Too Gay-Looking To Give Blood

Via The Chicago Sun Times:

An Indiana man says he was turned away from giving blood because he looks too gay. Twenty-two year old Aaron Pace says he went Bio Blood Components, and was rejected during the screening process because he"appears to be a homosexual."

“I was humiliated and embarrassed,” he said. “It’s not right that homeless people can give blood but homosexuals can’t. And I’m not even a homosexual.”


Men who have had sex with men since 1977 have been barred from giving blood because the supposed risk of spreading HIV, even though all blood donated is tested for not only the HIV virus, but syphilis, forms of hepatitis, and other diseases.

Read the rest HERE.

New York Clerk Quits Rather Than Issue Gay Marriage Licenses

A town clerk in rural New York has quit her post rather than grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples, explaining that doing so would go against her beliefs.

“I would be compromising my moral conscience by participating in licensing same-sex couples,” Laura Fotusky, the clerk of the Town of Barker, told Politico. “I had to choose between my job and my god.”



The 56-year-old posted her resignation letter on Monday evening to the website of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms, a self-declared Christian ministry that “exists to influence legislation and legislators for the Lord Jesus Christ.”


A current poll on the group’s website asks: “Who bears the most blame for allowing gay ‘marriage’ to become law in New York?”

Fotusky’s resignation letter reads, in part: “The Bible clearly teaches that God created marriage between male and female as a divine gift that preserves families and cultures. Since I love and follow Him, I cannot put my signature on something that is against God."


Fotusky's resignation becomes effective July 21, three days before the state will begin handing out marriage licenses to gay couples. I say let her walk: if she can't separate her personal beliefs from doing her job(while supporting an organization that seeks to police everyone else's morality), then let someone who truly understands what separation of church and state means take her place.

Read the rest HERE.

Oh Snap! Marcus Bachmann Calls Gays "Barbarians"

"

Just when I think I've heard every single nasty slur or insult a conservative blowhard can come up with, tada! Here's another one! In a short clip, Michele Bachmann's husband Marcus came up out of her face and compared gays to savage barbarians that need to be taught to be civilized little people, lest they run amok and corrupt the children. Well I guess it's a step up from being possessed by/called a demon. Listen to this crap below.



If there's one thing that disgusts me more than an ignorant straight homophobe, it' a self-hating queen, and trust and believe this gal falls into the latter category. Most of us know firsthand how hard it can be to embrace your sexuality as something normal when everyone and everything around you is sending a message that is the exact opposite. But what I cannot tolerate is someone actively encouraging anti-gay sentiment and spouting vicious lies about LGBT people when they are clearly gay themselves. If you're not at the place where you're ready to wave your rainbow flag high, then so be it. But don't project your internalized homophobia onto the entire community and make life harder for the rest of us.

Because when you do get caught smoking crystal meth with that male prostitute, tapping your foot in an airport bathroom or tricking on young boys with church funds, you'll have no one to blame but your gay ole' self. Unless you have a legion of pathologically delusional followers that give you bundles of their personal income without a second thought (I see you Ms. Eddie girl!) and a fellow pimp to put your hoes in their place for having the audacity to think for themselves (sup Creflo!). In that case, let the fleecing continue! Somebody needs to out this girl. Stat!

Rant over.

Pimpin' Ain't Easy....

Well, apparently it is! It looks like Eddie Long is back in business, fleecing the church folks like a desperate gold digger trying to jump in the last balla's car after the club closes! But seriously, this is so sad I almost thought Aaron McGruder had launched a live action version of The Boondocks! How can people be so willing to not only forgive and forget (especially when you've been given so little to base your forgiveness on), but to give all their money away as well? It's beyond denial; it's almost pathological. Watch this crap and try not to hurl below.

Tina On Tracy

As commentor Damien Oz said over at Wonderman's blog, "Tina brings the professional, classy, but clear smackdown on Tracy's ass!" Read her comments about Tracy's homophobic tirade below.

"I'm glad to hear that Tracy apologized for his comments. Stand-up comics may have the right to 'work out' their material in its ugliest and rawest form in front of an audience, but the violent imagery of Tracy's rant was disturbing to me at a time when homophobic hate crimes continue to be a life-threatening issue for the GLBT Community."


"It also doesn't line up with the Tracy Morgan I know, who is not a hateful man and is generally much too sleepy and self-centered to ever hurt another person. I hope for his sake that Tracy's apology will be accepted as sincere by his gay and lesbian coworkers at '30 Rock', without whom Tracy would not have lines to say, clothes to wear, sets to stand on, scene partners to act with, or a printed-out paycheck from accounting to put in his pocket. The other producers and I pride ourselves on '30 Rock' being a diverse, safe, and fair workplace.

