GAY SOLDIER KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN: “Kept Some People Calm When Things Got Rough”

In New Video, Bereaved Parents Talk about Corporal Andrew Wilfahrt, “A Soldier’s Soldier.”



As the military prepares to certify and implement repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, OutServe, the underground network of over 2,900 active LGBT military personnel, and Courage Campaign, a 750,000 member progressive organizing network today released a new video from the parents of US Army Corporal Andrew Wilfahrt, a gay soldier killed in combat last month in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.

In the video, which includes footage of Wilfahrt's remains returning to Dover Air Force Base, his parents describe what drove their son to join the military and how he was viewed by his peers and commanding officers.

Federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act Reintroduced in the House of Representatives

47%. That's the unbearable percentage of transgender people who report being fired, or denied a job or promotion, just because of who they are. Today, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) was reintroduced in the United States House of Representatives. The bill would protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees from workplace discrimination, and the protections it would offer are urgently needed.

In an already difficult economy, transgender workers face the added threat of being fired or passed over for a job just because of who they are. We need ENDA's protections in these difficult economic times to make sure that qualified, hardworking transgender people can get jobs to support themselves and their families.

ENDA would make it illegal to fire, refuse to hire or refuse to promote an employee based on their gender identity or sexual orientation. Despite the tremendous discrimination that transgender workers face, only 12 states and Washington, DC currently protect transgender people from employment discrimination.

Transgender people deserve the same employment opportunities as everyone else. What matters is not who you are, but how well you do your job.

We thank Congressman Barney Frank for his work in introducing this bill. We will continue to keep you informed of developments relating to ENDA and our work to ensure equal employment opportunity.

Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund is committed to ending discrimination based upon gender identity and expression, and to achieving equality for transgender people through public education, test-case litigation, direct legal services, community organizing and public policy efforts.

TWO SPIRITS: AIRS ON JUNE 14, 2011 ON PBS

The powerful documentary film TWO SPIRITS has been a huge hit at Creating Change and at LGBT film festivals worldwide. It is reaching general audiences and influencing minds and hearts at film festivals, in classrooms, and in networks of families and friends. It has also been named as a film that "makes a significant contribution" by the America Library Association, but, the film team can't reach a significant audience of millions of people without your help.

TWO SPIRITS airs nationally on PBS-Independent Lens on June 14, 2011. A typical audience for the program is the 1.5 million range, but if we join together to spread the word early, it's possible to reach as many as 6 million people.

Chad D Releases "Ask & Tell"

Chad D, an LGBT rapper, is changing the world one song at a time. With his self-styled sound, Neo Pop – a mix of pop, rap, dance and rock with a lyrical style, Mr. D is getting ready to launch is debut album.

“I want you to know – you matter. There is a place for you in this world. If you are 12, you may not realize that, but get excited for the future and what you can discover. If you are 35, life may be slowing down or even becoming boring – that can change. Let me inspire you to be happy. If you are 76, life can be beautiful and filled with joy. It is always possible to be at peace with yourself and others. We can all learn this and apply it. That is how we can change the world. This is my way of changing the world," says Chad.

In his latest video, "Ask & Tell", Chad D lets loose on DADT. "It's the opposite of Don't Ask Don't Tell - we should be able to Ask and Tell and not have to hide. Our LGBT service men and women deserve the same rights as straight members. I want to use my voice to change things for the better and help reach total equality," he states.


The video is great, take a look:

Forrest County Sheriff’s Department To Reinstate Gay Corrections Officer After ACLU Lawsuit

The Forrest County Sheriff’s Department will reinstate Andre Cooley as a deputy corrections officer as part of the settlement of a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Mississippi, in which Cooley alleged that he was fired because he is gay. As part of the settlement agreement reached today, the sheriff’s department will also update its written non-discrimination policy to make explicit that the sheriff’s department does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.

