Killer Goes Free After Claiming Self-Defense in Brutal Murder of Gay Chicago Man: VIDEO

The family of a murdered gay Chicago man is outraged after his killer claimed self-defense and was released from custody without being charged.

Kenneth Paterimos, a 23-year-old barista, was stabbed to death with a box-cutter following an altercation last Friday night at Richard’s Bar on the city’s west side.

Family members allege Paterimos’ killer yelled a homophobic slur prior to the stabbing, and police say witnesses confirmed that, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. However, authorities released the 30-year-old suspect on Sunday without charging him after he claimed the 127-pound Paterimos beat him up.

“I don’t believe for one second this guy [thought he] was ever in danger,” Paterimos’ brother, Santiago “Julian” Bueno, told BlockClubChicago.org.

“This isn’t a story about self defense,” Bueno said. “This is a story about someone who knew what they were doing … found his victim to bully … and then tried to walk off like nothing happened.” 

Bueno, a professional MMA fighter who was with Paterimos at Richard’s Bar, tackled the intoxicated suspect and held him down when he tried to flee after stabbing the victim eight times in the head, chest, arm, collarbone and ear.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s office ruled Paterimos’ death a homicide, and police recovered the murder weapon.

Paterimos’ killer was hospitalized after suffering extensive injuries, but Bueno said they occurred when he pinned the man down and beat him while waiting for police. Bueno said the suspect, a 220-pound military veteran, also tried to stab him.

Authorities say although the suspect was released, their investigation is continuing, and charges are still possible.

A Justice for Kenny website has been launched calling for authorities to charge Paterimos’ killer, and a fundraising page for his funeral expenses has brought in $14,000.

“Words cannot express the tragic nightmare I have been living the last two days,” Paterimos’ mother, Diona Bueno, wrote on the GoFundMe page. “He was a hard worker, always helping someone. The bright light of my family, the one who ties us together, is gone.”

Watch a report from NBC 5 below.

The post Killer Goes Free After Claiming Self-Defense in Brutal Murder of Gay Chicago Man: VIDEO appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Killer Goes Free After Claiming Self-Defense in Brutal Murder of Gay Chicago Man: VIDEO

#AM_Equality Tipsheet: February 27, 2020

VIRGINIA VALUES ACT RECEIVES FINAL APPROVAL, HEADS TO GOVERNOR’S DESK FOR SIGNATURE: The bill will grant non-discrimination protections to Virginians on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and several other characteristics. Virginia will be the first state in the South to have non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people, the first state in over a decade to add sexual orientation and gender identity to existing non-discrimination law and the first state since 1993 to add a prohibition on discrimination in public accommodations (protecting all Virginians) where none existed before. More from HRC, the Washington Blade, the Associated Press and Metro Weekly.

• The Virginia House of Delegates also passed a bill to offer an additional “X” gender marker option on driver’s licences earlier this week. The bill now goes to the Governor’s desk. More from the Washington Blade.

TODAY — HRC LEGAL DIRECTOR SARAH WARBELOW (@SarahWarbelow) TESTIFYING BEFORE THE HOUSE OVERSIGHT AND REFORM COMMITTEE ON TRUMP ADMIN’S ASSAULT ON LGBTQ RIGHTS: The Committee will hear how the Trump administration has undermined LGBTQ rights, including by permitting discrimination on the basis of religion. More here.

• Media interested in a statement or comment, please contact Viet Tran at [email protected].

PENCE’S RECORD IN INDIANA CASTS REAL DOUBT ON ABILITY TO BE CORONAVIRUS CZAR: While serving as Governor of Indiana, Pence exacerbated an HIV crisis by slow-walking possible solutions, flexing his far-right zeal for defunding health care providers like Planned Parenthood seeking to resolve the problem and ignoring the growing problem. With more than 20 new cases diagnosed every week at the time, Pence failed Hoosiers who needed swift and strong action to combat the health crisis. Based on his record in Indiana, there should be real doubts on his ability to combat the growing Coronavirus. For more on Pence’s LGBTQ record, check out HRC’s Real Mike Pence Report.

