Hawt Jocks

Same-sex marriage rules OK'd

by David Holzel
Senior Writer

Since the Conservative movement declared its approval of "committed and loving relationships for gay and lesbian Jews" six years ago, its rabbis have had to improvise same-sex wedding ceremonies with no guidance from the movement.

"I had to reinvent some things," Rabbi Ethan Seidel, of Tifereth Israel Congregation in Washington, said of the time he performed a same-sex marriage. "I didn't really have a lot of guidelines."

That is about to change. Last week, the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the movement's Rabbinical Assembly - affirming that same-sex marriages have "the same sense of holiness and joy as that expressed in heterosexual marriages" - established rituals for same-sex wedding ceremonies.

"This is an important moment for the movement," said Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal of Shaare Torah in Gaithersburg. "It helps our movement express its values in a positive way."

Last week's position paper, adopted by a vote of 13-0, with one abstention, outlines two possible marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples. It acknowledges that "same-sex intimate relationships are comprehensively banned by classical rabbinic law," or Halacha.

But, the decision said, "for observant gay and lesbian Jews who would otherwise be condemned to a life of celibacy or secrecy, their human dignity requires suspension of the rabbinic level prohibitions."

The unanimous vote showed "that there was strong sentiment that the movement to support people in the field about how to consecrate the relationship of two loving individuals who are gay," said Rabbi Ari Sunshine, of B'nai Shalom of Olney.

For gay Jews, he said, the guidelines "say we're serious about making room in our tradition for sanctifying their relationship."

The paper's authors, Rabbis Elliot Dorff, Daniel Nevins and Avram Reisner, proposed two possible ceremonies that incorporate what they deem to be the four key elements of a Jewish wedding: welcoming the couple, symbols of celebration, a document of covenant and blessings thanking God.

One ceremony hews closely to the traditional Jewish wedding, making changes in the language and the blessings based on the couple's gender and sexuality.

The other departs from that ceremony, with three blessings, for example, instead of the traditional seven.

The Conservative decision did not call same-sex marriages kiddushin, the traditional Jewish legal term for marriage, because that act of consecration is nonegalitarian and gender-specific. In the traditional kiddushin ceremony, a pair of blessings is recited and the bridegroom gives his bride a ring, proclaiming that he is marrying his bride "according to the laws of Moses and Israel."

Such a ceremony would be inappropriate for same-sex ceremonies, the Conservative rabbis suggested in their position paper. They also noted that the use of kiddushin opens the door to divorce disputes in which a husband may deny his wife a religious writ of divorce, or get - something that "has been the source of great suffering in many Jewish communities."

The wedding templates offer reassurance "that I'll have guidance in helping gay couples when they come to me," Blumenthal said.

Like Blumenthal, Rabbi Jonathan Maltzman, of Kol Shalom in Rockville, has not performed a same-sex ceremony. Now, with the guidelines, "I believe there will be more requests," he said.

This is the next step in the process of bringing about the full inclusion of LGBT Jews," said Rabbi Aaron Weininger, using the acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. "Visibility of LGBT people as individuals and couples makes us stronger as a Jewish community."

The first openly gay student admitted to the rabbinical school at the Conservative movement's Jewish Theological Seminary, Weininger received his rabbinic ordination last month. He was consulted during the composition of last week's paper.

Rabbi Menachem Creditor, who has been performing same-sex marriages since 2002 - four years before the movement permitted them - said that Jewish law is flexible, and should respond to changes within the Jewish community.

"Modern Halacha has always seen the Torah as its center, but not any one meaning as the final interpretation," said Creditor, the rabbi of Berkeley's Congregation Netivot Shalom. "There is a growing understanding from within Conservative Jews that our responsibility is to steward our community with clarity. Conservative Judaism believes Halacha changes when it must."

Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, who heads the LGBT Congregation Beit Simchat Torah in New York, said that these new guidelines represent a major step forward in Conservative Judaism's sensitivity toward the LGBT community.

