Scars Run Deep - UPDATED

The Atlanta man seen being viciously beaten in a harrowing viral video today called his attackers “monsters” who left him with scars that “run deeper than anyone will know.” He added that nobody should worry that they will be attacked “for just being a gay male.”

One of White’s assailants, as well as the cameraman and another onlooker, referred to him as a “faggot” on the video (WARNING: Violent content). Atlanta police are hunting for White’s attackers, while FBI agents and federal prosecutors are examining the assault to determine whether a hate crimes prosecution is warranted.

White said that the filming of the assault--and the subsequent uploading of a clip online--was his assailants’s way of trying to draw attention to their barbarism.

However, by coming forward to cooperate with authorities, White remarked, “I’m the brave one.”

FULL STORY ...


UPDATE
Seems that Police are making headway in tracking down the a-holes who attacked Mr. White.

Investigators Release Name, Photo Of Remaining Suspect Sought In Brutal Videotaped Beating Of Atlanta Man

 READ THE STORY UPDATES HERE.

Living a Gay Life

Zachary Quinto

Long rumored to be gay, the actor, most famous for his roles on "Heroes" and in the recent "Star Trek" film, came out in a October 2011 New York magazine profile, saying:

"In light of Jamey's [Rodemeyer] death -- it became clear to me in an instant that living a gay life without publicly acknowledging it -- is simply not enough to make any significant contribution to the immense work that lies ahead on the road to complete equality. Our society needs to recognize the unstoppable momentum toward unequivocal civil equality for every gay lesbian bisexual and transgendered citizen of this country." 

Ottawa's first steps to be "Suicide Safer"

Hundreds of people representing more than 40 organizations gathered at Ben Franklin Place for the launch of the Community Suicide Prevention Network's three-year plan to build a "Suicide Safer Ottawa".

Billed as the city's first summit on youth suicide prevention, the event featured politicians, health care leaders, educators and young people. The goal of the event was to bring Ottawans together to talk about what was already in place and what will be needed to be in the future to help prevent youth suicide, an issue that has captured local and provincial attention in recent months.

READ MORE ...

The “Know What to Do” guide and other valuable information is available online here or at www.facebook.com/preventingsuicide.

 Copies of the guide can be ordered from the Ottawa Public Health Information Line at:   

613-580-6744, TTY: 613-580-9656,  

Toll free: 1-866-426-8885 

Monday to Friday from 9 am to 4 pm.

No one should ever suffer alone. We’re just one call away.

24/7 Crisis Line

613-260-2360 or
1-877-377-7775 (toll free for Eastern Ontario)

Learn where modern Gay Pride started

When police raided the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in the Greenwich Village section of New York City on June 28, 1969, the street erupted into violent protests that lasted for the next six days. The Stonewall riots, as they came to be known, marked a major turning point in the modern gay civil rights movement in the United States and around the world.

This documentary on PBS' American Experience beautifully outlines the history and the context that changed attitudes in America and many other parts of the world.

Watch the full episode. See more American Experience.

Japanese Whalers forced to Stop Hunting Whales

Last year Sea Shepherd's harassment of the Japanese whaling fleet halved the number of whales killed. Now it's come out that the whaling fleet has halted whaling in the Southern Ocean, citing Sea Shepherd's constant hounding of them, blocking supplies from reaching them and blockading whaling ships as the reason. Since February 10 whaling has ceased. The season normally extends to mid-March.



Sea Shepherd's activities are the subject of Animal Planet's Whale Wars series.

Prayers for Libya

Al Jazeera is currently in Preview on Rogers Cable here in Ottawa.

With all that has been happening in Northern Africa, I have been watching it more and more - finding that it gives a variety of perspectives that put North American news channels to shame.

Heard about this website there and found the post below.

Not only am I struck by the poignancy of the messages, but the technology itself - publishing voice recordings through cellphones where internet is not available.

We (North Americans) may pride ourselves on our technological advancement here in Canada, but the people in the Middle East are forging new ways of communicating which leave us far behind.

I am not a religious person, but I am praying for Libya to make it through this without further pain. ...

Libyan Army !!! 
Start PROTECTING THE PEOPLE from Ghaddafi & the mercenary forces that he has hired ... BEING NEUTRAL IS NO LONGER NEUTRAL !

The Sound of a Free Egypt

Protesters in Tahrir Square celebrate after Mubarek steps down.

For all 18 days, I witnessed on TV the determination, the terror, the frustration, the love, the peacefulness and the joy of the Egyptian Revolution.

This video and song depict the people of Egypt in Tahrir Square as the rest of us watched history unfold. Whether you understand the words or not, the song carries a genuine feeling of strength, joy, peace and the Humanity of the Egyptian people. Beautiful!



Click on the link to read a partial translation of the words.

My humps

Length: 1 minute

The video was licensed to BlueVoice.org by Gene Flipse of Conscious Breath Adventures, the videographer, with whom they work. The newborn whale was videoed on the Silver Bank just north of the Dominican Republic. It is part of their campaign to end the killing of humpbacks by Greenland.


Newborn humpback whale nursing from BlueVoice.org on Vimeo.

Amazing Dolphin Facts

A fun parody and a call-to-arms

Bash’d – A Gay Rap Opera will be at the Great Canadian Theatre Company in Ottawa from January 12-31.

Billed as “a gay rap opera,” the Edmonton-grown, Fringe-Fest-honed musical Bash'd has intrigued and titillated audiences in Canada and the United States. It garnered the 2007 Outstanding Musical Award at the New York International Fringe Festival and the 2008 GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Media Award in the category of Off-Off-Broadway Production.

The plot follows two star-crossed lovers who fall in love and get hitched. As the name implies, one of the men is eventually gaybashed. Enraged at the brutal attack, his spouse vows revenge. That’s the opera part. The gay part, of course, is that the lovers are a couple named Jack and Dillon, who first meet in a gay bar.

The rap element is a twist that might initially perplex the average theatregoer. While there is indeed music, spoken word, and a bit of good old-fashioned poetry thrown in, this approximately hour-long production is presented and narrated almost completely through the medium of rap — by two MCs named Feminem and T-Bag.

Gay rap or hip hop, aka “homo hop,” has existed as an underground movement since the late ’90s, thanks to the influence of such pioneers as Tori Fixx and the Deep Dickollective. However, Nathan Cuckow, co-writer and co-performer of Bash’d, admits that he was unaware of the movement when he created the character of Feminem ten years ago, for Edmonton’s Loud & Queer Cabaret.

Stop Japan's Dolphin slaughter!

Dolphins being killed en masse at Futo Harbor, Japan. The red is dolphin blood.

BlueVoice Executive Director Hardy Jones is a former journalist with CBS News and UPI. He has been making television documentaries about the oceans and marine mammals in particular for more than 20 years.

"The experience of forcing Japanese fishermen to release hundreds of dolphins simply by pointing a camera at them led to the original concept of BlueVoice.org," says Jones. "The advent of the internet has given us a tool of unprecedented power to end some of the brutalities committed against marine mammals and the oceans."

While on assignment in Japan, Hardy Jones discovered and documented the ritual slaughter of wild dolphins. Watch this painful video, then visit the website to learn what you can do to help.

Is gaybashing on the rise?

Reported gaybashings seem to be on the rise in some cities. What are we seeing and why?

In the last year in Vancouver, gay men and lesbians have been punched in the jaw, pelted with eggs, hit in the face, struck with a hammer and kicked in the groin. The gaybashers allegedly yelled "I hate you," "fucking scum," "fuckin' fag," and "He's a faggot. He deserved it."

Since 2006 the number of hate crimes investigated by the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) has more than tripled. These numbers include hate crimes based on sexual orientation, religion, race and ethnicity.

Of the 167 incidents investigated by the VPD in the last three years, 86 were found to be hate-motivated. Twenty-six of these cases were based on sexual orientation.

Prior to 2006 the VPD didn't track the type of hatred motivating the crime. But Insp John deHaas, inspector in command of the force's Diversity & Aboriginal Policing Section, says the gay community is one of the most targeted groups for hate crimes.

That suggests reports of gaybashings are rising along with reports of hate crimes overall.

Shattering Secrets: Incest

Mackenzie Phillips' recent admission about her intimate relationship with her own father - John Phillips of the famous musical group The Mamas and The Papas - has prompted others to bring their own stories of incest to Oprah's TV show.

Learn more about their painful stories filled with confusing emotions.

Known “murder music” artist dropped from concert

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, October 7, 2009

Toronto: In response to repeated calls from Egale Canada, Elephant Man has been pulled from the concert line-up this weekend at Downsview Park.

Elephant Man has released many “murder music” songs over his career, talking about executing, beating, and setting on fire and otherwise assaulting gays. Other lyrics have suggested raping lesbians. He continues to profit from the sale of these lyrics and has refused to denounce advocating and glorifying the violence and murder of gays and lesbians in his music.

Egale Canada welcomes the decision.

Egale Canada is Canada’s LGBT human rights organization: advancing equality, diversity, education, and justice.

Don Cherry to judge on Battle of the Blades

Don Cherry, the irascible star of Coach's Corner on Hockey Night In Canada, will join co-hosts Ron MacLean and Kurt Browning on the hit skating show Battle of the Blades on Sunday and Monday (CBC, 8 p.m. ET).

Seven pairs of former NHL players and figure skating legends remain in the seven-week competition, with $100,000 awarded to the winner's charity of choice.

[ I watched the first episode and LOVED IT! Figure skating is HARD, Hockey players can be SEXY, Acceptance of our differences is FUN! ]

Laughing in the Face of Racism

The repentant former KKK leader Johnny Lee Clary explains how Reverend Wade Watts, an NAACP leader, disarmed him by being cool, funny and brave, engaging in some first-rate psy-ops. Be sure to listen through to the end for the chicken story.

Bombs + Bashings Mar OutGames in Copenhagen

As many as three explosive devices reportedly detonated in two track stadiums of the Outgames in Copenhagen, leaving one person with minor injuries.

Before the men’s 4x200-meter track relay in the afternoon, two bombs were thrown onto the track and exploded instantly. An Outgames athlete was taken to a local hospital with injuries to his right hand from flying shrapnel. He has since been released.

Participants on the field were unharmed but shaken by the incident.

Less than an hour later, a second bomb was thrown in another stadium. Luckily, no one was injured, but track events were delayed for 90 minutes.

Police now have a 31-year-old male suspect in custody.

This is the second violent incident in less than a week for the Outgames.

Three men -- from England, Sweden, and Norway -- had been attacked in the Danish capital following opening-night ceremonies over the preceding weekend. All three victims were taken to a local hospital with minor injuries and were later released. In that incident police arrested two men whom witnesses reported shouted antigay phrases before beating the men. Both suspects, who were believed to have been inebriated at the time, held criminal records and were expected to remain in custody for the remainder of the event.

FOLLOW THIS LINK to Towleroad story

Once again Russia crushes Gay Pride

Police in Moscow have broken up a gay pride rally that was banned by city authorities.

About 30 activists gathered Saturday morning near a university in southwestern Moscow to denounce what they say is discrimination against gays and lesbians in Russia.

After one minute, as demonstrators unfurled banners calling for gay rights, police charged into the group, grabbed about 20 people and dragged them into police cars and vans.

Among those detained were British activist Peter Tatchell and American activist Andy Thayer of Chicago, co-founder of the Gay Liberation Network.

Thayer said Russia's gays and lesbians are engaged in a fight "for the soul of Russian democracy."

"If … the right to assemble is taken away from lesbian and gay people here in Russia, then other Russians have to fear for their own freedom," Thayer said shortly before he was hauled away.

Moscow's mayor, Yuri Luzhkov, has described homosexuality as "satanic."

Mikhail Nalimov, leader of the United Orthodox Christian Youth, said his group would not tolerate any gay pride rallies in Russia.

"The aim of the gay movement is to destabilize the country and society and we will not let that happen," he said in a BBC interview earlier in the week.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE CBC NEWS SEGMENT

WARNING: Men Having Sex Ahead

A park near Amsterdam has unveiled information signs pointing out spots where officials say gay men are known to have sex - so other visitors are not taken by surprise.

The signs "clearly indicate what is happening in each zone; also those where gay men are known to practice 'cruising'," municipal spokeswoman Manon Koffijberg said.

Cruising is a slang word used to describe the act of trawling for casual sex.

Follow this link to a map of the area mentioned

Spain: 'gay panic' defense aquits man who stabbed gay couple and set bodies on fire

27 year old Isaac Ali Dani Peréz Triviño (left) was born in Spain. 32 year old Julio Anderson Luciano (right) was born in Brazil. They lived together in the Spanish province of Vigo and were planning to get married.

Both were stabbed to death by Jacobo Piñeiro Rial in their apartment in the early morning of January 13th, 2006. The bodies showed a total of 57 stab wounds, according to forensics.

After killing them, Piñeiro took a shower and cleaned himself up. He filled a suitcase with some of their belongings to make it look like a robbery and then spilled clothing all over the place. He poured alcohol over everything, including his victims' bodies, turned on the gas spigot on the stove, and set everything on fire. The local fire department said that little evidence would have survived if it wasn't for their prompt response to the 5-alarm fire.

Puck U : "Pansy" no more

Hockey commentator Ron MacLean faced off against a gay-rights advocate over the use of the word "pansification" during Saturday's Hockey Night in Canada broadcast.

Hockey Night commentator Mike Milbury coined the expression to describe how the NHL would lose its edge and go soft should the league heed calls to ban fighting.

Helen Kennedy, the executive director of Egale Canada, told MacLean the group was "inundated with emails and phone calls who were upset and offended by the use of the word."

"It's used in a derogatory fashion to bully young, effeminate, gay men. It's a word that was coined to basically bully young men in Britain, many years ago," Kennedy said, adding that the word is also used to bully "kids who are perceived to be gay."

A VIDEO OF THE INTERVIEW IS AVAILABLE AFTER THE LINK