News: Newsom's New Quest, Is Eating Ribs Presidential?, Boyfriends Will Be Boyfriends, It's A Rubyfruit Jungle Out There & More

Two-term San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom—famous for his support of legalizing gay marriage—launches an exploratory bid for California governor. He's expected to face opposition from a crowded field of fellow Democrats when Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger vacates in 2010.

Via Queerty: New Jersey Congressman Steve Rothman has changed his position on gay marriage—thanks to the advice of his lesbian stepdaughter. He's also joined the House Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Caucus.

A special court has upheld the Nepal Army's decision to expel a woman for being a lesbian.

Two women in Iceland will become the first same-sex couple to have their relationship "validated" in a church following new laws that took hold there on June 27. The laws do not define same-sex validations as "marriage." The official who will perform the service, Rev. Sigurdur Grétar Sigurdsson, says, "In my opinion it is a very appreciated development because many priests in the State Church have already organized ceremonies for many years where they pray for and bless gay coupes who have earlier had their cohabitation confirmed by state officials."

Buzzkill: About 600 Starbucks locations will close in the next year, 70% of which opened after 2006.

The NRA will be gunning for Barack Obama's chances this fall, spending $40 million dollars to paint him as a Second Amendment foe.

Clay Felker, New York Magazine founder and husband of Gail Sheehy, dies at 82 after battling throat cancer. Felker and co-founder Milton Glaser were forced out of their jobs in 1977 by Rupert Murdoch, leading to a staff walk-out. The magazine's most famous article, "Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night," was the basis for Saturday Night Fever, and its "best" lists have made it a staple for actual and aspiring New Yorkers. Amazing quotes here.

Is Bush the best president ever...on AIDS issues? (Consider the source.)

Guess which presidential candidate is the more desirable barbecue guest, according to an AP poll?

T.R. Knight and boyfriend Mark Cornelsen spotted giving gay angst a bad name.

Heart-Breaking: Marriage does not do the trick for all of us, even those lucky enough to live in states where it's legal.

Interfaith Advocates for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender People in Rochester (New York) issues a doctrine for achieving Dr. King's "Beloved community" that includes banning hate crimes against transgendered people.

Rubyfruit Bar and Grill is joining Florent as a memory. The bar, named after Rita Mae Brown's Rubyfruit Jungle, is the victim of higher rent (it's up from $6,500 to $11,000 since 1994) and, perversely, the greater acceptance of gay people in the past decade. "Back then in 1994 there wasn’t this liberation yet for lesbian women, so it became a haven with private, intimate dinners, great wines, a place to hold hands and feel comfortable being out and having dinner Here we are in 2008, where they no longer need to have their own place. They can go anywhere and do whatever they want. It’s kind of a good thing, I guess," said Rubyfruit’s owner, Debra C. Fierro.

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Groups To California Supreme Court: Keep Marriage Ban On the Ballot

Civil rights groups have already filed to have the proposed same-sex marriage amendment tossed off the ballot in California, and now two outfits called the Alliance Defense Fund and Protect Marriage (I presume they're also anti-divorce, anti-bills and anti-children?) have petitioned the state Supreme Court to reject that plea.

The petition states:

"In reality, petitioners are challenging the sovereign power of the people to amend their constitution to override judicial interpretations of the constitution with which they disagree."

California Secretary of State Debra Bowen also filed, but only to urge the Court to decide by August 11, when ballots would be off to the printer.

The presidential candidates have weighed in—John McCain backs the amendment that is opposed by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, while Barack Obama opposes it in spite of being "personally" against same-sex marriage.

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Stop In The Name Of Love

The president of the Log Cabin Republicans, Patrick Sammon, urges fellow conservatives to back off using gay marriage as a wedge issue again:

"Acceptance of loving, committed gay and lesbian couples is on the rise and, consequently, the marriage debate does not have the same heat it used to. Republicans who try exploiting the issue for political gain this November will fail. And they’ll further alienate the young people who are already leaving the GOP in droves."

So...stop pushing this issue because it's no longer effective, not because it's wrong?

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Someone Left NYC Pride Out In The Rain

On my own blog, I tend to be wordy. So of course I’m taking over Towleroad the day after Gay Pride Weekend. It’s impossible to summarize multiple events across the world too briefly, so my first couple of posts, devoted to Pride, will be anything but the lighter fare Andy promised from me.

Over one million turned out to watch approximately 500,000 march in New York City’s annual Gay Pride Parade, the 39th celebration since the Stonewall Riots (June 28, 1969). Intermittent showers soaked the throngs of participants and spectators, failing to dampen enthusiasm even as more than one pair of size 12 Prada pumps had their last hurrah.

