20-Something, Gay & Living In NYC

Nico

I was cleaning out some files for The Randy Report and came across this documentary I shared some years back.

Filmmaker Blake Pruitt interviewed several NYC 20-something gay men to get their perspective on how gay men are perceived.

I don't agree with many of the statements, but I also acknowledge that I'm a 54-year-old gay man who has been 'out' for 35 years. So I have no problem self-identifying as gay, and I also don't "compete" in the gay community.

I noticed on the Vimeo page several commenters felt Nico was pretty clear about who he was, but the rest had some growing up to do.

What do you think? Do these guys have it right? Is their age a contributing factor to how they see the gay community?

Thoughts? I'm curious to see how others view the issue.

News Round-Up: May 29, 2018

Some news items you might have missed this holiday weekend:

• InstaHunk Ace Cee (above) shares wisdom for the day: "Save water, shower together..."

• Check out the Australian hunk who just won Mr. Gay World 2018. Jordan Bruno hopes to use his title to address issues within the LGBTQ community like femme shaming, body issues, and lesbian discrimination at pride festivals.

• New York Police Department officers are in hot water over posing with a male stripper in just a G-string and boots.

NYPD cops under fire for racy photo with male stripper https://t.co/NJ2gFk1xLV pic.twitter.com/nzjQyfOPvt

— New York Post (@nypost) May 28, 2018

• Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, considered the most vulnerable of Dem senators up for re-election this fall, leads his GOP opponent by 12 points in a new poll.

• A gay high school valedictorian, barred from giving his graduation speech because he used the phrase "the young people will win," gave his speech anyway via a bullhorn. His school officials claimed the phrase, coined by the high school students in Parkland, Florida, was "too confrontational."

• With Pride Month just days away, learn how the word "gay" shifted in meaning from "happy" to "homosexual from the folks at Origin of Everything:

Podcast: Miami Beach Gay-Bashing; Matt Bomer In Upcoming "Anything;" Diver Tom Daley Speaks Out On LGBT Rights At Commonwealth Games

In this week's podcast:

• Miami Beach Pride gay bashing

• Sen. Cory Booker calls out Secretary of State nominee Mike Pompeo on LGBT rights

• Newly-elected Alabama Sen. Doug Jones became the latest co-sponsor of The Equality Act citing his son Carson’s coming out as affecting his view on LGBTQ rights

• Out UK diverTom Daley speaks out against Commonwealth anti-gay laws

• Matt Bomer’s casting in upcoming film trans-oriented ANYTHING gets boos from transgender community

• And the latest political parody from Randy Rainbow - “You Can’t Stop His Tweets”

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

Gym Workout Of The Day

No one at my gym is this fabulous. Just saying...

Hit the play button below.

A post shared by Khan Porter (@iamkhanporter) on Jul 11, 2017 at 12:05am PDT

Video: Questions Straight Men Have For Gay Men

I have been curious my entire life. I ask everyone questions every day. I love finding out new things and understanding.

So, I completely "got" the idea of this video from Buzzfeed that paired gay men with straight men and set up the situation that the straight guys could ask anything they wanted about being gay.

Sample questions like, “How much porn did you watch that was straight porn before you switched to gay porn?” and "What if you're both bottoms or both tops? Is that a deal breaker?"

I love natural curiosity.

And, of course, there's the companion video, "Questions Gay Men Have For Straight Men." (You know where that's going, now, don't you?"

NBC's Twitter Feed Killed Last Night During "The Wiz Live"

Not only was NBC's magical The Wiz Live! most marvelous, whoever they let run the network's Twitter feed was on fire for the gays! Read just a sample of the twitter shizzle below:

YASSS, you better werk! #TheWiz pic.twitter.com/RAiCPwOiZU

— NBC (@nbc) December 4, 2015

YASS QUEEN! @IAMQUEENLATIFAH is #TheWiz! pic.twitter.com/wmZb0Dh0J4

— NBC (@nbc) December 4, 2015

Werk 'til they're green with envy, honey. #TheWiz pic.twitter.com/JXtSYyJw0z

— NBC (@nbc) December 4, 2015

OH HAIL YASS, @maryjblige! #TheWiz pic.twitter.com/MUogLfY0y5

— NBC (@nbc) December 4, 2015

Tweet Of The Day

Me: "Did they tell you I'm from a gay magazine?" @BetteMidler: *raises eyebrow* "They didn't have to." #itsthegirls pic.twitter.com/x4gAYQBEt3

— Darren Scott (@darren_scott) July 10, 2015

Where In The World Are Gays Happiest?

Planet Romeo, a dating/community site, recently compiled data on public opinion, public behavior and life satisfaction to see how gays around the world felt about their lives in what they call The Gay Happiness Index.

From Advocate.com:

Coming in at number one in all the world as the country where gay men are the happiest is Iceland, followed by Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Uruguay, Canada, Israel, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Luxembourg (where the country's out prime minister earlier this month became the first national leader in a legal same-sex marriage).

The United States ranks 26th on the list. The map below shows the highest-ranked countries appearing in green, with the lowest-ranked countries in red.

Worth noting in your travel plans: the 10 countries where gays are least happy - Kazakhstan, Ghana, Cameroon, Iran, Nigeria, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Uganda.

Conservative Pundit Guy Benson: I'm Standing On The Shoulders Of Those I Now Belittle

Conservative pundit and Fox News commentator Guy Benson shared in his new book that he is gay.

And yesterday he took a media lap to the thrill of Teabagistan to celebrate his newfound "openness."

Stopping by Megyn Kelly's show, Benson gave "some credit" to the gay rights activists who, through decades of fighting for equality and dignity, make it possible for him to be openly gay in America today.

How generous.

"I just want to acknowledge, quickly, that I recognize that I am so fortunate to live in a country and an era where we can be having this exact kind conversation on national television. And I recognize that a lot of that is due to the fact that I'm standing of the shoulders of people who've worked very hard for a very long time, who probably don't share my political persuasion. So I just want to give them some credit in this. But I think when that crosses some threshold into punishing and purging dissenters and trying to exact punishments on people for not agreeing, that is not what we should be about in this country. I think we should be better than that in this country."

Barney Frank On Aaron Schock's Resignation: "He Was Outed Or What?"

Former Congressman Barney Frank

Upon learning the news of GOP Congressman Aaron Schock's resignation, former Massachusetts Democratic congressman Barney Frank at first assumed the issue had been Schock's sexuality:

"He was outed or what?" Frank said when Business Insider asked for his thoughts on the sudden resignation by the 33 year old congressman from Illinois.

Frank was one of the first openly gay congressmen, having come out in 1987. He is currently promoting his recent memoir "Frank: A Life In Politics From The Great Society To Same-Sex Marriage."

The former congressman from Massachusetts did have this to offer regarding young Schock:

"I will say this, I don't know if he's gay or not. But if he is, he's forfeited any right to privacy because he votes anti-gay," Frank said of Schock. "My view is that people who are gay who vote to support the right of other people to do it have a right to privacy, but the right to privacy does not include hypocrisy."

Schock had a severely anti-gay voting record while in office having voted against the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, the repeal of DOMA and many other pieces of LGBT legislation.

Robert Oscar Lopez Hates Every Gay Dad

Anti-gay homocon Robert Oscar Lopez goes completely "screaming mimi" today writing on his personal blog about the recent dust-up between Elton John and Dolce & Gabbana.

"The completely petulant and histrionic response from gay parents like Ryan Murphy to Dolce & Gabbana's comments can give average Americans a small taste of what children in such homes will have to deal with. You can't be a good parent and want to have absolute control over what your kids think and feel, in addition to what the whole world thinks and feels about you and your kids. It's a recipe for emotional abuse of whoever is under your power.

"Look at the punitive urge, the lust for vengeance, the despotism. That is what I see in Ricky Martin, Jeremy Hooper, Ryan Murphy, and Elton John.

"These are men who will terrorize human beings if they can, if they are within their striking distance. They acquired children the way they get everything they want in all aspects of their lives: through economic leverage, intimidation, and sheer arrogance.

"Imagine being a helpless and confused child longing for a mom, and being under the power of a dad who throws out clothing and calls for all-out destruction of anyone who hints that you have lost something by being denied a mom.

"Imagine not one such man lording over you, but two. This is horrible. These people are disgusting."

He's practically frothing at the mouth by the end of it all.

And by the way - "through economic leverage, intimidation, and sheer arrogance?" Sounds like Congressional Republicans to me...

All this from a gay man who:

• Petitioned the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to stop gay marriage in Texas

• Filed an anti-gay amicus brief in support of Virginia's ban on same-sex marriage

• Testified against LGBT equality before several state legislatures

• Co-signed an anti-gay brief to the Supreme Court in support of DOMA.

(via JMG)

Spoiler: Nick Jonas' KINGDOM Character Is Gay

In the season finale of DirecTV's new series Kingdom, the character of MMA fighter Nate Kulina (played by the very hunky Nick Jonas) has an epiphany that had been hinted at for months - that "Nate" is gay.

From Buzzfeed:

The reveal may have surprised viewers, but the actor has known about Nate’s sexuality since Day 1. “Byron [Balasco, Kingdom creator] told me before shooting began,” Jonas told BuzzFeed News exclusively during a recent phone interview. “Everyone at Kingdom was really transparent about the character and some of the things the character would go through. And in my prep work, I wanted to be aware so I could properly tell this story.”

“For me, it was important to maintain the stakes for Nate,” the 22-year-old actor and singer continued. “He lives in a world of fear — fear of disappointing his father, both in the cage and outside of the cage — and he carries that pressure with him in so many ways. I think it’s something a lot of people can relate to.”

“I’ve really been trying to make an effort to talk with my gay fan base and find unique opportunities to set up the next chapter of my life and my career with them in it,” said Jonas, who’s recently performed at gay clubs and made headlines with Marky Mark-esque photoshoots. “The attitude I take in the stories I want to share and my personal life and my view is that I think we’re in a time where there’s a new progression. For all people of all walks of life to accept all people … I’d be thrilled if I’m any part of that.”

Kingdom has been picked up for 20 more episodes which will air in two 10-episode seasons beginning again in Spring 2015.

"This Is Life With Lisa Ling" Explores Life At The Gay Rodeo

Who doesn't love a cowboy?

This coming Sunday, This Is Life With Lisa Ling on CNN airs "Gay Rodeo" at 10PM ET/PT.

Via press release:

We all know the image of the American cowboy: He's tough, self-reliant, stoic, the epitome of masculine. Could he be all that— and gay?

Lisa will explore the world of the International Gay Rodeo Association, which today has over 5,000 registered members.

Here, in Santa Fe, Lisa will meet people united by two unlikely qualities: their love of Western culture and their homosexuality.

Many have braved childhoods in the most homophobic regions of the country; some are still in the closet; and others are fastening their chaps for the very first time. But all are bucking stereotypes, proving that you don’t have to be straight to rope, ride, and wrestle a steer.

Ling will also be hosting a Twitter Town Hall live during the broadcast. Follow #ThisIsLife

Stephen Colbert: "The Gay Civil War"

In light of the recent SCOTUS decision not to review anti-gay marriage bans, Stephen Colbert has seen the future.

He sees GOP Speaker of the House John Boehner campaigning for gay Republican candidate Carl DeMaio; a majority of Americans living in marriage equality states, and anti-gay groups like NOM fighting the clear future.

And as such, here he shares with us, "The Gay Civil War."

The Colbert Report
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Documentary: "Bad Ass Gays"

Taking a hard punch in the ring, careening 180 mph around a race track or leading a combat mission, it's a brave new world for gay men openly pursuing their professional passions, defying stereotypes, discrimination and setting the stage for a new generation.

"Bad Ass Gays" is a documentary that tells the personal stories of gay men in "manly" professions, going on the job with them, revealing their motives, passions, joys, challenges and struggles to succeed. The film is a co-production between Rogue Culture and Logo TV.

Premieres in the fall of 2014.

(h/t JMG)

Former mistress says LA Clippers owner is actually gay

V. Stiviano, former girlfriend/mistress of LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling, has asserted that Sterling is not only a racist, but is actually gay, and she was paid to act as his "beard."

Sterling's wife, Shelly, filed a lawsuit against Stiviano depicting her as a money-grubbing femme fatale who convinced the former Clippers owner into giving her a Ferrari, hundreds of thousands in cash and a $1.8 million house in LA.

Stiviano denied the allegations and answered in court documents saying that Donald Sterling was gay.

Via the NY Daily News:

“V.S. was D.T.S’s beard for three years prior to the filing of suit,” the answer claimed. “V.S. is informed and believes that (Sterling) is a homosexual and enjoys sexual acts and or sexual congress with males.”

The answer said that Shelly Sterling was “acutely aware of his orientation and condoned” his behavior, including his decision to give “gifts, money and other properties” to Stiviano for her public companionship.

“Such gifts" were lavished “in the capacity” of Stiviano being “D.T.S. and Shelly’s beard,” the answer said.

Pastor Larry Tomczak: Men are "effeminate" as punishment for being gay

According to conservative Tennessee pastor and media pundit Pastor Larry Tomzcak, gay men are "effeminate" because God.

Or something.

Not sure what that means for bears or the leather community, but, whatever...

Transcript:

"I have watched people go into a lifestyle, and all of a sudden they become...a man starts to become very effeminate -- mannerisms, speech. I’ve seen the reverse, I’ve seen the same thing with women start becoming mannish. What’s going on? They’re taking in their bodies a penalty for deviating from God’s loving design and plan."

(via JMG)

Sunday Brunch Rules: Don't be late, you can be 'brunchplaced'

There are rules for Sunday Brunch.

In episode 1 of the new web series Day Drunk Gays, Bryce loses it when his tardiness results in being 'brunchplaced' by claude at the table.

Chicago: Researchers find further evidence that male sexuality influenced by genes

A new study by researchers in Chicago, Illinois, has found new evidence that male sexuality is influenced by genes.

From The Guardian:

Scientists tested the DNA of 400 gay men and found that genes on at least two chromosomes affected whether a man was gay or straight.

A region of the X chromosome called Xq28 had some impact on men's sexual behaviour – though scientists have no idea which of the many genes in the region are involved, nor how many lie elsewhere in the genome.

Another stretch of DNA on chromosome 8 also played a role in male sexual orientation – though again the precise mechanism is unclear.

Researchers have speculated in the past that genes linked to homosexuality in men may have survived evolution because they happened to make women who carried them more fertile. This may be the case for genes in the Xq28 region, as the X chromosome is passed down to men exclusively from their mothers.

Michael Bailey, a psychologist at Northwestern University in Illinois, set out the findings at a discussion event held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Chicago on Thursday. "The study shows that there are genes involved in male sexual orientation," he said.

The work has yet to be published, but confirms the findings of a smaller study that sparked widespread controversy in 1993, when Dean Hamer, a scientist at the US National Cancer Institute, investigated the family histories of more than 100 gay men and found homosexuality tended to be inherited.

Conan: Russia's super-gay Olympic sports

Getting ready for the upcoming Sochi Olympics, Conan translates the names of Olympic sports from Russian to English.

Kinda sorta...