13 Lgbt Celebs Who Have Played Superheroes Or Villains
59 Thoughts Every Lgbt Student Has Before Mardi Gras
59 Thoughts Every Lgbt Student Has Before Mardi Gras
Dr. Ben Carson: National Malpractice
Dr. Ben Carson: National Malpractice
By Rory Winston
Upon hearing Ben Carson, the touted archangel of the archconservatives, proclaim that being gay is a choice, a fact illustrated by all those straight men who turn gay in prison, I couldn’t help but envision SNL’s Kenan Thompson getting up as Carson and saying, “Being Ben Carson is a choice, a fact illustrated by all those smart men who turn into creationists shortly after joining the Republican Party.” A retired neurosurgeon, Carson abandoned his area of expertise to pursue a career that isn’t exactly brain surgery.
In an effort to stave off accusations of homophobia, he recently found it necessary to invent a pseudoscientific basis for his distorted perspective. Qualifying his antediluvian worldview with a syllogistic fallacy, he proposed that since straight men often supposedly turn gay while being in prison, one can conclude that being gay is something one chooses, and that it is further correct to infer that all gay men have consciously made a similar choice about their sexuality at one time or another. In the resounding words of big Ben, “[They] go into prison straight, and when they come out, they’re gay. So did something happen while they were in there? Ask yourself that question.”
Personally, I don’t believe it’s necessary to ask myself anything of the sort. In fact, it makes about as much sense to ask Carson’s question as it would to ask if men with muscular physiques have criminal minds just because most men look very buffed up after a period of incarceration. Applying Carson’s winning formula to other areas of human behavior makes for wonderfully colorful and cost-efficient research. To find out whether or not celibacy is a lifestyle choice, one could, for example, simply examine the behavior of a person marooned on a desert island. If the person isn’t happy, then all celibates must be fooling themselves into thinking they are alone by design.
Although it may come as a shock to Carson, most people are in precisely the type of gender relationship they had been drawn to from early on — born to be wild, mild, straight, gay and often “getting bi with a little help from our friends.” The fact that these dynamics may alter in prison says more about the restrictive setting than about those who are forced to be there. No one disputes that besides genuinely gay prisoners and some who come out, there are also heterosexual prisoners who settle for gay companionship while incarcerated. Similarly, we should recognize that in repressive theocracies it is often the opposite that holds true: Under these circumstances, vast numbers of gay men and women are forced to turn to heterosexual relationships out of fear or simply for the sake of solace. Imposed constraints can alter natural desires. People make do, often settling for less. Whether love wrought under dire circumstances lasts once those constraints are removed is an entirely different matter.
As the reputed Republican Hopeless for the 2016 presidential election, Carson takes every opportunity to congratulate himself on his ability to speak his mind at any cost — the cost in this case being the reinforcement of an utterly nonsensical and dangerous notion, but the cost in all cases being rationality and someone else’s well-being. Although Ben plays the “bad boy” iconoclast card on a regular basis, he is very careful never to step outside party lines. His anti-politically correct posturing is not only overtly political in nature but is about as correct as most opportunism: right for himself and those who finance him.
As a rags-to-riches success story, Carson has been getting away with incendiary comments for quite some time. While many of us may have been taught that kids say the darndest things, we often forget that very accomplished adults are often capable of saying the dumbest things. Having compared Obamacare to 9/11, recent Democratic initiatives to slavery, and the president’s vision to Mein Kampf, the good doctor seems to be on a roll. It’s not hard to imagine just what kind of surgery Carson would recommend for our nation in order to save it from deadly cancers like same-sex marriage and equal opportunity.
In case the day should come when, in our fear, we do sign a consent form empowering someone like Dr. Run-Ben-Run Carson to lobotomize our democracy, well, not to worry, we’ll still have those other geniuses to run to. I think they used to call them rocket scientists.
Mark-Paul Gosselaar Poses Totally Nude, Adam Lambert Shows Off The Pecs, Pablo Finds A Twin & More
Mark-Paul Gosselaar Poses Totally Nude, Adam Lambert Shows Off The Pecs, Pablo Finds A Twin & More
This week, Michael Urie addressed rumors of an Ugly Betty reunion, Russell Tovey offended the entire world then issued a half-apology and Grease 2 hunk Maxwell Caulfield remembered his early wild days in New York. Here’s what happened recently on Instagram:
Adam Lambert has a hot chest and wants you to see it.
