News: AIDS Vaccine, Beijing, Albino Eagle, El Paso, Newlywed Game

Obama will not speak at the Brandenburg Gate, according to Bloomberg, but at the Victory Column just down the road: "A stage will be set up at the column, a 19th-century fluted structure that lies at the opposite end of a tree-lined boulevard from the Brandenburg Gate, the newspaper said. The campaign will announce the plans for July 24 today, it said. An appearance at the Victory Column, capped by its trademark gilded angel, will still give the Illinois senator the Brandenburg Gate as a backdrop in the distance."

Rare albino Golden Eagle discovered in Colorado.

Australia World youth Day pilgrims tell their gay hosts that they will "burn in hell."

K-Fed gets the kids from Britney in Cheeto divorce trial.

Rue McClanahan, Caroline Rhea, Olivia Newton-John, and Leslie Jordan get ready to make LOGO a bit more Sordid...

San Jose City College biology professor sues community college district for firing her over answering question about homosexuality and heredity: " In a lawsuit filed Wednesday in federal court in San Jose, June Sheldon alleges that college officials trampled on academic freedoms and free speech rights by firing her in February. Sheldon is backed in the case by the Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative organization that also has been heavily involved in the legal battles over gay marriage in California and elsewhere. The lawsuit seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, reinstatement to her teaching job and a court finding that Sheldon's rights were violated."

Proposed George W. Bush Sewage Plant qualifies for ballot in San Francisco.

Gay community center opens its doors in El Paso, Texas: "El Paso's new Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-Transgendered-Queer Center opened its doors to the public. The center houses non-profit organizations, counselors and even a flower shop. 'We want this place to be the hub of the gay community,' said director Charles Sloane. The facility is the crown jewel of El Paso's emerging gay community; a community that's mobilizing to have their voice heard as never before."

The Watchmen are coming (site not totally sfw).

Same-sex couples ineligible for Game Show Network's new version of The Newlywed Game.

Desperate Housewives gay couple Tuc Watkins and Kevin Rahm will be back in the upcoming flash-forward-five-years season: "...they now have a four-year-old daughter. Cherry said adding them to the show was 'just my commentary on how a gay couple moves in and nothing much happens.'"

VIDEO: A press rehearsal for the 9 to 5 Broadway musical.

Justin Timberlake kisses David Beckham's foot: "‘That's what $250million [£125m] tastes like,’ he told the audience." Maybe Becks can give him some tips on accessorizing.

Going to Beijing and want to know where to find the "gay scene"?

North Carolina anti-bullying bill killed: "The bill was controversial because it listed 'sexual orientation' and other characteristics as reasons schoolchildren might be the targets of bullying. Groups such as the Christian Action League and the N.C. Family Policy Council did not want the term in state law, saying that gay-rights groups would use it to leverage other rights."

Kenneth Cole's brief encounter.

Large U.S. HIV vaccine trial canceled: "...a top federal official said scientists realized that they did not know enough about how H.I.V. vaccines and the immune system interact. The decision is a major setback in an effort to develop an H.I.V. vaccine that began 24 years ago when government health officials promised a marketed vaccine by 1987. Health officials have long contended that such a vaccine would be their best weapon to control the AIDS pandemic."

High school dodgeball player #2 returning to Ugly Betty this season.

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News: Ugly Betty, Morehouse, Boyzone, Latvia, Sharon Stone

Meet Ohio's Sally Kern...GOP Representative Jeff Wagner: "As much as some people would have us to believe otherwise, this country was founded on Christian principles. One of those long honored principles is the tradition of holy matrimony. One man and one woman joined together in a union that goes as far back as Adam and Eve. As our society has gotten further from that standard (not just homosexuality, but easy divorce, cheating on a spouse, etc.) we see a continued collapse of the basic building block of society the family unit. As that traditional family erodes, we see more sexually transmitted diseases, kids without parents, heartbroken people and I believe a host of mental and physical illnesses..."

Ugly Betty headed to Broadway?

High-profile Canadian murderer of gay man Jeffrey Lalonde commits suicide in prison.

Batman gets a milk moustache...

Roman Catholic Cardinal Jānis Pujāts calls on Latvian government to declare gay pride marches unlawful, compares gays to drug addicts and alcoholics...

Following last week's eulogy in the NYT, New York magazine weighs in with its final words to meatpacking restaurateur Florent Morellet.