“I am looking forward to returning to a job that I loved in the sheriff’s department,” Cooley said. “I’m very happy that the sheriff’s department has clarified in writing that they do not discriminate based on sexual orientation. Everyone should be judged by their ability to do the job, not by their sexual orientation.”

Richard Simmons Is Fit To Fly

Richard Simmons, our ever-loving weight loss guru stars in Air New Zealand's new safety video. I'm not sure how much weight you will lose afterwards, but it does give you a break from the typical steward's droll.

Becoming a Presidential Appointee for openly LGBT professionals

President Obama has appointed over 100 openly LGBT Americans to his administration, including 25 at a level requiring confirmation by the U.S. Senate.

This 45-minute webinar will explain how you might qualify to serve in this distinguished, history-making administration.

In addition to full-time appointed positions, this webinar will discuss opportunities to serve on boards, commissions, advisory panels and grant reviewing groups across the country.  These bodies make recommendations on how government can work better, smarter and more effectively.

Presenters: Samir Luther, Director of the Presidential Appointments Project and Zachary Portilla, Assistant, Office of Presidential Personnel, The White House.

"Seats" are limited for this webinar so --early registration is advisable.

April  27th, 2011 , 12 noon-12:45pm PST

Brought to you by Out & Equal's LGBTCareerLink

Register Now !  Limited to 100 

Event Type: Webinar

Host/Sponsor: Out & Equal's LGBTCareerLink

Contact Email: jbeach@outandequal.org

Event Link:  Register Now

Colorado Republican Speaks On Why She Voted Yes For Civil Unions

An incredibly moving speech by Colorado state senator Jean white as she describes why she voted for the Civil Unions Legislation today.

Palm Springs Partners with Stoli for Cocktail Challenge

Palm Springs, CA – Palm Springs is traveling across the country with Stolichnaya to find the best Palm Springs inspired drinks as part of the annual Palm Springs Summer Splash Cocktail Challenge presented by Here! Media, and the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism.

“Stoli, the original flavored vodka, is very excited to be partnering with Palm Springs on this national Summer Splash Cocktail Challenge,” said Patrik Gallineaux, LGBT Ambassador for Stolichnaya. “With twelve fabulous flavors of Stolichnaya available, it only makes sense to partner on all twelve nationwide stops."

Palm Springs and Stoli ambassadors will host promotional nights at LGBT clubs including New York City, Seattle, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Las Vegas and more.

At each participating club, bartenders will create their own signature cocktails using a Stoli product and will be evaluated on presentation, taste and name. The bartenders will receive bonus points if “Palm” or “Springs” is in the name or recipe of the signature drink. A winner will be selected from each city and brought to Palm Springs to compete in a finale on June 2, 2011.

For a complete schedule and event photos, visit www.PalmSpringsCocktails.com.

Palm Springs is home to nearly 30 gay and lesbian-owned and/or operated resorts and guesthouses, including many that are clothing optional. Palm Springs is located within two hours from Los Angeles and San Diego, and has daily flights across the U.S. and Canada to the Palm Springs International Airport. For travel information, go to www.VisitGayPalmSprings.com.

Equality Forum 2011 YouTube Video Launched

Equality Forum is a national and international LGBT civil rights organization with an educational focus. Equality Forum presents annually the largest and premier national and international LGBT civil rights summit. Equality Forum 2011 has over 40 programs, parties and special events. There is no registration fee and all panels are free. More

GLAAD MOURNS THE LOSS OF LGBT ADVOCATE AND ALLY DAME ELIZABETH TAYLOR

Los Angeles, CA, March 23, 2011 – The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the nation’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, joins the LGBT community and its allies in mourning the loss of actress and advocate Dame Elizabeth Taylor.

"Today, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community lost an extraordinary ally in the movement for full equality," said GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios. “At a time when so many living with HIV/AIDS were invisible, Dame Taylor fearlessly raised her voice to speak out against injustice. Dame Taylor was an icon not only in Hollywood, but in the LGBT community where she worked to ensure that everyone was treated with the respect and dignity we all deserve."

