God's Own Country is a 2017 British romantic drama film written and directed by Francis Lee in his feature directorial debut. The film stars Josh O'Connor and Alec Secareanu. The plot follows a young sheep farmer in Yorkshire whose life is transformed by a male Romanian migrant worker.

Upon release, the film received widespread acclaim from critics, who praised the performances (particularly O'Connor's) and story, as well as commending it as a promising start for Lee. It was the only UK-based production to feature in the world drama category at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the world cinema directing award.

In Yorkshire, Johnny lives on the family farm with his father, Martin, and grandmother, Deirdre. Due to his father having suffered a stroke and his grandmother's age, much of the day-to-day running of the farm falls to Johnny. In his free time, Johnny engages in binge drinking and furtive sexual encounters with other men. Returning late to the farm after such an encounter with a young auctioneer, he is berated by his father because a calf has died from a breech birth in his absence.


Gheorghe, a Romanian migrant worker, is hired as extra help for the lambing season. He arrives and spends his first night in a caravan that the family has organized as his accommodation. As the ewes have moved away from the main part of the farm, and as part of the farm's boundary wall remains unrepaired by Johnny, it is decided that Johnny and Gheorghe should spend several days camping nearer to the animals. When one of the ewes gives birth to an unconscious runt, Johnny is intrigued when Gheorghe is able to resuscitate and care for it. One morning, after Johnny refers to Gheorghe yet again as a "gypsy", Gheorghe tackles him to the ground and warns Johnny not to speak that way to him again.

The next day, the two men again engage in a fight which results in Johnny performing fellatio on Gheorghe and the two men have rough and passionate sex in the dirt. While Johnny initially does not acknowledge the encounter, the two share cigarettes and a sugar packet for their cup noodles throughout the day. That night, Gheorghe resists Johnny's aggressive move to have sex, instead patiently showing him that sex can also be tender, and the two men kiss for the first time.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/21/sport...y-nfl.html

Spanning the 1970s until today, the story of Gaétan Dugas - aka 'Patient Zero' - serves as the perfect microcosm of the evolution of AIDS in America and the country's response to it. 

Gaetan Dugas, who grew up in Quebec City, was a Quebec flight attendant, who was openly and proudly gay, and he liked to wear makeup. In the early 1980s after he contracted what was initially called "gay cancer" in the media, he provided his blood samples and the names of seventy two (72) of his former sex partners. Dugas's assistance with a subsequent medical study and his providing his sexual history played a key role in contributing to a study that helped prove HIV/AIDS was sexually transmitted.

Gaetan Dugas was initially demonized because of his promiscuity, being openly gay, and he was wrongfully identified as patient zero, therefore being wrongfully identified for quite some time as the initial person responsible for introducing the AIDS virus into North America. 

Exploring timely themes about fear, the demonising of the unknown and the danger of false narratives, this documentary weaves social history and scientific investigation into a poignant story of an individual who became intrinsically and tragically linked with AIDS.

Shelter is a 2007 American romantic drama film produced by JD Disalvatore and directed and written by Jonah Markowitz. It stars Trevor Wright, Brad Rowe, and Tina Holmes. It was the winner of "Outstanding Film – Limited Release" at the 2009 GLAAD Media Awards, Best New Director and Favorite Narrative Feature at the Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, and the People's Choice Award for Best Feature at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival.  Shelter represents the feature directorial debut of Markowitz.

Zach is an aspiring young artist living in San Pedro, California. He has put off his dreams of going to art school in order to work and help his older sister Jeanne, his disabled father, and his five-year-old nephew Cody, whom he cares for most of the time as the irresponsible Jeanne spends her time partying. Working as a short-order cook to make ends meet, Zach uses his free time to paint, surf, and hang out with his on/off girlfriend Tori and his best friend Gabe.

When Gabe's older brother Shaun comes back home from Los Angeles for a few weeks, Zach and Shaun develop a close friendship as they go surfing together. Shaun, who is a published writer, encourages Zach to take control of his life and pursue his ambition of going to CalArts. One night after drinking, Shaun kisses Zach. However, Zach is not prepared to give in to his feelings immediately and struggles with whether or not he may be gay. Soon, however, he goes to Shaun's house and the two start making out and spend the night together. Following this, Jeanne reveals her boyfriend Alan is heading to Portland for a job interview and she wants to go with him for the weekend so she needs Zach to look after Cody. Zach is reluctant, but agrees. When Shaun invites him over, he tells him to bring Cody along and the three have a great time together. Zach and Shaun's relationship begins to blossom, while at the same time Shaun builds a strong bond with Cody.


