Musical About Lesbian Athlete Gets NEA Grant
Chicago’s About Face Theatre has received a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts to develop a musical about late Olympian Babe Didrikson.
Brandon Voss
www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/theater/2014/12/08/musical-about-lesbian-athlete-gets-nea-grant
Warwick Rowers Discuss Stripping Down To Combat Homophobia
What better way to help fight homophobia than with a group of dashing, naked athletes?
It began in 2009, when the University of Warwick’s rowing team couldn’t afford the equipment they needed. So the teammates figured getting naked and creating a photo calendar was the best way to raise funds.
When the athletes realized much of that support was coming from the gay community, they shifted their focus in 2012 and now donate 10 percent of the calendar’s revenue to Sport Allies, a campaign they created to combat homophobia.
“Our way of giving something back — because [the gay community was] supporting us and enabling us to row — was to, as young straight athletes, stand in alliance with them and stand up for their rights,” rower Laurence Hulse told HuffPost Live’s Josh Zepps on Monday.
Our hats, or shall we say shirts, go off to you, Warwick Rowers.
Watch the video above to see the rowers discuss their calendar in full shirtless glory.
Sign up here for Live Today, HuffPost Live’s new morning email that will let you know the newsmakers, celebrities and politicians joining us that day and give you the best clips from the day before!
Favorite Moments of 2014: Favorite Companies that Support LGBT Equality
This year, we saw hundreds of corporations take a stand to support LGBT equality.
HRC.org
PHOTOS: Preview The Looks Of RuPaul’s Season Seven Girls
Fourteen hopeful queens were ruvealed over the weekend as the latest crop of contestants on RuPaul‘s Drag Race. In a press rulease, Mama Ru said of her season seven rubies:
“This year we have some of the youngest and oldest contestants in RuPaul’s Drag Race herstory. Study each queen closely. Do not underestimate anyone. The girls that make it to the top this season will shock you.”
Let’s take a closer look at some of the girls’ looks:
Sasha Belle (Iowa City, Iowa)
Mystique Realness! #drag #dragqueen #queen #makeup #makeover #cosplay #xmen #mystique #sashabelle
A photo posted by Sasha Belle (@sashabelley) on Nov 11, 2014 at 11:37pm PST
A photo posted by Sasha Belle (@sashabelley) on Nov 11, 2014 at 12:55pm PST
A photo posted by Sasha Belle (@sashabelley) on Nov 11, 2014 at 8:44pm PDT
Violet Chachki (Atlanta)
#cultural #appropriation #drag
A photo posted by ???????????????? (@violetchachki) on Oct 10, 2014 at 9:57am PDT
Shooting with @tespinozaphoto today! Looks amazing, cant wait to post the final edits!
A photo posted by ???????????????? (@violetchachki) on Sep 9, 2014 at 2:50pm PDT
A photo posted by ???????????????? (@violetchachki) on Jun 6, 2014 at 7:59pm PDT
Kennedy Davenport (Dallas)
I’m getting the hang of this instagram thing I’m such a facebook addict tho.
A photo posted by Kennedy Davenport (@davenportkennedy) on Dec 12, 2014 at 1:27pm PST
A photo posted by Kennedy Davenport (@davenportkennedy) on Nov 11, 2014 at 10:33pm PST
Een foto die is geplaatst door Kennedy Davenport (@davenportkennedy) op Nov 11, 2014 at 1:06 PST
Mrs. Kasha Davis (Rochester, N.Y.)
A photo posted by Kasha Davis (@mrskashadavis) on Nov 11, 2014 at 2:45pm PST
Sometimes it’s a SNOW WHITE kinda day!
A photo posted by Kasha Davis (@mrskashadavis) on Nov 11, 2014 at 2:32am PST
I’m about half ready for fringe.
A photo posted by Kasha Davis (@mrskashadavis) on Sep 9, 2014 at 7:22pm PDT
Tempest DuJour (Tucson, Ariz.)
