UFC FIGHTER JEFF MOLINA COMES OUT AS BISEXUAL

The flyweight fighter made the announcement after an intimate video of him with another man was leaked.

Jeff Molina, a 25-year-old UFC flyweight fighter, came out Friday as bisexual. He made the announcement after a leak of him and another man being intimate was leaked to social media.

“Not the way I wanted to do this but the chance to do it when I was ready was taken away from me. I’ve tried to keep my dating life private from social media,” Molina wrote on Twitter. “I’ve dated girls my whole life and suppressed feelings I had throughout high school being on the wrestling team, throughout college pursuing MMA, and even after making part of the dream happen and getting into the UFC.”

He shared, “The thought of my buddies, teammates, and (people) I look up to looking at me different let alone treating me different for something I can’t control was something I couldn’t fathom.”

Molina said he wanted to be “known for [his] skills” and his dedication to his sport and “not the ‘bi ufc fighter’ that I’m sure would just be translated to ‘gay UFC fighter.’”

He’d previously supported the LGBTQ+ community by wearing Pride Month shorts during a fight in June 2022.

"I just thought in 2022 people would be a little more open-minded and not pieces of sh*t. But I guess I was wrong," Molina said after he received some backlash for wearing the shorts.

On Friday, the fighter also called out the person who posted the video.

“To the awful disturbed person that decided to post this…I hope it was worth it,” Molina wrote.

He has been suspended from fighting by the Nevada Athletic Commission after he allegedly bet on a UFC fight, CNN reports.

“At the end of the day I know my character, morals, and who I am as a person. As much as I'm getting hated/sh**ted on I'm getting an equal amount of support & it means a f*ck ton,” Molina wrote.

SOURCE: ADVOCATE

RuPAUL DRAG RACE IS RETURNING TO 90-MINUTE EPISODES

Here's when and why...

After a full month of complaints about the shorter episode format on RuPaul's Drag Race's fifteenth season, the Emmy-Award-winning competition series is returning to its 90-minute format.

With the announcement of Season 15 and the move to MTV, the series cut down the episodes from 1.5-hour airtime to 1 with commercials. Ever since, both fans and the queens have been complaining about the quickened pace of the show, chaotic edit, and seconds-long runways. And they weren't afraid to let the network know about their dissatisfaction. "We worked too hard and invested too much money for a 45 min edit," contestant Salina EsTitties tweeted. "I say this as a viewer and fan of the show. I just wanted to see more of the gals."

Now, their prayers have been answered. The series announced the news on social media. "Get ready, racers," the official account tweeted.

Beginning March 10, Drag Race officially returns to the hour-and-a-half episode format.

But what does that means for the Real Friends of WeHo, the controversial reality series that many fans believed was the reason why episodes were shortened? According to EW, "The channel also moved its new reality show The Real Friends of WeHo to the hour immediately following Drag Race, replacing the regular slot occupied by companion show Untucked, which moved to 10 p.m. weekly as a result."

SOURCE: PRIDE DOT COM

🌈 THE ADVOCATE WINS GLAAD MEDIA AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING MAGAZINE 🏳️‍🌈

The Advocate won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Magazine Overall Coverage at Saturday night’s ceremony at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.

The magazine bested Entertainment Weekly, People, POZ, and Variety in the category. The Advocate had also won the category in 2020.

“Thank you to GLAAD for this honor at a time when it’s especially incumbent upon LGBTQ+ news outlets to shine a light on conservative attacks on queer people with onslaught of anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ+ bills cropping up around the country,” said Advocate Editor in Chief Tracy E. Gilchrist. “I’m proud of and thankful for our small team of dedicated editors, writers, designers, and those in circulation, sales, and marketing who ensure the work we do makes an impact. It’s a gift to serve LGBTQ+ people and to be a part of The Advocate’s 55-year legacy.”

The GLAAD Media Awards, established in 1990, “honor media for fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues,” in the words of GLAAD. In addition to print and digital media, GLAAD honors film and television productions that excel at this purpose. This year’s nominees were published, released, or broadcast between January 1 and December 31, 2021, according to a press release.

There will be another ceremony May 6 at the Hilton Midtown in New York City.

Below, see more examples of The Advocate’s coverage from 2021.

SOURCE: ADVOCATE

LIL NAS X BLAZES THE STAGE WITH SULTRY KISS @ BET AWARDS

Out gay rapper Lil Nas X made headlines over the final weekend of Pride Month after his sultry on-stage kiss with a male performer at the BET Awards on June 27.

