Dancing Alone To Pony

One of many hilarious videos from the blog Dancing Alone To Pony. (Pony is a hit 1996 song by the R&B singer Ginuwine, just so you know, which I didn't.)

(Via JMG reader Chris)

Personal Mobility

Motorized gyroscopically balanced unicycles. For when the Segway isn't dorky enough.

(Tipped by JMG reader Merv)

Homocon Tweet Of The Day

HomoQuotable - Mark Simpson

"After a decade or so of metrosexuality a tipping point seems to have been reached. Men’s self-loving bi-sensuality and appreciation of male beauty, awakened and increasingly normalised by our mediated world, seems to be here to stay. Even in the God-fearing USA. And might now, if it’s in the mood and treated right, choose to be consummated rather than just deflected into consumerism again.

"When I first wrote about how the future of men was metrosexual, back in 1994, it was clear to me that metrosexuality was to some degree the flipside of the then emerging fashion for female bi-curiousness. I didn’t talk about this much at the time because I knew no one would listen if I did. (I needn’t have worried – they didn’t anyway.)

"In this regard, one of the academics in the NYT piece was (finally) quoted as saying something interesting, right at the end:

‘Professor Savin-Williams says that his current research reveals that the fastest-growing group along the sexuality continuum are men who self-identify as “mostly straight” as opposed to labels like “straight,” “gay” or “bisexual.” They acknowledge some level of attraction to other men even as they say that they probably wouldn’t act on it, but … the right guy, the right day, a few beers and who knows. As the professor points out, you would never have heard that in years past.’

"An A ++ to Dr Savin-Williams. Not so long ago, when Heterosexuality was a proper belief system that commanded round-the-clock obeisance, ‘mostly straight’ would have been a heretical contradiction in terms – like half pregnant. But in this Brave New World of male neediness it’s just a statement of where we’re at. For today’s young men the fear of faggotry is fast being replaced by the fear of missing out." - British journalist Mark Simpson, responding to a New York Times column about the increasing acceptance of homosexuality.

Yuma AZ Mayor Apologizes

“As mayor I must respect the lifestyle choices of others, no matter how disagreeable they are with my personal beliefs or my personal moral standards. I apologize for my comments at the Memorial Day service at Desert Lawn cemetery on Memorial Day.” - Yuma, Arizona Mayor Al Krieger, offer an unapologetic "apology" for saying that "limp-wristed" homos don't belong in the military.

Photo Of The Day - Rep. Aaron Schock

This photo of Rep. Aaron Schock (R-IL) at a White House picnic has been flying around the net for the last 24 hours. Rep. Schock would like to remind you that he is totally straight. For realz!

RELATED: Check out Rep. Abs in his bathing suit.

FDA Keeps Ban On Gay Blood

So much for science.

An advisory panel of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has narrowly voted to maintain the ban on blood donations from homosexual men. The vote was 7-6 to maintain the ban. Under the FDA's rules, men cannot give blood if they have had sex with another man at least once since 1977. The FDA was considering changing the blood donation rule to ban only men who had had sex with another man within the past five years. The rule came into force originally in 1985 to protect the blood supply from HIV. Critics claim that the ban is discriminatory and outdated, as other high risk groups such as prostitutes, intravenous drug users, and promiscuous heterosexuals are deferred from donation only one year from their last high risk encounter.

Iceland Approves Gay Marriage

Today Iceland's parliament voted unanimously to legalize gay marriage!

Iceland, the only country in the world to have an openly gay head of state, passed a law on Friday allowing same-sex partners to get married in a vote which met with no political resistance. The Althingi parliament voted 49 to zero to change the wording of marriage legislation to include matrimony between "man and man, woman and woman," in addition to unions between men and women. Iceland, a socially tolerant island nation of about 320,000 people, became the first country to elect an openly gay head of state in 2009 when Social Democrat Johanna Sigurdardottir became prime minister after being nominated by her party. "The attitude in Iceland is fairly pragmatic," said Gunnar Helgi Kristinsson, a political scientist at the University of Iceland. "It (gay marriage) has not been a big issue in national politics -- it's not been controversial."

Til hamingju, Iceland!

Weekend Mix - DJ Mike "Monk" Ponsades

Get your weekend rolling with this smooth-funky electro-disco mix from NYC's DJ Mike "Monk" Ponsades. Setlist. Podcasts. Website. Facebook.

UPCOMING GIGS: Tonight @ NYC Eagle, 10PM. This is Mike's NYC debut, so check out the mix then come hear him in person!

PREVIOUSLY ON JMG: DJ Steve Sherwood. DJ Pete Savas. DJ Jeff Jackson & DJ Disco Connie. DJ Phillip Kimball. DJ Paul Ferrer. DJ Shane Stiel. DJ Paul Goodyear. DJ Susan Morabito. DJ Seymour Butz. DJ RuBot. DJ Rotten Robbie. DJ Ted Eiel. DJ Herbie James. DJ David Knapp. DJ Dave Huge. DJ Corey Craig.

Afternoon View - Tranquility Base

We had a relatively quick exit from Manhattan this morning on our way to Hillside Campground in the Poconos Mountains of eastern Pennsylvania, where today I begin my tenth consecutive summer of Hillside weekends. After our traditional lunch at the fab Jefferson Diner in northern New Jersey, we arrived more than an hour earlier than usual. No traffic, no thunderstorms, for once! Aaron and Chris are fussing with the tent and shortly after set-up we'll be down at the rec hall for the nightly bonfire party. Ah...Hillside.

Awesomeness

Via JMG reader Jeff Whitty, how about the Bay City Rollers singing Saturday Night with Ann-Margret in front of an audience of (mostly) enthusiastic senior citizens?