A photo posted by @tempestdujour on Dec 12, 2014 at 11:09am PST
A photo posted by @tempestdujour on Nov 11, 2014 at 8:58am PST
Miss Fame (New York City)
My makeup tutorial ‘SuperNatural Blonde’ is officially up on my #YouTube channel!!! I’m so excited to share this beauty focused makeover which focuses on bringing out your natural beauty in Drag. Link is available in my bio. Photo @marcelocantuphoto, dress @garosparo, gloves www.LaCrasiaGloves.com, hair @bobbiepinzdotcom, makeup by yours truly ????????????#supermodel #drag #queen #PaintedByFame #Inspiration #Cateye #Darklip #blondebombshell #cosmicqueen #lightworker #rainbowchild #magnetic #universal #alignment #destiny #thefutureisnow #theworldiswatching #love #supernatural #supernova #abundance #missfamenyc
A photo posted by Kurtis Dam-Mikkelsen (@missfamenyc) on Nov 11, 2014 at 6:38pm PST
Behind the scenes of my most recently filmed makeup tutorial for YouTube. I can’t wait to share. Thank you @marcelocantuphoto for your time and talent on the camera. Couture dress & Swarovski cuff by @garosparo, hair @bobbiepinzdotcom, nails by @lilmilkynails, makeup and crystal veil by yours truly. #glitterbrow #cosmicqueen #cosmiclove #missfamenyc #makeupismylife #magnetic #inspiration #alien #artist #abundance #alignment #awakening #theface #thebrand #thefutureisnow #theworldiswatching #rainbowchild #lightworker #supermodel #supernova #supernatural #vogue #abundance #YouTube
Een foto die is geplaatst door Kurtis Dam-Mikkelsen (@missfamenyc) op Nov 11, 2014 at 2:42 PST
I loved giving @jeffreestar the #paintedbyfame experience. Photography by @marcelocantuphoto, hair by @wigginoutbz @bobbiepinzdotcom, lips @jeffreestarcosmetics, makeup by yours truly. #missfamebeatdown #jeffreestar #drag #queen #supernova #supermodel #tattoo #theface #inspiration #lightworker #rainbowchild #magnetic #makeupismylife #beyondthisplanetbeautiful #magentaisthenewblack #universal #alignment #alien #inspiration #love #artist
A photo posted by Kurtis Dam-Mikkelsen (@missfamenyc) on Oct 10, 2014 at 11:41am PDT
Jaidynn Diore Fierce (Nashville, Tenn.)
A photo posted by Jaidynn Fierce (@jaidynnfierce) on Jan 1, 2014 at 10:45am PST
A photo posted by Jaidynn Fierce (@jaidynnfierce) on Nov 11, 2013 at 12:27am PST
A photo posted by Jaidynn Fierce (@jaidynnfierce) on Feb 2, 2013 at 6:02am PST
Kandy Ho’ (Cayey, P.R.)
I’m a real bitch! RuPaul’S DRAG RACE SEASON 7 #sweetandsexy #kandyho #RPDR #season7
A photo posted by Kandy Ho’ (@ho_kandy) on Dec 12, 2014 at 7:04pm PST
A photo posted by Kandy Ho’ (@ho_kandy) on Nov 11, 2014 at 10:55am PST
Neverland Day of the Dead with @trusselll21 ????????
A photo posted by Kandy Ho’ (@ho_kandy) on Oct 10, 2014 at 4:36pm PDT
Katya (Boston)
Get tangled up in my erotic rat’s nest. Courtesy of the incredible @smj030682!!
A photo posted by Katya Zamolodchikova (@welovekatya) on Nov 11, 2014 at 1:45pm PST
Hanging out with my cousin Scotty and his girlfriend Sandy
A photo posted by Katya Zamolodchikova (@welovekatya) on Sep 9, 2014 at 9:52pm PDT
Feeling my mature oats in my best Mizery pose @keikohiromi
A photo posted by Katya Zamolodchikova (@welovekatya) on May 5, 2014 at 3:04pm PDT
Jasmine Masters (Los Angeles)
A photo posted by @msjasminemasters on Nov 11, 2014 at 11:13am PST
A photo posted by @msjasminemasters on Oct 10, 2014 at 9:20am PDT
A photo posted by @msjasminemasters on Feb 2, 2014 at 11:17pm PST
Trixie Mattel (Milwaukee)
Shocking!!! By #luckyboiphotography
A photo posted by Trixie Mattel (@trixiemattel) on Nov 11, 2014 at 8:15pm PST
A photo posted by Trixie Mattel (@trixiemattel) on Nov 11, 2014 at 9:06pm PST
Victory rolls are for failures.