"We can't be held hostage to the radical right wing of the Jewish world," said Kleinbaum, who was ordained by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. "The Conservative movement is rejecting religion based on bigotry."

While the 2006 decision to ordain gay and lesbian rabbis and accept gay couples was controversial, even Rabbi Joel Roth, who resigned from the law committee in the wake of that decision, called this latest responsum "a very fine thing."

"The fact that they created the ceremony is five or six years overdue," he said. "In the Conservative movement as it exists, the classical position [of forbidding gay relations] is considered nonnormative."

The Reform movement's Central Conference of American Rabbis endorsed Jewish gay marriage in the late 1990s while acknowledging the right of rabbis to choose whether to officiate at same-sex ceremonies. Reconstructionist rabbis also may officiate at same-sex ceremonies. The Orthodox movement does not allow gay marriage.

Rabbi Gerald Skolnik, the president of the Rabbinical Assembly, said that the movement's constituency will determine its priorities.

"Ultimately," he said, "the Jewish people have a tendency of deciding what the next item on the agenda will be."

Protestors Stand Up To Homophobe

Take note of the dumbass minister quoting Leviticus...which is from the old testament and understand that these are laws governing the priest amongst Gods chosen people...you know, the Jews..and what did the conservative Jewish religious leaders just make a ruling on?
See next article for the answer.
 

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Woody Woodruff named International Mr. Leather 2012

Woody Woodruff, Mr. Michigan Leather 2012, was named International Mr. Leather at the 34th annual IML Competition Sunday night in Chicago.

Over 2,000 leather enthusiasts packed the Grand Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Chicago for Sunday's competition. The opening featured a performance of "The Masochism Tango" by Sharon McNight.

Founder and Executive Producer Chuck Renslow welcomed the crowd, followed by a moving video tribute to Roger "RJ" Chaffin, a past coordinator of IML who passed away suddenly last June at the age of 59.

The evening also included a speech from Rick Storer of Chicago's Leather Archives and Museum, a special guest appearance by Bruce Vilanch and a number of performances by McNight, who received a standing ovation.

Renslow commanded the envelope as he announced Kevin Jordan, Mr. DC Eagle 2012, as Second runner-up, A.C. Demidont, Mr. Eagle New York 2012, as the First runner-up and then Renslow named Woody Woodruff as International Mr. Leather 2012. 

Woodruff bested a field of 20 finalists, from across the U.S. and around the world. Participants were judged on stage presence and personality (Pecs and Personality), leather image, presentation skills, and physical appearance.

Nick Elliot from Portland, OR was named International Mr. Bootblack 2012. Boy Dave of Charlotte, NC was named Second runner-up and Bootblack Mike from Minneapolis, MN was First runner up in the Bootblack competition.

The judges for the competition were International Mr. Leather 2011 Eric Guttierez (Paris, France), Stephen Blackwell (Palm Springs, CA), Brian Conway (Denver, CO), Jaak Evert (Estonia), Dave Hughes (New York, NY), Steve Ranger (Washington, D.C.), Ira C. Smith (Fort Lauderdale, FL), Dave Watt (Michigan), and Andrea Zanin (Toronto, Canada).

IML began in 1979 when about 400 gay leathermen gathered in Chicago. Today thousands gather in the Windy City over Memorial Day Weekend for what has become an annual tradition for the leather
 I would personally like to say: Congratulations Mr. Woodruff on your win!

