WebProNews

Tag: gay

  • Honey Maid Doesn’t Give a Damn About Appeasing Anti-Gay Trolls

    Back in March, Nabisco’s Honey Maid graham cracker brand decided to celebrate love and family in all its various forms with an ad entitled “This is Wholesome.” The tagline was “everyday wholesome snacks for every wholesome family,” and the 30-second spot featured couples and families from all walks of life–including an interracial family and gasp, a gay couple.

    Outrage ensued. Not from everyone, of course, but from the type of people who are usually outraged by this sort of thing. You know, bigots. It was as predictable as the uncovering of an anti-gay Republican’s gay sex scandal. Like clockwork, the comments started pouring in on YouTube and “family values” blogs across the country.

    Professional outrage machine One Million Moms joined various other outraged groups to protest the ads. They urged Nabisco to “pull this liberal commercial immediately and remain neutral in the culture war.” Grrr, love and family. Simply disgusting.

    “We recognize change is happening every day, from the way in which a family looks today to how a family interacts to the way it is portrayed in media,” said Gary Osifchin, senior marketing director for Honey Maid parent company Mondelez, at the time of the initial backlash. “We at Honey Maid continue to evolve and expand our varieties to provide delicious, wholesome products so they can be a part of everyday moments of connection in a world with changing, evolving family dynamics.”

    From that statement, it was clear that Honey Maid and their parent company were going to stand by their ad. But now, they’ve decided to give a nice, large, slightly curved middle finger to all the haters. It comes in the form of a new ad, entitled “Love”:

    Yep, looks like they printed out all of those negative YouTube comments and turned them into an art installation of the word “love,” thus rendering them completely inert. Honey Maid DGAF.

    Yes, I am aware that all of this, in the end, is about selling graham crackers and these are, at their basic form, advertisements. But you do have a company with a bottom line holding firm to their message, and in our culture of bullshit outrage and even bullshittier instant apologies, the importance of having a backbone should never be under-emphasized.

    Image via YouTube

  • Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich Steps Down Amid Controversy

    Brendan Eich has stepped down as Mozilla’s CEO following controversy about his support of California anti-gay marriage law Proposition 8 in 2008, which recently came to light.

    Executive Chairwoman Mitchell Baker announced the news on the Mozilla blog after a number of interviews Eich gave indicating that he would not be going anywhere.

    “He’s made this decision for Mozilla and our community,” she writes. “Mozilla believes both in equality and freedom of speech. Equality is necessary for meaningful speech. And you need free speech to fight for equality. Figuring out how to stand for both at the same time can be hard. Our organizational culture reflects diversity and inclusiveness. We welcome contributions from everyone regardless of age, culture, ethnicity, gender, gender-identity, language, race, sexual orientation, geographical location and religious views. Mozilla supports equality for all.”

    She continues, “We have employees with a wide diversity of views. Our culture of openness extends to encouraging staff and community to share their beliefs and opinions in public. This is meant to distinguish Mozilla from most organizations and hold us to a higher standard. But this time we failed to listen, to engage, and to be guided by our community. While painful, the events of the last week show exactly why we need the web. So all of us can engage freely in the tough conversations we need to make the world better. We need to put our focus back on protecting that Web. And doing so in a way that will make you proud to support Mozilla.”

    They’re still figuring out what the next move is as far as leadership at Mozilla. Baker says they’ll have more info next week.

    “We will emerge from this with a renewed understanding and humility — our large, global, and diverse community is what makes Mozilla special, and what will help us fulfill our mission. We are stronger with you involved,” she concludes.

    Comments on the blog post are closed.

    According to Re/code, Eich, who also co-founded Mozilla (in addition to creating JavaScript) will also be resigning from the board of the Mozilla foundation (the nonprofit behind the for-profit Mozilla Corporation). Also, according to that report, Baker said Eich had not been forced to resign by her or others on the board.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • A Big Sex Scandal Involving ‘Anti-Gay’ Republican Is Brewing, According to Some Redditor

    A Big Sex Scandal Involving ‘Anti-Gay’ Republican Is Brewing, According to Some Redditor

    It’s safe to say that the vast majority of the stuff people say on reddit is complete and utter bullshit. That’s because reddit exists on the internet, of which 99.9% is total bullshit. When anonymous users are given fake internet points for saying the most interesting or outrageous thing, why in the world would they stick to their boring lives? Lie away, Karma whores! Until I’m proven otherwise, I’ll remain cynical.

    But it is worth nothing that earlier this week, a redditor said that they’d been in a same-sex relationship with an anti-gay Republican US Senator for three years, and that they planned on going public with the story in about three weeks.

    Immediate reaction?

