News: Peter Cook, Bermuda, James Dobson, Iran, IBM, San Diego

Truth Wins Out launches effort to block Focus on the Family founder James Dobson's induction into the Radio Hall of Fame. Wayne Besen: "It is outrageous and insulting that James Dobson would be nominated for the Radio Hall of Fame. We believe that character counts and nominees should have careers based on honesty and integrity - not discrimination, distorting research and outright lying."

Iran state media Photoshops missile test image to make it seem more impressive.

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court rules benefits to gay couples following the 2004 marriage decision can't be applied retroactively.

Spotlight on Jennifer Hudson's album cover.

Following GLAAD's lead in April, Californians Against Hate launches boycott of San Diego's Manchester Grand Hyatt.

Divorce drama: beefcake GQ cover of Christie Brinkley's husband Peter Cook unearthed from 1981.

California's Kern County rebuffs conservative group, refuses to ban same-sex marriages: " The Campaign for Children and Families hoped the passage of a gay marriage ban in Kern County would embolden other counties to follow suit. But supervisors declined to act on the measure after Bernard Barmann, the county's lawyer, said it would be illegal for the county to adopt its own same-sex marriage ban. The Kern County clerk's office stopped offering all marriage ceremonies on June 15, the day before gay marriage became legal."

What's inside "Just for Men" hair color?

Bermuda man who attacked gay man with a machete gets seven years in prison: "Cooper, 26 – older brother of the murdered Cooper twins – had a history of violent crime and homophobia before he launched the attack on Shawn Nusum, 25, in the early hours of November 15 last year. His Supreme Court trial heard how he had taunted Mr. Nusum, of St. David's on previous occasions over his sexuality, calling him a 'faggot' and similar names. On the night in question, the pair got into a dispute in Club Ovation, Water Street, St. George's, when Cooper taunted Mr. Nusum once again. He later lay in wait for Mr. Nusum, and as he left the premises he hit him about the face with a machete. The victim suffered a fractured nose, jaw and cheekbone. A cut to his left eyebrow has left him unable to raise it, and he will be permanently scarred."

T.R. Knight and Mark Cornelsen take the kids out for a ride.

Michael Jackson arrives in Vegas wearing pyjamas, a dreadlocked wig, a surgeon’s mask, a baseball cap and sunglasses.

A Guide to the Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian Film Festival which kicks off tonight.

Michelle Williams planning Heath Ledger film: "The actress - who was left devastated when her former fiance was found dead in his apartment after an accidental drug overdose in January - wants the actor's friends and co-stars to share their stories on him so little Matilda can see her father through their eyes."

Former gay porn model "Lamar" killed in head-on collision following Chicago's black gay pride celebration.

Lesbian adopted by lover into IBM family fights for share of fortune: "Patricia Spado was adopted by Olive Watson, the daughter of Thomas Watson Jr, in 1991 when the pair were both in their 40s and at a time when gay couples were not allowed civil partnerships. They lived together for 14 years but, a year after the adoption, their relationship ended. Miss Spado, now 60, claims the purpose of the adoption was to allow her to qualify as an heir to Miss Watson's inheritance."

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News: Burger King, Alek, Keshishian, Rugby, Cuba, Kevin Spacey

Cuba to offer free gender reassignment surgery under national healthcare plan: "Cuban doctors are currently training with Belgian surgeons, said Mariela Castro, daughter of President Raul Castro and director of CENESEX, Cuba's sex education center, who also said that 28 people are seeking the procedure, last performed in 1988 to massive public protest."

Dublin bookies taking bets on Bingham Cup gay rugby tournament.

Robert Downey, Jr.: Burger King saved my life.

World Health Organization says threat of global heterosexual AIDS pandemic over: "Dr De Cock, an epidemiologist who has spent much of his career leading the battle against the disease, said understanding of the threat posed by the virus had changed. Whereas once it was seen as a risk to populations everywhere, it was now recognised that, outside sub-Saharan Africa, it was confined to high-risk groups including men who have sex with men, injecting drug users, and sex workers and their clients."

Gerard Butler to star in stage sequel to Phantom of the Opera?

New Philadelphia police commissioner Charles H. Ramsey implementing policies to make officers, community, feel safer: "My goal is to create an environment where officers don't feel intimidated in any way. If they want to acknowledge [their sexuality], they should feel comfortable doing it." Also, "[LGBT people] don't have faith that the police will do something (if a hate crime is reported). We want to make sure they feel comfortable telling us about any issue that needs to be addressed...We need to be very sensitive to that."

Olivia Newton-John headlines Gay Pride in Los Angeles.

