Tag Archives: straight allies

CNN reports: Taylor Swift has released her new song, “You Need to Calm Down,” and the video features a star-studded collection of the singer’s friends and a surprising Katy Perry cameo. The singer premiered the video on Monday’s “Good Morning America.” Ellen DeGeneres, Ryan Reynolds, Bobby Berk, Billy Porter, Ciara, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Justin Mikita, Adam Lambert, Todrick Hall, Hayley …

While still a Hawaii state rep, Takai played a critical part in the 2013 passage of his state’s same-sex marriage bill. He was elected to the US House in 2014. NBC News reports: U.S. Congressman Mark Takai, who served as the representative for Hawaii’s first district, has died, NBC News has confirmed. Takai, 49, announced in May he would not …

The CBC reports: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in Montreal federal legislation about to be tabled*, which will guarantee legal and human rights protection to transgender people across Canada. “We have worked too hard for us to stop here,” Trudeau said. “Too hard to stop with the progress we have made because I sincerely believe that in Canada we can …

Rolling Stone reports: Hours after Pearl Jam announced they were canceling their Raleigh, North Carolina concert to protest the state’s controversial “bathroom bill,” Eddie Vedder delivered a powerful speech in front of Pearl Jam’s Hampton, Virginia crowd Monday explaining the decision. “We thought we could take the money and give it to them and still play the show, but the …

Fulfilling their promise, last night Duran Duran interrupted their sold-out concert at Charlotte’s PNC Pavilion to denounce North Carolina’s HB2. Standing before a giant electronic rainbow flag, lead singer Simon Le Bon drew roars from the audience when he expressed support for LGBT rights and then boos when he mentioned that HB2 makes it legal to fire someone for being …

On Thursday night Bruce Springsteen played Detroit, where he warned his audience that anti-LGBT laws are also in the works in Michigan: Just days after he scrapped a show in North Carolina as a protest against a new anti-LGBT state law, which restricts the public bathrooms transgenders can use, The Boss showed he was still upset about the controversy onstage …

“Sadly, once again, the civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people have been trampled on with the recent passage of HB2 in North Carolina. Me and my team at the True Colors Fund have been closely monitoring the situation in North Carolina and support the efforts of the Human Rights Campaign, Equality North Carolina, and others to repeal …

WHOA. Bruce Springsteen tweeted out this statement this afternoon: As you, my fans, know I’m scheduled to play in Greensboro, North Carolina this Sunday. As we also know, North Carolina has just passed HB2, which the media are referring to as the “bathroom” law. HB2 — known officially as the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act — dictates which bathrooms …

Late last night Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff posted the below gorgeous clip in thanks for the veto of Georgia’s anti-LGBT bill. The video features audio from Harvey Milk’s legendary “you gotta give ’em hope” speech as scenes of gay pride parades, the San Francisco skyline, and a diverse collection of people go by. JMG reader Cuberly tells us that the …

Cyndi Lauper’s star-studded album of country western classics, Detour, is coming and today she’s offering a free download of the first single with pre-orders. From the press materials: Lauper sounds right at home from the start, beginning with the album opener, “Funnel Of Love,” a track Wanda Jackson, the Queen of Rockabilly, recorded in 1960. Another highlight is the rollicking …

A fabulous event that I attend every year. Via press release: Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Fund today announced the lineup for its 5th annual “Cyndi Lauper & Friends: Home for the Holidays” benefit concert on Saturday, December 5th at New York City’s historic Beacon Theatre to raise awareness about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth homelessness. 100 percent of …

Yesterday Sally Field declared her support for Houston’s LGBT rights law by reprising the most iconic scene from her 1979 Oscar-winning Norma Rae performance. This morning Field, who has a gay son, will take part in a joint press conference with Houston civic leaders in support of the “Yes” side. The repeal referendum is Tuesday.

LGBT allies Macklemore & Ryan Lewis are winning raves for their new single. Via Rolling Stone: Macklemore and Ryan Lewis hit the streets with hip-hop pioneers Grandmaster Caz, Kool Moe Dee and Melle Mel in the humongous, charmingly ridiculous video for “Downtown,” which also features Foxy Shazam vocalist, Eric Nally. The clip and punchy, funky track bear an initial resemblance …

Billboard reports: Westboro Baptist Church targeted a Foo Fighters concert at Kansas City’s Sprint Center on Friday, Aug. 21, and the band fired back — with a Rickroll. The band arrived on the scene via a pickup truck, blasting Rick Astley’s 1987 single “Never Gonna Give You Up” and holding up signs that read “You Got Rick Roll’d Again” and …

Last night on Conan, Patrick Stewart explained his habit of kissing his dear friend Ian McKellen on the mouth. That lead to a discussion on other knighted actors Stewart might want to kiss. And as you can see, the bit ended with Stewart giving Conan a personal demonstration. Click for the clip.

“I am hoping that, in time, Obergefell v. Hodges will be seen in the same way as Loving v. Virginia – inevitable and a sign of social evolution in America. I bet two people of the same sex who want to get married don’t think they are going to have a ‘gay wedding.’ By wanting to get married in the …

RELATED: From earlier today.

In a gorgeous show of solidarity, some straight allies in Australia have taken to covering their ears during the state-mandated portion of wedding vows that explicitly note that marriage is only between a man and a woman. Celebrants must tell the gathering: “Marriage, according to law in Australia, is the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion …

Colin Farrell appeared on the Tonight Show on Thursday where he celebrated Ireland’s marriage referendum and mocked the response of the Catholic Church. At the end of the clip below, he mentions the photo of Gerry Adams and Panti Bliss that was brought up in the JMG interview published today.

The Herald & Post reports: Ben Cohen was greeted by excited fans at his fragrance signing event at Northampton’s Grosvenor Shopping Centre today. On one of the hottest days of the year, Cohen took to the Superdrug store to celebrate the launch of his first fragrance, Ben Cohen for Men. The former Strictly Come Dancing contestant met dozens of fans, …