    The post occurred on r/AdviceAnimals, one of the site’s biggest subreddits. Our OP used the “confession bear” meme to state:

    “I’ve been in a secret same-sex relationship with an anti-gay Republican U.S. Senator for 3 year–I’m going public 3 weeks from today.”

    Both the user and post has been deleted, but you know as well as I do that nothing is ever truly deleted from the internet:

    The user who posted the meme was u/ClostedinKansas. I’ll let you glean from that what you will.

    The list of “things people have confessed to on reddit” is longer than the list of “major political scandals outed by redditors,” but this one is just funny. I’d love nothing more than to see an anti-gay Senator exposed in their hypocrisy, but I don’t think we should hold our breath on this one. Remember, fake internet points.

  • Taylor Ellis: Arkansas High School Removed Gay Student’s Profile From Yearbook

    A gay Arkansas high school student is making headlines after Sheridan High School decided to remove seven student profiles from the yearbook that talked about his coming out.

    The student, Taylor Ellis, claims that the reason was clear. “We have a good idea why they’re not going into the yearbook. They don’t want to just throw out the gay kid’s interview.”

    However, he said that he didn’t understand the decision because he already came out last year.

    The yearbook’s assistant editor Hannah Bruner said that Ellis’ coming out was well-received, even though he was scared of the repercussions. “He found that most of the student body, as well as the teachers, were very accepting of him,” she said.

    According to Sheridan Superintendent Brenda Haynes, she and her colleagues have reviewed state law, court cases, and its own policies.

    “We must make decisions that lead in the proper direction for all of our students and for our community. We must not make decisions based on demands by any special interest group. The seven profiles will not be published in the yearbook,” she said.

    A demonstration was staged last Tuesday by a national civil rights organization to support Ellis. The Human Rights Campaign appealed to Gov. Mike Beebe and Tom Kimbrell, the state’s education commissioner to intervene, but their representatives said it was the local school district’s call.

    The principal of Sheridan, Rodney Williams, received a 30,000-strong petition asking to reverse the decision.

    Bruner stands by the yearbook’s decision. “It’s a big thing in Sheridan to be gay. That’s something that doesn’t get told a lot. I had no idea that any of this would happen, but I’m glad it did and I don’t regret anything that I’ve done so far,” she said.

    “When I’m done with Sheridan, I’m done with Sheridan. I have one more year, and after that, I’ll thank God every day that I’m not there anymore,” declared Ellis.

    Image via YouTube

  • The South Watches More Gay Porn Than You Liberals

    After those long days of Mexican standoffs and train robberies, the South usually unwinds with either some chitlins or sweet tea – no one would have ever expected a good old heaping helping of steaming gay porn.

    As soon as March reared its ugly head, Pornhub and Buzzfeed got together to satiate their curiosities by asking:

    • Do states with legalized gay marriage watch more gay porn than states where it’s illegal?

    Answer: Yep. Around 4.41% of states with legalized marriage watch 7% more gay porn that states without at 4.13%.

    (image)

    No surprise. You’d think LGBT community oriented States would have a higher yield of gay porn viewers…

    …however, if you average every single state in the South, the percentage of gay viewers is higher than the average of states where gay marriage is legalized.

    1. The butt sex outlawed state of Mississippi holds the record of 5.58% gay users.
    2. Riding on its rear in second comes the sugar state Louisiana at 5.44%
    3. Georgia, the home of Little Richard, weighs in at 5.38%

    (image)

    So what about those more liberal states where gay marriage is legalized?

    The top three ride in on the following:

    1. Aloha to Hawaii in first place, holding 5.38%.
    2. Bailout paradise New York and an ashamed California come in with 5.27%.

    (image)

    Now wait! What if those Southern men are just looking at lesbian porn? According to Buzzfeed, a Pornhub spokesperson said this about their data:

    “We pulled terms and traffic to gay searches. We couldn’t break down “lesbian” because we don’t track our users on a micro-granular level (i.e., gender, sexual orientation, etc.). So for example, lesbian searches can account for, like, 40% of a city’s searches, but 80% of those searchers may likely be men. So to answer, it’s a rundown of gay porn from male users”

    This town ain’t big enough for the both of us, unless it’s a gay porn website.

    (image)

     

    Images via WikiCommons, Pornhub

  • Fred Phelps Gay in Afterlife, Thanks to Satanists

    After earlier news that notorious Westboro Baptist founder and (former) lead pastor, Fred Phelps, had died, everybody knew that the pile-on would begin in earnest. You can’t spend your whole life bashing every group but your own, picketing funerals, and hating on everyone and not expect to have your own death celebrated like a University of Kentucky NCAA Championship win.

