Posts made by leatherbear

SAHARA DAVENPORT

According to past contestants of RuPaul's Drag Race, season two competitor Sahara Davenport has passed away, making her the show's first star to sashay away into heaven.

She was 27. She also owned more than 100 wigs. And she came into this world as Antoine Ashley, a young boy who went on to study dance at the very conservative Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Davenport performed on Dallas' one gay strip during her university years and, after graduating, made the very wise choice of moving to New York City where she made a name for herself "by doing talent nights, talent competitions and networking and meeting all the working girls."

By day, Ashley took classes, booked gigs and taught private dance lessons. But by night, she became Sahara Davenport — an elegant, drag dancer whose name was bestowed upon her by favorite performer and drag godmother Sierra Davenport.

While in New York, Sahara began working for Screaming Queens Entertainment, a company "which hires drag queens out as 'ambience girls' for corporate events and bar mitzvahs." Her favorite outfit was, of course, a "red-sequined cat suit that looks like a flying squirrel."

During that time she also began dating season three Drag Racer Manila Luzon. The two resided in Harlem together. She shined in Drag Race season two by impersonating Whitney Houston in the Snatch Game and leading her team to earn the most money through burlesque dancing and selling their sweet cherry pies on the streets of Los Angeles—werque!

She twice saved herself from elimination during rounds of "lip-synch for your life," but all the pirouettes and ballet kicks in her repertoire could not save her after screeching and stumbling through a rock performance of RuPaul's "Lady Boy."

The judges said she was too lady like and not enough rock-and-roll. But she proved them wrong by releasing two singles after competing in Drag Race: “Pump with Me” and “Go Off.” Here's how Davenport described her track "Go Off":

“Go Off” is that moment in life when you decide to give yourself the power to do whatever it is you want to do, but at your maximum potential. Whatever it is, dance the house down, pick up a hot guy, or even slap the bitch who stole your last boyfriend. It’s definitely about letting down walls and showing your loudest colors."

Last night, Drag Race alum began tweeting about Davenport's passing, although it's not been disclosed how it happened:

Stacy Layne Matthews: "Just lost one of my Drag Race sisters….. RIP Sahara Davenport!!!!!!! I love you sis!!!!!!"

Jujubee: "A beautiful angel has been added to Heaven. Rest in peace my sweet friend. We will miss you, Sahara Davenport."

Tatianna: "I’m at a complete loss for words. Rest in peace Miss Sahara Davenport. You were a beautiful person, performer, and sister. I will never forget you or the experiences we had together. Love you always."

Michelle Visage, a Drag Race judge, confirmed the Twitter reports: "It’s true and I have no words. Have to sign off for now kids, can’t handle this. XOXO"

Manila Luzon: "I love him so much."

Sahara Davenport – Pump With Me (Official Video)

hXXp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw89zB_wc1U&feature=player_embedded

Currently being discussed amongst the Staff so watch for updates on the Home Page. I can't say when or if this will happen but it is being discussed.

:crazy2:

  hXXp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39sivCy02aw

Dudes is speedos having some fun  :cheers:

:cheers: The Forums are Back ~ especially the Special Interest Groups  :cheers:

Normally I try and avoid small pictures when posting. However, this post does contain some small pictures. I thought they were hot so I included them here.


I am so sorry to hear that you are caught up in this mess with the USA government. It is indeed a truly sad and IMHO grievous injustice to you and your partner.

I just made a post in our old Gay News Forum which is not visible yet in the Forums. The post is about Same Sex Partners and immigration. I know this is not your situation but it contains this info which makes me think you may have a chance at some defense of this decision.

Last year, Attorney General Eric Holder and President Barack Obama called DOMA unconstitutional and said they would no longer defend the measure in court. In response, the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives stepped in to fund an effort to try to uphold the law.

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide next month whether it will review a number of cases questioning the constitutionality of DOMA.

If i were you I would contact the American Civil Liberties Union to discuss possible avenues to overturn this decision. Your civil liberties have certainly been violated IMHO. I really think they will help you or at least have some advice on how you should proceed.

change.org/]www.change.org/

Check out this organization as well. They allow people to start a petition to make a Change in all matters. I have never started a petition but I have signed many. You, of course, will need somewhere or someone to send the petition to that will garner the attention to this issue.

hrc.org]www.hrc.org ~ Human Rights Campaign

I would contact HRC for potential sources of already existing efforts being made to combat this situation you are forced to live with. I have contacted them several times and it may take a while to get a response from a phone call made, they have assisted me several times in the past. They also have a petition campaign on many LGBT issues and seem to know where to send the petitions for the best results.

Please keep us informed on your progress with fighting the USA government and let us know how we can help you in your fight.

:love:

Michael and Rob

We do not allow solicitation of invites to other sites in our Forums.

The decision to bring back the forum was made last night and this is the only Board active just now. However, The Staff is working to bring back as much of the Forum as possible ASAP. Please bear with us during this time frame. Feel free to add your opinions on which Boards you would like to see restored to this thread. It will certainly help the Staff make future decisions regarding the Forums.  :thx:

By Ronnie Cohen

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The Obama administration has directed immigration officials to recognize same-sex partners as family members in deportation cases, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said on Friday.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told Pelosi in a letter that she had ordered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to notify its field offices "that the interpretation of the phrase 'family relationships' includes long-term, same-sex partners."

