GLBT

Democrats left Patrick Leahy standing alone for gay couples on Tuesday night:

Here’s something nobody asked for, but we guess it’s for a good cause, so we’ll take it anyway. Jersey Shore castmember Angelina Pivarnick is the latest heterosexual woman to cash in on the marriage equality bandwagon by staging a wedding with Cheryl Caruso of TLC’s Sister Wives in the middle of Times Square. The “event” is part of Adam Barta’s latest music video, “Serendipity“. In it, the star of Tan Mom’s brand new video runs around New York City (or just the corner of 49th & 8th) before participating in a double same-sex wedding where he marries model Thomas Cole. Barta and Pivarnick became besties after she hurled gay slurs at him in a heated exchange last October. Here’s what she said: “I don’t think gays should be married. If you want to date each other fine, see what works. In the end, they should marry their other type. You know what I mean, if you’re male, marry a female, if you’re a female, marry a male. I don’t think it has anything to do with taxes, I understand you’re a citizen, but I don’t believe gays should be married. You know, women are supposed to be pregnant with the men that they’re with. And they (the women) should be able to have beautiful children. I understand that there is such thing as adoption, and gay people do that. They have people carry their babies. I don’t think you should go through all that. I think it should be easy. That’s my fucking opinion. What am I supposed to say? I’m not supposed to have my opinion?” The proceeds from this video, as with most of Adam Barta’s equality projects, will be donated to Adam Barta’s bank account in lieu of an organization fighting for equality.

Following the second annual Out for Undergraduate Technology Conference, a yearly event that encourages the most motivated LGBT students to make a positive impact in the workplace, Online Colleges has created an engaging infographic outlining the challenges facing students in a digital age. via Online Colleges: This infographic examines some of the issues facing LGBT students, how they’re affected, and how support for these students—much of it Web-based—has evolved over the years. Courtesy of: OnlineColleges.com

PHOTO OF THE DAY: The annual homoerotic masterpiece that is the Herndon Climb.   BY SAM GREISMAN A look back at today's top stories WINGNUTTERY Just a few hours after yesterday's rally against homophobic attacks in the West Village, there were two more reports of anti-gay attacks in the city. A gay nightlife promoter was attacked in the East Village and a gay couple got into an altercation in SoHo a few hours later. What is going on!? A French historian and radical right activist took his own life today in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral and crowds of tourists when he shot himself in what was reported as an anti-gay marriage statement. Fred Phelps Jr. of the Westboro Baptist Church continues to prove that he has absolutely no shame as he blamed yesterday's horrific tornado in Oklahoma on Jason Collins' coming out. Veteran UFC Fighter Nate Diaz refuses to back down from his recent blatant homophobic remarks and ironically the states with the highest numbers of gay parents also have bans on same-sex marriage.  ** GAY NEWS Check out some speeches from yesterday's anti-homophobia rally in New York; the family of Mark Carson and the couple attacked in front of Madison Square Garden are featured. Speaking of speeches, just try and not be charmed by this gay high school senior thanking his class for accepting him. Garth Greenwell gives us a review of David McConnell's new book which looks at the murders of six gay men. ** ENTERTAINMENT Beyonce's newest single dropped today, take a listen to Queen Bey's "Grown Woman" here. And George Michael reportedly fell out of a moving car last week.  ** VIDEOS OF THE DAY Three powerful videos from yesterday's devastating tornado in Oklahoma; first take a look at the birth of the powerful twister, then watch as a family emerges from their storm cellar into total devastation and prepare to shed a few tears as a woman finds her dog alive during a live interview.

