Orlando Cruz Is Getting Married

It was big news last fall, and good news, too, when boxer Orlando Cruz came out as a gay man, and thus becoming the first openly gay male professional boxer.

And now there’s better news: Orlando Cruz has proposed to his longtime boyfriend José Manuel in a video posted to his Facebook page:

I wanted to tell you how much I need you and how much I miss you. I know you are a person that means a lot to me and that supports my career and respects it which is very important, but above all you are always there giving me that push that I need. Now more than ever that I have an important fight coming up for the World Championship. I want to tell you that you are a very special person in my life. I am a little nervous, but I want to tell you and share with your friends and my friends if you want to marry me. I want you to be part of my life and me be part of yours.

And, because this is the age of social media, José Manuel responded with his own Facebook video:

I want to say yes. I accept marrying you because I love you and adore you. Yes, I do want to marry you because I love you, I love you, I love you very much. We will keep going forward and you will see how happy we will be. I love you papi from my heart.

Congratulations to the happy, and handsome, couple!

source

I Didn't Say It ....

President Obama, thanking supporters in Chicago:

"Even before last night's results, I felt that the work I had done in running for office had come full circle. Because what you guys have done means that the work I am doing is important. And I'm really proud of that. I'm really proud of you. What you guys have accomplished will go in the annals of history."

It will, because America didn’t vote race, it voted trust; we didn’t vote the way corporate America wanted, we voted our gut.

We didn’t vote for the man who chose his opinions based on the number of votes he might get, we voted the man who has an opinion and says his opinion, and stands by his opinion.

Max Mutchnick, on W&G:

“I mean if Will & Grace made me proud of anything, I mean now because it’s over I guess, I could say I am proud that we kept a dignified gay man who lives with a great deal of integrity at the center of a of a television series for 8 years. I always got a lot of heat that we didn’t take the character far enough, that we didn’t see the character sexualize himself enough. & my thinking was always let’s just keep the guy on television. Let’s just show people that this man can exist & that he can be your neighbor, he can be your doctor or he can be your son & we can learn to live with that. & I was I think I was most pleased that the show just stayed on the air. That’s what I’m really proud of.”

Whether or not you felt Will wasn’t gay enough—whatever that means—the show did make great strides in showing gay men—all kinds of gay men—living their lives as just regular people.

Orlando Cruz, the first openly gay professional boxer, on coming to terms with his homosexuality: 

"For a long time I didn't want to accept that I was gay. Better said: I couldn't accept it because I was too afraid. Homosexuals were discriminated against in Puerto Rico back then, sometimes even killed. I had a friend named José, but we called him Linoshka because he was a transvestite. He was stabbed to death in the street at the age of 19 by a homophobe because he had taken part in a gay-pride parade."

And folks wonder why some gay men and women stay closeted. It isn’t shame of being gay; it’s fear that coming out could get them killed.

But the more of us that come out, the more people will see that we are everywhere and everyone.

Maureen Dowd, on Mitt Romney and why he lost:

"Romney and Tea Party loonies dismissed half the country as chattel and moochers who did not belong in their 'traditional' America. But the more they insulted the president with birther cracks, the more they tried to force chastity belts on women, and the more they made Hispanics, blacks and gays feel like the help, the more these groups burned to prove that, knitted together, they could give the dead-enders of white male domination the boot. The election about the economy also sounded the death knell for the Republican culture wars. Romney was still running in an illusory country where husbands told wives how to vote, and the wives who worked had better get home in time to cook dinner. But in the real country, many wives were urging husbands not to vote for a Brylcreemed boss out of a ’50s boardroom whose party was helping to revive a 50-year-old debate over contraception. Just like the Bushes before him, Romney tried to portray himself as more American than his Democratic opponent. But America’s gallimaufry wasn’t knuckling under to the gentry this time."

I think that pretty much sums it up.

