Mayor Bans Moldovan Gay Pride Parade

That first-ever Moldovan Gay Pride parade I posted about earlier has been banned by the mayor of the nation's capital Chisinau.

Organizers sent out a notice earlier today, part of which read: "It is already sixth time that a peaceful LGBT demonstration is banned in Moldova, despite pressure and criticism of the Council of Europe, European Union and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. From the police, city hall and mass-media we have learned that a number of groups is planning violent attacks on pride participants. We believe that the unlawful decision of the city hall was designed to shift the responsibility for any victims of this violence from local authorities and the police to pride organizers. The actions of the Chisinau city hall and the police are in violation of the European Convention for Human Rights and the Universal Declaration for Human Rights, to which Moldovan is a signatory, as well as other international human rights obligations of the Moldovan state. It is also against the European Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, which Moldova has aspirations to join."

Many plan to march anyway, in defiance of the order.

Previously
Moldova Kicks Off Pride Festivities with Symbolic Gay Marriage [tr]

(thanks, rex)

Sphere: Related Content

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #287

CINDY MCCAIN: Because she's "not the candidate" she refuses to release her income tax returns...ever.

TWISTER: Recent footage from a tornado that whipped through Leighton, Alabama.

DOGGIE HERO: Woof!

IF I WAS A TERRORIST: A new video from James Pence.

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here.

Sphere: Related Content

News: Myanmar, Eddie Cibrian, Coldplay, Hung, Shia LaBeouf

Dutch gay couple have been foster parents to over 100 children.

Even though the death toll could exceed that of the southeast Asian tsunami, the Myanmar government has refused U.S. aid: "The junta not only wouldn't allow U.S. aid planes to fly in badly needed supplies, they also continued to refuse visas to United Nations relief teams trying to get in to make sure the aid gets to the victims. Despite the military clampdown, reports of the horrendous toll the storm was taking on Myanmar's people began trickling out."

Sick: Kardashian sisters make a joke out of Myanmar/Burma situation, record PSA while trying on closet of dresses.

Is Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" single stolen from French pop starlet Alizée? Listen and you be the judge.

Alexander Payne signs on to direct HBO dark comedy Hung, about a man with a huge endowment: "'Hung' revolves around a well-endowed man who is plodding along in middle age as a struggling father and high school coach. The character was once a high school sports legend, and his luck returns when he figures out a way to use his best asset. 'Think of him like Spider-Man,' Burson told Daily Variety last month. 'He's an average guy who gets in touch with his innate superpowers.'"

Turkey's gay magazine Kaos GL just published its 100th edition.

Washington University students, PFLAG in uproar over school's decision to award anti-gay, anti-feminist crusader Phyllis Schlafly an honorary doctorate at May 16 commencement.

Queercents has 10 money questions for DNC Treasurer Andrew Tobias. On political contributions: "Politics is tacky and all the awful things it is — but you can’t have democracy without politics, and politics requires money. That said, it’s wonderful how the balance of power is shifting away from the $500,000 and $5 million contributions (now illegal) — and even the $28,500 contributions (the current annual max to a federal political party like the DNC) — to the potential for millions of $10 and 25 and $100 and $250 contributions over the Internet."

Porn police pair on patrol at Seattle gay bars: "'We have judges, attorneys, police officers, who all come in here because it's a safe place for them,' said [Seattle Eagle manager Keith] Christiansen. 'This kind of attention [from the police] has cut my business in half.' Back in 1998, Christiansen says he went before the liquor board and asked for permission to display his posters. In spite of the law, he says, they let him do it. But because of an increase in enforcement in the area and, Christiansen says, the fact that O'Neill and Gallagher are new to the neighborhood, that era of tacit acceptance has ended. 'This is a whole new breed of people,' he said. 'They don't understand what the Hill is about.'"

Eddie Cibrian on Ugly Betty: hey, coach.

Four openly gay candidates seek seats in Georgia General Assembly.

