Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon, the American Idol who shows us what Christian values really are

Name: Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon, 26

Who He Is: American Idol contestant, musician, music teacher

Why He Matters: Maryland resident Harmon’s passion for music lead him to American Idol auditions. The ginger singer immediately wowed the judges and landed a spot in the Top 20, which meant he’d compete for the grand prize. Harmon became a fan favorite thanks to his self-penned song about gay people going to heaven, and soaring, emotional renditions of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” and Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time.”

Then he dropped a bombshell, revealing that when he’d come out to his parents, they’d reacted with horror, eventually forcing Harmon to move out of the house. Harmon’s dad, Jerry Harmon, is a Baptist preacher with a long history of malicious denunciation of queer people, once arguing that equality is a sign of the downfall of civilization.

Despite such hateful rhetoric directed at him and his kind, Jeremiah professed throughout the season his love for his parents and his hope of making them proud while working on changing their minds. The couple surprised their son by attending his Idol performance of Queen’s “Who Wants to Live Forever,” for what amounted to an emotional—if short-lived—reunion. Video footage of Jerry Harmon denouncing gay people began to circulate on YouTube. Former congregants also came forward to speak out against the homophobia of his church.

Even though Harmon ended up eliminated later in the season, he left a lasting, inspirational mark on the show and its audience.

Why We’re Proud: Harmon’s brilliant singing, combined with his steadfast demonstration of love, forgiveness, and acceptance didn’t just provide a tender example of a son’s affection for his parents, it also exemplified the very Christian ethos his father failed to live up to.

As Harmon told People:

I want my parents to know that I love them no matter what and that I’m sorry for disappointing them and not turning out to be everything that they dreamed of. I just got to keep telling myself that I can do this. I’m doing this for me, I’m doing this for everyone who has been outcast by their loved ones. I know this isn’t just my experience. If I can be open about it and vulnerable, then maybe that can bring hope to somebody else.

www.queerty.com/jeremiah-lloyd-harmon-american-idol-show-us-christian-values-really-20190605?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Surveillance Video Shows Man Lighting Pride Flags on Fire Outside NYC Gay Bar: WATCH

Newly-released surveillance videos shows a man setting to fire to rainbow flags outside Alibi Lounge, a gay bar on Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. As we reported earlier this week, police are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime. Police are asking anyone who has information on the man in the video to call crimestoppers at 1-800-577-8477 (TIPS).

The New York Post reported: “Cops were called at around 12:20 a.m. Friday to Alibi Lounge on West 139th Street near Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd., where two rainbow flags were set ablaze, police said Saturday. By the time officers arrived the flames were extinguished by the rain, and no one was hurt. The arsonist remained at large, and cops are investigating the crime as a possible bias incident.”

Wrote the bar in a post on Instagram: “Few minutes ago, someone set our rainbow flags on fire! To the homophobic coward, we will make our mission to find you! It’s #pridemonth motherf**ker!”

View this post on Instagram

Few minutes ago, someone set our rainbow flags on fire! To the homophobic coward, we will make our mission to find you! It’s #pridemonth motherfucker! #pride #lgbtpride #gaybar #gaybarnyc #Harlem #gayharlem #gayinstagram

A post shared by Alibi Lounge (@alibiharlem) on May 30, 2019 at 9:50pm PDT

The post Surveillance Video Shows Man Lighting Pride Flags on Fire Outside NYC Gay Bar: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Surveillance Video Shows Man Lighting Pride Flags on Fire Outside NYC Gay Bar: WATCH

#AM_Equality Tipsheet: June 5, 2019

HOUSE PASSES THE AMERICAN DREAM AND PROMISE ACT — HRC CALLS ON SENATE TO ACT: “Dreamers, TPS and DED holders are our colleagues, our classmates, and our community members, including approximately 75,000 Dreamers who are LGBTQ,” said David Stacy, HRC’s Government Affairs Director (@david_stacy). “It is crucially important that Congress give them certainty and security to stay here in the U.S. and continue contributing to our nation.” More from HRC.

The Senate must act to protect the hundreds of thousands of Dreamers — 75,000 who are LGBTQ — because this is their country and this is their home too. It’s time to pass the #DreamAndPromiseAct. t.co/uEdycelYmF

— Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin) June 4, 2019

HRC ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR D.C. DECRIMINALIZATION LEGISLATION: The Community Safety and Health Amendment Act of 2019, introduced in the D.C. Council, would eliminate criminal prohibitions and penalties for consensual sex work and establish a task force to recommend further improvements to public safety, health and human rights. “No person should be put at risk of abuse or fear violence simply for trying to survive,” said Sarah Warbelow, HRC’s Legal Director (@SarahWarbelow). More from HRC.

HRC MOURNS CHYNAL LINDSEY, THE THIRD BLACK TRANS WOMAN KILLED IN DALLAS IN THE PAST YEAR: Lindsey’s death is the eighth known case of deadly violence against the transgender community in 2019. More from HRC.

WHAT WE’RE READING WEDNESDAY — VOX’S EMILY TODD VANDERWERFF (@TVOTI) SHARES HER POWERFUL COMING OUT STORY: More from Vox.

