Topic - Towleroad News #gay

The 'Columbus Division of Police' recently released an 'It Gets Better' video featuring patrol officers, sargeants, commanders, a 911 police dispatcher, and the Columbus' chief of police herself. The video comes on the heels of a spate of anti-gay hate crimes in the city. Watch their touching video, AFTER THE JUMP... Click here for a list of all the 'It Gets Better' videos that Towleroad has linked to since the project started.

Media Matters for America has released a video compilation of Fox News's greatest anti-transgender hits. Reads their press release: Fox News seems to have largely given up in its losing battle against marriage equality for gays and lesbians, but there's still one segment of the LGBT community that it feels comfortable openly mocking and demonizing on air: transgender people. ... Fox's reliably defamatory coverage has prompted criticism from groups like the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defam...

A bit of sweet flirtation at the One Direction concert. Watch, AFTER THE JUMP... Previously...Harry Styles Kisses Zayn Malik in Promo for One Direction's New Fragrance: VIDEO [tlrd]

American Family Association radio host Bryan Fischer weighed in on the ongoing immigration reform debate and explained that liberals are prone to support immigration reform because conservatives are "outbreeding" liberals and so "ten, twenty years down the road, they're just going to be outnumbered." Right Wing Watch reports: "We are breeding our own voters," Fischer said. "They [liberals] have got to import them...so that's why they're so enamored with illegal aliens and amnesty for them is ...

SACRAMENTO PRIDE 2013: Not the largest Pride, but large in spirit. AVICII: "Wake Me Up". SCOTT THORSON: Talks to Howard Stern about his relationships with Michael Jackson and Liberace. STEVE JOBS: On his legacy. For recent Guides to the Tube, click HERE.

Sometimes kids will surprise you, as they did an eighth grade teacher in Ontario. And it's why Macklemore's "Same Love" should be considered one of the greatest gay rights anthems of all time. He write this on Reddit: Context: I teach Grade 8 (13-14 years old) in Ontario, Canada. I am gay, and my students have known this for about a month or so. I am in my first year of teaching, and I teach the class that is considered the “tough” class – they don’t get along well with some of their other te...

President Obama is in Berlin today and gave a major speech at the Brandenburg Gate. Though the speech was wide-ranging in what it covered, he received huge cheers at the mention of gay and lesbian rights. Said Obama: I'd suggest that peace with justice begins with the example we set here at home, for we know from our own histories that intolerance breeds injustice. Whether it's based on race, or religion, gender or sexual orientation, we are stronger when all our people -- no matter who they ...

(Photo: Christa Holka) BY BOBBY HANKINSON It’s an exciting month for Bright Light Bright Light. The Welsh-born pop artist (née Rod Thomas) celebrates the release of his latest EP, Moves, tonight at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City, and he is playing Pride celebrations later this month in Seattle and San Francisco. His achingly beautiful dance tracks do much more than just get your feet moving; they can stop your heart and bring tears to your eyes. It’s no wonder he’s been drawing comparisons...

The Los Angeles Police Department has released a surveillance tape that shows a gang of men stalking and attacking a transgender woman and is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to their arrest. The victim was hospitalized for a week with severe injuries, NBC Los Angeles reports: The victim, known as “Vivian,” was assaulted while walking on Hollywood Boulevard about 2:15 a.m. on May 31, police said.The Los Angeles Police Department released security camera footage that shows mul...

The trailer for Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues has hit the web and brings with it the expected goofiness as Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Steve Carella, David Koechner, and Paul Rudd are back to reprise their roles. Man-on-the-street Brian Fantana (Rudd) also demonstrates he can model underwear with the best of them. The film arrives in December. Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Cher returned to the stage after a 12 year absence on last night's finale of The Voice, singing her new single "Woman's World". And Cher wouldn't be Cher, of course, without a magenta bird headdress. Watch, AFTER THE JUMP... Of course, we'll see her sing this track again when she hits the stage at NYC Pride's 'Dance on the Pier' though we expect that headdress will have grown into an entire flock.