    Many groups have called for their members to squelch the mirth, vowing to be better than Phelps was. In fact, some LGBT groups even acknowledge that a hater like Phelps has done more to advance the cause of tolerance, by being a horrid example of what lives look like when they lack it, than they ever could have done on their own.

    But not everyone is willing to let Phelps go gracefully into that good night. The jokes write themselves, and someone has to tell them. But the biggest bum’s rush may well be coming from Phelps’ stiffest competition – the Satanist’s.

    You may recall that we told you before about a “Pink Mass” ceremony held by Satanists at the gravesite of Fred Phelps mother. The point of a Pink Mass is to initiate the departed posthumously into the Church of Satan, and specifically to “turn them gay”. Obviously, the rite does no such thing. The point of it was to bring the fight to the Westboro haters and give them a taste of their own medicine.

    The Washington Times reports that the very group that pulled that stunt is now gearing up to do it again, and this time they are aiming for the big man himself. Lucien Greaves, the man who performed the Pink Mass last year, has vowed to carry through on his earlier plans to do an even bigger event over Fred Phelps’ grave. He stated in a letter:

    “At the time [of last year’s Pink Mass ceremony at Phelp’s mother’s grave], I predicted that Fred hadn’t too much longer till he would pass, and I stated – in a direct tweet to the WBC – that I would be presiding over Fred’s own Pink Mass before too long. As I have made a promise to a dying man, I fully intend to do my very best to see it through, and the pomp and circumstance of this Pink Mass will surely far, far exceed that of the original event in Meridian, Mississippi.”

    Greaves says that he sees Phelps as a “ludicrous arch-villain” – strong words coming from a Satanist.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Vernita Gray, LGBT Champion, Dies At 65 Of Breast Cancer

    Vernita Gray, a known advocate for LGBT rights, died on Tuesday at her home in Edgewater, Chicago, after succumbing to breast cancer. Gray had been battling cancer since 1996, and had several recurrences through the years. She was 65.

    Gray is known for being half of Illinois’ first same-sex couple to exchange marriage vows when she married Patricia Ewert in November last year. A federal judge hastened the couple’s marriage license because of Gray’s condition.

    As a result, additional court rulings expedited same-sex marriage in Illinois ahead of the planned June 1, 2014 implementation.

    “She changed the world. She made it a better place,” said Ewert. “She was always happy, always positive.”

    Gray was also a leading advocate for LGBT rights since the late 60’s. She came out after Woodstock in 1969, after learning of the Stonewall riots. Soon, she organized a gay and lesbian hotline at her home, and support groups for youth who were rejected by their families. The phone rang so much that she would leave her apartment just to get peace of mind.

    Gray and Ewert met on an all-women’s cruise during Pride Month in 2009. They were engaged in the same year. The couple wed at their Chicago home on November 27 and had their honeymoon in Ixtapa, Mexico.

    The couple received a congratulatory letter from President Obama, saying, “A love like yours is truly something to treasure.”

    “Vernita Gray was an inspiration to all who crossed her path, from President Obama who knew her by name to the victims of violence she comforted and the young people for whom she was a fierce advocate,” said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

    A memorial service is being planned. According to family, donations should be made to Affinity Community Services, Broadway Youth Center at Howard Brown, or Center on Halsted.

    Vernita Gray Speaks At Illinois Marriage Equality March


    Image via YouTube

  • Pope Francis Hints Catholic Church Could Support Same-Sex Civil Unions

    In an interview published on the Italian newspaper, Corriere della Serra, Pope Francis affirmed the Catholic Church’s position against same-sex marriage, but hinted that it may support same-sex civil unions.

    In the interview, Pope Francis said that matrimony is between a man and a woman, but same-sex civil unions are a way to guarantee health care and property rights. The pope also said that a variety of cases must be looked at and that the Catholic Church could tolerate some unions. The pope’s statement leaves doors open for the possibility of the church supporting gay unions.

    Pope Francis was one of the bishops that supported same-sex civil unions back when he was still the Archbishop of Buenos Aires. He also made headlines when he stated in July that he is not the kind to judge gay priests.

    In an interview with CNN in 2013, Argentinian LGBT leader and activist Marcelo Marquez said that he received a call from the pope – then Archbishop for Buenos Aires – during the 2010 debate on same-sex marriage. Marquez said that the then-Cardinal told him in the phone call that he is in favor of civil unions for homosexuals and supports gay rights, but he believes that Argentina is not yet ready to have a law on gay marriage.

    According to Rev. Thomas Roxia of the Vatican press office, people should not read into what the pope has said in the interview, as he only responded to the interviewer’s questions. Pope Francis also addressed different issues on the interview including sexual abuse, the role of women, and contraception.

    The pope was also able to talk about some myths surrounding him, saying that he still calls people who write to him, but denied the rumors that he goes out in the middle of the night to feed the hungry and homeless.

