Sean Penn and Dustin Lance Black - Men of The Day

Gay rights night at Oscars

Needless to say how happy I am to see Sean Penn winning the Best Actor at the Oscars for his portrayal of gay rights champion Harvey Milk, America’s first openly gay politician in San Francisco, in Gus Van Sant’s Milk. Not only his performance in Milk was excellent and inspirational, but so was his speech at the awards ceremony - my RESPECTS:

"... for those who saw the signs of hatred as our cars drove in tonight, I think that it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren's eyes if they continue that way of support. We've got to have equal rights for everyone. And there are, and there are, these last two things. I'm very, very proud to live in a country that is willing to elect an elegant man president and a country who, for all its toughness, creates courageous artists. [...]" (video)


Press room - Sean Penn

Also, my big RESPECTS to Dustin Lance Black who received the award for the Best Original Screenplay for Milk. What a moving acceptance speech:

"...When I was 13 years old, my beautiful mother and my father moved me from a conservative Mormon home in San Antonio, Texas to California, and I heard the story of Harvey Milk. And it gave me hope. It gave me the hope to live my life. It gave me the hope one day I could live my life openly as who I am and then maybe even I could even fall in love and one day get married. [...]

I wanna thank my mom, who has always loved me for who I am even when there was pressure not to. But most of all, if Harvey had not been taken from us 30 years ago, I think he'd want me to say to all of the gay and lesbian kids out there tonight who have been told that they are less than by their churches, by the government or by their families, that you are beautiful, wonderful creatures of value and that no matter what anyone tells you, God does love you and that very soon, I promise you, you will have equal rights federally, across this great nation of ours. Thank you. Thank you. And thank you, God, for giving us Harvey Milk." (video)


Press room - Dustin Lance Black

*photos - via Oscar.com

Telegraph: Army's top general makes history by addressing conference on homosexuality

This post is dedicated to the Army chiefs in Armenia


The head of the British Army has made military history by addressing a conference on homosexuality, The Sunday Telegraph reports:

General Sir Richard Dannatt, the chief of the general staff, told members of the Army-sponsored Fourth Joint Conference on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transexual Matters that homosexuals were welcome to serve in the Army.

In a speech to the conference in London on Thursday, – the first of its kind by any Army chief – Gen Sir Richard said that respect for gays, lesbian, bi-sexual and trans-sexual officers and soldiers was now "a command responsibility" and was vital for "operational effectiveness".

In the speech, he said: "We have made real progress in our understanding of equality and diversity in the military context, and there is a desire to achieve more yet. My recent Equality and Diversity Directive for the Army sets the standard that we must live by, and, importantly, it communicates that standard to everyone in the chain of command.

"Respect for Others", one of the Army's core values, is at the heart of this directive. [...]

Sources close to the general, who is a Christian with deeply held views, said that Gen Dannatt was determined to speak at the conference because he wanted to demonstrate that the modern Army is a tolerant organisation, where people of any sexual orientation can make a valuable contribution.

The source added: "There will be a reaction to this by some in the Army but I think the majority of soldiers will welcome it. Being gay isn't the issue it once was. What matters on the battlefield is how you fight not who you sleep with – it's just not an issue." [...]

*photo - by GETTY, via Telegraph

Brad Pitt - Man of The Day

Good actor, sexy man, great guy!!!

Brad Pitt donating $100,000 to fight gay marriage ban

Brad Pitt announced Wednesday that he's donating $100,000 to fight California's Proposition 8, a November ballot initiative that would eliminate same-sex couples' right to marry.

"Because no one has the right to deny another their life, even though they disagree with it, because everyone has the right to live the life they so desire if it doesn't harm another and because discrimination has no place in America, my vote will be for equality and against Proposition 8," the actor said in a statement.

Pitt's donation marks the largest thus far to the anti-Prop. 8 campaign by an A-list celebrity.

Political strategist Chad Griffin, who is helping coordinate efforts in the entertainment industry to defeat the controversial initiative, said he is hopeful that the move will prompt others to get involved. He added that Democratic billionaire Ron Burkle has agreed to host a large fundraiser at his home in October to rally the entertainment industry against Prop. 8, which opponents say will take away important benefits such as health insurance and will complicate decision-making related to medical emergencies and other situations in domestic partnerships.

In recent weeks, tens of thousands of dollars -- much of it from outside California -- has been donated to groups on both sides of the issue.

The measure was placed on the ballot after the California Supreme Court invalidated the state's prohibition on same-sex marriage in May.

(LA Times)
***

Back in 2006, Brad Pitt has revealed that he and Angelina Jolie won’t even consider getting married until gay marriage is legalised in the US.

Brad told Esquire magazine: “Angie and I will consider tying the knot when everyone else in the country who wants to be married is legally able.”

*source of photo: Warren Toda/EPA (via LA Times)