Gay couple receives $15,000 in damages from homophobic teen: "Five years ago, the 17-year-old, who can not be named because he was a juvenile at the time, threw a roll of toilet paper and a firecracker on the couple's lawn. In a related incident, the teen also threatened the couple by saying he would like to 'wreck his fist' on their faces. The boy was arrested, but police never charged him. He was instead asked to apologize to the couple and seek psychiatric help. That didn't satisfy Wouters and Thibault who felt the boy's apology was made only to keep him from being charged in criminal court. They took the case to the rights commission."

Black, all-male Morehouse College battles homophobia from within: "Brewer, 22, didn't come to Morehouse with the intent of changing it. But he found that he had no choice. He had arrived here from Oklahoma City pretty comfortable with himself: outspoken, proudly smart and, at 5 foot 9 and 300 pounds, hard to miss. Early on, he decided he wouldn't water down his gay identity. And that, historically, has been a problematic strategy at Morehouse. The 141-year-old college has played a key role in defining black manhood in America. But with a past steeped in religion, tradition and machismo, it has struggled to determine how homosexuality fits within that definition."

Texas high school criticized for putting photos of gay couples in the yearbook.

Sex and the City publicity juggernaut achieves orgasm in Manhattan.

Boyzone performs the Full Monty...

Cyndi Lauper, Charo, and the nephew of Harvey Milk to grand marshall San Francisco gay pride parade.

McCain commercial features woman wearing Barack Obama t-shirt.

Chinese not happy with Sharon Stone's statement that the earthquake was "karma": "That prompted the founder of one of China's biggest cinema chains to say his company would not show her films in his theaters, according to a story in The Hollywood Reporter...Ng See-Yuen, founder of the UME Cineplex chain and the chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers, called Stone's comments 'inappropriate,' adding that actors should not bring personal politics to comments about a natural disaster that has left five million Chinese homeless, according to the Reporter. UME has branches in Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Hangzhou and Guangzhou, China's biggest urban movie markets."

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Lesbian Methodists Hold Union Ceremony in Defiance of Church

Last week I posted about the anti-gay vote and subsequent 300-strong protest that went down at the United Methodist Church's convention in Fort Worth, Texas.

Methodist delegates voted to keep the statement that the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching, reject a measure that would have changed the church's definition of marriage to include same-sex unions, and approve a resolution opposing homophobia and discrimination against lesbians or gays.

As another act of defiance, 200 people attend the commitment ceremony of Julie Bruno, right, and her partner Sue Laurie, at a park across from the convention center where the vote was held.

The AP reports: "At the ceremony, some said that acceptance of gays in some churches encouraged them but that the denomination as a whole had a long way to go. No clergy member presided over the commitment ceremony of Julie Bruno and Sue Laurie of Chicago, a couple for 25 years, although about three dozen ministers attended...'The United Methodist Church has been and continues to be both blessing and burden to us,' said Julie Bruno, one of the women getting married. 'When the church turns her back on us, withholds blessing from us, does God withhold blessing? Does God stop loving us? We continue to be the church to and for each other. We continue to be the instruments of God's light and love.'"

Previously
300 Protestors Disrupt Methodist Convention Over Anti-gay Vote [tr]

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300 Protestors Disrupt Methodist Convention Over Anti-gay Vote

Nearly 1,000 delegates at the United Methodist Church's General Conference voted on the church's gay policies, the Star-Telegram reports, opting to both discriminate and resolve to oppose discrimination:

"While affirming the existing guidelines about sexuality, delegates also approved a resolution Wednesday opposing homophobia. Numerous delegates at the crowded session spoke into microphones placed around the convention center floor. One man from Africa said that 'we love homosexuals, but we detest what they do.' Others said condemnation of homosexual behavior conflicts with Jesus' message of love and acceptance. The church must guard against 'denying companionship and intimacy in loving relationships just because there are differences of understanding,' a Texas pastor said...One man, who said he is gay, said the church is a 'safe place. ... That should not be sacrificed.' A woman suggested that the Social Principles should be modified: 'Let's just say we are all faithful Christians and agree to disagree.'"

Here's how the vote went: "Approved, 517-416, keeping the statement that the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. Rejected, 574-298, a measure that would have changed the church's definition of marriage to include same-sex unions. Approved, 544-365, a resolution opposing homophobia and discrimination against lesbians or gays."

This morning, 300 people entered the Fort Worth convention center in a "negotiated disruption" (aka a protest) of the proceedings over yesterday's vote: "The protesters -- some wearing arm bands or buttons with 'All means all' or other slogans -- walked down the center aisle in a statement arranged with conference leaders. Protest leaders and several bishops then went to meet in a private area for conference officials called "holy conferencing." It was not known how long the meeting would be or whether those meeting would issue a statement later today. Marcher Ed Hoar, 65 and retiree from Delaware, Ohio, said he works for a suicide hotline, 'I discovered what kind of pain we cause gay people,' Hoar said. 'They’re just regular people trying to lead regular lives. ...There was an opportunity to do the right thing, but the church didn't have the courage to do it.'"

