Today in History: July 27

Bradlee Dean Files Suit against Rachel Maddow- July 27, 2011

From TPM:

Controversial anti-gay preacher Bradlee Dean is sick of the "left-wing" media's attacks against him, so he's decided to do something about it. 

Dean and his ministry, You Can Run But You Cannot Hide, are suing Rachel Maddow and MSNBC for slander and false light, seeking damages in excess of $50 million. 

Dean's lawyer, Larry Klayman, founder of Judicial Watch and Freedom Watch, announced the lawsuit at a press conference Wednesday in midtown Manhattan.

Today in History: July 26

Complaint Filed in Bourke v Breshear- July 26, 2013

Bourke v. Breshear would late become joined with Obergefell v Hodges.

Today in History: July 25

Lawsuit Filed Against New York to Block Same-Sex Marriage- July 25, 2011

From NY Daily News:

Twenty four hours after New York's landmark same sex marriage law went into effect, the anti-gay-marriage group New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms today has filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn it.

The group, led by the Rev. Jason J. McGuire, claims that the state Senate, in adopting the legislation, violated the state’s Open Meetings Law by closing off Senate hallways and lobby; and by holding closed door meetings with Mayor Bloomberg and others who backed the law.

The group also claims, among other things, that Gov. Cuomo and the Senate ignored the constitutionally mandated three-day waiting period before a bill can be acted upon and that lawmakers approved the legislation in exchange for campaign contributions from Bloomberg and other high profile "Wall Street financiers."

PA Supreme Court Strikes Hate Crimes Law- July 25, 2008

From 365Gay:

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld a lower court decision striking down  amendments that added sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, gender, and mental and physical disability to the state hate crime law.

The law, known as the Ethnic Intimidation and Institutional Vandalism Act, was amended in 2002 to include protections for these groups by a two-thirds majority of the state legislature. Then-governor Mark Schweiker signed it into law.

The lower court ruled last November that the law was invalid because it had been tacked onto another, nonrelated bill. The ruling did not criticize the content of the law, only the way in which it had been passed.

Today in History: July 24

Texas Supreme Court forces HERO Ordinance to Referendum- July 24, 2015

Because voting on civil rights works out well so often.  Spoilers, Houston voters later repealed the non-discrimination ordinances.

From the Houston Chronicle:

The Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday that Houston City Council must repeal the city's equal rights ordinance or place it on the November ballot. 

The ruling comes three months after a state district judge ruled that opponents of Houston's contentious non-discrimination ordinance passed last year failed to gather enough valid signatures to force a repeal referendum.

"We agree with the Relators that the City Secretary certified their petition and thereby invoked the City Council's ministerial duty to reconsider and repeal the ordinance or submit it to popular vote," the Texas Supreme Court wrote in a per curiam opinion. "The legislative power reserved to the people of Houston is not being honored." Montenegro First Pride March- July 24, 2013

Montenegro First Pride March- July 24, 2013

From Reuters:

Police clashed with anti-gay protesters in Montenegro on Wednesday as they tried to disrupt the first gay pride parade to be held in the staunchly conservative Balkan country that is in talks to join the European Union.

Around 200 demonstrators hurled stones, bottles and flares at policemen in the coastal town of Budva who were keeping them separate from around 40 marchers wearing shirts bearing the colors of the rainbow, the symbol of the gay rights movement.

At least ten demonstrators were arrested and several marchers were slightly injured, according to police.

Protesters chanted "Kill the gays" and carried banners that read "Only healthy Montenegro", a Reuters reporter on the scene said.

Marriage Begins in New York- July 24, 2011

From the New York Times:

Hundreds of gay and lesbian couples, from retirees in Woodstock to college students in Manhattan, rushed to tiny town halls and big city clerks’ offices across New York to wed in the first hours of legal same-sex marriage on Sunday, turning a slumbering summer day into an emotional celebration.

They arrived by subway cars and stretch limousines, with children and with grandparents, in matching sequined ties and pinstriped suits, to utter words that once seemed unimaginable: I do.

Even those who had been together for decades, watching same-sex marriage become legal in surrounding states but suffer rejection in New York, said there was something unexpectedly moving and affirming about having their unions recognized by the state in which they live.

