Elton John gathered his most famous, altruistic friends for the Ninth Annual White Tie and Tiara Ball. The Elton John AIDS Foundation coordinated with Chopard last night to raise funds for the fight against HIV/AIDS.

CONTINUED »

• Because schadenfreude's much, much funnier when its Japanese.

• Costa Rican lawmakers put forth same-sex nuptial bill.

• Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum will be one of New York Gay Pride's grand marshals. Mazel tov!

CONTINUED »

Mika's certainly garnered more than his fair share of gay press in recent months. Most of the ink revolves around the pop-star's secretive sexuality. As we all know, the crooner won't confirm rumors he's a queer.

At first glance, it would appear Out's July issue follows the same old story. Take a peek inside, however, and it soon becomes clear that their Mika-related coverage ain't just a guessing game. The issue serves as a rumination on the state of the gay nation. And with potentially liberating results.

No doubt homos have come a long way over the past four decades or so. While we've certainly got a way to go, Out wonders what's become of the screaming queen. As EIC Aaron Hicklin write in his editor's letter:

It may be disingenuous of Mika to claim that who he sleeps with is immaterial, but for an increasing number young gay men, identifying as gay is becoming anachronistic, if not completely irrelevant.

Have militant gays gone the way of the dodo? Find out, after the jump…

CONTINUED »