United Methodists Release Plan to Split Over LGBTQ Issues

Churches that support LGBTQ clergy and same-sex marriage would remain Methodist, while those opposed would form a new denomination.

www.advocate.com/religion/2020/1/03/united-methodists-release-plan-split-over-lgbtq-issues

New ‘Dracula’ apparently isn’t bisexual, he’s ‘bi-homicidal’

www.queerty.com/new-dracula-apparently-isnt-bisexual-hes-bi-homicidal-20200103?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Justin Bieber, Jeffree Star, Ricki Lake, Prince Harry, Todrick Hall, Phil Roe, Jacob Wohl, Coachella: HOT LINKS

2020. More fundraising totals. Elizabeth Warren: $21.2 million. Joe Biden: $22.7 million. Amy Klobuchar: $11.4 million.

INTO THE WOODS. A Vancouver woman ran into Prince Harry and Meghan Markle whilst hiking in the wilderness.

BACKCHANNEL. Paul Manafort said FOX News host Sean Hannity served as his backchannel to Trump during investigation for financial crimes. “Manafort knew Hannity was speaking to Trump because Hannity would tell Manafort to hang in there, that he had been talking to Trump, that Trump had his back, and things like that,” the memos said. “Manafort understood his conversations with Hannity to be a message from Trump.”

#26. GOP Congressman Phil Roe (R-TN) won’t seek reelection. “After prayerful consideration, I have decided to retire at the end of the 116th Congress.”

RIO. Police ID suspects in Netflix ‘gay Jesus’ gasoline bomb attack. ‘Officers carried out a search warrant Tuesday morning and found money, a fake firearm, ammunition, a “political-philosophical” shirt and computers, police said in a written statement. Police also had a warrant for the suspect’s arrest, but he remains at large.’

JACOB WOHL. I’ll enlist if Trump attacks Iran: “Wohl’s hypothetical future platoon-mates might want to be aware that Wohl has a reputation for failing spectacularly.”

GHISLAINE MAXWELL. Jeffrey Epstein’s “recruiter” has been moving around to protective “safe houses.”

TODRICK HALL. The choreographer/performer speaks out about allegations of nonpayment and mistreatment of performers and employees.

YIKES OF THE DAY. Dr. Phil’s home.

LESBIAN MAFIA. Australian women’s soccer coach who said “lesbian mafia” was behind is sacking, is disproven by independent panel.

GAGAOOLALA. Asia’s first LGBTQ-focused streaming service launches: “GagaOOLala brings more than 1,000 feature films, shorts, web series, and documentaries to people across Asia, where censorship and traditional attitudes mean there has been little in the way of gay content in the mainstream media. After launching in 2017 in Taiwan, a beacon for gay rights since becoming the first place in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage, it has expanded to 21 territories including several that still criminalise homosexuality.”

FRANK OCEAN. Headlining Coachella with Rage Against the Machine, Travis Scott. FLASHBACK. Coachella owner Phillip Anschutz still tied to broad range of toxic anti-LGBTQ groups.

RICKI LAKE. Actress reveals shaved head, shares hair loss battle.

View this post on Instagram

Liberated and Free, Me. First things first, I am not sick. (THANK GOD.) I am not having a mid-life crisis. nor am I having a mental breakdown, though I have been suffering. Suffering mostly in silence off and on for almost 30 years. AND I am finally ready to share my secret. Deep breath Ricki…. Here goes….. I have been struggling with hair loss for most of my adult life. It has been debilitating, embarrassing, painful, scary, depressing, lonely, all the things. There have been a few times where I have even felt suicidal over it. Almost no one in my life knew the level of deep pain and trauma I was experiencing. Not even my therapist/s over the years knew my truth. I know that by sharing my truth, I will be striking a chord with so so many women and men. I am not alone in this and my goal is to help others while at the same time unshackle myself from this quiet hell I have been living in. Ever since I played Tracy Turnblad in the original Hairspray back in 1988 and they triple-processed and teased my then healthy virgin hair every 2 weeks during filming, my hair was never the same. (Yes, that was all my own hair in the film.) From Hairspray to Hairless. In my case, I believe my hair loss was due to many factors, yo-yo dieting, hormonal birth control, radical weight fluctuations over the years, my pregnancies, genetics, stress, and hair dyes and extensions. Working as talent on various shows and movies, whether DWTS or my talk show, also took its toll on my fine hair. I got used to wearing extensions, really just over the last decade. All different kinds, tried them all, the ones that are glued on, the tape-ins, the clip ins, and then into a total hair system that I hated, and finally to a unique solution that really did work pretty well for me for the last 4 or 5 years. I tried wigs on a few occasions but never could get used to them. It all felt fake and I was super self-conscious and uncomfortable. I’ve been to many doctors, gotten steroid shots in my head, taking all the supplements and then some. My hair would recover and then shed again. It was maddening. To read more: please go to my Facebook page.

A post shared by Ricki Lake (@rickilake) on Jan 1, 2020 at 11:25am PST

NEW MUSIC OF THE DAY. Justin Bieber “Yummy”.

COOKING CHALLENGE OF THE DAY. Antoni challenges Tan to cook a French omelet.

HOME TOUR OF THE DAY. Jeffree Star.

FRIDAY FLASH. Lil Nas X.

View this post on Instagram

wishing u all the best 2020

A post shared by Lil Nas X (@lilnasx) on Jan 1, 2020 at 10:04am PST

The post Justin Bieber, Jeffree Star, Ricki Lake, Prince Harry, Todrick Hall, Phil Roe, Jacob Wohl, Coachella: HOT LINKS appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Justin Bieber, Jeffree Star, Ricki Lake, Prince Harry, Todrick Hall, Phil Roe, Jacob Wohl, Coachella: HOT LINKS

Homophobe Bryan Fischer: ‘The Nazi Party Started in a Gay Bar’

The American Family Association commentator continues to promulgate a bizarre origin story about the Nazis.

www.advocate.com/media/2020/1/03/homophobe-bryan-fischer-nazi-party-started-gay-bar

Sorry, size queens, but it’s time for a rude awakening…

Let’s be real… size matters.

There will always be size queens–men whose obsessions with large members matter more than the person it’s attached to, and who won’t entertain the idea of anything shorter than a footlong sandwich even when they themselves are closer to a six-inch–but for many of us, size only matters in that it often dictates the roles we think we (or our hook-ups) fall into.

If you are particularly large, for example, a lot of guys will expect you to play the top. They want to take advantage of that, ahem, girth. Some might even argue that it’s simply a waste of a perfectly good tool if it’s not used in the way they expect. On the contrary, if guys are average or on the smaller size, they might feel pressured to play the more passive role based on assumptions that “small = bottom.”

So, where did this all originate? Is it some sort of evolutionary drive that the larger guy must always be the “masculine,” dominating one in the bedroom? Or does it come from some social construct we’ve adopted over time, which says that if you’re smaller, you shouldn’t want to do anything else but receive? Whatever the origin, these paradigms are often incorrect and limiting.

Size matters beyond what’s packed inside our boxer briefs. Guys with larger bodies–whether they are taller, stockier, beefier, or rounder–are also often expected to play a certain role. I think back to the viral video meme several weeks ago with the guy talking about his upcoming “date” (with his mom in the room, no less).

“You know, the guy I’m talking to is 6’4”,” he tells his mom. “Can’t wait to get my sh*t wrecked!”

The nature of this statement assumes that just because the guy coming over to play is super tall, it means he’s going to be an aggressive top. Sure, he’s trick already confirmed this, but chances are the young man in the video is just assuming.

Humans often place people into specific boxes. Categorizing makes the world feel more manageable. It helps us know what to expect and how to interact with others. But the problem with categorization is that it’s not always correct. Perhaps the lanky “date” referred to in the video likes nothing more than to be on all fours with a little “bro” taking him from behind? Or maybe he’s not into anal at all? Sadly, he wasn’t never even given the chance.

Societal expectations are rampant everywhere. It’s our task, as fully actualized queer people, to reject them if they aren’t authentic to who we are. Just because you’re 5’6″ and have a small frame or an average-sized penis doesn’t mean that you always want to be pinned back and thrown around by a domineering “masc” dude. Maybe you actually want to be the one in control. Maybe you prefer to bottom for someone who’s smaller (which is often the case!). Or maybe you like a multitude of body types and roles.

Whether you’re a top, a bottom, vers, or a side, it’s important to own your preferences, even when others might be expecting otherwise. On the apps, state your preferences up front to avoid having to debunk any future assumptions. Get in the habit of stating your truth, even when it feels difficult or like you might be disappointing someone. By doing this, you won’t be settling for something you don’t really want, and you’ll be more likely to have pleasurable sexual experiences. But more importantly, you’ll feel better about yourself because you honored your true feelings.

So yes, size matters, but it’s often more about function and role than anything else. Debunk those expectations if they don’t feel right to you. You’re too complex to be put in a box.

Oh, and lastly, for all you size queens out there, might I suggest asking yourself whether you’re looking to hookup with an actual person, or if your goal is simply to fulfill a fetish.

If it’s the former, don’t forget that you’re having sex with a person, not just a penis. And if it’s the latter, know that you’re closing yourself off to tons of great guys just because 98% of them (including, most likely, yourself) don’t fit into some idealistic fantasy. Those enormous Sean Cody guys you lust over aren’t accurate depictions of real life, and you could be missing out on great sex or connections by pretending that they are.

Jake Myers is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Los Angeles. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, with a specialization in LGBT Affirmative Psychotherapy.

www.queerty.com/sorry-size-queens-time-rude-awakening-20200103?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29