Smurfs for Marriage Equality: VIDEO

The (aptly?) named comedy troupe Dumbsh*t Mountain offers a take on the Human Rights Campaign PSAs.

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Illinois House Democrats Apologize for Marriage Equality Bill Fizzle

Illinois House Democrats have issued a formal apology to advocates, supporters, and families for not voting on marriage equality last week:

Like you, we are incredibly disappointed about what happened Friday in Springfield. But let's not forget something very important: Marriage equality is going to happen.

As a community, we must come together, assess our strategy, and redouble our efforts in the fight for fundamental fairness. This is not the time for us to splinter — for that is exactly what our opponents want.

The more united we are in the coming days and weeks, the sooner the bill will get passed — and the sooner our dream of full equality will become a reality.

We want to extend our sincerest apologies to the families who rushed to Springfield in the waning hours of session to support equality in anticipation of this historic vote. You have been and continue to be our inspiration and we pledge to fight together until we achieve full equality for all Illinois families.

Signatories include Christian L. Mitchell, Maria Antonio Berrios, Greg Harris, Kelly M. Cassidy, Deborah Mell, Sam Yingling, Lou Lang, Sara Feigenholtz, Naomi D. Jakobsson, Ann M. Williams, Robert F. Martwick, Mike Smiddy,  Robyn Gabel, Barbara Flynn Currie, Heather A. Steans, and Laura Fine.

Previously...
Why Did the Illinois Marriage Equality Vote Fizzle? — VIDEO [tlrd]

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #1380

SHOVELS IN: Ground is broken on Chicago's first LGBTQ-friendly affordable senior housing development.

WHERE THE BEARS ARE: interviews with the cast of the web series.

NEW YORK CITY: In color, in 1939.

VAMPIRE WEEKEND: "Diane Young" with Sky Ferreira, Chromeo, and Santigold.

For recent Guides to the Tube, click HERE.

News: Sao Paulo, Tom Bianchi, Singapore, Kit Harington, Bill Clegg

Amanda Bynes meltdown now includes 'faggot' slur.

Department of Interior to livestream its LGBT Pride Month celebration.

Gay literary agent and author Bill Clegg marries his partner Van Allen Scott Jr.

Irish grooms prepare for their big day.

Hugh Jackman is popping out of his own body.

Gay rights group protests naming of Weber State University's new family center after senior Mormon apostlye Boyd Packer: "To name something that is family-oriented in honor of a person who has such a narrow vision of what a family is, a vision that quite frankly excludes a lot of Utah families, is reprehensible in my opinion," said Bob Henline, a board member of the Democratic caucus.

Michael Douglas says oral sex caused his throat cancer.

American Humanist Association names Dan Savage its Humanist of the Year.

PM David Cameron under renewed pressure over marriage equality: "In a letter to the Sunday Telegraph, the Conservative Grassroots group expressed a 'deep concern" about "the negative effect of the gay marriage Bill on both Conservative Party morale and electoral appeal.' The letter called on peers to reject the the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, which arrives in the Lords on Monday for the start of what is expected to be a stormy passage through the upper chamber."

Jessica Chastain, Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon, and Amanda Seyfried under consideration to play Hillary Clinton in upcoming biopic.

Game of Thrones Kit Harington looking sexy in Toronto.

Male model fix: Thom Morell.

Herbie the Love Ball? Artist twists VW bug into a sphere.

Tensions between the Somali and gay communities ignite in Minneapolis: "The political awakening of Minnesota's Somali community poses a conundrum for the DFL party. While Somali-Americans overwhelmingly vote Democratic, many appear to disagree with the party when it comes to gay rights. That tension was on display Sunday, as the party considered a dispute between a Somali city council candidate and the openly gay incumbent he's running against."

It's the first trailer for The Newsroom, Season 2.

Gay Pride draws one million people to Sao Paulo, Brazil: "Under rainy skies and cold that did not dampen many spirits, marchers waved banners like 'Never going back in the closet' in the financial and industrial hub of this majority Roman Catholic country of about 196 million."

Senior Anglican: Gay marriage would force The Queen to break "the laws of God".

Danny Dyer is the new Doctor Who?

An interview with photographer Tom Bianchi on his new Fire Island Polaroids book.

As if Taco Bell wasn't disgusting enough.

VICE: Weeklong, meth-fueled orgies ravaging London's gay sex-party scene. "The orgies—or 'slamming parties,' as they've been dubbed ("slamming" is a euphemism for "injecting")—are known to a small but rapidly expanding section of London's gay community. They are covertly organized over social networking sites like Grindr and Bareback Real Time."

HIV structure cracked.

Gay culture finds more support in Singapore: "The growing number of companies who are coming out and supporting social movements like Pink Dot is humbling," says Paerin Choa, spokesperson for Pink Dot Sg. "Increasingly, corporate entities are recognising the importance of values like inclusiveness and diversity, not just in the creation of a good working environment for employees, but also as a gesture of goodwill to clients and customers."

Orthodox Christians Destroy Gay Activists in New Facebook Game: VIDEO

Remember the violent attack by thousands of Orthodox Christians on Gay Pride marchers in Tblisi, Georgia last month?

It's now a game on Facebook.

Watch a demo of the app, AFTER THE JUMP...

Gay Gamer writes:

In Call of Taburetka, or Call of the Stool, players control a stool-wielding priest as they beat their way through hordes of LGBT activists, flying homosexuals, and evacuation buses. The priest seems to magically float up and down the screen, endless shooter style, firing stools at the oncoming queers. The more gays and vehicles you take down the higher your score goes.

Grindr-esque Gay Social Networking App Launches in China, Eschews Sex for Common Interests

China's first social networking app for gay men has been launched, ZDNet reports:

Released last month, Zank looks like a copycat version of the popular  app Jack'd which also targets gay men. However, its founder who goes by the  nickname "Lin Jueding", said when his team developed the app three months ago, it wanted to differentiate the service by placing shared interests and communication as a higher priority--instead of promoting sex.

Available on Apple iTunes and Google Play appstores, Zank attracted over 20,000 subscribers in the first three days after it launched. While this may not be an astronomical number, it is still impressive in terms of user penetration rate, Lin said during a recent speech held in Shenzhen.

Different from the "hook up or shut up" style Jack'd adopts, he said Zank highlights various events organized by its subscribers, individuals or gay organizations on its front page, allowing all users to check the event time and venue. It also lists the organizer's particulars such as picture, height, and weight. Interested users can sign up for the events through the app or  chat with each other online.

More at ZDNet...