MICHELANGELO SIGNORILE AT ODDS WITH HRC OVER POSITIVE 'DUCK DYNASTY' MESSAGE

Fred Sainz (pictured right), the VP of the Human Rights Campaign gave a statement to CNN regarding the lifting of Phil Robertson's suspension from "Duck Dynasty," and Michelangelo Signorile was not happy about it. The statement was positive and affirmed A&E's decision, and the Sirius XM radio host took to Twitter to air his grievances.

Joe.My.God. reported on the HRC statement:

"It's not really a reversal [to reinstate Phil Robertson]. We think it's actually a positive outcome, and we want to thank A&E for their attentiveness and collaboration over the course of the last few weeks. We've received assurances also that the Robertson family is now open to working with African-American and (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people to address the real harm that such anti-gay and racist comments can cause. That's been our 'ask' since Phil's comments ran in GQ, and while it's a positive step, it certainly cannot and should not be the last one."

Signorile fired back with his own 140 character statement:



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2013: A Historic Year for Marriage Equality

GLEE'S HARRY SHUM JR. HAS AN INSPIRATIONAL DANCE MESSAGE FOR THE SHY PEOPLE OUT THERE

Gay Wedding Plans At 2014 Rose Parade Spark Controversy

A small backlash is brewing over plans to include a gay wedding ceremony at the 2014 Rose Parade, which this year is themed "Dreams Come True."

Long-term gay couple Aubrey Loots and Danny Leclair are to be married atop the AIDS Healthcare Foundation's wedding cake-shaped float. Sharon Raphael and Mina Meyer, a recently-married lesbian couple who have been together for 42 years, will also join Loots and Leclair on the float.

San Diego resident Karen Grube launched a Facebook page campaign against the planned wedding ceremony, asking people to stay home and keep the TV off on the day of the Rose Parade to boycott the marriage equality message. Grube also encouraged people to contact Rose Parade sponsors like Disneyland, the Los Angeles Times and Taco Bell to voice their opposition.

"Now gay activists want to destroy the Rose Parade by performing a Gay Wedding[emphasis hers] on one of the floats," says the Facebook page's cover photo. "I guess that's what they mean by 'Dreams Come True' or is it nightmares?"

She defended her campaign to local paper Pasadena Star-News.

“Gay marriage is illegal in over 30 states, why would they promote something that is blatantly illegal?” Grube said to Pasadena Star-News. “That’s just stupid.”

“She Keeps Me Warm”

Robin Roberts Comes Out

"Good Morning America" anchor Robin Roberts came out Sunday in a touching post thanking her "long time girlfriend."

Roberts disclosed the relationship in a Facebook post in which she reflected on the past year. On Dec. 29, 2012, the news anchor celebrated 100 days post bone marrow transplant during her battle with myelodysplastic syndrome.

"At this moment I am at peace and filled with joy and gratitude," Roberts wrote. "I am grateful to God, my doctors and nurses for my restored good health. I am grateful for my sister, Sally-Ann, for being my donor and giving me the gift of life. I am grateful for my entire family, my long time girlfriend, Amber, and friends as we prepare to celebrate a glorious new year together."

Amber Laign is a licensed massage therapist from the San Francisco Bay Area, according to People magazine. She and Roberts met through mutual friends and have been together for 10 years.

Boy Scouts of America prepare for historic policy change to allow gay youth

The Boy Scouts of America will accept openly gay youths starting on New Year’s Day, a historic change that has prompted the BSA to ponder a host of potential complications — ranging from policies on tentmates and showers to whether Scouts can march in gay pride parades.

Yet despite their be-prepared approach, BSA leaders are rooting for the change to be a non-event, comparable to another New Year’s Day in 2000 when widespread fears of digital-clock chaos to start the new millennium proved unfounded.

“My hope is there will be the same effect this Jan. 1 as the Y2K scare,” said Brad Haddock, a BSA national executive board member who chairs the policy implementation committee. “It’s business as usual, nothing happens and we move forward.”

Some churches are dropping their sponsorship of Scout units because of the new policy and some families are switching to a new conservative alternative called Trail Life USA. But massive defections haven’t materialized and most major sponsors, including the Roman Catholic and Mormon churches, are maintaining ties.

