SOUTHERN WITH A GAY TWIST
09.09.16 V7-18
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FENUXE
09.09.2016
Contents
By: Danny Griffin PG 28
CALENDAR: 8 GREAT
06 THINGS TO DO 08 20 22 23 30 36 38
OUT & ABOUT PHOTOS FASHION ADD + VICE PRINCE CHARMING
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Friday, September 9-25 Drawing inspiration from German Expressionist cinema of the 1920s along with contemporary struggles for social and economic equality, 7 Stages Theatre opens its 38th season with Bertolt Brecht’s“The Threepenny Opera.” Live musicians and Atlanta’s best actors perform powerful songs of revolution in this raw musical about power, sex, and the evil things one must do 7stages.org
SEPT 13
BOOKS
AVIE’S DREAMS
Tuesday, September 13 Join Charis in celebrating the release of Atlanta writer Makeda Lewis’ “Avie’s Dreams.” Part activity book, part surrealist poem, “Avie’s Dream” takes an interactive and wildly introspective approach to afro-feminist self-discovery and girlhood. Avie firmly establishes her authorial roles – and infuses Greek lore, Renaissance scripts and Hollywood blockbusters with images of afro-centricity and queer identity. 7:30 – 9 p.m. 06: September 09, 2016
PRIDE FAMILY WEEKEND
Friday, September 9-11 Looking to take your Family Weekend in Atlanta is an event for parents who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer, their children, extended families, prospective families and friends. The weekend is full of family actvities, programming and community building. For more information and times visit: www.familyequality.org/ get_involved/events/southern_ events/family_weekend_in_ atlanta COMMUNITY
PALS BINGO: ABBA Friday, September 14 Get your ABBA on for Disco Bingo tonight, presented by PALS Atlanta. The emcees are Bubba D. Licious, Edie Cheezburger, and Jaye Lish, with special guest Erica Lee. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the program begins at 7:30 p.m., Jungle Club, www. palsatlanta.org
SEPT 10
21ST CENTURY SLAVERY
Saturday, September 10 Women’s Caucus for Art of Georgia (WCAGA) Human Trafficking initiative is sponsoring an art exhibition by 50 plus artists standing for an end to modern day slavery. The exhibition runs from September 10 - October 2, 2016 a the Mammal Gallery, 91 Broad St. SW, Atlanta, GA 30303. Opening Reception and Sidewalk Performance.
FUN
LATERN PARADE
Saturday, September 10 Tonight is the Atlanta Beltline Lantern Parade. Make your masterpiece lantern at home or take a workshop. The parade line-up will begin at 7:15 p.m. on Irwin Avenue at the start of the Eastside Trail and will step off at 8:15 p.m. and finish in Piedmont Park at Park Tavern. The Lantern Parade kicks off the season of Art on the Atlanta BeltLine, the largest public art exhibit in the southeast.
FUN CHARITY
BLUE MORPHO BUTTERFLY MONTH
Saturday, September 15 What a glorious time to visit the Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center to enjoy the abundance of Blue Morpho butterflies, one of the largest butterflies to see. Included with admission to Callaway Gardens. www.callawaygardens.com 800-CALLAWAY
FUN SEPT 15
THE THREEPENNY OPERA
ART SEPT 10
SEPT 9
PRIDE
SEPT 14
SEPT 9
THEATER
SEPT 15 05.03.15
CALENDAR
NOT BY SIGHT
Saturday, September 15 Sampson McCormick, an African-American comedian, author, and GLBTQ activist, screens his film “Not By Sight” tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Regal Atlantic Station Stadium 16. It’s a comedy-documentary that features McCormick as he explores the state of black culture, black socioeconomics, and most importantly, the role and wrath of the black church. www.tugg.com/events/not-bysight-kgek
