpqtrI

— Bill Ritter (@billritter7) July 17, 2018

LADY GAGA. Back in the recording studio…

BATWOMAN. The CW seeks lesbian actress: “TVLine has learned that the casting call for the would-be Arrowverse addition seeks an out lesbian actress, open ethnicity, to play age 25 to 29. (TVLine has reached out to The CW and Warner Bros. for comment.) Batwoman aka Kate Kane will first be introduced in this fall’s four-way crossover event between Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow, before potentially fronting her own series.”

FEMALE QUEER EYE OF THE DAY. Butch Pal for the Straight Gal.

NEW TUNE OF THE DAY. MO and Diplo “The Sun In Our Eyes”.

TOO HOT FOR TUESDAY. Thara.

The post ‘Traitor’ Trump, Justin Bieber, Dana Rohrabacher, Michael B. Jordan, Funnel Cloud, Butch Pal for the Straight Gal: HOT LINKS appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

‘Traitor’ Trump, Justin Bieber, Dana Rohrabacher, Michael B. Jordan, Funnel Cloud, Butch Pal for the Straight Gal: HOT LINKS

Happy World Emoji Day: How Strong is Your Emoji Game?

Emojis: we love them, we use them daily to covey our feelings AND, we even made a move about them and their hometown of Textropolis (based on the film’s outstanding 8% score on Rotten Tomatoes, not so sure it’s a must-see.) But that’s beside the point, because today is World Emoji Day and we are […]

The post Happy World Emoji Day: How Strong is Your Emoji Game? appeared first on PlentyOfFish Blog.

Happy World Emoji Day: How Strong is Your Emoji Game?

Armie Hammer: Fans Keep Asking Me to Sign Peaches, Even Though They’ll ‘Wither Like Donald Trump’s Presidency’ – WATCH

Armie Hammer, who is starring in a new Broadway show called Straight White Men, stopped by The Late Show to chat with Stephen Colbert, and the convo turned to the gay drama Call Me By Your Name.

Hammer told Colbert that fans keep giving him peaches (as Colbert advises, “watch the film”) to sign.

Said Hammer: “I get handed at least a peach or two every stage door.”

Hammer said that most people don’t intend to eat the peaches, or use them the way they do in the film.

Hammer said he asks the fans what they’re going to do with it: “They’re going to put that peach on a shelf…and in ten days it’s going to putrefy and their entire place it’s going to be full of fruit flies.”

Added Colbert: “It’s an art installation.”

Quipped Hammer: “Yeah. Watch it wither like Donald Trump’s presidency.”

Colbert didn’t miss a beat: “Well, with Donald Trump’s presidency, like that peach, we are f**ked.”

Watch:

The post Armie Hammer: Fans Keep Asking Me to Sign Peaches, Even Though They’ll ‘Wither Like Donald Trump’s Presidency’ – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Armie Hammer: Fans Keep Asking Me to Sign Peaches, Even Though They’ll ‘Wither Like Donald Trump’s Presidency’ – WATCH

Obama Rebukes Trump in Speech Denouncing Shameless Leaders Who Lie and Make Stuff Up: WATCH

Without naming him, President Barack Obama rebuked Donald Trump in the 2018 Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

Said Obama: “You have to believe in facts. Without facts, there’s no basis for cooperation. If I say this is a podium and you say this is an elephant, it’s going to be hard for us to cooperate…I can’t find common ground if people say climate change is just not happening when almost all the world’s scientists tell us it is. I don’t know where to start talking to you about this. If you start saying it’s an elaborate hoax…where do we start? Unfortunately, too much of politics today seems to reject the very concept of objective truth. People just make stuff up. They just make stuff up…We see the utter loss of shame among political leaders where they’re caught in a lie and they just double down and they lie some more.”

Watch:

Former Pres. Obama: “Unfortunately, too much of politics today seems to reject the very concept of objective truth. People just make stuff up…we see the utter loss of shame among political leaders where they’re caught in a lie and they just double down” t.co/s4drXPlcRD pic.twitter.com/rn5o4xt9rM

— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) July 17, 2018

The post Obama Rebukes Trump in Speech Denouncing Shameless Leaders Who Lie and Make Stuff Up: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Obama Rebukes Trump in Speech Denouncing Shameless Leaders Who Lie and Make Stuff Up: WATCH

#AM_Equality Tipsheet: July 17, 2018

HORRIFYING — GAY CHECHEN KIDNAPPED FROM STREET IN RUSSIA BY MEN WHO APPEARED TO BE POLICE, REPORTEDLY SAVED: While taking out the trash, Zelimkhan Akhmadov, who had been previously detained by Chechen authorities in their anti-LGBTQ purge of gay and bisexual men, was kidnapped in St. Petersburg. He managed to send one text message to the LGBTQ advocates he was working with — “help me.” According to the Russian LGBT Network, the man has since been returned to safety. For more than 15 months, Donald Trump and his administration have refused to publicly condemn the systematic torture, abuse, and murder of LGBTQ people occurring in Chechnya as Vladimir Putin has licensed the violence to continue. More than a 100 LGBTQ people have been rounded up, tortured, and abused — and as many as 20 have been murdered. More from Metro Weekly and Gay Star News.