New Provincetown police chief walks daily Commercial street beat: "We’re going to take an aggressive approach, and hate crimes will not be tolerated on any level...Certainly [I haven’t worked in such a heavily gay community] to the extent that I have here in Provincetown, but I’m not shy about it. I feel we need to provide a safe haven, a safe environment. I know there have been a few incidents over the years that have given the community of Provincetown a black eye. I don’t want to see that continue. ... We’re going to take an aggressive approach, and hate crimes will not be tolerated on any level. But I do try to put a positive spin on things, and a lot of good things have happened as well."

Shots ring out in Montreal's gay village. Four arrested.

250 same-sex couples signed up so far to marry in San Diego County in June: "The most popular location is the County Administration Center in downtown San Diego. There are 186 wedding appointments at the center so far. Clerk Greg Smith is shifting employees around to meet the demand and said he will be able to handle about 300 weddings a day."

Filmmaker Alek Keshishian on board for sequel to 1991's Madonna documentary Truth or Dare: "And the film will act as a reunion for Madonna - she has reportedly signed up most of the original production team for the new venture. Keshishian is set to film the superstar over three weeks as she goes about her day-to-day life in London, according Britain's The London Paper. A source tells the publication, 'It's like an In Bed With Madonna but made for today. She leads an amazing, high-paced life now and Alex thought the time was right to do another documentary of her life and career.' The original documentary followed the star as she embarked on her hit 1990 Blonde Ambition tour, and proved a hit with fans, grossing £29 million (£14.5 million) at the global box office."

Heatherette to design costumes for "Sticky and Sweet" tour?

Dina Matos McGreevey jealous that her daughter is enjoying the good life?

Kevin Spacey refuses to travel light: "He's got bodyguards, several publicists, a makeup artist, a personal hairdresser, someone who's styling him. There are so many people, it's ridiculous."

Binghamton, New York mayor raises gay flag for first time.

Melbourne gay rights activist and author Dennis Altman becomes Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Queen's Birthday honours list.

Genre editor Neal Boulton takes on homophobic bully: ""I was at my bar American Trash last night and Neal Boulton was there. One of the usual meatheads got wasted and picked a fight with a guy he thought was a fag. He called him a fag. and some guy who we figured out later was Neil stepped in and gave the guy who called the gay guy a fag a major pounding out on the sidewalk. Boulton got hit pretty hard but slugged back big time. It was nothing till we realized who was fighting who and that Neal is gay and all. Dude had balls."t

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Bigot Boy Scouts Sue Philadelphia Over Rent Increase

You may remember back in December I posted that the Boy Scouts would be evicted on June 1st from the Philadelphia building they've been renting for $1 a year since 1928 because the city is forcing them to abide by its non-discrimination policies and the Boy Scouts continue to refuse to open up their membership to gays.

Well, the Scouts aren't having it and they've filed a lawsuit against the city to avoid paying the $200,000-a-year rent the city will soon begin charging them to occupy the landmark property:

"The federal suit filed Friday accuses the city of censorship for targeting the Scouts but maintaining free or nominal leases with other groups that limit membership, such as Baptist and Roman Catholic church groups and The Colonial Dames of America. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2000 that the Boy Scouts, as a private group, have a First Amendment right to bar gays. But the policy has had consequences, with municipalities, charities and donors withholding support. 'We will not allow discrimination in providing services on city property,' Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter said Tuesday. A 1982 city ordinance bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and other grounds. 'We're not punishing them for not admitting homosexuals,' City Solicitor Shelley Smith said. 'But they can't get free rent and violate our policy.' Smith said the city was unaware of any discrimination by other groups with city-subsidized space, but that it would investigate any complaints."

Previously
Philadelphia Boy Scouts Evicted Over Anti-Gay Bigotry [tr]

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News: Jim Neal, Ronaldo, Gay Sauna, Smiley Face, Charlie Crist

AFA asks followers to bombard Procter & Gamble with complaints over Luke and Noah's kiss.

Brazilian footballer Ronaldo caught up in tranny hooker extortion plot: "He told police he knew they were hookers, but didn't know they were dudes. He took the three trannies to a motel where he discovered the truth. He offered them around $600 each to leave. Two of the trannies accepted, but the other tranny, Andre Luis Ribeiro Albertino (above), demanded $30,000 or else."

Out has an exclusive excerpt from John Barrowman's new autobiography, Anything Goes.

Hillary Clinton supporter set up Reverend Jeremiah Wright appearance at National Press Club.

HRC refusing to support gay candidate Jim Neal in North Carolina...

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter appoints liaison to LGBT community. Mayor: "For the first time, the LGBT liaison will actually be operating out of the mayor's office, working across city government to advocate for the needs of Philadelphia's LGBT community."

Australian forum hears calls for gay-friendlier nursing homes.

Male autograph seekers mob Lance Bass outside Villa nightclub.

