Tag Archives: LGBT ally

Miley Cyrus Launches #InstaPride to Share Stories of Transgender and Gender Expansive People

Pop star Miley Cyrus is using her media strength to aid the trans acceptance movement, by partnering with Instagram to help non-cis people share their stories.

The singer announced the #InstaPride hashtag on Monday (June 15) to get the conversation going.

Shooting @isupersheng for #happyhippiepresents #instapride ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

A photo posted by Miley Cyrus (@mileycyrus) on

Cyrus wrote on Instagram, accompanying a photo of smiley-faced balloons — a design that has become Miley’s logo lately.

I’m launching #InstaPride today, in partnership with @Instagram, to share stories of transgender and gender expansive people from around the country. Over the next 2 weeks, you’ll meet them and the people in their lives who support them, as we highlight their stories of resilience.”

Her Happy Hippie Foundation, an organisation that offers services to homeless and LGBT youth, also supports the effort. Miley, who has been vocal about her own gender fluidity recently, invited different people around the country to take part in the project. The first story revealed on the #InstaPride hashtag is of Leo Sheng, a transgender man who has been transitioning for the past year and a half.

Matching tats with @isupersheng 💪⚓️#happyhippiepresents #instapride @instagram @happyhippiefdn

A photo posted by Miley Cyrus (@mileycyrus) on

For the past year and a half, my Instagram photos have been about my transition-filled life — graduating high school, starting college, making new connections. But the most obvious theme has been my transition from female to male. For me, a picture really does say a thousand words.”

Miley Cyrus Says She Identified as Bisexual While Filming ‘Hannah Montana’, But had to Keep Relationships with Women Private

Miley Cyrus has opened up about her sexuality and gender identity, revealing she told her mother Tish Cyrus she was bisexual at age 14.

Cyrus has always made it clear that she’s very comfortable with her sexuality, but for the first time she’s revealing that she realised at just 14 years old that she was bisexual.

In a new interview with Paper magazine, Cyrus reveals that she realised she was sexually attracted to girls as well as boys when she was still filming her hit television series, Hannah Montana.

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She added she considers her sexuality and gender identity as fluid, saying she doesn’t ‘relate to being a boy or girl’ and doesn’t need her partner to relate to being a boy or girl either.

I remember telling [my mom] I admire women in a different way. And she asked me what that meant. And I said, I love them. I love them like I love boys. And it was so hard for her to understand. She didn’t want me to be judged and she didn’t want me to go to hell. But she believes in me more than she believes in any god. I just asked for her to accept me. And she has.”

Cyrus also opened up about her sex life, revealing

I am literally open to every single thing that’s consenting and doesn’t involve an animal and everyone is of age.

Everything that’s legal, I’m down with. Yo, I’m down with any adult – anyone over the age of 18 who is down to love me.’

Although Cyrus had opened up to her mom, she was still just 14 years old and the star of Disney’s Hannah Montana — so sharing the news publicly was not an option.

Interestingly enough, Miley also told the magazine that she’s had some very serious relationships with women that were never made public.

People never really looked at it, and I never brought it into the spotlight.”

Cyrus launched the Happy Hippie Foundation, a non-profit organisation aiming to raise awareness for issues facing homeless and LGBTI youth.

In particular, she aims to help young people who have run away from, or been rejected by their families.

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The L Word’s Leisha Hailey Cameos in Jennifer Hudson’s New Music Video For Marriage Equality (Video)

Jennifer Hudson shines the spotlight on marriage equality in her ‘I Still Love You!’ video, which tells the story of a dad deciding whether to attend his son’s wedding.

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Jennifer Hudson is an out and proud LGBT ally, who is also the campaign ambassador for the ‘Turn It Up For Change’ campaign, which advocates for LGBT rights.

The video for ‘I Still Love You!’ is supported by the Human Rights Campaign, and W Hotels, and will help to support Logo’s #All50 campaign, which seeks to give out information to LGBT people and allies leading up to the US Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriage in the coming month.

