News: Gay Sikhs, Shia LaBeouf, GLAAD Awards, Chernobyl

Gays join march for Chernobyl victims in Minsk: "When Sergey Androsenko, the 19 year-old leader of the Gay Youth Association in Belarus, paraded the gay “Rainbow Flag” through the streets of Minsk this afternoon, a little piece of LGBT history was made. It was the very first time that the flag had been seen on a political event in Belarus."

Is David Beckham planning to join the cast of X-Men Origins: Wolverine?

Norman Mailer's gay sexual fantasies detailed in new book by his mistress Carole Mallory: "At one point in April 1990, when Mailer was 67 and married to his sixth wife, Norris Church, Mallory worried that her lover of the previous seven years 'could get AIDS'. Three weeks later, she wrote that Mailer had asked her what other men she would like to sleep with. When she mentioned a man named Paul, Mailer is said to have replied: 'He’s gay. Why don’t we all three f***?' At another point she writes: 'He asked me to wash his bottom. So SAD. He is so ashamed of what he likes.' On October 24, 1990, Mallory scribbled in a black spiral notebook: 'I think Rick Stratton is his lover. One of them.'"

GLAAD media awards held in Los Angeles. Coverage here, here, and here.

The White House Correspondent's Dinner was definitely not A-Listy enough.

Bobby Trendy unmasked.

$500 million private Airbus A380 features conference room, grand lounge, master bedroom.

Air traffic controllers sound yet another alarm over working conditions, fatigue.

Gay gossip columnist Ben Widdicombe of the New York Daily News puts down his pen: "I have been a gossip columnist for all my 10 years in New York—first with the online fashion column 'Chic Happens,' and six years full-time with the Daily News. But for a writer New York is like a fairground, and I think it’s time to go on some of the other rides. Also lately I’ve developed a peculiar attitude towards scandal—with some of the items that have crossed my desk I’ve thought, 'This really isn’t any of my business.' Which is problematic for a professional gossip columnist."

Gay men and lesbians in St. Petersburg, Russia have started their own "Day of Silence".

The beef is roasting.

Gay gossip columnist Ted Casablanca getting married.

Parents of Florida hate crime victim Ryan Keith Skipper fight for anti-bullying legislation on what would have been Skipper's 27th birthday.

Police storm gay rights group meeting in Kyrgyzstan: "Police forced their way into the premises of the LGBT group Labrys, which was in the midst of hosting a dinner for 30 domestic and international advocates. Members of the Kyrgyz Anti-AIDS Association and other local groups were joined by international partners from organizations including COC, the Dutch LGBT association that is the world's oldest gay groups and Gender Doc-M, an LGBT group in Moldova. Police threatened to arrest anyone who did not produce identification papers."

The biggest Mentos-Coke explosion of all time.

A father speaks out about having a gay son.

Gay Vancouver man forms support group for LGBT Sikhs: "Since launching the group April 6, Amar has signed up 33 members – mostly men, but a few women as well. He says the quick response is proof of the need. Citing the 'one in 10 rule,' in which some researchers estimate that 10 per cent of the general population is homosexual, Amar believes there are thousands of gay Sikhs in the Surrey-North Delta area. He knows of some who have been forced into marriages and lead a secret double life – dancing in gay clubs at night, and sadly, sometimes bringing sexually-transmitted diseases home. 'This should not be happening,' he says."

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News: David Blaine, Spiders, NFL Draft, Methodists, George Bush

Bush disapproval rating breaks Gallup poll record: "President Bush has set a record he'd presumably prefer to avoid: the highest disapproval rating of any president in the 70-year history of the Gallup Poll. In a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken Friday through Sunday, 28% of Americans approve of the job Bush is doing; 69% disapprove. The approval rating matches the low point of his presidency, and the disapproval sets a new high for any president since Franklin Roosevelt."

Breathe: David Blaine to attempt record-breaking inhale on Oprah.

Queer Month at Rhode Island College plagued by vandals.

"Possesses a V-shaped torso with a well-defined upper body, good bubble, developed calves and good chest thickness." Craigslist ad or NFL Draft profile?

Gay joke ban rejected by British House of Lords: "The television stars Rowan Atkinson and Christopher Higgins, who is himself homosexual, are among the prominent figures to have spoken out against the proposal to create a new offence of incitement to 'homophobic hatred'. ...Peter Tatchell, the prominent homosexual rights campaigner, also spoke out against the measure, arguing that freedom of speech should be sacrosanct."

Brad Pitt is a ruff rider.

Gay-straight alliance challenged in Janesville, Wisconsin.

David Beckham to strip for Ellen Degeneres?

Market: Clay Aiken will premiere his new album to audience of housewives on QVC.

Plague of venomous spiders shuts hospital in Australia: "The black spiders with a red stripe, close relatives of the black widow, are about 2-4 centimetres (0.8-1.6 inches) long and common across Australia. Their bites can cause severe pain, muscle spasms and death, although no fatalities have been recorded since an anti-venom was introduced in the 1950s."