Isaiah Washington pissed that ABC is using his photo in Grey's Anatomy promotion. Rep: "Isaiah has no plans to go back to Grey's Anatomy ... That being said, we were more than a little surprised that ABC used his likeness in a promo for the show, and indeed advanced his character's storyline. Mr. Washington's attorney has contacted the Screen Actors Guild and ABC as to the appropriateness of that action."

Shia LaBeouf and Andy Samberg play in the bushes.

Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute announces massive grant to fund gay leaders: "The David Bohnett Foundation has teamed with the Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute (GLLI) to help the organization sponsor lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender public officials in attending one of the nation’s most prestigious mid-career executive development programs — the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. The program, to be named the David Bohnett Gay & Lesbian Leadership Fellows, is being funded by a $500,000 grant to GLLI."

Time's 100 most influential honored.

Sphere: Related Content

Keith Olbermann on McCain and John Hagee

Finally, the MSM is getting on McCain about John Hagee and McCain's pastors. Thank you, Keith Olbermann.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

Sphere: Related Content

A Brothers and Sisters Gay Union Preview

That's one fine looking couple.

[[WARNING: SPOILERS]]

USA Today visited the set of the big Brothers and Sisters commitment ceremony and collected quotes from some of the regulars.

Matthew Rhys, on the wedding cake topper: "Is it a man and a woman? Oh, it's two men. Fantastic. There were jokes made that they wouldn't be able to find two men, so they'd have to doctor the woman by adding a moustache. It's all very progressive, evolved and about time."

Rhys on the ceremony and wardrobe: "Luke and I were rehearsing who was to stand where, which would put one of us in the woman's position, and a few comments were made. And neither of us was going to wear a white suit while the other wore black."

Calista Flockhart: "It's a milestone, and I was really quite pleased that I got to be a part of it."

Rob Lowe: "It's pretty romantic in there."

Chad Lowe, who was visiting the set: "I'm here to witness history."

Balthazar Getty on Dave Annable's character being best man: "Dave's been locked in his dressing room, crying."

Annable: "Balthazar couldn't handle not being best man."

And here are some additional SPOILERS: "the liberal-leaning show does attempt to recognize those who oppose gay marriage by introducing Scotty's disapproving parents, who skip the ceremony. That volatile relationship is expected to be explored in Season 3. Another possibility: children.

Luke Macfarlane: "Kitty makes a speech about Scotty and Kevin building a family, which hopefully is foreshadowing."

Executive producer Monica Breen: "They will be a family. Kevin deserves a stable relationship in the same way that Kitty, Sarah and all the others deserve it. He will be facing many questions in his life — but now he has someone to share that with."

And if you missed it, last week's proposal, AFTER THE JUMP...

Top this: A gay ceremony on ABC's 'Brothers & Sisters' [usa today]

Sphere: Related Content

McGreeveys Reach Custody Deal Over Daughter

Former New Jersey first couple James and Dina Matos McGreevey offered the public a surprise yesterday as they began to actually behave like adults, settling the child custody portion of their divorce and offering none of the fireworks that the media was waiting hungrily to hear about:

"The deal for custody of their 6-year-old daughter came on the third day of negotiations, which included some closed-door testimony before state Superior Court Judge Karen M. Cassidy, who was trying to avoid a divorce trial. The couple and their lawyers are scheduled to return to the Union County Courthouse on Monday to begin settlement talks on remaining issues, including alimony and child support. Should those succeed, the final issue would be Dina Matos McGreevey’s claim of marriage fraud. Mr. McGreevey left the courthouse Thursday evening escorted by two uniformed sheriff’s officers. Speaking of the custody agreement for his daughter, Mr. McGreevey said, 'She’ll get a large amount of time to spend with her parents.'"

McGreevey speaks about the settlement, AFTER THE JUMP...

McGreeveys Reach Deal on Custody of Daughter [ap via nyt]

Sphere: Related Content

Been There?