Methodist delegates vote to reject same-sex unions [star-telegram]
300 protest at Methodist conference in Fort Worth [star-telegram]

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George Michael and Kenny Goss Show Off Preserved Carcasses

While George Michael waits for Banksy to tag his English mansion, his partner Kenny Goss holds up the Texas end of the art fortune.

"Most people initially freak a little bit about Sebastian, then they stare and stare at it and they say, 'That's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," said Kenny Goss about Damien Hirst's "Saint Sebastian, Exquisite Pain" (above) which Goss and his partner George Michael purchased last summer and which is now on display in Dallas at a Hirst-curated show at the couple's gallery.

Goss and Michael are also giving back to the community: "The foundation will be awarding two $5,000 scholarships to students at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, one in Michael's name for music and one in Goss' name for art. There are also two more $5,000 scholarships offered, one for Dallas-Fort Worth area students, the other for students statewide."

Said Goss: "We want to expose the Dallas art community to work that they've quite potentially never seen if they weren't able to travel, these works that in some ways may be a little controversial for one thing, a little strong. But let's face it, art a lot of times is about sex, love, death, loss."

George Michael Brings His Art Collection to Texas [fox news]

Previously
George Michael's Wallet Feels "Exquisite Pain" with Hirst Purchase [tr]

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It's Baseball Season and Justin Timberlake is a Swinger

It took six pitches before Justin Timberlake connected with the ball, according to the Caller-Times, which was in Corpus Christi, Texas as he shot scenes for his new movie The Open Road about fictional Corpus Christi Hooks player Carlton Garrett. But Timberlake apparently prepped the crowd, telling them "Don't expect anything grand from me. This is not my stage."

One more shot, AFTER THE JUMP...

Justin Timberlake Brings Sexy to Whataburger Field [kiitv]

Previously
Madonna inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of fame [tr]
Justin Timberlake in Pornstache and Speedos for The Love Guru [tr]
Justin Timberlake Bringing Givenchy Back [tr]
Justin Timberlake Submits to Fierce Ball-Crushing for Pepsi [tr]

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News: Botox, Life Before Death, Shelter, Aladygma

An update on yesterday's post. Defense Secretary Robert Gates reversed decision and allowed Tammy Baldwin's partner Lauren Azar to travel on congressional trip after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi intervened.

Soul departed: "Life Before Death" photographic portrait project shows in London.

Like Ryan Seacrest, Madonna and Guy Ritchie sleep with their BlackBerries.

Thailand Public Health Ministry bans castration: "The Medical Council of Thailand last week also warned that castration is a health risk. Providing the operation for young boys was unethical and could damage hormone growth and physical development, it said. The warning came after Natee Teerarojjanapongs, the leader of the Gay Political Group of Thailand, called on the council to take action against clinics performing castrations on young ladyboys. Castration is a step towards a sex-change but is also a standard treatment for some kinds of cancer. Mr Natee said many parents of young boys keen to have their testes removed had complained about the influence of advertisements on the internet that say the surgery is inexpensive and the result similar to a sex-change operation."

ALADYGMA: Viral campaign suspected to be sequel to Cloverfield begins.

NYT on gay surf romance Shelter: "Coming out has rarely looked so pretty."

Arts Council England asks applicants for grants about their sexuality: "Individuals and arts bodies applying for money are invited to state if they or their board members are bisexual, gay, straight, lesbian or 'unknown'. Arts Council England insisted last night that the voluntary request would never be used to decide whether an artist or organisation should receive money for projects. A spokesman also denied reports that artists would have to answer the question for the rest of the grant application form to be valid." Sir Ian McKellen: "It sounds extraordinary, It shouldn't be on a form. It's quite inappropriate."

Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List: Heroes star Hayden Panettiere to star in movie about gay boy love triangle.

Still recovering from cancer-related surgery, film critic Roger Ebert will begin writing reviews again. Ebert cannot currently speak: "But I still have all my other abilities, including the love of viewing movies and writing about them."

American Idol contestant David Cook hospitalized and released after heart palpitations.

Lab tests warn one form of botulinum toxin can move from the face to the brain: "Scientists injected rats' whisker muscles with botulism toxin. Tests of the rodents' brain tissue found that botulism had been transported to the brain stems, the researchers said in the Journal of Neuroscience published April 2." Human issues unknown.