Methodists hold convention in Fort Worth, brace for debate on homosexuality: "...there will almost certainly be another round of heated debate and contentious votes over whether the UMC should change its official position that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching and withdraw its ban on noncelibate gay pastors. Recent General Conferences have seen protests by gay-rights supporters. Eight years ago in Cleveland, some 200 demonstrators, including two bishops, were arrested for disrupting proceedings. Still, most experts believe the big tent of the UMC will hold, however the winds blow in Fort Worth. Some even say the denomination has turned a corner toward unity."

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News: Alan Tudyk, Pope Benedict, Provincetown, Christina Aguilera

Bush thanks Pope Benedict XVI for an "awesome" speech. Approval rating at 28%.

Armani Exchange holds London briefing.

Somebody is way too young to be flipping the bird. Did he learn it from his mother or his father?

Study: Same-sex marriage in Iowa would be a boont o the economy. "The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law estimates that same-sex weddings and related tourism would lead to $160 million in spending over the next three years. The total economic activity related to same-sex marriage would give the state an extra $5.3 million per year in tax revenue, the study says."

Earthquake rocks Illinois: "A 5.4 earthquake that appeared to rival the strongest recorded in the region rocked people awake up to 350 miles away early Friday, surprising residents unaccustomed to such a powerful Midwest temblor. The quake just before 4:37 a.m. was centered 6 miles from West Salem, Ill., and 66 miles from Evansville, Ind. It was felt in such distant cities as Chicago, Cincinnati and Milwaukee, 350 miles north of the epicenter, but there were no early reports of injuries or significant damage."

Chace Crawford on his perfect companion: "I don’t have any real guidelines for any particular girl. If they ring your bell, they ring your bell."

Alan Tudyk tapped for gay role in new pilot from Will & Grace creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan that centers around the partnership between two writers, based on them. One is straight, one is gay.

University of Massachusetts hosts Drag Ball: "Students were decked out in their drag finest, men in wigs and gaudy prom-inspired eveningwear and women suited up with matching fedoras and suspenders. The Drag Ball kicked off with an entertaining introduction from host Envy Chanel, winner of Miss New England International Plus 2008. The feisty bundle of joy donned an outfit nothing short of noticeable. 'I bought you disco ball arms, Asians on the body, and slippery black boots," she playfully cooed.'"

LOGO claims broadcast of first gay-targeted High-Definition TV show.

Matthew McConaughey channels Jesus.

Rich of FourFour honors the best vagarm in history.

New writers colony sprouts in Provincetown, in Norman Mailer's old house: "Joan Didion, William Kennedy, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Gunter Grass have consented to be on the board. Four universities have expressed interest in partnering with the project. Mailer's third-floor studio, just as he left it, will be preserved as a museum. The home's four bedrooms will be used to house visiting distinguished writers and scholars. The first floor will be an area for lectures and conferences. Writers who are accepted will receive a stipend and be housed in other locations in town. There will be slots for writers of fiction and non-fiction, as well as those working on scripts for stage and film. Funds have already been pledged, and Schiller hopes the colony will be launched next year."

Domestic partners: Salt Lake City begins registration of gay couples.

The Gay Recluse honors the smokin' hot statuary of Washington Heights in NYC.

Florida same-sex marriage foes kick off ballot initiative in West Palm Beach. Sidney Lanier, a retired Florida Highway Patrol officer: "The world that we grew up in is very different than the world we live in. Some changes have been good. But some things are never meant to change, because they define us as human beings."

Kylie Minogue's new video for "All I See" has been released - watch it.

Gay sperm donor loses bid for guardianship of his blood child, being raised by two lesbians: "Rejecting his claim yesterday, Mr Justice John Hedigan said the child's welfare was best served by remaining with the couple, and by the man in his forties having no guardianship or access to the infant. There was nothing in Irish law to suggest that a family of two women and a child had 'any lesser right to be recognised as a de facto family than a family composed of a man and woman unmarried to each other and a child'. The judge added that the rights of a man who acted as a sperm donor were no greater than those of an unmarried father. He had the right to apply to be appointed as a guardian, but no automatic right to appointment."

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News: Taxes, Ken Livingstone, Titanic, Milo Ventimiglia, Scientology

On tax day, a reminder of how the U.S. inflicts extra financial burden on gay citizens.

The last meal on the Titanic, which went down 96 years ago today. Researchers have a new theory behind the sinking — rivets.

ABC's Jake Tapper calls attention to the "Compassion Forum" appearance of Clinton and Obama at Messiah College, which I posted about last week. One of his readers asks, ""Shouldn't Democratic presidential candidates, both of whom are explicitly on the record as being in favor of gay rights, avoid schools like this as assiduously as previous generations of politicians were urged to avoid Bob Jones University? How can politicians appear at a college that espouses these ideas and then turn around and court the gay community at the same time? How can the two leading Democratic candidates appear on stage at this college and not be questioned by the press about the hypocrisy of appearing there?"

