JODY COLE SUMMITS KILIMANJARO

Owner and guide of Wild Rainbow African Safaris reaches peak,
continues fundraising for Equality California

On January 15, 2011, Jody Cole, owner and guide of Wild Rainbow African Safaris, reached the summit of Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain at 19,340 feet above sea level.


In a video issued from the summit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXF43eAgpYE), Jody breathlessly expressed her gratitude to her supporters: "I really want to thank all of the supporters who got me up to the top of this mountain, and I want to thank Equality California for all the hard work they're doing to pass legislation in the state of California. I climbed this mountain to raise money to end bullying and to help Equality California pass legislation.... I did it!"


Jody has been working with Equality California to raise a dollar for each foot of height of Mount Kilimanjaro (http://www.eqca.org/coleclimbskilimanjaro). The funds raised will be earmarked to support the passage of legislation for marriage equality and to fight the bullying of LGBT youth in the state of California.


Two upcoming welcome home receptions will further the fundraising efforts: Monday, February 7, 6-9 pm at the newly opened Citizen Cake (2125 Fillmore St) in San Francisco, and Thursday, February 3, 6-9 pm at Branches Restaurant (1180 Airport Park Blvd) in Jody's hometown of Ukiah, CA. The public is invited. Jody will speak and answer questions, and wine and appetizers will be served.


This is not Jody's first time at the summit. She first climbed Kilimanjaro in 1998, on her first trip to Africa. Though it was her first time on African soil, she felt as if she were returning home. That trip began a passion for Africa that ultimately drove her to start her safari business. With this second summiting of Kilimanjaro 13 years later, Jody is having a new kind of homecoming.


Jody returns to the U.S. this week, and is available for interviews. Should you like to arrange a time to talk with her, or require any further assets or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

HRC Applauds “The Kids are All Right” for 2011 Oscar Nominations

Movie Depicting LGBT Family Earns Four Nominations

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender civil rights organization, applauds the critically acclaimed film “The Kids are All Right” for earning four Oscar Nominations.  The movie, which is about a family headed by a same-sex couple (Annette Bening and Julianne Moore), was nominated for: Best Picture, Best Actress (Annette Bening), Best Supporting Actor (Mark Ruffalo), and Best Original Screenplay.

“This movie puts a human face on LGBT families and has the power to change hearts and minds,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese.  “Too often in the struggle for equality for our families, people forget that we are just that, families.  Filmmaker Lisa Cholodenko’s movie shows that LGBT families have ups and downs and experience the same joys and frustrations as any other American family.”

Julianne Moore will headline the HRC Greater New York Gala Dinner on February 5.  For more information please visit www.hrc.org/greaterny/dinner.

In an interview with HRC’s Equality magazine, Moore said, “we’re all pretty much alike. Speak to anybody – two men, two women, or a man and a woman – about a long-term relationship and you’re going to hear the same kind of stories. I think that’s the most important thing about this film.”

The Academy Awards will take place on February 27.

HUD TO EXPLAIN NEW PROPOSED REGULATIONS TO ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS TO HOUSING REGARDLESS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY

            At 2 p.m. EST on Thursday, January 20, 2011, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan will brief reporters on HUD’s new proposed regulations intended to ensure that its core housing programs are open to all eligible persons, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

            Secretary Donovan and HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity John Trasviña will describe the major elements of HUD’s new proposed rule and will take questions from interested reporters.

            This media briefing is reserved for members of the working media who are asked to RSVP should they wish to participate (see details below).


WHO:            HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan
                        HUD Assistant Secretary John Trasviña
                  
WHAT:          Media briefing on HUD’s new proposed rule to ensure equal access
                        to HUD programs for LGBT community  

WHEN:         2 p.m. EST
                        Thursday, January 20, 2011
                      
HOW:             Reporters who are interested in participating in this conference call are asked to RSVP to Brian Sullivan at 202-402-7527 or email brian.sullivan@hud.gov.

