In Moscow Immoral Crusade to Rally Against Gay Pride

 

© RIA Novosti. Andrey Stenin

by Tom Washington 

A senior priest has poured fire and brimstone on May 28’s mooted Gay Pride march and announced a rally in defence of the nation’s morals.

Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, the head of the synodal department for church and society in the Russian Orthodox Church, called on upstanding citizens to show moral backbone and condemn the wave of sexual pollution that he claims is threatening Russia.

Representatives of the Orthodox community will accordingly have their own rally in answer to the controversial sexual minorities’ rally.

Den of licentiousness

Top of the religious leaders’ concerns are drug addiction, alcoholism, brothels, crack houses and the promotion of homosexuality, they announced at a meeting of the Council of Orthodox Associations on Wednesday, gzt.ru reported.

They decreed that Russia is a home to everyone, “which all its inhabitants should live in,” and that despite “the extraordinary diversity of traditions, customs, beliefs, moral sentiment unites the majority of Russian citizens,” a statement said.

Corrupting the youth

Chaplin decried the disputed Gay Pride rally as a corrupting influence on children and adolescents as it would be happening in a public place when they would be present.

This is an attempt “to influence this category of the population,” which he believes is unacceptable, gzt.ru cited Ekho Moskvy as saying.

Moscow’s courageous stand

Moscow could potentially see its first legal gay pride march this month, after a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights that bans on earlier actions were illegal.

But the church praised the city for its “courageous stance” and noted that the city “has never allowed homosexual propaganda activities.” They said that this preserves “the health of Muscovites from the choking smog of sexual licentiousness.”

City Hall has not yet given a formal go ahead to an application for a Gay Pride March lodged on April 12 but gay activists point out that this amounts to tacit permission, as the law now places the onus on the authorities to issue a ban within 10 days.

There has been no ban and that period has elapsed.

"Ex-Gay" Ministries Are Being Taken On By People With an IQ

 By Cléo Fatoorehchi

  (IPS) - Groups peddling the widely discredited notion that gay people can be "cured" of their sexual orientation are encountering staunch resistance to their message, even as converts insist that they are leading happier lives.

In March, 150,000 people signed an online petition to successfully demand that Apple pull an app from the "ex-gay" organisation Exodus International, which claims that "homosexual behaviour is not in God's will or design", in the words of Jeff Buchanan, director of the Exodus Church Association.

"We removed the Exodus International app from the App Store because it violated our developer guidelines by being offensive to large groups of people," Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr told AFP at the time.

Exodus may be the best-known "ex-gay" organisation, but it is far from the only one.

Homosexuals Anonymous, Courage, NARTH (the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality), are PFOX (Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays) are just a few others, while countless Christian ministries share the same ideas and goals.

A side effect of gay rights?The year 1973 saw a huge step forward in the struggle for gay rights - the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Ironically, that period also saw the creation of the first "ex-gay" organisations. After Love in Action emerged that same year, Exodus International was founded in 1976 in Anaheim, California. "That is sort of a reaction to acceptance," said Besen, "that shows success on our part." "As long as there is prejudice and discrimination these groups will exist," Besen acknowledged, but said he is confident that "every single year they would be less effective, their message will resonate less with the public." He noted that their power is already decreasing, at least in the U.S., where most people now clearly see the true nature of these organisations. "They are (thus) looking for new markets overseas… (where people) do not understand that they are fraud, like most of us do in the USA," he told IPS.

Buchanan told IPS that several passages of the Bible, namely Romans 1:18, clearly assert that homosexual behaviour is not acceptable.

However, the New York-based sexologist Barbara Carrellas pointed out to IPS that some Protestant churches not only accept gays and lesbians in their congregations, but as clergy members as well.

The United Church of Christ has allowed the ordination of gay people since the 1970s, and in 2003, the Episcopal Church consecrated the first openly gay bishop.

The problem then comes from "fundamentalist sects that take the word of the Bible absolutely literally and do not account for change, or cultural difference or the progress of time," Carrellas said.

For a member of a fundamentalist church, if "all (he/she) hears is that 'you're going to Hell, God hates you, you're going to be lonely and left, you're going to be miserable in this life and for eternity,' (he/she) might want to be convinced that they can change from being gay or lesbian to something else," she said.

"However, attempts to change people on that level, attempts to create a curriculum of formulas to change people from what they are to what you want them to be, generally just doesn't work," she added.

