JCPenney Releases Gay Ad For Fathers Day

This past Mothers Day, JC Penney released an ad portraying a lesbian couple and their kids. No need to leave the men out, right?  

The new ad, in honor of Fathers Day, reads: "Real-life dads, Todd Koch and Cooper Smith with their children Claire and Mason."

With this being recent news, I'm sure the fringe group One Million Moms will be quick to attack the ad.  The organization, which is a division of the American Family Association, responded to the lesbian ad by stating, "By jumping on the pro-gay bandwagon, JC Penney is attempting to gain a new target market and in the process will lose customers with traditional values that have been faithful to them over all these years."

As a gay male with aspirations to have children, it's refreshing to see this type of marketing to the LGBT community.

The ad also says, "First Pals: What makes Dad so cool? He's the swim coach, tent maker, best friend, bike fixer and hug giver--all rolled into one. Or two."

Take that, One Million Moms.  Go suck a dick.  Or two.

Jonah Goldberg Claims Generation Y Is Stupid. Are We?

In a recent interview, conservative commentator Jonah Goldberg, a Republican, called those of us in Generation Y "so frickin' stupid," among other compliments.

"It is a simple fact of science that nothing correlates more with ignorance and stupidity than youth," Goldberg argued. "They don't know better--that's why you call them 'young people'."

OK.  Interesting, Mr. Goldberg.  Any other groundbreaking insight?

"My view is, they’re going to run the country some day, so we should really explain why they’re so frickin’ stupid about so many things,” he said.

Sure, there are some movers and shakers in each American subgroup - Generation Y included - but for the most part, a majority of people are, as Goldberg claims, stupid.  Young, old, gay, straight, black ... even some Asians.  Ignorance is making generalized statements, while insight is reviewing the facts, history, and social progression and reflecting on the fact that only a couple hundred thousand individuals of each generation actively push humanity forward.  Some push us backwards, so to speak, but what's even worse, in my opinion, are those that just go with the flow: 

Everyone, please let me introduce the Millennials!

No, I don't think we are stupid as a collective whole; I actually think we are a tad bit smarter than the generations before us.  We don't need to be a Democrat to support social issues that come as common sense, we don't feel the need to buy into the hype of materialism that has pushed an overwhelming majority of our parents and grandparents into massive debt and foreclosure, and we also don't feel the need to be active because that's what everyone else is doing.  

Wait, what?

That's our issue.  With the heavy presence of social media and this unhinged belief that we are super interconnected and social justice activists in training, we are hurting ourselves.  Just because I personally write an op-ed in a political magazine and a couple hundred people of our generation "shares" or "likes" it on Facebook allows for some change, but not too much.  Real change occurs when a couple hundred people take action.  55 thumbs up on Facebook is easy to ignore; an influx of articles on gay marriage or immigration reform to a local or national news publication is not.

I hate generalizations and Jonah Goldberg, you pissed me off.  And I hope he pissed of many of you.  If I know what thing about Generation Y; we've been coddled, told we were the best our entire lives, given trophies for getting 8th place.  That's not the reality, and what Mr. Goldberg said is not the reality either, but hopefully it will help our unrealistic beliefs on politics, social movements, and activism become more of a truth.

As someone who has lived in three cities over the past year, the generalizations made about each of my locations helped put things into further perspective for me.

Buffalo - "Everyone is poor there, right?"

Los Angeles - "Everyone is fake there, right?"

New York City - "Everyone is rude there, right?"

It's beyond annoying and it makes more of a statement about you, rather than the city or person or group of society you are talking about.  So maybe, just maybe, I should say that I agree with the ignorant Jonah Goldberg and claim that Millennials are stupid.  That we don't know how to change things.  That we don't understand politics.  But, I won't, because at the root of it, I know it's the furthest thing from the truth.

News Of The Day : May 30, 2012

American Idol - "I know the Bible's right, somebody's wrong," a child sings. "Romans 1 and 27, ain't no homo going to make it to heaven." Someone screams, "That's my boy!" from the pews.  OK, cool; It looks like Apostolic Truth Tabernacle, an Indiana church, knows how to get the party started!  Check out the Youtube Video and see for yourself.  It's just plain bizarre.  One comment in defense of the Christian song states, "The worst problem is our kids being recruited into this subhuman lesbian and sodomite lifestyle."  Really?  I already have a hard enough time obtaining a relationship; do you really think I would worsen my chances by recruiting others to be gay?  If anything, I would try to convince people to stay straight for my sole benefit.

