Category: Gay football players

Boy Toy Stalking David Geffen; Straight Guy Favorite DILFs; Last Season of Glee

Boy Toy Stalking David Geffen

This information I’m linking to now is from Queerty.com, but there it’s linked to TMZ. The music industry’s billionaire, David Geffen, is allegedly being stalked by a 20 year old former boyfriend. Get this, the boyfriend’s last name is Kuntz. No comment.

20-year-old Jamie Kuntz has been accused of stalking the 71-year-old for the past several months. His behavior has included following, harassing and making a “credible threat” against Geffen sometime between September and November.

In October, Kuntz was arrested for violating the terms of a restraining order. He now faces felony and misdemeanor charges and is expected to appear in court later this week.

Kuntz and Geffen first hooked up when Kuntz was 18. In 2012, the teenager was kicked off his college football team after being spotted making out with the then 69-year-old billionaire in a press box. He told teammates Geffen was his grandfather. (The school maintains that he wasn’t removed from the team for being gay, but because he lied about the kiss.)

Very little surprises me anymore. And I actually do think some of the best relationships, gay or straight, occur when there’s an age difference. It could be a ten year age difference, or even a twenty five year age difference. They usually last. But I can tell you one thing for certain about life. When you see an 18 year old making out with a 69 year old there is almost always a sizable amount of money lurking around in the background. Goodness and love have nothing to do with it.

You can read more about Geffen and the boy toy here.

Straight Guy Favorite DILFs

For those who don’t know I’d better get this out in the beginning. DILF means “Dads I’d like to fuck.” It’s not always meant to be literal, at least not in this context. It’s more sarcastic in nature.

Gay men and women aren’t the only ones who have a special place in their hearts for DILFs, according to the latest Buzzfeed video examining the same-sex attractions of male hettys.

Consider the pursuit of human knowledge one step furthered.

Aside from the fact that they use dumb words like “hetty” in this article, it’s not completely horrible. Of course Grandpa Geffen’s name is not on the list, but most of the guys who are listed with photos are not bad at all.

The thing that always amazes me is that straight guys would be interested in other men at all. But one thing doesn’t amaze me. Gay men can’t stop reading about it.


You can check them out here.

Last Season of Glee

If you haven’t had enough of Glee yet, you’re in for a treat. There’s still one more season of schmaltz and happy crying left. And now there’s a gay singing quarterback…because it’s not enough pressure to be a gay quarterback in high school.  

When casting for the role, the character was described this way: ‘He’s post-Glee gay — no one messes with him about his sexuality because he will kick their asses if they do.’ 

Williams was a finalist on Canadian Idol in 2008 and has many onscreen acting credits including How to Build a Better Boy, Pete’s Christmas, Saving Hope and Headcase. 

Now, to be perfectly honest I actually think this might work out well. I know it’s pure cheese and I’m not even sure I’ll watch, but I do think it’s interesting to give younger people the image of a gay guy who will kick ass if anyone screws around with him. Just the other day on Twitter I politely let a straight guy know that not all gay men dress and act flamboyantly. Some gay men would be more than happy to kick his ass when he least expects it. And that’s the dead honest truth of the matter. You just don’t hear from us often enough. 

My only concern is that PC bleeding heart liberal Ryan Murphy will ruin this somehow. I hope he really makes this kid a badass hero who does kick ass and fuck all the PC convention. Gay kids need some of that, too. 

You can read the rest here. 

Chase of a Dream PG-Rated Version
 
 

Gay Family Circle; Michael Sam Cut From Cowboys; Downton Abbey Gay Cure; Ariana Grande On Catholicism and Gay Brother Frankie

Gay Family Circle

I received one of those magazine gifts last year for Family Circle Magazine and my first thought was OMG, now I have this to throw away, too. Although I still get several print magazines, the only one I order myself is Architectural Digest and I wind up throwing the rest away. I get my news…and everything…online. I also never see anything LGBT related in mainstream publications and the content doesn’t interest me. Plus, the last thing I need in my life is more clutter from print magazines.

However, as I was glancing through the most recent issue of FC, I noticed a feature story with two gay men…married with two children. The piece is in a new section of FC, titled “Modern Life,” with a caption on the first page that reads, “Our biggest challenge? Finding time to sit down to dinner together!” There’s a photo of two perfect gay dads, with their two perfect kids, that could have been a photo of Ozzie and Harriet 60 years ago.

