Adam Lambert Offers Cover Of Sam Cooke's 'A Change Is Gonna Come' To Gay Rights

Rocker Adam Lambert has dedicated a cover of Sam Cooke's A Change

 Is Gonna Come to the gay rights movement.

During the final performance of his global Glam Nation tour in Los Angeles,

 the 28-year-old openly gay – and increasingly political – singer took

 a moment to explain his motivations behind including the song.

“The thing about the song is, it's amazing that it was originally intended

 for civil rights, and ladies and gentlemen, if you haven't noticed, the

 gay and lesbian community is in a civil-rights movement right now,”

 Lambert told the ecstatic crowd.

“And so this song has taken on a lot of personal meanings for me.

 Both as a community and also personally. Being told years ago, 

'You're not gonna fucking make it looking like that.'”

“Well, ladies and gentlemen, I don't mean to sound cocky, 'cause

 I'm not – I'm just very proud and I have my friends to thank for

 their support – but we just did a world tour and I got a Grammy

 nomination.”

“The only reason I bring that up is, if anybody tells you 'No,' tell them,

 'Fuck you,'” he added to thunderous applause. (The video is embedded

 in the right panel of this page.)

Lambert then busted into a heart-wrenching rendition of the song.

Earlier in the week, Lambert tweeted support for gay rights group

 FCKH8's anti-gay bullying efforts and his bass guitarist, 

Tommy Joe Ratliff, joined the NOH8 Campaign against California's

 gay marriage ban.

BY ON TOP MAGAZINE STAFF 

'Glee's' Chris Colfer On Darren Criss Kiss: Not Yet

Chris Colfer says his character on the Fox musical-comedy Glee, Kurt 

Hummel, has yet to kiss out-and-proud gay student Blaine, played by

 Darren Criss.

Kurt has been run out of McKinley High by closeted football player

 Dave Karofsky, played by Max Adler. Kurt fled the school after officials

 decided against disciplining the bully, and towards the Dalton

 Academy, where he has joined Blaine.

Glee ringmaster Ryan Murphy has promised romance this season for

 Colfer's gay character. On the show's holiday special, the pairing up of

 Kurt and Blaine in the holiday classic Baby It's Cold Outside suggested

 more than friendship between the chorus boys.

But Colfer told E! Online that the pair have yet to smooch.

When asked, “Have you been kissing any boys in private school uniforms 

lately?” Colfer answer: “Not on the show, that's for sure! … Not yet. But

it's really funny how hungry people are for that. Calm down, perverts!”

He went on to suggest that perhaps Kurt's romance will be found 

somewhere else.

“Maybe they're not going to kiss? Maybe a nice hug will do for them.

 Maybe they're a higher-level relationship; everything is spiritual. 

Who knows? But I think if we rush it too much, everyone would say 

how much we rushed it and how it wasn't real.”

BY ON TOP MAGAZINE STAFF 

UK:Nigel Evans in The House of Commons has ended the “open secret” of his homosexuality.

Mr Evans, who has been an MP since 1992 did vote against the equalisation of the age of consent for 

gay and straight sex in 1998, but changed his mind two years later. Since 2003, when he supported the abolition of Section 28, legislation that banned the ‘promotion’ of homosexuality by local authorities (principally in schools), Mr Evans has become noted for his support of both LGBT rights and the lobbying organisation Stonewall.

A Stonewall spokesman welcomed Mr Evans’s decision to come out. “We are delighted people in public life now feel open about their sexuality in the way they did not before. It is a pleasant surprise that there are now more openly gay Tory MPs than there are in all the other parties put together.”

Openly gay Liberal Democrat MP Steven Gilbert tweeted “congratulations to Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans MP for coming out as gay today – well done Nigel!” Labour MP, Chris Bryant wrote on Twitter: “Glad to see Nigel Evans is ‘coming out’. An open secret in Parliament for years.”

Mr Evans’s agent said that the MP will give an interview to a Sunday newspaper about his decision to come out of the closet.