People Upset Over Facebook - Another day, another dollar.  And by dollar, I mean a couple million.  Facebook has just revealed a new way to make money, which allows users to "promote" their status updates.  Generally, when one posts a status, it goes out to their friends. If people comment or like it, then it will be seen by more friends, thus getting more exposure.  Now, by paying a couple dollars, you now will be able to reach more people depending on how much you decide to shell out.  Let me be blunt:  Who gives a fuck.  Let me be blunt again:  Delete Facebook if you are so shocked.  It's a business, and if you actually took a moment to read exactly what Facebook does with all your information, history and even pictures, this would be the least of your social media related issues.  Cue the melodramatic "If Facebook changes one more time, I'm deleting my account" pages.

Unyted Statez af Amercia -  What's more entertaining than the fact that Mitt Romney released an iPhone app?  That he misspelled America.  CNN reported the mistake and by Wednesday afternoon, #Amercia was trending on Twitter, meaning it was one of the most popular discussions on social media.  In other news, he also misspelled his sexuality as "straight," instead of "closeted, judgmental bigot who is probably homosexual."  Where is Lori Anne Madison, the youngest person to compete in the National Spelling Bee, when you need her?

Now, for the most important news:  Check out my newest article at PolicyMic -- How To Have A Successful 'Friends With Benefits' Relationship

Anne Burrell Is A Lesbian

Celebrity chef Anne Burrell was recently "outed" on a radio show by T.V. personality Ted Allen.

The Secrets of A Restaurant Chef, who is also a graduate of my alma mater, Canisius College in Buffalo, New York, claims she was never in the closet in the first place.

According to a statement given to the New York Post, her rep said,  "Anne doesn’t feel she was outed. She has made no secret of her relationship. Her significant other is a very private woman. They have been together for a couple of years and spend a lot of time together. It is no secret in the culinary world."

You go girl.  Also, if anyone else from Canisius College wants to come out, such as any of the D1 athletes, my contact information is on this site if you want to ask me on a date. Thanks.  And make sure to follow Anne on twitter: @chefanneburrel.

Why You Should Go To A Bar Alone

“What do you mean you went to a bar alone?”

The question came from a friend while I was living in Los Angeles.  We were catching up over the phone, and as she was still in Buffalo with a plethora of friends and going out buddies, it didn’t occur to her that I didn’t know someone 3,000 miles from home after being in Southern California for less than two weeks.

“I had a few drinks. I walked to a bar. Then I entered. Alone.” I replied.

Sure, I felt a little weird doing it. We all know those seemingly creepy people that seem to lurk around bars and pubs by themselves, but I suppose like anything, it is just a stereotype. I did it a few times and not surprisingly, I made a few friends.  My second time going out, I met a bunch of kids from the University of Southern California, and the week after that, a few more people.  While those relationships didn’t really evolve into much, it did lead to meeting others that ultimately lead to friendships.  But, it had me wonder; why is there such a stigma of doing things by ourselves?

Now, I’m not just talking about going to bars, because yes, it is slightly awkward; especially in cities like Los Angeles and New York.  It seems as if our generation was raised with the mentality of doing things as a group, such as going to the mall, getting dinner in the dining hall, attending dances in high school, and going to extra circular activities.  I recall various conversations while growing up, such as, “can you please go with me to the mall? I don’t want to go alone. Pleeeeeeeeease.”

Of course, I believe it’s steamed in not only our upbringing, but our use of technology, various “friends” on social networks, and the interconnected myths that a lot of friends make you popular and if you are constantly on the phone or texting, you must be something important.  Please note that I said myth.

This past Wednesday, I met up with friends after work for an event near Union Square. After, I walked down to the East Village to see an ex-boyfriends band play, which was a cool experience.  While dating, the only time I got to hear him play was when I was running late in the morning getting ready for work, but that’s not here or there.  While walking to the subway, I heard one of my favorite songs, “Good” by Better Than Ezra, coming from inside of a bar on the corner.  I poked my head in and walked over to the bartender.

