Category Archives: Politics
URVASHI VAID, ACTIVIST, AUTHOR, ATTORNEY has Passed Away
Legendary attorney, LGBTQ activist, and author Urvashi Vaid, known for her extensive career an advocate for LGBTQ rights, women’s rights, anti-war efforts, immigration justice and many other social causes, died today at age 63 in her home in New York City. She was the Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force from 1989- 1992 and served prior to that as Media Director.
“We are devastated at the loss of one of the most influential progressive activists of our time,” said Kierra Johnson, current Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force. “Urvashi Vaid was a leader, a warrior and a force to be reckoned with,” continued Johnson, “She was also a beloved colleague, friend, partner and someone we all looked up to – a brilliant, outspoken and deeply committed activist who wanted full justice and equality for all people.”
“Her leadership, vision and writing helped shape not only the Task Force’s values and work but our entire queer movement and the larger progressive movement. We will strive every day to live up to her ideals and model the courage she demonstrated every day as an activist and a person. She will be deeply I missed. I miss her already.” concluded Johnson.
At George H.W. Bush’s 1990 address on AIDS, Vaid, then the Executive Director of The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, made a statement with her sign: “Talk Is Cheap, AIDS Funding is Not”. Her critique made waves, disrupting the press conference, and shedding light on the failures of the Bush administration.
“Equality is a fine aspiration. It’s simply not enough”, she wrote in a 2014 piece on liberation. And it is a politics of liberation that shaped her career and informed her vision for the world. Vaid’s vision and passion for defending and promoting civil rights for the LGBTQ+ community led to a lifetime of changemaking.
Her time at The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, in which she held multiple positions for over ten years, notably Media Director, then Executive Director, saw her bring all aspects of queer life and struggle into the public eye. While at the Task Force, she co-founded the annual Creating Change conference, now in its 33rd year.
In 1995, after resigning from her position at the Task Force three years prior, she published her first book, Virtual Equality: The Mainstreaming of Gay and Lesbian Liberation, in which she criticized the idea of “mainstreaming” what was and is, in fact, a civil rights movement. Rather than tolerance, she argued, the objective for the movement should be fundamental, actionable change. It was not an immediately popular notion, as media representation for queer people was just beginning to take shape, though it was, for her, of great moral importance. In 1996 Virtual Equality won the Stonewall Book Award.
In her position as President of the Vaid Group, Vaid advised, mentored, and supported the LGBTQ+ movement.
In 2012, Urvashi Vaid launched LPAC, the first lesbian Super PAC, and it has since invested millions of dollars in candidates who are committed to social justice through legislation.
Prior to that, Vaid held positions on the boards at the Ford Foundation, The Arcus Foundation (where she served as Executive Director from 2005 to 2010), and the Gill Foundation.
She was a leader in the development of the currently on-going National LGBTQ women’s community survey.
Vaid was the aunt of activist and performance artist Alok Vaid-Menon. She is survived by Alok Vaid-Menon as well as her longtime partner, political humorist Kate Clinton.
The National LGBTQ Task Force advances full freedom, justice and equality for LGBTQ people. We are building a future where everyone can be free to be their entire selves in every aspect of their lives. Today, despite all the progress we’ve made to end discrimination, millions of LGBTQ people face barriers in every aspect of their lives: in housing, employment, healthcare, retirement, and basic human rights.
Clay Aiken Runs for Senate. Again
Clay Aiken says he wants to change North Carolina’s “backwards ass policies” as the former “American Idol” star launches a second bid for Congress.
Aiken, who appeared on Season 2 of American Idol — announced Monday that he’s entering the race as a Democrat for the open seat in North Carolina’s 6th Congressional District.
According to THE HILL, “For decades, North Carolina was actually the progressive beacon in the South,” Aiken said in a video kicking off his campaign. “But then things changed, and the progressives lost power, and we started getting backwards ass policies, like the voter suppression bills and the bigoted bathroom bill.”
“Because today, it seems like the loudest voices in North Carolina politics are white nationalists like this guy,” Aiken, 43, said, before playing a clip of Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.).
Aiken’s congressional bid comes almost eight years after he launched his first run for Congress in 2014 against then-Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-N.C.). He lost the race in the Tar Heel State’s then-Republican-leaning 2nd Congressional District.
If elected, Aiken said he would be the South’s first gay congressman. “If the loudest and most hateful voices think they’re going to speak for us,” Aiken said in his campaign launch ad, “just tell them I’m warming up the ‘ole vocal cords.”
Barbra Streisand Walls CD and Trump
BARBRA chatted with NPR recently;
Scott Simon: Why was it important to you to do this album?