AMP Energy drink salutes the walk of shame.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

(via slog)

Sphere: Related Content

Lance Bass Hires Himself a Shirtless Bodyguard

Just what every high-profile celebrity gay needs. Actually, he's coming out of the Equinox at South Beach, so it's most likely a trainer or workout companion. But it's much more amusing to believe that Bass is surrounded by a shirtless security detail ready to beat down anti-gay thugs at all times. More at Just Jared.

Sphere: Related Content

Moldova Kicks Off Pride Festivities with Symbolic Gay Marriage

The small Republic of Moldova, sandwiched between Romania and the Ukraine in eastern Europe, kicked off its Pride festivities yesterday, a feat unto itself as such observances have in previous years been banned. The weekend's not over yet, however, and organizers hope to stage a parade. Here's what happened last year after officials banned the parade from taking place in the capital of Chisinau.

This year, according to gay groups there, it looks like the parade is a go. They write: "The public manifestation will be held under the slogan “All different – all equal” and it coincides with the celebration of the 10th anniversary of GenderDoc-M work in Moldova. The manifestation will take place on Sunday, 11 May from 11 till 12 a.m. the route of the manifestation is planned to start at the National Library and head to the Central Square of the City. We do hope that this year LGBT community will be able to benefit from the new law and nobody will ban it as previous years."

Yesterday's symbolic wedding ceremony included two brides wearing masks, and a fire breather. That's hot!

Moldova became independent from the former Soviet Union in 1991.

First time in Moldovan history LGBT community will have legal public manifestation [gay.md]

Previously
Moldovan Gays Protest Ban on Gay Pride [tr]

Sphere: Related Content

New York Jets Cheerleaders Open to 'Mindblowing' Drag Queen

The choreographer for the New York Jets Flight Crew cheerleading squad, Denise Garvey, is prepping for the squad's upcoming tryouts. Garvey spoke with WNYC recently, and told the radio station that she's pretty much open to anyone who wants to apply, including drag queens.

I've embedded the audio here.

GARVEY: We don't have any strict requirements - no weight or height requirements - we have all different girls on the team and all different girls looking to try out..."

REPORTER: There's not the kind of human variety you might find in a supermarket checkout line - the largest body is about a size "6″ -and there are no male cheerleader wannabe's.

GARVEY: we haven't had any men apply... we are looking for young women.

REPORTER: If there was a mind blowing drag queen?

GARVEY: I guess everyone deserves a fair chance - so that would be my attitude.

You have to give it to Garvey for laughing and not rejecting the idea out of hand, or worse, making some kind of homophobic comment which is (sadly) what I might have expected.

(via AOL sports)

Previously
Jake Gyllenhaal to Play Hall of Fame QB Joe Namath [tr]

Sphere: Related Content

Grey's Anatomy Features Gay Soldier Story, Kiss

Last night's Grey's Anatomy featured the gay soldier romance I posted about in mid-April. I've clipped the opening scene of the story for those who are interested after the jump. It doesn't give away how the episode ends (and I won't either) but this clip should get your heart racing a bit.

The soldiers were played by Benny Ciaramello (Friday Night Lights' Santiago) and MTV Road Rules grad David Giuntoli. Well done, boys.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

Previously
Grey's Anatomy to Feature Hot Gay Soldier Kiss [tr]

Sphere: Related Content

Johnny Knoxville and Parker Posey to Eat John Waters' Fruitcake

Johnny Knoxville and Parker Posey have signed on for John Waters' Christmas movie Fruitcake, says The Hollywood Reporter:

"The plot is officially under wraps but is said to center on the title character, a boy named after his favorite dessert. He runs away from home during the holidays after he and his parents are caught shoplifting meat, then meets up with a runaway girl raised by two gay men and searching for her birth mother. This Is That Prods. and Killer Films are producing "Fruitcake," which once was set up at New Line. ThinkFilm is said to be in talks to come aboard."

Of course, it'll be hard to top the best John Waters Christmas clip ever.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

That's Divine, of course, in Female Trouble...

Sphere: Related Content

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #286

JIMMY CARTER: A clip of last night's appearance on Tavis Smiley's PBS show.