    March 13th marks Pope Francis’ first year in office.

    Pope Francis Supported Gay Rights As Cardinal?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Comedian Petitions Obama to Formally Label Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni a ‘Ding-Dong-Boob-Poopy’

    Comedian Eugene Mirman has pretty solid proposal for how President Obama should handle Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

    He should publicly call him a “ding-dong-boob-poopy.”

    Oh yeah, and then he should spend a little bit of time trying to convince the controversial leader to off himself.

    It’s all right there in an official petition on the White House’s We The People online petition site called “Tell Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni that he is a Ding-Dong-Boob-Poopy and request he kill himself.” There you go.

    Of course, Yoweri Museveni is in fact a ding dong boob poopy–so the petition has that going for it. The Ugandan President recently signed morally bankrupt legislation that imposes incredibly harsh punishments for homosexual behavior in his country.

    “We are disgusted by Uganda’s backwards, human rights betraying anti-gay law that passed recently. Knowing that it is not appropriate for the President to swear in front of children on television (even HBO), we ask that Barack Obama calls Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni a ‘ding-dong-boob-poopy’ over and over and then sincerely for five to ten minutes, tries to convince him to commit suicide. We’d then like Obama to sternly request that everyone involved with passage of that law puts “their ding-dongs into their own hoo-hoos for up to forty-five minutes,” says petition creator, E.M. of Brooklyn.

    The White House petition site doesn’t post full names of petitioners, but we’re pretty confident that Mirman is behind this one.

    Ok, fully confident.

    Mirman had tried a similar petition earlier, one asking Obama to tell Uganda to go fuck itself. That one was unfortunately removed.

    The new petition would have to hit the 100,000 signature threshold to garner an official response from the administration. It still has a long way to go with just over 200 signatures. But if this petition can get over 263,000 signatures, well, anything is possible.

    Image via YouTube

  • Arizona’s Anti-Gay Bill Gets Pushback From Apple, Other High-Profile Companies

    Apple has joined a host of high-profile businesses in urging Arizona Governor Jan Brewer to veto a controversial piece of legislation that would allow businesses to discriminate against the LGBT community on religious grounds.

    The bill, Senate Bill 1062, amends sections of the Arizona statues to empower business owners to exercise what they would call “freedom of religion,” and what others would call anti-gay discrimination. The bill asserts that people have a fundamental right to express their religious beliefs freely, even if that includes refusing service to LGBT customers–as long as the act of discrimination is “motivated by a religious belief” and that belief is “sincerely held.” These business owners would basically be exempt from the “unreasonable burden” imposed by the state, in which “a person is prevented from using the person’s property in a manner that the person finds satisfactory to fulfill the person’s religious mission.”

    Long story short, if your religion compels you to refuse service to LGBT customers, 1062 will make it a-ok in the eyes of the law.

    The bill passed the state legislature late last week, and is now awaiting action from conservative Republican Governor Jan Brewer.

    And according to Apple and a bunch of businesses with ties to Arizona, that action needs to be a veto in order to keep business thriving in the state.

    NBC News confirms that Apple, along with companies like American Airlines and Marriott, have “issued letters and made phone calls” to Gov. Brewer urging a veto, saying that the law would be bad for business.

    Apple made a similar argument that LGBT discrimination is bad for business in an amicus brief to the Supreme Court a year ago when the high court was debating the Defense of Marriage Act and the constitutionality of state same-sex marriage bans.

    It’s not just businesses who are wary of the bill–prominent Republicans have publicly stated that they think Gov. Brewer should veto the measure. Just a few high-profile examples:

    Even some Republican members of the Arizona Senate are having a change of heart and are now urging Gov. Brewer to veto the bill–a bill that they voted for.

    Though it has strong support in the state from some conservative groups, it’s clear that the tide is turning against Senate Bill 1062–especially in the harshness of the national spotlight.

    But what’s Apple’s concern here–specifically? What’s their skin in the game?

    Apart from the handful of Apple stores located in the state, Apple also has a partially-completed manufacturing plant in Mesa. The plant will produce sapphire glass, which you may know as the scratch-resistant stuff that serves as the screen for your iPhones and iPads. The huge, 1.3 million sq. ft. facility is said to open up around 700 jobs in the area of the next couple of years.

    Tick-tock. Apple is waiting too. Though there’s no direct reports that Apple would even consider pulling out of the massive project, you’d have to imagine that the company, along with many others, would have serious reservations about investing heavily in a state that they feel has laws on the books that are not conducive to good business.

    Image via Apple

  • Jason Collins: 1st Openly Gay NBA Player Re-Signed

    Although Jason Collins should be admired for his courage to be the first openly gay NBA player, he should be ever more applauded for joining the slightly ramshackled Brooklyn Nets today.