Police raid gay sauna in Israel: "The association's chairman, Mike Hammel, said that 'the sauna is a meeting place for men looking to meet men.' Hammel received many complaints from the sauna's visitors accusing him of slander. The sauna is viewed as a recreational place for gays around the world. In Tel-Aviv, for instance, there are three running saunas. A. established the sauna in Haifa a few months ago, investing large sums of money, and has run it ever since. This is the only place in the north serving as a meeting place for the gay community. 'Saying that this place provides prostitution services, is simply ignorance and stupidity', he said to Ynet. 'Only in Haifa can they come to a place for gays, remove people as if they were a herd of animals, and simply place them under investigation for prostitution.'"

Smiley Face: Investigators discover common link between 40 murder cases of young men across the country. "Gannon and Duarte have done something that no other law enforcement agency has ever done in this case -- they looked at the big picture and visited each site where the young men disappeared. While most local investigations focused on where a body was recovered, Gannon and Duarte tried to figure out where the body went into the river. City after city, when they'd find the spot where the body went in, they would find something else: The symbol of a smiley face."

Cher reminisces about affair with Tom Cruise: "It could have been a great big romance because I was crazy for him."

Lipstick Jungle's Robert Buckley doing what he does best.

Military responds to disgusting video of conditions at Fort Bragg: " Frawley's 10-minute video shows still photos from throughout the building, which appears to be falling apart and filled with mold and rust. Paint -- which Frawley said is lead-based -- is chipping. Ceiling tiles are missing. A broken drain pipe allows sewer gas into the building, while another one has tissues stuffed into it in an apparent effort to stop the gas from coming in. Photos from the communal bathroom show some of the most disgusting images. In one, a soldier stands in a sink to avoid what Frawley describes as 3 inches of sewage water that filled the floor when toilets overflowed."

Letter from Bible beater to underwear company condemns "evil, immoral clothing that will keep souls out of the holy, heavenly kingdom."

Who knew? Florida Governor Charlie Crist has a wife (or at least some want him to be seen that way).

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Chelsea Clinton's Ass Grabbed in Philadelphia Gay Bar Crawl

Chelsea Clinton extended her tour of gay America over the weekend, stopping in at four bars in Philadelphia's Center City neighborhood, where her rear end discovered that the City of Brotherly Love was the city of Sisterly Love as well:

"Led around the neighborhood by Gov. Ed Rendell, Chelsea was mobbed by local gays and lesbians, as she walked from one club to the next. They ran up to hug her, posed for pictures and certainly invaded her personal space. 'I grabbed her ass,' one young woman exclaimed to her friends after snapping a picture with her arm around the former first daughter. 'Chelsea, the gays love you!' one fan exclaimed, as she took the microphone at Bump, a restaurant and bar that was her first stop. 'Oh, gosh, I don’t know if everybody loves me,' she responded. Most of those at the bar seemed to, squeezing past one another in the cramped space to get a photo. Even some patrons, donning Obama stickers -- a rally for the Illinois senator had taken place a few blocks away earlier in the evening -- tried to get a snapshot as well. In all, she visited four bars in Center City, concluding her tour at Woody’s, the city’s most famous gay bar. Getting from one event to another proved difficult at times, as she was constantly stopped by admirers while walking down the sidewalk."

Clinton was joined by director Rob Reiner and actor Robert Gant.

Said Rendell of their final stop at Woody's: "This is where the voters are...We'll see 1,500 people tonight easily and they're all voters. These are important voters, they're smart, they're sophisticated and they turn out in large numbers and always have."

CHELSEA STOPS TRAFFIC ON GAY BAR CRAWL [msnbc first read]
Chelsea Clinton hits the gay bars in Philadelphia [penn live]

Previously
Chelsea Clinton Hobnobs with the Muscle Marys [tr]

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Barack Obama Gets Blank Space Punishment from Philly Gay News

Fed up with the fact that Obama has not done an interview with local gay press in 1,522 days, the Philadelphia Gay News, which yesterday published a long interview with Hillary Clinton, made their point with a big white space in the paper today.

They even let a typo in his name go uncorrected.

The paper's publisher Mark Segal spoke to the Philadelphia Inquirer: "We had great success with the Clinton campaign. They were very open to us and inviting from day one. The surprise to us was the Obama campaign. When we realized we weren’t getting very far with them, we decided to enlist other people — who are supporting Senator Obama — to assist us. These people happen to be some of his superdelegates and his strongest political supporter in the state: [U.S. Senator] Robert Casey and congressman Pat Murphy. All of whom advised him this was an interview he should do. We were told there had been scheduling problems. We’ve been told this now for weeks."

UPDATE: Segal neglected to disclose that he donated $1,000 to the Clinton campaign back in 2007.

