Will This Indiana Trans Teen Be Crowned Prom Queen? (Video)
Dakota Yorke is one of four finalists in the contest for prom queen at Portage High School in Portage, Ind. She’ll find out if she won on Saturday.
www.advocate.com/transgender/2016/5/06/will-indiana-trans-teen-be-crowned-prom-queen-video
Cyndi Lauper Defends Performing North Carolina Concert (Video)
www.advocate.com/music/2016/5/06/cyndi-lauper-defends-performing-north-carolina-concert-video
PHOTOS: Move Over Billy Reilich, Gab The Gardener Is Instagram’s Hottest New Grower
L A B O R • D A Y In France it’s labor day today. Really? Instead of buying cheap #lillyofthevalley let’s do some #real #gardening !! This morning at the studio, among the bees and the eternal sun. #gardendesigner #personalcollection #plantsman #pruningseason #roses #gardening #gardener #landscapearchitect #paris #plantsman #plantspassion #rosaceae #lumberjack #maninthewoods #leatherboots #meninboots #leather #leathergloves #madeinfrance
A photo posted by GabTheGardener (@gab.thegardener) on
Meet Gab.
Gab the Gardner.
Or as we like to call him, the hottest horticulturist on Instagram. (Sorry, Billy Reilich, you’ve been replaced.)
Gab is a scruffy, blue-eyed, buff-bodied French landscape architect from Paris with a passion for plants, animals, outdoor adventures and the Mediterranean flora. He’s also gay. Oh, and did we mention that he takes a great gym selfie?
Join us for a leisurely wander through Gab’s garden below…
D R Y • F O R E S T the adventure goes on ! #adventure #dryforest #niaouli #melaleucaquinquenervia #newcaledonia #bearded #guyswithbeards #travelpassion #backpacker #thegreatoutdoors #southernpacific
A photo posted by GabTheGardener (@gab.thegardener) on
J A P A N G A R D E N S H O W Busy day before the opening, next Sat. ? #wallida #tropical #plants #japan #wallidaantidysenterica #apocynaceae #japangardenshow #2015 #nagasaki #musclebear #landscapearchitect
A photo posted by GabTheGardener (@gab.thegardener) on
N O W B A C K T O W O R K !!! #tbtuesday #gardener #landscapearchitect #desesperatehousewives #muscles #hairychest #barba #beard #guyswithbeards #sixpack #gymmotivation #leanbody #shredded #fitnessaddict #gympassion #nopainnogain #mensphysique #pecs #menpecs #gymaesthetics #aesthetics #cleaneating #muscledgardener
A photo posted by GabTheGardener (@gab.thegardener) on
J U N G L E today in a humid rain forest… Banyan tree, tropical flora. A dream! #intothewoods #jungle #tropicalforest #jungle #trekker #newcaledonia #banyantree #paradise #lagoon #island #tropics
A photo posted by GabTheGardener (@gab.thegardener) on
C L I P P I N G S E S S I O N ? #lavandula #drygarden #mediterraneangarden #lavender #tgif
A photo posted by GabTheGardener (@gab.thegardener) on
T O K Y O N I G H T S ???? It was not time to go to bed yet 😉 It’d been a long time since I did not practice any sports ? ? ? ?? #rowing #time #rower #beardlife #tokyonights #beard #japan #tokyo #fitnessaddict #ichigaya #camouflage #militaryuniform #uniform #meninuniform #sportswear #dri_fit #cardio #gymclothes #gymgear #manphysique #sportsaddict #gymwear #sportswear
A photo posted by GabTheGardener (@gab.thegardener) on
G A R D E N I N G Pruning the roses Clipping the edges This was a few weeks ago in #brittany It’s key in my work to stay down to earth 🙂 Passionate about plants #rosalafraicheur #pruningseason #roses #gardening #gardener #landscapearchitect #southbrittany #plantsman #plantspassion #rosaceae #climbers #lumberjack #maninthewoods #leatherboots #meninboots #leather #leathrergloves
A photo posted by GabTheGardener (@gab.thegardener) on
J A P A N boots boots boots ? #leatherfetish #japan #planting #musclebear #musa #musaceae #bougainvillea #bougainvilleaspectabilis #nyctaginaceae #veronica #veronicaceae #muhlenbergia #muhlenbergiacapillaris #grasses #graminae #poaceae #japangardenshow #nagasakigardenshow #gardeningworldcup
A photo posted by GabTheGardener (@gab.thegardener) on
Always trying to seek something or someone who seems out of reach ? #settinggoals #olivetree #greece #paradise #musclebear #gardener #sexygardener #scruff #guyswithbeards #barba #beards #thebeardedman
A photo posted by GabTheGardener (@gab.thegardener) on
Getting ready for winter ? #throwback #dromeprovencale #missingsummer #provence #meninshorts #backtonature
A photo posted by GabTheGardener (@gab.thegardener) on
Related: PHOTOS: Outdoorsmen Get Back To Nature In Celebration Of Earth Day
Dave Franco’s Frat Bro Comes Out As Gay In ‘Neighbors 2’
Homoerotic frat boys are the stuff of gay erotic fantasy. And actually, come to think of it, so apparently is Dave Franco. So it makes a kind of roundabout sense that — spoiler alert — Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising finds Franco’s character in a relationship with another man.
