• Janice Dickinson on Survivor contestant turned model JP Calderon's coming out: "I just wanted to tell you how fucking proud I am of you. Coming out yesterday must be really hard, and then being on the cover of a national magazine the next day?"

• Gavin Newsom on getting it on with former campaign manager, Alex Tourk's wife, Ruby: "I want to make it clear that everything you've read is true and I'm deeply sorry about that...I hurt someone I care deeply about, Alex Tourk and his family and friends, and that is something I'm deeply sad about and sorry for".

• Editor and Publisher on FBI agent Deborah Bond's testimony on Scooter Libby's knowledge on Valerie Plame: "[Bond] described the bureau's interview with I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby on Oct. 14, 2003. Asked where he first learned of Ambassador Joe Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, he had told the FBI then -- from the vice president, on or about June 12 that year, in a telephone conversation".

• Morvin Crumlish on computer generated "recommendations": "I find the idea of my bodily functions and sexuality being obsessed about by marketing professionals disturbing, but perhaps my biggest concern is that they are right".

• The Jewish Theological Seminary's study's on conservative Jew's increasingly accepting feelings on gay rabbis: "the decisions clearly raise the possibility among many that the Conservative movement has taken a move to the theological Left, further parting company from the Orthodox, and further approaching the Reform movement".

• Jennifer Hudson on being on American Idol: "...You go through this mental thing... You've been abused, misled and brainwashed to believe whatever they want you to think...I knew I had to sing my way out of it".

We've received a few emails telling us about Servicemembers Legal Defense Network's newly redecorated website, so we took a little peek and our minds are totally blown. Seriously, every synapse has been completed fried by the non-profit's new virtual digs. Anyone else in the world who ever has or wants to create a website should really bow down and worship the sleek revamp!

Alright, that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but we'll admit it looks very pretty. And it's far easier to navigate than its prudish predecessor. While poking around, we came across the group's mission statement. That pages opens, quite simply, with "A Vision: Freedom To Serve".

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This is some scary shit right here: scientists have stopped tests for a vaginal gel meant to block HIV transmission in unprotected sex. Scientists have been working with women from a number of African nations to investigate the effectiveness of the microbicide called cellulose sulfate. It seems it had the opposite effect. The San Francisco Chronicle elaborates:

An independent safety monitoring panel took a routine early peek on Friday at data from a study that had enrolled 1,333 women in Benin, South Africa, Uganda and India -- one-third the number researchers eventually intended to include in their experiment.
...
Monitors found that 35 women had already become HIV-positive since enrollment began in July 2005, and the majority of them were getting the actual microbicide, cellulose sulfate, instead of an inert placebo gel.

The microbicide that was meant to reduce HIV infection actually appeared to promote it.

Scientists are not releasing how many women were, in fact, infected. They did say they're "disappointed" with the results. Um, we should hope so...

What we don't understand is how it's legal for scientists to test this product on humans. Sure, some of the women may not have been having protected sex before the doctor's came around, but it seems to us that by distributing this unconfirmed gel, scientists were tacitly endorsing unsafe sex. Responsible science or unnecessary risk? (Perhaps that's why they took their test to Africa?)

We didn't think we'd ever find a 1980s era George Michael collaboration that could top his team-up with Smokey Robinson for "Careless Whisper". But, we did: this video with Aretha Franklin for "I Knew You Were Waiting". It makes us all warm and shit. Although it's a bit hard to believe anyone's still waiting around for Georgie Boy. As for Aretha - we're sure she gets hers...

Mark you calendar, kids, because on February 20nd, PBS will be airing Byron Hurt's investigative documentary, Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes in which Hurt explores the at times violent, misogynist and homophobic underbelly of hip-hop culture and economy.

Narrowing in on the homophobic aspect of the film, AfterElton's perhaps appropriately named Robert Urban sat down for a little chat with the straight director.

That's right, we said it: straight. So, how does a straight director deal with taking on an unspoken and undoubtedly hostile aspect of hip-hop: uncomfortably. Urban points out that Hurt's nervousness come through loud and clear, to which Hurt replies:

Honestly, I am not always comfortable having conversations about homosexuality and homophobia. It wasn't as if I was completely fearless about it. I felt it was important to...show my discomfort at times, like when I was talking to the transvestite guys. I know I have a lack of awareness and understanding about things. I want to make sure I say the right thing and don't come off as being ignorant. One can see there's some hesitation on my part.

Despite his own hesitation, Hurt realizes that there are topic that need to be addressed. Other people, however, don't see things in quite the same light: known homophobe Busta Rhymes walked off when presented with Hurt's homo-related inquiries.

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Things are heating up over in Italy. Tomorrow Prime Minister Romano Prodi will lead a debate on a bill that will allow unmarried couples - homos included - to register for state-sponsored benefits. Of course, his Pope Benedict XVI and his faithful friends have loads to say about gay unions, none of it good, including:

Projects aimed at granting improper legal recognition to forms of unions other [than traditional marriage] appear dangerous and counterproductive as they inevitably weaken and destabilize the legitimate family based on matrimony.