NEW YORK: Catholic Archdiocese Forbids Sex Ed In School Building Leased To City

An all-girls Catholic high school in Manhattan will be closing this month, after which the city will take over the building to create an arts magnet middle school. But under the city's lease agreement with the Archdiocese of New York, the new school is forbidden from teaching any of the sex and HIV education classes required by state law.

Under the latest plan for Chelsea’s Clinton School for Writers and Artists, the school is set to move into the St. Michael’s Academy on West 33rd Street as part of a $11.2-million lease agreement drawn up with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, which owns the building. Currently, Manhattan public school students must take at least six state- and city-mandated HIV/AIDS education courses in middle and high school.

But the Department of Education said the Clinton School would be banned from providing its standard sex-ed curriculum at the new location due to stipulations in the department’s deal with the Archdiocese. Clinton School students will instead be forced to travel back to their old building, P.S. 11 at 320 W. 21st St., to take any sex-ed courses. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese did not immediately reply to requests for comment. According to their website, “The Mission of the [Archdiocese's] Department of Education is to bear witness to Jesus Christ through the education, religious formation and spiritual development of the people of God particularly through parishes, schools and institutes of higher learning.”

Private schools are exempted from state sex and HIV education requirements, so of course, Catholic schools don't offer any classes on the subjects. And the Archdiocese of New York is using whatever tricks they can to keep non-Catholic students ignorant as well.

Over The Waxen Rainbow

Just in time for gay pride, this week the Hollywood location of Madame Tussaud's unveiled their wax statue of Judy Garland.

The June 8 ceremony in the forecourt next to Grauman's Chinese Theatre happened two days before what would have been Garland's 88th birthday. MC of the event was Jack Allen, writer and historian, with an extensive background on the Hollywood film industry. There was a special appearance by actress famed actress Margaret O'Brien and Garland's co-star in "Meet me in Saint Louis." Following the figure unveiling, [Munchkin Jerry] Maren and O'Brien held a photo and lollipop signing in the courtyard where fans were able to purchase photographs and have them signed by the stars themselves. Ranked by the AFI (American Film Institute) as one of the ten most popular film actresses of all time, Judy Garland is an American original. Literally born in a trunk to a show business family, Garland rose to become one of the 20th century's greatest entertainers, famed for both her live stage shows and movie appearances, including the unforgettable character "Dorothy" in "The Wizard of Oz."

Click over to Broadway World for lots of photos of the waxen Judy and the unveiling ceremony.

When BP Spills Coffee

Concerned Women Are Concerned About The President's Dirty Potty Mouth

Never missing a chance, however asinine, to slam the president, the Concerned Women for America are outraged, outraged I tells ya, that Obama said "ass" during a press conference.

Last year, the only butts the president was looking to kick were the unhealthy cigarettes he was chain smoking. But on Monday, his rhetoric changed … and coarsened. The news was abuzz with what President Obama told NBC’s “Today” show: “I don’t sit around just talking to experts because this is a college seminar, we talk to these folks because they potentially have the best answers, so I know whose a** to kick.” Way to be a role model, Mr. President. At the same time you’re cheapening the office of President, you’re also using words we’re trying to teach our kids not to use. “But Mom, why can’t I swear? The president does it!” How does your swearing lend “hope” to the nation? What kind of “change” does it bring? I’ll tell you what kind. My young son can now feel completely vindicated in using coarse language and acting like a bully. Why? Because, sir, you did it. Not only did you swear, but you did it in such a manner that the threat behind it wasn’t even veiled. Is this what you want for the children of America? Is this what you want for your little girls?

What a fucking load of damn ass hell crapola, ladies. Oops, don't let your son read JMG!

LGBT Youth Group Launches To Fight Exodus & "Ex-Gay" Therapy

Launching this week in advance of the upcoming Exodus International "ex-gay" conference is Stand- Together, a new group whose mission is to tell LGBT youth that they are fine, normal, and beautiful just as they are. Below, they invite young LGBT people to record a video message of strength and self-acceptance and upload it to YouTube for inclusion on the Stand-Together site.

We’re launching Stand-Together in response to the nearly overwhelming narrative of homophobia and heterosexism mainstream culture sends our way. Many of these messages target young LGBTQ and questioning youth, and in the spirit of brave young people like Constance McMillen, Derrick Martin, Ceara Sturgis, Omar Bonilla, and Cheyenne Williams, we’ve decided to stage a constructive protest. Our primary goal is to reach those members of our community who are in need of hope, reassurance, and most importantly, strength in unity. That’s where you come in! Join us by recording a short video (45 seconds or less) describing your path to pride and self-respect. What was it like when you came out? Did you experience harassment at school? Was it hard for you to reconcile your spirituality and sexuality? Who do you rely on for support? What are your plans for the future? Upload your message to YouTube, send us the link, and we’ll include what you have to say on stand-together.org. We plan to publicize the project far and wide, online and off, and we’re so excited you’re standing with us! Together we are strong!

Here is one of the first submissions. You can find others already on the Stand-Together site. And check out their Facebook page.

Angelo Garcia - The Morning After

New music from the just-out former member of Menudo, Angelo Garcia. Surprisingly not terrible. His voice reminds me of Miguel Bose.

When Elton Met Rush

While we're still waiting to hear if Elton John is doing anything worthy with that million dollars he earned singing at Rush Limbaugh's fourth wedding last Saturday, at least we now know what spawned the curious pairing.

