News: Singapore, Sam Adams, Cubs, Matthew Mitcham, GI Joe

Singapore women's group AWARE votes out anti-gay fundamentalist leaders in dramatic seven hour stand-off. Background.

Britain's former top cop and London mayoral candidate Brian Paddick to front campaign encouraging same-sex couples to hold hands in public: "The photos are being used to create a same-sex love map of the world. David Watkins, the group's founder, said: 'Hand holding is a simple, liberating gesture that is essential to our communities' health, visibility, and respect.'" Site: A Day in Hand.

Thousands of Cubs fans go deaf at Wrigley Field.

Log Cabin Republicans making gains in NY assembly on marriage equality.

Matthew Mitcham exits Mexico City as swine flu escalates.

El Salvador in last minute gay rights ban: "After weeks of public debate and protest, El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly approved an amendment to the constitution to ban marriage between same-sex couples and same-sex couples’ ability to adopt a child.  This amendment was proposed in the final hours of the current Legislative Assembly session, which ends April 30th."

L.A. Times: Same-sex marriages gradually gaining legal ground.

Eiffel Tower destroyed in trailer for G.I. Joe: The Movie with Channing Tatum, Dennis Quaid.

Loving: this self-portrait of Provincetown resident and filmmaker John Waters at Ptown's McMillan Wharf.

Marc Jacobs to marry in Provincetown.

Dog food vs paté? No difference, much of the time.

The Oregonian calls on Portland Mayor Sam Adams to resign in wake of recent investigations: "An investigation by The Oregonian's Ryan Frank and Brent Walth raised the questions, in a story published Friday, of whether the encounter took place earlier in the year and what it really amounted to. Whether that is the center of the AG's investigation remains to be seen, as does whether any of the conduct described, implied or suspected adds up to criminality." Phone calls...

Male model fix: Joey Kirchner.

Ed Westwick works up a sweat.

Missouri state senator Jolie Justus weds her partner in Iowa.

Manohla Dargis memo to Hollywood: "Enough with the gay slurs, the gay baiting, imitating, limp-wristing, so-not-funny lisping — in other words, enough with the hating...Try this simple test: Every time you feel the need to mock or denigrate gay men or lesbians, replace that joke with an equally vicious dig about African-Americans or Jews. Doesn’t sound so funny anymore, does it?"

Last week in holy crimes...

Miss California: Redefining breasts for the rest of us.

Obama appoints lesbian to become Assistant Secretary, Administration on Aging, at HHS.

AKA accidental wood.

Sweeps warning issued to cottagers: "Sweeps is the time local media often finds itself in bed with the cops to carry out sting operations of men cruising for sex. Just last week we got a report from a Bakersfield, California location where one customer saw not just cop cars and a cop van parked outside, but also a news van for a local television station. I'm sure it was a joint sting in which the media gets to film and photograph those men cops arrest. In fact, I would not be surprised to learn a reporter instigated the whole thing, asking the police to come along so they could get some good footage."

Joan Rivers: 'Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Like Being in Tom Cruise's Closet' - VIDEOS

Aussie Olympic gold-winning diver Matthew Mitcham lead off the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade over the weekend as its grand marshall. The parade attracted more than a quarter of a million people:

"Revelers decked out in sequins, feathers, wigs and leather danced through the streets of Sydney on Saturday to the cheers of more than 300,000 people at the annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. More than 130 floats and 9,500 people participated in the procession, which began as a protest march in 1978 by homosexual and transsexual men and women and has flourished into one of the world's largest and most flamboyant gay pride events...The parade kicked off with Olympic gold medal diver Matthew Mitcham, who stood atop the first float surrounded by male dancers dressed in Speedos and carrying scorecards. Lifeguards, cheerleaders, nurses and sports teams strutted and spun to their floats' music. Banks, schools and churches were represented, as were the Australian Federal Police, the Defense Department and state firefighters. All of the marchers, whether flamboyant in feathers and high heels or wearing their official work uniforms, were grinning ear-to-ear as they waved to the crowd. Spectators waited for up to six hours for prime viewing spots along the 1.5-mile (2.4-kilometer) route of the 31st annual parade. Many were packed 10 rows thick along the sidewalk along the main thoroughfare Oxford Street, which was lined with metal barricades and manned by police and parade officials."

