According to Salon's Broadsheet blog, there's a new commune in San Francisco devoted to female orgasm.
Yes, I kid you not - a commune entirely devoted to female orgasm.
So, where do I sign up for the male orgasm commune?
blog post at Salon
Showing posts with label gay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gay. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
The Lives of Fred Hersch
Here's some info on a documentary on jazz pianist Fred Hersch that's been released on DVD.
Hersch was one of the first musicians in the jazz world to "come out" about the fact that he is Gay and about his battles with HIV and the documentary looks at both his significance in the jazz world and his interesting personal life.
article at All About Jazz
Hersch was one of the first musicians in the jazz world to "come out" about the fact that he is Gay and about his battles with HIV and the documentary looks at both his significance in the jazz world and his interesting personal life.
article at All About Jazz
Monday, March 9, 2009
Want another reason not to live in South Carolina?
It seems that SC is the home of a big "ex gay" ministry, putting up billboards that read "Are you gay or lesbian and don't want to be?"
Is there any wonder that South Carolina has one of the lowest (and sometimes the lowest) high school graduation rates in the country or that their teen pregnancy rate is on the rise?
Just saying....
billboard with slight Photoshop retouching
rather unfortunate and sad prayer requests at their site
Is there any wonder that South Carolina has one of the lowest (and sometimes the lowest) high school graduation rates in the country or that their teen pregnancy rate is on the rise?
Just saying....
billboard with slight Photoshop retouching
rather unfortunate and sad prayer requests at their site
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Why is gay marriage such a big deal?
Salon has a brief blog post that explains one reason why Gay marriage is important to LGBTs.
Annie Liebovitz inherited several properties from her partner Susan Sontag - because of a 50% tax on inheritances, which wouldn't apply if their partnership was recognized as a marriage, Liebovitz has nearly gone bankrupt.
blog post at Salon
Meanwhile, about 3,000 fundamentalists gathered at the state capital in Raleigh in support of a proposed North Carolina that defines marriage between a man and a woman. There's also been some similar politicking by conservative religious groups in Illinois backed by the Mormons.
Question: Are the Mormons throwing money behind the North Carolina demonstrations, much like they did with Prop 8?
article at the Duke Chronicle
blog post at Americablog (on Illinois)
Update: It appears the Mormons are campaigning in Maine since there's a bill in consideration there. Americablog raises a good point - is the church engaging in missionary religious practices or engaging in political organizing? If it's the latter, it raises questions about their tax exempt status and their fundraising would fall under election donation transparency laws.
blog post at Americablog (on Maine)
Annie Liebovitz inherited several properties from her partner Susan Sontag - because of a 50% tax on inheritances, which wouldn't apply if their partnership was recognized as a marriage, Liebovitz has nearly gone bankrupt.
blog post at Salon
Meanwhile, about 3,000 fundamentalists gathered at the state capital in Raleigh in support of a proposed North Carolina that defines marriage between a man and a woman. There's also been some similar politicking by conservative religious groups in Illinois backed by the Mormons.
Question: Are the Mormons throwing money behind the North Carolina demonstrations, much like they did with Prop 8?
article at the Duke Chronicle
blog post at Americablog (on Illinois)
Update: It appears the Mormons are campaigning in Maine since there's a bill in consideration there. Americablog raises a good point - is the church engaging in missionary religious practices or engaging in political organizing? If it's the latter, it raises questions about their tax exempt status and their fundraising would fall under election donation transparency laws.
blog post at Americablog (on Maine)
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
And even more gay news
A vandal struck one of the benches in front of a dorm at Duke.
For those that aren't employees of Duke or alumni, I'll explain that the benches in front of the dorm are wood and each group of dorm residents paints them up with something having to do with the name of the dorm - they burn them in a big bonfire as part of some kind of tradition at some point. (The details escape me.)
But, regardless of that, the bench in front of Giles, which said "G-Spot", was painted over with an F and A in front of the G.
The students responded by pasting over the thing with messages of support for gays and against hate speech.
Hmph... times are changing. I remember a decade or two ago when this kind of stunt wouldn't get any attention at all.
article at the Duke Chronicle
For those that aren't employees of Duke or alumni, I'll explain that the benches in front of the dorm are wood and each group of dorm residents paints them up with something having to do with the name of the dorm - they burn them in a big bonfire as part of some kind of tradition at some point. (The details escape me.)
But, regardless of that, the bench in front of Giles, which said "G-Spot", was painted over with an F and A in front of the G.
The students responded by pasting over the thing with messages of support for gays and against hate speech.
