A copywriter reader sent us a little love note this weekend telling us about his work with dating website, match.com. He writes:

We did some outdoor boards for the UK Match.com that were posted all over their Underground stations. And being the good little homo that i am and wanting to represent my peeps, i asked that we include a gay couple, so we did, no prob.

Nice, right?

So, we followed his link to see what the matchers had in store for the single fagalas. Above you see the gay friendly version. What's that? "Where are the homos," you ask? Why, they're nestled cosily in the upper right hand corner, next to the rainbow. (Duh.)

Sure, it's kind of funny that they're next to the rainbow, but we can't help but wonder why one of the men's green. Can someone please explain? We know it's a fantasy world - note the cream puff's having a romantic date - but they could have made the second homo a normal color, like brown or black or even white. Although, maybe he's got an upset stomach. We don't know….

At least the homos are represented. Not like those bastards over at eHarmony - they're currently being sued for discriminating against queers.

Why do they discriminate against queers? Because they're Evangelicals: founder Dr. Neil Clark Warren got the company off the ground with the help of James Dobson and Focus on The Family. They may have cut official ties when the company went public, but those damn ideological connections have a way of sticking.

• Speaking of coming out: a new study shows that revealing one's HIV status may help maintain healthier CD4 cell count.

• Meanwhile, Iranian scientists claim to have formulated a new herbal remedy for HIV.

• In other international news: with nowhere to express themselves in the West Bank, gay Palestinians are finding comfort in Jerusalem.

• Now, let's turn our attention to some frivolous celebrity gossip: rumor has it that Tom Cruise has asked Ben Stiller to appear in The Hardy Men: an updated, comedic version of the popular mysetry series. Um, since when's Cruise a comedian?

• In education news, more and more people are turning a critical eye on bear culture. The gays, not the forest creatures. As far as we know, the forest creatures don't have any culture…

• Finally, people are twisted over the Snickers' commercials. Homophobia or just plain stupid? You be the judge.

• Janice Dickinson on Survivor contestant turned model JP Calderon's coming out: "I just wanted to tell you how fucking proud I am of you. Coming out yesterday must be really hard, and then being on the cover of a national magazine the next day?"

• Gavin Newsom on getting it on with former campaign manager, Alex Tourk's wife, Ruby: "I want to make it clear that everything you've read is true and I'm deeply sorry about that…I hurt someone I care deeply about, Alex Tourk and his family and friends, and that is something I'm deeply sad about and sorry for".

• Editor and Publisher on FBI agent Deborah Bond's testimony on Scooter Libby's knowledge on Valerie Plame: "[Bond] described the bureau's interview with I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby on Oct. 14, 2003. Asked where he first learned of Ambassador Joe Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, he had told the FBI then — from the vice president, on or about June 12 that year, in a telephone conversation".

• Morvin Crumlish on computer generated "recommendations": "I find the idea of my bodily functions and sexuality being obsessed about by marketing professionals disturbing, but perhaps my biggest concern is that they are right".

• The Jewish Theological Seminary's study's on conservative Jew's increasingly accepting feelings on gay rabbis: "the decisions clearly raise the possibility among many that the Conservative movement has taken a move to the theological Left, further parting company from the Orthodox, and further approaching the Reform movement".

• Jennifer Hudson on being on American Idol: "…You go through this mental thing… You've been abused, misled and brainwashed to believe whatever they want you to think…I knew I had to sing my way out of it".

Just weeks after the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center unveiled its controversial "HIV is a Gay Disease" campaign, San Francisco's Department of Health's raising eyebrows with its "serosorting" advertising initiative.

In an article for the Bay Area Reporter, Zak Szymanski (on whom, we must admit, we have a total gender-bending crush), writes that serosorting's "a longtime gay community practice where men have a variety of sex, some of it unprotected, with men of the same HIV status." In an effort to encourage more gays to disclose their HIV status, the Department of Health's posting adverts featuring the psychedelic photography of Duane Cramer (pictured).

Szymanski writes:

The colorful advertisements are a piece of a much larger DPH project known as the Disclosure Initiative, which involves prevention and care professionals and community members and aims to help men normalize HIV conversations and disclose their status.

