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Miss Missouri, Erin O’Flaherty, is the first openly lesbian contestant to win a state title in the Miss America pageant. “It’s certainly making history and I’m not sure I set out to do that, but I am the first openly gay Miss Missouri and contestant to head to Miss America so I am excited about that. But, mainly, I’m excited to represent the LGBT community,” O’Flaherty, 23, said on Good Morning America.

Her platform is suicide prevention, an issue she says is particularly important with young gay people. “People should understand that my year as Miss Missouri and hopefully as Miss America will not be solely about the fact that I’m gay,” she said. “While I honor the LGBT community and I am proud to be part of it, I have goals that have nothing to do with my sexuality. I encourage people to understand that this is who I am but it’s not all that I am.”

This year the pageant will be held Sunday September 11, 2016 in Atlantic City, NJ and will also air live on ABC at 9 pm. Erin is already a finalists for the 2017 Women in Business Scholarships Award. So follow her on facebook.com/missamericamo or Twitter.com/missamericamo, show her the love and support from the South Florida LGBT and pageant community.

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The Olympic Summer Games of 2016 held in Rio, Brazil have been recorded into our history books, as the biggest out athlete LGBT presence ever recorded. Although, we won’t be able to see the bulging muscles of the gymnasts, the hairless swimmers at the pool or the lycra shorts on the track for another four years, in Tokyo 2020, team LGBT did make a statement in Rio. However, in 2018 at the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, Korea, we are sure team LGBT will have a presence again. Who could resist the gay snow bunnies on the ski slops, the glitter turns in the skating rinks and better yet the lycra jumpsuits at the speed skating track? YAAAS Queen!

Anyway, back to Rio, almost half of the publicly out LGBT athletes competing in the Rio Olympics won a medal, which is a drastically higher percentage than the athletes in general. All told, 25 of the 53 publicly out athletes that we know of — a full 47% — won a medal, including 10 athletes winning gold. This number was made higher, thanks in part to the success of the Swedish women’s soccer team and the American women’s basketball team, which combined account for almost a third of the athletes winning medals. It is odd that being publicly out would translate to Olympic success in the Summer Games. You have to wonder if there is a correlation.