I can’t find an online link to the magazine, but I did find this piece about the new “Modern Life” section in FC.

A new “Modern Life” feature, which highlights nontraditional families, marks perhaps the biggest leap forward for the magazine’s content. “I didn’t think we were doing the best job of addressing all the different types of families,” admitted Fears. “We thought shows like Modern Family were actually doing a better job.”

Ironically, last night I was catching up with the TV show, Modern Family, on demand. I’m still not a huge fan of the show in a general sense, but I can’t say that I don’t find it interesting to see how they continue to mainstream gay people into society. I don’t talk much about assimilation here on the blog, and that’s mainly because I don’t think it’s possible to avoid this kind of assimilation anymore. With the equality we’ve been fighting for all this time there comes a price, and with that price comes changes in gay culture as we’ve always known it. In other words, you’re not going to see or hear anything about drag shows, prison parties, Sunday afternoon tea dance, or anything even remotely related to gay culture on TV shows like MF or in magazines like FC.

And I think many gay people crave this heteronormative lifestyle. So why shouldn’t FC put up a stupid, ridiculous feature with two gay dads the same way the do with hetero people? They’ve been doing this for years with hetero people and making fools out of them. It’s only fair we get our turn now.

You can read more here about Family Circle, if you find that sort of thing interesting. 

 Michael Sam Cut From Cowboys

This one bothers me. The Dallas Cowboys cut openly gay pro football player, Michael Sam from the practice team, after being there since 9/3 and never making the 53- man roster. Previously, he was cut from the SL Rams.

 ‘Sam, the first openly-gay player in the NFL, was a seventh-round draft pick of the Rams,’ the statement continued. ‘He spent all of the offseason and training camp with the St. Louis before being released and signed to the Cowboys’ practice squad.’ 

The team noted the spot will be filled by linebacker Troy Davis, a second-year professional. 

Sam used Twitter to thank the team. ‘I want to thank the Jones family and the entire Cowboys organization for this opportunity, as well as my friends, family, teammates, and fans for their support,’ he wrote

You can read more here. Sam goes on to make a gracious comment, without a hint of bitterness. He plans to continue his career as a pro player.

There’s not much more about this story yet, and it seems as though no one wants to even touch the subject. I wonder why. Maybe they should all start reading Family Circle’s “Modern Life” section of at the NFL.

Downton Abbey Gay Cure

One of the things I enjoy most about historical shows like Downton Abbey is the way we can reflect on the idiocy that was supposed to be correct back in those days. I was watching The Knick last night and the cure for a drug addiction was giving the addict heroin. I’m not joking about that. And in the upcoming season of DA the gay character, Thomas Barrow, is supposedly going to get injections that will cure him from being attracted to men. The word gay wasn’t used until the 1970’s and I hate using it in reference to same sex situations prior to that.

Julian Fellowes said in an interview with ITV, ‘He falls for the quackery that this can be cured, that he can get rid of this dumbbell he is dragging around with him. His fortitude takes him through a period of incredible physical discomfort.’ 

‘The result he seeks is impossible – it’s not to be obtained by any medical treatment, it was just quackery.’

Unfortunately, there are still quacks out there who believe gays can be cured.

You can check out the rest here.  

 Ariana Grande On Catholicism and Gay Brother Frankie

Pop singer, Ariana Grande, disclosed that she renounced her Catholic roots in support of her openly gay brother, Frankie Grande. For those who don’t know, Frankie is a talented performer who was recently on Big Brother this past summer. I can’t recall the name of the play, but he just landed a new gig on Broadway.

 ‘When my brother was told that God didn’t love him I was like, “OK, that’s not cool,”‘ she said in an interview with Sunday Telegraph magazine. 

‘They were building a Kabbalah center in Florida so we both checked it out and really had a connection with it.’ 

She said since renouncing Catholicism for Kabbalah, her life has changed for the better.

Although no one in our families has done anything similar, Tony and I are non-practicing Catholics for the same reasons Ariana left the church. If we ever decided to adopt a child I would want him/her to grow up with some kind of religion, but it wouldn’t be Catholicism. I know most practicing Catholics do support gays, and I even know a few priests who do, too. But the big picture is more important in a case like this.

One thing is certain, you never have to wonder why the Catholic church seems to be losing people as each year passes.

You can read the rest here.