The ever-shirtless Cazwell (of 'Ice Cream Truck' fame) and Luciana released their latest single 'Guess What?' today. Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Before You Know It, opening this weekend in New York City, peeks in on the everyday interactions of three individuals who are enjoying the third trimester of their lives. It just so happens that these men are gay, and leading fabulous lives of their own. Love, marriage, drag, dancing, music, and community color shapes these men's lives. Joe.My.God. has the full synopsis: The subjects of BEFORE YOU KNOW IT are no ordinary senior citizens. They are go-go booted bar-hoppers, love struck activist...

Meet Tim and Jamie. They've been together since August 2006. They got married in June 2012. But in June 2009 they had their first inkling that their international love would be tested: Jamie, a native of Scotland, was detained at SeaTac Airport due to visa problems and was denied the right to call Tim. Now, Jamie and Tim's marriage in Canada cannot be recognized legally in the United States because of the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act. With a Supreme Court decision on the horizon, we...

Bust out the tissues and check out this goosebump-inducing clip of inspiring moments in history via CNN and BuzzFeed. "What event do you wish you could have seen in person?" Watch the video AFTER THE JUMP...

MARRIAGE NEWS WATCH: Countdown to SCOTUS. DAFT PUNK: "Doin It Right". MEXICAN VOLCANO: Popocatépetl blows on June 17. Check out the explosion and shock wave. SUMATRAN TIGER: Glimpse of rare cubs being born on camera at the Chester Zoo. For recent Guides to the Tube, click HERE.

John Mayer just scored the best lyric video of the week for his new song "Paper Doll". Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

BY BOBBY HANKINSON Summer TV staple So You Think You Can Dance reveals its Top 20 dancers tonight on FOX. Despite its uneven handling of LGBT performers and issues, the dance competition series has been a consistent source of breathtaking choreography. Before we meet this season’s finalists, reacquaint yourself with some of the greatest performances from the show’s previous nine seasons. More, AFTER THE JUMP... Sabra and Neil, “Sweet Dreams” Katee and Joshua, “No Air” Twitch and Alex, “Outta ...

The Pet Shop Boys have just released their video for the Stuart Price-produced track "Vocal" off their upcoming album Electric. Write the PSB on their site: This short film has been produced and directed by the filmmaker and photographer, Joost Vandeburg. He has created it using authentic amateur film footage shot at various raves in the late 80s, along with some footage from the Haçienda in Manchester. The video (and the song) was inspired by the way British youth at this time found its own ...

Russell Brand made an appearance on Morning Joe yesterday. Mika Brzezinski and Willie Geist may have thought they were in for a lighthearted segment with Brand but his brilliant, subtle ruthless mocking of the morning show format completely pulled the rug out from under them. Enjoy, AFTER THE JUMP...

Zachary Quinto appeared on The View yesterday and demonstrated that years of practice facing Barbara Walters prepared him to be able to charm the pants off her. "I used to set up a video camera, and I would put a light on myself, and I would ask myself questions in my head, not out loud, like 'what was your biggest fear getting you to this moment in your life and career?'. But I wouldn't say it out loud. I would only say it to myself and then I would answer it out loud to the video camera, as...

Steve Carell and Kristen Wiig bring their 'TP Striders' line to Jimmy Kimmel. Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

In a surprise move, the Supreme Court today ruled 7-2 that Arizona cannot require voters to prove their citizenship when submitting voter registration forms. The New York Times reports on the ruling, authored by Justice Antonin Scalia (yes--you read that right): Justice Antonin Scalia, writing for the majority in Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, No. 12-71, said a federal law requiring states to “accept and use” a federal form displaced an Arizona law requiring various kinds of proo...

Chandler Massey won the award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series at the Daytime Emmys yesterday for his role as Will Horton, a gay character on Days of Our Lives. This is the second year in a row that Massey has won the award. Watch a romantic scene between Massey and his onscreen lover Freddie Smith, AFTER THE JUMP...

