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Last night we have been catching up with last week's Flashforward and also saw new NBC series Trauma. In both episodes characters came out of the closet ...
In Flashforward, in an episode tittled 'Give Me Some Truth'. You may remember what the imprisoned Nazi told her about the ring on her thumb. So yes Janis Hawk [above played by Christine Woods] FBI agent Janice came out of the closet, to the audience, not in the show yet with a very hot chef named Maya [Navi Rawat below].
In Trauma the outing of Tyler Briggs [Kevin Rankin above] was more emotional because he came out to his very religious paramedic partner Cameron Boone [Derek Luke]. Watch the video AFTER THE JUMP.
Today our governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has surprised many people by reversing himself on several pieces of legislation and signing bills similar to ones he had previously vetoed. Among those bills:
A measure aimed at reining in the paparazzi by making it a crime, punishable by a fine of up to $50,000, for a person to take and sell unauthorized photos of celebrities and others or their children in "personal or familial activity". The amendment permits lawsuits against media outlets that pay for and make first use of material they knew was improperly obtained. This amendment takes effect in January.
Which means that every celebrity shot we are going to see next year will either be staged or green-lighted by the 'celebrities' ... which means even more D-Listed faces that nobody [should] care about such as Jon Gosselin which is prety much what we already are use to see today.
But also the Milk bill, designating May 22 as "Harvey Milk Day" in California, encouraging schools to consider commemorating his life and the SB 54 bill which recognizes same-sex marriages performed in other states before California's November 2008 ban on gay marriage.
Sunday September,20 2009, was supposed to be day of the 2nd Gay Pride in Belgrade Serbia (with a great video ads proclaiming that "we should be proud of love"), but unfortunately police has declared 48 hours before the even that they are not able to protect minorities that were supposed to walk the streets. Knowing how badly the first tentative has ended those organizing the event have decided to cancel the parade.
The planned itinerary of canceled Gay Pride Parade
Even tho since I have left my natal country, Serbia has slightly evolved in past 12 years in terms of homophobia, by voting to protect the rights of the minorities (gays included), little has in every day life and gay rights.
As it happened before in many countries around the world celebrities artists and some brave politicians are for the equal rights but a majority of population still believes that being gay is agains nature, but abusing alcohol, taking drugs, carrying guns and shooting people around you, etc... are sadly acceptable (sounds familiar?). So like in every country where those that are religious have all the rights (including the right to discriminate agains others) it is very hard to spread the belief that equality is the only fair thing.
Before the decision of the cancelation of Gay Pride in Belgrade was taken police was planning to deploy 5,000 policemen to protect 500 protesters (estimated by organizers). Some of the prominent figures of Serbian music scene are agains any gay rights and visibility and have publicly suggested that they would physically fight anyone who would participate in such an event.
Those and many other treats from the extremist groups were the reason that one more time Gays in serbia will not be able to demand their right and publicly show their need for equality. But there was no problem organizing Family Pride that was a way of orthodox christian demonstrating that family values are the only values acceptable in Serbia.
"We are expecting you" extremist organization treats
I use this occasion to thank those very few brave ones that are ready to rase their voice for equality and with their celebrity status they might be heard one day: Mirjana Karanović, Bebi Dol, Milutin Petrović, Kebra, Nikola Đuričko (who participated in this TV campaign as shown above), and many more artists like Mira Skoric... THANK YOU
I must say that there is a positive thing coming out of this, and that is that the government is realizing that they need to act on their lever and they have promised that from this coming monday they will be in discussion with LGBT organizations trying to find the way for LGBT community to be protected and eventually get at least some recognition and elementary rights.
Diego one of our readers from Rio de Janeiro has pointed our attention to an interesting event that you may wanna go if you are in Rio right now.
21 short animated movies are actually competing in Rio de Janeiro at the Mostra International of LGBT animated short films!
