Planet Homo

Johnny Weir Named L.A. Gay Pride Grand Marshal

Pop Star on Ice and Skating With the Stars judge Johnny Weir has been named grand marshal of the 2011 L.A. Gay Pride Parade.

The openly gay three-time U.S. figure skating champion and star of Be Good Johnny Weir has been an advocate for gay rights and will oversee the June 12 parade as it travels along Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, Calif.

"Johnny lives a life with a defined purpose, is dedicated to helping young people and is not afraid to be himself, sometimes not always an easy thing for a world-class athlete,” said Christopher Street West board president Rodney Scott.

Said Weir: “I’m not ashamed to be me. More than anyone else I know, I love my life and accept myself. What’s wrong with being unique? I am proud of everything that I am and will become,” the two-time Olympian said.

The 41st annual Los Angeles Pride Parade draws more than 400,000 people to West Hollywood for a weekend of events celebrating gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender visibility. It is organized by Christopher Street West, the group that produced the first LGBT Pride Parade.

Previous grand marshals have included Sharon and Kelly Osbourne, Chelsea Handler, Cyndi Lauper and Kathy Griffin.

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via www.hollywoodreporter.com

Twin Peaks red ribbon marks 30th AIDS anniversary

A giant red ribbon was staked to the eastern slope of San Francisco's Twin Peaks on Sunday to mark the upcoming 30th anniversary of the AIDS epidemic and to serve as a sobering reminder that the disease is still spreading.

via www.sfgate.com

Rep. John Kriesel speaks about anti-gay marriage amendment

Representative John Kriesel, a Republican speaks to The Minnesota House of Representatives regarding the anti-gay marriage amendment referencing Andrew Wilfahrt, a Rosemount solider who was killed in Afghanistan on Feb. 27, who was gay. Tonight on the Rachel Maddow Show, the parents of Wilfahrt, Jeff and Lori Wilfahrt, gave a heartfelt interview confessing that their speeches fell on deaf ears to the mostly Republican representatives. After roughly five hours of often emotional debate, House members voted 70 to 62 in favor of Republican Representative Steve Gottwalt's amendment, which seeks to define marriage as a heterosexual union in the Minnesota Constitution, sending it to voters for their approval during next year's general election. Minnesota currently bans such unions by law, but supporters say it remains vulnerable to legal challenges without the amendment.