HIV Prevention Ads Removed in Australia

***Update: Photo of advertisement***

HIV campaigners are outraged a safe sex promotion featuring a fully clothed, hugging gay couple has been pulled from Queensland bus shelters.

The Queensland Association for Healthy Communities launched its “Rip and Roll” advertisements a week ago and today learned they were being scrapped after about 30 complaints.

The adverts feature a black and white image of a gay couple embracing, holding an unopened red condom packet.

Read the rest of the story via THE HERALD SUN

President Obama Acknowledges LGBT People as One Whole Month Pride Worthy

Obama pats himself on the back and lists his accomplishments he has made for the LGBT community since he took over the world; Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act, legislation toward repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, and implementing executive branch nondiscrimination policies. He also preps us for the work he we’ll be tackling in the future including work to combat bullying, and fight AIDS. So, I’m about to get all legal talk on you. Read the history making words below.

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

Forty years ago, patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn in New York City resisted police harassment that had become all too common for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Out of this resistance, the LGBT rights movement in America was born. During LGBT Pride Month, we commemorate the events of June 1969 and commit to achieving equal justice under law for LGBT Americans.

LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society. There are many well-respected LGBT leaders in all professional fields, including the arts and business communities. LGBT Americans also mobilized the Nation to respond to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic and have played a vital role in broadening this country’s response to the HIV pandemic.

Due in no small part to the determination and dedication of the LGBT rights movement, more LGBT Americans are living their lives openly today than ever before. I am proud to be the first President to appoint openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an Administration. These individuals embody the best qualities we seek in public servants, and across my Administration — in both the White House and the Federal agencies — openly LGBT employees are doing their jobs with distinction and professionalism.

The LGBT rights movement has achieved great progress, but there is more work to be done. LGBT youth should feel safe to learn without the fear of harassment, and LGBT families and seniors should be allowed to live their lives with dignity and respect.

My Administration has partnered with the LGBT community to advance a wide range of initiatives. At the international level, I have joined efforts at the United Nations to decriminalize homosexuality around the world. Here at home, I continue to support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans. These measures include enhancing hate crimes laws, supporting civil unions and Federal rights for LGBT couples, outlawing discrimination in the workplace, ensuring adoption rights, and ending the existing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in a way that strengthens our Armed Forces and our national security. We must also commit ourselves to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic by both reducing the number of HIV infections and providing care and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS across the United States.

These issues affect not only the LGBT community, but also our entire Nation. As long as the promise of equality for all remains unfulfilled, all Americans are affected. If we can work together to advance the principles upon which our Nation was founded, every American will benefit. During LGBT Pride Month, I call upon the LGBT community, the Congress, and the American people to work together to promote equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2009 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to turn back discrimination and prejudice everywhere it exists.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

BARACK OBAMA

MSNBC – Ben Cohen Quits Rugby To Combat Homophobia | Video

Thomas Roberts talks with U.K. rugby star Ben Cohen who is touting his “Standup Foundation” on U.S. “Acceptance Tour”. Ben not only talks about how he got involved with his acceptance tour called Stand Up but also shares personal story about how his father was murdered while trying to protect someone at a night club that had owned and how that is still mentally scarring. All hail ben Cohen!

Hair Ball of the Day: James of Oakland, 4 Pics Worthy

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesofoakland/

Handpicked News: KKK vs Westboro Baptist Church, JUSTIN BOND, Nazi Tattoo, ‘Simpsons’ Quiz

⊕Straight Couple Charged in Attack on Gay Couple

⊕Sesame Street Part of Liberal Agenda?

⊕NATURALLY BOLD: JUSTIN BOND

⊕4,000 Rally At Hands Across Hawthorne Bridge

⊕The American Dream: Now More Worthless Than Ever

⊕Austrian Politician, Resigns Over Nazi ‘Blood And Honor’ Tattoo

⊕The Hardest ‘Simpsons’ Quiz Of All Time

VIDEO: ‘FIGHT CLUB’ TRAILER SPOOF – ‘CUDDLE CLUB’

Dead on!

Video: Kindergarten Teacher Leads Children in Song During Shootout in Mexico| HERO

I got three words to say; calm, cool and collected. In the same situation how many of you would be able to keep it together, and comfort those around while dodging gun fire. One more word, HERO.

via latimesblogs.latimes.com

In the video, the frightened but determined voice of a schoolteacher is heard as she attempts to maintain calm among a group of kindergartners lying on the floor before her, asking them to join her in a singalong as gunfire shatters the air outside.

The teacher refers to the children as “my love,” “precious” and “little ones” during the stirring clip filmed last week in the city of Monterrey, in northern Mexico. It’s gone viral, igniting once more a public debate over the government’s campaign against drug gangs and earning accolades for maestra Martha Rivera Alanis, reports the Associated Press. READ MORE

AIDS Claimed Celebrity Victims, but Stars Fight Back

It is just fact, the voice of a well know celebrity will always be louder than mine even if I were to climb to highest bridge in San Francisco and scream my loudest. I mean, I do have like at least 2 fans, but lets lean on the celebrities and ride their coat tails where the cameras and media follow. But, I will keep screaming from the tallest bridges to do my part, because every little but helps. AB
———————————————-

LOS ANGELES — AIDS claimed a string of celebrity victims in its early days, from Rock Hudson to Freddie Mercury, but fellow stars have played a major role in fighting the killer disease over the years since.

