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Fast Five Fix: July 11

Queer/trans Bollywood film takes Bangladesh by storm, Calvin Klein turned his ex straight, Canada wins in number of out gays per capita, and Frank Ocean’s new song is going to be your new fav

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Its Slurpee day! Speaking of chilly reception, Towleroad says Rep. Barney Frank, who married this weekend, says that — while they’ve not said bad things to him — House Republicans failed to show to the wedding or publicly congratulate him. At least he’s not a Texas Democrat: Dallas Voice says that most of them are passing on the opportunity we reported on earlier this week to fight the anti-gay elephant in Congress’s room, the Defense of Marriage Act. Now here’s all the queer news that fit to regurgitate in bullet form:

  • Autostraddle tells us about the movie taking Bangladesh by storm: ‘Common Gender,’ a Bollywood film about a love story between a “hijra” and a Hindu boy.
  • Maybe fashion designer Calvin Klein is just so incredible in bed, that his ex-boyfriend Nick Gruber knew he could never be satisfied by another man again. Well, for whatever reason he may have, Queerty says that Gruber is back with girls (and a Girls Gone Wild girl at that). How sad, he purrty.
  • Google tells us more about that ‘Legalise Love’ conference and campaign, where they hope to eradicate anti-gay laws in the nations where they have offices so “all of our employees have the same inclusive experience outside of the office as they do at work.”
  • Is Canada more queer (per capita) than the U.S.? A new poll says yes: 5% in the general population and (read to the bottom, talk about a buried lead) 10% of those 18-34 say “Yes I Am” like Melissa Etheridge, says the National Post.
  • Queerty says both queeresque pop icon Lady Gaga and feisty gay porn king Michael Lucas are launching their own social networks. So yeah, that’s happening.

VIDEO | New Frank Ocean performance on Jimmy Fallon debuts new queer love song, first TV performance ever for the newly out rising R&B powerhouse on his first full solo project outside of Odd Future. And its gorgeous. I mean effing gorgeous. Its your new favorite song, no joke.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyWRUzQoi6g

(h/t JoeMyGod)

“I could never make him love me. I could never make him love me.” Yes, I’m playing this on repeat all day.

Tonight, our friends at Outrage recommend ‘iCandy’ ladies night at MOVA, ‘Smart Ass Trivia’ at Nellie’s, ‘New Meat’ amateur stripper audition at Ziegfeld’s/Secrets or Cobalt karaoke if you need to get over your hump day.

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Virginia

Walkinshaw wins Democratic primary in Va. 11th Congressional District

Special election winner will succeed Gerry Connolly

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James Walkinshaw(Photo public domain)

On Saturday, Fairfax County Supervisor James Walkinshaw won the Democratic primary for the special election that will determine who will represent Virginia’s 11th Congressional District.

The special election is being held following the death of the late Congressman Gerry Connolly, who represented the district from 2008 until 2024, when he announced his retirement, and subsequently passed away from cancer in May.

Walkinshaw is not unknown to Virginia’s 11th District — he has served on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors since 2020 and had served as Connolly’s chief of staff from 2009 to 2019. Before he passed away, Connolly had endorsed Walkinshaw to take his place, claiming that choosing Walkinshaw to be his chief of staff was “one of the best decisions I ever made.”

The Democratic nominee has run his campaign on mitigating Trump’s “dangerous” agenda of dismantling the federal bureaucracy, which in the district is a major issue as many of the district’s residents are federal employees and contractors.

“I’m honored and humbled to have earned the Democratic nomination for the district I’ve spent my career serving,” Walkinshaw said on X. “This victory was powered by neighbors, volunteers, and supporters who believe in protecting our democracy, defending our freedoms, and delivering for working families.”

In addition to protecting federal workers, Walkinshaw has a long list of progressive priorities — some of which include creating affordable housing, reducing gun violence, expanding immigrant protections, and “advancing equality for all” by adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the Fair Housing Act.