Barbra Streisand: Because I could express my thoughts and feelings at a time when I was feeling sad and heartbroken about what’s happening to our country. And I’m so grateful that I have music in my life that gives me the chance to express my feelings through my work.
I gather the song “Don’t Lie to Me” is not about a busted love affair.
No. I started off trying to create that so that more people could relate to it in a way — lovers who go through this all the time. But it’s like that joke: A woman walks in and her husband is in bed with another woman. She gasps, and he says, “Well, who are you going to believe: me or your lying eyes?” I guess it’s about lies: The lies that are coming out of this administration are very unpleasing, unsettling. Maybe that means so much to me because I was lied to as a child. I’ve based my whole career on telling the truth.
Read the lengthy interview HERE.
Her newest cd Walls finds Barbra exploring both her concerns and hopes for the future in a collection filled with beautiful melodies and thought-provoking lyrics. In addition to the three original tunes which the Oscar-winning songwriter contributed to, the songs on Walls explore topics near to the celebrated artist’s heart. Streisand also brings a fresh perspective to the classic songs “Imagine” and “What A Wonderful World,” and the Bacharach/David pop standard “What The World Needs Now.” The penultimate song that Streisand sings is a timely one called “Take Care Of This House” by the legendary composer Leonard Bernstein and lyricist Alan Jay Lerner.
Of all the reasons there are to love Barbra Streisand – and if you find that proposition contentious, I encourage you to stop reading and do something else – the quickest and easiest can be found in the answer she gives to the first question I ask her. Streisand, speaking on the phone from her home in LA, is about to release Walls, her first album of primarily original songs since 2005 and for which she has written the bulk of material. The lyrics are sharp and political, the arrangements are strong, but it is the vocals that are the most surprising: crisp, forceful, with none of the mellowing one might expect of a 76-year-old artist who on recent albums has seemed muted. I mention this to her – how great she sounds – and she bursts out laughing and says: “I know! I swear to God, I don’t know where my voice came from. I would come out of the studio and [the technicians] would go, ‘How the hell?’ And I don’t know, I don’t know! It just came out of me!” – source Guardian.
Over the course of her astonishing career, Streisand has recorded a number of songs that address the human condition. Recognized as one of the foremost interpreters of contemporary song, “Don’t Lie To Me,” and the other songs on Walls are sure to add to her enduring legacy as an award-winning singer and songwriter. In 1977, she became the first woman to win an Oscar for composing the music to the timeless standard “Evergreen” (Love Theme from A Star Is Born), which also went on to win the Grammy for Best Original Song and the Golden Globe. In addition, she has been duly recognized throughout her career for compositions on film projects emblematic of her songwriting gifts.
CAZWELL Loose Wrists GAY MUSIC
NYC-based rapper Cazwell is back with “Loose Wrists”, the first single from his new music label Snow Cone, and hopes to “make America femme again.”
Cazwell performs much of the clip with his dancers in a set of pastel lace rompers designed by Hoza Rodriguz that have already gone viral on social media.
“We have a president that wants to take us off of the census and a vice president that believes shock therapy will cure gayness. At the end of last year, I vowed to be as gay as possible with my music and videos. We have to be more visible than ever and I hope I inspire that.”
WATCH AND SHARE
March for Equality 2017
Supporters of LGBT rights marched and rallied in the nation’s capital and dozens of other U.S. cities on Sunday, celebrating gains but angry over threats posed by the administration of President Donald Trump.
The centerpiece event, the Equality March in Washington, was endorsed by virtually every major national advocacy group working on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans.
Activists have been embittered by the Trump administration’s rollback of federal guidance advising school districts to let transgender students use the bathrooms and locker rooms of their choice.
They also complain that Trump, who campaigned as a potential ally of gays and lesbians, has stocked his administration with foes of LGBT rights, including Vice President Mike Pence, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price.
Throngs of marchers, many thousands strong, paraded past the White House and toward the Capitol, trailing behind a giant rainbow flag near the head of the procession.
Two 15-year-old marchers, Jessica Dodge and Shekinah Aho, held hands and wore shirts that said, “Make America Gay Again.”
The Los Angeles pride parade was renamed the ResistMarch, and tens of thousands turned out in Hollywood, some carrying rainbow flags or signs reading “Love Trumps Hate.” Speakers included Mayor Eric Garcetti, U.S. Reps. Adam Schiff, Maxine Waters and Nancy Pelosi, and RuPaul, the host of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
Waters led the crowd in a chant of “Impeach 45.”
“We’re going to take our country back from him,” she said. “I know that you have the strength. I know that you have the courage. And I know that each of you understand you have the power.”