 Ring My Bells by Ryan Field
.99 Gay E-book
‘Sam, the first openly-gay player in the NFL, was a seventh-round draft pick of the Rams,’ the statement continued. ‘He spent all of the offseason and training camp with the St. Louis before being released and signed to the Cowboys’ practice squad.’
The team noted the spot will be filled by linebacker Troy Davis, a second-year professional.
– See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/michael-sam-cut-dallas-cowboys-practice-squad211014#sthash.FqoyQOeJ.dpuf

HGTV Supports Gays; Neil Patrick Harris Naked; Michael Sam NFL Draft

HGTV Supports Gays

There was a new TV show scheduled to come out on HGTV starring twin brothers, David and Jason Benham, this fall. However, after a few questionable issues about the brothers surfaced online, HGTV decided to cancel the show before it even aired. Among other things, a right wing web site posted information about David Benham and his anti-gay opinions.

Those plans have changed after the website Right Wing Watch published a post labeling David Benham as an ‘anti-gay, anti-choice extremist.’

The site posted a recording of the twin on a talk show host speaking about ‘homosexuality and its agenda that is attacking the nation’ and also spoke about ‘demonic ideologies’ spreading in colleges and public schools.

There is also a YouTube video of David Benham speaking at the closing of an abortion clinic last year.

This is how the out-spoken twin anti-gay brothers who had the deal of a lifetime in the palm of their hands responded:

‘With all of the grotesque things that can be seen and heard on television today you would think there would be room for two twin brothers who are faithful to our families, committed to biblical principles, and dedicated professionals. If our faith costs us a television show then so be it.’

My only comment is something I’ve said before on the blog more than once. If you are going to do anything in the public eye, and that thing you are doing isn’t political or religious, shut your big mouth on religion and politics or be prepared to suffer the consequences. This isn’t about free speech or gays bullying the poor twin brothers. This is about free trade and good business practices. HGTV is not a government owned business and many of their viewers are women and gays. I’m sure HGTV doesn’t want to alienate a large chunk of their audience. Last I heard, nothing on HGTV is political or religious. So I look at these things from a purely pragmatic POV and I really feel for people in business who don’t. I have seen the exact same thing happen to authors who speak too often and too loudly on politics and religion, and it doesn’t matter which side you’re on. You’re still going to piss a lot of people off. So unless you’re running for public office, or Pope, keep the religion and politics to yourself if you know what’s best for you. And really, don’t we already have enough politics already. When I tune in to watch House Hunters or Property Brothers I only want to hear about real estate.

You can read more here, where there’s a photo of the twin anti-gay brothers who just screwed up the best deal they ever had.

Neil Patrick Harris Naked

Neil Patrick Harris is on the cover of Rolling Stone, and he’s not wearing anything but a bow tie and a top hat over his groin. Whether or not this is actually Harris or it’s been photo shopped remains to be seen.

In an interview to be published on Friday (9 May), Harris shares how coming out publicly in 2006 has actually helped his career rather than hurt it.

‘Some actors don’t get hired because you can’t look into their soul and see what they’re like, because they’re kept guarded,’ he says. ‘Once all the cards were on the table, I got more opportunities than ever.’

I’m not certain other more serious leading-men types would agree with Harris. I think they still have to be careful about coming out if they want to get the big bucks in feature films like the upcoming Fifty Shades of Grey. Just look at what happened to Matt Bomer. It’s still okay for a straight actor to play gayface. We applaud that when Matt Damon does it. But we haven’t worked out all the kinks with gay actors playing straightface. Rock Hudson doesn’t count, even though he should be considered the greatest actor in the history of film just for those scenes with Doris Day.  

You can read more here.

Michael Sam NFL Draft

This week openly gay football player, Michael Sam, will make history when they start drafting players. I think he’s a huge hero and inspiration to all gay men who have never fallen into the typical gay stereotypes. He shows us that there are many different aspects to being gay. It should be interesting to see how things turn out next week.

‘I’ve been thinking about this moment since junior year of college,’ Sam said in an interview Wednesday with Good Morning America.

‘It’s a very nervous time and a very exciting time. I’m ready for it.’ He added: ‘Where I go doesn’t matter as long as I get to play.’

While Sam is not expected to be a top pick, the league could face a major PR crisis if no teams choose him.

