Posts made by leatherbear

Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International, apologized this week for the ministry's program aimed at "curing" gays through prayer and psychotherapy.

Doug Stanglin, USA TODAY

Head of Exodus International says its worldview neither honors fellow humans nor is biblical.

Exodus International, a 37-year-old Christian ministry focused on faith and homosexuality, closed its doors Thursday, one day after its president apologized for causing "undue suffering and judgment" with its programs aimed at "curing" gay people through prayer and therapy.

"Exodus is an institution in the conservative Christian world, but we've ceased to be a living, breathing organism," said Alan Chambers, president of Exodus. "For quite some time we've been imprisoned in a worldview that's neither honoring toward our fellow human beings, nor biblical."

Chambers, who left the gay life as a teenager, said in a blunt statement on the group's website Wednesday that he wanted to apologize "to the gay community for years of undue suffering and judgment at the hands of the organization and the church as a whole."

He said the group would create a new ministry that would would work with other churches to create "safe, welcoming and mutually transforming communities."

Tom Moore, a member of the board of directors that voted on Thursday to shut down the Orlando-based ministry, said, "We're not negating the ways God used Exodus to positively affect thousands of people, but a new generation of Christians is looking for change – and they want to be heard."

The organization, founded in 1976, claims 270 local ministries worldwide with a stated mission: "Mobilizing the body of Christ to minister grace and truth to a world impacted by homosexuality."

In 2011, it drew sharp criticism for an app billed as a "useful resource" in its ministry that promoted the idea that homosexuality can be cured. Apple later removed the app from the Apple Store.

Chambers said the local affiliated ministries have always been autonomous and will continue, but that Exodus International will shut down.

Chambers, who is married and has two adopted children, indicated that the apology was particularly personal because "I conveniently omitted my ongoing same-sex attractions."

"I was afraid to share them as readily and easily as I do today," he wrote. "They brought me tremendous shame and I hid them in the hopes they would go away. Looking back, it seems so odd that I thought I could do something to make them stop. Today, however, I accept these feelings as parts of my life that will likely always be there. The days of feeling shame over being human in that way are long over, and I feel free simply accepting myself as my wife and family does. As my friends do. As God does."

Chambers said he began to change his views three years ago after he and his wife Leslie discussed their deeply held views with Lisa Ling on Our America, which is broadcast by the Oprah Winfrey Network.

In 2012, Chambers opened a rift in the religious community by telling The New York Times that there was no cure for homosexuality and that "reparative therapy" offered false hopes to gays and could even be harmful.

He said he called Ling a few months ago asking if he could appear on the program against to offer his public apology. It will be broadcast as part of a program God & Gays Thursday night broadcast on OWN.

:cheers: Technically we have a section for introductions and self nude pics but I think this is just fine as it fits the Forum subject matter.  :cheers:

:cheers: Score another WIN for our side!!!


I made the one for Leather and Bear myself and so were most of the others shown here made by the Mod or cumeaternc did several as I remember. Anyhow mine is simply three images linked together as follows:

[center][img]https://www.gaytorrent.ru/bitbucket/crotch-biting-wrestler a.jpg[/img][img]https://www.gaytorrent.ru/bitbucket/07_1371601362.jpg[/img][img]https://www.gaytorrent.ru/bitbucket/tow37 a.jpg[/img][/center]

I made the center "banner" with BannerFans and then re-sized the images you had using the vertical size of 200 pixels as the guide ( the height of the Banner ) and let the editor set the width proportionally. The 2 pictures are slightly different widths but I do not think it is obvious.

:lovp: A friedly reminder to be sure you check for duplicate posts before uploading a request  :lovp:

From the looks of this list there should be plenty of material not previously posted  :ok2:

Iwill work on this for you but these are not easy to find so it may take some time.

:cheers: Thank you for this recipe  :cheers:

Huffpost Gay Voices

Prince Harry is being hailed as a hero by a former squadmate who says the Prince saved him from a homophobic attack back in 2008.

