Donald Trump isn’t exactly known for behaving tactfully in public, but the more the world learns of his off-camera behavior, the creepier he gets.

According to a new book, the former president regularly wore his homophobia and transphobia like badges of honor among his staffers, sometimes leaving them stunned.

Related: Donald Trump’s big plan to stall the DOJ comes back to slap him hard across the face

New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman’s forthcoming book, Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America details how Trump’s preoccupation with appearing to be masculine fueled his alarming behavior.

Haberman describes one meeting early in Trump’s administration with vice president Mike Pence and campaign aide Jason Miller, whom Trump said definitely “likes the ladies.”

“You know how sometimes someone turns out to be gay later and you knew?” Trump said, according to the book. “This guy, he isn’t even like one percent gay.”

Related: Tiffany Trump blissfully focuses on her wedding as the rest of her family descends into legal pandemonium

There was no Seinfeld-esque “Not that there’s anything wrong with that!” to follow.

Trump was also obsessed with speculating who in his circles might be gay, and frequently mocked Trump Organization executive Alan Marcus as “queer” and “bragged that he paid the executive less,” according to excerpts of Haberman’s book published by The Daily Beast.

She also spoke with former employees who said he’d often show off photos of women he claimed to have had sex with, which sounds pretty on brand.

“They also recalled Trump mocking gay men, or men who were seen as weak, with the words ‘queer’ or ‘f*ggot,’” Haberman wrote.

Related: Donald Trump’s fraud lawsuit takes a grim turn as Bernie Madoff’s lawyer enters the chat

Then there’s this unbelievably cringey story from the week leading up to the second presidential debate in 2016, when then-adviser Reince Priebus asked Trump a debate prep question from the point of view of a female transgender student.

Priebus, as “the student,” asked about using the girls’ restroom, to which Trump reportedly responded: “C*cked or dec*cked?”

A silence fell over the room until an unnamed person finally said “dec*cked?”, prompting Trump to make a chopping hand gesture.

“With c*ck or without c*ck?” Trump said again, according to the book.

Related: Donald Trump reveals the reason Lindsey Graham “kisses my a**”

An adviser asked the candidate what difference that would make, and Trump reportedly answered: “What if a girl was in the bathroom and someone came in, lifted up a skirt, and a schlong was hanging out?”

“Those who heard him speak were often struck by the fact that he appeared to be trying to shock,” Haberman wrote.

Queerty

A tension has always existed regarding whether and how many new immigrants should enter our shores. One side can be represented by Emma Lazarus in her iconic poem “The New Colossus” engraved on the beacon of hope, the Statue of Liberty, in New York harbor.

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

From “the golden door,” the extreme other side of the debate can be represented by Thomas Bailey Aldrich’s “Unguarded Gates” which warned of the open gates unguarded by the “white Goddess!”

…Wide open and unguarded stand our gates,
And through them presses a wild motley throng—
Men from the Volga and the Tartar steppes,
Featureless figures of the Hoang-Ho,
Malayan, Scythian, Teuton, Kelt, and Slav,
Flying the Old World’s poverty and scorn;
These bringing with them unknown gods and rites,—
Those, tiger passions, here to stretch their claws.
In street and alley what strange tongues are loud,
Accents of menace alien to our air,
Voices that once the Tower of Babel knew!

O Liberty, white Goddess! is it well
To leave the gates unguarded?

Many of us living in the great state of Massachusetts recently welcomed the newly arrived hopeful immigrants who escaped tyranny, poverty, and violence in their home country of Venezuela. They arrived on Martha’s Vineyard, an island off Cape Cod, as kidnapped victims transported there by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), aided and abetted by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R).

These MAGA Republican governors are using the refugees as pawns on their political chessboard to advance their political prospects by lowering themselves to the baseness of their constituent base. Racism was the motivating factor. These immigrants desired to come through the gates but were, instead, seen as Aldrich saw them – “a wild motley throng…[with] accents of menace alien to our air.”

While a young 18-year-old white man pulled the trigger at a Buffalo, New York grocery store, shooting 13 and killing ten, most of whom were black, the perennial system of patriarchal Christian white supremacy provided the guns and bullets.

We must not, therefore, dismiss the recent mass racist shootings and rallies in the United States merely as acts by some deranged or mentally ill individuals acting out their sickness. Rather, we must understand these incidents as individuals acting out our country’s longstanding sickness of racism and ethnocentrism in a growing normalization of domestic terrorism of political violence.