Today in History: July 23

Federal Judge Strikes Down Colorado's Marriage Ban- July 23, 2014

The Order from Burns v. Hickenlooper:

Astronaut Sally Ride Dies- July 23, 2012

From Slate:

Sally Ride was very good at keeping secrets. As the first American woman in space, she protected countless confidences during a lifetime of public appearances. During her post-NASA years, she regularly wrote and reviewed classified government material on high-profile commissions. When she died in 2012 of pancreatic cancer, a diagnosis hidden from all but a tiny handful of family and close friends, I started unraveling the mysteries for her biography. She was a brilliant, mischievous enigma.

But the most surprising revelation was the one that came at the end of her obituary: that for 27 years, she’d been in a loving relationship with another woman, Tam O’Shaughnessy. The collective gasp from an admiring public reverberated for days. A small minority complained that she’d squandered an opportunity to speak out for their rights. A few spouted homophobic hatred. Selfishly, as her pal of more than three decades, I was stunned; hurt, that I did not know Sally fully, that I could not celebrate her happiness with Tam. Then I thought, why does her sexual orientation matter? Finally, I got it.

Complaint Filed in Appling v. Doyle- July 23, 2009

Appling v. Doyle was case from Wisconsin where a petitioner (Appling) filed suit against the  State of Wisconsin trying to bar domestic partnerships, which provided limited legal rights such as hospital visitation rights to same sex couples.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Supporters of Wisconsin's ban on same-sex marriage and civil unions Thursday asked the state Supreme Court to declare a system of recognizing domestic partnerships unconstitutional.

Under a provision that was part of the budget Gov. Jim Doyle signed in June, couples will be able to apply for a declaration of domestic partnership with their county of residence starting next month.

The lawsuit filed against the state says that allowing such domestic partnerships establishes a legal status that resembles marriage - which the suit calls a violation of the state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and any identical or substantially similar legal status. 

Today in History: July 22

Federal Judge Orders Ohio to Recognize Obergefell & Arthur's Marriage- July 22, 2013

From Buzzfeed:

A federal judge in Ohio ordered state officials Monday to recognize the marriage of two men that was performed in Maryland on the death certificate of an Ohio resident in hospice care who the judge says “is certain to die soon.”

“The end result here and now is that the local Ohio Registrar of death certificates is hereby ORDERED not to accept for recording a death certificate for John Arthur that does not record Mr. Arthur’s status at death as ‘married’ and James Obergefell as his ‘surviving spouse,’” Judge Timothy Black wrote in granting the couple a temporary restraining order Monday. The order is in effect until 5 p.m. Aug. 5, unless the court extends the order at a later date.

“By treating lawful same sex marriages differently than it treats lawful opposite sex marriages,” the judge concluded, Ohio’s 2004 constitutional amendment banning recognition of same-sex couples’ marriages and Ohio’s statute addressing the same issue “likely violate[] the United States Constitution.”

Today in History: July 21

Obama Signs Executive Order on LGBT Workplace Discrimination- July 21, 2014

From the Whitehouse's Youtube Account:

GA Grad Student Files Complaint over LGBT Sensitivity Training- July 21, 2010

From ABC News:

Backed by the Alliance Defense Fund, Jennifer Keeton has filed suit against Augusta State University after, she said, school officials threatened to dismiss her from its counseling program when she refused to participate in a "remediation" plan to increase her tolerance of gays and lesbians after she made it known that she believed homosexuality was a personal choice[...]

According to the lawsuit, which included several e-mails between Keeton and faculty, school officials said that they weren't trying to change her views or religious beliefs, but that it was "unethical" for her to apply her own personal viewpoints to other people "and not truly accepting that others can have different beliefs and values that are equally valid as your own."

W. Mark Hamilton, executive director of the American Mental Health Counselors Association, said he couldn't speak to the specific lawsuit against Augusta State University, but that's it's not unreasonable that a student be requested to take additional diversity training.

From the ACLU:

Jennifer Keeton, a student at Augusta State University (ASU), sought a court order requiring ASU to reinstate her in a graduate-level counseling program even though she insisted on a right – rooted in her religious beliefs – to counsel lesbian, gay and bisexual clients that being gay is immoral. ASU's counseling program requires its graduate students to adhere to the American Counseling Association's Code of Ethics, which prohibits counselors from discriminating based on sexual orientation, among other characteristics, and requires them to avoid imposing their values on their clients.  

Today in History: July 20

Canada Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage in All Provinces- July 20, 2005

From the CBC:

Legislation giving same-sex couples the legal right to marry received royal assent on Wednesday and is now the law of the land.

In a late-night vote on Tuesday, the Senate approved the Liberal government's controversial Bill C-38 by a 46-22 vote. Three senators abstained.