In his new book "Out In The Army," excerpted by the Daily Mail, Trooper James Wharton recalls the day he told the Prince of how six soldiers threatened to beat him because of his sexuality.

Wharton said that he couldn't stop the tears from welling up in his eyes when he told the Prince, who was then his tank commander, he thought he was going to be "murdered by the infantry."

“Right I’m going to sort this sh*t out once and for all," Prince Harry told Wharton before climbing out of the tank to confront the soldiers. According to Wharton, the Prince returned 10 minutes later and told him the problem had been "sorted," and that he told the soldiers to "back the f**k off."

Wharton, who quit the Army earlier this year, told the Daily Mail, "I will always be grateful to Harry and I will never forget what happened. Until he went over and dealt with everything I was on track for a battering."

The former soldier isn't the only one commending Prince Harry for his actions. Shadow Defense Secretary Jim Murphy praised the 28-year-old for his efforts to protect his troops, telling the paper, "The whole country will applaud Prince Harry. Our Forces should reflect the modern-day Britain they fight so hard to defend."

Prince Harry is known for having a good relationship with the gay community, and has been spotted partying with friends at gay bars in the past. And in his book, Wharton even claims he and the Prince had a discussion about popularity of Harry and his brother William in the gay community – only to disapoint the young royal when he dispelled the notion that Harry was a gay icon.

News Story @  hXXp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/09/prince-harry-gay-soldier_n_3411751.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices

Jason Collins, Gay NBA Player, Marches In 2013 Boston Pride Parade With Joe Kennedy

Jason Collins' big year continues to get bigger and bigger.

The NBA player, who made history in April as the first male U.S. athlete in a major professional sport to come out as gay, marched in the 2013 Boston Pride Parade on Saturday alongside his former Stanford University roommate, Congressman Joe Kennedy (D-Mass).

After the parade, Kennedy tweeted a photo of himself with Collins, a former Boston Celtics player, and noted it was a day he'd "never forget":

@joekennedy
Joe Kennedy
a day i'll never forget. could not have had more fun marching in @bostonpride with my friend @jasoncollins34. hXXp://t.co/42lCIlgO2X
June 8, 2013 9:35 pm via TweetDeck

Watch a report from WCVB TV, which notes that the parade had a record number of attendees :  hXXp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/09/jason-collins-2013-boston-pride-parade_n_3411891.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices

The Church of England has effectively accepted defeat over gay marriage signalling that it will no longer fight against a change in the law.

The Telegraph ~ By John Bingham, Religious Affairs Editor

In a short statement, the established Church said that the scale of the majorities in both the Commons and Lords made clear that it is the will of Parliament that same sex couples “should” be allowed to marry.

The Bishop of Leicester, who leads the bishops in the House of Lords, said they would now concentrate their efforts on “improving” rather than halting an historic redefinition of marriage.

It represents a dramatic change of tack in the year since the Church insisted that gay marriage posed one of the biggest threats of disestablishment of the Church of England since the reign of Henry VIII.

And it comes despite a warning from the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, that the redefinition of marriage would undermine the “cornerstone” of society.

The climb-down comes as the newest diocesan bishop in the Church of England said that support for gay marriage was “understandable” because of the way gay people had been treated in Britain in the past.

The Rt Rev David Walker, who was named today as the new Bishop of Manchester, insisted that although the Government bill was “flawed” had he been in the House of Lords he would not have voted against it.

Peers voted by 390 to 148 against a motion which would have struck down the Government’s same-sex marriage bill on Tuesday.

It will now be scrutinised by peers who are likely to add a series of amendments to add extra protections for teachers or other workers who object on grounds of conscience.

In a statement, Rt Revd Tim Stevens, Convenor of the Lords Spiritual, said bishops would now “join” with politicians to strengthen parts of the bill rather than resisting it.

“Both Houses of Parliament have now expressed a clear view by large majorities on the principle that there should be legislation to enable same-sex marriages to take place in England and Wales,” he said.