As director Nicholas Stoller recently explained to Yahoo! Movies, the decision the have the character come out not only came from the first film’s homoerotic undertones, but from a journalist questioning why the director had never included a gay character in any of his previous movies. “I was like, ‘I don’t know why. I literally don’t know. I have no good answer for that,’” Stoller said. “So this seemed like an organic way to have that happen.”
Related: Dave Franco And Zac Efron Confirmed To Be Dating, James Franco Offers Congratulations
(Oh, Nicholas. I’m sure there’s someone else who has time to explain the ways in which Hollywood has either ignored or misrepresented the LGBT experience to you. I’ll just send you a copy of The Celluloid Closet and call it a day.)
Related: Everything You Need To Know About Dave Franco’s Bare Butt
The upcoming sequel — which pits Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne against a rowdy sorority lead by Chloë Grace Moretz — finds Franco’s former frat bro Pete essentially inverting the old four-year-queer, gay-till-graduation stereotype. He’s graduated and engaged to his boyfriend, played by hilarious out actor John Early.
Of course, Franco’s character’s role is significantly reduced in Neighbors 2. Meanwhile, director Stoller implies that having Zac Efron’s ripped and often shirtless lead go gay was never an option: “A lot of Zac’s motivations in the first movie, especially with his girlfriend and stuff, seemed pretty straight. It felt like it might seem like a stunt if we made him gay. But it seemed to just work with Dave.”
feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/ORsI4VHwvho/dave-francos-frat-bro-comes-gay-neighbors-2-20160506
Channing Tatum Introduces the Men of ‘Magic Mike Live’ (And Their Abs) – LOOK
Have you ever wanted Magic Mike to not just be a series of thirst trap movies but an actual place on earth? If so, wish no more. On Thursday, Channing Tatum announced that he’s launching a Magic Mike live show set to debut in Las Vegas.
He also introduced the men of Magic Mike Live–and their abs.
In a video announcement, Tatum explained how he came up with the idea for Magic Mike Live:
“I was walking around my house filled with hot men that I live with everyday…and I was thinking, what’s the next step for Magic Mike? 2D? We’ve done it twice. 3D? 3D hasn’t been cool since Avatar. Virtual reality? I don’t know. And that’s when Justin Timberlake from The Social Network popped into my mind and he goes, ‘What if you just dropped the virtual? Magic Mike: Reality.’”
He added, “God knows we have enough gentleman’s clubs in this world. So let’s start the first gentle ladies club. Or maybe not so gentle. Depends on what you’re into.”
Here’s to hoping it will also be a gentle-man-on-man club. Or something.
Watch Tatum’s announcement, below.
The post Channing Tatum Introduces the Men of ‘Magic Mike Live’ (And Their Abs) – LOOK appeared first on Towleroad.
Hillary Clinton Tells NYC Trans Woman She is Loved, Calls Subway Attack ‘a Rebuke To All of Us’
Earlier this week, we posted about the horrific NYC subway attack on Pearl Love, a transgender woman who was minding her own business when she was harassed and assaulted by a woman on a busy subway. Love posted the video to Facebook, where it has since gone viral.
Yesterday, Hillary Clinton left Love a message on the post, reading:
Pearl, I’m so sorry that you experienced this. The all-too-high prevalence of violence and hatred faced by the transgender community — in 2016! —is a rebuke to all of us. Every single person deserves to be safe and live free from discrimination and cruelty, period. And transgender people need to hear from every one of us that you are loved, respected, and deserving of equality under the law. Know that you have my support, and I’m on your side.
It’s unclear whether Love has filed a police report. She said that she may do so with the help of friends. The Anti-Violence Project said it is aware of the attack and reached out to elected officials in the appropriate districts.