Segal: Obama Hasn’t Spoken to Gay Press Since 2004 [the daily examiner]

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Hillary Clinton Speaks with Philadelphia Gay News

The Philadelphia Gay News today published a wide-ranging interview with Senator Hillary Clinton which touched upon gay marriage, immigration law, tax code issues for civil unions, human rights abroad, gays in the military, and LGBT youth. Here are a few excerpts:

On immigration law for LGBT citizens: "I am going to do everything I can to eliminate any disparities in any benefits or rights under our law at the federal level so that all people will have available to them every right as an American citizen that they should, and that would include immigration law."

On signing an executive order to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell": "I don’t know what the legal framework would be because you remember that, in the face of what Bill [Clinton] was trying to do in ’93, the act, by veto, proved majorities made prohibitions on doing that. So whether the president has authority to do it by executive order or not, I’m not sure. But I have been committed for more than nine years to eliminating “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

On foreign human rights abuses: "There are a number of gross human-rights abuses that countries engage in with whom we have relations and we have to be really vigilant and outspoken in our total repudiation of those kinds of actions and do everything we can, including using our leverage on matters such as aid, to change the behavior so we can try to prevent such atrocities from happening."

Last week, the Philadelphia Inquirer published a story on the gay "voting force" in that city, noting that gays constitute 5 percent of voters there: "'It's important for the coalition of people supporting [Obama] to be representative of America, and that proudly includes gays and lesbians,' says Tobias Wolff, 38, chair of Obama's national gay policy committee and a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania. The gay vote is equally significant to the Clinton campaign. 'That's why we've been doing such a proactive outreach to the community,' says Jin Chon, 30, a Clinton press secretary who focuses on gay issues. 'She knows this is a very close election. Every vote matters.'"

Read the full PGN interview here.

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Philadelphia Launches Tourism Campaign Featuring its Gay Citizens

Philadelphia is featuring its locals in a series of travel ads to be launched this week hoping to attract LGBT tourism. The "We Your People" campaign will target local newspapers in Chicago, Ft. Lauderdale, Pittsburgh and Columbus to be followed with national gay magazines and promotions by Southwest Airlines and The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation

Pictured in the first ad (above) is Matthew Izzo, owner of Matthew Izzo Boutiques. Other Philly locals to be featured are Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran, owners of Lolita, Bindi, Grocery and Open House; Stephen Carlino and Dennis Fee, owners, Tavern on Camac; Charlie Potje, owner, Charlie Salon; Mark Segal, journalist/publisher/gay pioneer, Philadelphia Gay News; Tami Sortman, president, Philadelphia Gay Tourism; Anh Dang, president, Philadelphia GLBT Swim Club; RJ Thornburg and Warren Muller, owners, bahdeebahdu gallery; Michael Sparano and Rocco Giancaterino, owners, Salon Royale Court.

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Man Beaten in Racist, Anti-Gay Attack Near Philadelphia

Two men, Craig Lander and Jonathan Senwick, charged with attacking a man outside a 7/11 in Phoenixville, northwest of Philadelphia, are currently free on bail, NBC10 reports.

The man, identified only by "Tim" says he was attacked because he is black and gay.

Tim stepped out of his car to ask one of the men why he had thrown a snowball at his friend Kelly as she was entering the 7/11. Tim said that the men then began using racist and gay slurs before assaulting him repeatedly. Police pulled up during the assault, chased down the suspects, and found "a bloody pair of brass knuckles" in his pocket, according to police.

The attackers have been charged with assault, terroristic threats, and ethnic intimidation, according to NBC10 Philadelphia. Lander claims he has been "misidentified" according to the news station. Lander's victims say otherwise.

Man Claims Being Black, Gay Led To Attack [nbc10]

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Philadelphia Boy Scouts Evicted Over Anti-Gay Bigotry

On Monday, I mentioned that The Cradle of Liberty Council, the Boy Scouts chapter in Philadelphia, was facing eviction from the building they have leased for nearly 80 years if they failed to meet a deadline to change its policies to meet nondiscriminatory language in its lease determined by the city's anti-discrimination ordinance. They failed to meet the deadline and will be evicted on June 1st. What a way to start Gay Pride month.

The Scouts have been leasing the building for $1 a year since 1928.

The New York Times reports: "Municipal officials said the clash stemmed from a duty to defend civil rights and an obligation to abide by a local law that bars taxpayer support for any group that discriminates. Boy Scout officials said it was about preserving their culture, protecting the right of private organizations to remain exclusive and defending traditions like requiring members to swear an oath of duty to God and prohibiting membership by anyone who is openly homosexual. This week the Boy Scouts made their last stand and lost. 'At the end of the day, you can not be in a city-owned facility being subsidized by the taxpayers and not have language in your lease that talks about nondiscrimination,' said City Councilman Darrell L. Clarke, who represents the district where the building is located. 'Negotiations are over.'"

Perhaps the city can fill the Beaux Arts building with a museum of tolerance.