“It is now the duty and responsibility of the Bishops who sit in the House of Lords to recognise the implications of this decision and to join with other members in the task of considering how this legislation can be put into better shape.”

And he made clear that the bishops would look not only at strengthening opt-outs for those who oppose a new definition of marriage but at the future practicalities for people in same-sex unions.

He signalled that bishops would seek to introduce a notion of adultery into the bill and extend parental rights for same-sex partners.

Under the current bill people in a same-sex marriages who discover that their spouse is unfaithful to them would not be able to divorce for adultery after Government legal experts failed to agree what constitutes “sex” between gay or lesbian couples.

The bishops are also seeking to change a provision which says that when a lesbian woman in a same-sex marriage has a baby her spouse is not also classed as the baby’s parent.

The result is that in some cases children would be classed as having only one parent.

Bishop Stevens said: “The concerns of many in the Church, and in the other denominations and faiths, about the wisdom of such a move have been expressed clearly and consistently in the Parliamentary debate.

“For the Bishops the issue now is not primarily one of protections and exemptions for people of faith, important though it is to get that right, not least where teaching in schools and freedom of speech are concerned.

"The bill now requires improvement in a number of other key respects, including in its approach to the question of fidelity in marriage and the rights of children.

“If this bill is to become law, it is crucial that marriage as newly defined is equipped to carry within it as many as possible of the virtues of the understanding of marriage it will replace.

“Our focus during committee and report stages in the coming weeks and months will be to address those points in a spirit of constructive engagement."

His comments came as the new Bishop of Manchester signalled sympathy with supporters of gay marriage.

In his first comments since he was named as replacement to Rt Rev Nigel McCulloch, who recently retired, he said that the bill was flawed but added: “I fully understand why in a society where for so long gay people have been subjected to such abuse and ill treatment many people say if they are asking for equality in the area of marriage that is something they can get.”

He added: “I can see why in our society many people now – the majority of people – think that if this will help them to feel less badly treated then let them have it.”

Bishop Walker, who is currently the Bishop of Dudley – a junior bishop in the diocese of Worcester – attracted headlines earlier this year when he took on David Cameron over welfare cuts and accused politicians of scaremongering over immigration.

It emerged last month that Manchester Diocese, one of the biggest dioceses in the Church of England, had included a requirement to foster better links with the city’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities as part of its new bishop’s job description.

Most Americans believe marriage equality is inevitable, poll finds

USA Today ~ Cathy Payne

About 72% of Americans say legal recognition of same-sex marriage is "inevitable," according to a survey released today.

Of those who support same-sex marriage, about 85% say it is inevitable, says the Pew Research Center's survey. About 59% of opponents also say it is inevitable.

"As more states legalize gay marriage or give equal status, the question in our minds was how the public sees the trajectory on this issue," says Michael Dimock, the report's lead author and director of the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. "Do they see a future in which gay marriage is going to be the rule, not the exception, in American society?"

For the first time in Pew polling, just over half (51%) of Americans favor allowing same-sex couples to marry legally, the report says. The telephone survey was conducted May 1-5 among 1,504 U.S. adults. The margin of error was +/-2.9 percentage points.

The survey found a strong link between personal experiences and attitudes about homosexuality. About 87% of Americans know someone who is gay or lesbian, compared with 61% in 1993. About 68% of those who know a lot of gays or lesbians favor same-sex marriage, compared with 32% of those who don't know anyone.

"As for the gay marriage issue, it's not about whether we will have families. We already do. It's about whether we will enjoy the same protection as our siblings, neighbors and co-workers," says Rick Rosendall, president of the not-for-profit Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance of Washington, D.C. "The more people recognize that their siblings, neighbors and co-workers include gay men and lesbians, the clearer it is that those family members, neighbors and co-workers should be treated the same as they are."

Same-sex marriage is or will be legal in 12 states and the District of Columbia. Several states also have domestic-partnership provisions for same-sex couples.