Leisha Hailey makes a cameo as the officiant of a gorgeous wedding, and then JHud joins the reception for a huge queer dance party. Just try and get the song out of your head.

Julianne Moore: The Fight For LGBT Rights Doesn’t End With Marriage Equality (Video)

For many, the battle for gay rights ends with marriage equality, but we need to consider the wider spectrum of LGBT issues in ‘mainstream’ society.

Yesterday, Oscar winning actress and LGBT ally Julianne Moore posted a video for Lambda Legal’s #IDo campaign to help raise funds and awareness.

In the video, she highlights the reasons why the crusade for gay civil rights must continue once marriage is legal for all. Moore cites school bullying, medical care and violence against transgender individuals as three such examples, urging others to say “I do.”

Moore is seen as the perfect ambassador for Lambda’s efforts. Her résumé contains a diverse mix of LGBT projects, including roles in The Hours, A Single Man, The Kids Are All Right, and the upcoming Freeheld, in which she plays a terminally ill police officer who must fight to secure pension benefits for her partner (Ellen Page).

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I think it’s a very basic human-rights issue. Everybody has the right to marry the person they love and be represented as a couple and family. … It’s something that people will look back on in years to come and say, ‘I can’t believe it took so long for us to recognize this.’ It’ll be like segregation and giving women the right to vote.”

Egyptian Actress Mona Hala: ‘People Are Free to Be Homosexuals; It Is Not My Place to Judge Them’

Mona Hala is one of Egypt’s leading young actresses. In a recent interview, she called for the rights of sexual minorities in her homeland to be respected.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Dh6cFonht0

Hala, who has appeared in films including Cairo Time, Zaky Chan and The Baby Doll Night, gave the interview on 19 April to Egyptian television channel ON TV but the footage has only appeared online this month. The footage was uncovered by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) who shared the video on their YouTube channel.

In it she asks why it is necessary that the government includes her gender on her identity cards.

I have never classified myself as a “woman.” Quite the opposite. As far as I’m concerned they should delete that field from our ID cards … Why shouldn’t I be treated as a human being? Why does my sex have to be recorded? Why does the government have to know it? Why is it so important whether you are male or female?”

In response her interviewer asks what she would think would happen if a man went about dressed as a woman if gender was not recorded on ID cards.

He is free to be one. It is not my place to pass moral judgement on people. It’s none of my business. Homosexuality has existed since ancient times. Many people throughout history have been like that, so who are we to judge them? Alexander the Great who built Alexandria was homosexual. Is that a reason to destroy Alexandria or to change its name?’

Hala also touched on the suggestion that gay and lesbian tourists should be prevented from visiting Egypt or should be deported if they were discovered in the country.

I am opposed to discrimination against any human being, whether on the basis of skin color, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. Anything. It is the same as if, after the [Charlie Hebdo attack] in France by Muslim terrorists, they had prevented all Muslims from entering France. It’s not fair … It’s the same as preventing all homosexuals from entering Egypt. Let’s say that someone [is in a same-sex relationship] in his country and he wants to come to Egypt to see the antiquities and so on – what right to you have to prevent him from doing so? I don’t get it.”

 

Miley Cyrus: “I’m Not Hiding My Sexuality”

“There Are Times in My Life Where I’ve Had boyfriends or Girlfriends”

In an interview with TIME, singer Miley Cyrus explains that she doesn’t like to put herself in a box – she’s not bi, lesbian, *or* straight.

I’m not hiding my sexuality. For me, I don’t want to label myself as anything. We love putting people in categories, but what I like sexually isn’t going to label me as a person. There are times in my life where I’ve had boyfriends or girlfriends. And there are times where I just love being with myself and don’t want to give part of myself away to someone else.”

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In a new interview with the Associated Press, Cyrus admits that not all of her relationships have been “straight, heterosexual” ones. Though apparently, “Cyrus didn’t elaborate” any further in the interview.

The 22-year-old wants everyone else to have as much freedom and empathy as she does, which is why she’s launching the Happy Hippie Foundation to help homeless and LGBT youth by providing digital support groups.

