Around 2,000 athletes are expected to participate in the upcoming 2023 Gay Games, according to the organisers of the international LGBT-friendly sporting event. However, the updated number of participants is significantly lower than the original estimation of 12,000. Lisa Lam, co-chair of Gay Games Hong Kong (GGHK), told local media during a luncheon on Wednesday that 2,000 participants from 40 countries will join the Gay Games set to take place in 3 to 11 November, including corporate teams. “The registration number is good for now. We will keep up the momentum,” Lam said in Chinese. The athl…

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By Emilie Madi BEIRUT (Reuters) -A drag show in the Lebanese capital Beirut was cut short late on Wednesday by an angry crowd of conservative Christians screaming homophobic chants, according to a Reuters witness and attendees. The show, hosted by two Lebanese drag artists known as Latiza Bombe and Emma Gration, was hosted at a bar in Beirut known to be a safe space for LGBT individuals. But shortly after it started, the two hosts, wearing black leotards and in full makeup and wigs, ended the show early after being alerted that angry men were approaching the venue. “We are here, we exist, and …

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By Daniel Trotta (Reuters) – A Massachusetts healthcare center that provides gender-affirming care says it has allocated hundreds of thousands of dollars to protect its staff and patients, amid a rise in threats and harassment against some treatment facilities in the United States. The center, which asked not to be identified to avoid attracting further aggression, said it raised $261,000 from five grants to put a security system in place to deal with menacing phone calls, harassment and the potential for more serious threats. It is planning to spend $98,000 a year on security going forward. “…

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Randy Rainbow, the four-time EMMY® and GRAMMY®-nominated musical comedian, has unveiled his latest YouTube parody video, “Don't Arraign on His Parade.” Known for his unique ability to blend humor and music to satirize current events and political figures, Randy continues to entertain his audience with his creative genius.

Throughout his illustrious career, Randy Rainbow has earned significant acclaim for his comedic musical performances, including four nominations for both EMMY® and GRAMMY® awards. His official YouTube channel serves as a hub for his entertaining content, drawing a substantial and devoted following.

In “Don't Arraign on His Parade,” Randy Rainbow employs his signature parody style to skewer political figures and events.

Randy Rainbow's latest YouTube parody video adds to his extensive portfolio of work. Fans can anticipate more captivating content from Randy as he continues to produce new videos. Additionally, Randy is currently performing on the RANDY RAINBOW FOR PRESIDENT TOUR, offering fans the opportunity to witness his comedic brilliance live.

Randy Rainbow,, has taken another shot at former President Donald Trump with his latest release. In a video unveiled on Tuesday Rainbow channels his inner Barbra Streisand to mock Trump for his four indictments and 91 felony charges for alleged crimes ranging from mishandling classified information to RICO violations.

The new clip, titled “Don't Arraign on His Parade,” is a cheeky parody of Bob Merrill and Jule Styne's classic Broadway number “Don't Rain on My Parade” from Funny Girl. Dressed in his best Barbra Streisand-as-Fanny Brice drag, Rainbow jeeringly applauds Trump's full-steam-ahead approach to his 2024 campaign, while adding that “he can run, but he can't win a race in handcuffs.”

Rainbow's parody comes as Trump turns himself over to Georgia authorities today. The parody also includes a quick switch to a rendition of The Pointer Sisters' “I'm So Excited” (with the lyrics appropriately switched to “he's so indicted”), as Rainbow keeps on the former president, singing that “he's about to lose in court, and he doesn't like it!”

While Trump may be facing significant legal troubles, his popularity among Republican voters remains strong.

Randy Rainbow's Musical Parodies: A Collection

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For two decades, the Atlanta-based HIV long timer has been putting all his shit out there with funny, unsparing honesty—and has built a massive readership along the way.

The Caftan Chronicles 

Deep talks with notable gay men “of a certain age” about where we've been, who we are today and where we're going…
Vault the Wall SPECIAL.

By Tim Murphy

I guess you'd call the following interview a special late-summer bonus round, because we already had porn entrepreneur Michael Lucas earlier this month, and I've already got someone really exciting lined up for both September and October. So here's my longtime fellow HIV/AIDS writer Mark S. King, GLAAD- and National Lesbian and Gay Journalist Association (NLGJA)-award winning author of the very popular blog My Fabulous Disease …and now, of a book out September 1 that's a compendium of the blog's best pieces, as well as pieces he wrote well before the blog, back in the 1990s. (You can pre-order it here; as well as keep track of where Mark will be appearing—including, of course, Caftan capitals Palm Springs and Wilton Manors—in coming weeks and months.)

Saucy Bits: Read on…

Diagnosed with HIV in 1985, Mark has taken a lifetime of ups and downs and turned them into a, well, fabulous collection of very pithy, witty, often brutally honest and self-critical short essays on everything from how we gay men are so good at shaming and judging one another for all sorts of things…to his gay brother's tale of helping his lover, who was dying of AIDS, end his own life with a Seconal cocktail…to what it was like starting his own gay erotic phone line in the 1980s…to how he's morphed into a total top who wants sex only a fraction as often as when he was young…to the shame of a relapse after a long period of time off crystal meth…to that time he appeared at 19 on “The Price is Right” to…well, you get the gist, which is that the essays range from quite raw and painful to utterly hilarious.

King has that perfect Oscar Wilde/Paul Lynde way with a quip: “I got The Clap so many times that I started calling it The Applause.” Or, marveling at how little sexual energy he has currently, at 62, compared to his youth, that these days, “ten minutes is a triumph of passion and stamina.”

I like Mark's writing because he doesn't shy away from examining aspects of himself that many of us gay men would rather look away from: His vanity, narcissism and need for attention. Things he's done in the past that have hurt people, including family members and lovers. Even what he sees as his own manipulativeness in seducing a 30-year-old man when he was 15—this in an age when we would almost unanimously agree that all the responsibility for a statutory-rape situation lies with the legal adult, not the child.

Brings Attention to Many Living with HIV

Thankfully, Mark can also realize that he has used his platform to bring attention to the challenges and accomplishments of people living with HIV other than middle-class white men like him- (and my-) self. His latest post, in fact, is called “How Do We Support Black Women in an HIV Arena Once Run by Gay White Men?”

Caftan Talk: Uncensored, a bit Raunchy, Candid and Funny.

What follows is my favorite kind of Caftan talk, uncensored and raunchy but also unsparingly candid, funny and self-deprecating. Thank you, Mark! Congrats on the new book! And thank you, readers! Now, as ever, I THANK those of you who pay for a subscription, which allows me the luxury of time away from my paid gigs in order to do this, and I ASK those of who free-subscribe to consider the $5/month version—if, indeed, you think it's worth it. It would mean a lot because I'm hoping to keep up this project for years to come.

Tim: Mark, thanks for talking to Caftan! So you and your husband Michael, a federal healthcare worker, live in Atlanta, yes?

Mark: As we speak, I'm surrounded by boxes because we're moving in a few days from an apartment in Midtown to a home in North Decatur. Michael's currently holed up in his home office and he doesn't come out until after five.

Tim: What's a typical day like for you?