OUT & ABOUT
08: September 09, 2016
PHOTOS
HILLARY CLINTON FOR AMERICA FUNDRAISER PHOTOS BY: SHER PRUITT
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OUT & ABOUT
10: September 09, 2016
PHOTOS
POOL PARTY FOR JERUSALEM HOUSE PHOTOS BY: SHER PRUITT
2016 National Tour Cast of Roundabout Theatre Company’s CABARET. Photos by Joan Marcus.
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OUT & ABOUT
12: September 09, 2016
PHOTOS
LIVING ROOM FUNDRAISER @ THE MARY GAY HOUSE PHOTOS BY: SHER PRUITT
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OUT & ABOUT
14: September 09, 2016
PHOTOS
THE ARMORETTES @ THE HERETIC PHOTOS BY: ANDREA DWYER
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OUT & ABOUT
16: September 09, 2016
PHOTOS
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OUT & ABOUT
18: September 09, 2016
PHOTOS
THE BALL @ THE HERETIC PHOTOS BY: SHER PRUITT
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SPOTLIGHT
BY JAMIE BOOTH
Fashion Add+Vice Megan Vice Sparkles in S “ pread The News”
RIGHT: MEGAN VICE
Growing up in nineties New York, Megan Vice would often sing along with her favorite artists on the radio. Artists like Michael Jackson, Prince, Whitney Houston and her personal favorite, Taylor Dayne. It’s probably why her sound often draws comparisons to the 90’s R&B greats, but in “Spread The News”, her latest ep, Vice is proving her tongue-in-cheek lyrical style and musical prowess are distinctly her own. The first singles, out now, are “All of the Time” and “No Good For Nothing”. In ‘All of the Time’, she sings about being into someone and owning the attraction with every fiber of her being. In “No Good For Nothing”, she sings about turning the tables on men who string along the ladies they date. “No Good” first appeared on Megan’s debut ep but rapper Fake Money managed to completely rebirth the fan favorite into a disco-infused retro track, giving it an entirely fresh new feel that Vice knew her fans had to hear. What inspires your look? Fashion as a whole inspires me. My look is everchanging, literally every day is a new look. Describe your wardrobe. I love all things sequins and color and metallic, but I’m from New York so I also tend to fall into wearing all black all year-round. I love leather, high-waisted jeans, 60’s mod, 70’s disco, 80’s glam, 90’s... I fuck with it all. Your music, too, spans all decades, going from disco to glam rock to 90’s R&B and 2000’s future pop. My songs are all created organically. Do you have a favorite? I think my favorite track is
“Like 2 Tell U” with French Horn Rebellion and Fake Money. “No Good For Nothing” is my favorite. It’s one of those tracks like you just can’t get it out of your head. It sounds like The Trammps “Disco Inferno”. Well, thank you! The version on the EP is a remix of”Step On The Scene” from my last EP. Fake Money did such an incredible job I had to include it in the new EP. Sam Lachow, or Fake Money as you call him, is one of the sexiest skinny boy white rappers around. Where did you find him? Five or six years ago I heard some really silly, shittyquality garage band track he was rapping on as a joke and I was like, who is this? I had a strong feeling about him and what he would go on to create, so, being the creep that I am, I added him on Facebook and sent him a message. I’m pretty sure he ignored me but like six months later he posted a status that he was looking for a female rapper for a
track on his debut album, so I messaged him like “yoooooo I wanna get on that!”
change would help me to grow and become a better person, and I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life Was that on “Rude Pussy”? with the person, then sure! Yes, at the time I had no Relationships are mutual original music out, just a few understandings between acoustic covers on YouTube people. It’s about finding so I’m sure he was suspect. common ground where He wrote back, “You can try you can both experience but don’t be offended if I get happiness and comfort some actual hood chick to be and have the freedom and on it instead.” I recorded the confidence to be the most verse, sent it over for review honest version of yourselves and the rest is history. A few with each other. days later we met up to lay down a proper recording, Amen to that! kicked it for a while, realized I’m not perfect so I am always we have a shit ton of mutual willing to recognize my notfriends and we’ve been fam so-favorable personality ever since. Ahh, the glory of traits and attempt to work social media and me being a through them. stalker. What would you like people Is “No Good For Nothing” a to know about the real true story about a romance Megan Vice? you mishandled? (Laughing) I’m an overNo, its more a role reversal emotional psychopath. Just of my real personality. It’s kidding! But seriously… me toying with the fantasy of behaving selfishly and treating someone like they’re Visit Megan Vice online at disposable. www.megvice.com facebook.com/meganvicemusic Would you ever change your twitter.com/megvice ways for a guy? instagram.com/meganvice/ It depends. If making the FENUXE.COM : 21
ENTERTAINMENT
BY JACK RUSHALL
FINDING PRINCE CHARMING WHAT I DON’T WANT TO SEE ON THE 1ST GAY DATING SHOW
dating ring involves somebody preferring one or the other. Personally, I think it would be really satisfying to see some criticism on the supposed superiority felt by a more masculine presenting contestant, for example, perhaps even by Sepulveda himself. If Finding Prince Charming is the first Bachelor to be colorblind, it must avoid any masculineleaning supremacy as well. And I’m not saying that a feminine guy needs to win for me to consider this show a success. All I’m suggesting is that each guy is judged on his individual merits as opposed to whether or not he applies mascara before a dinner date.
