Friday, February 27, 2015

Hunk of the month February: Evan Wadle


Evan Wadle (New Jersey,1988) entered the modeling world in 2006 with Silver Model Management.
 
He was featured in many publications including Genre Magazine, Tetu Magazine and Australia's DNA Magazine where he was man of the year, and others.
 
He has also appeared in numerous underwear and swimsuit ads as a clothing model.
 
Evan has gone into acting, and has appeared in small roles like in This Is Where I Leave You (2014), Being Flynn (2012) and Body of Proof (2011).
 
Awesome and powerful guy!














 




Thursday, February 26, 2015

Sweden hockey team wears rainbow jerseys


Last match, the Swedish Örebro hockey team donned rainbow jerseys in support of LGBT rights.
 
Before playing the match, Örebro held a lecture on LGBT people in sports and encouraged fans to wear rainbow pins and buy limited-edition pride scarves and jerseys.
 
Örebro goalie Julius Hudacek is known for his post-game performances and has even earned himself the Twitter hastag #HudaShow.
 
This time, after beating the Frölunda Indians 4-2, Hudacek led his teammates and the entire audience in a dance to the 1978 Village People gay anthem YMCA.
 
Proud and funny.



Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Queensland plans to reinstate civil unions for gay couples


Queensland is making moves to reinstate state-sanctioned civil union ceremonies for gay couples.
 
The state attorney-general, Yvette D'Ath, said the new Labor government would make good on an election pledge and reintroduce civil partnerships after they were banned in 2012.
 
The Queensland government's decision shows there is a growing desire in the community for treating same-sex relationships with dignity and respect. But gay civil unions can never be a substitute for full same-sex marriage because they do not have the same rights and recognition.
 
For now, civil or registered partnerships exists in four Australian states and territories: the Australian Capital Teritorry, Tasmania, New South Wales and Victoria.
 
It's time Australia!


Yvette D'Ath in favor to reintroduce gay civil unions

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

New same-sex family emojis by Apple

 
Apple are launching a new range of emojis that will include racially diverse images and LGBTI families for the first time.
 
The new emojis, part of the iPhone's iOS 8.3 update, appeared online yesterday (23 February) after Apple gave developers a taster of the forthcoming operating system ahead of its public release later in the year.
 
The new update includes emojis with six different skin tones, as well as a selection of family-based emojis which include children posing with exclusively male or female parents.
 
 

Monday, February 23, 2015

The Oscar goes to... Neil Patrick Harris!


Neil Patrick Harris in a stripped down performance as Oscar host.
 
The actor won more praise for his underwear than for his hosting skills at the Oscars Sunday night.
 
Harris appeared on stage wearing nothing but socks and underwear briefs for a skit, in what proved to be the high point of an otherwise awkward night for the first-time Oscar host.
 
The stunt was an homage to a moment from Birdman, in which Michael Keaton's character is forced to walk onto a theatre stage wearing nothing but his underwear.
 
He got it again!



British LGBT Awards: Voting is Open


Next Friday April 24th, the British LGBT Awards, dubbed the “Gay Oscars” by the press, will celebrate the UK’s most loved LGBT personalities, innovators and companies. 

These awards are designed to showcase individuals and organisations who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the LGBT community. Those who go the extra mile to ensure equality of opportunity and fair treatment for all, regardless of sexuality or gender, deserve to be recognised. 

The ceremony will be hosted and presented by Sophie Ward (Holby City) and Charlie Condou (Coronation Street) at the Landmark Hotel in London.

Last year, the Brititsh LGBT Awards were the UK’s most publicised LGBT event. 

Now voting is open on britishlgbtawards website.

Some of nominates are:

Thomas Hitzlsperger for Sports personality

Tom Daley for Sports personality

Martin Cremin for Sports personality

Nicola Adams for Sports personality

Rylan Clark for LGBT celebrity

Ellen Page for LGBT celebrity

Jaymi Hensley for Celebrity rising star

Andrew Hayden Smith for Celebrity rising star


Saturday, February 21, 2015

I Love You Moms!


A straight marine has paid tribute to his four gay mothers with a tattoo on his forearm.

The seaman based in Florida said his birth mom and her first wife divorced when he was around five years old.

His mother got married again, and so did her first wife, and all four women are still big maternal figures in his life.

"My childhood was awesome. My moms cared for me and did the best they could to bring me up normally despite not having a dad", he said.


Awesome!


Thursday, February 19, 2015

Coming Home - Celebrating Chinese New Year



Produced by PFLAG China, Coming Home was launched earlier this month ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays, the most important celebration in the Chinese calendar.
 
A touching short film, which tells the story of a young gay man who became estranged from his parents after coming out, and eventually being accepted by them years later, has gone viral with over 100 million views.
 
The emotional film also features mothers of gay children in the rolling credits encouraging viewers to come out and reunite with their parents.
 
Something is changing in China?



Wednesday, February 18, 2015

The Out List, a new HBO documentary about LGBTQ personalities


Through the voices of Americans from all walks of life, Timothy Greenfield-Sanders' documentary The Out List explores the identities of some lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community in America.
 