Kentucky GOP Rep. Geoff Davis on Obama: "I’m going to tell you something: That boy’s finger does not need to be on the button. He could not make a decision in that simulation that related to a nuclear threat to this country." Davis apologizes...

The gay Navy lieutenant from Melrose Place, Jason Beghe, escaped the clutches of Scientology and now he's speaking out on video: "It’s very, very dangerous for your spiritual, psychological, mental, emotional health and evolution. I think it stunts your evolution. If Scientology is real, then something’s fucked up."

Lack of support from London Mayor Ken Livingstone leaves 2008 International Gay & Lesbian Football Association World Championship with a funding shortfall: "Peter Tatchell of Outrage! described as 'scandalous' the lack of any funding or support from City Hall. 'Ken Livingstone is organising billions of pounds for corporate mega events like the 2012 Olympics but can’t give a few thousand pounds to help host the gay football world championship.'"

A really mean box of jelly beans, which I'm actually really curious to taste.

Project Runway is getting not one but two spin-offs on Lifetime: "The first of them doesn't have a title yet, but Weinstein said it will look at the Project Runway world through the eyes of the show's models. The second, dubbed Project Pygmalion, is a makeover series that will turn its winner into a high-society socialite."

Somebody got carried away at the tattoo parlor.

Rick and Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in the World wins big at Italian animation festival: "Cult hit half-hour show about three gay couples in the fictional 'gay ghetto' of West Lahunga Beach took the Pulcinella nod for TV series of the year. The Pulcinella for TV series for all ages went to RAI Fiction’s 'Acqua in bocca' (Water and Bubbles), about two fish in a tank and their interaction with an Italian family, from helmer Guido Manuli."

Milo Ventimiglia dreamt of being a fighter pilot.

GYM bar in NYC to open up its locker room.

Queerty talks to author Scott Heim about his new novel We Disappear: "There were all these different disappearances in the book–including Scott Heim the writer disappearing into Scott the character—I liked this idea of readers not knowing where one starts and the others begin. There are a lot of things in the book that are total fiction. The danger of doing this blurring is when people do read this as a memoir."

Tom Cruise and David Beckham to buy a soccer team together?

A townhouse in New York's West Village transformed, part of New York magazine's excellent new occasional real estate section, Vu.

Fight to allow gay blood donors heats up in Scotland.

Judicial Watch calls on FEC to investigate Elton John's Hillary Clinton benefit concert: "Recent news reports suggest that Hillary Clinton and Hillary Clinton for President have accepted an in-kind contribution from a foreign national, Sir Elton John, in contravention of federal electon laws. On behalf of Judicial Watch and its supporters, I hereby request that the FEC investigate this matter."

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News: Bats, Clay Aiken, Figure Skating, John Bolton, Dr. Laura

Dan Savage lost his mother on Monday, and today penned a beautiful column about her. We offer our sincerest condolences. May she rest in peace.

David Beckham in trouble with the law.

Open wide: Clay Aiken demonstrates amazing oral technique.

John Caldera, an aide to San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, will carry the Olympic torch in San Francisco today: "As someone who is openly Gay, Latino and a U.S. Navy Veteran, I have learned to respect the many subsets of our society. At times, I agree to disagree with those who have conflicing ideas ordeals than mine and at times, through respect and discourse, mutual understanding is possible but in the end I always remember the immortal words of the great humanitarian, John Lennon: 'All we are saving is give peace a chance…'" (via outsports)

Elsewhere in SF, gays protest the torch's arrival.

Keanu Reeves wants to sing show tunes.

Charleston's City Paper asks, is Lindsey Graham gay?

Gabriel Rotello at World of Wonder posts a comical reminiscence about an interview he once did with the late Charlton Heston: "Finally, someone sent word that the cameraman was ready and I rose to escort the tottering titan down to the basement. It was then that I discovered what a careless PA had missed. At the top of the stairs hung a huge, poster-sized photo of the queerest of all the queers, Miss RuPaul, in full drag, giving major attitude and practically screaming "I AM GAY, GAY, GAAAAAAY."

Dr. Laura gets weekly segment on FOX News.

Mysterious illness decimating bat populations in Northeast: "This summer, it could affect everything from outdoor barbecuing to farming. In one of nature's most efficient if little-known feats, bats consume as many as 1,200 insects an hour after emerging from their sheltering places every night. This prodigious airborne feeding substantially controls mosquito populations and helps prevent plant-eating insects from damaging crops. The long-term effect of what appears to be a major die-off of bats is not yet known, but the possibilities clearly worry scientists."

