Abortion and Gay Marriage are Two VERY Different Issues; 13 Reasons Why Review, and Why It Fails; Out Candidate Michael Aycox

Abortion and Gay Marriage Are Two VERY Different Issues

This isn't about whether or not someone supports pro-choice or abortion. I don't weigh in on topics like that here. This is about comparing gay marriage to abortion. That's as far as it goes.

The issue of abortion came up recently in Ireland and I've seen a lot of people comparing gay marriage to abortion, again. They always do this. But the problem is that comparing the two is actually an insult to all gay people, not to mention the fact that there are valid reasons why they shouldn't be compared. Like Gobal Warming and science, there are facts to consider. You don't get to pick and choose how these things work based on your emotions or your opinions.

The resounding endorsement of same-sex marriage by Irish voters is leading many to wonder whether the cultural sea-change it reflects will accelerate a push to liberalise the abortion law. However, to equate the two issues is not justified by facts.

Data from the US, although a very different context than Ireland, indicate that abortion and same-sex marriage should be seen as quite distinct issues.

You can read the rest of this one, here. 

Tread with care the next time you compare gay marriage to abortion. Or at least know the facts first.

13 Reasons Why Review, and Why It Fails

I started watching the first 3 episodes of the second season of 13 Reasons Why, and I don't think I'm going to be able to get through the rest.  But I'm not reviewing this one. I'd rather just link to another review. I think it's all been said already. 

I many not totally agree with everything in this review, but I agree with most of it. 

Let’s get this out of the way before we talk about anything else: there was no good reason to bring 13 Reasons Why back for a second season. The show’s first season was the target of repeated criticism, and for good reason. That season depicted sexual assault and other violent encounters without proper content warnings. It also glorified suicide to such an extent that it was difficult to write about the ways in which it glorified suicide without, in turn, glorifying suicide — and inspired multiple real-life copycat suicides.

Here's the rest. It's very in-depth, and well worth the read. 

Out Candidate Michael Aycox

Here's something that's been making news all week about out candidate Michael Aycox. 

Queerty spoke with Aycox about his historic campaign, what it’s like being an openly gay candidate in a deeply red state, and about that time his dad downloaded Grindr (awkward!). Check out what he had to say…

Here's more. 

Amazon: Amish Indiscretion

Smashwords

Amazon

A PG Rated Gay Romance

Here's the Amazon link

Altered Parts: Limited Edition

And here's the Amazon link. 

In Their Prime by Ryan Field

Amazon

Smashwords 

Retro Gay Porn: Sgt. Swann's Private Files; You Tube's Philanthropist "MrBeast" and Homophobia; The Latest On John Travolta

Retro Gay Porn: Sgt Swann's Private Files and Dirk Yates

This post is SFW, and I keep this web site PG Rated at all times, but sometimes I like to link to things like this that are NSFW...so you've been warned.

The Sgt. Swann Videos from the 80s are classic gay adult entertainment, and worth checking out if you've never seen them. From a pop cultural POV, this is the sort of thing that was part of the golden years of gay porn. I missed all that and I find it fascinating.

Description: The movie that started it all for acclaimed Director Dirk Yates in 1985 available on DVD with special bonus content. A Seabag Production starring Glenn Swann with a special appearance by Rick Donovan. Working as a Drill Instructor (DI), SGT Glenn Swann has many experiences with marines and while off duty has more than his share of contact with sailors. 

Here's more. 

And here's a link to a list of all Dirk Yates movies. 

It's interesting that there isn't more information out there. I have to revisit this and do a longer post in the future...if I'm able. 

You Tube's Philanthropist "MrBeast" and Homophobia

According to this link, there's a 20 year old on YouTube named "Jimmy" that's been dubbed YouTube's biggest philanthropist because he gives away money in unusual ways. His alias is "MrBeast." It's actually interesting...but there's a twist. An alleged homophobic twist. 

Jimmy regularly uses the notion of being gay as a punchline and treats the word like a slur, hurling it at people or things he’s attempting to diss. “Windows is gay,” he tweeted regarding his frustration using the operating system in December 2015. More recently, in December 2016, he responded to a tweet saying “I don’t have a printer fag.” Just this past December, in 2017, he replied to another person on Twitter, “STFU fag.”

You can check that out, here.  I can't comment because I've never seen him. 

The Latest On John Travolta

I didn't know how to title this part of the post. It covers a lot of ground, and gives more insight into the gay rumors about Travolta. 

As for those gay rumors that have followed Travolta since, well, forever, Rinder has this to say: “I cannot say if he is gay or not. I’m not going to speculate. All I know is it would be a catastrophe if he or anyone else in Scientology came out as gay. You can’t. The church is anti-gay even if they don’t publicize it.”

Here's the rest of it. 

I still believe that no one should ever be forced to come out as gay. It's too personal. So whether Travolta is gay or not isn't my concern. 

Amazon: Amish Indiscretion

Smashwords

Amazon

A PG Rated Gay Romance

Here's the Amazon link

Altered Parts: Limited Edition

And here's the Amazon link. 