Zach feels uncomfortable when both Gabe and Jeanne learn about his relationship with Shaun. Although Gabe is supportive, Jeanne reveals her homophobic opinions and tells Zach that she does not want Cody hanging around Shaun because he is gay. She insists that since Cody's father is no longer in the picture, she needs Zach to be a positive influence and role model for Cody. At a party later that night, Zach becomes conflicted and ends things with Shaun, reasoning that he is not like him. Shaun tells him that it is obvious what he wants and calls him a coward for being too afraid to deal with it.

Brokeback Mountain is a 2005 American Neo-Western romantic drama film directed by Ang Lee and produced by Diana Ossana and James Schamus. Adapted from the 1997 short story of the same name by Annie Proulx, the screenplay was written by Ossana and Larry McMurty. The film stars Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, and Michelle Williams and depicts the complex emotional and sexual relationship between two American male cowboys named Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist in the American West from 1963 to 1983.

In Wyoming in 1963, cowboys Ennis Del Mar and  Jack Twist are hired by Joe Aguirre to herd his sheep through the summer on grazing pastures on Brokeback Mountain. After a night of heavy drinking, Jack makes a pass at a hesitant Ennis, and Ennis eventually positively responds to Jack's advances and the two have sex in their tent. Ennis tells Jack that it was a one-time incident, but they soon develop a passionate sexual and emotional relationship. 

Eventually, Jack and Ennis part ways; Ennis marries his longtime fiancée Alma Beers and has two daughters with her. Jack returns the next summer seeking work, but Aguirre, who had observed Jack and Ennis cavorting together on the mountain, refuses to hire him again due to his homosexuality.

Jack moves to Texas, where he meets rodeo rider Lureen Newsome; they marry and have a son. After four years apart, Jack visits Ennis. Upon meeting, the two passionately kiss, which a stunned Alma inadvertently witnesses. After having sex, Jack broaches the subject of creating a life with Ennis on a ranch, but Ennis refuses; he is unwilling to abandon his family, and is haunted by a childhood memory of his father showing him the body of a man who was tortured and killed for suspected homosexuality.


Ennis and Jack meet infrequently for fishing trips, while their respective marriages deteriorate. Lureen abandons the rodeo, going into business with her father, which in turn causes Jack to work in sales. Alma and Ennis divorce in 1975. Upon hearing about the divorce, Jack drives to Wyoming and tells Ennis that they should live together, but Ennis refuses to move away from his children. Upset, Jack finds solace with male prostitutes in Mexico.

The hidden gay lives finally being uncovered

By Matt Cain - 14th June 2021

Earlier this year, the TV miniseries "It's A Sin" rightly won acclaim for its depiction of the Aids crisis in the UK during the 1980s and 1990s. But when I heard people raving about the show, written by Russell T. Davies, I was struck by how many of them admitted to knowing little about the epidemic – and the destruction it wreaked among the gay community.

That’s because, even in today's much more accepting society, the history of the gay and lesbian community is largely a forgotten history. For a long time, the mainstream public didn't want to hear our stories.

"I would venture to say that the public were disgusted and outraged," says author Crystal Jeans. She points to the response to the watershed lesbian novel The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall in the 1920s as just one famous example of the way authors have caused hysteria simply by acknowledging queer lives. Despite the book containing just two very mildly suggestive sexual references, "everyone went berserk and it was banned", she says.

Stephen Hornby, national playwright-in-residence for the UK's LGBT History Month, argues that our stories have long been actively suppressed. "The only interest used to be in censoring or denying any queer elements of the records of the past. So, things were kept from public display, passages were omitted from books and sexual relationships were presented as passionate friendships. That was willful and deliberate distortion."

But now society is becoming much more welcoming of queer people, there's a huge appetite to hear our stories. And there are so many amazing stories to tell. 


https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/2021...-uncovered

One of the World's Biggest Gay Clubs Has Been Accused of Transphobia

[url=https://www.vice.com/en/contributor/genevieve-glatsky][/url]By Genevieve Glatsky - 06/22/2021


The staff of the iconic club in Bogota has been the target of allegations that its staff is elitist, racist, and transphobic in choosing whom to allow in.