Gold Medals

Nicola Adams

Great Britain, Boxing

51kg weight class

Kate Richardson-Walsh

Great Britain, Field hockey

Helen Richardson-Walsh

Great Britain, Field hockey

Susannah Townsend

Great Britain, Field hockey

Rafaela Silva

Brazil, Judo

Women’s 57kg

Seimone Augustus

United States, Basketball Team USA

Elena Delle Donne

United States, Basketball Team USA

Brittney Griner

United States, Basketball Team USA

Angel McCoughtry

United States, Basketball Team USA

Caster Semenya

South Africa, Track and Field

800 meters

Silver Medals

Alexandra Lacrabère

France, Handball

Lisa Dahlkvist

Sweden, Soccer

Nilla Fischer

Sweden, Soccer

Hedvig Lindahl

Sweden, Soccer

Caroline Seger

Sweden, Soccer

Carlien Dirkse van den Heuvel

Netherlands, Field Hockey

Maartje Paumen

Netherlands, Field Hockey

Sunette Viljoen

South Africa, Track & Field

Javelin

Rachele Bruni

Italy, Swimming

10km

Carl Hester

Great Britain, Dressage

Spencer Wilton

Great Britain, Dressage

Bronze Medals

Stephanie Labbe

Canada, Soccer

Marie-Eve Nault

Canada, Soccer

Tom Daley

Great Britain, Diving

Jen Kish

Canada, Rugby

Women’s sevens

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Across

1 Da Vinci’s bridge

6 Rock Hudson’s A Farewell to ___ 

10 Vegetable dildo, for short

14 The Seven Samurai director Kurosawa

15 The African Queen, e.g.

16 Baldwin’s The ___ Corner

17 Provide food for

18 Brought forth fruit

19 Deli jarful

20 56-Across played Mary Epps in this 2013 movie

23 Noise at the Roxy

24 Brunch entree

27 Semen may be evidence on this program

30 Faith in music

33 Like a stifling relationship

35 Hosp. worker

36 Express pleasure orally

37 Scroll for the cut

38 Sandy’s sound in Annie

39 56-Across played Harriet Hayes in this 2006-07 TV series

43 It gets laid on some streets

44 Gather, after spilling one’s seed

46 Run-down neighborhood

47 Same-sex vow

48 Let the Dead Bury the Dead author Randall

50 Conductor Georg

51 Beauty and the Beast film frame

52 Meryl of The Hours

54 Star Trek sequel, briefly

56 Actress in “a number of performances”

62 Gay-friendly area of London

65 Trojans’ org.

66 8-Down had his last one in Paris

67 Think out

68 In stitches, to Edith Head

69 Dirty Dancing director Ardolino

70 Bow source in Robin Hood – Men in Tights

71 Little biker in a Gay Pride march

72 Satisfies fully

Down

1 Conference of the UCLA Bruins

2 “I’ve had better…”

3 Evening, in ads

4 E.M. Forster’s Where Angels Fear to ___

5 Pair of studs, e.g.

6 “Dancing Queen” band

7 Hoppers down under

8 Streetcar guy

9 Type of room at a bathhouse

10 Robert Goulet musical

11 Thurman of Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

12 F, in the orchestra pit

13 Bowie collaborator Brian

21 Stallion’s sound

22 Doc for lions and tigers and bears

25 Kind of dancer or fruit

26 Tongue-lashing

27 Marcia ___ (American Crime Story role for 56-Across)

28 Abercrombie & Fitch buying binges

29 Little one

31 Lucy of Charlie’s Angels

32 “___ it goes” (Ellerbee line taken from Vonnegut)

34 56-Across played Abby in this 2015 film

40 Not in the pink

41 “The closet” opening?

42 TV newsmagazine with Anderson Cooper

45 Jim of The Big Bang Theory

49 PBS helper

50 Kevin of American Beauty

53 German Surrealist Max

55 Type of award for singers, e.g.

57 Overhead predator

58 Material for Philip Johnson’s Glass House

59 Prissy hissy

60 Enjoy the scenery at a gay bar

61 Discouraging words

62 Undercover agent

63 Cheer for Lorca

64 Left in the field

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The 2016 Summer Olympic games returns to the arena in Rio Brazil, it could be the gayest Olympics yet. As we set and view the opening ceremonies on August 5th during primetime television, with millions of people watching, the LGBT community will have it’s own team competing. The 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio will have a record number of publicly out lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex athletes.

Outsports and LGBT historian Tony Scupham-Bilton have identified at least 41 out athletes who will compete, as well as three coaches. Several out athletes have also qualified for the Paralympics.

There is a record 10 publicly out male athletes, though none are from the U.S. There is also one married couple, Helen Richardson-Walsh and Kate Richardson-Walsh, British field hockey players. At least three publicly out head coaches, Alyson Annan  (the Dutch women’s field hockey team), Jill Ellis (head coach of the United States women’s soccer team) and Pia Sundhage (head coach of Sweden’s women’s soccer team).

We expect the list to grow, as more athletes are predicted to be coming out during the games themselves. This often occurs on team sports in Europe or in lesser-know sports where athletes are out, but haven’t gotten much publicity.

It with great Pride that we applaud our brothers and sisters from across the globe, competing and celebrating, as only LGBTs can.

Nicola Adams (Great Britain, boxing, 5’5″, 35)

Boxer Nicola Adams will defend her title after earning a spot in Rio at the European qualifying tournament. Adams has been a dominant force internationally, winning major competitions for the last five years including gold in the 51kg weight class at the 2012 Olympics.

Seimone Augustus (USA, basketball, 6’1″, 32)

Minnesota Lynx star Seimone Augustus, having won gold with Team USA in 2012. Augustus married her wife, LaTaya Varner, this past May just before the start of the 2016 WNBA season.

Tom Bosworth (Great Britain, race walk, 6′, 26)

Tom Bosworth, a champion race walker for Britain. Bosworth said, “He hopes to show other athletes that it is possible for elite athletes to come out.”

Dutee Chand (India, track & field, 5’4″, 20)

Indian professional sprinter and current national champion in the women’s 100 meters event. She is the third Indian woman to ever qualify for the Women’s 100 meters. Chand was dropped from the competing stating that hyperandrogenism made her ineligible to compete as a female athlete. Chand later won that case clinching a major victory for intersex and gender inclusion in the sports world.

