Gay USA on Free Speech TV

My partner and I love your show. We love the editoralizing as the you move through the newstories. What we don't like is your background art. I realize that this is trivial and shouldn't matter, but it's distracting. Last weeks was a doosey. Red with ghostly architectural buildings looked like Hiroshima after the bomb. Surely something a little more appropriate can be found. Of course I'll still be a fan, and continue to watch. Keep up the excellent information.

Andy and Ann are great... I do however agree with some of the criticism being that we can get the same news instantly, all they are doing is catching up to it. But I guess it is still addictive to watch, although for my news I only read www.thegayreport.net its actually the best gay news site I have found, my opinion. Those guys there update news up the minute, but still ann and andy I guess have their old school ways, which is sort of nice.

Great show, what more can I say! Nassau, Bahamas.

I am a regular viewer of FSTv. I watch FSTv for reasons that do not have to do with my lesbian identity. So, I look forward to your show because it seems like it might put my specific concerns in context of the larger world. What a disappointment. Get rid of this slap happy news broadcast and the undynamic duo. They do nothing to inform me of anything pertinent in the world. Sure, they may be nice people, but they gloss over the realities of the world we live in and give us news we can get elsewhere while at the same time feeding the stereotypes that we are not a serious group of people. I mean, really? Where did you find these two and why do you keep letting them be our face in the little bit of space we have?

Thanks Andy and Ann for the work you do at Gay USA. Both of you are very good at your job and the years you've both spent in journalism shows! So professional! Thank you for doing your excellent work despite all the hate rhetoric coming from "Christians." You are both lights in a sometimes darkened world. Your fan in Mississippi!

From an article published Wednesday, September 6, 2011 in LA NACION First case of military sex-same marriage in Argentina. Army: Two Army Officers in first sex-same marriage in the force. An army lieutenant colonel and a captain revealed their decision to marry to the authorities of the Argentine Armed Forces By Daniel Gallo and Maria Elena Polack | LA NACION For the first time, two male officers of the army informed their superiors they will be joining in matrimony under the new Marriage Equality Law in Argentina. The possibility of celebrating marriages between members of the same sex was approved after the sanctioning of the Marriage Equality Law by Congress in July 2010, the first country in Latin America to grant full rights of marriage to persons of the same sex. The Ministry of Defense informed: "We no longer ask members of the military about their family bonds, therefore it is not a case that we are aware of" (revealed yesterday by Télam news agency, from an article published in Tiempo Militar –Military Times). The news was released yesterday at noon. It was picked up by several international news agencies and also by Comunidad Homosexual Argentina (CHA), which considered the event a very important step forward. The identities or placement of the officers were not immediately released. CHA expressed "It is very important and very necessary the visibility of gays, lesbians and bisexuals in the Armed Forces of our country, a sphere that traditionally was extremely conservative. We hope that more couples of military personnel will dare to exercise their right to marry", members of CHA were at the Armed Forces Headquarters a few days ago for a meeting about gender violence. Spain is another countries that accept same-sex marriages of their officers since 2006. While the news traveled the world, the Army kept silent. It did not release any statements confirming or denying the information. Among the ranks, the main reaction to the news was surprise. A few active officers consulted declared they were not aware of the relationship of any of their peers. But sources inside the Army confirmed that 60 days ago the two officers submitted their intent to marry to the Personnel Department. Only a small group of active duty personnel was aware of the case to prevent any negative reaction in the force. Change of Rules The Ministry of Defense reiterated no knowledge of the case referring to a reform of personnel conduct rules put in place by the previous minister of defense, Nilda Garré, between 2007 and 2008. During that time, Mrs. Garré, who it is now in charge of the Ministry of National Security signed two resolutions to guarantee equality of civil rights in the armed forces. A central point of the changes was to allow marriage between heterosexual members, and, thus, the marriage equality law when it was established, without previous approval of military authorities. Until then, the Armed Forces established a strict protocol to allow women to be integrated in the "military family" when she contracted marriage with a uniformed officer. In 2007, the norm to allow marriage between military personnel of different graduation was also abolished. That guideline was established to block marriages between different ranks in the force, being that when it was created women did not served in the Armed Forces. The rules then dictated that in order to marry, an officer had to solicit his discharge from active duty as a previous step to receive approval to marry. That is, he had to resign and then had to wait until a special authorization to marry would be granted to be reinstated. A year later, Garré abolished the norm that applied sanctions –including discharge- if officers would marry a woman without first soliciting the approval. In those cases the CV and family life of the future wife would be investigated before approving the marriage. This recent precedence in the Army follows the marriage of two female Metropolitan Policy officers in Buenos Aires last February. One of the reasons the marriage was approved was that Garré had also signed a protocol that obliged the Armed Forces to maintain a legally formed couple in the same operational zone to prevent family disruption. Precedence • First Case. Two male military officers, a lieutenant colonel and a captain, submitted a notification to the personnel department of the Army announcing their intent to form a legal marriage. • Legal Permit. It involved the first military members that joined the equal marriage sanction of the law since it was passed in 2010. • In Buenos Aires. Although the identity of the couple was not released, military sources confirmed that it relates to two male officers of the Army stationed in Buenos Aires and that the marriage will be celebrated in the capital city. • Approval. CHA, Comunidad Homosexual Argentina celebrated the announcement of the first military same-sex marriage.