Sam will also receive the well-deserved Arthur Ashe Courage Award this July. He also makes a point of letting us know that he’s not the only gay guy in the NFL and that others are still in the closet.

There’s more here.  

Palm Beach Stud by Ryan Field
 
 


His Only Choice by Ryan Field
 
 
 
 
 
The Preacher’s Husband by Ryan Field
 
 
 

NFL Butt-Patting; Coretta Scott King on Gays

NFL Butt-Patting

You wouldn’t think this would ever make news, not in a million years. But retired NFL player, Greg Ellis, has concerns about how it might be received if gay football player, Michael Sam, pats someone on the butt the way football players tend to do that all the time…Ellis made this comment without even realizing the homoerotic undertones related to butt-patting the rest of us have always wondered about.

‘If he pats somebody on the butt, how is that to be received?’ Ellis said.

The former player, knowing he was stepping into controversial territory, remarked that ESPN might not have him back for what he was saying. But he plunged ahead anyway.

‘If he said, “Come on baby?” I called guys baby all the time on the football field, but when you have taken a stand and went and go public and say that, “I am gay,” how is that going to be received?’

It devolves from there. There’s no mention of Ellis possibly having an IQ in the double digits. Or, how lucky he was to have received such privilege in life.

You can read more here.

Coretta Scott King on Gays

In another article that mentions Michael Sam as a pioneer, the writer gets into the things Coretta Scott King did as a gay activist I didn’t even know about until now.

Here’s what she said at a gay rights rally:

I wanted to join you today to affirm my wholehearted support for freedom from discrimination for lesbian and gay people. It is vitally important for African Americans, lesbians and gay people, the women’s rights movement, to work together in multicultural coalitions. We share a critical interest in the election of candidates who will support and protect human rights. We share a concern about candidates who hope to win votes by bashing gay and lesbian people and pandering to the irrational fears and ignorance of the constituents. I want to assure you that I will continue to support you in your efforts to rid our country, and the nation, of all forms of bigotry, racism, sexism and homophobia. So we can create a society where all people can live together with respect, tolerance and a new spirit of hope and opportunity. With this commitment, together, We Shall Overcome.

This really is all about human rights, not just gay rights. As long as there are people ready to discriminate, and some in the name of God and religion, we’ll never be free of injustice. And last I heard it’s supposed to be “and justice for all.”

You can read more here.

Priest for Gays in Trinidad; Terrell Thomas Gets Confused with Gays

Priest for Gays in Trinidad

I know it’s unusual these days, but sometimes there’s something nice to read in the news and this is one I couldn’t resist. A Catholic priest recently gave a speech that calls for gays to be enshrined in a new constitution in Trinidad. He did this during a consultation, and made a point of saying the issue doesn’t even warrant further debate.

On the issue of sexual orientation being subject to further national discussion … discussion about what? Aren’t LGBT, aren’t they not humans still, yes or no?’ Fr Geofroy asked, according to the Trinidad Express.

I think it’s important to pay attention to these things because we often hear so many negatives with regard to gays and Catholics. I can say from personal experience, as someone who grew up Catholic and went through 12 years of Catholic school, most Catholics are not anti-gay. Tony’s family is Catholic, and so is mine. They aren’t anti-gay. So what we often hear on this topic comes from one segment of the Catholic religion, and usually the most conservative and most sensationalized to sell news.

You can read more here.

Terrell Thomas Gets Confused with Gays

Terrell Thomas of the New York Giants is having a difficult time with gays in pro football. For one thing, he’s afraid to say anything on the topic because he fears it might be taken out of context. He also thinks Michael Sam coming out has put too much pressure on him, and even worse, he’s terrified to think about what might happen if he walks around naked in the locker room with gay men.

Thomas is also concerned about a player’s ability to walk around the locker room naked.

‘There’s a lot of talk and joking around, and some guys walk around completely naked all the time, and they might not want to do that anymore,’ he said. ‘When you add that situation to the mix, I think it’s going to make some people uncomfortable.’

I actually don’t find any fault with this. It’s all new, it’s different, and it’s going to take a little time for guys like Thomas to realize they have nothing to worry about. If anything, I think it’s kind of cute that he would express his fears so honestly and I don’t think…at least from what I’ve read…he’s making any slams against gay people.

But Michael Sam has already addressed the locker room issue.