MCCAIN'S OTHER PASTOR: John McCain has another pastor problem — Rod Parsley.

OBAMA GIRL: Mike Gravel tries to get in on the action.

MONICA CONYERS: Wife of congressman John Conyers and President Pro-Tem of the Detroit City Council gets owned by a 4th grader over calling the Council President "Shrek".

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here.

Sphere: Related Content

Gay Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson Talks to Matt Lauer

Gene Robinson appeared on the Today show and spoke briefly with Matt Lauer about misinterpretations of the Bible and homosexuality, his disinvitation from the Lambeth conference and his plans to attend, the rift in the church, his plans to enter into a civil union, and the difficult time he had his partner and their two daughters (pictured) have gone through.

Said Robinson about why he wears a bulletproof vest: "When you try to love the world the way that God loves the world, you're going to get into trouble."

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

Sphere: Related Content

Friends of Marc Jacobs Worried He's 'Pulling a Halston'

Page Six says friends of designer Marc Jacobs, pictured here outside this week's Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute Gala with an unknown date, are concerned he's burning the candle at the wrong end: "He spends most of his time partying until morning in Paris. It's out of control. There's always a different boy and everyone is worried he's going to pull a Halston."

Gawker recently chronicled his romantic comings and goings...

Sphere: Related Content

News: Orcas, Dax Shepard, Homecoming King, Alabama

NPR runs heartbreaking piece on two boys who identify as girls: "It’s really hard for him. He’ll disappear and close a door, and we’ll find him playing with dolls and Polly Pockets and … the stuff that he’s drawn to...He really struggles with the color pink. He really struggles with the color pink."

Dax Shepard appears to be acting out the role of Abercrombie door dude in the new film When in Rome.

Neil Patrick Harris's Barney shows off his new trophy date, Britney Spears. Watch it.

Jay Bakker to spend Mother's Day in honor of the late Tammy Faye pressuring megachurch pastor Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church to sit down and talk to LGBT activist group Soulforce: "I want to celebrate my mother's life, and help spread the message she lived and preached. We need to stop thinking of ourselves as 'us' and 'them.' We hope the families of Lakewood Church will open their hearts and minds to us and sit down and have a conversation and share a meal. ... Let's put our differences aside and share the love and hope of Christ."

Details on the first dates of Madonna's "Sticky and Sweet" world tour.

Arizona Christian group Alliance Defense Fund has hand in New York same-sex marriage cases.

Shawnee Mission East High School loves its gay Homecoming King.

Investigators say photographers won't be charged for photos of teenage water polo players that turned up on gay porn websites: "The Orange County district attorney's office says a four-month investigation determined Scott Cornelius and Allen Rockwell didn't commit any crimes. Cornelius, a University of California, Irvine, police employee currently on paid leave, is still being investigated by the university to determine if he violated college policies. Photographs of youths as young as 14 taken by Cornelius and Rockwell appeared on homosexual pornographic Web sites. But district attorney's office spokeswoman Farrah Emami says 'legally there were no criminal charges we could file.'"

Killer whales photographed hunting dolphins for the first time ever.

Matt Foreman's new perspective.

Your money's worth: Mario Lopez embroiled in Broadway bicep controversy.

Two card stud.

Alabama legislature passes two pro-gay bills: "In an email from State Rep. Patricia Todd, she announced that the Alabama House of Representatives passed the Hate Crimes Bill sponsored by Rep. Alvin Holmes of Montgomery by a vote of 46 to 44, mostly along party lines. While the fate of the bill is unsure as it moves to the Senate, this is huge progress, as the legislation was defeated last year. Also passed (unanimously) was an anti-bullying bill sponsored by Rep. Betty Carol Graham of Alexander City and Sen. Parker Griffith of Huntsville. This is also going to to the Senate."

Truce Off: McGreevey's fail to reach a settlement in their divorce trial.

Don't sit on the benches in New York subway stations unless you want bedbugs.

