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HBO NOW Releases 'Pride Month Collection' In Celebration Of Queer Pride

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We’re smack dab in the middle of Pride month and if you feel like you haven’t gotten your fill of queer-related cultural content, HBO wants to change that.
HBO NOW just released its “Pride Month Collection,” a round-up of queer HBO programming, documentaries, comedy specials and films from the last 40 years. The list is a diverse representation of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, ranging from Liberace biopic “Behind the Candelabra” to “Wanda Sykes: I’ma Be Me” to the hit series “Looking.”
“Over the last 40 years, HBO programming has shed light on important issues like LGBT Families, Bullying, HIV/ AIDS, hate crimes, marriage equality and more that face the LGBT community through award-winning and critically-acclaimed original series, miniseries, films and documentaries,” a representative for HBO said in an email sent to The Huffington Post. “These programs have included some of the most dynamic, groundbreaking and inspiring stories that put human faces behind the challenges.”
HBO NOW curates round-ups each month for users to get the whole range of experience related to a specific event, genre or actor. It is a subscription-based service available through Apple or Cablevision. Check out the image below for a sneak peak of the “Pride Month Collection.”
hbo now

Kiwis 'most likely' to hide sexuality

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Josh Kronfeld, former All Black, urges Kiwis to be more welcoming in their attitudes. Photo / Getty Images
By Simon Plumb
More young Kiwis are hiding their sexuality than anywhere else in the world, a ground-breaking homophobia study shows.
The international “Out on the Fields” study – the world’s first country comparison of homophobia in sport – makes damning reading, including 76 per cent of Kiwi respondents saying they didn’t believe it would be safe for an openly gay, lesbian or bisexual spectator to attend a sporting event, and 71 per cent saying they didn’t believe youth teams were welcoming of gays, lesbians or bisexuals.
Australian-based study co-ordinator Erik Denison said a major factor in some of the New Zealand findings was a lack of an openly gay All Black.
“We found the decisions of young people coming out are often helped by a high-profile, openly gay athlete in their sport,” Denison told the Herald on Sunday.
Read also
• Coming out of the sports closet
• Editorial: Good keen blokes find coming out tough
“The presence of that role model and having the support of a straight teammate are the two biggest factors in people under the age of 22 coming out of the closet.”

Rower Robbie Manson advises young people to enjoy playing sport and not feel hindered by their sexuality. Photo / Christine Cornege
Rower Robbie Manson advises young people to enjoy playing sport and not feel hindered by their sexuality. Photo / Christine Cornege

Those surveyed were asked to select from a range of possible solutions to homophobia. The top three responses from Kiwis included: “More LGB [lesbian, gay bisexual] professional sporting stars need to come out of the closet to set an example.”
Former All Black Josh Kronfeld was alarmed at the findings, urging Kiwis to be more welcoming in their attitudes, particularly towards young people trying to hide their sexual orientation.
“If someone in top Kiwi rugby were to come out, I don’t think it would be that big a deal amongst the players.
“The biggest issues would probably be driven by the fan base. There are dumb and ignorant people around.
“The male bastion has always been about being tough and alpha males. Society is realising it’s not about that any more.”

'Ex-gay' campaign costs Christian group £100,000

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GayTimes
 

“Not Gay! Ex-Gay, Post-Gay and Proud. Get over it!”

Christian group Core Issues has lost an appeal against a decision to ban its recent bus campaign that suggested gay people could be helped in changing their sexuality.

The High Court has rejected the case against the advertising ban and has informed a legal costs bill of £100,000.
Transport for London (TFL) banned the posters as they believed it would “cause grave offence” to those who were gay.
The campaign lead with the slogan “Not Gay! Ex-Gay, Post-Gay and Proud. Get over it!”
The charity created the ‘Ex-Gay’ campaign in response to the Stonewall 2012 campaign “Some people are gay. Get over it!”
Chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre Andrea Williams commented: “It does not finish here. It is all a whitewash.”
The group Core Issues has vowed to continue fighting against the decision.
Words William J Connolly, @wjconnolly

Scottish Charity says more needs to be done to make LGBT youth feel safe

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Getty Images

More needs to be done to ensure LGBT young people feel safe in their communities, according to a charity.

