Joe.My.God. LGBT News

Andy Towle gets a nice mention in Newsweek this week, where Towleroad is named one of the five “It” blogs. Also mentioned: Perez Hilton, DailyKos, Deadspin, Cute Overload. Congrats, Andy!

On Sunday I started my day at the Heritage of Pride press tent for the news conference with this year’s grand marshalls: Rev. Troy Perry and Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum. Facing an army of news cameras, they both spoke eloquently about gay rights and religious tolerance. At least, I presume they did, I couldn’t hear a dang thing, despite being less …

The Human Rights Campaign has launched a blog called Back Story, where you can find up-to-the-minute information about their various projects. Chris Johnson, Back Story’s lead writer, has long been my primary contact at the HRC, tipping me off to the latest on what’s going on with their efforts on behalf of hate crimes legislation, marriage equality, etc. Good luck, …

This year’s Pier Dance was a fantastic (if occasionally gruelling) exercise in trying to stay with your friends, as the crush of 5000 men continuously attempts to separate you. It was like being in that episode of Star Trek when they visit the planet where nobody ever dies. Definitely not for the claustrophobic. Still, I managed to hang onto the …

(ABOVE: Curt Shepard, L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center Director of Government Relations; Lorri L. Jean, L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center Chief Executive Officer; Sen. John Edwards. PHOTO CREDIT: Gil Caan.) John Edwards toured LA’s gay community center today, interesting timing in light of his wife’s pro-gay marriage comments yesterday. Edwards visited the facility’s pharmacy, HIV clinic, and 24-bed shelter for …

Tickets for the upcoming musical version of Young Frankenstein will be $120, a new plateau for regular seats. Casting has been announced: Dr. Frankenstein: Roger Bart (played in the movie by Gene Wilder), Elizabeth: Megan Mullally (Madeline Kahn), Inga: Sutton Foster (Terri Garr), Frau Blucher: Andrea Martin (Cloris Leachman). Wicked leads last week’s grosses at $1.4M. Xanadu appears to be …

“I don’t know why somebody else’s marriage has anything to do with me. I’m completely comfortable with gay marriage. If he’s pleasant to me on the street, if his children don’t throw things in my yard, then I’m happy. It seems to me we’re making issues of things that honestly don’t matter.” – Elizabeth Edwards, wife of Democratic presidential candidate …

Here’s the first round of Pride pics, mostly on the political/activism tip. Above is NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn (in red). Mayor Bloomberg only marched a portion of the route with her and was gone before the parade hit the village. Senator Chuck Schumer marched the entire route, Senator Clinton did not appear at all. The bottom-most photo is of …

From yesterday’s Ask Metafilter: “Why are gay people so flamboyant? Maybe I’m just ignorant, but it’s definitely a trend that rises beyond my scope of comprehension. I just spent the weekend as a volunteer medic for the SF Pride events, and it’s a phenomenon that only really struck me when seen in its mass sprawl. It’s something distinctively relegated to …

Conjoined is a stainless steel sculpture by native New Yorker Roxy Paine, just added to his other two sculptures in Madison Square Park: Defunct and Erratic. The sculptures will be in the park until the end of the year.