efore I type anything else, let it be B said: A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila
was a thing back in 2007. However, that reality dating show centered on Tequila’s being a bisexual woman with both males and females vying for her affection and, in the end, she chose a male as the winner of the first season of the show – and then never spoke to him again. Additionally, in season 2, when Tila did select a woman, said female winner rejected her (e.g. an odorous publicity stunt at its worst). Finally, Tequila is also just sort of a horrible person, so let’s keep in mind that she is almost all that LGBTQ folk knew of our people openly searching for “love” on TV until now. Naturally, Finding Prince Charming, is a big deal; it has all of the trappings of a successful heterosexual dating show. Charming offers a prototypical TV host whom pretty much everybody can agree on, in the form of Lance Bass. Its featured Atlanta bachelor in question, a Mr. Robert Sepulveda Jr., is a bougie interior designer who appears to be a pretty decent guy with washboard abs that the show can commercialize with ease. Updates to The Bachelor DNA include: contestants representing a cornucopia of men from different ethnic backgrounds (Sepulveda Jr. himself is from Puerto Rico) as well as medical statuses. In fact, to nearly universal acclaim, it was recently revealed that one contestant is HIV+
22: September 09, 2016
Both Bass and Sepulveda claim that Charming is bound to be “educational.” And by all means, this is a good thing. However, this joint statement ignites a burning question. What things do modern gay men need to be educated about? HIV? Check. Rejecting Grindr protocol so as to sustain a romantic openness to men of all ethnic backgrounds? Check. These topics, in particular, are heated, categorical subjects drilled in the modern gay male psyche. But what else? Charming has a golden opportunity to break dating show stereotypes in a number of ways, but not all of these ways are immediately obvious. As a viewer, I want to see the show use its homosexuality as a reason to reject the superficiality of its predecessors; I want changes that reflect the inside as opposed to the outside, the mental as opposed to the physical. So, here’s what I don’t want to see on this show. Masc vs. fem. This is the premier elephant in the room when we’re talking gay dating, and I’m going to be very disappointed if Charming refrains from commenting on this issue. It appears that Sepulveda is more on the masculine side, which is somewhat expected. However, I remain hopeful that this competition doesn’t turn into one of those “masc for masc” testimonies where the final 3 contestants are all bears in training. One of the tender insecurities I’ve witnessed in many friends throughout my short time in the gay
Now, let’s talk body type. I can’t help but roll my eyes when the trailer for any dating show – gay or straight – markets the bachelor’s abs as if they’re a college degree. This is, in my view, a boring Hollywood thing. If TV has learned anything over the last ten years, it should be that real people are what sell. So, why is the typical bachelor, this one included, sold as someone sexually intimidating as opposed to intellectually stimulating? As it turns out, research links high sex drive to high IQ. Maybe if Sepulveda were talking about his favorite novels or at least his top movies in the trailer, we might be more inclined to think that the winner of this show will be taking home some kind of tangible prize, in addition to a healthy sex life post-program. Ratings aside, would it really be so awful to have a gay dude as the bachelor who is just an everyday good-looking kind of guy who also happens to be an astrophysicist? Either way, one’s body shouldn’t always be the central characteristic worth promoting, especially in a trailer. Lastly, Finding Prince Charming is the first all-gay dating show, and it should reflect the gay experience. I don’t want to watch a straight dating show with a gay cast. Finding Prince Charming has the opportunity, along the lines of one cast member’s purported HIV+ status, to really dissect each person’s history with his own homosexuality. For instance, when did Sepulveda come out? Are any of these cast members still dealing with any internalized homophobia? There are elements of being a gay male that typically cut beneath the skin and allow us an intimate, abstract human connection with one another. It’s not that we’re all survivors, but most of our journeys have involved hurdles that color our experience in contrast with straight counterparts. I hope Finding Prince Charming isn’t afraid to look like Weekend. But alas, I guess that didn’t work so well for Looking.