Various democratic PACs contributed more than $2 million to Walkinshaw’s ad campaigns, much of which touted his connection to Connolly.

Walkinshaw will face Republican Stewart Whitson in the special election in September, where he is the likely favorite to win.

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Maryland

LGBTQ suicide prevention hotline option is going away. Here’s where else to go in Md.

Changes will take effect July 17

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(Bigstock photo by Mihailo K)

By ANNA RUBENSTEIN | The national suicide prevention hotline will no longer offer specialized support to LGBTQ people, starting July 17, the Trump administration announced last week.

Dialing the hotline at 988 will still be available for crisis support. But callers will no longer be able to reach specific LGBTQ services by pressing Option 3. The change worries advocates because their data shows the LGBTQ community has a disproportionally high suicide rate.

Even after the option ends, here’s how to receive tailored support if you’re in Maryland.

The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

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Maryland

Silver Spring holds annual Pride In The Plaza

‘Today means inclusion. It means to build resilience’

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A scene from Pride in the Plaza in Silver Spring, Md. on Sunday. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Silver Spring’s annual Pride in the Plaza event took place on Sunday to celebrate the LGBTQ community and emphasize inclusion and resilience.

“Today means inclusion. It means to build resilience, love,” Robyn Woods, program and outreach director for Live In Your Truth, which organized the event, said. “I mean, just being surrounded by the community and so many great entrepreneurs, business owners, and just being a part of this whole rainbow coalition that we call the LGBTQIA to be about.”

With the event being her first time organizing for Live In Your Truth, Woods said she felt emotional to see the support and love at the event.

“Some people (are) bringing out their children, their babies, their grandparents,” Woods said. “It’s a lot more allies here than anything else. That type of support to me means so much more than just support from my community; just outside support, inside support, so much support around it, so much love. Everyone’s smiling outside, helping each other.” 

Attendees of the event were able to head over to the Family Fun Zone, an air-conditioned Pride Cool Down Lounge, or watch live drag performances in the main stage area. 

Along with entertainment and a shaved-ice stand, rows of information tables stood along the plaza, including FreeState Justice, the Washington Spirit, Trans Maryland, Moco Pride Center, and the Heartwood Program, an organization that offers support, therapy, education, and resources to the LGBTQ community. 

“I want people to know about our services, and I love what we have to offer,” Jessica Simon, psychotherapist for Heartwood Program’s Gender Wellness Clinic, said. “I (also) want to be part of a celebration with the community, and so it feels good to be here with other people who have something they want to give to the community.”

She added that within today’s political climate, to which she called an “antidote to shame,” it’s important to be celebrating Pride. 

“There’s a lot of demonization of LGBTQI people,” Siena Iacuvazzi, facilitator for Maryland Trans Unity, said. “(Pride) is part of the healing process.” 

Iacuvazzi said she was taught to be ashamed of who she was growing up, but being a part of a community helped her flourish in the future. 

“I was taught how to hate myself. I was taught that I was an abomination to God,” she said. “But being a community is like understanding that there are people who have experienced the same thing, and they’re flourishing. They’re flourishing because they’re willing to stand up for themselves as human beings and discover themselves and understand what’s true for themselves.”

She added that Pride allows for a mutual understanding to take place. 

“It’s more of a sense of belonging … and just taking that home and understanding you’re not alone,” Iacuvazzi said. “We’re each taking our own journey — we’re not putting that on each other. It’s just walking away with a sense of belonging and humanity.”

Similar to Iacuvazzi, Woods said she hopes attendees’ biggest takeaways would be family, fun, resilience, and pride. 

“Being proud of yourself, being happy for who you are, and representation and how much it matters,” she continued. “And I think all these young people that are walking around here get to see versions of themselves, but older. They get to see so many different lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual people that are successful, that are showing love, that care, and it’s not how we’re portrayed in the media. It’s lovely to see it out here. (It’s) like we’re one big old, happy family.”

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