    While already proven brave, Collins shows that he may also be of the shrewd athlete as well. Sports Illustrated tells us that he and the Nets have agreed on a 10-day contract, and we’ll see him play later today in a Nets jersey against the Lakers.

    Granted, the team is not doomed to failure– Despite being unceremoniously dumped by one of the most famous Brooklynites and pretty much the spokesperson of the team, Jay-Z, the team is currently doing average at best with a 25-28 record while clinging to the last playoff spot for dear life. Now, adding Jason Collins to the team is an additional plus; Collins has already played with the two power players of the Nets, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, in Boston. He was also teammates with Nets head coach Jason Kidd in the earlier 2000s.

    Jason Collins ranked first in Stanford’s field goal percentage history, and is a 13-year NBA veteran in great shape. Strangely though, Collins hasn’t been signed to a team in close to nine months. Is it just a coincidence that it has also been almost nine months since he publicly announced his homosexuality? It would be hard not to connect the two.

    Despite the issues that still seem unavoidable in today’s time, we congratulate Jason Collins as well as the Brooklyn Nets. Collins is a 7-foot defensive power player who has stifled some of the strongest centers such as Dwight Howard, and his experience and added size to the Brooklyn Nets roster might be exactly what the team needs to boost their rankings. Be sure to check him out tonight.

    Image via NDN

  • Johnny Weir Is Not Afraid To Be In Anti-Gay Russia

    American figure skater Johnny Weir, known for his flair and outlandishness on and off the ice, is having the time of his life. After retiring from the sport as a competitor, he now works as the NBC’s figure skating analyst with fellow skater Tara Lipinski.

    NBC was quick to get him as expert analyst for their coverage of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. According to NBC Olympics Executive Produce Jim Bell, they did so because of Weir’s knowledge of the sport and the competitors, and of course, his candid and fearless views. “We are thrilled to have Johnny’s perspective on the competition,” Bell added. Weir affirmed this, saying that NBC hired him knowing full well about the kind of statements he liked to make.

    The task may sound easy for the opinionated Weir, but he admits it was a difficult transition. For one thing, he would be giving commentary on people he knows and respects, and another—the hardest part—he would also have to talk about those he doesn’t like. “I have to find a way to be genuine, to perform with my voice,” he said.

    Weir’s on-air work provided viewers with just the right amount of technical expertise to make them understand what’s happening on the ice. He doesn’t fill the performance with commentary, and just speaks when he has something to add. He and co-analyst Lipinski have an obvious camaraderie that can be easily seen (and heard) during the show.

    Weir is openly gay and is critical of Russia’s anti-gay law. He is not afraid. According to him, “Part of being afraid is not knowing, and I know Russia.” Indeed he does, being a self-proclaimed Russophile. He even taught himself to read and speak Russian. He doesn’t feel an obligation to tone down his glitzy appearance, even joking that he had packed three suitcases the size of a small car to Sochi.

    Weir never imagined he would love broadcasting as much as skating, and he hopes he could continue doing so even after this year’s Winter Olympics.

    Image via YouTube

  • Ellen Page Announces She’s Gay

    Ellen Page, famous for her roles in Juno and Inception, recently came out as a lesbian in a speech at “Time to THRIVE,” a national conference in Las Vegas that encourages the “safety, inclusion and well-being of LGBTQ youth.” Page, 26, started her speech right away with, “I’m here today because I’m gay,” and quickly added, “and because maybe I can make a difference.” Page admits in her speech that she felt a “personal obligation and social responsibility” and that she is “tired of lying by omission.”

    Page admits to suffering for years because she was too scared to be out, and felt the weight of the crushing standards of Hollywood. “You have ideas planted in your head that tell you how you have to act, how you have to dress and who you have to be. I have been trying to push back, to be authentic, to follow my heart, but it can be hard,” she says. She went on to celebrate examples of out celebrities that stand as role models, including football player Michael Sam and musicians Tegan and Sara.

    Page also commented on the harshness of bullying in the LGBTQ community and how it can effect mental stability: “I know there are people in this room who go to school every day and get treated like shit for no reason. Trying to create that mental picture of what on earth is going to happen to you can crush you a little bit every day. It is toxic and painful and deeply unfair.”

    Following her speech, The Human Rights Campaign tweeted out their support for Ellen:

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Kent State Wrestler Suspended for Anti-Gay Tweets, So Of Course Free Speech Is Once Again Under Assault

    Here’s your daily reminder that freedom of speech doesn’t mean freedom from consequences.

