05/21/2013
Earlier this month I debuted some exclusive clips from The Lavender Scare, the documentary in progress chronicling the U.S. government's gay 'witch hunts' beginning in the 50's and 60's and efforts by early gay activists like the late Frank Kameny to put a stop to them.
The filmmakers are funding the home stretch of their film via Kickstarter and are excited to debut another very special clip on Towleroad on what would have been Kameny's 88th birthday (May 21).
It's the last major interview Kameny did before his death in 2011 and also includes an audio clip of Frank's 96-year-old mother describing how horrified she was that he wanted to be an astronomer.
Filmmaker Josh Howard tells us:
Frank Kameny didn’t plan on becoming a gay activist. He was working as an astronomer for the U.S. Army Map Service, a job he loved. Unfortunately, the government found out he was gay, and since President Eisenhower had ordered the dismissal of all gay and lesbian workers, Frank was fired. But unlike the thousands of LGBT people that had been fired before him, Frank fought back. His efforts to regain his job led him to spend the next five decades on the front lines of the fight for LGBT rights, recognized today as one of the founders of the movement. Frank’s story is the focus of The Lavender Scare, an upcoming documentary about the government’s anti-gay witch hunts. Here are some clips from Frank’s interview for The Lavender Scare, which was the last extensive filmed interview of his life. They are being seen here for the first time.
Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...
You can check out the filmmakers' Kickstarter HERE.
And the film's official site HERE.
Continue reading "Watch Gay Rights Pioneer Frank Kameny's Last Interview, from the Upcoming Doc 'Lavender Scare': VIDEO"
Posted May. 21,2013 at 10:43 AM EST by Andy Towle in Film, Frank Kameny, News |
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The Sun tabloid is reporting more details about the car accident that required George Michael to be airlifted to a hospital last week. Katherine Fox tells the paper she was driving behind Michael's car at 70 mph on the four-lane M1 freeway:
She and other drivers hit their brakes and skidded to a halt. Katherine said:
“I saw blood everywhere and a man on the ground. I thought someone had run across the road and been hit. I asked what had gone on and was told he tried to open the car door and shut it again because it wasn’t shut properly and apparently fell out at 70mph. I was on the phone to the ambulance and said, ‘You’d better come quick. This doesn’t look good’.
"George was wearing a black and gold Adidas tracksuit that was ripped all down the arm and shoulder. He had no trainers on. I grabbed one from the second lane because cars were swerving to avoid it. His sunglasses were also in the road. I could hear the crunch as cars drove over them.”
Michael was lucky to escape with his life, she said.
Posted May. 21,2013 at 9:57 AM EST by Andy Towle in George Michael, News |
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Who's the first gay-hating wingnut out of the gate after the Oklahoma tornado?
It's Fred Phelps Jr., who tweeted:
"OK Thunder's Durant flips God by praising fag Collins. God smashes OK. You do the math."
Posted May. 21,2013 at 9:14 AM EST by Andy Towle in Fred Phelps, Jason Collins, News, Tornado, Westboro Baptist Church |
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Flourine Bompars, the aunt of Mark Carson who was murdered over the weekend, and Nick Porto and Kevin Atkins, the gay couple attacked recently outside Madison Square Garden, spoke at yesterday's anti-hate rally in NYC, along with several other speakers.
They are featured in a report from the NYDN, which you can watch along with NY!'s report, AFTER THE JUMP...
Said Bompars: "He was a loving caring person who was also loved and will be truly missed from his mother and his father and members of his family, friends, and coworkers. And the family would also like to have justice served so that Mark's death is not in vain.
Check out our big slideshow HERE if you haven't yet.
Continue reading "Mark Carson's Family, Gay Couple Beaten by Knicks Fans Speak at NYC Rally Against Hate: VIDEO"
Posted May. 21,2013 at 8:58 AM EST by Andy Towle in Mark Carson, New York, News |
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The UK's marriage equality bill, under threat yesterday, was saved by a deal with the Labour party, the Guardian reports:
The government's gay marriage bill was saved after David Cameron was forced to rely on Ed Miliband (pictured) to defeat an attempt by his own MPs to derail the measure by trying to extend civil partnerships to heterosexual couples.
An 11th-hour plea to the Labour leadership by the Tory chief whip Sir George Young, who warned that the government was in danger of losing the vote, prompted a change of heart by Miliband, who had been planning to abstain on the amendment.
The Labour move meant that the amendment, tabled by the anti-gay marriage Tory and former children's minister Tim Loughton, was defeated by 375 to 70 votes, a majority of 305.
The decision by the Labour leadership, which has gone from supporting the amendment on civil partnerships to rejecting it within the space of 24 hours, means that the marriage (same-sex couples) bill will now experience a safer journey through parliament.
More here...
Posted May. 21,2013 at 8:15 AM EST by Andy Towle in David Cameron, Gay Marriage, News |
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