Rush Limbaugh and Sir Elton John's relationship started with problems. Heart problems, that is. According to conservative talk radio host Mark Levin, a guest at Limbaugh's wedding last weekend, Limbaugh and John were staying at the same hotel in Hawaii when Limbaugh had his heart attack scare earlier this year. John checked up on Limbaugh to see how he was doing, and from there, a friendship formed. "As Elton John explained it to the 400 or so people there, he and Rush have kept up a fairly regular e-mail exchange," Levin said on his show Tuesday.

Numerous Facebook groups have sprung up calling for Elton to donate his fee to his AIDS foundation. Others merely demand a boycott of Elton's music.

Double C-Bomb

Cue the outraged Christians....

Rep. Michele Bachmann Tied To Christian Band That Calls For Gays To Be Executed

A Minnesota-based Christian rock band whose lead singer calls for the execution of homosexuals will appear at this year's state GOP convention and has ties to the reelection campaign of Rep. Michele "Crazy Eyes" Bachmann. Via Change.org:

The Minnesota Independent notes that a Christian rock band in Minnesota, which has called for LGBT people to be killed and targeted for violence, has built an incestuous relationship with the state's GOP, including intimate ties with the campaigns of Rep. Michele Bachmann, and gubernatiorial candidate Tom Emmer. Moreover, the band -- known as You Can Run But You Cannot Hide -- also received a GOP-sponsored booth at this year's state Republican Convention. Just what does You Can Run But You Cannot Hide have to say about the subject of homosexuality? Well, according to their front man, Bradlee Dean, they believe that gay people should be murdered, much like they are in conservative Muslim countries. "Muslims are calling for the executions of homosexuals in America," Dean said. "This just shows you they themselves are upholding the laws that are even in the Bible of the Judeo-Christian God, but they seem to be more moral than even the American Christians do, because these people are livid about enforcing their laws. They know homosexuality is an abomination."

Bachmann has praised the band, saying, "It a tough job that you do, but someone has to do it. I thank God that he has given you the strength and the resolve to fight for our timeless values." Andy Birkman at the Minnesota Independent has been following the connection between the band and the state GOP since last October. Read his many stories here. Here's a couple of ugly of clips from the band's lead singer, Bradlee Dean, in which he praises countries that execute gays. Listen to Bachmann's hero. At the bottom is a clip advertising a November fundraiser featuring Bachmann and the band.

Dancing As Fast As He Can

Citibank ATM vestibule, First Avenue, 8:30am

MAN ON CELL: OK, fine. Fine! I'll go without you. But you know what, Ed? No matter how much time you spend at that fucking gym, tomorrow morning when you get up you are still going to be 47 years old. You spend so much time trying to look good, nobody actually sees you.

American Apparel: We Don't Hire Uglies

Yesterday Gawker dug up an internal memo from American Apparel directing managers to send in photos of potential new employees so that anybody not up to their model-pretty standards could be immediately weeded out. One former manager tells Gawker about the kind of black girls she was instructed to hire: "None of the trashy kind that come in, we don't want that. We're not trying to sell our clothes to them. Try to find some of these classy black girls, with nice hair, you know?"

DENVER: Poz Man Charged With Using Saliva As A Deadly Weapon

Even though the odds of transmitting HIV via saliva are considered to be infinitesimal, a Denver gay man has been been charged with assault with a deadly weapon for spitting on someone.

“We are at the point in the case where it has gone to the deputy district attorney who will handle it and he is currently reviewing it,” [DA spokesperson] Lynn Kimbrough told the Colorado Independent. “The circumstances here are not common… this doesn’t come up very often.” Kimbrough said that off the top of her head, she was unaware of another case where the saliva of an HIV-positive person had been treated as a deadly weapon. “Without knowing a specific case and a specific defendant, I would hesitate to say with certainty.”

According to the police report, Jason Arb, a technician with the Rocky Mountain Offender Monitoring System, arrived at the home of Wiliam O’Kelly to install a monitoring system at O’Kelly’s home for a drunk driving offense. During the visit, O’Kelly objected to the price of the system and told Arb to leave the house. Arb said he would have to report the information to O’Kelly’s probation officer. The two argued and O’Kelly reportedly spit in Arb’s face. Later, upon speaking with O’Kelly’s parole officer, Arb learned O’Kelly was HIV positive, at which point he filed a formal complaint.

A rep from the ACLU LGBT Project says the charge "gives credence to the misperception that HIV can be spread through saliva."

Pope Prays For Forgiveness For Sexual Molestations By Priests

The beauty of Catholicism is that perpetual clean slate.

Pope Benedict begged forgiveness from God and victims of child sexual abuse by priests on Friday and vowed that the Catholic Church would do everything in its power to ensure that it never happens again. Benedict made his comments, some of his clearest ever about the scandal that has swept the Church around the world, during a homily in St Peter's Square to conclude the Roman Catholic Church's "Year of the Priest" celebrations. Wearing white and gold vestments as he spoke to some 15,000 priests, Benedict said the year that was to have celebrated the priesthood had been marred because "the sins of priests came to light, particularly the abuse of the little ones." "We too insistently beg forgiveness from God and from the persons involved, while promising to do everything possible to ensure that such abuse will never occur again," he said.

In today's sermon, Ill Papa also promised stronger screening of applicants so that only the most determined pedophiles get hired.

Yuma AZ Mayor Says "Limp-Wristed" Homos Shouldn't Be In Military

And he says George Washington and Abraham Lincoln would feel the same way.

Friendly Voices - Ben Cohen

"I have had numerous e-mails, mainly from young men who have been inspired by me in some way, and so have had the courage to come out to their friends and families and so live fulfilled lives. I have also been told that I have helped parents come around to the fact that their son is gay. I have no idea how I have managed to do that, I have to confess – but if my openness has done that then it seems that it is the right way to be." - British rugby star and calendar man Ben Cohen, speaking to Compete Magazine. Cohen praises fellow rugby star Gareth Thomas for having come out and says that it's time for gay players in other sports to do the same.