Congratulations to Emily Todd VanDerWerff (@tvoti) on living your truth. Thank you for sharing your powerful story with all of us. t.co/sJNsNkx9U3

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) June 3, 2019

REP. MIKE HILL’S SHOCKING DISPLAY OF ANTI-LGBTQ BIAS:

It’s clear that Rep. @MikeHillFl won’t apologize for cheering on LGBTQ discrimination or joking about executing LGBTQ people. Words and actions matter. It’s time for Mike Hill to go. #ResignMikeHill t.co/UgVfoJHkba pic.twitter.com/kmT10SOZmL

— Equality Florida (@equalityfl) June 4, 2019

HORRIFYING AND UNCONSCIONABLE — ALABAMA MAYOR DEFENDS SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTS ON KILLING LGBTQ PEOPLE:  

“Carbon Hill Mayor Mark Chambers recently endorsed and defended his own social media posts in which he called for LGBTQ people to be killed. This is horrifying, unconscionable and unacceptable.” – @HRC‘s Meghan Kissell t.co/Lh7DQoWO1w

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) June 4, 2019

CONGRATS! HRC’S DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL LEADERSHIP JAY GILLAM NAMED ONE OF ATLANTIC COUNCIL’S 25 LGBTQ NEXT GENERATION LEADERS: More from the Atlantic Council.  

PRIDE MONTH ROUNDUP

FROM THE WASH POST’S EUGENE SCOTT — “TRUMP’S RECOGNITION OF PRIDE MONTH CONFLICTS WITH HIS ADMIN’S POLICIES”: “You can’t celebrate Pride and constantly undermine our rights — including attacking #TransHealth, discharging #TransTroops, refusing to protect LGBTQ youth, and cozying up to dictators who brutalize and marginalize LGBTQ people,” said HRC President Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin). More from Scott (@Eugene_Scott) at The Washington Post.  

 LOOKING AT TRANSGENDER REPRESENTATION ON TV FOR PRIDE MONTH: More from Michael Rothman (@TheRealRothman) at Good Morning America.

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

FINLAND HONORS EQUALITY WITH NEUTRAL PRONOUN FOR GENDER AND SOCIAL STATUS:

#Finland is honoring #equality by gifting the #Finnish 3rd-person singular pronoun #Hän to the world! Hän stands for #EqualOpportunity, neutral in terms of gender and social status. @thisisFINLAND @HRC @Ulkoministerio pic.twitter.com/6ou5TpPdTC

— Embassy of Finland US ���� (@FinnEmbassyDC) June 4, 2019

PHILIPPINES’S ANTI-LGBTQ RODRIGO DUTERTE CLAIMS HE “CURED HIMSELF” OF BEING GAY: “Instead of making insulting and often nonsensical remarks about LGBTQ people and marginalized communities, it’s time that he takes action to end the well-documented human rights abuses committed by government and security forces officials across the Philippines,” said HRC Director of Global Partnerships Jean Freedberg (@freedjean). More from USA Today.

ANTI-LGBTQ SENTIMENT ON THE RISE AROUND THE WORLD: More from Harpers Bazaar.

READING RAINBOW – Bookmark now to read on your lunch break!
Buzzfeed features the New York Public Library’s (@nypl) new exhibit of photos showcasing powerful moments in LGBTQ history; The Guardian reports that the First United Methodist Church in Birmingham will screen Arthur episode blocked by Alabama Public Television; HRC staff Marcos Garcia on Immigrant Heritage Month and Pride Month

My parents always told me to proud of my Guatemalan���� and Puerto Rican���� heritage & of who I’ve become. This June, I’m overjoyed I can celebrate both my identities in #PrideMonth & #ImmigrantHeritageMonth and be thankful for the contributions each of us make to this country. ��️‍������ pic.twitter.com/0JcId87Z3T

— Marcos (@mac1342) June 3, 2019

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-june-5-2019?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

101 Photos of Sunny Salt Lake City at Utah Pride

www.advocate.com/pride/2019/6/05/101-photos-sunny-salt-lake-city-utah-pride

2-Year-Old’s Reaction to Seeing a Drag Queen for the First Time Goes Viral

Austin DeSpain took his two-year-old daughter Madilyn to the Salt Lake City Pride parade last weekend, and her face lit up when she saw drag queens for the first time. DeSpain uploaded the live photo and video to Twitter where it has quickly gone viral.

DeSpain told GSN that “all she is thinking, I’m sure, is that she sees princesses.” He added: “I see my daughter growing up in a world that’s getting better every day. But there’s also a gap that’s getting more extreme. We love everyone. If we don’t agree, that’s ok, but you be nice. She has to be, and will be strong with how things are nowadays. We’re already proud of who she is becoming.”

The post 2-Year-Old’s Reaction to Seeing a Drag Queen for the First Time Goes Viral appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

2-Year-Old’s Reaction to Seeing a Drag Queen for the First Time Goes Viral

Barbershop That Turned Away HIV-Positive Man Must Pay $75,000

Nikko Briteramos had his hair cut frequently at a Los Angeles barbershop until the owner learned he had HIV.

www.advocate.com/news/2019/6/04/barbershop-turned-away-hiv-positive-man-must-pay-75000