“Awesome. I love 90’s music.” I said.

“Then I guess it’s your lucky day.  He just started and he’s playing until around eleven thirty.” He replied.

I glanced around the bar.  Everyone was in pairs or with groups of people.

“I’ll have a crown and coke, please.”

I stayed for the next two hours, and although I’ve been in New York for a little over two months, I can honestly say that it was one of the best nights I had in the city. 

We all know that I love bars, so make sure to check out Reasons You Should Go To A Dive Bar. 

Also, here is my list of the 14 Best Bands Of The 90's.

If you are going out to a bar alone, make sure to BE SAFE and don't get too crazy!

My Chat With GLAAD President Herndon Graddick

Through my position at SPI Marketing, I was able to attend the 5th Annual Gay and Lesbian Conference at Evanti, a gay-friendly hotel in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan.  The many great speakers and individuals were not only active in the LGBT movement, but are leaders and innovators in advertising, marketing, media, and technology, in addition to various other endeavors.

At this event, I had the opportunity to speak with Herndon Graddick, the president of GLAAD, which is the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.  Graddick was the keynote speaker for the conference.

When I asked him about how those in Generation Y are influencing America and the world as a whole, he said, "I believe that Millennials utilize social media - particularly blogs, twitter, and facebook - in order to share news and their beliefs.  Ultimately, this leads to progress for the gay rights movement when individuals are exposed to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender related information."

Very, very true.  So basically, keep utilizing twitter and share important stories or news with your friends on social media. However, also make sure that social media is not the only extent of your activism. In addition, Graddick was a very handsome Southern gentleman, so for those of you gay guys in New York City looking for a potential suitor, this is your man!

Take your activism one step further: Examples On How To Use Writing To Protest, Petition, And Sway Opinions.

Hey, Are You There?

I'll knock on wood once,
Maybe two times,
Once for the teacher that said I always had to rhyme,
And once for all the times I did it my own way.

The mirror is unhinged on the wall,
And the wind has been pretty steady,
So I might as well flick it off the screw earlier,
Get my seven years out of the way now.

Better than later,
Better than waiting.

Run,
Run,
Run,
Cause they say not to walk under it,
And maybe this will give me the good luck I've been hoping for.

Luck?
When you're lucky,
You have it all,
Do you thank God,
Or do you curse God,
When things don't go your way?

Thank you,
Thank you,
Thank you,
I knew you would answer one of my prayers,
Cause I have a couple thousand more,
And I hope you have time to get around to them.

After everyone else, of course.

Cause when I die,
I know I ain't going to Hell,
And I ain't going to Heaven,
All I know is that I'm going somewhere,
But no poem or book is going to tell me where,
So there ain't no stressin' it, baby.

The Trichotillomania Interview : Insight On Why People Pull Out Their Hair

Brittany Kihl is a 22-year-old from Buffalo, New York.  She is known by many as "BARK," which are her initials smashed together to form an entertaining word.  A self-proclaimed jack of all trades, she dabbles in anything creative and has an adventurous mind set of attempting anything once.  It just so happens that she lives with a disorder called Trichotillomania, a condition in which someone pulls out their hair for the relief of stress.  I spoke with Brittany about her not widely known disorder and how she hopes to inspire others.

Jeffrey Hartinger:  Can you give a little background on the condition?

Brittany Kihl: There are many unfamiliar and unknowns in the world we live in. Trichotillomania is just one of many unfamiliar conditions. Trichotillomania is a disorder characterized by the repetitive pulling out of one’s hair, resulting in noticeable hair loss and academic, social, and occupational impairment. It is a condition that is affecting 6 to 8 million children and adults in the United States with numbers steadily increasing each year as more people are coming forward about having it. For those wanting to lead a life without trichotillomania, medical and behavioral specialists are usually needed to help fight the disorder and its urges.

JH: Would you consider this a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder?

BK: I don’t believe I would consider this a form of OCD behavior because typically someone who suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder dislikes the rituals that come with it. With someone who has trichotillomania, the feeling you get when you want pull a piece of hair out is actually satisfying. The aftermath feelings of pulling your hair out isn’t positive, but the initial feeling as you pull is a complete relief of stress or whatever else you are struggling with at that moment. If I had to consider trich a form of something I would say it would differ from person to person, depending on their background history and what other problems someone may have that are associated with trich.

