“I’m Too Sexy”: #1 20 Years Ago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39YUXIKrOFk

20 years ago (yesterday) Right Said Fred’s single “I’m Too Sexy” reached #1 on the music charts.

I find it hard to believe that 20 years ago, I was a mere 19 year old young man, in college, with a great group of friends (who I still keep in contact with today via Facebook).

Back then, I was still firmly in the closet (holding on with a white-knuckled death grip), but I absolutely LOVED this video. For those who didn’t know it back then, my love of this video makes my sexuality pretty obvious now, huh?

I still love this song. And, hey, it still rings true today. Sometimes, we’re all too sexy for our shirts. 🙂

Right Said Fred in 2010Here’s a pic of Right Said Fred from 2010. Some work looks like it’s been done, but they still look pretty darn good for almost 60 years of age!

 

(via Joemygod)

New Jersey State Legislature Passes Marriage Equality Bill

The New Jersey State Legislature just passed a bill in favor of marriage equality by a vote of 41-33, as reported by the Human Rights Campaign.

As I posted previous, the same bill passed the State Senate a few days ago, and Gov. Chris Christie still promises to veto the bill and call instead for a voter referendum. Voting on civil rights, something I posted about as well is just plain ridiculous and Christie knows it, especially when “54 percent of New Jersey voters support marriage equality, an upswing of nearly ten points in two years.”

If the governor knew what was good for his political future, he wouldn’t waste tax payer time and just sign the bill into law.

The “Evil” Planned Parenthood Hooking Kids on Sex

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZix2Nm0fKw

The American Life League, a pro-life group, created a video about the evils of Planned Parenthood. In the video, they compare Planned Parenthood to drug dealers getting children hooked, not on crack, but on sex! In what was supposed to be a serious video, the group instead created an unintentional parody.

While it’s true Planned Parenthood does teach about sex education and offers abortion as “one” of their services, they are not the evil entity the ALL makes them out to be. What they do is take a subject (sex) that for teens is often mysterious and, well, titillating and demystify it. Far too many teens have misinformation about sex learned from other uninformed teens because there are some parents who are uncomfortable broaching the subject. So instead of educating their children, those children are left to educate themselves and each other.

When I was young, I remember hearing stories about getting a girl pregnant by kissing her, or a girl friend (not a girlfriend) telling me that a girl gets pregnant when a boy pees on her. I was, like, gross!

Then there was the shame associated with masturbation and the myths of hairy palms and going blind. I remember constantly checking my hands for stubble and sighing with relief every time my ophthalmologist said I had 20/20 vision.

Planned Parenthood provides teens coming into sexual maturity with the facts about their bodies, sex, and contraceptives so that teens can make informed decisions regarding their own actions.

And while the ALL makes Planned Parenthood out to be evil, the information they lambast Planned Parenthood for providing is available on the Internet. Tech savvy teens have access to all this information–from porn sites to other sites with misinformation. What Planned Parenthood does, though, is organize the information for teens who are going to get it somehow. So why shouldn’t it be from an organization that simply wants to inform, not indoctrinate?

(story via Joemygod)

 

 

Review of THE LOCKER ROOM by Amy Lane

The Locker Room by Amy Lane was one of the first novels I began reading during my research on m/m and m/m/m fiction. Since I decided to write a book detailing a gay romance, which is quite the departure from my more political dystopian novel Moral Authority, I naturally turned to some popular books in the genre. The Locker Room was one such book that ranked high among the Goodreads groups I belong to, so I gave it a try. I’m glad I did.

I really enjoyed this book. It chronicles a journey of true love between two characters who capture each other’s hearts as well as the reader’s.

At the very beginning, we meet Xander Karcek at fourteen, hungry and pretty much homeless, playing basketball, the only thing in his life that comforts him. At least until he meets Christian Edwards, a lanky boy whose love for the game rivals his own. The two play a game of basketball and by the time it’s over, both boys have developed a strong friendship that swiftly becomes love.