Gym time back in Hollywood– @trainersethg pump!
A photo posted by ADAMLAMBERT (@adamlambert) on Mar 3, 2015 at 2:45pm PST
Sam Smith gets illustrated. 
All-American Boy Steve Grand loves his All-American band.
I LOVE my #GrandBand so much! I can’t wait to travel allll over with them and play the new record for all of you! #allamericanboy A photo posted by Steve Grand (@stevegrandmusic) on Feb 28, 2015 at 6:29pm PST
Model Jon Kortajarena‘s beauty competes with the magnificent L.A. scenery.
Every effort has its rewards. Rayon Canyon. LA #letsstarttheday A photo posted by Jon Kortajarena (@kortajarenajon) on Mar 5, 2015 at 9:00am PST
E.J. Johnson has the perfect look for every occasion.
Rock the boat #Bahamas #rkobh #teamthis A photo posted by EJ Johnson (@ejjohnson_) on Feb 24, 2015 at 3:18pm PST
Hugh Jackman deserves a cheat day like everyone else.
Like that’s going to happen! A photo posted by Hugh Jackman (@thehughjackman) on Mar 5, 2015 at 3:46am PST
Blake Skjellerup and his fiance party hard on Friday nights.
Friday nights, just one crazy after another, am I right? Amazing Race, DateLine, Insane Pools…. Off the chain in here. A photo posted by Blake Skjellerup (@blakeskjellerup) on Feb 27, 2015 at 8:20pm PST
John Legend lives up to his last name.
A photo posted by John Legend (@johnlegend) on Mar 2, 2015 at 3:52pm PST
Colton Haynes got burned!
Well @ianbohen almost beat me this time…close but no cigar. #SunBurntBitch hahaha! A photo posted by Colton Haynes (@coltonlhaynes) on Mar 6, 2015 at 3:03pm PST
Model Pablo Hernandez seems to have found a boyfriend-twin.
He asks you to give it to him rough, what do you do? Photo by @briannieh87 @briannieh87 #pablohernandez #pablohernandezofficial #briannieh #model #photographer #photo #venice #beach #beauty #andrewchristian #trophyboy
A photo posted by Pablo Hernandez Official Page (@pablohernandezofficial) on Mar 6, 2015 at 4:45pm PST
OK, this is a cheat because it’s from Twitter, not Instagram…but OMG, Zach Morris Mark-Paul Gosselaar let someone take a totally nude photo of him while doing a handstand!
Teaming up with @Piketoon for the @CACrossFit #pairpower competition. @CrossFit. Some would say we’ve already won. pic.twitter.com/3EI2uMNWoW — Mark-Paul Gosselaar (@MPG) February 21, 2015
Jeremy Kinser
4 Logros LGBT Gays Iglesia Mormona 2015
4 Logros LGBT Gays Iglesia Mormona 2015
Queen of New York
12 Beautiful Quotes From Women In Art Who Aren't Afraid To Call Out Injustice
12 Beautiful Quotes From Women In Art Who Aren't Afraid To Call Out Injustice
Today is International Women’s Day, a day globally dedicated to acknowledging the economic, social and political achievements of women across the world. In honor of the occasion, we’re rounding up some of the best interviews we’ve had with women in the arts, all of whom aren’t afraid to tackle the tough issues women face in their daily lives. From education to beauty, success to authenticity, popular perceptions of body hair to the epidemic of catcalling, these female artists don’t veer away from injustice; instead, they face obstacles head on.
Behold, 12 beautiful quotes from women in the arts:
On the importance of education:
” It’s not enough to have a few women’s studies courses. Why is it more important to study Paul Revere’s midnight ride than it is Susan B. Anthony’s 50-year effort to transform the face of America for women? When you’re in school, most of the events you study are about men. Men’s activities lauded and repeated over and over. What about us? What about commemorating the decades-long struggle for suffrage? Why don’t we hear those stories over and over and over again. It’s almost inconceivable for men to understand what it would be like to live without that constant valorization.”