Oh Snap! Tracy Morgan Goes On Homophobic Diatribe During Nashville Show; Issues Apology

Via Toddy English:

So here's the story: Facebooker Kevin Rogers went to go see Tracy Morgan live in Nashville. Knowing Tracy's raunchy brand of comedy, he fully expected to hear a few inappropriate but funny jokes poking fun at everyone, including the gays. However, what he describes next makes Bernie Mac's "milk and cookies" sketch (which he later apologized for before his death) sound tame.

Rogers' writes that he was not upset but extremely disappoint with Morgan's tirade, and I have to say I am too. You'd think at the very least someone who's pals with Kathy Griffin and Tina Fey would have better view about gays. A Fey/Griffin fan myself, I'm waiting to see how they respond. I hope she won't disappoint as well.

Update: Tracy has issued an apology saying his "act" went too far (that's an understatement).

“I want to apologize to my fans and the gay & lesbian community for my choice of words at my recent stand-up act in Nashville. I’m not a hateful person and don’t condone any kind of violence against others,” Morgan said in a statement. “While I am an equal opportunity jokester, and my friends know what is in my heart, even in a comedy club this clearly went too far and was not funny in any context.”

Honestly, I'm not sure if I believe him. This wasn't just a one tasteless comment. This was barbershop talk. The kind of uncensored stuff you'd hear at family reunions/cookouts (ya'll know what I'm talking about). It'll take more than a standard apology statement to smooth this over, so I'll be giving him the side eye and the cold shoulder until I'm thoroughly convinced. Read Rogers' account and decide for yourself below.

So tonight was the night, Tracy Morgan in the hallowed halls of the Ryman Auditorium.  I always giggle a little bit when I think that the legends of country music must be rolling over in their graves knowing that there are raunchy comics on their stage.   I've been a big fan of his since his days at SNL.  The show was your typical hysterical dick, cum and pussy humor... I have to say it was hilarious and well worth at least 40% of the $86 we spent per ticket to see him.  I figured at some point the gay jokes would fly and I'm well prepared for a good ribbing of straight gay humor.  I have very thick skin when it comes to humor; I can dish and I can take.  What I can't take is when Mr. Morgan took it upon himself to mention about how he feels all this gay shit was crazy and that women are a gift from God and that "Born this Way" is bullshit, gay is a choice, and the reason he knows this is exactly because "God don't make no mistakes" (referring to God not making someone gay cause that would be a mistake).  He said that there is no way a woman could love and have sexual desire for another woman, that's just a woman pretending because she hates a fucking man.  He took time to visit the bullshit of this bullying stuff and informed us that the gays needed to quit being pussies and not be whining about something as insignificant as bullying. He mentioned that gay was something kids learn from the media and programming, and that bullied kids should just bust some ass and beat those other little fuckers that bully them, not whine about it.  He said if his son that was gay he better come home and talk to him like a man and not [he mimicked a gay, high pitched voice] or he would pull out a knife and stab that little N (one word I refuse to use) to death. He mentioned that Barack Obama needed to man up and quit being all down with this just because he has a wife and two daughters.  All of this being followed by thunderous cheer and "You go Tracys".  Tracy then said he didn't fucking care if he pissed off some gays, because if they can take a fucking dick up their ass... they can take a fucking joke.

The sad thing is that none of this rant was a joke.  His entire demeanor changed during that portion of the night.  He was truly filled with some hate towards us.  As far as I could see 10 to 15 people walked out.  I had to fight myself to stay seated, but I knew if I got up... he won.  He wanted to piss people off and get a rise.  I didn't let him win by chasing me off, he surely didn't get any applause or laughter from me after that point - mainly because he was no longer funny to me.  I wasn't holding back, it just wasn't funny.  I won't even get started on his rant about how women should be home cooking him a fucking meal and not becoming CEOs or him talking about fucking the moms of retards.  

Once again, I can take a joke.  I find all sorts of things that are inappropriate funny.  Life is too serious to not laugh and enjoy some humor.  I now no longer enjoy Tracy Morgan's humor.  It's sad that I now have to take some inventory of my love of "30 Rock".

I'm not angry... just very very very disappointed.

Creflo Dollar Defends Eddie Long

Via Rod 2.0

All I can say is birds of a fucking feather...hell you know the rest. Fellow Atlanta mega-church pastor Creflo Dollar has come to the defense of Ms. Eddie Long, who recently settled with the four young men accusing him of luring them into sexual relationships with cars, cash and other goodies.