I think that the 2 people that you have doing your show are horribly hateful! If you are wanting equality then why are you bashing Christians? You said that you are Atheist ok, you have that right, gay?! That is your right also, it is our right to be Christian and express our concerns about SB48. There is no need for you to be so hateful! It is sad really!! You will shout from the rooftops that when you are hated. AND FINALLY GOD DOES NOT PLACE A RAINBOW IN THE SKY TO SEND A MESSAGE OF GAY PRIDE!! IT IS TO REMIND HIMSELF OF THE COVENANT THAT HE MADE WITH US THAT HE WOULD NEVER DESTROY THE EARTH WITH WATER AGAIN AS HE DID IN THE TIMES OF LOT WHEN HE WAS SADDENED THAT HE CREATED MAN DUE TO THE GOINGS ON IN SADDAM AND GOMORRAH!! GENESIS 9:11,13

When did gay become okay?

Where is the July 7th episode of the show? If you haven't received it yet let me know and I can email Andy Humm of Gay USA and ask him to send it to you. Thank You

I finally found Gay USA on WYBE Channel 35 in Philadelphia. A good friend Rick led me to it! Years ago I was on WYBE’s "In Bed with Butch" to address LGBT mental health issues and share information on the Pink & Blues Philly peer-run support group for the alphabet soup and any page of the DSM.
Holy Cows in Toledo it was like finding a gold pot at the end of the rainbow full of wonderful, wonderful, wonderful coverage. Call me a virgin viewer in first month of watching despite DVR going OUT with 80+ hours of recorded programs, including two weeks of now Miss'd Gay USA. Forget I can catch up the new fashioned way on-line, but find it hard to adapt to new bubble technology.
Running for so many years I was alarmed by limited local advertising in Philadelphia Gay News (PGN) and take responsibility for having my head stuck in sand like in hour glass; so are the gays of our queer lives. At 55 sadly admit ageism with first impression of older adult hosts until listening for five minutes becoming queerly hooked. Then I heard Andy is around my age and Ann must be too. It reminded me the value of youth, adult, older adult, elder and an-sister's in our communities who tend to be a great divide.

I would love to hear from you to share ideas on covering huge gaps in mental health, addiction and suicide prevention services for all generations we must address. This is a real health emergency overshadowed by gay marriage and other equity issues equally important. Anyone interested in learning more or how to start a peer support group in your neck of USA please email at madpride@ymail.com

After the first episode a childhood flashback came to mind. "Watching Gay USA is like viewing Lawrence Welk on acid bubbles in his 7pm Saturday time slot always on in Urbana, Ohio – Mayberry on Meth"

Thank God Lawrence has been queered up! A one and a two . . . Gay USA is set to record every Saturday at 7pm in Philly!

Bless you! Cheers, Mark A. Davis, Queen Village Philadelphia

"I CAN always be distracted by love, but eventually I get horny for my creativity." - Gilda Radner