    Kent State wrestler Sam Wheeler has been suspended indefinitely for making several anti-gay statements on Twitter. Like clockwork, this is bringing out the armchair constitutional lawyers who claim that this is an all-out assault on free speech. Duck Dynasty. #FreePhil.

    “I though we had free speech would they supend a gay person if they made anti christian or post about straght people,” says one commenter on FOX Sports Ohio’s Facebook page.

    “What ever happened to freedom of speech! Isn’t this American! Why are we being forced to accept things we may not agree with! Who cares what you do behind closed doors, keep your sex life to yourself!” says another commenter.

    Ok, let’s take a look at what Sam Wheeler actually said. Referencing Missouri’s Michael Sam, who just announced that he is gay ahead of the NFL draft, Wheeler lamented that he can’t even watch SportsCenter without hearing about “that fag from mizzou.” He later tweeted at two other users, calling them “queers.”

    “O geez I got all these fag boys mad at me now,” he said.

    All of the tweets (as well as his entire account) has since been deleted. But this is the internet, so here they are (courtesy outragedc.com):

    Free speech!

    Wheeler has been suspended indefinitely for his tweets.

    “We are aware of the insensitive tweets by one of our student athletes. On behalf of Kent State University, we consider these comments to be ignorant and not indicative of the beliefs held by our university community as a whole. This is an educational opportunity for all of our student-athletes,” said Kent State Athletic Director Joel Nielsen.

    “As an alum of Kent State University and as Sam’s head coach, I was surprised and offended by what I read on Twitter. I have spoken to Sam personally, and while he is remorseful, he will be suspended indefinitely while we determine the best course of action moving forward,” said his coach, Jim Andrassy.

    Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences. Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences. Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences. Maybe it’s like Beetlejuice – we all say it three times and it just pops into every brain on the internet.

    Let’s remember what we’re all screaming about, shall we?

    Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

    So–until Congress decides to act on Sam Wheeler’s shitty, hateful sentiments, or we find Sam Wheeler rotting away in jail for calling someone a queer on Twitter, let’s lighten up on all the free speech talk, ok?

    This is America. He’ll be ok. I’m sure he’ll have a reality show on A&E before year’s end.

    Image via Kent State Athletics, Facebook

  • Olympic Charter Referenced With Google Doodle Supporting Gay Rights

    Google has a doodle up on its homepage throughout the world today celebrating the Olympic Games, but also making a statement in favor of gay rights.

    Olympic Charter

    Not only does the doodle resemble a rainbow flag, Google has actually quoted the Olympic Charter on its homepage underneath the search box. It says:

    “The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.” –Olympic Charter

    The link simply takes you to Google’s search results for “olympic charter,” which points to the document on Olympic.org as the top result underneath the news box. From there you can access it in PDF form.

    The quote Google uses appears as number 4 under “Fundamental Principles of Olympism”.

    The charter is the set of rules and guidelines for the games, and has been used throughout history to decide the outcome of various controversies. The organization has turned to it to rule on issues about citizenship, performance-enhancing drugs, and sexism, among other things.

    Obviously Google is aiming the doodle and message at Russian anti-gay law, and these appear on Google’s Russian homepage just like the rest of its international properties.

    Image via Google

  • Vladimir Putin Defends Anti-Gay Law

    Vladimir Putin Defends Anti-Gay Law

    Russian President Vladimir Putin recently defended his country’s new controversial anti-gay law, and explained that it was not intended to discriminate against anyone.

    “It seems to me that the law that we have adopted does not hurt anyone,” he said during an interview in Sochi on Friday. “Moreover, individuals of non-traditional orientation cannot feel like second-rate humans in this country because they are not discriminated against in any way.”

    The new law was passed last year, and according to Putin, outlaws “propaganda” of “non-traditional sexual relations” around minors. However, many residents have realized that the law outlaws public homosexuality completely. “It has nothing to do with persecuting people for their non-traditional orientation,” Putin said. “My personal position is that society must keep children safe.”

    The most recent concern was that gay athletes would receive criticism at the Sochi Olympics. However, Putin assures us that that will not happen. “I couldn’t care less about their sexual orientation. We will welcome all athletes and all visitors to the Olympics,” he said. “None of our guests will have any problems.”

    “The Russian people have their own cultural code, their own tradition,” Putin said when he heard that several countries had considered boycotting the Olympics. “We don’t interfere, don’t stick our noses in their life and we ask that our traditions and culture are treated with the same respect.”

    Although President Barack Obama will not be attending the Sochi Olympics, he has picked several interesting candidates to send in his place as part of the presidential delegation. The delegation will include tennis player and LGBT activist Billie Jean King, and the openly gay hockey player Caitlin Cahow. Obama’s decision to send openly gay athletes is sending a clear message to Russia, regarding their new law.