BY JAMIE BOOTH
Joan Crawford Is Back HIDE THE WIRE HANGERS! In the hilarious new book, Mommie
Smearest, Joan Crawford is forced to return to Earth to rescue true celebrity back from today’s reality and internet stars. From a secret base at a Florida trailer park, she disguises herself as a hip-hop rapper and launches a brutal attack against reality starlets from Hollywood, politicians in Washington, and Wall Street suits. No one is safe from her wrath as she even stalks everyday people who think they’re worthy enough to post photos for all the world to see online. Mommie Smearest is a sharp, profane parody where the Mommie Dearest portrayal of Joan Crawford deconstructs today’s celebrity and selfie obsessed culture. Author L. LeSueur explains more. Were you a fan of Joan Crawford’s? L. LeSueur: No. Despite Miss Crawford’s unrivaled cinematic body of work, Mommie Dearest brought her to many peoples’ attention for the first time. Without it, she might be just another once-was. Instead, she’s infamous and fun. How do you feel about her portrayal in Mommie Dearest? The movie is a beautiful camp classic. Its so much fun in a Rocky Horror Picture Show way, you have to remind yourself that people actually got hurt in the true story. Not everyone believes Christina Crawford’s portrayal of Joan as a cruel, abusive, alcoholic mother. Do you? Yes. Christina Crawford is a smart, articulate woman. Watch any of her TV interviews after Mommie Dearest was published. She is credible. Many children suffer at the hands of abusive parents and spend the rest of their lives trying to unravel the damage—many gay people know this firsthand. Why did you decide to continue Joan’s story? Mommie Dearest elevated Joan Crawford’s persona to a Natasha-inBullwinkle cartoon beauty who seems to be propelled by two key drives: determination to maintain her status as a movie star, and desire to control all elements of her life. I saw here as a fun and demanding mouthpiece to blast the idiocy of selfie-reality-celeb culture.
In the book, Joan Crawford takes aim at today’s celebrities. She clarifies herself as a real celebrity and not someone “…who just thinks she is a movie star because she has a goddamned smartphone and a Twitter account.” It’s an interesting commentary on today’s obsession with fake celebrities. Reality TV and social media are about the human ego’s need to be noticed and to compare itself to others. For some, public attention is like heroin. They are determined to fill white space with their voice and image to prove their superior existence. For others, it’s like a sports fan who subconsciously experiences a game as though they are actually playing it. Have you ever posted a selfie? Never. Selfies are not usually received with the same enthusiasm they are sent. Will Joan be back for a Mommie Smearest sequel? There wasn’t room in Mommie Smearest for all of today’s silly reality stars, social-column posers and politicians so a sequel is possible! The craziness reinvents itself every day. All we have to do is watch, which is all they really want us to do. Mommie Smearest is available digitally ($8.95) and in print ($16.95). Visit MommieSmearest.com
SPOTLIGHT
BY JAMIE BOOTH
Beautiful Idol David Hernandez Finds Beauty in Truth
RIGHT: DAVID HERNANDEZ
David Hernandez began singing at age six, starring in musicals and performing with various theatre companies. At fifteen, he began writing music and recording his arrangements. His world changed when he auditioned for American Idol season 7, singing “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” in front of the judges. All three judges loved his audition and considered him an early favorite. He would make it all the way into the Top 12 before being eliminated. Following his departure, it was revealed that David had worked as a nude male stripper at Dick’s Cabaret, a gay strip club in Phoenix, Arizona. Industry insiders predicted it would be the end of his career, but David persevered, going on to showcase his talent on The Ellen Show and at the NickelodeonTeen Choice Awards. He was even named among TV Guides’ Sexiest Stars. This month, David Hernandez returns with a new song, “Beautiful”, that encourages people to embrace their flaws. He’s taking the opportunity to let fans know that there is more to him then his stripper past. He’s revealing his past struggles with self esteem and, most boldly of all, coming out about his sexuality. Why did it take you so long to come out publicly? David Hernandez: In the beginning of my career I had a lot of people in my ear. Label execs, producers, managers… They basically told me that saying I was gay would end my career. At such a young age I was easily influenced and didn’t want to jeopardize anything. We were also living in a different time over ten years ago. I was scared and under contracts that prohibited me from being who I was.