TRAILER: Out Of Annapolis

Out Of Annapolis, a documentary about the LGBT alumni of the Naval Academy, continues the rounds of the nation's gay film festivals with a New Fest screening tomorrow at 2:30PM in Manhattan.

Broadway Friday

-Don't cry for him, Puerto Rico. Ricky Martin will star in a revival of Evita slated to open in the 2012 season. Martin will play narrator Che (based on Che Guevara) opposite West End veteran Elena Roger in the title role. Evita last ran on Broadway from '79-'81. Martin made his Broadway debut in 1996 as Marius in Les Miserables.

-Knowing when to leave: Kristen Chenoweth will depart the smash Promises, Promises on September 26th. No word on who will replace her opposite Sean Hayes.

-Hair will close on July 27th. Attendance has been down ever since much of the original cast left for the new West End production.

-T.R. Knight will star opposite Patrick Stewart in the Broadway premiere of David Mamet's A Life In The Theater. Previews begin on August 23rd.

-Spoiler alert! Playbill has the list of songs, performers, and presenters slated for this Sunday's Tony Awards. Peek if you must.

-The eternal argument continues: Are the best theater experiences in NYC on Broadway or Off-Broadway? The more recent argument: Has Broadway gone too Vegas?

-Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS presents the 20th annual Broadway Bares spectacular on Sunday, June 20th at the Roseland Ballroom. Even if you can't attend, you can check out the 21 super hot Broadway dancers in the show and make donations to Broadway Cares in the name of the dancer that most tickles your....fancy.

NEW YORK CITY: Homeless LGBT Youth Shelter Defaced With Anti-Gay Graffiti

A just-opened Queens residence for clients of the Ali Forney Center, which serves the city's homeless LGBT youth, was defaced with anti-gay graffiti yesterday. Via press release:

The Ali Forney Center’s newly opened shelter for homeless LGBT youth in Astoria Queens was defaced last night with anti-gay graffiti. At 6am this morning, two of the residents of the shelter discovered the slurs which included; "We don't want gay people here" written on the exterior of the shelter, and "Gay Shelter" written on the site’s door (see attached JPG). "I am infuriated that someone would target our kids in this cowardly way" says Carl Siciliano, Executive Director of the Ali Forney Center, the nation’s largest organization serving homeless LGBT youth. "The young people who come to us for help and shelter have already experienced terrible hardship, and I will not stand for them to be further abused." The Ali Forney Center (AFC) is working with the New York City Anti-Violence Project, with City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, and with local Councilmember Peter Vallone on devising strategies to protect its residents from further attacks. AFC has also reached out to the local police precinct and the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force who are now conducting an investigation into the incident.

Both the NYC Anti-Violence Project and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn have issued statements denouncing the incident. The Astoria, Queens shelter is in a church building provided at low cost to the Ali Forney Center by the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island.

RELATED: A previously scheduled rally in support of NYC's homeless LGBT youth will take place this Monday at 6:30pm in Union Square. Please consider attending.

Log Cabin Republicans To Celebrate Pride By Tossing Teabags At Photos Of Pols

Today in homocon dumbassery:

Well, this is certainly one way to celebrate Pride. The Log Cabin Republicans of Los Angeles -- the largest such gay GOP organization in the country -- is holding a Tea Bag Toss at Christopher Street West, the Los Angeles Pride celebration this weekend. According to a press release we just got, "Participants will purchase a tea bag and win a prize if they can successfully throw it through the open mouth of one of three politicians on the game board." We had to know if this was for real, so we got a hold of Scott Schmidt, president of of Log Cabin-Los Angeles. He said it was part of their effort to reach out the LGBT community, and, "We figured this year we ought to take it up a notch and do something that is engaging and somewhat amusing and shows that we can even laugh at ourselves." And the three open-mouthed politicos? Those would be Attorney General and Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jerry Brown, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and former Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin. Schmidt said including Palin was an attempt to be nonpartisan and he noted that she raised the sales tax while mayor of Wasilla, Alaska.

As always with the homocons, you can't make it up.

GOP Rep. John Boehner: The Taxpayers Should Help Pay For Oil Spill Cleanup

GOP House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner thinks YOU should have to help pay for the Gulf oil spill cleanup. Talking Points Memo's Brian Beutler talked to Boehner:

"I think the people responsible in the oil spill--BP and the federal government--should take full responsibility for what's happening there," Boehner said at his weekly press conference this morning. Boehner's statement followed comments last Friday by US Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donohue who said he opposes efforts to stick BP, a member of the Chamber, with the bill. "It is generally not the practice of this country to change the laws after the game," he said. "Everybody is going to contribute to this clean up. We are all going to have to do it. We are going to have to get the money from the government and from the companies and we will figure out a way to do that." So today I asked Boehner, "Do you agree with Tom Donohue of the Chamber that the government and taxpayers should pitch in to clean up the oil spill?" The shorter answer is yes.

Drill, baby, drill!

Quote Of The Day II: Eugene Delgaudio

"As the Radical Homosexuals gain more and more ground in Congress, my hands are tied. Life here in Washington has been a virtual Hell for me. I put off sending you this email for a while because I didn’t want to worry you. You see, I’ve gotten death threats and I never take them lightly. But when they go beyond threatening and actually try to kill me, it’s a whole different story. There’s more my friend.

