Zurich Pride: Europe’s gay revolution starts here
GSN was there in Switzerland’s largest city to talk to lesbian mayor Corine Mauch and many others about the ‘unstoppable’ march to equality
joem
www.gaystarnews.com/article/zurich-pride-europes-gay-revolution-starts-here140614
Trans Activist Outraged By “Insensitive” Prison-Themed Pride Party For Gay Men
Sebastian Young, Johnny Rapid, and Jack King in Men.com’s “Prison Shower” series
A prison-themed circuit party co-hosted by Masterbeat and porn conglomerate Kink.com is coming under fire by the PC Police ahead of San Francisco Pride this year, being labeled “insensitive” and “asinine” because it allegedly “celebrates” and “trivializes” the LGBT incarceration rate.
Feel free to roll your eyes.
The party, titled Prison of Love, is perhaps set to a prison theme because it’s being held in The Armory, a landmark in San Francisco’s Mission District that has become synonymous with kinky porn — the 200,000 square foot building houses the working sets and operational staff that run Kink.com, the world’s largest fetish pornography site portfolio.
Circuit queens love shit like this so much, they’ll be shelling out $75 to come dance, drink, and take selfies with mock prison cells on June 28, Pink Saturday:
Get incarcerated as The Armory Drill Court gets transformed into the world’s largest megaclub prison yard with thundering line array sound, full color lasers, hundreds of intelligent lights, moving truss, 3D-LED video walls, and the world famous production and performances of WE Party, KINK.com, Club Universe, Masterbeat, FRESH SF and XOXO … Grab your spot on the bunkbed and party in the prison yard with hot inmates, guards, bad boys, bitches, and muscle boys! General Admission tickets include access to the main event area and WE Party Prison of Love. Bring a cellmate, share the love!
This fun theme party marketed exclusively toward gay men, according to someone who composed a boycott letter on Twitter and a writer at Jezebel, the birthplace of misguided public outrage, is offensive.
One of them cared so deeply, she spent her Tuesday afternoon writing this:
Given the rates of incarceration amongst the LGBT+ community, specifically LGBT+ youth and LGBT+ individuals of color, this seems… well, like a really, really bad idea. Insensitive you might even say. Perhaps my favorite word of all: problematic.
Some opponents have even gone so far as to claim the party endorses “prison rape.” You can read their arguments in full here.
Kink.com CEO Peter Acworth, an extremely vocal supporter of sex workers and the sex industry, penned an eloquent response to the outrage. He makes a case for freedom of expression, notes the celebratory tone of the party, and agrees to tone down the prison language on future marketing materials:
I ask you to also consider the fact that sexual fantasy and BDSM have long been a tool used by those who have experienced real life trauma and oppression – including many members of the LGBTQ community – to reclaim the imagery and language of their experiences and alter the actual meanings of those words and images. Sexual fantasies may be catalyzed by real life events, but in no way do those fantasies represent or contain the same meaning as non-consensual, non-sexual real life power dynamics.
The party, as incorrectly indicated by Jezebel, is not sponsored by SF Pride. It is expected to go off without a hitch, despite threats of sabotage from protestors.
On Facebook, the party’s organizers said they’re ready to handle any type of outburst:
There is indeed a robust plan in place to assure our guests have a great time without interruption during this time of celebration.
Good thing there will be plenty of prison cells on hand.
Matthew Tharrett
President Obama Includes Gay Dads in Father's Day Proclamation
President Obama released a proclamationg for Father’s Day 2014:
Fatherhood is among the most difficult and rewarding jobs a man can have. It demands constant attention, frequent sacrifice, and a healthy dose of patience. Even in a time when technology allows us to connect instantly with almost anyone on earth, there is no substitute for a father’s presence, care, and support. On Father’s Day, we show our gratitude to the men who show us how to learn, grow, and live.
With encouragement and unconditional love, fathers guide their children and help them envision brighter futures. They are teachers and coaches, friends and role models. They instill values like hard work and integrity, and teach their kids to take responsibility for themselves and those around them. This is a task for every father — whether married or single, gay or straight, natural or adoptive — and every child deserves someone who will step up and fill this role. My Administration proudly supports dads who are not only present but also involved, who meet their commitments to their sons and daughters, even if their own fathers did not.
Today, let us reflect on our fathers’ essential contributions to our lives, our society, and our Nation. Let us thank the men who understand there is nothing more important than being the best fathers they can be.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, in accordance with a joint resolution of the Congress approved April 24, 1972, as amended (36 U.S.C. 109), do hereby proclaim June 15, 2014, as Father’s Day. I direct the appropriate officials of the Government to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on this day, and I call upon all citizens to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.
Andy Towle
www.towleroad.com/2014/06/president-obama-includes-gay-dads-in-fathers-day-proclamation.html
Marcha Pelos Direitos LGBT – Braga 2014
2ª Marcha pelos Direitos LGBT de Braga.
WATCH: A Trans Dad on Telling His Kids About Gender
Willy Wilkinson says his children see him as a “transformer.”
