::   Tom Ackerman, a photographer and art director who lives in New York City and a blogger at Religion Dispatches has a new manifesto since the passage of anti-marriage equality measures in California, Florida, and Arizona this month. He no longer recognizes marriage. Not at all -- at least not when he's talking to someone. "Yesterday I called a woman’s spouse her boyfriend. She says, correcting me, 'He's my husband.' 'Oh,' I say, 'I no longer recognize marriage.'" 
Ackerman advises, "Just replace the words husband, wife, spouse, or fiancé with boyfriend, girlfriend, special friend, or longtime companion. There is a reason we needed stronger words for more serious relationships. We know it; now they can see it."

         ::   There's been a lot of speculation about why the Mormon church pulled out all its considerable political and financial muscle to back Prop. 8 in California. Probably really is just something their unique theology directs them to do, but the campaign probably had the side-effect of helping the political career of Mitt Romney. Political analysts contacted by Salt Lake Tribune say Mormon support for the anti-gay effort  would help Mitt Romney if he decides to run again for President in 2008. They say it might have helped convince the fundamentalists who have been important in GOP primaries that a Mormon like Romney really might be on their side. Others, however, say the LDS campaign could make it harder for him to convince voters he'd be independent of the church.

         ::   Meanwhile, the prophets and their staffs in Salt Lake City better get ready for a skewering. While it basks in glory from the churches it joined to help pass Prop 8, and in intense criticism from advocates of marriage equality, the Mormon church is about to be featured in a new Broadway musical developed by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, creators of the cartoon South Park. Composer Robert Lopez, who wrote Avenue Q, has signed on as co-writer. Cheyenne Jackson, an openly-gay Broadway star who appeared in the film United 93, said this week that he has agreed to play the lead role, a Mormon missionary, in the show. The musical based on the lives and (many) loves of "typical" members of the Church of the Latter Day Saints is currently being work-shopped and is slated to open in 2009.

          ::   Photographer JD Ferguson features on his blog several outtakes from a shoot he did for VMAN 11 which featured hot model and former A&F it-boy Tyler Lough (near right). He explains that "a lot of his film came out too dark," but correctly figured fans wouldn't mind all that much. He offers even more from models Tyler Kenyon (far right), Charles Devoe, and Parker Gregory who also participated. We offer a Tyler Lough screen-sized montage.

proposition 8, model