Tom Daley (Great Britain, diving, 5’10”, 22)

Diver Tom Daley said he is gay, dropping the suggestion that he is bisexual. He also says he has a boyfriend, believed to be screenwriter Dustin Lance Black.

Carlien Dirkse van den Heuvel (Netherlands, field hockey, 5’7″, 29)

At the 2012 Summer Olympics, she competed for the Netherlands women’s national field hockey team in the women’s event. Fox News notes her as one of ten LGBT Olympians that medaled in London.

Lisa Dahlkvist (Sweden, soccer, 5’8″, 28)

A Swedish professional football midfielder who plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain and the Sweden national team. Dahlkvist identifies as a lesbian and came out publicly in 2008.

Katie Duncan (New Zealand, soccer, 5’3″, 26)

An Association footballer that plays for FC Zürich and New Zealand. She is married to fellow New Zealand footballer Priscilla Duncan.

Nilla Fischer (Sweden, soccer, 5’9″, 31)

Swedish footballer for VfL Wolfsburg and the Swedish national team. In December 2013, she married her partner Mariah-Michaela.

Generated by IJG JPEG Library

Larissa França (Brazil, beach volleyball, 5’9″, 34)

Beach volleyball player from Brazil, she is the all-time leader of beach volleyball titles, with 57 FIVB career gold medals. In August 2013, Larissa married fellow female player Liliane Maestrini.

Edward Gal (Netherlands, equestrian, 6’1″, 46)

He and the stallion Totilas (nicknamed Toto) were triple gold medalists in London. Gal is in a long-term relationship with teammate Hans Peter Minderhoud and has been interviewed in several Dutch media outlets about it.

Kelly Griffin (USA, rugby, 5’4″, 29)

American rugby sevens player, Kelly Griffin won a silver medal at the 2015 Pan American Games as a member of the United States women’s national rugby sevens team.

Brittney Griner (USA, basketball, 6’8″, 25)

American professional basketball center for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Griner publicly came out as a lesbian. She also revealed that she was bullied as a child. She is very passionate about working with children in order to bring attention to the issue of bullying, particularly against LGBT people.

Carl Hester (Great Britain, equestrian, 6′, 49)

Won team gold at the London 2012 Olympics. Hester is openly gay, and was previously in a relationship with international dressage rider Spencer Wilton.

Michelle Heyman (Australia, soccer, 5’11”, 28)

Australian football player who currently plays for Canberra United in the W-League in Australia.

Mélanie Henique (France, swimming, 5’7″, 23)

A French swimmer who won a bronze medal in 50 m butterfly at the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai.

Stephanie Labbe (Canada, soccer, 5’10”, 29)

Canadian soccer goalkeeper who plays internationally for the Canada women’s national soccer team, and with the Washington Spirit of the National Women’s Soccer League.

Alexandra Lacrabère (France, handball, 5’10”, 29)

French handball player, who has plays for the French national team. We know it is not easy to be out in the sport, but Alexandra, 24, just broached the subject. She said she loved painting, shopping and especially spending time with her girlfriend.

Hedvig Lindahl (Sweden, soccer, 5’10”, 33)

A Swedish professional football goalkeeper who plays for Chelsea Ladies. Lindahl suffers from vitiligo and has to apply high factor sunscreen before and during matches. She married wife Sabine in 2011.

Ari-Pekka Liukkonen (Finland, swimming, 6’10”, 29)

Olympic swimmer Ari-Pekka Liukkonen, 24, has come out publicly as gay in reaction to anti-gay laws passed in Russia. Liukkonen, who swam at the 2012 London Olympics, Ari-Pekka said the reason he came out is because the issue was not being widely discussed by the Finnish sports media. He also described the emotional toll of staying closeted.

Robbie Manson (New Zealand, rowing, 6’2″, 26)

Olympic rower for New Zealand, came out publicly as gay, talks about the struggles and coming out to friends before the 2012 Olympics. “There are already a lot of great gay sporting role models, and a lot who have achieved far more than I have, but I hope that my story can add something to what is already out there. To show other people who might be struggling with their sexuality, not only that it’s ok to be gay, but also it’s a good thing, and it won’t change who you are or limit what you can achieve,” Manson explained.

