Justin Bartha of the now cancelled show The New Normal, spoke to the The Huffington Post about the cancellation:

“It’s kind of bittersweet… Well, I wouldn’t call it bittersweet, but I have mixed feelings because I do think that I wasn’t necessarily expecting it to get picked up, but I do think that we accomplished quite a bit in one season,” he explained. “I’m absolutely proud and honored to have been a part of that series and to have worked with Ryan Murphy and Ali Adler and all of the cast and crew who did a beautiful job. When we started the show, we had a very specific conversation that our goal was to portray a homosexual couple in a realistic matter on network television, and I think we achieved that goal.

“The NBC executives get a lot of critique from the press, but they should be applauded for putting us on the air in the first place, because we still have a long way to go with equality in this country and around the world. Just read the comment section on your website and you’ll see people spewing hateful language and hateful words about all types of people. So we already know that we have a long way to go for that and I’m not saying that The New Normal was a lightning bolt to the cause, but I do think it was a drop in the bucket and I’m proud to be a part of it.” He added, “On The New Normal the thing I was probably more proud of than anything else is that we were just trying to put positive energy out there in the world, and we got to do it for one season and that’s more than most.”

But here’s Pandora Boxx to tell us who the winner is…

Homophobia in sports is one of the hottest topics of the past week: a couple of days ago Jason Collins became the first openly gay player in the NBA and the support has weighed as much as the criticism. From the homophobic tweets to cruel and menacing, it has become clear that the fight is far from over, but thanks to gestures like Roddick, it seems that the end is possible.

Roddick’s statement reads as follows:

“Yesterday was a great day for athletes worldwide. The courage and leadership of Jason Collins to come out reminds me how important it is for an athlete to be honest with yourself. As an ‘Athlete Ally’, I support any athlete who is comfortable and confident being themselves and making sure that all people – both players and fans – are welcomed and included in tennis.”

Quite a message from an elite athlete hetero, reminding us that although much remains to be done, we are on the right track, and visibility will give way to normal. Bravo, Andy!

The reopening of ES Collection’s Flagship Store in Barcelona, Spain took place last night. With summer around the corner and Circuit Festival Barcelona to look forward to in August (8th-18th), it’s time to start swimwear shopping! Book your hotel in Barcelona for Circuit Festival HERE. The new ES Collection Flagship Store is located at Calle Consejo de Ciento, 218, Barcelona, right in the heart of the Gaixample. (gai, Catalan for “gay” and eixample, “extension”) is the nickname of the central gay area in Barcelona’s Eixample district. Lots of gay shops, bars, discos and restaurants are located here, and this is one of the hubs of gay tourism in the city. Click here for more information on Barcelona.

Here is some ES “inspiration”. =)

With support from Prime Minister John Key, and a 77-44 vote in the New Zealand parliament, gay marriage became legal and kicked off celebrations around the country. New Zealand is the first Asian-Pacific country to legalize gay marriage. and the first in the Asia-Pacific. More than 1000 Australian same-sex couples say they will cross the Tasman to tie the knot. Australian Marriage Equality spokesman Rodney Croome said “Now that marriage equality is only three hours away there will be a flood of couples flying to New Zealand,” said . Although Wednesday’s vote put the bill into law, gay couples who want to marry will have to wait a while. The Department of Internal Affairs, which handles births, deaths and marriages, has been given four months to prepare the procedures and licence forms. Bravo New Zealand!

Cindy McCain, the wife of 2008 Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain, is set to appear in “8″, a play about Proposition 8, the US state of California’s controversial ban on same-sex marriage, at the Phoenix Herberger Theater Center’s production of the play, along with her daugher Meghan. (Both seen here in their NoH8 photos by Adam Bouska.) The Senator’s wife will play one of the plaintiffs in the Prop 8 case, and appearing alongside her will be the wife of Phoenix Mayor, Greg Stanton, Nicole.

“8″ takes a peek inside the trial of Perry v. Schwarzenegger (now Hollingsworth v. Perry), the federal court case for marriage for gay and lesbian Americans. “8″ is the real-life story of Kris & Sandy and Paul & Jeff, two loving couples who want to get married but can’t. Together with attorneys David Boies and Ted Olson and a host of expert witnesses, they take aim at Proposition 8, a discriminatory law that took away the right for LGBT couples to marry in California in 2008. Written by Academy Award-winner Dustin Lance Black (Milk, J. Edgar), “8″ is based on the actual words of the Perry trial transcripts, first-hand observations of the courtroom drama and interviews with the plaintiffs and their families. As “8″ flashes in and out of the Perry court, watch both sides present the best evidence, arguments and witnesses for and against marriage for gay and lesbian Americans. We learn about the historical context of marriage from expert testimony; see the human cost of discrimination; uncover the arguments used to justify bans on marriage for gay and lesbian couples; and see how the case affects the plaintiffs and their kids.

The all-star cast has included such superstars as George Clooney, Martin Sheen, Brad Pitt, Jamie Lee Curtis and MANY others. ).

Wow, what a proposal. Congrats to both of you amazing ladies.

Photo:GoGayToday (Glaad Media Awards Red Carpet)

Adding to the landscape of the gay get-a-way is the new Random Haus Palm Springs (“RH”), which opened February 15th, 2013. RH is a bit of new concept for the area, as it is a Condominium Hotel for the LGBT community, offering fractional ownership of units as well as hotel stays. The two-story building is mid-century modern, which was rebuilt and remodeled from the ground up, with a lot of attention to detail. Located off San Lorenzo Road, next to the Warm Sands area, it is close to all that Palm Springs has to offer.Palm Springs, California. Boosting over 330 days a year of sunshine, Palm Springs is a dream destination any time of the year. For the gay traveler, it is a sure bet destination for fun in the sun. Palm Springs’ large LGBT community is one of the top cities in the United States with the highest concentration of same-sex couples. The resident gay population is now estimated at 40%. With a recent surge in gay owned businesses, including gay hotels and resorts, gay restaurants, and gay events (including the infamous White Party and Dinah Shore weekends), Palm Springs is an international LGBT destination.