The historic vote comes after gay and lesbian couples launched lawsuits in different provinces demanding the right to marry.

Today in History: July 19

Bloomberg Announce Lottery for First Day Same Sex Marriages- July 19, 2011

From CNN:

On July 24, the first day New York's recently passed marriage law goes into effect, the city will conduct a public lottery to allow 764 couples to marry, according to a state press statement Tuesday.

Bloomberg, Council Speaker Christine Quinn and City Clerk Michael McSweeney made the announcement due to the high demand for services, they said in the announcement. The lottery, which started at noon Tuesday, will remain open until noon Thursday on the City Clerk's website.

Today in History: July 18

10th Circuit Rule on Bishop v. Smith- July 18, 2014

From the Washington Blade:

The ban on same-sex marriage in Oklahoma violates the constitutional rights of same-sex couples living in the state, a federal appeals court ruled Friday.

In a 2-1 decision, a three-judge panel on the U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in the case of Bishop v. Smith that Oklahoma’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional on the basis of a similar decision the court reached against Utah’s marriage ban.

Writing for the majority in a 46-page decision, U.S. Circuit Judge Carlos Lucero, a Clinton appointee, said the court’s ruling in the Oklahoma case “is governed by our ruling” in the Utah lawsuit, Kitchen v. Herbert.

Senate Confirms First Out Gay Man For Federal Bench- July 18, 2011

From the Washington Blade:

The U.S. Senate made history on Monday by confirming for the first time ever an openly gay male to serve as a federal judge.

By a vote of 80-13, the Senate confirmed J. Paul Oetken, whom President Obama nominated in January to sit on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. A simple majority was required to confirm Oetken.

Today in History: July 17

EEOC Rules on LGBT Discrimination- July 17, 2015

From the Hill:

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ruled that existing federal protections against workplace discrimination based on sex also apply to sexual orientation.

In its opinion, following a 3-2 vote, the EEOC said " 'sexual orientation' as a concept cannot be defined or understood without reference to sex," The Washington Post reported.

The final ruling, which stems from a complaint filed in 2012 by a man who claimed he was denied a job because he is gay, constitutes the EEOC’s official interpretations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the primary statute governing employment discrimination claims against both public and private employers that will guide future EEOC enforcement of federal nondiscrimination laws.

Same-Sex Marriage Legalized in the UK- July 17, 2013

From the BBC:

Same-sex couples will be able to get married in England and Wales after new measures became law.

The government's controversial legislation on the issue received Royal Assent on Wednesday.

The Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat leaderships all backed the proposals, which were finally approved by MPs and peers earlier this week.

It is expected that the first gay and lesbian wedding ceremonies will take place by summer next year.

Protests begin over COO of Chick-Fil-A Comments & Donations- July 17, 2012 

From the Advocate:

Dan Cathy, the chief operating officer of Chick-fil-A, said there is no denying that his company opposes marriage equality.

Cathy said that he does not feel right billing Chick-fil-A as a Christian business because, as Christian business mentor Fred Roach once said, "There is no such thing as a Christian business ... Christ never died for a corporation."

However, Cathy told the Baptist Press he aims to operate the restaurant chain "on biblical principles." When asked whether his company had an established position against marriage equality, Cathy said, "guilty as charged."

Today in History: July 16

FDA Approves Truvada- July 16, 2012

Link to the FDA Press release:

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Truvada (emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate), the first drug approved to reduce the risk of HIV infection in uninfected individuals who are at high risk of HIV infection and who may engage in sexual activity with HIV-infected partners. Truvada, taken daily, is to be used for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in combination with safer sex practices to reduce the risk of sexually-acquired HIV infection in adults at high risk[...] 

"Today’s approval marks an important milestone in our fight against HIV," said FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. "Every year, about 50,000 U.S. adults and adolescents are diagnosed with HIV infection, despite the availability of prevention methods and strategies to educate, test, and care for people living with the disease. New treatments as well as prevention methods are needed to fight the HIV epidemic in this country." [...]   

The Partners PrEP trial was conducted in 4,758 heterosexual couples where one partner was HIV-infected and the other was not (serodiscordant couples). The trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of Truvada and tenofovir versus placebo in preventing HIV infection in the uninfected male or female partner. Results showed Truvada reduced the risk of becoming infected by 75 percent compared with placebo.

