Mayor Pete: Being Gay Is "Not The Only Thing That Defines Me"

Mayor Pete Buttigieg (screen capture)

In a chat with the Des Moines Register, Mayor Pete Buttigieg shared that, while he's not shied away from being open about being gay and his marriage, "it's not the only thing that defines" him."

"I am proud of who I am," Buttigieg told the Des Moines Register. "I’m certainly very proud of my marriage and my husband. We don’t shy away from that. It’s also not the only thing that defines me."

“I think some people have an image of what a gay person or an LGBTQ activist is supposed to look like. And I think if you’ve met one gay person, you’ve met one gay person,” he said. “We have different styles and different approaches. But what I try to do is just be who I am … I don’t know who else to be."

Mayor Pete also addressed the topic of “healthy identity” politics in which “each identity [can] connect with every other one.”

And he drew a contrast between himself and how the current occupant of the Oval Office handles those who are 'different' saying, “This is a moment where anybody who can be marked down as different is in some way vulnerable because of the way this administration works.”

Meme Of The Day: How The Gays Do Halloween

(image via Twitter)

Apple CEO Tim Cook: "Being Gay Is God's Greatest Gift To Me"

In an interview with CNN's Christine Amanpour, Apple CEO Tim Cook says being gay is "God's greatest gift to me."

Via CNN Money:

Four years ago, Tim Cook became the first CEO of a major company to come out as gay. He says he’s happy about that distinction — and his decision. “I’m very proud of it,” the Apple CEO told Christiane Amanpour on Wednesday in an exclusive interview for her program on CNN International and PBS.

Being gay is “God’s greatest gift to me,” he said. Cook came out on October 30, 2014. His sexual orientation had been widely rumored beforehand though he had not confirmed it publicly.

“I went public because I started to receive stories from kids who read online that I was gay,” he told Amanpour. “I needed to do something for them,” Cook said. He wanted to demonstrate to gay children that they “can be gay and still go on and do some big jobs in life.”

News Round-Up: December 14, 2017

Ben Cohen

Some news items you might have missed:

• Some #ThrowBackThursday action as I'm reminded of my major man crush on rugby champ and anti-bullying advocate Ben Cohen (above). Check out his 2018 charity calendar here.

• Researchers say having older brothers could increase the likelihood of being gay.

•  Failed Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore threw more anti-LGBT shade even as he refuses to concede his race to Democrat Doug Jones. Moore says he lost due to "sodomy" sweeping the nation.

• Just six months after legalizing same-sex marriage, Bermuda's lawmakers have reversed course and outlawed marriage equality.

• Gay porn star sentenced to life in prison for "brutal and vicious" murder of his millionaire boyfriend.

• Afterglow, the controversial off-Broadway hit one-act play, celebrates 200 performances tonight and has added a new block of tickets through March 2018.

Via press release: The play explores the emotional, intellectual, and physical connections between three men and the broader implications within their relationships.

The Advocate called the play "compelling and raw" and "not to be missed."

Huffington Post wrote, “It’s clear Afterglow will be a must-see among New York theatergoers.”

Afterglow (photo: Mati Gelman)

When Rosie's Audience "Reacted" To An Actor Playing A Gay Role On TV

Kenneth-in-the-212 totally took me back with this 1999 appearance by Billy Campbell on Rosie O'Donnell's then-venerable daytime talk show where the crowd actually gave a negative reaction when Campbell mentioned having played a gay role on television.

During the chat, Rosie asked about earlier TV credits and Campbell mentioned that he had appeared in episodes of the 80s TV drama, Dynasty, as a leading character's boyfriend.

The crowd clearly reacted in such a negative way that Campbell turned to the live audience to say, "Lighten up, people, it's the 90s."

Kenneth shares in his post his own memory of Kate Jackson promoting the early 80s feature film Making Love which chronicled a married man's coming out story. I vividly remember seeing the film when it came out and I had not.

Kenneth recalls The Tonight Show audience having a similar negative reaction that night.

As Kenneth writes, "I learned right then and there that I should be ashamed of myself -- and went from being an outgoing kid to a painfully self-conscious teenager and young man."

You can watch the Billy Campbell/Rosie O'Donnell clip below.

It may seem like a small thing here, but I clearly remember the subliminal messages these kinds of moments sent me as a young person: "'Gay' is bad. People won't like you if you are 'gay.'"

