The suspect reportedly ran from the crime scene, but police caught up to him about five blocks away.

The Times reports emergency medical workers attempted to revive Carson at the scene, but he was pronounced dead on arrival when taken to Beth Israel hospital.

New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who is running to be the city’s first openly gay mayor, released a statement that read:

“I am horrified to learn that last night, a gay man was murdered in my district after being chased out of a Greenwich Village restaurant and assailed by homophobic slurs. I stand with all New Yorkers in condemning this attack.”

NY state senator Brad Hoylman also released a statement condemning the attack:

“I am outraged by the recent wave of anti-LGBT violence in our city and it is shocking and extremely distressing that a man was shot to death just this morning apparently because he was gay. Nobody anywhere should have to live with fear of harm because of his or her sexual orientation. I applaud the NYPD for making a swift arrest in this case and call on all New Yorkers to unite against hate and gun violence.”

The murder last night marks the fifth known attack against gay men in New York this month. A rally to protest the violence was held May 16, as members of the city’s LGBT community gathered outside Madison Square Garden and marched through Chelsea toward Jackson Park.

C.O.G. (which stands for Child of God) is an adaptation of a short story about a pompous Yale grad who takes a job picking apples in Oregon. It marks the first time the popular author has licensed a film based on his work.

The same night will see the festival’s annual Achievement Award going to Kimberly Peirce, director of Boys Don’t Cry and the upcoming remake of Carrie.

“One of Outfest’s principal goals has been to celebrate the many voices of LGBT storytelling on film, and we couldn’t be more excited to honor Kimberly Peirce’s extraordinary filmmaking career while also heralding writer-director Kyle Patrick Alvarez’s stunning sophomore feature capturing David Serdaris’ hilarious tone,” Kirsten Schaffer, Outfest Executive Director, said in a statement released to the media. “The mix promises to make this our most memorable opening night.”

Although we haven’t yet seen C.O.G., which was first published in Sedaris’ collection Naked, it’s unlikely we’ll see as much of Groff as we do here.

Masaki’s death was announced by his partner, Tien Tien.

Although the official cause of death hasn’t been announced, Masaki had gone through several surgeries during recent months to treat a ruptured cecal due to peritonitis.

Masaki began his career as a porn actor in 2009 and appeared in more than 100 films.

Earlier this year, Masaki and Tien appeared in an episode of the LGBT-themed documentary series We Are Out, in which they discussed their relationship. Watch it below.

The problem for the Democrats is that Republicans like John McCain and Marco Rubio have said that the protections would blow up the compromise measure, which is on pretty thin ice to begin with. Senate Judiciary Chair Patrick Leahy did introduce the amendment, and there it sits amid the dither. Sen. Chuck Schumer had promised that the amendment would get a vote in the Judiciary Committee, where it is all but certain to pass, but now it’s not clear that is going to happen.

Steve Ralls, a spokesman for Immigration Equality, took Schumer to task for not pushing back against Republican resistance. “Quite frankly, he hasn’t stood up as strongly for gay families as we’d like. At some point, it would be good to see our friends put up a noble fight in committee.”

So what can Obama do? Provider Schumer and other Democrats cover by asking them not to sponsor a committee vote. Obama said protection for same-sex bi-national couples is “the right thing to do,” but he has also refrained from saying it absolutely has to be part of immigration reform. So when push comes to shove, guess who will get hung out to dry? Sorry, but no extra points for knowing the answer to the question.

Citing polls that show that show a clear majority of Americans now support marriage equality, American Civil Liberties Union communications strategist Alicia Gay (yup) makes a compelling argument for fictional characters playing a powerful role in shaping public opinion, from Ellen’s coming out  to Will & Grace’s influence on Smokin’ Joe Biden’s thinking the gay marriage thing.

At ABC’s upfront this week,  MF patriarch Ed O’Neill said his fictional son’s wedding wouldn’t be “a bad bet.” In fact, Jesse Ferguson (Mitchell) is a real-life groom-to-be with plans to marry longtime boyfriend Justin Mikita. Too late for a summer special with the show’s season finale already in the can, but a Supreme Court decision on California’s Prop. 8 in June means marriage equality will be headline news as writers sit down to pen Modern Family’s season 5 premiere.

Ms. Gay’s pitch got us thinking: which of our favorite gay couples could use a petition to get them to them to the altar, or the marriage clerk’s office, or a beach on Maui? Check out our suggestions on the following pages.

If you’re not familiar with Eurovision, you’re a bad gay, but Google is your friend. Suffice it here to say that the songfest was born in 1956, introduced ABBA to the world in 1974, and fearlessly returns every May to fill the European continent with (often horrendously-lyriced) three-minute pop ditties and (often fiercely campy) national musical pride.

This year is, as they say, no exception. Two semifinals earlier this week have helped narrow the field a bit (sending home the likes of Montenegro’s spacesuited dubsteppers), but tonight’s final in Sweden’s Malmö Arena will still feature a whopping 26 contestants from across the European continent. We couldn’t possibly tell you about them all, but we’ve got you covered for the highlights – and a few lowlights.