Boy Scouts Lose Philadelphia Lease in Gay-Rights Fight [nyt]

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News: China Moon, Kevin Rudd, Spice Girls, Kentucky, Truman Capote

Philadelphia Boy Scouts facing eviction for their anti-gay bigotry: "The Cradle of Liberty Council—Philadelphia's Boy Scout chapter—has been housed in an historic building in downtown Philly for almost 80 years, paying almost nothing for the prime piece of proprety under the terms of a 100-year sweetheart lease it inked with the city in 1928. But that lease is set to expire, and city officials say the taxpayer's shouldn't be footing the Scouts rent bill because of it's national policy banning openly gay members and leaders. The Scouts must either pony up the fair market rent for the space—about $200,000 a year—or find a new home."

Back to 1996: Spice Girls kick off world tour in Vancouver, with real live vocals! "There is a click track for the band to keep them in time, which is standard, but all of the girls' vocals were live."

British Panto theatre comes out of the closet: "Panto has cross-dressing, innuendo and glitter, so maybe we've reached the point where we've stopped pretending that it's just camp and really it's as gay as you like. It's built into the form."

The NYT takes a look at the difficulties of being gay in Newark, New Jersey: "Sharrieff Baker and his partner, Edwin Rosario, who own a house in the North Ward, said they had a very different experience when one of their tenants found out they were a couple. Last month, they said, the tenant tore up a shared bathroom, called them 'faggots' and threatened to blow up their house. When they called 911, they said, Vincent Cordi, the responding police officer, appeared unconcerned and agreed only reluctantly to take their complaint. Back at the station house, they said, Officer Cordi sniggered with co-workers as he typed up the paperwork, at one point blurting out, 'How do you spell 'faggot'?'"

Truman Capote, New Orleans, 1946: First chapter of new book Portraits and Observations: The Essays of Truman Capote (Review)

Beckham makes the sponsorship switch: Emporio Armani undies spotted in New Zealand

Homophobic, racist flyers found on Canada's University of Windsor campus.

A look back at Saturday Night Fever on its 30th anniversary: "Lapels aside, the film seems strangely prescient -- a road map to the income inequality, the ethnic and racial politics, and the lure of celebrity that we see today. Culturally speaking, the '70s are back. As we grapple with soaring gasoline prices, tune in to 'Dancing With the Stars' and work through a new kind of national malaise, we would do well to heed the cautionary lessons of the young man in polyester."

Gay census study sees closets emptying in Kentucky.

Watchdogs question authenticity of Chinese Moon photo, say it may be plagiarized from NASA. China denies.

Australia's new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd makes his first act ratifying the Kyoto Treaty: "Australia's new stance on Kyoto will isolate the US as the only developed nation not to have ratified the treaty. Mr Rudd is due to attend the UN climate change conference in Bali next week with four of his ministers. When they heard of Mr Rudd's decision, delegates at the conference erupted in applause. Mr Rudd's appointment as prime minister ends more than 11 years of conservative government under his predecessor John Howard. As well as signing up to the Kyoto Protocol, the new government is committed to withdrawing Australia's combat troops from Iraq."

Brokeback Mountain costume designer Marit Allen dies of brain aneurysm at 66.

Mitt Romney to deliver major speech on Mormonism. AmericaBlog calls him out: "You can't give a speech about being an oppressed religious minority in America only 5 days after you oppress another religious minority in America. Romney can't tell us that the religion of his cabinet is relevant but the religion of the cabinet's president isn't. It just doesn't work that way. Either a candidate for high office's religion is relevant or its not. This week Romney is going to tell us that it's not, though I suspect he's also going to try to con everyone into thinking that Mormonism IS Christianity, so at the same time he's telling us to ignore his religion he's going to be telling us that he's a bigger Christian than we are and that that is the reason we should vote for him. In other words, Romney is going to try to have it both ways this week, lying all the way. So what else is new?"

Pam Spaulding posts a wrap-up of the 2007 International Gay & Lesbian Leadership Conference and a new interview with Representative Tammy Baldwin.

Fixer-upper: Richard Neutra house goes on market in Santa Monica.

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News: Michael Bublé, iPod, Domenico Nesci, Jack Mackenroth

NYDN Widdicombe: Calvin Klein gets it in the rear from Donna Karan.

Tila Tequila contestant "Italian stallion" Domenico Nesci to get his own show. But first, he might want to wash the soap out from under his arms. Of course we could do it for him.

