Daily Beast, Nico Hines still silent on outing gay Olympians 11 weeks later

The website shows a lack of transparency and accountability as 7 unanswered emails show.
From: OutSports

Photographers at the Olympics, where media scrutiny is huge.
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

On Aug. 11, the Daily Beast published an article by Nico Hines originally headlined: "I Got Three Grindr Dates in an Hour in the Olympic Village." That night, the website pulled the story after an international outcry erupted about outing closeted athletes and its editors said they screwed up. Now, 11 weeks later, the site has still not explained how the story came to be published and Hines has still not apologized.

The Daily Beast is not returning emails on this issue and Hines has not tweeted or written anything since the article appeared. It seems as if the Daily Beast hopes the story will go away and people will forget, but that's not happening.

People are pissed for a good reason — Hines, who is straight, posed as a gay man on Grindr and connected with closeted gay athletes in Rio's Olympic village. His first version of the article contained enough personal information about some gay athletes that they could be identified (A Slate writer said he could ID five). By Hines' admission, some of these athletes were from countries where being gay is illegal, putting them at risk should they be identified. It's the nightmare of any LGBT person who is not yet able to come out.

The article was journalistic malpractice of the highest order. Who thought this was a good idea? Which editor OKd the idea? Which editor(s) read the first version and OKd it for publication? Were any LGBT Daily Beast editorial staff consulted before the story ran? Why did the story stay up the entire day, with only modest changes and a different headline? Why has the Daily Beast not been transparent about any investigation? What has happened to Hines — was he suspended? fired? He is still listed on the website as its London editor, though he has not written any story since the Grindr one was spiked.

The story was a dangerously clumsy attempt at being edgy, sexy and getting page views. I am convinced neither Hines nor the Daily Beast sought to out gay Olympians., yet they were collectively clueless and insensitive to the ramifications of the article and what it means to be an LGBT person. They owe everyone an explanation, and in Hines' case, a detailed apology. People are not going to forget this (check out Twitter as an example).

To give a sense of how unresponsive the Daily Beast has been in answering questions, below are seven emails — all unanswered — one man has sent to the editors or Hines since the Grindr story appeared:

Aug. 12

Why are you not firing this guy or refusing to contract with him re his grinder story in Rio? Who are his bosses? Who are their bosses? What is their contact info? When some athlete gets killed or beaten because of this what are you going to do help? What specific actions have you taken to help each athlete you outed with the damage you have caused? Are you going to pay for counseling? What happens when said athlete can't go home or heaven forbid commits suicide? Really serious about getting answers about how you plan to help. Would like to see you publish answers to my questions? Apology and retracting the article is not enough here. In this time of division and hate mongering I would have expected more from your organization. Where were your editors?

Aug. 15

Folks. Can you please publish without any identifying facts about any athlete what you are doing to help the athletes you recently outed? The apology after the first "brush off" was a start. Thank-you. Now how are you financially and emotionally supporting the athletes who may not feel comfortable returning home or worse yet may be physically harmed or harm themselves? You accurately took collective blame for a huge screw up. You now have an opportunity and the resources to right a wrong and really make a difference. Can you please share with us your action plan on actually helping these people and insuring such a mistake will never be made again?

Aug. 17

Can anything be done to make sure the Daily Beast is held financially responsible to the athletes they may have outed? I have repeatedly asked these questions to the Daily Beast and its parent company and all I get is silence. Are there any thoughts about revoking their press rights in the future? I really think an apology is not enough here. They have failed to issue specific plans on how this mistake will not be repeated in the future. How can they be held accountable?

Sept. 6

I sent the attached e-mail some time ago to you and the Daily Beast. I have yet to receive a response. I grow more concern as time passes with no response. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sept. 7

Mr. Hines

I have made numerous inquiries about how The Daily Beast intends to help the athletes affected by your Rio Grinder article. Your company has taken collective blame but I have found your e-mail address and wanted to appeal to you directly. I don't wish to vilify you. I just believe in light of your recent mistake you are in a unique position to help people in addition to the athletes directly involved. I am a 56 year old gay man. I came out at 34. My journey to come out when I did took me all 34 years. Each gay person has their own path and to have that path shortened by someone else can be truly devastating. Luckily I came out on my own timetable and in a country where my personal safety was not an issue.

I don't fault you for curiosity about hookup sites. I just wish you had not chosen to give identifying details about the individuals involved. This is where I find you culpable. I choose to believe this was done from ignorance or lack of forethought and not from malice. Your actions may have enormous consequences for the athletes involved. I find our society is fascinated by a persons missteps in life rather than their achievements. I can't argue that what the folks were doing was one of their best choices if they were closeted but specifically identifying them rather than describing their behavior is something I hope you will choose to avoid in the future. I think you as a straight person have every right to examine and question gay life and behavior. I am sorry people are so angry at you. I confess I am quite angry and hurt myself.