Benjamin Norris, the first openly gay man to win Australia’s Big Brother, proposing to his boyfriend, also named Ben, on the finale of the show:

“This was a diamond that my great grandfather bought for my great grandmother and it was worn by my parents on their wedding day so it’s something that is a part of my family...Since I’ve met Ben all I have wanted is for him to be a part of my family. And no-one is going to tell us that sitting on the couch together at the end of the day pretending that we’re married, that we’re not married.”

Even though I am not legally married to Carlos, I consider him my husband, spouse, partner, and every word in between.

People can say we aren’t married, but they cannot, ever, take away the commitment.

Ashley Judd, on running against Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell—who famously said the GOPs mission during Obama’s first term was to make sure it was also his only term … tough luck there:

“I cherish Kentucky, heart and soul, and while I’m very honored by the consideration, we have just finished an election, so let’s focus on coming together to keep moving America’s families, and especially our kids, forward.”

Forward.

That says volumes. I’d like to see her run, and I’d like to see her send McConnell back to the Idiot Barn from whence he came.

Tony Perkins, threatening a UPS boycott because of their stance against the Boy Scouts of America’s homophobia:

"Despite relentless pressure to make its message more politically correct, the Boy Scouts have kept their commitment to keep the organization 'morally straight.' Unfortunately for millions of young boys, not everyone in America respects that decision. Instead, their stance on homosexuality has often made the Scouts the target of harassment, ridicule, and now financial bullying. For more than 100 years, the Scouts have focused on instilling character and leadership into America's boys. They aren't about to compromise that mission just to placate liberal companies and activists. As a private company, UPS has every right to determine who it supports. By the same token, so do we. With whom will you stand?"

Um, I’ll be standing with UPS and any group, company, corporation, person, state, entity that stands against discrimination.

You, Tony, will be standing on the wrong side.

Rahm Emanuel, Chicago mayor, on the elections and marriage equality:

"Last week’s election continued America’s great history of expanding opportunity and equality. Today, we must take the next step on that journey by affording the opportunity to marry to all Americans — and we can continue that march by quickly enacting marriage equality here in Illinois. Gays and lesbians are our teachers, our doctors, our police officers, family members, friends and neighbors. Honoring their contributions as full members of our society means providing members of the GLBT community with the same rights and freedoms as every other citizen. Chicago is a city of different neighborhoods and nationalities, or different religions, races and sexual orientations. We are strongest when we are one people, united under the same set of laws, with the same freedoms and responsibilities. The City of Chicago and the State of Illinois have a special place in our nation’s history as leader in our nation’s struggle to equality to all. Marriage equality is the next step in our nation’s march forward. Illinois must lead the way."

It’s on, bitches, and I think the tide is shifting.

Nice feeling, that.

Random Musings

Let's start with a little bragging. I am a very proud Smallville hubby today. yesterday Carlos recieved an award for his work in HIV Outreach-Education-Counseling.

I'm kvelling ovah heah.....

And now for a political joke sent in by a friend....

A woman in a hot air balloon realized she was lost. She lowered her altitude and spotted a man in a boat below. She shouted to him: "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."

The man consulted his portable GPS and replied, "You're in a hot air balloon, approximately 30 feet above ground elevation of 2,346 feet above sea level. You are at 31 degrees, 14.97 minutes north latitude and 100 degrees, 49.09 minutes west longitude.

"She rolled her eyes and said, "You must be an Obama Democrat."

"I am," the man replied. "How did you know?"

"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct. But I have no idea what to do with your information, and I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help to me."

The man smiled and responded, "You must be a Republican."

"I am," replied the balloonist. "How did you know?"

"Well," said the man, "you don't know where you are or where you are going. You've risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. You're in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but somehow, now it's my fault."

Hot Men Alert:

Colin O'Donoghue. Captain Hook on Once Upon A Time.

Sam Palladio. From Nashville. Anmd he can saaang, too!

