Lance Bass Announce's He's Part of the "Family", Washington State Marriage Ruling, Blogger Quest, Expanded Eye Candy

Happy "HUMP"day Wednesday blogger friends, we are half way thru another work week. I have to lead with the gay story of the day, Lance Bass of N'SYNC is coming out as gay in this week's "People Magazine". It has been speculated about for months, and I have even blogged about him twice, and he is taking the big step in the issue that is supposed to be on the shelves Friday. I want to take a second and commend him for coming out, and in such a mainstream magazine as People. I hope you will all go and read the issue for yourself, though it has been excerpted all over the blogosphere today, as well. He makes some great comments including: "I am not ashamed of being gay", "I have known my whole life I was gay", "I came out due to all of the rumors circulating that were starting to take over his and his close friends lives". He also confirmed the fact that he is in a relationship with "Amazing Race" winner, Reiken Lehmuhl. I wish them both well, and some normalcy once this soon becomes "old news". A lot of people may take issue with Lance for not coming out sooner, but no one else should ever dictate the "right time" to come out of the closet for anyone. As he stated in the article, and I agree 100%, he was in a super popular boy band, with not just his life, but his bandmates, who were like brothers to him, affected by any decisions he made about his personal life. I think he will have some regrets about not coming out sooner, once he see's how much better his life is going to be from now on out. Living a lie, or even if you are not lying to yourself, but living with the responsibility of not coming out for any reason, is a heavy load to bear, and I am sure hindsight is 20-20 on this for most gays, it was for me. Granted, there are some horror stories for some people about coming out, but for the most part, in today's day and age, it is far less, such a radical thing. So welcome to the "family" Lance, we are eager to embrace you with open arms. I hope you are given some time to yourself after the media hype dies down, to just enjoy being an out gay man in California, blessed with money, looks, a good man, and great friends and family. I am sure I can never measure up to the mainstream, big time gay press, but if you ever want to just have an informal interview and talk about your new life, just drop your friendly neighborhood Gay Guru an email.

Unfortunately, in more bad news for gay rights, Washington State Gay Marriage Ban Upheld: The state of Washington's ban on same-sex marriage is not unconstitutional the state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. In a 5 - 4 split decision the justices ruled that only opposite-sex couples are biologically capable of having children and the legislature acted reasonably and in the best interests of children. The court did, however, say that the legislature could repeal DOMA and pass legislation allowing same-sex marriage. "We see no reason, however, why the legislature or the people acting through the initiative process would be foreclosed from extending the right to marry to gay and lesbian couples in Washington," the ruling, signed by Chief Justice Gerry Alexander, said. "It is important to note that the court's role is limited to determining the constitutionality of DOMA and that our decision is not based on an independent determination of what we believe the law should be."

But in a more positive spin on it....due to the court's saying that the legislature could permit gay marriage...Washington Lawmaker To Bring In Gay Marriage Bill: Rep. Ed Murray (D-Seattle), the state's only openly gay member of the legislature, said he would take that suggestion seriously. "My heart goes out to the thousands of gay and lesbian couples in Washington state disappointed by today's ruling," told a news conference where he was joined by his partner Michael Shiosaki, and Reps. Joe McDermott, Jim Moeller, and Dave Upthegrove. "But now is not the time to be disappointed - it's a time to recommit ourselves to the struggle ahead and to someday pass marriage equality in the state Legislature. I will introduce legislation to achieve that equality." Earlier this year Murray led the fight to pass civil rights protections this year. Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire has not commented on Murray's announcement but he said he believes she would sign it.

There's only 6 more days to get your entries in for the $50 dollar Amazon.com shopping spree, by winning "Blogger Quest". I can tell you that I have a good number of entries, and so far no-one has all the answers and the bonus points right. If there is no clear winner, the entries who all have the most correct answers will go into a drawing to win the prize. I will be offering two more hints, one Friday, and One Sunday, so if you have any question really stumping you, email me at the link and I will take the most requested questions and give some hints. Good luck to you all blogger friends.

And as I do every "HUMP"day Wednesday, and expanded edition of Daily Eye Candy, to help get you thru until the rest of the week. I like to remind you all on wednesdays, that all eye candy at the Gay Guru blog and website is what I find attractive in some way to me, and me alone. It does not constitute or imply someone's sexuality, and I hold no copyright to any of these pictures, they are just random hotties I have found exploring my friends sites and the Internet. If anyone holds the legal copyright to any picture and wants it removed, please email me at the link in the above right column, with proof of copyright ownership, and I will remove the picture immediately........Enjoy Blogger Friends.........GG