Hans Peter Minderhoud (Netherlands, equestrian, 6’2″, 42)

A Dutch dressage rider, Minderhoud rides with his horse Gameboy. He qualified for the individual competition as well as the team event. In personal life, Minderhoud is the lover of teammate Edward Gal, rated the top equestrian in the world.

Ian Matos (Brazil, diving, 5’7″, 27)

Brazilian diver Ian Matos has come out publicly as gay, “From a young age, I knew I was gay, but it was here that I got to live my sexuality,” said Matos, 24, now living in Rio de Janiero.

Angel McCoughtry (USA, basketball, 6’1″, 29)

American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Dream of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). McCoughtry has come out publicly stating, “Yes we been discriminated against! We lost friends! Family members are upset! They said I disgraced my religion! One thing I do know is that LOVE is a great feeling!”

Nadine Müller (Germany, discus, 6’4″, 29)

The German discus thrower Nadine Müller, announced her gay marriage via Facebook. She married her friend Sabine on New Years Eve. “We do not want to hide anymore or avoid any relationship questions,” said the 29-year-old.

Marie-Eve Nault (Canada, soccer, 5’7″, 34)

The Canadian soccer defender plays for the women’s national soccer team. She was initially selected as an alternate, excluding her from the 18-woman squad. However, after two teammates were injured in the group stage, Nault was selected as a replacement.

Ashley Nee (USA, kayak whitewater slalom, 5’4″, 27)

Maryland native Ashley Nee prepares for her first Olympics on the U.S. canoe and kayak team. She was training in Rio last month when a coach told her that she would be the lone woman on the 2016 U.S. slalom team.

Maartje Paumen (Netherlands, field hockey, 5’9″, 30)

Dutch field hockey player, who plays as midfielder for Dutch club HC Den Bosch. She also plays for the Netherlands national team and she was part of the Dutch squad that became World Champions in 2006. She is openly lesbian. Paumen was selected as FIH Player of the Year in 2011 and 2012.

Mayssa Pessoa (Brazil, handball, 5’11”, 31)

Brazilian female handball goalkeeper who plays for ŽRK Vardar and the Brazilian national team. She was one of nearly two-dozen LGBT Olympians at the London Games. She is engaged to a Canadian model, Nikki Shumaker.

Jillion Potter (USA, rugby, 5’10”, 30)

Potter missed the 2014-15 Women’s Sevens Series due to being diagnosed with stage III synovial sarcoma, but beat the illness and returned to the Olympic Training Center ahead of the 2015-16 Series. Playing in 22 of the team’s 29 matches, Potter worked her way back into the starting role she held before her absence, and was named to the 12-player Team USA squad for Rugby Sevens’ debut at the Rio 2016 Olympic Summer Games.

Megan Rapinoe (USA, soccer, 5’6″, 31)

American professional soccer midfielder/winger who plays for Seattle Reign FC in the National Women’s Soccer League. As a member of the United States women’s national soccer team, she helped the U.S. win gold at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup and 2012 London Olympics. Rapinoe is an advocate for numerous LGBT organizations, including the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and Athlete Ally. In 2013, she was awarded the Board of Directors Award by the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center. She is sponsored by Nike, Samsung and DJO Global, and has appeared in multiple promotional pieces for clothing company Wildfang, as well as for Nike.

Helen Richardson-Walsh (Great Britain, field hockey, 5’5″, 34)

English field hockey player, she is a member of both the England and Great Britain women’s field hockey teams. Richardson married Great Britain and England teammate Kate Walsh and both changed their last name to match.

Kate Richardson-Walsh (Great Britain, field hockey, 5’7″, 36)

English field hockey player, she is currently the captain for Great Britain and England hockey teams. An active sports person she is twice a winner of the Hockey Writers Club UK Player of the Year. Walsh married Great Britain and England teammate Helen Richardson and both changed their last name to match.

Caroline Seger (Sweden, soccer, 5’9″, 31)

Swedish footballer who plays as a midfielder for the Sweden women’s national football team and Paris Saint-Germain of the French Division 1 Féminine. She serves as captain for her club and national team. Seger is an out lesbian, telling QX magazine in December 2013 that she was proud of her girlfriend. In previous years Seger had concealed her orientation, but decided to speak out to be a role model for others.