The Collin County Commissioners Court scraps plans to discuss "job status" of City Council candidate Justin Nichol's employment as coordinator of the county’s teen court that were scheduled after revelations that he is openly gay: "Mr. Nichols, who is running for council against Pat Miner, said he hoped the matter would soon be resolved. 'I look forward to getting back to teen court and bringing my message back to the voters of Plano,' said Mr. Nichols, 23. The brouhaha started last month after the Dallas Voice, a weekly gay and lesbian newspaper, ran a story about Mr. Nichols’s candidacy that mentioned his sexual orientation. Though Mr. Nichols was openly gay before the article’s publication, he said the story and subsequent attention it drew spurred the request to discuss his job."

Gay-themed children's books pulled from British school concerned over "lack of consultation" with parents: "One of the library books was a fairytale about a king who couldn’t find a woman to love and eventually married a prince. This was for children aged five to read. The issue should have been, how do we stop bullying in general, and teaching about homosexuality can be a part of that. This was completely one-sided. Homosexuality is not a priority to parents, but academic achievement is. This just makes parents think 'What the heck is my child being taught at school?’"

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

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

Becks and teammate clutch the family jewels.

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

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

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

Halloween in San Francisco's Castro District canceled forever.

Wentworth Miller goes to Jerusalem.

Nun urges Vatican to drop prejudice against gays and lesbians.

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

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

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

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

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

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News: Patrick Swayze, Danny Noriega, Testosterone, Kelly Osbourne

Four openly gay Texas candidates advanced in yesterday's primary.

Patrick Swayze has FIVE weeks to live?!? Rep. confirms.

Boyfriend of Toronto gay bar owner Janko Naglic acquitted in murder trial: "The jury returned with its not guilty verdict around 10:15 p.m. Tuesday following a three-week trial that heard from an array of witnesses who testified about the deteriorating relationship between the accused, Ivan Mendez-Romero, and Naglic. On Tuesday night after the verdict, defence lawyer Laurence Cohen said he was "relieved," adding he'd never seen a jury in a murder trial return with a verdict so quickly. The jury retired around 4 p.m. Tuesday after Justice Gladys Pardu finished her nearly all-day charge. 'We did our best for Janko but ultimately we put it into the hands of the jury and we have to respect their decision,' Homicide Det. Sgt. Wayne Banks, the lead investigator on the case, said late Tuesday night."

Legally Blonde 3: Elle Woods goes to the United Nations.

Us Weekly editor Janice Min acknowledges the gay love.

Danny Noriega: Don't hate on my do-rag!

JC Chacez does Vegas.

Alan Duncan, first conservative MP to register for a civil partnership, explains how it all went down: "This is not a 'wedding'," he says. "You really just go into the register office and sign. There will be no Elton John-style stuff: no white suits, no John Inman, no flouncing about. It was on the beach in Oman, two weeks ago, during the parliamentary break. We were walking back after dinner. I did the asking but I think I knew what the answer would be. I said we had had a really good year and should we make it permanent? That was it....It is love - and in no way a political statement. It was entirely personal and mutual. The chemistry is great - we are always laughing. We are very similar: always punctual, tidy, organised; and he's very considerate. We have not had so much as a tense word, let alone an argument. We don't do huffiness. Apart from being very good-looking, James is very socially adept. He says he's really shy going into big social events, but the next thing you know, he's charming the person he's talking to."

Kelly Osbourne to release "camp" fitness DVD featuring drag queens...

Boyband mogul Lou Pearlman pleads guilty to $300m fraud scheme: "In a plea agreement, the music mogul has admitted running scams that defrauded investors and major banks for more than 20 years. Mr Pearlman entered a not guilty plea last year, but is scheduled to reverse that in court in Florida on Thursday. The charges carry a maximum of 25 years in prison and a $1m (£506,000) fine. Mr Pearlman, 53, is expected to plead guilty to two charges of conspiracy, money laundering and making false statements during a bankruptcy proceeding."

Heterosexual UK man files discrimination lawsuit citing years of anti-gay abuse: "Stephen English, 56, says he was called a 'faggot' even though he was happily married with three children. The harassment was so relentless, he claims, that he resigned after nine years as a salesman with a blinds company. He lost his claim for sexual discrimination at a tribunal and at an employment appeal tribunal but the state-funded Equality and Human Rights Commission has taken up his case and will pursue it to the Court of Appeal...The taunts started, he claims, when an area sales manager discovered that he had been to boarding school and lived in Brighton, which has a high proportion of gays in its population. 'He appeared to have assumed from these two facts that I had homosexual tendencies, despite the fact that I was happily married with three daughters,' he told the employment tribunal."

REPORT: Leaked Madonna track "4 Minutes to Save the World" not the version being released. Real version "way better"...

