IT’s Gay Bashing Scene Serves No Purpose Except as Porn for Homophobes

The gratuitous opening scene unnecessarily traumatizes queer viewers already painly familiar with a constant threat of violence.

www.advocate.com/commentary/2019/9/12/its-gay-bashing-scene-serves-no-purpose-except-porn-homophobes

An HRC bigwig fought for marriage equality. Now she’s fighting her divorce by attacking it.

www.queerty.com/hrc-bigwig-fought-marriage-equality-now-shes-fighting-divorce-attacking-20190912?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Former Boy Band Member and Disney Star Ricky Garcia Says Manager Intoxicated, Raped Him on ‘Almost Weekly Basis’

Ricky Garcia, a former member of the boy band Forever In Your Mind and an actor on the Disney channel show Best Friends Whenever, is suing former manager Joby Harte, claiming Harte sexually assaulted him dozens of times starting at age 12.

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Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who reached out after they saw my live trying my hardest to be more open and let you guys in on my life. Like any normal human being, I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs and finally realized I have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. We’re all human and we make mistakes. We’re not perfect. You gotta allow yourself the grace of having redemption. Give others the chance to show their true colors and then make that decision. Too much and not enough action. Actions do speak louder than words. Keep spreading love that’s what it’s about

A post shared by RG (@realrickygarcia) on Jun 22, 2019 at 6:13pm PDT

USA Today reports: “In a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles and obtained by USA TODAY, Garcia’s attorneys allege years of sexual abuse by Harte, beginning when Garcia was 12. The lawsuit names Harte, four entertainment companies and four other individuals. … The suit says Harte initially began having conversations with Garcia about sexuality and later intoxicated Garcia before stripping him naked and sexually assaulting him. By the time Garcia was 16, his lawsuit claims, Harte sexually assaulted him “on an almost weekly basis.”

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So please if anyone is out there right now going through something even remotely similar to what I went through, please, we all need to speak out about this– yes of course I want justice for the POS that manipulated me, but more importantly this is about saving anyone else who feels like they don’t have a voice, because I can tell you this. YOU are not alone. This can can happen to anyone that you know. It’s just a matter of talking about this to people and letting your close ones know that it’s not okay. So if anyone knows anyone else that’s going through this shit as well. It’s so important to speak up for them

A post shared by RG (@realrickygarcia) on Sep 11, 2019 at 12:23pm PDT

TMZ adds: “The singer, now 20, claims Harte used the “well-worn pedophile playbook of grooming and seduction.” Garcia claims it started with Harte promising him the world … before showing him porn and then allegedly sexually assaulting him. In the docs, filed by attorney Ben Meiselas of Geragos and Geragos, Garcia — who auditioned for season 3 of “The X Factor” and joined the boy band at Simon Cowell’s invitation — claims on multiple occasions Harte got him blackout drunk. Garcia claims he’d wake up naked the following mornings next to Harte. … For his 17th birthday, Garcia claims Harte got in his shower stall at a hotel resort and forced him to masturbate Harte until he ejaculated. Garcia says he never told anyone about the alleged sexual assaults because he was afraid of losing his career.”

Garcia’s attorneys Ben Meiselas and Michael Popok denounced Harte in a statement to USA Today: “Our client, Ricky Garcia, was a preteen and teen music and acting star in the making. Tragically, and as alleged by him under oath in the complaint, high-powered male entertainment industry executives, led by his former manager Joby Harte, who were responsible for nurturing his career, instead sexually preyed on his economic and emotional vulnerability, and sexually assaulted and raped him. In twisted fashion they inflicted injuries and shame on our client that have derailed his promising career and that will take him a lifetime to recover from.”