Regarding Brandon Davis' "faggot" outburst we posted about earlier. Davis told TMZ: "I would like to apologize for the poor word choice when provoked by the paparazzi on Thursday, April 3rd. They by no means reflect my views and upbringing. I was taunted by the photographers and when they used vulgar sexual remarks against my mother I reacted as any son would."

Query to the National Post: Can figure skating make you gay?

John Bolton, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations to speak at Log Cabin Republican convention in San Diego this weekend.

Diane Sawyer takes on Rosie O'Donnell.

Jeff Klausner, San Francisco's director of STD prevention and control, targeting gay cruising sites in effort to promote safe sex: "Over the past few weeks, Klausner has been working with the city attorney, the National Institutes of Health, the California Department of Public Health, and the Department of Public Health in New York, whose large gay community also uses social networking sites for sex, in an effort to track down Adam4Adam's thus-far-anonymous and secretive owners. His aim: To get the site to slap the equivalent of a surgeon general's warning on its hookup forums and at least make users aware of the dangers of the anonymous, multiple-partner unsafe sex that is its stock-in-trade."

Pushing Daisies has a gay character.

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Jay Leno Checks Out David Beckham's Hottest Look

David Beckham's Armani underwear ad got Jay Leno all hot and bothered on The Tonight Show last night. Leno, if you missed our earlier post, yesterday apologized for his "gayest look" remarks to Ryan Phillippe.

Said Beckham of the shoot: "I was so nervous about doing that campaign because obviously I’ve done photoshoots before but I’ve never done photoshoots in my underwear. But to do that, I was quite nervous because obviously I knew my wife and friends were going to see it. And my mom was going to see it. When the photos first came out, she was the first one to call me and say, ‘What are you doing?’ I tried explaining it to her but she didn’t really get it."

Watch the appearance, AFTER THE JUMP...

(via just jared)

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Wax Beckhams Open Kissing Booth at DC's Cherry Blossom Festival

As part of a promotion for the 2008 Cherry Blossom Soccer Tournament, wax versions of David and Victoria Beckham opened a 'kissing booth' near the Mall in DC.

The last time the stiff couple made a headlining appearance was in December 2004 in a celebrity nativity scene. At that appearance, an attacker punched the figures, damaging them, and then fled. It appears they've recovered quite well from their injuries, but they are looking just as stiff.

More photos at Popbytes.

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News: Gayest Looks, Christian Siriano, Blackmail, Marc Jacobs

My Gayest Look: A site for Jay Leno. Submit yours!

A view of the jungle shot by an elephant who carries around a hidden camera in a log.

Britney Spears may soon have her own sitcom!

Straight cops at University of New Mexico claim discrimination by gay superiors: "The two complaining officers, with a combined 24 years of experience with the UNM police department, filed a complaint with the state Department of Workforce Solutions arguing that they are being treated unfairly because they are straight and their superiors are gay. Lieutenant Michael Young contends that his job as administrative lieutenant was taken from him by Police Chief Kathy Guimond, whom Young claims is gay, and given to Lieutenant Patrick Davis, who is also gay. Young also claims another gay superior, Commander Debbie Kuidis, with Davis were given higher evaluation ratings by Chief Guimond and greater pay raises."

Karl Lagerfeld bodyguard smacks down paparazzo: "A paparazzo lurked from out of the shadows and started snapping away at them, and out of nowhere, one of Lagerfeld's guys just threw him to the ground." I wonder if it was Sebastian?

Scott Heim talks to the SF Chronicle about his latest novel, We Disappear: "What's true and what isn't - that's such an obsession with so many readers. If you say it's totally fictional, or you don't fess up to things, they tend to feel like they've been cheated or something. But if you say, 'Oh yeah, it's from experience,' then they kind of have this idea that you don't have an imagination."

David Beckham earns his 100th cap in a pair of golden booties.

The booties so impressed Beckham's son Romeo, that he dug for some gold of his own.

Keith Richards discusses Mick Jagger's sexuality: "It was camp. Yeah. It was all… I really have no idea if anyone ever shoved it up the shitter."

Kids coming out earlier than ever: "We're working not for tolerance, but for acceptance. I don't care if it's race, gender or sexual orientation. We need to accept the uniqueness of each and every one."

Student ambassadors train against school violence: "The training session was dedicated to Lawrence King, the Oxnard junior high school boy who last month was shot and killed, allegedly by a classmate, purportedly for admitting he was gay. The Oak Park ambassadors, who maintain anonymity for safety reasons, wrote their comments on a poster in memory of the 15-year-old victim: 'Lawrence, what happened to you is extremely unfair. Everyone deserves a chance in life no matter what sex, religion, sexual preference, anything. Your story will teach many people to be better people.' And, 'You are told to forgive and forget but the reality is you don't do either.'"

Marc Jacobs hits L.A. with new man.