JH: When did you start to show signs of trichotillomania?

BK: This is kind of odd,  but I actually remember the exact day and age. It was Halloween and I was in the 7th grade. I was 12 when I first had the urge to pull my hair. I stood staring in the mirror dealing with at the time a deep depression and I just looked at myself and grabbed a huge chunk of my hair and ripped it from my scalp. I did it again later that evening two other times on the right and left side of my head sitting in my Halloween costume watching a scary movie. The feeling of relief was so overwhelming that I used that as a way to escape my stress from the trauma I was dealing with within my family at the time. My mother was not around a lot when I was younger and my father was absent in my life up until I was 15. Even then, I saw him maybe once or twice a year until I was 20. Trich helped me take away the built up rage and tension burning inside me that I didn’t know how to at the time verbally talk about.

JH: Does painting help you relax and alleviate the stress that causes you to pull out your hair?

BK: Absolutely! Painting, photography, yoga, music, poetry, drawing, exercising, dancing around like a crazy woman, and rock climbing even on occasion! Anything and everything that is adventurous or something new I try it out and it keeps my stress level way down. Music is the big one though. Music was kind of my parent when I needed answers that I couldn’t find anywhere else. Music I can honestly say saved my life. These are my prescribed medications. No pills needed here; just living life.

JH: What was the time when you thought, "I need help for my condition?" And, did you seek out help?

BK: The first day I did it on Halloween when I was 12 I ran down the stairs and showed my mother what I did and explained to her that this cannot be normal for someone to do and to want to do again. Unfortunately, at that time, my mother thought it was just a phase I was going through and her way of handling the situation was to ignore it. At that point, I started hiding it and keeping this only to myself and ignoring the problem. I didn’t start to open up about it until I was 16 and talked to a close friend who noticed my odd behavior. Now at 22-years-old, I am actually in the process of finding a therapist for the first time. I plan on recording my journey and hopefully be able to share it with others like me looking for someone who is going through it. Looking for someone to not be afraid to stand up and say hey I have trichotillomania and I want to beat this. The first step is the hardest, accepting you’re different and that you don’t have to hide and feel alone because you are not alone. You are never alone.

JH: Any advice for those suffering from this or a similar condition?

BK: You are never alone. Don’t be afraid of what you do, there is a reason behind the matter. You are not crazy you just have a different way to handle situations. Reach out to someone close to you and open up about what is bothering you and go from there to find out what steps you would like to take next. Do not hide in the shadows. There are a vast amount of videos on YouTube of people taping their journey and trying to reach out to others like YOU! Take the time to do the research to learn about the disorder and educate yourself most importantly.

If you are afraid to see a therapist and open up it is understandable. Maybe you can try this exercise used in cognitive therapy sessions. First go to a place where you pull your hair out the most. When you get the urge to pull you have to recognize what you are doing and stop yourself. A great way to stop yourself in the action is to squeeze your hand in a fist or a stress ball would work too. What you are doing is triggering the mind and in a sense tricking it to thinking you are going to satisfy the urge but what you are really doing is satisfying yourself by not letting the habit occur. This is one of the hardest parts to conquer but it is not going to be an easy battle. Set a goal and count the number of hairs you pick in a day. Try and stay under that goal. Once you have reached it set a lower goal for the following day. You are basically weaning yourself off of this habit. You can do it!

---

I would like to thank Brittany for opening up on her journey with trichotillomania. Check out the Trichotillomania Website to learn more on the condition and add Brittany on Facebook to connect with her.  Also, a recent movie release starring Charlize Theron, Young Adult, has a story line involving the condition; it's a pretty good movie and I recommend seeing it!

New LGBT "Born In Buffalo" Shirt Available

Born In Buffalo, an awesome company that has Buffalo and Western New York inspired apparel, recently revealed their newest shirt, "Born This Way In Buffalo."

This shirt is reason 1,456,778 that I love my hometown.

The design is available exclusively at the trendy Buffalo boutique Clutch, which is located on 814 Elmwood.

In other news, a clothing company down south is set to release the new "Born A Bigot In North Carolina" shirt in response to the new constitutional amendment in the state that bans same-sex marriage.