"This poll should caution us to redouble our efforts in explaining to Americans what marriage is, why marriage matters, and what the consequences of redefining marriage are," says Ryan Anderson, a scholar at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Anderson, who promotes marriage between a man and woman, says it's not quite clear what Pew's poll question means, since same-sex marriage is legally recognized in 12 states. "The more important question is not what will happen – but what we should do."

Thomas Peters, communications director of the not-for-profit National Organization for Marriage, which opposes same-sex marriage, says Pew's poll numbers are no surprise. "Gay marriage activists have spent a huge amount of money and cultural influence trying to convince Americans of the lie that redefining marriage is inevitable," he says in an e-mail.

This survey is part of Pew's "LGBT in Changing Times" series, which is focused on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues ahead of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on same-sex marriage this month.

Bloomberg ~ By Lisa Lerer & Greg Stohr

More than half of Americans support allowing same-sex couples to marry, endorsing the goal of gay-rights activists as the U.S. Supreme Court this month prepares to rule on the issue for the first time.

Fifty-two percent say they back giving gay couples the right to marry, compared with 41 percent who are opposed, according to a Bloomberg National Poll conducted May 31-June 3.

Of those supporters, more than half – 61 percent -- want a national law rather than a state-by-state approach. During arguments in March, the justices signaled a reluctance to declare a right to same-sex marriage nationwide.

“It should be a national law that is done and over with,” says Kevin Mangum, a disabled veteran from San Angelo, Texas. “Things change, and that’s the way it is now.”

Momentum has grown behind gay marriage over the past decade. Twelve states and the District of Columbia have legalized same-sex weddings, six in the last year alone.

Companies including Apple Inc. (AAPL) and Morgan Stanley (MS) are urging the court to back gay-marriage rights, as are dozens of Republicans who once held top government positions.

The growing acceptance of same-sex nuptials comes as the Supreme Court is set to rule on two cases about the issue. The higher-profile one centers on California’s Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot initiative that banned gay marriage in the state. The initiative effectively overruled a state Supreme Court decision that had permitted such weddings for five months.
Multiple Options

The second case concerns the U.S. Defense of Marriage Act, the 1996 law that defines marriage as a heterosexual union. The court will rule on the law’s provision denying legally married same-sex couples the federal benefits available to heterosexual spouses, such as the right to file joint tax returns.

In the California case, the court has a menu of options. It could issue a sweeping ruling either way – declaring a nationwide right to same-sex marriage or decide that the issue should be determined on a state-by-state basis.

The justices suggested during the earlier arguments that they are inclined to take a narrower approach. The Obama administration is urging the court to adopt reasoning that would allow same-sex weddings in California and six other states that currently permit civil unions or domestic partnerships. The court could also rule on procedural grounds, limiting the impact to California, or even dismiss the case entirely.
‘Global Resolution’

The poll results illustrate that much of the public would prefer a more sweeping response from the high court.

“There is a wish for this to be over and done, to find a global resolution rather than this being revisited election by election,” said J. Ann Selzer, president of Des Moines, Iowa-based Selzer & Co., which conducted the poll for Bloomberg.

The higher level of support is driven by the overwhelming backing for same-sex marriage among younger Americans, regardless of political affiliation. Almost two-thirds -- 65 percent -- of survey respondents under age 35 say they favor gay weddings. Americans over age 55 are almost split, with 44 percent favoring gay marriage and 47 percent opposed.

“I see no possible explanation for how that sort of discrimination is acceptable,” says Leeor Schweitzer, a 24-year-old political independent from Portland, Oregon.

The age gap is particularly stark among Republicans, who oppose same-sex marriage in higher numbers. Overall, one-third of self-identified Republicans favor same-sex marriage and 59 percent oppose it. Those under age 35, however, support it by a 5-to-4 majority.
Unmistakable Message

The Republican National Committee, as part of an internal examination of the party, released a report this week exploring its failings among young voters, including opposition to same-sex marriage.

“It was unmistakable in the focus groups that gay marriage was a reason many of these young voters disliked” the party, the report said.