Mark: My cat Henry wakes me up around 6:30am, but fortunately Michael feeds him breakfast and starts the coffee, so I can sleep longer. I stumble out around 7am, have my coffee and look at my emails. Or sometimes, if I'm writing something, if the solution I've been looking for occurs to me around 6:30am, I'm at the keyboard making it work even before I have coffee. If I'm in the zone like that, I can forget to have breakfast. But then I have my go-to daily conversations with usually two out of three people: my brother, Dick, who's gay and lives in Shreveport, Louisiana, with [TheBody.com writer] Charles Sanchez, and with my friend Lynn.

Then I go to the gym to work on any part of my body that is visible in a tank top. As long as my chest is bigger than my stomach, I'm fine. I play racquetball, so that takes care of the legs. Things like calves, you either have them or you don't. I know I should be doing yoga and stretching and working on what they call your core, whatever that is. At some point as I age it's going to be more important to be able to bend over and pick things up, not lift a large weight above my head.

Tim: Why don't you do any of that stretching and flexibility stuff?

Mark: Because it's not visible in a tank top. I'm just being honest. I'm a child of the '70s, of button-fly jeans and a black tank. I'm a victim of gay culture, which means hanging on for dear life to upper-body musculature.

Tim: The happiest moment of my day is when I abandon the laptop and go to the gym. If it makes you happy, what's wrong with it? 

Hanging on for dear life to upper-body musculature.

Mark: Nothing! I did a photo shoot for an article in HIV Plus that came out last month and I prepared for it like an Olympic event. I was going to the gym every day, I had my trainer, I was on my testosterone. As you can see, I wore a black tank top for the shoot.

Tim: Do you do steroids?

Mark: I have—I don't any more. Testosterone is not steroids.

Tim: Oh, I know. Why no more steroids?

Mark: Age, and the fact that they can damage your liver and kidneys. it's also true that taking testosterone has made my prostate the size of a grapefruit, but I haven't stopped that.

Tim: When you first went on testosterone, did you notice changes in your mood, libido and strength?

Mark: Yes, all those things. I take it because it works. I've been on it for 20 years. But I actually haven't been back to the gym since that photo shoot, and when I'm not working out, I deflate like a balloon. I feel like the Grindr hookup that doesn't look like his pictures. 

Tim: What do you do the rest of the day and night?

Mark: Play with my cats and write a little bit. I sound like a man of leisure, and I kind of am. After Michael finishes work, we cook dinner. I'm a much better cook than I was when I met him. He taught me how to cook a chicken breast, which is to beat the hell out of it and put some Tony Chachere on it and grill it.

Tim: What is Tony Chachere?

Mark: It's Creole seasoning.

I can also make a whole chicken now. I know how to stick my fingers under the skin and shove in the butter and garlic. That is a major milestone for me. For a long time, I'd always choose partners who could cook and I was just the pretty one.

Then in the evening I'll go to a 12-step meeting because I'm in recovery, then I'll stay up too late watching horror movies, which Michael doesn't care for.

Tim: Which are your favorites?

Mark: Re-Animator if you want good cartoonish gore. Hereditary with Toni Collette is great for existential dread. 

Tim: I love the first The Conjuring. Do you?

Mark: It's okay. They have to be a little sicker. For me, horror really means horrific, like I can't believe they've done that. I love gore that pulls no punches. In Hereditary, the little girl is decapitated, for God's sake.

Tim: Why do you love extreme horror films?

Mark: I like to be scared. They're an exciting ride. And they have a lot of creativity. Some of our greatest directors started in that genre. Look at Talk to Me, a great new horror movie directed by twins from Australia who have a YouTube channel called RackaRacka where they do outrageously violent, silly stuff.

Talk to Me is about a group of friend who entertain themselves by becoming possessed by this haunted hand. It's really almost about drug addiction—become addicted to the thrill of being possessed, and then what happens when they take it too far. 

And then I go to bed around midnight.

Tim: Mark, you grew up Louisiana?

Mark: My dad was an Air Force officer so we lived all over the place, but when he retired when I was in fifth grade—I'm the youngest of six—we moved to Louisiana.

Tim: When did you start writing?

Mark: I wrote silly little stories when I was a kid, and then when I went to work for an AIDS agency in 1986, [the now defunct] L.A. Shanti, it was growing so fast that I became the media guy, the one writing the newsletter and press releases. But it's only been in the last 20 years that I've really been able to identify as a writer. The turning point was when I started writing My Fabulous Disease consistently. Prior to that, I'd write columns for Frontiers and then send them to different gay papers around the country who would print them.

Of all the editors I ever worked with, Bonnie Goldman, who founded [the HIV/AIDS site] TheBody, challenged me the most. “Why are you saying it this way?” she'd ask. She told me that the more warts, faults and doubts I revealed, the more I'd draw people in. She really worked for me and asked me to write a blog for TheBody. 

It was after Bonnie left TheBody that I started My Fabulous Disease. I'd actually started it as a website to promote my first book, “A Place Like This,” and my web designer told me to blog on that page to keep it fresh and bring people to it. For a long time, I had to keep telling myself, “If you continue to build it, they will come.” Now, in a good month, I'll get 100,000 hits. I'll also share my content with HIV Plus, Poz—it doesn't matter. It's about building my brand, which is talking about myself. How self-centered can you get? [laughs] I often ask myself, “How have I gotten away with being a self-absorbed guy who writes only from my experience?” I think it's that I tell the truth about myself and let the chips fall where they may.

But along the way I've expanded the spotlight and written about other people and programs that interested me or that I wanted to cheerlead for.

Tim: One thing I like about your writing is that you are ruthlessly honest. What's been one good and one bad outcome of that?

Mark: Certainly I felt good about writing about addiction. I wrote a piece about a relapse I had when I was still dealing with its fallout. That felt good because I suffer, as many of us do, with imposter syndrome. I'd think, “If they only saw behind the curtain, that I struggle with drug addiction and have ruined relationships and have all sorts of wreckage in my wake, then they wouldn't like me anymore.” So to have been able to write that piece only days after coming to—some might say it's dangerous to write about such a thing so soon, but my writing is my therapy, my way of sorting out my own feelings. So I wrote it and then pressed the button.

Tim: What was the reaction?

Mark: Great. People said that they appreciated my honesty and that I would help others who were struggling. I was given love for something I thought I needed to keep hidden.

The one piece he's regretted and taken down… 

Tim: Any pieces you've regretted?

Mark: I've only taken down a post once in all these years. It was called “Rescuing Michael Weinstein.” He's the much-maligned, deeply hated director of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. [Tim: He's largely disliked for taking contrarian views on things, such as calling the HIV prevention regimen PrEP a “party drug” and “a public health disaster in the making” when after it was first FDA-approved in 2012.]

So I wrote this fictional piece in which I was rescuing him from a sex club where he was having a crystal meth overdose in a sling. I thought it was hilarious.I was tying it into the general hypocrisy of gay men who deign to tell other gay men how to behave.

Within 20 minutes of my posting it, my good friend and mentor Sean Strub [founder of Poz magazine as well as Sero, which aims to repeal or modernize state laws singling out people with HIV who don't disclose their status before sex] called me.

He said, “I think you might want to think very carefully about that piece and what it may do. It's funny but it's also mean-spirited.” As soon as he said that, I realized I was wrong. I think he was trying to watch out for my reputation among people living with HIV, activists and public health folks. So I took it down after it had been up for three hours and had already been shared on list-servs. I replaced it with a note saying I regretted having written it and apologizing to Weinstein.