Caster Semenya (South Africa, track & field, 5’10”, 25)

Semenya was born with reproductive anatomy that doesn’t fit into the world’s typical binary view of gender. Semenya was granted permission to continue to compete as a female.

Melissa Tancredi (Canada, soccer, 5’9″, 34)

Canadian soccer forward who plays for the Canada women’s national soccer team. She won an Olympic bronze medal as a participating member of Canada’s national team at the 2012 Olympics.

Susannah Townsend (Great Britain, field hockey, 5’7″, 27)

British field hockey player, she competed for England in the women’s hockey tournament at the 2014 Commonwealth Games where she won a silver medal.

Sunette Stella Viljoen (South Africa, javelin, 5’7″, 32)

South African javelin champion Sunette Viljoen, says she has been ostracized by many of her friends and family after meeting her soul mate and coming out as gay. “In the same week that I had so much grief and hurt, God sent a patch for my wounds in the form of love. On August 15, 2012 Limari Louw crossed my path. We have no doubt that God had sent us each other on that day exactly. As they say love comes like a thief in the night and the heart does not let it be dictated.”

Marieke van der Wal (Netherlands, handball, 6′, 36)

Dutch handball goalkeeper, she plays on the Dutch national team and participated at the 2011 World Women’s Handball Championship in Brazil.

Jeffrey Wammes (Netherlands, gymnastics, 5’7″, 29)

The Dutch gymnast has been a competitive force since 2005. His best events are floor exercise and vault. In 2011, Wammes appeared in an edition of Linda Magazine focused on gay athletes and stated, “There was already a lot of speculation about whether or not I like boys or girls. To me, it has nothing to do with sport or how I perform. But when I was asked to do this, I made it clear straight away how things were and that’s that.”

Spencer Wilton (Great Britain, equestrian, 6′, 43)

The only openly gay Olympian in Team GB helped his equestrian team secure gold at the London Olympics. Wilton is openly gay, and was previously in a relationship with international dressage rider Carl Hester.

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**Victor Gutierrez, a Spanish water polo player, was originally on the list, but he announced that he is not going to Rio.

A number of LGBT athletes will also compete in the Paralympics after the Olympics. Angela Madsen will compete for Team USA in track and field, and Jen Armbruster and Aysa Miller will compete for the USA in team goal ball. Lee Pearson will return to the Olympics in equestrian. Moran Samuel will represent Israel in rowing. Claire Harvey will represent Britain in track and field.

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FORT LAUDERDALE—The annual Mr. EOY (Entertainer of the Year) pageant held in Louisville KY, was captured by a South Florida native, talented Rolly Villaverde. This annual pageant has prestige and status on the national pageant circuit. Rolly, who is a dance choreographer in South Florida, went to Louisville KY to compete against numerous other men for this national title. He competed in categories of swimwear, creative formal wear and talent against other top contenders, and walked away with the national crown. His husband, Jose Vegas Manuel, Mr. All American Gent 2016, posted the pageant on Facebook as the competition was happening. We would like to congratulate Rolly on his achievements and bringing the crown to South Florida.

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RESCUE ANIMALS: THE BEST PETS FOR LGBT OWNERS

If you’re a pet owner yourself, you probably already know that the LGBT community is extremely pet-friendly: according to a recent poll, over seventy percent of LGBT adults are pet owners, compared with only sixty percent of straight adults. For many of these LGBT “pet parents,” cats and dogs rescued from animal shelters can make the best pets, providing a loving companion while supporting local animal rescue and giving pets a forever home.

While there isn’t much information out there about why rescue pets are the best pets for LGBT individuals and families, or whether LGBT folks tend to adopt more pets than straight people, there is definitely a connection between shelter animals and the LGBT community, and several reasons to look into adopting an animal from your local shelter.