“People my age don’t see a problem with it,” says Chris Paradiso, a 27-year-old Republican sales manager from New York. “As long as they don’t try to marry me I don’t care.”

At the same time, more than two-thirds -- 68 percent -- of born-again Christians, a strong base of support for the Republican Party, are against same-sex marriage.

“It’s totally against what Christians believe,” says Dena Smith, a housewife in southern Arkansas. “I would not vote for someone who is for legalizing gay marriage.”
Voting Rights

The Supreme Court will also rule by the end of June on a core part of the Voting Rights Act, the landmark 1965 law that opened the polls to millions of Southern blacks, who for decades were victims of discrimination and violent intimidation.

Congress was almost unanimous in extending the law for 25 years in 2006.

The high court dispute is over the law’s requirement that all or parts of 15 states, including virtually the entire South, get federal clearance before changing their voting rules. During arguments in February, the court’s Republican-appointed justices cast doubt on the law, questioning whether lawmakers had shown it was still necessary.

More than half -- 53 percent -- of survey respondents say the law is still needed, while 38 percent say it isn’t. Among Republicans, the numbers are almost reversed, with 1-in-3 saying the law should remain and 58 percent responding that it is no longer necessary.

The poll of 1,002 adults has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

To contact the reporters on this story: Lisa Lerer in Washington at [email protected]; Greg Stohr in Washington at [email protected]

The Age ~ Vince Chadwick

Children of same-sex parents are doing as well or better than the rest of the population on a number of key health indicators.

That is the initial finding from the world's largest study on the children of same-sex parents, under way at Melbourne University.

The Australian Study of Child Health in Same-Sex Families collected data on 500 children nationwide, up to the age of 17.

Of the 315 gay, lesbian and bisexual parents who completed the globally recognised Child Health Questionnaire, 80 per cent were women.
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An interim report found there was no statistical difference between children of same-sex couples and the rest of the population on indicators including self-esteem, emotional behaviour and the amount of time spent with parents.

However, children of same-sex couples scored higher than the national average for overall health and family cohesion, measuring how well the family members get along.

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd said the wellbeing of children had been ''the sole remaining obstacle'' to him supporting same-sex marriage, which he announced in a blog post last month.

Federal Parliament was to vote this week on Greens MP Adam Bandt's private member's bill to legalise same-sex marriage. However, a vote is now unlikely before the election to allow more time for debate.

''Because of the situation that same-sex families find themselves in, they are generally more willing to communicate and approach the issues that any child may face at school, like teasing or bullying,'' lead researcher Dr Simon Crouch said.

''This fosters openness and means children tend to be more resilient. That would be our hypothesis.''

Mother of three Kate Coghlan concurred. ''We talk about everything: from how they were conceived to the different relationships that people have,'' the 39-year-old said. ''They are very accepting and more tolerating of diversity.''

Her partner, Susan Rennie, is the biological mother of Hannah, 8, and Xavier, 6, while Ms Coghlan gave birth to five-year-old Anouk. All three children were conceived through the same known donor.

Ms Coghlan was adopted, so she wanted her children to know as many of their family as possible, including their biological father.

''They say 'yes, we have got a dad; he just doesn't live with us','' she said.

Des Moines Register ~ Iowa View: 1 man, 1 woman isn't the Bible's only marriage view

The debate about marriage equality often centers, however discretely, on an appeal to the Bible. Unfortunately, such appeals often reflect a lack of biblical literacy on the part of those who use that complex collection of texts as an authority to enact modern social policy.

As academic biblical scholars, we wish to clarify that the biblical texts do not support the frequent claim that marriage between one man and one woman is the only type of marriage deemed acceptable by the Bible’s authors.

The fact that marriage is not defined as only that between one man and one woman is reflected in the entry on “marriage” in the authoritative Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000): “Marriage is one expression of kinship family patterns in which typically a man and at least one woman cohabitate publicly and permanently as a basic social unit” (p. 861).