Notre Dame Cathedral circ. 1880. Dominique Venner took his own life. It has been reported that the French right-wing historian walked up to the altar of the famed Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, took out a gun, put it in his mouth and fired. He collapsed onto the altar. Venner has been a vocal opponent of France’s move towards same-sex marriage, and one of the most vocal opponents of immigration into France from various Islamic nations. He was 78-years-old. According to various sources, including Le Monde, Venner has held extreme right-wing views and wrote on his blog posts denouncing same-sex marriage. Other posts apparently rose fears of an Islamic takeover of France. Venner references in his last blog post the anti-gay protests planned for 26 May. Those protests are going to happen despite the fact that the bill is now law. He wrote of the protests “The demonstrators of May 26 [against the law allowing gay marriage in France] will be right to shout their impatience and rage. A law steeped in infamy, once voted, can always be voided.” Venner was Roman Catholic. The Catholic Church takes a very dim view of suicide, which it considers to be a mortal sin and a violation of the Fifth Commandment. According to the Vatican’s website “Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life. It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. It likewise offends love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations. Suicide is contrary to love for the living God.” They go on to say “If suicide is committed with the intention of setting an example, especially to the young, it also takes on the gravity of scandal. Voluntary co-operation in suicide is contrary to the moral law.” Venner apparently wrote on papers found near his body that “It is here and now that our fate is played, until the last second. And this last second has as much importance as the rest of a life. That is why one has to be oneself until the last moment.” The 850-year-old Cathedral was shut down for a time. Editor’s Note: At LezGetReal, we honor those who pass even if we do not agree with their stance. All inappropriate or vile comments will be deleted, so please do not bother writing them.- BPL.

So there’s that moment where I enter the part of the park where the action takes place, if that’s what you call it, action, I mean I see it up ahead, the shadow inside trees and there it is, this guy sucking cock and you know how I need it now or I’m going to die. They are playing shy or uncomfortable or distant or whatever it is that makes them leave this tree right by the paved path like it’s hidden.And then later, this other guy comes up and says: I want to hug you. And I say: I like hugs. So then we hug, and it’s nice, calming, now I’m tired actually and ready to go and he is telling me stories of guys who mostly like to cuddle, come over to his place and cuddle and then he brushes his hand through my hair and I notice I moved inside, quiet, it’s not quite distance but it’s not quite presence and so I need to leave, not stay in that place of letting them touch me, why? So I say goodbye, and he says: if you see me around, feel free to say hi—which is nice too, rare, and then I’m walking home.

Finally, someone has come up with a fun and creative way to promote condom use without yelling and throwing scary statistics at the children. If kids won’t pay attention to the banana with a condom, surely they’ll get excited by this giant bus with professional athletes! The County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health announced the maiden voyage of the city’s brand new 40-foot “condom mobile” yesterday, making its debut at Long Beach Pride. In an effort to promote condom use and safer sex, this giant rubber dispensary will be distributing designer condoms to the folks of L.A. for the rest of the year. The condoms’ design are the product of a contest held by the Los Angeles County Public Health Division of HIV and STD Program last year, challenging artists to design an official Los Angeles branded condom wrapper. With over 500 entires and more than 185,000 votes, this is what they chose (below). In addition to being the coolest bus in town, the condom mobile will also be the hottest. Splashed across the ads for this year-long campaign are some of the finest openly gay athletes from the LA Flag Football League, Lambda Basketball and The Greater LA Softball Association. “Gay athletes have always been in sports and we’re delighted some professional athletes have made steps to live their life honestly in the public’s eye,” said Lambda Basketball Vice President Garsten Bergquist. “Health education and community service are a part of our mission, so we’re happy to help promote a healthy lifestyle – whether it’s staying active by playing in a team sport or by using condoms and getting tested regularly for HIV or STDs.” Way to go, LA! The condom mobile makes us happy, but we’re even happier that it’s not actually shaped like a condom. Could you imagine what it would look like parked in front of the Oscar Mayer weinermobile? Residents can find a full list of locations distributing free condoms year round in Los Angeles County at www.LAsexsymbol.com.

Shadow Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities, Yvette Cooper made a speech urging MPs to vote in favour of a bill to allow equal marriage in England and Wales, just before it passed in the House of Commons with an overwhelming majority.

You have to say this much for Bill Clinton: when he changes his tune, he goes whole hog. The man who signed DOMA into law is now calling upon the Illinois state legislature to pass a marriage equality bill. “Our nation’s permanent mission is to form a ‘more perfect union’ – deepening the meaning of freedom, broadening the reach of opportunity, strengthening the bonds of community,” Clinton said in a statement. “That mission has inspired and empowered us to extend rights to people previously denied them. Every time we have done that, it has strengthened our nation. Now we should do it again, in Illinois, with marriage equality.” Illinois is poised to be the fourth state this spring to approve marriage equality. ”The votes are, indeed, there,” Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois, told ChicagoPride.com. “And I believe the bill is going to pass, but we’ve received no indication yet on when the bill would be called.” Gov. Pat Quinn has said that the passage of marriage equality is one of his top two priorities for the legislature. The clock for passage is ticking: the legislature adjourns on May 31.