Tim: In your book, you have several pieces written about a decade ago or more about how we gay men tend to shame one another—how HIV-negative men shame positive men by using phrases like “drug- and disease-free” or “clean” and “you be, too,” or how older HIV survivors shame younger gay men for having tons of sex without condoms now that PrEP is available. Do you think in the years since you published those pieces, we've become a less shaming community overall?

Mark: You're right, I wrote a lot of that when social media and hook-up apps were inflaming various stigmas. Gay men are remarkably good at shaming our own—we've been shamed so much that we've developed claws of our own. I haven't been on hook-up apps the last ten years, so I can only go by conversations I have, which make me think that stigma is alleviating a little bit. But these things are generational. We were raised for decades in mortal fear of sex, which is a really powerful emotion that doesn't just go away with a scientific breakthrough like U=U [undetectable = untransmittable, the now-proven fact that people with HIV on meds with undetectable viral load cannot transmit HIV sexually] or PrEP.

The Haves and Have-Nots: Bubbles of HIV Phobia

Tim: I feel like here in the heart of Brooklyn, HIV phobia has almost completely disappeared between U=U and PrEP. I'm open with my undetectable HIV status and hardly anybody has asked me to wear a condom in nearly a decade.

Mark: You might be living in a very well-informed bubble.

Tim: I admit it.

Mark: It's not the case across the country, even in places like Atlanta and Dallas.

Tim: I wanted to talk to you more about addiction. I too have a meth-using history but unlike you I've left the 12-step world after deriving a great deal from it for several years, because I realized I didn't want to be completely sober—I wanted to be able to have a drink or smoke some pot—and also because I really take issue with some of the Christian underpinnings and language of 12-step, like the idea of “surrendering” yourself to your addiction or giving up your “will.” Also, I know better than to say I'll never use meth again, but I did get to the point where dreading the actual horrifying, anxious, paranoid experience of using it overtook the so-called “euphoric recall,” the strong memory of the high, that makes so many pick up again and again. 

What about you? What's your relationship today to addiction and recovery?

Mark: There's more than one way to skin a cat. People find health a number of ways. I think that 12-step programs like Crystal Meth Anonymous (CMA) are especially important for people who are acutely addicted and need help on a daily basis to sort themselves out and clear the wreckage. Where they go from there—there's all sorts of trajectories. Some may end up, like you, drinking or using some other substance occasionally. But I've learned my lesson and don't want to go back there. I need the constant reminder of what it was like. Also, I want to stick around to help somebody new. Being of service and getting out of my own self has been very helpful to me.

Having said that, I'm haunted by my drug addiction the same way I'm haunted by being an HIV longterm survivor. Both forever changed me. I have disturbing dreams and flashbacks. But also, some of my drug memories are sexy enough that I need to continue reminding myself of the price I paid for that.

Tim: Do you issues with any of the outdated language about God, or particularly the sexist language about men and women, that exists in the old Alcoholics Anonymous literature?

Mark: I take what I can use and leave the rest. But in the particular program I go to, CMA, nobody talks about Jesus. And even God is more a concept of “you don't know everything.” As gay men, we've adapted the program in a way that works for us. I can pick apart the language all day if I want to, but I get the same feeling in a CMA meeting thta I once got when I facilitated a support group for people with AIDS in 1986—a sense of community. It's the same feeling I got as a kid in Christian youth camp where we'd hold hands and sing a song together. You get this prickly feeling in the back of your neck that says “There's something greater here and I belong to it.”

Winning On The Price is right

Tim: I love that—it's so true. So to pivot to something fluffier, I love your essay in the book about when you appeared on “The Price is Right” in 1981 and the camera kept cutting to your lover at the time, Charlie, who was flipping out, so excited.

I love when Bob Barker asks if a handsome young man like you has a girlfriend, and you answer “Oh, several.” 

Mark: I can't tell you how many people have asked me why I didn't point to Charlie and say something. It was 1981! I wanted the segment to air and I knew it wouldn't if I outed us. So I decided to play the bright-eyed, cute redneck and not rock the boat. But the funny thing is, my friend Charles, who was sitting beside Charlie, saw [the show's announcer] Johnny Olson tap the cameraman on the shoulder and point at Charlie [as though to say “Feature him.”]

Tim: You are funny in the essay about your and Charlie's matching 1981 gay clone looks—Levi's 501 button-up jeans, red T-shirts, blow-dried hair and moustaches. As the '80s progressed and you moved from New Orleans to L.A., how did your look change?

Mark: My jeans became Calvins and I wore short-collar shirts instead of wide-collar ones.

But I held on pretty stubbornly to jeans and tank tops. And after I got over my initial decade of AIDS after being diagnosed in 1985, I went from skinny twink in my twenties to muscle circuit boy in my thirties. Steroids and trainers and dancing on boxes in clubs. I was ready for the party!

Tim: I loved your essay “Once, When We Were Heroes,” when you talk about going from the intense crisis and activism and service of the worst AIDS years of the 1980s and 90s to, in middle age, a more normal life that includes brunch instead of memorial services and protests. You write, “The trauma that once consumed me is now shrouded in the fog of a fading dream.” And more than once in the essays you call out older gay men or AIDS survivors for shaming younger gay men for being more sexually carefree, especially in the PrEP era. You write about “our morbid fascination with aggressively foisting upon them the horrors we endured, as if clubbing them with fear will somehow make them rethink their youthful transgressions.” 

Mark: I do marvel about how much life has changed. If it weren't for the work I do, there would be many days in a row where it would never cross my mind what happened—the deaths, the dying, the memorials. It was a long time ago and we've lived many lives since then. But I'm still reminded. Things may seem footloose and fancy-free on the apps now, but it's still in the context of making sure you're undetectable if you're poz and on PrEP if you're not. Imagine the '70s when I came of age—those hoops to jump through didn't exist.

It was wall-to-wall sexual abandon—I'd suggest more so than today. I think that gay marriage and all these advances we've made have made us overall less promiscuous, because in the '70s, that was our only vocabulary, that putting Tab A into Slot B was all we had in common.

Tim: Go on…

Mark: Today we make choices about who to sleep with based on more than “he wants to.” Maybe it was my own lack of self-esteem, but I spent most of my youth having sex with whomever said yes. Because I was raised at a time when it was not okay [to have gay sex]. So to find someone else who said it was okay was all I needed. Now we require a little more vetting.

Tim: You mean now you require a little more vetting.

Mark: You're right. But we were driven by self-loathing. I don't know, maybe being young and horny today means exactly the same thing that it did in 1978.

Tim: Have you ever thought about what would've happened with the gay community if AIDS hadn't happened?

Mark: I think about it a lot. The riddle is, did AIDS humanize us even if it set us up as tragic victims that people could feel sorry for? Or did it simply underscore that we were forlorn and damned by God?

Tim: I think it did a third thing, which is that it forced us as a community, in our desperation and anger, to assert ourselves as full human beings on the public stage. We demanded to be seen as fully human, in all our rage and grief and survivorship. 

Mark: Yeah, it jolted us out of our complacency, but it's not like things were going great. 