The Favorite: Denmark
With the best betting odds ever for a contestant going into a Eurovision final (about 4/6 at the moment), Emmelie de Forest’s Celtic-tinged “Only Teardrops” has been the bookies’ strong favorite for months.

The Challenger: Norway
With the uncharacteristically edgy (for Eurovision) “I Feed You My Love”, Norway’s Margaret Berger is, say the bookmakers right now, the closest thing to a clear challenger facing Denmark.

The Dark Unicorn Horse: Ukraine
Eurovision bookies somehow often underestimate the voting power of the former Eastern Bloc countries, and Ukraine’s Zlata Ognevich could easily pull off an upset with her Disney-esque but lovely and uplifting “Gravity”.

The Really Dark Horse: Greece
With a smolderingly hot lead singer, kilts, and an upbeat boozy anthem, Greece’s Koza Mostra may have some surprises up their skirts with “Alcohol Is Free”.

Farthest Over the Top: Romania
Vlad the Impaled? Not unlike a castrated Dracula, Romanian opera singer Cezar gives you eardrum-popping megadrama with “It’s My Life.”

Most Scandalous: Finland
Surprising that such an cheery ditty would prove to be this year’s most controversial Eurovision entry, but Finland’s Krista Siegfrids courted scandal by planting a big wet smooch on one of her female backup singers at the end of her semifinal performance of “Marry Me” on Thursday.

It’s A Heartache: United Kingdom
The poor UK has fared terribly in recent Eurovision memory, and has resorted to pulling out long bygone heavyweights like last year’s Engelbert Humperdinck and this year’s Bonnie Tyler, who begs “Believe In Me”. Alas, we just can’t.

Most Likely to Chart Internationally: Germany
Club music fans may remember Cascada from their 2009 hit “Evacuate The Dancefloor”. They represent their native Germany at Eurovision this year with a catchy track, but one that sounds just a bit too much like last year’s winner (Loreen’s “Euphoria”, for Sweden) to take the prize this year.

Debbie Downer: Netherlands
We’re still not sure why, but Holland’s Anouk wants everyone to know that “Birds” are falling from the rooftops.

Don’t miss all the pompy Europop action of the Eurovision Song Conest final, live online today beginning at 9 p.m. Central European Time (3 p.m. US Eastern Time).

Senate Bill 1218 would require people to present photo ID to obtain a marriage license. It’s not because the bill’s sponsor, State Sen. Donna Campbell, believes that only heterosexuals are drivers. It’s that the bill would stop transgender people from using an affadavit of sex change to get a marriage license to marry an opposite-sex partner. Because nothing says liberty more than changing the law to restrict rights.

Texas being Texas, Campbell’s bill has passed the state Senate. The defenders of homophobia in the legislature have been on a roll this session. Another bill would allow students to ignore their school’s nondiscrimination policy because of the Bible! And then there was a failed attempt to defund LGBT centers at public universities. Good thing there aren’t bigger issues for the legislature to worry about like huge numbers of uninsured, dead last ranking in number of high school graduates, and national top producer of hazardous waste. That way the legislators can’t distracted from what really matters: figuring out ways to make life worse for its LGBT citizens.

Photo credit: Donna Campbell’s Facebook page. 

In the ILGA-Europe Rainbow Map below, green areas show where LGBT equality is most accepted, while red represents areas where we still have quite a way to go.

While some are making great strides toward legalizing same-sex marriage and passing other legislative measures for LGBT equality in general, the report claims “these advances are often accompanied by a social backlash, including increased violence.”

Unsurprisingly, Russia ranks dead last when it comes to making strides toward LGBT equality, and that low rank is partly due to new discriminatory developments that have banned “homosexual propaganda.” The report comes just days after a Russian man was raped and beaten after coming out.

“The Annual Review 2013 uncovers the real situation of LGBTI people beyond laws and gives us the whole picture of what it is like to be an LGBTI person in Europe today,” said Co-Chair of ILGA-Europe’s Executive Board, Gabi Calleja. “The picture is far from satisfactory. While some countries are scoring high on the Rainbow Map because they have good laws, the situation on the ground often is very different. Even in countries with the most advanced laws and policies, there is a surprisingly high percentage of LGBTI people who are adjusting their behaviours on a daily basis because they fear violence and harassment when in public.”

To download your own copy of the Rainbow Europe map, visit ILGA-Europe’s official website.

Diaz sent a pair of tweets Thursday in which he expressed sympathy for Pat Healy, who lost $130,000 in bonus money after testing positive for marijuana, and attacked Bryan Caraway, the fighter who scooped up $65,000 of the money.

“I feel bad for Pat Healy that they took a innocent mans money and I think the guy who took the money is the biggest fag in the world,” Diaz wrote.

UFC swiftly condemned the message, suspended him and released a statement that read:

“We are very disappointed by Nate Diaz’s comments, which are in no way reflective of our organization. Nate is currently suspended pending internal investigation and we will provide further comment once the matter has been decided.”

