Towleroad Talking Points: Marriage Equality in Rhode Island!

PHOTO OF THE DAY: The Westboro Baptist Church gives the best hand jobs!.  

BY SAM GREISMAN

A look back at today's top stories

GAY ISSUES

A final House vote has approved a marriage equality bill in the state of Rhode Island and Govenor Lincoln Chafee signed the bill into law this evening. Marriages can begin taking place in August. Pro-equality hip-hop stars Macklemore & Ryan Lewis stopped by The Colbert Report last night to discuss homophobia and to sing their pro-gay marriage anthem. Also check out Shaq, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith talking to Jason Collins during Tuesday's edition of Inside the NBA. 

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WINGNUTTERY

ESPN's Chris Broussard is not backing down from his recent display of bigotry and one NOM leader is proud of the "courage" he is showing. The Daily Beast has fired columnist Howard Kurtz after he published a completely false report that Jason Collins had failed to disclose his previous engagement to a woman. 

A real estate agent in the Toronto area recently threw in a little homophobia with some sales brochures he distributed by including a ridiculous anti-gay study. The mayor of Dallas thinks that gay marriage resolutions are "a waste of time" and an evangelical group is hoping that Ethiopia imposes the death penalty for gays. 

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ENTERTAINMENT

Cher appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno last night and was thoroughly embarrassed by her mugshot from when she was 13. Check out the video for Janelle Monae and Erykah Badu's "Q.U.E.E.N." and Seth Rogen thinks that Zac Efron is super sexy. 

Rhode Island Becomes 10th State to Pass Marriage Equality: VIDEOS

Highlights of today's final vote and signing of Rhode Island's marriage equality bill from the Providence Journal and WPRI, AFTER THE JUMP...

NFL Player Asante Samuel Wishes Gays Wouldn't 'Flaunt' Their Sexuality: VIDEO

Atlanta Falcons cornerback Asante Samuel told FOX Sports Radio that he doesn't understand why gays have to flaunt their sexuality when asked about NBA center Jason Collins.

Said Samuel:

"Straight people are not announcing they're straight, so why does everybody have to announce their sexuality or whatever? You know, what they prefer...So that's just how I see it. That's my opinion on things. All respect you know, I have nothing but respect for the people whoever decisions they make and whatever, but you know, you don't have to show it and flaunt it like that. You know what I'm saying, we have kids out here, too."

Samuel was asked about the remarks today on ESPN:

He added: "I don't think it's something we have to express and let be known of what my sexuality preference is - just stick to sports....I don't want to teach my kids those things. I teach my kids God. You know, how God lives his life."

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #1360

DANIEL O'DONNELL: New York Assemblyman rips anti-gay lawmakers over GENDA before the chamber voted to approve it for the sixth time. The bill now moves on to the state senate, which has blocked it every time it has come before it.

THE BEGINNING: RuPaul's latest clip.

INTERVIEW WITH AN UNDERWEAR MODEL: Cory Lee.

HEALTHY EATING?: Jimmy Kimmel's audience guesses whether or not children have eaten their boogers.

For recent Guides to the Tube, click HERE.

Rhode Island Gives Final Approval to Marriage Equality; Governor Signs Bill

Rhode Island has approved marriage equality with a final House vote of 56-15!

Governor Lincoln Chafee announced yesterday that he would sign the bill at the Rhode Island State House at 5:45 pm today. The law will take effect beginning August 1. 

UPDATE: Watch signing LIVE here.

UPDATE: The Governor has signed the bill. Rhode Island is now the 10th U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage, along with the District of Columbia.

'Daily Beast' Fires Columnist Howard Kurtz After Column Accusing Jason Collins of Not Disclosing Engagement

The Daily Beast today fired Howard Kurtz after he published an irresponsible and false column about Jason Collins, Politico reports:

“The Daily Beast and Howard Kurtz have parted company," Tina Brown, the site's editor in chief, said in a statement sent to POLITICO.

The decision comes after Kurtz published a blog post that falsely asserted that Collins, who announced he was gay in an article for Sports Illustrated, had neglected to mention his previous engagement to a woman. In fact, Collins mentioned that engagement in the article and in a subsequent interview with ABC News. The Daily Beast retracted that post on Thursday morning.

Tweeted Kurtz: "I've enjoyed my time at the Daily Beast but as we began to move in different directions, both sides agreed it was best to part company. This was in the works for some time, but want to wish all my colleagues continued success with a terrific website. Newsweek and the Beast are great brands, but the time had come for me to move on to other opportunities."

The Daily Beast wrote that it regretted Kurtz's error:

The Daily Beast has retracted a May 2, 2013, blog post by Howard Kurtz titled “Jason Collins’ Other Secret.” The piece contained several errors, resulting in a misleading characterization of NBA player Collins and the story he co-wrote in Sports Illustrated in which he came out as gay.
 
In that piece, Collins wrote, “When I was younger I dated women. I even got engaged. I thought I had to live a certain way. I thought I needed to marry a woman and raise kids with her. I kept telling myself the sky was red, but I always knew it was blue."
 
In his original blog post, Kurtz incorrectly stated that Collins “didn’t come clean” about the engagement. In an amended version, Kurtz added that Collins “downplayed” the engagement and “didn’t dwell on it.”

Watch a video Kurtz made before his firing reiterating the claims he made in his article, AFTER THE JUMP...