During his performance of the chart-topping single “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” Lil Nas X locked lips with a dancer in a televised and viral declaration of Black queer love. During the performance, Lil Nas X donned gold glitter and an Egyptian Pharaoh outfit to pay homage to late pop icon Michael Jackson, who wore a similar costume in his hit music video “Remember The Time.”

The rapper’s performance prompted sharp homophobic criticism online — even from some LGBTQ individuals. In response, Lil Nas X blasted bigots for the double standard against queer LGBTQ artists.

“Y’all hate yourselves so much,” Lil Nas X tweeted on June 28 alongside a video of a gay man decrying the rapper’s actions. “Y’all live your lives trying your best to appease straight ppl.”

“Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” which features a video of the rapper traveling to Hell and giving Satan a lap dance, has been streamed more than 20 million times since its release in March, according to Rolling Stone’s Top 100 Songs chart.

“We are 4 months in, and people are still acting surprised that I am being gay and sexual in performances of a song about gay and sexual sh*t,” he said.

The star concluded, “The song is literally about gay sex… what y’all want me to do play the piano while baking a cake?”

Since coming out as gay in 2019, Lil Nas X has been forging his own lane as a Black LGBTQ performer. In January, he became a New York Times bestselling author after his first children’s book, “C is for Country.” 

Lil Nas X’s journey to success has not been without controversy. In March, he was embroiled in a Twitter feud with South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem after releasing a pair of sneakers known as “Satan Shoes.” Noem, an opponent of LGBTQ rights and supporter of anti-trans sports bills, criticized the shoe’s religious messaging on Twitter. In a tweet, Lil Nas X ripped the conservative politician, stating, “Ur a whole governor, and u on here tweeting about some damn shoes. do ur job!”

Now with a passionate gay kiss in the spotlight, the star is once again shutting down the trolls.

“Y’all are uncomfortable with what I do because y’all are afraid [cis-heterosexual society] will be uncomfortable with you,” he declared in a tweet. “Work on yourselves, I love who I am and whatever I decide to do. Get there.”

Watch the video below:

SOURCE: GAY CITY NEWS

LIL NAS X SPENT THE WEEKEND DUNKING ON CONSERVATIVES — IT WAS GREAT!

Before he was topping charts, Lil Nas X was a part of stan twitter. He ran a Twitter account called Nas Maraj and was a massive fan of Nicki Minaj, defending her at all costs. If you have ever seen stan Twitter, you know this means he's a master at social media, particularly in trolling. We've watched him utilize these skills over the past year or so on Twitter, getting headline after headline while doing so. And now, having just released "Montero (Call Me by Your Name,)" where he essentially spits in the face of all conservatives hold dear, he's back at it again with the back at it again. And we can't stop laughing.

If you haven't been paying attention, in "Montero," Nas X combines Greek mythology and Biblical references to essentially tell the story of queer self-empowerment in this world. He traces an arc of being judged and condemned by society for his sexuality, eventually being killed and sent to hell. But on his way there he reclaims his sexuality and harnesses his sexual energy in order to seduce Satan and take over Hell. And given that Satan and Hell have been long upheld as the Big Bads by conservatives, and have been used as a warning stick to beat children into submission, this understandably caused issues.

"Y'all love saying we going to hell but get upset when I actually go there," he tweeted, summarizing the project on Friday. Friday he also announced an action-figure, Stripper Nas X, was "coming soon," as was a pair of Nas X sneakers that were featured in the video. But later that day, the conservatives began their tweeting and Nas X was there prepared. 

Robby Starbuck, a Republican candidate for Congress from Tennessee called "Montero" evil and Matthew Betley said that it was "an attempt to destroy our society."

"There is a mass shooting every week that our government does nothing to stop," Nas X replied. "Me sliding down a CGI pole isn't what's destroying society." Betley has since deleted his post.

"The system is targeting kids," Mint Chip Music tweeted, posting a video of Nas X performing "Old Town Road" for children. "Lil Nas X's fanbase is mostly children. They did the same thing with Miley Cyrus after Hannah Montana." To be clear, Cyrus grew up and made a decision to change her aesthetic and output as a result which is something ... people generally do.

"There was no system involved," Nas X responded. "I made the decision to create the music video. I am an adult. I am not gonna spend my entire career trying to cater to your children. That is your job." The 21-year-old made a few points.