I really like the premise of the show- but could there be some sort of "life" on this show...? Two people reading from scraps of paper on their desk is a bit....BORING! On tonight's episode Ann looked like she just stopped in on her way to the gym and Andy needs to get contacts or bifocals- (I lost count on how many times he took off put on then took off his glasses again- it was very distracting)! Anyone can read the news...how about they actually "report" on the news instead- even if they were using lap tops...it would be better than a pile of papers and files on the desk. (Is it that hard to put a screen in the desk top so they can look down at it when they need it...?) just a thought. I realize the budget for the show is probably small (if at all) but are you telling me that there is NO ONE that could paint or project even a simple picture or logo in the back ground instead of that gawd awful tie-died sheet... for that matter, close up shots of both of them would eliminate the audience having to look at the "collection" of scraps of paper in front of them, they may have to memorize most of what is on the papers but I think the trade off is well worth it and maybe in the process we would actually get some of that "lively repartee between hosts Ann Northrop and Andy Humm" that the shows Bio talks about. I am betting that there are students at a local Broadcasting School that would love to get some real life experience in the field and unlike tonight's episode, I'm guessing they could run the computer correctly so that the special segment doesn't get cut off in the middle.... They might even have some production ideas on how to make this show appeal to the Gay Community as a whole. As it stands I can't see the Demo's for the show being anyone under the age of 40. If we are going to continue to grow awareness, defeat ignorance and teach, not just the GBTL youth but, Americas youth then we need shows like this that reaches out to them....all of them. I really do like the purpose and idea of this show and I am glad that it is on the air- even as painful as it was I actually sat thru most of the episode tonight. Unfortunately it appears to be completely unrehearsed, uncomfortable and straight out of the dark ages. GAY USA is such a great vehicle to get our story, our history told and tomorrows leaders are looking to this generation to set them up for success. We may not all have children of our own, but every GBTL child is "our" responsibility- we are the ones that best understand what/where they are - it is up to us to give them the information that can help inform and shape their lives, give them a stable foundation to build their lives upon. I believe it was Patrick Henry that said "Give me Liberty or give me Death" -I believe Knowledge is Power and with Power comes Liberty, conversely the lack of Knowledge and Power is most certainly death. GAY USA/ freespeech.org has the potential to give that Power, that Liberty to the next generation- please don't fail. Sincerely, John

It turns out Kip Noll (american gay pornstar from the 80’s born in Connecticut), ) died 10 years ago on May the 21th, though there is a mystery about it: It seems his decease was dissimulated – the date of his death's still not appearing in his wikipedia page- so, he didn't get at the time the tribute he deserved, being an iconic figure of the american counterculture of those times; He obviously wasn't a militant as Wrangler was, for example, but even if he tried himself, at a time, to change his way of life (not with great results, apparently, if we can believe the testimonies about his few years marriage and his so early death, apparently for drug problems), he'd acquired a mythic image which made him one of the most unforgettable superstar of those glorious years of gay liberation. Besides, the fact he'd became that symbol without doing nothing for that reinforce his representativness, even in his quite short and dramatic life; have you planned any tribute to him this year (there are rumors about a KN night in the clubs that 21 of May. And some are speaking about a cocktails contest for a KN cocktail with results next year at the same date )? Are you concerned by it ? Thank you anyway for the assistance you will provide to celebrate a charismatic figure that everyone who's lived the period remembers fondly

I don't mean to be a pest but the new gay usa isn't up. I was excited to see Corey Johnson back as a cohost so get it uploaded asap. Thanks

Hi, please put the December 21st. episode of Gay USA online. I was waiting to see it, instead of listening to it on the Gay USA website, but I see it's not on here Tuesday. Please fix that. Thank You

We'll see if they publish. Copy: To the Editor, The Washington Post: Honorable Eric Cantor, soon-to-be House Majority Leader, criticized an installation of art about AIDS at the National Portrait Gallery (The Hill, November 30) calling the art "an obvious attempt to offend Christians during the Christmas season."

Mr Cantor’s comment is easily refuted, by actually visiting the Gallery, and by speaking with the curators. Visiting the installation, I found many pieces deeply moving, walked by others that held little interest for me, and found none offensive. Art representing suffering at such deep levels - from the time early in the epidemic, without hope of cure, with no treatment, with agonizing and disfiguring effects, and with stigma as deep as the ocean - is hard to view, and may present offense to some viewers. But contemplating the depths of suffering are among the greatest human achievements, and among our most humanizing works.

Would the Congressman seek to censor displays of art that express the suffering of those enduring cancer or dementia, genocide or Holocaust, apartheid, slavery and other victimization and abuse? But, taking Mr Cantor at his word, since he called for censorship and Congressional inquiries, will he call for inquiries of other displays of art, such as ‘Pass the Ketchup', by Jason Alpert, where the da Vinci masterpiece is re-painted to depict Jesus and other figures to be 'Hello Kitty' characters? Will he ask for sanctions against The Sanrio Corporation that is responsible for the blasphemous 'Kitty' Jesus, since certainly Sanrio receives licenses, subsidies, and other benefits that involve monies from US taxpayers.

Further taking him at his word, will Mr Cantor be seek to punish the Denver Art Museum for its installation of a show on the "splendor of the pharoahs" during Passover, since glorifying the pharoahs is "an obvious attempt to offend Jews during the Passover season"? Mr Cantor’s art criticism appears to be political prancing shamelessly manipulating the suffering of persons with AIDS, and the holiness of Christmas to Christians. And, if this is how he wields Congressional power, to suppress speech, to bully artists and museums, and to threaten the human heart, there is much to fear in the new year.

ELS, Albemarle County, Virginia