Ricky Martin brings his new single "Come With Me" to Australia's The Voice, where he has been serving as a coach. Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Nearly a month ago to the day, France legalized same-sex marriage, and in honor of the momentous occasion Google created an advertisement for its video-chatting system, Google Hangouts. The ad looks at several French gay couples who use the technology as a way to get around France's previous restriction on same-sex marriage, engaging in remote weddings with Belgian officiators. The organization "Together for equality," or "Tous Unis Pour L'Egalite" is the power behind the video weddings. It j...

(dimiter kenarov) The resistance against Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government in Istanbul's Taksim Square has inspired some of the largest and most violent demonstrations there in years. The protests, revealing a simmering discontent with growing authoritarianism and fueled by the proposed demolition of the city's Gezi Park, have brought together many of Istanbul's minority groups, including LGBTs. Bulgarian journalist Dimiter Kenarov agreed to share some of his photos on ...

In a muscular promotional tie-in, The National Guard shows potential recruits how their workout regimen would be just like Henry Cavill's as he prepared for Man of Steel. Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

In her new documentary, The New Black, debuting later this month at AFI Docs Festival in Washington DC, Yoruba Richen explores the relationship between the gay civil rights movement and the African American community. Richen hopes to countermand the narrative that African Americans are more homophobic than other segments of society, a notion that took hold after the passage of Proposition 8. She tells Politico: "This [idea] was largely because of an incorrect exit poll that initially reported...

Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street is out this November and its first trailer features LEonardo DiCaprio indulging in the kind of excess that only a stock market bubble can bring. The film is based on a memoir by New York stockbroker Jordan Belfort and co-stars Jonah Hill and Matthew McConaughey. The film's raucous trailer is set to the overture of Kanye West's "Black Skinhead" from Yeezus. Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Jay-Z dropped a behind-the-scenes video yesterday featuring Rick Rubin, Timbaland, and Pharrell during game 5 of the NBA final to announce the launch of his new album, Magna Carta Holy Grail, which will be coming out free to one million people on July 4 in a massive deal with Samsung Galaxy. The Next Web reports: The Wall Street Journal reports that Samsung has paid $5 million for the content, although other media claim the deal could be worth as much as $20 million...Though they will get a h...

Marissa Powell, Miss Utah, was asked about the income disparity between men and women at the Miss USA pageant last night and instead of answering the question properly she created a viral video the likes of which hasn't been seen since Miss Teen South Carolina Caitlin Upton in 2007. Congratulations. Watch, AFTER THE JUMP... In related news, Miss Connecticut Erin Brady was crowned the winner.

Two Boy Scout leaders have been chastised by officials from the organization and told to sign an apology letter for marching with several uniformed Scouts in the Utah Pride Parade in Salt Lake City two weeks ago. The two leaders, Peter Brownstein and Neil Whitaker marched in the June 2 parade to celebrate the organization's historic vote last month to allow gay youths. Officials with the Boy Scouts of America's Great Salt Lake Council, however, say Brownstein and Whitaker violated the organiz...

President Obama salutes strong parents, families, and all kinds of fatherhood in his Father's Day message, saying, in part: I never really knew my own father. I was raised by a single mom and two wonderful grandparents who made incredible sacrifices for me. And there are single parents all across the country who do a heroic job raising terrific kids. But I still wish I had a dad who was not only around, but involved; another role model to teach me what my mom did her best to instill – values ...

Our favorite gay Marine vlogger Russ received a surprise proposal this week from his Marine boyfriend Matt during his welcome home party from a field op in the desert. Watch (and smile), AFTER THE JUMP... And if you need a refresher on how these two lovebirds met, you can check it out HERE.

