Random acts of military guyness

MILITARY MONDAY

Lance's Lover Opens Up



REICHEN LEHMKUHL, the man who's dating former *NSYNC star LANCE BASS, is opening up about his relationship with the former boy band star!

"I support Lance wholeheartedly," he says. "I couldn't be more proud of what he's doing."

The "Amazing Race" season four co-winner says that up until now, the two had to go to great lengths to maintain their privacy.

"The more intense the secret has to be in the beginning, the tougher it's going to be in the end," he tells ET. "There's definitely a lot more scrutiny when you come out in the public eye."

The former U.S. Air Force captain has written the forthcoming book Here's What We'll Say about being gay in the military. In addition to being an author, Reichen has also found success as a model. He's currently represented by Vision Models in L.A.



During his time in the military, he had to keep his relationships a secret.

"I can speak for myself and others in the gay community about 'beards,'" he explains. "We have girls by our sides that we call 'beards,' that can be difficult. It's a fact of life for a lot of gay people who are in the closet to have a girl around."

Still, he says the decision to come out serves a greater reward. "There's nothing better than the weight of secrecy being off your shoulders."

Because of his own experiences, he can understand how for Lance, coming out now was a lot easier than during *NSYNC's heyday.

"You worry about how it's going to affect things in your own life, not just to protect yourself but everyone around you," he says. "Anytime someone comes out of the closet, they have their own personal journey."



Now that their relationship is out in the open, Reichen feels that the hardest part is over.

"Lance is going to have amazing support," he says. "The most positive thing about all of this is that the truth has been told. Life is going to be easier now."

As far as their future together, Reichen says he and Lance are trying to maintain a low profile for the moment.

"I want to make sure we keep our private life," he stresses. "That everyone around us is respected, that's what's important to all of us."



Gay Soldier "Outed" by Anonymous E-Mail Dismissed from the Army

Bleu Copas, 30, told the Associated Press that although he is gay, he never told his superiors in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC, so he didn’t think anyone would ever know. But Copas said he was "outed" by an anonymous person who sent e-mails to his superiors. "I knew the policy going in," Copas said in an interview. "I knew it was going to be difficult."

A spokesman for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network said that the "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy is becoming "a very effective weapon of vengeance in the armed forces." The policy was established in 1993, and it prohibits the military from asking about the sex lives of service members, but the military is required to discharge any soldiers who openly acknowledge being gay. Since its inception, the policy has been challenged by several watchdog groups who have continually worked to have it repealed.

Last May Copas was appointed to the 82nd Airborne’s All-American Chorus, and shortly afterward, the first e-mail was sent to the chorus director. Copas told the AP that the director took everyone into the hallway and told them about the e-mail that had just been sent, and he asked, "Which one of you are gay?" Copas complained to his platoon sergeant, saying that being questioned in that way violated the terms of the "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy. The chorus director and his sergeant said they would "watch it" in the future, and then they specifically asked him, "Well, you aren’t gay, are you?" Copas told them no.

A short time later, the e-mails began specifically naming Copas. The Army investigated the allegations for eight months, at the end of which Copas was honorably discharged, without being able to serve out his full four years. Copas had enlisted in the Army right after 9/11, he told the AP, because of a strong sense of duty to his country. He is proficient in Arabic, having graduated from the Defense Language Institute in California. Col. James Zellmer, Copas’ commanding officer in the 313th military intelligence battalion, told the AP that although investigators were never able to determine who was accusing Copas, "the nature and the volume of the evidence and Sgt. Copas’s own sworn statement led me to discharge him."

Military investigators, in their case files, wrote that Copas "engaged in at least three homosexual relationships, and is dealing with at least two jealous lovers, either of whom could be the anonymous source providing this information." The anonymous accuser signed his e-mails "John Smith," or "ftbraggman," and told the recipients that the military must take action against Copas or "I will inform your entire battalion of the information that I gave you." Copas believes the accuser is someone he mistakenly befriended and apparently offended in some way.