Neal Broverman
www.advocate.com/politics/transgender/2014/06/14/watch-trans-dad-telling-his-kids-about-gender
Michael Sam Signs Historic NFL Contract With St. Louis Rams
Michael Sam has taken another historic step toward realizing his dream of playing in the NFL. The first openly gay player ever to be selected in the NFL Draft, Sam has signed a rookie contract with the St. Louis Rams.
Grateful, humbled, and motivated after officially signing with all my Rams rookie brothers. Let’s do this!! #RamUp pic.twitter.com/quFCf01tJw
— Michael Sam (@MichaelSamNFL) June 12, 2014
The Rams announced on Thursday that they had signed all 11 players selected by the team in the 2014 NFL draft, including Sam. A first-team All-American defensive lineman from the University of Missouri, Sam signed a four-year, $2.65 million contract, with $46,000 of it guaranteed, reported Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. All of the Rams’ rookie signees went through some financial education before signing their deals.
“With the new rookie cap and everything it’s really not difficult to get the deals done,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said Tuesday, via Nick Wagoner of ESPN. “So we just felt like this time would be better served putting them in situations from an educational standpoint, financial planning, those kind of things. We’ve done a lot of that.”
Sam, who came out during interviews with ESPN and The New York Times in February following a stellar season at Missouri, was the selected by the Rams with the 249th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
While many believed that Sam, who had been named the 2013 SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year, fell in the draft because he had announced that he was gay, he did not seem deterred by being the eighth-to-last selection of the 2014 NFL Draft in April.
Thank you to the St. Louis Rams and the whole city of St. Louis. I’m using every once of this to achieve greatness!! pic.twitter.com/QESdOJVzsw
— Michael Sam (@MichaelSamNFL) May 10, 2014
In his first press conference with the Rams, Sam made his aim clear.
“I’m determined to be great,” he told reporters.
Michael Sam Signs Four-Year Contract With St. Louis Rams
Michael Sam, the first openly gay football player to be drafted by the NFL, has officially become the first openly gay player to transcend the draft and land an NFL contract.
According to Fox Sports, the St. Louis Rams signed Sam and the rest of the Rams rookie class (11 new players) on Thursday, offering Sam a reported four-year, $2.65 million contract. The brand new paycheck will probably only cushion Sam’s income from partnership deals — before being drafted, he had already become a spokesman for Visa, launched a line of merchandise, and was courted for an OWN documentary.
Earlier this week, Sam told NFL.com that his transition into the NFL had been developing flawlessly. “They treat me like a football player,” he said.
After signing his contract on Thursday, Sam tweeted that he was “grateful, humbled, and motivated.”
Grateful, humbled, and motivated after officially signing with all my Rams rookie brothers. Let’s do this!! #RamUp pic.twitter.com/quFCf01tJw
— Michael Sam (@MichaelSamNFL) June 12, 2014
Congratulations, Michael!
Matthew Tharrett
Gay Iconography: Jason Collins Scores For Representation
Locker rooms are a little less intimidating today, thanks in part to the courageous coming out of basketball player Jason Collins.
In April 2013, the NBA free agent made headlines when he came out in an article he’d written for Sports Illustrated. He wrote: “I didn’t set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I’m happy to start the conversation.”
He signed a contract with the Brooklyn Nets and debuted the following February, making him the first openly-gay male athlete to play in any of the four major North American sports leagues. (Other athletes have come out after retirement.) Since his historic debut, Collins has been named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, marched in Pride parades and was part of the inaugural class of inductees to the National Gay & Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame.
Even though his prospects for next season remain unclear, his impact on the larger cultural conversation remains. One of his personal heroes, tennis star Martina Navratilova said of his coming out: “Collins’ action will save lives.”
Get to know Collins better with these clips, AFTER THE JUMP …
Collins tells his personal coming out story in video above. He explains why he chose to wear the jersey number 98: “The year 1998, the Trevor Project was founded and Matthew Shepard was killed. Each time I put on the jersey, it reminded me of how proud I am of being gay.”
Collins’ coming out sparked conversation throughout the world, especially among sports fans and commenters. In the clip above, basketball legends Charles Barkley and Shaq discuss Collins’ announcement and their history playing with gay teammates.
Get More: 2013 VMA, Artists.MTV, Music
Outside the court, Collins became a pop-culture figure as well. He helped introduce Macklemore at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2013. The intro, alongside A$AP Rocky, caused a little controversy when Rocky’s facial expression looked uncomfortable. The rapper would go on to apologize.
Overwhelming support poured in for Collins following his Sports Illustrated article, including some from the White House. President Obama gives Collins a shoutout in the video above. He called Collins personally to congratulate him and recently appointed Collins to his Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. The First Lady invited Collins to sit in her State of the Union box.
Although Collins played his first game with the Nets at the Staples Center, he received a huge ovation from the crowd at Barclays Center when he made his home debut in March. You can check it out in the clip above. There was unprecedented demand for his jersey when it became for sale by the NBA.
Are you a Collins fan?
Bobby Hankinson
www.towleroad.com/2014/06/gay-iconography-jason-collins-scores-for-representation.html
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