03/06/2008
News: Helen Keller, Gay Music, Rosie O'Donnell, NY Marriage
"Pro-family" groups urge parents to keep their children out of school on April 25's "Day of Silence", a day of raising awareness about tolerance and anti-gay bullying. They also accuse GLSEN of exploiting the murder of Lawrence King.
Website names The 50 Gayest Songs of All Time.
Say it isn't so. Lance Bass declares himself single, rips boyfriend from MySpace "top friends" list.
Maryland weighs new approach on same-sex unions: "Concerned that they won't be able to muster the votes for a comprehensive bill on same-sex unions this year, state lawmakers are considering a tactical shift toward legislation that would grant a number of rights to gay and lesbian couples but stop short of full-fledged marriage or civil unions."
Fort Lauderdale magazine flushes anti-gay Mayor Jim Naugle's latest column about gay restroom sex. City Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson: "I just want all this nonsense to stop. I don't want to talk about the bathroom thing again.''
Rosie O'Donnell: the junk food portrait.
New York's legal posturing on Same-sex marriage examined: "Last week in Manhattan, a State Supreme Court justice, ruling in a divorce proceeding, recognized the Canadian marriage of two New York City women, known publicly as Beth R. and Donna M. — or Mom and Mommy to the two young children they had been raising together. Less than two years after New York’s highest court refused to legalize gay marriage, leaving it up to a divided Legislature, courts in Rochester and Manhattan, as well as state and local officials, have begun to carry out what some say is the de facto legalization of gay marriage — and gay divorce — in New York for the price of, say, a ticket to Toronto."
Matthew McConaughey launches line of surf attire called Just Keep Livin'.
Provincetown arsonist strikes again: "In a little more than 10 minutes, flames destroyed a wooden shed belonging to artist Arthur Cohen at his property near Allerton Street. The blaze is at least the 16th arson fire in Provincetown since Oct. 17, Jennifer Mieth, a spokeswoman for the state fire marshal, said yesterday. No one was injured in the fire and Cohen, who was in New York at the time, was expected to arrive yesterday in Provincetown, according to a family member. Cohen declined to comment about the fire yesterday when reached by phone. On Monday, a landlord's report of a 2-foot square of burned shingles at a framing shop at 288 Bradford St. — little more than one-tenth of a mile from the Cohen property — was added to the list of arson fires, Mieth said."
Will & Grace creator Max Mutchnick said his own "internal oppression" held him back from making bigger statements with regard to gays on that show.
120-year-old photo of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan on Cape Cod discovered: "The photograph, shot in July 1888 in Brewster, shows an 8-year-old Helen sitting outside in a light-colored dress, holding Sullivan's hand and cradling one of her beloved dolls. Experts on Keller's life believe it could be the earliest photo of the two women together and the only one showing the blind and deaf child with a doll — the first word Sullivan spelled for Keller after they met in 1887 — according to the New England Historic Genealogical Society, which now has the photo."
USA Today talks to Anne and Christopher Rice about their new books. Christopher: "She has created her own myth-ology. There's no following in those footsteps. So I keep my work a lot smaller and more focused. I would go insane comparing myself to her."
Jackson steals Mariah Carey's look.
Mississippi lawmakers propose bill banning unwed couples living together from adopting in attempt to stop gays from doing the same.
HIV+ British bareback porn actor speaks out: "'They told me that most of the work would be bareback, and that they would normally check certificates from GUM clinics.' On the various shoots he took part in during his short on-screen career he noticed laxity in the ad hoc system of checking the HIV status of performers. 'I presented a certificate about half the time. They would normally take your word for it. At my local clinic you have to pay £25 to get a certificate.' He was told everyone else was HIV negative, but never saw anyone else's certificates. Clyde has been in two or three bareback DVDs and other scenes that went online. 'We did not work under the best conditions most of the time, it was quite low budget and cramped. For most of the time I was getting paid £100 per scene.'
Posted 1:35 PM EST by Andy Towle in AIDS/HIV, Bullying, Christopher Rice, Education, Fort Lauderdale, Gay Marriage, Lance Bass, Mariah Carey, Maryland, Matthew McConaughey, Mississippi, Music, New York, News, Provincetown, Rosie O'Donnell | Permalink
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Call me a monster, but it's hard for me to feel much sympathy for the British bareback performer. Knowing how lax and low budget the shoot was, and how dangerous barebacking is to start with, he made a very stupid decision for a very small amount of money. Like porn directors, even when using condoms, are the most ethical people in the world?