On December 2, military investigators formally interviewed Copas and asked him if he had any close friends who were gay, if he was involved in a community theater, and whether or not he understood the "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy. Copas said yes to all their questions until they asked him, "Have you ever engaged in homosexual activity or conduct?" At that point he asked for a lawyer, and the interrogation ceased. Zellmer said that Copas was found to have violated the military’s policy on homosexuals because "the evidence clearly indicated that Sgt. Copas had engaged in homosexual acts."

Copas told the AP that he accepted the honorable discharge simply to end the ordeal, to avoid lying about his sexuality and risking a perjury charge, and to keep his friends out of the spotlight. He received honorary discharge papers that list his awards and citations so he will have documented proof of his military service for prospective employers. But the discharge papers also state the reason for his dismissal. He plans to appeal to the Army Board for Correction of Military Records.

Speedo Sunday

Running naked

I have never ran naked on a beach.

Saturday Show and Tell

I took this picture down on the beach a few weeks ago it was sunset and the sky was on fire with a strange red glow.
I let the thistles grow down on the beach the butterflies love them, I know its supposed to be a noxious weed but hey I try to cut then down before they go to seed.



Southern Expressions

This is a photo I took of my friend Linda's flower garden this year. She always has the loveliest wildflowers growing in her front yard.

Friday Whitey

'Pirates' Stars Scorched Private Parts

'Pirates of the Caribbean' star Mackenzie Crook has revealed the all-star cast and crew had to remember to put on underwear everyday - to stop their genitals from being sunburned.

The British actor - who plays pirate Ragetti in the swashbuckling sequel 'Dead Man's Chest' - has revealed some of the crew were left with scorched private parts after deciding to go "commando" under their shorts to keep cool.



Crook, who starred alongside Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley in the movie, said: "Some of the first crew members to arrive on the island were going commando and the sun's glare off the blinding white sand burned their privates."

Sunburn wasn't the only peril facing the cast and crew as they filmed the blockbuster in the Bahamas.

Crook also revealed they came face-to-face with huge sharks on several occasions.

He added to Britain's The Guardian newspaper: "We'd be in a rowing boat for about four hours and the find a 6ft shark taking an interest, causing the crew to run."



David Beckham

The Sunday Mirror this year quoted an unnamed source, in an "exclusive," saying Beckham buys 60 pairs of designer underwear a month at a cost of $1,800.

Vintage Thursday

Yup you heard it here first

Lance Bass: I'm Gay

Lance Bass, the former 'N Sync heartthrob, reveals that he is gay, in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE.

"I knew that I was in this popular band and I had four other guys' careers in my hand, and I knew that if I ever acted on it or even said (that I was gay), it would overpower everything," says Bass, referring to bandmates Joey Fatone, Chris Kirkpatrick, JC Chasez and Justin Timberlake.

"I didn’t know: Could that be the end of ’N Sync? So I had that weight on me of like, ‘Wow, if I ever let anyone know, it's bad.' So I just never did," he says speaking about his sexual orientation for the first time with PEOPLE.

Now, after years of keeping his personal life private, the Mississippi-bred, Southern Baptist-reared Bass, 27, is publicly revealing what he first shared with his friends, then his shocked family.

Lance Bass: I'm Gay| Lance Bass
"He took years to really think about how he was going to tell everyone," says his close buddy Fatone, 29, who was the first 'N Sync bandmate to find out Bass is gay. "I back him up 100 percent." Adds Bass’s longtime pal, actress Christina Applegate: "I've always accepted him as who he is. It's about his own serenity at this point."

Having pursued acting, producing and – most memorably – space flight after ’N Sync went on hiatus in 2002, Bass now is looking ahead to new beginnings. He is in a "very stable" relationship with model-actor-Amazing Race winner Reichen Lehmkuhl, 32, and is developing an Odd Couple-inspired sitcom pilot with Fatone in which his character will be gay.

Mostly, though, he’s just enjoying the relief that comes with the culmination of a long, at times emotionally fraught journey.