Back in Washington, the activist leaders on hand included Sarah Kate Ellis, president of GLAAD, which monitors media coverage of the LGBT community.
She noted that Trump, breaking from the practice of Barack Obama, has declined to issue a proclamation in honor of Pride Month, and that the Trump administration has deleted questions about sexual orientation from planned federal surveys.
“If you look at their prioritization, we’re really low on it,” she said. “There absolutely is a resistance aspect to this march.”
READ MORE HERE
Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party
I have an expression I use ….
Christian with a “K”
(as in Khristian).
To me, it means Christians who really are not Christian. They are “married to Christ” act holier than thou….you know the type?! They hate gays, they don’t drink, they don’t have fun in life. Because GOD is their life. GOD controls them. Hey, I am not against religion. But the extremists, the one’s that want to take away our rights, the on’e that hate on gay people – I have NO USE FOR!
In Stephen Cone’s “Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party”, a 40-something mom of two nearly-grown kids, confesses to her daughter, “Something happened to me and I’m not sure what I’m becoming.” Every single one of the 20 characters has a similar moment at one point or another during the course of Henry’s party, which takes place over an afternoon and evening. Stephen Cone is a humanist; he can’t help but perceive that every person, even those we might write off as “types,” has complexity.
This may sound like “Henry Gamble” is a dreary psychological drama, but it’s not. It’s a rambunctious, often hilarious, and carefully-constructed story about a teenage boy starting to question his sexuality in the midst of his Evangelical Christian world. Instead of keeping the focus tightly on Henry, Cone widens the scope, giving each character a unique arc. There are times when the film plays like a French farce, or a suburban version of Jean Renoir’s “Rules of the Game,” with different couples running in and out of different rooms, having whispered melodramas before leaping back into the pool. Underneath the exuberance, the film roils with turmoil.
A lot of low-budget films have a similar setup to “Henry Gamble”: they take place in one location and focus on interpersonal relationships. But “Henry Gamble” is huge in comparison. It’s about people in the process of “becoming.”
Get a sneak peak HERE, Watch on Netflix, Stream it Amazon hereHenry Gamble’s Birthday Party OR Buy the DVD here Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party
France Presidential Hopeful Emmanuel Marcon
Gay News Flash!
In case you haven’t heard, France is in the throes of an intense presidential campaign between two polar opposites: Emmanuel Macron, a young, pro-LGBTQ liberal, and Marine Le Pen, the antigay daughter of a Nazi sympathizer. The candidates are currently running neck and neck.
This week, Garcon, a bi-monthly magazine that caters to gay men, featured a topless Macron as the cover boy. Underneath him is the headline: “Coming out: a necessary fight.”
Reporter Tristan Barreiros, who writes for Garcon, tells Mashable that the picture was photoshopped and that the decision to run the cover story on “coming out” was meant to be ironic.
39-year-old Macron is straight but he is a longtime supporter of same-sex marriage, which is something his opponents have tried using against him. Throughout the campaign, they have accused him of being closeted, spread rumors that he was having a gay affair, and suggested he is backed by “a very wealthy gay lobby.”
Read more at QUEERTY
Dan Savage IMPEACH TRUMP
GAY NEWS –
Dan Savage is using his disdain for President Donald Trump for great causes.
The LGBTQ rights activist and author announced April 18 that he’d raised $100,000 for three organizations that are in direct opposition to Trump policies through the sale of ITMFA, or “Impeach The Mother F*cker Already,” merchandise.
Savage, 52, made the announcement on the weekly Seattle newspaper, The Stranger, and on his personal Instagram.
I’m mailing out checks today—and not just to the IRS. This morning I had the distinct pleasure of mailing off checks to Planned Parenthood ($33,333.34), the ACLU ($33,333.33) and the International Refugee Assistance Project ($33,333.33)—money we raised selling ITMFA (“Impeach The Mother Fucker Already”) buttons, t-shirts, hats, stickers, coffee cups, and lapel pins at www.ITMFA.org and www.impeachthemotherfuckeralready.com. And I got to mail those checks out because nearly 10,000 Savage Love readers and Savage Lovecast listeners have ordered #ITMFA gear over the last eight weeks! The best part of wearing ITMFA buttons or t-shirts or hats or lapel pins or all of the above? Or the second best part, I should say, after helping to raise money for three critically important and hugely effective organizations fighting Donald Trump? The interactions you have with friends, co-workers, neighbors, at anti-Trump marches, on the bus, etc. Because when people are going to ask you what ITMFA stands for and YOU GET TO TELL THEM it stands for ‘Impeach The Mother Fucker Already!” (If there are kids around you can go with “Malicious Fascist” or “Malodorous Fart” or “Malignant Fraud.”) We sell the buttons in ten packs (ten for $10) so you can share buttons with people who absolutely have to have one after they find out what it means!