Fear, shame and guilt are usually "required to convince someone that what they are feeling, what their identity is…is fundamentally wrong," and that can lead to depression and suicide, Carrellas said.

"Anytime we tell somebody that who they are sexually is deviant, perverted, wrong, weird, and that they're going to have a horrible life... they will probably be in worse shape than they were before the conversion."

Her position is supported by the American Psychological Association, which has expressed concern about "ongoing efforts to mischaracterise homosexuality and promote the notion that sexual orientation can be changed and about the resurgence of sexual orientation change efforts."

Still, there is no lack of "ex-gay" people willing to share their experiences and advocate for the "straight life".

Buchanan, for instance, says he walked away from being gay with the help of the church, which gave him the means "to live a life that was congruent" with his faith.

Married to a woman for eight years now, he told IPS that "the transformation... does bring happiness."

"I'm content, I'm happy with my life; I would not choose anything else, or want anything else," he added. "I know others would say the same."

Buchanan said 3,000 people attend the Exodus ministry each week, and 400,000 reach out to the organisation via phone, e-mail and the web every year.

Wayne Besen, executive director of the LGBT advocacy group Truth Wins Out (TWO), describes the ex-gay movement as dangerous and says his organisation conducts seminars and protests to educate people on the issue.

"I think our information helps kids that they will not go in the first place," he told IPS.

He emphasised the importance of this awareness work since "people believe in lies, ... and (especially when) these lies are being spoken by people they trust, their pastor, their priest."

"It is a shame that they do this because they are harming a lot of people by doing so," he added.

According to him, "the best (one) can do is change behaviour, and the significant cost is mental health; but (one is) not going to change homosexual attraction to the (other gender)." 

Fidel Castro's Niece Urges Gay Rights

  

 

 

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE  

 

 

Mariela Castro, daughter of President Raul Castro, called Tuesday for reforms to allow homosexual unions and an end to discrimination against gays by the ruling Community Party.

In comments to the press, Mariela Castro said the question was discussed at last month's Communist Party congress as part of an effort to fight homophobia.

"We had a dialogue," said Castro's daughter, who also heads the National Center for Sex Education. "We also were to present written comments" on measures to end marginalization of gays as part of a series of reforms.

She added that the National Assembly has been discussion reforms to the family code for the past three years to allow civil unions for gays, but that no final measure has achieved a consensus.

Cuba had in the past showed little tolerance for homosexuality, and operated camps for several years to stamp out "counterrevolutionary" values.

Even after the camps closed, oppression against gays continued, instigated by members of the local Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDRs), block monitors who often turned in their gay neighbours.

In recent years the situation has improved and Cuba has allowed surgery for gender change following efforts by Mariela Castro.

© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal

John Ashcroft Takes Dignified job? Not Banker? No He's with Blackwater

BY ALEX PAREENE

•  

AP/Cliff Owen

John Ashcroft

Former Attorney General John Aschcroft, one of the worst jokes of George W. Bush's first term, has a new job! (Not that you needed to worry about him starving on the street: He's been running a very lucrative lobbying firm since he left the Justice Department.) He is now the head of the newly created ethics committee for... Blackwater, the "private security firm" (mercenary army) that is best known for accepting billions of dollars in government money while murdering civilians, smuggling and stealing arms, and generally allowing their private army of reckless, drunken violence-junkies to operate wholly without oversight or consequences.

Because the name "Blackwater" has such a bad reputation, due to all the killing, they've embarked upon a series of cosmetic reforms: Changing their name to "Xe," bidding for contracts under the names of their dozens of fictitious front companies, and now starting up this ethics committee.

And nothing says credibility like bringing on the attorney general whose work establishing a permanent state of domestic emergency necessitated the massive "homeland security" industry that went on to make him a very wealthy man.

The hiring of Ashcroft -- a puritanical straight-and-narrow type -- is obviously meant to signal to government agencies that Blackwater has totally changed since founder and real piece of work Erik Prince departed the company to concentrate on pretending he's been persecuted for anything besides his impossibly irresponsible management. If they promise no more cocaine and porn, oh State Department, would you consider maybe giving them a couple more billion dollars?

http://www.salon.com

‘How Many Gay People Must God Create Before We Accept That He Wants Them Around?’