The phrase “at least one woman” recognizes that polygamy was not only allowed, but some polygamous biblical figures (e.g., Abraham, Jacob) were highly blessed. In 2 Samuel 12:8, the author says that it was God who gave David multiple wives: “I gave you your master’s house, and your master’s wives into your bosom. … And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more” (Revised Standard Version).

In fact, there were a variety of unions and family configurations that were permissible in the cultures that produced the Bible, and these ranged from monogamy (Titus 1:6) to those where rape victims were forced to marry their rapist (Deuteronomy 22:28-29) and to those Levirate marriage commands obligating a man to marry his brother’s widow regardless of the living brother’s marital status (Deuteronomy 25:5-10; Genesis 38; Ruth 2-4). Others insisted that celibacy was the preferred option (1 Corinthians 7:8; 28).

Although some may view Jesus’ interpretation of Genesis 2:24 in Matthew 19:3-10 as an endorsement of monogamy, Jesus and other Jewish interpreters conceded that there were also non-monogamous understandings of this passage in ancient Judaism, including those allowing divorce and remarriage.

In fact, during a discussion of marriage in Matthew 19:12, Jesus even encourages those who can to castrate themselves “for the kingdom” and live a life of celibacy.

Ezra 10:2-11 forbids interracial marriage and orders those people of God who already had foreign wives to divorce them immediately.

So, while it is not accurate to state that biblical texts would allow marriages between people of the same sex, it is equally incorrect to declare that a “one-man-and-one-woman” marriage is the only allowable type of marriage deemed legitimate in biblical texts.

This is not only our modern, academic opinion. This view of the multiple definitions of “biblical” marriage has been acknowledged by some of the most prominent names in Christianity. For example, the famed Reformationist Martin Luther wrote a letter in 1524 in which he commented on polygamy as follows: “I confess that I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not oppose the Holy Scriptures.”

Accordingly, we must guard against attempting to use ancient texts to regulate modern ethics and morals, especially those ancient texts whose endorsements of other social institutions, such as slavery, would be universally condemned today, even by the most adherent of Christians.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS
ROBERT R. CARGILL is an assistant professor of religious studies at the University of Iowa. KENNETH ATKINSON is an associate professor of history at the University of Northern Iowa. HECTOR AVALOS is a professor of religious studies at Iowa State University.

Share your thoughts »

Iowa Religious Scholars' Op-Ed

The Huffington Post  |  By Meredith Bennett-Smith

A trio of Iowa-based religious scholars penned an op-ed in a local paper this week, reminding readers that despite popular opinion, the Bible does not simply define marriage as between one man and one woman.

The joint editorial was written by Hector Avalos, Robert R. Cargill and Kenneth Atkinson and published in the Des Moines Register on Sunday. The men teach at Iowa State University, University of Iowa and University of Northern Iowa, respectively.

"The debate about marriage equality often centers, however discretely, on an appeal to the Bible," the authors wrote. "Unfortunately, such appeals often reflect a lack of biblical literacy on the part of those who use that complex collection of texts as an authority to enact modern social policy."

The Bible's definition of marriage can be confusing and contradictory, noted the scholars. They stated in their column that a primary example of this is the religious book's stance on polygamy, a practice that was embraced by prominent biblical figures Abraham and David. Furthermore, Avalos, Cargill and Atkinson point out that various Bible passages mention not only traditional monogamy, but also self-induced castration and celibacy, as well as the practice of wedding rape victims to their rapists.

In an interview with The Huffington Post, Iowa University Professor Robert R. Cargill said the column was the brainchild of his colleague Hector Avalos, who suggested local scholars put together an "educated response" to the often-touted claim that the Bible defines marriage as solely between one man and one woman. "[T]hat's not the only thing the Bible says," Cargill told HuffPost.

He explained that it is obvious to scholars (and some religious leaders) that the Bible endorses a wide range of relationships. But he noted, however, that professors are "terrified" of the potential backlash that might result from opening a dialogue about these relationships. Cargill also noted that the initial response to the Register column has included its fair share of vitriol.

