‘Miss Beverley Hills’: God wants Gays dead

Once upon a time beauty queens extolled the virtues of world peace coordination and all things glittery…these days they seem to be hell-bent on gay bashing …erm, and fraud!

Hot on the heels of former Miss California Carrie Prejan’s (disastrous) views on same-sex marriage ‘Miss Beverley Hills 2010’ Lauren Ashley seems to have taken up the gauntlet on the gays…

In her quest to become the next ‘Miss California’ the pageant princess let rip when asked her thoughts on gay marriage by Fox News:

"The Bible says that marriage is between a man and a woman. In Leviticus it says, 'If man lies with mankind as he would lie with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death and their blood shall be upon them.' The Bible is pretty black and white.”

And as if that wasn’t enough…

"I feel like God himself created mankind and he loves everyone, and he has the best for everyone. If he says that having sex with someone of your same gender is going to bring death upon you, that's a pretty stern warning, and he knows more than we do about life."

Although, she was quick to add that she has ‘a lot’ of gay friends and "There's no hate between me and anyone.”

It was only last year that Miss California Carrie Prejean was asked to hand back her crown upon declaring she opposed same-sex unions.

After becoming a poster girl for the Christian right, news of her breast implants and home-made porn videos finally brought the curtain down.

Regardless, when quizzed about Prejean, Ashley commented: "She is definitely a beautiful person and I love that she stood up for what she believes in. I think that's gorgeous."

Intriguingly, the city of Beverley Hills has since announced they’ve never even heard of Ashley. Mayor Nancy Krasne said: “The city council was shocked to see statements made by a beauty pageant contestant under the name of Beverly Hills who does not live in nor represent our city.”

For weekly gay news, chat and soundbites visit http://www.mand8.com/

57% of Americans say Gays should serve openly in the military

In 1993, as a compromise to an outright ban on gays in the U.S. military, the Clinton administration implemented a law that allowed America’s gay men and women to serve their country - as long as they kept their sexuality a secret.

Since then more than 13,000 American military personnel have been discharged from service simply for ‘admitting’ they are gay.

This shocking figure includes service men and women with skills deemed crucial to the military such as linguists, combat engineers and pilots.

The repeal of ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ has become a high profile issue and one that the Obama administration has promised to, but as yet, has not overturned.

A new national survey carried out by Quinnipiac University indicates that the American public believes the policy is wrong and discriminatory.

Voters polled think gays and lesbians should be aloud to serve openly in the military by a 57% to 36% margin. An overwhelming majority of 66% feel that ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ amounts to discrimination. However, 54% say gays in the military should face restrictions on exhibiting their sexual orientation on the job.

Earlier this month the US military’s highest-ranking uniformed officer publicly denounced DADT calling for its withdrawal.

Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Senate Armed Services Committee that repeal of the law is “the right thing to do” and that he personally was “troubled” by a policy which makes servicemen "lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens."

Last month during a State of the Union Address President Obama stated that he will work with Congress and the military to "finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are."

Most western military forces have removed policies that exclude sexual minority members. In the UK Gays and lesbians have been allowed to serve openly in the military for over a decade. Initial fears that it would lead to a breakdown of discipline and cohesion within units proved unfounded.

For weekly gay news, chat and soundbites visit http://www.mand8.com/

Gay Fashion Czar McQueen Commits Suicide

From humble beginnings in the East End of London Alexander McQueen rose to world-wide fame as one of the fashion industry’s greatest designers.

Today a source at his office confirmed to the Daily Mail that the 40 year old was found dead, believed to have committed suicide.

“It is a tragic loss. We are not making a comment at this time out of respect for the McQueen family." said a member of McQueen’s staff.

The four times winner of the “British Designer of the Year” built a glittering career that was unrivaled by designers of his generation.

In 2000 the young McQueen became creative director of Gucci acquiring 51% of the company. By the end of 2007 he had opened boutiques in New York, London, Los Angeles, Milan and Las Vegas.

Pop superstars Kylie Minogue, Rhianna and Lady GaGa are just a few of the celebrities who donned his creations.

McQueen was openly gay. Describing his coming out at a young age he said: "I was sure of myself and my sexuality and I've got nothing to hide. I went straight from my mother's womb onto the gay parade"

His close friend, international designer and style icon Isabella Blow also comitted suicide in May 2007.

In response to rumours of a rift between the two McQueen retorted: It’s so much bollocks. These people just don’t know what they’re talking about. They don’t know me. They don’t know my relationship with Isabella. It’s complete bullshit. People can talk; you can ask her sisters.… That part of the industry, they should stay away from my life, or mine and Isabella’s life. What I had with Isabella was completely disassociated from fashion, beyond fashion.”

For weekly gay news, chat and soundbites visit http://www.mand8.com/news

Links for this story:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1250249/Alexander-McQueen-commits-suicide.html

Colin Firth receives Oscar nomination for gay role

Bridget Jones Diary star Colin Firth has been nominated for an Oscar for his performance in A Single Man.

The British star will compete against George Clooney in Up In The Air, Morgan Freeman in Invictus and Jeremy Renner in The Hurt Locker for the best actor award at the Academy Awards next month.

The film’s depiction of a gay college professor trying to deal with the bereavement over his long-term partner’s death has already scored a best picture nomination at the prestigious Venice Film Festival.

Based on Christopher Isherwood’s 1964 novel the movie is gay fashion designer Tom Ford’s directional debut. Playing down the gay aspect Ford has said the gay theme was not what drew him to make the film of Isherwood’s book.

"It's really a film about love and isolation that I think all of us feel, so it is very universal," Ford says. "When I see someone who sees the film and says, ' It's a gay story,' I don't even know what they are thinking, it just seems to me a human story."

Conversely, and in relation to the film, Firth has spoken out about the “Inivisible Boundaries” that block out gay actors from securing leading roles.

In an interview with gay media website PinkNews the star said "If you're known as a straight guy, playing a gay role, you get rewarded for that. If you're a gay man and you want to play a straight role, you don't get cast – and if a gay man wants to play a gay role now, you don't get cast.

"I think it needs to be addressed and I feel complicit in the problem. I don't mean to be. I think we should all be allowed to play whoever”

Similarly he told Parade magazine in December that Hollywood “constrains” gay actors.

Having starred in several highly successful British films including Love Actually and Mamma Mia! It is Firth’s first ever Oscars nod.

The 82nd Academy Awards takes place on March 7th in Los Angeles.

For weekly gay news, chat and soundbites visit http://www.mand8.com/news

Related Link: http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/02/02/colin-firth-says-there-are-invisible-boundaries-for-gay-actors/