Elton John and Elizabeth Taylor were among leading figures who used their celebrity from the start to raise awareness and funds for research into HIV, as well as reducing the stigma of what was initially seen as a “gay plague.”

Retired basketball player Magic Johnson has campaigned tirelessly since announcing in 1991 that he had contracted HIV, while pop icon Michael Jackson, a friend of Taylor’s, was also a strong supporter before his death in 2009.

John’s “White Tie and Tiara Ball” has become an annual star-studded fixture organized with his partner David Furnish since 1999 to raise funds for his Elton Joects in 55 countries since it was founded in 1992.

Night Volunteer Patrols a Welcome Sight for LGBT Couples in Portland, OR

All for one and one for all.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Many feel the timing is right for volunteer patrols to help protect people from hate crimes.

The patrols have started up after the attack of a gay couple just over a week ago.

Brad Forkner, 23, and Christopher Rosevear, 25, were attacked by three of five men who followed them over the Hawthorne Bridge eight days ago. The reason for the assault seems to be that the pair were holding hands. Now it seems holding hands — if you are gay or lesbian — is not always accepted on city streets.

Angela Biggs and her girlfriend were holding hands Sunday in Portland. They’re concerned that violence could reach them for just being who they are. They welcome patrols to prevent that kind of trouble.

“I don’t want to walk around Portland and not hold her hand, OK?” Angela said. “This is Portland and I’m allowed to do that. Let’s keep it up, can we please because then I feel a lot more comfortable walking around with my girlfriend. Although, I gotta say I’m not a guy, so we don’t get that sterotype, that stigma that a lot of the guys get.” READ MORE @ southeastportland.katu.com

HIV Ads Pulled from Brisbane Bus Shelters, “Rip and Roll”

(Beats chest), Brisbane says HIV prevention ADs bad. HIV campaigners are outraged a safe sex promotion featuring a fully clothed, hugging gay couple has been pulled from Queensland bus shelter. Anyway, it’s not sex if you have your clothes on, it’s dry humping. AB

via www.heraldsun.com.au

No actual ad

The Queensland Association for Healthy Communities launched its “Rip and Roll” advertisements a week ago and today learned they were being scrapped after about 30 complaints.

The adverts feature a black and white image of a gay couple embracing, holding an unopened red condom packet.

It includes the website address and hotline for Healthy Communities, which has been receiving state government funding for sexual health promotion since 1988. READ MORE

Our Legacy Spring/Summer 2011 Campaign

An energetic shoot of a man-gone-wild on the streets, stopping buses and running shirtless in the street, clothed with armor; every day wear Legacy, sturdy and comfortable.

World, Meet “Ginger” Logan Lynn (Musician)

Logan Lynn by Carey Haider

Logan Dennis Lynn (born October 15, 1979) is an American songwriter, composer and singer from Portland, Oregon.
Lynn is most commonly classified as an artist in the pop, electronic, techno and dance genres and has released four studio albums, one mixtape and five EP’s. Videos of Lynn’s singles have been featured on Logo, MTV, VH1 and Spike.

If the Land of Misfit Toys elected a team of cultural ambassadors, Logan Lynn would be its poet laureate. In Portland’s pulsating music scene, he occupies a singular position- an emo prophet with a penchant for electronic beats, preaching the Good Word to drug-damaged crybabies.

loganlynnmusic.com
Logan on Facebook

Esquire’s “Eat Like a Man” Book Out Now

What does it actually mean to eat like man. Chew loud and aggressively? Eat like a pig? Eat a pig? We could tear this title apart and psycho-analyze it like no other, but I’m not in the mood. I like to take things for face value at times, like food with smart and creative recipes. Esquire’s food writers usually do a fine job keeping thing simple, for the simple man to follow. With 6 billion cooking shows on TV these days, it has become okay for men to get “frilly” in the kitchen and use words that are more than one syllable without feeling emasculated. Thank god (Satan, Buddha, Allah or whom ever).

Eat Like a Man: The Only Cookbook a Man Will Ever Need [Hardcover]

Horses and Their Herpes Saga; Show Ticket Sales Falter

An outbreak of a potentially deadly equine herpes virus that has affected 18 horses in California has kept ticket sales for the Memorial Day Classic, a weeklong riding show at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, at about half of what they should be, according to a spokeswoman for the event. READ MORE

Woman Gives Penis to Police As Evidence of Attack

In Bangladesh, a Weinergate very different from the one preoccupying America’s Twitternet has emerged. There, a woman cut off her neighbor’s penis after he allegedly broke into her house and tried to rape her.

READ STORY