Testosterone level linked to depression in older men: "A study of about 4,000 men aged over 70 found those with lowest testosterone were three times more likely to be depressed than those with the most. Researchers suspect the hormone may affect levels of key brain chemicals."

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It Goes On: Hillary Clinton Wins Texas, Ohio as McCain Clinches

Wins in Ohio, Texas, and Rhode Island for Hillary Clinton on Tuesday gave her the momentum she needed to continue in the race, although Barack Obama, who won Vermont, still holds a lead in delegates.

Said Clinton: "No candidate in recent history — Democratic or Republican — has won the White House without winning the Ohio primary. We all know that if we want a Democratic president, we need a Democratic nominee who can win Democratic states just like Ohio."

This morning, on CBS' The Early Show, Clinton hinted at a 'dream ticket' with Obama, saying "that may be where this is headed, but we have to decide who is on the top of the ticket."

McCain sealed the Republican nomination.

Full results.

Clinton and Obama's speeches above, McCain's and Huckabee's below (via Talking Points Memo).

In Texas, a gay bar toasts Hillary...
KOS: Delegate numbers DAUNTING for Clinton.
Pam Spaulding: Pollsters flummoxed, Gender, education, and Latino vote mattered...
Time to get ugly?
Intelligencer: Will Obama be able to enter hand-to-hand combat?
Did Clinton campaign darken Obama's skin color in ad leading up to primaries?
POLLS: Clinton's late attacks worked.

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John McCain Nearly Tells Crowd: I am a Liberal Republican

Oops.

In a slip-up likely to provide plenty of fodder for conservatives who believe he's too far left, John McCain began telling a crowd at a town hall meeting in Richardson, Texas on Thursday, that he is a "liberal Republican."

He quickly caught himself. Watch the clip, AFTER THE JUMP...

(via The Huff Post)

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News: Prince Harry, Eagle Scout, Wolverine, Orlando Bloom

Vigil against violence to be held today in Fort Lauderdale at 4:30pm: "Join the coalition of community leaders and organizations as we gather to remember Simmie Williams and stand up against the rising tide of violence for a memorial service at the murder site at the 1000 block of Sistrunk Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale."

Prince Harry has been fighting undercover in Afghanistan for the past 10 weeks: "The news of his operational posting leaked out following the breakdown of a news blackout agreement with the media when the story was posted on the US-based Drudge Report website. The chief of the general staff, Sir Richard Dannatt, who is head of the British army, expressed disappointment over the leak. 'I am very disappointed that foreign websites have decided to run this story without consulting us,' he said. 'This is in stark contrast to the highly responsible attitude that the whole of the UK print and broadcast media, along with a small number overseas, who have entered into an understanding with us over the coverage of Prince Harry on operations.' Dannatt, who had opposed Harry's deployment to Iraq, went on to praise the prince's performance on deployment."

Orlando Bloom is tired of complaints about his natural manly scent.

NYC sees surge in gay syphilis cases: "After seeing the number of syphilis cases remain stable in 2004 and 2005 then decrease in 2006, the city health department is reporting that syphilis cases increased by 60 percent in 2007 over 2006, with that growth due to new infections among gay and bisexual men."

Bollywood actor rejected: not gay enough to play a fashionista. Kushal Punjabi: "I really got along well with Madhur. He's my kind of director. But I really didn't see myself in that role at all. I'd like to work with directors like Madhur who look at actors as actors and not as stars."

Ben Affleck discusses his revenge sex video with Jimmy Kimmel: "You couldn't really do it half-speed. You had to be painting toes and blow-drying hair. At one point we were going to take a bath together, but the bubbles couldn't get high enough, so that ended up getting scrapped. The little outfits, the short shorts, the hands in the pockets -- it wouldn't have been funny if you didn't really commit to it."

Underwear day takes over Brazilian capital.

Gay Canadian Health Minister Smitherman criticized for proposing to wear adult diaper as test in response to nursing home 'filth' issues: "Opposition politicians, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and a nursing home association said Smitherman's plan to test drive a diaper shows he doesn't understand the issue is about staffing levels – not diaper technology. 'For him to suggest that's his answer is a disgrace,' said Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory. 'It's some kind of a sideshow he seems determined to put on when, in fact, I think people in Ontario would say: 'George Smitherman, do something about it. Let's see the revolution you promised in long-term care.''"

Hugh Jackman: the claws come out.

Fans go wild: New video of the pint-size breakdancing Beckham.

Matthew McConaughey wins mag's honors for mightiest mammaries.