"The thing is, I’m not ashamed – that’s the one thing I want to say," he explains of his decision to come out. "I don't think it's wrong, I'm not devastated going through this. I'm more liberated and happy than I’ve been my whole life. I'm just happy."

As for why he's talking about this now Bass says, "The main reason I wanted to speak my mind was that (the rumors) really were starting to affect my daily life. Now it feels like it's on my terms. I'm at peace with my family, my friends, myself and God so there's really nothing else that I worry about."

For the full Q&A with Lance Bass, pick up PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.

Wednesday Woody

Semen



It's the magical fluid that is the fruit of our labor when we masturbate. The production of semen marks the beginning of puberty for boys — a time when the body begins to grow and develop rapidly — especially the sexual organs. Ejaculations (orgasms accompanied by semen) usually begin around 12 or 13 years of age. What exactly comprises this pearly-white liquid called semen?

While we sometimes refer to semen as "sperm," sperm cells (spermatozoa) actually constitute only about 10% of our total ejaculate. That 10% contains from 200 million to 500 million sperm cells, though the figure can be higher for younger males due to the pubescent production of androgen hormones, such as testosterone, which also trigger the growth body hair and the lowering of the voice.



The remaining 90% is referred to as seminal plasma. (Plasma is defined as a fluid that carries a suspended solid, whether it's blood "fluid" carrying blood cells, or semen carrying sperm.) Composition of seminal plasma varies among individuals, and even in the same individual from time to time. It contains some 30 substances (many in minute quantities); some are produced by different parts of our male anatomy, and some are by-products of body functions. They include:

• ascorbic acid (vitamin C, for tissue maintenance)
• blood-group antigens (from immune system)
• calcium (mineral)
• chlorine (oxidizing agent)
• cholesterol (steroid alcohol present in body fluids)
• choline (base, part of the vitamin B complex)
• citric acid (occurs during cellular metabolism)
• creatine (nitrogenous substance found in muscle)
• deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
• fructose (sugar used for energy)
• glutathione (peptide amino acid)
• hyaluronidase (enzyme)
• inositol (sugar found in muscles)
• lactic acid (byproduct of muscle use)
• magnesium (mineral)
• nitrogen (gas found in all living tissue)
• phosporus (mineral)
• potassium (mineral)
• purine (compound of uric acid)
• pyrimidine (organic base)
• pyruvic acid (formed from either glucose or glycogen)
• sodium (salt)
• sorbitol (body alcohol)
• spermidine (catalytic enzyme)
• spermine (ammonia compound found in sperm)
• urea (from urine)
• uric acid (from urine)
• vitamin B12 (for proper function of nervous system and metabolism)
• zinc (mineral)



The amount of a compenent may rise or fall depending on a number of factors. For example, the amount of lactic acid may rise significantly after excercise, since it's a byproduct of muscular activity. (Lactic acid is what causes muscular soreness after exercise.) Also, food intake can significantly affect chemical makeup — and taste — of semen. By the way, it is not the spermatozoa which can contain HIV (which causes AIDS) but the seminal plasma.



Seminal plasma is partially made up of a fructose-rich fluid — produced by the seminal vesicles — which provides nourishment for the sperm cells. The seminal vesicles also make prostaglandins, unsaturated fatty acids used for hormonal actions. The prostate gland produces a thin, milky, alkaline fluid that helps the sperm live when exposed to the acidic lining of the vagina and uterus. The pea-shaped bulbourethral glands (Cowper's glands) at the base of the penis produce a fluid we refer to as "pre-cum." This is secreted to lubricate the urethra (the tube that runs through the penis) so the semen can travel more easily — however, some men do not secrete this fluid in visible quantities.