It started yesterday and will take place for the next two Tuesdays. Granny Queer from [Australia] A descoberta de luke [Brazil] Pleine Lune Chez Les Geishattes [France] For more information on location and movies visit Mostra International
Don't tell Brad Pitt who or how to love. In the latest issue of Parade magazine Brad Pitt has once again defended his and partner Angelina Jolie’s decision not to get married, despite their family [source]
“I have love in my life, a soul mate absolutely. When someone asked me why Angie and I don’t get married, I replied, ‘Maybe we’ll get married when it’s legal for everyone else.’ I stand by that, although I took a lot of flak for saying it hate mail from religious groups.”
“I believe everyone should have the same rights. They say gay marriage ruins families and hurts kids. Well, I’ve had the privilege of seeing my gay friends being parents and watching their kids grow up in a loving environment. I resent people telling others how to live! It drives me mental! Just the other night, I heard this TV reverend say that Angie and I were setting a bad example because we were living out of wedlock, and people should not be duped by us. It made me laugh. What damn right does anyone have to tell someone else how to live if they’re not hurting anyone? How many times do you think real love comes to someone in a lifetime? If you’re lucky, maybe two or three.”
I have to say that having someone standing up for gay rights when some gay don't even bother for personal interest is just amazing and show how incredible people and human beings Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are.
You can read the full interview online at Parade.com
Which leads us to another pretty amazing and positive news. The American Psychological Association concluded today that there is little evidence that efforts to change a person's sexual orientation from gay or lesbian to heterosexual are effective [source] In addition, the 138-page report -- covering 87 peer-reviewed studies -- said that such efforts may cause harm.
Contrary to claims of sexual orientation change advocates and practitioners, there is insufficient evidence to support the use of psychological interventions to change sexual orientation," said Judith M. Glassgold, chairwoman of the task force that presented the report at the group's annual meeting in Toronto, Canada. The Washington-based association represents more than 150,000 members.
"At most, certain studies suggested that some individuals learned how to ignore or not act on their homosexual attractions. Yet, these studies did not indicate for whom this was possible, how long it lasted or its long-term mental health effects. Also, this result was much less likely to be true for people who started out only attracted to people of the same sex."
3 people have been killed and at least 11 wounded in a rare attack at Café Noir a gay community center for teens in Israel. It provided an environment for interaction, and many did not make their sexual orientation public knowledge outside of that circle of friends.
According to witnesses, the unidentified gunman, wearing a mask, stormed into the club and began shooting in all directions. Then he fled. Hundreds of Israeli police have launched a manhunt for the assailant.
"A young man and a young woman were killed on the spot and the third victim died in hospital, the authorities said, and one of those who were wounded was in serious condition. The gunman, who was dressed in black, unloaded an automatic weapon as he fired on the group of young gay men and lesbians near the entrance of the center, witnesses said, and he then ran away. No one had been arrested by early Sunday. The Tel Aviv police chief, Shahar Ayalon, ordered the closing of a nearby gay bar in the city and urged such establishments to remain vigilant. Leaders of the gay community said they believed that the shooting was a homophobic attack."
After the shooting a rally-parade took place in the streets of Tel Aviv. Eyal one of our readers from israel sent us some photos. Today hundreds of Israelis have joined a rallies organised by the gay community in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and Beer Sheva.
Gay rights activist Mike Hamel criticised religiously-driven hatred of homosexuals.
"Beyond the pain, the frustration and the anger, we are facing a situation in which the incitement to hate creates an environment that allows this to happen," he said.
Until last night Alek and I did not get the chance to see Prayers for Bobby when it aired on Lifetime back in January. This movie based on a true story features an incredible Sigourney Weaver as Mary Griffith.
Mary Griffith is a devout Christian who raises her children with the conservative teachings of the Presbyterian Church. When her son Bobby confides to his older brother he may be gay, life changes for the entire family. Mary believes that God can cure him of what she considers his "sin" and desperately tries to rid him of his homosexuality which leads to Bobby jumping off a freeway bridge into the path of an oncoming eighteen-wheeler truck killing him instantly.