In his defense of his "brother in the Lord," Dollar (how appropriate is that last name) compares Long's situation to a car wreck, praises him for having "insurance" and criticizes ex-New Birth members for leaving. I think I'm gonna be sick.

"I can't believe people would believe their preacher because he had a wreck instead of praying for him," said Dollar. "He's loved them and he's taken care of them ... and he had a wreck. Here's the good news: He got insurance! He's still anointed!" 

Pardon my french, but how can people sit there and applaud this bullshit? Just when I think I've seen how low church folks will go in the worship of their "holy men" I'm proven wrong. So now we're supposed to look at Eddie and think "Well he may have preyed on those young boys (who were actually spirits of lust or some other stupid interpretation) with the finesse of a street corner pimp and then used our cash to cover up all the details, and he hasn't said a word to us about a case he vowed to fight. But hey, he's still anointed and appointed!"

Seriously, if this was a white mega church, Eddie would been out on his ass long ago (Ted Haggard anyone), but since it's a black church we gotta lift pastor up, even when he's been exposed as an arrogant, deceitful, manipulative, hypocritical, self-hating charlatan. Are we really that hard up for leadership in the black community that we have to accept this? As The Boondocks' Huey Freeman once said, "What happened to standards?"

This whole fiasco could've been a wonderful opportunity for Long to come clean about his own struggles with his sexuality. True, it would've cost him dearly, but if he'd had the courage to endure it, something good could've come out of it. He could've apologized to the LGBT community for marching and speaking out against us, and starting working towards mending wounds caused by his past actions. It could've sparked a still much needed discussion about sexuality and homophobia in the black church, which, whether you're religious or nonreligious, affects your life in some way.

But now all we're left with is the same old crap--a church full of homophobic, sycophantic straight folks and closet queens giving their time and coins to a pimp in preacher's clothing. Anyone who still attends his church might as well carry a sign that says "Fleece me baby!" If Long, Dollar, Joel Osteen (Lawd it's just something his cheesy smilin' ass I don't trust) and the rest of the holy rolling brigade are God's chosen, then I will gladly do a double-backhand spring into the jaws of Satan.

Enough ranting. Watch Creflo unload his big barrel of crap below.

New York Pastor Calls Harlem Pride Celebration An "Abomination"

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Keith Boykin Accepting Submissions For "For Colored Boys.." Anthology

Via Rod 2.0:

Author and retired activist Keith Boykin will be accepting submissions until July 20th for a forthcoming anthology: For Colored Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Still Not Enough. According to Boykin, the project was inspired by "young Black gay men literally committing suicide in the silence of their own communities."

Boykin told Rod 2.0 :

"The immediate inspiration for the book was your web site. As you know, I've retired from black gay activism, I'm not as involved as I used to be and your web site is the first place I go to find out news about our community. Then last fall I remember seeing all those sad articles on your site about young black gay men who were committing suicide, and I was concerned that those stories weren't getting as much attention as other stories in the mainstream media. That's when I sent off an email to Don Weise, the publisher at Magnus Books, suggesting that he should get somebody to do an inspirational book for black gay men in light of all the suicides going on.



Since we announced the book on Thursday, we've already been flooded with submissions. I can tell this is going to be a lot of hard work figuring out what to include, but I think it's going to be an amazing book, and probably the most important book I've ever done."

I am loving this idea. So often our experiences as black and latino gay/bisexual men are ignored or dismissed as irrelevant in the larger black and Hispanic communities. This book could inspire and save so many lives. To learn more about the project and the submission guidelines, click HERE.

Gay Parents Segment On "What Would You Do?"

This clip was particularly touching. ABC conducted their regular "What Would You Do?" segment by seeing how patrons would react when a waitress harassed a lesbian couple and their children (they're all actors by the way) at a Texas restaraunt. I'll admit that I was pleasantly surprised when many of the fellow diners stood up for the two women, especially one man named Donovan.

Unfortunately my suspicion that the situation would be different if it were two men with children was confirmed slightly, but people still came to their defense as well. The clip also challenges some common-held assumptions about tolerance for gay parents in liberal and conservative states.

South Africa Task Force Formed To Fight Hate Crimes, "Corrective Rape"

 
Via Rod. 2.0.

South Africa has announced it will assemble a task force to combat the recent increase in anti-LGBT attacks in the country, particularly in the impoverished townships. The most recent attack involved the horrible gang "corrective rape" and murder of a lesbian near Johannesburg last month.