TUESDAY TWEET: Just ahead of the Trump-Putin summit in Helsinki, HRC projected an enormous message onto the Presidential Palace demanding that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin immediately end the ongoing anti-LGBTQ crimes against humanity occurring in the Russian republic of Chechnya. More from HRC, NewNowNext and NBC.

“Time and time again Donald Trump is failing the test of leadership on the world stage to protect LGBTQ people, to protect all people’s civil rights at home and abroad.“ – @HRC Communications Director @cristoferosgro on the Trump-Putin Summit. #EyesOnChechnya #Helsinki2018 pic.twitter.com/2DQ2r7AGIS

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) July 17, 2018

ALARMING SPIKE IN VIOLENCE AGAINST CLEVELAND’S TRANS COMMUNITY DEMANDS ACTION: A transgender woman was stabbed and wounded this weekend in her Cleveland apartment — the fourth known violent attack against a transgender person in the Ohio city this year, according to news reports. Within the last six months, two transgender women have been murdered and a homeless transgender woman was sexually assaulted in the Cleveland-area. More from HRC and Cleveland.com.

MUST READ LETTER TO THE EDITOR IN CHICAGO TRIBUNE — “IF TRUMP’S SUPREME COURT PICK SCARES YOU, VOTE”: Writes Bloomfield resident Jill Farber-Bramson, “Yes, elections have consequences. In the coming election and every election thereafter, it’s my most sincere hope that Americans will vote en masse for equality, justice, liberty and freedom and to make America kind again.” The prospect of Brett Kavanaugh on the high court threatens to erode our nation’s civil rights laws, block transgender troops from bravely serving this nation and allow a license to discriminate against LGBTQ people in every aspect of American life. The 2018 midterm elections are the most consequential of our lifetime. More from Chicago Tribune.

We should listen to his law clerks. They also believe he would meet the Trump litmus test on health care. #SaveSCOTUS t.co/CZt54vYY7x

— Fatima Goss Graves (@FGossGraves) July 16, 2018

ICYMI — BETRAYING CHILDREN IN NEED, REPUBLICANS ON HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE ADOPT “LICENSE TO DISCRIMINATE” AMENDMENT: If it remains in the final bill, the amendment would grant a “license to discriminate” allowing child welfare placing agencies that receive federal government funding to turn away qualified prospective parents based on the agency’s religious beliefs. More from HRC, Georgia Voice and Palm Springs Desert Sun.

MORNING MUST READ FROM MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE SPEAKER — VOTE ‘YES’ TO PRESERVE PROTECTIONS FOR TRANS COMMUNITY: State Rep. Robert DeLeo writes, “For two years this law has made our communities safer and demonstrated to transgender youth that their state has their back. Let’s ensure that on the morning after Election Day, we can still say that. Stand with me and the growing coalition of thousands who will vote yes on Question 3 on Nov. 6.” More from HRC and The Boston Globe.

HRC REMEMBERS FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER JERRY WELLER: “With Jerry Weller’s passing, our community has lost another giant,” said Vic Basile, who served as HRC’s first executive director. “When few of us had the courage to be out and fighting the good fight, Jerry was there, ready to lead or simply to lend a helping hand.  He was spirited, brave and selfless.” More from HRC and The Oregonian.

VMAS NOMINATE LGBTQ, ALLIED PERFORMERS: Among the nominees are Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande), Hayley Kiyoko (@HayleyKiyoko), Demi Lovato (@ddlovato), P!nk (@Pink), Jennifer Lopez (@JLo), Imagine Dragons (@Imaginedragons), Panic! At The Disco (@PanicAtTheDisco) and Janelle Monáe (@JanelleMonae). Read the full list of nominees from Variety.

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

INDIAN STATE OF KERALA WILL RESERVE SPACE IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS FOR TRANS STUDENTS: More from CNN.

PROPOSED BILL DENIES  ISRAELI SAME-SEX COUPLES STATE-SUPPORTED SURROGACY SERVICES: More from The Jerusalem Post.

FIRST MINISTER NICOLA STURGEON LEADS LARGEST-EVER LGBTQ PRIDE PARADE IN SCOTLAND: More from Advocate and The Hill.

Way to go, Nicola Sturgeon! t.co/PwzNKywPgZ

— The Advocate (@TheAdvocateMag) July 15, 2018

READING RAINBOW – Bookmark now to read on your lunch break!

Playbill asks where the original cast of Angels in America are now; Advocate profiles HRC-endorsed candidate for U.S. Senate, Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ); Black Star News reports that pro-equality Ugandan Bishop Christopher Senyonjo will receive an honorary degree from Leeds University; OutSports congratulates Rachel Bowers and Stephanie Loh, two LGBTQ editors recently-promoted sports journalists; Independent gives a history lesson on the anti-LGBTQ trial of George Bryan “Beau” Brummell; The Post and Courier reviews a memoir about the gay daughter of a Focus on the Family executive coming out within the church; Entertainment Tonight Canada shares a heartwarming video of icon Mariah Carey helping two men get engaged during a recent concert

he said yes!!!����‍❤️‍�� #thebutterflyreturns pic.twitter.com/L2NTAgCEwj

— Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey) July 15, 2018

Have news? Send us your news and tips at [email protected]. Click here to subscribe to #AM_Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading!

www.hrc.org/blog/am-equality-tipsheet-july-17-2018?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed