The Daily Sheet September, 2010

[killersmom]

Tuesday, Sept. 7th, 2010

Anti-Bullying Policies Part of Gay Agenda Claims Focus on the Family "Concerned about homosexual advocacy in your child's school?" This is the opening line from Focus on the Family's new website "True Tolerance" on which the ultra conservative group denounces LGBT inclusive anti-bullying protections as being a way for gay groups to infiltrate schools and stifle religious free speech. But with the website sporting numerous references and links to ex-gay therapy advocates Exodus International, who is it that is really trying to promote an agenda? Anti-Bullying Programs a Source of Conflict Ahead of the new school year, Focus on the Family has launched an assault on LGBT inclusive bullying protection programs and acceptance promoting activities like the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network's (GLSEN) "Day of Silence". While the group is keen to point out that they are opposed to bullying in all its forms, Focus on the Family claims that such policies have been "politicized" to adhere to the so-called agendas of "special interest groups".

From the Denver Post:  As kids head back to school, conservative Christian media ministry Focus on the Family perceives a bully on the playground: national gay-advocacy groups. School officials allow these outside groups to introduce policies, curriculum and library books under the guise of diversity, safety or bullying-prevention initiatives, said Focus on the Family education expert Candi Cushman. "We feel more and more that activists are being deceptive in using anti-bullying rhetoric to introduce their viewpoints, while the viewpoint of Christian students and parents are increasingly belittled," Cushman said. Public schools increasingly convey that homosexuality is normal and should be accepted, Cushman said, while opposing viewpoints by conservative Christians are portrayed as bigotry. Yet rather than a wealth of facts, a lot of the True Tolerance website appears to hinge on fear-mongering by contributors like Candi Cushman, whose status as an "education expert" has been called into question by several commentators including Pam's House Blend writer Autumn Sandeen (read more on that here). Regardless, the following section by Cushman entitled "Capturing Minds" is just one example of how LGBT advocacy groups are painted as sinister predators on the site: What better way to capture a child’s imagination than with a heart-warming story about cute, fuzzy little animals?   That’s the latest tactic homosexual-advocacy groups are using in their efforts to reach the youngest minds in our public school system.   Whether it’s stories about penguins, guinea pigs or even elephants, they’ve figured out how to use fun anecdotes about animals to familiarize children as young as preschool with the idea of homosexuality and gay "marriage."   After all, they know if they can capture the hearts and minds of the young, they can permanently change the culture. [...] But the more worrying facet of Focus on the Family's campaign is how, particularly on its True Tolerance website, it tries to dress up ex-gay programs and the presence of their message in schools as a simple counterbalance to LGBT-affirming policies while neglecting to mention that such conversion therapies are unproven, repudiated and are regarded as potentially harmful. Read more.    Source: care2.com

Catholic Church Fires Woman for Marrying CAHIR O'DOHERTY – It's happening again. Cathedral High School in Springfield, Massachusetts has forced out the school's athletic director, Christine M. Judd, after she married her female partner in August. Judd, who is described on the school's website as 'one of the key members of the faculty and a positive role models for the students,' said was pressured to leave after marrying her female partner last month. The local diocese has listed her departure as a resignation, but Judd said she is currently exploring her legal options. It's believed that matters came to a head when an unidentified person made a photograph of Judd's wedding available to the diocese. Judd also clarified that the Cathedral High School had nothing to do with her departure, it was strictly a diocesan decision she said.

Mark E. Dupont, a spokesperson for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, told the press that Judd did resign, but he declined to respond to Judd's parting comments, or on the issue of her marriage in August. 'Without being specific to this matter, it should be clear that all employees of our Catholic schools are made aware of our policies and regulations,' Dupont told the press. 'This includes language that clearly states that whenever by public example, an employee engages in or espouses conduct which contravenes the doctrine and teaching of the Catholic Church, that employee may be subject to disciplinary action. To do otherwise would be in contradiction to the values we believe in and are teaching in these same schools. So while we certainly want to be compassionate and understanding, we must be true to who we are.' We must be true to who we are. So any teacher in contravention of Catholic dogma at Cathedral must be sweating right about now - I mean all the divorcees, the married people who use birth control, the men who have had vasectomies, and anyone who's privately pro-choice on abortion. Call me a cynic, but somehow I imagine they'll all be spared. The Church is highly selective over which sins it puts up with, after all. Call it cafeteria contrition - or just call it what it is, text book religious discrimination. Read more.    Source: irishcentral.com

Addressing the "Butch" Stigma The Butch Voices conference is coming West Hollywood in October and will address issues regarding sexual orientation and identity. There are over 25 different words used in the Butch community use to identify their gender and sexual orientation: Butch, Trans-masculine, Genderqueer, Stud, and Aggressives, just to name a few. "Some of the words are self-selected," said Jeanne Cordova, co-founder of LEX, the Lesbian Exploratorium and conference chair of the Butch Voices Los Angeles Regional Conference. Other words have been reappropriated from formerly derogatory terms. Regardless of the word, an individual will use the term they feel best expresses their identity. The LEX and Butch Voices is all about embracing true identities. Cordova is heading up a 90 person staff of performers, workshop leaders, and what she affectionately calls "hardcore organizers" to put together the Butch Voices Los Angeles Regional Conference. The conference is coming to West Hollywood on Oct. 8- 10 and is designed for those looking to fully express themselves in ways that transcends gender and sexual orientation. Educational workshops, speakers and mixers have been organized for participants. According to Cordova, a third of the lesbian community is Masculine of Center or Butch. "We want to explain what the word [butch] means and why it shouldn't be a derogatory word," she said. Read more.    Source: westhollywood.patch.com

Gay Pride Nationwide: The Continuing Story of America’s Sexiest Celebration This year I experienced Gay Pride in San Francisco. The city throws one of the largest and most well-known celebrations among the hundreds of cities who host the nationwide phenomenon of Pride. This year’s theme in San Francisco was "40 and Fabulous", celebrating forty years since the first Gay Pride Parades, held in cities across the nation in June 1970. San Francisco was among the first cities to host a parade to commemorate the anniversary of The Stonewall Riots, when New York homosexuals and drag queens stood up against police raids of gay bars. The theme this year was chosen to celebrate the history of Pride as well as provide a much needed celebration in the wake of the California Courts’ support of Proposition 8, California’s anti-gay marriage amendment passed in 2008. After returning from Gay Pride San Francisco, I asked myself, in forty years how has Gay Pride changed, what remains the same, and why is it still crucial to take the streets once a year to flaunt our sexuality?

Gay Pride is celebrated all over America and the world. Celebrations last throughout the month of June, with concerts, speeches, rallies and of course, many fabulous parties. Across the country lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community, members and allies across the nation develop creative ways to express their sexuality as well as recognize the contributions of LGBTQ Americans. This year in Key West, a group of landscape artists painted a giant rainbow on the highest most visible landmass in the Florida Keys. In New York, there is an annual LGBT Pride Rally where motivational speakers kick off the week’s events. The rally in NYC this year included a speech from Lt. Dan Choi , an Iraq War veteran who was discharged under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and a performance from the Gay Men’s Chorus of New York. This event has taken place every year since 1969 when New Yorkers rallied in Washington Square to support those who participated in the Stonewall Riots a month earlier. Each city has its own distinctive method of celebrating gay culture and activism, but the constant among cities is the Gay Pride Parade, usually held on a Sunday near the 27th of June. In June of 2000 President Bill Clinton Officially recognized the month of June as LGBTQ month. Clinton did the necessary political paperwork to officially recognize a nationwide celebration of community that started back in 1970. Read more.    Source: edgelosangeles.com

Equality in the Dell: Gay Farmers Come Out Gay farmers in Canada have come out--and banded together in a social club where they can talk about crops and the weather, just like any other farmer, reported Canadian newspaper The National Post on July 27. The Gay Farmers Club is one of a number of groups that operate under the aegis of Au coeur des familles agricoles (ACFA), an organization created to help Canada’s farmers with the pressures that modern life--along with soaring debt, international trade, and a gap between how people in other lines of work live their lives, and how farmers are tied--literally, and often without a break--to the land. The article noted that for farmers of all persuasions, the work is hard and unending. Isolation is a problem, also, since farmers have little chance to get away from their crops and livestock, and younger farmers are now more often single than used to be the case. "We share personal stories, but mostly we discuss farming and agriculture," one member told the publication. "It’s great because we face similar challenges as both farmers and gay people living in rural regions--and we don’t need to explain ourselves." Nor do they need to out themselves to the world at large if they would rather not; another member, who remained anonymous, told the newspaper, "I think it would be disastrous for my business if people knew I was gay. The agricultural world is very macho. Bulls are bulls and cows are cows--it’s that simple." Read more.   Source: edgeboston.com

Cleveland Gay Games ’14 Faces Problems, Lawsuit A dispute between the Cleveland Synergy Foundation and the Federation of Gay Games (FGG) has energized rumors that unless a new organizer can be secured for the 2014 Gay Games, Cleveland may lose the event to Washington, D.C. However, the FGG has reiterated its commitment to see the games proceed in Cleveland, reported Cleveland newspaper the Plain Dealer on Sept. 2. Reports of friction between Synergy and the FGG had been published as early as July 22, when the Plain Dealer reported that Synergy had lost the license to produce the Games. At the time, no details had been made public. The article said that Synergy had brought suit against several parties, including the FGG and the city of Cleveland, claiming that the non-profit organization had been forced out of the games thanks to a conspiracy between the FGG and a city official. The suit also accuses the FGG of contemplating moving the games to Washington, D.C., which was a runner-up when the host city for the 2014 games was decided upon. But the FGG denied that, telling the Plain Dealer in an Aug. 31 article that the FGG’s general assembly had passed a resolution to keep the 2014 Games in Cleveland. ""I think D.C. and Boston could do a great Games," FGG spokesperson Kelly Stevens said. "The site selection group said all three cities were capable of producing the Games. Cleveland, we felt, is where we could really make a difference, and the total package was the best choice." Read more.    Source: edgeboston.com

10 Haircuts Hot Women Love Ask any girl what haircut she likes on a man and you’re guaranteed to get a strong response. Jake Gyllenhaal This kind of guy can rock it: Almost anyone really. Works great for business types, no-fuss kind of guys. This kind of guy can’t: Super-creative guys won’t like this (not a whole lot of styling options) and rebellious guys might feel weird looking this mainstream. The hair you’ll need: Straight hair is a must. Fine or thick will do. How to style it: You might be able to get away product-free with a cut this short. But for some control, apply a light-hold gel and comb hair to the side. Read more.    Source: modernman.com

No Divorce for Married Gay Couples In Texas ERIK HAYDEN – Even though gay marriage isn't legal in Texas, that hasn't prevented opponents from taking that extra step: banning already-married gay couples from getting a divorce in the state. In a ruling reported by the Dallas Morning News, the state's 5th District Court of Appeals in Dallas has reversed a decision that allowed gay couples to legally dissolve their marriage. The ruling is quickly becoming another case-study of the trench warfare that's taking place between gay rights advocates and opponents across the country. Here's a snapshot of the reactions: It's the Antithesis to the Prop 8. Ruling notes John Wright at The Dallas Voice. "Thankfully, we can take comfort in knowing that the gay divorce ruling will have a limited impact in terms of legal precedent. And maybe, just maybe, it will serve as a helpful reminder about just how far the LGBT community has to go in places like Texas." An Appeal Is Planned report Eric Kreindler and Frank Heinz at NBC Dallas-Fort Worth, and if an appeal is granted the case would likely go to the Texas Supreme Court. The reporters also wonder about other types of marriage annulments: "But what if it's a woman and her same-sex transgender partner?" Confusion Ensues After Ruling writes Ashby Jones at The Wall Street Journal. "And in arguments before the three appellate judges, all Republicans, argued that to recognize same-sex divorce, Texas would have to recognize same-sex marriage." By Invalidating Gay Divorces, Isn't He In Some Sense Forcing Gay Marriage?' blogs Carmel Lobello at Death and Taxes magazine. "Not being allowed to marry a partner would be maddening indeed, but nothing would feel more infuriating than being forced to stay married to someone I was over." Source: theatlanticwire

Folksong Kookaburra Happy, Not Gay A school has banned the word "gay" from the classic Aussie song Kookaburra Sits In The Old Gum Tree. Students at Cheltenham's Lepage Primary in Victoria have instead been told to sing "Fun your life must be", the Herald Sun reports. Principal Garry Martin said yesterday he taught the lyrics to grade one pupils using an old tape of the famous song. "It uses gay and I just suggested to kids, 'Nowadays that can mean different things, so let's just sing a fun old time'," he said. "It was my decision to replace it. I guess that was hypersensitive of me." Read more.    Source: heraldsun.com    Image via pinmill.me.uk

Marine Won't Face Hate Crime Charges Prosecutors will not pursue felony charges against Orefield native Keil Cronauer in alleged gay-bashing fight. For Keil Cronauer, a Marine corporal and 2006 Parkland High School graduate, a brief but blistering descent into the national gay rights debate appears to be over.

To some, a fight this June in downtown Savannah, Ga., had all the trappings of a hate crime: Cronauer and a fellow Marine, one gay man, an indiscreet wink, a knockout blow. But in the eyes of the law, the evidence wasn't there. With his trial a week away, prosecutors say the Marine from Orefield who is stationed in South Carolina will not face felony or federal hate crime charges in an alleged assault of the gay man. Cronauer and Lance Cpl. Christopher Stanzel will probably face misdemeanor battery charges for getting into an altercation with Kieran Daly, the Chatham County district attorney's office said. Cronauer, 22, was outside a pizza shop with Stanzel when he thought he saw Daly wink at him, according to a police report. When one of Daly's friends tried to get Daly to leave, Stanzel walked behind the gay man, who ended up on the ground out cold, police said. Stanzel denied hitting Daly. After seeing the two Marines running at a full sprint downtown, police said they found Cronauer and Stanzel out of breath in a nearby vacant lot. They told officers they had been harassed by a gay man and wanted to get away, according to the police report. Read more.    Source: mcall.com

Prop. 8 Supporters File Another Petition ANNETE FUENTES – Weeks after a federal district judge ruled that Proposition 8, which prohibits same-sex marriage in California, is unconstitutional, supporters of the ban went back to court, according to this AP story in the Contra Costa Times. The Pacific Justice Institute filed a petition in the state court of appeal that seeks to force Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown to defend Prop. 8 in court. The institute, a conservative legal group, argued that the gov and AG had an obligation to defend Prop. 8 because they represent the people of the state and the people voted to approve Prop. 8 Neither Brown, who is running for governor, or the current governor, has interest in supporting Prop. 8 and have said they instead support same-sex marriage. Although the federal judge’s decision overturned Prop. 8, the court of appeals very quickly acted on another petition from anti-gay marriage advocates to prevent gay marriages from proceeding until their appeal of the judge’s ruling is heard. Probably within a year. Read more.    Source: heraldsun.com    Image via baycitizen.org

Making Gay and Not-So-Gay America Laugh, One RV Park at a Time! Gay comedians Shann Carr and Ken Cypert spent this summer in a pink rhinestone encrusted RV, driving over 13,000 miles to some of the country's best gay events and destinations. They went to NY, Las Vegas and Key West's gay prides, International Mr. Leather, Gay Days Orlando, Fire Island, The Russian River and a couple of gay campgrounds. In fact, says Shann "Performing at The Woods (a gay nudist camping resort in the Poconos) was one of our favorites. For the stage, they opened up the side of a barn and a few hundred people in varying states of undress and inebriation sat in their own, portable lawn chairs in the field below. Who gets to do that?" Ken Cypert, my hillbilly-sidekick, really did wear that cowboy hat everywhere. I really did catch him highlighting his pubic hair (in the name of having the carpet match the drapes) with a bottle of Sun-In and a blow dryer. He really did go from stand-up virgin to becoming a full-fledged comedian over the course of this summer– one whom I was proud to have opening for me. I really did have my picture taken with "Gertie" (our RV) and large groups of naked men on more than one occasion, I really did convince Ken that a day of hiking AND kayaking would be a relaxing last-day on tour and I really did learn a lot about what it means to be a boss this Summer. It was an honor bossing Ken around. An expensive honor. Read more.    Source: outinamerica.com

Lady GaGa Getting Ordained To Perform Gay Marriages Gay icon Lady GaGa wants to become an ordained minister in California to officiate over the wedding ceremonies of her gay friends. According to the UK tabloid Heat Magazine, the star has already taken an online course and would like to marry gay fans on stage. The Alejandro singer is an outspoken supporter of gay rights. In thanking MTV for 13 Video Music Award nominations, more than any artist in MTV history, she said, “God put me on Earth for 3 reasons: To make loud music, gay videos and cause a damn raucous.” Read more.    Source: ontopmag.com

Civic Group Targets Gay Artist’s ‘Haiku’ Project It appears that Keep Atlanta Beautiful doesn’t appreciate artist John Morse’s “Roadside Haiku” as much as we do, and now a WSB poll is asking for your votes on whether it’s art or litter. The group for “a cleaner and greener Atlanta” is calling for the 500-sign installation—which currently peppers the city with affirmative messages in the form of bandit signs (photo)—to come down. The new take on the old “LOSE 30 POUNDS IN 30 DAYS” street signs subverts the idea by giving expected messages like “Increase your personal wealth” a whole new meaning by pairing them with phrases including “Read to your children.” Other of Morse’s signs promote tolerance and decry bigotry. Keep Atlanta Beautiful, which regularly combats bandit signs, isn’t smiling. A spokesperson calls Morse’s signs “litter.” Read more.    Source: outinamerica.com

The Secret Historian and the Silent Film Star: One Was Gay Every so often someone claims Rudolph Valentino was gay. No one would deny that Valentino is a gay icon. He was a gorgeous hunk of a guy and an interesting and appealing personality. Over the years, his good looks and on-screen persona, as well as the legend of his tragic early death, has gained him admirers on both sides of the aisle. But was he gay? Or, it might be asked, was he straight but open to sexual experiences with men?

The issue of Valentino's sexuality was brought-up recently in the media, including the New York Times. In two articles on Justin Spring's newly published biography, Secret Historian: The Life and Times of Samuel Steward, Professor, Tattoo Artist, and Sexual Renegade (Farrar, Straus and Giroux), the newspaper repeats claims put forth in the book that Steward -- the secret historian, had a sexual encounter with Valentino, the silent film star. In its July 25th article, the New York Times prominently notes that Valentino's name is included in a card catalog labeled "Stud File." The catalog reportedly contains a "meticulously documented record" of Steward's various sexual partners. The article also mentions that uncovered in Steward's personal archive were some "80 boxes full of drawings, letters, photographs, sexual paraphernalia, manuscripts and other items, including an autograph and reliquary with pubic hair from Rudolph Valentino." (The autograph and reliquary are not pictured in the New York Times, but are pictured in the book.) The New York Times further states "On each of the 746 cards that ultimately made up his alphabetized Stud File, Steward listed his sexual partner's name, his place in the lineup (i.e., the 354th person Steward had sex with), the dates and locations of every encounter, a coded description of penis size and of every specific sexual activity, and a brief comment. Of Valentino, filed under the actor's real name, Guglielmi, R., he wrote only: 'Nuf sed.'" The claim that Steward "sexually serviced" Valentino was repeated in a second New York Times article, by a different journalist, on August 26th. Does this mean that Steward, a secret historian of 20th century gay life, and Valentino, the legendary silent film star, had a sexual encounter? In the book, the circumstances behind this alleged incident are spelled out in greater detail. Its author, Justin Spring, writes, "Although Steward never mentioned the encounter in his published memoirs, he detailed its specifics in an interview he granted to a friend just four years before his death." Read more.    Source: huffingtonpost.com    Watch a video about Sam Steward at newyorktimes.com

Knit Jake G. Poster, One Available For sale: Handmade 27" x 32 1/2" Jake G. Poster! I used 100 percent acrylic yarn for this piece, so it is machine-washable. If you want a knit poster, but Jake isn't to your liking, I do customized pieces. The quickest orders are two-colored, however I am able to do up to six colors. The price for a multi-colored piece will be considerably higher though due to the amount of time and yarn the piece requires to complete. I do anything I can to make you a knit poster you'll love! I'll be posting more knit and crochet items soon, so keep a lookout! Bid on all kinds of items at knittingneedle's shop on etsy.com

Jim Carrey’s First (of Hopefully Many) Gay Sex Scenes Will Finally See The Light Of Day The long awaited Jim Carrey/Ewan McGregor gay dramedy, “I Love You Phillip Morris” has another release date. A real one this time (we hope). Roadside Attraction plans to release this film on December 3rd, almost two years after it premiered at Sundance Film Festival. [...] The delayed release is due to the film’s rights holder, EuropaCorp, suing the American distributor, Consolidated Pictures Group. Roadside stepped in when Consolidated lost, and are reporting that the December 3rd release date is for real this time. Check out a sex scene and the trailer at the link below. Read more.    Source: deathandtaxesmag.com

Heath Ledger Helped Ben Cousins Battle Drug Addiction Tragic Hollywood star Heath Ledger spoke regularly with Ben Cousins at the height of the troubled footballer's drug addiction. Bryan Cousins revealed last night the late actor often rang him to discuss his son's addiction and had offered vital support to his son when he most needed it. In a revealing television interview, Cousins said counselling from the Ledger family - before and after Heath's death from an overdose of prescription drugs - had been an important source of support. "Heath was ringing and speaking to (his father) Kim about it and then Heath rang me a couple of times and was discussing Ben's issue," Mr Cousins said. "And Heath and Ben developed a real good friendship, albeit over the phone and ultimately Kim's involvement with Ben became very significant because he became if you like the ... father figure instead of me." Mr Cousins said Heath's death had rocked them as a family but made Ben realise he "wasn't infallible". Watch a video and read more.     Source: news.com.au

The Dozy Embrace by Erika



This portrait is one of my favorite drawings; I hope that
I have been able to capture the passion and feelings
that Heath Ledger & Jake Gyllenhaal is playing
so brilliantly in this touching love story.

There is an unfortunate irony to this portrait,
though. I finished it just a day before we got the
heartbreaking news of Heath Ledger in January 2008.
I would like to dedicate my artwork to his remembrance.

View more art at erikoart.com

Author Hawking Says God Not Needed for Creation Did creation need a creator? British physicist and mathematician Stephen Hawking says no, arguing in his new book that there need not be a God behind the creation of the universe. The concept is explored in "The Grand Design," excerpts of which were printed in the British newspaper The Times on Thursday. The book, written with fellow physicist Leonard Mlodinow, is scheduled to be published by Bantam Press on Sept. 9. "The Grand Design," which the publishers call Hawking’s first major work in nearly a decade, challenges Isaac Newton’s theory God must have been involved in creation because our solar system couldn’t have come out of chaos simply through nature. Read more.    Source: edgelosangeles.com

Love for Sale Brokeback Memorabilia: Jack Twist's Boxer Briefs Underwear, Scenes 41-45 Price:   $699.00 Availability:   in stock Prod. Code:   JakeG-W06   For your consideration is a pair of boxer briefs underwear worn by Jake Gyllenhaal as Jack Twist in the blockbuster film, "Brokeback Mountain". Specifically, this underwear was worn by Jake in scenes 41,42, 43, 44, and 45 in "Brokeback Mountain." You can see the boxer brief lines in the photo of Jake in the jeans if you look. (The contrast on this photo was adjusted so it would be more obvious inside the oval.) The Underwear is made of white, fine-rib cotton in a size S from a company that manufactures slightly oversized underwear. As a frame of reference, most of the underwear we have encountered for Jake is size M. But from this manufacturer, he wears size S. We have also sold a pair fro yet another company that was a small size L. Professional costumers go by the garment dimensions and not the size labels. The scenes in which this underwear was used are written on the inside of the waistband along with the name "Jack". These boxer briefs are in very good screenworn condition, with signs of light wear on the legs. This item was acquired through a charity auction in a lot that included a t-shirt and a pair of socks that were clearly worn in the same five scenes with excellent documentation. In addition, this lot came in the original costumer's bag from a very reputable costumer. This bag is only available with the purchase of these boxer briefs from this lot. To avoid counterfeiting, the original product photos below were professionally altered. Serious buyers may inquire. The original auctioneer's letter of authenticity will go with the t-shirt. The purchaser of this item will receive a copy of the auctioneer's letter and the costumer's original bag, in addition to a Certificate of Authenticity from the Leading Men Collection. $699. Find out more.    Source: leadingmencollection.com. In totally unrelated related news, Anne Hathaway Takes Underwear From Film Sets

The Most Popular Gays on Twitter With nearly 6 million followers, Lady Gaga is the most popular person on Twitter. Now see how the top 15 gay and lesbian celebrities on Twitter stack up. The Web was aflutter when news broke that Lady Gaga became the most popular person on Twitter at almost six million followers. This piqued our curiosity, so we set out to find the most followed gays and lesbians in the Twitterverse. Click through to the following pages to see the results. All rankings as of September 2. Read more.    Source: advocate.com

Rainbow Art: Dan Flavin Dan Flavin was an American minimalist artist famous for creating sculptural objects and installations from commercially available fluorescent light fixtures. Flavin studied art history for a short time at the New School for Social Research, then moved on to Columbia University, where he studied painting and drawing. Dan Flavin's last artwork was a site-specific work at S. Maria Annunciata in Chiesa Rossa, Milan, Italy. The 1930s church was designed by Giovanni Muzio. The design for the piece was completed two days before Flavin's death on November 29, 1996. Its installation was completed one year later with the assistance of the Dia Center for the Arts and Fondazione Prada. Read more.    Source: wikipedia.com.

Brokeback Mountain Free Screening: ILLINOIS

Friday Films: Brokeback Mountain Date:  Friday, Sep 10th at 2:00 pm            Location:  LGBT Resource Center, 323 Illini Union, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign A film screening and discussion of the film Brokeback Mountain. Brokeback Mountain  is a sweeping epic that explores the lives of two young men, a ranch hand and a rodeo cowboy, who meet in the summer of 1963 and unexpectedly forge a lifelong connection. The complications, joys and heartbreak they experience provide a testament to the endurance and power of love. Heath Ledger and Jack Gyllenhaal deliver emotionally charged, remarkably moving performances in a "movie that is destined to become one of the great classics of our time." Visit the Diversity Calendar for more information.

Fun Question of the Week

This week's question: Take a close look at the photo below. Do you recognize this distinctive interior? Here's a clue: think one above number two.  Let us know your answers in the Response Thread. Last week's question and answer: What country does Häagen Daz ice cream come from? Thanks to kathy, fritzkep, and Sason for chiming in with your thoughts! Häagen Daz ice cream is indeed an American brand, founded in New York in 1961. From wikipedia.com: Häagen-Dazs (pronounced /ˈhɑːɡəndɑːs/) is a brand of ice cream, established by Polish immigrants Reuben and Rose Mattus in the Bronx, New York, in 1961. ... Daughter Doris Hurley told PBS documentary "An Ice Cream Show" (1999) that her father Reuben Mattus sat at the kitchen table for hours saying nonsensical words until he came up with a combination he liked. The reason he chose this method, was so that the name would be completely unique and original.

The Forum Image

Posted by conny in Life Through The Lens 4

today a brighter day

Post of the Day

By mcnell1120 in How Brokeback Affected Me

I can close my eyes and see them on their horses...their faces gleaming with love with sparkle in their eyes. Out of no where I get flash backs of the movie...it will forever haunt me but in a good way...in some ways it saddens me that I can't share it with no one at home...that's why I am here now. Out of no where I feel a pull in my heart and only I know what it is...some days people tell me, "Is something on your mind?"......"nope" I say back and smile... It's my little secret I allow myself a few seconds and continue with my day....lots of times it helps me tackle what I have to do.. I allow myself to cry if I have to, think of all the people I grown to love, people I have missed,people I have lost...but in the end...I smile and close my eyes and thank God for all he's given me....life is good now And it's all mine,no one can take it away from me Peace y amor Nellie

Quote of the Day

"All women become like their mothers.
That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his."

~ Oscar Wilde ~

Photo Caption of the Day

Posted by doodler in Photo Captioning Fun 5

Distracted with thoughts of Jack,
Ennis didn't last long on the road crew...



Distracted with thoughts of Ennis,
Jack didn't last long as a saddle bronc rider.

Contributors: conny, mcnell1120, doodler

Calendar of Events If you have ideas about initiating a gathering, go to Start Your Own Threads and get the ball rolling to plan a get-together near you. Fifth Anniversary Screening of Brokeback Mountain and the staged reading of selections from Beyond Brokeback Los Angeles, CA, December 11th, 2010 Let us know of any events you’d like listed here.

The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at www.davecullen.com/forum.

Today's edition by gnash

Researchers: BayCityJohn, Killersmom, Kittyhawk, Marge_Innavera, Stilllearning

Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning, MissYouSoMuch

We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day.
If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to gnash.

To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page.
When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail.

The Daily Sheet Archives
Respond to The Daily Sheet

[killersmom]

Tuesday, Sept. 14th, 2010

Photo by Tessie Borden

George Takei on His Human Rights Activism I realized I’d made a mistake as soon I asked George Takei about his “new” role as a human rights activist, alluding to his outspokenness on the issue of gay marriage. This role is not new, he corrected me. He has been speaking out for equality of all kinds his entire adult life, because of the discrimination he endured as a child during World War II, in an internment camp for Japanese Americans. The 73-year-old Takei, a veteran actor best known for his role as Captain Hikaru Sulu in both the television and movie versions of “Star Trek,” comes to the Autry Sept. 19 to speak of his experiences as a gay Japanese American. It’s part of the museum’s “Out West” series, which looks at the role of gays, lesbians and bisexuals in the West. “I remember my father encouraging us to be active in student government,” Takei said of his introduction to political activism, in an interview over tea and Japanese pastries at his Hancock Park home. “I was more or less groomed. Because I was able to put what my father was saying into a personal history context, I knew how important it was for us to be visibly and actively participating in the process.”

Through his career, Takei has organized and agitated to get redress for victims of the U.S. internment camps, for the civil rights of African Americans in the 1960s, and, alongside actress Jane Fonda, to get the United States out of the Vietnam War. And it all goes back to his experience as an American held without cause behind the barbed wire of a U.S. internment camp, because of the fears of others. Takei was only a small child when his family was forced to move to an internment camp in Southeastern Arkansas. They were later moved to another camp in Northern California. They spent four years in the camps, reciting the Pledge Allegiance in class every morning, elluding searchlights when they left the barracks at night to go to the latrine, saluting the flag of a country that treated them like enemies. “I was ashamed of being a Japanese American,” Takei said. “When you become a teenager, and you start reading about democracy and the shining ideals, you really can’t reconcile that with what we went through.” Takei said that, through discussions over several years, his father helped him reconcile the differences between what he saw in real life and what he read in books. “My father essentially boiled it down,” he said. “Both the strength and the weakness of American democracy is in the fact that it’s a true people’s democracy, and it can be as great as the people can be, but it’s also as fallible as people are. And that’s why we have to be active participants in the process of democracy.” Takei was among the first gay Californians to marry in September 2008, just months after California’s Supreme Court legalized gay marriage. He wed his longtime partner and manager, Brad Altman. But he was a late arrival to that cause. “I’d been active on all these other issues except that,” Takei said. Read more.    Source: blog.theautry.org

Niche Off the Leash: Val McDermid on Progress in Lesbian Fiction A decade ago, she was told that writing a novel with a lesbian theme would be 'commercial suicide'. Now, gay writers are mainstream. Here, Val McDermid charts the cultural shift that began with Radclyffe Hall Eighty-two years ago a well-respected British publisher brought out a new novel from a bestselling, award-winning author. Within weeks, Radclyffe Hall's The Well of Loneliness had been banned for obscenity by England's chief magistrate and a national newspaper editor had claimed he would rather give a young person cyanide than this pernicious novel. Hall's crime was not that she wrote about lesbian love (albeit in some of the most glum and leaden prose ever pressed into the service of sapphism) but that her fiction was accessible to a mass audience who would be unfamiliar with contemporary literary fiction such as Virginia Woolf's Orlando or Djuna Barnes's Nightwood. It was, apparently, safe for intellectuals to be exposed to what Hall called "congenital sexual inverts", but not for the common reader. The establishment had their way with The Well of Loneliness. But they'd be birling in their boxes at the notion that British lesbian writers would ever take as big a share of sales and kudos as we currently do. There's no doubt about it: in the UK, we are currently punching far above our weight in the literary boxing ring. Read more.    Source: independent.co.uk

Where Do the Lesbians Go at Night? Before Sacha Baron Cohen shocked audiences on the big screen as Borat in his banana-hammock bathing suit, there was Shelly Mars. And if you find Cohen’s characters shocking, you’ve probably never seen Mars’. Described as an “after-hours Lily Tomlin,” Mars has made a career out of characters as controversial and hilarious as any performance artist including Cohen, but to say she is a character would be to sell her short. She herself will tell you she’s really 10 to 15 at least. Mars’ multiple-personality take on her solo performance art has lead to success as a creator of characters over the past 20 years and the reason for my being in her apartment in the first place. I’d come by for coffee and conversation about her career and latest project Bull Dyke Chronicles—a live performance series in a Vaudevillian vein that is just the kind of vintage New York show Mars misses about the city she moved to in the 1980s—back when you wouldn’t dare find a Dunkin’ Donuts on every corner, and the city was an incubus for artists doing live performance pieces. And before we could even start discussing Bull Dyke, we quickly bonded over coincidence. Mars grew up in the tiny town of Celina, Ohio just a few miles south of my own Ohio town, in an area of the country few know by name that could be described as artistically anemic and is most certainly not known for developing talents like Mars.

“I was a performance artist I did weird shit and people always thought I was crazy,” she explains. “I was the total rebel type, an artist and crazy, and always thought ‘What the fuck am I doing here?’” She didn’t stick around trying to figure it out. Mars graduated high school a year early and hitch hiked to Peru before starting film school at the California Institute of the Arts in Santa Cruz. It was during her time in California that she began developing characters she’d make a career portraying like Martin the misogynistic male counterpart she created from men she’d encountered living in San Francisco and coincidentally her first dalliance into dressing as a Drag King, a practice she pioneered in the early ’80s. "My name is Dana Anna Rosen... I'm Jewish, feminist, separatist, poetess-t. From Northampton, Massachusetts." * A provocateur in the purest sense, Mars often times pushes buttons but more importantly boundaries with her work, exploring of sexuality, social schemas and gender definitions. “I like people that push things and are kind of edgy,” she says, which makes sense considering her artistic inspirations include Richard Pryor, Carol Burnett and Peter Sellers. Shelly Mars' Bull Dyke Chronicles is back at New York City's Dixon Place September 11-December 18. Click for more info. *Watch a comedy video and read more.    Source: nypress.com    Photo via shellymars.com

Bollywood's Last Taboo For the first time, a mainstream Indian film portrays a homosexual relationship in a serious light, writes AKASH ARORA. Indian film director Sanjay Sharma is a religious man. This becomes obvious when you dial his Mumbai mobile number and, instead of a ring, you hear Om Bhur Bhuva Swaha – a devotional song played in Hindu temples during prayers. Sharma's choice of ringtone is curious given the topic he's about to discuss: homosexuality in Indian society and as portrayed in his movie Dunno Y Na Jaane Kyon, which kicks off the Satrang: South Asian Queer Film Festival next week. "It was a difficult subject; I knew that from the beginning," Sharma says. "But I had no idea how challenging it would be to [actually] execute it." It started with a kiss . . . Aryan Vaid (left) and Kapil Sharma break down barriers in Dunno Y Na Jaane Kyon. India's prolific Bollywood film industry produces about 1000 films a year but same-sex relationships is one subject it has dared not tackle. Attempts have been made to address homosexuality but they were either caricatural – as in 2008's Dostana, in which the two male protagonists pretend to be gay to win the affections of the leading lady – or exploitative, as in the case of 2004's Girlfriend, in which a lesbian relationship was sexed up to suck in the sleaze-loving crowds. Dunno Y, however, is different. The story of a married, closeted homosexual, Ashley, who is in a relationship with a wannabe actor, it's Bollywood's first serious portrayal of a gay relationship, complete with a 90-second kissing scene. "It's a sensitive and intimate depiction of what it is to be gay in India," says Sanjay's brother, Kapil Sharma, who wrote the script and plays Ashley. "The kissing scene is not there to press media buttons. The script genuinely called for some onscreen intimacy between the stars." The film comes at a sensitive time in India. Little more than a year ago, the Delhi High Court overturned a 150-year-old law that criminalised homosexuality. India, which has more than 500 million people under the age of 25, is shedding social taboos at a furious pace. Read more.    Source: smh.com.au

My Favorite Gay/Bi Movie Moment Contest If you'd like to enter, write up a short essay (keep it under 500 words, please!) about what scene or moment involving gay or bi men in a movie meant the most to you. Was it when Jack and Ennis kissed in Brokeback Mountain? When the two boys danced together in Beautiful Thing? A moment from The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert? Whatever your reason for your favorite moment, submit your entry to afterelton@gmail.com  by September 19th at midnight, and I'll pick a winner and maybe a couple of runner ups to publish in next BEST.GAY.WEEK.EVER! Your moment can come from an expicitly gay movie or a traditional movie that had something gay. The movie can be of any nationality and TV movies are also eligible (but no "adult movies" please). And it can be something happy, sad, or anything else. Read more.    Source: afterelton.com

Beautiful Thing

French Soccer Player Fired for Being Gay CYD ZEIGLER, JR. -- A French soccer player has been rejected from his team because he is gay. Yoann Lemaire played with the small club Chooz for 14 years. In May 2009, some teammates made homophobic comments in front of a TV camera, and Lemaire took a sabbatical from the club. He has since asked to return to the club, and the team has refused. The rejection was signed by the club president, Frédéric Pretty. The rejection specifically refers to Lemaire’s sexuality and the “trouble” it can cause as reason for rejection. From a rough translation: "The invoked reasons are to protect the two parties. It is important to us, considering the passion since the events of May 2009 and the media coverage that resulted, to avoid again incidents." Lemaire said in an interview that it was only two players (out of 60) on the team who don’t like that he’s gay. Instead of removing the hateful players, they instead decided to remove the gay player. Lemaire may have been part of a small club, but he was one of the more well-known players on that club. Read more.    Source: outsports.com

Outfest Growing Into a Fest For All According to its website, the 13th annual Outflix Film Festival -- which begins today and continues through Thursday at the Malco Ridgeway Four -- is known officially as the "Outflix 2010 Film Festival." Is the festival's reluctance to promote its longevity evidence of superstition, or was it simply motivated by the desire to have a cool logo? (The reels of a motion picture projector function as the zeroes in "2010.") Whatever the reason, 13 should be a lucky number for Outflix. The lineup of narrative feature films and documentaries is perhaps stronger than ever, and the overall programming compares favorably to that of the city's other major film events, the Indie Memphis Film Festival and the On Location: Memphis International Film Fest. Audiences have begun to recognize the festival's value. About 1,700 moviegoers attended last year's event, and festival co-director Will Batts said he expects about 2,000 people this year. A project of the Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center, the Outflix 2010 Film Festival includes movies from Peru, Israel, Quebec and the Bahamas among its 15 features and six shorts. Each movie has at least one or two gay characters, and each uses these characters to deal with such themes as love, commitment, politics, religion and, especially, identity. [...] With the exception of "Brokeback Mountain" and a few other films, Batts said, "our community, the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community, doesn't often see itself portrayed onscreen. We want to make sure we have a voice." Read more.    Source: commercialappeal.com

Eyes Wide Open (Israel)

Vanity Fair's International Best Dressed List Vanity Fair magazine has released its International Best Dressed List. Here is a look at some of the celebrities and royalty that made the list for their unique sense of style and notable causes, including brother-sister duo Jake and Maggie Gylenhaal. Maggie's favorite item of clothing is a patterned silk Dries Van Noten blazer. Jake's favorite is his Hoyle Jackson jeans. Jake OCCUPATION: Actor. RESIDENCE: Los Angeles. FAVORITE ITEM OF CLOTHING: Hoyle Jackson jeans. FAVORITE FASHION PURCHASE OF 2010: Salvatore Ferragamo made-to-measure three-piece suit. FAVORITE SHOES: Billy Reid Delta work boots. FAVORITE TAILOR: Mario’s of Beverly Hills. FAVORITE WATCH: 1954 Rolex Submariner. STYLE ICON: Clint Eastwood. FAVORITE CAUSE: New Eyes for the Needy. Read more.    Source: abcnews.com

Photo Break: Michelle Williams in W Magazine



As seen in the Michelle Williams & Matilda Ledger thread.

Melkior Explores McFaulds East Rim and Sells Brokeback Melkior Resources Inc. ("Melkior") (TSX VENTURE: MKR) is pleased to provide an exploration update on the Company's projects in the McFaulds James Bay Lowlands in Northern Ontario. Melkior has one of the larger land packages in the McFaulds Ring of Fire covering 50,992 hectares or 509.92 square kilometres. The properties are underlain by a major gravity high. These gravity highs are postulated to be due to mafic or ultramafic intrusions or to be caused by layered mafic ultramafic Igneous Complexes. These gravity anomalies and their postulated large intrusions are proximal to known nickel-copper sulphide mineralization in ultramafic rocks at the Eagle One discovery of Noront. McFaulds East Rim (100% owned): Line cutting has been completed on a number of high priority targets on the East Rim property and a large loop EM system utilized by Crone Geophysics is nearing completion. The large loop system has the ability to locate nickel-copper massive sulphides bodies below the surface. The data is being concurrently interpreted and will assist in defining drill targets for a winter drill program. Brokeback and Riverbank: The Brokeback property covers 13,392 hectares or 13.39 square kilometres and is located in the central portion of the Ring of Fire mineral belt. The property is located 5 kilometres north-west of the Black Thor Chromite deposit and 7 kilometres north of the Eagle One nickel-copper PGE deposit. Read more.    Source: istockanalyst.com

Rainbow Art: Wyoming's Red Desert Desert Rainbow, Red Desert, Wyoming, 2005 Photograph by Joel Sartore Wyoming's big sky has ample room for this 180-degree rainbow over the Adobe Town rock formations in Red Desert. This seemingly desolate expanse is home to an abundance of life, including antelope, mule deer, and Wyoming's largest herd of wild horses. Read more.    Source: ngphotofotheday.com.

