*Update* Dustin Lance Black was honored at the Life Out Loud 4 event for his work in support of gay rights at Hollywood’s Sunset Gower Studio on Saturday June 13, 2009.
The award is a for the Lifeworks Mentoring program which pairs mentors with LGBT youth. I am well aware of the statements made by Lance last night regarding this entire situation.
I spent several hours yesterday making screen shots of the offensive post as well as of comments by the offender. I spoke with the management people and attorneys, so that I could understand the laws that were broken by this posting.
Before I began writing this article, at a little after 10 p.m. June 12, I wanted to be sure I had the legalities as well as understanding how this situation was going to be handled by Lance, himself. – Liz The line between right and wrong completely disappeared today in a very sad way. The culprit, thief and abuser doesn’t deserve a mention. The hero in this crime is a young man of 34, Dustin Lance Black. Growing up in a religious Mormon household, that traveled to military bases, he realized that his sexuality was unacceptable to everyone around him. He told himself, “I’m going to hell. And if I ever admit it, I’ll be hurt, and I’ll be brought down”“acute awareness” when he found himself attracted to a boy in his neighborhood at the age of six or seven. Lance lived as a shy and he admits, even suicidal boy until he left high school, and came out. From high school in North Salina California, Lance was accepted by the prestigious University of California, Los Angeles, School of Theater, Film, and Television (UCLA) and graduated in 1996. Dustin Lance Black has a lot to be proud of and many reasons to hold his head high, he is the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Milk and has been honored many times since winning the Oscar. He also has 2 more films that are currently production and one in development.
Most recently as June 9, he was honored at the 20th GLAAD Media Awards in San Francisco hosted by Chelsea Handler.
And, today, June 13, he is being honored in Los Angeles by Lifeworks. Co-Founder and Executive Director Michael Ferrera explains that Lifeworks was formed to “help gay youth learn to be open and fully themselves through one-on-one mentoring, group activities and programs.”
Ferrera, said that Lifeworks was proud to Honor Dustin Lance black, because, “Lance is a young man who went through the struggles that many of our youth go through, and he had to be courageous to come out,” explains Ferrera. “He’s a role model because he shows our youth that they are talented and, if given the opportunity, they can excel. He realized what his talent was, and he applied it.”
After the Lifeworks Honor, Lance will be here in New York joining New York Governor David Paterson as a Grand Marshall in the Big apple’s 40th Annual LGBT Pride March. I will be honored as will all New Yorkers to welcome Lance, and march with him toward equality for all.
Perhaps the posting yesterday, June 12, of what are 3 year-old, obviously private photographs, is a lesson for all. The blatant disregard for a fellow human being, who has suffered untold pain in a world with little or no tolerance is horrific enough. To know that the abuser, and hater is someone who professes to have gone through the same anguish and pain in his own youth, while trying to understand his own sexuality, makes the crime impossible to understand.
Take this incident to heart, realize that it occurred right on the heals of gay marriage marches as well as a public lynching. All of you who read, listen, and even embrace the things that this person says, as well as what he claims to stand for should look toward yourself for the reason why you would allow him your respect. The guilds and organizations should revoke his memberships and no longer acknowledge his rights. His sponsorships and adverting dollars should be canceled due to a moral ethical breach. He has proven that hate within the gay community need not be from the outside. He has also proven that when the hate and disregard is from within the group it is some much more virulent and foul. I will end this article begging that the very industry that has honored Dustin Lance Black, for his brilliance, while acknowledging the sacrifices he made, to become the man he is, stand with him to fight this wrong. If we don’t stand with Lance we are allowing behavior by a person with a sociopath’s perspective to continue to harm who he pleases. To further understand how Lance continues to give to the gay community the help with coping and
understand oneself and being proud to be who you are, Lance will be honored on June 29 at Capitale in New York City at the ninth annual Trevor New York gala on June 29.
The Trevor Project, a national organization that helps crisis and suicide prevention efforts in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth community.
Dustin lance Black will be honored with the Trevor Hero Award which is given to individuals who through their efforts bring inspiration to LGBTQ youth. As well as working on the Milk screenplay, Lance is a vocal supporter of the community.
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I was gobsmacked when I saw these pictures on a site that never fails to show disrespect to anyone with childish drawings on photos etc.
