Disney Channel Star Joshua Rush Comes Out

Actor Joshua Rush (image via Instagram)

Joshua Rush, who played the gay teen ‘Cyrus Goodman’ on the Disney Channel series Andi Mack, just came out as bisexual on his Twitter account Tuesday.

Rush gained national attention when his Andi Mack character came out in 2017 becoming the first openly gay Disney Channel character.

In last month’s series finale, his character was revealed to be part of the first gay couple on a Disney series.

Now that the series has wrapped, Rush appears to have had one more ‘coming out’ to do.

On Twitter, the 17-year-old wrote, “First to respond to this tweet is bi.” He quickly followed that with his own response, “First! I win! It’s me. I’m bi.”

first! i win! it's me. i'm bi. And now that I've said that, I have a few things to rant about. There are more important things to talk about than me liking a whole bunch of genders, but I do want to share a few things with you guys.

— joshua rush (@JoshuaRush) August 6, 2019

He added there were “a few things” he wanted to share with his fans.

The actor told his fans he thought it ‘ironic’ that his TV character’s coming out could send a message of empowerment to young LGBTQs, but until today he hadn’t found the courage to come out himself.

In fact, he says it’s his fans reaction to Cyrus’s journey that inspired him today.

Instead of feeling the courage to tell you today that I am an out and proud bisexual man because of the character I played for four years, I feel that courage thinking of all of you, who felt emboldened by Cyrus to come out.

— joshua rush (@JoshuaRush) August 6, 2019

Sharing that he had a close friend come out to him in fifth grade, Rush admitted he “suffered with some level” of his own “internalized homophobia” while playing a gay character on TV.

His solution at the time? “I stuffed the existential crisis of talking about my sexual orientation into a box in my mind for years,” he wrote, adding, “Today, I release it into the world.”

I stuffed the existential crisis of talking about my sexual orientation into a box in my mind for years. Today, I release it into the world.

— joshua rush (@JoshuaRush) August 6, 2019

Noting that sexual orientation doesn’t make up “all” of his identity, Rush pointed to bi erasure and the challenges that trans women of color face every day as more pressing issues than his sexual identity.

Being bi isn't all of my identity, nor is it the most important part of my identity. Bi erasure and issues like it are important, but trans women of color still have a life expectancy of THIRTY FIVE YEARS and that is absolutely unacceptable.

— joshua rush (@JoshuaRush) August 6, 2019

I also want to encourage you to read their page on bisexuality. It has been incredibly helpful to me, and their resources have helped me to find where I fit on the spectrum of sexuality.https://t.co/oKjfKxFmTc

— joshua rush (@JoshuaRush) August 6, 2019

He asked folks to donate to GLAAD (which promotes positive messaging for LGBTQs in the media) because his Disney Channel series “wouldn’t have existed in the form that it did without them.”

He also gave a shoutout to The Trevor Project, the leading national organization providing crisis intervention to LGBTQ young people, before closing the thread with, "Thank you to you for giving me the courage to know who I am and tell you this today. Happy 20biteen!"

Thank you to you for giving me the courage to know who I am and tell you this today.

Happy 20biteen!

— joshua rush (@JoshuaRush) August 6, 2019

HAPPY 20BITEEN INDEED!!!!!! 💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙💗💜💙

— GLAAD (@glaad) August 6, 2019

"We're grateful to @JoshuaRush for showing his fans that he supports them, and that they are perfect and beautiful the way they are." our CEO @amitpaley 💗https://t.co/9j30A4TVdQ

— The Trevor Project (@TrevorProject) August 6, 2019

While he hadn’t come out yet, it was just a few weeks ago that Rush shared a photo on Instagram after attending his first Pride event.