Hmph... times are changing. I remember a decade or two ago when this kind of stunt wouldn't get any attention at all.
article at the Duke Chronicle
Utah senate shuts down over anti-gay remark
The Utah Senate shut down for two hours as Republicans discussed the furor created by the public remarks of one of their colleagues that compared gays to terrorists.
It's interesting to me that the Republicans are finally have to deal with the fall-out of pent-up prejudice among their ranks - these kind of spiteful remarks were overlooked for many years. Now, they're seen by the public at large as extremist.
We can certainly disagree on issues, like gay marriage, but using broad brush strokes to paint a whole minority with invective just isn't acceptable any more and is a political liability. Some Republicans are beginning to understand that it makes them look angry and hateful, rather than productive.
Even Rupert Murdoch has apologized for the New York Post's distasteful "monkey" cartoon.
article at MSNBC
It's interesting to me that the Republicans are finally have to deal with the fall-out of pent-up prejudice among their ranks - these kind of spiteful remarks were overlooked for many years. Now, they're seen by the public at large as extremist.
We can certainly disagree on issues, like gay marriage, but using broad brush strokes to paint a whole minority with invective just isn't acceptable any more and is a political liability. Some Republicans are beginning to understand that it makes them look angry and hateful, rather than productive.
Even Rupert Murdoch has apologized for the New York Post's distasteful "monkey" cartoon.
article at MSNBC
Valenti, gays, Hoover and survelliance
Slate has an article that delves a bit more into the Johnson administrations hunt for Gays circa 1964. The incident was started by a Johnson administration staffer that was arrested for performing oral sex in a Washington rest room - the investigation, which included Jack Valenti, drew on the resources of J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI. (And, the article notes, Hoover's "gaydar".)
I wish someone would do a full history of gays by government entities over the last century. There was a 1919 sting against Navy personnel, a flap over Gays in the State Department in the early 60s, and many more incidents that come up here and there when you look through old newspapers and magazines.
I recall in the early to mid-nineties, during my time with the Tarheel Leather Club and other gay political organizations in NC, rather suspicious men that would kind of come and go from these groups that didn't seem like they fit - we often wondered if they were FBI men. In the late 90s, I saw a brief article where someone had requested their FBI file and, indeed, g-men were doing survellance on gay political and AIDS activist organizations.
I'd challenge the Obama administration to come clean on what the government's been up to the past few decades. What kind of survellance was the Bush administration up to on gays? What was Hoover's FBI up to that still hasn't emerged after all these years?
After the debacle with Rick Warren at the Inaguaration, it's the least that Obama could do to start proving he's serious about taking the interests of gay citizens seriously.
article at Slate
I wish someone would do a full history of gays by government entities over the last century. There was a 1919 sting against Navy personnel, a flap over Gays in the State Department in the early 60s, and many more incidents that come up here and there when you look through old newspapers and magazines.
I recall in the early to mid-nineties, during my time with the Tarheel Leather Club and other gay political organizations in NC, rather suspicious men that would kind of come and go from these groups that didn't seem like they fit - we often wondered if they were FBI men. In the late 90s, I saw a brief article where someone had requested their FBI file and, indeed, g-men were doing survellance on gay political and AIDS activist organizations.
I'd challenge the Obama administration to come clean on what the government's been up to the past few decades. What kind of survellance was the Bush administration up to on gays? What was Hoover's FBI up to that still hasn't emerged after all these years?
After the debacle with Rick Warren at the Inaguaration, it's the least that Obama could do to start proving he's serious about taking the interests of gay citizens seriously.
article at Slate
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Another nutjob Republican
A Utah state senator has gone on the record in an interview comparing gays to Muslims and stating that gays represent the biggest threat to America today. He previously was in hot water for making racist comments.
In his spare time, he no doubt mumbles about the dangers of fluoridated water taking away the purity of essence of our precious bodily fluids.
Feel free to buy the man a straitjacket and a one-way ticket to a mental institution any time now.
article at local Utah tv station
In his spare time, he no doubt mumbles about the dangers of fluoridated water taking away the purity of essence of our precious bodily fluids.
Feel free to buy the man a straitjacket and a one-way ticket to a mental institution any time now.
article at local Utah tv station
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Controversy over Rent
A high school production of "Rent" has been cancelled because of controversy over the gay characters in the musical.
article at LA Times
article at LA Times
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Mayor of Portland, we hardly knew you...
The newly elected Gay mayor of Portland is embroiled in a sex scandal. Seems he lied about having a relationship with a young man who may have been underage at the time.
The young man's name?
Beau Breedlove.
Slate has the details and links
The young man's name?
Beau Breedlove.