There is a certain writer who writes, well, badly, most of the time, and lies, well, all the time. On my blog she is called "She Who Will Not Be Mentioned" because she's not worthy of the attention.

And yet she gets it, most recently for writing a book about race, because she's a white woman and knows all about racism. But this week she also Twatted--which is what asshats do while the rest of us Tweet--and used a derogatory term to call the President.

The interwebz went into overdrive, but here's the rub:"She Who Will Not Be Mentioned" writes these books and Twats these thing for the attention, and many people fall right into it, talking her up and booking her on their chat shows.

If we really want "She Who Will Not Be Mentioned" to go away, just stop talking about her.

Even FuxNews will get tired of her antics.

The latest rumor floating around Hollywood is that Matt Bomer lost out on a chance to play Superman because he’s gay.

At least according to author Jackie Collins.

Who's Jackie Collins? 

She's Joan Collins' younger sister and writes craptastic novels.

Who's Joan Collins?

She fucked Warren Beatty in the 60s.

Who's Warren Beatty?

I'm'a stop you right there because this could go on all night. Let's just say that Jackie Collins, age unknown, has a new book to promote--she writes a lot about Hollywood because, um, I think she ate at Spago when Spago was hip--and is now saying that she knows for a fact that openly gay Matt Bomer lost out on that super role because, well, he's openly gay.

Jackie says Bomer “had not come out of the closet, but people in the know knew he was gay. His audition tape went in and he called up the agent. Someone didn’t like him and told [the producers] he was gay. They said, ‘No, no, we can’t cast you.’ The reason he didn’t get cast was because he was gay.”

Collins does not reveal her source, because, like her writing, it's all made up, and like "She Who Will Not Be Mentioned" she'd sell her soul for a few minutes of airtime.

Who knew?

Glenn Beck thinks Obama should be re-elected.

And so does the rest of the world......

I have a wack-a-doo sense of humor. I often say that I am like Sophia from The Golden Girls and I lost that part of the brain that censors speech. I will say just about anything, and, yes, every so often I say something meant to be funny, but it comes off rude and distasteful and I apologize for being offensive.

But, one area I don't ever find funny is the area of parents killing their children who come out as gay. Call me crazy, but I don't think murdering children tickles anyone's funny bone.

Or at least it shouldn't.

This is why Kristina Bui, the editor of the Arizona Wildcat, the student newspaper of the University of Arizona, has been apologizing for a cartoon which joked about a father killing his gay son:

"On Tuesday, the Daily Wildcat staff made a serious error in judgment in printing a cartoon that some readers felt was homophobic and inappropriate. We heard from several readers who expressed their disappointment and hurt over the comic strip.

The Arizona Daily Wildcat is now reviewing its editorial policies and has terminated the employment of the cartoonist as of Wednesday. His views do not represent the views of the Wildcat staff, nor does the Wildcat represent the views of the university.

The “etc.” cartoon in question illustrated a parent threatening their child if he ever came out, and the two characters joke about the threat. We agree with the criticism we’ve met, and we apologize. The comic was not funny."

Sad that it took publishing the cartoon, and the subsequent backlash, for anyone on the board of that newspaper to think that murdering a child simply for being gay is funny.

So, last week Puerto Rican boxer, Orlando Cruz made history by coming out as a gay man. And then he made history again last week when he beat out rival Jorge Pazos. He'd been nervous before the fight, expecting to be booed or jeered at, but most people in the crowd cheered him on and supported him: 

"I was very happy that they respect me. That’s what I want — them to see me as a boxer, as an athlete and as a man in every sense of the word. That was my moment, my opportunity, my event… And I won." 

And it may be only the beginning.

Cruz is hoping this victory will get him a shot at a bigger match in the near future: "This fight’s going to open my door for a world title fight. That’s my dream, my mom’s dream, my community’s dream and my team’s."

And, while he's out as a gay man, he's also out as a gay role model: "I’m only one person. I feel happy with where I am. I’m free. I’m more at peace."