‘I think it’s a stereotype that gay people are predators,’ he said. ‘It’s very offensive.’ “(My being gay) shouldn’t matter if I work hard, if I make plays,’ Sam added. ‘That’s all that should matter. … Can he help us win games. I can. … I’m happy with who I am – I know how to play the game.”

Well said. There is this misconception about gay men lusting after straight men every waking moment of the day and nothing could be farther from the truth. If anything, it’s been my own personal experience that so-called straight men are all not so innocent. I’ve always found them to be more aggressive…even with gay men…than gay men.

At least Terrell Thomas is honest about his feelings, which I think is a good thing because it gets the issue out in the open once and for all so we can disabuse other straight men of these gay for you notions.

You can read more here.

Michael Sam’s Dad’s Mixed Reaction to Gay News

Michael Sam’s Dad’s Mixed Reaction to Gay News

I’ve posted about this more than once this week and all you have to do is scroll down to find the posts they’re so recent. Michael Sam, a football player with University of Missouri, came out this week and people are still talking about it. This time they are talking about the less than thrilled reaction Michael Sam’s dad had when he discovered his son is gay through a text from Sam Jr. while he was eating at Denny’s.

“I couldn’t eat no more, so I went to Applebee’s to have drinks,” Sam Sr. told the newspaper. “I don’t want my grandkids raised in that kind of environment.”

Sam Sr. described himself as “old-school,” saying the idea of a gay player in the NFL bothers him, but he told the newspaper that he loves his son and hopes he makes it into the NFL.

“As a black man, we have so many hurdles to cross. This is just one he has to cross,” Sam Sr. told the Times.
Sam, an All-America defensive end, led the SEC with 11.5 sacks and 19 tackles for a loss last season.

This sounds all too familiar to me because I have a gay nephew and he came out to me on Facebook in a private message a few years ago, and that message wasn’t expected and it floored me for a moment. I had no idea. He was already on his way to med school in Iowa and in his mid-twenties doing a fellowship in St. Louis at Washington University. Evidently, having two openly gay uncles (my brother is gay) did nothing to help him come out sooner. It did nothing to relieve his anxiety. He went through the same angst and pain most younger gay men deal with before they actually decide to come out.

Of course I supported him immediately and told him I would not tell anyone else until he was ready. He told me he wanted to wait, but he just had to tell someone to get it “out.” He said if he didn’t he felt as if he might explode. Many gay men feel that way. A few days later I heard through my mom that my nephew phoned my sister and brother-in-law and he told them himself. And even though my sister and brother-in-law were shocked they didn’t support him immediately. It took a while. It wasn’t that they reacted poorly. They just reacted with shock and didn’t know how to deal with it.

So I can see how Sam’s dad would go through all kinds of mixed emotions. I went through them with my own nephew and I’m openly gay. The first thing I thought was how hard it’s going to be for my nephew being gay in this world. The second thing I thought was just support him no matter what because he already knows how hard it is. I also think it’s a little harder for some in the African American community. I dated men of African descent before I met Tony and they all faced the same issues, which was almost double the shame of being gay within their own communities. I’m not sure why the stigma still lingers so much in some places, but I think a lot has to do with the bible, religion, and strong ties to old ways that have been preached for hundreds of years.

I hope Sam Sr. comes to terms with this and learns from others that it’s not the worst thing in the world and that he should be proud of his son for being so talented, so honest, and so willing to become and example for other gay men like him. That in itself makes a bold statement about the kind of man Michael Sam is. And even though Sam Sr. might not know it yet, he definitely did something right when he was raising his son.

You can read more here.

Review Pretty Boy Dead; ESPN and Michael Sam

Review Pretty Boy Dead

Update: 3/8/14 Pretty Boy Dead was nominated for the 2014 Lambda Awards. You can read more about that here.

I don’t normally read mystery/suspense novels, but there are times when I make the exception and Jon Michaelsen’s Pretty Boy Dead is one of them. I was not disappointed this time, and I might even go back and re-read this at some point in the future because I think the gay parts in the book deal with issues (for lack of a better word) to which many can relate, especially those who work in certain fields.

The basic premise revolves around murder, a screwed up kid, and a questionable system. Sgt. Kendall Parker is a detective (with the Criminal Investigation Division) who has a few interesting fundamental flaws I thought made him more realistic and intense. The way Michaelsen portrayed him created a sense of drama that added more conflict to the storyline. In other words, he’s interesting and you want to know more about him as you continue to read. The lines below sparked my curiosity.

