News: David Campos, Rainbow Flag, Amy Balliett, OJ, John Waters
Towleroad has been nominated in the 2008 AfterElton Visibility Awards! Vote for your favorites here.
"Join the Impact" co-founder Amy Balliett's wedding photos.
Oklahoma lesbians denied divorce. Tulsa Beacon: "The bizarre case started when two women, reportedly 'married' in Canada filed for divorce in Tulsa. The divorce document, which had initials instead of first names, didn’t show that the two parties were both women. Cait O’Darling used the name 'C. O’Darling' in filing for the divorce from 'S. O’Darling,' who was later identified as Stephanie Meissen. O’Darling claims they were 'married' in Toronto in 2003. A judge unwittingly granted the divorce, thinking it was a man and a woman. He later vacated that decision and the two women appealed."
Huge crowd shows up for swearing in of new gay San Francisco Supervisor David Campos.
Assailant in election night rainbow flag attack was the legislative aide of Del. Jackson Miller (R-Prince William): "Bryan Fumagalli, 28, was arrested Nov. 22 on two counts of simple assault, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. 'I'm very disappointed in his actions,' Miller said today. 'He's being dealt with and being disciplined.' Police say Fumagalli assaulted one of two gay men who were walking outside the Capitol Hilton Hotel to a victory rally near the White House. They say he grabbed a rainbow flag, a gay rights symbol, from one of the men and assaulted him. Fumagalli has a court hearing Jan. 13."
Dog's best friend: Pooch drags injured friend off road.
The RNC actually spent $180,000 for Palin family wardrobe, and she's still wearing it.
O.J. Simpson gets 15 years. He'll serve at least 9.
Prosecutor asks court to rule on the validity of Greek same-sex marriages, which were held on the island of Tilos in June.
Profiles in Marriage: Britney ex Jason Alexander locked up at Los Angeles County Twin Towers prison.
Massachusetts state trooper gives speeding ticket to woman in labor.
South Carolina school principal Eddie Walker, who said he would resign in May over the formation of a gay-straight alliance at his school, has apparently changed his mind.
John Waters names his top films of 2008.
Graham Norton to emcee Eurovision Song Contest.
NPR: Racial divisions challenge gay rights movement.
Cleve Jones on the Feast of Fools podcast.
Christian group demands apology for Prop 8: The Musical.
Slugger: A-Rod and Madonna "just friends."
Hunk du Jour interviews Andrew Oldershaw, who had a hand in making these.
New Zealand neo-Nazi who killed gay man gets second life sentence for murder of South Korean backpacker.
Joe Satriani sues Coldplay for "Viva La Vida" plagiarism.
Prosecutors revisit charges in beating of gay men in Utah: "Salt Lake County prosecutors are taking another look at the case of two gay men who were severely beaten after one of them, David James Bell, allegedly kidnapped a neighbor's children. In August, prosecutors cited a lack of evidence and declined to file assault or burglary charges against the suspects in the attack, who are related to the children. But now, attorneys are again reviewing the beating, particularly the alleged attack on Bell's boyfriend, Dan Fair. Prosecutors are now reviewing the case 'under different theory,' said Deputy District Attorney Alicia Cook. She said no new facts have come to light."
It is absolutely hilarious that the Christian Newswire puts a link to the video at the end of the article.
Where are the acts of vandalism and violence in the news? I read multiple sources daily and have seen nothing let alone anything as pervasive as their new release purports.
Posted by: Paul | Dec 5, 2008 3:20:33 PM
Forget wedding snaps, could we see an MRI pic of Amy Balliant's brain that might help explain why she thinks we should be hugging Mormons and, exact quote: “The churches should define what they want to call those [marriage] rights."
I hope she's wearing Pampers under that wedding gown because she's definitely not politically potty trained.
Posted by: Leland Frances | Dec 5, 2008 3:21:27 PM
Oh yea, and why do they feel portraying Jesus as Rotund is so wrong? I know a lot of fat people and some of them are Christians. Where is the skinny pics of Jesus?
Coming to an Ebay auction soon is a brain scan with an Image of the Virgin Mary.