Tim: In many ways I would say that society was just on the brink of accepting gayness in the late 1970s, in the form of characters that had been popping up on shows like All in the Family and Soap. And of course the huge nationwide backlash from gays against Anita Bryant showed that we were capable of organizing when we got good and mad.

Mark: Yeah, I think it's possible we might've found that political mic anyway. Did AIDS inflame it? Yes. Would we have ended up in the same place eventually? I'd like to believe what Martin Luther King Jr. said about the arc of the moral universe being long but bending toward justice, but I guess we'll never know.

Tim: Your essay “The Fabulous Wizard of Poz” is a very funnily self-lacerating essay about how insufferably diva-like you became when you were on the cover of Poz in 2013.

It's not the first essay in the book when you take yourself to task for your narcissism. Are you really narcissistic?

Mark: I think I've either achieved a level of fame that satisfies me, so I don't have to be that way anymore, or I've matured and mellowed. But you're talking to a frustrated actor who muscled his way onto “The Price is Right” and who's been performing for crowds since I stood in front of my family and made them laugh. I was looking for a spotlight. At a certain point in my life I said, “I guess I'll be on TV because I have HIV—oh well, works for me!” Have I done it because I love the spotlight? Yes. But also I think in the service of something good. I'm able to be a silly show-off but in the service of showing joy and humanity for all of us living with HIV. 

Tim: More broadly, you are very self-recriminating in the essays, about many things. It's really a through-line. Am I the first person to tell you that?

Mark: No. I think we all have a lot of of regrets—I've just written mine down. But in terms of overly criticizing myself for what might've been youthful indiscretions, I'm better about that now. I love myself. I hopefully have come to a place where I feel I deserve whatever love or success comes my way. But I will always be— [pause] It's that Imposter Syndrome. I want to criticize myself before you can do it.

I'll tell you a story. In junior high school, I was running for student body president. And at the event where you give a speech in front of the whole school, I was sitting beside a friend named Pam, the campaign manager of the other guy, and she was very nervous. I said to her, “Don't worry, you're gonna be great.” And she gets up and says, “First, I wanna say something about Mark King. He only does things for himself. He's only a leader because it brings attention to him.” 

Tim: Oh my God, what a—!

Mark: I was in such shock! I didn't know what to say. So when she sits back down near me, I said, “See, that went great.” I'll never forget that moment, which told me, if you put yourself out there, they're going to think you're selfish. And part of what she said was true. So when you ask me why I'm so self-recriminating, it's because Pam told the truth 50 years ago.

Tim: Do you ever get sick of being a professional person living with HIV?

Mark: No. You would think I would by now. But there's always so much more to say. HIV is tragic but it's also fascinating. It gets us talking about religion, sex, racism, gender identity—all this stuff is wrapped up in this tiny little viral particle. People like you and me will be writing on this topic for the rest of our lives. So I feel lucky I'm enmeshed in that topic.

Tim: You're right. Many of my closest friends, especially those who are not other gay men, are people I've met in the HIV/AIDS space whom I'd never have met otherwise. So, Mark, in the book you have an essay about having a 30-year-old boyfriend when you were 15. It reminded me of many other gay men telling me similar stories, about losing their virginity to men over the age of consent when they were under it, hence making it statutory rape. But in many instances the men tell me that they really wanted the experience, that in many cases they initiated it, and they have no regrets or resentments at that person. What about you?

Mark: In that piece, I'm talking about being in the car with him right after we'd had sex and he stops the car and starts crying, and I can't figure out why. Only now when I look back do I realize that he was filled with remorse. You can see in that piece, which I wrote years ago, how confused I was about how I was supposed to feel about the affair as an adult.

Tim: How do you feel about it now?

Mark: Badly for him, that he felt such remorse. I kind of see it as my fault. People will say, “But you didn't orchestrate it—he did!” Okay, maybe that's true, but I was the one who said to him, “Oh, Jim, can we stop by your house so I can borrow your bathing suit for that pool party?” And then when we got there I was putting on a show for him trying on different suits.

Tim: You conniving little slut! (laughs) 

Mark: I knew what the fuck I was doing. Now, did I understand the consequences? The power differential? No. I was trying to get laid and hoping he would do something with me. Now that's immature.

Tim: Of course the age of consent varies among the states between 16 and 18. Do you think it should be lower?

Mark: Yes. There's such a thing as assault, but that should be based on circumstance, not age. I'm not willing to go there completely in terms of people who are truly young. I'm just saying that in my circumstance, I was already a sexually active teenager and I was trying to have more sex. When my parents found out, when I was 16, that I was seeing someone who was 23, they could've put him in jail. 

Tim: Was that how they found out you were gay?

Mark: Yes. My dad, the military guy, was unhappy for a couple of days but got over it. My mom held on to it—maybe because I already had an older brother living in New York who was already openly gay.

Tim: Your mom was probably like, “There goes my chance of having any grandchildren.”

Mark: Fortunately she had four other kids, so she was fine. But I remember asking her, “Why do you have such a problem with this? Dick [his brother] is gay.” And she said, “Dick is an adult who can make his own decisions. But I want you to have an easy and happy life and this will make it the opposite.”

Tim: Why do you feel like there is a disconnect between many older gay men who have a kind of laissez-faire attitude about having had sex with older men when they were teens, but younger people seem absolutely obsessed with these issues of power and consent?

Mark: I don't know. Maybe we've learned about the seminal, as it were, nature of sexuality and how it can screw us up early on. But speaking of disconnects, why do we think that underage sex is bad but we all have this daddy fixation? “Fuck me, Daddy.” I'm in full-on daddy bloom right now if you go by the unsolicited come-ons I get on Facebook every day.

Tim: As a 54-year-old, I have such mixed feelings about the daddy thing. I can get very into that daddy energy when I'm with a younger guy, and seeing how he gets off on it is very sexy, but when someone on Scruff—which I deleted recently, to the great benefit of my mental health—leads with “Hi Daddy,” I'm often turned off and find it annoying, as though I were to lead with a Latin guy by saying “Hola, papi.” It just seems obnoxious and presumptuous, like you're expecting someone you don't even know yet to play a role for you. What about you?

Mark: You can objectify me any way you want. I mean, come on—I'm 62 and doing my best here. Gay men are great at rebranding things.

Tim: Right? We can rebrand obesity as being bears.

Mark: Right. Gingers only became hot like 10 or 20 years ago. Where were you when I was a red-headed 30-year-old? So now I'm a “ginger daddy.” Check, check. Listen, as for bears, if it makes us see a body type in a new way that celebrates it, then what the hell is wrong with that?

Tim: So on a related topic, in a 2013 essay, you said that you were a total top. Still?

Mark: Yes! It's so easy—it's the lazy man's way! I just show up, whereas my husband has some mysterious procedure that lasts up to two days before the appointed hour. I don't have to be the one worrying and saying, “No! Stop! Wait—am I okay?”

Tim: Is there anything about bottoming that you miss?

Mark: No.

Tim: Because you never had a period of loving being a bottom?

Mark: I was just never very good at it.

Tim: But, to segue, you were fucked by Rock Hudson in 1982, as you relate in an essay in the book.

It was interesting to read because I'd just watched the new documentary about him, All That Heaven Allowed.