I find it interesting you have chosen to hide since your article. I urge you not to do so as this wound will only fester. The gay community is quite patient and has a long memory. I hope you will choose to step forward and own your mistake, make sure your company looks after the individuals harmed and "do better" as stated in the second apology issued by your company. I also hope that this mistake can be the start of new procedures and internal safeguards within your company so that things like this never happen again.

I wish you well and await your next steps in dealing with this opportunity.

Sept. 20

Editors

I tend to be more and more amazed at the lack of a response to my questions and e-mails raised about the Nico Hines Grinder story. I have repeatedly asked what is actually being done for the athletes you have harmed with this story. I have repeatedly asked what editorial safeguards have been put into place following this story so things of this nature will not happen again. Mr. Hines has gone into hiding and you have obviously placed your heads in the sand. You with your silence have now become one of the bullies you have railed against. I had hoped with your second apology you would act on your words and by your actions be a voice for change. Everybody make mistakes. It is how you act or don't act in rectifying those mistakes that you will be remembered. Please step forward and show us all a path for change.

Sept. 24

Folks. Your silence is deafening. Why won't you respond. I will not go away. Why are you not stepping forward to right your mistakes? You can be such a powerful voice for change. Where are you?

Where are you? That’s a question we all want an answer to.

Austin Armacost Yoga Nude: "You look like a roast chicken"

From: Fleshbot

 We've already had a ton of sexiness this week here at Fleshbot Gay, so I feel comfortable taking a risk on something that's either sexy, funny, or really fucking stupid. You decide! If you've seen a second of the A-List: New York, then you'll know Austin Armacost is so so hot and so so much like a Real Housewife with a real drinking and attitude problem. On the reality series he had aspirations of becoming a Playgirl model, but that didn't end up materializing, so he's taken to his other reality shows and now Instagram to show off his nude bod. Where there's a will there's a way!

 I actually met Austin Armacost when he was the VIP celeb guest at a charity event for the Gay Games in Cleveland, and boy was he a turd. The event was a little sad and featured a most likely tainted buffet and watery drinks at the Indians stadium, and grl acted like he was Blue Ivy going to North West's birthday party: Too good. I see you Austin, you're the North West. He hung around his two friends for the entire time even though the Games spent too much money to have him there, and while I did get my picture taken with him just in case he became famous for a leaked sex tape, he wasn't happy about it.

 Luckily Austin's fuckability hasn't been too hurt by his meh personality, and if you'll remember back to last September, a lot of us were thrilled when he showed ass and back sack on Celebrity Big Brother. In those pictures we can see that he's got a plump rump and honestly great balls. The view we get in Austin Armacost's new Instagram picture (Top, Left), on the other hand, mighttttt be working against him. Austin can be seen displaying about 1.5 inches of waxed ass crack (and you can see the enthused waxer in the (other pics), and adds the comment:

Just a little Sarvangasana to start the day#NakedYoga

 I knew that the Insta comments were going to be great on this one. A surprising amount of people are totally up his ass with comments like "Tweet the front," "Wish i could put my tongue between your cheeks," "Well, that certainly jump started MY day. Thank you and namaste," and "Wooooow... Angel body," (wut?) but user emmelinejt really came through for us with the deadpan:

You look like a roast chicken

HAHAHA! I mean what else is there really to add? He really fucking does. Of course there are plenty of other ass shots from Austin's Instagram, but I hope when he makes it onto TMZ for throwing a hissy fit as the VIP at some tragic event, that this is the picture they use. Tell us what you think! 

Watch The Queens Get Ready For The “Drag Race All Stars” Reunion

"I can't believe this is the end."

From: NewNowNext

Wondering what went through the queens’ heads as they prepared for the RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season Two reunion?


Well, now you can find out for yourself in a new behind-the-scenes video that features the girls getting glammed up to see Mama Ru on the Drag Race stage for the last time.

Who is nervous? Which queen is ready for a fight and who is “just along for the ride?” Find out in the emotional clip below.

Log Cabin Republicans Ripped for ‘Cowardly, Craven, Soulless, Deceptive, Rank Hypocrisy’ Regarding Trump

From: Towleroad

Gregory T. Angelo, President, Log Cabin Republicans

The gay GOP group Log Cabin Republicans recently announced that it wouldn’t be endorsing Trump after crowing for nearly a year about what a pro-LGBT candidate Donald Trump is, and Michelangelo Signorile takes them to task for it over at the HuffPost.

Says Signorile:

This decision, and its timing, exposes how completely soulless and deceptive the group is, lacking backbone while engaging in rank hypocrisy.