 

by Tommy Christopher |  

While the topic hasn’t been in the news much since the Justice Department’s decision not to defend the Defense of Marriage Act, the battle over same-sex marriage rages on in the states. During ahearing on a proposed constitutional ban on same sex marriage in Minnesota, Democratic state Rep. Steve Simon asked a rhetorical question that elegantly crystallized the issue, and despite the measure’s advancement along party lines, could prove an effective rallying cry for marriage equality.

Simon spoke about the question of “nature vs. nurture,” wondering if sexual orientation could fairly be compared with “skateboarding or gardening,” and drew a round of applause when he posed the question, “How many gay people must God create before we accept that he wants them around?”

It was a compelling moment, but the entirety of Simon’s comments were just as compelling. From the beginning, he cannily identifies the problem with such measures, that they are largely based on religious justification.

http://www.mediaite.com

Gay victim's Silence Reflects on bin Laden's Death

Mark Bingham

The mother of a gay man who was killed in the September 11 attacks has paid tribute to the intelligence community and US military, following the death of Osama bin Laden.

Posted in: International News
By GayNZ.com Daily News staff - 

Mark Bingham was killed when United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in a field Pennsylvania, after he and a group of passengers stormed the cockpit in an attempt to prevent the 747 from being flown into its intended target.

His mother Alice Hoagland has reflected on bin Laden's demise on NBC's Today Show, saying "I think it is a point in time of which the American people can be very proud, which we can take stock in and realise how very valuable our intelligence community and our military are."

Hoagland says she continues to be proud of her son and the other passengers in their work in redirecting Flight 93 from its intended target.

"A little group of guys in the back of a pitching 747 that took a vote and decided they were going to run forward armed with nothing more than their fists and whatever they could find on board to fight real evil - people who were determined to kill them and anyone else they could on the ground."

Hoagland also praised both President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush for their work into attempting to find bin Laden and bring him to justice. She says she is relieved bin Laden "has no one to face now except his God".

During the 2008 presidential campaign, then-Republican presidential nominee John McCain, who delivered a eulogy at Bingham's funeral, told the Washington Blade he identified Bingham as one of his gay heroes.

Player Tells His Coach: 'I am writing a Coming out Story'

Brandon Stoneham, a Division 1 college soccer player at Adelphi University, struggled with his sexuality and thought about giving up the sport. But with the help of his family, close friends and music that touched his soul, he realized that true happiness lies in being himself.

 

---

By Brandon Stoneham
For Outsports.com
As I start walking towards my coach’s office, it hits me that this is a huge turning point in my life.  A little over a year ago, I didn’t think I would ever have the courage to tell anyone I was gay.  Now, my coach was the last person I had to tell before I could consider myself an openly gay athlete.

I was nervous, but a good nervous. I embraced the feeling and felt excited at the same time. The walk felt extremely short because I was so occupied with what I was going to say. I went through multiple scenarios in my head trying to prepare myself; I wanted to be ready for any reaction he might have.  When I got to his office, I forgot to be nervous. I walked in and felt really confident.  When I told him, I felt really empowered.  It felt good to know I was confident enough to tell him.  I was proud of myself.  After I told him, he had no problems.  We exchanged a few jokes and talked about it for a few minutes.  I told him that I wanted to write a coming out article and he was fully supportive. I started writing the very next day. ... 

I remember the exact moment I knew I was gay. I was in Grade 9 and my religion teacher had the class close their eyes. He told the story of an average young boy who was getting ready for the biggest day of his life; the young boy was gay and was preparing to tell someone for the first time. The story recounted the boy’s emotions leading up to his coming out. Prior to this class, I had always known I was different. I wasn’t sure how, but I knew I was. As my teacher was reading, the world appeared clearly for the first time; I knew I was gay. I knew it because I felt so self-conscious throughout the entire story. I felt like my classmates were burning me with their Cyclops-like stares. Of course their eyes were closed, and no one had any clue I was gay, but I knew. 
I would go on to have many similar heart-stopping experiences. For the five years I lived in the closet. I was always conscious of making sure I never made any “gay” moves. I dated a girl, who is one of my best friends now, on and off during high school. I also had a Hooters magazine that I would occasionally leave out at my dad’s house. I figured it was something a straight guy would do. It wasn’t until I was in grade 12 that I finally accepted the fact that I was gay. Before that, I always tried to convince myself it was a phase that would pass.
In 12th grade, I had what I like to call a quarter-life crisis. I was really unsatisfied with my social progress in high school. I feel like I had repressed a part of me because I was always nervous to go to parties and be put in an awkward, pretend-your-not-gay situation. I changed that and started going to more parties and trying to make up for lost time. I knew I was gay and couldn’t change it, but I wanted to feel what it was like to be an average straight guy in high school. It was fun but it wasn’t what I really needed. The burden of pretending to be someone I was not started to feel heavier and heavier.