"In the past, strangers follow my family around town. Idling cars sit across the street at all hours of the night. The threatening phone calls, the death threats and the outrageous lies... oh, it’s endless... but thank the Lord for He truly blessed me with a family so strong, so brave... and yes, so supportive! I’ve taken precautions to protect my family. Some things I’ve told you about, but some things I must keep confidential or they’d be in more peril. Will you pray for my family and me? That the Lord would keep us safe? I covet your prayers!" - Eugene Delguadio, executive director of the anti-gay group, Public Advocate Of The U.S., in a lengthy paranoid and bizarre email requesting emergency donations because he's spent $800,000 (riiiight) fighting the homosexual menace.

If you want an even bigger laugh, check out some more of his "homos are out to get me" paranoia.

Rosie O'Donnell Defends Helen Thomas

On her SiriusXM radio show, yesterday Rosie O'Donnell defended Helen Thomas, saying she didn't think what Thomas said constituted hate speech. The clip below was created by a pro-Israel site.

Tired Old Queen At The Movies #35

1944's Laura starring Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Vincent Price and Judith Anderson.

American Family Association's Bryan Fischer: Gay Sex Is Domestic Terrorism

Yesterday Britain's tabloids claimed that the Taliban is planting HIV-laden needles in its bombs in order to infect British and American soldiers. Reportedly, bomb teams have been issued Kevlar gloves to deal with the threat. Cue American Family Association radio host Bryan Fischer.

If we connect the dots here, the inescapable conclusion is that gay sex is a form of domestic terrorism. Every time an HIV-infected male has sex with another male, it's essentially the same as plunging an infected heroin needle into his arm. He's passing on a potential death sentence, just as the Taliban seeks to do on a foreign battlefield. It is because of the risk of HIV transmission that the FDA will not allow a male homosexual to donate blood if he has had sex with another male even one single solitary time since 1977. The second riskiest behavior for HIV infection is injection drug use. Now if gays are allowed into the military, they will be inevitably be put in battlefield situations where donated blood from soldiers may be necessary to save the lives of wounded comrades. An HIV-infected American soldier whose blood is used in those circumstances may very well condemn his fellow soldier to death rather than save his life. If open homosexuals are allowed into the United States military, the Taliban won't need to plant dirty needles to infect our soldiers with HIV. Our own soldiers will take care of that for them.

Last month Fischer claimed that repealing DADT would lead to another Holocaust, because gay men are the only people savagely brutal enough to murder millions.

American Idiot

On Monday my local companion Aaron and I attended Green Day's American Idiot musical, which we both enjoyed a lot more than we had expected. I'm not big fan of Green Day (but I'm not not a fan either), so I was surprised to recognize about half of the songs. Standouts in the cast were Stark Sands, who was so fantastic as Charles Busch's gay son in Die Mommy Die, and Tony Vincent as the creepy drug dealer, St. Jimmy. The show is up for Best Musical at Sunday's Tony Awards. You can catch a great documentary on American Idiot on Logo this week.

Star Wars Cantina 2010

You should recognize a lot of folks inserted by Addidas into this famous scene. This clip is meant to promote the World Cup, somehow.

Israel Fallout Continues For Pride Toronto

Last month Pride Toronto banned Queers Against Israeli Apartheid from all of its events, prompting many to complain of censorship. On Monday over two dozen former Grand Marshals and honorees marched on Pride Toronto's office to return their awards. All of the speakers at Pride Toronto's planned June 28th human rights event have canceled their appearances. And now some of Pride Toronto's hired performers are pulling out.

Soon after Pride Toronto chose to censor the term "Israeli apartheid" the anarchic folk-rock band Tomboyfriend pulled out in protest. At the packed town hall meeting held at the 519 Church St Community Centre on June 7, lead singer/songwriter Ryan Kamstra expressed surprise that no other bands had yet done the same. But earlier that afternoon, John Caffery of Kids on TV announced his withdrawal from a DJ gig at Pride. Singer Troy Jackson, writer David Demchuk and Pride stage host and mayoral candidate Keith Cole also dropped out. And now other scheduled performers are mulling over whether or not to do the same. "I view free speech as vital to social change and empowerment," says Caffery. "If free speech is to be taken away then it certainly is not a party I can play music for."

Some musicians scheduled to appear are staying out of the political fray entirely. Crackpuppy guitarist Patricia Wilson: "Fuck Pride. Fuck Israel. Fuck Palestine. Only rock and roll matters. It is the only true government, the only true religion."

RELATED: Pride Toronto's problems on this issue began long before last week's Gaza flotilla raid.

Bankruptcy For BP?

BP's stock price is plummeting and some are beginning to wonder if the company will be forced into bankruptcy.

Shares in BP plunged again today in London after yet another sell-off in New York Wednesday, wiping out more than $82 billion in value from the London-based oil and natural gas firm. BP, No. 5 in sales worldwide on Forbes list of biggest companies, has seen its fortunes collapse in the wake of the spill that is now in its 52nd day. Its shares have fallen more than 50 percent since the April 20 spill and there has been chatter about a possible bankruptcy filing by BP amid U.S. political pressure on the company to halt dividend payments and pay even more compensation for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. That might be extended to include unemployment benefits for thousands of U.S. workers affected by the spill.

One oil industry analyst predicts that BP will declare Chapter 11 within 30 days.

CANADA: Federal Transgender Rights Bill Advances On Third Attempt

It may not seem possible to those of us who gaze longingly at Canada's progressive laws for LGBT citizens, but transgender folks are not explicitly protected by anti-discrimination legislation there. That may be about to change.