Sphere: Related Content

Pete Wentz Runs with the Gays

New York magazine ran into Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz hanging out with members of Gym Class Heroes and Panic at the Disco at the gay/mixed night at his bar Angels & Kings. They report that Pete was attending because he likes to "run with the gays."

NY Intel: "Wentz is straight, like so straight people can't stop talking about how he may have knocked up Ashlee Simpson! Naturally, we accosted him. 'I heard it's gay night, right?' he asked us, after we complimented his pointy hair. Turns out Pete has 'great 'dar,' by which he means he has a highly tuned interior electromagnetic sensor which lets him know when there are moving or fixed homosexuals nearby. So naturally we asked, Do you like running with gays, Pete? 'It seems sometimes like nobody knows how to have a good time anymore,' he told us. 'But the gays are always having a good time.'"

Previously
Pete Wentz Loves Wearing Jessica Simpson's Pumps [tr]
Pete Wentz: Christian Siriano Wants His Look Back [tr]
Pete Wentz Testing Seth Green's Sex Drive? [tr]
Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz: Part of Me Wishes I Was Gay [tr]

Sphere: Related Content

John Hagee Retracts Retraction of Katrina 'Gay Sin' Remarks

In late April, McCain supporter John Hagee appeared to retract his past remarks that gay sin brought Hurricane Katrina upon New Orleans, releasing a statement that said:

"As a believing Christian, I see the hand of God in everything that happens here on earth, both the blessings and the curses. But ultimately neither I nor any other person can know the mind of God concerning Hurricane Katrina. I should not have suggested otherwise. No matter what the cause of the storm, my heart goes out to all who suffered in this terrible tragedy. There but for the grace of God go any one of us."

Well, that didn't last long. IHagee held a conference call with religious supporters yesterday, the Dallas News reports:

"When a woman on the call asked why he seemed to have backed away from his Katrina comments in face of criticism, Hagee said he hadn't. As for the Katrina, he said, God controls hurricanes and 'God always punishes unconfessed sin.'"

Anyone surprised? Didn't think so.

McCain most recently called the controversy over Hagee's remarks "nonsense."

(via Think Progress)

AFTER THE JUMP, the Hagee video...

Sphere: Related Content

Myanmar Devastation Revealed in Satellite Photos

Looking at this before and after photo (via joe.my.god and daily dish), it's no wonder that the death toll from Myanmar's deadly cyclone Nargis might exceed 100,000.

Hopefully, the junta will accept foreign aid.

But here's the issue: "'The Burmese military is concerned about white faces...seeing what they’re doing,' said Aung Naing Oo, a Burmese political analyst exiled to Thailand. Others pointed to bureaucratic paralysis. 'Only three people in the whole country can make decisions, one of whom is the senior general’s astrologer,' one foreign aid worker said."

Related
Laura Bush and Burma: Echoes of Disaster [tr]
As Brutal Burma Crisis Continues, Monks Sent to Prison Camps [tr]

Sphere: Related Content

UK Male Athletes Take It Off for Cancer and Cosmo

Yesterday I posted a photo of London Wasps rugby star Danny Cipriani (warning: NSFW). Well, his fellow rugby athletes Tom Rees, Simon Shaw, and James Haskell joined him in the photoshoot that will appear in the June issue of Cosmopolitan UK.

That shot plus two additional ones, AFTER THE JUMP (warning: possibly NSFW)...

As I mentioned yesterday, the athletes will be donating items for an eBay auction benefiting the Everyman campaign for male cancer.

Below, left, Aston Villa footballer Nigel Reo-Coker. Below, right, Joe McFadden, star of the UK's Heartbeat and The Crow Road.

previously
Rugby Star Danny Cipriani Raises Money for Male Cancer [tr]
Austrian National Rugby Team are Fantastic Losers [tr]
Just Cavalli Underwear Campaign Features Italian Rugby Beefcake [tr]
Sportrait: Danny Cipriani [tr]
British Rugby Star Ben Cohen Says Sport Ready for Gay Player [tr]
Rugby Ad: From London to Paris, with Love [tr]

Sphere: Related Content

CBS: Top Clinton Strategist Tells Her It's Over

As Clinton campaigns on amid mounting pressure to concede and unify the party, CBS has reported that a top Clinton strategist has told Hillary Clinton that she can't win the nomination...