Were you out to family and friends? David Hernandez: My sexuality has always been known to my friends and family. The first person I came out to was my mom. I had went through a really rough break up and realized I had no one to talk to. I called my mom and she was incredible. She wasn’t that surprised but was really happy that I trusted her enough to confide in her. She is my biggest supporter. What role did your Mexican-heritage play in your hiding your sexuality? David Hernandez: I mean, I grew up in a pretty traditional family. I was a kid who wanted to do theater and choir: things that weren’t necessarily considered the boy/man things to do. So I struggled with that and eventually conformed to playing soccer and baseball and all of those things I was horrible at. Eventually I grew out of pleasing people and got back into music. What convinced you to finally come out to the world? David Hernandez: Over the years I have had a lot of
younger LGBTQ fans that have shared their stories and struggles. I was never able to share my story and relate to them because of the mental shackles I had. At this point in my life, I feel like with as much as I have grown, it is my responsibility to show them that you can be exactly who you are and still be successful in whatever industry you choose. You don’t have to hide from who you are because someone is too close minded to accept you. Has a weight been lifted? David Hernandez: Absolutely. I feel like I can be me without regret. People know who I am and I am okay with that. With my single and music video “Beautiful”, I wanted people to love and embrace themselves and others despite their differences and flaws. Whatever race, religion, sexual orientation, race or body type, we are all beautiful in our own right. So you like the person you see in the mirror today? David Hernandez: I would be lying if I said that everyday I look in the mirror, I am completely satisfied. I am human. I have my
good days and bad days like everyone else. The difference now is that I accept who I am in all of those things. Whether good, bad, happy or sad. I am who I am. I work through things and try and be a better person everyday. What is one thing you wish you could change about yourself? David Hernandez: I wish I could learn more patience. It is something I have always struggled with but I will say that it has gotten better. What is one thing you are most proud of today? David Hernandez: I am proud of my drive and tenacity to do what I love. I really believe in my music and for me it is more than the fame or notoriety. If I can touch one person or change one person’s life for the better, I feel like I have accomplished what I set out to do in this career. Where do you go from here? David Hernandez: I keep making music and art. I am currently working on my next album and hope to share some more awesome music with the world! FENUXE.COM : 25
REVIEW
By: Terri Schlichenmeyer
BOOK REVIEW:
Y
“ELIZABETH + MICHAEL”
our closest friend really gets you. You never have to explain yourself when you’re together; everything said (and unsaid) is understood. There may be many years between you, but it doesn’t matter. There may be differences in background, but no worries. Nothing keeps you apart, and in the new book “Elizabeth and Michael” by Donald Bogle, that might be because you have everything in common. Almost from the moment she was born, Elizabeth Taylor’s life was “like something of a fairy tale…” She was a beautiful child who grew up to be a beautiful young woman with a mother who made it her mission to ensure that Elizabeth was a star. Sara Taylor enrolled her daughter in all the best classes and was ever on the lookout for opportunity; in 1939, that insistence on fame grew when the family moved to California. Two years later, as a result of two conversations her father had with influential Hollywood starmakers, Elizabeth, not quite ten years old, was invited to try out for Lassie Come Home. She got the part. Her mother got her wish. Though Elizabeth Taylor’s later life was filled with stardust, it wasn’t storybook-happy. She would battle various issues throughout the years; so would another star born halfway across the country at about the same time Elizabeth was dealing with the death of her second husband. Michael Jackson, the eighth of ten children, grew up in a family that didn’t have much except themselves – and his father, Joe, insisted that it remain that way: the Jackson children were often isolated, because Joe wanted fame for his singing-dancing sons and he demanded that they rehearse nearly constantly. There was little time for anything except practice but, for Michael, practice led to stardom. It was another star, Katharine Hepburn, who was once surprised by Michael’s audacity: eager to meet the favorite actors of his childhood, he asked 26: September 09, 2016