He adds:

…It comes when Trump looks like he’ll lose the election, so it’s a cowardly action — far from standing up to a bigot who has a strong shot to win and declaring the group will do what it can to stop him from becoming president. Far from it, LCR, in its statement discussing the group’s declining to endorse Trump, in fact notes it “welcomes the opportunity to work with” Trump should he still win, and said that it will still help to elect Republican to Congress — to the same Republican-controlled Congress that has blocked LGBT rights throughout the Obama years.

And the LCR’s “pro-LGBT” rhetoric even deceived New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, Signorile notes, who broadcast LCR’s assertions about Trump being accepting of gay people, and fooled many people into thinking this was the case:

While Haberman’s assertion was completely in opposition to the views of much larger, mainstream LGBT groups like the Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD and The Task Force (not quoted in her article), and while the piece was criticized by LGBT commentators — including, strongly, by me — Haberman’s piece, and others by the Times’ Jeremy Peters and other Times reporters, set a narrative in much of the media that Trump was supportive of LGBT rights.

Finally, Signorile brands the group “cowardly and craven” for ignoring the other reasons they should have rejected Trump:

Even if Trump actually were “pro-LGBT,” LCR should have opposed Trump based solely on his racist attacks on immigrants (who include LGBT people), and Muslims (who include LGBT people), and for his misogynistic attacks on women (who comprise more than half the LGBT population, just as in the general population.) The group should have been opposed to Trump for his attacks on other marginalized groups — and for his promotion of sexual assault in a leaked tape, followed by accusation after accusation by women over the past month.

13 Horror Movie Himbos For All Hallows’ Eve

From: NewNowNext

4

Ryan Reynolds 

The Amityville Horror

2005’s unnecessary remake of The Amityville Horror was memorable for one thing – it gave us a good look at Ryan Reynolds’ post-workout body.

Repeatedly.

Dean Sibrizzi

31 Days of Halloween Men

Banana Masters

10 Shania Twain Halloween Looks That’ll Impress Your Friends Much

From: NewNowNext

7

Party For Two

Shania is in full fun summer mode with this look. A colorful top, pink lipstick and a flip phone is all you need. Plus, you’ll be swinging from a chandelier at some point in the night…

The 10 Best “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Costume Ideas For Halloween

From: NewNowNext

 3. 

Pop Divas

Bonus points if you and your three BFFs go as Madonna in “Nothing Really Matters” kimonos.

Hot or Not?

Chris Clay

10 Gayish Halloween Movies To Watch This Halloween

From: Queerty

The Covenant

This is sort of like the male response to The Craft ten years later. A group of ridiculously attractive male witches who appear to have very little interest in the females around them take their shirts off and seductively fling themselves at one another for 97 minutes and all in the name of the “Sons of Ipswich.”

For Men Only

From: Brent's Auto Wall

Alex Davis

 Had no idea the late Brad Davis has a cute transgender son, who is a singer/songwrite

 Hailed as one of the Top 5 Up & Coming Solo Artists by Music Connection Magazine, singer/songwriter Alex Davis ignites indie rock with introspective lyrics and an arresting sound. With guitar-driven versatility, his songwriting has been compared to Elliott Smith's poignancy, Kurt Cobain’s incisive emotionalism, and the bold wit of Violent Femmes’ frontman, Gordon Gano.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Alex has been writing music and performing since childhood. He's a new regular on the music scene in both LA and NYC, performing at noteworthy venues including Joe’s Pub, Knitting Factory Brooklyn and The Key Club. Alex has had songs placed in numerous TV shows, including MTV’s Pranked, and NatGeo/Sony Australia’s brand new travel show, Roam.

Alex has taken his talents to a new level with his interdisciplinary ALEX DAVIS: MAN OF THE YEAR, incorporated original music performed with a full band, video and spoken narrative in a moving and humor-filled drama based on his life. Alex's performance of his show at the Knitting Factory Brooklyn in February, 2011, produced by Ruth and Stephen Hendel, was rated #1 in Time Out's "Critics' Picks" and #5 on the Advocate's "Hot Sheet".

In January 2013, Ruth and Stephen Hendel produced a showcase of music and selected scenes from Alex's second theater project, THE ONLY LIVING GHOST(a new play with music previously known as SHAVING), which was very well received by a sold-out audience at New York’s historic Joe's Pub.

Alex is currently recording & performing with the Ary Sisters. Now a modern folk rock trio whose music style and harmonies gloriously reside somewhere between Mumford & Sons and Jenny Lewis, Alex Davis & the Ary Sisters are thrilled about the release of their first EP together, Will the Wind.

Dirty Uncle Dennis West Teaches His Step Son’s Friend About Nude Gardening

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