In Their Prime by Ryan Field

Amazon

Smashwords 

What Is MeWe About? Gay Adult Film Company and Smear Campaign; Mansplaining Harassment To Jessica Walter; Nico Tortorella's Gender Neutral Makeover

What Is MeWe About?

The web site, MeWe.com, is billing itself as "The Next-Gen Social Network." From what I gather, it's something like Facebook, but not exactly. I don't know much about it, and I doubt I'll be doing anything there soon. I just thought I'd pass the info on for anyone who might be interested.

MeWe is the world’s private communication network. We turn the table on Facebook and other social media companies with a revolutionary service that emphasizes privacy and social sharing where people can be their true, uncensored selves. No spying. No cookies. No data sharing.

Here's the link. I'm curious to see how this will work out. I remember when everyone said that Google Plus would be the next new Facebook.


Gay Adult Film Company and Smear Campaign

There used to be an old stone house here in New Hope where they shot gay adult films. I remember the guys who owned it, and some of the actors. But they weren't renting. They owned the building and they had every right to do whatever they wanted to do. I have no idea how this works with rental properties.

According to this piece, a woman in Massachusetts rented her home out, and the renters turned out to be the owners of an adult film company that makes gay porn. The woman claims she had no idea they were going to use her property as an adult film location, so she sued them. Aside from the obvious complaints about having a porn company shoot movies in her home, there's another twist.

Bassett also accused Mile High Media of having a “history of predatory practices,” including pedophile-themed plots in their films. She specifically pointed to the films Schoolboy Fantasies 2 and His Son’s Best Friend Volume 1 as examples, both of which were filmed inside her house.

Here's the rest. The porn company is counter-suing for defamation. The comments are interesting...from a legal perspective.


Mansplaining Harassment To Jessica Walter

I saw this trending last night on Twitter and I think what bothered me the most was the mansplaining. I get that in the form of straightsplaining all the time from straight people who know nothing about gay men. And there's really no plausible excuse for it.

Even though the incident sounded very traumatizing for Walter – she actually cries during the interview – it was the way Tambor’s male costars defended him that has attracted the most criticism.

You can read this in full, here. There's also a clip where you can hear Walter crying.

It's powerful.


Nico Tortorella's Gender Neutral Makeover

I think I like Tortorella even more now. They are always doing something new, out of the proverbial box, and positive. And whether you like it or not, too bad for you. I think more people will be doing this.

‘I just pretty recently have come to terms with the fact that maybe I am not fully cisgender,’ they explais in the piece, as well as on Instagram.

‘This isn’t something I’ve actually talked about on a public level quite yet.’

Here's more, with a photo of Nico's makeover. They look great.

Amazon: Amish Indiscretion

Smashwords

Amazon

A PG Rated Gay Romance

Here's the Amazon link

Altered Parts: Limited Edition

And here's the Amazon link. 

In Their Prime by Ryan Field

Amazon

Smashwords 

13 Reasons Why Graphic Male Rape Scene; David Grimm Wins Landmark Trans Bathroom Case; Gay Porn Actor Found Guilty In Revenge Porn Case

13 Reasons Why Graphic Male Rape Scene

I haven't started watching the second season of 13 Reasons Why, so this is news to me. But I did a few posts last year about season 1, and one of those posts got into some of the backlash the show received about teen suicide. In fact, if you do a simple search for "backlash 13 Reasons Why," you'll find quite a bit of information.

It looks as if they're at it again this season, and this time the controversy is with male rape.

The second season of the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, which premiered earlier this week, is once again courting controversy. This time it’s over an incredibly graphic male rape scene in the season finale.

The show’s creator, Brian Yorkey, has defended the scene, telling Vulture: “We are committed on this show to telling truthful stories about things that young people go through in as unflinching a way as we can.”

There's a lot more, here. They get into some graphic details about the male rape scene. And there are tweets from people who reacted. I obviously can't comment because I haven't seen it yet. But frankly, I tend to prefer TV that leans more toward controversial topics. And I'm not easily offended like many people are these days.


Gavin Grimm Wins Landmark Trans Bathroom Case

If you recall, Gavin Grimm is the young person from Virginia who has been standing up against discrimination for a long time, and fighting for the right to use the school bathroom that goes with his gender identity. Although Grimm was assigned female at birth, they came out as trans.

Instead, the judge ruled that both Title IX – a federal law which bars sex discrimination in education – and the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution had been broken in blocking Grimm.

She also slammed the school board, telling the court: “The location of the bathrooms, coupled with the stigmatisation and physical and mental anguish inflicted upon Mr. Grimm, caused harm.”


You can read this in full, here. 

Gay Porn Actor Found Guilty In Revenge Porn Case

From what I gather Kurtis Peters-Hartman is a gay for pay porn actor so this really isn't LGBT news, but it is pop culture news. He's also been on reality TV. And, all alleged revenge porn cases seem to be getting more attention these days everywhere. 

Kurtis Peters-Hartman, who appeared on Ex on the Beach, was found guilty of publishing and circulating revenge porn.

The 22-year-old former gay porn actor appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on 21 May to hear his verdict.

Here's more. According to this piece, Kurtis Peters-Hartman is denying everything. It's an interesting story, speaking objectively. 