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Doctors With Gay Bias Denied Meds, Man Says

  ELIZABETH, N.J. (CN) - A gay HIV-positive man says in court that a hospital denied him treatment and visitors, as the doctor remarked, "This is what he gets for going against God's will."
     Joao Simoes sued Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Union County Superior Court. He says that the hospital admitted him in August 2011, but that "requests for his lifesaving medication were not honored," and his sister was denied visitation rights.
     Susan V. Borga, M.D., from the Department of Behavioral Health and Psychiatry, allegedly approached Simoes while he was confined to the hospital's mental health wing. Borga is not named as a defendant.
     Simoes says Borga was unfazed when another patient told her that he had just gotten out of prison, where he served time for murder. But her reaction was allegedly different when Simoes said that he did not work because he planned to go back to school and because of his HIV status.
     Borga then allegedly asked Simoes how he got HIV, to which he responded, "I got it from unprotected sex."
     The complaint then says that "Dr. Borga closed the plaintiff's file, put it down and looked at plaintiff with disgust on her face and asked, coldly, "Is that from sex with men?"
     Simoes says he responded affirmatively and that, "immediately after hearing this, Dr. Borga proceeded to exit the room."
     After this consultation, no nurse or doctor came to see Simoes, even though he told them that he needed to take his HIV medication, according to the complaint.
     When the hospital finally permitted Simoes to call his personal physician on the third day of his stay, he learned that the doctor had already spoken with Borga about Simoes' medication, according to the complaint.
     Borga allegedly responded: "You must be gay, too, if you're his doctor."
     "Additionally, apparently realizing that plaintiff's doctor had an accent, Dr. Borga exclaimed, 'What, do you need a translator?' to which plaintiff's doctor had again responded that Dr. Borga needed to give plaintiff his HIV medication," the complaint states.
     "Dr. Borga responded to plaintiff's doctor by stating, 'This is what he gets for going against God's will,' and hung up the phone on plaintiff's doctor."
     Simoes says his sister had been at the hospital when he checked in, but the hospital refused to let her visit.
     When the sister came to the hospital again on the day Simoes spoke with his personal physician, she brought her brother's medication.
     "Plaintiff witnessed his sister leave his medication with the nurses' station and it was not until this time that the nurses, seeing that the plaintiff had witnessed his sister give his medication to the nurses, that the nurses eventually gave plaintiff his medication," the complaint states.
     The hospital's conduct allegedly caused Simoes to miss five doses of his medication.
     Simoes seeks punitive damages for discrimination. He is represented by Kevin Costello with Costello & Mains of Mount Laurel, N.J

Mormons join Utah Gay Pride Parade

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — More than 300 Mormon church members who are not gay drew shouts of approval and tears from spectators while marching in the Utah Gay Pride Parade in downtown Salt Lake City.
The Mormons say they sought to send a message of love to Utah's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community by joining the annual parade yesterday. Their participation marked the first time such a large group of Mormons took part in the parade, organizers said.
The Mormons included fathers carrying their children on their shoulders and mothers pushing strollers, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.
Nevin Munson, 13, carried a sign that said, "Love thy neighbor as thyself."
"I'm very saddened by the amount of hate in the world," he said, adding discrimination against gays and lesbians exists around the world. "I don't believe in that — they're humans."
Emily Vandyke, 50, carried a sign with the words from a Mormon children's song: "I'll walk with you, I'll talk with you. That's how I'll show my love for you."
Along the parade route, she embraced a weeping woman who said, "Thank you."
"I haven't recognized them as equals," Vandyke told the Tribune. "They have been invisible to me."
Parade grand marshal Dustin Lance Black, an Academy Award-winning screenwriter, tweeted: "In tears. Over 300 straight, active Mormons showed up to march with me at the Utah Pride parade in support of LGBT people."
Holly Nelson, a 38-year-old lesbian from Murray, also had tears in her eyes as the Mormons walked past.
"I think it's amazing," she said. "It's been so hard to live in Utah knowing the Mormon church is against the gay community."
While the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not consider same-sex attraction a sin, it only regards sexual relations within the marriage of a man and a woman as acceptable.
The participation of the church members was organized by a newly formed group calling itself Mormons Building Bridges.
Erika Munson, the group's founder and a mother of five from Sandy, said the success of the event reflected the "deep wounds" in the community.
"We want to inspire other Mormons at the local level to do things for their LGBT brothers and sisters," Munson said.
Okaaaay...I know several ex-mormon gay men and the immediate response I get from them is: "They are up to something, the mormon church is VERY anti-gay"
I tend to agree with that as well, considering how much money the bois in funny underwear devoted too the fight on prop 8 in California. 
Just say'in

