Towleroad Talking Points: Minnesota, Colorado and Gaga's Chair

PHOTO OF THE DAY: Gaga even finds away to make hip rehab seem ostentatious.  

BY SAM GREISMAN

A look back at today's top stories

GAY ISSUES

Progress in Minnesota where state Senate panels and House panels have voted to move a marriage equality bill to a floor vote. There were pro-rights supporters and wingnuts abound at the marriage equality hearings in the state today; more on the wingnuts later, but check out this former lawmaker's stirring plea that they don't make the same mistake she did. Great news too in Colorado where the House has given a civil unions bill it's final approval, meaning that the Governor will now sign it into law. 

Our Ari Waldman takes a minute to make sure we know our enemy by analyzing the briefs presented to the Supreme Court in support of Prop 8 and DOMA. Check out AIDS Ride founder Dan Pallotta giving a powerful TED talk about how he wants to reform charity. Also, watch out because Facebook has really good gaydar. 

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WINGNUTTERY

There were some less than positive moments at the aforementioned marriage equality hearings in Minnesota. Some random wacko named Mike Frey decided to give a foul and overly detailed description of anal sex as some kind of proof that gay marriage is wrong. And yesterday, a bigoted lawmaker took some time to introduce everyone to his "ex-gay" pal. 

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VIDEO OF THE DAY

A Vanderbilt student experienced what he calls "the greatest moment of [his] life to date" when he got to accompany Billy Joel on piano. 

Minnesota House Panel Advances Marriage Equality Bill to Floor in 10-7 Party Line Vote

Minnesota's House Civil Law Commmittee approved the marriage equality bill in a 10-7 vote along party lines. The bill now advances to the full House for consideration.

Earlier today, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the bill in a 5-3 vote. Marriage equality is now under consideration in Minnesota's full legislature.

No word yet on when debate and vote might take place, but, as always, tune in here for updates.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt's 'Flickering Lights': VIDEO

Something peaceful to take into your evening.

Mashable:

HitRECord, an online collaborative production company founded by actor and director Joseph Gordon-Levitt, released the above video earlier this week. The two-minute short shows a stunning collection of contributor- and audience-submitted clips of various "flickering lights" — reflections on rivers, candles on birthday cakes, cell phones scattered across a packed theater.

The concept originated from a poem by HitRECord member Wirrow, called "Give Me All The Flickering Lights," which is recited in the video.

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Minnesota Senate Panel Advances Marriage Equality Bill in 5-3 Vote

The Minnesota State Senate Judiciary Committee voted 5-3 this afternoon to advance a marriage equality bill to the full Senate for a vote, Minnesotans United reports:

Senate File 925, authored by Senator Scott Dibble (pictured) and co-authored by Senators John Marty, Branden Petersen, Tony Lourey and Terri Bonoff, would remove limitations on marriage for same-sex couples from Minnesota state law, while also protecting the important religious freedoms of clergy and faith institutions to practice their religious beliefs free from government interference or persecution.

Minnesotans United Campaign Manager Richard Carlbom released the following statement upon passage of SF925 through the Senate Judiciary Committee:

“This is truly a historic day for Minnesota and a victory for all Minnesotans. The passage of this comprehensive legislation today signals a turning point in our state’s history, and we look forward to seeing Senate File 925 come to the floor of the Minnesota Senate for a full vote. What the Senate Judiciary members proved today – and what we heard from numerous testifiers who spoke passionately in support of this legislation – is that marriage is defined by the love, commitment and responsibility that two people share. Minnesotans want to see our shared values represented in our state law, and those values simply do not include excluding some people from having the freedom to marry and pursue happiness just because of who they are. It is time to extend the freedom to marry to the thousands of loving and committed same-sex couples who ask for nothing more than to be treated fairly and equally by their government.”

A Minnesota House panel is also considering the bill today. We saw testimony from that hearing earlier here and here. We'll update, of course, when we hear news.

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #1325

SEALS YELLING LIKE HUMANS: The internet has moved on from goats.

PUDDLE JUMPING: Gone really wrong.

INDOOR GATORADE VICTORY BATHS: Are a bad idea.

PRECIPITOUS: An ice climber loses his balance and his plummet is captured on camera.

For recent Guides to the Tube, click HERE.

News: Tom Hardy, The Great Gatsby, ENDA, Luka Magnotta, Hurts

The Great Gatsby to open Cannes Film Festival.

LDS Church working on LGBT non-discrimination bill in Utah?

Well here's a pretty sight.

Tom Hardy and a puppy in a sweater.

Former HRC President Elizabeth Birch on Clinton's DOMA reversal: "The bottom line is that the politics of DOMA in 1996 were admittedly tough and painful for all of us, but the FMA was simply not a threat at that time...I do believe the President could have survived a veto. He simply chose not to test history. So, my point is this: While President Clinton could not fully rise to that moment in history, he could at least now report it accurately."

Cheyenne Jackson replaces Sean Hayes in indie feature 6 Dance Lessons in 6 Weeks.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney not sure if Obama plans to specifically lobby Congress on ENDA this week on his visit to Capitol Hill: “I think he’ll talk about some of the issues that I laid out, maybe not all of them, and I’m sure there’ll be other topics that he’ll raise,” Carney said. “But I don’t have a specific agenda for him.”

Twelve states that will probably legalize same-sex marriage by 2014.

Stream the new Hurts album.

UK X Factor finalist Christopher Maloney comes out as gay: "Do you know what, I'm going to admit it - yeah. Honestly, I've never denied it or anything like that. It's just that with the show it was always an inappropriate time or people just asked inappropriate questions."

Frank Ocean makes splash at Paris Fashion Week: "Instead of bejewelled Maison Martin Margeila face masks or man skirts, Frank gave Paris chic white shirts and woollen Dior garbadine pants (Frank also wore Dior to last month's Grammy's), Givenchy jersey, camo pants and P.A.M. T-shirts. And ('quelle horror!,' cried Kanye), just two pairs of Nike trainers."

Video: A new clip from Ryan Gosling's The Place Beyond the Pines.

Victoria Jackson wants to be on TV again: "My biggest talent is playing an airhead — a specific niche that can only be found in Los Angeles."

National Association for the Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) loses tax exempt status.

Attorney wants media banned from trial of Luka Magnotta: "Luc Leclair, Magnotta’s chief counsel, argued that evidence presented in the case, if reported, could taint the jury pool and compromise the integrity of the trial. While a publication ban on that information has already been in place for months, Leclair  — citing a PostMedia report that he argued infringed the ban  — says the media, especially international outlets not necessarily beholden to Canadian law, could jeopardize his client’s right to a fair trial, and should therefore be banned altogether."

Marriage rumors stir around Zachary Quinto.

Mumford & sons releases 4-in-1 video for "Whispers in the Dark".

Amazon.com renews $25,000 grant to Lambda Literary's Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBT Voices: "LLF’s Writers Retreat is the only residency in the world established specifically for promising LGBT writers. For one rigorous, immersive week, Writers Retreat students in fiction, genre and young adult fiction, nonfiction or poetry will workshop their manuscripts, forge connections to publishing industry professionals and build a community of peers on whom they’ll depend for years of encouragement, inspiration and friendship."