Slate has the details and links
Friday, January 30, 2009
She's a rainbow
Looking for something to whip up for your next Gay Pride Month party?
Check out this website for an illustrated guide to making a Rainbow Cake, so colorful that it will feel like someone is poking your eyes with crayons.
Prop 8 donors can't be hidden
Supporters of Prop 8, crying about "harassment" of donors, went to court seeking to make the donor list secret.
A judge said "no".
The judge noted that actions against donors had taken the form of peaceful protest and protected speech and the few cases of death threats or other more serious matters could be taken to the police - the public's right to know about who is behind ballot initiatives is more important.
article at SF Gate
A judge said "no".
The judge noted that actions against donors had taken the form of peaceful protest and protected speech and the few cases of death threats or other more serious matters could be taken to the police - the public's right to know about who is behind ballot initiatives is more important.
article at SF Gate
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Huh?
According to the IMDB Studio Update, Jim Carrey (yeah, that Jim Carrey - the rubber-faced guy) and Ewan McGregor are co-starring in a new movie - a gay romantic comedy.
I can't believe I just typed in the words "Jim Carry" and "gay romantic comedy" in the sentence.
The movie premiered at Sundance to "glowing" reviews. The Hollywood Reporter notes that Cary's "comedic versatility and impersonations are amazing, but it's in his character's darkest recesses that he's truly powerful. As the steadfast Phillip, McGregor is sympathetic and vulnerable. His heart is always ready to be broken."
Daily Variety, of course, fretted that the gay subject matter would limit the market for the movie, but that audiences might be curious about Carrey's performance.
The piece at IMDB also notes:
The film's title? "I Love You Phillip Morris".
Hmph. Makes me think of the tobacco company, since I'm so used to hearing "Caaaalll for Phiiiilip Moorrrriss" in so many old radio shows.
And, by the way, is anyone associated with this production (the director, stars, writer) actually gay?
Seeing Jonathan Demme's "Philadelphia", with Tom Hanks dancing around with an IV bottle humming opera like the worst stereotype of an old queen just really turned me against gay movies made by straight Hollywood. "Brokeback Mountain"'s rather twwwagic take on gay relationships irked me as well.
Update:
Straights trying out the whole "gay" thing seems to be a theme at Sundance this year. Another entry creating buzz (and already getting a distribution deal) is "Humpday", a story about two stright 30-something former college buddies who reconnect one weekend, drink lots of alcohol, and decide to make a porn movie of themselves. Salon has an article about it.
I can't believe I just typed in the words "Jim Carry" and "gay romantic comedy" in the sentence.
The movie premiered at Sundance to "glowing" reviews. The Hollywood Reporter notes that Cary's "comedic versatility and impersonations are amazing, but it's in his character's darkest recesses that he's truly powerful. As the steadfast Phillip, McGregor is sympathetic and vulnerable. His heart is always ready to be broken."
Daily Variety, of course, fretted that the gay subject matter would limit the market for the movie, but that audiences might be curious about Carrey's performance.
The piece at IMDB also notes:
At a news conference at the festival Carrey didn't hesitate to stoke the curiosity. When asked what it was like to kiss a man, he turned towards McGregor and quipped: "A dream come true. I mean, look at the guy."
The film's title? "I Love You Phillip Morris".
Hmph. Makes me think of the tobacco company, since I'm so used to hearing "Caaaalll for Phiiiilip Moorrrriss" in so many old radio shows.
And, by the way, is anyone associated with this production (the director, stars, writer) actually gay?
Seeing Jonathan Demme's "Philadelphia", with Tom Hanks dancing around with an IV bottle humming opera like the worst stereotype of an old queen just really turned me against gay movies made by straight Hollywood. "Brokeback Mountain"'s rather twwwagic take on gay relationships irked me as well.
Update:
Straights trying out the whole "gay" thing seems to be a theme at Sundance this year. Another entry creating buzz (and already getting a distribution deal) is "Humpday", a story about two stright 30-something former college buddies who reconnect one weekend, drink lots of alcohol, and decide to make a porn movie of themselves. Salon has an article about it.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Lonnie Frisbee
Found an intriguing article at Wikipedia the other day as I was browsing through pages dealing with Evangelical Scandals. (And, yes, I do casually read Wikipedia to find odd things like this.)
It's a bio of the original Hippie Jesus Freak, Lonnie Frisbee, who, it turns out, was a practicing homosexual the entire time he was involved in ministry.
There's also a doc about him - it's played at some festivals and on PBS stations on the West Coast, but not here in the East or in the South. They're also offering up the doc for fundraising community showings.