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Hate Crimes Against LGBTQ People Highest In 14 Years

 From The Towleroad:
The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Projects today released a collective report on hate crimes against LGBTQ people.
Despite increased public and political acceptance of gays and lesbians, the number of crimes against LGBTQ people is the highest since 1998, the year they began tallying such attacks and also the year Matthew Shepard was murdered.
The amount of physical violence, rather than just verbal abuse, has also skyrocketed — and, not surprisingly, younger people, transgender people and people of color are targeted the most. From NCAVP:

This year’s report shows that LGBTQH youth and young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 years old were 2.41 times as likely to experience physical violence compared to LGBTQH people age 30 and older.

As in the case of the murder statistics, transgender people and people of color were more likely to experience physical injury in a hate violence incident. The report found that transgender people were 28% as likely to experience physical violence compared to non-transgender people, and that LGBTQ people of color were two times as likely to experience physical violence compared to those who were not LGBTQ people of color.

These numbers are discouraging, yes, but there is a bit of good news: NCAVP found that mainstream media and the general public are now paying more attention to hate crimes of all varieties.

"In 2011, NCAVP members witnessed a critical shift in the national narrative on anti-LGBTQH hate violence. In the 2010 hate violence report, NCAVP analyzed person level data1 for the first time, which allowed NCAVP to examine the diverse and disparate impacts of hate violence on specific LGBTQH communities," they write in their report.
"As a result, journalists, advocacy organizations, policymakers, and LGBTQH community members began to focus their attention on how hate violence disproportionately impacted LGBTQH people of color, transgender people, and transgender people of color."

Unfortunately these reports based on media accounts and not all incidents are reported either to the police or by journalists, so there are likely many more cases going unnoticed.

Secret Gay Agenda Revealed

East Europe gays, lesbians march in show of pride

WARSAW, Poland –  Hundreds of gays, lesbians and their supporters marched Saturday through the capitals of Poland and Latvia, demanding more rights in Eastern European societies where they still face high levels of intolerance.
The parades were supported by the governments of the United States and other Western countries who are pushing for an end to discrimination and violence toward gays.
Homosexuality was a taboo throughout the communist era and that hostility lingers today, despite a growing sense of openness in the region since several of its countries joined the European Union in 2004.
About 2,500 people turned out in Warsaw while some 400 braved rain and hail to march in Riga. The demonstrations are among many gay pride events taking place in June across Europe and elsewhere.
Both the Warsaw and Riga marches required massive police protection. Previous gay pride parades in the Baltics and Poland have been marred by violence and heckling from protesters, though this year the opponents were few and calm.
Ola Osinska, a 28-year-old who held hands with another woman during the Warsaw parade, said she has been attacked in the city three times for being a lesbian.
"It's even worse in small Polish towns," Osinska said. "And even though I have been beaten three times, I am here today because I want to show that I will not hide."
In Riga, U.S. diplomats took part to show their support. They said U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has asked American officials to be more active in promoting equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people throughout the world.
"Human rights belong to everyone, regardless of sexual orientation. So we are marching in support of LGBT people here in Latvia, in the Baltics, in Europe, and throughout the world," said U.S. Ambassador to Latvia Judith Garber.
The U.S. Ambassador to Poland, Lee Feinstein, expressed his solidarity for Warsaw's participants though he was out of town. He was among diplomats of about 10 Western countries who signed a letter supporting equal rights for gays and lesbians.
Poland's gays and lesbians have slowly started to become more visible in a society that has long treated homosexuality as a taboo.
A few open-platform trucks pumping techno and pop music and decorated in colorful balloons inched their way down Marszalkowska street, one of Warsaw's key boulevards. Drag queens and other participants danced to the beat.
Two of the trucks belonged to small left-wing parties that support gay rights. The major parties are either hostile or indifferent to the issue.
One of the supportive parties, Palikot's Movement, has made gay rights an issue of public discourse by bringing the country's first openly gay man, and the first transsexual into parliament as lawmakers in elections last year.
The strong influence of the Roman Catholic church has kept many Poles from embracing the gay rights movement.
Agata Trzebuchowska participated in the Warsaw gathering while dressed like St. Mary, her head covered in a blue shroud.
"The situation might be getting better in the political sphere in Poland, but it's not getting better in the church," said the 20-year-old anthropology student.
A group of about 20 people from Belarus also marched in Warsaw as they prepared for a gay pride parade in Minsk in October.
They carried a banner that said, "It's better to be gay than a dictator" — a quip on a comment Belarus' autocratic President Alexander Lukashenko made earlier this year.
Lukashenko said, "It's better to be a dictator than gay," a statement directed at Germany's gay foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle.