Texas governor Rick Perry holds book-signing for Boy Scout tome: "Perry's tour to promote the book has garnered national attention. The book debuted at No. 1 on The Washington Post's best-seller list for hardcover nonfiction in Washington-area bookshops. His office touted that achievement the day after The New York Times Magazine published an interview in which Perry said scouting was about building character and not about sex. The word 'homosexual,' he said, suggests that gay people are focused on sex."

Eagle Scout leaves organization disgusted by anti-gay policies: "I am ashamed an organization to which I owe so much has chosen to take such a myopic stance on this issue and hides behind a legal veil to exclude gay Scouts."

Wired publishes disturbing new photos from Abu Ghraib (warning: extremely graphic)

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First Look: Obama's Targeted Texas and Ohio Gay Ad Buy

Earlier today the Advocate reported that the Obama campaign was doing targeted ad buys in Ohio and Texas in advance of the primaries there on March 4th. According to the Advocate, "Full page ads will appear starting this Friday in Outlook Weekly of Columbus, the Gay People's Chronicle of Cleveland, the Dallas Voice, and OutSmart, which is Houston based."

They report: "[Obama LGBT steering committee member Eric] Stern called the coordinated buy 'the icing on the cake' in terms of the Obama camp's outreach to the gay community in Ohio and Texas. 'It's a direct appeal to LGBT voters asking for their support,' he said, adding that the ad includes information about how people can get involved with the campaign. The Obama campaign has actively been trying to cut into the longstanding ties between gays and lesbians and Hillary Clinton."

Towleroad has obtained a "generic" version of the ad which you can see AFTER THE JUMP...

The Ohio and Texas versions, according to Stern, "include specific information on voting in those states and how to get involved with the campaign locally." Stampp Corbin, the Co-Chair of the National LGBT Leadership Council, was the catalyst behind making these ads happen as a part of their efforts to mobilize and energize LGBT voters in Ohio & Texas.

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Rick Perry: If Homosexuality Isn't About Sex, Call It Something Else

In the New York Times magazine on Sunday, Deborah Solomon interviewed Texas Governor Rick Perry, whose crusade in defense of the Boy Scouts of America is being supplemented by royalties from his new book On My Honor: Why the American Values of the Boy Scouts Are Worth Fighting For. The Boy Scouts, of course have been under fire for their discriminatory policies against gays. Most recently, they were evicted from a Philadelphia building they had leased for nearly 80 years because of the city's anti-discrimination ordinance.

Perry says homosexuality is clearly just about sex, and there's no place for sex in the Boy Scouts.

SOLOMON: Let’s talk about your new book, 'On My Honor,' which draws on your experience as an Eagle Scout and champions the values of the Boy Scouts of America, to whom you are donating your royalties.

PERRY: Yes, to their legal-defense fund.

SOLOMON: Which has been fighting the A.C.L.U., to keep gays out of the scouts. Why do you see that as a worthy cause?

PERRY: I am pretty clear about this one. Scouting ought to be about building character, not about sex. Period. Precious few parents enroll their boys in the Scouts to get a crash course in sexual orientation.

SOLOMON: Why do you think a homosexual would be more likely to bring the subject of sex into a conversation than a heterosexual?

PERRY: Well, the ban in scouting applies to scout leaders. When you have a clearly open homosexual scout leader, the scouts are going to talk about it. And they’re not there to learn about that. They’re there to learn about what it means to be loyal and trustworthy and thrifty.

SOLOMON: But don’t you think that homosexuals might also be interested in being loyal and thrifty?

PERRY: The argument that gets made is that homosexuality is about sex. Do you agree?

SOLOMON: No.

PERRY: Well, then why don’t they call it something else?

Perry recently told the AP: "Most Americans have a live-and-let-live view about homosexuality. Scouting's leaders have the same tolerant view, but they do not believe that someone whose personal agenda is to make an open issue of his sexual orientation should be a Scout leader. Scouting is not about sex, but about building character ... The Boy Scouts is not the proper intersection for a debate over sexual preference."

Troop Leader [nyt]
Texas Gov. Defends Boy Scouts in Book [ap]

You may have missed...
Philadelphia Boy Scouts Evicted Over Anti-Gay Bigotry [tr]
"It's not Politics, It's Government" [tr]
Texas Governor Perry Tells Gay Vets to Go Elsewhere [tr]

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Last Night's Obama-Clinton Debate Killed the Plagiarism Meme

At last night's Democratic debate, Hillary Clinton was asked about the charges of plagiarism that have been leveled against the Obama campaign, and she attempted but failed to deliver a zinger. Clinton knew the "change you could Xerox" line didn't have the intended effect the moment she said it, and she spent the next few minutes scrambling to recover as she veered into a discussion of health care rather than plagiarism.

