Gilbert Baker, Creator of the Rainbow Flag, Is Dead at 65

With blogger Andy Towle and Gilbert Baker

Sad to read about the passing of Gilbert Baker, artist, civil-rights activist and creator of the Rainbow Flag. He was recognized by the Museum of Modern Art last year for his iconic contribution to the LGBT movement, which he designed for the 1978 San Francisco Pride Festival and will live on forever. 

Activist Cleve Jones writes:

Feel fortunate to have made your acquaintance. RIP.

Fun Couples: John Cena and Hugh Jackman

How about a pay-per-view roll in the sack?

REBAR to Open in Former Home of G Lounge in Chelsea

Excited to hear that a team of guys that includes Facundo Rodriguez will be opening a new night spot called REBAR in the space G Lounge occupied for 20 years on 19th Street in Chelsea. Scheduled to open in April, the hunky Argentinian tells Get Out! magazine this about the new watering hole:

We’re recreating the neighborhood bar where the focus is on personal interaction. We’re taking away all the distractions: no TVs, no shows, no go-gos and focusing on our staff as the entertainment. They are all eclectic, something sexy for everyone. They all have great personalities and they are all expert bartenders who will serve up delicious drinks from our specialty menu. You’ll want to come visit on a daily basis. We think it will be a welcomed change in the neighborhood.

Personal interaction with the staff? Now you've got my interest!

Meet the staff -- like hunky Jon -- HERE.

Construction time again.

White House Gave Information to House Intelligence Committee Chairman

As suspected all along, House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes is a puppet working for the White House, not someone interested in finding out exactly what went on when Russia interfered with the 2016 presidential election. Heartened to hear that the Senate investigation is on track, with both leaders promising to get to the bottom of this unprecedented situation. But how can anyone sit back while this hack is still in a position of authority? 

On the Rag, Vol. 451

A weekly look at what's making news in the gay mags:

Get Out!: Argentinian hunk turned bar owner Facundo out front.

Metro Weekly (D.C.): Chef Jamie Leeds has grown a single restaurant into a veritable empire, one oyster at a time. 

DNA (Australia): Take a daddies' adventure to a nude beach.

Winq (U.K.): Premier League manager Eddie Howe: ‘I wouldn’t hesitate to sign a gay footballer’

Têtu (France): Hiding homophobia on the road: strange advice from Russia

Out in Jersey: “Throuple” is as beautiful as the Hawaiian scenery

Passport: Broadway's leading men -- behind the scenes

Q Salt Lake: Bill removing homosexuality as taboo school subject passes Utah House 

Lavender (Twin Cities): Will you marry me?

MetroSource (N.Y.): Fans and Fantasy Converge at the NYC Queer Comic Fair 

Attractive Men: Are long hairstyles for men back? 

GT (U.K.): "Broadchurch" hunk Chris Mason strips off for gay football film 

QX (London): The music issue is out now!

The Gay U.K.: So what’s it actually like to work out naked in a room full of other naked guys?

HIV Plus: A different kind of "Valley of the Dolls"?

Outlook Ohio: Gym Shorts for Free Balling Crotch Crusaders

Forever Youngquest

When a gay fan met the object of his erection. Read HERE.

Song of the Day: 'I Wanna Be Adored' by the Stone Roses

A Manchester-native colleague had to take a time out at work yesterday after getting into a scuffle with some millennials about the importance of the Stone Roses. (I abstained.) 

Morning Wood

Page 1 Roundup (03/31)

The New York Post: The more Trump declares war on the so-called Freedom Caucus, the more my insides tingle.

The Daily News: Devin Nunes is more of an Agent 99 where IQs are concerned

The New York Times: 2 White House Officials Helped Give Nunes Intelligence Reports 

The Wall Street Journal: Millennial Entrepreneurs Think Americans Should Eat Bugs 

ACES Education Fund Announces Details About Bill Walsh Scholarship

Donate HERE.

At the ACES conference last week, Henry Fuhrmann, president of the organization’s Education Fund, said the scholarship will recognize “a student who demonstrates the talent and passion for language that Bill devoted his life to and who aspires to pursue the craft of editing the news.” 

Read the announcement about the scholarship being set up in memory of my brother Bill HERE.

Le Deuxième 'Sex'

I always wondered why "Sex and the City" kept the same opening-credit sequence all those years. I'm guessing it was the (low) budget, although now we can finally see what the alternative would have been.

Darren Starr recalls the fight over which sequence to use HERE.

Mug Shot Thursday

He's just been sentenced to five years in the slammer for the death of his wife, who perished while the two were having sex while he was driving them home from a concert. But I think this Florida man deserves some credit for not losing control while receiving oral sex, as I had assumed. He was trying to give her pleasure too -- she was sitting on his lap -- when the accident occurred. 