There was a lot of criticism of the sneakers he previewed in the video. They boast an inverted crucifix, pentagram, and a "drop of human blood." For them, Nas X teamed up with the New York-based art collective MSCHF who used Nike Air Max 97s as the base. Nike had nothing to do with them and has released a statement saying they do not endorse the styles.  There are 666 pairs, priced at $1,018 apiece referencing the bible verse Luke 10:18 that says "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven."

As backlash began to mount, Lil Nas X uploaded a video to his YouTube titled "Lil Nas X apologizes for Satan shoe." But after a few seconds of "apology", the clip cuts to footage from the music video of Nas X's lap dance. We are talking about a master troll here. 

Governor Kristi Noem, who currently is holding the top office in a state that has some of the highest death rates from the ongoing global pandemic, tweeted about the shoes.

"Our kids are being told that this kind of product is, not only okay, it's 'exclusive.'" she wrote. To be clear: that there are only 666 styles does make it relatively exclusive given how massive runs can be. "But do you know what's more exclusive? Their God-given eternal soul."

Nas X didn't hesitate in responding.

"You're a whole governor and you on here tweeting about some damn shoes," he wrote. "Do your job!" Noem decided to respond.

"What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?" the South Dakota politician wrote, quoting Matthew 16:26 from the bible.

"Shoot a child in your mouth while I'm ridin'," Nas X responded, quoting his own song. 

All 666 pairs of the sneakers sold out within a minute of release on Monday.

Many of these critics have pointed to the popularity of "Old Town Road" with children as to why it was wrong that he now do something more adult. To be clear, as Nas X points out, the song included some extremely adult content. In addition, over the past few months, the performer's content as been increasingly adult. He talked about bottoming in "Holiday" while kissing himself in a promotional image, he asked "where the dick at" in another clip of a song, and then in the lead in to "Montero" he recreated some Michelangelo nudes. 

If you don't want your children listening to Lil Nas X ... maybe just tell them to not?

SOURCE: OUT DOT COM

MONDAIRE JONES, RITCHIE TORRES, GAY & POC HEAD TO CONGRESS

 

Ritchie Torres and Mondaire Jones, two Democrats running for New York City-area U.S. House districts, claimed victory on Tuesday.

Torres becomes the first LGBTQ+ Afro-Latinx person elected to Congress, and Jones joins Torres as one of the two first LGBTQ+ Black candidates elected to the the body. Both are gay men.

Jones, who won in New York's 17th Congressional District, just north of NYC, is an attorney who most recently worked in Westchester County's Law Department. 

Torres will represent New York's 15th Congressional District in the Bronx; he defeated Rubén Díaz Sr, a notorious homophobe in the primary. Torres currently serves on the New York City Council.

The LGBTQ Victory Fund, which works to elect out candidates, released statements on both men's wins.

“Most would have thought New York City’s first LGBTQ member of Congress would be from Chelsea or Greenwich Village or Hell’s Kitchen, but the Bronx beat them to it,” said Victory Fund President CEO Annise Parker. “As our nation attempts to tackle systemic racism, police reform and healthcare disparities, Ritchie’s lived experience as an out LGBTQ Afro-Latinx man will bring an essential perspective to Capitol Hill. Ritchie’s election gives hope at a time when many Americans desperately need it. He will become a role model for LGBTQ youth in the Bronx and beyond.”

Of Jones, she said, “Mondaire’s victory is a milestone moment in our nation’s politics and his victory will inspire more people of color and LGBTQ people to run for office in their communities. Mondaire has been witness to the injustices faced by Black people, LGBTQ people and other marginalized communities and he ran for Congress to be in a position to address them. He will be a powerful voice for change and his impact will extend well beyond a single vote in the U.S. House.”

SOURCE: ADVOCATE

POPE FRANCIS ENDORSES CIVIL UNIONS BECAUSE SAME-SEX COUPLES “HAVE A RIGHT TO A FAMILY”

 

Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church, has a reputation for being progressive, despite normally couching his language in vague or convoluted manners. But in a new documentary making waves in Italy, the Pope was much more direct: he supports some rights for LGBTQ people.

Nations should recognize civil unions for same-sex couples, he said, because they “have a right to a family.”

This isn’t the first time that the Pope has indicated his support for civil unions while still opposing full marriage equality, but it is the most direct.