“There hasn’t been a whole lot of fallout,” said Haddock, a lawyer from Wichita, Kan. “If a church said they wouldn’t work with us, we’d have a church right down the street say, ‘We’ll take the troop.’”

The new policy was approved in May, with support from 60 percent of the 1,400 voting members of the BSA’s National Council. The vote followed bitter nationwide debate, and was accompanied by an announcement that the BSA would continue to exclude openly gay adults from leadership positions.

A COMING METHODIST SCHISM OVER MARRIAGE EQUALITY?

Reverend Dean Snyder, a senior pastor of Foundry United Methodist Church — a Washington D.C. church commonly visited by sitting presidents — has told USA Today that Methodist Bishops should call a special General Conference to address the church's policies regarding same-sex weddings instead of waiting until the church's 2016 General Conference.

Snyder said, "Some of us believe this issue is critical enough to do that. There's more and more pressure from one side to enforce the rules and more and more pressure from the other side that thinks the rules are unjust and unloving..."


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A&E reverses decision on ‘Duck Dynasty’ patriarch’s suspension

“Duck Dynasty” patriarch Phil Robertson will return to work on A&E’s reality show despite his comments about gay immorality, the channel said Friday, reversing its decision to suspend him after facing a boycott backlash.

In a statement Friday, A&E said it was bringing Robertson back after discussions with his Louisiana family featured in the hit reality series and “numerous advocacy groups.”

Last week, the channel had put Robertson on what it called an indefinite “hiatus” because of his comments in a GQ magazine article that the Bible views gays as sinners akin to adulterers, prostitutes and swindlers.

A&E said it decided to drop Robertson from the show about a wealthy family that makes duck calls because it is part of a company whose core values are “centered around creativity, inclusion and mutual respect.”

While reiterating that Robertson’s views are not those of the channel, A&E noted Friday that he has publicly said he would “never incite or encourage hate.” The show itself is more than one man’s views, it added.

“It resonates with a large audience because it is a show about family, a family that America has come to love. As you might have seen in many episodes, they come together to reflect and pray for unity, tolerance and forgiveness,” A&E said.

Same-sex Couples Shatter Marriage Records In Utah

In the week since a federal judge overturned Utah’s ban on same-sex marriage, the number of weddings in the state has skyrocketed, shattering records and accruing thousands of dollars for Utah’s 29 counties.

As of close of business Thursday (Dec. 26), more than 1,225 marriage licenses had been issued in Utah since last Friday (Dec. 20). Of those, at least 74 percent, or 905 licenses, were issued to gay and lesbian couples.

Here's Everything We Learned From the Duck Dynasty Controversy Summed Up in Just One Sentence

You can say whatever you want, including that gay people are sinful and full of "murder, envy, strife, hatred" and are in the same league as those who enjoy being penetrated by barnyard animals and that black people were "happy" and were not "singing the blues" when Jim Crow laws ruled America, and as long as you later tack on "I love all of humanity" and I would "never incite or encourage hate" and throw around the word "tolerance," and as long as there's enough money and publicity swirling and more ready to be made, you will face absolutely no consequences and if anything you'll be celebrated as a hero and lauded as an icon of freedom -- some will even go so far as to call you the "Rosa Parks" of our generation -- while the people you were talking about will still be vilified and will have to fight even harder against society's belief that they are -- even in the 21st century, even in a country that is not supposed to be ruled by religion or heartless, hateful zealots -- at their very core all of those vile and (let it be said once and for all) patently untrue things that you said about them.

Gay Hockey Team Sings Their Christmas Wish List

ANTI-GAY MN ARCHBISHOP JOHN NIENSTEDT ACCUSED OF INAPPROPRIATELY TOUCHING UNDERAGE MALE

Minneapolis Archbishop John Nienstedt, who launched a mass mailing campaign of 400,000 anti-gay DVDs in 2010, created a special "marriage prayer" to support for the anti-gay amendment on the state's ballot last November, told the mother of a gay son that she must reject him or risk burning in hell, and said Satan is behind gay marriage, has been accused of inappropriately touching a minor, KSTP reports:

Archbishop John Nienstedt denies the allegations, but is removing himself from ministry pending an investigation.
  
The archdiocese says the incident allegedly occurred in 2009 after a confirmation ceremony. Nienstedt is accused of inappropriately touching an underage male on the buttocks during a group photography session.
  