According to ABC News: "More than 170,000 people from all around the world signed a petition calling for the South African government to act after Noxolo Nogwaza, a 24-year-old lesbian, was gang raped, stoned and stabbed to death using shards of broken glass nearly two weeks ago. The petition was sponsored by Change.org, a global human rights campaigning website.

The new task force will tackle issues such as whether crimes against the homosexual and transgender community should be considered hate crimes, whether a rape motivated by sexual orientation should receive a harsher sentence and increased sensitivity training for police, social workers and judiciary officials. The team is scheduled to begin work in July.

Although same-sex marriage is legal in South Africa, the country has highest rates of rape and HIV positive persons in the world. Hopefully this new task force can decrease the violence.

NBA Stars Grant Hill And Jared Dudley Film Anti-Homophobia PSA

Kobe and the Lakers' PSA was good, but this one is better (and filmed under less strenuous circumstances). Basketball stars Grant Hill and Jared Dudley collaborated with GLSEN, the Ad Council and the NBA as part of the "Think B4 You Speak" campaign to confront anti-gay language among teens. According to Rod 2.0, the video was shot the same day that Bryant was caught using an anti-gay slur.

While the Lakers' video places sexual orientation as part of laundry list of groups that should be respected, speaking against homophobia takes center stage in Hill and Dudley's spot. "Using gay to mean dumb or stupid? Not cool. Not in my house, not anywhere. It’s not creative, it’s offensive to gay people and you’re better than that," says Hill in the clip.

Dudley talked about the importance of athletes setting an example. "It's critical to set values. ... It starts with the NBA, because a lot of people look up to the stars [as] role models, the kids want to be you. And if they see how you’re acting toward this, it will definitely sway a lot of people." Watch the clip below ( after dealing with the tsunami of crap that is Donald Trump for last few days, we need a little good news:).

Lil B Receives Death Threats For "I'm Gay" Album Title

I'll be honest. I'm not exactly up on Lil' B's music. I've heard a song here and there--"Pretty Bitch" for example--but that's about the extent of it. But I have to admit he does have heart (and nuts) after announcing at the Coachella festival that his next album would be called I'm Gay. Since then the news has exploded over hip hop blogs and website, with rappers from Killer Mike to Talib Kweli giving their thoughts. Now the rapper says that he's been receiving death threats for his bold album title.

"People been hitting me up like, 'I'm gonna bash your head in,' 'you f----t,' 'I'm gonna kill you,' " Lil B told MTV News. Despite the Twitter-fueled backlash, Lil B, who insists he's straight, remains undaunted and claims he is supportive of the LGBT community. "I'm not gonna stop and I'm not scared of anybody on earth, he said. "I'm very gay, but I love women. I'm not attracted to men in any way. I've never been attracted to a man in my life. But yes I am gay, I'm so happy. "I'm a gay, heterosexual male. I got major love for the gay and lesbian community, and I just want to push less separation and that's why I'm doing it."

So do you think Lil'B is an ally or an opportunist? Listen to the clip of him defending I'm Gay and discuss.

MTV Shows

Kobe Bryant And Lakers Film PSA

Now this is a real apology. Kobe Bryant and the Lakers have filmed a short PSA about tolerance and having respect for others. After complaining about having to pay the $100,000 fine (which is equivalent to 10 cents for someone of his status) and trying to go the "sorry if you were offended" route, this is a welcome shift in attitude.

H/t Boy Culture

I Can't Be Homophobic! I'm Gay!

That's the defense 21-year old Anthony Bray, who confessed to brutally attacking 26-year old Damien Furtch outside a McDonald's in Greenwich Village. According to the New York Daily News, Bray told police that he beat Bray "because he was disrespectful to him." I don't have to tell you what that excuse smells like.

Adding insult to very serious injury Bray, who has prior arrests for marijuana possession, graffiti and robbery, was only charged with a misdemeanor for the attack.

"The fact that the attacker in custody alleges he is gay does not change the fact that he shouted anti-gay slurs while attacking me," Furtch said in a statement. "I look forward to the criminal trial where all of the accurate details will come out."

Furth told authorities that he was attacked by two men early last Sunday after they yelled anti-gay slurs at him. Read the full article HERE.

Malaysia Bans Pro-Gay Lady Gaga Lyrics

Seems like Malaysia isn't feeling the pro-gay Gaga love. The conservative, Muslim majority country has taken issue with some of the singer's lyrics in her hit "Born This Way," to the point of censoring some of the lines. According to Popeater.com:


"Radio stations in Malaysia have made the decision to censor the track, replacing lyrics like "no matter gay, straight or bi, lesbian, transgendered life" with garbled sounds.