The Best Pets Find You

Ask anyone who’s adopted a pet from a shelter and they’ll tell you: they didn’t choose their pet, their pet chose them. For LGBT pet owners, the decision to adopt a cat or dog might come from a desire for companionship, wanting to be responsible for another life, or simply a lifelong wish to have a furry member of the family. Rescuing a pet instead of buying one from a pet store or breeder has a number of benefits for owners and animals alike:

• Pet owners can focus on connecting with the best pets for their lives and activities, rather than spending a small fortune on a designer breed or supporting puppy mills.
• Supporting local shelters provides resources: whether it’s through an adoption fee or simply freeing up space for another homeless animal, shelters rely on adoptions to continue rescuing animals.
• Rescue pets are some of the most loyal and caring: it may be because they’ve been given a new lease on life thanks to being adopted, or just sheer joy that the right human finally came along, but you won’t find a more affectionate pet than a shelter rescue.

The best pets aren’t the ones that cost the most money: they’re the ones that need you the most, and for many members of the LGBT community, adopting a pet is an incredible way to enrich more than one life.

The Best Pets, or the Best You?

Visiting a shelter for the first time, many LGBT pet parents are struck by the number of homeless animals and are moved to provide a better life for one (or more!) of them. While there are many reasons pet owners might choose to adopt a cat or a dog from a shelter, some particular benefits that might drive LGBT owners toward adoption:

• Empathy: LGBT pet owners understand what it’s like being treated as an “outsider,” LGBT individuals may have to face intolerance, cruelty, and even neglect in their lives, and ending these struggles for a rescue animal can create a lifelong bond.
• Health: There have been countless studies on the connection between owning a pet and living a healthy life. Whether it’s the exercise you get from taking a dog for a long walk or the mental health boost provided by a cat curled up on your lap, it’s clear that adding a pet to your home enriches your life and theirs.
• You Look Great: this may not be the first benefit you think of when rescuing a shelter pet, but it’s undeniable that someone who saves an animal suddenly becomes much more attractive. Kindness and compassion look good on anyone.

Whatever your reason for adopting, rescue animals make the best pets because it’s not about having a transaction like buying a pet from a store: it’s saving a life, and giving a thankful and happy animal a stable home.

Skip the Store, Find the Best Pets

The number of LGBT pet owners is continuing to grow, and as the problems with breeders and pet stores keep surfacing, we’re sure to see even more members of the community turn toward adoption and rescue. If you’re thinking about adding a pet to your life, skip the pet store and head straight to your local animal shelter to take home some of the best pets: they’ll reward you with a lifetime of love and companionship.

Human Society Of South Florida

16101 W Dixie Hwy

N Miami Beach, FL 33160

305-696-0800

www.humanesocietymiami.org

The Cat Network

P.O. Box 347228

Miami, FL 33234

305-255-3482

www.thecatnetwork.org

Born Free Pet Shelter

P.O. Box 490823

Key Biscayne, FL 33149

305-361-5507

www.bornfreeshelter.org

Broward County Animal Care

1870 SW 39 St

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315

954-359-1313

www.broward.org

Miami Dade County Animal Services

7401 NW 74 St

Miami, FL 33166

305-884-1101

www.miamidade.gov

Animal Aid, Inc.

571 NE 44th St

Oakland Park, FL 33334

754-223-5378

www.animalaidinc@aol.com

Abandoned Pet Rescue

1137 NE 9th Ave

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304

954-728-9010

www.apr.rescuegroups.org

The Florida Humane Society

3870 North Powerline Rd

Pompano Beach, FL 33073

954-974-6152

www.floridahumanesociety.org

Tri-County Animal Rescue

21287 Boca Rio Road

Boca Raton, FL 33433

561-482-8110

www.tricountyanimalrescue.com

The post THE BEST PETS FOR LGBT OWNERS appeared first on Florida Agenda - LGBT News.

The Secret Life of Pets premiered this past weekend as a box office hit generating $145 million worldwide. And of that group, a good half were likely gay. You see, we LGBTs are major pet owners–some 70 percent of us have them in our homes.  We are, however, not your typical pet owners. Just ask Andrew DePrisco, author of Woof! A Gay Man’s Guide to Dogs (Bow Tie Press, amazon.com, $16.95).

This is the book that Joan Rivers called “my dog bible.” Woof! is the quintessential queer guide for dog lovers, offering a hilarious take on gay dog ownership unlike any other book out there! Author Andrew De Prisco and illustrator Jason O’Malley have created a LGBTQ classic that defines the 28 “breeds” of gay men and recommends which breeds are best for each.