And Clinton 'borrowed' words from Edwards last night.

Writes DailyKos: "This plagiarism thing is officially dead. I'm sure we'll be able to move on from this silliness. Worst. Political. Attack. Ever."

Talking Points Memo notes that "the pivot of Hillary's powerful concluding remarks came from Bill Clinton's 92 campaign.":

Bill Clinton in '92: "The hits that I took in this election are nothing compared to the hits the people of this state and this country have been taking for a long time."

Hillary Clinton, last night: "You know, the hits I’ve taken in life are nothing compared to what goes on every single day in the lives of people across our country."

Here are the candidates' closing statements.

Some are saying that Clinton's closing statement sounded much like a concession speech. I think both candidates performed fairly well in the debate and have behaved admirably toward each other, even given the attacks. Could an Obama-Clinton or Clinton-Obama ticket be in our future?

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Homophobic Former Houston Mayor Louie Welch is Dead

Former Houston Mayor Louie Welch, whose political career was brought to an end by a homophobic comment heard over a television microphone, has died of lung cancer.

The Houston Chronicle reports:

"After unsuccessful mayoral bids in 1952 and 1954, Welch was elected mayor for the first time in 1963. Welch was mayor in 1967 when two days of battles erupted between police and students at predominantly black Texas Southern University. A police officer was killed, and about 500 Texas Southern students were arrested. The events created a rift between the administration and many of the city's blacks. Years later, Welch acknowledged that accusations of racism still bothered him. 'It hurt,' Welch said. 'It still hurts to be accused of racism. It's just a bum rap.' In 1973, he did not run for re-election, joining what was then the Houston Chamber of Commerce. But he came back in 1985 in an attempt to take the mayor's job from Kathy Whitmire. He lost the race after saying on an open television microphone that one way to stop the spread of AIDS was to 'shoot the queers.' He made the remark without realizing the microphone was on. Some gays responded with T-shirts that sported the slogan: 'Don't shoot, Louie!' After losing to Whitmire, Welch said he had lost 'the instinct to fight in the rough and tumble that campaigns have become.'"

Welch was 89.

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News: Tina Turner, Galveston, Matt Foreman, Best Buy

Gays and lesbians in Washington state ask for divorce rights: "Supporters of the legislation unveiled Tuesday say it seeks to provide financial security for same-sex couples by establishing community property rights, probate protections and joint responsibility for debts. Murray, who is one of a handful of openly gay lawmakers in Olympia, say gays and lesbians seek not only the protections, 'but we are also asking for the responsibilities that go to marriage.' Senate Bill 6716 and House Bill 3104 also would provide domestic partners end-of-life rights, nursing-home visitation, veterans benefits and spousal testimonial privileges that married couples enjoy."

Best Buy quickly takes advantage of Heath Ledger's death: "A small sign, created by the company’s finest 1998-era laser printer, informs its customers that they should 'Remember a Great Actor Through Great Performances', tastefully suggesting that customers — who may not have even been aware of his passing — grieve the only way they know how: By reliving the romantic hijinx that is 10 Things I Hate About You."

Tina Turner and Béyonce to duet at the Grammys.

Matt Foreman to resign from National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, to lead Gay & Lesbian Program at the Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund: "I will always love the Task Force, our work, our board, and our staff. Having served for 18 years as the executive director at three LGBT organizations, I’m incredibly privileged to be able to continue to work in and for the movement in a new role at the Haas, Jr. Fund. I have no doubt that the Task Force will continue to be the uncompromising progressive voice of the LGBT movement and to thrive and help lead our community to complete equality.”

Republican Fred Thompson drops presidential bid: "Today I have withdrawn my candidacy for President of the United States. I hope that my country and my party have benefited from our having made this effort. Jeri and I will always be grateful for the encouragement and friendship of so many wonderful people."

Madonna, Marilyn Monroe, and Shakira team up for Super Bowl commercial.

In new online game, user assumes role of presidential candidates and then shoots his or her opponents in the halls of the White House: ". While the ammo is paintball, the game on the highly trafficked miniclip.com site allows kids to train a rifle scope on six presidential aspirants and squeeze off a hail of shots (which are accompanied with a rat-a-tat sound). The game, 'Presidential Paintball,' features six candidates in the crosshairs: Barack Obama; Hillary Clinton; John Edwards; Mitt Romney; John McCain; and Rudy Giuliani (it seems the game was developed before the ascension of Mike Huckabee). If a candidate wins a head-to-head confrontation, he/she advances to a new shootout, which occurs in various White House settings, including outside the Oval Office."