That year of my life was really stressful for me. I was being recruited by a few different universities for soccer and I felt overwhelmed. I was scared about being in a new team environment and having to convince 25 more guys that I was a normal guy. I couldn’t make my parents understand why I was so nervous without telling them I was gay. I was in the worst position because I wasn’t ready to come out, but couldn’t fix my problem without doing it. I had worked my whole life towards getting a scholarship, and now that the opportunity presented itself, I wasn’t sure if I wanted it. Thankfully for me, my best friend was being recruited by one of the same schools. Having already visited and knowing my best friend would probably go there too, I chose Adelphi out of pure comfort and proximity to home. As much as I was afraid, I knew I couldn't pass on the opportunity I had worked towards for so long. For me, it was a small leap of faith when I committed to Adelphi. I was headed towards the unknown. I just hoped I would fit in and find my own.

I reported to Adelphi in August 2009 for the start of preseason. It was the most physically and mentally draining two weeks of my life. I broke down when my dad's side of the family came to visit me.  When they left, I started crying and didn't think I could go on.  I missed home so much and I was exhausted from being on the field twice a day in the heat.  It was a major shock to the system.
I really tried to fit in with the team during my first semester. I talked about girls like I was an expert in the field, and I had the odd hook-up to avoid any speculation.  There were a few girls who liked me so I always had to pretend I was interested, but not enough to make any moves. I mastered the art of deflecting questions about girls without giving away anything.  It sucked to do, but I was lucky that I didn't have to do it often. I was fortunate enough to make some really good friends on the team and talking about girls wasn't something we did a lot.

During the season, I didn't have much time to think about my social life because of how much soccer we played.  Once the season ended, there was so much more time to think. We started going out more and I started to feel more uncomfortable than usual. I was missing home a lot and it just didn't feel right. I started to do a lot of online research about gays and sports and didn't find much. Despite trying to hide it, I wanted to get more in touch with the gay side of me. I watched more gay-themed movies and started to feel a connection with the characters. I saw “Milk” and it really affected me. I couldn't believe how much hardship the main character, Harvey Milk, went through. After seeing it, I was ashamed that I felt sorry for myself and that I wasn't proud of who I was. I started to feel more and more like screaming out to the world that I was gay but I still wasn't ready. 
When I went home for Christmas break 2009, I had to tell everyone about my first semester in university away from home. I got the same questions from most people, and the more I heard myself give the same answers, the more I realized how fake it was. It was like rehearsing lines for a play; saying the same thing over and over again. I was talking about my life like I had actually lived it the way I wanted to. I pretended like everything was perfect the first semester but I knew I wasn't happy.

In many ways, my first semester was everything it could have been. I had made a lot of friends, I finished with a 3.9 GPA, and my team had won its conference with a record of 13-2-4. Despite all these accomplishments, I felt like I was a puppet in a master scheme. Nothing seemed real, and I felt that all I had accomplished was for nothing.

Solace through music

After Christmas, I went on a vacation with my family to Florida.  It hit me the hardest during that trip that I had being living a lie my entire life. It seemed as though all of my internal struggles had reached a peak. 

I had always liked “American Idol,” but never as much as when Adam Lambert was performing.  I found his voice to be unlike any other. This combined with the self-confidence he exhibited every time he was on stage had me convinced; he was my first gay role model. I loved how much confidence he had in himself and how in-touch he seemed with his own emotions and feelings. I envied his confidence.  The song “Aftermath” from his first album would change my life; it was the first “coming out” song I had heard. The more I listened to it, the more I realized I had to take control of my life for the first time.

Wanna scream out
No more hiding
Don’t be afraid of what’s inside
Gonna tell ya you’ll be alright
In the aftermath

I knew I had to come out but I was so scared and unsure of myself that I didn’t think I could do it. For five days,  I had  “Aftermath” and John Mayer’s “Say” on repeat. Every time a song played, I gained a little more strength and courage. The words in their songs spoke to me. From “Say”:  

Have no fear for givin’ in
Have no fear for givin’ over
You better know that in the end
It’s better to say too much
Than to never to say what you need to say again

For the first time, I believed the cliché, “It’s better to be hated for who you are than to be loved for someone you are not.”   Since I was in Florida when I came to this realization, I decided to come out via email.