Actual semen quantity differs among individuals and can also change for the same individual during different times of his life. Genetics plays an important part in how much a male will ejaculate. Most males ejaculate about one teaspoon of semen. Some medications may affect the amount of semen produced. And you will notice that the longer you take between orgasms the larger the quantity of semen you will ejaculate. (You've probably noticed that if you masturbate more than once a day that the second, third or fourth time you achieve orgasm you release smaller and smaller quanitities of semen. Wait overnight and see how much more your body made while you were asleep.) Additionally, the more aroused you get and the longer you take to ejaculate, the more semen your body will produce. Foreplay — touching yourself in special ways in special places — will sometimes stimulate the body to produce more semen, since the body's reproductive glands (such as the prostate) work harder when you're aroused.

Semen from a mature male is usually a milky or pearly-white color. It is not uncommon to see a yellowish tint to the semen if you've abstained from ejaculation for a while. Semen colored with red streaks may signify blood. If you occasionally see a bit of blood it's not necessarily a cause for alarm, but if you see a lot of it, or if it persists, the condition should be brought to the attention of your physician. The same goes any other drastic color changes, which may indicate infection.

Tasty Tuesday

Gay inheritance issue in top court

The issue of whether the surviving partner in a same-s ex relationship is entitled to an inheritance if a partner dies intestate comes before the Constitutional Court next month.

South Africa

The court is being asked to confirm Judge Willie Hartzenberg declaration in the Pretoria High Court that the omission in the Intestate Succession Act of 1987after the word 'spouse' of the words 'or partner in a permanent same-s ex life partnership in which partners have undertaken reciprocal duties of support' was inconsistent with the Constitution. In the issue at hand, according to a Business Day report, Mark Gory, a chef, lived with Henry Brooks in a Johannesburg house in a permanent life partnership in which the couple had undertaken reciprocal duty of support. Brooks died in April last year, a few months before the Constitutional Court ruled that homosexual couples could get married. According to the Intestate Succession Act, if the deceased dies without leaving a will and is survived by a spouse, the spouse will inherit the estate. If there is no spouse but the deceased is survived by both parents, the parents inherit the estate in equal shares. Brooks' parents instructed Daniel Kolver, the executor, to administer Brooks' estate on their behalf. Gory argues that he is the sole heir of the deceased.

MILITARY MONDAY

OTTAWA -- Despite the military's progressive gay-friendly policies, gay and lesbian soldiers often live a life of secrecy and isolation in the Canadian Forces.

According to a letter from one gay soldier, obtained by Sun Media through an access to information request with the individual's name protected, homosexual troops often face "negative" reactions to their sexual orientation within the ranks.

'REMAIN IN SILENCE'

"I am part of a same-sex common-law couple within the Canadian Forces, and after declaring common-law status I found that my situation is very common across the Canadian Forces, although many couples prefer to remain in silence about their relationship and lifestyle," the author writes.

The soldier said the Family Resource Centre provides "exceptional service" to the military community as a whole, but doesn't specifically help non-traditional families.

"From personal experience, I know there are young soldiers who feel they don't belong, and there are no resources within the military community or the Family Resource Centre to reach out to them," the author writes.

Calling it an "ever-present and growing issue," the soldier pleaded for the defence department to establish a service that would help gay and lesbian colleagues connect with one another to lift the sense of alienation.

Gilles Marchildon, executive director of Egale Canada, said the large size of the military makes it inevitable that there would be "uneveness" in how policies are applied.

"There certainly has been huge change since 1992 when the ban against homosexuals serving in the army was lifted. It's not that long," he said. "I have no doubt that some departments and some leaders within the military are quite open-minded, accommodating and others are less so. That could probably be said for a lot of corporations too."

The defence department has a zero-tolerance policy for harassment based on sexual orientation, has funded gender reassignment surgery and drafted a policy to marry same-sex couples on army bases even before it became the law.

But Marchildon said despite these policies, his military nephew, who is straight, said it remains a "bastion of heterosexism."

COME OUT AND BE OUT

"He said, 'I think it would be really difficult for someone in the ranks to come out and be out -- they would probably get shunned or treated differently,'" he said.

"From the top brass, there are good policies on the books and there is an effort to accommodate and celebrate GLBT people, but it's another thing in terms of living those policies every day."

By KATHLEEN HARRIS