Cop Who Objected to Utah Pride Gig Leaves Job
His attorney claims the officer did not actually refuse the assignment, but was ridiculed for requesting an alternative.
Trudy Ring
www.advocate.com/pride/2014/06/12/cop-who-objected-utah-pride-gig-leaves-job
Are We a Stone’s Throw from an Epidemic of Anti-LGBTQ Violence?
This week a disturbing story, originally unearthed last year by an Oklahoma magazine, reached the light of national attention. We learned that Scott Esk, an Oklahoma Tea Party Republican candidate for the state House, had endorsed the stoning of gay people saying, “I think it would be totally in the right to [stone LGBTQ people].”
Two weeks ago, on May 29th, 2013, the New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP) released a report that showed that reports of anti-LGBTQ violence increased by nearly 27 percent in New York City from 2012 to 2013. This raises the eternal question: is violence increasing or is reporting better? Generally, we like to think that reporting is better – especially when it follows a summer like 2013, in which the media was reporting weekly, and, at times, daily, on anti-LGBTQ violence. These high profile reports meant that more folks knew about the violence, about AVP and about how to report violence and seek help. That’s the good news.
But that doesn’t mean violence isn’t also increasing. In 2013, in New York City, three people were killed because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This is up from zero homicides in 2012. On this front violence absolutely increased. And the violence is still disproportionately impacting people of color and transgender people – nearly 90 percent (yes, 90 percent) of the anti-LGBTQ homicide victims across this country were people of color and 72 percent were transgender women. For people of color, transgender women and transgender women of color, the violence isn’t just increasing, it’s an epidemic.
Why, in a time where LGBTQ equality is making such progress, when LGBTQ people are more visible (I mean, Laverne Cox on the cover of Time – that’s visible!), why is this violence still happening? Because the backlash, the folks that are moving more and more right of center, the Scott Esks of the world, are calling for this violence. Esk later went on to clarify: “I never said I would author legislation to put homosexuals to death, but I didn’t have a problem with it.” (And it’s not just words – we have seen some pretty extreme anti-LGBTQ legislation, too.) Now you may be thinking, “yes, but this knucklehead doesn’t represent me, or my family, or my friends” and he probably doesn’t.
But he represents an idea more insidious than the idiocy he’s spouting – an idea that is far more common, pervasive and responsible for violence than most are comfortable admitting: that LGBTQ folks, particularly LGBTQ people of color and transgender women of color, are other, are less than, and in some tragic cases, are disposable. Though (thankfully) most wouldn’t be bigoted enough to endorse stoning, it’s the same line of thinking that allows us to both casually and viciously mock transgender people; it’s why “that’s so gay” is still a put-down and not a compliment; it’s why LGBTQ violence is increasing. It is the promotion of violence that is based on judging someone because of who they are, or who they love. And it’s intolerable. We need to be outraged because we see not just the idiocy in these statements, but also the kernel of anti-LGBTQ bias and discrimination that will continue to exist until we all recognize that treating anyone as less than will lead – has led – to an epidemic of violence.
Andrew Rannells Will Replace Neil Patrick Harris As Hedwig; Here’s A Preview
Neil Patrick Harris returned to Broadway this spring in the revival of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, gave Sting a lapdance, nabbed a well-deserved Tony Award, and is ready to skedaddle.
We can’t blame him, though. He’s been performing the demanding role seven nights a week since March, encountering more glitter than most will see in a lifetime.
The show was only ever supposed to run through August, but with a smashing success comes an extended run.
And NPH will pass the wig to none other than Andrew Rannells. Andrew nabbed a Tony nomination for his hilarious work in The Book of Mormon, and more recently can be seen on Ryan Murphy’s The New Normal and as Hannah’s gay ex boyfriend on Girls.
Oh, and it won’t be Rannell’s first time taking the wig down from the box. He played the role in a 2011 production of the show in Austin, TX.
As evidenced here:
He’s locked in for at least an 8-week run beginning August 20th.
Who do you think should follow Harris and Rannells? We suggest Gaga. Just think of all those headlines…Gaga And Her Angry Inch Join Cast Of Hedwig.
Watch Rannell tear into “The Origin of Love” at a benefit concert at Joe’s Pub in NYC below:
Jeremy Kinser
Wisconsin Attorney General Says County Clerks May Be Prosecuted for Issuing Gay Marriage Licenses
Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen (R-pictured) said Thursday that gay couples who have been issued marriage license since U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage last Friday are not married in the eyes of the law and county clerks who issue marriage licenses to these couples could be prosecuted.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports:
“You do have many people in Wisconsin basically taking the law into their own hands and there can be legal repercussions for that,” Van Hollen said. “So, depending on who believes they’re married under the law and who doesn’t believe they’re married under the law may cause them to get themselves in some legal problems that I think are going to take years for them and the courts to work out.”