Melbourne, Australia teacher fined $3,000 for blackmailing former lover with a sex video: "Hicks became aware that the victim was a 'closet homosexual' who had a wife and daughter who were not aware of his activities, Judge Michael McInerney told the court. 'He was discreet, or discreet as one can be if you pick up someone in a public toilet,' he said. The court was told that during one of their liaisons, Hicks - who also was married, had a child and was bisexual - recorded them on his mobile phone participating in a sex act. Hicks later approached the victim and told him he had a video of them and that he wanted $3,000 or he would show it to the victim's wife and put it on YouTube, the court heard."

Project Runway winner Christian Siriano designed the dress that Kimberley Locke performed in on last night's American Idol.

Leona Lewis is the first UK female artist to top the U.S. charts in more than 20 years, since Kim Wilde's 1987 cover "You Keep Me Hangin On".

Anti-gay domestic partner bill dies in Kentucky senate: "The Kentucky Senate’s Health and Welfare Committee voted to defeat a bill yesterday that would have barred state universities and other public agencies from providing health coverage to employees’ domestic partners. Furthermore, committee member David Watkins (right) scolded the bill’s sponsor, Vernie McGaha, for introducing it, calling the legislation divisive and ignoring the state’s biggest health problems like smoking and obesity, according to The Courier Journal."

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Anderson Cooper and David Beckham Face Off

On Friday, I posted about Anderson Cooper's upcoming David Beckham profile on 60 Minutes which aired last night. If you missed it, the full 60 Minutes segment is AFTER THE JUMP...

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Anderson Cooper Takes a Tour of David Beckham's Tattoos

Anderson Cooper learns how Beckham "bends it" on 60 Minutes this Sunday in a profile of the L.A. Galaxy superstar. Cooper tends goal while Beckham demonstrates his signature kick and Cooper gets in the game, making a few valiant attempts to block the goal. I'd like to see some of those other 60 Minutes correspondents try and do the same. Of course, when the motivation is getting a guided tour of Beckham's tattoos, who wouldn't give the goal a try...

Below, click to enlarge a couple screen caps of Cooper's goal-blocking attempts.

Watch two clips from the segment, AFTER THE JUMP...

You may have missed...
Anderson Cooper on the Lawrence King Murder [tr]
Even Schwarzenegger is a Fan of Anderson Cooper's Biceps [tr]
Brand Beckham Continues Quest for World Domination [tr]

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Is There Anything Left for the Beckhams to Brand?

Now the couple has their likenesses on a set of chocolate eggs. They're being auctioned off by a children's charity in the UK. Also available are Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Lily Allen, and Prince Harry.

At what point is complete saturation?

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News: Ben Cohen, Ryerson, Bachelor, Illinois, Arctic Icecap

Bad sign for the future of the Arctic ice cap: thickest, oldest, toughest ice melting...

British rugby stud Ben Cohen releases details on a night with his gay fans: "'Moving away from the more traditional rugby testimonial theme, the Ben Cohen Testimonial Committee is holding a ground breaking event at The Dorchester in London,' his publicist Jill Tipping said. 'BENediction is an exclusive evening of fun, feasting and frivolity aimed primarily at including his legions of fans in the gay community in the testimonial celebrations. Guests are promised a 'whole host of treats and surprises making this event a real one off and not to be missed. Ben Cohen fans need to make sure that they reserve their places quickly as they are expected to snapped up fast,' Tipping said. Of course, we are not sure how far Cohen will take the concept of 'one off,' but he has never been shy about marketing his physical assets."

If you missed the first episode of this season's The Bachelor (and I have a feeling many of you did), you can catch up real quick: this mess was what it was all about.

AfterElton looks at Jimmy Kimmel and the gays.

Beckham power shops and rocks the plain white tee.

Central Illinois' only gay newspaper shuts its doors: "The Flame is out. After 111/2 years of publication, Prairie Flame, central Illinois’ only newspaper that concentrated solely on gay issues and events, has called it a day...Volunteers distributed copies of each edition over much of the state, from Springfield to the Quad Cities, Joliet, Champaign and Effingham. Circulation was more than 8,000, and there were more than 200 places where the free newspaper could be found. But production costs kept rising, and ad revenue could not keep up."

Anderson Cooper underwent surgery for skin cancer: "I’ve been off for the last couple of days. I had minor surgery on Monday. I hadn’t planned on mentioning this, but I still have stitches and you’ll no doubt notice them tonight. Don’t want you to think I got into a fist fight with Charlie Rose."

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo under fire for bullfight commercial: "The advertisement, for Fuji Xerox, shows the Portuguese winger taunting the bull with a football in the manner of a matador with a cape."

Ryerson University in Toronto sees gay bashing spike: "Ryerson's queer student group is scared homophobia is spreading across campus after its door was vandalized and grafitti saying 'gays must be exterminated' was left on a bathroom stall for at least three weeks. 'I have no doubt that we were targeted,' said RyePRIDE member Jesse Trautmann about a series of students' union stickers pasted on the group's door and nearby positive space posters on March 10. The office is located on the second floor of the Student Campus Centre. 'The amount of time it would have taken to cover the entire Rye- PRIDE sign — it was intentional.'"