ACLU and Lambda Legal Condemn ‘Fake’ Repeal of HB 2

Some are calling this bathroom bill compromise the transgender "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." I can't believe that we're still going through this in 2017, even when we hold all the financial cards thanks to sports organizations who have chosen to be on the right side of history.

From the ACLU:

The North Carolina General Assembly today passed a bill that does not repeal the discriminatory HB 2 law. Instead, it keeps in place the most harmful parts of the law.

The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina is delivering a letter to Gov. Roy Cooper urging him to veto the measure — although Cooper has voiced his support for the proposal and is expected to sign it into law.

The new bill bars any protections for transgender people using restrooms or other facilities in schools or other state or local government buildings. This means schools, court houses, city halls, government agencies, and more cannot allow transgender people to use the right restroom.

It also prevents cities from passing any protections for employment discrimination or discrimination by places of public accommodation — for LGBT people or anyone — until 2020.

“This is not a repeal of HB 2. Instead, they’re reinforcing the worst aspects of the law,” said James Esseks, director of the ACLU LGBT Project. “North Carolina lawmakers should be ashamed of this backroom deal that continues to play politics with the lives of LGBT North Carolinians.”

The ACLU, ACLU of North Carolina, and Lambda Legal have worked on a challenge to HB 2 in federal court over the last year on behalf of four LGBT North Carolinians and members of the ACLU of North Carolina. The law, which was introduced and signed into law in just 12 hours and without public input and has faced widespread opposition from the general public, banned many transgender people from restrooms and other public facilities matching their gender and prohibits local municipalities from extending nondiscrimination protections to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

“Lawmakers replaced a bad bill with another bad bill. This fake repeal is an attempt to silence LGBT people,” said Simone Bell, southern regional director at Lambda Legal. “It is shameful to stamp a start date on equality. We demand a full, clean repeal, and that includes comprehensive non-discrimination protections. Do not leave our community unprotected in the name of ‘compromise.’ We urge the governor to veto this bill and we encourage the NCAA to stay on the right side on history.”

Sarah Gillooly, policy director of the ACLU of North Carolina, said, “The governor and General Assembly may be turning their backs on LGBT North Carolinians today, but we are not. We will continue to fight in court for transgender people to access the restrooms that correspond to their gender identity and for equal protection for the entire LGBT community in North Carolina.”

Meet the Hottest Chorus Boys of 2017

See all 10 singular sensations HERE.

Washington Competing With Two Cities to Host 2022 Gay Games

The Washington Blade takes a look at LGBT rights in two cities competing with D.C. to host the Gay Games HERE.

Reality Check for The Abbey

After making a sexy cameo all those years ago on "The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency," legendary WeHo gay bar/restaurant The Abbey is stepping into the reality-television spotlight! Watch the trailer HERE.

Song of the Day: 'Some Kind of Wonderful' by Soul Brothers Six

What's your favorite version of this classic from 1967?

P.S.



A pre-fame Paul Young did a nice blue-eyed soul version with the Q-Tips.

Morning Wood

Page 1 Roundup (03/30)

The New York Post: De Blasio wants to employ every inmate who served time in jail

The Daily News: De Blasio’s legal defense fund-raising suffers blow as city board rules each donation cannot exceed $50 

The New York Times: U.S. War Footprint Grows in Middle East, With No Endgame in Sight 

The Wall Street Journal: The Sky Is Orange! How NASA Artists Draw Planets No One Can See

What Horrible Things Is Donald Trump Doing to LGBT Americans Now?

I'm glad you asked ...

Towleroad: Donald Trump signs executive order giving federal contractors license to discriminate against LGBT workers. 

Boy Culture: Trump omits LGBTQ Americans from 2020 Census. 

Think Progress: Trump appoints leading opponent of LGBT civil rights to lead civil rights office.

NewNowNext: Donald Trump giving commencement speech at university that bans LGBT students. 

Slate: Trump’s pick for Air Force secretary is an anti-LGBTQ hypocrite. 

Reuters: Donald Trump sent an anti-LGBT hate group as delegation to key U.N. meetings. 

The Advocate: Who would go after LGBT elders? The Trump administration. 

CBS SF Bay Area: Trump wants to cut $350 million in HIV/AIDS funding.

Towleroad:  Trump's pick for Army secretary is main sponsor of anti-LGBT legislation in Tennessee. 

But at least he's better for LGBT Americans than Hillary Clinton would have been, which I guess must have meant she was going to round us up into concentration camps and kill us..