He will then co-host the launch of ParliOut, the first LGBT network group within the Palace of Westminster on Monday evening at the official residence of the Speaker of the House of Commons.

by Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk

Video: US Senate votes to repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ ban on gays serving in the military

by Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk 
18 December 2010, 5:36pm

 

The US Senate has voted to end the ban on openly gay people serving in the military

The US Senate has voted 65 to 31 to repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’, the ban on openly gay people serving in the military. Since the ban on openly gay people serving in the military was introduced in 1993, more than 13,500 LGBT service personnel have been dismissed from the military.

The bill will now be passed to President Barack Obama who has already confirmed that he will sign it into law.

In a prepared statement, President Obama said: “The Senate has taken an historic step toward ending a policy that undermines our national security while violating the very ideals that our brave men and women in uniform risk their lives to defend. By ending ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’, no longer will our nation be denied the service of thousands of patriotic Americans forced to leave the military, despite years of exemplary performance, because they happen to be gay. And no longer will many thousands more be asked to live a lie in order to serve the country they love.

“It is time to close this chapter in our history. It is time to recognize that sacrifice, valour and integrity are no more defined by sexual orientation than they are by race or gender, religion or creed. It is time to allow gay and lesbian Americans to serve their country openly.

The repeal will take effect after a 60-day period to allow the US Defense Department to consider how best to implement the new policy.

“Don’t ask, don’t tell is wrong,” said Democrat Senator for Oregan, Ron Wyden, said earlier this morning. “I don’t care who you love. If you love this country enough to risk your life for it, you shouldn’t have to hide who you are. You ought to be able to serve.”

“You don’t have to be straight to shoot straight,”‘ said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Republican Senator for Arizona and former US Presidential candidate John McCain warned that the end of the ban would be welcomed only by the “elites” in society without any thought to the military consequences of ending the ban. “I hope that when we pass this legislation that we will understand that we are doing great damage,” he said.”And we could possibly – and probably – as the Commandant of the Marine Corps said … harm the battle effectiveness that is so vital to the survival of our young men and women in the military.”

Mr McCain was referring to comments earlier this week by the head of the marines who said that repealing the ban would lead to the death of troops troops.

“When your life hangs on a line, on the intuitive behaviour of the young man … who sits to your right and your left, you don’t want anything distracting you,” said Marine Commandant General James Amos.

“I don’t want to lose any Marines to distraction. I don’t want to have any Marines that I’m visiting at Bethesda [hospital] with no legs,” he added.
On Thursday, the House of Representatives voted 250 to 175 in favour of repealing the ban. This put the Senate under pressure to vote on the issue today, before the ‘lame duck’ Congress goes into recess.

Senator Joe Lieberman, the lead sponsor of the bill said the ban on openly gay people serving in the military is “inconsistent with basic American values.”

“To force the don’t ask, don’t tell policy on the military is to force them to be less than they want to be — and less than they can be,” he said earlier today. “These people simply want to serve their country.”

Welcoming the vote this evening, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin said: “The ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy is a threat to our national security. Since 1994, more than 13,000 highly trained service members have been discharged as a result of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ In the last five years, while our country has been engaged in two wars, the military has discharged more than 800 mission-critical troops under this policy, including more than 50 Arabic linguists.”

She added: “I look forward to the expeditious implementation of all policies necessary to end discrimination against gays and lesbians who currently serve or wish to serve in the military. I will continue to work for full equality for LGBT Americans. In the United States of America, there is no place for irrational and insidious discrimination in any sector of society.”

Aubrey Sarvis, head of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, an advocacy group, said: “Until the president signs the bill, until there is certification, and until the 60-day Congressional period is over, no-one should be investigated or discharged under this discriminatory law.”

http://www.pinknews.co.uk

Dont' Ask Don't Tell Gone With The Old Year

65 pro to 31 against votes in the Senate votes down the historic anti gay and anti human rights legislation passed by congress and signed by President Clinton 17 years ago. It is now waiting a sure signature by president Obama so it can become the law of the land.

The majority of American people have supported extracting this law.
 In this case the politicians in Washington have been behind the will of the american public. Thanks to all the information we have available now,  people have been able to see through the crowd manure of false and misleading information put out by Senator Mc Cain, the so called 'religious right' and some people that have an unfounded fear of gay people.
Lt. Dan Choi, hospitalized with combat fatigue, a veteran, a good soldier that was discharged under this policy is now relieved and hopefully his prognosis will be now, one of recovery. We still need his services.

Lets rejoice in this historic accomplishment as a result of an unwavering fight by gay advocates and people of decency of all persuasions, sexual, religious and political views but mainly the majority of the Democratic party and democrats in general have fought for this injustice to go away.

We can say to all gays struggling or not with this issue: It Gets Better!

Happy Holidays and stay with adamfoxie.

Adam

Diversity Training a Condition if Scouts Want to Buy Philly HQ Building

By CATHERINE LUCEY

Philadelphia Daily News

A controversial proposed settlement that would allow the regional Boy Scouts association to buy its Logan Square headquarters from the city took a step forward in City Council yesterday.Councilman Darrell Clarke introduced an ordinance that would transfer ownership of the building to the Cradle of Liberty
Council.
But written into the legislation were two conditions - that the Scouts could not sell the building for 10 years and that they must provide space for community programs, including diversity training.
"We would like to see the building be made available to others," said Clarke, whose district includes the building at 22nd and Winter streets. By Council tradition, Clarke gets to introduce property deals in his district.
Clarke had delayed introduction for several weeks amid complaints about the agreement. He stressed that there was still no final consensus on the issue, which will come up for review in the new year.
Last month, the city announced a proposed legal agreement with the Scouts that would allow the group to pay the city $500,000 to buy its 13,000-square-foot headquarters, the focus of a civil-rights dispute that began over the Scouts' national ban on gay members.
The deal has drawn criticism from the city's gay leaders and other residents. The price tag is less than half the appraised value of the building. But the city argues that the settlement would end an expensive legal fight and the risk that city taxpayers would eventually have to pay the Scouts' legal bills, now approaching $1 million.
Thomas Harrington, the Cradle of Liberty Council's CEO, said the Scouts would comply with both of Clarke's conditions.
"We plan to stay in the building for many years. Having outside groups utilize the office for meetings is consistent with what we've done for many years," said Harrington, who said that gay organizations would be welcome to hold events.
But Malcolm Lazin, executive director of the Equality Forum, criticized the agreement and said the modifications to the bill don't go far enough.
"Anything that rewards discrimination is just plain wrong. So to give the Boy Scouts the building for $500,000 is giving them a prize piece of Philadelphia property for a pittance," Lazin said, adding that the city should seek fair market value for the building.
Lazin was among a group of more than 20 prominent Philadelphians who signed a letter to Mayor Nutter this week asking him to halt the settlement.
Still, Nutter said yesterday that this deal was in the best interest of the city.

John Travolta and Kevin Spacey Dodge Gay Bullets—Yet Again

 by TED CASABLANCA

Denise Truscello/WireImage.com; Ace Pictures/Zuma Press

Kevin Spacey has now re-entered the gay-rumor game after a few years of folks pretty much leaving him alone about it (or just not caring). But John Travolta has never enjoyed such a respite—despite a long-running marriage to actress Kelly Preston. Whether it's the tabloids publishing pics of him kissing a dude on a plane or recent rumors of Travolta enjoying sex in public saunas, he's pretty much been the target of various media outlets and detractors honing in his sexual peccadilloes.

Spacey, when asked point blank by the Daily Beast if he was gay, evaded the question. His right. But what about Carrie Fisher not even asking John if she could blab to The Advocate that John is—according to Fisher—gay?

What the hell does Travolta have to say about that?

Nada. Travolta's rep absolutely will not discuss John's private life. He says there will be no comment coming from Camp Travolta regarding Fisher's statements. Nor will there be a lawsuit. But privately, we hear Travolta is pissed.

Gosh, wonder why?

Let's get clear about two things: We don't believe in outing, and when you become a public figure, tough bisexual beans if people poke around your private life. As a result, these two A.T. edicts create a rather problematic environment, at times.

If some dude (or gal) is getting their skank on in public, it sort of brings up the question of public reporting, right? So, when Kevin Spacey says he "got mugged" at 4 a.m. in a London park, but then later changed his mind about the explanation, it becomes public consumption as to what the hell Spacey was doing in that park in the middle of the night in the first place.

Maybe he's just like "good Samaritan" Eddie Murphy and was looking for somebody to help out in those horny, wee hours of the night?

Either way, these guys should perhaps be more discreet about the personal deets they want to keep under wraps—or not get all hissy when the media questions their allegedly homolicious escapades. T-town may be a tough crowd, but Kev and John know what they're dealing with by now.

It's almost like they want people to butt into their private biz. But that'd be crazy, wouldn't it?

Maybe not.

http://www.eonline.com

NY Police Dept. Fakes Statistics, Downgrades Rape Charges

In February, journalist Debbie Nathan was sexually assaulted in a New York City park. She immediately reported the incident to the police, who took the report, but purposefully and wrongly classified the assault as a misdemeanor. It was only after Nathan protested to the Manhattan District Attorney, who did his own investigation, that the incident was reclassified as a felony. According to the Huffington Post, "the six officers who responded to Nathan's attack admitted leaving key portions of her story out of the report."

Why would they leave out key portions of her story?

An investigative report by the Village Voice uncovered nothing short of a scandal. A series of articles exposed the New York Police Department's practice of consistently "undercharging" crimes in an effort to meet "performance measurements" (quotas are illegal) and make crime statistics appear more palatable. The manipulation of statistics was caught on tapes in which NYPD higher-ups can be heard telling street cops to downgrade crimes or simply not to report particular crimes at all.

Numerous courageous police officers have come forward to tell their tales of questionable police policies, such as retired detective Harry Hernandez, who details a harrowing account of police misconduct related to serial rapist Daryl Thomas. While NYC sexual assault prevention groups say that the issue of under-reporting and undercharging of crimes has been a "growing problem" over the last two years, these "shady police policies," writes Alex DiBranco on the Women's Rights blog, had particularly devastating consequences when Thomas was able to sexually assault six different women in a single neighborhood over a period of two months. He was on his way to a seventh when a "lucky break" fueled his capture by police. The brutal spree should have triggered alarm bells, but went unnoticed for so long because the NYPD kept downgrading the assaults to "criminal trespassing."

In other words, until exposed through a series of recordings as well as an FBI report, New York City police officers had been covering up sex crimes with the full knowledge and even the direction of their superiors. In fact, it seems likely it's still happening.

Change.org member Jaclyn Munson isn't willing to sit by and wait for the NYPD to take action voluntarily -- or not. She's created a Change.org petition to collectively raise our voices and demand change in the way sex crime statistics are handled by the NYPD.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. campaigned on an unfulfilled "promise" to release accurate and detailed sex crime statistics. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has is directing NYPD Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly to investigate the corruption in his own department.

 by Amie Newman

A runner comes out, then goes back in

 

by Cyd Zeigler jr..

For my money the strangest story we covered in our 10 years (and there were a few that qualify) was the 2002 story of University of Missouri runner and track coach Derrick Peterson (who asked to be called “Deric” for the article). I was the sports editor of Genremagazine at the time (Andy Towle was the editor), and Eric “Gumby” Anderson brought Derrick to me. We flew Derrick to Los Angeles where we had lengthy conversations about being gay. He was nervous and excited for the article to come out.

But after the article hit the newsstands in June of 2002, Derrick ranhis fastest race ever right back in the closet. He said he didn’t want any of the publicity…but then said he had lied about being gay to get some publicity. Whatever is truly in Derrick’s heart, he is now married with two kids and coaching at Missouri.