Pink Choice announces the 2010 hotel awards

Throughout 2010, thousands of accommodation reviews were submitted to Pink Choice by its 9000 members. As a result, this year sees the largest ever number of award winners, based on these submitted reviews and ratings. Many previous winners have again made the list, and are joined for the first time by the Alcazar Resort in Fort Lauderdale, and Moose Meadow Lodge in Waterbury, Vermont.

And the winners are:

Aerie House & Beach Club - Provincetown, Massachusetts

Alcazar Resort - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Alexander's Guesthouse - Key West, Florida

Carpe Diem Guesthouse & SPA - Provincetown, Massachusetts

Christopher's by the Bay - Provincetown, Massachusetts

Fairbanks Inn - Provincetown, Massachusetts

Gabriel's at The Ashbrooke Inn - Provincetown, Massachusetts

Grand View Inn - Provincetown, Massachusetts

Inn at Cook St - Provincetown, Massachusetts

Liberty Suites - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Lighthouse Inn B & B - Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Moose Meadow Lodge - Waterbury, Vermont

Newnham Suncatcher Inn - Saugatuck, Michigan

Pineapple Point - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Pride Lodge - Blackpool, Lancashire

Revere Guesthouse - Provincetown, Massachusetts

Snug Cottage - Provincetown, Massachusetts

The Highlands Inn - Bethlehem, New Hampshire

Two Village Square - Ogunquit, Maine

Villa Venice Men's Resort - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

White Porch Inn - Provincetown, Massachusetts

White Wind Inn - Provincetown, Massachusetts

Census Reports More Gay Parents In The South

The New York Times reports that Gay Parents are choosing the southern states to raise their children. The articles includes contributions from our community's esteemed demographer, Gary Gates and Bob Witeck, a big promoter of the Census to Gays and Lesbians.

By SABRINA TAVERNISE

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Being gay in this Southern city was once a lonely existence. Most people kept their sexuality to themselves, and they were reminded of the dangers of being openly gay when a gay church was bombed in the 1980s. These days, there are eight churches that openly welcome gay worshipers. One even caters to couples with children. 

Read on...

Model Alton Willoughby Joins With First Transgender Producer/Writer

Former 2006 Ebony/Jet Calendar model, Alton Willoughby, teams up with First African American Transgender Author, Toni Newman, to write a Screenplay called "The Erotic Professionals." The Erotic Professionals Screenplay is currently being shopped around now with some financing and top film director Keith Holland already attached to the project.  This would be the first screenplay to be produced and written by a Transgender Producer and Writer.

Alton appeared in the Ebony/Jet Swimwear Calendar in 2006 and is a fitness model and appeared in the Movie Phat Girlz with comedian Monique.

Toni Newman wrote I Rise-The Transformation of Toni Newman and is the first African American Transgender to write a memoir.  The book has beautiful pics of me and women and some awesome stories. The Forward of the book is written by Dr. Marc Weiss, Columbia University Professor and worked in the Clinton Administration and is President of Global Urban Organization.   Dr. Maya Angelou inspired Toni Newman while a student at Wake Forest University, class of 1985.

The agent to the book I Rise is Kevin Hogan at heretic.hogan@gmail.com 310.666.6468

First GLBT History Museum in the United States

Announces Grand Opening for January 13

SAN FRANCISCO—Internationally renowned as a center for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender culture, San Francisco soon will welcome yet another groundbreaking queer institution: The GLBT History Museum. A project of the GLBT Historical Society, an archives and research center established in 1985, the new museum will be the first of its kind in the United States—and only the second in the world. The formal grand opening is set for Jan. 13, 2011.