Disclosure Initiative director, Doug Sebesta says:

Our campaign was really initiated to help people make better informed decisions. It's really empowering, and sex positive, and really about arming ourselves with more knowledge.

Because, in the famed words of GI Joe, "Knowing's half the battle", especially when talking about HIV/AIDS.

• Two Canadians want to open a gay camp. Said camp not to be based on the movie, Camp. [Winnipeg Free Press]

• Yikes! Tom Cruise is crazier than we thought. [Mollygood]

• Lezzie baby mama drama: Atlanta judge rejects woman's appeal to revoke ex-lover's adoptive rights. [Sovo]

• Ads in space!!!! (Thank those geeks at MIT.) [Boston Globe]

• Tom Ford's website. 'Nuff said. [Tom Ford]

• African businesses join the fight against AIDS. Yay! [VOA News]

You may have head that aussieBum, the wildly popular underwear line founded by Sean Ashby recently launched a new "wonderbra"-esque brief deemed "The Wonderjock". In case you can't put it together (which we doubt), the penis-enhancing panties push, pull, and prod the boys into the most eye-popping bulge. Well, eyes and other things, too.

Well, actually, we don't really care that much, but we were chatting with a friend recently about the various undies marketed specifically and/or aggressively to the homos, i.e.: Aussie Bum, 2xist, and Ginch Gonch to name a few.

While we love a good pair of slut skivvies, we've always been partial to fairly simple briefs. Perhaps a fun design or color, but nothing too garish. What can we say? We think they're sexy. (Although, there is one particular man who can rock a pair of 2xist briefs like whoa, but nevermind…)

Anyway, we want to know what you think: do you go the extra mile to make your penis more interesting than it already is or do you keep your shit stream-lined?

Inquiring minds want to know.

(As an aside, we've pictured the aforementioned Wonderjock above. It's worth noting that the model actually has a vagina. Now, that's wonderous…)

While Buck Angel scares up FTM visibility (among other things), Marc Felion and Fausto Fernós of the wildly popular Feast of Fools podcast are bringing AIDS in Africa to the forefront by joining The Global Fund's (Red) Campaign.

The only gay media outlet partnering with the initiative founded by Bono, the boys are hoping to pump much-needed money into AIDS ravaged Africa: a terrifyingly difficult duty, to be sure.

Though busy saving the world, the boys found sometime to chat with Queerty about how they got their podcast start, why cynicism doesn't pay, and how you too can help fight AIDS.

CONTINUED »

We have to give a shout out to our friends over at the Logo-sponsored New Now Next

We wanted to write a post a few days ago about how we love receiving music from publicists, but so often our dreams of the next hot thing are dashed by something like that: the Sarah McLachlan's new album, a bag of shitty tea, and a tiny candle. It's a sweet idea, yes, but just a little too niche-marketing - what we mean by that, we'll let you figure out.

Oh, and to that publicist, if you're reading this: don't send us music that comes with anything that catches on fire. Unless it's a spliff. We'll take that.

When we heard about the LA Gay and Lesbian Community Center's new "HIV is a Gay Disease" ad campaign, we couldn't help but think about the faux-Rent scene from Team America. Do you remember, or have you killed too many brain cells to recall the puppet's running around singing about how they all have AIDS?

In an effort to combat communal apathy to the disease, the center hopes their campaign will force gays to confront the disease head on, rather than head in - as in unprotected head in ass. Lorri L. Jean, whose role as the chief executive of the center puts her in the spotlight, says:

We believe that most people in our community do not understand the degree to which this epidemic continues to be in Los Angeles largely an epidemic among gay and bisexual men.

Sure, the majority of infected LA folk may be gay, but the far-reaching consequences of this campaign extend far beyond the hell mouth that is Los Angeles, and many gay activists insist the Center's over-stepped their bounds. 365 Gay reports:

"I applaud the desire to have more personal responsibility in the gay community, but this is not the way to achieve it," said Michael Weinstein, head of the Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation. "AIDS is not a gay disease. It's not an African American disease. It's not a Latino disease. It is a disease of the immune system."

We're not sure where we stand on this controversial marketing campaign. We're all about AIDS awareness - we'd be complete idiots not to be - but this whole thing seems a bit, oh, we don't know, tacky. We'd almost prefer "All Gays Have AIDS" or "See That Gay Person? They have AIDS and if you don't run for your life, you'll have it, too!" What's your take, opinionated and oh-so-thoughtful readers?