LGBT Youth Scotland welcomed an increase in the reporting of hate crimes but called for further moves to help lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people understand their rights and report discrimination.
In a new report based on a survey of LGBT people aged 13 to 25, the group said they still encounter harassment in public spaces and not all are aware of what constitutes a criminal act under hate crime legislation and how to report it.
Half said they were aware of their rights, while a similar proportion (53%) said they would feel confident in reporting a crime they experienced to the police.
Among transgender young people the figure dropped to 48%, while bisexual women were the least likely to feel confident reporting a hate crime at 46%.
Just under 49% of LGBT young people said they felt safe and supported by the legal system, falling to 40% for the transgender group.
Just over half (51%) of transgender young people said they felt safe using public transport.
Chief executive Fergus McMillan said: “In Scotland, we are fortunate to have strong hate crime legislation that is inclusive of transgender identities yet the safety report shows a gap in knowledge and confidence for transgender young people in particular.
“When young people know about their rights, and have confidence in the process, they are more likely to be willing to report.
“An increase in reported crimes since the introduction of the legislation is certainly positive, yet more must be done to ensure that LGBT young people feel safe in their communities, understand their rights and how to report discrimination and harassment, and have the confidence to report.”
The group has recommended that campaigns, activities and lesson plans be developed for use in schools with specific reference to hate crime.
The report was based on a total of 273 responses to its online survey.

LGBT Support groups in Northern Ireland

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Editorial:  Support for LGBT is important, and in Northern Ireland we are lucky to have both Cara Friend, Rainbow Project and many others – the following link will take you to a holding page which has links to all of of our LGBT Support Groups in Northern Ireland,  Don’t be frightened of contacting them, everyone is friendly and is there to help you.  Being gay, lesbian, transgender or bisexual is normal, and life is wonderful.

 
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These Celebrities Are Taking Selfies To Raise Awareness Of An LGBT Helpline

The London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard is Britain’s leading support service for LGBT+ people. Celebrities, along with members of the public, are posting pictures to promote it.

posted on Jun. 12, 2015, at 11:28 a.m.

Patrick Strudwick

Patrick Strudwick

BuzzFeed LGBT Editor, UK

Click Buzz Feed and see who they are!

 

Why I am walking for gay rights

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 BY KYLIE NOBLE – 12 JUNE 2015

Tomorrow, those in Northern Ireland who care for human rights and equality for all, will take to the streets of Belfast at 2.30pm from Art College Gardens, in a call for same-sex marriage.

The rally is being organised by Amnesty Northern Ireland and the Rainbow Project.
The Assembly has voted down the introduction of same-sex marriage rights four times.
Four times Stormont has told our LGBT citizens that their love is lesser simply because of the sexuality they are born with.
Unionist politicians most ardently oppose same-sex marriage.
In the last vote, held on April 27, out of 53 MLAs who designate as unionist, only four voted in support.
The passing of same-sex marriage rights in the Republic has increased pressure on our politicians.
Yet, unionists must remember that it was the United Kingdom which led the way, with England and Wales passing legislation in favour of same-sex marriage in 2013. Scotland followed suit in 2014.
I grew up on a farm in Co Fermanagh, in a unionist family.
I understand that the Church has a massive influence on many unionist politicians on this matter.

I never thought much about LGBT rights until I started at Queen’s University in Belfast.

I listened in horror and anger to the accounts of what my LGBT friends have gone through; bullying, self-harm, suicide attempts, depression, having to hide their sexuality from their family.
Several of these friends come from unionist families.
Some of them are becoming more open to a united Ireland due to the recent referendum in the south.
Many unionist politicians fear supporting same-sex marriage will lose them votes.
That may be true for older voters, but they are already losing votes among my generation.
There are many young people from across Northern Ireland who believe our interests are better served in being part of the United Kingdom, but they aspire to an inclusive and fair United Kingdom, in which LGBT citizens are equal.

  • Kylie Noble is a former editor of The Gown, the independent student newspaper at Queen’s University, and an alumna of the Washington Ireland Program of Service and Leadership

Yes, England has openly gay footballers. And it's totally irrelevant

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England is obsessed with footballers WAGs and now the Women’s World Cup has sparked an interest in HABs (yep, that’s husbands and boyfriends). But, says Radhika Sanghani, it’s not so easy to slap labels on the women’s game

Casey Stoney and Megan Harris

England footballer Casey Stoney with her partner Megan Harris Photo: Rex

11:00AM BST 13 Jun 2015

It’s hard to ignore England’s obsession with WAGs. Every time the World Cup rolls around, the media and the public can’t get enough of our footballers’ wives and girlfriends, with their glamorous outfits, manicured talons and coiffed manes.

WAG-mania seemed to start with the TV series Footballers Wives (RIP). But it really went mainstream during the 2006 World Cup, and at every tournament since, WAG-watching has basically become a spectator sport.
So it’s no big surprise that this year, the Women’s World Cup has sparked a similar interest in the England team’s HABs (yep, that’s husbands and boyfriends).
HABs have already made the headlines, and there’s even a Twitter account dedicated to “the husbands, boyfriends and partners of female athletes.”
Unsurprisingly it’s called @Sports_HABS and for the next month, it has dedicated itself to tweeting about the Women’s World Cup and the best HABs around.