“Parker stared at the corpse, seeing not the man lying before him, but the haunting image of another. The obsession was never far from his mind, clouding his thoughts and perhaps his judgment.”

I often wonder how much personal detective/crime experience mystery authors like Michaelsen have because this book led me to believe so much came from either excellent research or personal experience. It wasn’t rushed or pushed too fast, which I think would make it more realistic with respect to real criminal investigations of this nature. But it doesn’t stop there because the insights with respect to social issues are also covered in a way that seems to draw closely to personal experience in an overall sense. And when I see this it leads me to believe an author is an astute observer of life and the social/human condition. But more than that, in between all of this there are a few interesting political situations that tend to lean more toward the tawdry side of what happens in the real world. The things most of us don’t know about.

And for someone like me who doesn’t read much mystery/suspense I found the characters and storyline believable. That’s a big thing for me as a reader. I can’t say that’s something I always find in this genre, which is one reason why I don’t read it too often. I didn’t feel as if I was being yanked around and sold a bill of goods with contrived scenes and less credible situations. In this case, I felt at times as if I’d entered a world so unfamiliar to me I wanted to linger a little longer to see what else might transpire. As for more technical aspects, the writing is solid, the book is well executed from cover to edits, and I didn’t find any issues at all with the digital formatting.

If you’re a mystery fan I think you’ll enjoy this, and if you’re not into mystery all that much I think it’s a good way to get into the genre because of the depth of story. It’s not simple and I found several surprises I won’t divulge now. I would have no issues recommending this book to anyone. My only regret is that I took so long to get to it. I’ve had it for a while and just kept putting it off for other things, which was a huge mistake on my part.

You can purchase the book here, at Amazon, in both digital and paperback.

 ESPN and Michael Sam

This article is interesting because I’ve been wondering the same thing, but not with ESPN. With other places I’ve seen the Michael Sam disclosure discussed. For those who don’t know, Sam is a football player with University of Missouri and he recently came out to what I think is a huge barrage of coverage considering there are so many other important things happening right now. He’s even trumping the death of Shirley Temple in some places, which is big. But some news/sports outlets seem to have an issue covering his story smoothly. Or, it looks as though some would rather not deal with it.

Even anchors like Robert Flores, who are supposed to be the show’s steadying hands, seemed to have trouble saying the word “gay.” Tortured pauses and jumbled sentences abounded as the men on set reckoned with the notion of homosexuality. If SportsCenter — and ESPN’s television network — are the central hub of sports news, their broadcast on Sunday night was quietly depressing.

On a more positive note, I was watching my local Philadelphia ABC news affiliate the other night and they covered the story of Michael Sam without a hitch or a single misstep. In fact, they actually offered positive commentary which is something they don’t normally do. It was all normal and comfortable.

You can read more here in Rolling Stone.

Michael Sam Out; Russia: Blog Censored; Debbie Harry Refused Russia; Lesbian on Sochi

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:World_Naked_Bike_Ride_participant_San_Francisco.jpg

Michael Sam Out

Michael Sam is a football player with University of Missouri who recently came out. The significance of his announcement would make him the first openly gay football player to be drafted by the NFL. And he’s doing it with pride, he claims no one has bothered him, and many allegedly already knew.

Sam, at 6-foot-2 and 260 pounds, starred in college football last season. Besides being first team All-American, he was named the top defensive player in the Southeastern Conference, considered the nation’s best league. Teammates named him the team’s most valuable player.
 
I hate to be cynical, and I hope I’m wrong, but it all sounds almost too good to be true. And he’s only on of a few select who have come out.
 
This article goes on to discuss same-sex marriage, and how the NFL has reacted to this admission and others in the past.
 
You can read more here.
 
Russia Blog Censored
 
A very attractive Canadian blogger who is known for bobsledding had his blog allegedly censored by Russia. He’s straight, but he posted a few extremely hot shirtless photos of himself and teammates recently that may or may not have violated Russia’s gay propaganda law. The sexy beards are priceless.
 
In response, the pilot of Canada’s bobsled team tweeted: ‘Looks like my website is censored in Russia haha classic #SochiProblems I wonder if there’s a camera in my room’.

Thouugh no decisive reason for the block has been given yet, it has been speculated that Kripps’ site was blocked due to Russia’s 2013 ban on the ‘propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations amongst minors’, essentially the promotion of LGBT rights.