Watch the report, AFTER THE JUMP...

Sphere: Related Content

NJ Gay Couple Files Suit Against Town Over Firefighter Harassment

A gay couple formerly from Secaucus, New Jersey has filed a civil suit against the town, claiming that they were harassed by a group of firefighters who were partying at the firehouse adjacent to their residence. The incident occurred in April 2004.

The Jersey Journal reports:

"On the morning of April 25, 2004, a gay couple living in Secaucus was awakened by the sound of raucous partying at the firehouse next door. After one of the men, Timothy Carter, approached a group of firefighters about 1 a.m. asking them to keep it down, they allegedly began berating him. When he returned to the house, what the couple described as a drunken mob shook their fence, banged on the side of the house and loudly threatened to kill the men and their dogs. Despite complaints to the town, Carter and his partner, Peter De Vries, allege little was done to discipline the firefighters and said they lived in constant fear before moving away...

... In opening statements yesterday before a Superior Court jury, Mullin said the firefighters shouted derogatory, anti-homosexual epithets and death threats. 'They're terrified,' Mullin said of the couple. 'They're paralyzed with fear.' Police arrived quickly but the hate crime was never fully investigated by Secaucus officials, according to court papers filed by the couple. But police made no arrests and no one from the firehouse was thrown off the volunteer force. In their defense, town officials noted the prompt response by police and the fact that the firefighters were officially off-duty at the time."

At the time, a hate crime probe was opened and then cancelled due to lack of evidence. The couple claims post-traumatic stress disorder and is seeking unspecified damages.

Gay couple: Secaucus violated our rights [jersey journal]

Sphere: Related Content

A&F's 'Naughty' New Quarterly

Here's the cover of the new "adult" Abercrombie & Fitch Quarterly which is being released across the pond and at Barack Obama rallies only. If the cover is any indication, the catalog features male photos from behind (so I'm not sure how it's much different from the old ones) and the women (as well as anyone non-white) seem to have been vanquished from this land of Adam & Steve. It's rumored to cost $200 bucks.

It appears someone made a Bruce Weber collage and then got busy with the Photoshop "colored pencil" effect.

Full cover (possibly NSFW) AFTER THE JUMP...

Previously
Obama's Abercrombie Boys: Case Closed [tr]

Sphere: Related Content

Attorney for Lawrence King's Killer Faults School for Shooting

Deputy Public Defender William Quest defended his client, 14-year-old Brandon McInerney, who is to be arraigned today for the fatal shooting of his classmate, 15-year-old Lawrence "Larry" King at E.O. Green Junior High School in Oxnard, saying that the school is at fault for not stepping in when it saw conflict between two of its students:

"Educators should have moved aggressively to quell rising tensions between the two boys, which began when King openly flirted with McInerney, said Deputy Public Defender William Quest. Instead, administrators were so intent on nurturing King as he explored his sexuality, allowing him to come to school wearing feminine makeup and accessories, that they downplayed the turmoil that his behavior was causing on campus, Quest said."

The school disagrees:

"School Supt. Jerry Dannenberg strongly disagreed with such allegations. 'School officials definitely were aware of what was going on, and they were dealing with it appropriately,' Dannenberg said Wednesday. King was constitutionally entitled to wear makeup, earrings and high-heeled boots under long-established case law, Dannenberg said."

Ventura County hopes to try McInerney as an adult but a motion has been made to try him as a juvenile. The arraignment may be delayed until the court decides on that motion, according to the L.A. Times. A coalition of gay rights groups has urged District Attorney Greg Totten to try him as a juvenile as well. McInerney has been held in Juvenile Hall since the shooting, in lieu of $700,000 bail.