New York’s David Paterson—the nation’s first legally blind governor—became the first governor to appear in the parade, eliciting loud cheers as he kicked off the march alongside New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Other politicos included Senator Charles Schumer (Hillary Clinton was not in attendance), openly gay New York State Senator Tom Duane and out lesbian Council Speaker (and possible mayoral candidate) Christine Quinn, who had this to say of Paterson:

“Politically and personally, thank you to Governor Paterson. What he did following on the great work in the assembly—sends a message that leadership isn't about waiting, it's about finding the opportunity. It's about finding the way to move progress and civil rights forward.”

Co-grand marshals were transsexual Dirty Sexy Money star and local girl Candis Cayne and activist Gilbert Baker, who created the rainbow flag.

My own experience with the stormy NYC parade? Put away wet, but not rode hard…

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Charles Barkley: I'm for Gay Marriage but Not One of Them

Former NBA MVP Charles Barkley recently sat down with Chris Meyers for an interview scheduled to air Sunday night on FOX SportsNet. The outspoken Barkley said that he's considering running as a Democrat for Governor of Alabama and commented on a variety of topics, including homophobia in the locker room and gay marriage.

According to ESPN, "[Barkley] acknowledged that a gay athlete likely would be discriminated against in professional sports, though he said he believes they would face the same discrimination in everyday life."

On gay marriage, Barkley said:

"I think if they want to get married, God bless them. Gay marriage is probably 1 percent of the population, so it's not like it's going to be an epidemic. Hey, trust me, I'm never going to kiss you and say, 'Chris, you're sexy.'"

No word on whether or not Meyers was relieved or disappointed by that last comment.

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News: Stem Cells, Xtina, German Fisting, Pluto

The California Assembly approved a bill that would allow domestic partners to joint file income tax returns, but not before a shouting match between the bigots and the gays: ," said Assemblyman Jay La Seur, R-La Mesa (San Diego County): "Here we go again. In the time I've been up here, there have been 40 bills in this house to further the homosexual, gay agenda." Assemblyman Dennis Mountjoy, R-Monrovia: "It is not normal. It is abnormal. It is sexually deviant behavior." Democrats reportedly called a caucus to stop the arguing and let everyone simmer down.

Scientists have found a way to create stem cells without destroying the embryo. The new, controversial technique involves taking a single-cell biopsy from an embryo, which then grows into many cells, some of which can be turned into embryonic stem cells. In question is whether or not the biopsy compromises the embryo already in development. Last month, Bush shamefully vetoed a bill that would have expanded funding for stem cell research.

Planet gossip: astronomers to vote on fate of Pluto.

Blind item from the email newsletter popbitch: Which gay actor was seen enjoying himself in another country last weekend? The star was in the darkroom of hip Berlin fetish bar Mutschmann's, getting fisted according to an onlooker, "by a Spanish-looking guy in his mid-thirties".

150 people are expected to take part in Pride festivities in Galway, Ireland this weekend despite a homophobic email received by organizers: "It was basically trying to put us off having the parade. It was trying to stop people from coming out over the weekend but it won't work. The email isn't going to make us change any of our plans for the weekend and why should it?"

Leaders in the South Australian government say they will introduce a gay rights bill in the next session of parliament.

The male version of who wore it best?

The new casts of The Amazing Race and Survivor, whose tribes will be split according to race. Said Producer Mark Burnett: "I know it’s going to be controversial. I’m not an idiot...Maybe that taboo (of race) could disappear through this." Good luck.

Christina Aguilera is a gay marriage supporter: "I'm shocked that it's a big deal! I'm shocked that people are shocked. I think it's really unfair that there has to be some kind of standard for marriage. Marriage should be about celebrating two people's love for each other. It shouldn't have anything to do with someone's sexual preference. Europe is a lot more open when it comes to sexuality. I think that with the history of European culture, there is a lot more openness to being provocative. I'm just all about no judgement and (having) equal rights." Like, totally.

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Rupert Murdoch on Gay Marriage

In a profile in The Independent, twice-divorced Rupert Murdoch says that gay marriage may lead to the end of everything:

"I believe it is wrong. I'm considered homophobic and crazy about these things and old fashioned. But I think that the family - father, mother, children - is fundamental to our civilisation."

So gay marriage will somehow destroy the fabric of our precious civilization? Wasn't that once said about interracial marriage?

(via gawker)

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