Posted by: Paul R | Mar 6, 2008 1:48:29 PM
>>Will & Grace creator Max Mutchnick said his own "internal oppression" held him back from making bigger statements with regard to gays on that show.<<
Incredible. Next thing you know, we'll be finding out that evaporation from lakes and oceans causes rain.
Posted by: rascal | Mar 6, 2008 1:53:33 PM
Looks like Diva O'Donnell regurgitated junk food on canvas and "A MIRACLE" it looks like her!
One thing...it sure is "junk".
Posted by: MCnNYC | Mar 6, 2008 2:47:22 PM
Couple of things:
I'd love to see teachers announce on April 24th, "Tomorrow there will be a pop quiz that counts for 25 percent of your grade for the semester. You have to be present to take it and there will be no make-up quiz offered." Everyone present passes. Wingnuts-in-training flunk. Simple.
The guy that did the O'Donnell mosaic has a site where you can view some of the other portraits he's done:
http://www.jasonmecier.com/junk06/jdrawer.html
I think they're clever and particularly like Carol Channing and Kathy Griffin.
The Keller/Sullivan photo is remarkable. 120 years later and the story still resonates with so many people. Also, the owner's mother played with Keller and he's had the photo all these years. I love the backstory.
Posted by: basis4insanity | Mar 6, 2008 3:07:55 PM
The anti-marriage equality legislators can't figure out what to call the relationship recognition that they might consider giving to gay couples?
How about calling them EXACTLY what they are: "roommates (and nothing more) with benefits".
I really get sick of hearing people talking about us and our families like we are dangerous space aliens or like we are a different species that threatens the existence and dignity of the human race.
UGH!!!
Posted by: Zeke | Mar 6, 2008 3:15:28 PM
The kids who stay away on "Day of Silence" should obviously be marked by school authorities as potential gay-bashers -- and monitored carefully.
Posted by: David Ehrenstein | Mar 6, 2008 3:20:10 PM
Basis4insanity took the words right out of my mouth!
Quiz Quiz Quiz!!!
And they justify it with the usual garbage nonsense: "No school should advance a physically, emotionally, and spiritually destructive sexual lifestyle to students." Wrong. No school should allow students to be exposed to their kind of crap!
Posted by: KevinVT | Mar 6, 2008 3:48:47 PM
....Has that record cover always looked like it said "Dancing Queer"? That makes me so happy.
Posted by: oakling | Mar 6, 2008 4:44:07 PM
I thought all bareback performers were HIV+...I can't believe someone who is negative would put themselves at risk.
Posted by: Michael | Mar 6, 2008 5:15:58 PM
"Pro-family" groups
I wonder how long we'll continue letting them define themselves positively. I guess I should be glad they didn't name themselves the "moral superiors".
Why don't we stop giving them good publicity and start calling them what they are - anti-gay. Even when you put it in quotation marks, you're reinforcing their positive portrayal of themselves.
This news bit would be just as understandable and more accurate if it said "anti-gay groups urge parents..." rather than using that dishonest family crap.
Posted by: scioto | Mar 6, 2008 5:22:25 PM
"Like porn directors, even when using condoms, are the most ethical people in the world?"
What, porn directors are automatically unethical? Gimme a fucking break. Try not to paint everyone in the adult business with the same intolerance, please.
Lovely for Mutchnick to own up to the elephant in the room about eight years too late.
Posted by: Turtle | Mar 6, 2008 9:49:39 PM
Why on earth are Lass Bass' personal relationships considered news? Is it just to keep the NY fags up to date on which celebrities are available for cruising? I mean, I have no problem acknowledging gay couples, but it seems like with this guy his every dating move is blather for the gay news feed. If he runs off to Mass and gets hitched let me know. Until then, please let the guy date in peace.
Posted by: mike in oly | Mar 7, 2008 12:05:57 AM
Mike -- not that I don't agree with you, but since when do any celebrities date in peace?!
Posted by: rascal | Mar 7, 2008 12:36:42 AM
i like to know more about Helen Keller
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