Warner Bros. Photos Spotlighted in Academy Exhibition Beverly Hills, CA – Warren Beatty, Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn, Steve McQueen, Marilyn Monroe, Brad Pitt, Barbra Streisand, Elizabeth Taylor and the stars of the “Harry Potter” films are but a few of the subjects featured in the 165 photographs that will next grace the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Grand Lobby Gallery. Opening to the public on Thursday, September 16, “Up from the Vault: 85 Years of Treasures from the Warner Bros. Photo Lab” will run through December 12. Admission is free. The exhibition includes a broad range of photographs, some famous and many extremely rare or unseen – from glamour portraits to set reference stills, from ad art and publicity photos to behind-the-scenes shots and scene stills. New prints of images taken in black-and-white and color, and in nearly every photographic format, from early 4”x5” negatives to the latest high-resolution digital photos, will be on view. “Up from the Vault” will feature some of the most iconic stars of the last nine decades, including Judy Garland, James Cagney, Joan Crawford, Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Marlon Brando, Natalie Wood, Vivien Leigh, Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, Keanu Reeves, Denzel Washington and Heath Ledger. Shots taken on various sets by film legend and aspiring photographer James Dean are also included. The Academy's galleries are located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills and are open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and weekends, noon to 6 p.m. The galleries will be closed for the Thanksgiving Day holiday weekend (November 25 through 28). Read more.    Source: modernghana.com

OUT WEST: Brokeback Mountain and Beyond Brokeback

Break out your hats and boots, boys and girls. This is the big one! Date / Time: Saturday, Dec 11, 2010, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm Location: Wells Fargo Theater, Griffith Park Admission: Free with museum admission (advance reservations recommended) The Autry will commemorate the fifth anniversary of the iconic film Brokeback Mountain with a full day of programs and reflection. Attend a screening of this iconic film at 11:30 a.m., view the Brokeback Mountain shirts in the Autry’s Imagination Gallery and meet Jeffrey Richardson, the Autry’s Associate Curator of Film and Popular Culture.  At 3:00 p.m. we will present a staged reading, scripted by Gregory Hinton, based on the book Beyond Brokeback, a powerful collection of stories about the film’s impact on the lives of so many. For more information, visit theautry.org

Fun Question of the Week

This week's question: Why are the muscles in your legs called "hamstrings"? Let us know your answer in the Response Thread. Last week's question and answer:  The photographic question last week was indeed the Trinity College Library in Dublin. Thanks garyd for your correct answer! For more beautiful photographs of amazing libraries the world over, check out curiousexpeditions.org.

The Cowboy Image

Posted by coal615 in Cowboy Up!

Post of the Day

By Nikki in What good book have you read lately?

"... Years ago I read [The Well of Loneliness] when I happened upon it in my branch library in Phila.  It is pretty heavy and leaden, but since it was one of the earlier gay themed novels, I found it surprising that it had even been published at that time. Although I am a straight female, I had been aware of the gay community -- learned about the Mattachine Society years ago -- and became interested in reading anything I could find about it, not from a prurient interest, but because I was interested to learn more about what made gays different not from their obvious sexuality, but in their literature. One of the earliest films I saw was 'Witness' with Dirk Bogarde and from then on I read everything I could find. I had always been aware of the gay community in the 'gayborhood' in Philadelphia and, of course, Stonewall. Since I didn't know anyone who was gay, I learned a lot from reading and following accounts in the media, i.e. the 'Log Cabin' Republicans and Harvey Milk. By the time, BBM was produced, I had read the SS and was eager to see what/how the film would be made. From then on, I have learned a lot from the Forum members who have been so open with their stories in 'Beyond BBM,' etc. as well as gay authors we have discussed in our book club here, and ones who I have discovered on my own. As long as there is good gay lit, I think that it will become more mainstream and open doors that have remained closed for a long time. ..." Photo: Radclyffe Hall, author of The Well of Loneliness, via littlebrown.co.uk

The Forum Image

Posted by killersmom in The Orchid Hothouse

"Here's a few of the pics from the Orchid show Rob and Michael
and I attended this weekend on Saturday in San Francisco."

Quote of the Day

"Cinema in India is like brushing your teeth in the morning. You can't escape it."

~ Shahrukh Khan ~

Photo Caption of the Day

Posted by TwistandShout in Photo Captioning Fun 6

SHOP TALK



The best thing? Randall loves to shop in Dallas as much as I do
at what he calls "Needless Mark Up."




Jack does all his shoppin' in Mexico. You should see him, punchin' numbers
into his addin' machine, tryin' to convert dollars into pesos . . .

Contributors: lavish, trekfan, michaelflanaganSF, Nikki, killersmom, TwistandShout

Calendar of Events If you have ideas about initiating a gathering, go to Start Your Own Threads and get the ball rolling to plan a get-together near you. Fifth Anniversary Screening of Brokeback Mountain and the staged reading of selections from Beyond Brokeback Los Angeles, CA, December 11th, 2010 Let us know of any events you’d like listed here.

The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at www.davecullen.com/forum.

Today's edition by gnash

Researchers: BayCityJohn, Killersmom, Kittyhawk, Marge_Innavera, Stilllearning

Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning, MissYouSoMuch

We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day.
If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to gnash.

To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page.
When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail.

The Daily Sheet Archives
Respond to The Daily Sheet

[killersmom]

Tuesday, Sept. 21st, 2010

State-by-State Gay Marriage Acceptance Hank Pellissier -- How is gay marriage in America proceeding down the aisle?  This question concerns all transhumanists because persecution of homosexuality is an anti-Enlightenment human rights violation that is rooted in archaic religious superstition and anti-scientific thought.  Actively supporting gay marriage is the ethically responsible position for all progressive transhumanists. Surprisingly, the grandest advance in homosexual matrimony in the last 60 days is not the California judicial dithering over Proposition 8.  No.  Peer south of the border, amigos, and you’ll see not Uno, but Dos Hispanic nations that have embraced same-sex marriage. First, the Senate of Argentina ratified gay marriage by a vote 33-27 on July 15.  The proposal was spearheaded by President Cristina Fernandez and her husband, ex-President Nestor Kirchner, and opposed (predictably) by the Catholic Church, who condemned it as “a move by the father of lies [Satan] to confuse and deceive the children of God.” Buenos Aires already had civil unions; so did the village of Ushaia in Tierra del Fuego. The new law’s opponents are mounting only feeble resistance as the gauchos gallop towards a secular society, motivated by godfather Spain’s similar legislation in 2005. I promised two miracles, so prepare for a shock if your virgin ears have not heard the news. On August 11, gay marriage was essentially ratified in… Mexico.  Blink again, and believe it.  The nation that exported machismo is swishing towards the altar.  Okay, right, Frieda Kahlo was openly bisexual, but… where’d this come from?

Distrito Federal. Gay marriage was initiallly legalized in Mexico City by its progressive mayor Marcelo Ebrard (who is expected to run for El Presidente in 2012) and five months later the Supreme Court announced that Mexico City gay weddings must be recognized by all 31 Mexican states.  The Catholic Church (redundantly) had a hissy-fit, shrilling that the measure’s enactment was more horrible for Mexicans than the current drug war (25,000 dead and counting).  The United States is now in the embarrassing position of being surrounded by two large nations — Mexico and Canada — that have more progressive gay rights than the red-white-and-blue citizenry.  This hypocritical stance for a populace that identifies itself with personal freedom will sharply intensify when additional Latin American nations ratify same-sex marriage: I predict this will happen in four more nations in the next four years: Uruguay, Ecuador, Colombia, and… BRAZIL — the samba queen herself, emerging superpower, “Kiss of the Spider Woman” country. Is the USA future equally gay?  Indeed. Popular opinion is shifting inexorably towards an accepting view of same-sex marriage; everyone knows this, even Republicans.  Recent GOP heavyweights who have declared that gay marriage is either valid, or not worth fighting about, include Laura Bush, Dick Cheney, Glenn Beck, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, and Cindy and Meghan McCain.  Many Libertarian and “Tea Party” members are equally supportive of gay marriage, or at least indifferent.  So… who’s resisting? Read more.    Source: ieet.org

Treasure Trove Uncovers Heath Ledger Film A RAID on a northern Gold Coast house has uncovered a treasure trove of stolen goods. The haul, which ranged from disco lights to a rare 35mm film showing a young Heath Ledger in his breakthrough TV role Roar, was so great police needed a pantec truck to transport it back to the station. Read more.    Source: goldcoast.com Roar photo via:  Heath Ledger: A Career Retrospective on ew.com

Jerusalem Must Fund Homosexual Community: Israeli Supreme Court Israeli Supreme Court judges ruled this week that Jerusalem discriminated against the city's homosexual community by refusing to provide funding for a homosexual drop-in center and ordered the municipality to give the Open House Center for Pride and Tolerance $120,000. According to YNet News, Justices Esther Hayut, Hanan Melcer, and Isaac Amit wrote in their verdict that the municipality must expand funding for community centers without discriminating against the homosexual community and other minority groups, noting that the homosexual Open House Center has been applying for funding since 2003. ... The director of the Open House for Pride and Tolerance, Yonatan Gher, said the Supreme Court's decision marks a milestone for the city's homosexuals. "The authorities in Israel will no longer be able to ignore the gay community and treat it disrespectfully and with a lack of equality," he said. Read more.    Source: lifesitenews.com

'Guido' and 'Gaga' Among Top Media Buzzwords Unless you've been living under a rock, the words "BP spill cam," "Guido" and "Lady Gaga" have crossed your lips at one point or another during the past 12 months. Those three little words -- and a bunch of others -- have just been declared this year's top buzzwords by the Global Language Monitor, a Texas-based organization that tracks and analyzes the latest trends in word usage. ... The top buzzword of the year is "BP spill cam," as in the 24/7 live view of the environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. "It's been provocative and riveting to watch the events unfold through the BP spill cam, but also quite possibly the worst PR move ever made," said Payack.

The No. 2 spot on the list goes to "dysfunctional," a highly popularized word this year thanks to the Emmy-winning TV comedy "Modern Family." Then comes the arguably off-color term "Guido," a favorite of those crazy, tan, fist-pumping kids on MTV's "Jersey Shore." The slang word -- referring to an Italian-American, most likely from New Jersey and with big hair -- has caused heated controversy among Italian-American heritage groups over whether it's meant to be derogatory. From an etymology standpoint, Payack says, the term is certainly a weird one. "It's both a name and an ethnic slur. It's very rare for our politically correct culture to popularize an ethnic slur, so 'Guido' is an odd case," he said. "That happened a few years ago when the movie buzzword 'brokeback' from "Brokeback Mountain" crept into our everyday vocabulary. It became a 'safe' way to make gay jokes, and now 'Guido' is being used in the same manner. It's a 'safe' way to poke fun at Italian-Americans." Read more.    Source: aolnews.com

A Different Direction for Rodarte Five years in to launching their label and after some controversial inspiration last season, Kate and Laura Mulleavy chose their native northern California and its native Redwood forests as the meaning behind this season. To a country soundtrack of Brokeback Mountain and Harry Nilsson's Echoes of my Mind, the sisters centred on sharp, straightforward shapes in cotton checks, layered linen skirts and wood panel prints. Read more.    Source: elleuk.com Read about the Rodarte/MAC makeup controversy over Juarez.