TRUMP will NOT Protect Federal LGBT workers
LGBT NEWS FLASH
President Trump has flip-flopped once again on his promise to protect LGBT workers who work for federal contractors from workplace discrimination. – I am so tired of this shit talker – when can we impeach him???
Trump signed an order on Monday revoking protections signed into law by President Obama in 2014. Obama signed an executive order banning LGBT discrimination among federal contractors; he concurrently signed an order requiring contracted businesses prove they’re complying with federal laws and executive orders. President Trump rescinded the latter order, making it much more difficult to know whether a business has committed to ending LGBT bias in hiring, firing, and promotions.
Lambda Legal condemned Trump’s actions, saying, “This administration has made it extremely difficult to enforce these federal laws as applied to federal contractors.” “It’s sending a message to these companies,” said Camilla Taylor, senior counsel at Lambda Legal, “…that the federal government simply doesn’t care whether or not they violate the law.”
Read more at ADVOCATE
Gavin Grimm Transgender Case goes to Supreme Court
There was nothing remarkable about Gavin Grimm’s first trip to the boys’ bathroom at Gloucester High School. It was a little more than a month into his sophomore year, when the transgender teenager had begun quietly reintroducing himself to the student body as a boy.
Grimm had used men’s restrooms at restaurants, stores and the local amusement park, and using the boys’ bathroom at his school felt like “the natural progression of things,” he said. Just like cutting his hair short, just like wearing baggy pants and graphic T-shirts, just like beginning testosterone shots. He started using the boys’ bathroom shortly after he got word from Principal Nate Collins that it would be okay.
But that decision to use the boys’ bathroom one fall day in 2014 clashed with this town’s sensibilities and led to an acrimonious public debate. Now, Grimm’s case has made this quiet, out-of-the-way community in Virginia’s Tidewater region the unlikely center of the national debate over how public schools should accommodate transgender students.
The U.S. Supreme Court announced Friday it will hear a school board’s appeal of a lower court decision affirming transgender students’ access to facilities appropriate for their gender identity — and if it lets that decision stand, it will be a major victory for transgender rights relating to students.
After Donald Trump‘s election, there was some question about whether the court would uphold last October’s decision to hear the case of transgender teen Gavin Grimm, who is suing his Virginia high school for the right to use the restroom and locker room that corresponds with his gender.
The justices are scheduled to hear the case on March 28 and Grimm is preparing for the spotlight. Grimm was initially allowed to use the boys’ restroom at his high school, but after receiving complaints, the school board adopted a policy requiring students to use the restroom that corresponds with their sex assigned at birth or be segregated to a single-stall restroom.
His case drew headlines as it advanced from remarks before the school board to federal courts. That’s because it’s not just Grimm’s life on the line. The Supreme Court’s ruling could settle, one way or another, the debate over whether transgender people should be regarded as the gender they say they are, and allowed equal access to public spaces like restrooms, for years to come.
STONEWALL on dvd with Jeremy Irvine
THIS IS A MUST SEE MOVIE !! Especially for LGBTQ youths!
STONEWALL is a drama about a fictional young man caught up during the 1969 Stonewall riots. Danny Winters (Played by the handsome and talented Jeremy Irvine) is kicked out of his home, moves to New York City from the Mid West following an incident with a schoolmate that causes problems with his family.
Struggling to come to terms with his sexuality, Danny falls in with Ramona (Jonny Beauchamp is outstanding!) and her friends and quickly becomes part of the Greenwich Village scene. During a night in the Stonewall Inn, Danny learns about the harsh realities of being gay in the late 60s but a chance meeting with Trevor (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) promises to change his life until he’s forced into the hands of Stonewall Inn manager Ed Murphy (Ron Perlman) who exploits young gay homeless people.
Pip Ellwood -Hughes gave a great review which I agree with 100%.
It’s true – Stonewall was pretty much a critical and commercial failure on its theatrical release. Many took exception to the film’s perceived white-washing of the Stonewall Riots and complained that it didn’t accurately reflect the ethnic diversity that actually played a part in the historical event. The poor reception led to the film flopping despite director/producer Roland Emmerich and star Jeremy Irvine going on the offensive to try and counter the negative press.
What becomes clear while watching Stonewall is that the film was a victim of deceptive marketing more than anything else. It’s actually an engaging, emotional and entertaining film but the emphasis on the Stonewall Riots is a little misleading. Stonewall is actually the story of a teenage boy coming to terms with his sexuality against the backdrop of the Stonewall Riots; it’s not a recreation of the event as the marketing and indeed the film’s title would lead you to believe.
