Stories of Pride: Bobservations

One of the great things about coming out is speaking out. And that’s the easiest thing of all; while some clients I meet at work don’t know I’m gay, when they see my wedding ring, they’ll inevitably say:

“That’s a great wedding ring. What does your wife’s look like?”

“I wouldn’t know, but my husband’s looks exactly like mine.”

Or, if we see people around town that don’t know I’m a big old married homo, I always clearly, loudly, some might say, proudly, introduce Carlos:

“This is my husband.”

And if you don’t think speaking out about your personal life or LGBTQ rights makes any difference, think on this:

In America … AMERICA … 45% of people believe that the federal government has already passed a law banning discrimination against LGBTQ Americans. And we all know that hasn’t happened. Yet.

The Equality Act, which passed the House earlier this year, would ban many forms of discrimination against LGBTQ people at the federal level, but it has not, and probably will not thanks to Bitch McConnell, pass the Senate and _____ has already come out against the bill.

So, speak up. Tell people that the federal government of this country, which happily takes my gay tax dollars, still sees me, and many of you, as “less than.”

Speak the fuck up.

Joey Krastel is a storm chaser. Don’t ask me why. He’s also a gay man. Again, don’t ask me why a gay man would hunt down and films deadly storms, some gay folks are crazy.

But the one thing Joey Krastel, a meteorologist and risk analyst for the Maryland Emergency Management Agency, loves almost as much as storms is his boyfriend Chris Scott, who is also a crazy gay ass storm chaser.

Don’t ask.

And so, last week,  when the National Weather Service issued a tornado emergency near Kansas City, Joey and Chris, and their friends, set out to Salina, Kansas, to find a tornado because …

“[It] was always in the back of my mind to get engaged during storm chasing. I felt like it would be this perfect way to seal the deal.”

And so, with a tornado approaching Joey got down on one knee and popped the question; and Chris, just as crazy, said, ‘Yes.’

Congratulations guys. Now, take cover!

After the _____ Regime ordered American Embassies around the world to stop flying the Rainbow flag during Pride month, several of them defied to order; in fact, some embassies are outright ignoring the command, while others are using more creative techniques to display their support for the LGBTQ community, such as …

The U.S. embassy in New Delhi was illuminated with rainbow-colored lights ...

In Nepal, U.S. Ambassador Randy Berry posed with staff members holding a huge “Pride ’19” message ....

The embassy in Seoul blatantly flew their Pride flag ...

In Tel Aviv, they went with banners and flags all over ...

In addition, U.S. diplomats in Jerusalem Tweeted photos of themselves at the local March for Pride and Tolerance. And U.S. missions in Chennai, India, Santiago, Chile, and Vienna, Austria have all been flying the Rainbow flag against orders.

You can’t stop Pride, ____.

We’re here, we’re queer, and our flag is waving.

Speaking of rainbows, the Chicago Transit Authority has decorated several train cars on the north-south Red Line in Provide colors.

And if you’re walking instead of taking the trains, fourteen  crosswalks in Boystown, Chicago’s gay village, also  feature pride colors. … 13 are rainbows, and one is in the colors of the transgender flag.

The crosswalks were paid for with donations collected during Chicago Pride Fest and North Halsted Market Days.

I found this shocking, but this year, for the first time ever, California began flying the Rainbow Pride flag over the state Capitol.

I’d have thought California would have been at the forefront of that movement,  but it is following  Colorado and Wisconsin, who were first, in raising the Pride flag. Governor Gavin Newsom said:

“In California, we celebrate and support our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community’s right to live out loud — during Pride month and every month. By flying the pride flag over the State Capitol, we send a clear message that California is welcoming and inclusive to all, regardless of how you identify or who you love."

To be fair, while this the first time California is flying the Rainbow flag on the flagpole, the state has previously hung the flag over the Capitol's balconies and lit up the Capitol dome.

New York state also flew the LGBTQ pride flag over its Capitol for the first time ever this month.

Forty-six more to go ….

And, as we know with all things gay, bigger is almost always better.

Get your minds out of the gutter, I’m talking about the staircase at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park becoming the largest {\Pride flag in New York City.

The park’s “#AscendWithPride campaign started this week and will run through the end of the month, with a variety of festivities and events including Drag Queen Story Hour, picnics and “VideoOut,” which is an onsite session the park said will capture coming out stories all day.

Sounds like a great spot for a picnic and some stories.

And since I like to include some Hot Men in Bobservations will celebrate Pride with a post that features LGBTQ male models; a little Homo Man Candy for Pride.

Clockwise: sultry Barrett Pall, sexy Charles Laurent Marchand, exotic Sachin Bhatt, and trans-male model Laith Ashley.

Clockwise: bath toy Cheyenne Parker, sexy and shy Indar Isaiah Smith, blue-haired hunk Kyle Krieger, and French hunk Saville Dorfman.

Clockwise: Smoldering Jared North, young and ripped Chris Fawcett, wet hot Steven Dehler, and hairy hunk Matt Lister.

Clockwise: pistol packing—at least it could be a pistol—Willie Gomez, abs-olutely fine Patrick Frost, muy caliente Julian Gabriel Hernandez, and beefcake Kevin McDaid.

LGBTQ-licious.

Bobservations

Okay, Carlos left his job last week. We kinda thought that the end was near, for a variety of reasons, but when it came down there was all kinds of bitterness and shouting and hate speech … and all from me, because Carlos takes things in stride and I get mad.

But we’ll be fine, he’ll be fine, and it’s on to something newer and better. However, until that ‘new’ comes along Carlos has been home every day this week. See, when I drove him to work, I’d be able to come back home for a short while until I had to go to work and I loved that time alone to myself. So, this week, with no time alone, I was getting antsy, and, after telling him he had the weekend to wallow about the situation come Monday it was new start, new day, and jokes about being unemployed.

Cue Sarcasm Mode.

Yesterday morning Carlos said he had a translation at the courthouse, and could I drive him. Of course, I could; and then he said:

“It should take most of the morning, so you’ll get some time to yourself.”

“But how will you get home, though, if I’m at work?”

“The client will drive me back.”

Hallelujah! A little me time to do whatever I wanted for a hot minute of two, except … I dropped him off at the courthouse, returned home, and as I settled in at the computer to check the blog-o-sphere, a car pulled up in front of the house and Carlos ……. got …….out.

He came in the house:

“I’m home!”

“What the hell happened to my time alone???”

“What do you want me to do? Go stand outside in the yard?”

“Please. But not where I can see you.”

Humor will get you through the tough times, as long as both people are in on the joke.

I’m not one for conspiracy theories, but … Melanie _____ kinda clearly has a double who appears with her Fat Bastard husband whenever she chooses not to do so.

That top picture is Melanie leaving the White House for Alabama last week.

This photo is Melanie 2.0, AKA Fauxlania, in Alabama with the Fat Bastard. Amirite? 

Maybe so, given that this photo is Melanie with one of her security people.

Still, I don’t blame her, do U?

Well, this is good news … The Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus announced its membership list for the 116th Congress last week. With eight openly LGBT Co-Chairs, eighteen Vice Chairs, and 155 total members, this is the largest LGBT Equality Caucus in the history of the U.S. House of Representatives.

All of them Democrats. Go figure.

And this is ridiculous news …  When you think of who has really moved the needle when it comes to LGBTQ rights in America, you think of those who led the Stonewall Riots, Harvey Milk, Edith Windsor, James Obergefell and John Arthur, and …. Jay Z and Beyoncé?

Apparently so, because the Carters are being awarded GLAAD’s Vanguard Award for being LGBTQ allies. And GLAAD explains it like this … Jay Z’s mother, Gloria, came out last year and Beyoncé “has spoken out against laws that would discriminate against LGBTQ people in states including North Carolina and celebrated the passage of marriage equality nationwide, saying that “everyone has the right to love who they love.”

Seriously? He has a gay mom and she speaks out for LGBTQ people and that makes them award worthy.

Bitch please, I know more people who’ve done more as an LGBTQ ally right here in Smallville. It sounds like GLAAD wants to have a big show, so they invited Weave and the Mouth-breather.

Shortly after _____ stole the election, Republicans gave Vice President Michael Elizabeth Pence, a former House member, a first-floor office in the Capitol. Pence hardly ever used the space, but it was a symbolic gesture of the love Pence had for then-Speaker Paul Ryan and the GOP, even though Pence, as  president of the Senate, had another office on the Senate side of the building.

Cue the Blue Wave of 2018 and Nancy Pelosi, once again Speaker of the House, took the office away from Michael Elizabeth Pence. The space will be, um, “reassigned.”

I suggest they make it a closet and announce that Michael Elizabeth Pence is now officially out of the closet.

But that’s just me.

Nancy Pelosi and David Cicilline are set to reintroduce The Equality Act, which plainly and simply says that LGBTQ Americans deserve the full protections guaranteed by the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964. To dismantle the discrimination undermining our democracy, we must ensure that all Americans, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, are treated equally under the law — not just in the workplace, but in education, housing, credit, jury service and public accommodations as well.

Sounds simple, eh, but let’s how the GOP reacts.

Starz is showing a new series called Now Apocalypse, which is the story of Ulysses who is on a quest for love, sex and fame—not necessarily in that order—with his friends in LA. But Ulysses' dreams make him question the possible presence of a dark and monstrous conspiracy, as in space lizards raping men.

I know, it’s odd, but three of the leads are hot … like Avan Jogia, who plays Ulysses, and Tyler Posey, who plays Gabriel, a hook-up and/or love interest for Ulysses. Lastly, we have Beau Mirchoff, who plays Ford, Ulysses’ straight roommate, Ford, and his object of desire.

I have a man crush on Beau mainly because of this particular outfit from episode one ….

Just sayin’.

The March Goes On ... Just Don't Hold Your Breath

This is kinda good news, though with a ‘Don’t Hold your Breath’ caveat, but there’s a new bill set to be introduced into Congress today that would explicitly ban anti-LGBT discrimination in all areas of civil rights law.

The bill, the Equality Act, sponsored by Democratic Representatives David Cicilline [above left], of Rhode Island, and Jeff Merkley [above right], of Oregon, would ban  anti-LGBT discrimination in seven areas: credit, education, employment, federal funding, housing, jury service and public accommodations.

The name of the bill is the same as one introduced more than forty years ago by the late Congresswoman Bella Abzug that would have amended the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include sexual orientation.

Forty years is a long time …

Of course, this bill, as any with regards to the LGBT community, faces an uphill battle in a GOP Congress. As of now there are no Republican co-sponsors, but Cicilline says lawmakers have until Thursday at noon to sign on as original co-sponsors. Even some LGBT-friendly Republicans, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Susan Collins Mark Kirk haven’t come out in support of the bill.

“I think it’s clear where the Democrats stand on this, but I think we’re all hopeful that we’ll be able to bring this effort forward in a bipartisan way. We’re not in a position yet to say that’s the case, but, obviously, I’m going to continue to do outreach, as I know Sen. Merkley is going on the Senate side to try to make this a bipartisan effort. But we won’t know that, obviously until the bill is introduced.” — David Cicilline

Most people say the Equality Act won’t see any movement in Congress, and also say, sadly, that if any LGBT legislation gets passed it just might be the First Amendment Defense Act, a religious freedom bill like that vile one in Indiana, which seems to allow, and celebrate anti-LGBT discrimination.

That hateful bill, introduced by Senator Mike Lee and Representative  Raul Labrador, both Republicans, has 130 co-sponsors in the House and 36 co-sponsors in the Senate.

While we won one battle, we still have a long way to go to achieve full equality, as David Cicilline points out:

“Every day, millions of LGBT Americans face the danger of real discrimination and sometimes even violence because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. In most states, a same-sex couple can get married on Saturday, post pictures on Facebook on Sunday, and then risk being fired from their job or kicked out of their apartment on Monday.”

The march goes on …

Washington Blade