If you are a Buffalo expat or current resident, make sure to follow Born In Buffalo on Facebook and Twitter.  If you want to know what my hometown is all about, baby, then read Reasons To Have Sex With Someone From Buffalo.

Was Bristol Palin Inspired By The Virgin Mary In Regard To Her Same-Sex Marriage Beliefs?

Well, it would seem that way.  The daughter of Michelle Bachmann, I mean, Sarah Palin, recently made comments regarding the stance of President Obama and his new found support of same-sex marriage in the United States.  In an NBC interview, Obama stated that his daughters and the younger generation helped influence his "evolved" opinion.

Little Ms. 16 and pregnant wasn't impressed.

"While it’s great to listen to your kids’ ideas, there’s also a time when dads simply need to be dads.  In this case, it would’ve been helpful for him to explain to Malia and Sasha that while her friends parents are no doubt lovely people, that’s not a reason to change thousands of years of thinking about marriage.  Or that – as great as her friends may be – we know that in general kids do better growing up in a mother/father home.  Ideally, fathers help shape their kids’ worldview," she recently wrote in a blog post on Patheos.

Thousands of years of marriage .... right.  That makes sense.  Given her rational, we must assume that is the reason why she is raising her child by herself; much like our home girl Mary did a couple thousand years ago. We all know that God wasn't in the picture.  Congratulations, Bristol, and thanks for being a voice of our generation.

The only difference between their situations is that God never posed for Playgirl after the birth of his child. It was Playnomad, duh! Do you agree with Bristol?  Here are some funny Reasons Why Gays Should Not Marry.

JCPenney Releases Lesbian Ad For Mothers Day

A few months ago, the organization One Million Moms took aim against JCPenney because they hired out lesbian Ellen DeGeneres as their spokesperson.  The group, which contrary to their name, only has members in the thousands, is now back in action after a scandalous, controversial, and inappropriate new ad featuring a LGBT family.  Did you note my sarcasm?

The organization, which is a division of the American Family Association, recently wrote on its website, "By jumping on the pro-gay bandwagon, JC Penney is attempting to gain a new target market and in the process will lose customers with traditional values that have been faithful to them over all these years."

One Million Moms; get over yourself. And stop the the fucking false advertising - you don't have a million members. You bitches have 999,999 problems and they all same-sex couples, yo.

President Obama Supports Same Sex Marriage!

Welcome aboard President Obama!

He has fully "evolved" on the aspect of gay marriage, somewhat like a stage three evolution of our beloved Pokemon characters.

"I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don't Ask Don't Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married," he said in an interview with Robin Roberts of ABC News.

All I have to say: Cool, dude.

Amendment One Passes In North Carolina

North Carolina, a state where same-sex marriage was already illegal, passed Amendment One, which bans same-sex marriage.  A very smart thing to do for a very smart state.

That's like a kid coloring an apple red in a coloring book and saying, "Oh jeez, I don't like this color," and then coloring over that apple ... with a red crayon.

We often complain that it's the politicians who are the ignorant and bigoted ones, but with over 60% of individuals voting for this measure, it reinforces my opinion that an even split of the American population is flat out ignorant and uneducated on a variety of social issues.

In other news, a history class forty years in the future will learn about this, and simultaneously say, "what the fuck were they thinking back then?" However, there may be one perk of this embarrassment, which is another hit single for our home girl Carly Rae Jepsen entitled, "North Carolina: Call Me, Never."

Maurice Sendak, Author Of Where The Wild Things Are, Dies At Age 83

Maurice Sendak, famed author of Where The Wild Things Are and various other books, passed away today at the age of 83.

The author and illustrator, who came out as gay in a 2008 New York Times interview, lived with his partner, Dr. Eugene Glenn, for over 50 years.  Glenn died in May 2007.

In his old age, Sendak was known for his outspoken personality and quotes, such as, "Fuck them is what I say, I hate those e-books. They can not be the future… they may well be… I will be dead, I won’t give a shit!"

Rest in peace, Maurice.  I grew up with your books and your beautiful illustrations.  After I turned out the lights to go to bed, they literally scared the shit out of me.

