Growing Up Hayden

 

We’ve named our blog, Growing Up Hayden because we feel it’s a testament to what it is to live in the now, in a world where the LGBT community is fighting for acceptance and equality.  Our content is focused on all aspects of what it is to live, love and thrive in what’s still a very judgmental world.  Growing Up Hayden is a live narrative that we hope will continue to illustrate positive changes and a more and more loving, open and welcoming world.

A Reason to Keep Your New Year’s Resolution

A Reason to Keep Your New Year’s Resolution

If you need another reason to keep your New Year’s resolution of going back to the gym, Nico Martina and Mikey Sinclair just gave it to you.

Martina and Sinclair met at Fitness First in Sydney, Australia and also just got engaged there. Martina used the help of Kate Elizabeth Proposal Planning. The proposal is documented in a four minute video which stars out with pair just casually working out. Hired dancers dressed as fellow gym rats start the flash mob. Martina joins and then gets down on one knee and pops the question to Sinclair. Spoiler alert: He says yes!

Martina told How He Asked that the proposal was also a way to send a message that “love is love” no matter what your sexuality is.

Congratulations, Nico and Mikey!

Watch the full proposal here.

This Flash Mob Gym Proposal Is The Best Thing You’ll See All Year

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Simple-minded Ignorance

Shemar Moore, former star of the TV drama “Criminal Minds,” pays no attention to the rumors that he’s gay. “I just think it’s all silly. If you’re gay, you’re gay. I’m not, and I know that and I’m very comfortable with who I am and I love women,” he told BET. Moore also said. “If you think I’m gay, send your girlfriend over to my house for the weekend and see what happens. For real. You can call that arrogant if you want to. I just call it confident. You can call me whatever you want, but you don’t know me.”

Moore also believes that the rumors just stem from ignorance. “I have fans that are gay, men that come up to me, and they’re inspired by me, or they like me as an entertainer, and when they want to give me a hug or take pictures with me, what, am I supposed to not put my arm around them or stand next to them, and if the man next to me in the picture is gay, that makes me gay? That’s just simpleminded ignorance, and I don’t play that.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/shemar-moore-gay-rumors_us_58506ef2e4b0e411bfd42bd5

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Inspirational Bystander

Inspirational Bystander

Inspiration has been found this holiday season from an innocent bystander.  Jess Rodriguez recently proposed to Chelsea Miller at the Art Institue of Chicago.  Jess’ brother Carlos shared a photo of the engagement on Twitter and the look of pure joy on the background woman’s face has been re-tweeted and liked over 400,000 times.

Plenty of people took to social media to congratulate Jess and Chelsea, sharing how the bystander’s reaction warmed their hearts. “Congrats to them both,” a woman named Lauren wrote. “And loving the reaction from the older lady in the background. What a wonderful thing to witness.”

Jess told BuzzFeed that she didn’t notice the woman was sitting there until she looked at their photos and said,”Whoever she is, we are so thankful of her pure reaction. She made our moment even more special!”

Unfortunately, fake GoFund Me pages have been set up in the couple’s names. Jess took to social media to warn the public and report these pages. As for the public’s request that the couple open a post office box for people to reach out, Jess said they don’t fee safe doing that. “As a same-sex couple we have received love and hate. We still feel unsafe to open a post office box and receive dangerous packages. I really hope you understand.” But Jess did thank everyone for the positive love and support and stated that they have chosen a date!

Congratulations to Jess and Chelsea! An thank you Ms. Bystander for the support to our community!

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Oops, Catholic Church Did It Again

Connor Hakes, a 23-year-old from Indiana, was refused the opportunity to sing at his grandmother’s Catholic funeral. The Pastor, Bob J. Lengerich, of St. Mary Of The Assumption Catholic Church in Decatur, Indiana denied Hakes after seeing a photo on social media of Hakes at a LGBTQ Pride event.  Hakes was refused via a letter from the church that he was not permitted to sing at his beloved grandmother’s service.

“Religion played an important part in my upbringing and is a huge part of my family. I would definitely say I have faith. But, to be completely honest, this entire incident has shaken it a bit,” Hakes told BuzzFeed News.  He was “completely shocked and taken aback” by the letter, as his family has been involved in the church community for many years. Hakes attended the Catholic school associated with the church and sang in the choir.

BuzzFeed News received a statement from the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend that says the diocese is now working on fostering “healing and reconciliation” between Pastor Lengerich and the Hakes family. “This is a chance for the Church to show love and appreciation all of its members, regardless of race, age, social class, or sexuality,” Hakes said of the situation. “I hope this allows for priests to have better training in dealing with similar situations.”

Hakes’ friends suggested that he stand up and sing at his grandmother’s funeral in spite of the church’s denial but Hakes disagreed. “The funeral was celebrating my grandma’s life, and I did not want to make a spectacle of the service,” he said. Hakes ended up singing the first verse of “Ave Maria” after the funeral, at his grandmother’s graveside.

See Hakes’ Facebook post and letter from the church here.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/skarlan/a-gay-man-was-not-permitted-to-sing-at-his-grandmothers-fune?utm_term=.cogZyE8gw#.drwogzn29

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We’re Never Gonna Dance Again

We’re Never Gonna Dance Again

Singer George Michael died early Christmas morning at his home in England.

Nearly twenty years ago, Michael was arrested in a Beverly Hills park for a “lewd act.”  This arrest and the publicity surrounding it forced Michael to publicly come out as gay.

George Michael faced the prejudices at the time and did what he did best: made a pop song.  Michael released the song “Outside.” The song can be seen as an act of self-deprecation and defiance in response to his arrest. In the lyrics of the song, Michael references his arrest for soliciting sex from an undercover police officer, singing: “And yes I’ve been bad/Doctor, won’t you do with me what you can/You see I think about it all the time/I’d service the community/But I already have, you see!”

In the video, he dresses up like a cop and dances in a restroom. The message is clear: no one gets to shame George Michael for being George Michael.

Bravo and may you rest in peace, George.

George Michael discusses coming out on the Today show here.

http://www.complex.com/music/2016/12/remembering-george-michaels-life-and-legacy

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Salvation Army Bans LGBTQ Members – Unless They’re Celibate

During the holiday season it’s not uncommon to see the Salvation Army Santa ringing a bell and collection donations.  This year you might want to think twice before you donate.  A “nondiscrimination communications” memo, obtained by Queerty shows that discrimination is in effect at the Salvation Army. The memo is signed by Commissioner Paul Seiler and it states that “For anyone in a Salvation Army ministry position, the theological belief regarding sexuality is that God has ordained marriage to be between one man and one woman and sexual activity is restricted to one’s spouse.”

The memo also advises members that they can be terminated if they attend same-sex wedding ceremonies in uniform and members are also banned from officiating same-sex weddings, even out of uniform.

In March 2016, the Salvation Army allegedly left a Dallas, Texas homeless trans-woman on the streets and refused her shelter.

Please consider donating this Holiday season to organizations that help ALL homeless individuals, such as the National Coalition for the Homeless and the True Colors Fund.

Please comment here with more suggestions for donations to LGBTQ organizations.

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