THANKFUL THURSDAY — JAZZ AND FRIENDS NATIONAL DAY OF SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY READINGS TAKES PLACE TODAY! Thousands of parents, educators, elected officials and allies will join in this day of readings to help to support trans and gender-expansive youth. The day helps foster safe and welcoming schools and communities for youth who still rarely hear affirming stories of LGBTQ people. In addition to I Am Jazz, a children’s book by transgender teen trailblazer Jazz Jennings (@JazzJennings__), participants have the option of reading from additional books about transgender and gender-expansive youth of color, including Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love and They, She, He Easy as ABC by Maya and Matthew Smith Gonzalez (@MayaGonzalezArt). Learn more from HRC.

• Reps. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) (@RepAngieCraig) and Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) (@RepSpeier) will lead Members of Congress in reading I Am Jazz and Julián Is a Mermaid on the House floor this morning. Rep. Craig is a Co-Chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, and Rep. Speier is a Member of the Caucus.

TEACHER IN MANSFIELD, TEXAS REACHES SETTLEMENT IN SEXUAL ORIENTATION DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT AGAINST THE SCHOOL DISTRICT: Elementary school teacher Stacy Bailey filed suit against the school district after she was suspended for speaking with students about her sexual orientation, and after she asked for protections for LGBTQ staff and students. Said HRC President Alphonso David (@AlphonsoDavid): “The Human Rights Campaign was proud to stand with Ms. Bailey as she faced and then challenged discrimination head on. Justice has been served in this case, and a talented teacher has won the right to be herself in the classroom and in her workplace. No one should face retribution simply for being themselves.” More from CBS DFW.

HRC MOURNS THE LOSS OF WILTON MANORS, FLA. MAYOR JUSTIN FLIPPEN: More from HRC.

HRC REMEMBERS VIN MCCARTHY, HRC FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER WHO PASSED AWAY EARLIER THIS MONTH: More from The Boston Globe.

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY, THE U.S. HOUSE PASSED THE BIPARTISAN BACKGROUND CHECKS ACT OF 2019.

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS POLAND ARE ADOPTING ANTI-LGBTQ RESOLUTIONS: More from Balkan Insight, and learn more about the ongoing attacks on the LGBTQ community in Poland from HRC.

NEARLY 3,000 SAME-SEX WEDDINGS HAVE TAKEN PLACE SINCE MARRIAGE EQUALITY WAS LEGALIZED IN TAIWAN: More from PinkNews, and learn more about the state of marriage equality around the world from HRC.

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

them. interviews LGBTQ advocate and founder of online event Queer Black Christmas Tanya Compas (@TanyaCompas)

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-february-27-2020?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Texas GOP official compares gay group to murder advocates

As previously reported on Queerty, the Texas branch of the Log Cabin Republicans (LCR) have again been turned down for a booth at the Texas State Republican Convention. It takes place May 14-16 in Houston, TX.

2020 represents the twentieth year the LGBTQ conservative group have been denied a booth.

Related: Log Cabin Republicans shunned by their own party, can’t even get a booth at upcoming convention

One of those frustrated by the repeated refusal is former Houston Log Cabin Republican president (2016-2020), Marco Antonio Roberts.

Roberts posted a lengthy Facebook post challenging some of the reasons given for refusing the group a convention presence (it partly boils down to an expectation for LCR not to disagree with a principle of the Texas GOP over its belief in “self-sufficient families, founded on the traditional marriage between a natural man and natural woman.”)

One of those responding to Roberts’ post was Sue Evenwel, the chairperson of the Titus County Republican Party and a member of the State Republican Executive Committee.

She said that Log Cabin Republicans, as individuals, have access “to the entire Republican party experience.”

She goes on to say, “The only thing being questioned is Republican convention booth policy. That’s the big issue and difference. As a group it is no longer about an individual participating, but it is an express advocacy group, and the LCR’s unique identity is homosexuality which is in conflict with the principles & platform of the Republican Party.