First Active Duty Military Openly In Pride Parade- July 16, 2011

From Reuters:

A group of U.S. service members marched in a San Diego gay pride parade on Saturday, in a demonstration organizers touted as an unprecedented step for gay and lesbian military personnel under the Pentagon's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

The military contingent in the parade numbered about 250 people, and the former Navy operations specialist who brought the group together said many are currently in the military, while the rest are veterans. They dressed in civilian clothes.

Utah Dems Elect State's First Gay Chair- July 16, 2011

From the Salt Lake City Tribune:

Utah Democrats made history Saturday afternoon, electing Jim Dabakis as state party chairman by a wide margin. He is believed to be the state's first openly gay major party leader[...]

Dabakis, who is an art dealer and co-founder of both the Utah Pride Center and Equality Utah, said his election shows how fair-minded the people of Utah are.

"I visited all 29 counties during the last five months, and people were very interested in what kind of a job I would do and what my experience was," Dabakis said. "The whole gay thing just simply did not surface as an issue. People are broad-minded in Utah, and they want to know if you can do the job or not."

Young Republicans File Complaint Against Tammy Baldwin- July 16, 2010

From Joe.MyGod:

Openly lesbian Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) has received so many death threats from God’s Gentle People™ that since 1998 the state has allowed her to list her campaign office address rather than her home address when filing to run for office. So now the Young Republicans of Wisconsin have filed a challenge to Baldwin’s eligibility to run for not using her voting address, claiming that she doesn’t live in the district she represents. They’d rather see her murdered.

Below is the official Complaint.

Programming Update

I'm gonna switch things up a little. If I like it I'll continue, if not, then not. Or it just might be too much of a commitment.

I am going to try to do a daily feature where I publish modern gay history. It will be a daily recap of the events that have shaped the community since around 2005.

Happy No Taxation without Representation Day

Happy 4th of July.

And as always Free DC! Ah shit it's raining! But I want the pretty lights...


Liam '16

Breathe... Just Remember to Breathe

I've despised Donald Trump since I first knew who he was. He's a greasy, borish bourgeois, orange asshole. I haven't written about him, probably because I despise him so much, that nothing productive would come from it.

He's one of the first birthers. I hear from friends that they believe that his political persona is simply an act; however it is now over 8 years old. He's racist, xenophobic, homophobic, bleh.

Now add Anti-Semitic. Go read the Mic.com story if you haven't already. The photo below was reposted from there.

Yep. Seriously. Jesus Fuck. It's not a sheriff's badge; it's a repost from a skinhead. Mother fuck. Roughly 40% of Americans would vote for that slimy shit stain.

40 fucking percent. Take a look to your left, Take a look to your right. One of those mother fuckers will vote for someone that frequently repost Neo-Nazi propaganda. Ohne Scheiß!

I get heart palpitations over that. I shit you not.

Fuck! This is the point where I start to hyperventilate, until I realize that we have no real equivalent to the SA.


Liam '16

The Bees and The Bees

Recently a real world friend of mine and I were talking (yes I have one of those.)  We were at that point of our friendship where she starting to see me as actually gay instead of a-- to paraphrase QAF--- a ball-less, sexless, gay eunuch.

During our conversation, she brought up that she has never tried anal. We ended up not going into it, but later I realized that she might have been asking for advice.

It also brought up memories that of how anti-gay my state-school-provided sex ed really was. (There was no mention of homosexuality, and my teacher referred to anal sex as being demeaning towards women.)

The following is designated to be a virgin's guide to anal sex. Essentially I came up with this as the cheat sheets that I wish I had a few years ago. Hopefully you can find it useful whether you're gay or straight.

But if I ever have to give my sage like guidance and boil it down into one sentence, it would be:


Masturbate with a dildo before trying anal sex; also think about getting poppers if you find it difficult to relax.


The Forewords:

1. I have a prostate; women tend not to have those. From my personal experience, anal sex is enjoyable because of my prostate. If you don't have a prostate, I don't know if you will enjoy it. All I can offer is years of learning and experience. Please keep an open mind.

2. If you don't want to do anal, you won't enjoy it. There is no "fake it 'til you make it": only pain. Related to that point, if you don't feel well on a particular day, don't do it. It might be painful, or you just might shit on a dude.

3. If you want to try it, you will need to prepare: not just for the first time, but every time.

4. I don't have a vagina, but I know that it's not vaginal sex. Respect the anus for what it's worth. That means don't just start shoving shit up there. Make sure your partner understands that anal sex is a shared gift (I don't know if there is a word to describe what I mean), but it is not an entitlement. Your partner does not deserve sex; they do not need sex; they are allowed to have sex with you. They need to be gentle, understanding, a good listener, and appreciative of your needs.

Basic Sex Ed

Hygiene:

1.  Poop. Yes, scat comes out of the anus. To really enjoy anal sex, you'll need to poop before you do it. I usually need 15 minutes to "reset" afterwards.

2. Wipe down. I use wet wipes to get extra clean. Some people warn to avoid wipes with alcohol or fragrance but I've never had a problem.

3. Douche. Or not. I'm not a doctor; I don't know if this is bad for your body. I have done this; it helps me feel like I'm not going to poop on my partner. If you douche, you need to give your body a chance to rebuild the mucus lining on your colon. It's recommended that you wait 2 hours afterwards to have sex.

4. Take a shower.  Do I need to explain this one. It will also help relax you. Brush your teeth, put on deodorant, and wear fresh undies (in my experience, this ones more for the guys.)

5. Keep tissues by the bedside.

6. Choose a hand for lubricating your anus and toys, and a hand specifically for your genitals.


Protection:

1. Condoms every time!

2. Even if you are monogamous, you still can get a number of infections; so, always wear a condom. Allergic to latex: latex free condoms. You don't like how they smell: orange scented condoms. Your partner doesn't like how it feels on their cock: internal condoms. You like a little pizazz in your display: colored condoms.

3. Condoms every time! (Change condoms if you decide to change orifice.)


Lubrication:

1. Lubrication is as necessary of a component for safer sex as is a condom. Condoms fail without condom safe lubrication. Silicone is my preference as it doesn't get absorbed by the skin. If I am masturbating, I use a water-based lubricant because I use a silicone toy. You will need to stop at some point and reapply lube because it will be absorbed by the rectum. NEVER USE AN OIL BASED LUBE! It will destroy the condom; it can also lead to an infection on its own.

2. Have you ever had a sunburn on the inside of your rectum? That's what anal sex feels like without enough lubrication. So to recap; lube is necessary for enjoyment and safety.

3. Do you have enough lubrication? The answer is, if you're asking that question, you do not have enough lube.

4. Treat yourself! The better the lube; the better the experience. Find a brand you love and always keep it with you. (I have a bug-out bag for one night stands complete with my favorite lube, condoms, and toothbrush.)

What Your High School Instructor Didn't Teach You:

Masturbation:

1. Before even trying anal sex, masturbate by yourself. You need to learn the mechanics of anal sex before you should even consider letting someone into your body. Masturbation also allows you to find out what is and what isn't enjoyable.

2. Get as turned on as you possibly can. For me, I turn on sexy music, I light candles, I turn on porn, and I sniff poppers. (For straight reads, poppers are nitrite compounds that are inhaled. Do not drink them. Do not use them with alcohol or Viagra. Open the cap and sniff the vapors. Don't get the solution on your skin as it burns. If you're going to do them, try them before hand to understand how it will affect your body. It instantly relaxes my anus, and honestly makes me lose my mind while having sex.) Oh yes, also relax.

3. Start small and simple, and move on from there. If a particular toy comes in three sizes go with the small one. I prefer a dildo that I can ride while stimulating my other genitals; some people prefer a plug that stays in place while they stimulate their genitals. I would also suggest starting with a toy that lacks texture or ridges while learning your body.

4. Use a non-porous silicone toy. It's easy to clean. With a larger toy, I finger myself first, before moving to the larger toy.


Entrance:

1. Relax.

2. Push out. One method is to clench your anus for 15 seconds, until you can't hold it any longer and then push out. (This is where learning your body with a toy helps.)

3. Breathe out.

4. Take control. Especially if it is your first time, control the pace of entry, either controlling your partner with your hand or pushing yourself back into their cock. If there is minor pain, readjust your position. Sometimes it helps to pull out and try it again. If pain continues, stop.

Once again this is why masturbating first helps. If there is pain, you either need more lube, more foreplay, or you need to just flat out stop.


Position:

1. There is no right answer, but the right position for you will make a world of difference.

2. I prefer being on top as it gives me greater control of pacing and timing. I am more likely to orgasm when it is appropriate when I'm on top.

3. If you are comfortable enough to continue having sex, explore and find your position.


TL; DR- Masturbate with a dildo before trying anal sex; also think about getting poppers if you find it difficult to relax.


Additional Reading:

1. Dangerouslilly.com on silicone toys.

2. Vice.com on poppers.

3. Goaskalice.columbia.edu on lube.


Liam '16