Brad Renfro had a son nobody knew about.

Galveston, Texas opens LGBT visitors center.

David Beckham makes UNICEF trip to Sierra Leone.

New poll reveals attitudes toward gay people and sex in Britain: "18 percent of those surveyed consider gay relationships are always wrong, while 32 percent see homosexual sex as always or mostly wrong. Moreover, four in 10 people (42 percent) think gay male couples are not as capable of being good parents as heterosexual ones -- although three in 10 (31 percent) believe they are."

Sydney lawmakers begin dealing with the homophobic violence issue that plagues their city: “We’re not blaming any specific person for this, but violence is obviously a complex issue and we need to be using all opportunities to raise it. It’s got to be policies on the ground. Clearly the local council needs to work with police, but there’s a real role for it in changing what that entertainment precinct is used for. It’s quite a different place during the evening than during the day time. We support the measures to bring back the shops people need – fruit and veg, butcher, etc."

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U of Texas Lecturer on Hunger Strike to Protest Anti-Gay Policy

Uri Horesh, a University of Texas lecturer of Arabic in the Department of Middle Eastern Studies, has begun a hunger strike to protest the school's policy of discrimination against same-sex domestic partners of employees. Although the school has a nondiscrimination policy which prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, the university cites state law which forbids state institutions from recognizing same-sex unions, and says they would be breaking the law if they extended benefits to same-sex domestic partners. According to Horesh, however, "The university has a responsibility to be more progressive than the state."

Horesh told the Austin American-Statesman: "The fact that the university is conducting itself in this manner makes me feel like I'm a persona non grata here, a person whose rights are less important than others. For some reason, some people in this state and others have a twisted view of what's moral or what's right. You can think whatever you want about same-sex partnerships, but to discriminate against someone because they're gay, that to me is as immoral as discriminating against them because they're black, deaf, blind...I'm not going to start eating until this matter is resolved or I'm taken to the hospital. Whatever happens first."

UT lecturer begins hunger strike to demand domestic partner benefits [austin american-statesman]

(VIDEO)

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Joel Burns Wins Run-Off Election in Fort Worth

Back in October I posted about the City Council race in Fort Worth, Texas and how a GOP city councilman had decided to bring the sexuality of candidate Joel Burns into the race.

At the time, councilman Chuck Silcox urged a group of Republicans to vote against Burns because he was gay.

Said Silcox: "This is an excellent time to have Republicans get out and support a Republican: Chris Turner. We have two people of opposite partisan politics, opposite philosophical persuasions and opposite sexual orientations. I didn't tell you which one was homosexual." Silcox said as the crowd laughed. Pointing to Turner, Silcox continued: "He's married to a female, and the other's married to a male. You make your own mind up."

Turns out Burns ended up in a run-off with a different opponent, Juan Rangel, Jr. He beat Rangel with 54 percent of the vote.

Said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund: “Joel’s election proves that leadership and experience are more important to voters than sexual orientation. The people of Fort Worth rewarded Joel’s obvious dedication to his city, and ignored the tired politics of division. In a year of hard-fought battles in Texas, this is a sweet victory.”

Burns is Fort Worth's first-ever openly gay public official.

Previously
City Councilman Makes Sexuality an Issue in Fort Worth Election [tr]

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News: Sperm Donors, Brad Pitt, Axel Hotel, Australia

New York sperm donor ordered to pay child support to lesbian couple.

Departing ambassador slams State Department and Condoleezza Rice for DISCRIMINATORY policies: "For the past three years, I’ve urged the Secretary and her senior management team to redress policies that discriminate against gay and lesbian employees. Absolutely nothing has resulted from this. And so I’ve felt compelled to choose between obligations to my partner — who is my family — and service to my country."

Buffalo, New York man charged with third-degree assault after punching a man for making "an open display of homosexuality."

Peter Andre says that in the 80's he had a crush on Boy George and thought he was female: "She is hot. I thought I was going to marry this woman."

Studies of HIV positive gay and bisexual men reveal high rates of unprotected sex: "The research team found that 37.3 percent of the men said they had engaged in unprotected anal intercourse over the past three months. In 41.3 percent of these cases, unsafe sex took place with another HIV-infected partner, but in 31.4 percent of cases the unprotected behavior took place with a partner whose HIV status was unknown. In 23 percent of cases, the infected man engaged in unprotected sex with a partner he knew to be HIV-negative, the study found." The CDC also reported that "more than twice as likely to be infected with the AIDS virus than their white counterparts," although the reason why wasn't immediately clear.

In London to accept his GAY award, Jesse Metcalfe puts on his prettiest face and assaults a paparazzo.

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