The archdiocese learned of the allegation last week and instructed the person who brought it forward to go to police.
  
In a letter posted Tuesday on the archdiocese website, Nienstedt says the allegation is "absolutely and entirely false." He says he hopes the investigation will be thorough and quick so he can return to work.

Gays ‘Are Cooperating With The Devil’ Says GOP Candidate

In discussing a judge’s recent decision that a Colorado bakery discriminated against a same-sex couple, Pastor and Colorado House Republican candidate Gordon Klingenschmitt decided that gay people and the judge — not the bakery — are at fault. And he used Martin Luther King, Jr., to claim that it’s OK to discriminate against gay people because of their “character.”


“I admit that the two men … are humans — they’re men!” 

Bob Newhart Cancels Gig At Anti-Gay Catholic Conference

Many across the nation were dismay and surprised that comedian Bob Newhart, beloved for decades, had accepted a gig to headline the conference of a lesser-known but exceptionally powerful anti-gay Catholic organization. Legatus, founded by former Domino’s Pizza founder and Catholic activist Tom Monaghan, boasted the comedian’s scheduled performance earlier this month.

While the announcement remains on their website, at least for now, Newhart yesterday made a simple one of his own.

Via Twitter and Facebook, the 84-year old Catholic and star of iconic sitcoms including “The Bob Newhart Show” and “Newhart,” merely stated, “Upcoming Bob Newhart Tour Date Change — Bob will not be performing at the Legatus Summit in Orlando FL on February 6th, 2014.”

Rose Parade Gay Wedding

At this year's Rose Parade, attendees can expect to enjoy the usual array of flowers, floats and marching bands, as well as an unexpected surprise to ring in 2014: a same-sex wedding ceremony.

With this Rose Parade the first since marriage equality passed in the Golden State, one Los Angeles gay couple will celebrate by marrying each other on top of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation's wedding cake-shaped float. 

Obama Picks Openly Gay Delegates For Winter Olympics In Russia

President Barack Obama on Tuesday announced his delegates to the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. And, in what may be a thumb in the eye to Russian President Vladimir Putin over his crackdown on gay rights, two of Obama's delegates are openly gay.

Billie Jean King, the tennis legend, and Caitlin Cahow, an Olympic medalist in women’s ice hockey, are both part of the U.S. delegation. Both are out lesbians.

Another member of the U.S. delegation, figure skating Olympic medalist Brian Boitano, routinely declines to answer questions about his sexuality, saying "everybody's got their own path" to discovering who they are.

Others in the delegation include University of California President Janet Napolitano, the former Homeland Security secretary; U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul; White House Deputy Chief of Staff Rob Nabors; Deputy Secretary of State William Burns, and speed skating Olympic medalists Bonnie Blair and Eric Heiden.

In what may be another slight to the Russian president, Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and first lady Michelle Obama will not attend the opening ceremony. This marks the first time since the 2000 Summer Olympic Games that a president, vice president, first lady or former president won't be part of the opening ceremony.

Jon Stewart Mocks Megyn Kelly’s Claim She Was Just Kidding That ‘Santa Is Just White’

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Santa Claus Is 'Black As Hell'...

Santa Claus made a pre-Christmas Eve stop by Weekend Update this Saturday to address Megyn Kelly's claim that he's a white guy, and he made one thing abundantly clear... he's "black as hell."

Russian television star says gay people should be burned alive

A popular Russian actor said he wants to burn gay people alive because they pose a danger to his children, reports the Moscow Times.

“I’d put them all alive in the oven … it’s a living danger to my children,” said Ivan Okhlobystin, a father of six, in a chat with fans in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk.

Local news website News.ngs.ru reported Wednesday that Okhlobystin ranted about “gay fascism” and demanded that “faggots” be stripped of their voting rights as homosexuality is a “psychical anomaly.”

The Salvation Army's History of Anti-LGBT Discrimination

In recent years, the Salvation Army has come under fire for its lengthy history of anti-LGBT political maneuvering and other incidents. The church has publicly articulated its belief that homosexuality is unacceptable, stating:

Scripture opposes homosexual practices by direct comment and also by clearly implied disapproval. The Bible treats such practices as self-evidently abnormal. ... Attempts to establish or promote such relationships as viable alternatives to heterosexually-based family life do not conform to God's will for society.