The Most Annoying Picture On Facebook

Dear friends, readers, strangers that landed here via a Google search, and former fuck buddies that like to keep tabs on me and still read my blog:

Studying abroad and travel is wicked cool, but stop posting pictures of you trying to "support" or "pushing over" The Leaning Tower Of Pisa.  It's the most annoying fucking picture on Facebook, with the exception of self mirror shots with the line, "Oh, well, not my best, but whatever! I'll post anyways," or something of that manner.

That is my first world problem of the day involving international travel.  Well, that and the issue of trying to figure out if a dude is Gay or European ... check out the article and find out about this terrible issue!

Dolphins Die Of Drug Overdose

Two dolphins who died in Switzerland this past November have tested positive for a heroin substitute.

According to London's Daily Mail, a toxicology report from a forensics institute in St. Gallen, Switzerland, showed tests found traces of the heroin substitute buprenorphine in the dolphins' urine.

They died within five days of each other earlier this year, just a few days after the area near their pool was rented out for a weekend rave.

Ironically, other than humans, dolphins are the only other mammal that has sex for pleasure and has a sense of humor.  For the record, laughing hyenas don't really laugh, they just have a fucked up breathing condition.  My guess is that these two dolphins saw a party and wanted to get involved. In addition, a majority of dolphins are bisexual, so given the drug reference, they could be considered quite the party animal, no pun intended.

Rest in peace, dolphins, at least you did not end up in a can of tuna.

Funny Reasons Why President Obama Struggles With Gay Marriage

I’m so liberal I believe that gay guys should be able to get abortions. I recently wrote an article on the political website PolicyMic detailing how Vice President Joe Biden, in theory, came out in support of gay marriage.

On the Sunday edition of NBC’s Meet The Press, Biden said, “Look, I am vice president of the United States of America. The president sets the policy. I am absolutely comfortable with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women and heterosexual men marrying women are entitled to the same exact rights — all the civil rights, all the civil liberties. And quite frankly I don’t see much of a distinction beyond that.”  

So, when is Obama going to make his stance completely clear?  Sure, I support Obama as the president of the United States, but he’s used the word “evolution” in regard to gay marriage more times than a paleontologist atheist who wants to go back in time and fuck the hell out of Charles Darwin.  We know, we know, you’re “evolving.” Since he won’t officially open up about his reasons, here are some possibilities why Barack Obama does not support same-sex marriage in the United States of America. 

The All American Family – Since Barack Obama comes from a traditional American family, there is no way that he could relate to the aspect of a family that consists of two mothers or two fathers. Wait, what? Born to a white mother and a black father, Obama was born on August 4, 1961.  Guess what? Interracial marriage in the United States was not fully legal until a 1967 Supreme Court decision that deemed anti-miscegenation laws unconstitutional, although many states choosing to legalize interracial marriage at much earlier dates. 

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell – No, I’m not talking about the ban he lifted in regard to gays and lesbians serving in the military.  Don’t ask Obama about his view on gay marriage, and he won’t tell you, either.  It’s been a year since the ban was lifted, and there was absolutely no fall out.  Surprise, surprise.  Well, I heard a rumor that there was a petition floating around by gay service members calling for J. Crew to design an expensive line of camouflage uniforms, but that was the only drama thus far. 

No Support From The Gay Community – Yeah, you heard me.  No one in the gay community supports Barack Obama, which quite possibly, is why he does not support LGBT marriage equality.  Costs to attend a recent June 6, 2012 LGBT gala with President Obama in Los Angeles ranged from $1,250.00 to $35,800.00 for two VIP tickets.  Heck, you even got to have a picture with him!  Now, in this day and age, who could turn down an offer that grand?  Well, most of American population, until the economy “evolves.”

News Of The Day : May 6, 2012

May 5th  - Yesterday was Cinco de Mayo.  Today, for many, is Toileto de Vomito. For those of you who plan to continue in celebrating Mexican culture, read the Reasons To Have Sex With Illegal Immigrants.  I lived in Los Angeles for close to a year and let's just say there were more illegal immigrants in my bedroom than a Hispanic church in San Diego on a Sunday morning.

Will & Grace - Let's hear it for two homosexuals, a red head, and a drunk; and no, I'm not talking about Bert and Ernie, Elmo, and Big Bird, respectively. This weekend on NBC's "Meet The Press," Vice President Joe Biden said that he was "absolutely comfortable" with the aspect of same-sex marriage in America, expanding his notion by stating, "I think 'Will and Grace' did more to educate the American public than almost anything anybody has ever done."