“Homosexuals have a right to be a part of the family. They’re children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out, or be made miserable because of it,” Francis said in the film, speaking on his approach to pastoral care of congregants.

“What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered,” he added. “I stood up for that.”

In a 2017 book, the Pope was quoted as saying, “Marriage between people of the same sex? ‘Marriage’ is a historical word. Always in humanity, and not only within the Church, it’s between a man and a woman… we cannot change that. This is the nature of things. This is how they are. Let’s call them ‘civil unions.'”

In a 2014 interview published in Corriere della Sera, an Italian daily, the pontiff suggested the Catholic Church could tolerate some types of same-sex civil unions as a practical measure to guarantee property rights and health care.

The pontiff said that “matrimony is between a man and a woman,” but moves to “regulate diverse situations of cohabitation (are) driven by the need to regulate economic aspects among persons, as for instance to assure medical care.”

Marcelo Marquez, a leading Argentine LGBTQ rights activist, said that during that nation’s 2010 debate over same-sex marriage, he received a phone call from the Pope — then Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Archbishop of Buenos Aires.

According to Marquez, then Cardinal Bergoglio “told me… ‘I’m in favor of gay rights and in any case, I also favor civil unions for homosexuals, but I believe that Argentina is not yet ready for a gay marriage law.’”

Francis had led the Catholic Church’s public stance against legalizing same-sex marriage in Argentina while he was an archbishop. At the time, Francis called the proposed legislation “a destructive attack on God’s plan.”

“This is the first time as pope he’s making such a clear statement,” the Rev. James Martin, a prominent Jesuit, said in a phone interview with the Washington Post. “I think it’s a big step forward. In the past, even civil unions were frowned upon in many quarters of the church. He is putting his weight behind legal recognition of same-sex civil unions.”

But in 2018, the pontiff struck a different tone.

“It is painful to say this today — people speak of varied families, of various kinds of family,” Francis said, but “the family (as) man and woman in the image of God is the only one.”

SOURCE: LGBTQ NATION

SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH

While The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention notes there are no U.S. data regarding suicide ideation or suicide rates among the LGBT population as a whole or in part for LGBT youth, the 2011 study by Massachusetts-based Suicide Prevention Resource Center, suicide risk for gay and lesbian youth is far higher than for straight young people. The study also found that gay and lesbians between fifteen and twenty-four are up to three times more likely to report suicidal thoughts (ideation) and up to seven times more likely to report having attempted suicide than heterosexuals.

Bullying of LGBT youth has been shown to be a contributing factor in many suicides. Even one suicide of our nation’s youth is tragic as it is preventable. For National Suicide Prevention Month, The Trevor Project, a suicide prevention hotline, has a campaign called Trevor Talk To Me.org. The campaign makes it o.k. to offer help and be willing to connect a person with life-saving resources. Twenty national organizational partners representing leaders in mental health, education, suicide prevention, youth and LGBT communities are sharing the messages of Talk To Me.

The Steps To Take To Help LGBT Depressed Youth

Step One: Take the Pledge

There is a form to download on the website and fill out. It is a pledge to:
• Let my friends know that I’m always available to talk.
• Be respectful and supportive of everyone regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Listen with an open mind and without judgment.
• Take what people say seriously.
• Check in with friends who may need to talk.
• Help a friend call the Trevor Lifeline if they are in crisis (1-866-488-7386).
• Tell a person I trust if someone is considering suicide.
• Call the Trevor Hotline when I need support. (1-866.488.7386).

Step Two: Training for Schools or Groups with LGBT Youth

The free video training for educators, school counselors, school nurses or youth group leaders for grades 6-12.
• Identifies the challenges faced by LGBTQ people.
• Recognizes the Warning Signs of Suicide
• Responds to someone who may be in crisis in a way that keeps themselves and their peers safe.
• Students can download a letter to requesting suicide prevention training for their school.

Step Three: Take Action

You can contact your senator and representative to support The Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act (H.R. 2734) that needs to be reauthorized to ensure that vital services across the U.S. continue to be federally funded. There is a one page PDF file for viewing about the act and a sample letter that can be clicked on for consideration in writing your government lawmakers.

Step 4: Share Badges

Share Talk To Me badges, banners and updates on Twitter and Facebook to show support of suicide prevention.

Your help is just a click away on http://www.Talk To Me.org

SOURCE: GAY AGENDA