When one the world's largest goods producers drops $200 million to promote a new product and there's a gay angle, they certainly attract our attention. Unilever is opening its fat wallet for the U.S. launch of Sunsilk shampoo, hoping for one of the biggest splashes in the company's history. So why do we care? Because the shampoo – aimed at women – is being marketed with three gay "best friend" types who will be pivotal to the marketing push. The Wall Street Journal reports Unilver

[...] will position them as style experts and they will write advice columns in magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Star, appear as commentators on television, and diagnose shoppers' hair problems. [...]

Unilever is paying to have the trio's hair advice column appear in some magazines, such as Cosmopolitan. Star will take it as a regular editorial contribution in its August edition. The men will be among the commentators who riff about celebrity news on cable-TV channel VH-1's "Best Week Ever."

Don't get us started about pay-for-pay (i.e. disguising paid-for advertising spots as editorial) in magazines — but the idea is damn brilliant. It remains to be seen whether Unilever can execute this brand splash without tripping over the Queer Eye factor, but they've got some clout: Sunsilk is already hugely successful in Europe, Latin America and Asia. The new shampoo hits the American market this month and is already taking a huge step in ensuring its success: two of its eight variations are aimed specifically as Hispanic women, targeting the fastest growing demographic in the country. You know, beside fag hags.

(The WSJ article is only available to paid subscribers.)

Unilever's Sunsilk(TM) to Debut in the U.S. [Business Wire]

Commercial Closet's founding executive director Michael Wilke sees just as much progress as regress this year when it comes to gays and advertising. For every Diet Coke commercial featuring Carson Kressley, there's a Nabisco "Snack Fairy" spot playing off the stereotype of feminine men. From Calvin Klein beefcake and Abercrombie & Fitch homoerotica to Absolut and Bud Light's specific catering to the gay community, inroads are being made in sexual orientation-appropriate marketing.

But there's always a trade off; alcohol ads targeted at the gay community almost explicitly appear in gay media only, while the same companies' mainstream marketing still makes gay stereotypes a punchline in their advertising. Wilke believes:

"there has been growth in all types of representation: growth in positive [ads], growth in stereotyped, homophobic approaches, and also in equal representations that are inclusive.”

He adds that gay men are faring better than lesbians, bisexuals and the transgendered, with “…greater diversity of representations, although the stereotyped representations continue quite strongly.”

Mainstream Advertisers Gradually Realizing Homophobia Doesn't Sell [AfterElton]

This year's Gay Games in Chicago are shaping up to filled not only with headline acts – Andy Bell, Cindi Lauper, Margaret Cho, Megan Mullally – but some headline advertisers, as well. Both ESPN and Gatorade have signed on as official sponsors, joining the likes of Kraft and Walgreens in the face of plenty of right-wing groups calling for boycotts of these companies. (Keep in mind Kraft is owned by Altria, which owns Phillip Morris, which make Marlboro cigarettes. How many conservatives do you picture switching to Camel?)

We've been hammered with press releases from corporate sponsors of gay pride events for weeks now — Svedka vodka, for instance wants to make sure Queerty readers know drag queen empresaria Lady Bunny is Madame President in 2033, or at least she'll play her on the Svedka float during NYC pride.

Do we get the warm and fuzzies when big companies embrace the GLBT community? Sure. Are we more likely to buy their products if they actively target our demographic? Most likely. Are we losing some of our gay pride purpose by letting corporations attach themselves to our community efforts? Probably.

Gay Games add sponsors [Chicago RedEye]

Turns out we weren't the only ones giddy over Ford's outreach to the gay community (though to be fair, we were more dreamy eyed over Ford's refusal to kowtow to the American Family Association's boycott threats). A new survey reveals 80 percent of Americans are just fine with corporations marketing toward the gay community — that is, ad dollars spent trying to reach us aren't going to off-put most of our fellow citizens.

The survey, performed by FH Out Front (part of a giant PR firm, mind you) on 1,000 people, also concludes some 52 percent of Americans wouldn't support a boycott of a company based on its gay marketing, while 14 percent of respondents say they'd "speak out" against such a boycott.