View this post on Instagram

my first pride was a resounding success! it's so amazing to see so many beautiful people out celebrating themselves and being proud of who they are. . my thoughts are with anyone hurt or injured at DC pride today. to my understanding there was a false alarm, but it doesn't make the fear, pain, and frustration any less real. don't let this stop you from celebrating pride. nobody should be paralyzed by fear because that is what the bigots want. they want people to go back to being afraid of being themselves. that's why pride exists. . @clairelipkin edited out the cancelled lesbian flag from this pic! thank u🥰

A post shared by josh rush (@joshuarush) on Jun 8, 2019 at 5:47pm PDT

NYC High School Valedictorian Comes Out In Graduation Speech To Cheers

New York City high school valedictorian Mason Bleu came out as bisexual during his graduation speech to cheers from the crowd.

“I want to remind all of you to always be proud but to always remain humble,” the teen told the audience. “I’ve struggled to be proud of something all my life. Since I’m preaching about being proud today, it’d be hypocritical of me to continue hiding. I’m not someone who likes getting emotional so saying this is extremely personal and hard.”

“For a long time, I have struggled with my sexuality,” he continued. “I’ve dodged it and ignored it because I wasn’t proud of who I am. But today I’m changing that. I’m proud to be a bisexual man.”

And the crowd goes wild!

So I came out during my valedictorian speech. It was definitely the scariest thing I’ve ever done but the reaction was amazing. Thank you to everyone who supported me! #Pride2019 #LGBTQ pic.twitter.com/u8ih03NTJd

— mason 🇩🇴 (@maasonbleu) June 29, 2019

News Round-Up: June 19, 2019

Some news items you might have missed:

• InstaHunks Alex Abramov gets romantical celebrating the birthday of his beau Brett Miles (above). #KissingIsCool

• A new Hill/YouGov poll shows only 24% of Americans approve of the Trump administration's handling of LGBTQ rights.

• In 1989, with no real knowledge of the case, Donald Trump took out a full page ad calling for the execution of the five men accused in the 'Central Park Jogger' case where a woman was raped and assaulted.

The five men were convicted and sent to prison only to be exonerated by DNA evidence. White House reporter April Ryan asked the Trumpster if he ever felt like apologizing for demonizing the black men. The answer was predictable.

Asked by @AprilDRyan whether he has reconsidered his rash demand for the death penalty for the five teens who had since been exonerated of all charges in the 1989 Central Park jogger case, President Trump sided with Linda Fairstein and fellow denialists. pic.twitter.com/tXYGsRGeWU

— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) June 18, 2019

• A new study by Pew Research shows bisexual adults are less likely to come out to important people in their lives than gays or lesbians.

• In the middle of Pride month, the U.S. Senate confirmed another anti-LGBTI Trump judge, Matthew Kacsmaryk, to a lifetime appointment to the federal bench in the Northern District of Texas with a 52-46 vote.

• In a 243-183 vote, the Democratic-controlled House passed an amendment to the $1 trillion Defense spending bill that prohibits Donald Trump’s transgender military ban from being funded.

• Check out the new music video from Lucy & La Mer, "Blue Dress," about discovering one’s bisexuality and the “lightbulb” crush that begins bisexual exploration. I liked the quirky, folky, fun aesthetic.

"I wrote the song right after a first date -- last year, actually -- just reflecting on that initial lightbulb experience about being curious and attracted to another gender than you thought you were," Lucy told Billboard. "I wanted it to be something that was positive and energetic, not so serious or tortured or anything like that."

Podcast: Ricky Martin, Brazil, Music & Sexual Positions, Billy Porter's New Pride Anthem

In this week’s podcast:

• Ricky Martin helps kill a religious freedom bill in Puerto Rico

• Brazil’s high court adds homophobic and transphobic crimes to the South American country’s racism laws

• We remember that bisexuals are part of Pride Month, too

• Do your music preferences reveal if you like the top or bottom bunk?

• Grammy Award winner Billy Porter drops a new LGBTQ Pride anthem

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report podcast.

Whitney Houston's Rumored Ex-Girlfriend To Pen Tell-All Memoir

Robyn Crawford, Whitney Houston’s long-rumored lesbian lover, says she will “set the record straight” once and for all in a new memoir titled, A Song For You: My Life with Whitney Houston, due out November 5.

During their decades-long friendship, both women denied any romantic involvement with each other. But fans have long speculated about the nature of their relationship.