Ultimately, said Cargill, a Biblical "argument against same-sex marriage is wholly unsustainable. We all know this, but very few scholars are talking about it, because they don't want to take the heat."

He suggested that academics who continue to be cowed by a strident opposition do a disservice to their communities.

"Most people aren't dumb, they want to make an informed decision" on religiously charged questions, Cargill said. "If scholars aren't talking to them, they have to rely on talk show hosts and pundits, and that's not the most reliable source of information."

Cargill also realizes that there are some people he may never be able to convince.

Many politicians have made a career out of using the Bible to justify opposition to hot-button topics like same-sex marriage or abortion. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), for example, told a crowd of evangelicals in April that Americans cannot "retreat from our values and fail to make the case on issues like marriage – because it is one man, one woman -- because God said it is."

Cargill said Bachman and her like-minded colleagues use a strategy he calls "cherry picking" to appeal to their base.

"Politicians who use the Bible aren't necessarily interested in the truth or the complexity of the Bible," he said. "They are looking for one ancient sound bite to convince people what they already believe."

Anyone who argues that "the Bible speaks plainly on one issue, especially something as complicated as marriage ... haven't take the time to read all of it," he added.

' Recorded Secretly By His Wife, Revealed After Decades

The Huffington Post  |  By Cavan Sieczkowski

Actor Rock Hudson's so-called "gay confession" to his wife, a conversation that was recorded more than 50 years ago, has been revealed as part of a secret file release by the family of Detective Fred Otash.

Back in 1958, Hudson's wife, Phyllis Gates, confronted the Hollywood legend about being gay, according to The Hollywood Reporter. That confrontation was secretly tape-recorded by Detective Fred Otash, a private eye who had dirt on everyone from Marilyn Monroe to Judy Garland. Gates had hired him to keep tabs on her husband.

"Rock, your great speed with me, sexually. Are you that fast with boys?" Gates asked Hudson, according to a transcript of the discussion obtained by THR from Otash's family.

"Well, it's a physical conjunction [sic]," he replied. "Boys don't fit. So, this is why it lasts longer."

Gates' 1955 marriage to Hudson eventually deteriorated, as she described in her book, My Husband, Rock Hudson, via the Los Angeles Times. Their sex life was "brief and hurried," and he reportedly told her "all women are dirty." She wrote that she dodged phones calls from young men who claimed they were fans while Hudson disappeared for hours at a time. Domestic violence was allegedly another issue.

She filed for divorce in 1958, citing "mental cruelty."

Hudson, who died of AIDS in 1985 at the age of 59, never came out publicly despite incessant gossip about his sexuality. Author Sarah Davidson, who wrote the "Magnificent Obsession" star's authorized biography, has said that while Hudson may have been secretive about his sexuality, he was always hopeful about love.

"He wasn't into S&M, for example," Davidson told the late Roger Ebert, addressing rumors Hudson was into kink. "He was basically a very romantic man. He was like a woman; he'd run and tell his friends when he'd found someone new that he was in love with. He always believed there was one single right person for him, Mr. Right, and he was always looking for that person, and always finding him."

Video @ hXXp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/06/rock-hudons-gay-confession-_n_3397340.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

m Yahoo News / Small Business Adviser ~ By Bird Pilatsky

In many cities across the country, June marks Gay Pride month, an event that marks the June 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City. During Pride month there are numerous parades and parties that become the target of advertisers, focusing on a demographic that is often overlooked the rest of the year. Gays and lesbians are a large potential market with potential buying power estimated at $641 billion – but how do we assess whether some of the Pride month marketing practices are ethical?
Gay Community Demographics

The gay and lesbian community represents a significant and influential market, with members being twice as likely to be professionals or managers then the general public and 3.4 times as likely to have an income greater than $250,000 a year. More than 90% of members of the gay and lesbian community took a domestic vacation within the last year, and more than 60% have traveled internationally in the last three years. These metrics suggest substantial disposable income among the gay and lesbian community, income that is often only the target of advertising during Pride.
Unethical Marketing: Alcoholism And The Gay Community

