Chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen discussed Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell on This Week with George Stephanopoulous. The Admiral hopes to “avoid a polarizing debate” on the controversial policy. Watch:
Director Kirby Dick and gay activist/blogger Michael Rogers discuss the new documentary Outrage which exposes closeted politicians and their hypocrisy. Watch:
Judge Nigel Lythgoe makes his homophobia plain on last night’s premiere of “So You Think You Can Dance” when two male dancers, one gay, one straight, performed together.
“I think you’d probably alienate a lot of our audience. We’ve always had the guys dance together on the show but they’ve never really done it in each other’s arms before. I’m really one of those people that like to see guys be guys and girls be girls on stage. I don’t think I liked it, to be frank.”
Watch the segment below:
AfterElton spoke with one of the dancers after the audition:
“It was more offensive than what they showed. Nigel said that he’s not sure that the fathers watching this at home would be encouraged to take their sons to allow them to learn to dance. Nigel told me that they [the show] has spent all these seasons trying to build up the idea that a male can dance and make it more acceptable, and we didn’t really help the cause. I told him that I have a father, too, and I went through that. I told him that the country is already going through a lot of changes and could handle some more. Nigel didn’t say anything to that. The judges kept going on about a man and a woman and I kept correcting them that it was a leader and a follower. “
Fellow judges Mary Murphy and Sonya Tayeh were also confused how the feminine roles changed throughout the routine.
UPDATE: Nigel Lythgoe responds to the controversy via Twitter:
I hear I’m taking a beating on the web due to my comments regarding same sex ballroom I thought I was the most accepting of it on the panel?
The same sex ballroom guys did remind me of “Blades of Glory.” However, I’m not a fan of ‘Brokeback’ Ballroom.
I am very sad the word ‘homophobe’ is being used. That is someone who hates homosexuals. I dislike effeminate dancing! Wake up and listen!
I believe overtly effeminate dancing destroys the opportunity for many male dancers to be supported. Being gay doesn’t mean effeminate.
We have had same sex dancing on SYTYCD from Season 1. Last year Joshua and Twitch. Before that MIa’s Prince’s routine with Danny and Neil.
I am passionate about dancers and dancing. I am not interested in their sexual preferences only their dancing and performances. Offstage ??
It’s a shame that controversy has blurred the true inspiration from last night, Tiffany Giegle.
For a total lack of homophobia from a dance show, watch Quest Crew channel Britney Spears on America’s Dance crew. Their judges didn’t seem to have a problem with their gender-bending performance.
It’s been almost 31 years since Dan White took Harvey Milk from us, and who knows where we would be now if he were still with us. Harvey’s courage and wisdom would have guided us though the AIDS crisis here in San Francisco and the growing gay rights movement that followed. He would have been 79-years-young today.
Even though Governor Schwarzenegger has yet to sign a bill instituting Harvey Milk Day, there’s no reason why we can’t celebrate it. California Ripple Effect put together a great list of things we could do to honor Harvey’s memory…
I’ll close with Harvey’s famous “Hope” speech, used so eloquently in the video below. And where ever your are Harvey, Happy Birthday!