While those in the homo camp might be more willing to buy goods or services from a company that specifically markets itself toward our audience – Who among you chose a dentist from the backpages of a local gay weekly because he had a nice smile? – it's nice to know Bud Light's tossing a few rainbow-colored dollars toward gay bar promotions (or even sponsoring Aspen Gay Ski Week) isn't keeping Joe Fratboy from picking up a six-pack at 7-Eleven.

Survey: most consumers OK with corporate gay outreach [NY Blade]

If Calvin Klein's "live billboard" in Times Square wasn't enough to turn you off from the designer, perhaps the pool party hosting designer's latest stunt will: He's attempting to turn "technosexual" into a word.

technosexual (tek.noh.SEK.shoo.ul) n. A person with a strong aesthetic sense for fashion and a love of technology. —technosexuality n.

Klein already has the domain name ready to go and, as media blog Muckraked points out, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office has already received his trademark application:

Name: Technosexual

Firm: Calvin Klein

Products: PERFUMERY, INCLUDING, PERFUME, EAU DE TOILETTE, EAU DE PARFUM, PARFUM GEL, SCENTED SERUMS, SCENTED SACHETS, FRAGRANCE STICKS, POTS AND BALMS, POTPOURRI, TOILET WATER, AFTERSHAVE, COLOGNE, ESSENTIAL OILS, AROMATHERAPY PRODUCTS NOT FOR MEDICAL USE, MASSAGE OILS, AND SKIN SCRUBS, DEODORANTS AND ANTIPERSPIRANTS, NON-MEDICATED TOILET PREPARATIONS, BATH AND SHOWER PREPARATIONS, NAMELY, BATH AND SHOWER GEL, BATH OIL, BATH OIL CAPSULES, BODY WASH, BATH CRYSTALS AND BEADS AND BUBBLE BATH, SKIN CARE PREPARATIONS INCLUDING FACE, BODY AND SKIN CREAMS, LOTIONS, GELS AND MOISTURIZERS AND COSMETICS

Listen, Calvin: We've already got the iPod boxers from Play and the iPod jacket from Burton. Do we really need pockets sewn into suits specifically for our Motorola Q and face wash that smells like a Sidekick 3?

What’s In a Name? Calvin Klein’s Technosexual [Muckraked]

Movie studios spend a lot of money getting their films on magazine covers. But when The Advocate stamped its May 23 issue with Superman Returns, Warner Bros. was less than thrilled. Perhaps it had something to do with the story's headline: "How Gay Is Superman?" Pretty damn gay, you're right.

Certainly the ginormous bulge hanging from a life-size Batman statue in a comic store window display on our block and news that Batwoman is coming back as a dyke aren't doing the studios any favors to fight off their recurring gay vibes. But when Hollywood is spending 9-figures to produce and market a big budget action flic, their concern over public perception appears warranted.

Kudos to Warner Bros. for buying time on Logo to promote Superman Returns — even that step to attract gay audiences stands out when you consider what's at stake.

An informal poll of six veteran Hollywood marketing executives at rival studios revealed sharply divided opinions over how — or even if — "Superman's" gay attention would affect the film. Two of the executives said the focus could actually expand the film's audience, much as gay moviegoers have responded to the "X-Men" superhero series, which has been praised for its metaphorical plots about acceptance. The first two "X-Men" movies were directed by Bryan Singer, the openly gay filmmaker who also made "Superman Returns." Singer did not respond to an interview request.

But four of the movie marketing executives, all of whom declined to speak on the record, said gay "Superman Returns" interest presented two potential box-office problems. First, teenage moviegoers, especially those in conservative states, might be put off by a movie carrying a gay vibe; among some teens, these executives agreed, saying something "is gay" is still the ultimate put-down. Second, the attention threatens to undermine the film's status as a hard-edged action movie, making it feel softer, more romantic, and thus less interesting to young ticket buyers who crave pyrotechnics.

Can you blame a big budget movie studio for wanting to protect their investment? Certainly not. And at this point, it'd be unrealistic to contend it doesn't make smart business sense to separate a movie like Superman Returns from gay chatter. That doesn't make it admirable, of course, or ethically sound. For its part, Hollywood never claimed to be either.

How will it fly? [LAT]
Related: Morning Goods: Brandon Routh