Wyoming Couple Abruptly Drop Gay Marriage Ban Challenge A Wyoming gay couple who were going it alone in challenging the state's law that bans gay marriage abruptly dropped their challenge on Friday, the AP reported. David Shupe-Roderick, 25, and Ryan W. Dupree, 21, filed their challenge on August 13 after claiming that the Laramie County Clerk's Office refused three times to issue them a marriage license. A claim the county's clerk, Debbie Lathrop, a defendant in the case, has denied. The two men said they were representing themselves because they could not afford to hire an attorney. “I kind of know some about the law, and I know how to research things,” Shupe-Roderick told the Casper Star Tribune. “If I have to do this on my own, I will, because it's a cause I believe in.” Read more.    Source: ontopmag.com

Odd Attractions: Movieland Wax Museum, Niagara Falls Niagara Falls isn’t really the kind of place you associate with Pirates of the Caribbean. Or with Batman, or Elvis, or even the Lord of the Rings. But the Movieland Wax Museum of the Stars on Clifton Hill, on the Canadian side of the Falls, wants to change that.   Walk down the street and you’ll see a morose-looking Heath Ledger as the Joker in the window. Then, in the open space by the ticket booth, you’ll see Orlando Bloom threatening Johnny Depp with his sword in a Pirates display. And if that isn’t enough to get you through the doors, there’s a speaking giant Egyptian statue that may well do the job. Read more.    Source: cheapoair.com.

The Gay Rodeo: More than just hot cowboys and cowgirls… San Diego -- When you look beyond the title you realize this is an organization that does more than just ride horses, wear cowboy hats and tame bulls. They are and have been an integral part of GLBT culture for longer than most realize. In fact they have been around since 1975 when Phil Ragsdale came up with the idea to hold a gay rodeo to raise money for the local senior citizens. The Gay Rodeo was started by The Imperial Court De San Diego by the then reigning Emperor 1 of Reno Phil Ragsdale, as a creative and fun way to raise money for the community. Since its beginnings it has given those who have always wanted to participate in rodeo, and those who grew up in the rodeo who were GLBT an outlet where they could be themselves, while enjoying one of Americas most favored and rugged past times. The organizers of The Gay Rodeo pride themselves on being all inclusive. For those riders who wish to compete, in an event that has traditionally been a male only bastion, The Gay Rodeo has been the answer to their wishes. It allows all to compete regardless of gender, sexual orientation and gender identity in any event they choose. At The Gay Rodeo the competition and events are taken seriously and the organizers take pride in the fact that the judging and the participants are as professional as in the mainstream rodeo circuit. One of the things that stand out most about the Gay Rodeo is the events and entertainment that cater to everyone. Read more.    Source: gaylesbiantimes.com

Reducing Sodium Teaspoon by Teaspoon The maximum recommended daily allowance for sodium is that of about 1 teaspoon (2,300 mg). For those who are 40 and older, African-American, or have high blood pressure, it is only about ? (1,500 mg) teaspoon. Yet Americans consume 1½ to more than 2 times these recommended amounts each day (3,500 mg). Industry Response. The food industry knows the processing benefits of salt, not only to enhance flavor, but as a preservative and stabilizer. However, as awareness increases among regulators, health care professionals and consumers as to the negative health aspects of sodium and the amounts in restaurant and processed foods—77 percent of the average American’s daily intake, food companies are seeking to join the prevailing trend and reduce sodium in their products. ...

The Challenges. If salt were simply a flavor enhancer, there could be any number of alternatives for processors, but add on salt’s ability to restrict bacterial growth in many foods and the often-unknown impact on microbial stability and water activity of alternatives, and food processors face significant challenges in reducing sodium. As explained in “Hurdle Technologies: Combination Treatments for Food Stability, Safety and Quality” by Lothar Leistner and Grahame Warwick Gould, substitutes and enhancers are available. “However, the microbial consequences of their use are generally inadequately known.” Of major consequence to the stability and safety of such low-salt foods is increased water activity, and acidity (pH) might also be unfavorable for low-salt muscle foods derived from meat or fish. ... Industry Advocates. In addition, numerous health, consumer and industry groups are advocating sodium reduction in processed and restaurant foods. Among these are the IOM committee, whose report, “Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake in the United States,” finds that, with the chronic disease risks associated with sodium intake, the current levels of sodium added by food manufacturers, food service operators, and restaurants is too high to be “safe.” Read more.    Source: qualityassurancemag.com

Last Night: Adam Lambert At Hobby Center Houston, TX -- It doesn't matter that Adam Lambert is gay. You might think it does, but it doesn't. What matters is that he's not straight. Because we Americans understand straight; straightness has become our ideology. Being straight in America is being alive in America. Adam Lambert isn't a singer, really, he's a symbol of our own sense of moral goodness. Lambert could be a singing towel rack, and he almost is, as long as he remains different. This one's on you, Obama. As Americans, what do we want most? To be admired, or perhaps more appropriately, to admire ourselves. And nothing has given us a greater sense of self-admiration than electing a black President and then wearing his bumper sticker, saying, "See, I did this." Hold the phone, what'd you just say? I can do what? Elect an openly gay singer to represent me, the super-smart and progressive American, and the rest of the world will watch me do it? Thank you, TV. See and read more.    Source: houstaonpress.com

Jennifer Knapp Lets Go in San Diego Jennifer Knapp took a seven-year hiatus from her career as a successful Christian rock singer-songwriter and disappeared “Down Under.” This past year she resurfaced on the scene with a new attitude, a new album and a declaration for her fans: She was gay. Knapp launched her tour for her new album, "Letting Go" last spring and has chosen the cities and venues she’s played in carefully. ... "Spring was lacking in celebration," she explained to the San Diego Gay & Lesbian News. She’s referring, in part, to the mood of the tour at that time. After all, just weeks before she hit the road, she had come out to her very religious and conservative base and given a very bold but incredibly eloquent interview with Christianity Today. "The Christian media handled my story with a great deal of integrity," she said. "There was a real interest in telling my story with earnest, and I never felt manipulated." Still, her fans were a different story and a much more difficult hurdle, especially in those early days of the tour. They still came, but many seemed to come more out of curiosity, than anything else. Did she grow a second head? Will she become a militant? She never had any protests, but she definitely felt the tension.

“It was a weird first couple weeks,” she continued. “Each night it was like ‘are we still friends?’ I really didn’t anticipate the conversation.” She admits that her largely conservative base of fans was often somewhat challenging. Getting on with it certainly helped and before long, her knees stopped shaking, the awkward dialogue began to subside and she began to relax. That first leg of the tour was difficult but entirely necessary, allowing her to reconnect with her fans and grow through this new stage of her life and her music, together. Read more.    Source: sdgln.com

Provocative 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Art Exhibit Opens In L.A. Lady Gaga isn't the only one making a statement about the military's ban on openly gay men and women serving in the U.S. armed forces. Less than a week after Gaga arrived at the MTV Video Music Awards in Hollywood with her 'dates' of several openly gay servicemen and women, an equally provocative art exhibit is opening in Los Angeles to shine light on the push to repeal 'Dont Ask, Don't Tell'. In 2009, artist Jeff Sheng photographed several closeted service members and shared their stories in his groundbreaking book 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell: Volume 1.' Now, for the first time, Sheng is showing his unique collection of photographs at the Kaycee Olsen Gallery in Los Angeles. Read an interview with Jeff Sheng and see more.    Source: radaronline.com    Photo via jeffsheng.com

JD Samson and MEN "I'm going to Pioneertown to interview the band MEN." "What's that?" "It's JD Samson's new band." "JD Samson?" "The girl from Le Tigre." "The girl from Le Tigre?" "Yup." "Ah." You could almost see the person's mind flashing back to the cover of Le Tigre's last album, This Island (2004), where the feminist dance-punk trio is arranged thusly for what appears to be a fake prom picture: Kathleen Hanna and Johanna Fateman in dresses behind the tuxedoed figure of a deliberately front-and-center JD Samson, a beautiful lesbian with a moustache flaunting her visibility with casual pride.

Le Tigre went "on hiatus" shortly after that, and they have only occasionally gathered as a group between now and then (most recently at the request of Christina Aguilera, who wanted to collaborate with them). But the bold statement of This Island's cover, coming at the tail end of the band's influential run, ensured that for many people "the girl from Le Tigre" is not automatically the band's founder and mastermind, Kathleen Hanna, but the striking, gender-bending Samson. And, as she readily admits, Samson has worked hard for that visibility, especially after her Le Tigre colleagues chose to spend less time in the public eye. For the last two or three years — that is, ever since the slowing down of the Le Tigre operation — Samson has been playing music, deejaying, conspicuously partying (she's hard to miss: "Hey, isn't that the girl from Le Tigre?"), doing press and generally being what she's always been: an outspoken, very smart, kind, hardworking queer person who sees her art and her identity as important political gestures. But the main artistic activity that has occupied Samson's time since April 2008 is relentless touring with a new trio, the aforementioned MEN, who have mutated from a free-form side project into a worthy, 100 percent legitimate successor to the band that made her famous. MEN have played Europe and the U.S., toured with the Gossip and Peaches (two acts that are much indebted to Le Tigre) and played museums, womyn's festivals and small redneck bars. Two and a half years after their tentative first gigs, Samson and guitarists Ginger Brooks Takahashi and Michael O'Neill have tightened their repertoire into a solid set. Onstage in 2010, Samson is living out a fully fleshed-out version of the This Island cover fantasy, as a dynamic frontwoman of her own kick-ass dance/punk outfit. Agit-pop, if you will. MEN also are getting ready to finally release the album they've been promising through all these tours. Titled Talk About Body, it will be released by the impeccably curated Los Angeles–based label IAMSOUND in February 2011. The first single will be a punched-up version of "Off Our Backs," a radio edit from one of the tracks on MEN's self-released EP, which has been deliberately retooled to give them maximum exposure and a shot at mainstream attention. They call it visibility. Read more.    Source: laweekly.com    Image via fuckyeahdykes

Rainbow Art: Joseph Wright The sky within the arc of the rainbow is quite clearly lighter than the sky above the rainbow. This is due to a phenomenon of light refraction through water droplets. The dark sky, especially if it occurs between two rainbows is known as Alexander's Dark Band after Alexander of Afrodisias who first recognised the effect. It was well known to painters and countryfolk. This painting of 1794 by Joseph Wright of Derby clearly shows the phenomenon. A tribute to the artist's keen observation. Read more.    Source: whitbypopwatch.blogspot.com.