A photo posted by Trixie Mattel (@trixiemattel) on Nov 11, 2014 at 7:31pm PDT
Max (Hudson, Wisc.)
@heidibphoto behind the camera in oz, marvelous meeting you, beauty. X
A photo posted by Max. (@maxcollective) on Oct 10, 2014 at 11:12pm PDT
A photo posted by Max. (@maxcollective) on May 5, 2014 at 8:45am PDT
A photo posted by Max. (@maxcollective) on May 5, 2014 at 11:22pm PDT
Ginger Minj (Orlando, Fla.)
Een foto die is geplaatst door Ginger Minj (@gingerminj) op Dec 12, 2014 at 9:48 PST
Bingo in Michigan… night one! Amazing crowd!
A photo posted by Ginger Minj (@gingerminj) on Nov 11, 2014 at 6:33pm PST
A photo posted by Ginger Minj (@gingerminj) on Nov 11, 2014 at 6:24pm PST
Pearl (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Een foto die is geplaatst door Pearl (@pearliaison) op Dec 12, 2014 at 7:34 PST
A photo posted by Pearl (@pearliaison) on Oct 10, 2014 at 8:06am PDT
A photo posted by Pearl (@pearliaison) on Jun 6, 2014 at 3:39pm PDT
Dan Tracer
'Pride' Wins Best Film at British Independent Film Awards
Pride, the true story of lesbian and gay activists who supported workers during the 1984 National Union of Minerworkers (NUM) strike, has been named best film at the British Independent Film Awards, BBC reports:
Accepting the top award of the night, Pride director Matthew Warchus said: “We’re getting reports from up and down the country of audiences standing up and applauding. That doesn’t really happen in British cinemas.
“It’s just extraordinary. It’s a real tribute to the source material.”
Writer Stephen Beresford added that the film had one “simple, compelling message: unite”.
“When I was first told the story I was blown away by it – people ask ‘is that really true?’
“It took 20 years to convince anyone that a film about vegan lesbian activists was a sure-fire hit.”
Pride stars Andrew Scott and Imelda Staunton also took home awards, winning best supporting actor and best supporting actress respectively.
For more on Pride, check out our interview with director Matthew Warchus and our review of the film.
Kyler Geoffroy
www.towleroad.com/2014/12/pride-wins-best-film-at-british-independent-film-awards.html
A LGBT Wedding | Wedding Highlight Video
This was a memorable LGBT wedding that we shot at the Metropolitan Community Church. Video Express Productions For booking information visit www.videoexpresspro.com Like us on …
Don't Let Seoul's Mayor Buckle to Homophobia and Transphobia
Seoul’s Mayor Won-soon Park is one of 26 finalists to be soon considered for the 2014 World Mayor Prize organized annually by the City Mayors Foundation.
This prestigious honor is bestowed upon a mayor who has exemplified the foundation’s Code of Ethics, including a commitment to not discriminate against LGBT individuals or groups.
But it has become increasingly apparent the mayor of one of the world’s largest cities no longer seems to qualify for this international recognition.
As mayor, Mr. Park halted the enactment of Seoul’s Charter of Human Rights for the city’s upcoming observance of Human Rights Day. Why? The Charter included a provision stating support for non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
The Charter was drafted and voted on by a committee of 134 citizens and 30 human rights experts. Yet Seoul’s mayor objected to the inclusive provision and went on to condemn LGBT people as a result of pressure from an anti-LGBT coalition of Korean churches.