While such statements were recently removed from the Salvation Army's website, the church has yet to repudiate any of its explicitly anti-gay beliefs. And though these positions may seem to be limited to the group's internal doctrines, they've become a persistent element of the church's overtly political activities -- activities which have negatively impacted the Salvation Army's ability to provide charitable services, and have aimed to limit the rights and benefits of LGBT citizens in multiple nations.

1986 — The Salvation Army of New Zealand collected signatures against the Homosexual Law Reform Act, which repealed the law criminalizing sex between adult men. The Salvation Army later apologized for campaigning against the Act.

1998 — The Salvation Army of the United States chose to turn down $3.5 million in contracts with the city of San Francisco, resulting in the closure of programs for the homeless and senior citizens. The church backed out of these contracts due to San Francisco's requirement that city contractors must provide spousal benefits to both same-sex partners and opposite-sex partners of employees. Lieutenant Colonel Richard Love stated:

We simply cannot agree to be in compliance of the ordinance.

In 2004, the Salvation Army in New York City also threatened to close down all of its services for the city's homeless due to a similar non-discrimination ordinance.

2000 — The Salvation Army of Scotland submitted a letter to Parliament opposing the repeal of Section 28, a law prohibiting "the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship". Colonel John Flett, the church's Scotland Secretary, wrote:

We can easily envisage a situation where, due to active promotion of homosexuality in schools, children will grow up feeling alienated if they fail to conform.

The Salvation Army of Scotland has never retracted or apologized for its suggestion that homosexuality would be promoted in schools or that children would be encouraged to become gay.

2001 — The Salvation Army of the United States attempted to make a deal with the Bush administration ensuring that religious charities receiving federal funding would be exempt from any local ordinances banning anti-gay discrimination. Church spokesman David A. Fuscus explained that the group did not want to extend medical benefits to same-sex partners of its employees.

The deal fell through after it was publicized by the Washington Post.

2012 — The Salvation Army of Burlington, Vermont allegedly fired case worker Danielle Morantez immediately after discovering she was bisexual. The church's employee handbook reads, in part, "The Salvation Army does reserve the right to make employment decisions on the basis of an employee's conduct or behavior that is incompatible with the principles of The Salvation Army."

Later that year, Salvation Army spokesperson Major George Hood reaffirmed the church's anti-gay beliefs, saying:

A relationship between same-sex individuals is a personal choice that people have the right to make. But from a church viewpoint, we see that going against the will of God.

2013 — The Salvation Army continues to remove links from its website to religious ministries providing so-called "ex-gay" conversion therapy, such as Harvest USA and Pure Life Ministries. These links were previously provided as resources under the Salvation Army's section on dealing with "sexual addictions."

Wants The Kids To Know Santa And Jesus Are White

For all you kids watching at home, Santa just is white. But this person is maybe just arguing that we should also have a black Santa. But, you know, Santa is what he is, and just so you know, we're just debating this because someone wrote about it, kids

GAY DIVERSITY TRAINER WON'T HAVE RACISM IN HARLEM BARBERSHOP IN EMOTIONAL 'WHAT WOULD YOU DO?'

In an recently-aired emotional segment of ABC News' hidden camera show What Would You Do?, Marsha Bonner, an HR executive and diversity trainer who is also a lesbian, took matters into her own hands when she was confronted with racism at Harlem barber shop Denny Moe's.

Jon Stewart Cannot Understand The Media's Freakout Over Obama's Castro Handshake

IOC Head Warns Athletes Against Protesting in Sochi

Athletes attending the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, have been warned by the head of the International Olympic Committee not to get involved in political or LGBT-related protests.\

IOC president Thomas Bach, who won a gold medal for West Germany in fencing in 1976, will issue a letter to athletes reminding them that Russia has a law that bars people from engaging in so-called LGBT propaganda.  

"As an athlete, you do not want to be confronted with any kind of political controversies at the Games," he said, according to BBC News.

Due to Rule 50 in the Olympic Charter, athletes can be expelled for participating in a demonstration or in political, religious, or racial propaganda. 

Australian Marriage Just Got Complicated

As of this weekend, marriage equality has suddenly come to Australia -- but there's a catch. In fact, there are a lot of catches. Courts in Hawaii, Pennsylvania, and Utah could all be the first to rule on marriage in a post-DOMA world. And an equality lawsuit in Louisiana got knocked down, but not out.