It’s well worth watching!
Read more HERE.
Official Website HERE
LGBTQ March on Washington 2017
Drawing inspiration from last weekend’s Women’s March on Washington, a gay activist in New York City has announced plans for the National Pride March, a “mass” LGBT protest at the nation’s capital on June 11, 2017.
David Bruinooge, 42, of Brooklyn, N.Y., announced the plan on Facebook and created an event page for those interested in keeping up with the protest’s progress.
“We urge all supporters, friends, and family to descend on DC for the Pride 2017 weekend (June 8-11th) to make sure our voices are heard,” part of the post reads.
The march will coincide with Capital Pride, DC’s annual pride celebration, and organizers hope to draw big numbers to send a clear message to Washington’s powered elite that LGBTQ rights are not to be threatened.
The last major LGBT protest in DC was the National Equality March in 2009, which called for full equality for LGBTQ people in all matters of civil law, in all 50 states. At that time, only five states had legal same-sex marriage. It drew participants in the hundreds of thousands.
Advice for Trump and Pence
Mike Pence didn’t enjoy the musical Hamilton, but Lady Bunny thinks Donald Trump should also check out a show!
OBAMA Gives ELLEN Highest Award
Today, President Barack Obama named 21 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. The awards will be presented at the White House on November 22nd.
President Obama said, “The Presidential Medal of Freedom is not just our nation’s highest civilian honor – it’s a tribute to the idea that all of us, no matter where we come from, have the opportunity to change this country for the better. From scientists, philanthropists, and public servants to activists, athletes, and artists, these 21 individuals have helped push America forward, inspiring millions of people around the world along the way.”
This event will be streamed live at: www.whitehouse.gov/live.
The following individuals will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom:
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the National Basketball Association’s all-time leading scorer who helped lead the Los Angeles Lakers to five championships and the Milwaukee Bucks to another. During his career, Abdul-Jabbar was a six-time NBA Most Valuable Player and a 19-time NBA All-Star. Before joining the NBA, he was a star player at UCLA, leading the Bruins to three consecutive championships. In addition to his legendary basketball career, Abdul-Jabbar has been an outspoken advocate for social justice.
Elouise Cobell (posthumous)
Elouise Cobell was a Blackfeet Tribal community leader and an advocate for Native American self-determination and financial independence. She used her expertise in accounting to champion a lawsuit that resulted in a historic settlement, restoring tribal homelands to her beloved Blackfeet Nation and many other tribes, and in so doing, inspired a new generation of Native Americans to fight for the rights of others. Cobell helped found the Native American Bank, served as director of the Native American Community Development Corporation, and inspired Native American women to seek leadership roles in their communities.
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen DeGeneres is an award-winning comedian who has hosted her popular daytime talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, since 2003 with her trademarked humor, humility, and optimism. In 2003 Ellen lent her voice to a forgetful but unforgettable little fish named Dory in Finding Nemo. She reprised her role again in 2016 with the hugely successful Finding Dory. Ellen also hosted the Academy Awards twice, in 2007 and 2014. In 1997, after coming out herself, DeGeneres made TV history when her character on Ellen revealed she was a lesbian. In her work and in her life, she has been a passionate advocate for equality and fairness.
Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro has brought to life some of the most memorable roles in American film during a career that spans five decades. His first major film roles were in the sports drama Bang the Drum Slowly and Martin Scorsese’s crime film Mean Streets. He is a seven-time Academy Award nominee and two-time Oscar winner, and is also a Kennedy Center honoree.
Richard Garwin
Richard Garwin is a polymath physicist who earned a Ph.D. under Enrico Fermi at age 21 and subsequently made pioneering contributions to U.S. defense and intelligence technologies, low-temperature and nuclear physics, detection of gravitational radiation, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computer systems, laser printing, and nuclear arms control and nonproliferation. The author of 500 technical papers and a winner of the National Medal of Science, Garwin holds 47 U.S. patents, and has advised numerous administrations.
Bill and Melinda Gates
Bill and Melinda Gates established the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000 to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, the foundation focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, the mission is to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. The Gates Foundation has provided more than $36 billion in grants since its inception.
Frank Gehry
Frank Gehry is one of the world’s leading architects, whose works have helped define contemporary architecture. His best-known buildings include the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, the Dancing House in Prague, and the Guggenheim Museum building in Bilbao, Spain.
Margaret H. Hamilton
Margaret H. Hamilton led the team that created the on-board flight software for NASA’s Apollo command modules and lunar modules. A mathematician and computer scientist who started her own software company, Hamilton contributed to concepts of asynchronous software, priority scheduling and priority displays, and human-in-the-loop decision capability, which set the foundation for modern, ultra-reliable software design and engineering.
Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks is one of the Nation’s finest actors and filmmakers. He has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role five times, and received the award for his work in Philadelphia and Forrest Gump. Those roles and countless others, including in Apollo 13, Saving Private Ryan, and Cast Away, have left an indelible mark on American film. Off screen, as an advocate, Hanks has advocated for social and environmental justice, and for our veterans and their families.
Grace Hopper (posthumous)
Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, known as “Amazing Grace” and “the first lady of software,” was at the forefront of computers and programming development from the 1940s through the 1980s. Hopper’s work helped make coding languages more practical and accessible, and she created the first compiler, which translates source code from one language into another.
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan is one of the greatest athletes of all time. Jordan played 15 seasons in the NBA for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards; he is currently a principal owner and chairman of the Charlotte Hornets. During his career, he won six championships, five Most Valuable Player awards, and appeared in 14 All-Star games.
Maya Lin
Maya Lin is an artist and designer who is known for her work in sculpture and landscape art. She designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. and since then has pursued a celebrated career in both art and architecture. A committed environmentalist, Lin is currently working on a multi-sited artwork/memorial, What is Missing? bringing awareness to the planet’s loss of habitat and biodiversity.
Lorne Michaels
Lorne Michaels is a producer and screenwriter, best known for creating and producing Saturday Night Live, which has run continuously for more than 40 years. In addition, Michaels has also produced The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and 30 Rock, among other popular, award-winning shows. He has won 13 Emmy Awards over the course of his lengthy career.
Newt Minow
Newt Minow is an attorney with a long and distinguished career in public life. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, Minow served as a Supreme Court clerk and counsel to the Governor of Illinois. In 1961, President Kennedy selected Minow, then 34, to serve as Chairman of the Federal Communications Committee (FCC), where he helped shape the future of American television and was a vigorous advocate for broadcasting that promoted the public interest. In the five decades since leaving the FCC, Minow has maintained a prominent private law practice while devoting himself to numerous public and charitable causes.
Eduardo Padrón
Eduardo Padrón is the President of Miami Dade College (MDC), one of the largest institutions of higher education in the United States. During his more than four decade career, President Padrón has been a national voice for access and inclusion. He has worked to ensure all students have access to high quality, affordable education. He has championed innovative teaching and learning strategies making MDC a national model of excellence.
Robert Redford
Robert Redford is an actor, director, producer, businessman, and environmentalist. In 1981, he founded the Sundance Institute to advance the work of independent filmmakers and storytellers throughout the world, including through its annual Sundance Film Festival. He has received an Academy Award for Best Director and for Lifetime Achievement. Redford has directed or starred in numerous motion pictures, including The Candidate, All the President’s Men, Quiz Show, and A River Runs Through It.
Diana Ross
Diana Ross has had an iconic career spanning more than 50 years within the entertainment industry in music, film, television, theater, and fashion. Diana Ross is an Academy Award nominee, inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and recipient of the Grammy Awards highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award. Ross was a recipient of the 2007 Kennedy Center Honors. Diana Ross’s greatest legacy is her five wonderful children.
Vin Scully
Vin Scully is a broadcaster who, for 67 seasons, was the voice of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers. In Southern California, where generations of fans have grown up listening to Dodger baseball, Scully’s voice is known as the “soundtrack to summer.” In 1988, he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen is a singer, songwriter, and bandleader. More than five decades ago, he bought a guitar and learned how to make it talk. Since then, the stories he has told, in lyrics and epic live concert performances, have helped shape American music and have challenged us to realize the American dream. Springsteen is a Kennedy Center honoree and he and the E Street Band he leads have each been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Cicely Tyson
Cicely Tyson has performed on the stage, on television, and on the silver screen. She has won two Emmy Awards and a Tony Award, and is known for her performances in Sounder, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, and The Help. Tyson received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2015.
Lady Bunny and Donald Trump
LADY BUNNY TAKES ON the DONALD!!!
WATCH
Merry Christmas to everyone who sees through Trump’s lunacy!
Lady Bunny can be found at : LadyBunny.net.
(did you know – Trump wants to bang his daughter?? It’s True!)
see also this one!
Barbra Streisand Honored
Barbra to receive THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM in D.C Next Week!
President Obama said, “I look forward to presenting these 17 distinguished Americans with our nation’s highest civilian honor. From public servants who helped us meet defining challenges of our time to artists who expanded our imaginations, from leaders who have made our union more perfect to athletes who have inspired millions of fans, these men and women have enriched our lives and helped define our shared experience as Americans.”