Other than marveling at how supernaturally gorgeous he was, I also marveled at how, despite the tabloid rumors of the time, he was able to have this wild gay sexual and social life and no paparazzo with a zoom lens ever leaked photos of his infamous hottie pool parties. And I think you captured something in the essay, which was, beneath his affability and prodigious hooking up, this kind of exhaustion and emptiness. 

Mark: To this day, he had one of the five largest penises I've ever seen. Someone says that in the doc—that it was a dick of historic proportions. I think he was happy to regale us with all his sexual stories, which he'd probably told a thousand times, and then he indulged himself again with this cute strawberry blond. But ultimately it was another exercise he'd gone through countless times, just sex, it meant nothing and it was time to go home.

Tim: Do you remember your feelings as he wrapped things up rather coldly?

Mark: Only when I was writing about it did I remember that world-weariness in his face. But then of course I was like, “Who's still awake that I can call?” I called my mom and dad the next day. Of course I just told them that we'd had drinks and played Trivial Pursuit—not the full story. But he was the first person I knew I'd had sex with who got sick. I was diagnosed with HIV in 1985, the same year he died.

And by no means do I mean to suggest that he gave me HIV. I'd been having sex with a lot of people.

Tim: Mark, there are so many other good, witty, thoughtful, juicy, moving essays in the book—I hope people buy and read it. One of the essays is called “Asking For What You Want.” So I'm going to wrap up by asking you: what do you most want for the rest of your life?

Mark: I want to love other people unselfishly. The most corny things they tell you about life are absolutely true, and one of them is to help somebody else along the road of this scary thing we call existence. I care about Michael's happiness as much as my own, sometimes more. I try to make sure that my work and my writing lift other people up, especially if they need it. I'm happy to do it. The most unselfish person I've ever met is Sean Strub—that guy has lifted up and helped amplify the work of other people more than anyone I've ever met.

Tim: It's true, Sean is a real class act. But what more with your life would you like to do?

Mark: I think about that a lot. What I'm doing is so fascinating and feeds me and I know I'm good at it. I want to keep doing it. It's not like I want to go conquer the movies. Twenty years from now, I'll be, like, “Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope.” What's that thing called?

Tim: You mean a hologram, like how Princess Leia appears in Star Wars when she says that?

Mark: A hologram! Yes, in 20 years, I'll be a hologram talking about what it was like to live with HIV. I'll be doing the same thing I'm doing now except I'll be 80 years old and there'll be more story to tell. Whatever they learn from me is going to help the next generation. That's good enough for me. •

It's a twisty tale about four high school friends who reunite 25 years later to track down an influential but problematic teacher from their 1980s adolescence. If you do read and like it, would you be so kind as to post about it on social if you're on social, and/or rate and review it on Goodreads? Those things really help to keep a new book alive out there. And if you haven't bought it, would you consider doing so? In the woman-dominated literary/book-club fiction market, books by gay men (especially “of a certain age”) have an uphill battle and need a special boost from behind!

So thank you for that!

Other Caftan Chronicles

Jim J. Bullock's Shame Got Too Close For Comfort. Then Things Got Better

The gay-ish goofball we all remember as Monroe from the silly '80s sitcom was indeed gay. And diagnosed with HIV in 1985. And deeply closeted. And then…

Porn Kingpin Michael Lucas Doesn't Seem Very Excited About Porn Anymore

The controversial entrepreneur talks about advising young gays against the adult biz, why he loves the U.S.,and learning to relax after working hard to…

All Drag/Porn Queen Chi Chi LaRue Ever Wanted Was to Be Popular

She got it in spades—and she's not about to let it go over a 2020 sexual assault allegation.

“Emerald City TV” Is a Stunning Time Machine Back to 1970s NYC Gay Life

I chatted with Steven Bie, the surviving producer of the weekly cable show that depicted disco-era queer culture in all its exuberance, raunch…and… 

TIM MURPHY

Charles King's Life of Ministry, Activism and Sexy Walks in the Garden with Jesus

This is the deepest and most intense Caftan interview I have done so far—with the queer evangelical cofounder of the massive NYC nonprofit that…

MAY 31 • 

TIM MURPHY

You Know Greg Louganis. Now Meet His Shadow Child, Oscar.

At 62, the four-time Olympic gold diver has rebuilt his life around his beloved dogs, travel via RV and continuing to heal the wounds of the past.

NOV 8, 2022 • 

TIM MURPHY

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Kid Rock was caught drinking a can of Bud Light this week despite previously shooting up cases of the embattled beer in protest of the company's partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, RadarOnline.com has learned. In a shocking development to come just weeks after the 52-year-old All Summer Long hitmaker proclaimed “f— Bud Light” and “f— Anheuser-Busch” in April, Kid Rock was caught drinking a tall can of the brew at a Colt Ford concert in Nashville on Thursday night. Even more shocking is the fact that, according to the photos obtained by TMZ, Kid Rock appeared to be enjoy…

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Lesbian lovers from hell Gwendolyn Graham and Catherine Wood had a sick inside joke — the first initials of their victims spelled M-U-R-D-E-R. And the couple were even kinkier than that: They got thrills by having sex after a killing. Their story started normally enough. It was love at first sight when they met in 1986 while working at the Alpine Manor nursing home in Walker, Mich. Graham, then 23, was a nurse’s aide. Wood, a 450-pound divorcée, was her supervisor. Things got fairly bizarre early on. Shortly after hooking up, Graham and her hefty 24-year-old lover engaged in sexual asphyxia — …

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A right-wing commentator is urging fellow conservatives to be “more homophobic” and take their anti-LGBTQ rhetoric “up a notch.” Christian rapper Shemeka Michelle was one of the guests on Wednesday night's broadcast of “Eric Bolling: The Balance” on conservative television channel Newsmax. Bolling — a former Fox News personality ousted by the Murdoch-owned network in 2017 over an alleged sexting scandal — invited Michelle and Common Sense executive editor Chris Bedford to discuss recent comments made by Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine about a gender-identity clinic in Alaska. Levi…

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Hanna Mark was a soldier in the Ukrainian armed forces well before the Russian full-scale invasion launched last year. As a transgender woman, Hanna is one of the many Ukrainians of all backgrounds and profiles who have decided to join the struggle against Russia's expansionist aims in its neighbouring country. LGBT Ukrainians, minorities, those on the left and right of the political spectrum have all taken part in the fighting ever since the first invasion was launched in 2014. Some carry a unicorn patch to highlight their LGBT identity. Hanna was on leave from the army in the western city of…

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By Daniel Wiessner (Reuters) – Activision Blizzard Inc and Kellogg Co have joined a growing list of major U.S. companies to face claims from a group founded by former Trump administration officials that efforts to diversify their workforces amount to illegal discrimination. America First Legal this week urged the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to investigate Activision's alleged use of gender and racial preferences in hiring and internship programs, after lodging a similar complaint against Kellogg last week. America First has filed complaints with the EEOC involving Starb…

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Pedro Almodóvar's new film, Extraña forma de vida (Strange Way of Life), is a 31-minute queer Western that not only dances in the shadow of Brokeback Mountain, but is the shortest half hour you'll ever experience inside a cinema. Why must you tease us so, Pedro? Set in a desert town near the Mexican border, Strange Way of Life stars Ethan Hawke as Sheriff Jake and Pedro Pascal as rancher Silva, who pays an unexpected visit to his former lover after they parted ways 25 years ago. Simple enough but, because this is Almodóvar, you can imagine that sex and violence are peeking around the corner. W…

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General Roberto Vannacci has been removed from his command in Italy following the publication of his book “Il mondo al contrario,” which contained homophobic and sexist remarks. The book, self-published by Vannacci, criticizes what he calls the “dictatorship of minorities,” using crude and sexist language.