Lawyer blames school in shooting of gay Oxnard student [la times]

Sphere: Related Content

First Look: Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Banks as The First Couple

Here is the first shot of Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Banks as George and Laura Bush in Oliver Stone's upcoming film W.

It's ok. The arrogant smirk's not bad.

If you remember, I posted the first pages of the script back in April which feature the members of Bush's team trying to come up with the name "Axis of Evil" and a flashback to a drunken frat party at Yale.

Previously

Oliver Stone's Bush Flick: Fade in on Turdblossom, Frat Hazing [tr]

(image via justjared)

Sphere: Related Content

The Towleroad / NewNowNext Video News Moment Award

As I mentioned briefly last week, Towleroad has partnered with LOGO's NewNowNext awards to present a prize for the most impactful video news moment of the year. We went through all the clips we've posted in the last year and chose the five that we felt were most hard hitting as gay video news moments.

Our category does tend toward the serious. While Chris Crocker's "Leave Britney Alone" moment certainly inspired plenty of disgust and cultural fodder, we decided moments like those didn't fall into the news category - as much as CNN may want them to.

So here are the five clips we chose as finalists — video moments which had an impact on gay lives. While one of our choices (Sally Kern's rant) is purely audio, there's no doubt that the medium by which its message was spread was YouTube. So, here they are. You can use the following widget to cast your vote, and links to the clips are provided below, for your review.

FOR YOUR REVIEW:

Al Gore voices his support for marriage equality. WATCH.

Ellen Degeneres speaks out about Lawrence King. WATCH.

GOP San Diego mayor Jerry Sanders reverses opinion on same-sex marriage. WATCH.

Larry Craig declares he is not gay and has never been gay. WATCH.

Sally Kern compares says gays worse than terrorists. WATCH.

For more information and to vote for the rest of the NewNowNext Awards, click here.

Sphere: Related Content

Court: Michigan Gay Marriage Ban Affects Health Benefits

The Michigan Supreme Court ruled 5-2 today that state employers, including government offices and schools, cannot offer health insurance to the partners of gay employees.

According to the Detroit Free Press, "An amendment to the state constitution approved by voters in 2004 to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman also prohibits public employers from providing health care and other benefits to the same sex partners of employees, a divided Michigan Supreme Court ruled today.The court majority found that language in the amendment prohibiting recognition of other unions 'for any purpose' included the extension of benefits to gay and lesbian partners of public employees. Several Michigan universities, including U-M and MSU, along with various municipal and school employers had offered the benefits as a means of attracting workers."

Sphere: Related Content

News: Thomas Roberts, Penguins, Jason Castro, Kylie Minogue

New York high court refuses to strike down state's recognition of out-of-state same-sex marriage: "The Court of Appeals declined yesterday to review the mid-level appellate court's decision to recognize the couple's Canadian marriage, the first such ruling by an appellate court in New York State. For now, that lower court decision remains binding across the state."

Thomas Roberts talks to The Advocate about the news industry's glass ceiling for gays: "It’s funny that people think I got fired from CNN. I left CNN on my accord: I resigned from my contract because of personal reasons. I never dealt with anything but respect and kindness. There’s a great misconception. I’ve worked my ass off, I’ve been fortunate, and luck doesn’t hurt either. If people don’t like that I’m gay or that I talk about being gay, I’m sorry. Because that’s not my problem."

American Idol's resident stoner Jason Castro has his own hot doll, complete with dreads, and it can be yours.

A-Rod faints as daughter is born.

Have any questions for Chace Crawford?

Filipino Archbishop defends right of gays to participate in Santacruzans: "If they are devotees, they are religious and they look decent, I believe they have the right to join in. I think it would be better for us to see gays who act formally and decently in the Santacruzan rather than young and beautiful women who are not clean and [are] immoral."

Gay penguin book And Tango Makes Three is "most objected to" library book in America for second year straight: "Other books on the ALA's top 10 list include Maya Angelou's memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, in which the author writes of being raped as a young girl; Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, long attacked for alleged racism; and Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass, an anti-religious work in which a former nun says: 'The Christian religion is a very powerful and convincing mistake.'"

