Quickies: 05/18/2012
By - Rachel Maddow and Jane Lynch (SUE SYLVESTER!) talk marriage equality, television, and politics.
- New U.S. federal rules aimed at eliminating prison rape, which disproportionally affects LGBT inmates.
- Hip-hop artist Y-Love comes out of the closet.
- Cuban LGBT rights activist and sexologist Mariela Castro to speak in the United States.
- Myanmar’s first Pride takes place on the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia.
- Jezebel asks why popular science is fascinated with “gaydar.”
Featured image is Mariela Castro from The Indian Express.
I’m really curious, if LGBT rights opponents will pick up the story about reducing prison sexual assault, how would they frame it?
On the science of gaydars… I feel like there is some major confusion going on between the gaydar as studied and the gaydar in practice. The studies are based on subtle facial features. But in practice, a good gaydar is primarily about cold-reading cultural cues. Where are they, who are they with, what are they wearing, what mannerisms do they have? I don’t feel bad about admitting that my gaydar is much less accurate for people in different cultures, closeted folks not exposed to gay culture, straight people who participate in gay culture.