Barbra will be presented the award at the White House on November 24th. Also being bestowed this prestigious honour is Yogi Berra (posthumous), Bonnie Carroll, Shirley Chisholm (posthumous), Emilio Estefan, Gloria Estefan, Billy Frank, Jr. (posthumous), Lee Hamilton, Katherine G. Johnson, Willie Mays, Barbara Mikulski, Itzhak Perlman, William Ruckelshaus, Stephen Sondheim, Steven Spielberg, James Taylor and Minoru Yasui (posthumous).
NEXT MONTH –
The legendary performer will receive the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award at the annual star-studded event on Dec. 9 in Los Angeles.
“Hearing that Barbra had agreed to accept the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award was both humbling and exhilarating. Barbra’s remarkable professional achievements and philanthropic generosity have greatly inspired me and hundreds of millions of people worldwide,” said Sherry Lansing, former CEO of Paramount Pictures and the first woman to head a major Hollywood studio, in a statement. “The Hollywood Reporter could not have chosen a more deserving individual to recognize than Barbra.”
Civil Rights Act To Include LGBT Protections
FINALLY!
The White House announced on Tuesday its endorsement of legislation that would amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity via The Equality Act.
The Washington Post reports:
Speaking to reporters, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the administration “has been reviewing for several weeks” the bill. “It is now clear that the administration strongly supports the equality act,” he said, adding it would advance the civil rights of “millions of Americans.”
Earnest added the White House would “work to ensure that the legislative process produces something that balances “the bedrock principles of civil rights with the religious liberty that we hold dear in this country.” Although there is little chance that this Congress will approve the legislation — which was introduced in July by Democratic Sens. Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Tammy Baldwin (Wis.) and Cory Booker (N.J.) — President Obama’s support elevates to greater prominence the question of whether lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans need greater legal safeguards.
And while the majority of the community and its leading organizations support the Equality Act fully, he once LGBT equality grassroots group GetEQUAL led by Heather Cronk and Angela Peoples is asking the LGBT movement to focus on race and transexual issues instead and not support amending the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director Gregory T. Angelo also states that his group does not support the legislation.
While as for now as long as the Republican party holds the House and senate hostage it’s little more than a
Gandalf and Dumbledore are getting married!
Dumbledore and Gandalf are getting married across from the Westboro Baptist Church and using CrowdRise to fundraise for Planting Peace.
This Sunday, JK Rowling¹s dream of a wedding between Harry Potter¹s Dumbledore and Lord of the Rings¹ Gandalf will take place. US equality group Planting Peace will be hosting ŒWizards Wed at the WBC¹ – a wedding ceremony between the two wizards at the Equality House located across the street from the anti-gay group Westboro Baptist Church. In lieu of wedding gifts for the soon-to-be-wed Wizards, Planting Peace hopes to raise funds for their mission via a CrowdRise site here: https://www.crowdrise.com/WizardsWed/fundraiser/Planting-Peace.
Aaron Jackson, founder of Planting Peace, created the organization “to take a stand against the hurtful words and actions of hate groups like the WBC,² and so “LGBTQ [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer] youth understand that they have a broad platform of love and support in this world.² The organization is constantly reinforcing this mission through innovative and creative fundraisers on CrowdRise.com, like Virtual Pizza, which raised nearly $80K in response to the Religious Freedom Reformation Act.
More about it here.
³When we read the battle between J.K. Rowling and the Westboro Baptist Church, we instantly connected with Ms. Rowling¹s message on many levels. The Equality House was founded to take a stand against the hurtful words and actions of hate groups like the WBC. People often question why we even mention them, and Ms. Rowling¹s words were spot on. We must actively stand up to hate and ensure that LGBTQ youth understand that they have a broad platform of love and support in this world. That is a core part of what we do at Planting Peace. We are delighted to be hosting the Dumbledore and Gandalf wedding and stand with them in the face of bigotry and celebrate equality for all. The WBC won’t have to go too far to picket this union. They can look out their front window.²- Aaron Jackson/ President Planting Peace
Gay Money for Anti Gay Politics? WTF?
WORST GAY NEW YORK
Gay men using Gay Money to Fund ANTI GAY Politics!
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Boycott Fire Island Pines Establishments (Pavilion, Low Tea, High Tea, Botel, Botel Barracks, Pool Deck, Harbor Club, Blue Whale, Cultured Elephant), Out NYC Hotel, and XL Nightclub after owners hold reception for Senator Ted Cruz.
FROM HRC’s WEBSITE:
Whether the issue is marriage or protection from discrimination, Sen. Ted Cruz has consistently opposed equality for LGBT Americans. And he’s gone even further, attacking fellow Republicans for marching in pride parades, and using his opposition to marriage to win his first Senate campaign.