The German President Is The First Head Of State To Boycott The Sochi Games

German President Joachim Gauck has informed the Kremlin that due to Russia’s human rights abuses, including their “gay propaganda” law, he will not be attending the Sochi Olympic Games.

Sometimes in life, you stumble over someone you really really like sight unseen, and I really, really like Joachim Gauck, the president of Germany. According to Der Spiegel, the man they call the “president with the heart” announced yesterday that he informed the Kremlin last week that he will not attend the Olympic Games in February, as a protest to Russia’s human rights abuses. He called it a “moral decision”.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis score early Grammy nomination for ‘Same Love’

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis were the early focus of “The Grammy Nominations Concert Live!” with seven nominations and one spirited performance.

The Seattle rap duo kicked off the televised special to announce nominations for the 56th annual Grammy Awards on Friday night with their hit “Thrift Shop,” then received nominations for Song of the Year for their gay marriage anthem “Same Love,” and for top honor Album of the Year.

Hypocritical Christians in “Gaywatch”

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Swedish HIV/AIDS Test Clip Features Nude Male Wrestlers Smeared In Jelly

Boy Uses Bar Mitzvah To Show Support For Marriage Equality

Magic Johnson on HIV, His Gay Son, And His Own Legacy

Basketball legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson candidly discussed HIV and his recently out gay son with Anderson Cooper 

‘Russia’s Olympics Endangered By Homosexuals Who Insist On Existing’

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White Supremacist Learning He Is 14 Percent Black May Be The Best Thing Ever

A white supremacist behind an initiative to turn a North Dakota town into a "white enclave" received some shocking news -- he's not 100 percent white.

Craig Cobb, a 62-year-old man who has aimed to start a community for white supremacists and neo-Nazis, received some news that he wasn't too happy about, although we must admit, it gave us quite a chuckle.

During an appearance on The Trisha Goddard Show, Cobb was given the results of a DNA Diagnostics test and found out he is 14 percent Sub-Saharan African, and it was all caught on camera.

A 4-Year-Old Girl Asked A Lesbian If She's A Boy. She Responded The Awesomest Way Possible.

Ash Beckham is awesome. She also happens to be gay, and she thinks it's hard for straight people coming out of the closet.



At 2:30, she gently confronts a 4-year-old. At 3:30, she explains how hard it is for straight people to come out of the closet. At 7:53, she makes a hard decision. And at 8:56, she shares three rules about pancakes and life that you should follow.

WATCH BILL MAHER’S RANT AGAINST CHRISTIANS STIFFING GAY SERVERS

Stephen Colbert Chides Walmart For Employee Food Drive

Stephen Colbert Apologizes To The Gays

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ABC NEWS PROFILES WEDDING OF WWII VETERAN AND HIS VIETNAM VETERAN PARTNER OF 20 YEARS

‘Kids React’ To Same-Sex Couples As They Become Engaged To Be Married

Kids React is a weekly You Tube Series in which kids between the ages of five and fifteen give their review of a viral video. This video is of kids watching same-sex couples becoming engaged.

NIKE DONATES $280,000 TO OVERTURN BAN ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IN OREGON

Sporting goods giant Nike, is throwing its full support and money behind a campaign to overturn Oregon’s ban on same-sex marriage by donating $280,000 to the cause through the creation of a political action committee (PAC).

Portland Business Journal reported that the PAC, called the Nike Equality PAC, initially received a $100,000 donation from the company to start the PAC and its executives donated the remaining $180,000.

Nike, which has approximately 44,000 employees worldwide and is headquartered in Oregon, was one of the first companies to offer domestic partner benefits nearly 20 years ago.

“Nike is fully supportive of the initiative to create marriage equality so all our employees are treated fairly and with respect in the workplace and the community,” according to the Nike Equality PAC website. “We believe that diversity drives innovation, and allows us to attract and retain world class talent. For Oregon businesses to attract and retain the best talent, we need fair and equitable laws that treat all Oregonians equally and prevent discrimination.”