Fun Question of the Week

This week's question: When General Eisenhower told his assistant to make a list of all lesbians from the Woman's Air Corps for discharge, what was her response? "What's a Lesbian?" "Alphabetical or by rank, Sir?" "The first name on the list will be mine." "Let's not forget the gay men as well." What was his assistant's name? Let us know your answers in the Response Thread. Last week's question and answer:  Why are the muscles in your legs called "hamstrings"? Sason chimed in with her thoughts, and her theory is interesting, but it was Tigs that provided the answer we were looking for: "The commonly accepted origin is that legs of ham used to be hung by a hook through the space between the thighbone and the tendons behind the knee. Ham/pork used to be more common in England than beef and lamb. Also the word 'hamstrung' meaning 'blocked', 'unable to move' derives from the cutting of the hamstring tendons of an opponent in battle with swords, which left him helpless. For mobility this area could not be fully protected." Hamstring illustration via criticalbench.com.

The Cowboy Image

Posted by jim.grrr in Cowboy Up!

Competing in the 2010 Gay Rodeo in San Diego:



"No Cast - No Stitches - No Buckle"

Post of the Day

By Lyle (Mooska) and jnov in Media coverage: how are we seen?

Lyle: "Last night I was watching a part of the PBS documentary Make 'Em Laugh, about stand-up comedians that have broken boundaries over the years, and some that have gotten in trouble with the law etc. over it. One of the sections was about a Jewish vaudeville comedian that talked about Jewish subjects in his act and such.  A later segment involved Lenny Bruce and then Richard Pryor, who, it was said, had an act all about his life, black subject matter, the way he saw things etc. It reminded me of when the first season of Last Comic Standing was on and during the auditions a gay comedian named ANT, that some of you may have heard of, auditioned. Alot of his material was about being gay, the gay experience etc. One of the judges thought some of his material was funny, but said he shouldn't do so much gay stuff. Last night I was thinking if anyone told the vaudeville comedian not to do so much Jewish stuff or told Richard Pryor to not do so much black related material. The acceptability of being homophobic...the judge was basically telling ANT not to be himself, go back in the closet.   No, Ant, don't.." jnov: "this reminds me of when sotomayor was going through the hearing process. some were concerned that she would put her "cultural perspective" into her opinions.  like white men don't have a cultural perspective!"

The Forum Image

Posted by Cally in Life Through the Lens 5

"Our garden in early autumn."

Quote of the Day

"I don't have any children, I have four middle-aged people."

~ Dick Van Dyke ~

Photo Caption of the Day

Posted by Paul029 in Photo Captioning Fun 6

Contributors: jack, jim.grrr, Cally, Lyle (Mooska), jnov, Paul029, Jack

Calendar of Events If you have ideas about initiating a gathering, go to Start Your Own Threads and get the ball rolling to plan a get-together near you. Fifth Anniversary Screening of Brokeback Mountain and the staged reading of selections from Beyond Brokeback Los Angeles, CA, December 11th, 2010 Let us know of any events you’d like listed here.

The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at www.davecullen.com/forum.

Today's edition by gnash

Researchers: BayCityJohn, Killersmom, Kittyhawk, Marge_Innavera, Stilllearning

Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning, MissYouSoMuch

We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day.
If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to gnash.

To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page.
When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail.

The Daily Sheet Archives
Respond to The Daily Sheet

[killersmom]

Tuesday, Sept. 28th, 2010

Love and Other Drugs to Open AFI Fest 2010





Love and Other Drugs, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway,
will premiere November 4 as the opening night gala film for the American
Film Institute's AFI Fest 2010, which will run through November 11. The
festival will screen at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, the Mann Chinese 6
Theatres, the Egyptian Theatre and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

Read more.    Source: theatermania.org

NAACP Leaders Reaching Out to Gay Rights Groups Even as the NAACP engages in a tense debate over the issue of same-sex marriage, the group's leaders have begun reaching out more forcefully to gay rights groups. The outreach has been steered by former chairman Julian Bond and the group's president, Benjamin Jealous. Both men are supporters of same-sex marriage rights, though the NAACP's national board has taken no stance on the issue. Jealous, who is helping to lead a march for jobs and justice in Washington next month, will be in New York on Wednesday night to encourage members of the city's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center to attend the rally. "The NAACP is opposed to discrimination in all its forms." Jealous said in an e-mail, adding, "We recognize that many of our members are also members of the LGBT community, and just as the LGBT community counts on us to stand with it for basic civil rights protections, so we count on the LGBT community to stand with us in our unified struggle for the broader civil rights agenda." Read more.    Source: washingtonpost.com    Benjamin Jealous photo via naacp.org

Dan Savage to Gay Teens: 'It gets better, and it can get great' It gets better. That's the message Seattle-based sex advice columnist, author and gay rights activist Dan Savage is trying to deliver to gay and lesbian teenagers everywhere. This week, Savage launched a new YouTube channel and posted a video of him and his husband, Terry, talking directly to the camera about how they were badly bullied as teens for being gay but persevered, and life had gotten much better as they grew up. Savage told KOMO Newsradio the idea came to him after reading about a rash of suicides among gay teenagers over the last few months. Read more.    Source: komonews.com

Exclusive Lunch for Two with Michelle Williams Michelle Williams is a highly respected actress who first hit the screen in the teen series Dawson's Creek and later graduated to full-length features, most notably Brokeback Mountain, for which she earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Her films include I’m Not There, Wendy and Lucy and Shutter Island. Michelle Williams will dine with the lucky winning bidder and a guest in New York City, while helping to support aspiring women filmmakers through the Adrienne Shelly Foundation. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by! This two person package does not include any travel or accommodations. Read more.    Source: cgi.ebay.com

Indian gay film faces censors as star's family disowns him Dunno Y… Na Jaane Kyun, an Indian gay romance compared by critics to Brokeback Mountain, risks being censored by the Indian authorities over gay sex scenes. Meanwhile, the father of star Yuvraaj Parasher has told a newspaper that he is to fight in court to disown all ties to his son because of his role in the film. The film, directed by Sanjay Sharma, faces censors because of two gay kisses and a gay sex scene between stars Kapil Sharma and Yuvraaj Parasher and features the two kissing and gay sex scenes. However, because of its homosexual content the film is facing censorship from the Indian film board. Kapil Sharma said: "Why should the censors be scandalised if two men are kissing and making love? Read more.    Source: pinknews.co.uk

Lady Gaga The Political Activist on the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Issue Lady Gaga a political activist? Lady Gaga is already a pop star, an icon among the gay community and a fashion trendsetter. Now Lady Gaga has taken a new position as political activist. Gaga has always been outspoken about her beliefs on gay rights. She is very pro-gay marriage and believes every person should be allowed to marry regardless of sexual orientation. She has also been an advocate for gay rights groups and has often commented on the treatment (or mistreatment) of gays in public schools and at the workplace. Her latest target has been the US military and their “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. Read more.    Source: robotceleb.com

Russian Gay Leader Alekseev Abducted, Released Moscow Pride founder and leader Nikolai Alekseev has reported that he was abducted by government agents of some sort at Moscow's Domodedovo Airport Sept. 15 and held for more than two days. He was seized after passing through passport control and taken to a room by security officials and an airline worker, he said. There, his luggage, documents and computer were examined for more than two hours. Alekseev then was turned over to what he called "hulking men in civilian clothes, with faces not disfigured by intellect," who removed him from the airport via nonpublic passageways and drove him to a police facility two hours away, where he was further searched. In a moment when he was left alone, Alekseev used his iPad to discover where he was. ... Alekseev said he was mocked and insulted, called "faggot" and "pederast," probably drugged via a glass of water and eventually presented with a paper to sign, which said that an agreement had been reached to drop his lawsuits at the European Court of Human Rights over Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov's bans of gay Pride parades. He didn't sign it, "despite persistent 'advice' not to enter into conflict with the authorities." Read more.    Source: pridesource.com

Atlanta Pastor Bishop Eddie Long Denies Sex Claims from Church Members Bishop Eddie Long, megachurch founder and campaigner against homosexuality, faces civil actions from three men Bishop Eddie Long, the pastor who built the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta into a 25,000-member megachurch and publically campaigned against homosexuality, has denied accusations by three former male members of his congregation that he coerced them into having sex. Two of the three men, then aged 17 and 18, allege that Long plied them with gifts including cash, cars and trips abroad. But Long's lawyers say he "categorically denies the allegations." A third man today launched a civil action against Long, the church and a related youth academy.

In 2006 Long's church was the venue for the funeral of Coretta Scott King, the widow of Martin Luther King, attended by President Bush and former presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and George Bush senior. Long is an outspoken and high-profile opponent of homosexuality, once described by the Southern Poverty Law Centre as "one of the most virulently homophobic black leaders in the religiously based anti-gay movement." Long led a campaign for a national ban on same-sex marriage and his church counsels gay members in an attempt to "turn" them straight. In 2004, he led a march to Martin Luther King's grave in Atlanta in support of amending the US constitution to define marriage as "between one man and one woman" – and so permanently barring gay marriage under US law. Read more.    Source: guardian.co.uk

Allegiance A musical in the works draws on actor George Takei's experiences in an internment camp George Takei will never forget the day in 1942 when U.S. soldiers came to take his family to an internment camp. In the wake of the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan, people of Japanese descent -- resident aliens and American citizens alike -- were being relocated from the West Coast for security reasons. The government allowed them to take only what they could carry in a suitcase. As for everything else -- furniture, cars, homes, businesses, farms -- they had to dispose of it for whatever price they could get. Takei was 5 years old when his family was sent to Camp Rohwer in Arkansas, and later Tule Lake, Calif.

"I'll never be able to forget that scary day when two American soldiers with bayonets on their rifles came stomping up to our front door and ordered our family out," he recalled, speaking from his home in California. "We'd packed the night before, but I remember tears streaming down my mother's cheek as we walked out (of our home). The only things we could take with us was what we could carry." His family lost everything his parents and grandparents had struggled to build: his father's cleaning business, his uncle's farm, the family car and everything else they couldn't bring with them to the camp. "Internment was very divisive on the part of the government. It broke up families, it broke up marriages and it divided the community," said Takei, 73. "It was a very destructive act -- and on innocent people. Simply because we happened to look like the people who bombed Pearl Harbor, we were summarily rounded up." For years after he achieved international stardom as Sulu on the original "Star Trek" series (1966-69), Takei wanted to do a movie or television miniseries about the internment. Now, almost 70 years after the soldiers came for his family, that dream is moving forward thanks to a chance meeting with theatrical producer Lorenzo Thione. Read more.    Source: staradvertiser.com

Sunday in the Park with George Takei By killersmom John and I flew down to LA to attend the 3rd presentation of the Out West Series. "One Man's Journey: A Conversation with George Takei" He was truly amazing and kept us entertained for almost an hour, speaking from "his head and his heart", with no notes. He had a question and answer period for more than an hour and then met with folks from the audience. He introduced his partner of 23 years and husband of 2 years. He was just wonderful..