This year's theme was Nations United.

Here's a gallery from the BBC.

And a parade gallery from Aussie gay site Same-Same.

American comedienne Joan Rivers also took part. Said Rivers to an Aussie news outlet: "Everyone's screaming and yelling. Everyone's dressed up. Everyone's in feathers and boas. It's like being in Tom Cruise's closet! It is just, an incredible experience. I cannot wait for it.":

A gallery of videos, AFTER THE JUMP...

News: Natchez, Barbara Walters, Stem Cells, Gay Panic, Pete Wentz

Student's lawsuit against L.A. City College over speech in support of Proposition 8 prompts anti-gay protests, formation of "gay unity" club, and death threats to a man who had nothing to do with it.

Life in the Castro of Natchez, Mississippi: "Though it’s seen, and not often discussed in proper company, there’s a grand gay scene in Natchez. Thom Miller and Shawyn Mars have been together nearly 18 years and have had Natchez as part of their dual residency since the 1990s. Miller said he and Mars make up one of just many gay couples that call Franklin Street home." (via box turtle bulletin)

Barbara Walters: people want to be on my face?

Nancy Pelosi promises passage of inclusive ENDA.

The origin of eight high-tech names: Tivo, Hulu, Bluetooth, BlackBerry, Wii Wikipedia, Asus, and Prius.

Scientists no longer need embryos for stem cells: "In a breakthrough that could have huge implications, British and Canadian scientists have found a way of reprogramming skin cells taken from adults, effectively winding the clock back on the cells until they were in an embryonic form. The work has been hailed as a major step forward by scientists and welcomed by pro-life organisations, who called on researchers to halt other experiments which use stem cells collected from embryos made at IVF clinics."

Are all these men fun and fearless?

Only Pete Wentz's hairdresser knows for sure.

Matthew Mitcham takes four diving titles at weekend's Australian Diving Championships.

Barry Manilow music employed to drive out mall rats.

Tahoe board rescinds domestic partner benefits: "The Incline Village General Improvement District board has decided to rescind health care insurance benefits to domestic partners of district employees. Board Chairman Ted Fuller says he voted to rescind the benefits because of the need to cut costs and the potential for abuse. Board member John Bohn says he again voted against the benefits because he doesn't think the north Lake Tahoe community supports them."

Gay panic defense emerges in eight year old Fresno murder.

Outrage: Jury buys gay panic defense in trial of gay couple's killer in Spain.

Greek teen gets love interest in the form of Gregory Michael from Dante's Cove.

The reviews are in for Jimmy Fallon's first night as host of Late Night.

A very trippy ad for MAC cosmetics.

Arizona teens leaning left, survey says: "There's greater exposure to different media and different ideas, and you would have more acceptance of abortion, you would certainly have more acceptance of a gay American, and you'd also be raised in an atmosphere that was more ethnically diverse than one your parents came from."

News: Melrose Place, Matthew Mitcham, Wyoming, BAFTAs, Bolivia

Wyoming House kills anti-gay marriage bill: "After an hour of impassioned debate Friday, the House defeated an attempt to define marriage in the state Constitution as a union between a man and a woman. House Joint Resolution 17, also known as the "Defense of Marriage" resolution, failed by a vote of 35-25. Wyoming law already stipulates that only marriages between a man and woman are valid, but the law also requires the state to recognize valid unions performed in other states."

Matthew Mitcham gets a sponsor: Aussie telecommunications giant Telstra.

The juice on the Melrose Place remake.

Boy George to leave jail early? Meanwhile, he scrubs sinks.