The actions and policies of powerful political leaders like DeSantis, Abbott, and Ducey send strong and clear messages of virtual consent for extremists to take up arms against what they consider as the continually rising tide of invasion coming from our southern border.

But if we as a country had heeded the warnings of the anti-racism leaders and grassroots activists from the very beginning, we might have been spared the tragic and brutal legacy of racism – this original and perennial sin – that has infected our nation. We might now find ourselves further, much further, along our path toward establishing a more perfect union, one in which We The People unite in equality and cooperation.

But the underlying toxin of patriarchal Christian white supremacy pours over us all like acid rain, preventing us from reaching our mandate in this experiment we call “democracy.” Until we listen to the voices and hear the experiences of people most affected by racism, we will never fulfill the promise of the Preamble to our Constitutions:

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

But conservative politicians continue their attempts to restrict honest and open age-appropriate discussion of our nation’s legacy of racism in our schools and throughout society.

Since January 2021, Education Week has found that 42 states have either introduced bills in their legislatures or have taken other actions that would ban the teaching of Critical Race Theory or restrict how educators discuss racism, sexism, and LGBTQ issues in the classroom. Sixteen states have already imposed these restrictions.

As long as we continue to sweep our racist past under the proverbial rug, like dust mites, it perpetually grows and multiplies.

LGBTQ Nation

Billy Eichner‘s Bros is, first and foremost, a big, raunchy, hilarious gay rom-com. But it’s also got a lot on its mind, including—oh, you know—the entire history of queerness and the hundreds of thousands of people who paved the way so that a movie like this could exist.

Some of Bros‘ funniest scenes find Eichner’s Bobby Lieber contending with this massive legacy as he and a panel of board members quibble over the exhibits for the grand opening of the (unfortunately fictional) LGBTQIA+ Museum in New York City. Seriously, how can one building possibly honor such an expansive history?

While we can’t even begin to answer that question, we can talk to Bros‘ ensemble—the incredible actors who make up the aforementioned museum board—about their own personal LGBTQ heroes that they’d like to see featured in a museum one day. Below, Dot-Marie Jones, Eve Lindley, Jim Rash, Miss Lawrence, and Ts Madison tell Queerty about the queer and trans icons who have changed their lives, and share what makes them museum-worthy legends.

Dot-Marie Jones

 

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“For me, I always say I never had a big coming out. I just lived my life and I was who I was—maybe it’s because I’m older, I don’t know. But the two main women that I looked up to, who were just always themselves—and I say them now because they’re friends—are Amanda Bearse [who appears in a supporting role in Bros] and Sandra Bernhard. They have never been anything but their authentic selves, and that’s what I try to do every day. And some days and make good choices and sometimes not, but you just keep pushing, and you keep striving. So I just appreciate what they stand for more than anything.”

Eve Lindley

 

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“I think there’s so many people who we don’t even know about—who I would love to know about—and I think there should be a way to pay tribute to them. And then there’s, of course, Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson who are such big figures. They do get talked about a lot nowadays, but they still haven’t really had their own kind of exhibit, or anything like that. And I would love to see more of a tribute to them.”

Jim Rash

 

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“I recently was just watching Visible: Out On Television, and I thought about all of these people. And one that popped out to me was Charles Nelson Reilly. Even though he’s a blip in [the series,] it talks a lot about his life, both in game shows and not hiding behind himself. But I just think there’s so many comedy legends that I would love to see a room dedicated to them. And it doesn’t just have to be comedians. But nowadays we can have holograms, so can’t we perform with them? Can’t we be on Match Game and Hollywood Squares with Paul Lynde and Charles Nelson Reilly?”

Miss Lawrence

 

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“I worked on a film where I played a gender-nonconforming individual who was around in the ’40s—in  The United States Vs. Billie Holiday—and his name was Miss Freddy. I learned that Miss Freddy was a real person, and he was a person that defied all odds. He put up resistance to the police, and being told how he could look and how he could dress. He was so responsible for the way Billie Holiday dressed and what she looked like, which influenced a lot of our our culture and fashion and beauty [today.]

And, while studying for that particular character, I learned about a former gay slave named William Dorsey Swann—that a lot of people don’t know about—who was a drag queen, slave. And what that showed me was that we have literally been around since the beginning! You go all the way back to the Roman Empire to you name it, we’ve been there from the beginning.”

Ts Madison

 

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“There are so many people that are deserving of a space. Just sitting here listening to Miss Lawrence talk… like, this is something that I just learned in this moment! And it’s moments like these that help me—even as an older queer person—realize there’s still so much more that we have to learn. And it’s [hard to] zero in on one person because we have contributed to so much. Look at how popular culture is now, you know? The things that are going on in popular culture right now are probably derived from some queer person.