New French President -  Socialist Party candidate Francois Hollande won the french election today. With almost all of the votes counted, Hollande lead with 51.6% to Sarkozy's 48.4%, according to CNN. Voter turnout was reported at more than 80%. I can't recall a vote this close, except when bigots helped pass Proposition 8 in California a few years ago.

Ray-Ban Features Same-Sex Couple In Ad Campaign

Ray-Ban, a popular sunglasses company founded in 1937, is celebrating their 75th anniversary this year.  Of course, a lot has changed over the past few decades, and their new "Never Hide" campaign does an amazing job at not only capturing the American spirit, but the struggles of being "different" in an ever changing world.

When I started my job in LGBT marketing a few months ago, I was drawn to this career due to the role of ads and how, many times, they can convey a message that goes beyond words.  The ad campaign comes at a great time in American history where people, quite honestly, are "coming out" in droves.  Not only as homosexual, but as atheists, as those involved in interracial relationships, and so on.  The entire campaign is awesome, so make sure to visit the Ray-Ban Website to check them out!

News Of The Day : May 2, 2012

Former Harper's Bazaar Intern Sues - Xuedan Wang, 28, who was an intern at the magazine's accessories department from August to December of 2011, is suing the company for many reasons, such as working up to 55 hours per week, without pay. According to an article in Time, this was her seventh unpaid internship.  With all this press, how is she ever going to score unpaid internship number eight?

Samantha Ronson Sings - It looks like the famous lesbian has stepped away from the DJ booth for some time.  This week, she sang "Summer of Sam" on Live! With Kelly. I'm not an expert, but after working the club scene for some time and dating Lindsay Lohan, I think it's safe to say that Ronson has been exposed to every drug under the sun since her rise to fame.

New Jersey Takes Tanning Too Far - Last week, police charged Patricia Krentcil, 44, of Nutley, New Jersey, with child endangerment after her daughter came to school with burns on her skin.  As always, tanning pundit Snooki from Jersey Shore took time to reflect on the incident.  "That bitch is crazy. You are not supposed to take kids there," she told Extra.

Funny Questions We Should Have Asked About Video Games Growing Up

Those of us in Generation Y grew up during an era where video games were instilled in our lives at an appropriate level.  If we weren’t outside playing kickball or causing mayhem, we were plopped down in front of the television rooting on our friends or siblings as Donkey Kong beat the fuck out of some thug.  Years later, looking back, it seems as if Princess Peach wasn’t the only one who gave The Super Mario Brothers a “blow job,” as close to all American kids born between the years of 1982 and 1995 faced the devastating occurrence of having a game freeze on Nintendo; some of us, myself included, blew for a moment or two longer than needed.

A unique generation, we also were raised to question authority and be nonconformists, yet in video game land, we did anything but ask questions.  So, this is dedicated to all of us 90’s kids.  Here are the questions we should have asked!

Super Mario Brothers – After a few levels, one has to wonder: How the fuck does Princess Peach keep getting “kidnapped?”  And further, is she even being kidnapped by the main antagonist, Bowser, in the first place?  In retrospect, it is quite possible that Princess Peach wanted to be with Bowser and we, as Mario, were actually the kidnapper in question.  Either way, that bitch probably had worse Stockholm Syndrome than Patty Hearst.

Angry Birds – Sure, this game was not around during our youth, but there are many questions left unresolved.  First off, I do not agree with the pigs cracking the eggs or whatever, but, why the fuck did the birds leave the eggs alone in the first place?  They have a right to be “angry,” but child endangerment laws were put in place for a reason.  Furthermore, two wrongs to not make a right, and the last time I saw a bird that angry was when I was dating Big Bird and he / she found out I was banging Elmo on the side.

Frogger – Really?  Where the fuck was he rushing to?  Was it worth risking his life?  I guess so.

Ms. Pac-Man – I’ll get right to the point and say that I did not believe this shit for one minute.  We all know that a few years after his popularity, Mr. Pac-Man went through a self-realization and ultimately, decided he was part of the LGBT community, more specifically, transgender.  The 80’s were pretty liberal, but in the long run, it was easier for Midway to advertise Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man as two different people.  Well, at least the truth is out now.