The LGBTQIA-community

[Carabas]

Is that a true and accurate quote from Vice President Pence?

Almost.

He wanted federal money intended to help people living with AIDS to go to conversion therapy instead.

He also caused the biggest HIV outbreak in his state ever when he was governor.

[twincast]

On a happier note: Yuri!!! on Ice ep.7: spoilers:

In case anyone was still too far in Denialville to realise it: THEY KISSED! IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE WORLD! That the view was blocked by Victor's arm right when their lips met was a little bit annoying, but once more everyone watching was stunned into silence. Which at this point is kinda weird, but hey, what matters is that once again nobody cares afterward. Most shown stunned in a neutral way, Yuuri's sister in an... exasperated or uncomfortable way and his mom in a giddy-for-your-kiddy way. Yurio's immediate reaction wasn't shown, so uncertain whether it plays into his anger at the end of the episode - probably not much if indeed at all.

end of spoilers

[MasterOfMagnetism]

Almost.

He wanted federal money intended to help people living with AIDS to go to conversion therapy instead.

He also caused the biggest HIV outbreak in his state ever when he was governor.

It's probably best to just ignore ZNOP's trolling. This is also the first time I've seen ZNOP come into the community thread to waste people's time.

[twincast]

This is also the first time I've seen ZNOP come into the community thread to waste people's time.

I'm pretty sure you're missing a "not" there.

[CenturianSpy]

He wanted federal money intended to help people living with AIDS to go to conversion therapy instead.

What is a political blunder is he could've easily walked this back since his original statement was pretty vague. Gavin Newsom did a great job of exposing and defining him.

He also caused the biggest HIV outbreak in his state ever when he was governor.

He finally came around on this issue after listening to experts and "praying" on the matter. I feel bad for all those who contracted this horrible disease during his indecision and hopefully everyone understand the need for needle-exchange programs. It's clearly a health issue and not a drug one anymore. Sadly, with the rise of heroin use this issue will be conflated and more people will contract HIV. Hopefully VPE Pence's experience will guide PE Trump and whomever he appoints as Surgeon General and this saves lives.

[Wiccan615]

So Yuuri on Ice is the first sports anime with a healthy, multicultural gay couple? That's awesome, and kind of a big deal if they end up developing it.

[MasterOfMagnetism]

I'm pretty sure you're missing a "not" there.

Oh has ZNOP been in here to troll before? I must have thankfully missed that.

[Silvermoth]

Not the world I thought I'd be living in in my 40s:

U.S. transgender people rush to legally change gender in wake of Trump's win

Props to the lawyers donating their time, though.

Yeah, things are so crazy. I feel so sorry for the trans community. It's bad for gay people but we had the briefest of good runs for a bit but them not so much. So many thought things would really kick off in the next administration. Unfortunately they might be right

[Carabas]

Oh has ZNOP been in here to troll before? I must have thankfully missed that.

Yeah, seen him around here before.
But I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, and the post he was quoting was slightly in error.

[twincast]

So Yuuri on Ice is the first sports anime with a healthy, multicultural gay couple? That's awesome, and kind of a big deal if they end up developing it.

Main reason I'm supporting it by actually importing those thrice overpriced Japanese anime BDs for a change. And as an added feel-good bonus it's hella popular (with a veritable mountain of merchandise).

[Wiccan615]

Main reason I'm supporting it by actually importing those thrice overpriced Japanese anime BDs for a change. And as an added feel-good bonus it's hella popular (with a veritable mountain of merchandise).

My best friend loves it and has been telling me to watch it for weeks now! And I love collecting merch so that's a bonus :3

I never thought these sports animes would actually ever show explicit gay romance, this is a big deal, especially for Japan which rarely shows LGBT content in a positive light, let alone through central characters. And if this is well received (which it seems to be) then this opens the door for a lot of explicit same sex romances in future shows.

[Kieran_Frost]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAMA RU!!!

Ellen DeGeneres honoured with Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama
http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-38011447

Ellen DeGeneres and Bruce Springsteen are among the stars set to receive the highest US civilian honour. The Presidential Medal of Freedom recognises people who have made "especially meritorious contributions" to the US, the White House said. President Barack Obama will honour the 21 people at a ceremony on Tuesday. He said the medal was a "tribute to the idea that all of us, no matter where we come from, have the opportunity to change this country for the better. From scientists, philanthropists, and public servants to activists, athletes, and artists, these 21 individuals have helped push America forward, inspiring millions of people around the world along the way."

Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro, Diana Ross and Robert Redford are among the other honourees from the entertainment world. Bill and Melinda Gates and Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels will also be recognised. Honourees from the sports world include basketball players Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Jordan, along with veteran sports broadcaster Vin Scully. Designer Maya Lin, polymath physicist Richard Garwin, architect Frank Gehry, attorney Newt Minow, mathematician and computer scientist Margaret H Hamilton and Eduardo Padron, and president of Miami Dade College in Florida will also receive the medal.

[t hedge coke]

I never thought these sports animes would actually ever show explicit gay romance, this is a big deal, especially for Japan which rarely shows LGBT content in a positive light, let alone through central characters.

Considering the plethora of LGBT comics, movies, novels, and also the immense body of deliberate homoerotic content in Japanese entertainment, I'm not sure I really believe that "Japan... rarely shows LGBT content in a positive light."

That the show went "explicit" is a thing, yes. But, has there been a major sports drama out of Japan that wasn't coasting very strongly on homoerotic content, in either television or comics, in the last twenty years?

[twincast]

Considering the plethora of LGBT comics, movies, novels, and also the immense body of deliberate homoerotic content in Japanese entertainment, I'm not sure I really believe that "Japan... rarely shows LGBT content in a positive light."

The point being doing so in mainstream media; in recent years there's been considerable progress in various anime that now kind of cumulated in Yuri!!! on Ice, hopefully for lasting effect, but for many years before (male) homosexual non-joke content had been strictly kept in its own (major) corner of the market, safe for a few very rare instances of rather clear code.

Also, show me that "plethora" of Japanese LGBT movies you speak of, will ya?

That the show went "explicit" is a thing, yes. But, has there been a major sports drama out of Japan that wasn't coasting very strongly on homoerotic content, in either television or comics, in the last twenty years?

Eh, most of the popular pretty boy pairings are wholly sprung from fans' minds, and even the occasional heavy bromance almost always comes with definite confirmation of heterosexuality - usually by way of an obvious/official female love interest, occassionally by statements totally out of the blue (looking at you, Free!, you traitor scum). Besides, queer-baiting fanservice doesn't count as representation to me, and non-confirming (barely) plausible deniability as not to scare off the deliberately/astoundingly blind elements of the audience at this point barely more so. (I'm still pissed about Soukyuu no Fafner's regression in this regard - on top of the overall disappointment over Exodus's story in general.)

[t hedge coke]

Also, show me that "plethora" of Japanese LGBT movies you speak of,

Bent, a Japanese/British production about the persecution of homosexuals by the Nazis comes immediately to mind. As does Academy; The Adolescence of Utena; Big Bang Love, Juvenile A; The Awakening of Love.

Let's not forget that the film adaptation of Naked Lunch was in large part funded by Japan for the Japanese and world market.

Boys Love was a DTV movie so successful its sequel, Schoolboy Crush was released theatrically. (How often does that happen?)

When the lead character in Wild Zero finds out the love of his life (who he had just recently met) is trans, and panics, he is upbraided by the lead singer of Guitar Wolf, who commands him to go back, because, "Love has no borders, nationalities, or genders!"

Love Vibes. Hush. On a slightly more villainous note, though not as much as you'd think, Eko Eko Azarak, which is also directed by a gay woman who has done some of the best comics adaptations (as that is) and superhero movies to come out of Japan. Something that would never happen in, for example, the United States, particularly at a theatrical release level. Love My Life. Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence.

That's without making much effort. It's four something in the morning, so I'm just freewheeling this answer. And, I totes steered clear of erotica or non-explicitly-LGBT material or anything with minor side characters. I even stuck to theatrically released features, unless specifically noted.

Eh, most of the popular pretty boy pairings are wholly sprung from fans' minds

There's an enormity of interviews, commentaries, and dialogues with artists, directors, writers and actors that would seem to contradict that.

Of course, as someone who is bisexual and likes a lot of "sweet" romance, the idea that "they didn't go full gay" = queer-baiting or w'ev has always bugged me. People are free to feel it, but it's never not struck me as that person expecting all representations or expressions to fit their parameters. And, at worst, you end up with "there was no explicit sex, so, not queer at all!" (I'm not accusing you of this, but certainly there are posters here at CBR who do take it that far, regularly.)