I had always planned on telling my mom first, so it was an easy decision to tell her. Not only did I have the safety of being away from her initial reaction, we both would have time to reflect before seeing each other. I would also be able to get all of my thoughts and feelings in the open before she could react. I hoped she would understand and appreciate where all my feelings were coming from. I put on my headphones, and I wrote the most honest email I could. 

Mom: You may not be able to understand but telling you is the hardest thing in the world...it’s taken me 5 years to do it.  I don’t have the courage to tell you face to face because I just can’t say I’m gay out loud.  I just can’t do it.  I’ve tried so many times but it’s just not possible. …

I knew complete honesty was the only way to overcome my own barriers. The email ended up being five pages of raw thought and emotion.  Once I was done writing, I expected myself to start second-guessing what I was about to do. Thankfully, I was smart enough to hit send right away and spare myself another period of self-doubt.

After the email was sent, I didn’t feel any different. I expected to feel 100 times lighter as everyone says but it didn’t happen for me. Mom responded a long two hours later, and I couldn’t have asked for a better reaction. She told me everything I needed to hear. She still loved me unconditionally and was going to do everything she could to help me. That was the message behind every sentence. I felt much better because for the first time, I had an ally. I had one person who I could be myself to and that felt amazing.

I told my brother, who was 9 years old at the time, a few days after. I had a few too many glasses of wine at dinner that night, so telling more people seemed like a great idea. When I told him, he didn’t believe me and thought it was a big joke. It went on for so long that I started to laugh because I couldn’t convince him. After he finally understood I wasn’t kidding, he was a bit overwhelmed and confused. I knew it would be a lot for him to handle so I just sat with him and tried to explain as simply I could that I was the same person. I feel much closer with him, and our bond has grown. He has been very supportive and always seems to try and make me happy.

I told my dad and step-mom the same night I told my brother.  It was really hard because I had to say it out loud and witness their initial reactions. I remember the look both of them had on their faces when I told them. It was like I had just told a bad joke; they were confused and unsure as to laugh or believe me. My step-mom looked at me like I had five heads and said, “Bran, if you’re kidding, I’m going to kill you.”  Once the initial shock wore off, we started talking about everything, and I answered a lot of their questions.
One thing that I told them during the talk was that I wasn’t going to go back to school. I had really struggled with my confidence during my first semester of university, and I couldn’t imagine telling my teammates I was gay. I was afraid my teammates would alienate me. My rationale was that every in-the-closet athlete had to choose between their sport and their desire to be themselves. For my whole life I had chosen sport and I wasn’t prepared to do it anymore. I couldn’t rationalize coming out to my team because it was such a foreign concept. I had never heard of an openly gay athlete and wasn’t prepared to deal with the potential hardships.

After listening to all I had to say, my dad told me, “I have no problem with the fact that you are gay. What I do have a problem with, is you giving up on your dream because of it.” I promised him I would at least talk to a therapist before making such a drastic decision.  I had two sessions with a therapist and she helped me talk through all my concerns and issues. My main concern was how I never had the expected uplifting moment after telling people. After hearing what I had to say, she suggested the reason for this was because I hadn’t combined the two main aspects of my life: personal relationships and sports.

When I got back to school, I was overwhelmed with emotion. It was probably the most mentally straining month of my life. I went from having a huge support system in my family, to being by myself again.

Telling friends and teammates

The first person I told at school was my best friend Brandon. We knew each other prior to Adelphi and had played on the same club team for four years. Telling him was hard because I knew without his support, I would really struggle telling anybody else. I told him at a party that I wanted to talk with him when we got back to campus. Of course he wouldn’t let me wait and made me tell him at the party. After I told him, he gave me a hug and said nothing would change between us. We sat down and started talking about everything and one of my other good friends noticed. He came over and wanted to know what was going on. I didn’t want to tell him at the time, but he made me feel bad for keeping a secret. I told him and made sure he wouldn’t tell anyone else because I wanted to come out on my own terms. He was fully supportive and didn’t care at all that I was gay.  For the first time, I could be myself around my best friend and it was a surreal emotion.