Though the Vatican would like to think it exercises considerable power over the primarily Catholic nation, a public opinion poll suggests otherwise. Bloomberg News reports:

Two-thirds of Italians favor legalization of de facto couples, regardless of sexual orientation, Rome-based research institute Eurispes said in its 2007 annual report released Jan. 26. Among practicing Catholics, 45 percent are against, a separate poll by SWG Srl showed.

Those Catholics will prove invaluable as the Vatican mobilizes its rank-and-file against the measure. Of course, it still seems like they're outnumbered. Thank the totally mythically, culturally concocted gods.

This story apparently broke a few months ago, but is only now making it's way into the mainstream media. It seems Venus Magazine publisher Charlene Cothran has found Jesus and realized the error of her formerly lesbianic ways. It all started back in 2004, when Cothran joined her queer comrades at Chicago's gay pride event, when she realized that she "doesn't belong" with the gays. Thus, last October, she released a statement, effectively rescinding years of lesbianism:

...I must come out of the closet again. I have recently experienced the power of change that came over me once I completely surrendered to the teachings of Jesus Christ. As a believe of the word of God, I fully accept and have always known that same-sex relationships are not what God intended for us...

With her change, Cothran said that her 13-year old magazine - one of the few for lesbians of color - will take a new, less homo-centric direction...

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If you guys are looking proof that queers are born, not made, dive into that there jump to see Bill Kaulitz of German boy band Tokio Hotel singing "It's Raining Men" on a turn of the century episode of German Star Search.

It's pretty fucking gay.

(Also, is it us or does Kaulitz look like some lesbian from an apocalyptic future?)

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Man oh man, little did we know what we would be getting ourselves into when we first stumbled upon this story. But, let's not get ahead of ourselves...we'll take you through it nice and slow.

It all started when we came across an article headlined, "Gay Actress Offers Washington Her Support". Naturally we were intrigued and started reading said story, which opens:

Disgraced Grey's Anatomy star Isaiah Washington has received support from an unlikely source as he battles his homophobia demons - lesbian actress Tammy Lynn Michaels.

We had to stop for a second and think, "Who?" until we remembered that we know TLM more for her role as Melissa Etheridge's lady lover than for her roles on The L-Word and Popular.

Back on track, we read on to discover that the ladies are apparently friends with Mr. Washington and that TLM's astonished by the recent outcry over Washington's well-publicized faggot-flinging. In response to the brou-ha-ha, TLM did what any concerned friend would do: she released a statement on her blog.

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It seems appropriate to post a little Manu Chao after that last post. Born in the Basque region of Spain, Chao (born Jose-Manuel Thomas Arthur Chao) and his family fled to Paris to escape Francisco Franco's regime. Their strong conviction for social justice and equality deeply influenced Chao and comes up often in his folk rock music.

Chao's always been an avid musician and worked with British rockabilly outfit, Hot Pants in the mid-80s. He had bigger things in mind, however, and struck out on his own as the century came to an end, releasing the critically acclaimed Clandestino in 1998. Sung in myriad languages, the album became an international smash, although didn't get quite enough recognition here in the States. Nor did his two follow up albums.

This here's the video for the titular track from his aforementioned solo debut. We've included an English translation after the jump. Regular babel fish, we are...

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There's a bit of a post-colonial scuffle happening over in merry old England. British activist group Outrage! made headlines last month when they called on world powers to raise their voices against some proposed homophobic Nigerian laws.

In a statement, the even outspoken Peter Tatchell railed:

We appeal to gay and human rights groups worldwide to take urgent action to press the Nigerian government to uphold international human rights law and to drop this draconian legislation.

In response to Tatchell's battle cry, LGBT activists from ten African nations have issued a cry of their own: shut the fuck up.

The concerned citizens - including South Africa's Thuli Madi (pictured) - insist Tatchell and his friends of playing a little neo-colonial politics by stoking the coals of a dying controversy through misquotes and false information:

Stay out of African LGBTI issues. You have proven that you have no respect for conveying the truth with regards to Africa or consulting African LGBTI leaders before carrying out campaigns that have severe consequences in our countries. You have betrayed our trust over and over again.

The leaders insist they want nothing to do with Outrage! or Tatchell.

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Things have been a little sticky over in Russia. Gay rights activists are out for judicial blood over Moscow's banned gay pride parade and have promised to take the matter to the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, Moscow's mayor, Yury Luzhkov recently equated homosexuality with satanism. Luckily, Russian President Vladimir Putin's keeping it all together. Or, something.

Asked about Luzkov's statements, Putin was forced to make his first public statements on homosexuality ever. And what a resonant, powerful statement it was - by which we mean they're really pretty worthless:

I respect – and will respect – freedom of people in all their manifestations. My attitude to sexual minorities is simple. It is connected with my fulfilling of my official obligations.

Wow! That's real leadership right there. We can really tell Putin has the interest of his people in mind.

After making the statement, wrapped up the press conference, saying, "I've got some assassinations to plan, corruption to foster and shady Iranian business deals to broker, please excuse me." What a gentleman.