As an overseas Korean, it’s difficult to watch a once progressive leader denounce the very principles he previously stood for.
For more than 30 years, Mr. Park dedicated his life to democracy, human rights law and progressive grassroots activism. He was one of the founders of People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (참여연대), a prominent South Korean organization that tackles government corruption, promotes human rights and champions citizen involvement in government.
Mr. Park was also appointed to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a South Korean government body designed to investigate and reveal the country’s human rights violations.
In a 2013 interview with global affairs magazine Monocle, Mr. Park said, “As an activist, I used to feel that bureaucracy had been corrupted by a culture of non-transparency. I think transparency and accountability are the most important agenda in our society and in our times.”
But Mr. Park has allowed the discriminatory views of the majority to dictate Seoul’s municipal affairs.
In October on a visit to San Francisco, Mr. Park publicly expressed his desire to make South Korea the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage. Yet his support quickly fizzled out when a group of South Korean churches attacked his stance.
Now, the mayor has allowed the very same majority to obstruct the adoption of an inclusive Human Rights Charter for one of the world’s largest cities. The same group of anti-LGBT churches were allowed to violently protest at a hearing for the LGBT- inclusive Charter.
The recent actions by Mayor Park and his administration go against what South Korea has already come out in support of on the international stage.
In September, South Korea joined a majority of member states at the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council that voted in favor of and adopted a resolution against anti-LGBT violence and discrimination. The resolution made the inherent connections between human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity.
UN Secretary-General and former South Korean Foreign Minister, Ban Ki-moon has been an outspoken champion for LGBT rights. During his time at the UN, he has made it clear that LGBT rights are human rights.
In 2012, the Secretary-General stated to the UN Human Rights Council in a video:
“Some say that sexual orientation and gender identity is a sensitive subject. I understand. Like many of my generation, I did not grow up talking about these issues. But I learned to speak out because lives are at stake. And because it is our duty under the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to protect the rights of everyone everywhere.”
Since coming into office, Mr. Park and his administration have pursued an agenda of improving social welfare, job creation and community development. Ask any of the LGBT organizations in South Korea and they will tell you: LGBT people are at significant risk for discrimination and violence. By excluding sexual orientation and gender identity from Seoul’s Charter of Human Rights, the municipal government will only widen the very gaps it seeks to bridge.
The mayor doesn’t have to go far to hear from the community. LGBT activists are camped out at Seoul’s City Hall calling on him to meet with them.
I hope these LGBT activists remind Mayor Won-soon Park of his own roots in activism and why he was elected Seoul’s mayor. Otherwise Mr. Park will have lost much more than winning an international award. He will have lost his life-long pursuit of a more free and just society for all.
Send a message urging Seoul’s Mayor Won-Soon Park to only put forth an LGBT-inclusive Charter of Human Rights and observe his duty to protect LGBT people from violence and discrimination. Email Mr. Park at [email protected] or send a tweet to @wonsoonpark.
Final Ad in All God’s Children Campaign Features Mississippi Faith Leader
Today, HRC released its final ad in its groundbreaking LGBT public education campaign, All God’s Children.
HRC.org
A Handy Glossary Of Gay Terms For The Well-Meaning Hetty
More and more, what were once known as gay bars now welcome those from all walks of life through their chrome or rainbow bedazzled doorways. And that means straight people are privy to all sorts of booze-fueled conversations from their gay friends and strangers they meet there. And like any sub-culture, gays have a language all of their own.
If you have a straight friend you suspect nods along with conversations they’re completely lost in while out on the town with you and your ‘mos, perhaps this glossary might be of assistance. (Message to non-gays: don’t try some of these things at home or at a hetty pickup bar. They just don’t translate.)
Pass this along and they’ll be clucking like a hen in no time.
Kiki vs Kaikai
Both of these are used in reference to your circle of close friends, but they mean very different things. A kiki (as made widely known by the pop band Scissor Sisters) is a small party (usually in someones house). Debauchery will and must ensue.