A statement from Malaysia's largest private station, AMP Radio Networks, defended the call, saying, "The particular lyrics in 'Born This Way' may be considered as offensive when viewed against Malaysia's social and religious observances." It continued, "The issue of being gay, lesbian or [bisexual] is still considered as a 'taboo' by general Malaysians" -- as well as the government, which can impose fines on broadcasters for infringing on the ban. "

Pang Khee Teik, co-founder of Sexuality Independence, an anti-sexual discrimination group in Malaysia, didn't agree with the decision, and believes such actions by the media fuel ignorance and hate. "We just want the same thing as everyone else: to love, be loved and have our songs played on the radio," he said.

Lady Gaga isn't the first artist to feel the wrath of Malaysia's censorship. Fellow diva Rihanna agreed to change her costumes to fit the country's strict performance guidlines when she performed there in 2009, while Beyonce pulled the plug on her 2007 performance when groups threantened to protest the show. And last year a Muslim group protested openly gay singer Adam Lambert's performance even after he agreed to follow performance guidelines.

"Wanna Pray The Gay Away?" There's An App For That!

And I'm not kidding. Exodus International, an "ex-gay" organization that believes LGBT people can change their sexual orientation, has created an i-Phone application that, according to its website, is " "designed to be a useful resource for men, women, parents, students, and ministry leaders." Exodus' website also says their app has been given a 4+ rating from Apple, meaning it contains no "objectionable content."

But we all know better. Exodus International, like many "ex-gay ministries," holds out the empty promise  that you can be "repaired (repaired from what exactly? Being happy and well adjusted?)" or healed from your abominable condition with just enough prayer and scripture. Oh, and playing sports to butch you up if you're a big queen and makeup tips if you're a stud. All the while telling you that accepting your natural orientation will "make your heart sick" and is at best, counterfeit.

Nevermind the fact that reparative therapy has been dismissed by pretty every professional medical organization, including the American Psychological Association, the American Medical Association, and the American Counseling Association. 

Truth Wins Out has started a petition on Change.org to remove the "ex-gay app" from iTunes. You can add your name to the petition here.

Ex-NFL Player Wade Davis Comes Out

Via Son Of Baldwin:

Former NFL player Wade Davis, who played with the Tennessee Titans, Seattle Seahawks and eventually the Washington Redskins from 2000 to 2004, has come out as gay. Davis' public announcement coincides with his participation in the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network's "Changing The Game" program, which is designed to fight against homophobia in K thru 12 athletics by starting a dialogue about the issue.

In a video Davis explains the pressure he felt to hide his sexuality while in the NFL, and to avoid those who were suspected of being gay or bisexual as well. He also encourages young LGBT athletes to be proud of who they are. Watch the clip below:

Student Kicked Out Of Dorm For Being Gay

How's this for an introduction into "the real world?" Jesse Cruz, a junior at Seton Hall in New Jersey, is suing the university for emotional and psychological trauma after he says was unfairly evicted because he is gay. According to New Jersey paper The Record:

Jesse Cruz, a junior studying public relations, said he registered for a dorm room last August, paid close to $4,000 for a full semester of housing, and was assigned to a double room at Xavier Hall.

His roommate, however, complained that he did not want to share a room with Cruz, according to the lawsuit, which was filed Monday in federal court in Newark.

The school’s policy is that any student who is not happy with their living arrangement for any reason can ask to be moved on “Room Change Day,” and school officials will find them another room. In Cruz’s case, however, school officials moved Cruz to a room in another dormitory building instead of moving the other student, Cruz’s attorney, Rosemarie Arnold said Tuesday.

 A lawyer for the university disagreed with Cruz's allegations though, writing "the University has never taken any action against Mr. Cruz based on his sexual preference." Since the incident occurred, Cruz has moved back into his dorm room and has not had any problems with his new roommate. Read the whole story here.

Hate Crime Survivor Speaks Out

Twenty-three-year old Justin Aslena was savagely attacked when he went into a Detriot convenience store to buy some cigarettes. Another customer started yelling anti-gay slurs and then punched Aslena in the face twice, shattering his eye.

To add insult to injury, no one in the store--not the other customers, or the store clerk--did anything to help him. In fact the clerk told him to leave! After he was attacked! Un-fucking-believable!

As a victim of gay-bashing myself, I know first-hand how bewildering and devastating it is to suffer an unprovoked physical and verbal attack by someone who really doesn't know you over something that has nothing to do with them. And to witness others watching and even laughing as the carnage unfolds. Mr. Aslena was brave enough to post a video on YouTube detailing his attack. Pass it along to whoever you can or post it on your blog. This story needs to been seen and heard.