Group pushes for "gay village" in Ottawa, Canada.

Madonna and Guy Ritchie still together, or just playing for the cameras?

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News: Glaciers, Jared Leto, Gay Nursing Home, Kevin Rudd

NYT: Civil unions not enough. "Though such arrangements were created, often under court mandate, with a promise of treating same-sex couples the same as opposite-sex couples, many gays and lesbians say they have not delivered and can never do so because separate institutions are inherently unequal. Many also resent being denied use of the word marriage, which they say carries intangible benefits, prestige and status."

Becks and teammate clutch the family jewels.

First stills of Britney Spears guest appearance on How I Met Your Mother.

Glaciers melting faster than at any time since records began: "The details are revealed in the latest report from the World Glacier Monitoring Service and will add to growing alarm about the rise in sea levels and increased instances of flooding, avalanches and drought. Based on historical records and other evidence, the rate at which the glaciers are melting is also thought to be faster that at any time in the past 5,000 years, said Professor Wilfried Haeberli, director of the monitoring service. 'There's no absolute proof, but nevertheless the evidence is strong: this is really extraordinary.'"

Inside Berlin's Asta Nielsen Haus, the first nursing home in Europe to cater specifically to gays and lesbians: "We just want people to be able to speak freely of their pasts. They shouldn't have to worry about reactions or prejudices. It's simple really: no one should be shocked to go into a man's room and see a picture of another man. No one should have to explain themselves to others at this stage of life."

Halloween in San Francisco's Castro District canceled forever.

Wentworth Miller goes to Jerusalem.

Nun urges Vatican to drop prejudice against gays and lesbians.

Gay Republican runs for seat on Plano, Texas City Council: "Justin Nichols is charting new territory in more ways than one. Nichols, 23, is already the youngest candidate ever to run for Plano City Council. If Nichols wins his race for the Place 1 seat on May 10, he’ll also become the first openly gay member of the body. 'I don’t know that one is harder than the other,' Nichols told Dallas Voice this week. 'I think that each is solved by letting people get to know you.' Nichols also faces a third challenge when it comes to gaining the support of Plano’s small but growing LGBT community: He’s a Republican."

Obama responds to controversial comments of Reverend Jeremiah Wright: "Let me repeat what I've said earlier. All of the statements that have been the subject of controversy are ones that I vehemently condemn. They in no way reflect my attitudes and directly contradict my profound love for this country."

Jared Leto packed on the pounds for his role as John Lennon's killer Mark David Chapman.

Gay groups picket 'prayer breakfast' hosted by anti-gay Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle: "The featured speaker at the prayer breakfast, Jim Daly, president of the right-wing religious organization Focus on the Family, is among the most aggressive opponents of the gay rights movement. Daly’s organization is one of the primary backers of an anti-gay marriage amendment that goes before voters in November."

Australian PM Kevin Rudd forcing ministerial staff to list history of sexual partners, reveal extra-marital affairs and detail homosexual experiences before gaining security clearance: "More than 300 ministerial and electorate staffers have been ordered to fill in a 25-page form and attend an in-depth interview into their personal finances, drug habits and sexual history before gaining high-level security clearance. Senior staff say they have been told the security form is designed to protect them from blackmail. But several have told The Sunday Telegraph they were affronted at the personal information they had been forced to divulge."

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News: Edible Martini, Prince Harry, Food War, Goldfrapp, Alzheimer's

Illinois state senator Dave Koehler proposes legislation legalizing civil unions in that state. Koehler: "This is going to be controversial because people are going to try to get all other kinds of issues about the morality of being gay. I hope that can stay to the sideline, because that's not the full intent of this bill. This bill is merely to recognize there are long-term committed relationships that right now do not have the law behind them."

Meet the edible martini: looking pretty good about now.

The History of War told through food, quite literally.

Britain's defense chief pulls Prince Harry from duty in Afghanistan saying media coverage puts him and his fellow soldiers at risk: "Air Chief Marshal Jock Stirrup, chief of the Defense Staff, said he decided to withdraw the prince after senior commanders assessed the risks, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. Harry, third in line to the British throne, has been serving on the front line with an army unit in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province since mid-December. He was originally due to return to Britain within weeks, but 'the situation has now clearly changed,' the statement said."

David Beckham hits South Korea to show off a shiny new phone.

John Stamos takes a kayak break in Hawaii.

