Simple New Year's Eve Menu That Is Hassle Free!

 Tonight is New Year's Eve, which caps off the business of the holiday season. Most of us are worn out, tired, and downright sick of the holidays, but that doesn't mean that we can't throw a great bash that is stress free. Here's my ideas for a perfect New Year's Eve party menu that is delicious but won't be a lot of work. 

(Image Via www.morningsider.com)

1.) Make a cheese ball. All you need is cream cheese (8 oz. pack) and cheese (about 1/2 a cup) to make the ball (just mix it with your hands) then coat it with chili powder  and your cheese ball is ready in a matter of minutes.
2.) Another great appetizer is pig in a blanket. This classic is easy to make and so good. You can even turn up the volume by serving various condiments for your guests to dip their pigs in a blanket in.
3.) Order pizza. A great main dish, go to your local pizza joint and pick up a couple of pies to get your party started off on the right foot.
4.) Serve hummus from the store with some crackers for a great side dish.
5.) And last but not least, make sure you have champagne for that midnight toast. If you don't drink alcohol or you want your kids to be able to partake in the festivities, buy Martinelli's sparkling cider instead.

So there you have it. A great and simple New Year's Eve menu to ring in 2014. Enjoy and  have a happy and healthy New Year.

 

The Female Year In Review: What 2013 Was Like For Women's Rights

(Image Via www.michcafe.blogspot.com)

   Yesterday, I brought you what 2013 was like for the GLBT community, but today I thought I would bring you what this past year has been like for women. While the GLBT community saw strides this past year, women have seen some hurdles. One of the biggest stories of the year that I feel needs to be addressed is the epidemic of rape that has gone on this year. This epidemic came to the forefront of the news when a woman died after being raped on a bus in India. I hope that 2014 will see a worldwide campaign to fight this tragic epidemic that affects women and girls worldwide.
    Another big piece of news that affects women came this year as more states decided to put more and more restrictions on abortions. These states, mostly in the South, made it mandatory for women to get sonograms before getting abortions. Others saw the date for when a woman can have an abortion being made earlier and earlier. While some praised these new laws, other women bemoaned having more restrictions on when they can have an abortion.
     Next up, we saw rumors that Hillary Clinton, the woman of women, may be running for President in 2016. Though she has neither confirmed or denied whether she's going to take another run for the White House, 2014 may just be the year that she makes a decision. Who knows? We may just see her as President in a couple of years.
       This past year has also given us some stories about women's body issues that are more divisive than most years. From "The Real Housewives" bickering with each other to "Fit Mom" and her opponents going at it, 2013 was a year where the stereotype of women attacking each other about their bodies, ideas, and opionions seemed to be amplified by the media. I know this may seem like an empty wish, but I hope 2014 will see women more united than ever when it comes to realizing that everyone is beautiful and bickering helps nothing.
        Even though it seems like women's rights may have taken a few hits this year, the good news is we that things can change. Hopefully 2014 will see the income gap worldwide between men and women decrease, the rape epidemic come to an end, and more women take leadership positions worldwide. If this happens, who knows, 2014 may just be the best year for women's rights that we've seen in a while.

The Big Gay Year In Review: What 2013 Was Like For The GLBT Community

 As the year comes to an end, I thought it would be a great time to reflect on the advances for GLBT rights that we saw in 2013 in my "Big Gay Year In Review" and to reflect on where we have to go in 2014. Let's start off with some great news, as eight states legalized gay marriage this year. Most recently, Utah, a state many thought would be the last to legalize gay marriage, legalized gay marriage last week. Additionally, The Supreme Court ruled this June that the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional, allowing the government to recognize gay and lesbian marriages on a federal level.

(Image Via www.webmastergrade.com)

   Meanwhile, we in the U.S. still have a ways to go as ENDA, which would prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace, still has not been passed into law. It's awkward to me how there's nearly as many states where you can be fired for being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender than there are states that have gay marriage. Additionally, there have been several attacks on GLBT people from homophobic people, which proves to me that legalizing gay marriage is just a starting point in getting our rights. So, in 2014, it would be nice to see ENDA passed and a broad campaign that addressed how we need to end hate and hate crimes in this country.
    Over in Europe, the GLBT community there has had a mixed bag in 2013. The UK is scheduled to get gay marriage next year, but the biggest story to come from Europe is one that shows that we still have a long way to go in gaining equality. If you watch the news, you know that I'm talking about Russia, where the government passed a law barring gay propaganda. This, in turn, led to a surge in hate crimes and gay murders. Meanwhile, some around the world did not help the cause, as they supported the upcoming winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, a former gay mecca that has been decimated by the anti-gay laws passed in Russia. Hopefully, 2014 will see Russia's anti-gay laws come to an end.
     While, Russia may have digressed when it comes to gay rights, they aren't the only ones. India made headlines recently when the Supreme Court in that country as they made gay sex illegal, overturning a law that was passed in 2009. Politicians in that country have vowed to overturn the law, but who knows where that will turn out? Hopefully, we will see India's politicians do good and overturn the Supreme Court's ruling in the upcoming year.