Since Houston’s death at the age of 48 in 2012, there have been two documentary films of Houston’s life – Nick Broomfield’s Whitney: Can I Be Me?, and Kevin MacDonald’s Whitney. Both films addressed Houston’s rumored bisexuality and the women’s speculated relationship.

Crawford, notably, declined to take part in either project.

Houston’s mother, Cissy Houston, famously told Oprah in 2013 that it “absolutely” would have bothered her if Whitney had been lesbian or bisexual.

Bobby Brown, Houston’s ex-husband, shared with US Weekly in 2016 that he felt Houston would still be alive today if the “I Will Always Love You” singer’s family had accepted Robyn.

According to the book’s official synopsis, “In A Song for You, Robyn breaks her silence to share the moving and often complicated story of her life and relationship with Whitney.”

Whitney Houston (image via YouTube/I Will Always Love You)

The memoir will follow the years from the women’s meeting in the 1980s, to the singer’s self-titled debut album in 1985, her record-breaking world tours, the success of The Bodyguard, and more.

The publisher of the upcoming book, Penguin imprint Dutton, describes the release as “the vital, honest and previously untold story that provides an understanding of the complex life of Whitney Houston,” and promises that “finally, the person who knew her best sets the record straight.”

The talkers at E! News’s ‘Daily Pop’ discuss the upcoming book below.

Podcast: Texas, Bisexual Youth, Trump's Trans Ban, New Netflix Series 'Special'

In this week’s podcast:

• A majority of Americans say their are more than comfortable with a gay or lesbian running for president

• The U.S. House approved a non-binding resolution Thursday morning rebuking Donald Trump’s plan to ban transgender military service members

• Wisconsin couple told to remove their Pride flag or be evicted

• New data shows there are more bisexual youth and they need our attention

• GOP lawmakers in Texas approved a bill on Monday that would allow state-licensed professionals to discriminate against LGBTQ people, or anyone they want to refuse services, based on their religious beliefs

• Netflix drops the official trailer for 'Special,' an offbeat comedy series about a gay man with mild cerebral palsy

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report

News Round-Up: March 30, 2019

InstaHunk Fran Dullon

Some news items you might have missed:

• Sometimes, you need to stick with what you know works - like this pose (above) by InstaHunk Fran Dullon. Stay tuned - we'll check back later to confirm.

• In a guest column for Deadline, George Clooney calls for boycotting Los Angeles hotels owned by Brunei-based companies over the imminent implementation of the death penalty in the country for homosexual acts between consenting adults.

• A new report shows bisexual youth are more likely than gay or lesbian youth to be bullied and/or consider suicide.

• Zuzana Caputova, a lawyer and LGBTQ ally, could be about to become the first ever female president of Slovakia. You know my last name is Slovacek, right?

• Yep, looks like this is still working for Mr. Dullon.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Fran (@frandullon86) on Mar 26, 2019 at 2:42am PDT

• Former NBA star Tim Hardaway is complaining the only reason he's not in the Basketball Hall of Fame is because he went on a homophobic rant in 2007 where he said:

"You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States."

Hardaway later changed his mind and became an LGBTQ ally. He's on his fifth year as a Hall of Famer finalist. What do you think? Should he be forgiven and voted into the Hall of Fame?

• A 61-year-old woman in Nebraska just gave birth to her gay son’s child.

• A survey of gay & lesbian Realtors shows LGBTQ folks are less likely to purchase a home than heterosexuals, in part because they worry whether their neighbors will be welcoming.

• Yep, I think we've confirmed this is a winning pose for the Spanish InstaHunk.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Fran (@frandullon86) on Mar 10, 2019 at 1:20pm PDT

Fred Rogers, Iconic TV Host, Was Likely Bisexual

Fred Rogers (photo - Rogelio A. Galaviz C./Flickr - CC license)

Folks have been a bit gobsmacked over the news that Mr. Rogers - yes, the 'Mr. Rogers' - considered himself bisexual.

An excerpt from The Good Neighbor by Maxwell King, references a 1974 interview Rogers did with the New York Times and also a conversation with Rogers' friend, Dr. William Hirsch.

In the Times interview, Rogers admitted he wasn't a he-man in the model of 'John Wayne.'

And in a chat with Hirsch, Rogers apparently admitted he had "found women to be attractive, and I have found men attractive."

Before you get too concerned as to whether Fred was some two-timing cad on the down low - never fear, our hero's reputation is completely intact. According to King, Rogers was "absolutely faithful to his marriage vows."

In addition to his long-running, popular children's television show on PBS, Rogers was a musician, a puppeteer and a Presbyterian minister.

Over the course of his career, he was awarded 40 honorary degrees, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and a Peabody Award.

He was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1999.

Rogers died a few years later of stomach cancer in 2003.

Hate Crime: UK Teen Beaten & Left For Dead For Being Bisexual

(stock photo via Pexels)

A bisexual teen living in Nuneaton, a town in northern Warwickshire, England, was the target of a violent attack and was reportedly left for dead.

CoventryLive reports the attackers were charged in the attack and pleaded guilty to the assault, but received no jail time. Instead, they were given referral orders (a form of community service) and ordered to pay compensation.

The teen had been spending the day with friends when he was approached by one of the two attackers.

“What you hanging around with him for, you do know he’s bi,” said the first assailant.

The other then said, “Is this right?” as he launched into the violent beating.

When one of the victim’s friends said, “I can’t believe you hit him because he is gay,” one of the attackers replied, “I haven’t got a problem with gay people, but I have got a problem with greedy bis like him.”

The teen was allegedly knocked to the ground and the attackers began to kick him before dragging him into a wooded area.

As the beating continued, the teen says they threatened him if he told the police: “If you give our names to the police, we will find you and kill you.”

At home, he told his mother “three lads in balaclavas” had attacked him as the attackers had told him to say. But when he was taken to the hospital, all pretense fell away and he shared the truth of the beating.

Although the physical injuries of the attack began to heal, it is the psychological scars that continued to plague the boy.

His mother says he became a recluse, and she would sometimes find him “huddled with his hands over his head.” Eventually, the teen would refuse to leave his house out of fear.

Although people in the community rallied around him with support, the young boy says,“I just wish that the police and the court had done their jobs properly.”

“I feel let down, I feel like no-one did their jobs properly because, if they did, one of them would be in jail,” he told ConventryLive. “They attacked me because I am bisexual, what happened has changed my life, it has made me constantly look over my back.”

The after-effects of the attack were so severe, the family has moved from Nuneaton for fear the boy would run into his attackers.

HIs mother says that he has begun to recover some of his old self before the beating, but isn’t sure he’ll ever truly shake off the memory.

Having moved away, the family is coming forward now in an effort to highlight the injustice they feel they experienced.

“He just wants to stop any other kids going through what he has been through,” the mother shared with CoventryLive. “If they (the police) had said from day one it was not a hate crime, it wouldn’t have been so bad but all the way through we just kept being told that one of them might go to prison.”

For their part, the Warwickshire Police Force said through a spokesman, “We can confirm it was thoroughly investigated as a hate crime and charged as a hate aggravated crime.”

(h/t CoventryLive)

Democrat Kyrsten Sinema Wins Arizona Senate Seat

Democrat Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona

UPDATE: Republican Martha McSally has conceded the US Senate race to replace retiring Jeff Flake. Democrat Kyrsten Sinema will be the next Senator from Arizona.

She is the first female to represent the Grand Canyon state in the Senate as well as the first openly bisexual US Senator.

Congrats to @kyrstensinema. I wish her success. I’m grateful to all those who supported me in this journey. I’m inspired by Arizonans’ spirit and our state’s best days are ahead of us. pic.twitter.com/tw0uKgi3oO

— McSally For Senate (@MarthaMcSally) November 13, 2018

******************************************

The Cook Political Report is projecting that Democratic Rep. Kyrsten Sinema will win her US Senate race in Arizona.

According to the latest counts, Sinema has expanded her lead over Republican Martha McSally to 1.5%.

McSally lead on election night with partial returns being counted, but the next day many ballots were still uncounted in Democratic leaning areas of the state.

Sinema will be the first female senator from Arizona, and the first Democratic senator since Sen. Dennis DeConcini left office in 1995.

She will also be the first openly bisexual US Senator.

NEW: Kyrsten Sinema's campaign releases statement on the state of the Arizona Senate race, calling her lead "insurmountable." #abc15 pic.twitter.com/ujtqx7ZQbi

— ABC15 Arizona (@abc15) November 12, 2018

Projection: Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D) has defeated Rep. Martha McSally (R) in #AZSEN. This thing has been over for a while.

— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) November 12, 2018

Right before voting to repeal health care for 23 million Americans, McSally infamously said, "Let's get this f***ing thing done."

Welp, now she's done. https://t.co/0j6lzIVvmF

— Topher Spiro (@TopherSpiro) November 12, 2018

Dear .@GOP, the nightmare continues doesn’t it? pic.twitter.com/hjdlyf0VOa

— BlueVotr (@BlueVotr) November 12, 2018

Dems appear on their way to picking up close to 40 House seats.

If Sinema wins and Nelson loses, the GOP Senate gain would be R+2 -- when there were 10 Dem incumbents running in states Trump won.

And national pop vote is approaching D+7pts -- similar to '94, '06 and '10

— Mark Murray (@mmurraypolitics) November 12, 2018

The folks at ThinkProgress point out that Democratic House candidates are on track to win the national popular vote by as much as 7 points, yet Republicans gained seats in the Senate.

There are still two outstanding Senate races: one in Florida which is heading to a recount, and one in Mississippi which will hold a runoff later this month.

Arizona Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema Could Be First Bi U.S. Senator

Rep. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona

 Last night in Arizona's primary election for the upcoming fall mid-terms, Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.

First elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012, Kyrsten Sinema is the first openly bisexual member of the House.

She is the first openly bisexual candidate to run for the Senate from Arizona, and should she win in November, would be Arizona's first female Senator.

But another woman stands in her way.

Rep. Martha McSally clinched the Republican nod in the race for GOP Sen.Jeff Flake’s seat, who announced early that he would not be running for re-election.

McSally was forced to tact far to the right to defeat her primary opponents, former state Sen. Kelli Ward and virulently anti-immigration former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who appeared to split the more extreme fringes of the GOP.

McSally was the first woman to pilot a fighter jet.

HRC released the following statement on Sinema's victory in the Arizona primary:

“HRC proudly supports pro-equality champion Rep. Kyrsten Sinema -- a strong, effective leader who puts solutions first and fights to ensure every Arizonan has a shot at the American Dream,” said HRC Arizona State Director Justin Unga. “The stakes in November could not be clearer. In the coming weeks, HRC will continue mobilizing more than 800,000 Equality Voters and tens of thousands of members and supporters in the state to turn out for Sinema.”

The Republicans currently have a slim one vote edge in the Senate. They can only afford to lose one seat in the Senate without losing control of the chamber.

As I've written before, this year marks a big uptick in the number of LGBTQ people running for public office at various federal, state and local levels.

News Round-Up: December 20, 2017

Some news items you might have missed:

• Sexy Santa? I got your Sexy Santa right here thanks to the above selfie from Alex Abramov ;)

• Get ready to disco down as Summer: The Donna Summer Musical is now heading for the Lunt-Fontanne Theater on Broadway with previews beginning March 28 with an April 23 opening night! From the same team that brought us the blockbuster Jersey Boys.

• Republican Gov. Chris Christie says Donald Trump Jr. totally "deserves the scrutiny" he's getting regarding the ongoing Russian election interference probe. He recently told MSNBC's Nicole Wallace, "He was involved in the transition and involved in meetings that call into question his role. And the facts will determine that ultimately.”