CATHOLIC BISHOP THOMAS PAPROCKI PERFORMS PUBLIC EXORCISM TO CAST GAY MARRIAGE DEMONS OUT OF ILLINOIS

Catholic Bishop Thomas Paprocki, performed an exorcism ceremony Wednesday to cast gay marriage demons out of Illinois, the same day Gov. Pat Quinn signed Illinois’ gay marriage bill into law. The Bishop suggested politicians are “morally complicit” in assisting the sins of same-sex couples.

Speaking in Latin he said, “Be gone, Satan, father of lies, enemy of human salvation. Give way to Christ.”

Protesters demonstrated outside of the cathedral where the bishop held his exorcism ceremony:

Watch Paprocki’s press conference immediately following the ‘exorcism’:

Myrtle Grove Christian School Institutes 'Biblical Morality Policy' Wants To Ban LGBT Families

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Stephen Colbert Keeps A Straight Face While Rick Santorum Blasts Gay Marriage

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The Fabulous, Awesome, So Good, Very Gay Week

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Orgasm Wars' In Japan Features Gay Man Trying To Make Straight Man Climax

nyone remember the game show "Make Me Laugh," in which comedians tried to make contestants giggle within a time limit? Well, this is a "make me climax" variation: A gay man tries to bring a straight man to orgasm against his will.

The jokey segment was called "Orgasm Wars," and it aired on late-night Japanese TV.


Poko x Tate - Orgasm wars: AV actor Sawai VS... by jimakutv

Pastor Found “Guilty” By Church For Officiating Gay Son’s Wedding

A United Methodist pastor was found guilty yesterday of violating church law after officiating his gay son’s wedding.

Torches and pitchforks in hand, a gaggle of angry Methodist pastors “convicted” Rev. Frank Schaefer (pictured) of demonstrating “disobedience to the order and discipline of the United Methodist Church” after officiating his son Tim’s marriage to another man back in 2007.

“I did not want to make this a protest about the doctrine of the church,” Schaefer said during his opening remarks on Monday. “I was ready to choose between my son and my career.”

Schaefer, who arrived in court dressed in a rainbow-colored stole, said he was honest with his superiors about his plans to officiate his son’s wedding and received no reprimand at the time. However, last April, about a month before the church’s statute of limitations was due to expire, Jon Boger, a member of Schaefer’s congregation, filed a complaint.

“He kept it silent from the congregation,” Boger said in his testimony Monday. “Nobody knew. It was a lie and a broken covenant!”

Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy receives ‘Champion of Justice and Equality’ award

The Urban League of Greater Atlanta, an organization focused on the economic empowerment of African-Americans, has presented Chick-fi-A President and CEO Dan Cathy with its annual Community Empowerment Award.

The award, presented Saturday at its Equality Opportunity Day Dinner, honors Cathy and the Chick-fil-A Foundation for their “significant financial contributions that support programs that empower communities,” despite the foundation’s long history of donating millions of dollars to anti-gay organizations.

This year’s theme was “Celebrating Champions of Justice and Equality.”

Cathy made national headlines last year when, in an interview with the Baptist Press, said his company backed “the biblical definition of a family,” and in a follow-up statement said that same-sex marriage is “inviting God’s judgment on our nation.”

And earlier this year, following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down a portion of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, Cathy tweeted (and quickly deleted) the comment, “Sad day for our nation; founding fathers would be ashamed of our generation to abandon wisdom of the ages.”

The Urban League issued a statement last week defending Cathy’s award, closing with: “Please be assured that the Urban League of Greater Atlanta supports and works for equal rights for all people, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or physical ability. This includes the recent Employment Non-Discrimination Act that was passed out of the U.S. Senate this week.”

The League says its focus is to empower people to “achieve their highest human potential and civil rights.”

JON STEWART MOCKS THE CHENEY FAMILY FEUD AND HALLMARK'S 'GAY' ORNAMENT

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Teen Tennis Ace Comes Out

Michael “Mikey” Drougas is a high school senior, state tennis champ and, as of two weeks ago, an out and proud teen.

As a junior, Mikey won Virginia’s AA state high school championship and he hopes to game-set-match his success with a second consecutive title this year.

Though he came out two years ago to his friends and family, Mikey decided to serve pride realness via an eloquent and poignant note on Twitter two weeks ago.

“At the time I was scared,” he told Outsports. “I was anxious to see what people thought. I didn’t think people would be mean to me, but I didn’t know if people would be awkward about it.”