(From www.sportsillustrated.cnn.com)

      This year has also been one of the best for gay visibility as many celebrities have come out of the closet. Notably, Olympian Tom Daley and NBA player Jason Collins, both made headlines when they came out as GLBT. Other prominent figures to come out as GLBT this past year are Chelsea Manning, Matt Dallas, Brian Boitano, and, most recently Robin Roberts. Hopefully, 2014 will see more celebrities coming out and representing as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender.
         So, there you have it folks, a brief synopsis of the big gay year that was 2013. As a community, I would say that we made tremendous strides, but that we have a far way to go. Who knows? Maybe when I do my 2014 year in review gay marriage will be legal nationwide. Even if it isn't though, it is these small steps that make big impacts on the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people and there families. After all, I'm sure the folks at Stonewall had no clue the movement that they would create, and they would be pleasantly surprised to see where we are at today. So, to all of you out there, I wish you a great 2014 that is happy, healthy, and successful for you and yours, and here's to 2013, a year that brought so many momentous occasions for us to look back upon in joy as we enter a new year.

Robin Roberts, GMA Anchor And Cancer Survivor, Acknowledges She's Gay

(Via www.cnn.com)

   Today, Robin Roberts acknowledged the fact that she was gay while thanking the people in her life who have helped her beat cancer for the last year. While Roberts thanked her friends and family, she also thanked her girlfriend of ten years, Amber. The news is the first time that Roberts, an anchor for "Good Morning America" on ABC, has addressed being gay even though she has log been out to her friends, family, and coworkers. Congratulations Robin!

Saturday Straight Talk: My Problem With The HIV Equal Campaign

(Image Via www.out.com)

        If you guys haven't heard, there's a new campaign out to end the stigma that people who have HIV and AIDS suffer. It's called HIV Equal. In the campaign stars like Jack Mackenroth of "Project Runway", Broadway star Nick Adams, and Congressman Chris Hines are shown with an equal symbol somewhere on their bodies to represent that whether they are positive or negative, they are all equal. Through lessening the stigma of HIV, the creators of the campaign hope to make it less of a deal for folks to go out and get tested. While I believe no one should be discriminated against due to their HIV status, I feel that the campaign sends a misleading message to young people out there that neglects to talk about how to prevent oneself from contracting HIV. Furthermore, I feel that people need to realize that when it comes to choosing who to have sex with, it does matter what the other person's HIV status is so that they know what they may be getting into if their partner is positive, and the "HIV Equal" campaign fails to address these concerns by implying that HIV status, even of those who you may choose to have sex with, doesn't matter because everyone is equal.
          If the "HIV Equal" campaign would also focus on teaching young men and women to protect themselves through the use of condoms, spermicidal lubes, and all that other fun stuff they have out there to lessen one's chance of contracting HIV, I would be all on board. They are not though. Instead, they are getting pretty people to take pretty pictures that give the false sense that one's sexual behaviors don't matter because we are all "HIV equal". I know it may sound harsh, but I feel that this campaign fails to deliver any real substance. In fact, I don't even feel that it really feels to really show that we are HIV equal because there are no messages in the images that show the stigma that people with HIV face, and I find it hard to find the message to go out and get tested anywhere in the campaign's images. In the end, I understand that the people behind this campaign have good intentions, and I respect what they are trying to do. I just think that they need to have a more rounded and solid message when it comes to their vision of the world being "HIV equal", and that's my "Saturday Straight Talk".

A&E Lifts Phil Robertson's Suspension, Starts Taping With Whole Robertson Family

   

(Image Via www.michaelgraham.com)

   Yesterday, A&E stated that they had started taping the new season of "Duck Dynasty", and that Phil Robertson is back in. The network, which suspended Robertson after he made some not so savory comments about black and gay rights, has decided that they would rather reap the tremendous profit that "Duck Dynasty" brings the network than can Robertson. While GLAAD has said that they have faced "backlash" over standing up to the anti-gay and anti-black comments, they are not regretting calling for a boycott of the show. In fact, they released a pretty scathing comment to A&E which called them out for valuing profit over human rights.    
      In the meantime, GLBT people are  saying "What the Duck?" and calling for boycotts of A&E and "Duck Dynasty's" sponsors. A&E in return has said that they will air PSA's about inclusion, but I have little faith that any "Duck Dynasty" cast members will make an appearance.  What do you think about this whole ordeal ? Will this help create change or will Robertson return to the small screen without any consequences?

Ask Anything, Get Answers: Submit Your Questions Now

    Hey everybody. Christmas is over, and we here at "It Is The Lifestyle" are looking forward to a great 2014. Firstly, we would like to thank everyone who reads our blog, and we hope to keep writing articles to get your mind going. That's why in 2014, we want to know what you want to want to see more of or less of here on the blog. Leave any comments below. Also, we are going to try to do a new thing on Sundays where we answer your questions about love, sex, sexuality, and lifestyle. So whether your a gay guy not knowing how to approach the guy of your dreams, or a mom who hasn't quite mastered the art of cooking, we want to hear from you. Submit your questions to itisthelifestyle@gmail.com, and, if we get any questions, we should come out with our first "Ask Anything" on "It Is The Lifestyle" the first Sunday in January.                                    (Image Via www.creativeeveryday.com)