Wow - another fascinating gay person for some straight Hollywood actor to portray as Oscar bait in a biopic.I can hardly wait.
article at Wikipedia
page on documentary
It's a bio of the original Hippie Jesus Freak, Lonnie Frisbee, who, it turns out, was a practicing homosexual the entire time he was involved in ministry.
There's also a doc about him - it's played at some festivals and on PBS stations on the West Coast, but not here in the East or in the South. They're also offering up the doc for fundraising community showings.
Wow - another fascinating gay person for some straight Hollywood actor to portray as Oscar bait in a biopic.
article at Wikipedia
page on documentary
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Truth behind Rick Warren's AIDS work in Africa
Rick Warren's key point person in his AIDS work in Africa called for the arrest of known homosexuals and published the names, addresses and photographs of gays on his website, saying they were trying to "recruit" young Uganda children into their lifestyle.
Again, I'm not sorry I'm changing my registration to Independent on Inauguration Day - Obama should have never given extremist Rick Warren a prominent place at the ceremony. Warren and Obama are trying to have it both ways - talking about "reaching across the aisle", but, at the same time, wanting to stigmatize LGBTs.
blog post at Americablog
Again, I'm not sorry I'm changing my registration to Independent on Inauguration Day - Obama should have never given extremist Rick Warren a prominent place at the ceremony. Warren and Obama are trying to have it both ways - talking about "reaching across the aisle", but, at the same time, wanting to stigmatize LGBTs.
blog post at Americablog
Seattle gay bars receive threatening letters
Some bars in Seattle have received letters from a domestic terrorist who is threatening to kill patrons with ricin.
This is why Obama's choice of Rick Warren for the Inaugural, and all the publicity about his views about homosexuals is very troubling - giving a forum to hate speech brings out crazies who threaten or do violence to gays.
We saw it in the 80s and 90s with Helms, Falwell and others, and now, Obama's encouraging it again.
article at the Slog with scan of one of the letters
This is why Obama's choice of Rick Warren for the Inaugural, and all the publicity about his views about homosexuals is very troubling - giving a forum to hate speech brings out crazies who threaten or do violence to gays.
We saw it in the 80s and 90s with Helms, Falwell and others, and now, Obama's encouraging it again.
article at the Slog with scan of one of the letters
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Obama puts gay at head of secretarial pool
After inviting dullard blowhard Rick Warren to convocate at the Inauguration, Obama promptly pissed off many LGBTs, since Warren equates homosexuality with bestiality and pedophilia (and was an active campaigner against Prop 8).
The Obama camp saw the outrage of LGBTs and said "Meh...big deal. We're inclusive because we have a Gay marching band at the Inaugural!"
Now that LGBTs have continued to be rather disgusted with Warren and Obama's embracing of this slick, tv preacher that's really no better than deceased blowhard Jerry Falwell, Obama seems to be reaching out to LGBTs to make amends.
It seems that Gays have a role model now in the White House. Someone in a position to aspire to.
Yes, amongst all the positions appointed in the new administration, there's an actual GAY person.
What is this person doing, you might ask?
Well, he's managing the White House secretarial pool.
Sorry, Obama team - I'm still planning to change my voter registration to "Independent" and make a donation to the Green Party on Inaugration Day.
I'll vote for Democrats again when they show LGBTs some respect. Sheesh. Wish I'd never voted for the guy and just stayed home in November.
The Obama camp saw the outrage of LGBTs and said "Meh...big deal. We're inclusive because we have a Gay marching band at the Inaugural!"
Now that LGBTs have continued to be rather disgusted with Warren and Obama's embracing of this slick, tv preacher that's really no better than deceased blowhard Jerry Falwell, Obama seems to be reaching out to LGBTs to make amends.
It seems that Gays have a role model now in the White House. Someone in a position to aspire to.
Yes, amongst all the positions appointed in the new administration, there's an actual GAY person.
What is this person doing, you might ask?
Well, he's managing the White House secretarial pool.
Sorry, Obama team - I'm still planning to change my voter registration to "Independent" and make a donation to the Green Party on Inaugration Day.
I'll vote for Democrats again when they show LGBTs some respect. Sheesh. Wish I'd never voted for the guy and just stayed home in November.
Monday, January 5, 2009
The Holocaust Archives
Slate is starting up a diary this week about the Holocaust Archives, a collection of Nazi documents from concentration camps and related materials that has been closed to reseearchers.
I'm surprised that I've never run into a LGBT historian discussing the importance of access to this material - it could more fully document how gays were treated by the Nazis in the concentration camps.
article at Slate
I'm surprised that I've never run into a LGBT historian discussing the importance of access to this material - it could more fully document how gays were treated by the Nazis in the concentration camps.
article at Slate
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