Gay Leather Scene, Cristiano Ronaldo, Matt Bomer, Janelle Monae, Pumpkin Spice, Bradley Cooper, Jessie Ware: HOT LINKS

PRESIDENTIAL ALERTS. The movie.

INDICTED. DOJ indicts 7 Russian spies for malicious cyber activities against the U.S. and its allies. ‘The new indictments come on the heels of the U.K. and the Netherlands accusing Russia of running a massive global campaign of cyber attacks intended to undermine Western democracies. Dutch authorities said today they expelled four GRU officers for attempting to hack OPCW, a global chemical weapons watchdog investigating the Novichok poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, England.

BRADLEY COOPER. The absurd reason he once lost out on a movie role.

IMMIGRATION. Judge blocks Trump’s mass deportation attempt.

ORWELLIAN. Facebook blocks many gay-themed ads as part of new policy: ‘The Washington Post found dozens of advertisements mentioning LGBT themes and words that the company blocked for supposedly being political, according to a public database Facebook keeps. The rejections, the majority of which Facebook told The Post were in error, underscore the company’s challenges in regulating the massive amount of information flowing through its service, an issue that burst into the fore after the disclosure that Russian-state actors used advertisements on Facebook to sow discord during the 2016 U.S. election. But they also touch on a deeper tension as the company seeks to better regulate political uses of its platform. Though Facebook has taken pains to appear neutral, the censorship of LGBT ads, however inadvertent, points to the company’s difficulty in finding a middle ground in a tense national climate where policy increasingly hinges on fundamental questions about race and identity.

GUARDIAN. Why is the gay leather scene dying?

VANISHING. LGBT Republican candidates: “To date, the handful of openly gay Republicans who have served in Congress have either been outed or have come out sometime after they were elected—either during or after their time in office. That means the GOP has yet to successfully elect an openly LGBT federal lawmaker—and with no nominees this cycle who fit that description, that precedent remains out of reach. Meanwhile, there are currently 21 LGBT Democratic nominees for Congress who could add to the seven openly LGBT Democrats now serving in the House and Senate.”

CRISTIANO RONALDO. Juventus footballer denies rape allegations: “I firmly deny the accusations being issued against me. Rape is an abominable crime that goes against everything that I am and believe in. Keen as I may be to clear my name, I refuse to feed the media spectacle created by people seeking to promote themselves at my expense. My clear conscious will thereby allow me to await with tranquillity the results of any and all investigations.”

I firmly deny the accusations being issued against me. Rape is an abominable crime that goes against everything that I am and believe in. Keen as I may be to clear my name, I refuse to feed the media spectacle created by people seeking to promote themselves at my expense.

— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) October 3, 2018

My clear conscious will thereby allow me to await with tranquillity the results of any and all investigations.

— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) October 3, 2018

DOOM PATROL. Matt Bomer is joining the cast: “Matt will play the character of Negative Man, as well as Larry Trainor in flashback scenes…The upcoming series is a re-imagining of one of DC’s most beloved group of outcast Super Heroes: Robotman, Negative Man, Elasti-Girl and Crazy Jane, led by modern-day mad scientist Dr. Niles Caulder (The Chief).”

HARRIET TUBMAN. Janelle Monae has joined a biopic about the abolitionist: ‘Janelle Monae is joining the cast of Focus Features’ “Harriet,” a new biopic chronicling the life of Harriet Tubman, starring Cynthia Erivo as the heroic abolitionist…Leslie Odom Jr., Joe Alwyn, Jennifer Nettles, Clarke Peters, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Zackary Momoh, Deborah Ayorinde, and Vondie Curtis-Hall round out the cast of “Harriet.”’

REVIEW OF THE DAY. Adam Rippon reviews Pumpkin Spice products.

NEW TUNE OF THE DAY. Jessie Ware “Overtime”.

THIRSTY THURSDAY. Axe and Robin van Regen.

The post Gay Leather Scene, Cristiano Ronaldo, Matt Bomer, Janelle Monae, Pumpkin Spice, Bradley Cooper, Jessie Ware: HOT LINKS appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Gay Leather Scene, Cristiano Ronaldo, Matt Bomer, Janelle Monae, Pumpkin Spice, Bradley Cooper, Jessie Ware: HOT LINKS

Presidential alert: Memers respond to Trump’s 300 million person group text
At 2:18 EST yesterday, nearly every cellphone user in America received a text message from Donald Trump. And people weren’t happy about it.

www.queerty.com/presidential-alert-memers-respond-trumps-300-million-person-group-text-20181004?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Undecided Senators Collins and Flake Say FBI ‘Investigation’ Offers ‘No Corroboration’ of Christine Blasey Ford’s Claims

Two Senators undecided on their votes to confirm SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh haves made remarks after seeing the results of the FBI’s sham investigation into the sexual assault allegations against him by Christine Blasey Ford.

Said Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) to reporters: “It appears to be a very thorough investigation, but I am going back later today to personally read the interviews. That’s really all I have to say right now.”

Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) said: “I think Susan Collins was quoted saying it was very thorough but no new corroborative information came out of it. That’s accurate. I wanted this pause, we’ve had this pause. We’ve had the professionals, the FBI, determine — given the scope that we gave them, current credible allegations — to go and do their review which they’ve done. Thus far we’ve seen no new credible corroboration, no new corroboration at all.”

The post Undecided Senators Collins and Flake Say FBI ‘Investigation’ Offers ‘No Corroboration’ of Christine Blasey Ford’s Claims appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Undecided Senators Collins and Flake Say FBI ‘Investigation’ Offers ‘No Corroboration’ of Christine Blasey Ford’s Claims

HRC Launches Powerful Campaign to Mark 30th Annual National Coming Out Day

Ahead of the 30th anniversary of National Coming Out Day (NCOD) next Thursday, October 11, HRC is launching a powerful new digital campaign highlighting inspirational stories of celebrities and influencers who have come out over the past year, including singer Janelle Monáe, actress Josie Totah, soccer player Colin Martin, singer Kehlani, actress Tessa Thompson, musician Brendon Urie, model Reece King, and many more. NCOD is an opportunity to emphasize the importance of coming out and creating a safe world in which LGBTQ people can live openly as their authentic selves.

HRC launched the campaign this week with videos and graphics featuring the powerful coming out stories of Janelle Monáe, Bex Taylor-Klaus, and Alyson Stoner, and the organization will continue sharing coming out stories from the past year throughout the next week. Additionally, HRC will mark the actual anniversary on October 11 with major coming out moments of the last three decades.

“Coming out can be one of the most courageous acts an LGBTQ person makes, and that courage is inextricably tied to our continued progress toward full equality,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “Visibility matters, and research shows that when people know someone who is LGBTQ, they are far more likely to support full equality under the law. Coming out and sharing our stories is essential to advancing LGBTQ equality and fighting back against attempts to turn back the clock on our progress.”

The HRC Foundation — the educational arm of HRC — has launched several resources available to encourage and support individuals in their coming out journey, including the organization’s latest guide, Coming Out: Living Authentically as LGBTQ Asian and Pacific Islander Americans. HRC’s additional coming out tools include resources on coming out in communities of faith, among different racial and ethnic identities, in the workplace and to one’s doctor, and a variety of other contexts. Visit hrc.org/comingout for more information.

With the Trump-Pence administration’s onslaught of attacks on LGBTQ equality, it’s as important as ever to recognize the power of coming out and ensure the voices of the LGBTQ community are heard — especially at the polls. With only 33 days until Election Day, HRC is working harder than ever to mobilize more than 10 million LGBTQ voters and 52 million “Equality Voters” to #TurnOUT in November. Last year, HRC announced a coast-to-coast campaign to mobilize these voters for the midterm elections called HRC Rising, which represents the largest grassroots expansion in the organization’s 38-year history.

For more information and resources on NCOD, visit HRC’s Coming Out Center.

www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-launches-new-campaign-to-mark-30th-annual-national-coming-out-day?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Gus Kenworthy, Peppermint, Billy Porter and more notable LGBTQ figures featured in Variety’s “The New Power of New York List 2018”

www.glaad.org/blog/gus-kenworthy-peppermint-billy-porter-and-more-notable-lgbtq-figures-featured-varietys-new

Hillary Clinton Unloads on Trump: ‘He Has Been Racist, Sexist, Islamophobic, Anti-LGBTQ…There’s a Long List’ — WATCH

Hillary Clinton appeared at The Atlantic Festival and was asked by Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg if she thinks Donald Trump is a racist.

Said Clinton: I think he has thrown his lot in with many people and groups whose stated objection is white nationalism, white supremacy, how could you explain what he did and why after Charlottesville? … He has been racist, he’s been sexist, he’s been Islamophobic, he has been anti-LGBTQ, I mean, there’s a long list. He has a view of America that is incredibly constricted. And he talks to that America. He talks to them all the time.”

The post Hillary Clinton Unloads on Trump: ‘He Has Been Racist, Sexist, Islamophobic, Anti-LGBTQ…There’s a Long List’ — WATCH appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Hillary Clinton Unloads on Trump: ‘He Has Been Racist, Sexist, Islamophobic, Anti-LGBTQ…There’s a Long List’ — WATCH

#AM_Equality Tipsheet: October 4, 2018

HRC PARTNERS WITH BILLY EICHNER AND FUNNY OR DIE FOR “GLAM UP THE MIDTERMS” TOUR: The tour will include stops in Phoenix on October 13,  Las Vegas on October 20 and Milwaukee on October 27, and is aimed at encouraging millions of “Equality Voters” nationwide to take advantage of early voting and make their voices heard this November. In addition to more than 10 million LGBTQ voters across the nation, the Human Rights Campaign has identified 52 million “Equality Voters,” who make issues of equality a deciding factor in their vote. More from HRC and Variety.

HRC’S SARAH WARBELOW SPEAKS AT #StopKavanaugh RALLY: HRC joins partner coalition organizations in calling on the U.S. Senate to hold Brett Kavanaugh responsible for lying under oath to the Senate Judiciary Committee and to reject his nomination.