This is the story of a young gay man gone too soon and the journey of a mother questioning herself and her church's interpretation of Scripture.
On the picture above the real Bobby with his mum and below Ryan Kelley in the role of Bobby.
This is such a powerful movie. It echoed so many things of my personal life. Not that my parents were religious but it's about acceptance and love, which is something we're all looking for no matter what our background is. Bobby is so many of us, Bobby could have been me when I questioned myself, Bobby could be any kid whose self-esteem is crashed to the ground.
I do rarely share what is personal to us on OhLaLa, but we do receive a lot of letters from gay kids from all over the world thanking us for doing what we do, which at first surprised me, but I realized that it is not about what we post on this site but more about who we are as two men loving eachother and being able to live the life we wanted.
Sometimes I take things for granted, but I remember when I was a kid in my bedroom not knowing what my life will be, not knowing if someone out there will ever be able to love me ... I would have loved at that time to see the things kids can see today. But I was strong like so many of us and just knew deep in me that I was going to be OK.
Sometimes in life we feel connected to people we never have met, and after watching this movie I felt like Bobby is a part of my life. The final scene of the film features the song "Here I Am", by Leona Lewis, which did not help my sobbing.
There will be a screening of Prayers for Bobby at the Outfest Festival here in Los Angeles on July 19th. You can get more information and book your ticket HERE. Panelists will include executive producers Daniel Sladek, David Permut and Chris Taaffe, screenwriter Katie Ford, Ryan Kelley ('Bobby'), Scott Bailey ('David') and PFLAG National Executive Director Jody Huckaby.
You can watch the trailer below. And for those who haven't seen this movie and will not be in Los Angeles on July 19th, you can watch the movie in the second part of the post, it is divided in 9 youtube videos. Not the best way to experience it but better than nothing.
I still have an hard time knowing that being who I am will make me a criminal in some countries.
But today our friends from India can celebrate since a court in the Indian capital, Delhi, has ruled that homosexual intercourse between consenting adults is not a criminal act [source]
The ruling overturns a 148-year-old colonial law which describes a same-sex relationship as an "unnatural offence". Homosexual acts were punishable by a 10-year prison sentence.
Delhi's High Court ruled that the law outlawing homosexual acts was discriminatory and a "violation of fundamental rights". The court said that a statute in Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which defines homosexual acts as "carnal intercourse against the order of nature" and made them illegal, was an "antithesis of the right to equality".
After reading the blog for many years, most of you must know us by now and we rarely tell you what to do (mostly because I don't like people to tell me what I should do ;-) But if you are in Los Angeles or will be in Los Angeles in the next 4 weeks you have to go and see the play He asked for it.
I really do not want to spoil anything here for those of you who will be going to see this play beautifully written by Erik Patterson, but let me tell you that not only Alek and I loved it but we will go back to see it one more time before it ends on July 19th 2009.
There are so many things you will love about this amazing play. Yes, the story is heartbreaking but we guarantee you will laugh and be moved by every single character. The actors are not only talented but extremely hunky too, and you should know that they do perform in their underwear, change on stage ... No I am not ashamed to play that card on you guys so you go and see this play.
It's about love, it's about HIV, it's about life, it's about hooking up, internet chatting, sex ... and boy they even do it on stage (OK they act it really well) but you will laugh so much in this scene between Neal and Rigby.
He asked for it
Macha Theather
1107 N. Kings Road, West Hollywood
RUNNING JUNE 12 – JULY 19
Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 7pm
For reservations, call: 323 375 2400
Tickets can be purchased online at Brown Paper Tickets
Today we have some photos from Toronto's Gay Pride sent to us by Tom Davis. It seems that it has became an habit for Toronto's firemen to hose each-other ... In the gallery below more photos. Thanx Tom!
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