From Drag Queen and All-American Boy to Twink, Leatherman, and Log Cabin Queer, every gay man will find advice and hilarity on every page of this award-winning gift book. (For gay men who are not sure of their breed, there is a temperament sorter to help determine their homo DNA.)

In addition to being a breed-selection guide for the dog-loving Q-set, Woof! provides no-nonsense information about how to purchase a dog from a breeder, bringing the puppy home, training, caring, and feeding for the dog. It also offers tongue-in-cheek pointers along the lines of choosing the best gay name for the puppy, shopping for extravagant accessories, throwing a gay puppy shower (for the gifts!), hiring the right staff to take care of the puppy, and using the well-cared-for dog as a man magnet.

DePrisco, who has been actively involved in the dog (and gay world) for over two decades, has tapped all his doggy resources to bring readers the most fabulous advice from some of the nation’s Top Dog Men, including breeders of Westminster Best in Show winners, world-revered judges, and international canine experts. The chapter “Studs and Bitches: The Secret Sex Lives of Dogs” addresses hot topics such as homosexual dogs, promiscuity in the dog world, and getting unleashed and hooking up at dog parks.

In the book’s final chapter, “The Rainbow Tour: Stepping Out in Gay Society,” the author throws a virtual pride parade of doggy activities, from the über-queer world of dog shows to vacations, gay resorts, and camping (with actual tents!). The true message of the book—beyond the campy humor, wildly funny illustrations, and off-color remarks—rings out from every page: Woof! is for everyone who wants to be the most responsible and devoted dog owners on the planet.

Here are some of thoughts, directly from the author’s mind.

“Dogs welcome any chance to be outdoors with a group of half-dressed homosexuals, whether it’s for a gay pride parade, a Lady Gaga concert, or a Log Cabin convention in the Ozarks,” says the charming author, who counts Joan Rivers and Carson Kressley among his book’s many fans.

As it turns out, there are a few key factors making dogs grateful for its gay owners. Following are just three:

1) The gay ‘family’ dog usually doesn’t have to play second fiddle to two-legged children.

2) Dogs are, by nature, greedy. They don’t like to share their meals, their toys, or their owners (men). Gay men are essentially just as greedy, though we will share our toys with men if they buy us a meal first.

3) Dogs love to be the spoiled ‘kids’ of a gay couple — two incomes and all the toys, clothes and nylon bones that money can buy.

What’s the biggest difference between gay dog lovers and straight ones? “Regardless of sexual orientation, any sensible, responsible person can make a great dog owner,” DePrisco is quick to point out. “There are wonderful gay and straight dog owners out there. When a sensible, responsible gay man commits to a dog, the dog becomes his family, his kid, and a truly important part of his world.”

When breeders, rescuers, or shelter-dog adoption counselors see a potential dog owner/adopter who is gay, they tend to jump for joy, figuring that the dog will enjoy a great, pampered life. Is there truth in this stereotype? “Truth exists in all stereotypes, even the positive ones like this one,” DePrisco says. “Yes, gay men tend to spoil their dogs, treating them like true family and giving them high priority. For lots of gay men, dogs exist as substitutes for lovers, children, close family, and maybe even good friends. Unlike most of our lovers, dogs truly enjoy being used and don’t panic when they decide that you’re devoting too much time to them. Dogs believe in commitment and are defined by their loyalty. Secretly, most gay men want to be like dogs, even when they’re standing.”

Acceptance, tolerance, unconditional love, these are things dogs give everybody, but gay people haven’t always been the beneficiaries of such gifts from their fellow humans. Are gays especially appreciative of that canine love — more, perhaps, than someone who’s never experienced intolerance or prejudice? Gay men have a lot to learn from dog love. Dogs are not judgmental — they will sleep with you any night you come home, even if they smell a raunchy Poodle on your breath. Dogs accept you for who you are. They don’t care whether you sleep with men, women, or stray cats. In fact, they’d prefer you share your bone with everyone as long as they’re not left out in the cold.

Many gay men feel a disconnect with their own families. Dogs live to connect, and the unconditional love a dog offers when he raises a paw or rubs his nose in his new owner’s crotch may be the first true moment of family a gay man experiences. A dog can really make a person feel like he’s come home, especially if he’s bearing a bag of groceries or a smelly pepperoni pizza.