Marriage: Ted Cruz led the charge to deny Texas couples marriage equality. In the Senate, he has supported a constitutional amendment that would prevent the federal government from recognizing marriage equality.Discrimination: Cruz has consistently opposed granting protections to LGBT Americans. Cruz has opposed both local ordinances in Texas that would protect LGBT Americans, and ENDA’s explicit federal workplace protections.Conversion Therapy: Cruz has refused to speak out against “conversion therapy” that coerces minors into “treatment” that can lead to depression and suicide.Harmful Rhetoric: Cruz has no problem about using equality as a wedge issue against fellow Republicans – he’s attacked Republicans for appearing in pride parades and suggested that he believes being gay is a “choice.” He even bragged about intervening in a case to stop a civil union.Significant Findings on Marriage Equality
Says marriage is between “one man and one woman”
Pledged to introduce Federal Constitutional Amendment opposing marriage equality
Introduced The State Marriage Defense Act (twice) which would cede definition of marriage to states for federal purposes
Opposed Proposition 8 ruling
Ran for Senate based on his opposition to marriage equality
Bragged about intervening to prevent recognition of civil union
Said people can “vote with their feet” if they don’t like living in a state without marriage equality.
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Bill to Protect Homeless Youth
Yesterday, Congressman Dave Reichert (WA-8) and Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) introduced H.R. 1779, the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act, to reauthorize the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA).
The reauthorization recognizes the needs of all young people, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth experiencing homelessness. Research continues to show that while LGBT youth make up just seven percent of the general youth population, they comprise 40 percent of the 1.6 million youth that are homeless in America each year.
“We have a responsibility to help the most vulnerable,” said Rep. Reichert. “Many of our most vulnerable are children who have for one reason or another been forced to live on the streets. Too often we fail to see these kids and we leave them without opportunities to rebuild their lives. This bill will help us to fix that, and it will help us provide shelter for children in need and set them up to become successful adults.”
RHYA is our nation’s only federal law that specifically funds vital services for homeless youth, including street outreach, basic shelter, and transitional living programs.
“This legislation will help us meet our responsibility to combat youth homelessness and ensure that homeless young people in America have a place to seek shelter and find safety,” said Rep. Yarmuth. “When a child is homeless, they don’t just lose the security of a safe place to sleep, they miss out on opportunities for future success.”
“I applaud Congressmen Reichert and Yarmuth for introducing the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act,” said Cyndi Lauper, Co-Founder of the True Colors Fund. “No young person deserves to be homeless, but they do deserve to have access to safe, supportive, and inclusive services if they find themselves on the streets. The time to act is now, because homeless youth don’t have the time for us to wait until tomorrow.”
The True Colors Fund strongly supports this Act, which strengthens critical services in the effort to end youth homelessness.
Read the full press release to learn more about the effort to reauthorize RHYA, and voice your support for all youth on Facebook and Twitter.
I’D Bottom For Hillary
Leave it to some clever and witty queens to come up with this!
The website explains, “We are small but powerful group that encourages Hillary Clinton to run for President in 2016. We recognize the unbelievable force that is Hillary Clinton. So much so, that we admit that we would willingly bottom for her.
It does not matter if you usually bottom, or if you usually top but can’t resist the Clinton. She is a bad ass bitch. She is the head bitch in charge. She is the Ma’damnnnnn President.
Ideally we would be bottoming for her as we were voting for her.
We will display our love for Hillary but informing the world of our desire to bottom for her. Buy a shirt, have no shame, and vote for Hillary Clinton in 2016.”
Get the details at FUSION.
BottomForHillary.com
“With bottoming, there’s a lot that goes into it,” Ryan said in a phone interview late Sunday. “A lot of homosexuals understand the concept. Bottoming for someone takes a lot of trust and understanding.”
Death for in sodomy CA
Is this a publicity stunt? WTF?
A lawyer in California has submitted a ballot initiative with the state Department of Justice calling for the death of anyone who engages in sodomy in the state, the San Diego Gay & Lesbian News reports.
The proposal by Matt McLaughlin, who lists his address in Huntington Beach, was received by the initiative coordinator at the Office of the Attorney General on Feb. 26. Enclosed was a $200 check and the complete text of his “Sodomite Suppression Act.” The act outlines seven measures relating to those who engage in same-sex sodomy, “a monstrous evil that Almighty God, giver of freedom and liberty, commands us to suppress on pain of our utter destruction even as he overthrew Sodom and Gomorrha.”
McLaughlin recommends punishment by death, even though a judge ruled that California’s death penalty is unconstitutional last June:
