The transgender man who made national news earlier this year when he revealed he was pregnant has given birth to a healthy baby girl.


Thomas Beatie, 34, became pregnant through artificial insemination. The Oregon man is resting and healthy. The birth was natural.


He was registered under a fictitious name and separated from other birthing mothers. - He actually gave birth Sunday, but news hit the Internet just hours ago.

Beatie, who was born a woman, kept his female sex organs.

"I actually opted not to do anything to my reproductive organs because I wanted to have a child one day," he told Oprah Winfrey earlier this year. "I see pregnancy as a process and it doesn't define who I am."

 

DO SMALL TOWNS WITH NO GAYS SCARE YOU??

It scared gay comedian ANT too! However, some interesting things were discovered along his journey.

U.S. of ANT follows the often outrageous and always comical writer/comedian as he travels across America in search of gay life.

From East to West and all points in between, ANT captures the diversity of the LGBT community and the personal stories of small town gay America through the eyes of both the gay and straight residents. His journey across the country reaffirms that spirit and humor are alive and well in the gay heartland.


It wasn't easy but he found a few gay people in Montana, and a few more in Mississippi. Then he went to North Carolina  and he found some gay couples raising kids. Alabama, Texas, and the not-so-popular gay spots of Florida, ANT crawls through them all!

I was born a little city town boy and was 18 I ran the hell away and never looked back. I am big city guy. I love lots of options and freedom of choices in a big city. But hey, everyone likes something different. Some want the quiet gay life. To each his own.

ANT did  7 episodes for LOGO tv  and you can rent the DVD online today!

Can't be in a big city for Pride?  Get your Pride on online!

The San Francisco Pride Parade will broadcast LIVE  Sunday 29th @ 10am!

(they didn't tell us if that Eastern time? or Pacific.....sorry)

Budapest police are preparing for organised attacks by Hungary's far right during the upcoming gay pride parade. Far-right leaders Gyorgy Budahazy and Laszlo Toroczkai have published a statement on the internet, inviting "Hungarian patriots" to travel to Budapest on July 5 to "protect Hungary's honour" from the international gay community.



    Police are reluctant to say how many far-right protesters they are expecting to disrupt the event and decline to give any details of police preparations for security reasons.

    But police are expecting harsher and more frequent attacks than during last year's gay pride march when a dozen people, including a German citizen, were beaten in various parts of the city by skinheads and eight attackers were arrested, said the paper.

    Only one anti-gay demonstration has been officially registered. Rendszervalto Forum, a far-right group, will follow up the gay pride parade by marching the same route after the event.

    On June 11, the Budapest police chief published an online statement banning this year's gay pride event, claiming that it would obstruct main traffic arteries in central Budapest. Following protests by numerous civil organisations, the Budapest mayor and liberal politicians, he withdrew the ban the following day.

VISIT GAY BUDAPEST

 

You are probably asking yourself, "What do these books have to do with travel??"

Well, they feature breasts and penis  from around the world and are must have summer reads!

(Though they are a bit heavy and BIG to tote to the beach....)

Shipping any day!   THE BIG PENIS  BOOK   -  7  pounds of penis 

12"  x  12"     hardcover  for  $60     with  400  pages!


After the bust out success of The Big Book of Breasts TASCHEN presents the perfect companion,  the fascinating phallus illustrated throughout history.

In The Big Penis Book we explore the centuries-old fascination with the large phallus, a fascination common to men and women alike. This hefty book is profusely illustrated with over 400 historic photos of spectacular male endowments, including rare photos of the legendary John Holmes. The majority of the photographs are from the 1970s, when the sexual revolution first freed photographers to depict the male entirely nude. Photographers include Bob Mizer of Athletic Model Guild, David Hurles of Old Reliable, Colt, Falcon, Sierra Domino, Third World, and Champion Studios, with each of these iconic photographers interviewed or profiled, along with information about each of their models.

See a video of the editor Dian Hanson

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM-

Israel’s Supreme Court has  rejected a petition to ban this year’s Jerusalem Gay Pride parade, an annual event that has been the focus of violent controversy in the Holy City in the past.

The petition, submitted by a group of hardline Jewish activists, called the parade scheduled for Thursday a “provocation.”

Jerusalem municipality had also objected to the event, with city spokesman Gidi Schmerling warning that it “harms social relations.”

But the court said in its ruling that the organizers of the event declared that they did not intend the parade to be provocative.

In 2005 an ultra-orthodox Jew stabbed three participants and was subsequently sentenced to 12 years in prison.

The following year the venue was switched to a sports stadium following violent protests by ultra-orthodox Jews and rightwing opponents who consider the event “a profanity” of the Holy City.

Last year about 2,500 gays and activists marched down King David Street despite protests by thousands of people.

Jerusalem Open House, the gay rights group organizing the event, said the parade would put Jerusalem and Israel “to the true test of democracy and civil rights.”

“Though we expect the struggle to be tough, we will not let the threats of violence silence us or challenge Israeli democracy,” the group said in a statement.

 

HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA -

Perched on the edge of the Atlantic, the beautiful port city of Halifax promises to welcome gays with opens arms and  get your gay travel adventure off on the right foot! We love that when cities do that!

Much of the downtown and historic waterfront of this seaside city has been preserved and lovingly restored, creating a wonderful array of art galleries, museums, intriguing shops, sidewalk cafés, restaurants, lively pubs, and stirring nightlife. So it's no surprise that Harper's Bazaar magazine rated Halifax as one of North America's hippest towns. For gay travel and adventure with groove, this is your city.

When Rosie O’Donnell and the R FAMILY Cruise first came to the city in 2005, Halifax received international recognition as a gay friendly travel destination. O’Donnell strongly praised Canada for its openness and leadership in gay rights.

Halifax’s reputation for gay friendly travel will be reaffirmed with the return of R Family Vacations’ cruise with Rosie O’Donnell and guests this July 13-20. O’Donnell, along with more than 2000 gays, lesbians, their families and friends will disembark from the Norwegian Dawn in Halifax’s historic port to enjoy the welcoming gay travel destination.

The timing of the 2008 cruise coincides with preparations for Halifax Pride Festival, Atlantic Canada’s biggest Pride Festival, which launches the week after Rosie and crew visit Halifax.

"Everyone at R Family Vacations is excited that our cruise is returning to Halifax again this summer,” says Gregg Kaminsky, founding partner of R Family Vacations.



“It is a port that we've known we wanted to visit again.” Kaminsky says that Halifax is a perfect gay family travel destination because of the incredible variety of excursions and sightseeing opportunities.
 


“In our five years, Halifax is certainly one of the most welcoming ports we've ever experienced,” he says.




Visit   Gay Canada HALIFAX  and  Gay Halifax and Rainbow Halifax for more Gay Halifax information!

June is  GAY PRIDE month around the world!

It is traditionally celebrated the last Sunday of June, in most cities. Pride celebrations stemmed from the Stonewall Riots in New York City.

The Stonewall Riots were a series of violent conflicts between LGBT people and New York City police officers that began during a 28 June 1969 police raid, and lasted several days. They were centered at the Stonewall Inn and are widely recognized as the catalyst for the modern-day movement towards LGBT rights.

Gay pride or LGBT pride refers to a world wide movement and philosophy asserting that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Heterosexual people have sometimes asked me, "Why do you have to have a  pride day? Why are you so proud? We don't have  straight pride day?" - It's about not feeling ashamed of who we are. It's about showing people our numbers, that we are in fact EVERYWHERE. We come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
Gay pride is about appreciating yourself and other members of our community for being different. GAY PRIDE means accepting yourself and celebrating who you are.


     

Gay pride advocates work for equal "rights and benefits" for LGBT people.  The movement has three main premises:
 
 - that people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity,
 
 - that sexual diversity is a gift,

 - and that sexual orientation and gender identity are inherent and cannot be intentionally altered.

Someone at Cedar Rapids Pride said, "Often the hardest person to come out to is yourself.  GAY PRIDE doesn't just happen. It is hard work to overcome the profound effects of abusive religion and cultural abandonment that afflict all minorities. Self-esteem is the greatest achievement that you can reach in life. Your sense of self-worth is so valuable, that you work hard all of your life to find and express it. To reach your goal of self-esteem and happiness requires knowledge and positive experience."

Jed Ryan from Lick The Web says, "So, what is "Gay Pride?" It may not be so important that we find a universal definition. What's more important is that all of us feel positively and lovingly about being who we are-- in our case, definitely including but not limited to being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered-- at least for one moment in our lives and hopefully more. And that can be in June or any other month, at the Parade or any other location, or whether you're 17 or 70. Ultimately, the real and most important meaning of "pride" is in within each one of us."

Marches celebrating Pride (pride parades) are celebrated worldwide, and every year, the number of gay people and their supporters grows bigger and bigger! We're here, we're queer, you'd better get used to it!


Michael  Snell

In the last few months, there have been thousands of articles cranked out by the media around the topic of gay weddings, especially in California. - So why not make a reality show about it?!

Enter  MTV. From Hawaii  to California, Gay Destination weddings are becoming incredibly popular. Are you Gay and going somewhere far from home to tie the knot? 

MTV wants to hear from you if your heading to California this summer to tie the knot! Make your wedding even more extraordinary by having MTV document your journey.


TRUE LIFE: I’m Having a Destination Wedding 

True Life employs first-person narrative storytelling to provide a window into the lives of young Americans. The show  will focus on the growing trend of young people choosing to get married thousands of miles from home. - Especially for gay people who may be taking off to California or somewhere else,  to be legally recognized for their partnership.



"We're looking to follow young people who are getting married this July or August that appear to be between the ages of 18 and 28. Email married2@mtvstaff.com and tell us your story. Please be sure to include your name, age, location, date of the wedding, phone number, and a photo."

GLAMPING? What is it?? I just found out!

While doing some research I came across Clayoquot Wilderness Resort and their blog. They are located in the fragile Clayoquot Sound Biosphere reserve near the seaside village of Tofino, British Columbia.

In the decade since opening, the resort has grown its 'soft adventure and soft beds' program into one of the most exclusive and unique vacation offerings in the world.

Clayoquot Wilderness Resort promises discriminating travellers an ultra-luxurious eco-destination, four-star accommodations, otherworldly coastal cuisine, super natural adventure, and some of the most breathtakingly beautiful wilderness frontier left on the planet.

Glamping- It’s on everyone’s lips. So why not provide a definition, especially from us, the original glamping destination outside of Africa. We’ve been glamping for over eight years, so as a glamping authority here is our definition.

Glamping is:
•    Stepping into the middle of a rainforest after a fresh rain
•    Feeding eagles from the side of your kayak
•    Horseback riding in the morning and deep sea fishing in the afternoon
•    Enough fresh air to make you dizzy
•    Able to push your comfort levels
•    Dodging black bears
•    Five star Adirondack amenities
•    A hot stone massage on the side of a rushing river
•    Able to remind you of times gone by
•    A place where your family can join you
•    Unlimited choice- when you want to dine, when you want to play, when you want to relax
•    Socializing

Glamping is not:
•    Your typical 5 star experience
•    A chocolate on your pillow
•    Just a place to put your head at night
•    A minibar
•    Dodging traffic
•    A suit and tie for dinner
•    Where you play video games
•    Dinner and a movie
•    Stuffiness
•    Solitary

I hope this helps in explaining what ‘true’ glamping is, from the mouths of those that started the trend.

Visit their site and blog and discover Clayoquot Wildness!

Ah,  Seattle!

The 5 best things about Seattle:

1)  Seattle is gorgeous.

2) The proximity to a lot of outdoor activities.

3) The people in general are more polite than the rest of the country.

4) The culture is great. Great restaurants, and great arts.

5) The Dammann Twins - Eric and Todd.
They sing, play guitar, and are both gay!


YouTube is an amazing tool that wasn't around when I was a kid! Now anyone with a webcam and some talent  have amazing opportunities and in fact, can be discovered through the Internet.

The guys covered Brittney's GIMME MORE and it has been viewed by nearly  half a million people!

At 21, these two Seattle boys are finishing college, packing their bags and heading to sunny California!

I caught up with the guys this week, in between finals!

"Moving to California is definitely next on our priority list. After we finish up some college work here in Seattle, we will be doing all we can to set up home base somewhere near Los Angeles. With all of the opportunities for performing and promotion down there, it is something we are looking forward to.


We want our fans to know that we are working hard to write and record some great music that is going to be very symbolic of who we are as artists. So many people have reached out to us and given us words of support and encouragement. We appreciate it all so much and everyday are more and more surprised and flattered by the messages and letters our listeners are sending. It is our ultimate hope to someday tour and see all these fans in person!


We don't have a record deal yet. This project is more of a demo than a full fledged album. The record we are working on is about 75% complete. We still have to finish writing and recording a few songs to make sure we have material that is not only work we're proud of, but a collection that is as diverse and well rounded. After that, we will spend some time mastering the tracks and making sure all of the kinks are worked out.

It's our first time really doing something like this by ourselves. Everything from the song writing, recording, and mixing, to the vocals and instrumentals are being done by us alone. It's a big task to undertake but this is something we've always wanted to do. Music is our life, and we couldn't imagine living without it!"



The duo was recently interviewed by Out magazine / PopNography ,

What inspired you to start putting videos up on YouTube?
Eric: YouTube really has become one of the cultural artifacts of this technology dominated/cyber space century. We love to sing and perform, so we figured, why not put it up on a site that would allow all our family and friends see what we're up to? I love the idea of being able to have a digital platform where you can share your creative abilities with anyone who cares to watch.

Do you think part of the appeal is that a lot of people have twin fantasies?
Todd: I honestly laugh at the whole twin fantasy idea. I guess as a twin, it's hard for me to look past my own relationship with Eric when I think about it. But I guess if that makes people listen, then I'm cool with it! If they come into it with that fantasy, I hope they'll discover the talent underneath the fantasy!

The guys were asked recently if they have  tried out for American Idol before?

"We tried out for the last season of American Idol. It was an interesting experience to say the least. Out of the 10,000 contestants trying out in Seattle, we made it to the top 100. We were obviously thrilled, but after continuing on, it became increasingly obvious that this was hardly a singing competition. Just like all "reality" shows, there's very little real anything on the show."


Don't worry guys -

you are well on your way!




Stop by their MySpace page  and listen to their music!

Eric has his own page and so does Todd as well.

 

According to the Associated Press - Dozens of gay couples were married Monday night after California became the second state to allow same-sex nuptials, offering a preview of the euphoria and anger to come as gay couples from across the nation head west to wed.

At least five county clerks around the state extended their hours to honor specific couples or to mark the historic occasion, and many couples exchanged vows on the spot. The May 15 California Supreme Court order overturning bans on same-sex marriage became final at 5:01 p.m.

"