“Dogs love to be used, as companions, playmates, bedmates, pets, and accessories! As long as they are loved and properly cared for, they will bloom into wonderful, happy dogs. Unlike gay men, dogs are fairly indiscriminate about the details of their lifestyle. They’d just as happily dwell in a $90 million penthouse on the Upper East Side as they would in a double-wide in Dollywood.” DePrisco says.

One of the wonderful takeaways of Woof! is the idea that commitment doesn’t have to hurt — anybody. Is a gay man quicker to give his whole heart to a dog? “I don’t see gayness having much to do with how open you are to giving of your heart or yourself,” the author says. “I know plenty of gay men who wouldn’t expend the energy to water a Christmas cactus, much less care for a needy, four-legged animal. But I think it’s fair to say that most gay dog owners are equally, if not more, as devoted to their canine companions as our straight counterparts.

All of which brings us back to why the movie The Secret Life of Pets is so successful? Just maybe it’s because we LGBTs are unafraid of exaggeration, are moved by strong emotion and passion, and tend to go a wee bit over the top. And, of course, gay men who truly live for their dogs. We put them right up on the top of the list–above our partners, parents, and (yes, even) personal trainers. One might wonder if the things that happen in the movie, actually happen to us when we are away from our pets, and if a scene or two was actually inspired by this book. Either way, the movie is a must see and the book is a hilarious must read and the illustrations are works of art.

Illustrations from Woof! by Jason O’Malley

The post Woof! Woof! The Secret Lives of Gay Pets appeared first on Florida Agenda - LGBT News.

The post Puzzle Solution for July 14, 2016 “Famous Homophobes” appeared first on Florida Agenda - LGBT News.

Across

1 Hazard for Sheehan

5 E with a queer orientation

10 Barely makes, with “out”

14 Inventor Elias

15 “___ you loud and clear!”

16 Stuff stuffed under G-strings

17 Male mating call?

18 Menotti’s middle name

19 “___ put it another way …”

20 Homophobic TV doctor of the ’70s

23 Bloom of The Producers

24 Peaks in Peru

25 Words said near crystal balls

26 Eligible for soc. sec.

27 Teakettle sound

28 Env. stuffer

31 Wilde tragedy banned in London

33 Anita, who founded the antigay group Save Our Children

36 Frugal sort

37 Quills subject

40 Move stealthily

42 Becomes wife and wife, e.g.

43 Exams on sexual technique?

45 President who called gay people “sick unfortunates”

47 Middle point

49 Mineo of Rebel Without a Cause

50 Russian commune

53 Like hard-core porn

54 Tobias pseudonym

57 Former defensive tackle Tuaolo

59 Interjection for Ernst Roehm

60 Pope who decried homosexuality as “intrinsically evil”

63 “Are you up ___?”

65 Michelangelo piece with stones of stone

66 Park of Queens

67 Ron Howard film with Ellen DeGeneres

68 Autobiography of Grace’s roommate?

69 Adolescent affliction

70 Matches a poker bet

71 Elton’s tube

72 They depend on their masters

Down

1 The “T” in T.E. Lawrence

2 Caesar and Antony

3 Lammies, e.g.

4 Britten’s change

5 Commands to attack

6 Sticking point

7 Beginning to come?

8 Places for plaques

9 Some Western homes

10 The Name of the Rose writer

11 He played to homophobia to help get Bush reelected in 2004

12 Put on a pedestal

13 Cincinnati gay bar

21 Friendly opening

22 Consenting votes

29 B’way locale

30 Singer Vikki

32 Blades of grass, collectively

33 Cold-cock

34 Born, to Bonheur

35 Some like them hot

37 Ancient Greek gay, perhaps

38 415, in San Francisco

39 He gunned down Harvey Milk

41 Org. that uses ball-washers

44 Belgrade resident

46 Mapa of Switched at Birth

48 Go over proofs again

50 Kahlo’s country

51 Bye Bye Birdie writer Brecher

52 Makes erect

55 Blown away

56 Mischievous type

58 Stravinsky string, perhaps

61 To Kill a Mockingbird character

62 In a lazy way

64 Boob tubes

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