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In the brightest day, and the blackest night, no intolerance shall escape my sight.

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Dumbass Of The Week Goes Too...

Jay Townsend, GOP Spokesman: 'Let's Hurl Some Acid At Those Female Democratic Senators' 

A spokesman for Rep. Nan Hayworth (R-N.Y.) is facing criticism after advocating violence against female Democratic senators in a Facebook post.
Jay Townsend, the official campaign spokesman for the freshman representative, went on a vicious online rant on Saturday, which he began by taunting a constituent who voiced criticism about an earlier post on gas prices. "Listen to Tom. What a little bee he has in his bonnet. Buzz Buzz," Townsend wrote.
"My question today... when is Tommy boy going to weigh in on all the Lilly Ledbetter hypocrites who claim to be fighting the War on Women? Let’s hurl some acid at those female democratic Senators who won’t abide the mandates they want to impose on the private sector."
He attached a link to a Free Beacon article that claims female senators pay their male staffers more than their female staffers.
A moderator of the NY19 U.S. House of Representatives Civil Discussion Center page responded to Townsend, asking him to "please refrain from calling our members names." The unnamed moderator also asked if Hayworth knew about his comments or whether he had "gone rogue."
Comments from outraged constituents quickly followed. "‎'Hurl some acid' Jay Townsend? Do you realize what that means?" wrote one person. "Acid attacks are particularly brutal, aimed almost solely at women, with the intent to maim and disfigure. I couldn't imagine a worse piece of invective from someone who puts the Republican war on women in quotes."
Another commenter: "Mr. Townsend, do you think we live in Afghanistan?"

Bigots Take To The Air

A Christian conservative group is planning to protest Disney World's annual Gay Day by flying two warning messages over the park, media watchdog RightWingWatch.org reported.

The Florida Family Association has contracted two planes to fly over the park dragging giant banners that read, “WARNING Gay Pride Day at Disney Saturday.”

The group said it wanted to “warn unsuspecting families” and condemn the “public promotion of homosexuality.”

“Florida Family Association will fly two planes to warn unsuspecting families about Gay Day at Disney which is scheduled for Saturday, June 2, 2012 at the Magic Kingdom in Orlando.”

“Florida Family Association has received many, many letters and emails from people across the country who patronize Disney World in Orlando to find themselves in the middle of one of the annual Gay Days at Disney.”

One letter, the group said, read: “Just a note to let you know that about 18 years ago my wife and I and our 2 year old granddaughter were at Disney World when it was 'Gay Day.' It was the most deplorable sight that we ever saw. I thank you so much for the vision of the airplane banner warning people.”

The group said the banners were an effort to warn families “before they expose their children to Gay Day's same-sex revelry, before they pay money to Disney for parking, admission, novelties and food. We also want to send a message that Gay Day's public promotion of homosexuality to a captured audience inside the park is wrong.”

Supporters of the annual event say Gay Day gives the area economy a much needed $150 million boost. The Disney event is part of a week-long area-wide Gay Pride celebration.