The position I’m in, I feel like I’ve got a lot of power. But so many kids don’t feel that way. They’re under their parents’ rule.”

 

Miley Cyrus Says Not All of Her Relationships Have Been “Straight, Heterosexual Ones”

Miley Cyrus admits not all her relationships have been ‘straight, heterosexual’ ones.

The 22-year-old singer hinted she might be bisexual while launching her new Happy Hippie Foundation to help homeless and LGBT [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender] youth. She declined to elaborate further, but hopes to use her provocative image to promote more important issues in the future.

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She did go on to comment on the issue of youth homelessness on the back of recently launching the Happy Hippy Foundation, which seeks to offer support for homeless LGBT youths.

No one should have to hide who they really are, no matter what his or her name, gender or status. That’s why Happy Hippies are here to say that every life is valuable!

The position I’m in, I feel like I’ve got a lot of power. But so many kids don’t feel that way. They’re under their parents’ rule.

When you have all eyes on you, what are you saying? And that’s what I had to ask myself a lot. It’s like, I know you’re going to look at me more if my (breasts) are out, so look at me. And then I’m going to tell you about my foundation for an hour and totally hustle you.””

Her Foundation will also launch new music, including a collaboration between Joan Jett and Ariana Grande, to raise awareness of the cause.

It’s not going to be an overnight process. You’ve got to get into a lot of people’s brains and you’ve got to really make this a topic.”

Commenting on her sometimes controversial looks, Cyrus said pushing the envelope sometimes helped her progress causes like the Happy Hippy Foundation.

Cyrus, who recently split from Patrick Schwarzenegger, also admits she struggled with traditional gender expectations when she was younger.

She told Out magazine:

I didn’t want to be a boy. I kind of wanted to be nothing. I don’t relate to what people would say defines a girl or a boy, and I think that’s what I had to understand: Being a girl isn’t what I hate, it’s the box that I get put into.”

Reese Witherspoon Slates Actors Who Won’t Play Gay Characters

Reese Witherspoon thinks actors who refuse to play gay roles need to “lighten up”.

During an interview with PrideSource, the actress – who is currently promoting in Hot Pursuit – insists it is the job of actors to “transform” and be “malleable” and become many different characters.

I think gay people are able to play straight roles; straight people are able to play gay roles. The whole point of being an actor is to transform. If people don’t understand that we need to be malleable in our sexuality, then I think they need to lighten up.”

In her new movie she shares an intimate embrace and even a kiss with Sofia Vergara.

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She added:

I have a ton of lesbian friends, and I think any kind of women who relates to us or enjoys the movie – that’s awesome! The whole movie is: It doesn’t matter where you’re from, what your sexual orientation is, what you do for a living, what your ethnicity is – women are women, and we all have a lot in common. It’s liberating because it’s not all about our characters’ romantic lives or that we’re chasing men – it’s that we’re running for our lives and we have to figure out a way to get along so that we survive.”

Witherspoon shared a girl-on-girl smooch with Brittany Murphy in 1996’s Freeway.

Head here to check out the full PrideSource interview with Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara.

 

Queer Ally, Miley Cyrus Shows Her Support For LGBT Community

Queer ally, Miley Cyrus has shown her pro-LGBT support once again by becoming the face of MAC’s Viva Glam campaign.

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Viva Glam campaign is MAC’s AIDS Fund program, which donates money raised toward HIV/AIDS research. Previous celebrities to serve as the face of the campaign include Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj and RuPaul.

Cyrus has been a long-time supporter of the queer community, having previously claimed that she believes ‘everyone’s a little bit gay‘. She also has the equality symbol tattooed on her middle finger in support of same-sex marriage and applauded The Disney Channel for including a same-sex couple in their programming.

Last week, she discussed with Good Morning America her new MAC partnership, as well as her commitment to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

“I’m not the way people try to make me seem. I don’t go around just trashing hotel rooms and partying… I think [it is important to empower] those affected by HIV and giving them hope — letting them know there’s people out there fighting for them — especially not just for the cure but to end this kind of stereotype. I think it’s fun for young people to go buy a lipstick and know that it’s actually going towards changing the way their future is going to be.”