One of the more questionable marketing practices is that of alcoholic beverage companies. Alcohol brands are prominent among the advertisers at Pride events, often sponsoring floats or parties. However, studies show that the gay and lesbian community has a significantly higher rate of alcohol abuse than the general population, with a rate of up to 25%, compared with 5-10% of the general population. With this kind of disparity it is ethically dubious for the alcohol industry to place itself at the fore of advertising to gays and lesbians. Ultimately there is a close link here between a dangerous industry and a vulnerable population.
Positive Marketing: Father’s Day With JCPenney

When done well, marketing to the gay and lesbian community can be beneficial to everyone involved; an excellent example of this is last year’s Father’s Day advertisements from JCPenney. Father’s Day also happens in June, matching it up with Pride month. In their advertisement, JCPenney featured a family with two dads and their children. This advertisement targets the growing population of gay families with kids, while signaling to the gay and lesbian community that this is a friendly business that represents their needs. This kind of advertising is positive and much more ethical than the practices of the alcohol industry in relationship to the gay and lesbian community. Done right, Pride month marketing can benefit both companies and consumers, but it needs to be done with care.

This Homophobic Bakery will Cater Dog Weddings but Not Gay Civil Unions

the Atlantic Wire ~ By Alexander Abad-Santos

On May 1, Colorado took a step toward civil-rights progress when it began recognizing same-sex civil unions. There was joy. There was acceptance. And it was a big move for a state that's had a contentious history with gay rights and that, just seven years ago, saw its voters approve a ban on gay marriage in the state's constitution. And in 1992, Coloradans approved Amendment 2, a law that would have prohibited gays and lesbians from being a protected class — until it was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1996.

RELATED: This Is What Colorado's First Same-Sex Civil Unions Look Like hXXp://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/05/colorados-civil-unions-photos/64755/

The civil unions have also helped businesses, as the Colorado Springs Gazette reports. But there remain some small-business owners like Christian baker Jack Phillips (above at right), owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in the town of Lakewood, who took one big step backward. Phillips refuses to make wedding cakes for gay weddings, and he's now the subject of a formal complaint sitting at the Colorado Attorney General's Office. You can find the formal complaint (courtesy of the ACLU) , but here's the key part:

The law cited in the complaint says that business owners can't just refuse to serve someone based on who the person is. The law has a specific discrimination clause:

It is a discriminatory practice and unlawful for a person, directly or indirectly, to refuse, withhold from, or deny to an individual or a group, because of disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, or ancestry, the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of a place of public accommodation …

Note that the law applies to "a person." Phillips, the baker, makes cakes for dog weddings, just not gay-person weddings. Stephanie Schmalz and her partner, Jeanine, wanted to get some cupcakes to celebrate their commitment ceremony, the ACLU reports, and like several gay couples before them, they were refused. So Schmalz called up Phillips, telling him she was planning a wedding for her dog: "She told him that the dog wedding cake would need to feed 20 people and should be decorated with the names 'Roscoe' and 'Buffy,'" the ACLU writes. "Without hesitation, Phillips quoted her a price and asked how soon she needed it."

The policy at Masterpiece Cakeshop isn't new, or reacting to the new Colorado legislation per se. Phillips has actually been telling people since last July that he wouldn't be supplying baked goods for same-sex celebrations. "Phillips said he isn't a homophobe, and that he would gladly serve any other baked good to a gay couple — just not a wedding cake," Fox Denver reported at the time. "I'm a follower of Jesus Christ, so you could say this is a religious belief," Phillips told them. We're assuming the dog wedding of Roscoe and Buffy was a heterosexual wedding, and thus approved — doggy-sex be damned.

Phillips's hearing won't arrive until September, but it hasn't taken long for the fallout to reach the social-media sphere. Though Phillips said business was booming ever since he announced that he wasn't serving gay wedding cakes, Yelp says otherwise:

And only some of those negative reviews are due to his anti-gay cake policy.

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