A new trailer for the upcoming historical drama from Precious director Lee Daniels. The film tells the story of Cecil Gaines, an African-American who eyewitnesses major events of the 20th century during his tenure as a White House butler. Starring Forest Whitaker, Oprah, Robin Williams and many, many more... Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

At a Wednesday morning Dallas city council meeting, outgoing Councilwoman Angela Hunt expressed her disappointment over the city's failed marriage equality resolution and made an impassioned speech for gay rights moving forward. Dozens of LGBT rights supporters showed up at the meeting as well to vent their frustration over the resolution, which died after mayor Mike Rawlings and other council members balked on a council vote. "I think discussion is good, but friends, this is a simple issue. ...

Among this week's subjects in Jimmy Kimmel's weekly tribute to the FCC: Ben Affleck, Chad Johnson, Mario Lopez, and Sesame Street. Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

The American Foundation for Equal Rights has just put out this video chronicling the Proposition 8 case from its beginning. Watch, AFTER THE JUMP... The next possible day that the Supreme Court could rule on the marriage cases is this Monday. Find out where 'Day of Decision' rallies are happening around the country on this page.

Rachel Maddow reports on the Republican Party and gay rights, noting that the GOP is about to have to make some tough decisions regarding their positions, highlighting the "brutal" questioning of Marco Rubio this week on his homophobic positions on ENDA and immigration. Maddow notes that even Rob Portman, with a gay son, opposes ENDA. There are currently only three Republicans (below) who do. Says Maddow: "You apparently cannot support something like non-discrimination for gay people and have...

Gay artist/activist Leo Herrera shares with Towleroad his piece The Fortune Teller, which fuses words, sounds, and images from across five decades of gay culture. Check it out, AFTER THE JUMP... Writes Herrera, of his compelling collage: The story is told through the trance of The Fortune Teller (played by Stanley Frank) and created using archival and modern footage. The film is a documentary and time capsule, paying homage to psychedelic films of the 1960′s and the modern art of the YouTube ...

THE AIRBUS A350: Takes its first flight. YOUR LIFE AS A DOG: Just in case you were wondering. COLIN AND JOE: A gay binational couple fights uncertainty brought on by DOMA. GOD IS GAY: Elliot Darrow, performing for University of North Carolina during finals at the 2013 College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational. For recent Guides to the Tube, click HERE.

Here's a fascinating new clip from the documentary Call Me Kuchu, opening today in New York. The film documents the story of slain Ugandan LGBT activist David Kato and others prominent in that country's struggle. If you missed the trailer, which is amazing, you should watch it HERE. You may remember that in October 2010 Uganda's Rolling Stone tabloid published the names and addresses of 100 "top homos" and called for them to be hanged. In the days that followed its publication at least four o...

A new trailer for the upcoming sci-fi dystopian thriller from District 9's Neil Blomkamp. Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

BY OCCUPY THE DISCO / TADEU MAGALHÃES The OXD Mirror is a weekly music column brought to you by the boys of OCCUPY THE DISCO (OXD), a New York City based movement created by three music lovers, Ru Bhatt, Josh Appelbaum, and Tadeu Magalhães, who want to share their love for disco, house and dance music with the world. Todd Terje: 'Strandbar (Disko)' At this point, we've featured many tracks and re-works by disco-head Todd Terje here on The OXD Mirror, but in case you are not familiar with his ...

Authors Christopher Bram, Dorothy Allison, Martin Duberman, Elana Dykewomon, Michael Nava, Joseph Caldwell, Ned Rorem, and Lisa Alther talk about being LGBT in a tribute to Pride Month from Open Road Media. Watch, AFTER THE JUMP... I hope you've enjoyed the book reviews we've been posting recently. If you missed them, check out Garth Greenwell's reviews of Gerbrand Bakker's Ten White Geese, Jonathan Kemp's London Triptych, Benjamin Alire Saenz's Everything Begins and Ends at the Kentucky Club...

The Leffew family (you may recall their son's powerful letter to Chief Justice John Roberts on marriage equality) throws a funeral for Proposition 8 in advance of the SCOTUS decision. Watch, AFTER THE JUMP... Let's all hope it doesn't come back as a zombie.