A private member’s bill seeking human-rights protection for transgender and transsexual Canadians passed second reading in the House of Commons on June 8. The third time might be the charm for Bill Siksay, the NDP MP for Burnaby-Douglas, who has tabled similar bills twice before, none of which have made it this far in the legislative process. “This is a big, historic step,” Siksay told the Straight in a phone interview from Ottawa. “It’s an indication that there is interest and support for this.” Bill C-389 seeks to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and Criminal Code to add gender identity and gender expression as prohibited grounds for discrimination. Siksay, the NDP’s critic for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender issues, said there wasn’t any “outright” opposition to the bill, which was supported by Liberal, NDP, and Bloc Québécois MPs.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative government says the trans rights act is "redundant and that trans people are already protected under the grounds of sex and disability in the Canadian Human Rights Act." They also complain that the bill doesn't define gender identity and gender expression. The bill now moves to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights for "detailed consideration."

Did Sarah Palin Get A Boob Job?

After Sarah Palin's appearance at the Belmont Stakes in New York this weekend, gossip sites are atwitter over her seemingly much larger boobs. Jezebel is indifferent:

Goofy/immature euphemisms aside, whether or not Palin gave herself a new set of breasts isn't really our concern — and even if it were, we couldn't definitively make a call on the matter, given the everyday miracles performed by push-up and t-shirt bras. With the exception of Andrew Sullivan, who will no doubt be thrilled to question the legitimacy of something other than Palin's uterus, does anyone actually care whether she got a boob job or not? The truth here is a distant second to the question's mere existence, which should keep the web running on punchline fumes for at least a day or two

But Wonkette seems convinced that work was done.

British Airways Suspends Three Pilots over Anti-Gay Facebook Comments

Three pilots have been suspended by British Airways after they made anti-gay comments on their Facebook pages. The action comes as the airline is suffering the longest employee strike in its history, forcing the pilots to work as flight attendants.

Three British Airways pilots were yesterday suspended after branding passengers "wankers", "faggots" and "tossers". The Mirror revealed their foul-mouthed tirade on Facebook. One described cabin crew as "bum bandits". Adam Corfield and Jonathan Harman, both BA 747 first officers and BA Airbus A320 pilot John Lincoln are under investigation after standing in for crew during walkouts. Meanwhile, striking BA staff have complained to Parliament about working in a "climate of fear". A motion tabled by Labour MP Jim Sheridan, signed by 27 MPs, warned that the ''longest-running strike... can only be damaging to the reputation and standing of the UK's national carrier.'' There was still no sign of a deal yesterday and the union is poised to ballot for more strikes to hit at the peak of summer holiday flights.

Britain's LGBT rights group Stonewall says they are satisfied with the airline's response.

FDA Hearings On Dropping Ban On Gay Blood Donors Begin Today

The FDA begins hearings today on whether to drop the decades-long ban on gay men donating blood. Numerous LGBT and progressive sites are participating in a blog-swarm, asking their readers to submit comments.

Dr. Jerry Holmberg is the Executive Secretary of the Advisory Committee, and is tasked with accepting formal public comments from both organizations and individuals. He has made his e-mail available for this purpose. Please take a minute to e-mail Dr. Holmberg via jerry.holmberg@hhs.gov and urge him and the committee to revise the ban on blood donations from men who have sex with men.

You can find scientific support for your comment at this link. Among those testifying today is Cliff Kincaid of the virulently anti-gay group, American's Survival. Christian Newswire reveals today what Kincaid plans to say.

"Do you or your loved ones want to die in order to advance the gay rights agenda? Once again, as we have seen in the gays in the military debate, the gays are constantly screaming about their rights, oblivious to the point of madness about the rights of others. In this case, it's our right to be free of infected blood when our loved ones get a blood transfusion. But unless the public quickly offers its comments and raises an outcry with the federal authorities coming under the influence and intimidation of the gay rights lobby, the 'right' to donate blood could soon be extended to a politically-connected special interest group that has a demonstrated propensity to acquire life-threatening and deadly diseases."

Watch the hearing live here.

DC Street To Be Renamed After Gay Civil Rights Pioneer Frank Kameny

A two-block stretch of Washington DC's Dupont Circle is being renamed after gay civil rights pioneer Frank Kameny, seen above (with the sign) marching with the Mattachine Society in the 1970 NYC pride parade.

A two-block section of 17th Street, N.W., in the heart of one of the city’s most visible gay neighborhoods was to be renamed this week as “Frank Kameny Way” in honor of the veteran gay activist credited with founding the city’s LGBT civil rights movement. D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty was scheduled to preside over a ceremony and the installation of a new street sign Thursday to officially put in place the Frank Kameny Way street designation. The ceremony was to be part of a long list of events associated with Capital Pride, the city’s annual LGBT community celebration. The Dupont Circle Advisory Neighborhood Commission, which has jurisdiction over the 17th Street strip near Dupont Circle, initiated the Kameny street designation earlier this year.

Carly Fiorina Disses Barbara Boxer's Hair

GOP Senate nominee Carly Fiorina didn't know her microphone was on when she dissed Sen. Barbara Boxer's hair. Whoops!

(Via - Towleroad)

PhoboQuotable - Michael Pakaluk

"It seemed a real danger that the boy being raised by the same-sex couple would bring to school something obscene or pornographic, or refer to such things in conversation, as they go along with the same-sex lifestyle, which--as not being related to procreation-- is inherently eroticized and pornographic. He might expose other children to such things, as he might easily have encountered them in his household." - The Archdiocese of Boston's Pilot newspaper columnist Michael Pakaluk, explaining why he objected to the six year-old son of a gay couple being in the same class with his boy.

Yesterday Pakuluk said he "regretted" that portion of his column after his editor issued an apology, but that he stands by his other objections. Last month the Archdiocese of Boston threatened to cut funding to any Catholic school that barred the children of gay parents. Pakuluk is an evangelical convert to Catholicism and a member of Opus Dei.