Miley Cyrus

Good Morning America also joined Cyrus as took some time out to visit the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Youth Center and to meet with Center CEO Lorri L. Jean and the homeless LGBT youth served by the Center.

Following the tour, she joined a session of the Center’s Street Smart program — a facilitated discussion group that helps and encourages homeless LGBT youth to develop safer sex practices.

“I was quite impressed by Miley and by her genuine passion to help homeless youth,” Jean said in a statement, “as well as her concern for the growing HIV infection rate among gay and bisexual young people. It’s a huge concern here in Los Angeles where 87 percent of those living with HIV are gay or bisexual males and a staggering 40 percent of homeless youth are LGBT. I’m grateful for the attention she’s bringing to the issue and look forward to working with her.”

Lorri L. Jean, CEO, Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Youth Center

 

LGBT Ally, Colin Farrell Gets Full Support From Ellen DeGeneres As She Tweets Praise

LGBT ally, Colin Farrell was given the ultimate seal of approval from Ellen DeGeneres for his comments on same-sex marriage.

This week, Farrell was interviewed in Ireland on new Claire Byrne’s current affairs show on the subject of marriage equality and the Irish referendum.

In the slot, the Irish actor passionately spoke about the struggles his brother Eamon – who is gay and happily married – faced growing up in Ireland. He gave a compelling account of the abuse and homophobia his brother Eamon suffered

“There was great hardship that he was experiencing every day in school. He went to school under great duress. He got plenty of beatings and got called names continuously.

I remember him coming home with blood on his shirt, and he got plenty of beatings and he got just called names continuously……..so he had a very very very tough time, a lot of cruelty, like real, absolute shameful cruelty that was placed upon him.”

Colin Farrell

In the interview, Colin went on to say he supports marriage equality “with every fibre of my being”.

Watch the follow interview here

Lady Gaga Discusses Her ‘Gay Beginnings’ LGBT Activism in New Interview

A good many people around the world know of the name ‘Lady Gaga’. Tipped as the equally as blonde, equally as Italian and equally as talented version of Madonna, the singer has made her name with both her outlandish fashion choices and her incredibly catchy, chart topping hits.

But in the LGBT community she is also known for her activism. Once coming out as bisexual (before scuttling back into the closet, announcing during Atlanta Pride that she is ‘straight’), she set up the LGBT friendly ‘Born This Way Foundation’ charity and it’s for these reasons that Lady Gaga has long been regarded as an LGBT ally.

It makes sense then that she’s continuously asked about her impact on the LGBT community, but even before she became vocal about LGBT rights her music label reportedly thought that she was ‘too gay’.

Speaking on French TV show “C à Vous”, the singer explained that

“I was told you’re too gay, you dance too gay, your clothes are too gay, everything is too gay and I told them, well there are homosexuals in the world and you know my intentions with my music is not to make money or be famous.”

Lady Gaga

While it’s unclear what her label meant exactly by ‘too gay’ (surely good pop music and sequinned leotards are universal?) but it is very apparent that Lady Gaga isn’t interested in how mainstream music perceives her.

And, on the topic of her music, she also added that

“My intention is to spread love. My whole intention… in every song, in every concert I talk about it, you know. It is beautiful, these images, these two boys who express their love for each other and are equal but if you think about the gay community of the older generation who did not grow up like that, who suffered, some has no money, some did not work, they didn’t have the same opportunities in the 50’s, 70’s than now.”

Lady Gaga

Spreading love is wonderful, we can’t argue with that, but arguably there are allies a little bit better than Lady Gaga. She has come under fire for racism regarding some of her songs and fashion choices (her song ‘Burqa’ and her use of blackface are just two examples), her use of trans slurs are less than admirable and she also refers to gay people as “the gays” which understandably doesn’t sit right with lots of people.

Nonetheless, I can’t really argue with that quote about spreading love so let’s hope she decides to do that albeit in a less offensive way in the future.