"(Jared Kushner) deserves the scrutiny .. He was involved in the transition and involved in meetings that call into question his role" - Chris Christie tells @NicolleDWallace on #DeadlineWH pic.twitter.com/2b9Lnqm5GL

— Deadline White House (@DeadlineWH) December 19, 2017

• Former pop-tart Aaron Carter says he's ready to embrace his bisexuality.

• Eminem says he's found dates on dating apps like Grindr and Tinder.

• A massive fire at a five-star hotel in Scotland took the lives of a gay travel writer and his boyfriend.

• Hump Day Bonus!

A post shared by Daniel Kfir (@kf_daniel) on Dec 20, 2017 at 8:57am PST

A post shared by Ignacio Pérez Rey (@igperey) on Dec 20, 2017 at 12:16pm PST

Podcast: Chile Begins Debate On Marriage Equality; Pink & Channing Tatum Challenge Gender-Norms In "Beautiful Trauma;" LGBT Hate Crimes Double In Russia

In this week's podcast:

• Chile begins debate on same-sex marriage

• Hate crimes against LGBTs have doubled in five years in Russia

• Democratic senators introduce the LGBT Elder Americans Act

• A growing number of millennial men are more prone to identify as the more fluid “mostly straight” than use the term “bisexual"

• The highly anticipated gay-themed film, "Call Me By Your Name," leads the 2017 Independent Spirit Awards with six nominations and does great box office in its first week in domestic release.

• Pink and Channing Tatum challenge gender-norms in her new music video, "Beautiful Trauma."

All that and more on this episode of The Randy Report.

Listen below.

Tyler Posey's Character On "Jane The Virgin" Comes Out As Bi

While television has made strides in its depiction of gay characters, lesbian characters, and even transgender characters, one sector of the LGBT universe that doesn't get much play is bisexual characters - especially male bisexuals.

Every now and then we may get a female bisexual character (because straight men think it's hot) but you rarely see a fully realized depiction of a romantic male bisexual character.

One of those rare occasions is happening on ABC’s Jane the Virgin where Tyler Posey's "Adam" recently came out of the closet as bisexual. Posey plays a comic book artist who we found out this week has dated women and men.

Showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman spoke to Variety about the episode:

We had huge discussions about who Adam was before we started breaking stories because we were introducing a character who comes with a lot of history, a lot of weight for Jane, and a lot of narrative propulsive energy for us.

So that was something we discussed and decided on early on. I feel like you see a lot of bisexual women on TV because men think it’s sexy when women make out — so that’s become a little more seen on TV, and we felt like we hadn’t had a romantic hero who’s also bisexual.

And also, it felt like an interesting place to explore because Jane would think she’s very progressive and Jane would think she’d have no issue with it — that would be the place she wants to come into the story with, but then she has to unpack a lot of stuff.

Watch the casual revelation as "Adam" comes out below:

"Dame Of Dish" Liz Smith Passes Away At Age 94

Liz Smith, who became a modern-day Hedda Hopper of celebrity gossip in the 1980s and eventually came out as bisexual, has passed away at the age of 94.

From the New York Times:

Liz Smith, the longtime queen of New York’s tabloid gossip columns, who for more than three decades chronicled little triumphs and trespasses in the soap-opera lives of the rich, the famous and the merely beautiful, died on Sunday at her home in Manhattan. She was 94.

Her friend and literary agent, Joni Evans, confirmed her death.

From hardscrabble nights writing snippets for a Hearst newspaper in the 1950s to golden afternoons at Le Cirque with Sinatra or Hepburn and tête-à-tête dinners with Madonna to gather material for columns that ran six days a week, Ms. Smith captivated millions with her tattletale chitchat and, over time, ascended to fame and wealth that rivaled those of the celebrities she covered.

One of Smith's biggest scoops was Donald Trump's divorce from first wife, Ivana, in 1990.

Smith's income often exceeded over $1 million a year.