Two days later, I heard a knock on my door and it was Brandon. When I opened the door, he came into the room and started crying. I had never seen him cry before so it was really unexpected. He started to tell me how scared he was for me and for our relationship. He was afraid he would change and act differently around me. I felt really special seeing how much of an impact telling him had. It was really comforting knowing he cared so much and was worried for me. I told him that our friendship wouldn’t change because I knew I wouldn’t change and I knew he wouldn’t either. 
We both talked about how hard it would be to tell people on the team. He was scared nobody else would understand and I would be isolated. That semester, I ended up telling only three more of my teammates as well as a few friends at the school.  I only told people when the topic came up or if it felt right at the time. It’s annoying enough to think of how to start the “I’m gay” conversation. The teammates whom I told were very supportive. I knew I could always fall back on them and still have good friends on the team. Knowing that made it easier to tell the rest of my teammates.

I had one teammate who has always been very open about his extreme dislike towards gay people.  Ironically, over time he has become one of my best friends.  He obviously didn’t know I was gay when he used to say it so I didn’t take it personally. It did hurt to hear, but I knew he never had any experience with gay people and was engaging in stererotypes. How do you tell someone who hates gay people that you are gay?  I decided the best way to tell him was through email. 

I got a text from him that night saying, "Don't worry. It will take time but it will be ok. It is hard for me, but I know it's even harder for you. Just give me time and it will be alright."  I was prepared for the worst so I couldn't have been any happier with his response. The concept of having a gay friend was foreign to him. It took him some time to accept it but our relationship hasn't changed. He remains one of my best friends and we share a mutual respect regarding any gay issues. Even though he isn't fully comfortable with the gay thing, he stood up for me when one teammate found out and was uncomfortable with it.

I ended up telling more of my teammates during my sophomore year whenever a good opportunity presented itself. It was at this point that I started to think I was in a position to help others like me.  I had no problems with anyone knowing I was gay, so I wasn't afraid to promote something gay-related.  I started doing some research on how I could make a difference and promote gays in sports.

On a routine visit to Outsports, I came across a blog by Brad, Robert and Ben, the high school kids who were openly gay athletes.  I thought it was an awesome idea and admired them for having the courage to do that in high school.  Seeing their blog confirmed my desire to do something.  I contacted Jim from Outsports to get an idea of some things I could do.  He suggested I write a coming out article.  I remembered back to when I was coming out and barely had any similar people to look for guidance or advice. 

I felt like writing this article would give people who are struggling to come out some confidence. I believe knowing somebody went through the exact same thing is very powerful.  Needless to say, I loved the idea.  Before writing it, I wanted to make sure my coach was aware that I was gay and knew that I would be writing an article.  I went to his office the next day and told him my plan.  He was fully on board.

Brandon Stoneham, born in Ottawa, is a sophomore at Adelphi University in Long Island, and plays forward on the men's soccer team. He can be reached by email at stoneham.brandon@gmail.com .

Gay Couple Waits 61 Years to Marry in New York: Can CuomoDeliver to Them and Us?

Posted by LGBT Weekly

Gov. Cuomo claims new day for gay marriage in New York\Source: nydailynews.com

Governor Cuomo claims that “a new day for gay marriage” is dawning in New York – and if he’s right, one couple in particular will be celebrating their nuptials after a 61-year waiting period.

Richard Adrian Dorr and John Mace are one of many gay couples living in New York. But unlike most, these two have been together since 1950. Dorr and Mace met as students at the Julliard School of Music in 1948, and have been a committed and devoted couple for the last 61 years. As voice teachers who have lived and worked in Manhattan for the better part of their long lives, 83-year-old Dorr and 91-year-old Mace want nothing more than to marry in the state they call home.

Evan Wolfson, President of Freedom to Marry, explained that “they are still obviously so deeply in love after 61 years and yet after all those years of commitment, being there for one another through the ups and downs of life, they are still being denied the one thing they want most – the freedom to marry in New York.

“It is time to change that,” concluded Wolfson, whose organization has created a video featuring the couple in an effort to galvanize their campaign.

Meanwhile, Governor Cuomo told reporters today that he is “optimistic that marriage equality will pass” and that it is a “long overdue” initiative in the state of New York.

“I’ve been talking about that issue also for a year. I know it’s failed before, but I think this is a different day,” Cuomo explained.

On behalf of Richard Adrian Dorr, John Mace and gay couples throughout the state of New York, we hope that Cuomo is right, that marriage equality will sail through the legislature and that couples like this one will finally have the ability to celebrate their union with the wedding they desire.

Colbert On Osama Bin Laden Killing: ‘Suck My Giant American Balls"

by Tommy Christopher VIDEO

On the first full day that Americans had to digest the news that terrorist leader Osama bin Laden waskilled in a raid by US forces Sunday, it seems only fitting that right-wing fundit™ Stephen Colbertwould have the last word. His show was born out of a roiling kettle of post-9/11 politics, and Monday night, he applied his ample bombast to the remnants of bin Laden’s terrorist followers, declaring “Suck my giant American balls, al Qaeda!”

Colbert’s character is an (increasingly affectionate) sendup of bombastic conservative pundits like Bill O’Reilly, far to the right of the man who plays him, but bin Laden’s demise is probably the rare instance where the character and the man nearly agree.

Following his defiant credo, Colbert brought some serious funny, riffing on about 70 years of pop culture, and somehow managing both a Wizard of Oz and a Reservoir Dogs reference in the same bit. The segment caps off with a funny bit about the 2001 shark panic that also provides a slight Proustian ache for that bygone time when all we had to worry about was sharks that would never bite us.

Here’s the clip, from Comedy Central:

http://www.mediaite.com/

James Middleton is the talk of Europe: We Find Him Fun and Naked

James Middleton is the talk of Europe after the wedding of his sister the Duchess of Cambridge to our Wills and for good reasons, he has a past - and it is all archived on the Internet folks. Before we begin, here is a family photo taken the day after the royal wedding of the family as thy leave their London hotel, James is all smiles.The more photos we discover featuring him like this one dressed as a French maid groping his crotchthe more we are convinced he is playing ball on our team. Here is a photo of James nude holding a beer and drying his pubes with agroping himself and hair-dryer .Middleton enjoys playing pocket pool we think - volunteers are queuing to assist. This next photos shows his nice buttocks and hairy pubes. Au naturel, we like that. James also like posing nude in groups as you can see in this rear view photo, his is the luscious one in the middle. Nice package andbubble butt standing on-top of a sign. We hope he is at least versatile. Another photo of him inrubber goulashes turned sideways with a profile view thus giving away his identity. The boys that love rubber and uniforms ought frame this photo. James Middleton sister married a prince I am certain that he can trump that by landing a queen - there are hundreds of thousands of them in the SoHo district of London who would oblige his every command. We are anxiously waiting for the video... Stay tuned. [ related Posh-preneurs ]

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Tops and Masculine Guys get HIV Like Everyone else, but blacks get it thinking is not so

Young black men who have sex with men (MSM) get infected with HIV nearly five times more often than MSM from other races, even though they don't have more unprotected sex. The discrepancy has long mystified public health experts but a new study by investigators at Johns Hopkins and elsewhere now offers a possible explanation for it.

The study found that young black MSM -- a group that includes openly gay and bisexual men, as well as those who have sex with men but do not identify themselves as gay or bisexual -- select partners and judge these partners' HIV status in a specific way. These men show a clear preference for masculine men, while also equating masculinity with lower HIV risk. This dynamic, the researchers say, can help explain why young black MSM contract HIV more often than their counterparts from other races.

The results are based on interviews with 35 black men ages 18 to 24 who have sex with men. The most notable findings include an overwhelming preference for masculine partners, accepting masculine partners as dominant in the sex act and leaving to them decisions about condom use, perceiving masculine men as low risk for HIV and feminine men as high risk.

"There may be no difference in HIV prevalence between masculine-looking and feminine-looking men, but because black MSM perceive masculine men as lower risk, their sexual encounters with such men may make HIV infection more likely," said investigator Jonathan Ellen, M.D., a pediatrician and teen health expert at Johns Hopkins Children's Center.

In other words, even though young black MSM have unprotected sex just as often as others, they may be having unprotected sex in riskier ways with partners whose HIV status they often miscalculate, the researchers explain.

The findings offer new insight into how black MSM judge risk based on perceptions of masculinity and can help inform public health campaigns to reduce new HIV infections in this disproportionately affected group. The findings, the researchers say, can also guide safe-sex conversations between primary care physicians and patients.

eScience News...


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