Girls Gone Wild creator Joe Francis claims abuse in jail: "His attorneys allege on the day he was supposed to be transported to Reno, Grady County guards made him dispose of his commissary — food, clothing and hygiene products — as well as his bedding and blankets for the move. 'While waiting in line to be transported to a bus, one of the guards instructed him to step out of the line. He was told that he would be ‘going nowhere' and ordered back to his cell. Francis had already given his entire commissary away and had no bedding or blankets. The commissary could not be replaced for days,' his attorneys wrote in one legal filing. 'Mr. Francis again and again begged for a blanket,' they wrote in another legal filing. 'It was then that guards threatened to strip him and strap him naked to a chair, with only a hole for defecation, for 48 hours. Grady County jail officials were enjoying torturing Mr. Francis so much that, at one point, they even refused to turn him over to the U.S. Marshal.' The sheriff laughed at the accusations."

Philadelphia Mayor John Street presided over the same-sex commitment ceremony of Ryan Bunch and Michah Mahjoubian as anti-gay protestors waited outside City Hall. Mahjoubian: "As head of the city of Philadelphia, he lends legitimacy to what we've done today and that was important for us to do that in front of our friends and family." Our previous report here.

Apple's iPod acts propelling previously unknown musical acts to stardom.

Documenting the Project Runway attack of Carrie Bradshaw.

Christian bookstores ban new Bible study guide that challenges anti-gay New Testament translations.

Chubb joins major companies Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., Merck & Co., Ernst & Young LLP, and Toronto-Dominion Bank in offering on-the-job workplace-discrimination training to their employees: "Other employers include sexual-orientation issues in general training on inclusiveness, Mr. Peoples says. All told, 41% of 255 big companies surveyed by the Human Rights Campaign, a nonprofit advocacy group for gays in the workplace, offer some kind of training that touches on sexual orientation."

No, that wasn't the F-word you heard in the movie Enchanted, although it might as well be.

Seattle's Lifelong AIDS Alliance free condom illustration sending the wrong message: "An image of condom packet walking hand-in-hand with a rock of crystal will not reach men that are currently using crystal—most of whom abuse crystal meth to annihilate their inhibitions and engage in casual unprotected anal sex—while communicating to men that aren’t using crystal that they can 'safely' use the drug and 'FUCK without fear.'"

Follow the link for, I guess what you would call, a Bublé butt.

British Cabinet split over proposed hate incitement laws: "...despite strong backing from bodies such as Stonewall, the campaigning group for gay rights, the proposals have caused controversy and been condemned as a threat to freedom of speech, including from some prominent homosexuals."

Female medical assistant suing doctors group on Long Island after she allegedly refused to cover for a physician she says had sex with a younger male patient in an examination room: " Grundfast, an orthopedic specialist, 'told me he had a sexual affair' with the man, sometimes having sex in the examination room, sometimes elsewhere, Lloyd said. The doctor 'told me he bought a wig and lingerie, so [the patient] could envision he was a girl' when they had sex, she said."

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Philadelphia Mayor Street to Officiate at Gay Commitment Ceremony

This Saturday, Philadelphia Mayor John Street will officiate at a commitment ceremony for his deputy secretary of external affairs, Micah Mahjoubian (below, left), and Mahjoubian's partner John Bunch.

The ceremony is making headlines because Street was "once regarded as Public Enemy No. 1 of the gay community" according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The paper reports: "With 125 guests expected, it will resemble in every way a traditional wedding but will have no legal standing, since Pennsylvania prohibits gay marriage. Mahjoubian, 33, and Ryan Bunch, 32, will wear matching black tuxedos with orange vests. There will be a 10-person wedding party; each groom's best man happens to be a woman. Mahjoubian and Bunch will say their vows, exchange wedding rings, then leave for a reception at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology...For Mahjoubian and Bunch, it's as much a political statement as a show of their love before family and friends. For Street, who has performed fewer than 10 weddings as mayor, it's anything but. 'Micah is my friend. He has been in my campaign and has been in my administration for eight years,' Street said. Currently, Mahjoubian is his deputy secretary of external affairs. 'I've come to respect him as a person, and if this is something he would like for me to do, then I'd like to do it for him.'"

Still, while Street's presence certainly makes a statement and his evolution on gay and lesbian issues during his term is praised by many, according to the Inquirer, the Mayor still wanted to make very clear during an interview what the ceremony isn't:

"It's not marriage. It's not real marriage. They can't be married...It's not a religious ceremony. I mean, it's not really marriage."

And that's a statement of assurance from the Seventh-Day Adventist, not of regret.

Street's Gay About Face [philadelphia inquirer]

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Gay Philadelphia Couple Allege Neighbors are Guilty of Hate Crimes

A gay Philadelphia couple tells local station WCAU that they hope their complaints are finally being heard after years of abuse by vandals they believe are their neighbors. Javel Saudades and Daniel Hallacy live on the Philadelphia neighborhood of Kensington.

Said Javel Saudades: "They left [a phallic-shaped steel rod] on our doorstep. [It means] we'll stick it up to you. You better leave or we're going to stick it to you. They put 'gay faggot (expletive)' on the window. I'm embarrassed, I am stressed, depressed and afraid."