Pelosi welcomed the federal recognition of gay and lesbian couples. At the same time, she called for more to be done to protect undocumented immigrants in long-term relationships with American citizens.

Napolitano's directive "will provide a measure of clarity and confidence to families dealing with separation in immigration cases," Pelosi said in a written statement. "Our nation is served when loving families are kept together."

But she added: "We need to … relegate DOMA to the dustbin of history." The 1996 Defense of Marriage Act bars the federal government from extending federal benefits, such as Social Security, to married gay and lesbian couples.

DOMA restricts the Obama administration from outright ordering that gay and lesbian couples be treated the same as heterosexual couples.

Last year, Attorney General Eric Holder and President Barack Obama called DOMA unconstitutional and said they would no longer defend the measure in court. In response, the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives stepped in to fund an effort to try to uphold the law.

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide next month whether it will review a number of cases questioning the constitutionality of DOMA.

Meanwhile, married couples like Brian Willingham, 38, and Alfonso Garcia, 35, of Orinda, California, have been fighting for the right to be considered related in the eyes of immigration authorities. After a traffic stop, officials began deportation proceedings against Garcia, who came to the United States from Mexico when he was 14.

"We're definitely happy that the Obama administration took this good first step," Willingham told Reuters Friday. "But it's just a Band-Aid. It helps us because we are faced with deportation. But it leaves thousands of couples in exile."

Immigration officials last year said they would consider same-sex partnerships as family relations in deciding whether to deport undocumented immigrants.

But 83 members of Congress led by Pelosi and Jerrold Nadler of New York criticized the government for unevenly applying the directive, and they pressed for written guidelines.

"This is a huge step forward," said Rachel B. Tiven, executive director of Immigration Equality, a national gay-rights group. "Until now, LGBT families and their lawyers had nothing to rely on but an oral promise. The administration's written guidance will help families facing separation and the field officers who are reviewing their cases." (Reporting By Ronnie Cohen; Editing by Mary Wisniewski and Todd Eastham)

Gay marriage in Delaware is inevitable, the state's Governor Jack Markell said on Friday, a day after neighboring Maryland became the eighth state to legalize marriage for same-sex couples.

In an interview with Reuters Insider TV, Markell, a Democrat, said he expects that Delaware will take up same-sex marriage legislation "probably within the next few years."

Delaware began allowing civil unions – an institution set up to give the same rights as civil marriage, while reserving marriage for heterosexual couples -- last year.

Markell noted that until three years ago it was legal in Delaware "to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation," and said the state was moving towards greater acceptance of homosexuality.

"I think it's inevitable," he said of gay marriage.

Massachusetts, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York and the District of Columbia currently allow same-sex nuptials. Earlier this year, the New Jersey state legislature voted to allow gay marriage, but the measure was vetoed by Republican Governor Chris Christie.

Washington state will join the list of states with same-sex marriage in June unless opponents stop it ahead of a possible ballot initiative, and Maryland will be added in January 2013 unless its law, too, is overturned by a threatened referendum in November.

(Reporting by Fred Katayama and Edith Honan; Additional reporting by Alice Popovici; editing by Dan Burns)

A Tennessee high school principal has resigned amidst a flurry of reports that she had made blatantly homophobic remarks to gay students during a meeting.

The Jackson Sun is reporting that Haywood County High School Principal Dorothy Bond tendered her resignation yesterday, after the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Tennessee sent a letter “on behalf of several students and families at the school” to the school's superintendent asking the district to take action.

"The Haywood County Board of Education acknowledges its student body’s right to free speech," the Haywood County School Board’s law firm wrote in a statement confirming Bond's resignation. "Further, the Haywood County Board of Education strives to provide an atmosphere of tolerance and diversity while maintaining high academic standards."

The Jackson Sun reports that Jerry Pyron will now serve as interim principal of Haywood County High School.

Bond had come under fire from area parents and national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) advocates after ABC 24 reported the principal had made insensitive remarks about both homosexuality and teen pregnancy during a Feb. 9 assembly. "At first she was talking about [public displays of affection] and she turned around and she directly pointed to the gay people and said if you're gay, you're going to hell and if you're pregnant, your life is over," student Amber Whittiemore is quoted as saying.

According to Nashville Scene, the ACLU officials praised Bond's resignation, saying in a statement, "Haywood County School District's swift action makes it clear that they do not condone the type of harassment and targeted discrimination that was taking place at the high school. We applaud the Haywood County School District for affirming students' right to be who they are and to be free from bullying by school leadership."

Still, not everyone is happy about the outcome. "Thank God I had teachers who taught me the difference between right and wrong," one person wrote on the Jackson Sun's Facebook page. "Now we are moving away from this and just letting kids do what they want. Kids need to know what is right and what is wrong and without this leadership they will be lost in this world for the rest of their lives."