Weekly Standard Editor Kristol Refuses To Apologize For Violently Anti-Gay E-Mail Sent To Subscribers, Minnesota Archbishop Nienstedt Orders Priests To Support Or Remain Silent On Anti-Same Sex Marriage Amendment, Jon Huntsman Condemns Rick Santorum’s “Divisive” Rhetoric On Same Sex Marriage, ACLU Sues Michigan Over New Law That Bans Most Public Employers From Offering Health Insurance To Domestic Partners Of Employees, Ranking The Gay-Friendly School Rankings, Chaz Bono Saving To Buy Penis, Kristy McNichol Comes Out, Channing Tatum

An update, albeit a confusing one, on a previous post, Politico reports that The Human Rights Campaign is calling on its members to e-mail Weekly Standard editor William Kristol and demand that he condemn an email that went out from its marketing arm Thursday morning warning that "radical homosexuals" were "infiltrating the United States Congress," author Eugene Delgaudio adding, "Their ultimate dream is to create a new America based on sexual promiscuity in which the values you and I cherish are long forgotten." Politico contacted Kristol's office shortly after the e-mail went out, but he had not responded. "That doesn't sound like us," the Weekly Standard's receptionist said, when read the first line of the e-mail. According to the HRC, “The Human Rights Campaign — the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization — is condemning the Weekly Standard for sending an email on behalf of one of their sponsors, the anti-gay organization “Public Advocate of the United States,” that called LGBT Americans “sexual deviants” and asked recipients to contribute financially to efforts aimed at defaming the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA). The e-mail, you remember, said “radical homosexuals” were pushing SNDA as part of an attempt to “indoctrinate” children while creating a “new America based on sexual promiscuity.” It went on to call LGBT people “deviants.” First, Weekly Standard publisher Terry Eastland calls to explain that the Standard's "vetting system broke down," adding, "This is obviously not the sort of advertising that we would accept, nor will we accept it in the future. It was just one of these cases where an ad came in, it was not fully vetted in the way it should be, and it got out." When asked if the Weekly Standard or Bill Kristol would condemn the e-mail, Eastland said that that was a question for Kristol and that he would try to get the editor's answer. Second, Eastland called back after talking to Kristol, who is not condemning the e-mail, and said, "I think we've said enough. I think I've said enough."

There ought not be open dissension on this issue,” is the message the Catholic hierarchy is telling priests in Minnesota — “this issue” being same sex marriage. The American Independent reports that in a private speech to Minnesota’s priests last October, Archbishop John C. Nienstedt said that any priest who disagreed with the church’s efforts to place a constitutional ban on marriage for same-sex couples should remain silent. Any disagreements should be brought to him personally, he said. The Catholic Church in Minnesota has been a driving force for the anti-same sex-marriage amendment since it passed onto the 2012 ballot last May. Nienstedt later sent the text of that speech to priests who were unable to participate in the gathering. Someone in the church recently leaked the text to the Progressive Catholic Voice, a group working for reform within the church. On Thursday, PCV published statements condemning Nienstedt’s speech. In the speech, Nienstedt told the priests he expects participation in getting the amendment passed from everyone within the church, writing that “It is my expectation that all the priests and deacons in this Archdiocese will support this venture and cooperate with us in the important efforts that lie ahead. The gravity of this struggle, and the radical consequences of inaction propels me to place a solemn charge upon you all — on your ordination day, you made a promise to promote and defend all that the Church teaches. I call upon that promise in this effort to defend marriage. There ought not be open dissension on this issue. If any have personal reservations, I do not wish that they be shared publicly. If anyone believes in conscience that he cannot cooperate, I want him to contact me directly and I will plan to respond personally.” Nienstedt also noted that he’s created teams of “a priest and a married couple” to go into Catholic schools to talk about the amendment. In a public statement, various members of Progressive Catholic Voice said the Archbishop’s direction is unbelievable. “When I first read this letter I couldn’t believe that the Archbishop was telling priests and deacons to be silent if they were opposed to the marriage amendment,” said Paula Ruddy, parishioner at Minneapolis’ St. Boniface. “Is one’s position on whether the State constitution should be amended a matter of Church doctrine? How are Catholics to form their consciences if their pastors are not candid with them?” Ruddy is also a member of the editorial board of the Progressive Catholic Voice. That group’s editor, Michael Bayly, called the speech problematic. “The Archbishop’s letter is problematic in many ways,” he said. “As a gay man, I find it particularly offensive that he can’t even bring himself to name gay and lesbian people. We’re simply a ‘minority’ seemingly out to destroy the church and civilization. Such an absurd caricature would be funny if not for the hurtful and damaging consequences to individuals, couples and families resulting from the Archbishop’s anti-marriage equality activism.” Minnesota’s Catholic hierarchy has come under intense scrutiny over its support for the anti-gay constitutional amendment. In the run-up to the 2010 gubernatorial election, the church sent out approximately 400,000 DVDs and mailings urging Catholics to vote for Republican Tom Emmer, the only candidate in the race who opposed marriage equality for same-sex couples and a staunch Catholic. The campaign, paid for by an anonymous donor and produced by the Knight of Columbus, sparked protests against the church. More recently, the Archdiocese’s lobbying wing, the Minnesota Catholic Conference, has joined with the National Organization for Marriage and the Minnesota Family Council to form the Minnesota for Marriage Coalition, a group dedicated to passing the amendment in November.