Turns out they weren’t awkward at all and Mikey says the response he’s received has been “phenomenal.”

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MARRIAGE'S POLITICAL ADVOCACY ARM ENDED 2012 WITH A $2.7 MILLION DEFICIT

The Human Rights Campaign had filed a complaint with the IRS to compel the National Organization for Marriage to publicly release financial documents related to its political advocacy spending in 2012.

With the reports now published and viewable on their site as a result of the complaint, it appears NOM may have been hiding the information because of the revelation that the organization found itself more than $2.7 million in the red as a result of its political advocacy arm's spending. You'll recall 2012 being a disappointing year for gay marriage opponents, with pro-equality victories in four of the five same-sex marriage ballot measures by year's end.

’God is Gay’

A video of a slam poetry performance titled "God is Gay" by a student from the University of North Carolina has gone viral, Time magazine reports. 

The controversial poem was performed by Elliot Darrow, 20, who identifies as a straight male but is an "out Christian." Darrow says he got the idea for the poem two years ago when he wondered if God is gay.

"I personally believe that God is not a sexual being, but at the same time, to make a statement, what if He were, was all in an attempt to show people that even God, who we all see as infallible, still has human traits, such as sexuality, or loves people of a specific gender or identity," Darrow told the publication.

He then looked over the Bible in order to see how Christians should view the LGBT community.

"I’ve seen so many people, in my mind, misuse the Bible to preach not necessarily hatred, but just ignorance toward people who are of other preferences," he told Time magazine. "I want to show that regardless of how someone identifies, God wants to love them, and God does love them. The best way I’ve found to do that is to use the Bible, to use teachings that I have been taught."

Looking

The highly anticipated gay HBO drama Looking which takes place in San Francisco and is set to premiere in January dropped its first 30-second trailer last night.

The series stars Jonathan Groff, Frankie J. Alvarez, and Murray Bartlett about "three friends in San Francisco who explore the fun and sometimes overwhelming options available to a new generation of gay men."

FAR-RIGHT DEMONSTRATORS TORCH 'GAY RIGHTS' RAINBOW IN WARSAW PUBLIC SQUARE

What was intended as a work of public art without an overt political message beyond the need for inclusiveness, according to the artist behind it, has instead become part of a culture war over homosexuality that has been brewing in one of Europe’s most Catholic countries...

...Stanislaw Pieta, a member of Parliament from the conservative Law and Justice Party, the main opposition faction in Poland, called the placement of the rainbow on a grassy circle in front of the church a “disgusting gesture, offensive to Catholics.” He added, “It’s a provocation.”

Although city officials and the artist, Julita Wojcik, say the rainbow is not a monument to gay rights, both its supporters and opponents find they can agree on what the rainbow symbolizes.

Students Caught on Video Beating Transgender Teen

A Letter to My Community After My Child Was Lit on Fire

Dear sweet Sequoia family,

As many of you know already, my 18-year-old child Sasha was seriously burned on Monday afternoon. Sasha woke from a nap on the 57 bus to find that, apparently, another passenger -- accidentally or on purpose -- had lit Sasha's skirt on fire. Sasha is now in stable condition and being very well cared for in a terrific burn center in San Francisco. We have every reason to believe that Sasha will eventually be able to return to life as usual, although the recovery process will take some time.

I wanted to take this time to send thanks to everyone who has offered words of support and love. And many even contributed to the online fundraising site set up by Sasha's cousin Josh. I can't tell you how moved we have all been by the outpouring of loving kindness, and how helpful that has been.

I also wanted to address how to talk to your kids about this incident. It's in the news, and especially since it involves a Sequoia family, it may come up at school.

I think it's really important to keep in mind that none of us can know the mind, motivations, or intentions of the person who set flame to Sasha's clothing. Oakland Police have a 16-year-old high school student in custody, based on video camera footage from the bus. As far as I know, police are the only people who have viewed the footage. I certainly haven't, so I can only guess at what happened. At this point, I choose to assume that this kid was playing with fire, and that he gravely underestimated the consequences of that. Others may make different assumptions, but it's important to remember that they are all just that: assumptions. So when I talk to my students about this, I will emphasize the importance of fire safety: "Don't play with matches or lighters." And of course, "Stop, drop, and roll if your clothing catches fire."