There’s just one tiny little thing – not all of England’s women team have HABs. Some of them are single, and some of them have girlfriends or wives.
This is something that football has not traditionally been open to – in the men’s game anyway. There are hardly any openly gay male footballers at international level, and it was only last year that a Premier League footballer came out as gay for the first time.
Thomas Hitzlsperger, a German former West Ham United player, revealed his sexuality to “move the discussion about homosexuality among professional sportspeople forwards.”
Before him, the most high profile footballer to come out in Britain was Justin Fashanu, who suffered years of homophobic abuse before he took his own life in 1998, at the age of 37.
Thomas Hitzlsperger came out last year (Getty images)
The Women’s World Cup is now throwing a spotlight on just how backwards men’s football can be when it comes to homosexuality.
Outsports estimates there are 17 women involved in this year’s tournament, who are either gay or bisexual – compared to the handful in the Men’s World Cup.
England has two openly gay players, Lianne Sanderson and former captain, Casey Stoney, 33, who came out last year and revealed she was in a relationship with former team-mate Megan Harris (the couple now have twins together).
Lianne Sanderson is openly gay (Getty Images)
Homosexuality is not taboo in the women’s game. It is, quite rightly, seen as entirely irrelevant to the football they play.
Many of women who have come out have spoken about how “positive” the experience has been for them.
It’s a far cry to the men’s game. Only last year Roy Hodgson revealed he had no idea what LGBT stood for (it’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans), and Arsene Wenger said: “[Tackling homophobia] is a [value] here maybe we are a bit behind and we have to work on it, of course.”
There is a lot that needs to change in the men’s game before players can come out as confidently as their female counterparts; from managerial attitudes to acceptance from fans.
But terms such as WAG don’t help either.
They might be three seemingly harmless letters, but I’d argue it’s unconscious homophobia. What’s worse, I’ve been using it for years without a second thought.

But the absurdity of the HABs label in the context of the Women’s World Cup has proved just how outdated these terms – and our views – really are. Not only are we ignoring the real stars of the game by focusing on their partners, we’re making assumptions that aren’t just blind but offensive.
It’s why this World Cup, I’m steering clear of all three-letter acronyms. Who’s with me?

Tylenol hire out gay Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black to shoot TV Ad

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By The Gay UK, Jun 13 2015 06:00PM
Many forward thing major corporations are getting far more inclusive in their advertising these days, and US drug company Johnson & Johnson went one further by hiring out gay Academy Award winner Dustin Lance Black to shoot their latest campaign for Tylenol.
It features a same-sex prom couple and two gay dads and has a voiceover that declares, “Family isn’t defined by who you love, but how.” Manoj Raghunandanan, Senior Director of Marketing for Johnson and Johnson’s McNeil Consumer Healthcare, told Advertising Age that the ad was representative of his company’s commitment to celebrating how “families look and feel different [now] than they did before.”
Here’s a sneak preview of it before it is launched on American TV later this month.

LGBT Books in the wider Community

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Editorial:  I was sent the information on this LGBT archive for interest, and to also allow our readers who travel to Indianapolis to schedule time to visit such a wonderful resource.  

For me what is interesting is that the population of Indianapolis was calculated to be 852,866 (2013), whilst the population of 333,871 at the 2015 census.  From my research in the local libraries, I would hazard a guess that we proably have less than 50 items which be classified as LGBT; and indeed some 4 or 5 years ago I was at a Pride event held by UNISON about the dearth of material in our school libraries – at that time there was one, yes one, gay book in school libraries in Northern Ireland.

I would also hazard a guess that things will not have improved, indeed the indications are that our school libraries are being mothballed, and our Northern Ireland library service is under pressure to cut back again!

Indianapolis’ Chris Gonzalez Library and Archives

by Paul
 
Indianapolis’s Chris Gonzalez Library and Archives is the unofficial home of the city’s rich and relatively unknown LGBT history. with a collection of almost 10,000 items which have mostly been collected by Michael Bohr, pictured.
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Michael Bohr | Timothy Bella | 15070

Back in the ’60s, when I first started collecting gay books, it was very hard to find this stuff. You’d find two or three titles maybe in six months. It didn’t matter how good it was. You picked it up because that’s all there was.

The collection is named after Chris Gonzalez, whose  family threw out photos of the 1970s local LGBT scene that he had taken after he died. “His family just trashed all of it,” Bohr says.
The collection includes mementos of the Celebration on the Circle event in 1990, which was a turning point for Indianapolis’ gay community.
This is the poster from the first pride celebration on [Monument] Circle. Doing pride on the Circle was a way of stating that the gay community was here and that we had a presence in the city. Before it was done on the Circle, pride celebrations were small banquet affairs done out of the public eye.
At one time, after dark the only people on the Circle were hustlers. There was a police presence trying to drive people off the Circle. The pride celebrations were a way of taking back the Circle as a public space for everybody. You could be on the Circle and be gay without being harassed by the police. Monument Circle is the big circle of Indianapolis. Doing something on Monument Circle is saying, “Hey, pay attention to us. We’re here, and we’re a presence. We’re not going away.”
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Timothy Bella | 15071