“A quarter century after the founding of the GLBT Historical Society, we’re proud to open a museum to showcase our community’s history,” said Paul Boneberg, executive director of the Historical Society. “The GLBT History Museum is in the heart of the Castro, a neighborhood visited not only by locals, but also by tens of thousands of tourists every year who come in search of queer culture. At our museum, they’ll discover treasures from our archives that reflect fascinating stories spanning nearly a century of GLBT life. We have gone all out to create a museum as rich, diverse and surprising as the GLBT community itself. Whether they are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or straight, visitors are sure to be moved, enlightened and entertained.”

Located at 4127 18th St., the museum includes 1,600 square feet of gallery and program space built to the specifications of the Historical Society, with custom fixtures, lighting and multimedia installations reflecting professional standards. Funding has come from Levi’s, the City of San Francisco, Castro district merchants, and numerous other sponsors and individual donors.

The GLBT History Museum joins the Schwules Museum, the queer museum founded 25 years ago in Berlin, as one of only two stand-alone, full-scale museums devoted to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history. A number of other LGBT archives and libraries also offer periodic exhibitions in the same location as their research collections or in space borrowed on an occasional basis from other organizations.

The museum will feature two debut exhibitions: In the main gallery, “Our Vast Queer Past: Celebrating GLBT History,” curated by historians Gerard Koskovich, Don Romesburg and Amy Sueyoshi; and in the front gallery, “Great Collections of the GLBT Historical Society Archives.”

The grand opening on Jan. 13, 2011, will include a preview for sponsors, donors and special guests, followed by a ribbon-cutting and reception open to the public from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Regular hours for The GLBT History Museum will be Wednesday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Sundays, noon to 5:00 p.m. Admission: $5.00; free for members. For more information, call 415-621-1107 or visit www.glbthistory.org.

Human Rights Campaign to Host “Her HRC”

WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, will host Her HRC, a national weekend of celebration for women. HRC communities in nearly 25 cities will gather to celebrate the diversity of women, their contributions to equality and inspire engagement and awareness in the LGBT civil rights movement.  Her HRC is sponsored by Curve Magazine, AfterEllen.com, ClubLezLife.com and the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA). For more information visit, http://www.hrc.org/HerHRC.

WHAT: Her HRC hosted by Human Rights Campaign

WHO: Open to the general public

WHERE: Austin -- Boston -- Charlotte – Chicago -- Cincinnati -- Cleveland -- Columbus – Dallas/Fort Worth* -- Durham – Huntington Beach -- Kansas City, MO -- Las Vegas – Long Island* -- Los Angeles -- New Orleans -- New York City* -- Palm Springs* -- Philadelphia -- Phoenix -- Portland -- Salt Lake City -- San Diego -- San Francisco --  San Jose -- Twin Cities -- Washington, D.C.

WHEN: Weekend of January 15th (*cities are happening at a later date)

HOW:To purchase tickets to a Her HRC event in a city near you, visit the following link: www.hrc.org/HerHRC.

Transgender Trial Judge Makes History

On January 4, 2011, moments before making history at a special en banc session of the Superior Court of California by taking an oath of office to be the first openly transgender trial judge in the country, Victoria Kolakowski (who underwent gender reassignment surgery in 1991) spoke exclusively with dot429 in her dressing room at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center.  Kolakowski expressed her excitement and humility:  "It's been very hard as a transgender person.  We're a community that's chronically under- and unemployed and I've encountered that sort of discrimination in the past, but we're making so much more progress now.  In terms of my career, I think part of it is hard work and perseverance, and part of it is good luck."  

A dot429 Exclusive

The L Life: Extraordinary Lesbians Making A Difference

By Erin McHugh


We just received a copy of this fantastic book which identifies some of the most powerful Lesbians in the LGBT community. Most of the photos by Jennifer May create a wonderful coffee table book. It includes bios on Jane Lynch, Kate Clinton, Tammy Baldwin and Elizabeth Birch.

There have been few cultural touchstones that have opened people's eyes to everyday lesbian life -- until now.  Fascinating interviews and stunning portrait photography.

The L Life (Stewart, Tabori & Chang; March 2011; U.S. $3250/Can. $39.95

Buy on Amazon