Three teenage girls admit to tagging school and vehicles with racial, vulgar and homophobic messages in Wisconsin.

Moldova hopes to hold its first Gay Pride ever: "Organisers of the Gay Pride in Moldova – 'Rainbow over the Dniester' – are hopeful of being able to stage a parade this year in the country’s capital, Chisinau. The Pride is the seventh to be organised, but in previous years the parade has been banned by the authorities. 'During three previous consecutive years, public authorities have banned the public manifestations on various pretexts,' said a spokesperson for GenderDoc-M, the Pride organisers. 'This year after we applied to the City Hall to inform the authorities about planned public manifestation within the Pride, we got the information, which gave us hope.'"

Kylie Minogue show hot out of the gates in Paris.

One benefit to having a fat ass.

Rhode Island lawmakers to debate bills that would allow same-sex couples married elsewhere to divorce in that state: "Lawmakers filed the divorce bill after Rhode Island's Supreme Court ruled in December that a lesbian couple married in Massachusetts cannot divorce in Rhode Island, where they live. Massachusetts is the only state to legalize gay marriage."

Looks like Dick Cheney's gone hunting again.

John Travolta is a subway terrorist.

White House admits it is missing email backups from start of Iraq war: "The White House acknowledged in a court filing last night that it no longer has backup tapes of email from between March 1 and May 22, 2003, a period that includes the beginning of the Iraq war. Yesterday's filing is the latest development in the ongoing White House emails lawsuit, in which two non-profits, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) and the National Security Archive (NSA), are suing to force the administration to recover any missing emails and institute a more effective email archiving system."

Sphere: Related Content

Activists Hold ' Day of Silence' in St. Petersburg, Russia

Activists held Russia's first "Day of Silence" in St. Petersburg, Russia last Saturday, taping their mouths shut and handing out literature in the city's Chernyshevskiy Park.

UK Gay News reports: "For two hours, the participants remained silent as they took their public stand against discrimination emotional harassment, violence, hate crimes, and intolerance based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Initially, the city authorities gave permission for a demonstration. But this was overturned by ‘City Hall’ days before the event. So, organisers scaled-down their plans, and what took place was individual protest in the park – individual rallies do not require preliminary approval by the authorities. The Day of Silence is St. Petersburg finished at 2 pm with 'mass applause and cheering', symbolising that the ‘wall of silence’ would be brought down. Following the event, rally participants walked to the metro station Ploschad Vosstaniya, escorted by a militia (police) vehicle."

Watch a clip of their action, AFTER THE JUMP...

Sphere: Related Content

Robbie Williams Performs Sex Show for the Paparazzi

Robbie Williams, who has become quite the bear lately, was vacationing in Mexico when he noticed some paparazzi nearby. He then proceeded to put on a sex show for them. Unfortunately, his guy friend wasn't involved. Photos AFTER THE JUMP, if you're into that sort of thing...

(source)

Sphere: Related Content

Lawrence Webb is Virginia’s first openly Gay Black Elected Official

The Victory Fund reports: "Last night, while most political onlookers were watching the race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in Indiana and North Carolina, a Virginia resident quietly made history as he became the state’s first openly LGBT African-American elected to public office. In his first bid for elected office, Lawrence Webb won a seat on the Falls Church City Council by a margin of 39 votes. He joins two other candidates on the City Council: Nader Baroukh and Robin S. Gardner."

Said Webb: “I am grateful that the citizens of Falls Church have entrusted me with the responsibility to help guide the direction of our city’s future, and I thank them. I look forward to working with Council to make Falls Church an even better city than it is now. I also hope my election opens the door for others to get involved in public service. It doesn’t matter if you’re gay or black or both. What matters is your dedication to building a better community, and your willingness to work hard at it. I’m glad the people of Falls Church agree. I also want to thank the Victory Fund and its staff and donors. They were dedicated to this campaign from the beginning, and they worked very hard to help us win.”

Sphere: Related Content