    “Basically, the White House is highlighting Americans who know what it means to have freedoms and liberties under the Constitution. That’s really what we’re representing in Sochi and it’s not at all different from what’s espoused in the spirit of Olympism,” Cahow explained. “So I think it’s just a great group of people. I can’t believe I’ve been named one of them because it’s a remarkable roster and I just think that we’re going to represent what the best America can be. Hopefully, it will unify all of Team USA and send a message of love and acceptance to the world.”

    “Between major countries there certainly always are some common ground and points of tension,” Putin said. “With respect to athletes I’d recommend and advise them not to think about the political differences. Politics should not interfere with sports. And sports should impact politics.”

    What do you think about Russia’s anti-gay propaganda law? Leave your comments below.

    Image via YouTube

  • Evander Holyfield Reprimanded For Homophobic Views On ‘Big Brother’ UK

    Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield has ignited controversy on the UK’s ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ due to his views on homosexuality. Holyfield made inflammatory comments toward gays on Saturday’s airing of the British reality TV show.  He compared homosexuality to a handicap that can be fixed by a doctor.

    Holyfield is among the contestants on “Celebrity Big Brother” UK and made the remarks while holding a conversations with fellow housemate Luisa Zissman.

    In the conversation, Zissman disagrees with Holyfield and tries to sway his opinion but Holyfield stood firm. Zissman even tries to end the conversation at one point but Holyfield remained insistent in showing Zissman why homosexuality is not a sexual orientation but a deformity.

    Holyfield: The bible lets you know, that’s wrong, that’s right.

    Zissman: That’s just the way some people are.

    Holyfield: No, it don’t make no difference. If you were born and your leg were turned this way, what do you do, you go to the doctor and get it fixed back right.

    Afterwards, Holyfield was taken by the show’s producers to a private room where he was advised that his views were not acceptable and it would be offensive for him to continue expressing those views. However, Holyfield still was of the view that he hadn’t done anything wrong but promised to refrain in future.

    The remarks generated mixed reactions from the social media with many users expressing outrage towards the 51-year-old boxing legend. However, openly gay Culture Club singer Boy George could not hide his disappointment at Holyfield’s comments. George issued a statement on Twitter saying: “Shame, I had such admiration for Mr Evander Holyfield, he seemed dignified and I was sure he was a cool, smart, giant!”

    Though Holyfield is entitled to his opinion, anti-gay sentiments are not likely to go over well with the public. He may want to keep his opinion to himself or risk alienating many of his fans.

    Image via Wikipedia

  • Crystal Bowersox “Comes Out” With Christmas Song

    Coming out to family members about being gay is hard for many people. While some families are accepting, others can be harsh and judgmental. For former America Idol contestant Crystal Bowersox, coming out is much easier with a song. Her newest song, “Coming Out For Christmas,” has many people questioning her sexuality and the story behind the song.

    Since her appearance on American Idol, many people have suspected that she may be a lesbian. Crystal married Brian Walker in 2010, but the couple recently announced their divorce. Crystal also has a child from a previous relationship. So what exactly is Crystal’s sexuality and is it really anyone’s business?

    Crystal doesn’t seem to have trouble coming out, even though she admits that she did struggle with her sexuality in high school. She recently posted a tweet to help put a stop to the rumors and finally define herself as bisexual.

    Crystal says that she wrote the song in hope of helping others who are struggling with their own sexuality and coming out to family and friends and admits to struggling herself at times. So far, she has had nothing but positive responses about the song and says that she hopes it will inspire those still afraid to admit their sexuality to come out.

    The outed and confident Crystal has not only decided to release a new song, but also has a new look. She cut off her trademark dreadlocks and now straightens her hair.

    What do you think of Crystal’s new song and her new look?

    Image via Twitter.

  • Phil Robertson Suspended From Duck Dynasty

    Phil Robertson Suspended From Duck Dynasty

    Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson has been suspended indefinitely from the popular A&E television show. Phil was suspended after voicing his opinions about homosexual relationships, during an interview with GQ magazine. When A&E read what Phil had said, they immediately suspended him from the show, and released a statement explaining their decision.

    We are extremely disappointed to have read Phil Robertson’s comments in GQ, which are based on his own personal beliefs and are not reflected in the series Duck Dynasty. His personal views in no way reflect those of A+E Networks, who have always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community. The network has placed Phil under hiatus from filming indefinitely.

    “It seems like, to me, a vagina—as a man—would be more desirable than a man’s anus,” Phil explained. “That’s just me. I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical.”

    “Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men,” he continued. “Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers—they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.”

    After the extensive backlash that Phil received following his dismissal, he released a statement of his own.