Amazon: Amish Indiscretion

Smashwords

Amazon

A PG Rated Gay Romance

Here's the Amazon link

Altered Parts: Limited Edition

And here's the Amazon link. 

In Their Prime by Ryan Field

Amazon

Smashwords 

Kendrick Lamar and the "N" Word; Hackers Interrupt Live Political Debate With Gay Porn; Drag Race Contestant and Online Sexual Harassment; Pulse Nightclub Two Year Mark

Kendrick Lamar and the "N" Word

This story has been making the rounds on social media all week and I wanted to link to something that explains it a little better than most of the things I've seen. Of course there will be people who don't understand why it was wrong for the woman to use the "N" word, but I think this article explains things a little more clearly than most. From what I've seen the majority of headlines have been pure clickbait, and that's a shame because this topic goes a lot deeper.

 "It's a choice when you use that word, whatever race [you are]. Kendrick dealt with it in a very good way. She could have avoided the whole situation herself and she put herself in that position."

He explains that he uses the word sparingly himself to add impact when necessary.

"I use it in several different ways, as a way to refer to another person of that ethnicity or to explain the word as a metaphor, for example.

Here's more.  It's worth reading in full, especially if you don't understand why it was wrong for the woman to use the "N" word. This might help. 

Hackers Interrupt Live Political Debate With Gay Porn

When I saw this on Twitter, I couldn't stop thinking about the expressions they all must have had.

Hackers interrupted a live California Congressional debate with a short clip of gay porn on Thursday (17 May).

After the opening statements, there were only a few seconds of gay porn, but they're taking this very seriously. According to this article, it's not the first time this has happened with gay porn. 

You can check that out, here.  


Drag Race Contestant and Online Sexual Harassment

I've seen online sexual harassment in various forms over the last 15 years or so, but I didn't know people were being called out for it.

Following an investigation by Philidelphia Magazine, Braden Chapman, a.k.a. Mimi Imfurst, admitted to repeatedly engaging men in unwanted sexual conversation via Facebook Messenger.

Chapman, who competed in the third season of RuPaul‘s Drag Race, told Philidelphia that he “deeply regret[s]” his “ongoing late-night sexual conversations that involved in-depth and often exaggerated cyber roleplay that although was welcomed by some has made others uncomfortable and used.”

Interesting. 

You can read the rest, here. 


Pulse Nightclub Two Year Mark

I can't believe it's been two years since the Pulse Nightclub Massacre. I'm glad it's not being forgotten. 

Two years ago, a shooter opened fire at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida and killed 49 people. The onePULSe Foundation is now preparing for a week of events to mark the two years since it happened.

Here's the rest. There's a whole list of events planned. 

Amazon: Amish Indiscretion

Smashwords

Amazon

A PG Rated Gay Romance

Here's the Amazon link

Altered Parts: Limited Edition

And here's the Amazon link. 

In Their Prime by Ryan Field

Amazon

Smashwords 

Gay Men Taking Pride In Their Homes: Brian Justin Crum and Samer Fawaz; Colton Haynes On Being Gay In Hollywood; Cynthia Nixon For NY Governor

Gay Men Taking Pride In Their Homes: Brian Justin Crum and Samer Fawaz

I like this article because it shows how some gay men live, in a different way than you normally see in the news.

Out musician Brian Justin Crum and beauty talent manager Samer Fawaz hit it off quickly, and the fairly new couple has wasted no time in piecing together their ideal home.

The design-conscious duo recently paired up with photographer David Zimmerman for a photo shoot to christen their gorgeous 1920s Spanish-style abode.

Here's a link to this. They look like a nice couple.



Colton Haynes On Being Gay In Hollywood

I know how difficult it is for openly gay authors in the publishing industry, so it can't be easy for an openly gay actor in Hollywood. But I won't get into all that. This is about Colton Haynes and his personal experiences.

 I can't believe that no one has figured this out yet. It's not just the LGBT+ community but it's also ppl of color, minorities...give us all a chance. Thk god its in the works. Every single person deserves a shot at their dreams no matter their sex, ethnicity, or background.

You can read it all, here. He's right about that. You don't believe me? Think about this. Two of the biggest books with gay content in the last 20 years were written by a straight white woman and a straight white man. And no one figured it out yet.

You just get used to it. You move forward and do what you love anyway.



Cynthia Nixon For NY Governor

Get ready for a lot more posts about Cynthia Nixon. I'm not going to get too political, and I'm not a New York resident, but I like what Nixon is doing in a broad, general sense.

Cynthia Nixon is doing just fine, and if one candidate has been knocked back on their heels in this race, it’s Cuomo. That’s not to say she’s winning—she’s not by a long shot. The best public poll for Nixon has her down 22 points, and the governor has both a $30 million campaign war chest and the institutional support of the Democratic Party.

You can read more about this one, here. It's too soon to predict where this will go.

Amazon: Amish Indiscretion

Smashwords

Amazon

A PG Rated Gay Romance

Here's the Amazon link

Altered Parts: Limited Edition

And here's the Amazon link. 

In Their Prime by Ryan Field

Amazon

Smashwords