On catcalling:
“There are always those who want to tell women that their experiences are not valid or not important whenever they speak up. For me, as a black woman, this is particularly true. Wanting the basic right of feeling comfortable and safe and not sexualized as I walk out of my house is very much worth prioritizing.” -artist Tatyana Fazlalizadeh (read more here)
On success in a contemporary world:
“Success is now lined up with the realm of glamour, money and accoutrement which in essence have nothing to do with an originating vision but they do have to do with establishing recognition in commercial culture. I think women artists have a chance to deflect that and break that grip apart.” -performance artist Carolee Schneemann (read more here)
On finding your authentic self:
“I came of age before women’s lib, and wanted to buck the stereotypes of a culture that branded me a pretty girl, thin enough to be a fashion model and not much more. Armed with my camera and tripod, I found a way to define myself on my own terms in the most authentic way I could.” -photographer Lucy Hilmer (read more here)
On our culture’s preoccupation with female body hair:
“I entered making this work with a sense of fascination that hair is both beautiful and repulsive in our culture. The fragile influence of context is its only distinction. We see long hair on a woman as a symbol of beauty and femininity, but as soon as the hair is cut or removed the body, we think of it as unsanitary and strange. Likewise, we seem to never have enough hair in the places we want it, and too much hair in the places that we don’t want it to be!” -photographer Rebecca Drolen (read more here)
On definitions of beauty:
“The power to show real women, honest, present, complex and complete. Individuals, radiant in their own right. Not stripped of their personhood, or manipulated for a fantasy or metaphor. I like to think the power of lifting the veil from individuals helps to challenge societies darker fetishes and beliefs, perhaps shatter notions of bigotry and stereotypes… One of my greatest joys is working with women who do not usually dwell in this side of their beauty and yet in the work recognize themselves completely, as they are and magnificent.” -painter Victoria Selbach (read more here)
On the realities of trans women:
“[My] series was inspired by my love for the trans women I have met online and my sympathy with the struggles they have being seen as women and people… Trans women are everywhere, but until recently have been marginalized by the invisibility enforced by the intensification of misogynist violence toward them. It is up to cisnormative society to stop questioning their femininity, embrace their beauty, and counter the disadvantages they have just by being themselves.” -artist Janet Bruesselbach (read more here)
On gun control laws:
“My hope is that the young men in the 8th Ward and the surrounding neighborhoods are inspired to trade killing for creativity. Through the relationships they’ve developed they decide they can move past the paradigm of gangsters and guns. Healing in the neighborhood, by the neighborhood.” -artist and curator Kirsha Kaechele (read more here)
On the radical nature of the selfie:
“Yes, of course they have the capability of being radical or feminist. Our generation knows the image of the self better then any other generation before, because of our access to cameras, media and sharing. And also, the language of the image is no longer in the hands of specialists. We are all experts in reading images and we know how to control and manipulate the viewer through images.” – artist Melanie Bonajo (read more here)
On feminism’s potential for future change:
“The Future Feminist point of view has increasingly leaned not towards striving for equal status within a male construct or a male society, but rather to invite a redesign of society based on the principles of a feminine archetype in order to create the hope of a sustainable future for us all.” -The Future Feminists (read more here)
On inclusion in the art world:
“I am aware of the fact that in the bigger scheme of things in the art and literary worlds there are still a lot of gaps as far as diversity and representation goes. That is part of my personal inspiration to make art and tell stories and have more representation for women and people of color.” -comic artist Yumi Sakugawa (read more here)
On hope
-Barbara Nessim (read more here)
Wyoming Legislative Session Ends in Stalemate on Equality Bills
Wyoming Legislative Session Ends in Stalemate on Equality Bills
Wyoming’s legislative session comes to a close for 2015 in just a few days.
HRC.org
Hani Ahmed Entertainment & We Act Radio Present "Listen Up!", March 20th 10pm-3am, 1918 MLK Ave SE; live performances/interviews/radio broadcast/DJ; musical & poetic talent welcome (artist must bring music on CD); free admission; no backpacks or walk-ins;
Wellesley College Opens Its Doors to Transgender Women
Wellesley College Opens Its Doors to Transgender Women
After stirring national debate earlier this year, Wellesley has updated its official stance towards trans women — a move which has caused both celebration and skepticism.
Mitch Kellaway
www.advocate.com/politics/transgender/2015/03/06/wellesley-college-opens-its-doors-transgender-women
