Luxembourg Closer to Legalize Equal Marriage and Adoption

Luxembourg moved one step closer today to legalizing gay marriage and adoption by same-sex couples.

The tiny European country's parliament has passed a bill which is expected to be voted before summer. The vote will also come at a time when the country has an openly gay Prime Minister, Xavier Bettel, and Deputy Prime Minister, Etienne Schneider, serving at the same time.

A survey conducted last year revealed 83% of people in Luxembourg support same-sex marriage.

If passed, Luxembourg will be the 11th European country to recognize same-sex marriage following Belgium, Denmark, France, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK.

Prime Minister Bettel with Gran Duke of Luxembourg

Example or normal?

Anton Hysén (1990) is an English born, Swedish footballer who plays in the National Premier Soccer League for Myrtle Beach FC. He is a former member of the Swedish national under-17 association football team.

Hysén came out as gay to the Swedish football magazine Offside in March 2011. He scored one for equality in sports when he kicked down the closet door three years ago and revealed he was gay.

Hysén continues to blaze a trail in U.S. soccer started by Robbie Rogers, who made history last May when he became the first openly gay major league soccer player by signing with the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Gran Canaria Maspalomas Gay Pride 2014, Canary Islands (Spain)

The First Openly Gay Black MP in Africa

Zakhele Mbhele has become the first openly gay black MP to be elected in the continent of Africa.

This week, Mr Mbhele, 29, has been officially sworn in as a Member of South Africa’s Parliament. He represents Democratic Alliance, the country’s main opposition.

He said: "I know what it means as a historical milestone but I’m not walking around thinking of myself as the first openly gay black MP in Africa or singularly defining myself by it".

The new MP also believes the South African Government should have publicly condemned Nigeria and Uganda for earlier this year passing tougher anti-gay laws.

Remember that South Africa became the first and so far only country in Africa to legalise marriage rights for same-sex couples in 2006. 

Mandela's country is the only African country

where gay weddings are legal

Philadelphia Mayor will perform Gay Weddings

Michael Nutter, the Philadelphia's Mayor, will perform same-sex weddings at City Hall on Friday.

Dozens of gay and lesbian couples in the US state of Pennsylvania rushed this week to obtain marriage licences, as a judge struck down its same-sex marriage ban.

There is a three-day waiting period for marriage there, so despite there being no defence of the ban, weddings won’t start there until Friday.

Congrats to all newlyweds!

Last year, Nutter raised a rainbow flag over the city hall

in honor of Gay History Month

Supporting Carlotta

Carlotta Trevisan, an Italian mother, posted on Facebook a stock photograph of two women kissing in support of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia.  

Facebook asked her to remove this image, which it said broke rules regarding nudity and pornography.

When she refused, she was told her account would be suspended for violating the community’s standards.

It's inexplicable that there is still censorship on social networks!

#KissIn

Judge Strikes Down Pennsylvania Same-Sex Marriage Ban

A federal judge has ruled that the latter’s law prohibiting same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.

In the latest of a string of marriage equality victories, U.S. District Judge John E. Jones struck down the Keystone State’s 1996 state law defining marriage solely as a union between a man and a woman, saying it violates the U.S. Constitution.

Pennsylvania, unlike many other states, had not written the ban into its state constitution but only into statute. A suit brought on behalf of state residents by the American Civil Liberties Union, its Pennsylvania affiliate, and private attorneys claimed that the ban violated the guarantees of equal protection and due process under the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and Judge Jones agreed.

Pennsylvania attorney general Kathleen Kane refused to defend the ban, but Gov. Tom Corbett brought in lawyers to take up the defense. If Corbett does not appeal, Pennsylvania would be the 19th state with marriage equality.

U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III 

called the plaintiffs, 11 same-sex couples,

ourageous

Stand Up, Speak Out

The United Nations have released a powerful video encouraging people to stand up for LGBTI equality on the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT).

The video created to support IDAHOT (17 May) encourages people to speak up about discrimination and share a message of support to those they love.

In the video, famous equality campaigners from Nelson Mandela to Aung San Suu Kyi are shown, alongside images of pride protests around the world, gay parents and some of the horrific attacks and injustices LGBTI people have suffered.

Watch the video below:

Truth

Truth is a psychological thriller starring former porn star Sean Paul Lockhart.

The plot follows Caleb (Lockhart) as he pursues a romance with Jeremy (Rob Moretti), whom he met online. As they begin to fall for each other, it soon becomes clear that there is more to Caleb than meets the eye. 

A troubled past and a mentally ill mother are among the dark secrets he tries to conceal from his new lover, who finds himself tangled in Caleb’s web of lies. 

Steamy and suspenseful, Truth is a cautionary tale of romance in the digital age that also features a stellar performance from Emmy-winner Blanche Baker, of Sixteen Candles fame. 

Watch the trailer below.

Which Gay Animal are you?

Watch a new video that defines new classifications in the gay animal kingdom, like Canadian goose, chicken hawk, mime and monocle .

While you might know how to spot your chickens from your bears, a gay cartoonist has decided to widen the field.

The author of Adventures In Gay, who goes by Hat, has created highly scientific classifications to decipher the typical gay male.

New classifications include giraffe, a gay man with a really long neck, a goose,a gay man who’s a asshole, and a monocle, a gay man who sits on your face.

Watch and enjoy this video

First Gay Marriage at US Naval Academy

Gulf War veteran David Bucher has married his long term partner Bruce Moats at the US Naval Academy, making them the first same-sex couple to do so in its chapel.

Naval Academy Chaplain Lieutenant John Connolly presided over the ceremony on Saturday in which Bucher, 49, and Moats, 50, married.

The ceremony consisted of formal prayers, a reading from the book of Corinthians and the US Navy Hymn.

Same-sex navy veterans and personnel have been entitled to marry at the academy since Maryland legalized same-sex marriage in 2013 and a spokesperson for the academy told NBC News it was proud to host the wedding.

 The wedding at US Naval Academy Chapel

David and Bruce after marriage

Home Workout with Mark Miller

A quick full body at home workout, by Mark Miller:

Push-Ups- 20 

Pull- Ups- 10 

Squats- 20 

Planks, bicycles, or reverse sit-ups- :30 

(3 Sets Total) 

He is in great shape, I will try it!

Stoned Neil Patrick Harris

Neil Patrick Harris is wearing nothing but a bowtie and a discreetly placed top hat on the cover of the issue of Rolling Stone. 

The biggest openly gay male star in Hollywood history is starring as the titular transsexual German glam rocker in Broadway's Hedwig and the Angry Inch, a role for which he lost enough weight to give him an eight-pack and a few light-headed afternoons.

Legendary!

 Harris on stage

Harris and his husband, David Burtka

Michael Sam, first openly gay NFL player

Michael Sam has made history, becoming the first openly gay player on an NFL team, as he joins the St Louis Rams in the final stage of the draft.

Sam, a University of Missouri football player came out in an ESPN interview.

The NFL player has since said he hopes that he would soon be able to move on from the attention gathered, and be known for his athletic ability, not his sexuality.

Sam and his boyfriend, swimmer Sean Smith

BREAKING NEWS: Gay Couples Can Marry in Arkansas Today

Same-sex couples can marry in the State of Arkansas today. 

There is no waiting period. The federal judge who ruled for marriage equality Friday night refused to grant a stay.

It is expected that the appellate court or SCOTUS will issue a stay some time this weekend until the Supreme Court rules on the issue. 

But for now, anyone in Arkansas and neighboring states who can drive to Eureka Springs, Arkansas which is open at 9:00 AM on Saturday can be married, for a few hours at least.

Arkansas is a very conservative Southern State, also the home of Bill Clinton, he was Governor there. 

More than half of Gays are still in the Closet at Work

The poll by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) found that 53% of LGBT employees are not out at work.

A quarter also said they continue to hear offensive comments such as “that’s so gay”, and one in five said they had actively looked for a new job because their work environment was not accepting.

The study notes that despite many employers now offering support for LGBT staff, and a shift in attitudes across the US, the number has barely changed in the past five years.

“It’s not enough to simply implement inclusive policies — those policies need to be augmented by training and accountability, and [leaders] need to be on the lookout for unconscious bias,” said Deena Fidas, director of HRC’s Workplace Equality Program.

81% of the non-LGBT respondents said their LGBT colleagues “should not have to hide who they are at work”, less than 50% said they would be comfortable hearing them talk about their dating lives.

As well as many LGBT employees not being out at work, 35% said they had actively lied about their personal lives. “Employees are getting married without telling their coworkers for fear of losing social connections, or they’re not transitioning even though they know they need to for fear of losing their jobs,” said Fidas. 