The post Hillary Clinton Tells NYC Trans Woman She is Loved, Calls Subway Attack ‘a Rebuke To All of Us’ appeared first on Towleroad.
Six Amazing Moms Who Welcomed Their Transgender Children With Open Arms
For Mother’s Day this year, HRC is honoring mothers across the nation who are standing up for transgender equality.
This particular group of mothers has become outspoken advocates for transgender equality. Whether on Capitol Hill, the Nightly News or at the White House, these moms have become exceptional role models for parents everywhere.
Here are their stories:
1. Michelle: Michelle is just your average mom in Northern California. She is the mother of three children, including her transgender daughter, Malisa. “Malisa is your typical pre-adolescent girl,” Michelle said in a video for HRC. “She loves to craft and sing.” Michelle and her father, Congressman Mike Honda, have both been open about their undivided support for Malisa and equality for the transgender community.
2. Annie: Annie always knew there was something special about her grandchild, Kaycee. “I knew it was something different about Kaycee,” she said in a HRC video. “Kaycee didn’t have to tell me. I knew it.” While Kaycee was worried about coming out to her family as transgender, her grandmother stood by her side every step of the way.
3. Ofelia: Ofelia, a mother of three, lives in Los Angeles with her three children, including her transgender daughter, Zoey. “It doesn’t make sense how people can define you without knowing you. It just doesn’t,” Ofelia said in a new HRC video. “If you look at Zoey and you see her, she’s a girl.” Ofelia has not only supported Zoey in her own home, but has lobbied on behalf of the transgender community in Sacramento, working for AB 1266, the School Success and Opportunity Act, and the TRUTH Project.
4. Ileana: Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Florida Republican, has long been an outspoken advocate on Capitol Hill for LGBT equality, from her early support for lifting the ban against openly-LGBT Americans serving in the military, to advocating for anti-discrimination and anti-bullying measures. For her, it’s personal. Rep. Ros-Lehtinen has a transgender son, Rodrigo.
5. Debi: Debi’s daughter Avery was four-years-old when she proclaimed her true gender identity to her mother. Debi, who is Southern Baptist, admitted that at first she didn’t quite know how to process the information, but as soon as Avery was able to live life freely and openly as her authentic self, Debi and her family saw an immediate change for the better.
6. Jodie: A mother of five, Jodie noticed from an early age that her third child, Penelope, would study and imitate the actions of his father and brothers. Penelope was assigned female at birth but was certain of his true identity as early as he was able to express it. Jodie swiftly made the important decision to empower and support her child unconditionally.
HRC and Equality NC Urge UNC Leadership to Reject HB2 and Comply with Federal Civil Rights Law
HRC and Equality NC have sent letters to chancellors and presidents of the University of North Carolina and North Carolina Community College systems urging them to reverse implementation of the deeply discriminatory HB2. The letter from the two civil rights organizations come after the Department of Justice notified Margaret Spellings, President of the University of North Carolina University System, Thomas Shanahan, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, and the UNC Board of Governors that by complying with HB2, the University of North Carolina is in direct violation of federal law.
If the state does not comply with federal civil rights law, it could lose $4.5 billion in federal education funding alone, which works out to nearly $500 per North Carolina taxpayer or a decrease of $2,500 in education funding per public school student, including those attending North Carolina’s public universities.
“Tens of thousands of students, faculty, and college employees across North Carolina have been harmed by HB2,” said HRC Legal Director Sarah Warbelow. “The Department of Justice has now affirmed HB2 violates the civil rights of those in the UNC community, and we therefore urge all public universities and colleges to reverse its implementation. This is not only the right thing to do, it is the law.”
Just yesterday, North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore said state leaders will defy federal civil rights laws and the Department of Justice, which gave Gov. McCrory and state officials until Monday to address the situation “by confirming that the State will not comply with or implement HB2.” University of North Carolina President Margaret Spellings, who also received a letter from the DOJ, must now decide whether to stand with the flailing governor and chaos he has created, or comply with federal law in the best interests of students.
The joint letter outlines how Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity, how Title VII prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sex stereotyping, and how non-compliance could cost North Carolina colleges and universities billions in federal funding.
