Pennsylvania’s Lieutenant Governor and His Gay Flag Battle

After living in New Hope, PA, for the last 27 years as a gay married couple, Tony and I recently sold our home in New Hope and moved a mile away to Lambertville, NJ. We are eventually going to Palm Springs year-round, but right now we’re on the state lines. So I’m still very much associated with PA in many ways. When you live on state lines there’s always a crossover.

In any event, PA’s Lieutenant Governor, John Fetterman, has been fighting for his right to fly the rainbow flag. 

To say, that Fetterman is angry, would be an understatement. “It’s unbelievable that they actually passed a law to bar me from [flying his flags], so if they want to send the antigay flag police to take them down, then go ahead. 

Here’s more. They give you more background on Fetterman. He’s actually 6 feet 8 inches tall. 

The UN Calls Out Indonesia For Flogging and Detaining Gay Men 

In a rare follow-up story about a gay couple who was punished and detained for having gay sex, the UN is now calling out Indonesia for what they’ve been doing to gay men. The UN is also calling for everyone who’s been detained in Indonesia for their sexual orientation to be released.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric tells TMZ … “We are concerned by the detention, public humiliation and ill-treatment of men perceived to be gay in Indonesia.”

Here’s the rest. Finally, we’re getting support and help. It’s high time the UN started to put an end to these practices. 

 

 

2 Gay Men Publicly Caned In Indonesia for Having Sex

This is where I draw the line. I will not support a country or a culture that does this to gay men. I have no respect for them, and I believe they need to be stopped. I don’t care if straight people think that’s not politically correct. If a culture or a country would do this to any marginalized group they are despicable people and don’t deserve respect from anyone.

With that said, this happened in Indonesia.

Banda Aceh, Indonesia — Two men in Indonesia’s conservative Aceh province were publicly caned 77 times each on Thursday after neighbors reported them to Islamic religious police for having sex. Dozens of people witnessed the caning at Banda Aceh’s Tamansari city park.

Here’s more.  The mainstream media should be reporting these stories more often, everywhere. 

Don’t Be Afraid of Virginia’s Woolf

Gay Couple Kicked Out of NYC Restaurant

This is really interesting because the last place I would expect to see anything anti-gay or homophobic would be in New York City. All my adult life I’ve thought of NYC as a haven for gay safety. Even when I was a kid I remember NYC being safe for gay people. And now this…

A gay New York City couple say they were harassed and asked to leave a restaurant this month because of their sexuality.

Here’s more. They go into more detail about an apology and how the gay couple reacted to the apology. These guys aren’t rushing to accept an apology that easily. And I don’t blame them either, because this was NYC where it’s illegal to discriminate this way. The couple can legally file a complaint. It’s time this sort of thing stopped happening, and it’s time for all of us to stop living in fear. 

 Don’t Be Afraid of Virginia’s Woolf

 Being Gay in the Priesthood 

Here’s a personal piece about what it’s like to be gay in the Priesthood. It’s someone’s life experience and it’s not about studies and research. 

Over time, I even came to think of myself as “out,” because most of the people who mattered to me knew who I was. I think many gay priests feel similarly. We’re seen and known to the people we care about. That’s enough.

Here’s more. I grew up Catholic and went to 12 years of Catholic school and I remember that it was never openly discussed. With this said, I have posted about the gay priests I’ve known as an adult who lived double lives. I’ve always found it to be very toxic. 

 #MeTooGay French Gay Male Sex Abuse Victims

I’ve said it before millions of times. There are, and always have been, millions of gay male sex abuse victims that we never hear about. Finally, it’s starting to get some attention. I think the worst aspect of all this is the way films and books like Call Me By Your Name normalized the sexual relationship between an older man and a 17-year-old gay boy. And, I have even seen gay men of a certain age defend this movie time and again, to the point where I’m disgusted. 

At least it’s starting to become a valid discussion. 

A week after French incest victims took to Twitter to break the country’s taboo on inter-family sexual abuse, male gay victims of sexual violence have followed suit by using the #MeTooGay hashtag to speak out about abuse they have never before dared to share for fear it would trigger a homophobic backlash against France’s already vulnerable LGBT+ community.

Here’s more. If you go over to Twitter and check it out, you’ll see so many things that will break your heart. 

 Gay Elders Who Lived Double Lives for Decades

This is something I have seen all my life. Gay men and women who’ve lived double lives because of the shame and negativity that was always associated with being gay. And that is just putting it mildly. 

Up until recently, they’ve been silent. And now many are finally speaking out. I hope the people who like to straight splain to gay people pay attention to this. You’ll never fully grasp what it’s like first hand, but you might learn something about gay people you didn’t see on Will and his every loving Grace.

Here’s a quote from a gay man who spent the majority of his life in the closet, even though he was in a 30-year relationship with a man.  

“What bothered me the most was having to talk to the guys that were being discharged, and they were not in a good state of wellness anyway, because at that time, it was illegal or considered mental problems to be gay,” he said.

Here’s more. It’s a long piece that goes into more detail about gay people living double lives and the horrors they had to face. And guess what? There are STILL gay people living like this today. That’s right. It still happens.

 Don’t Be Afraid of Virginia’s Woolf

Explosion At Anti-Gay Hate Chruch in California

After an explosion where allegedly no injuries were reported, there’s an investigation underway at a Los Angeles area church. The church has a highly vocal history of condemning same-sex relationships. They are not shy about how they feel either. Check out this hate. 

A statement on it website says: “We believe that homosexuality is a sin and an abomination which God punishes with the death penalty.”

Here’s more. There’s been a good deal of controversy surrounding this church for a while now. As sick and twisted as they sound in this church, there’s never a way to justify violence of any kind. 

 JoJo Siwa Comes Out As Gay

Once again, I never get tired of reading these announcements. I also start to wonder just how many more are out there waiting to come out. I believe there are many, maybe millions. 

YouTube star and singer JoJo Siwa has come out as gay, after initial speculation was caused by one of her social media posts this week.

Here’s the rest. Siwa has received almost one million likes and huge praise and support from her fan base. I’m actually starting to think that if you are gay and you don’t come out you might be running a big risk by going silent. Public opinion seems to have swayed greatly in the last 10 years and most people seem to prefer the truth. 

Neil Patrick Harris Tries to Normalize and Sexualize Straight Actors Playing Gay Face

This really bothers me because it’s coming from a gay man who should know better. He knows the gay parts and opportunities are not out there and he also knows that many openly gay actors get turned away constantly in Hollywood. This is seriously stupid. I totally understand the gay fantasy of straight guys. It’s huge and it’s common. But to put it into this context just makes me sick to my stomach. 

However, Neil Patrick Harris revealed Thursday that he thinks directors should hire the “best actor” regardless of orientation — even claiming that it’s “sexy” when straight actors play gay.

Here’s more. He goes on to say he thinks the gay part should go to the best actor, the one who can do the best job. But as I’ve said before, just because you can do something does NOT mean you should be doing it. Meryl Streep would never play Rosa Parks in a film. I’m certain she could do it wonderfully, but Meryl Streep isn’t that stupid or insensitive.

This debate is going to continue, and I have no idea where it’s going to wind up. But I like to hope that I’m going to land on the right side of history this time. And it’s really kind of sad that Neil Patrick Harris would be so out of touch and so fortune in his own insulated world that he doesn’t even realize he’s still part of a minority that is fighting the stigma and the shame every single day. 

 

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