The post Former Boy Band Member and Disney Star Ricky Garcia Says Manager Intoxicated, Raped Him on ‘Almost Weekly Basis’ appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Former Boy Band Member and Disney Star Ricky Garcia Says Manager Intoxicated, Raped Him on ‘Almost Weekly Basis’

Homophobic Winery That Turned Away Lesbian Wedding Changes Policy

Owners caved after a bride posted an email from the winery on social media.

www.advocate.com/news/2019/9/12/homophobic-winery-turned-away-lesbian-wedding-changes-policy

#AM_Equality Tipsheet: September 12, 2019

HRC APPLAUDS HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE FOR ADVANCING GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION MEASURES: “It is imperative that Congress and the White House finally take action to prevent this senseless, ongoing epidemic of gun violence,” said HRC President Alphonso David (@AlphonsoDavid). “The vast majority of the American people support meaningful steps to stop these preventable tragedies, including an assurance that no person in this country can purchase a firearm without clearing a background check.” More from HRC.

HRC TO HONOR ACTOR MICHAEL BENJAMIN WASHINGTON WITH VISIBILITY AWARD AT 2019 ST. LOUIS GALA THIS WEEKEND: More from HRC. 

THANKFUL THURSDAY — INDYA MOORE (@IndyaMoore) WEARS EARRINGS & CARRIES PURSE DEPICTING 17 BLACK TRANSGENDER WOMEN KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN KILLED THIS YEAR: Sadly, just days after Moore’s brave display of activism, advocates were alerted to an 18th death — that of Bee Love Slater. More from Out Magazine. 

.@IndyaMoore spotlighted the crisis of violence facing trans women at the #FMAS2019, wearing earrings depicting the deceased.

“Just like me these women dared to exhaust their freedom to exist by being visible. However, instead of being celebrated, they’re punished for it.” pic.twitter.com/jZLsgzewyu

— Out Magazine (@outmagazine) September 6, 2019

PROFESSIONAL GAMER DOMINIQUE “SONICFOX” MCLEAN (@SonicFox5000) COMES OUT AS A NON-BINARY MAN: More from Metro Weekly. 

ANGELICA ROSS (@angelicaross) CALLS OUT “BLACK GIRLS ROCK!” AWARDS SHOW FOR FAILING TO INVITE OR ACKNOWLEDGE BLACK TRANS WOMEN: More from Femestella. 

• On a recent segment of OWN, Angelica Ross and her mother opened up about their relationship. More from Out.

RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL PASSES RESOLUTION CONDEMNING “CONVERSION THERAPY”: More here. 

.@HRC commends the @CityRichmondVA on passing a resolution last night calling for local and statewide protections for youth from the dangerous and debunked practice of so-called “conversion therapy.” t.co/w4c76bbrHS

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) September 10, 2019

EVEN THOUGH THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT REQUIRES THAT MEDICAID COVER GENDER AFFIRMATION SURGERY, MANY TRANS & NON-BINARY PEOPLE FACE BARRIERS IN ACCESSING COVERAGE: More from Bloomberg Law.

ALEJANDRA BARRERA, A TRANSGENDER WOMAN & REFUGEE, HAS BEEN RELEASED AFTER BEING HELD BY ICE FOR 20 MONTHS: More from PinkNews. 

HORRIBLE — RADIO STATION TWEETS, DELETES HOMOPHOBIC SLUR AIMED AT ITS OWN EMPLOYEE: More from The Advocate.

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

HRC PROUD TO SUPPORT THE FIRST PRIDE MARCH IN UKRAINE’S SECOND LARGEST CITY: The march in Kharkiv, with support from HRC’s Partnerships in Pride program, will take place despite the mayor’s coercive attempts to restrict Pride activities. More from HRC.

SAME-SEX COUPLE — BOTH PRIESTS  — MARRIES WITH HOPE OF RECEIVING BLESSING FROM AUSTRALIA’S ANGLICAN CHURCH: Fathers John Davis and Rob Whalley hoped to become the first same-sex couple to recieve such a blessing, but the matter has been referred to the church’s highest court for a decision on whether the blessing would violate the church’s constitution. More from PinkNews.

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

Outsports profiles married, gay volleyball coaches Coleman Lee and Garrett Case (@gcase1470) 

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-september-12-2019?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed