Tag Archives: activism
Metalbond rants: The Rentboy.com bust is an outrage
I’m completely infuriated, appalled and disgusted about the Rentboy arrests and the site being shut down.
First of all, what the fuck is the Homeland Security Department doing, going after gay male escorts? Don’t they have more important things to do, like going after the fucking terrorists!!??
This bust had nothing to do with terrorism, money laundering, sex trafficking or illegal exploitation of minors — all of which should be stopped, unquestionably. Rentboy was as a safe, reliable way for CONSENTING ADULT MEN to connect with each other. They had been operating openly for almost two decades.
Personally, I am going to miss the site very much. From time to time, I have hired guys off Rentboy. Why? Because the escorts who advertised on Rentboy paid a subscription fee and were reviewed by their clients, I found it was a FAR SAFER way to find what I needed than relying on Craig’s List or a phone line or somebody off the street. (And, truth be told, sometimes I just enjoyed browsing the guys on Rentboy and fantasizing, beating off looking at their pictures and reading their profiles!)
A lot has been written already about this stupid, anti-gay attack. If you have not already done so, you might want to read various articles and blog postings and view videos posted by Matt Baume, Dirk Caber, JamesMichael Nichols and Matthew Ebert. There are many others. Even The New York Times has editorialized against the raid.
Perhaps the most compelling account yet is from our own Rob Yaeger. You might recognize him from some of his bondage-themed porn shoots that have been featured here on Metalbond. The video below featuring Mr. Yaeger is a must-see:
UPDATE: YouTube deleted the video, but you can watch it by clicking here.
Rob, thank you for telling your story!
Tie the knot
I wish Dan Savage had been around when I was growing up
He just gave a really good, comprehensive interview to Playboy magazine, in which he discusses a wide range of issues, including gay rights, his It Gets Better project, same sex marriage — and yes, even BDSM.
To read this very worthwhile Q&A with Dan Savage, click here.
Men WITH chains
The first shot up there is Gregory Nalbone. The last one in the series is Pavel Petel.
Tie the knot
Everyone should be allowed to tie the knot
Do you like knots as much as I do? I bet you do. But I am not only interested in the literal kind of knots involving rope, but also the figurative kind. That’s right, I’m talking marriage. Tying the knot. Entering into wedlock. The old ball and chain. Conjugal bonds. You get the idea.
Today, the United States Supreme Court agreed to hear TWO marriage equality cases — the Proposition 8 case from California and the federal Defense of Marriage Act, also known as DOMA. In my view, both of these anti-gay measures should be struck down by the Supreme Court. I hope everyone reading this blog will agree. It’s time for marriage equality in this country.
To learn more about this issue, I’ll be watching to see what gay activist Dan Savage has to say about this when he appears on the MSNBC show Up With Chris Hayes this weekend.
Meanwhile, let’s all tell our friends, relatives, neighbors and co-workers that we believe everyone should be allowed to tie the knot. You can let your feelings known on this issue by wearing a white knot. Click for WhiteKnot.org for more information on how you can participate in this public awareness initiative:
San Francisco Police Department It Gets Better video
Thanks to Dan Savage for launching the It Gets Better anti-bullying campaign — and thanks to RH for passing this particular video along!