He said he did not believe same-sex couples could be prosecuted but that county clerks risked that happening.
“That’s going to be up to district attorneys, not me,” he said. “There are penalties within our marriage code, within our statutes, and hopefully they’re acting with full awareness of what’s contained therein.”
According to state law, country clerks can be jailed for up to nine months and fined up to $10,000 for issuing marriage licenses that aren’t allowed. According to the AP, 63 of the state’s 72 counties are issuing marriage license to same-sex couples.
Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell said the possibility of prosecution “doesn’t keep me up at night,” and that Van Hollen needs to “call off the dogs and turn off the fire hoses.”
Van Hollen has appealed the ruling to the 7th Circuit Cort of Appeals and is asking for a stay.
Kyler Geoffroy
JHON RODRIGUEZ R P FELICITA A RADIO LGBT ONE TO FIVE OAX
RADIOLGBTONETOFIVEOAX.MEX.TL.
Image Of Trans Teen Jane Doe Shared With Essay By Trans Activists Demanding #JusticeForJane
Jane Doe, a 16-year-old transgender girl of color, has been in prison without charges against her for 65 days, but her image and name have been kept anonymous by Connecticut’s Department of Children and Families. Today, the first image of Jane associated with her case, created by artist Molly Crabapple, has been shared with an essay demanding #JusticeForJane by activists Reina Gossett and Chase Strangio. GLAAD has been working to raise media attention around Jane’s story. Read the full essay from Reina and Chase posted on Reina’s website, republished here with permission, and take action by sharing the image of Jane Doe on social media with the suggested tweets below:
www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/12/justiceforjane_n_5489520.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices
News: Ansel Elgort, WNBA, Morrissey, Havana, Tom Hardy
Wilson High School Principal Pete Cahall on coming out to his entire school.
Ansel Elgort is the pits in the new issue of Interview.
Here is the dripping wet gigolo that Lea Michele is dating.
Morrissey cancels U.S. tour dates due to respiratory infection: “In the interest of making a full recovery, all further touring plans have been halted,” said the press statement. “Morrissey thanks his fans for their compassion, understanding, and well-wishes during this difficult period as he recuperates.”
The only thing shameful, NOM, is your silly march.
Philippine government rescues 15 minors working at gay bar: “According to the DOLE, the suspected minors were not properly paid for their work, no overtime pay, no holiday pay, and were not also properly paid for night differential.”
Has the WNBA finally found its gay pride? ” The gesture deserves two slow claps, considering how long it took. The league could have done this sooner, and helped change the sports world; instead, it’s merely taking advantage of a changed world.”
Grumpy Cat is getting a Christmas TV special.
Is that Richard Branson?
Kentucky man charged in murder of roommate: “A Kentucky man accused of killing his male roommate has told police he really isn’t gay and that he killed the man with a hatchet after he tried to tie him up and rape him as part of a fantasy, according to court records made available Tuesday.”
Birth of the spornosexual.
Shanghai prepares to celebrate Pride: “We’re taking the lead in China,” he said. “Other cities are just taking baby steps.” Gay pride events are still rare in mainland China, although they are a regular feature of the gay scene in Taipei and Hong Kong. In 2013, police detained one of the organizers of a small gay pride march in Changsha, central China.
Daytona Beach police arrest 10 in entrapment sting: “Police conducted a reverse prostitution operation that resulted in the arrest of 10 men, including one who thought he could pay for sexual services with a salad and another who is a former local basketball star, Daytona Beach police said.”
This guy is going to hurt someone, eventually.
Ricky Martin got adorable interacting with a couple of puppets.
Tom Hardy is looking fairly unrecognizable on the set of his new movie Legend.
Here’s Zac Efron making a skateboard, shirtless.
The Hollywood Reporter spent 48 hours in Brunei checking out the underground gay scene: “There are gay people here, but it’s not as bad as people think. There’s no hate crime. This is a pretty safe, peaceful place — no one can picture them actually stoning someone.”
New law puts Denmark at the forefront of trans rights in Europe: “Legislation adopted by the Danish parliament on Wednesday makes it the first country in Europe to stop requiring that people seeking to change their gender on legal documents receive a clinical diagnosis of ‘gender identity disorder,’ according to a release from the European chapter of the International Lesbian and Gay Association.”
A brief history of Havana’s gay parties. “The number of such spots increased notoriously, particularly after the onslaught of the Special Period crisis in the 90s. So-called ’10-peso parties’ (parties with a 10-peso admission) became common. These were “illegal” parties that gave gay people a place to flirt and hook up. They were held in private residences, many of them small and without the needed conditions for such parties (and exposed to the idiosyncrasies of the different neighborhoods).”
Andy Towle
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