Diaz’s manager Mike Kogan complained about his client’s suspension to website MMAJunkie:

“Guess what? The word f—-t, at least in Northern California, and where Nate is from, means bitch. It means you’re a little punk. It has nothing to do with homosexuals at all. So when Nate made the comment that he made, he didn’t make it in reference to homosexuals or calling Caraway a homosexual. He just said it was a bitch move. I’m sure some people got offended, and hopefully this article will explain what his intent was. But how people view it is how people view it. I can’t control that. His intent was not to make a derogatory term toward homosexuals. He used the word to refer to a punk or a bitch.”

Though homeless, McGillvary considers himself “homefree” and relies on the kindness of strangers for food, shelter, and according to some, hookups. Investigators say surveillance cameras captured the two meeting in Times Square shortly before heading back to Galfy’s place in Clark, NJ. Though no official outlets have confirmed the two were meeting to “hook up,” the details of their meeting seem pretty suspect.

After Galfy’s body was discovered on Tuesday, McGillvary took to his Facebook page (yes, this homeless man has a Facebook page) to claim he was drugged and raped by Galfy. This is where anti-violence advocates start raising their eyebrows.

“This incident is complicated, and we do not have all the answers about what happened, but we do know that this looks very much like the hook-up violence we are seeing in our work,” said Sharon Stapel, Executive Director of the New York City Anti-Violence Project. “We know there is a need for LGBTQ-specific and mainstream community-based organizations to develop programs and campaigns to increase public awareness of hook-up violence, and intimate partner violence affecting our communities. We also want all LGBTQ people to have the information they need to stay safe.”

Last year, the NYC Anti-Violence Project recorded the highest yearly total of ”intimate partner violence homicides” in the organization’s history—19, the majority of which were men.

Though the details of this potential “hookup from hell” have not yet emerged, NCAVP is working with Garden State Equality to raise awareness and offer support to those affected by intimate partner violence

“Based on the current information that we have, this seems like this potential homicide could be connected to hook-up and online dating violence,” said Jeffrey Campbell, Executive Director of Hudson Pride Connections Center. “We know that in all communities, but specifically in the gay male community, online and phone app dating and hook-up sites have become part of our culture.  It is key for our communities to institute safe guards and prevent violence when using the Internet and phone apps to hook-up and date.”

Stay safe while grinding! The last thing we need is a new string of hate crimes that end with more than broken bones.

The poll, conducted by The Washington Post, saw a 13% increase in “acceptance of gay marriage” since 2006, and more specifically, a 25% increase in support from voters who identify as Republican. 56% of those polled think “it should be legal for gay couples to get married,” which is a good sign if Virginia decides to bring same-sex marriage to another vote soon.

Minnesota’s new bill legalizing same-sex marriage made it the 12th state in the nation to do so—the third in just 10 days behind Delaware and Rhode Island. At this rate, Virginia may not have much time before considering legislation to overturn the ban on same-sex marriage. But judging by the new stats, it may be a smoother transition than we expected.

[Graphic via]

- Jimmy Kimmel made it a lot easier to tell Jason Collins and his twin brother Jarron apart.

-The Village Voice silenced a number of its editorial staff, including Michael Musto.

- Much like the rest of America, we didn’t watch this season’s American Idol, but we are glad that the regin of the boring white guy with a guitar is over. Now, thanks to Candice Glover, we’re entering a new era of the sassy black girl with the big voice — a reign that will hopefully never end.

- George Takei crafted some pretty perfect responses to anti-marriage equality protesters.

- Justin Bieber needs to stop monkeying around and claim his monkey before its imprisoned in a German zoo. And that, primates, is why you don’t agree to smuggle an international pop star’s weed stash in your fur.

- Uma Thurman will play anti-gay crusader and orange juice pusher Anita Bryant in a biopic being co-produced by SATC’s Darren Star. So we guess fewer Cosmos and more Screwdrivers?

- Clutch the pearls! Over $1 million worth of Chopard jewelry was stolen – along with the safe they were in — from the Cannes Film Festival. Which doesn’t make any sense since Lindsay Lohan was nowhere near the French Riviera.

- Speaking of stealing things at Cannes, Solange made off with the spotlight.

- Meanwhile, Solange’s big sis Beyoncé is pregnant, meaning Blue Ivy’s going to have a Solange all her own to overshadow at every stage of her life and career.

- George Michael was in a car accident, but this time it didn’t involve getting stoned and falling asleep behind the wheel. Or maybe it did, either way, he’s fine after being airlifted to the hospital with a head injury and treated for “superficial cuts.”

- Abercombie & Fitch CEO/discarded muppet Michael S. Jeffries gave a half-assed apology for, well, being Abercrombie & Fitch.

- Matthew Morrison is dedicating part of the proceeds from his new album, Where It All Began, to the fight for marriage equality and he teamed up with the HRC to release this video:

Instead, the video “introduces” hot male model Miles Davis Moody — you probably recognize him from Boy Is A Bottom — on a spinning platform where he flexes, flaunts, and taunts you with some deep bedroom eyes. Oh, did we mention he’s in nothing but a towel?

Graddick was announced as president of the nation’s top LGBT watchdog group in April 2012, and was instrumental in many vital campaigns, including his call for the Boy Scouts of America to end their ban on gay scouts and scout leaders.

However, after delivering a speech at the organization’s annual media awards in New York in March, which the New York Times described as “rambling” and Wall Street Journal called “disjointed,” Graddick had been conspicuously absent from the subsequent award ceremonies held in Los Angeles in April and in San Francisco earlier this month. This led to rumors of his departure, which GLAAD spokesman Rich Ferraro confirmed this morning.

“I’m proud to leave GLAAD with a stronger, more efficient organization and an incredibly talented and experienced Board and staff,” Graddick said in a statement released to Queerty. “I’m happy the role I was able to play in advancing the need for our community to fully support the rights of our transgender brothers and sisters. Our movement is benefited by the leadership not only of heroes like Evan Wolfson, Chad Griffin, Mara Keisling and Kate Kendell, but of the necessary and vital blogger and grassroots communities. I look forward to returning to a private life and supporting the fight from behind the scenes.”

Thom Reilly, chair for the org’s board of directors, commended Graddick’s commitment to the fight for equality. “GLAAD is very grateful for Herndon’s work championing LGBT rights, especially his work on behalf of the trans community,” he said in a statement. “On behalf of the entire organization, I want to wish him the best.”

GLAAD’s Chief of Staff Dave Montez is now serving as Acting President until the Board of Directors meets in New York later his month to decide on a permanent replacement for Graddick. 

Now the singer of that song, Krista Siegfrids, has ruffled international feathers and created a quickly-brewing broadcasting scandal by planting a juicy lesbian kiss on one of her backup singers at the tail end of her performance in the Eurovision semifinals last night.

After the kiss, Turkey’s national television station TRT announced that it would not be airing the Eurovision final on Saturday, blaming low ratings during previous years’ broadcasts – this despite the fact that one in four Turkish households tuned into the splashy popfest last year. (To be fair, it must be said that this also marks the first year since 1994 that Turkey is not actually competing in the Europe-wide contest.)

In response to the brouhaha, AllOut.org has released an online petition to the President of the European Broadcasting Union, urging him to not censor the kiss from Siegfrids’ performance in the final.

“Tell Eurovision’s leadership to speak out for all people’s right to freedom of expression and nondiscrimination,” says the petition. “If they don’t uphold these values at this critical moment, it will be harder for future performers and their supporters to express their art, ideas and identities freely.”

In a press conference after last night’s semifinal, Siegfrids said that while her song is not political, she did want to bring attention to the fact that marriage equality has still not been achieved in Finland.

Though Siegfrids’ kiss marked the first onstage same-sex lip action for Eurovision, overt gayness and lesbianism in contest performances is far from without precedent. In 2007, Serbian singer Marija Serifovic even soared to Eurovision victory with a highly sapphically-stylized performance of her song “Molitva.”

France became the 14th nation to legalize same-sex marriage in April and President Francois Hollande is expected to sign the bill into law on Saturday.  This means same-sex couples could be legally wed as early as the end of May.

– Daniel Radcliffe discussing — once again — all the gay sex he was privy to while portraying Allen Ginsberg in the film Kill Your Darlings with Graham Norton (via PinkNews). Funny, we’ve received similar advice — also from John Krokidas.

PHOTOS: On Wednesday, Lips restaurant – “the ultimate in drag dining” — played host to “Night of 1,000 Midlers“, a tribute revue dedicated to the Divine Miss M. Hostess Ginger Snapt, the world’s foremost Bette Midler tribute artist Donna Maxon (above) and the luscious ladies of Lips paid homage to the Divine Miss M over cocktails and a three-course dinner with proceeds benefiting the New York Restoration Project.

Founded  by Bette in 1995, the NYRP is  a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring parks, gardens and open space in underserved communities throughout NYC. The NYRP latest initiative is Million Trees NYC, which is set to plant and care for one million trees in NYC after many were destroyed by Superstorm Sandy.

Guests posed with a Joan Rivers impersonator before enjoying cocktails by Absolut, Vueve Cliquot Champagne, hors d’oeuvres provided by J Kings Foodservice and dinner served by the royal flush of queens from Lips. Those in attendance also had the opportunity to bid on items donated by Midler herself, including her 2012 Hulaween Costume, signed albums, CD’s and memorabilia.

Sadly, Midler’s skirt suit from the closing scene of The First Wives Club was not among the items — despite our repeated inquiries.

Spread your wings and feel the wind beneath them as you soar through photos from 2013′s Night of 1,000 Midlers.

One of the most popular attractions of the night

 The Divine Miss Maxon

“Ginger Snapt’s Turn”

Having their Cake Boss cake and eating it too

A tuck above the rest — the ladies of Lips

EXHIBIT: Joey Terrill: Just What Is It About Today’s Homos That Makes Them So Different, So Appealing?

Renowned for his Homeboy Beautiful art magazine, L.A.-based Chicano artist Joey Terrill applies his queer sensibility to critique machismo in the barrio culture.  See some of his best work at L.A.’s ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives May 18-August 25.

According to PinkNews, the study also revealed that being out had no measurable effect on an actor’s overall acceptance on screen:

Nearly 400 college students participated in the study by answering questions about a male actor’s fictional Facebook page that included a photograph and basic demographic information, including sexual orientation.

After watching a video of the actor’s performance, participants rated the performance and their likelihood of casting the actor in their own productions.

“Early research showed that people tend to perceive a direct connection between sexual orientation and established gender roles, especially in the entertainment industry,” said Clemons psychology professor Paul Merritt. “However, these new findings indicate that knowledge of an actor’s sexual orientation doesn’t necessarily cause their performance to be perceived in light of stereotypes about gays and lesbians.”

Ellis blanched at the prospect of Matt Bomer playing heterosexual horndog Christian Grey in the film adaptation of 50 Shades of Grey – development of which the erstwhile author was otherwise not involved. He also took Twitter aim at Neil Patrick Harris, who successfully played a heterosexual horndog on 85 seasons of How I Met Your Mother.

As for Everett, he also endeared himself to the gays by advising closeted actors to stay put, claiming that coming out effectively killed his career. Because The Next Best Thing and that hooker past of his had nothing to do with it.

Then, of course, there’s the controversial 2010 Newsweek article by Ramin Setoodeh, which cited the lack of a gay(er) George Clooney as reason enough that audiences weren’t ready for a gay-list actor. But the times they are a-changin’ and in the three years since then, the Matt Bomers, NPHs, Zachary Quintos and even the Russell Toveys of the world are clawing their way up the ladder.

That’s not to say that Tom Cruise is going to climb onto John Travolta’s handelbar mustache for a ride through a Pride Parade anytime soon. But if Clooney finally came out as a Lake Cuomo-sexual, the celluloid closet would be blown off the  goddamn hinges once and for all.

PHOTOS: In response to a series of violent anti-gay attacks last week, members of New York’s LGBT community gathered outside Madison Square Garden and marched through Chelsea toward Jackson Park on May 16.

The peaceful protest rally was organized by direct action group Queer Rising to address the disturbing increase in homophobic violence, seen last week during three separate incidents within days of each other. A fourth attack was later reported outside popular West Village bar Pieces.

The event drew some 150 LGBTs and allies marching in solidarity, armed only with homemade signs, informational flyers and a unifying sense of purpose.

Photos: Gay Marriage USA

A new report from the European Union’s Fundamental Rights Agency  found that almost two-thirds of LGBT Europeans are afraid to be open in public and feel discriminated against. The findings were announced today, May 17, to mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO).

The survey, billed as the largest and most comprehensive of its kind, asked around 93,000 LGBT people across the EU and Croatia whether they had experienced discrimination, violence, verbal abuse or hate speech on the grounds of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Results included:

• Some 26% of respondents (and 35% of transgender respondents) said they had been attacked or threatened with violence in the past five years
• Most of the hate attacks reported took place in public and were perpetrated by more than one person, with the attackers predominantly being male
• More than half of those who said they had been attacked did not report the incident to the authorities, believing no action would be taken
• Half of respondents said they had felt personally discriminated against in the year before the survey, although 90% did not report the discrimination
• Some 20% of gay or bisexual respondents and 29% of transgender respondents said they had suffered discrimination at work or when looking for a job
• Two-thirds of respondents said they had tried to hide or disguise their sexuality at school.

Some respondents said that it gets worse, not better, even in countries that are traditionally more tolerant. The Netherlands, for instance, was the first country to adopt marriage equality, but almost 20 percent of Dutch participants said they felt discriminated against when going out in public.

Some 300 politicians and experts have gathered at The Hague to discuss the survey’s findings and address the plight of the international LGBT community during today’s observance of IDAHO.

Cover image: Giovanni Dall’Orto/Wikimedia Commons

Mambo the pit bull has a dog day afternoon after running away from his owner, played by Matthew Camp, in Nasty Pig‘s spring/summer 2013 video lookbook, “iamNastyPig.”

Directed by rising star @lilinternet, known for his work with Diplo and Azealia Banks, and filmed on the streets of New York, the video features clothing designed by Nasty Pig creative director Frederick Kearney and styled by Frankie Sharp on a number of models and downtown personalities.

“Anything can happen on a hot New York summer day, and we wanted to capture the energy that buzzes through the streets and inspires us to create,” said Nasty Pig CEO David Lauterstein. “Our collection for Spring/Summer 2013 is bold, colorful and adventurous – just like all the crazy New Yorkers we worked with on this lookbook, and our amazing customers.”

Lauterstein and DJ Chad Jack also created the song thumping through Mambo’s mad run, “iamNastyPig,” currently streaming on Soundcloud and coming soon to iTunes.

Aside from the overpriced drinks and fabulous outdoor patio, one of the club’s major attractions are its male strippers and go-go boys that entertain patrons on a nightly basis. According to much of the lawsuit’s verbiage, those barely-clothed babes were causing most of the problems.

WeHoville reports that Matthew Krupnick, the labor and employment attorney orchestrating the suit, supplied “photographic evidence” of the lewd conduct in question. Apparently, the photographs show:

“strippers performing in the nude, strippers openly displaying their penises and masturbating in front of patrons, a stripper walking around with semen on his face and chest, a patron using his finger to penetrate a stripper’s butt, a ring toss game involving a man’s penis and employees pouring shots of liquor down a stripper’s back while a patron licked it from the stripper’s butt.”

Hey there — that actually sounds like it could be fun! Are they still doing this? Like, if we go this weekend, we can see this? Please?

The complaint also claims that “hardcore gay pornography played on big-screen TVs throughout the club during working hours,” which is something we’ve never personally seen during any trip to Micky’s at any hour.

Furthermore, “one of the plaintiffs alleges that his roommate was featured in a porn video,” which is somehow the fault of the club owners? We’re not sure about that one.

“No one should be required to work in an environment with this going on all around them,” said Krupnick, whose Facebook page hosts numerous photos of himself standing with, touching, and mackin’ on strippers at various other gay bars. “As a gay man who fights for the rights of LGBT people, to see gays in a position of such authority and ability abusing that authority and ability in the way the club is doing is offensive to me. I’m motivated to ensure this never happens again in our town.”

The suit also alleges that heterosexual and black employees — as well as employees exhibiting a “West Hollywood attitude”—were forced out of their jobs because owner Michael Niemeyer “didn’t want them working there” (even though he hired them in the first place). Today, both heterosexual and black employees with West Hollywood attitudes showed up for work at Micky’s, which still employs them.

If successful, the nine former employees (all male, five gay and four straight) would undoubtedly force the mainstay to close. But Micky’s has a slick track record when it comes to lawsuits; In the past 12 years, Micky’s has been sued 11 times, and only once been forced to pay, which turned out to be a measly $1,082 to a promoter.

Judge Elizabeth Allen White will preside over the case once (and if) it finally moves into a courtroom. We just hope the plaintiffs can manage to wash all that semen off of their faces—we googled her, and she doesn’t look like a lady that’s down for those kind of shenanigans.

Photo above by: Chuck on foursquare for iPhone

• John Stemberger, the head of On My Honor who just this week was fretting about “boy-on-boy contact” if the ban is lifted.
• Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council who has said that the Scouts would be saying “goodbye to God” if they allowed gays to join.
• Linda Harvey, who believes reading Queerty makes kids gay.

And let’s not forget Rick Perry, who looks to a slaveholder as the type of model the Scouts should emulate.

GLAAD’s goal is to get people to realize that the supporters of the ban aren’t motivated by love of the Scouts but by hatred of gays. In fact, none of these extremists has been known to hide their homophobia under a bushel basket. In fact, it’s a revenue-generating strategy.

History may be against them, but until the dollars dry up, they’ll keep the hatred flowing.

Sexual Content: The very naked, very hot cast of HBO‘s new show about a group of gay friends.

Ass-vertising: Nikita‘s Sammy Osman gets naked for Gostyle Men’s Wear and ends up naked everywhere.

The Amazing Spider-Butt: Andrew Garfield is back in his skin-tight suit shaking his booty all around New York City.

Zesty: Anderson Davis, Kraft’s Italian dressing naked ad man just keeps getting hotter.

Nasty Pig: The clothing store launched a sexy, new Spring/Summer lookbook. Watch below.

The Aussie Rules Football league just launched a new campaign to end anti-gay and other discriminatory language to mark IDAHO (International Day Against Homophobia) on Friday May 17th.  The AFL Players’ Association is running a social media campaign titled #Footy4IDAHO. The plan is  to spread the IDAHO message through social media channels.

OutSports reports:

The AFL Players’ Association has today launched , a social media campaign targeting the use of homophobic language. The campaign includes a series of videos featuring AFL players taking a pledge to stamp out the use of homophobic language, while also raising awareness of the damaging effects it can have within sport and the community.

Players and fans are asked to make the following pledge:
“I’m taking the pledge to never use homophobic language. Think before you speak, it’s time to stop shirking the issue.” #FOOTY4IDAHO

Fans can also share the AFL Players’ video, change their profile picture or Facebook cover photo, see AFL’s Facebook page for examples.

The rugby star and LGBTQ ally takes off his shirt in a new campaign for Persil Non-Bio & Comfort Pure. He shared a sneak peek of his photos with cute little babies that got the pleasure of curling up in this hunky man’s arms. Needless to say, we are now jealous of some 1-year-old.

[Photos: Facebook]

Though independent organizations are planning different ways of making a statement, the movement’s website shows planned demonstrations happening in hundreds of countries including 18 African nations (14 of which can legally punish homosexuals), several Middle-Eastern countries including Egypt, Lebanon and Israel, 17 countries in South America, all of North America, most of Europe, Australia, and even the notoriously anti-gay Russia.

“The mobilization shows just how universal the fight for freedom and basic Human Rights is.” Joel Bedos, Executive Director of the IDAHO Committee said in a post to the organization’s Facebook page. “Today, there are still 78 countries in which same-sex relationships are illegal. Oddly enough, 78 is also the percentage of people living in countries which don’t criminalize same-sex relationships. In 1950, it was exactly the opposite : 78% of the world population lived under legal regimes that did punish same-sex relations. This is a clear sign of which side History is on.”

It’s not too late to get involved, either! IDAHO’s website has some crafty tips to help you get involved last minute, as well as an interactive map of where to find your nearest kiss-in. Now go buy some chapstick and gum!

We reported earlier this month that Mexican pop star Christian Chavez was bruised and emotionally broken after a fight erupted between himself and ex-boyfriend Ben Kruger. According to reports, the two were separated after the LAPD was dispatched to a physical altercation at the couple’s Beverly Hills home in April.

Apparently, Chavez was upset that Kruger had tweeted a photo of him in drag, and Kruger was upset about Chavez filming him while sleeping. Heinous crimes!

TMZ uncovered some new details about the couple’s brawl today, including court documents in which Kruger accused Chavez of…wait for it…attempted murder!

According to the reports, Kruger claims “[Christian] attacked me, broke down the bathroom door, armed with knife, attempted murder.” Good lord, why wasn’t he dressed in drag and videotaped when this happened?! They could have made The Soup!

Despite the new allegations, officials have decided not to prosecute Chavez, instead ordering a 100-yard restraining order against him.

100 yards?! How on Earth will Chavez get his makeup caboodle back now!? That stuff can get expensive!

Today is our lucky day, thanks to Millions of Moms for Love. The newly-formed Facebook movement was created in direct response to the recent boycott OMM issued against Disneyland, claiming the annual (and unofficial) Gay Days celebration was an event where “homosexuals, bisexuals and transvestites will be at the Magic Kingdom with an agenda and purpose different than what would be expected at Disney.”

“This letter ended my silence,” the group’s creator posted shortly after the page’s creation, accompanied by a link. “Love needs to be louder than hate!”

The group’s “About” section also boasts an agenda:

“We will not stand silently while groups like One Million Moms or the American Family Foundation spread their anti-gay message. We believe every human being has the right to love who he or she was born to love and not suffer discrimination because of it!”

It’s unclear if the group plans to assemble and take any further action, but this is a great start! We would have done this a long time ago, but, ya know, none of us are actual moms. You don’t have to be a mom to like the group, so let’s get the ball rolling!

– Behind the Candelabra director Steven Soderbergh reflecting on Matt Damon’s Bourne identity and the film’s marriage equality message at the Cannes Film Festival, via The Hollywood Reporter.

Coffey mulled over the details of her coming out on “Say Anything!” with Joy Behar yesterday, admitting the first time “didn’t go so well.”

After coming out at the age of 16, “I went back in [to the closet] for the sake of the family,” she told Behar. It was after realizing that she could not change herself that Coffey came out for a second time, telling her mother “Look, love me, [or] don’t love me, this is who I am.”

Check out the rest of the interview below to find out what Tabatha thinks of children! (Hint: she likes them as much as we like Michelle Bachmann.)

- The Wanted’s Jay (don’t ask us to point out which one that is) joked that “most of us would probably have a dabble” in reference to the rainbow shade Lance Bass threw in their general (read: One) Direction.  The totally heterosexual one named Tom quickly added a “speak for yourself” — effectively doing so himself.

- Mad Men‘s John Slattery is directing Mad Men‘s Christina Hendricks and irate male Philip Seymour Hoffman in a movie.

- The ACLU want Modern Family‘s Cam and Mitch to quit dicking around and put a ring on it already.

- That James Franco: such a bone head.

- David Beckham‘s gotten too old to bend it like he used to and has decided to call it quits by retiring from soccer after this season.

- Julianne Moore‘s feet had a wardrobe malfunction at Cannes.

- Super Morrissey, faster than a light that never goes out.

- The CW is still planning a Wonder Woman prequel dubbed Amazon. We doubt this is it.

- Surely, someone had to see this coming. Stephen Colbert must be so upset right now.

- Downton Diddy  features the unemployed millionaire formerly known as Sean Combs shutting shit down with the Dowager Countess and spreading some man-on-manservant love on Thomas:

“I’m excited to be an Oakland Raider and be playing in California,” said Kluwe, who attended high school in the state before enrolling at UCLA. “Now, my family can actually come to games.”

While Minnesota legalized same-sex marriage earlier this week, the issue remains contentious in the Golden State. In 2008 California voters passed the discriminatory Prop. 8, which is being discussed by the U.S. Supreme Court with a ruling expected in June.

In March Kluwe, along with former Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo, filed a U.S. Supreme Court brief that supported same-sex marriage over the implementation of Prop 8.

The 31-year-old athlete will undoubtedly continue his passionate history as an outspoken advocate for LGBT equality.

“I’m still going to be myself socially and continue to tweet and interact with my fans,” Kluwe said.

Tomorrow we’ll bring you a juicy preview of Saturday’s final, but meanwhile we wanted to whet your appetite with this parody video made by Eurovision fans from across the continent, turning Finland’s entry “Marry Me” into a comical ad for marriage equality. (The song is sung by Krista Siegfrids, who makes a cameo at the video’s tail end, carrying a life-size Justin Bieber cutout.)

The video, which opens with a “traditional” groom leaving his bride at the altar for reasons that soon become obvious, has already racked up nearly 175,000 hits – interestingly, gaining quickly on the count of the song’s official video.

“Marry Me” will compete in tonight’s second Eurovision semifinal, watchable online here beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Time.

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h/t: Huff Po

With seductive sandy beaches, sultry swimming pools, an abundance of gay-owned businesses and resorts, plus a vibrant cultural scene, it’s no wonder queer travelers are flocking to Ft. Lauderdale for some R&R. Below are just a few reasons the tropical paradise is near the top of our favorite places to visit.

• With nearly two dozen upscale gay resorts, many given fresh face lifts, there’s no shortage of queer-owned places to stay, which means bed linens with luxuriously high thread count.

• Although most of the city’s beaches are homo-friendly, the world-class Sebastian is considered the gay white-sand ground zero. Don’t forget your sun screen, the leathery look is so late ’70s.

• We can watch ourselves on the big screen. The Ft. Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Film Festival will celebrate its fifth year with screenings of the best of LGBT cinema October 10-13

• Out and proud? The community supports two pride weekends – one in March and the other in June. This is in addition to a festive Halloween celebration.

Last week, Coy waged a battle to run for prom queen in Kyle, Texas —population 29,000. Coy’s request was denied by Lehman principal Michelle Chae, who argued that Coy was not legally a transgendered individual, even though Coy identifies more as a female than a male.

“I just want the same opportunity to run for queen because that’s how I express myself – as a woman,” Coy told The Hays Free Press. “I wear foundation, fill in my eyebrows and wear tight pants. That’s not very masculine, is it?”

Well, that depends on your view of masculinity, but for the sake of the principal’s argument, Coy’s sense of self wasn’t enough to justify a run for prom queen. Coy went to the Hays Consolidated Independent School District and the superintendent to accuse Lehman of discrimination, but they both sided with the principal, claiming that allowing Coy to run for prom queen would in fact be discriminatory:

Requiring male students who are legally male and who present themselves as male to run in the male category and female students who are legally female and who present themselves as female to run in the female category protects the equal access for male and female students to each achieve a place on the prom court.

“What the superintendent told me was that I was supposed to have a history of dressing like a girl in the past,” Coy told Austin’s Fox 9. “I’ve had hair down to [my chest] for four years. I donated it…I was considered a girl. So, if that wasn’t good enough for them, then I just think they’re making it up.”

So Coy was deemed not female enough to run for prom queen, but at the night to remember last Saturday, Coy still managed to snatch the crown:

“I didnt win but the girl who won is my friend and she supported me 100 percent and gave everything she won to me,” Coy told the Free Press. “Everyone chanted ‘KOI KOI KOI KOI!!!!’”

We guess because someone was serving fish.

As the first celebrity to plan a same-sex union and only the second to come out, Kim hopes to broaden acceptance of LGBT people in the still homophobic East Asian nation.

Reuters reports:

“We wanted to convey the message that all sexual minorities should be given rights equally in a beautiful way,” the 49-year-old Kim told a news conference in the South Korean capital of Seoul as he sat next to his partner, Kim Seung-hwan.

The two then kissed in an unprecedented display of affection for a same-sex couple in Korea, where traditional Confucian and Christian values remain strong.

Kim came out in 2005, five years after Hong Seok-cheon, a male model and actor who was subsequently fired from his primetime variety show. Work dried up and Hong has since said he regretted coming out. On the other hand, Kim, perhaps benefiting from the safety of being behind the camera, continues to make movies and performs LGBT advocacy work in his spare time.

Kim and his partner plan to marry on September 7, but local activists think their ceremony will do little to change the social climate. “South Koreans’ understanding of gays is very stunted,” said Yu Sang-geun, a gay Seoul student and member of Solidarity for LGBT Human Rights in Korea, the nation’s largest LGBT rights group. ”Kim’s decision could be the foundation of more things to come, but there is so much to do regarding gay rights.”

In an all-too-familiar story, a push for South Korea to adopt an official non-discrimination policy that recognizes gay rights has been blocked by conservative Christian legislators.

Photo: Wikipedia