UPenn students urge university to examine how FDA's ban on blood donation from gay men conflicts with the school's anti-discrimination policies: "Despite a national blood shortage, millions are prohibited from donating by the Federal Drug Administration's lifetime ban on men who have had sex with men (MSM) since 1977. The FDA argues that this type of sexual activity puts them at a higher risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases that could be then transmitted through blood transfusions. After a controversial, lengthy debate, the Blood Donor Discrimination Proposal passed by a margin of 17 to 9 with three abstentions, College senior and UA chairman Jason Karsh said. When Lambda Alliance first raised the blood policy issue at a University Council meeting last March, the UC never followed up, said Wharton and College junior, UA member and DP columnist Lisa Zhu, who coauthored the proposal on behalf of the UA. The proposal is an attempt to revive the University-wide debate and "pressure the administration to reevaluate their stance," said Karsh."

The Feeling's Dan Gillespie-Sells covers the new issue of Attitude.

A look at the new Goldfrapp album, Seventh Tree.

LGBT Latinos unify in support of Obama.

Janet Jackson hopes her drag queen kicks Madonna's drag queen's ass.

More rumors surface about Florida Governor Charlie Crist's sexuality: "I just wish he would come out and admit it. That would be a great thing if he did."

Anti-gay marriage group in Iowa which staged demonstration at the Supreme Court accuses lawmakers of holding up proposed amendment banning gay marriage: "Several legislative leaders quickly denounced the group's claims, calling their tactics hateful. 'I have a problem when people say, 'We are good, they are evil,' House Majority Speaker Pat Murphy, a Dubuque Democrat, said in response to the group. 'The bottom line is, I believe that every person should be treated with dignity and respect in this state.'"

Could Alzheimer's Disease be cured with a 'reset button' for the brain?

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News: Ryan Idol, Cyberbully, Jason West, China, Christina Aguilera

Cyberbully drives 16-year-old Brit to suicide by posing as an online boyfriend: "The 17-year-old posted a fake profile on the social networking site Bebo, then told friends and teachers intimate details of their online conversations. The 16-year-old victim, from Brighton, East Sussex, swallowed 60 painkillers."

Hard Drive: Porn star Ryan Idol (Marc Anthony Donais, pictured here at an event for The Ritz) named in Birmingham Mayor Larry Landford's computer charity scandal: "Katopodis testified in his deposition that Donais, the adult-film actor, was paid to help the Council of Cooperating Governments and the Computer Help for Kids programs, both of which were handling money and expenses for Langford's computer initiative. Donais, a former Playgirl Magazine centerfold, has starred in seven gay adult films. Katopodis pointed out in his testimony that Donais also has appeared in plays in New York City. 'He's a businessman and had been working as, had done several off-Broadway productions and had been writing a play,' Katopodis testified. 'I don't know what else he was doing, you know.' Donais received $5,000 from the computer charity and $25,000 from the council, according to court filings. 'He's very good at working on computers,' Katopodis testified. 'He's very adept at computers. But at the time he was working at the Council, he didn't work on computers.'"

WATCH: Did Paula Abdul shop at Z Galerie to get the frames for her new video?

Christina Aguilera visits Ellen DeGeneres, who admires the fullness of her breasts.

China draws up plan to combat HIV/AIDS in its gay population: " The policy will incorporate detailed HIV/AIDS prevention measures for MSM (men who have sex with men) including extending the use of condoms, according to the ministry's work plan for disease prevention and control in 2008. China has decided to intensify its AIDS intervention campaign on MSM by carrying out AIDS prevention training among the gay population nationwide as well as conducting consultation, HIV/AIDS tests, venereal disease treatment in some areas, the ministry said."

Gay man stabbed to death at public men's room in Britain: "Appealing for witnesses, a spokeswoman for Surrey Police said the victim, who was gay, was stabbed in toilets at Walton Bridge, an area known as a popular meeting place for men. She said: 'Early indications lead police to believe that he might have known his attacker though we don't know in what context or for how long.''" UPDATE Man arrested.

Paris Hilton promotes her new film by posing with the only audience that actually went to see it.

UK vandals attack "Some People are Gay, Get Over It" billboard: "Sadly, the vandalism of a small number of the new Stonewall billboards is a reminder that homophobia still exists in our society and highlights the need to address the issue in schools and in our communities."

David Beckham gets lei'd, scratches, and squirts in Hawaii.

Targets of homophobic UK arsonist discuss attacks: "Nicholas Hughes, 42, and his partner of 16 years Peter Cameron, 59, suffered years of "horrendous" verbal homophobic abuse from Sonny Lockwood and members of his gang before he set their house in North Downs Crescent, New Addington, on fire."

William F. Buckley: "Mr. McCain is a bit of a girlie-man when it comes to waterboarding high-value detainees; but that’s a tricky one, even for macho, red-meat conservative chest-thumpers. You get a pass on that one if you’ve spent five-and-a-half years being bastinadoed by North Vietnamese."

Jason West, the former Mayor of New Paltz, NY, is now a house painter in Manhattan: "Mr. West, 30, first drew attention in 2003, when at 26 he became the first member of the Green Party to be elected mayor in New York State. But it was the next year when he created a furor for performing same-sex marriages that were later declared illegal — which may have led to his current occupation and his summer stint bartending at a Dutchess County watering hole called Darby O’Gills. Mr. West was defeated in a re-election bid in May 2007."