BOGOTA, Colombia—On a recent Friday night, people adorned with neon wigs and elaborate makeup packed a closed street in Bogotá's gay neighborhood Chapinero. Wearing cocktail dresses, lingerie and wedding gowns, they embraced and posed for photos. Every possible presentation of gender was on display as contestants strutted down an improvised catwalk to a cheering crowd, showing off their most intricate and raunchiest moves. 

They had gathered for a ball, but also for a protest. 

Earlier that week, Theatron, one of the largest gay clubs in Latin America, had announced it would be hosting a dance and fashion competition known as a ball with the House of Cobras, one of the “houses” in Colombia’s emergent ballroom scene. 

José Toledo, known as Madre José Cobras, had planned the event with Theatron, the city’s iconic three-story gay club, for gay pride month.
 
But the day after the event was announced Toledo began receiving backlash from her community. Theatron, many say, has a history of discrimination. 


Since it was founded 19 years ago, Theatron has become more than a gay club. It's a staple of Bogota nightlife where a $16 fee covers unlimited drinks and access to 16 dance floors—each with a different style of music. But it has also been the target of allegations that its security staff is elitist, racist, and transphobic in choosing whom to allow in.

“These establishments are LGB, which is fine, but they won't include the T," said Sofía Gallego, a 23-year old communications student, trans activist, and webcam model who was at the street catwalk on June 4. 

https://www.vice.com/en/article/7kv4ky/o...ransphobia

Six French athletes talk about being gay, share experiences



PARIS (AP) — Six French athletes have spoken about being gay and shared difficult experiences they had during their formative years.

A documentary by Canal Plus called “Faut qu’on parle” (We have to talk) interviewed three women and three men.

Basketball player Celine Dumerc, fencer Astrid Guyart, and judoka Amandine Buchard remembered fears they had about their sexuality when growing up. The sentiments were shared by men’s skating champion Kevin Aymoz, rugby player Jeremy Clamy-Edroux, and former Olympic swimming champion Jeremy Stravius.

The documentary aired on Saturday, during Pride Month, and two days before Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib became the first active NFL player to come out as gay.


The 38-year-old Dumerc, who starred for France when it finished 2012 Olympic basketball runner-up, explained how she felt in her early years.

“You’re not sure what’s happening, you become attracted to someone who’s the same sex as you,” she said. “Then you start getting on really well and things start going a bit further. There are intimate moments.”

But Dumerc was distressed by some people’s perceptions.

“You hear all sorts of things like, ‘It’s an illness, it’s in the genes,’” Dumerc recalled. “You hear 20,000 absurd things.”

Guyart is the same age as Dumerc: “I was 18 or 19 and fell in love with a woman who was older,” she said.

One relationship was painful because her partner did not want to say she was gay.  “I wasn’t ashamed, but the person I was with was,”   Guyart said. “That’s not a great way to build your identity and to envisage a loving
relationship. It was destructive, in that sense.”

https://apnews.com/article/las-vegas-rai...785a8b9dd1

Carl Nassib of Las Vegas Raiders announces he is gay, pledges $100,000 to Trevor Project

Paul Gutierrez - ESPN Staff Writer - 06/22/2021

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib on Monday became the first active NFL player to come out as gay.

Nassib, 28, made the announcement in an Instagram post.

"What's up people?" Nassib posted. "I'm at my house here in West Chester, Pennsylvania. I just want to take a quick moment to say that I'm gay. I've been meaning to do this for a while now, but I finally feel comfortable enough to get it off my chest. I really have the best life, I've got the best family, friends and job a guy could ask for."

"I'm a pretty private person so I hope you guys know that I'm really not doing this for attention. I just think that representation and visibility are so important. I actually hope that like one day, videos like this and the whole coming-out process are just not necessary. But until then, I'm going to do my best and do my part to cultivate a culture that's accepting, that's compassionate and I'm going to start by donating $100,000 to the Trevor Project."

The Trevor Project provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to the LGBTQ+ community. It commended Nassib's announcement, saying in a statement that his donation will help it "scale our life-saving crisis services to reach the more than 1.8 million LGBTQ youth who seriously consider suicide each year in the U.S."

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/3168...ounces-gay

Well, this is not good news.

https://gcaptain.com/out-of-control-ship...e-to-toys/