“Let me be clear: there is no justice for survivors if Kavanaugh serves on the Supreme Court.” @HRC‘s Sarah Warbelow joined our partners today outside the Supreme Court to deliver a powerful message that we #BelieveSurvivors and we must #StopKavanaugh. pic.twitter.com/luGTkDQGEz

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) October 4, 2018

HRC PRESIDENT CHAD GRIFFIN JOINS AFTAB PUREVAL IN CINCINNATI TO RALLY VOTERS AHEAD OF MIDTERMS: Griffin and Pureval will also discuss the crucial importance of the race to unseat Rep. Steve Chabot, who has consistently received an abysmal score of zero on the HRC Congressional Scorecard. If you are interested in covering, RSVP to [email protected].

HRC ANNOUNCES SLATE OF ENDORSEMENTS IN WISCONSIN STATE LEGISLATURE: “For too long, anti-equality politicians, like Governor Scott Walker and State Senator Leah Vukmir, have held our state back and failed to show the leadership needed to protect Wisconsinites from discrimination,” said HRC Wisconsin State Director Wendy Strout. “It is critical that we invest in fair-minded, pro-equality candidates up and down the ticket, who are committed to moving equality forward and ensuring the Badger State is open and welcoming to all.” More from HRC.

THROWBACK THURSDAY — ICYMI, HRC HOSTED BI+ COMMUNITY PANEL FOR #BIWEEK: More from Tagg Magazine.

Thank you @TaggMagazine for covering @HRC‘s #BiWeek event last week! ������t.co/WBevo3iASO pic.twitter.com/6OWBTYsc9E

— Allison Mummy Turner �� (@amturner1993) October 3, 2018

NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY IS OCTOBER 11: In the lead up to the 30th anniversary of National Coming Out Day, HRC is honoring those who came out this year on its Twitter. More from Daily Mail.

As we prepare to mark 30 years of #NationalComingOutDay on Oct. 11, @HRC honors actor Bex Taylor-Klaus (@IBexWeBex), who came out as trans non-binary this year. #NCOD pic.twitter.com/e3R9rfLpNO

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) October 2, 2018

RACINE, WI VOTES TO PROTECT TRANS COMMUNITY FROM DISCRIMINATION: “Like so many cities across the country, Racine, Wisconsin has made clear that all its residents deserve to be treated with dignity, respect and equality, regardless of who they are or who they love,” said HRC Wisconsin State Director Wendy Strout. “Today the Racine Common Council proudly affirmed the city’s support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community, and moved the Badger State forward on the road to equality.” More from HRC and The Journal Times.

MINNESOTA TO ALLOW ‘X’ GENDER OPTION ON DRIVER’S LICENSES: The state joins Maine, Oregon, California, Washington and the District of Columbia in allowing non-binary citizens to accurately reflect their gender on driver’s licenses. More from Star Tribune.

STEVE GAYNOR IS WRONG FOR ARIZONA: HRC exposed the anti-LGBTQ record of Arizona Secretary of State candidate Steve Gaynor. Gaynor has opposed updating state non-discrimination laws to protect on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and supports the debunked and dangerous practice of so-called “conversion therapy.” Lawmakers in a growing number of states have passed legislation protecting LGBTQ youth from the discredited practice. More from Arizona Central.

HRC JOINS “EQUAL FUTURE” CAMPAIGN TO SHARE STORIES OF LGBTQ CATHOLICS: The campaign is encouraging those attending the synod of bishops on young people in Roam to urge the Catholic Church to change its teachings on the LGBTQ community. More from National Catholic Reporter.

.@HRC is proud to partner with @EqualFuture2018 to encourage open dialogue at the Synod on Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment (@Synod2018) and urge the Catholic Church to welcome #LGBTQ faithful. #Synod2018 t.co/F1lVL8MQa5

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) October 3, 2018

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

SHAMEFUL — ROMANIA POLLS OPEN THIS WEEKEND ON REFERENDUM TO ENSHRINE DISCRIMINATION IN COUNTRY’S CONSTITUTION: Anti-equality activists are asking to amend the constitution to define a union as between “a man and a woman,” rather than the existing language of “spouses.” More from Human Rights Watch.

LANDMARK CASE IN UNITED KINGDOM TO ALLOW TRANSGENDER PARENT TO BE LISTED AS “FATHER” ON CHILD’S BIRTH CERTIFICATE: The unnamed plaintiff had his child prior to transitioning, and is fighting to be listed as the child’s father. More from Independent.

HORRIFYING — LGBTQ GIRLS IN CAMEROON FACE PHYSICAL, SEXUAL ASSAULT FROM FAMILIES ATTEMPTING DANGEROUS “CONVERSION”: More from Reuters.

HRC IS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR ITS 2019 GLOBAL SUMMIT.

CHURCH OF SCOTLAND MINISTER TO HEADLINE PROUD NESS FESTIVAL: More from STV News.

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

The New York Times interviews Queer Eye’s Bobby Berk; Billboard highlights new music from LGBTQ artists; GQ sits down with Lucas Hedges, star of the upcoming film Boy Erased

Paid for by Human Rights Campaign PAC (www.hrc.org) and not authorized by any candidate or committee.

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-october-4-2018?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed