Whoopi Goldberg receives the HRC Ally for Equality Award

Actress, Commedienne, Singer, and Entertainer Whoopi Goldberg talks about the importance of LGBT equality at the 2013 HRC New York Gala. Take a peek at the video below to hear the speech after Whoopi Goldberg receives the HRC Ally for Equality Award.

Marriage Equality and the Superbowl

American Equal Rights brings us a video highlighting recent developments for marriage equality.

Marriage Equality and the Superbowl
Anti-gay comments overshadow the Superbowl, but they can’t stop progress in Arizona, Hawaii, and Rhode Island. We have new legislation and strong polling to carry marriage forward from coast to coast.

It Gets Better pulls 49ers Gay Rights Ad for Super Bowl 2013

According to the Examiner, a San Francisco 49ers gay rights ad was pulled by “It Gets Better Campaign.” Read the full article below or click here to read it from its original source.

According to Feb. 1, 2013 reports, a San Francisco 49ers gay rights ad has been pulled by “It Gets Better Campaign”.

The San Francisco 49ers became the first NFL team to tape a gay rights ad and was also the first such team to get their ad being pulled off soon by the campaign.

Reports state that the San Francisco 49ers have not been talking good about gay community. Recently, 49ers defensive back Chris Culliver commented that they wouldn’t like a gay football player in a NFL locker room. However, he later apologized for his comment.

In another incident, which made things worse, Ahmad Brooks and Isaac Sopoaga denied having made any gay rights ad for “It Gets Better Campaign”.

They apparently forgot about the gay rights video made by their team and also denied having any knowledge about the ad being made for gay rights promotion. Rather they thought it was an anti-bullying ad.

It seems the players were not interested in getting associated with the gay rights campaign and now the organization is not looking interested in having anything to do with the San Francisco 49ers.

Is GOP Shifting Perspective on Same-Sex Marriage?

A recent article by Mark Oppenheimer in the New York Times discusses the shifting perspective on same-sex marriage by David Blankenhorn, a traditional marriage advocate. The unprecedented move may illustrate an overall shift in the GOP’s acceptance of same-sex marriage.

David Blankenhorn, a traditional-marriage advocate and star witness in the Proposition 8 trial in California in 2010, shocked his allies with an Op-Ed article in The New York Times last June announcing that he was quitting the fight against same-sex marriage. “Instead of fighting gay marriage,” Mr. Blankenhorn wrote, “I’d like to help build new coalitions bringing together gays who want to strengthen marriage with straight people who want to do the same.”

He is about to find out how much support such a coalition can get.

On Thursday, Mr. Blankenhorn’s research group, the Institute for American Values in New York, plans to issue “A Call for a New Conversation on Marriage,” a tract renouncing the culture war that he was once part of, in favor of a different pro-marriage agenda. The proposed conversation will try to bring together gay men and lesbians who want to strengthen marriage with heterosexuals who want to do the same.

Read the full article in its entirety here. 

Gomer Gets Hitched

jim-nabors-partner-stan-cadwallader

Jim Nabors, who played the goofy gas station attendant on “The Andy Griffith Show”, and star of the spin-off series, “Gomer Pyle, USMC”, has married his long time partner in Seattle, Washington.  Nabors and his husband, long time partner Stan Cadwallader, tied the knot on January 15,   According to the Hawaii News Now.

Nabors has never officially come out as gay until he granted an interview after his wedding, said.

“I’m 82 and he’s in his 60s and so we’ve been together for 38 years and I’m not ashamed of people knowing, it’s just that it was such a personal thing, I didn’t tell anybody,” Nabors said. “I’m very happy that I’ve had a partner of 38 years and I feel very blessed.  And, what can I tell you, I’m just very happy.”

Marriage between same sex couples became legal in Washington State in December, 2012.  Nabors and Cadawallader traveled from their home in Hawaii for the wedding.

I loved watching “Gomer” Pyle as a kid… he was so delightfully goofy and had the funniest, high pitched speaking voice.    I remember the first time I heard him sing, I was blown away.  Here he is below singing “The Impossible Dream” from “Man of LaMancha”

httpv://youtu.be/oqJ2jYumJJo