However posting these photos is a whole new low, it is shocking that he would do this to another man who has suffered as he has meant to. No doubt he would claim it is he “job” to do so as he would if he had been straight but I think that either way it is overstepping the mark of decency. Private photos are just that private, and the person who sold them should be ashamed. I belive strongly that these pictures should never have posted and should be removed. They do not belong on that site at all. Gay or straight people have a right to privacy.
Hope this comes accross as I meant it. I do find it hard to put things how I mean them at times
Lisa – It is very well said and I had difficulty reigning in my anger and not allowing it to tarnish any of Lance’s amazing accomplishments.
Liz
I just marvel at how P****z can say on one hand that he is an advocate for equality when he uses something like this to humiliate and exploit Dustin Lance Black the way that he has done. Anyone who reads his blog, or any celebrity who associates with him at this point is, in my opinion, condoning what he has done. Perhaps, if readers and fans were to boycott his site and the movies/music, etc of the celebrities who associate with him, it would end this pathetic worm’s “career” and stop this kind of thing from happening again.
Theresa,
Well said and exactly my point. This is a perfect opportunity for the Hollywood/music industries to simply disengage with good cause.
That is what I was seeking.
Mario is sick. First Carrie Prejean, Isaiah Washington, Dustin, Reichen Lemkuhl, he uses the gay thing as a weapon………..he is disgusting and definitely not a true activist
Agreed, Lisa, nice post. It’s really unbelievable that someone who professes to know what it’s like growing up gay would do something like that to another gay man (or woman). Actually, it’s completely uncivilized and unethical anyway you try to frame it. Unnecessary, adds nothing worthwhile to what we know about Black, and is only damaging. I hope Mario is all proud of himself for it. I don’t see a line he won’t cross now.
I agree Theresa. Alot of us have already boycotted that jerk. I only wish we could put it on every blog under every article out there to stop going to his blog. More people should come here. You get all the news without the hatred of stars for no reason at all and without doing what he did to Dustin. Mario crossed the line a long time ago and has become so full of himself. Get the word out. Boycott Mario.
Lance is an amazing man. What a role model. PH is a pig. I hope everyone — gay or straight – is outraged and protests PH and his blog.
stars, you forgot Lance Bass, and his attempts to hurt Ed Westwick and Chase Crawford.
Forget? I didn’t know–that’s disappointing. What happened?
PH is a predator of the worse kind. How mainstream can put him in their movies and on their shows just boggles my mind. They are to blame for his popularity as well. What is wrong with this world when they crawl in bed with a maggot.
Go Dustin, we love you.
Hi Liz he just banned me. I think he got scared when I was posting your guys address all over his site people. On his site have been asking for dirt on him (I think you guys should get a commentator to post your guys address more) and the fact that I mentioned on the Carrie Prejean post that technically Donald Trump and Mario could be sued since her constitutional rights were violated she was asked a question about an issue voters vote on(gay marriage is on the ballot in California) which violates voter secrecy (I mean its analogous to asking Dem/Rep) which means the questions should have been screened better………..she declared her stance and then was attacked for it…(the stupid bitch post)….which in a Capitalist country is not a good precedent to set…..I mean if he had asked one of the other contestants from a state where it was not on the ballot….then its just a topical issue………….so she could sue …….I’m so thankful for Piggez Hogton (that poster) is the most powerful person on his site at the moment and has informed so many people about this site and the truth about him and his lies…Thanks Piggez Hogton
I feel so bad I used to make fun of Rumer Willis (because I used to believe his whole justification that stars as part of Hollywood choose to be in the public eye) before I realized how cruel it was and that he calls for plastic surgery and some other poster put up that maybe she has a blood thinning problem or something and surgery could be life threatening
Thanks again Liz and the people at perezrevenge who work so hard to stop his bullying and of course Piggez Hogton. I even thought that Mischa Barton was really a drunk before I saw your guys posts……
Mario would sell his own mother for the right price.He said that he cares about money ABOVE ALL why would anyone be surprised PIGez published these PIX ?
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/RemovePerez
I wrote on my blog last Sunday how horrified I was about the visual outing of Dustin Lance Black. Unfortunately, sinking to the lowest depth has become an acceptable part of the business. Congrats to all who have just had enough. Feel free to read my posting from last week. It’s a statement on no only Perez, but Hollywood publicists as well. Peace…
http://imeanwhat.com/?s=dustin