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/dec/05/virgin-mary-fort-pierce-womans-brain-scan-next-sto/
Posted by: Paul | Dec 5, 2008 3:24:06 PM
Re the item on the Oklahoma lesbians, why did you put the word marriage in 'quotes'?? The Tulsa paper did that for the same reasons they all do - because they don't think gay marriages are real, but I would not expect to see it on a gay site. Weird and a little offensive.
Posted by: mademark | Dec 5, 2008 3:54:35 PM
According to the Christian Newswire, the "No On Prop. 8" video "distorts the teachings of the bible". That's funny, because now, due to the teachings of the bible having been distorted, my husband and I have had our rights taken away from us in California. They want an apology for a three-minute video they have the choice to watch or not? Yeah, they're really the ones who've suffered the injustices here. First the Becket Fund's pathetic advertisement this morning and now this. Cry me a river.
Posted by: Dave | Dec 5, 2008 3:55:00 PM
Actually it as Gore Vidal who first poposed a fat Jesus (who spoke in a high squeaky voice) in "Live From Golgotha."
So glad to see that John Waters is as entranced by Gregoire LePrince-Ringuet as I am.
Posted by: David Ehrenstein | Dec 5, 2008 4:06:15 PM
To the offended Christians- somebody makes a satirical video about you, you pass laws that make me a second-class citizen. Trade ya!
Posted by: shesthemimi | Dec 5, 2008 4:11:01 PM
Ok, about Sarah Palin's wardrobe? Who cares anymore? No one here donated money to the RNC so it doesn't matter.
On Amy Balliett: I don't so much agree with "hugging" Mormons, but they do have a right to set their own CHURCH'S marriage rights, just not the marriage rights of the country. Thats our argument all along isn't it? That they can spend all the money they want on defining their own marriages but leave everyone else alone.
On the Oklahoma Gay "Marriage": Its in quotes because in Oklahoma, there is no such thing as marriage for gay people. I would guess that since they were not recognized as married in the US, thats why the divorce could not be granted. Must be married to get a divorce. Well, maybe their united law suit to get divorced will get them to fall in love again.
Posted by: BC | Dec 5, 2008 4:40:46 PM
Jasmyne Cannick can go to hell. Here's a quote: "I'm black and I'm also a lesbian, so, I mean, what side am I supposed to be on?"
How about the side of equality?
NPR's website is messed up, so I'm forced to post my disgust with this opportunistic parasite on this site.
First of all, the African American vote in support for Prop. 8 was a small percentage of the total vote. 70% of ALL black voters voted in favor of it, but they were in the minority of the people who supported the measure:
African Americans made up only 7% of the vote in Support of Proposition 8.
First time voters who voted for Obama, 62% voted against proposition 8.
NPR and bloggers like Cannick's uncritical reference to this data places an undue responsibility for the passage of Proposition 8 on African-American voters.
The truth of the matter is that everyone was scared to death of not having Barack Obama get elected our next President, and the emphasis and effort on that part was to get people to vote for him.
That's why California activsts were going to Nevada, that's part of the reason why Obama won in Nevada.
There are many people like Bill O'Reilly, Fox News, conservative pundits and jerks like Cannick trying to make a name for themselves trying to artificially pit race and sexuality against each other.
NPR needs to stop giving air time to Cannick just because of her race and sexuality, she's purposely confusing the situation and distorting the facts.
Who is she sleeping with at NPR to get air time?
As Martin Luther King Jr. said- "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
For a way more intelligent discussion on the matter, please listen to our interview with the Rev. Charles Straight on our site:
http://tinyurl.com/revstraight
Posted by: Fausto Fernos | Dec 5, 2008 4:57:22 PM
Re: the gay men assaulted in utah.
I hope the police force gets ready for the lawsuit they're about to encounter. Them's gonna be poor.
Jeeze. Broken window. Two open wounds. Obvious bruising. What more evidence do you need?
Though, we should all sleep warm at night knowing that the Mormons don't "hate" us. They just turn the other way when someone cuts our throat with a piece of glass.
Posted by: Steve | Dec 5, 2008 4:58:58 PM
Somebody needs to tell the crackerjack "reporter" for the Tulsa "newspaper" that same sex couples can be legally married in Canada, therefore the women's "wedding" was actually a wedding.