Hepburn to introduce him to Greta Garbo. She declined. And then Michael asked to meet Elizabeth Taylor… Right there, says author Donald Bogle, is the early beginning of a friendship that many called “flat-out weird,” but that really does make sense. As Bogle shows in “Elizabeth and Michael,” few others had so much in common. If that was the only focus, though, this would be a pretty thin book. Instead, Bogle’s story moves in puddle-like circles around his subjects, and through their lives: by knowing the people who raised and influenced them, we can trace the compassion that an older Taylor possessed and we see how Jackson built his empire, detail by detail. Bogle also gives readers a vivid sense of the time in which his narrative takes place which, combined with layered anecdotes and the parallels he draws between Taylor’s and Jackson’s lives, makes for an easy, entertaining read. Certainly, this is book is a fan’s dream but it’s also one that pop culture followers will relish, too. And if that’s the kind of book you want now, then “Elizabeth and Michael” is what you need to get you By: Always Overbooked... Terri Schlichenmeyer The Bookworm Sez, LLC bookwormsez@ gmail.com
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Hey Girl Hey! Holler Poodles! Being the quintessential queen of politeness, I was recently asked some questions about decorum--and how to handle awkward situations. Is it ok to pass gas in public? No, but it’s a lot better than pooping on yourself. If you’re sitting down, I recommend leaning slightly over to one side and grabbing a butt cheek and pulling it as far apart from the other cheek as possible to create the least amount of resistance. There should be no sound as you let the gas out but if a sound is produced, a quick clearing of the throat should provide cover. If you are standing up, I recommend bending over to “tie your shoe” or “wipe” away some dirt off your shoe so as to separate your cheeks as much as possible. Next is dealing with the putrid smell that is inevitably gonna smack someone in the face with its hang time. If you can’t retreat from the scene of the crime fast enough, I recommend looking directly at the person closest to you and with the most accusing of facial expressions, yell out “Oh My God” and then walk away shaking your head. Problem solved! What if someone does this to you? You have to be prepared for your response ahead of time. I usually say something like “Bitch, don’t even try it--I saw your dress fly up when you cut that cheese and now there’s a stain where your butthole used to be!” Though you may not remain friends afterwards, your good name has been preserved. What if you pass gas on the elevator? Always be prepared with your response. Cover your face with your shirt or blouse and act like you just smelled the worst thing ever (after all it is hot air being blown over poop) and as you’re getting off the elevator state “I can’t believe someone would do that!” If you notice, most people who fart don’t have a problem with the smell so they’ll just assume you weren’t the guilty party. Fart away my lovelies! Love and lashes,
Mary Edith Pitts Mary Edith Pitts
P.S. If you have any questions, comments or feedback, please contact me at maryedith99@gmail.com or add me on twitter @maryedithpitts
Expert Dentist
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Gay News At A Glance ANDERSON COOPER WILL MODERATE ONE OF THE DEBATES
Anderson Cooper is among the journalists who have been chosen to moderate one of the upcoming presidential debates. The openly gay CNN anchor will co-host a debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump on 9 October. The debate will be in the town hall format and Cooper will be joined by ABC News chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz at Washington University in St. Louis. It was at a CNN town hall event during the primary season last March that Cooper and Trump had their most memorable exchange in which Cooper got the better of the Republican nominee. Cooper asked Trump about a photograph he retweeted which appeared to anyone with eyes to cast Texas Senator Ted Cruz’s wife Heidi in an unflattering light. Trump replied: ‘I thought it was a nice picture of Heidi.’ Cooper replied, ‘Come on, you’re running for president of the United States.’ ‘Look,’ Trump replied, ‘I didn’t start it.’ ‘Sir, with all due respect, that’s the argument of a five-year-old,’ Cooper said.