GLAAD honored Dame Taylor with the Vanguard Award at the 11th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in 2000 for her work to increase the visibility and understanding of the LGBT community. For the past several years, she has also served as an underwriter for the GLAAD Media Awards Young Adult Program, where hundreds of young LGBT adults and allies attend the event.

"Why shouldn't gay people be able to live as open and freely as everybody else?" Dame Taylor said in her acceptance speech at the 11th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. "What it comes down to, ultimately, is love. How can anything bad come out of love? The bad stuff comes out of mistrust, misunderstanding and, God knows, from hate and from ignorance."

Becoming Chaz: Documentary Launches On OWN May 10

The world television premiere of the highly anticipated Chaz Bono documentary “Becoming Chaz,” the story of Chaz Bono’s transformation from a woman to a man, will launch the OWN Documentary Film Club on Tuesday, May 10 (8-10 p.m. ET/PT) on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. Immediately following the film, OWN Documentary Film Club collaborator Rosie O’Donnell will host a one-hour primetime special event from 10–11 p.m. ET/PT. In the special, O’Donnell will talk with Chaz, his girlfriend Jennifer Elia, the filmmakers and other transgender people and their families about this life changing experience.

The Fabulous Beekman Boys Speak Out in HRC’s Latest “New Yorkers for Marriage Equality Campaign” Video

Upstate New York Residents and Reality TV Stars Raise Profile of Timely Fight for Equal Marriage

WASHINGTON – Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, Planet Green’s Fabulous Beekman Boys, join the Human Rights Campaign – the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization – in a new video in the “New Yorkers for Marriage Equality” campaign. The upstate New Yorkers are the first same-sex couple to appear in the campaign, which raises the public profile of marriage equality in the Empire State..

“The ‘Fabulous Beekman Boys’ gives a candid and entertaining look into the lives of a gay couple running a farm in upstate New York,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “In their video, they speak from their hearts about their neighbors treating their relationship with respect while the government continues to deny them the rights that are granted to opposite-sex couples. We are excited to have them join in the call for marriage equality in New York.”

Two recent New York polls show a strong majority of New Yorkers support marriage equality. A Siena Research Institute Poll found 57 percent of New Yorkers support marriage for same-sex couples and another recent poll by Quinnipiac University had support at 56 percent.

The New Yorkers for Marriage Equality campaign is centered on video testimonials from New Yorkers who support the right of same-sex couples to marry. To date, HRC has released videos from the Fabulous Beekman Boys, Former Mayors Ed Koch and David Dinkins, Ethan and Ryan Hawke, Russell Simmons, Mark and Sunrise Ruffalo, John Slattery, Joan Rivers, Barbara Bush, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Whoopi Goldberg, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon, Fran Drescher, Moby, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, Julianne Moore and Kenneth Cole.

Season two of The Fabulous Beekman Boys premieres on Planet Green Tuesday, March 22 at 10pm/ET. The paperback version of their book, "The Bucolic Plague: How Two Manhattanites Became Gentlemen Farmers: An Unconventional Memoir" also hits stores on March 22.

GOProud Praises Action in Libya

Statement of Jimmy LaSalvia, Executive Director

“Today, a coalition of countries, including the United States, took action to protect the Libyan people. This military response, while long overdue in our estimation, is nonetheless the absolute right thing to do.

“Moammar Qaddafi is an international menace and a dictator who has violently brutalized his own people. Not only do we have a moral obligation to act, it is in the strategic best interest of the United States to see the Qaddafi regime replaced by a democratic one that will respect basic civil liberties and the rule of law.

“We believe that President Obama should go even further and recognize the rebel leadership as the legitimate government in Libya and, if need be, should authorize the use of surgical air strikes to remove the Qaddafi regime.

“Respect for basic human rights shouldn’t be determined by geography and freedom shouldn’t know borders.”