Kaikai can easily be the result of a kiki, but it can also happen any old time. Gay guys have a unique friendship scenario — our closest circles are often comprised of other men we find attractive. And even though these friendships are platonic, sister on sister action is not unheard of. Kaikai’s origins are in the drag community, when two queens would hook up, but it’s come to mean any two gay friends getting it on.
PNP
You might hear this one thrown around, usually in the form of a question or declaration. “No PNP,” or “Do you PNP?” It stands for “party and play,” in reference to doing hard drugs (usually meth) while having anonymous or semi-anonymous sex. If you didn’t know this one before, you’re already doing something right. Keep it up.
Throwing Shade
Shade comes in many different flavors, but the base ingredient is the idea that you are metaphorically stepping in front of someones sunshine to block it out. Shade can be funny, bitchy, or cruel, but it should always be real. Aretha Franklin is an expert at throwing shade. Martha Stewart throws subtle shade at Gwyneth constantly.
Reading
As Professor RuPaul teaches us, it’s fundamental. Reading is a cousin of throwing shade, and there can definitely be overlap. A read isolates some truth about someone, usually one that is a little uncomfortable. A read can be a dig or more of an intuition. “Girl, you move through men like Capris,” is the dig vs. “The way you move through men, you must have had daddy issues growing up.”
Glamping
The combination of “glamorous” and “camping,” glamping is exactly what it sounds like. Tents are replaced with furnished cabins or an RV, food is prepared at gourmet standards, and the bar is fully stocked (obviously). It’s a stereotype that gay guys don’t like to rough it in the wilderness, but a stereotype built on reality. Sure there are exceptions, but for many it’s the only way to camp.
Cockies
Calm down, your gay friend isn’t asking you to have sex when he texts “cockies? meet me at 9.” He’s just thirsty and wants cocktails.
Trade
If your gay friend is trying to get in your pants (or already has), you might be trade. Trade are straight men seen as conquests for gay guys to sleep with. They’re usually on the masculine side of the spectrum, and are much sought after by a certain breed of gay. Offshoots include rough trade and prison trade. Trade can also mean “DL” or “downlow” — an otherwise straight guy who actively seeks hook-ups with gay guys on the side.
Quiche
It’s true that gay guys love brunch, but in this case the word means cool, sexy, hot or some combination thereof. But while that is the technical definition, the word is so self-aware of its own absurdity that it’s usually used with some degree of irony. It’s origins are in the TV character Ja’mie who first appeared in Summer Heights High then got her own spinoff Ja’mie: Private School Girl. A song can be quiche, a look, a read — anything, really. There will even be people who will tell you to “stop trying to make quiche happen, it’s not going to happen.”
Ratchet
This adjective is used to described an especially high level of mess, or a noteworthy lack of taste. The coked-up drag queen with the atomic explosion of makeup and bristly wig? Ratchet. The 50-year-old in the skin-tight Abercrombie shirt drunkenly making overt passes at everyone at the bar who could pass for a cousin of One Direction? Ratchet. The sloppy toilet stall sex at 3 a.m. while a line of people waits to pee? Ratchet.
Bonus: Ten Forgotten Gay Slang Words That Deserve To Be Resurrected
Dan Tracer
Vladimir Putin Denies Persecution Of Gays In Russia – VIDEO
Vladimir Putin has said his support for “traditional family values” will not lead to the persecution of gay people in Russia, reports ZeeNews.
In January, Putin said that Russia should cleanse itself of homosexuality.
In a state-of-the-nation address last Thursday, the Russian president said “healthy family” and traditional values were among the country’s top priorities.
However, he added that although “traditional family” is preferable, “this should not look as if we intend to persecute people of some non-traditional orientation.”
Despite introducing a controversial anti-gay law last year which bans the “promotion” of homosexuality and has been seen as an excuse to crackdown on LGBT people, Putin added that criticism from other countries is merely “a label.”
Watch Putin defend Russia’s anti-gay laws, AFTER THE JUMP…
Jim Redmond
www.towleroad.com/2014/12/vladimir-putin-denies-persecution-of-gays-in-russia-video.html
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