Posted by: sam | Dec 5, 2008 5:48:54 PM
Jack Black and the Producer will both be interviewed on Keith Olberman MSNBC tonight . 8:00 p.m. Eastern
Keith showed the entire vid last night.
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Dec 5, 2008 6:57:57 PM
The Christian fundamentalists demanding an apology for the Prop. 8 musical can roll up their demand and use it as a rectal suppository.
Posted by: Peter | Dec 5, 2008 8:06:38 PM
Fausto, you don't know Jasmynne. She is an accomplished woman who holds a different opinion from you. And do you realise how sexist it is for you to assume that she's getting airtime because she's sleeping with someone?
Maybe she's getting airtime because she has dared to say what a lot of people are thinking but have been too afraid of village torchbearers like yourself to actually say it. Until you are a black lesbian I don't really see where you have the right to question her morals or motivations.
You certainly have a right to express your opinion but I for one am sick of this group think in our "community". What is it really that makes us different from the right wing if we don't encourage and allow differing viewpoints? Maybe if differing viewpoints had been taken into account we wouldn't be here fighting amongst ourselves now. Just sayin'.
Please, everyone, climb down from those high horses and understand that if we claim to support diversity then that must also include viewpoints.
I hate to be all Patty Simcox but some of you bitches are starting to wear thin with your one sided polemics.
I've been reading Towleroad for years and it's the only place that I've found for smart people to hold forth and I hope it stays that way. Bigotry and closemindedness don't help.
Posted by: Derek Washington | Dec 5, 2008 10:20:38 PM
In my observation, Jasmyne Cannick has a tendency to manufacture controversy -- kind of like Ann Coulter. Contrast Ms. Cannick with Pam Spaulding, who have in common the experience of being a black lesbian (while perhaps not much more in common). Ms. Spaulding is vastly more sensitive, more pro-social, and more politically astute. Ms. Spaulding consistently comes across as loving, fair, and thoughtful; Ms. Cannick too often comes across as nasty and narcissistic. As such, she really does have an affinity with Bill O'Reilly. They are kind of peas in a pod. By contrast, I can't imagine Pam Spaulding and Bill O'Reilly ever being allied in any way.
If NPR wants to give air time to a black lesbian, how about Pam Spaulding instead? Or Wanda Sykes - now THERE is a thoroughly cool and decent person, and someone who tells it like it is.
I loved SHESTHEMIMI's "Trade ya" comment. That's perfect.
If one's faith is truly strong, it seems like satire shouldn't faze you. Seriously. And being made fun of hardly compares to the tribulations of the Jesus they wish to emulate.
Then also there's that ever-troubling fact that Jesus said not one peep about homosexuality. And the Bible does, in fact, proscribe the consumption of shrimp cocktail. Pointing out inconsistencies in the practices of self-described Christians is completely fair game.
Yeah, and what's wrong with Jesus being rotund? I mean, that's kind of an offensive comment itself. So Mr. Offended Christian thinks Jesus shouldn't be portrayed as obese. Yet, didn't very obese Jerry Falwell present himself as a model follower of Jesus?
I say, keep these satires coming (although the ending of the Jack Black et al. video could have been better). They work because they have a generous basis in truth.
Posted by: JB | Dec 6, 2008 2:40:11 AM
Re: Prop 8: The Musical
"To schedule an interview with Dr. Gary Cass call(760)630-2232/954-551-9770(c.)"
Posted by: Lano | Dec 6, 2008 5:26:44 AM
Call me a self loathing homosexual, but count on us to totally ignore the most heart warming/wrenching story in this News collage (regarding a dog desperately saving his friends life) while we try to focus on more "important" issues...like the ones that only affect us. Not even for one second can we get off harpooning about how the world is coming to get us.
That story was tragic, and seeing all those cars just keep driving by is kind of symbolic with this thread and how everyone overlooked what was an (obvious) story that made far more an impact to me as a person who happens to be gay than all those gay oriented stories.
Ah well...(off soap box)
Posted by: Kyle | Dec 8, 2008 3:11:41 AM