    I myself am a product of the ’60s; I centered my life around sex, drugs and rock and roll until I hit rock bottom and accepted Jesus as my Savior. My mission today is to go forth and tell people about why I follow Christ and also what the Bible teaches, and part of that teaching is that women and men are meant to be together. However, I would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me.

    Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal also released a statement, defending one of the most loved television personalities of all time.

    Phil Robertson and his family are great citizens of the State of Louisiana. The politically correct crowd is tolerant of all viewpoints, except those they disagree with. I don’t agree with quite a bit of stuff I read in magazine interviews or see on TV. In fact, come to think of it, I find a good bit of it offensive. But I also acknowledge that this is a free country and everyone is entitled to express their views. In fact, I remember when TV networks believed in the First Amendment. It is a messed up situation when Miley Cyrus gets a laugh, and Phil Robertson gets suspended.

    Millions of fans are furious over A&E’s decision, and have taken to social media to voice their disgust. A petition on Change.org has also been started in hopes of bringing Phil back.

    What do you think about Phil’s comments? Leave your comments below.

    Image via Twitter

  • Gay Teacher’s Firing By Catholic School Sparks Protest

    A Roman Catholic school has come under fire this week for firing a well-liked teacher who publicly announced he is gay.

    Thousands have protested the move by Holy Ghost Preparatory School’s administration through petitions and Facebook groups. The protesters include: school alumni, parents and former teachers. Some of the protesters have even threatened to withdraw their financial support to the school unless the teacher is reinstated.

    Michael Griffin, the teacher, was fired after telling school administrators that he was planning to marry his same sex partner.

    A letter signed by 100 alums, parents and former staff said that Griffin should not have been punished for his lifestyle; instead, he should have been congratulated for his upcoming marriage.

    However, there are those who say Griffin was fully aware of the school’s terms of employment at the time of joining the school. Some in the community argue that he should have known he was jeopardizing his career by opting to marry a same-sex partner while still employed at the school.

    The trouble started last week with an email Griffin sent to the school’s principal. Griffin’s email announced that he would be late for a staff meeting because he was getting a marriage certificate. Had Griffin not sent that email he may still have had his job today. According to Griffin, everyone in the school knew about the relationship but the email forced the decision.

    Same-sex marriages are not allowed in Catholic teachings. A statement from the school stated “All of us, including Mr. Griffin, understood that his decision would place him in violation of his contract.”

    Thus, the school is arguing its case based on its contractual agreement with Griffin. This position has received support from people like Rita Schwartz, leader of a local teachers union, who said that teachers at Catholic schools are expected to adhere to church morals.

    “When you sign on to work in a Catholic school … there are certain things that you can’t do,” she said.

    Given the uproar the incident has caused, it will be interesting to see whether or not the school changes its decision in the coming weeks.

    (image via YouTube)

  • Tom Daley Has A Boyfriend; “It Felt Right”

    Tom Daley Has A Boyfriend; “It Felt Right”

    Olympic diver Tom Daley surprised his fans by revealing he is dating a man, despite previously dating girls. The 19-year-old diver, who won a bronze medal in London 2012 Olympics, revealed the news on Monday in a YouTube video. Daley says he is in a serious relationship with a guy and said he feels happier and safer in his new relationship.

    In a five-minute long message on YouTube, Daley said he felt it in spring this year. “In spring this year my life changed massively when I met someone, and they make me feel so happy, so safe and everything just feels great. That someone is a guy.” Daley said, “But it wasn’t until spring this year that something just clicked. It felt right and I thought ‘OK’.”

    However, Daley said that he still fancies girls but had been dating the unnamed man since spring. He admitted that this took him by surprise though he seemed to have an inclination for some time that he might be bisexual or gay. Daley went on to say, “It did take me by surprise a little bit. It was always in the back of my head that something like that could happen.”

    His grandparents, whom he had informed 24 hours before going public about it, said the news came as a surprise and they feared that he was still too young to be making this kind of decision but they said they will support him because they are liberal.

    “We have always been supportive of him and we always will. We’re not old-fashioned, in fact we’re quite liberal. But I do think he’s too young to be making this sort of decision,” they said, “but we hugged him, we thanked him for coming to see us, and we’ll be seeing him over Christmas. We’ll always be here for Tom.”

    Tom’s father died at age 40 in 2011 from brain cancer.

    Chairman of the Amateur Swimming Association, Edward Lord said “To be one of the first British Olympic athletes to come out is very brave.” Lord said, “We must all support Tom in taking this incredibly courageous step.”

    Although his family members had mixed feelings about Daley’s decision, stars were quick to congratulate him for the bold move. Among them were Kylie Minogue and British comedian Matt Lucas.

     

    Tom Daley: Something I want to say…

    (main image via Twitter)