GOProud represents gay conservatives and their allies. GOProud is committed to a traditional conservative agenda that emphasizes limited government, individual liberty, free markets and a confident foreign policy. GOProud promotes our traditional conservative agenda by influencing politics and policy at the federal level. 426 C Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. For more information visit our website www.goproud.org

You Don't Need To Be Afraid: Gay Ad

Found this video on YouTube today and I don't know who produced it or where it came from but I found it to be really inspiring and brought back moments from my Gay past when I wished I had the courage that this man has.

UNION BANK AND KCET CELEBRATE LOCAL HEROES FOR LGBT PRIDE MONTH

WHAT:             As part of an ongoing commitment to cultural diversity and in celebration of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month, Union Bank and KCET have opened a call for nominations for outstanding men and women of the LGBT community  -- local heroes who are providing great leadership and making significant contributions to improve and enrich the lives of others.  Of the nominees, five will be chosen and honored during a celebratory event in June.                    

WHEN:             LGBT 2011 nominations will be accepted until midnight Wednesday, April 6, 2011.

(No late forms will be accepted)

WHERE:          Nomination forms are available via KCET’s Web site at www.kcet.org.

             Type “LGBT” into the KCET page search bar or visit the Local Heroes page at                        http://www.kcet.org/socal/local_heroes/

WHO:                LGBT community members in the Los Angeles area who have shown leadership and                  dedication to serving their community through participation in the arts, business,                           community activism, education, social services, health services or any other relevant                  field.  For further information, please refer to the 2011 Candidate Nomination                                    Guidelines available at http://www.kcet.org/socal/local_heroes/lgbt-pride-month.html.

WHY:               Partnering with public television stations throughout California, Union Bank designed the Local Heroes program to pay tribute to local heroes who are making a difference by improving their workplace, profession, neighborhood, community, region and the world.  The program has grown to reflect the very vibrant and diverse communities in which the bank conducts business.  Visit www.unionbank.com/heroes for more information.

Daniel Radcliffe On The Trevor Project

Katie Couric talks to Daniel Radcliffe about his work with the Trevor Project. He tells Couric, “It's something I'm incredibly proud to be involved with.  If I do nothing else, I'm proud to be involved with that.”

Couric’s interview with Radcliffe will air March 13 on CBS Sunday Morning (9:30 a.m.    ET) and their extended conversation will be available on Couric’s weekly webshow @katiecouric after 9:30 a.m. ET the same day at: www.cbsnews.com/katiecouricwebshow.
Part 1




Part 2

PASSPORT MAGAZINE LAUNCHES NEW BROADWAY BLOG

THE CURTAIN RISES TODAY ON theBROADWAYblog.com

NEW YORK, March 10, 2011 - PASSPORT magazine announced today the debut of their latest venture: The Broadway Blog. Dedicated to serving the insatiable desires of theatre lovers around the world, The Broadway Blog is devoted to being your insider's guide to all the exciting theatre people and productions in New York, London, and beyond. The Broadway Blog is a highly personal hot spot for the passionate theatregoer, as well as a great resource for out-of-towners planning a trip to the Great White Way. Weekly columns feature intimate interviews with stage personalities, review round-ups, and practical tips for getting seats to the best shows in town.

Your personal guide to the best of Broadway and beyond is Tom Mizer, an award-winning lyricist/librettist as well as host of PASSPORT TV's travel videos. With his insider knowledge and theatre-biz friends, The Broadway Blog promises to be a one-of-a-kind mixture of useful information and behind-the-scenes fun.

Be sure to checkout www.thebroadwayblog.com for the latest theatrical happenings, behind-the-scenes tours, up-close and intimate interviews, and more!

For additional information, to suggest stories for upcoming blogs, get the world out concerning your latest theatrical venture, or to book Tom for an interview: please contact Tom at: tom@thebroadwayblog.com.

4th Annual Gay & Lesbian Marketing Conference

http://nyc2011.eventbrite.com/

Community Marketing, Inc. and Pink Banana Media have announced a full-day educational and networking conference for business leaders interested in growing their LGBT market share. The 4th Annual Gay & Lesbian Marketing Conference follows successful national and regional programs held by the organizers throughout the country over the past several years. Participants from the New York City region, as well as across North America are invited to attend the conference.