LGBT activist and author Michelangelo Signorile, who tussled with Smith in the 90s when she helped wealthy/famous closet cases like Malcolm Forbes stay closeted, posted a classy farewell to Ms. Smith on Facebook:

The legendary celebrity & gossip columnist Liz Smith has died at the age of 94. For those who go way back with me you know I wrote angry columns giving her hell in the late ‘80s, early ‘90s for closeting so many, defending homophobes & for being closeted herself during the most terrible years of the AIDS plague. But she was tough, eventually rose to it, came out as bisexual, did good things. Glad to have seen all that and see her leading a full life and still writing, working, practically up to her death. RIP Liz.

Pro-Wrestler Anthony Bowens On Coming Out: Bisexual Stigma Was A Big Surprise

(photo via Instagram)

Hunky pro wrestler Anthony Bowen prepped himself for some sort of backlash from the wrestling world when he came out as bisexual earlier this year.

He's since called the support and good will he experienced coming out as "overwhelming."

“I was getting messages from literally around the world thanking me,” Bowens recalled, “Saying I was an inspiration.”

What he didn't expect was to find himself in a debate that questions bisexuality in general.

As he read posts and comments across social media, he was surprised to discover the stigma that questions whether bisexuality is just a cover for gays who aren't ready to come out completely.

“I thought there would be more negativity around the stigma of [a pro wrestler] being part of the LGBT community, but the negativity came more from people getting in arguments over bisexuality,” he recently shared on the Party Foul Radio podcast with Pollo and Pearl.

“You can date a dude or marry a dude and be with him the rest of your life, and that doesn’t change the attraction. The stimulation doesn’t change,” he said. “That’s the reason why it’s LGBTQ—lesbian, bisexual…The LGBTQ community comes in all shapes and sizes.”

Here's the last one for the week! More coming next week! Photo credit: @coquichuloimages

A post shared by Anthony Bowens (@bowens_official) on Aug 2, 2017 at 3:41pm PDT

Posted this on Twitter and forgot to post here! Here is the next shot, also one of my favorites! Photo Cred: @coquichuloimages

A post shared by Anthony Bowens (@bowens_official) on Aug 6, 2017 at 11:46am PDT

I'm smiling but those pieces of wood really hurt my feet lol. Photo Cred: Stephen Daniello

A post shared by Anthony Bowens (@bowens_official) on Aug 27, 2017 at 9:59am PDT

Shot #4 @dnamagazine

A post shared by Anthony Bowens (@bowens_official) on Aug 1, 2017 at 5:07pm PDT

(h/t NewNowNext)

Former Teen Pop Star Aaron Carter Comes Out As Bisexual

(image via Instagram)

Former teen pop star Aaron Carter came out as bisexual to his fans last night via social media.

“There’s something I’d like to say that I feel is important for myself and my identity that has been weighing on my chest for nearly half of my life,” shared the 29-year-old singer. “This doesn’t bring me shame, just a weight and burden I have held onto for a long time that I would like lifted off me.”

“I grew up in this entertainment industry at a very young age and when I was around 13-years-old I started to find boys and girls attractive,” Carter continues. “There were years that went by that I thought about, but it wasn’t until I was 17-years-old, after a few relationships with girls, I had an experience with a male that I had an attraction to who I also worked with and grew up with.”

Carter has publicly shared his personal battles with eating disorders and substance abuse in the past. He was arrested on July 15 on suspicion of DUI and marijuana possession. He also spent a month in rehab in 2011 for Xanax dependency.

Saying he never wants to be a “figure of disappointment,” Carter concluded his letter with a quote from Boy George: “I’ve never felt as though I didn’t belong, I just acted as though I did.”

pic.twitter.com/Zi6ahCtk4U

— Aaron Carter (@aaroncarter) August 6, 2017

Carter shared this at the end of last month:

I support the #LGBTQ community FOREVER!! I'm watching you @realDonaldTrump @POTUS pic.twitter.com/e9b4y7G7az

— Aaron Carter (@aaroncarter) July 30, 2017

Broadway's Andy Mientus Celebrates Bi-Week

Andy Mientus, star of NBC's SMASH and the Broadway revivals of Spring Awakening and Les Miserables, encourages all his fellow bisexuals to "come out, come out, wherever you are" during Bi-Week.

(What? Bisexuals don't get a full month???)