Bloomberg News reports that former Utah governor and current GOP presidential candidate Jon Huntsman commented on Rick Santorum’s statement earlier this week comparing same sex marriage to polygamy. Huntsman described that kind of rhetoric as divisive, saying the conversation surrounding marriage equality ought to be based on “fairness and dignity.”

Thursday, the ACLU of Michigan filed a lawsuit against the state to overturn a new law that bans most public employers from providing health insurance for the domestic partners of their workers. According to WKZO, the legislation was signed into law by Governor Rick Snyder in late December, and prohibits public employers from providing taxpayer-paid health insurance and other benefits to the domestic partners of public employees, regardless of whether they are straight or same sex partners. Proponents of the law say it saves taxpayers money; opponents say the measure is mean spirited, and will make recruitment of the best employees difficult. The suit was filed on behalf of four same sex couples who say the new law will "wreak havoc" on their lives, as they have medical conditions which require ongoing care.

How accurate are the rankings of gay-friendly colleges and universities? The Washington Post investigates.

Chaz Bono is busy saving money for a penis, Bono, born Chastity, tells Rolling Stone that to completely match how he has always felt, he intends to “get a phalloplasty, which builds the phallus from a donor site on your body, but I'm leaning more toward a metoidioplasty. It's a procedure that uses what you already have down there (the clitoris) which has grown larger from the testosterone. You end up with a smaller phallus than with the phalloplasty, but it's fully functional, it gets erect, and the sensation is all there." Asked about the penis’ size, Bono says, "You know, I don't really. I mean, I've never seen one erect. So it's really hard to say. But, you know, soft, probably about three inches, and it grows considerably. I don't know what the average size difference is, but when I'm having sex I probably get three or four times larger." Asked about the exact cost involved, Bono answers, "It depends. There's different ways to do the surgery, from real basic to more and more options. It's like a car. Well, I mean, to break it down, the surgery I want to have, I'd like to have the testicular implants and all of that, and I'd like to be able to urinate through it. I mean, it's not that big a deal to sit down, but some of the toilet seats in men's rooms are disgusting. The doctor I want to use is in Belgrade. It's going to be a little cheaper there. Probably $25,000, maybe $45,000, I really don't know."

I am not sure it is exactly a surprise, but Kristy McNichol has come out in an effort to try to help youth who are being bullied. McNichol, 49, who has lived with her partner Martie Allen, also 49, for the past two decades, decided to make a statement about her sexuality and share a photo because she is "approaching 50" and wants to "be open about who I am." She "is very sad about kids being bullied," her publicist Jeff Ballard tells People. "She hopes that coming out can help kids who need support. She would like to help others who feel different." Best known for her Emmy Award-winning role as Buddy Lawrence in the '70s show Family and later as Barbara Weston in Empty Nest, McNichol left it all behind when she dropped out of Hollywood to focus on her health. Done with acting, McNichol spends her time focusing on tennis, yoga, travel, and raising her beloved miniature dachshunds. "She is very happy and healthy," says Ballard. "And she enjoys living a very private life."

Channing Tatum was among those attending the premiere of Haywire Thursday evening.