"In a recovering economic market, the gay and lesbian segment presents an especially valid and viable opportunity for growth,” said David Paisley, the event organizer. “The Gay & Lesbian Marketing Conference offers a comprehensive research, advertising, marketing, and communications forum that will help attendees reach a broad spectrum of LGBT consumers."

A One-Day Gay MBA: Whether you are a long-time LGBT market expert or new to the segment, you will attain valuable insights and approaches into the LGBT marketplace. Dedicated to marketing, advertising and PR executives and agencies serving all industries, who want to successfully reach gay and lesbian consumers, and initiate or update effective strategies.

Advance registration is just $245, including all educational sessions, lunch and coffee breaks.  Conference registration is now open online: http://nyc2011.eventbrite.com/

Conference info: http://www.LGBTMarketingConference.com

Marriage Coalition Rolls Out Ad Campaign

The Rhode Island Marriage Coalition has unveiled a television ad advocating for the passage of marriage equality legislation in Rhode Island.  The ad begins airing today.

"Today's roll out is the next step in a broader strategic plan aimed at raising awareness and building the wave of support necessary to achieve a legislative victory this year," said Martha Holt, Marriage Equality Rhode Island board member. “The message of the commercial, 'It's Time,' reflects a belief shared by a majority of Rhode Islanders – it's time we live up to our founding principles and make marriage equality the law for all Rhode Islanders."

Karen Loewy is a board member of MERI and a staff attorney at Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, which produced the ad for the Coalition.  She said, "It's time for every Rhode Islander to have access to the marriage protections they need and deserve."

The 60-second commercial features six Rhode Island couples from a variety of backgrounds discussing the meaning of marriage and why the time has come for the Rhode Island General Assembly to adopt marriage equality legislation.  The ad can be viewed online at either of the following links:

QueerTrip: Enter to win a weekend getaway in Las Vegas!

Every person who enters the Weekend Getaway Vegas Sweepstakes will automatically be entered to win the grand prize: a weekend in Las Vegas. The winner will receive 2 free round trip tickets (a value up to $200 per person, total value cannot exceed $400*) and a free 3 day (2 night) stay at the all-male (gay) Blue Moon Resort in Las Vegas.

There are other prizes as well.

The more friends you suggest to enter the sweepstakes, the more entries you get in the sweepstakes! So suggest it to all your friends and family!

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/qttravel?sk=app_28134323652


The Blue Moon Resort is located just three blocks west of the world-famous Las Vegas Strip! Offering 45 tastefully designed rooms and suites, the Blue Moon provides a private get away unlike any other gay resort.

The sweepstakes runs from March 1st - 31st. The winners will be drawn on April 6th, 2011.

Queertrip.com is an online LGBT travel agency. A portion of every booking made online will be donated to local LGBT charities in the Los Angeles community.

Perez Hilton Announces Fundraising Initiative For Gay Teens!

Three Highest Donors to GLSEN Will Be Invited to Perez Hilton’s 33rd Birthday Party This Month

Los Angeles, CA, March 1, 2011 — Give back and get back! Continuing his commitment to helping gay youth, Perez Hilton announces an innovative way he's raising money for the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN). Three people will have the opportunity to attend the blogger's annual star-studded birthday bash this year, celebrating his 33rd. Participants must visit http://CrowdRise.com/PerezHilton make a donation towards Perez's birthday fundraising effort, benefitting GLSEN. The top three donors, plus their guests, will have the opportunity to attend Perez's big party on March 26th. Previous guests and performers have included: Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Christina Aguilera, Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, Liza Minnelli, Paula Abdul, the Pussy Cat Dolls, Mel B, Leona Lewis, Eve and more. Perez says, "The best gift anyone could give me this year is a donation to GLSEN. I was so moved last year by all the stories of bullying and gay suicides. This is one tangible way I can help make a big difference! Any donation, as small as one or two dollars, will help!" Do your part and give back for a chance to win a very special opportunity to party with Perez and the stars! For more information, visit http://CrowdRise.com/PerezHilton