Via Instagram:

Hey so it's #biweek- the week for the Bi kids to be visible.

I try to be visible all the time just by being true to who I am openly, but I know many people struggle with this because of the stigma associated with bi-ness.

I know that some of you, probably friends even, are reading this and rolling your eyes- "oh he's still holding on to that? Who is SHE kidding?"- and I don't blame you. Not many are open about it so we appear to be very rare creatures, maybe even mythical.

I've definitely felt the pressure to just accept being lumped in as gay when I meet new people- correcting them feels super political and unnecessary in the moment but then later I realize that it's my own shame.

I don't write this to position myself as an activist or a role model. I try to be the best person I can be always but I am just an actor, not a queer-studies professor, and I am learning along with everyone else. I have and will continue to put my foot in my mouth on issues so I won't pretend to know everything.

What I do know is that because of my platform as an actor, kids reach out to me almost daily confused about their sexuality and it breaks my heart to learn that they are denying their hearts, bodies, and souls just because of what other people will think of them.

We now talk about LGBT+ issues constantly but how often do we really consider the B in there? Have you ever doubted someone who tells you they are Bi- "Sure, Jan"- or debated the validity of that claim behind their back? Do you have a preconceived idea of what bi "really" looks like based on what TV and movies have told you? Do you think of it just as a sexual kink or as a true identity?

When I encounter ignorance about my identity, I always try to approach it from a place of warmth and education, so this is not me lecturing the monosexuals out there. I'm inviting you this week to think about your own feelings towards bisexuals and ask yourself if there is any lingering doubt or prejudice there.

If you think you could be bi, ask yourself what is holding you back from accepting it- is it your own developing feelings or your fear of society around you? Together, we can end that stigma.

Former Pro-Boxer Yusaf Mack Comes Out As Bisexual

Last week, Philly.com reported that former pro-boxer Yusaf Mack had participated in a gay porn scene, he quickly accused the porn company - Dog Pound - of drugging him because he had no memory of shooting the scene.

(Never mind that a second gay porn scene was found with a seemingly enthusiastic Mack taking part).

After being threatened with a lawsuit for his slanderous accusations against the porn company, Mack issued this statement today saying he is, in fact, bisexual.

“This is an issued public apology from my heart. I want to address a few situations with the first being the false claims I made about being drugged during the Dog Pound adult film. I have never spoke negatively about the company that produced the film although the claim to have been given a drug by someone during set was a lie. I was completely aware and fully conscious during the film.

“The second situation, which further explain the first, concerns my lifestyle. I did participate in the adult film because at the time I needed money but also because I am a bisexual man. Meaning I enjoy safely being intimate with whomever I choose.

“Lastly I would like to address the reason I lied. My life was completely destroyed once it had been outed that I participated in a gay film. I selfishly tried to cover the truth and remain in denial, rather than accept the fact that I was leading a double life secretly.

“After reflecting on the mess I had made I realized that I hurt a lot of my loved ones and the people, my fans, I cared about the most were left disappointed and confused. It was unfair and time to come clean. I want to say sorry to my children and my ex fiancé, I am so sorry that I was a coward and hid a huge part of my life from you all. To the ones that were once my friends and now feel disgust, I’m sorry, but this is my life. I’m not looking for sympathy or even understanding, I’ve kept this secret for a long time. It is time to move forward and this is me walking in my truth.

“There are other men and women that are set up in the similar situations and I just hope I can be inspiration to be just be you. The extreme taboo and harsh criticism of living a same sex lifestyle, especially as an African American male, makes it hard to be completely honest and comfortable within yourself. But I had to remember that I am a champ & I can fight and will fight through this. I am more than my sexual orientation. To all of my supporters I thank you dearly.”

Last week, Mack said he agreed to do a porn shoot, but told Philly.com it was supposed to be with women. “I think, ‘It’s about to go down.’ I needed a drink or something,” Mack said over the phone. “They gave me a pill and a shot of vodka. I took the pill down with the vodka.”

I'm guessing the threat of a lawsuit caused him to come clean about the episode.