Another aspect of this story that has gotten a lot of attention is the fact that Sasha was wearing a skirt, "even though" Sasha appears to be a boy. The fact is that Sasha self-identifies as "agender" and prefers the pronouns "they," "them," and "their" when people refer to Sasha in the third person. (English doesn't have commonly used gender-neutral third-person singular pronouns yet.) Being agender simply means that the person doesn't feel that they are "either a boy or a girl." I realize that this is a concept that even adults have difficulty wrapping their heads around. (My wife and I frequently slip up in our pronoun usage, much to Sasha's chagrin!) So I can't pretend that it's an issue that all young children will grasp. But what they certainly can and should understand is that different people like different things. Different people dress or behave or look differently. And that's a good thing. Sasha feels comfortable wearing a skirt. It's part of their style. They also frequently sport a necktie and vest. Sasha likes the look, and frankly, so do I. It makes me smile to see Sasha being Sasha.

As I wrote above, none of us can know the mind of the kid who lit a flame to Sasha's skirt, but I have a feeling that if he had seen Sasha's skirt as an expression of another kid's unique, beautiful self and had smiled and thought, "I hella love Oakland," I wouldn't be writing this now.

Again, many thanks for all of your love and kindness. Let's all take care of each other.

Sincerely,
Karl Fleischman

 

'Wear A F*cking Condom!

When vlogger J. Merridew learned that HIV rates are on the rise among gay men, he felt compelled to address to issue using his YouTube account.

"I had no clue that HIV/AIDS has been on the rise in the gay community for the past few years," he states in the video's description. "I thought it was decreasing over time. This is our community! Let's get our act together!"

While Merridew's message is fairly simple, it's one that all sexually active people should consider -- "Wear a f***ing condom!"

Hawaii Governor Signs Same-Sex Marriage Bill Into Law

Before 200 invited guests in an invitation-only ceremony, Democratic Governor Neil Abercrombie just signed historic legislation extending marriage to same-sex couples in the state of Hawaii. “Done!,” the Governor said upon placing his signature on the bill.

APPLE DICTIONARY INCLUDES SURPRISING DEFINITION OF 'GAY': 'FOOLISH; STUPID'

'A Case for Marriage' Equality

Faces of Fairness is a groundbreaking new multimedia project that is shining a bright light on the inequalities and legal discrimination LGBT people currently face in West Virginia. The project — a first of  its kind in the state – is made up of many elements, including a touring photography exhibit, a documentary film, and a Web-based archive.

GAY SON OF SF MAYOR GEORGE MOSCONE, WHO WAS SLAIN WITH HARVEY MILK, MARRIES PARTNER

Jonathan Moscone (left), the son of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone, who was assassinated in 1978 with SF Supervisor Harvey Milk, married his partner on the mayor's balcony of SF City Hall on Friday, the NYT reports:

Mr. Moscone (left), 49, is the artistic director of the California Shakespeare Theater in Berkeley. He graduated from Williams College and received a Master of Fine Arts in directing from Yale...Mr. Carbonaro, 46, is the associate general counsel of Clean Power Finance, a company in San Francisco that manages and makes investments in residential solar power. He graduated from Drexel University and received a law degree from Pace.

University Of Texas Swimmer Comes Out In ‘One Of The Greatest Experiences’ Of His Life

In a heartwarming email, a University of Texas swimmer came out to his teammates recently, and instead of rejection got “one of the greatest experiences” of his life. Matt Korman, a junior from Houston, told his teammates that he had “fallen into a state of depression” and “had a hard time sleeping at night, eating, and have lost a lot of interest in swimming,” so much so he considered quitting.

“Although this has been something I have known for a while, it hit me particularly hard more recently as I have realized that I’m not getting any younger and would like to start dating and enjoy the simple things of life that I have been missing out on. When I was younger I thought I was only curious or it was just a phase for me, but have come to terms that I’m actually gay. (There, I finally said it).”

And Korman told his teammates they ”are and forever will be” his “brothers.”

“I simply couldn’t continue to hide this from you anymore because it was slowly killing me. I want you to know me for who I am. I pray that this will not change anything, but I know for some of you this is uneasy. I want you all to know that I am here to have an open dialogue.”

How did it go?

One of his teammates wrote to OutSports to say they “all been 100% supportive and have tried to provide him with the best environment possible, simply changing nothing.”