Over the next few years, through high school, college, and their professional lives, Xander and Chris’ love only grows more powerful, becoming a full fledged adult relationship with childhood adoration at its very core. That childlike center to their romance adds an innocence and sweetness to the duo that helps pull the reader, and the characters, through the tough obstacles ahead.

The obstacles seem insurmountable–being gay and in love but trying to keep their private life out of the celebrity spotlight of professional basketball. Along the way, they make mistakes and navigate through some turbulent waters, but they do so–together–even when those obstacles would destroy couples with less commitment than these two demonstrate. Even when they face separation, they are always together in their hearts and souls, the place where true love resides.

With this book, Amy Lane has earned a fan.

In Washington State: Marriage Equality Bill Signed Into Law

Washington State Governor Chris Gregoire signed the Marriage Equality Bill that crossed her desk. Washington State now joins Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Iowa, New York, and Washington D.C. in legalizing same-sex marriage.

“Weddings will commence June 7, if opponents do not have 120,000 signatures to propose a November ballot referendum by June 6,” as reported by Queerty.

Regardless, this is a call for celebration. We are now 7 states down for marriage equality and 43 to go. While that might seem a daunting task (and it is!), we have to look at the progress we’ve made so far. Slowly but surely, we will have nationwide equality. It might take longer in the south (which is par for the course), but I have faith that it will happen.

A Valentine’s Video For A Closeted Boyfriend

http://vimeo.com/36723668

I came across this video from a Seattle Vlogger named Matt Brown. He composed the video for his boyfriend who lives over 5,000 miles away in a country that doesn’t accept homosexuals. The video is titled “I love you more than…” and Matt cites a litany of cutsie items and situations. It’s sweet and silly, but after the silliness comes the meat of the video.

The second half of the video showcases pictures of Matt and his boyfriend, who is pixelated in each one. If his identity was made known, if those who employ him and consider him friend and family were to learn of his sexuality, Matt’s boyfriend would lose his career and his family. In all, Matt loves his man more than the pixels he hides behind, and in the video he vows “And with all my might, I will rip those pixels off, one by one, until their souls are raw.”

Here is what Matt had to say about the video he made:

It wasn’t meant for anyone else’s eyes, but I thought the message was sincere and good enough to be seen by others…This is the Valentine’s Day video by me for my partner, XXXXXXX XXXXX. My partner lives somewhere across the Atlantic. He lives a very hidden life because of the way his society will treat him if it found out about him being gay. I’ve made this video for him to show the support and passion toward my Love and human rights. It was supposed to be a private video, solely for my boyfriend’s eyes, but it turned into a statement of fighting for the one you love when I realized I wouldn’t be able to say his name or show his face in the video. XXXXXXX, Happy Valentine’s Day! Someday society will let us feel fully accepted!”

What this video shows is Matt’s unconditional love for a man, who is trapped within a society that would shun him should he embrace true love as openly as most everyone else does. What could be truer love than that?

Matt’s video also shows those who believe that homosexuals are promiscuous partiers who cannot maintain a long-term relationship what true love really is. It’s not about what anyone else says about you or who you love. It’s about how you feel about each other, and about the fires you would willingly walk through to be with the love of your life.

(story via Queerty)

Happy Valentine’s Day from a Bulgarian Bear in Drag

If you enjoy bearish men from Bulgaria who dress in drag, then you will enjoy this video from Azis, who happens to be a Bulgarian bear and dresses in drag.

If you’re not a connoisseur of hirsute eastern Europeans, you still might enjoy the video for its man candy or its excessive campiness.

Regardless, this is my VD gift to all of you!

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDpnwsGRtAU

NJ Senate Passes Marriage Equality Bill

The New Jersey Senate passed a marriage equality bill with a vote of 24-16 this morning, as reported by ThinkProgress. The measure will now head to the House, where it is expected to pass.

Once that happens, the bill will head to Governor Chris Christie who has promised to veto the bill. Even with his veto, proponents believe they can scrounge up the 27 votes necessary to override the governor.