In this series of intimate interviews, a diverse group of LGBTQ personalities bring color and depth to their experiences of gender and sexuality. With wit and wisdom, this set of brave individuals weaves universal themes of love, trial, loss and triumph into the determined struggle for full equality.
 
This documentary was aired on HBO in June 2013, to the 44th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. But any time is a good moment to watch it.




Tuesday, February 17, 2015

A new step for gay rights in China


A series of adverts urging people to be more accepting of gay people has launched in China.
 
The ad series, titled Love is not a Choice, launched on social media in the country, and is aimed at breaking China’s strong cultural taboo surrounding homosexuality.
 
The ads feature gay couples in their homes, and read: "Love is not a choice. We did not choose to be homosexual. We just are. Happily, the world is big enough for all of us".
 
Homosexuality has been legal in China since 1997, but same-sex couples lack legal recognition and are not afforded basic rights.

 


Monday, February 16, 2015

#FreedomToKiss protest in London


People from across London attended a gay ‘kiss-in’ in Piccadilly Circus, to mark Valentine’s Day.
 
A number of couples locked lips in front of the iconic statue of Eros for the protest, to mark the start of Pride’s Freedom to Kiss campaign.
 
The protest came after research by Pride in London found that 54% of same-sex couples do not feel comfortable kissing in public, after growing reports of homophobic abuse aimed at kissing couples.




Teachers in Atlanta are trying to raise funds to set up a school for LGBT students


Atlantan teachers are trying to set up a private school for LGBT students and those from LGBT families in the city.
 
The school, which will be called Pride School Atlanta, already has a location but organisers are still trying to find funding.
 
The mission is to provide a safe space for the school’s students while allowing them to be open about who they are. It will take students from ages 3 to 14 years old.
 
Organisers hope to keep tuition down to £7800 a year per student. The school already has a location in the city, it will be running from a local Presbyterian Church.
 
The school is planned to open this autumn. Organisers say they have joined the fight for the school because they have seen LGBT students struggle with schoolwork after facing homophobic bullying.


The picture of a gay couple wins 2014 World Photo Press


The jury of the 58th annual World Press Photo Contest has selected an image by Danish photographer Mads Nissen as the World Press Photo of the Year 2014.
 
Nissen is a staff photographer for the Danish daily newspaper Politiken and is represented by Scanpix and Panos Pictures.
 
The picture shows Jon and Alex, a gay couple, during an intimate moment in St Petersburg, Russia. Life for lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) people is becoming increasingly difficult in Russia. 
 
Sexual minorities face legal and social discrimination, harassment, and even violent hate-crime attacks from conservative religious and nationalistic groups.


Thursday, February 12, 2015

First step in Japan to recognise same-sex marriage


For the first time in Japan, a district of Tokyo has announced plans to recognise gay couples’ relationships through partnerships certificates.
 
The certificates will be issued by the Shibuya district, which hosts many international companies, and is regarded as a business hub. The ward has around 217,000 residents, a number which includes about 10,000 foreigners.
 
Speaking of the plans, Toshitake Kuwahara, the mayor of the district, said the legislation was intended to encourage equality and diversity.
 
The mayor affirmed: "We have decided to issue the partnership certificate as part of our drive to create a society that respects people regarded as a sexual minority".
 
The first step in Japan...

The mayor Toshitake Kuwahara leads this initiative


Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Valentine's Day is Coming


A gay couple has made history after being chosen as the ceremonial kiss as shipmates disembarked from a Navy submarine.
 
Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas Sawicki was greeted by his boyfriend Shawn Brier at the Naval Base Point Loma.
 
It was the first time a male same-sex couple was chosen for the ceremonial honour, which is decided by a lottery.
 
Sawicki had been at sea on the USS San Francisco submarine for seven months before returning home and disembarking with shipmates.



Tuesday, February 10, 2015

2015 Football v Homophobia launches again in the UK


The 2015 Football v Homophobia campaign has launched in Manchester, at the National Football Museum. Football v Homophobia is an independent campaign that everyone can support, from grassroots to the professional game.
 
The 29 clubs supporting Football v Homophobia are:
  • Premier League: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Manchester City, Norwich, Sunderland, West Ham, West Brom
  • Championship: Birmingham, Blackburn, Crystal Palace, Huddersfield, Ipswich, Leicester, Millwall, Peterborough, Sheffield Wednesday
  • League One: Carlisle, Crewe, Doncaster, Leyton Orient, MK Dons, Preston, Tranmere
  • League Two: Bristol Rovers, Exeter, Gillingham, Dagenham & Redbridge, Northampton
 
The campaign, which has run for several years, aims to raise awareness of homophobia and to remove it from football.
 
Lou Englefield, campaign director, said: "It’s great to see that LGBT people are more visible than ever in football. The last 12 months has seen an explosion of LGBT fans groups in the UK. Its clear the message that football is for everyone is really gaining momentum".
 
Amazing initiative.


British sports minister and West Ham players
supporting the campaign