Spain land of artists

Pablo Picasso's anti-civil war masterpiece "Guernica", one of the world's most iconic paintings, served as a backdrop to a dance performance for the first time.

About 80 people sat on the floor or stood as Josue Ullate, a bare chested dancer in black tights, jumped and leapt in front of the large black-and-white canvas at Madrid's Reina Sofia Museum.

The 20-year-old performed "Quiebro", a piece lasting about five minutes and inspired by a song written by late flamenco singer Enrique Morente that mixes modern ballet with traditional Spanish dance, two times as part of International Dance Day celebrations.

It took organisers over a year of talks to get permission of Ullate to perform in front of the painting, which used images of distorted figures -- human and animal -- to represent the horrors of war.

Picasso created "Guernica" as a commission for Spain's Republican government to represent the country at the 1937 World Fair in Paris, as Spain writhed in a bloody civil war started by future dictator General Francisco Franco.

The painting was transferred to Madrid in 1981 from New York's Museum of Modern Art, where it had been deposited on a long-term loan by Picasso until democracy was restored in Spain.

Currently, this painting is one of the most visited places in Spain.

Bullying Kills

A new study has revealed two thirds of gay teens say they have contemplated suicide, with 80% bullied because of their sexuality.

The anti-bullying charity Ditch the Label published the report which found gay pupils at school and college are more likely to be bullied than any other demographic group in the UK.

Ditch the Label founder, Liam Hackett, said gay males were the most “heavily targeted group”. He also said: “Our research has identified that bullying is having a profound impact upon the self-esteem, mental health and academic performance of LGBT students and is not something that can be ignored".

And he added: “It is my hope that our research will strongly urge educational establishments and governments to invest greater resources into continuous education and interventions to promote equality and diversity”.

The report also posted striking statistics for the transgender students questioned. 67% said they had self-harmed, while more than two in five respondents resorted to suicide attempts because of the bullying they received.

Nearly two thirds of lesbian respondents reported being bulled, while nearly 7 in 10 bisexuals had suicidal thoughts as a result of bullying.

Ditch the Label will be launching a Sponsored Silence on 18 May to raise awareness of the 39% of young people who stay silent about being victims of bullying.

The Case Against 8

Documentary The Case Against 8 is directed by Ben Cotner and Ryan White, and looks at the case which eventually saw the US Supreme Court strike-down Prop 8 last year. 

Directors have released the first trailer for an HBO documentary following the case against California’s same-sex marriage ban Prop 8.

Watch it, it's worth it!

Catholic bishops meeting at the Vatican could discuss on same-sex unions

Pope Francis has called on his bishops to meet in order to discuss divorce, contraception, civil unions and same-sex relationships. 

In a meeting or synod planned for this October at the Vatican, the religious leaders will put forward their findings after speaking to their congregations about what they think about marriage and family life.

No one aspect dominates the whole issue of marriage and family inside Catholic church. Probably the main one will be that of divorce, and responses to people who have divorced and remarried. But civil unions, same-sex relationships and gay marriage will be discussed too.

Francis, who is the first Pope to come from a country with equal marriage, could be possibly be moving toward supporting same-sex unions.

We will see...

Sao Paulo Gay Pride Parade: 18th edition

São Paulo Gay Pride Parade is the annual gay pride parade that happens in Avenida Paulista, in the Brazilian metropolis of São Paulo, since 1997. The current year celebrates its 18th edition.

In 2006, it was considered the biggest pride parade of the world. Last year gathered over 5 milion people, according to the organizers.

The Sao Paulo Gay Pride is not only the actual parade but a long weekend, which also includes debates on gay related themes, cultural fairs, concerts and secondary festivals throughout the month.

Of course, the march is the event’s main activity and the one that draws the biggest attention from the press, the Brazilian authorities and hundreds of thousands curious people that align themselves along the parade’s route.

For the 2014 Parade, the theme was related to the political debate on gay rights and citizenship, in an year where the gay community is trying to consolidate its many victories on marriage and same-sex rights in Brazil. The theme was also centered on Homophobia, where the gay communities are searching for a more just law for those who practice any form of violence based on sexual orientation. 

With a strong support of authorities and mayor, the event is organized by a non-profit organization, the APOGLBT, which mission is to fight for a more just and inclusive society, which recognizes equal rights for all. The association has served to promote citizenship and self-esteem of LGBT by conducting and encouraging activities of all kinds.