Gay history of Cambridge University to be revealed: "Evidence for the University's gay past can be found from as early as 1619, in a memorial in Gonville & Caius Chapel. It was commissioned by the college's master Dr John Gostlin in memory of himself and his friend Dr Thomas Legge, sometime Vice-Chancellor of the University. A flaming heart held aloft by two hands bears the inscription'Love joined them living. So may the earth join them in their burial. Oh Legge, Gostlin's heart you still have with you'. A similar monument can be found in Christ's College Chapel, where John Finch and Thomas Baines, who met as students at the College in the 1640s, are buried in the same tomb and commemorated with an elaborate carving of a marriage knot."

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News: GQ France, Breakdancing Beckham, Atlantis, Jason Statham

One of the judicial nominees Bush has been threatening a recess appointment for was recently arrested for DUI wearing a little black dress, fishnet stockings and stilletto heels: "Apparently, Federal Judge Robert Somma, rear-ended another motorist in his Mercedes-Benz after tying one on in a local gay bar. He had difficulty locating his drivers license in his purse. His wife, Wendy, says he's not interested in talking to the press right now."

Spice Girls shocked by baby breakdancing Beckham.

Wisconsin gay rights group utilizes election to raise awareness of upcoming court vacancies.

British BMW salesman forced from job by homophobic co-workers: "Ben Hamilton, 26, claims he was branded 'the nice poof', 'faggot' and 'bender Ben' by workmates at a BMW showroom. He told the hearing he was banned from wearing pink clothing and was made to change. And when he grew a beard he claimed colleagues walking past him would jeer the phrase 'Deal or No Deal?' at him after gameshow host Noel Edmonds up to 30 times a day. Mr Hamilton said a manager told him: 'It must be great to be gay. Does it mean you and your fella can go out, have a few beers, have a curry, beat each other up and still get laid?'"

Space Shuttle Atlantis heads home from International Space Station in preparation for Navy shootdown of errant spy satellite.

GQ launches French edition.

Student: Goldfish aren't the peabrains you think they are.

Excavated remains identified as Sir Hugh Despenser the Younger, lover of King Edward II: "Despenser died a gruesome death, being publicly hung, drawn, quartered and disembowelled for treason in 1326 following Edward's fall. The remains, found in the 1970s on Despenser's brother-in-law's estate at Hulton Abbey, Staffordshire, bear such hallmarks, anthropologist Mary Lewis says. Lewis, from Reading University, made the link by drawing on the manner of execution, carbon-dating of the bones and the absence of several parts of the body. The skull, part of the vertebra and one leg are buried on the family estate at Tewkesbury Abbey. 'Research on the bones shows he was stabbed in the throat and probably stabbed in the stomach, but we would not have any evidence to disembowelment unless the knife had hit any bones,' Lewis said."

Writer Andrew Holleran pays a visit to Fort Lauderdale.

Ben & Jerry endorse Obama, scoop "Cherries for Change" ice cream. "Barack is showing that when you lead with your values and follow what you have inside that good things will happen. What we saw is that when you want real change it's not a marketing slogan. You have to do things differently. And that is not going to be done by someone who's been involved in the system for years and years. It needs to come from inside and Barack Obama has it."

Winehouse likes her chicken fried.

Jason Statham drops the big burly half of himself.

Japan's top court rules Mapplethorpe photos not obscene: "The verdict was hailed as a victory for artistic freedom by a Japanese publisher who filed the lawsuit. His copy of a Mapplethorpe book was seized in 1999 when he tried to bring it from the United States for personal use. Reversing a lower court ruling, the Supreme Court ordered customs to lift its ban on bringing in the book of photographs, entitled 'Robert Mapplethorpe.' In the 2003 ruling, the Tokyo High Court ruled that the book, which included images of male genitals, went 'against good sexual morality.' But Kohei Nasu, the presiding judge, said at the Supreme Court: 'The book and pictures do not fall into a category that would disturb the public,' as quoted by Jiji Press."

UK father-to-be charged in "cowardly, disgraceful" attack on homophobe mistaken for gay man: "John Edwards, prosecuting, told York Crown Court yesterday the assault happened last July when Mr Sandey was returning home along St Mary's by the riverside in York after a night out. He said the area was known to be frequented in the evening by homosexual men, and a passer-by heard one of the group shouting homophobic insults. 'When the defendant pleaded guilty he did so, acknowledging this was aggravated by homophobia. The target of their violence, quite randomly it would seem, was this complainant,' he said. A woman who saw the attackers, including Walls, described seeing Mr Sandey on the ground. The men were punching him before one - it is not known who - jumped on his leg as they shouted 'he is a pervert'. Afterwards Walls spoke to the witness, telling her his name. Forensic experts later found blood on him."