BRITISH COLUMBIA: Couple Shuts Down Bed & Breakfast Rather Than Serve Gays

A Christian couple in Grand Forks, British Columbia has decided to close their bed and breakfast rather than face additional charges of discriminating against gay customers.

"We've been harassed so bad we're not running (the B&B)," said Lee Molnar, who lives with his wife Susan in the B.C. community of Grand Forks. Their lawyer Ronald Smith said they are "devastated" but also feel they can't continue to operate Grand Forks Riverbend Bed and Breakfast for fear they will be asked again "to violate their religious beliefs" by renting to a gay couple. Smith is representing the couple in a B.C. Human Rights Tribunal case scheduled to begin Wednesday, but it was postponed. "They're just a retired couple in Grand Forks who thought they would open their home to guests and here they are in the centre of a firestorm," Smith said. "They're a lovely couple. They don't want to be thought of as discriminating, but they're Christians who don't feel they can violate their religious beliefs."

Last year Shaun Eadie and Brian Thomas attempted to book a room, but were called back and told "this won't work out" after they confirmed to the owners that they are gay. The owners plan to argue in court that under Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms, "they have the right to decide what kinds of behaviours take place in their home."

NEW YORK: Gay Best Friends Win High School Prom King And Queen

Two gay seniors at a Hudson, New York high school have been named their school's prom king and queen. The boys are best friends.

Seniors Charlie Ferrusi and Timmy Howard won their respective crown and tiara by a landslide Saturday and said the support they received from their peers and school administration has been fun and humbling. “It’s a really big step for Hudson but also for the gay community in general,” Howard said Wednesday. “To have this happen in our city is pretty exciting.” Ferrusi said he and Howard started thinking about running about a month ago. While there were some students who were in opposition to their idea many more approved and the boys decided to go for it. By prom night the overwhelming majority of students cast their votes in the open ballot race. They won by such a wide margin the school didn’t crown any runners up.

In 2008 another boy was named prom queen at the same school, but administrators refused him the title. Progress! This year's winners said the hardest part about their campaign was deciding which of them would be queen. Winner Charlie Ferrusi has been involved in planning Hudson's first-ever gay Pride parade, which takes place next weekend.

Rep. Ike Skelton On DADT: Families Shouldn't Have To Talk About Gay People

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Ike Skelton doesn't want DADT repealed because he's afraid that families might have to discuss homosexuality.

Surgery No Longer Required To Change Gender On U.S. Passports

If you'd like to change the listed gender on your passport, the U.S. State Department has dropped its requirement that you must have already had sexual reassignment surgery.

The policy, which goes into effect Thursday, allows a gender change with a certification from an attending physician. The doctor's certification must confirm only that the passport applicant has undergone treatment for gender transition. Limited-validity passports for applicants who are in the process of gender transition also will be available under the policy. Previously, individuals had to provide documentation from a surgeon that sex reassignment surgery had been performed on them, according to the National Center for Transgender Equality.

Quote Of The Day - Bill Donohue

"Oh, I don’t care if she’s openly gay. What do I care about that! I disagree with Christine Quinn on gay marriage. She has been very supportive of Catholics in other areas. I’ve been involved in coalitions with Protestants and Jews and occasionally with Muslims and Hindus. I think Christine Quinn has shown herself to be a very good Catholic, and I appreciate what she’s done. We may have differences in other areas. I don’t care about that." - Catholic League president Bill Donohue, finding himself on the same side as openly gay NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn. For once. Both Quinn and Donohue want the Empire State Building lit in honor of Mother Teresa.

(Tipped by JMG reader FARB)

The Perils Of Lesbianity

Open Thread Thursday

We've gotten lots of new people up in here lately. Introduce yourselves, AOL chat room style. A/S/L?

Did A National Gym Owners Association Help Kill Trans Rights In New York?

Yesterday New York state's long-pending transgender rights bill, GENDA, died in the state Senate Judiciary Committee, one vote shy of passage. Many are blaming GENDA's failure on the bill's lone dissenting Democrat, the notorious Bronx homophobe Sen. Ruben Diaz.

But today we learned that the International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), a national gym owners consortium with hundreds of affiliate health clubs in New York, had lobbied against the bill, citing the worn-out complaints about men dressed as women in their locker rooms. IHRSA's objections were airing during the Senate hearing. Via Duncan Osbourne's Herd & Scene:

The association represents over 9,000 health clubs and 650 suppliers nationally with 285 member clubs in New York. It submitted testimony saying “while IHRSA unquestionably supports any legislation that guarantees equal protection for all citizens...we cannot support this legislation in its present form. We request that any legislation intending to protect the liberties of individuals, regardless of their gender identity or expression, be constructed in such a way that it does not encroach on the privacy rights of other citizens.” The issue? Bathrooms and locker rooms. The legislation would “prohibit a health club from preventing a health club user access to any locker room as long as their ‘expressed’ or ‘perceived’ gender identity is consistent with the sex to which the locker room is assigned,” the association asserted. The association wanted “the bathrooms or locker rooms of a health club, or a place of exercise established for the exclusive use of individuals of the same sex” exempted from the bill’s provision.

The problem with such an exemption is that it forever bans transgender people from these places which appears to violate the spirit if not the letter of non-discrimination laws. At first blush, the association’s stance would seem to be irrelevant as Republicans were probably going to oppose this bill in any case. What the association’s testimony did do was give opponents cover at the June 8 committee meeting. “One of the main arguments against this bill seems to be the issue of access, unfettered access to bathrooms, locker rooms,” said Senator George Winner, a Republican who represents four western New York counties, as he brandished the association’s testimony. “Is that a valid objection or valid point?”