Glad it's possible to grow past those experiences.

#Forward

Donald Trump: I've Never Had A Gay Thought In My Life

As journalists go in search of any remaining "smoking guns" that may exist in Donald Trump's past, CNN's KFiles team found this clip from an appearance on the Howard Stern Show where Trump boldly announces he's never had a "gay thought" in his life.

Yay! We really dodged that bullet!

From the Huffington Post:

In the clip below from 2010 (starting near the 1:32 mark), the two men discussed golf champion Tiger Woods’ extra-marital affairs. Of them, Trump noted, “One thing we’ve learned about Tiger Woods, definitely, he is not gay,” to which Stern agreed, “Absolutely not gay.”

Trump then reminded Stern of “one of the great interviews of all time” that the radio host had done with a man who said “he only had one or two events with a man but that he wasn’t gay and you said, ‘Anyone who’s had one or two events with a man is gay.’” Stern replied, “Absolutely!” before asking Trump how many “events” he’s had with a man.

“Zero,” Trump says. “Not even a thought.”

Trump continued, “With all that I’ve had, I’ve never had a thought,” and then added, “there’s never been a big thought process, you know… Never even like a thought... let’s put it this way, during ‘the event’ there’s never a thought of Jimmy or Ronald or any of that, no. No thoughts.”

John Kasich: Gay People Are 'Probably' Born Gay

Ohio Gov. John Kasich

CNN recaps this moment from a John Kasich town hall in California when the Republican White House hopeful was asked by 62-year-old Kelly Bryan his position on whether gay people are born gay:

Kelly Bryan, 62, asked Kasich the question at a forum hosted by the Commonwealth of California Club, telling the Ohio governor, “Gay people are human beings and not a lifestyle choice. Please respond without prayer being an answer.”

“In terms of me, I don’t believe in discrimination,” Kasich said. “I think there is a balance, however, between discrimination and people’s religious liberties. But I think we should just try to, like, take a chill pill, relax, and try to get along with one another a little bit better instead of trying to write some law to solve a problem that doesn’t frankly exist in big enough numbers to justify more lawmaking.”

Bryan responded by saying Republicans “don’t believe in marriage equality.”

“Well, no, they don’t tell me what to do about the platform. The Republican Party is my vehicle, not my master,” Kasich replied. “I have a right to define the Republican Party, too.”

Kasich added: “I believe in traditional marriage, (but) I just went to a gay wedding,” Kasich responded. “My wife and I went to the wedding. It was great, it was fine.”

(h/t JMG)

Icelandic Kids TV Show Talks On Being Gay

Long-running Icelandic kids’ TV show, Stundin Okkar, on the air since 1996, featured a non confrontational scene in which former Eurovision singer Páll Óskar is asked that fateful childhood question, “Do you have a girlfriend?”

The scene played out exactly as it should, with simple, honest truth.

“Actually, no I don’t… and I’m never going to have any girlfriends. I don’t get crushes on girls. I get crushes on guys, because I’m gay.”

When asked “When did you know you were attracted to guys and not girls?”, he replies, “When did you know you were attracted to guys and not girls?”

“Some guys like other guys, some guys like girls. Some girls like guys, some girls like other girls. You don’t decide what makes your heart beat, it just beats.

“Think about what it would be like to live in a world where it didn’t matter who you were attracted to! We just need to create that world – that’s our responsibility.”

(h/t Towleroad)

Mormon Dad Gets Choked Up That His Son Doesn't Hate Gays Enough

Quin Monson, a professor at Brigham Young University, a former scout and father of a current Boy Scout, spoke to NPR radio recently about the Boy Scouts of America's recent decision to lift the ban on gay scout leaders.

“The (Mormon) church took the Boy Scout program and decided its values and mission aligned closely enough with that of the church’s program for young men that they just wholesale adopted it,” Monson said. “Basically, if you are a young Mormon male, you join the Boy Scouts.”

Bu the new policy by the BSA doesn't sit well with Monson even if he can't articulate what exactly bothers him about it.

“The BSA statement allows for leaders who are openly gay and what that means in practice is, I don’t think, exactly clear. But I think that it very well could conflict with the church’s own policy which is, ‘You can identify as gay and be an active, faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.’ The problem is acting on that same-sex attraction, so there’s a distinction between actions and orientation.”

