Towleroad Talking Points: Teen Wolf, True Blood and Steve Grand

PHOTO OF THE DAY: Zach Braff and Donald Faison share a totally straight pool hug.  

BY SAM GREISMAN    

A look back at today's top stories

ENTERTAINMENT

Fans of the series Teen Wolf should be happy today as a long hinted-at gay storyline was finally introduced. SPOILER ALERT! True Blood also gave us a taste of some gay love in it's most recent episode. Who knew shaving could be sexy?

In the space of just a few weeks Steve Grand has become an internet sensation and today he sat down with Good Morning America to talk about his new fame and his sexuality. Also Big Brother host Julie Chen is not at all pleased about the show's recent bout of bigotry. 

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WINGNUTTERY

Enders Game author and anti-gay jerk Orson Scott Card doesn't think anyone should boycott his new film because of his homophobic beliefs and would like bigots to be treated with tolerance. With news that gay tourists in Russia could face jail time, Russian officials are stepping up their anti-gay rhetoric, with one saying that gays need to be "re-educated". 

NOM's Maggie Gallagher believes that the striking down of DOMA is an attack on half of the American population. Apparently she hasn't checked out any recent poling data. And a Canadian ballet student has been expelled after it was discovered that he did adult films to support himself.

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GAY NEWS

The ACLU and Lambda Legal are hard at work on the marriage equality push as they are seeking a summary judgment on a lawsuit in Illinois and are set to file another in Virginia. Also UC Berkeley has released a new video intended to fight homophobia in athletics. 

ACLU to File Suit to Overturn North Carolina's Gay Marriage Ban

In addition to action in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Illinois today, the ACLU and the ACLU of North Carolina Legal Foundation (ACLU-NCLF) announced plans to take on North Carolina's same-sex marriage ban:

The ACLU is asking North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper to agree to allow an additional claim challenging the state’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples to be added to Fisher-Borne v. Smith, a lawsuit filed last year in Greensboro in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina that challenges the state’s ban on second parent adoption, a process by which one partner in an unmarried gay or straight couple adopts the other partner’s biological or adoptive child. If the Attorney General’s office does not agree to the addition of the new claim, the ACLU will petition the court to allow the claim to be added.

Marcie and Chantelle Fisher-Borne (pictured), one of the couples in the case, have been together for 16 years and live in Durham. Each woman carried one of their two children -- a 5-year-old girl and a 1-year-old boy. They had a wedding in North Carolina 10 years ago and were legally married in Washington, D.C. in 2011, but their marriage is not recognized by North Carolina law. When their daughter was born, the couple met resistance from a hospital staff member who demanded their legal paperwork. If they were legally married in North Carolina, their family would be respected and such encounters could be avoided.

More information on the families in the Fisher-Borne v. Smith case can be found here.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck Leaving 'The View' for 'FOX and Friends'

Conservative View co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck is leaving to join her ilk at FOX and Friends, the NY Post reports:

After much speculation, conservative co-host Hasselbeck is following Barbara Walters and Joy Behar out of the ABC daytime talk show.

She will join Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade on the Fox couch in mid-September.

FOX News Chairman & CEO Roger Ailes announced, “Elisabeth’s warm and engaging personality made her a star on “The View”. She has proven to be an excellent conversationalist and I am certain she will make a great addition to our already successful morning franchise.”

Hasselbeck added, "I have been a long-time fan of “Fox & Friends” and am excited to be joining their team in September.”

Hasselbeck is taking Gretchen Carlson's place.

Elton John to Undergo Surgery After Being Stricken with Appendicitis

Sir Elton John canceled tour dates today and a spokesman confirmed that he has appendicitis, according to a notice posted on his website:

The multi-award-winning artist had called in doctors after falling ill during his recent European tour. Following a number of exploratory scans and blood tests with his medical team in the UK, a diagnosis of appendix abscess surrounding retrocaecal appendicitis has been confirmed.

Sir Elton is currently undergoing a course of intensive antibiotics and is expected to undergo surgery in the UK in the coming weeks, once doctors can be confident they have sufficiently reduced toxins within the inflamed appendicitis site.

John was told to postpone all forthcoming European shows:

The spokesman confirmed Sir Elton will not return to touring until he has fully recovered from both the planned surgery and any damage caused by the appendix abscess. He added, "Elton is incredibly disappointed to postpone these tour dates. To know that he made such super-human efforts and continued to perform to thousands through his illness only confirms his dedication to his European fans. He is eager to be back on top form and return to play the remaining shows starting in early September 2013."

UC Berkeley Athletics Promotes LGBT Support in 'You Can Play' Video: VIDEO

A new video released by UC Berkeley teams and Cal Athletics promotes support of openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender athletes at the university. The video is a continuation of the You Can Play Project, which began over a year ago but became even more prominent when the NHL announced a partnership in April of this year.  The campaign was started by the Toronto Maple Leaf hockey team's owner, Brian Burke, and his eldest son Patrick after the younger son, Brendan died in a car accident, having recently come out.  The project premiered in March 2012.  

In this new, collegiate-level video, students, coaches, and university officials repeat the refrain: "If you can play, you can play," to show their support for any athlete who possesses the skill and drive to be a part of a team.  

Loop 21 reports:

The idea for the video began in April when Heather Hargreaves, founder of the university’s Student Athlete Gay-Straight Alliance (SAGSA) met with Vanessa Garber, SAGSA’a co-chair.  

A second video is scheduled to be released this summer.

Could this video, and the forthcoming second installment, inspire other colleges to become involved in this important athletics campaign?   

Watch the video, AFTER THE JUMP...

Hot Guy Gets Public Body Wax At Toronto Pride: VIDEO

Anyone attending Toronto Pride may have gotten a glimpse of a once hairy man who was wearing nothing but sunglasses, sandals, and body wax strips that covered him over his entire body. Anyone who wanted to could pull any one of the strips, both removing his hair in that area and revealing a coupon for 25% off to Fuzz WaxBar.

Each strip also featured a cartoon face indicating the level of pain it would inflict on the brave model, in addition to humorous quips like "From bear arms to bare arms," "We'll take the monkey off your back," and "You'll walk a little differently." 

For those who were not fortunate enough to witness the publicity stunt (devised by marketing co. Lowe Roche) in person, feel free to check out the highlight video AFTER THE JUMP...