Coming out is a beautiful thing.

So the Log Cabin Republicans endorsed Mittsy.

I wonder why.....

It's all been shrouded in secrecy; meetings at out of the wait farmhouses, secret handshakes, decoder rings.

Word has it that the LCR reached an agreement with Mittsy that, if he's elected, he would come out in support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

Hard to believe because there aren't many more rabidly anti-LGBT politicians that Little Bully Romney, even harkening back to his days of cutting the hair of ALLEGED homosexuals.

But this is, again ALLEGEDLY, all being kept hush-hush so Mittsy doesn't anger his base of rightwingnut, bigoted, homophobic, religious zealot conservatives who might not vote for him if he even shows the slightest hints at being LGBT-friendly, or, as I think he'd prefer it, LGBT-adjacent.

But, I also wonder; Mittsy is such a prevaricator, how does the KLCR even know he'd keep that ALLEGED promise? I mean, isn't it just like Mittsy to get the endorsement and then give a big one-fingered salute to the LCR should he take the White House next month? OR ...... maybe he will support ENDA and he'll throw all those Religious Rightwingnut Conservatives, whose asses he's been rimming for months, under the bus.

Either way, anyone on their right mind who is gay, or gay-friendly, cannot possibly think that a Romney presidency will move us forward.

Hot Woman Alert:

Madeleine Stowe.

Victoria Grayson on Revenge. As I said on Facebook yesterday, I almost feel the need to turn in my Gay Card because of the huge crush I have on her.

Luckily, Homo HQ has given me the go-ahead for my crush as long as I keep it non-stalkerish and platonic.

M'kay.

Donald Trump's October "surprise" was another case of so-what from a snake-oil salesman with a dead rat on his head.

He promised to give $5 million to any charity if Barack Obama released his college records and applications, and his passport and applications.

As I said on another blog, I'll spend five-bucks on a Chick-fil-A sammich when Trump takes that animal carcass off his melon.

But, um, well, maybe there was another reason Trump picked yesterday for his October "Surprise."

The 'Apprentice' host has been fired....and by his own company.

Excuse me a sec....bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

I’m back. The condominium board at Trump Place has quietly fired the Trump Organization from managing the pricey high rise on the Hudson River that bears its name, replacing The Dumbass, er, Donald, with AKAM Living Services, a management firm that has presided over luxury buildings at such high-end zip codes addresses as Central Park West, Fifth Avenue and West End Avenue.

And the move took the blowhard by surprise, according to real estate blog The Real Deal: “We certainly would have been willing to discuss the concerns of the board if they had contacted us,” Sonja Talesnik, general counsel for the Trump Organization, said. “They gave us no indication that they were looking to change managing agents.”

Anna Fishbeyn, vice president of the Trump Place board, disagrees: "We've been waiting for their services to improve for years. And when they didn't, we started investigating other services."

In other words, Donald, You're fired.

Suh-nap!

Orlando Cruz Comes Out

Orlando Cruz, currently the No. 2 ranked featherweight boxer in the United States, has come out as a gay man, and the world of boxing has its first openly gay professional fighter to come out while his career is still active.
Cruz, from Puerto Rico, said:

“I’ve been fighting for more than 24 years and as I continue my ascendant career, I want to be true to myself.I want to try to be the best role model I can be for kids who might look into boxing as a sport and a professional career. “I have and will always be a proud Puerto Rican. I have always been and always will be a proud gay man.”

Orlando Cruz has been boxing since he was seven, has won seven national titles and seven international gold medals. He turned pro shortly after the Sydney Olympic Games and won his first professional fight in December 2000 against Alfredo Valdez.

Welcome out, Orlando. You've done a great service to other young Latino boys who might be hiding their sexual orientation, and you've shown that gay men can be professional athletes and boxers, and champions.

Naturally, your Coming Out Toaster Oven and copy of The Gay Agenda will be winging their way to you from Homo HQ.

Welcome out.