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CHURCH OF ENGLAND CLERGY CALLING FOR GREATER INCLUSION OF GAY PEOPLE A number of clergy have come forward, signing a letter declaring the Church of England should do more to embrace gay people in the church. The letter asked that more is done to accept gay people, and to allow them to ‘celebrate without fear and in openness’. It identifies what they call a new ‘diversity of theology within the Church’ and what’s needed to achieve it. ‘Many in our parishes have already made that move and it is time to respect that a diversity of theology within the Church now exists and that there is more than one understanding of what a faithful Christian may believe on these issues. ‘As you meet to discuss, we seek from you a clear lead that offers a way forward to greater inclusion that will enable those parishes that wish to do so to celebrate the love that we have 38: September 09, 2016
found in our wives and husbands. ‘We hope for an outcome that will enable those who wish to do so to publicly celebrate where we see God at work in the lives of our congregations without fear and in openness.’ The timely letter coincides with Bishop Nicholas Chamberlain coming out on Friday. Chamberlain said he had to come out because a newspaper was threatening to publish the news themselves. ‘It was not my decision to make a big thing about coming out,’ he said, ‘People know I’m gay, but it’s not the first thing I’d say to anyone. Sexuality is part of who I am, but it’s my ministry that I want to focus on.’ However, he said his sexuality had not been a secret to church leaders, including Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury. The conservative Anglican group GAFCON said that although ‘we do not doubt that he has many gifts as a leader and pastor,’ his appointment had been a ‘major error’. There have been a number of matyrs believed to have been gay throughout the Christianity’s history: Sergius and Bacchus, for example, are believed to have been romantic, through a translation of ‘erastai’, describing their relationship, as ‘lovers’.
HOMETOWN OF KIM DAVIS JUST THREW ITS FIRST EVER PRIDE CELEBRATION
Morehead, Kentucky, just held its first ever Pride celebration over the weekend but the person responsible for putting the city on the map wasn’t in the crowd. Rowan County clerk Kim Davis gained international attention in August 2015 when she refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples on the basis of her religion. It was an act of defiance against the Supreme Court’s June 2015 marriage equality ruling. She was consequently sued and jailed for contempt of court, but was released five days later. The controversy helped push the town’s residents to ‘decide where they stood on the issue of gay rights.’ Before, many’d rather keep their silence or sit on the fence, but the hoo-ha created by Davis had forced them to ask themselves whether they were allies or not to the LGBTQ community. In place of Davis at the festival, a drag queen impersonating her showed up to entertain the attendees. ‘I think it was probably the first time people had seen a drag show in their life,’ said Moore.
TEXAS JUDGE FAILS TO UNDERMINE MARRIAGE Texas Supreme Court Justice John Devine is doing his best to weaken Obergefell v. Hodges, the US Supreme Court case that made marriage equality legal in all 50 states. In a dissenting opinion of the review of Pidgeon and Hicks v. Mayor Sylvester Turner and City of Houston, the judge argued anti-LGBTI discrimination could be valid when benefits are involved. ‘Marriage is a fundamental right,’ the judge wrote in his solo opinion, spousal benefits are not.’
According to the justice, a state could deny insurance to same-sex couples that is given to opposite-sex couples. The reason? Procreation. ‘…Offering certain benefits to opposite-sex couples would encourage procreation within marriage,’ Devine wrote. ‘After all, benefits such as health insurance provide financial security as couples decide whether to have a child. An opposite-sex marriage is the only marital relationship where children are raised by their biological parents. In any other relationship, the child must be removed from at least one natural parent, perhaps two, before being adopted by her new parent(s).’ Devine’s fellow justices found no merit in this argument.
POLICE ARREST FLORIDA MAN MAKING ANTI-GAY THREATS
A Florida man, who allegedly made anti-gay threats on Facebook, was arrested by police on a separate charge. According to the Sun Sentinel, a county judge held an emergency hearing to issue an arrest warrant for Craig Jungwirth. At the end of August, Jungwirth came to the attention of the Wilton Manors Police Department for a Facebook post. ‘If you losers thought the Pulse nightclub shooting was bad, wait till you see what I’m planning for Labor Day,’ the 50-year-old wrote. On 12 June, 49 people were killed and 53 injured at Pulse, located in Orlando, by a shooter claiming ties to ISIS. The massacre happened on the nightclub’s Latin night. The crime is the worst mass shooting in US history. Wilton Manors is located in Broward County, approximately 35 miles from Miami. ‘The community is on edge,’ Wilton Manors Police Chief Paul O’Connell said to the newspaper. ‘We do have folks who have acquaintances who died in Pulse. A threat like that touches a raw nerve and emotions go through the roof.’ Craig Jungwirth has been arrested and currently is in custody in Orlando. Due to the sensitive nature of this active investigation we cannot elaborate on the charge or pending charges at this time.’
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