#AM_Equality Tip Sheet: May 6, 2016
BREAKING: HRC AND EQUALITY NC CALL ON UNIVERSITY OF NC OFFICIALS TO DO THE RIGHT THING – REJECT HB2, COMPLY WITH FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS LAW: HRC and Equality NC sent a letter today to the chancellors and presidents of the University of North Carolina and North Carolina Community College systems urging them to protect the wellbeing of their students, and billions in federal funding, by complying with this week’s U.S. Department of Justice order to reverse implementation of the discriminatory HB2. “Tens of thousands of students, faculty, and college employees across North Carolina have been harmed by HB2,” said HRC Legal Director Sarah Warbelow. “The Department of Justice has now affirmed HB2 violates the civil rights of those in the UNC community, and we therefore urge all public universities and colleges to reverse its implementation. This is not only the right thing to do, it is the law.” The DOJ told state officials, including UNC President Margaret Spellings, that they have until Monday to comply with federal law. Read the full letter here.
TRANSGENDER WOMAN SHARES HORRIFIC SUBWAY RIDE, HILLARY SHARES SUPPORT, SOLIDARITY: Pearl Love, a transgender woman living in New York City, was physically and verbally assaulted on the subway on April 28. The horrifying incident, which Pearl bravely captured on video and shared on Facebook earlier this week, was a chilling window into the consequences of ignorance, hate and transphobic rhetoric. Between notes from from friends and allies, one heartfelt message stuck out.
NOTORIOUS ANTI-LGBT GROUP TARGETS TRANSGENDER TEEN: The Alliance Defending Freedom, one of the most dangerous organizations working to prevent equality for LGBT people across the globe, has now set its sights on a transgender high school student in Illinois. The hate group that uses its broad reach to promote discriminatory legislation and foster anti-LGBT initiatives across the country and internationally, has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education over its settlement with the student’s school district which allows her access to locker facilities consistent with her gender identity. Here’s our ever-expanding list of 10 shocking facts about the group. More from The Washington Post.
NC HOUSE SPEAKER TAKING HIS TIME: Despite ramming the bill through the Legislature in less than a day, House Speaker Tim Moore cavalierly said yesterday that state officials will let the Monday deadline to reverse implementation of HB2 “come and go.” The News & Observer calls Moore’s defiant position “nonsense,” and “a waste” wrought by the state’s bumbling GOP leadership, adding:, “Surely the speaker learned his high school civics better than this.” And The Charlotte Observer calls the choice on HB2 “obvious,” saying North Carolina “can obey federal law” or the state “can fight — and lose in so many ways.”
MEANWHILE IN ALABAMA: HRC Alabama and its supporters marked the end of Alabama’s 2016 legislative session in a celebratory mood. While seven anti-LGBT bills were introduced, not a single one passed the state legislature — including an awful measure that would have allowed state-based foster care and adoption agencies to reject qualified LGBT prospective parents based on the agency’s religious beliefs, and a mean-spirited anti-marriage equality resolution.
LGBT VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY REJECT TRUMP, SAY #IMWITHER: Given Hillary Clinton’s pro-equality history and Donald Trump’s dismal record with the LGBT community, a new poll showing LGBT voters favor Hillary over Trump by a whopping 4-1 margin comes as no surprise. More from The Washington Blade.
EAT MORE CHIKIN… NOT! NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio is urging New Yorkers to boycott the Chick-Fil-A restaurant chain over its history of anti-LGBT stances. More from Towleroad.
DO NOT ENTER… New Jersey Democratic Sen. Raymond Lesniak wants to ban state-funded travel to states with anti-LGBT laws. More from NewJersey.com.
READING RAINBOW
PBS discusses how North Carolina’s discriminatory bill affects far more than just bathrooms… The Chicago Tribune highlights the story of a transgender prom queen… A 59-year-old transgender woman talks about how Target’s bathroom policy gives her hope in The Star Tribune…and ABC News breaks down the potential, devastating impact Tennessee’s new counseling law could have on LGBTQ youth…
Have news? Send us your news and tips at [email protected]. Click here to subscribe to A.M. Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading!
www.hrc.org/blog/am-equality-tip-sheet-may-6-2016?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed
Is Writing “Masc 4 Masc Only” In Your Online Profile Homophobic?
Each week online comedian, voice actor and chest hair model Sam Kalidi creates a comedic post for Queerty readers. This week he considers the possible homophobia in noting that you’re masculine in your online hookup profile and you’re seeking masculine only. He welcomes your hate mail. You can find him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and at your local glory hole.
The problem with gay guys who write “Masculine for Masculine Only” on Grindr. pic.twitter.com/MMx2z0zVxO
— Sam Kalidi (@samkalidi) May 4, 2016
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