George Takei spoke at length about his role on STAR TREK, Gene Roddenberry the creator of STAR TREK, his personal experience of being uprooted and moved to an internment camp at the beginning of WWII when he was a young child, aged 5-8. The things he learned from his father. His college education, and his life as a gay man. The issue of DADT, Prop 8 in California, and the inequality still seen for the GLBT community in the US. The ending of his conversation: “If you look at the history of the United States, we have been making progress,” he said. “When the nation was founded, there was no role for women in the institutions of American society. Or for blacks. Or for Latinos. Now we have three women in the Supreme Court. Three women have become U.S. Secretaries of State. We have a Latino mayor. New Mexico has a Latino governor. And there’s a Latina in the Supreme Court. We have now an African American as the President of the United States. When you look at it in the larger historical context we have made incredible progress. With much grief, much pain, enormous suffering, but we’ve come to where we are.” More images of the event in the BBM Fifth Anniversary thread.

Magical Music from McEuen and Friends “A whole lot of musical talent, on a very small stage.” That’s what music buffs got Wednesday night, Sept. 15, as local favorite David Starr joined up with John McEuen (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band), Nathan McEuen, Matt Cartsonis and fiddler extraordinaire, Craig Eastman, on stage for a live concert at the AppleShed Arts and Gallery Complex in Cedaredge. Eastman is a classically trained violinist and multi-talented instrumentalist. ... His writing and playing is featured in many films, including “Black Hawk Down,” “Pirates of the Carribean” and “Brokeback Mountain.” Read more.    Source: deltacountyindependent.com

Will Chord Overstreet Go Full Brokeback on Glee? Chord Overstreet joins the cast of Glee in Season 2 as Sam Evans, a transfer student to McKinley High, and rumors have been swirling around the internet that the hunky, 21-year-old Bieber-haired Nashville native will not only become the school’s starting quarterback and a member of the Glee club, but might start hitting for my team as a possible love interest for Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer). In an effort to ferret out the truth—or at least some sensational and prurient details—I gave Chord a call and grilled him about guilty pleasures, kissing boys, and his athletic build.

Brett Berk: I’m sure you get this all the time, but: Chord Overstreet? It’s like the moniker Charles Dickens would give to a plucky young dulcet-voiced hustler who lives in an abandoned coal shed on the elevated train tracks. Where did you get that name? Chord Overstreet: I got the name from my mom and dad. I come from a big family—I have four sisters and one brother—and I was the third one born. And there are three notes in a chord, so, that’s how I got that name. My dad’s in the music business so he gave me a musical name. The music business? What does he do? He’s a songwriter. Anything I may have heard? Do you listen to country? Um. Not so much. Well, he’s written for Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton, Alison Krauss, Randy Travis, The Judds. His best known song is probably Kenny Chesney’s “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy” Read the rest of the interview.    Source: vanityfair.com

Baby-maker Makes Her Way to Shanghai Expo The extra-large model baby in the Spain Pavilion was 'conceived' by a Spanish filmmaker, Shi Yingying reports. Visitors admiring the 6.5-meter-high giant baby, Miguelin, in the Spain Pavilion may be surprised to realize that it was not the concept of a famous designer or a group of groundbreaking engineers. It came from one filmmaker's interpretation of the meaning of "Better City, Better Life". Spanish director Isabel Coixet developed the idea after being asked to contribute to Expo 2010 Shanghai. "They asked me to do something to tell the Chinese audience about Spain in the future and the first thing jumped to my mind was a baby," said Coixet. "If we really fight to have better cars, better cities and better lives, it's for them - for our children." While she doesn't know if she will shoot a film in Shanghai, two things have caught her attention: Shanghainese women and crickets. After just arriving in the city, she was surprised by the mix of old Chinese culture in a booming metropolis. "Behind the skyscrapers, there is a flower and bird market with heaps of crickets and birdcages in," she said. "I'm totally amazed with the city." Read more.    Source: xinhuanet.com For more pics from China World Expo 2010, visit monstersandcritics.com

The Very Queer Portraits of Heyd Fontenot A visit to the current exhibition at the University of Maryland's Art Gallery might have you thinking about "The Joy of Sex." Don't worry. "The Very Queer Portraits of Heyd Fontenot" is not an erotic art show. But, yes, there's lots nudity, including one picture of a man in an obvious state of arousal. No one is having sex, though parents might want to think twice about taking the kids. It's just that the paintings and drawings by the Austin-based artist -- depicting, for the most part, the defiantly average bodies of his friends -- are rendered in a style that's more than slightly reminiscent of Charles Raymond and Chris Foss's once-controversial illustrations for the 1972 sex manual (illustrations that were based, incidentally, on photos of the then-hirsute Raymond making love to his wife). There's a matter-of-fact, almost clinical ordinariness to the fleshy folds and occasional bulging tummies in Fontenot's art. Then there are the bobbleheads. Read more.    Source: washingtonpost.com

'Source Code' Bringing Duncan Jones And Clint Mansell Back Together Clint Mansell fans didn't have to decipher any hidden messages to feel Duncan Jones' enthusiasm in message he posted about "Source Code" yesterday. As was revealed in Twitter-Wood, the "Moon" soundtrack composer and director will team up once more to work on Jones' film about a soldier (Jake Gyllenhaal) who wakes up in the body of a commuter and has to solve the mystery behind a train explosion. "Have a bloody fantastic bit of 'Source Code' news," Jones wrote on his Twitter account. "Super star Clint Mansell WILL be scoring the film. You have no idea how relieved I am." Read more.    Source: moviesblog.mtv.com Jake on the set of Source Code, photo via jake-weird

Did You Know? Randy Quaid Randall Rudy "Randy" Quaid (October 1, 1950) is an American actor best known for his role as Cousin Eddie in the National Lampoon's Vacation movies, as well as his numerous supporting roles in films such as The Last Detail, Independence Day, Kingpin and Brokeback Mountain. He has won a Golden Globe Award, and has been nominated for an Academy Award, an Emmy Award and a BAFTA Award. Randy Quaid was born in Houston, Texas, the son of Juanita Bonniedale "Nita" (née Jordan), a real estate agent, and William Rudy Quaid, an electrician. He is the older brother of actor Dennis Quaid.Quaid is married to former Helmut Newton model Evi Quaid. Randy attended Pershing Middle School and Bellaire High School. His brother Dennis stated that his father was a "frustrated actor" and that his third cousin was Gene Autry. In a career that spans over 37 years, Quaid has appeared in over 90 movies. Peter Bogdanovich discovered him when Quaid was a student at the University of Houston, and he received his first exposure in Bogdanovich's The Last Picture Show. His character escorts Jacy Farrow (played by Cybill Shepherd) to late-night indoor skinny-dipping at a swimming pool. It was the first of his several roles directed by Bogdanovich and/or based on the writings of Larry McMurtry. Quaid's first major role was in the critically acclaimed The Last Detail (1973). He played a young US Navy sailor on his way to serve a harsh sentence for stealing $40 from an admiral's wife's pet charity. Jack Nicholson played the Navy sailor assigned to transport him to prison. Nicholson's character eventually becomes his friend and mentor, helping him experience different aspects of life before he goes behind bars. Read more.    Source: profilefacts.blogspot.com

Rainbow Art: Caspar David Friedrich




Landscape with the Rainbow, by Caspar David Friedrich


When the rainbow arching high
Looks from the zenith round the sky
Lit with exquisite tints seven

Caught from angels' wings in heaven,
Double, and higher than his World
The wrought rim of heaven's font,
Then may I upwards gaze and see the deepening intensity
Of the air-blended diadem . . .
Ending in sweet uncertainty 'twixt real hue and phantasy.

— Gerard Manley Hopkins, 'II Mystico'

Read more.    Source: victorianweb.org

Pop In the Pit Stop A new thread has been launched in the YOUR SPACE boards, and Chuck has all the details: Calling all cars and car enthusiasts! If you go to car shows, racetracks, like to work on cars or have a favorite ride join us in the Pit Stop. Share your stories, interests, tips, pix - whatever! Street rods, daily drivers, show cars, race cars - all and more are welcome. Also feel free to ask any questions involving cars here.

Brokeback Moments

BayCityJohn had breakfast at the Cove on Castro and ordered
one of their unique weekend specials: The Brokeback Breakfast.

   

"Three Cheese Fritatta with Italian Sausage and a Fruit Salad"

See more in Life Through the Lens 5

Fun Question of the Week

This week's question: What civil rights leader did Dorothy Parker leave the bulk of her estate to?  Speaking of Dorothy Parker, it is said that she once said this about a star in a Broadway play: "[She] ran the gamut of emotions, from A to B." Who is she referring to? Let us know your answers in the Response Thread. Last week's question and answer:  When General Eisenhower told his assistant to make a list of all lesbians from the Woman's Air Corps for discharge, what was her response? Forum member Tigs was correct -- "The first name on the list will be mine." "In Europe after World War II, General Dwight D. Eisenhower told his clerk, WAC Sergeant Johnnie Phelps, that he'd heard rumors there were lesbians in the WAC battalion and asked her to prepare a list naming them so he could discharge them. Phelps bravely told Ike that she'd do as he asked, but that her name would be at the top of the list. A more junior clerk then spoke up saying, "Begging the general's pardon, but my name will be above Sgt. Phelps' because I'll be typing it."Realizing he'd be getting rid of most of his file clerks, typists, and a large share of his headquarters' support staff, Eisenhower withdrew the order." Source: washingtonmonthly.com     Photo of Johnnie Phelps via xq.com

The Cowboy Image

Posted by coal615 in Cowboy Up!

Makin' some noise.

Post of the Day

By killersmom in What Movie Did You Watch This Weekend?

Still am not sure where to put this, as it is a short, but stumbled upon it when on YouTube the other night. It is just too good not to share. YouTube video: The Closet It took me several viewings to get all the nuances and I still see new things every time I watch it. It is very subtle and very good.

The Forum Image

Posted by ingmarnicebbmt in Pets and other Animal Friends

As fritzkep says in the thread: Geaux Blazy!

Quote of the Day

"I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals."

~ Winston Churchill ~

Photo Caption of the Day

Posted by AZ.bbm in Photo Captioning Fun 6

Contributors:   Tigs, killersmom, BayCityJohn, coal615, fritzkep, ingmarnicebbmt, AZ.bbm

Calendar of Events If you have ideas about initiating a gathering, go to Start Your Own Threads and get the ball rolling to plan a get-together near you. Fifth Anniversary Screening of Brokeback Mountain and the staged reading of selections from Beyond Brokeback Los Angeles, CA, December 11th, 2010 Let us know of any events you’d like listed here.

The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at www.davecullen.com/forum.

Today's edition by gnash

Researchers: BayCityJohn, Killersmom, Kittyhawk, Marge_Innavera, Stilllearning

Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning, MissYouSoMuch

We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day.
If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to gnash.

To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page.
When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail.

The Daily Sheet Archives
Respond to The Daily Sheet