Well Gollll-eeeee, GOMER PYLE Star Jim Nabors Marries His Partner

So it's not exactly news that Jim Nabors, the star of GOMER PYLE, is gay. I mean, I think I figured that one out when I was 10 and had it confirmed a couple years later when was in those ads for his records where he sang opera arias. Hello. Anyway, the cool part that is news is that Jim Nabors, a sprightly 82, just got hitched this week to his partner of 38 years in the state of Washington, where marriage equality passed last year on the ballot.

Nabors had never publicly discussed his being gay and that's his choice. But this week, Towleroad reported that he did do a short interview with a Hawaiian TV station (Nabors lives in the 50th state) and released the below photo taken after his big gay wedding. I think it's wonderful that he not only did he he get married but was he willing to talk about it to the media too. And also he said that he was never ashamed about being gay, was open about it to all his friends and co-workers and never "made a public spectacle of it."  I wonder if he was inspired by Ms. Foster's similar situation and announcement at the Globes?

Anyway, what's truly wonderful is that he's been in a committed relationship for nearly 40 years. God bless you Jim Nabors....and I wish you a long, happy married life.

Omar Shariff, Jr And 49 Other Notables Who Came Out In 2012

Over at Towleroad, Andy has put together a list of 50 Most Powerful Coming Outs on his blog. I didn't realize 2012 had been a banner year in this manner but it truly has. Not only were there the super high profile people like Anderson Cooper and Sally Ride (though posthumous), but there were people like Omar Shariff Junior and Gillian Anderson.  Somehow I had missed Scully's coming out party! Not that that one was such a huge surprise anyway.

All in all, this is a great list of remarkable people from all parts of the LGBT spectrum. And I find it amazing to see that more and more coming out is not such big news either. That alone is progress in and of itself.

A Place At The State Dinner Table

This is a photo of columnist Andrew Sullivan and his partner Aaron Tone arriving at the White House for the U.K. State Dinner last night.  Sullivan and Tone were just one of an estimated 10 or more gay couples on the guest list, as reported over on Towleroad.  

Though there have been plenty of complaints about Obama's record on gay/lesbian issues, I think this picture is the equivalent of a thousand positive words about how remarkably things have changed in just 3 years since his predecessor left office.  On top of that, it's just a wonderful photo in general....two guys strolling hand-in-hand through the White House foyer, just like any other couple attending what is the pinnacle of social events in Washington.  

Ireland Could Elect First Openly Gay President

Towleroad provides great world coverage of gay political news and, over the weekend, I spotted this story out of Ireland.  David Norris, a 66-year old out gay man in Dublin, is the front runner in the current race for Ireland's presidency.   While the election is still a a few months off in November, Norris who is a well-known Irish senator, has become the candidate to beat.  

The full story is over on Irish Central News, which notes that the Presidency in Ireland is not exactly the same as it is in other European countries.  There is still a separate prime minister who deals with more political issues but the presidency is a major position, the visibility of which has become increasingly important after two terms in which the current president Mary McAleese has made the job her own.  

I find this all very remarkable given Ireland's deep Catholic roots.  But Norris, whose popularity extends outside of urban Ireland, seems to transcend politics and sexual identity issues and has become the frontrunner due to the Irish love of outsider candidates who challenge the status quo.  It will be very  interesting to see how the rest of the campaign and upcoming election in the fall pans out. 

Marriage Equality Comes To Washington DC

Some big news out of DC this morning....gay couples are lined up at the District's courthouse on the first day of legal same-sex marriage in the nation's capital. The Washington Post has the full story (where this lovely picture came from, shot by Bill O'Leary) and there's also full background of the long road to marriage equality in DC over at  Towleroad.  


Of course, the haters tried to block it with a last ditch appeal to the US Supreme Court, but they had no luck there.  In a rare Justice Roberts ruling I agree with, he said the court had no business in local affairs. I love the irony of the haters having to beg for Supreme intervention when they are always screaming about activist judges destroying the nation. Sometimes they almost make me laugh....almost.


As locals know, Washington is a very conservative town regardless of whether Democrats or Republicans are in charge.  So I find it remarkable that today the District stands at the forefront of the marriage equality movement.  It is now the sixth place in the United States where gays can get married.  And, as Andy Towle pointed out, it's also a symbolic landmark in this struggle in that Washington is the now the first locality south of the Mason-Dixon line to endorse marriage equality.