The abuse has reportedly been ongoing for three years but the couple finally believes they are making headway with the police.

Said Philly police Lt. Frank Vanore to WCAU:, "We'd like to make an arrest. If we find out who committed those crimes, believe me, they'll pay for what they've done. The problems with the particular neighbors is there's no evidence these neighbors perpetrated any of these crimes."

Said Hallacy: ""All we'd like is to live peacefully and to have a decent clean neighborhood...I didn't know that I was going to be a pioneer, you know, on a frontier of homophobia in this neighborhood in 2007 in Philadelphia. I think it's absurd."

Gay Couple Says They've Been Targeted By Hate [wcau philadelphia]

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Openly Gay Judge Takes Oath in Philadelphia

The Philadelphia judicial system will unofficially celebrate National Coming Out Day today when Daniel Anders takes the oath of office at City Hall, becoming the city's first openly gay male judge.

Anders, who will be the youngest of 93 judges in Common Pleas, told the Philadelphia Inquirer: "Though lots of people know I'm gay, the coming-out process really doesn't end. It's important to be who you are and to be happy with yourself. Many other courageous people came out before me. Being gay doesn't define who I am or impact my job in any tangible way, but maybe I can be a role model for some gay kid or inspire someone to get involved in politics. I view being a judge as a career move. I think the bench benefits from having judges there for 20, 30, 40 years. I'd like to stay for as long as people will elect me."

Anders decision to take the bench was not without sacrifice: "In his world, public service trumps money. He donates so many of his services to the gay community that he jokingly refers to it as 'pro homo pro bono.' Jeff Guaracino of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corp. says Anders 'could have made a fortune as a partner, but he chose to ensure justice for the gay community.' In hard dollars, Anders took a $100,000 pay cut from his former salary. Given that he was on track to make partner next month, the difference would have been exponentially larger."

First openly gay male judge in Phila. to take oath today [philadelphia inquirer]

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Rainbow Sign: Philadelphia's Gays Mark Their Territory

Two years of planning by the Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus with support from the City of Philadelphia, Washington Square Civic Association, and Philadelphia City Councilman Frank DiCicco came to a head yesterday as Philly marked its gay neighborhood, now designated the "gayborhood", with 36 rainbow street signs, installed from Chestnut to Pine Streets between 11th and Broad Streets.

Said DiCicco: "This sends a message to the region, country and world that Philadelphia is very diverse. This is a tribute to gay people and people who aren't that they have a willingness to live and work together."

According to the Philadelphia Daily News, "The Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus estimates that the travel market for gay and lesbians is a staggering $54 billion. And Philadelphia, organizers say, should see a healthy share of that money, given the gay-friendly clubs, restaurants and other establishments dotting the newly designated district. The more immediate impact, however, is this district serving as a sensitive bastion for gays and lesbians."

In a press release regarding the unveiling yesterday at 13th and Locust Streets, organizers made it clear that this was to be the city's gayest ceremony of the year: "After a short program, the Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus will sing 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' while confetti cannons shoot rainbow colors into the air."

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Exclusive: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders' Flaunts the Go-Go Boys

Shawn from Upstairs at Risque, Philadelphia.

In his intimate portrait style, photographer Timothy Greenfield-Sanders has photographed Spring 2007 fashions on go-go boys from bars and clubs in Manhattan, New Jersey, and Philadelphia for the upcoming issue of Flaunt magazine. Thirteen go-go boys were photographed in Timothy's East Village studio over the course of 6 hours in one day.

Adonis from Club Abyss, New Jersey. Francisco from The 20 Club, NYC.
Timothy Greenfield-Sanders for Flaunt.

Greenfield-Sanders and his producer Chad Thompson, who cast the project, have allowed me to share the two images above from Flaunt with Towleroad, as well as the EXCLUSIVE outtake which began this post, and the following images which you can only find here. Click photos to enlarge. No republishing without the photographer's permission - thank you.

Said Greenfield-Sanders: "When Flaunt asked me to photograph go-go boys (or male exotic dancers as some prefer) wearing spring fashions, I wasn’t sure it was for me. I had already photographed America’s top porn stars for my book XXX: 30 Porn-Start Portraits and in a separate effort, the fashion world elite for Look: Portraits Backstage at Olympus Fashion Week. Would shooting go-go boys in designer clothes really be worthwhile? But, the guys I photographed for this feature surprised me. Most dance for men. A few only perform for women. They all have their own stories. They are famous - but their fame exists in smaller circles outside the mainstream. Just like those who have achieved widespread notoriety, these young men are passionate, determined, narcissistic and intelligent in their own way. In the end, the go-go dancers proved to be fantastic models. I hope you find their portraits on these pages intriguing."

James from Splash, NYC.