Osbourne points out that IHRSA has lobbied similarly in Massachusetts, which is also considering adding transgender protections. IHRSA says they don't approve of discrimination in any form, but they want their locker rooms and "any place created for the exclusive use of individuals of the same sex" exempted from any trans rights bill.

Read Duncan Osbourne's full report.

FLORIDA: Christian School Teacher Sues After Being Fired For Pre-Marital Sex

A teacher at a Christian school near Orlando has been fired after administrators did the math on her wedding day and the birth of her baby. She is suing under federal pregnancy discrimination laws.

Jarretta Hamilton, a former fourth-grade teacher at Southland Christian School in St. Cloud, said she approached administrators in April 2009, shortly after her wedding, to tell them she was pregnant and request maternity leave for the coming fall, WKMG-TV, Orlando, reported Wednesday. "That's when the question was posed to her, 'Did you conceive prior to marriage?'" said Edward Gay, Hamilton's lawyer. He said Hamilton told administrators the truth, the baby was conceived about three weeks before the wedding, and she was fired one week later without being allowed to finish the school year. Gay said he received a letter from Southland Christian School administrator Julie Ennis explaining the reasons for the termination. "Jarretta was asked not to return because of a moral issue that was disregarded, namely fornication -- sex outside of marriage," Ennis wrote. "We request that Jarretta withdraw her complaint and consider the testimony of the Lord."

The lawsuit also requests damages for invasion of privacy because parents and students were told why she was fired.

Porno Pete LaBarbera Announces Training Academy For Young Haters

Porno Pete LaBarbera has just announced the formation of the "Americans For Truth Academy," which will train young people how to properly hate faggots and dykes and foster violent crimes against them. For a mere $99 donation, you can buy a budding young bigot a Scholarship In Hate™.

We’re delighted to announce the debut of our ongoing “Americans For Truth Academy,” designed to train young people (as well as older pro-family advocates) how to answer “gay” activist misinformation and fight the homosexual-bisexual-transsexual agenda. Below is a flier with the basic information. Please consider sponsoring a student to attend for $99 or attending yourself. Rarely will you get a chance to learn from such brilliant teachers on the homosexual issue all in one rigorous seminar. his August 5-7, AFTAH will bring together some of the country’s leading pro-family experts on homosexuality to teach both young and old how to answer the lies and myths that so readily emanate from the “GLBT” (“gay”) camp. I am very excited about this new project’s potential to reverse years of pro-”gay” brainwashing in the schools and popular culture — corrupting the hearts and minds of our young people. Let’s face it: much of the conservative establishment has dropped the ball on fighting the homosexual agenda (or given up entirely), so AFTAH is stepping up to train a new generations of activists to contend with the sexual sin movement that has fooled so many Americans into treating a human wrong — changeable same-sex behavior — as a “civil right.” Please help us make this future-oriented event possible with your tax-deductible donation to Americans For Truth.

The usual cast of knuckle-dragging douchenozzles have signed on to be LaBarbera's Professors of Hate: Robert Knight (Coral Ridge Ministries), Matt Barber (Liberty Counsel), Laurie Higgins (Illinois Family Institute), Greg Quinlan (PFOX), etc. The first Three Day Hate™ will take place August 5th-7th in Porno Pete's luxuriously appointed basement dungeon headquarters outside of Chicago.

PhoboQuotable - Brian Brown

"Victory in California! With your help, NOM played a central role in defeating pro-gay marriage GOP Senate candidate Tom Campbell yesterday. Back in March, NOM was the first on the air with TV ads highlighting Tom Campbell's liberal record on gay marriage and taxes. In May, we came back with a wildly successful automated phone campaign to 600,000 GOP primary voters, letting them know where Tom Campbell stands on gay marriage.

"Gay marriage advocates used to brag that no politician had ever lost a race because of his (or her) support for same-sex marriage. Certainly political races involve many factors, and it's often difficult to pinpoint one particular factor leading to a political defeat. But today they can no longer make that claim with a straight face. Less than three years after NOM's founding, we have now seen race after race where a candidate's support for gay marriage was significant in leading to that candidate's defeat. Just ask Dede Scozzafava in New York. Or Jon Corzine and Loretta Weinberg in New Jersey. And now Tom Campbell in California, just to name a few." - NOM president Brian Brown, taking credit for Carly Fiorina's win in the GOP Senate primary, which apparently had nothing to do with her $5M in self-funded last minute ads.

RELATED: I just had to point out Brown's usage of "straight face." Snork!

Today In Islamic Fatwas

An Islamic cleric in Saudi Arabia has issued one of the most bizarre fatwas yet. Via Salon:

As many of us know, women and men in Saudi Arabia must be careful not to mingle, as the insanely strict Islamic law bans mixing between the sexes who are not related. Recently, the Saudis have issued a fatwa that forces women who come into contact with unrelated men on a regular basis to breastfeed them so that they can be considered “relatives” and not potential lovers. The strangest part is, this isn’t the actual issue at hand. The issue is, how do the men get the milk? I know, it just gets weirder.

According to the Gulf News, Sheikh Al Obeikan, a consultant to the Ministry of Justice and an adviser to the royal court stated, “the man should take the milk, but not directly from the breast of the woman. He should drink it and then becomes a relative of the family, a fact that allows him to come in contact with the woman without breaking Islam’s rules about mixing.” This fatwa applies to men who regularly come into contact with the same woman, or men who live in the same house with a woman. The woman has to pump her breast milk into a glass and give it to the unrelated male. Doesn’t that sound appetizing?

According to the story, Islamic women often breastfeed their nephews too, so that they and their daughters can be in the same room once they grow up. It makes them "breast milk siblings."

(Via - Dan Savage)