NJ Assembly Panel Advances Ban on Gay Conversion Therapy: VIDEO

Yesterday, the New Jersey Assembly Women and Children's Committee advanced a bill that would ban gay conversion therapy for minors, the Star-Ledger reports:

Testimony from dueling mental health professionals and activists dominated the 2-1/2 hour hearing at the Statehouse, with proponents arguing the treatment has been discredited as ineffective and harmful to kids, and opponents insisting the bill tramples parental rights.

Before the hearing ended, John Tomicki of the League of American Families, called the bill unconstitutional, vowing "if we have to, we will bring a legal challenge."

The committee voted 5-0, with one abstention to approve the bill (A3371 ), sponsored by Assemblyman Tim Eustace (D-Bergen). It now moves to the full Assembly for a vote. The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee approved an identical bill in March.

Watch moments from the hearing in which gay teen Jacob Rudolph and Christopher Doyle, a man who claims to be "ex-gay", speak at the hearing, AFTER THE JUMP...

Matt Damon Tries to Bring Down Jodie Foster's World in 'Elysium': VIDEO

A new trailer for the upcoming sci-fi dystopian thriller from District 9's Neil Blomkamp.

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

The OXD Mirror New Music for 6.14.13

BY OCCUPY THE DISCO / TADEU MAGALHÃES

The OXD Mirror is a weekly music column brought to you by the boys of OCCUPY THE DISCO (OXD), a New York City based movement created by three music lovers, Ru Bhatt, Josh Appelbaum, and Tadeu Magalhães, who want to share their love for disco, house and dance music with the world.

 

Todd Terje: 'Strandbar (Disko)'

At this point, we've featured many tracks and re-works by disco-head Todd Terje here on The OXD Mirror, but in case you are not familiar with his name, I recommend that you do yourself a favor and look him up right now. Those who follow Occupy The Disco in NYC will surely remember what was possibly our best night out in 2012, when we occupied the dancefloor at Cielo as Todd Terje spun. Following his collaboration with fellow Norwegian Lindstrøm and his acclaimed 2011 EP Inspector Norse, Terje now graces us with a warm and energetic disco track called 'Strandbar' (which stands for "beach bar"). Curiously, the name of the song came was conceived by a not-very-enthusiastic radio executive in Norway who described 'Inspector Norse' as "beach bar" music. Nothing wrong with a beach bar though – we love them!

 

Lopazz & Casio Casino: 'U&I'

Swiss producer Lopazz collaborated with Casio Casino for his latest work, 'U & I,' a groovy and organic house track made I have been obsessed with for the past few weeks. All elements of this track work very well together, and even though there is a certain sense of familiarity upon first listen, Lopazz and Casio Casino were able to create an edgy, out-of-this-world vibe with the addition of spacey synths, reverbs and echoes.

 

American Royalty: 'Change The Colors in The Sky (Urulu Remix)'

Every so often, a name appears to come out of nowhere and starts popping up in front of you on a regular basis - on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, the blogosphere and the like. Although this is not always a good indication of quality, it makes me happy when it is the case. Urulu is one of these names, and for the past month or so I've been falling in love with the skills of this LA producer. His style is darker than other west coast artists like Plastic Plates and Viceroy, but still retains a certain level of approachability. Urulu's latest work is a remix for 'Change The Colors In The Sky,' by Brooklyn/LA based electro-rock act American Royalty and is a free download.

MORE NEW TUNES, AFTER THE JUMP...

Py: 'Polyethers (Jimmy Edgar Remix)

Py, an up-and-coming vocalist based in London, will drop her new single within two weeks, titled 'Polyethers.' The dreamy and somewhat dark track might be on its way to some serious notoriety with the inclusion of an epic dancefloor-ready version by Detroit super-producer Jimmy Edgar. This sophisticated remix – with its beautiful synths and pulsing beat – makes for the exact kind of music you want to be dancing to at the peak of the night.

 

Cale Parks: 'N1 (Paradis Contours Mix)'

The beautiful, slow-tempo balearic track 'N1,' by Brooklyn producer Cale Parks, turns into a late-night future jazz work in the hands of Paradis. The Parisian duo has been showing a strong penchant for hypnotic, deep melodies and in 2012 released the excellent Hémisphère/Je m'ennuie EP on Beats in Space (Tim Sweeney's own label). The new remix – and the original version - are part of the latest release on Have A Killer Time Records, a label that was just recently founded by former-DFA member Justin Miller.

 

We are now on Spotify!  Subscribe to our 'As Featured on Towleroad' Playlist to listen to tracks posted from past weeks.

For more information on OXD, check out our website and accompanying blog at www.occupythedisco.com, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter: @OccupyTheDisco.

University of Chicago Frat Plays Disgusting Homophobic, Racist Prank on Postal Carrier

The Phi Delta Theta fraternity at the University of Chicago is under investigation after a postal carrier exposed a racist, homophobic prank that it had played on him, the Sun-Times reports:

“About a week after Memorial Day, I had an order to bring 79 of the boxes. I came to the address and explained to the frat member that I would have a lot more supplies. I went back to the truck for the boxes about six or seven times,” Becton said.

“After the last trip, one of the frat guys came out and said it was a practical joke. Another guy said that I should read the name backwards and I’ll get the joke.”

The items — all 79 of them — were addressed to “Reggin Toggaf.” Written backward, the first name is a racial slur. The last name is a slur for gay men.

The fraternity's mail delivery has been suspended during the investigation by the Postal Inspection Service, which wants to insure that the carrier feels safe to deliver the mail.

Mack Julion, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, Branch 11, spoke with the frat house's former president, who blew off the seriousness of the incident:

“Their contention was it was a practical joke, but we don’t think it was funny, the letter carrier doesn’t think it was funny, and it doesn’t reflect well on the university,” Julion told me.

Julion said the fraternity told him the “joke” was being played on them and was not meant to offend Becton.

“But if it was a practical joke from one frat to another and not to the letter carrier, it is still not funny. Is this the way you tease each other?” Julion said he asked. “Is this standard protocol in terms of practical jokes? Is this the way they go back and forth, because it is not acceptable.”

Authors Speak Out About Writing LGBT Books and Characters in Tribute to Pride: VIDEO

Authors Christopher Bram, Dorothy Allison, Martin Duberman, Elana Dykewomon, Michael Nava, Joseph Caldwell, Ned Rorem, and Lisa Alther talk about being LGBT in a tribute to Pride Month from Open Road Media.

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

I hope you've enjoyed the book reviews we've been posting recently. If you missed them, check out Garth Greenwell's reviews of Gerbrand Bakker's Ten White Geese, Jonathan Kemp's London Triptych, Benjamin Alire Saenz's Everything Begins and Ends at the Kentucky Club, and David McConnell's American Honor Killings: Desire and Rage Among Men.

What books have you been reading recently and recommend?

Rachel Maddow is Astonished by Virginia's Sodomy-Obsessed GOP Gubernatorial Ticket: VIDEO

Rachel Maddow takes a look at the sodomy-obsessed, anti-gay, socially conservative Republican gubernatorial ticket of Ken Cuccinelli and EW Jackson in Virginia. Also on the Virginia GOP's obsession list: voodoo and Satanism.

"This really is what the Republican Party is like right now...Virginia will be the first statewide election we've had since the presidential election and THIS is who the Republican party has put together as their best face in that state. And it's not just Virginia..."

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

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