Nothing is certain yet. You can read more here.

I’m curious about this from a blogger POV. It’s not only Russia censoring, they do it in a lot of places which is why I keep two blogs. One here at google blogger, and one here at www.ryan-field.com at wordpress. You never know. I like to be prepared for anything.

Debbie Harry Refused Russia

In response to Russia’s human rights policies entertainer, Debbie Harry, turned down an offer to appear at the Sochi games this month.

Harry took to Twitter to post a photo of the offer by the Red Rocks Festival which is being held in Sochi as part of the Cultural Olympiad which surrounds the games.

On it she had written, ‘Pass – human rights.’

She’ll go down on the right side of history when all is said and done. You can read more here.

Lesbian on Sochi

As for those going down on the wrong side of history, this lesbian athlete from Austria, Olympic ski jumper Daniela Iraschko-Stolz, thinks we’re all making too much of a fuss about human rights in Russia. She only wants to talk about sports, and, jumping.

Yes, jumping. That’s a direct quote. She cares more about jumping than LGBTI issues that affect millions.

‘I think everything is being blown up bigger than it is. I had a very good welcome like every other athlete. There were absolutely no problems’ she said.

This could be a matter of interpretation and something important she said got lost. I’m hoping that’s the case. Because if it’s not it’s simply a matter of idiocy, privilege, and not having a clue. These athletes are driven, spoiled, and selfish, which is important to winning. I get that, and even respect it to a certain degree. I just don’t get the selling your soul to the devil for it. There has to be a line drawn.

There’s a TV show in ABC called “What Would You Do?” And it puts unknowing people in situations that are socially or ethically challenged to actually see what people would do when put to the test. I’d like to see how far some of these Olympic athletes would go to win…on hidden camera. I hate to think of the results.

You can read more here.

Photo attribution here

Brian Boitano Project; Gay NFL Story; Gay Cat Disowned

Brian Boitano Project


I recently posted about Brian Boitano’s emotional coming out moment at The White House, here. Now he has a TV show on HGTV where he travels to Italy to find his roots and winds up buying an ancient house and renovating it.

From the HGTV web site:

On a recent vacation to the old country, Olympic figure skater Brian Boitano discovered his Italian family, and the town his relatives migrated from. He also discovered, and ultimately purchased an old family home in desperate need of repair. Now Brian is taking it upon himself to totally renovate the home as a summer villa for family and friends to enjoy, and we are there for the journey!]

I’ve been recording and watching it and I think I’ve seen four shows so far. It’s surprisingly good, the scenery is wonderful, it’s interesting if you like historic renovation projects, and Boitano comes off as very endearing, creative, and talented. I never followed figure skating all that much and I knew basically nothing about Boitano other than bits and pieces I heard or read on the news. But he’s really much more than a figure skater, and this show is one of the fastest half hours on TV. His renovation projects are also very different…kind of restoration hardware meets French/Italian industrial, without once harming the integrity of the old home he’s renovating. He knows what he’s doing, and he’s adorable.

You can read more here. Photo here.


Gay NFL Love Story

This is really one of those touching/pragmatic things you read about more these days. And I don’t think it’s going to be the last time we see or hear about something like this…with men and women. There’s a new documentary out about a relationship between pro football players, Jerry Smith and David Kopay. In many ways it sounds a lot like a real life M/M romance set in the 1970’s. Only without the happy ending.

Smith was a star on the team, and according to the film, A Football Life, he struggled with the closet throughout his career. While many teammates knew that he was gay, Smith never discussed his sexuality openly. Amazingly, Smith found a protector in Redskins coach Vince Lombardi, who had a gay brother. Lombardi, who was notoriously tough, made it clear to the team that he would not tolerate any homophobic outburst directed at gay players.

You can read more here. The article also mentions AIDS and a few other interesting facts.

Gay Cat Disowned

Here’s something that’s just pure ignorance. A woman in Nigeria disowned her cat because she noticed unnatural sexual attraction, which in this case is same sex behavior.

“By this, the cat has made a record as the first cat to be so publicly declared gay and disowned by its owner,” writer Donatus Nadi notes in the article. As for the cat’s disgruntled owner, she would only add, “Anybody interested in this gay cat can have it because I have no further use of it.”

The male cat…Bull…was known to make advances toward other male cats in the woman’s household.

You can read more here.