The Class of 1994

Ken AshfordRepublicans, Sex Scandals, Sex/Morality/Family ValuesLeave a Comment

Here we go again: "I sinned against God, my wife and my family by having a mutual relationship with a part-time member of my staff…." That's Representative Mark Souder (R-Ind), sponsor of the "Marriage Protection Amendment" to the U.S. Constitution, admitting to an extramarital affair yesterday morning with part time staffer Tracy Jackson.  (The two can be seen here in a … Read More

Who Would Jesus Turn Down?

Ken AshfordEducation, Godstuff, Sex/Morality/Family ValuesLeave a Comment

The Catholic Church keeps digging a hole for itself: BOSTON — A Roman Catholic school in Massachusetts has withdrawn its acceptance of an 8-year-old boy with lesbian parents, saying their relationship was "in discord" with church teachings, according to one of the boys' mothers. It's at least the second time in recent months that students have not been allowed to … Read More

Smut On Film: “Babies”

Ken AshfordPopular Culture, Sex/Morality/Family Values1 Comment

Kids in Mind is a website which reviews movies on a 1-to-10 basis along three criteria:  Sex & Nudity, Violence/Gore, and Profanity.  Their mission is to "enable adults to determine whether a movie is appropriate for their own children…" It gets a "5" rating for nudity because… SEX/NUDITY 5 – Bare female breasts are seen throughout the movie in a non-sexual … Read More

Can Gay Actors Play Straight?

Ken AshfordSex/Morality/Family Values, Theatre1 Comment

Apparently, a writer at Newsweek named Ramin Setoodeh has a problem with Sean Hayes in Promises, Promises and Jonathan Groff in Glee.  An excerpt: For decades, Hollywood has kept gay actors—Tab Hunter, Van Johnson, Anthony Perkins, Rock Hudson, etc.—in the closet, to their own personal detriment. The fear was, if people knew your sexual orientation, you could never work again. Thankfully, … Read More

Reker’s “Traveling Companion” Describes The “Luggage Lifting”

Ken AshfordSex/Morality/Family ValuesLeave a Comment

"Lucien", the gay prostitute hired by anti-gay activist George Rekers, finally speaks out on the controversy, which broke Tuesday. Lucien was originally relunctant to comment, but changed his mind "after a heart-to-heart with a friend, Michael, who alerted him to the grim realities of his client's anti-gay activities." Since the story broke, Reker has made public statements that he hired Lucien because … Read More

I Was Going To Leave It Alone, But I Can’t

Ken AshfordSex/Morality/Family Values2 Comments

The Rekers story that I blogged about yesterday is getting wide coverage, seeping into the mainstream media.  Leno apparently did a joke about it last night. It's somewhat more than your run-of-the-mill conservative-christian-is-closeted-gay story.  Reker is a cofounder of the Family Research Council (along with James Dobson), and makes a living (through books, lectures, and testimonies to state congress) opposing … Read More

Meet George Alan Rekers (I Live For News Stories Like This)

Ken AshfordSex/Morality/Family ValuesLeave a Comment

George Alan Rekers, a Baptist minister, is considered one of the most prominent anti-gay activists in the U.S. He is one of the founders of the anti-gay Family Research Council who speaks around the world against homosexuality. He frequently testifies for the Christian right in court cases involving gay rights. He was an “expert” witness for the Christian right in … Read More

Porn on the iPhone

Ken AshfordScience & Technology, Sex/Morality/Family ValuesLeave a Comment

Apple keeps a very close eye on its app store, and it rejects anything “controversial” or “pornographic”. For example, it banned a cartoonist Mark Fiore’s app, and reversed that decision only after Fiore won a Pulitzer. And it recently banned a bunch of “overt sexual content” from second-tier publishers, while retaining apps from Playboy and Sports Illustrated. Here are Steve … Read More

The Republican Party: The Party of Fiscal Conservatism?

Ken AshfordRepublicans, Sex/Morality/Family ValuesLeave a Comment

Not if one looks at the expense reports of Michael Steele, Chairman of the RNC: According to two knowledgeable sources, Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele once raised the possibility of using party money to buy a private jet for his travel. “I know that … regular ongoing use of planes was something that was looked at,” says one person … Read More

The “Best Actress” Oscar Curse

Ken AshfordPopular Culture, Sex/Morality/Family Values1 Comment

Six of the last nine "Best Actress" Oscar winners have split from their partners/spouses at some point following their win:  Charlize Theron (Stuart Townsend), Hilary Swank (Chad Lowe), Reese Witherspoon (Ryan Phillippe), Kate Winslet (Sam Mendes), Halle Berry (Eric Benet), and now Sandra Bullock (Jesse James). On the flip side, going back to 2001, only one Best Actor winner, Sean Penn, has … Read More

Not Good Representatives For Their Cause

Ken AshfordSex/Morality/Family ValuesLeave a Comment

It seems to me that if you are registered lobbyist for an organization that hopes to end domestic violence, it's probably a bad idea to kill your husband. Also, if you are a state senator — a married man with children — and you vote against every gay rights measure that comes before you (including SSM), it's probably not a good idea … Read More

Avenue Q Poster Too Racy for Colorado Springs

Ken AshfordSex/Morality/Family Values, TheatreLeave a Comment

Puppet cleavage.  That's what we're talking about here: pink puppet cleavage. A billboard advertising company in Colorado Springs, Colorado has banned a particular poster for Avenue Q, favoring a more "conservative approach": You think it’s not easy being green. Try being a pink Muppet-like character in the touring off-Broadway show “Avenue Q.” Lamar Advertising recently rejected a bus shelter advertisement that would … Read More