Controversial Book Sparks Outrage

The book's publication has drawn condemnation from various political figures and organizations in Italy. Vannacci's views have been described as trivial and sexist by La Repubblica, with the General himself claiming the right to hate.

Vannacci has been transferred to Rome, under the Command of the Ground Operational Forces. He defended his book and insisted: “Gay and Jews are not untouchable.” He further stated, “I do not take back anything, some parts out of context have been misrepresented. I wanted to write a volume expressing my ideas.”

Reactions and Implications

The Italian Defense Minister, Lorenzo Guerini, expressed his dismay at the General's remarks, stating that they were “unacceptable” and “incompatible with the values of the Armed Forces,” according to ANSA.

Several LGBTQ organizations in Italy have called for a thorough investigation into the incident, as reported by Corriere della Sera.

A History of Controversy

General Vannacci has previously criticized the LGBTQ community, feminists, environmentalists, and migrants in various interviews. Specific details of these incidents and their connection to his removal from command have not been publicly disclosed.

More on Towleroad about Italian Politics and LGBTQ Rights.

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Grindr has reportedly refused to listen to workers taking action over its return-to-office policy. The gay men's social networking app had allowed its employees to work remontely since the onset of COVID-19 but then told its workforce via a leaked form that they had to either relocate to be within 50 miles of the new offices or lose their jobs. Now, those who have decideed to take action have claimed that bosses “cut the call” when they tried to cimmunicate with them after allegedly being given two weeks to make a decision. Quinn McGee, a trust and safety product manager and organizer at Grind…

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Yesterday was Madonna's birthday. Her music, for some of us, serves as a timeline or soundtrack to our lives. You've heard it all before…

But realize it or not, we all live in a world she's impacted as much as almost anyone. Many artists are generous and mount productive efforts for causes, political movements, social justice, but few entertainers — heck, very few long-time politicians, activists, “thought leaders,” “influencers,” “theologians” — have had anywhere near the positive, progressive, democratic impact.

Mary Gabriel wrote yesterday in “Take a Bow, Madonna” in the NY Times (gifted article for her) that Madonna never stayed in her lane, never considered her career done, does what she pleases.   (And she should know as the author of the forthcoming “Madonna: A Rebel Life” ) She's done it with brave empathy and a clear, if not evolving, vision.

Madonna's refrains don't celebrate about exceptionalism, as exceptional as she is. Her sexual conquests, her chosen families and causes, her experiments and explorations are “on brand,” but aren't the point. They are a message, and serve as the proof of her passion.

What it feels like for a girl.

Remarkably consistent, Madonna isn't afforded the almost daily media commentary gravitas of the moguls quoted daily, consistent proof that they lack insight, are blind to privilege, and “don't see color,” nor for that matter hypocrisy. And that's just entertainment and tech CEOs. New-age apologists and jet-set megachurch preachers bless the mess.

Gabriel clarifies that  the “Accusations about ‘sex' and ‘outrage'” that defined Madonna for many, are off by many degrees.  “Not sex but power. Not outrage but courage,” she corrects

“She has changed the world.”

It's hard to choose just a few quotes, so go read it.

• Madonna's confronted “the music industry, Hollywood, the Taliban, the Putin regime and the Vatican, to name just a few of her adversaries, over sexism, misogyny, racism, homophobia and hypocrisy.”
• Madonna's New York “was a discrimination-free zone where gender, race and sexual diversity weren't debated; they were celebrated.”
• “Girls  believed her, and a new generation of feminists was born.” 
• “As an advocate for people with H.I.V./AIDS, she spread safe sex messages and raised money for AIDS organizations. As an artist, she used her work to celebrate gay life at a time when the dominant narrative involved death.”
• Her unforgettable statements featuring beautiful, talented gay and bisexual men:  “Cherish”, “Vogue”, “Blond Ambition”. With “…her dancers, dressed as Marie Antoinette and her courtiers, stormed that Bastille of macho heterosexuality with a full camp version of “Vogue” at an MTV awards show.

Don't Go For Second Best

 Madonna “forced mainstream society — globally — to see gay men as she did, with admiration, not scorn. Madonna also helped gay men view themselves differently, with pride.”

It's not possible to overstate her influence. On MTV there would have been no decades of Real World modeling how uncool it is to hate the gay roommate. Here candid documentary and press made way for the video diary format and all of the reality TV.

Quite simply, every one of these women have cited her as changing the game, as serving as a  major, if not singular inspiration and model: Katie Perry, Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, Duh Lipa, Miley Cyrus, Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani, Adele and many more. And it took a team of  New York Times writers and editors to write up  60 Times Madonna Changed Our Culture.

The birthday note ends: “Madonna isn't finished. The battle against bigotry that she has fought throughout her career is far from over, and she has something to say about it.”

And it could go something like this…

 Reagan ran the world when Madonna hit New York. Today's material world is Reagan times on  steroids.  Extreme wealth gaps, global warming, authoritarian tendencies, privilege blindness. Teh myth of individual genius is not going to do it. AI presents the reality that what passes for individual originality is in fact a process of iteration and contributions of many.

We're going to need to keep people together to accomplish what the future demands. And we need everybody. 

Though she goes it alone, it's not what she's about. It's about everybody. It's “come join the party”. Don't tell me to stop. Life is a mystery. Everyone must stand alone, but it's still. together.  Express yourself. Take up cheerleading in middle age and find mainstream fans. And it started with her first top 10 song, Holiday

I was deep in the process of trying to figure out what to do with the the already deep scars growing up, and just turned 21… and the music offered a lightness, a promise. A few years later I was living in the east village, joined ACT UP, writing weekly and monthly for Outweek and Paper, and finally found my people. 

My humble suggestion is thus originalist, a literal reading of the sacred texts of a movement foretold. With social media it's not hard to see a movement, a global happening reflecting, driven by, inspired by and celebrating all those threads discussed this  Madonna birthday…

If we took a holiday
Took some time to celebrate
Just one day out of life
It would be, it would be so nice

A global day of service and celebration. Causes and concerts in ev-er-y nation. Big countries pair up with smaller ones. Grassroots supported by branded messages… to release the pressure. 

It's time for the good times
Forget about the bad times, oh yeah
One day to come together to release the pressure
We need a holiday

Global. Local.  A Holiday foundation with the mission of a massive global celebration, a day out of life. Maybe once. Maybe again, with a legacy of asserting the fundamental humanity, creativity, service, and empathy. 

You can turn this world around
And bring back all of those happy days
Put your troubles down
It's time to celebrate
Let love shine
And we will find
A way to come together, can make things better
We need a holiday

It would be so nice. Come join the party. Every nation. Turn this world around. Let love shine. Get into the groove. Music, makes the people come together. Music, mix the bourgeoisie and the rebel. It's all there., Telegram if need be can include rebel voices and others who will celebrate and make 

Madonna doesn't need my thoughts on what to do next. Her lyrics, life, and a few lucky times I've spend some time around her made that absolutely clear. She's not going to stop, has  4D chess skills, a great drive and humor.  (and as a gay man I can die complete). This celebration in every nation is something I'd love to help with.

And, if that's not for you, let's look for Marlo Thomas' Birthday and can discuss the imminent need for an updated “Free to Be, You and Me”. While not as universal, if your mother attended “libby” meetings in the 70s, sometimes in full length Mumu's you likely know this album and what we need right now.. 

———

The heavily quoted NY Times piece has an author. To quote again: “Mary Gabriel is the author of “Ninth Street Women: Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, Grace Hartigan, Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler, Five Painters and the Movement That Changed Modern Art” and the forthcoming ”Madonna: A Rebel Life.”

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Indictment Details

Sam Miele, a former fundraiser for Rep. George Santos' 2020 and 2022 campaigns, has been indicted by a New York grand jury on charges of wire fraud and identity theft. Miele is accused of impersonating Dan Meyer, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's former chief of staff, to solicit donations.

Impersonation and Fraud

Miele allegedly created an email account posing as the McCarthy staffer to send solicitations to more than a dozen potential contributors, signing those emails using the employee's full name and official title. He was arraigned in Brooklyn federal court, pleaded not guilty, and was released on $150,000 bond. “Miele created an email account posing as the McCarthy staffer to send solicitations to more than a dozen potential contributors and signed those emails using the employee's full name and official title,” reported Chris Marquette of Roll Call.

Quotes and Reactions

“In a letter sent to Santos last September, Miele admitted to ‘faking my identity to a big donor,'” according to the indictment. He went on to describe himself as “high risk, high reward in everything I do.” Miele earned a commission of 15% for each contribution he raised, as reported by AP News.

Ongoing Legal Issues

The indictment comes three months after federal prosecutors unsealed a thirteen-count indictment against Santos, including charges of theft of public funds, wire fraud, and money laundering. Miele's legal team stated, “We look forward to complete vindication at trial,” as reported by RadarOnline.

More on Towleroad about George Santos and Kevin McCarthy:

• George Santos Raises $133,000 from First-Time Chinese Donors
• Rep. George Santos Admits to Fraud, Using Stolen Checks
• The ‘George Santos of Florida': Republican Fabian Basabe Facing Pressure to Resign

Images generated by machines

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Netflix has released a teaser trailer and first-look images for the upcoming biopic, Maestro. Directed and starring Bradley Cooper, the film tells the story of Leonard Bernstein, a renowned conductor and composer who had relationships with both men and women in his lifetime. Cooper is joined by Carey Mulligan, who plays Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein, Bernstein's lifelong partner.

Maestro will be available for streaming on Netflix on September 20th, followed by a cinema release in the UK on November 24th.

Described as “a love letter to life and art,” the film aims to portray the epic emotions of family and love. Produced by Martin Scorsese, Bradley Cooper, Steven Spielberg, and others, Maestro also features a talented cast including Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, Sarah Silverman, and Josh Hamilton.

This marks Cooper's directorial return since the success of A Star Is Born in 2019. Maestro is the second major film this year to explore the life of a queer conductor, following Tár, which starred Cate Blanchett.

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People around the world — including many Americans — cannot understand why a sizeable portion of the United States population continues to support Donald Trump, despite an ever-increasing list of charges against him, including the latest indictments in Georgia.

Before the newest charges were announced, Trump was running neck and neck against President Joe Biden in a hypothetical rematch. It seems unlikely the Georgia indictments, pertaining to alleged attempts to interfere with the 2020 presidential election results, will erode the former president's support.

This shocks people because strong backing of a man who lies, cheats and threatens the U.S. Constitution has no precedent in national politics. However, there is a precedent in state politics which almost reached the presidential level, and some comparable situations in other countries.

You can always get what you want?

Those who support Trump unconditionally have not varied much since the last election. This support encompasses numerous groups with numerous reasons, but, for most, there is one overriding concern. They believe that he will get them results on the issues that they feel are the most important in the country.

Evangelical Christians who support him do so because he appointed conservative justices, leading to — among other outcomes — the overturning of Roe v. Wade. His extra-marital affairs pale in comparison to this long-term goal of the Christian right.

Some disenchanted Democratic voters have joined the Trump bandwagon. They include blue-collar workers and small business people who see jobs being sent overseas, as well as some Latino voters who regard Trump as acting in concert with their Catholic morality by appointing justices who are more conservative. They also like his opposition to illegal immigration.

The tens of thousands of potential immigrants struggling to illegally cross the U.S.-Mexico border frighten those worried that they will lose the non-skilled jobs still remaining in the U.S., and those in rural areas who see the values of what they consider traditional white America under threat.

For all of these supporters, getting what they want is more important than worrying about Trump's marital indiscretions, purloined government documents or whether he tried to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election or encouraged the storming of the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021.

Lies become the truth

Of course, there is more to Trump's appeal than simply promising to Make America Great Again. He is a true demagogue who repeats his simple message over and over again, often loudly and with great emphasis. He repeatedly and relentlessly demeans his detractors and lies about the 2020 election.

A quote attributed to Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda minister, translates roughly as: “Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth.”

Trump uses this technique very effectively with his supporters, including those on the far-right fringe, who respond well to his implied message to “make America white again.” A substantial portion of the Republican Party reinforces Trump's lies by either agreeing with his claims of election fraud, or being careful not to comment on them or to criticize Trump.

The effect of social media in Trump's allure shouldn't be dismissed. There you will find “proof” of Trump's claims — plots by the “Deep State” and by Democratic justice officials to persecute the winner of the 2020 election. These allegations are highly effective with citizens who have turned away from mainstream media because of its criticism of the man who is working for them.

While there is no other presidential candidate who has used this demagoguery and appeal to prejudice so brazenly, there is a partial parallel in Huey Long, governor of Louisiana from 1928 to 1932 and a U.S. senator from 1932 to 1935.

A supporter of the poor, a harsh critic of banks and a believer in authoritarian government, he was famous for his rousing speeches. A controversial figure, he was dogged by accusations of political corruption but nonetheless loved by many. He was planning to run for president but was assassinated in 1935.

Trump's Brazilian doppelganger

For a modern parallel, one must look outside the United States.

The most obvious parallel is in Brazil, where strongman Jair Bolsonaro ruled from 2018 to 2023. He is a man Trump admires, claiming that Bolsonaro “fights hard for, and loves, the people of Brazil — just like I do for the people of the United States.”

Bolsonaro believed in cutting taxes, defending “family values” and was opposed to gun control and immigration from places like Haiti and the Middle East. Considered racist, sexist and homophobic by some, his fiery speeches often incited violence, particularly against political opponents, criminals and “reds.”

He dismissed COVID-19 as a fantasy, resulting in Brazil having one of the highest rates of infection in the world. Defeated in 2022, he did not acknowledge the defeat, but said that he would abide by the country's constitution.

He left the country rather than acknowledge his defeat, but his supporters stormed the Supreme Court, the congress building and the presidential palace to try to overturn the election. Unlike Trump, he's been barred from running for office until 2030 because of his refusal to accept his defeat, and prosecuted for election fraud.

The coming months will reveal whether the charges against Trump will erode his support or instead encourage his supporters to continue donating millions of dollars to support his election bid and his legal fees. So far, those supporters are showing no signs of turning against him.

Ron Stagg, Professor of History, Toronto Metropolitan University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Court image  is not rea. it's a machine generated image imagining the scene

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The South, where hospitality is a way of life and “y'all” is a term of endearment, has a unique and often humorous relationship with the LGBTQ community. A recent video takes a sarcastic look at this relationship, and here's what it found:

• The South may lack anti-discrimination policies, but it sure doesn't lack charm. South Carolina, we're looking at you. Bless your heart.
• 50% of Southerners would be uncomfortable bringing a child to a same-sex wedding. But a child's wedding? Now that's a different story.
• LGBTQ discrimination costs U.S. businesses $230 billion a year. Who knew that excluding people could be so expensive?
• In Morehead, Kentucky, LGBTQ folks voted out Kim Davis, the county clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to gay couples. Talk about a comeback story.

The South's relationship with the LGBTQ community is as complex as a good gumbo, filled with contradictions, challenges, and a dash of sass. But as this video shows, there's a growing acceptance, resilience, and, of course, a sense of humor that's as warm as a Southern summer's day.

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Photo Used Without Permission in Anti-Surrogacy Ad

In a significant legal victory, a Canadian couple has won damages from Italy's far-right ruling party, Brothers of Italy, for unauthorized use of their image in an anti-surrogacy campaign. BJ Barone and Frankie Nelson, who welcomed their son Milo in 2014 with the assistance of a surrogate mother, had hired photographer Lindsay Foster who captured their heart-warming family photo. It quickly went viral,  go viral. However, it was later exploited by Brothers of Italy in 2016.

Italian LGBT law firm Gay Lex took on the case and has won the first round. The party has been ordered to pay Barone and Nelson  almost $11,000 each for the “offensive use of their image.” While Brothers of Italy is appealing the decision, the court's ruling highlights the violation of the couple's rights.

Giorgia Meloni's strong right Stance Direct Descendant of Mussolini

Brothers of Italy, a direct political descendant of the Italian Social Movement, which has ties to Mussolini's Fascist Party, has been stirring controversy since Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni ascended to power. Demonstrating a strong right-wing stance, the party recently instructed Milan's city council to stop registering children of same-sex parents, leading to widespread condemnation and protests.

Canadian Couple's Very Personal Photo Violated, Now Returned Even More Power 

Reacting to the court's decision, Barone and Nelson expressed their satisfaction. “This is a small win for us, but it is a huge victory for the LGBTQ+ community in Italy and abroad,” they told the BBC. “To us, our birth photo represents everything we stand for: family, acceptance, and unconditional love. This victory against the Fratelli and the Prime Minister allows us to reclaim our photo and show the world that family is about love.”

Unfortunately, this is not the first time the couple's beautiful image has been misused. In 2016, independent Irish politician Mary Fitzgibbons also exploited the photo without permission to oppose surrogacy for same-sex parents. This underscores the ongoing challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community and the need for continued legal protections.

The court's ruling serves as a stern message that the unauthorized use of personal images for political gain will not be tolerated. It sets an important precedent for protecting the rights and dignity of same-sex couples and their families.

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The annual Prague Pride parade saw some 60,000 people on the streets of the historic city on Saturday demonstrating for more rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) people, the police said. Many were draped in rainbow flags or wore colourful costumes. The annual parade was also attended by prominent politicians, including Interior Minister Vit Rakušan and Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský. The colourful procession through the city centre was secured by numerous police officers, but passed without incident. Around a dozen counterdemonstrators held up flags with slogans such as “Th…

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Saturday approved a measure that would allow firearm retailers or manufacturers to be sued for marketing guns to people under 18 and promoting other improper marketing ploys geared toward the sale of weapons. The bill was signed a day after Pritzker and his Democratic allies in the Illinois General Assembly scored a close victory when the state Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision, voted to uphold the state’s ban on certain high-powered guns and high-capacity ammunition magazines. Pritzker and other elected officials discussed the gun marketing liability l…

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Amazon’s adaptation of “Red White and Royal Blue” has been released, sparking various reactions from critics and audiences alike. The film tells the story of a gay romance between the son of the U.S. President and the grandson of the King of England, with Taylor Zakhar Perez playing Alex Claremont-Diaz and Nicholas Galitzine portraying Prince Henry of England, as reported by Daily Mail. The film also introduces the character of Nora, replacing June Claremont-Diaz from the original novel, according to We Got This Covered.

Mixed Reviews from Critics and Audiences

The film’s reception has been mixed. The Guardian criticized the film for its blandness and formulaic approach, while Greg In Hollywood praised the lead actors, stating, “Their chemistry is palpable, and they make a stunning on-screen couple.” Mashable described the film as “a Hallmark movie but with a gay love story,” and DIVA Magazine expressed, “The sensual scenes are beautifully crafted, leaving viewers both in tears and in awe of the portrayal of LGBTQ relationships.”

Matthew López’s Vision and Approach

Director Matthew López emphasized humor, authenticity, and a fresh perspective on queer cinema, telling Advocate.com, “We wanted to create a film that speaks to the heart of the LGBTQ community, without losing the universal appeal of love and acceptance.”

Creative Choices: Differences Between Book and Movie

The adaptation includes key changes from the book, such as the introduction of the character Nora, as reported by We Got This Covered. Them.us highlighted seven differences between the book and the movie, including character and plot alterations.

Varied Reactions to Sensual and Controversial Scenes

The film’s sensual scenes have garnered varied reactions. Daily Mail readers were left in tears by a “perfect sensual sex scene” between the British prince and the President’s son. OMG.BLOG cheekily commented, “Taylor Zakhar Perez bares it all, and we’re here for it!” Just Jared quoted the lead actors discussing their chemistry: “We clicked instantly, and that connection translated on-screen.”

More on Towleroad about Gay Film and Romance:

• Gay Film Archives – Towleroad
• Romance Film Archives – Towleroad Gay News
• Film/TV/Stream Archives – Towleroad Gay News

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KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia on Thursday banned Swatch Group's watches and accessories celebrating LGBTQ rights, saying the Swiss watchmaker's products may be harmful to morality and public interest. Homosexuality is a crime in Muslim-majority Malaysia, and rights groups have warned of growing intolerance against the country's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community. Malaysia has jailed or caned people for homosexuality. In May, Malaysia confiscated rainbow-coloured watches from Swatch's ‘Pride collection' because of the presence of the acronym ‘LGBTQ' on the watch…

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By Elias Biryabarema KAMPALA (Reuters) -Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni on Thursday denounced the World Bank's decision to suspend new funding in response to a harsh anti-LGBTQ law and vowed to find alternative sources of credit. The country would have to revise its budget to absorb the move's potential impact, a junior finance minister said. The World Bank said on Tuesday that the law, which imposes the death penalty for certain same-sex acts, contradicted its values and that it would pause new funding until it could test measures to prevent discrimination in projects it finances. The Worl…

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