“The party would also not allow express advocacy groups for murders, burglars, adulterers or fornicators, yet there may be some among us dealing with those issues who are also Republicans working and voting for our candidates.”

Her comment prompted many responses.

“I would like to invite Sue Evenwel to walk through the 2020 RPT Vendor Hall with me and explain the sins of each booth while I livestream her explanations/ justifications,” said Amy Hedtke. “I am 100% dead serious here. Not even a teensy bit sarcastic.”

Another, Sean Ricker, replied, “I think we voted a fornicator and adulterer as our president, and have suggested he is the best ever. But what do I know? I’m just over here doing gay things with my fornicating friends.”

Related: More Log Cabin Republicans jump ship after Trump endorsement

Evenwel is far from being alone in her views about the Log Cabin Republicans. At the GOP committee meeting where the LCR application was turned down, Texas State Senator Bob Hall, 77, criticized the group.

“They don’t have the basic belief in the God of the Bible that we are founded on,” he said.

“I could not find anywhere on their website an expression of their faith in God like you will find on a Republican website.”

www.queerty.com/texas-gop-official-compares-gay-group-murder-advocates-20200227?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Gay Bernie Fan Seeks Advice: My Hubby Has the Hots for Buttigieg, Wants to Call Me ‘Mayor Pete’ in Bed

A gay supporter of Bernie Sanders recently sought advice from a Vermont newspaper because his husband has the “scalding hots” for Pete Buttigieg and wants to call him “Mayor Pete” in bed.

“I know it’s all in good fun, but this idea sort of turns me off. Probably because I’m a huge Bernie fan. I’m game for trying a lot of things, and I want to make my hubby happy, but I think this might squash the mood. What do I do?” ” wrote the 33-year-old male, under the moniker “Not Butti-Giggling.”

The Reverend, who oversees the “Ask the Rev.” advice column in Burlington’s Seven Days alt-weekly, responded that while role play can be a great way to spice up a couple’s sex life, both parties must be all-in.

“I say let some six-o’clock shadow grow, throw on a tie, hop in the sack and see how it goes,” the Reverend wrote. “If trying it for real is a complete boner-kill, tell him that he can call you ‘Mayor Pete’ in his head all he wants. I’m sure he’d understand where you’re coming from if you ask him whether he’d be OK with you yelling, ‘Feel the Bern!’ in the throes of passion.”

In related news, Buttigieg and his husband, Chasten, reportedly are the subject of nearly 70 stories of fanfiction, or real person fiction (RPF), on one popular platform, according to Ashley Reese at Jezebel.

“One of the funniest things about fandoms is when something becomes ‘fanon,’ as in, it becomes ‘canon’ because the fans agreed upon it,” Reese writes. “The Pete/Chasten fandom has not created firm fanon in regards to who tops, though most have Pete topping, which I assume is attributed to his seriousness and the association between topping and traditionally masculine traits. 

“There were a few notable exceptions, including one which imagines that a candid video of Pete and Chasten is leaked on Reddit and 4chan. In this story, we discover that the scandal isn’t quite that the couple is gay but rather that Pete is not a top; as he exasperatedly says to [campaign manager Lis] Smith, ‘I bottom, Lis, who gives a fuck?’ (“‘That’s not a bad line, actually,’ Lis says pensively. ‘Not for you, obviously, totally off-brand and Beto’s got the market cornered on profanity, but it’s not a bad line…’”). Additionally, there exists a dynamic in which Chasten’s relative experience compared to Pete’s inexperience is enough to grant him the duties of a top as he guides Pete through a late-in-life sexual awakening.”

The post Gay Bernie Fan Seeks Advice: My Hubby Has the Hots for Buttigieg, Wants to Call Me ‘Mayor Pete’ in Bed appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Gay Bernie Fan Seeks Advice: My Hubby Has the Hots for Buttigieg, Wants to Call Me ‘Mayor Pete’ in Bed

Bette Midler to make first-time appearance at the GLAAD Media Awards in New York on March 19

www.glaad.org/blog/bette-midler-make-first-time-appearance-glaad-media-awards-new-york-march-19