New constitution in Bolivia bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity!

Strange drag queen bird spotted in the wild.

Virginia man gets 35 month for attack on gay man in DC last October: "Court documents claim that the 19-year-old and his friend, Saad Elorch, approached the victim and his friend. When Abdulgader and Elorch learned of the men's sexual orientation, they made homophobic remarks to them. Documents also state that Abdulgader knocked the victim unconscious with a glass bottle and that he admitted to attacking the victim because he was gay."

BAFTA Awards handed out in London. Here's what won.

Obama names Fred Davie to Policy Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

Brad Gooch on closets, Harvey Milk, and the art world of Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns.

Anti-gay vandalism condemned at Long Island LGBT Youth Center forum: "When somebody is attacked because of their race, religion or sexual orientation, we're all attacked."

Ann Coulter under investigation for voter fraud: "Ann Coulter is now the subject of a formal probe by Connecticut’s Elections Enforcement Commission, moving her closer to being charged with fraud. The commission is now conducting a 'thorough investigation' of whether the prolific conservative pundit broke the law earlier this decade by voting in Connecticut while living in New York City, a spokeswoman for the commission told the New York Daily News."

Kristen Wiig is Kathie Lee Gifford.

Berlinale: First gay Basque film unveiled. "Pushing even a larger envelope, most of 'Ander’s' finance comes from the Basque government, via Berdindu, its gay-lesbian service...Roberto Caston, its writer-director, bridles slightly at the gay tag. Pic follows fortysomething Ander, a Basque farmer-cum-factory worker who breaks a leg. He hires a Peruvian immigrant, Jose (Christian Esquivel, 'Che'), who inspires in Ander feelings he didn’t know he had. 'The film’s about solitude, which most of the characters suffer,' said Caston. 'Ander' rides a new Basque cinema wave."

All My Children: Daytime television to have first same-sex wedding.

Male model fix: Travis Hanson.

A write-up on NYC's new East Village straight-owned gay bar The Hose.

Fort Lauderdale Democrats club running ads revealing which mayoral candidates are supported by anti-gay outgoing mayor Jim Naugle: "The ads, running in gay publications, have a grid that notes which candidates are Democrats, gay or lesbian, filled out the Dolphins questionnaire or are supported by Naugle. The mayor acknowledged that linking him with candidates he supports — Jack Seiler for mayor and Romney Rogers for City Commission — could hurt them with gay voters. 'Certainly it might hurt,' Naugle said. But, noting that he's been elected 'eight consecutive times, and all by wide margins,' Naugle said his support would help with the non-gay majority."

More Matthew Mitcham!

On Thursday, I showed you The Advocate's cover image for their Matthew Mitcham feature. Here are two more shots from the spread, which will be up on their site later today.

Also, check out a behind-the-scenes video of the Adam Pretty photo shoot and interview, plus links to the story, AFTER THE JUMP...

Previously
Matthew Mitcham Medals with The Advocate [tr]
Matthew Mitcham Wins Sports Performer of the Year Award [tr]

Matthew Mitcham Medals with The Advocate

Here's an exclusive sneak peek at the upcoming issue of The Advocate which features a stunning set of photos and profile of Australia's gay gold medal-winning Olympic diver Matthew Mitcham.

Mitcham talks of the dive that was the highest-scoring in Olympic history: "I remember the things that I was thinking on the platform before the dive, and I remember what happened as soon as I hit the water. The dive itself is a bit vague. It felt good, although I wasn't exactly sure. I did wait underneath the water a bit, thinking, I wonder...I wonder...I wonder... Then I popped my head out and the crowd was going wild...It was the most far-out experience. It just completely took me over and I just lost it."

He also talks about recently accepting Australia GQ's Sportsman of the Year Award. "I think the last thing I said onstage there was, 'Oh my God, I'm a homo and I just won the sports award.' People just pissed themselves and thought it was hilarious."

Photo by Adam Pretty. The issue hits newsstands next week.