Said Thompson: "Originally, the shoot was to feature NYC's top fashion industry executives photographed in Spring 2007 fashions. But because of scheduling difficulties, Flaunt suggested go-go boys instead."

Angelo from Upstairs at Risque, Philadelphia; Brandon from Mr. Black, NYC, Chase from Bank, NYC.

Here's a behind-the-scenes video from the shoot.

As Greenfield-Sanders noted, 'Fashions on go-go boys' is a marriage of Timothy's two most recent projects, which are XXX: 30 Porn-Start Portraits - a book, HBO documentary and traveling exhibition of portraits of the adult film industry's top porn stars, and Look: Portraits Backstage at Olympus Fashion Week - a book documenting the designers, models, editors, celebrities and other fashion insiders who attend NY Fashion Week. Both are highly recommended.

Cody from The 20 Club, NYC.

Thanks so much to Timothy Greenfield-Sanders and Chad Thompson for giving Towleroad readers a look at this latest project!

CREDITS:
Photographer - Timothy Greenfield-Sanders (website)
Casting - Chad Thompson
Magazine - Flaunt
Fashion - Long Nguyen (Style Director, Flaunt) + Marcus Steptoe (Associate
Fashion Director, Flaunt)
No reprint without permission - thanks...

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News: Prince Harry, Gay-straight Alliances, Scott Speedman

Brokeback begone: Bill introduced in Wyoming that would invalidate same-sex marriages performed in other states.

Scott Speedman tugs the heartstrings at Sundance.

Politics played a role in the government's response to Hurrricane Katrina, according to former FEMA head Michael Brown: "Political storm clouds gathered again over the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina as former Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown said party politics influenced decisions on whether to take federal control of Louisiana and other areas affected by the hurricane. Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco said the partisanship Brown described was "disgusting," while a White House spokeswoman said Brown was making "false statements." Brown told a group of graduate students Friday that some in the White House had suggested the federal government should take charge in Louisiana because Blanco was a Democrat, while leaving Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, a Republican, in control in his state." (via crooks & liars)

A great story from the Miami Herald about the importance of gay-straight alliances in high schools: "Just knowing that there are other kids like me, or who care about the same issue that I do, it makes me feel great. Less alone. That life is not hopeless."

Prince Harry angers his training squad by skipping a 100-minute march for a night of partying at the Cuckoo Club.

Tony Blair backs his Communities secretary Ruth Kelly as she attempts to find a loophole in new gay rights laws that would allow Catholic adoption agencies to turn away gay couples: "A spokeswoman for Ms Kelly, who has overall responsibility for equality, said the minister wanted to "protect the pool of prospective parents" and would be trying to find a "pragmatic way forward" this week. The Catholic church has threatened to close its seven adoption agencies rather than comply with laws that forbid them to discriminate against gay couples."

REPORT: FOX has approached the Beckhams to do an Osbornes-style reality show.

Federal judge rules that city of Philadelphia had the right to arrest members of Repent America at that city's PrideFest in 2004 after the group used a bullhorn to spew Biblical verse during stage event. Judge: "There is no constitutional right to drown out the speech of another person."

Vice President Dick Cheney rejected a conciliatory offer to go into talks with Iran in the spring of 2003.

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Soulforce Sit-ins Underway at Military Offices

Their most recent high-profile protests have included a high-profile bus ride to object to religious universities and military academies with anti-gay policies as well as a march to the Focus on the Family headquarters in Colorado Springs, but today members of Soulforce have planted themselves firmly at military recruiting centers across the country. And they aren't moving.

Over a dozen people, including Soulforce member Jacob Reitan (far right), are currently seated inside a recruiting office at the Army National Guard in Roseville, Minnesota. Andy at Eleventh Avenue South sat in with group, which plans to stay until they are forcibly removed, probably around 6pm this evening. He reports that the protest thus far has been jovial and upbeat: "The military recruiters at the center were incredibly gracious and treated us all like guests. It was clear that many staff there held negative views of DADT, and would rather see LGBT people openly serve, even if that was never the official statement from anyone. They set up tents, and made everyone as comfortable as possible."

The mood was a bit less convivial in center city Philadelphia, where five young people were arrested for blocking the sidewalk in front of an Army recruiting station. Twenty others stood silently in front of the building with black tape over their mouths, according to KYW Newsradio. Among the group was Jarret Lucas, who said that anti-gay discrimination is just the latest form of intolerance that the United States must address: "This country has a legacy of tragic experiences such as slavery and segregation. This is another form of discrimination that needs to be addressed by the American public."

Today's events are the kick-off to at least 30 similar sit-ins across the nation.

UPDATE: Four people have been arrested at the Roseville, Minnesota sit-in.

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Protest in Roseville [eleventh avenue south]
Center City 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Protest Leads to 5 Arrests [kyw]

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