California Attorney General Kamala Harris Asks U.S. Court of Appeals to Allow Marriages for Gay and Lesbian Couples to Resume

 Coalition of Support for Lifting Stay of District Court’s Decision in Prop. 8 Case Continues to Grow as Human Rights Campaign, Equality California, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Courage Campaign, City and County of San Francisco, Lambda Legal, and American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California File

Sacramento, CA — Today, Attorney General Kamala Harris, California’s chief law enforcement official, announced that her office has filed a brief on behalf of the state of California with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The filing asks that the stay on the U.S. District Court ruling in Perry v. Schwarzenegger—which more than six months ago declared Prop. 8 unconstitutional—be lifted immediately and that gay and lesbians couples in California be once again allowed to marry.

"For 846 days, Proposition 8 has denied equality under the law to gay and lesbian couples," Attorney General Harris writes. "Each and every one of those days, same-sex couples have been denied their right to convene loved ones and friends to celebrate marriages sanctioned and protected by California law. Each one of those days, loved ones have been lost, moments have been missed, and justice has been denied."

Last week, the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) and its legal team – led by Theodore B. Olson and David Boies – filed a motion with the Ninth Circuit, asking that the Court immediately allow the U.S. District Court ruling to go into effect.

“Attorney General Harris makes it clear in her filing: marriages for gay and lesbian Californians must resume now,” said AFER Board President Chad Griffin. “Life is not eternal—sometimes it is tragically short—and courts should not act as if it were otherwise.  Allowing the U.S. District Court’s landmark decision to enter into effect will not harm anyone, but will alleviate the suffering of countless families and their children.   We’re grateful for the Attorney General’s forceful stand for civil rights.”

Read Attorney General Kamala Harris’ filing: Motion To Vacate Stay

Major equal rights organizations also announced today they have filed or will file briefs with the Ninth Circuit in support of AFER’s request, including Courage Campaign, Equality California, Human Rights Campaign, ACLU of Northern California, Lambda Legal, National Center for Lesbian Rights and the City and County of San Francisco.

Yesterday, the Los Angeles Times editorial board wrote a strongly worded editorial  calling on the Ninth Circuit to lift the stay on marriage for gay and lesbian couples in California.  Read the editorial here.

 BACKGROUND:

In August 2010, the U.S. District Court declared Proposition 8 – which eliminated marriage rights for same-sex couples – unconstitutional and “gravely harmful” and ordered the State to cease all enforcement of it. The Ninth Circuit, however, has stayed that injunction for the duration of the appeal before that Court, depriving tens of thousands of gay and lesbian Californians of their fundamental constitutional right to marry.

AFER’s most recent filing: Motion to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to Vacate Stay   

“We are respectfully asking the Court to lift its stay on marriage for gay and lesbian couples because it has become apparent that the legal process is taking considerably longer than could reasonably have been anticipated,” said Theodore B. Olson, co-lead counsel for AFER. “It’s important to remember that the stay was originally ordered with the understanding that the Ninth Circuit would rule swiftly on the case before it. Now that the issue of the Proponents’ standing to appeal has been referred for analysis by the California Supreme Court, substantial additional, indefinite and unanticipated delays lie ahead. It’s unreasonable and decidedly unjust to expect California’s gay and lesbian couples to put their lives on hold and suffer daily discrimination as second class citizens while their U.S. District Court victory is debated further.”

 About the American Foundation for Equal Rights

The American Foundation for Equal Rights is the sole sponsor of the Perry case. After bringing together Theodore B. Olson and David Boies to lead its legal team, AFER successfully advanced the Perry case through federal district court and is now leading it through the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals before the case is brought to the United States Supreme Court. The Foundation is committed to achieving full federal marriage equality.

  For more information visit www.afer.org