When you talk about fashion, when you talk about slang, catchphrases, gossip—all of it! It comes from the girls, honey. The girls!”

You can see and hear more from this history-making cast when Bros hits theaters on September 30.

Queerty

 

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Diver Tom Daley is on vacation in Greece. A photo he posted yesterday probably prompted all who saw it to zoom in on one particular detail: Just what is that wording across his bulge?

We mean, that is the only reason you zoomed in, right?

Unsurprisingly, the lettering reveals the brand of swimwear. The speedo-style briefs come from KVRT STVFF. The make promotes itself as “designed for anyone who feels confident in their own skin.” You can check out more of its designs, which include neon pink jockstraps, on its Instagram page.

Tom captioned his photo, “Holding on to summer”. He included several other shots in the photo dump, including his husband Dustin Lance Black soaking up the sun at a beautiful, beachside location.

Related: Tom Daley shares what he and husband Dustin like to do every night in bed

Dustin Lance Black reveals “serious head injury”

A day earlier, Dustin revealed there was a more serious reason for their Greek escape.

 

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Returning to Instagram after an absence of a few weeks, Dustin said, “So I vanished for a while… A month ago I sustained a serious head injury that put me out of commission.

“Showing little improvement, my doctors ordered me to shut off my brain in hopes of it healing. This has been a challenging, frightening time for a creative type who depends on what’s in his skull to work, care and love. And now I understand the road back will be long. But this week my sweet, over-the-top husband took us to the Greek Islands to make me shut off.

“I can already feel this trip is a step in the right direction, and I finally feel safe sharing a bit again. Thank you for all of your love and patience. More to come. Promise.”

Incident during date night

Dustin revealed no more about the nature of his head injury. However, a month ago, he was involved in an incident at a gay bar, Freedom, in London. He was struck on the back of the head by a well-known, local club promoter and subsequently called the police to investigate.

Related: Dustin Lance Black reportedly calls cops after brawl in London gay bar

London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed at the time to The Sun, “Police were called at 00:29hrs on Thursday, 18 August to a club in Wardour Street following reports of an altercation involving a man in his 40s and a woman in her 30s. There were no arrests. Enquiries continue.”

A spokesperson for Dustin Lance Black told the newspaper the screenwriter and producer called police after someone “punched him in the back of the head.” They said Daley and Black were out enjoying a date night without four-year-old son Robbie.

“Tom and Lance were out on a date night without Robbie. They went to Freedom after dinner.

“Someone punched Lance in the back of the head, the person who punched him was removed from Freedom by security who checked CCTV, it was reported to police who are looking into it.”

Related or not, here’s wishing Dustin a full and speedy recovery!

Queerty

An Idaho drag performer is suing a right-wing blogger for defamation after the blogger falsely accused the queen of indecent exposure during a Pride event this summer.

On June 11, Eric Posey, who performs as Mona Liza Million, performed at Coeur d’Alene’s Pride in the Park event. Blogger Summer Bushnell later posted a doctored video of the performance on her website, blurring Posey’s groin “to make it appear as if he exposed himself,” according to a press release from Posey’s lawyers.

According to a July 1 report by NBC affiliate KHQ, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office and Coeur d’Alene police received multiple complaints about the video, none of which came from first-hand witnesses of Posey’s performance.

After reviewing the original, unblurred video, the City of Coeur d’Alene Prosecuting Attorney’s Office released a statement saying, “The allegations of indecent exposure, or other crimes cannot be supported by the evidence. Therefore, prosecution is declined.”

“After three months of silence, it is now my turn to speak,” Posey said in a press release. “Following Coeur d’Alene’s sixth annual and largest Pride in the Park on June 11th, an altered video of my performance was widely circulated online, along with false allegations of indecent exposure.”

“Despite being cleared of all wrongdoing, provocateurs have continued to spread the doctored video of my performance, not only defaming me, but also inciting a backlash towards the LGBTQIA+ community statewide.”

“I have no choice but to take legal action to hold those responsible for the lies accountable for their actions. My hope is that this civil suit puts a stop to the hateful disinformation campaigns being waged in Idaho.”

Coeur d’Alene’s Pride in the Park drew national attention this summer when police arrested 31 members of the white supremacist group Patriot Front on their way to disrupt the event. As The Advocate reports, Posey’s defamation suit asserts that Bushnell sought to capitalize on that attention.

“Bushnell’s false statements had their intended effect – thousands of people across the nation viewed her posts and many of them believe Posey committed a serious crime,” said Wendy J. Olson, an attorney for the law firm representing Posey. “Flyers with Bushnell’s doctored photo were posted throughout Coeur d’Alene and he has endured public harassment, hatred, contempt, and ridicule.”

“Bushnell lied to gain popularity on social media, but the publicity she received was not free; it came at the expense of Posey’s reputation and emotional wellbeing. Mr. Posey is eager to set the record straight.”

“I’ve grown to approach life mindful that the energy I reflect has an impact on every living being,” Posey said. “As such, I strive to radiate kindness, love, and patience in everything I do. Most importantly though, I seek to inspire all of us to live out our truth. I am eternally grateful to the Coeur d’Alene Police Department and City Prosecutors who worked tirelessly to uphold the truth, and am so appreciative of those in the North Idaho community who rallied behind me in support during this difficult time.”

LGBTQ Nation

“gay” – Google News

“Ladies Tea: Fall Edition,” a fundraising event, will be hosted on Sunday, Oct. 2 at 2 p.m. at Hank’s Oyster Bar Dupont Circle. 

Ladies are encouraged to celebrate fall while mixing and mingling at the Up Bar and outdoor patio space of Hank’s Oyster Bar.

Proceeds from the event will go to SMYAL DC, which supports and empowers LGBTQ youth in the D.C. region. 

Tickets for the event cost $15 and can be purchased on Eventbrite. 

The post Ladies Tea event to benefit SMYAL appeared first on Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News.

Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News

The Congressional Black Caucus will host a screening of “Why Is We Americans” on Friday, Sept. 30 at 5:30 p.m. at Planet Word.

The documentary is an intimate portrait of the family of Newark, N.J. Mayor Ras Baraka who merges art, culture, and politics in the fight for social justice.

There will also be a special presentation of “The Book of Baraka,” his Audible Original audio book that recounts his journey from poet to principal to peacemaker, through his own powerful, inspiring words.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

The post CBC to host Newark mayor for doc screening appeared first on Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News.

Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News

“gay” – Google News

In several anecdotes, an upcoming book on Donald Trump’s presidency by New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman – entitled Confidence Man – shows his obsession with the possibility of LGBTQ people working for him, including when he asked whether an imaginary trans student was “With cock or without cock?”

Haberman’s book presents Trump as an uncouth chauvinist who was overly concerned with the sexuality and gender expression of the people around him and often tried to talk about whether men are gay.

“They also recalled Trump mocking gay men, or men who were seen as weak, with the words ‘queer’ or ‘fa***t,’” Haberman wrote, paraphrasing information gleaned from former Trump employees. She wrote that he would mock gay employees, but never to their faces.

Former Trump Organization executive Alan Marcus said that Trump would “belittle” another executive just because Trump thought that he was gay and “bragged that he paid the executive less.” He would also call the executive “queer.”

In another incident, Trump had a meeting with Mike Pence and the former communications director for his campaign, Jason Miller, where Trump said that Miller “likes the ladies.”

“You know how sometimes someone turns out to be gay later and you knew?” Trump allegedly said. “This guy, he isn’t even like one percent gay.”

While the Trump administration made its mark with its constant attacks on transgender equality – especially on transgender youth – even the Republicans he surrounded himself with were shocked by his vulgar language for talking about trans issues.

In one story described in the book, Trump was preparing for a presidential debate in 2016 when adviser Reince Priebus played the role of a transgender student asking him about bathroom policies.

“Cocked or decocked?” asked Trump in response to the question, according to the book.

Haberman said that he was met with a “blank stare” from the group and someone eventually asked: “Decocked?”

Trump then made a “chopping gesture” and said, “With cock or without cock?”

“What difference does that make?” someone asked.

“What if a girl was in the bathroom and someone came in, lifted up a skirt, and a schlong was hanging out,” Trump responded.

Trump’s behavior towards LGBTQ people allegedly goes back decades, to when he would ask reporters if other people he shook hands with were gay.

According to Haberman’s sources, Trump often assumed that staffers of color at the White House were waiters.

“Why don’t you get” the food,” Trump told a group of diverse Democratic staffers at a 2017 White House reception. Priebus, who was White House chief of staff by then, told Trump that they were top congressional aides and then went to look for the actual waiters.

Later during the same reception, Trump told Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) that the only reason he lost the popular vote to Secretary Hillary Clinton was because “illegals” voted in the 2016 election.

“I don’t believe so, Mr. President,” Pelosi replied.

LGBTQ Nation