Monson actually sounds despondent and chokes up when he explains that his son just doesn't see the problem with allowing gay scout leaders. Isn't that supposed to be a good thing? When children don't embrace the biases and bigotry that's come before them?

Manson explained how a chat with his son went regarding having openly gay scout leaders went something like this:

"He’s a pretty deep thinker, and a thoughtful kid, but his reaction was, ‘Well, I don’t see why it matters, dad. Why is this such a big deal?'" Monson explained.

“That’s the hard part about all of this is that it impacts a group of young men who don’t necessarily understand why," Monson said, getting choked up.

You can listen below. The "emotional" moment comes at around the 3:20 mark.

Marco Rubio: Being Gay Is Not A Choice

Newly minted 2016 GOP presidential hopeful Sen. Marco Rubio said that even though he didn't think being gay was a choice, he didn't believe courts should be deciding the issue of same-sex marriage.

"I also don't believe that your sexual preferences are a choice for the vast and enormous majority of people," he said. "In fact, the bottom line is I believe sexual preference is something that people are born with."

Last week, Rubio also said that he would attend a gay wedding of a loved one, even if he disagreed with the "choice" that loved one had made.

“I’m not going to hurt them simply because I disagree with a choice they’ve made or because I disagree with a decision they’ve made, or whatever it may be,” Rubio said. “Ultimately, if someone that you care for and is part of your family has decided to move in one direction or another or feels that way because of who they love, you respect that because you love them.”

In the past, Rubio has distinguished between opposing same-sex marriage and being anti-gay.

"Supporting the definition of marriage as one man and one woman is not anti-gay. It is pro-traditional marriage," Rubio said last year.

Marco Rubio: I Would Attend A Gay Wedding

Speaking on Jorge Ramos’ Fusion show, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) says he would attend a gay wedding of someone he loved, but goes on to call being gay "a choice."

Via Mediaite:

“If someone in your family or your office that happens to be gay and they invite you to their wedding, would you go?” Ramos asked the senator.

“If there’s somebody that I love that’s in my life, I don’t necessarily have to agree with their decisions or the decisions they’ve made to continue to love them and participate in important events,” Rubio said. He compared it to attending “second marriages,” which are not strictly allowed the Catholic faith.

“If it’s somebody in my life that I care for, of course I would,” Rubio reiterated on the question of attending gay weddings. “I’m not going to hurt them simply because I disagree with a choice they’ve made or because I disagree with a decision they’ve made, or whatever it may be.”

“Ultimately, if someone that you care for and is part of your family has decided to move in one direction or another or feels that way because of who they love, you respect that because you love them,” he concluded. Again, he compared the union of a same-sex couple to the divorce of a straight one. “If someone gets divorced, I’m not going to stop loving them,” he said.

U.S. Surgeon General: "Being Gay Is Not A Disorder"

Bravo to Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, speaking today on a conference call about White House support for bans on "ex-gay" torture:

"Being gay is not a disorder. Being transgender is not a malady that requires a cure.

"Had I been Leelah Alcorn's physician, I would have told her exactly that.

"And that's the message I want other doctors, nurses, health professionals, and public health leaders to help get out to parents and children who may be confronting these issues."

(h/t JoeMyGod)

J.K. Rowling Explains "Dumbledore" And "Gay"

Well played, Ms. Rowling, well played.

(h/t Towleroad)

Troy Aikman: Choosing To Be Gay "Is Not My Lifestyle"

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, who dodged gay rumors in the 1990s, has finally addressed the allegations and explained that if people "choose" to be gay, that's their business, but it's not a "choice" he makes.

The 48 year old broadcaster had this to say to Sports Illustrated:

I’m upset about it because it was made up and there was nothing accurate about anything that was insinuated. And he did it, as he does everything, just for attention. I am probably more upset because I probably should have responded to it at the time it was going on.

The advice to me was “Hey, just don’t address it. It’s not worth it. It doesn’t make any sense. It’s ridiculous. All it’s going to do is have people continue to talk about his book. So I didn’t.

But I probably could have responded differently and maybe that would have changed things. Maybe it wouldn’t have. But it is ridiculous, and, yeah, it bothers me.

If that is a lifestyle people choose, so be it. It doesn’t affect me one way or another. But it is not my lifestyle.

So, I'm guessing that means he's "choosing" to be straight, but COULD be gay if he wanted...?