Star Witness For Prop 8 Case Changes Heart, Now Supports Marriage Equality

Evolution on issue reflects Americans’ growing acceptance of marriage for gay and lesbian couples

Today the Human Rights Campaign – the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization – applauded David Blankenhorn, the founder of the Institute for American Values and a key witness in the Prop 8 trial for upholding the law, who today came out in support of marriage equality in an op-ed in the New York Times.  In the Perry case brought by the American Foundation for Equal Rights, when AFER attorney David Boies asked how marriage for gay couples would hurt the marriages of straight couples, Blankenhorn famously replied, “I don’t know.”

Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin issued the following statement:

“David Blankenhorn’s evolution on marriage equality is emblematic of the paradigm shift we are experiencing as a country on this issue.  Loving gay and lesbian couples should not be denied the ability to make the same lifelong commitment as everyone else and Blankenhorn’s agreement with that proposition puts him in the mainstream of American opinion.

“What David Blankenhorn has shown the world is that through careful deliberation and a deepening understanding of LGBT people, one can only draw the conclusion that the answer is full equality.  While it can be difficult as a public figure to change course, I applaud him for taking a courageous and principled stand.  His experience wrestling with the issue of marriage equality and coming out on the right side of history will be an inspiration to millions of fair-minded Americans who are in the same place.”

Grindr Reaches 4 Million+ Users

Hot on the heels of this month’s Pride celebrations across the globe, Grindr today unveils that it has now reached more than 4 million total users and 1.1 million active daily users. To deliver an even better experience to these millions of users and to continue to reach ever more guys, a whole new Grindr is set to be unleashed this summer.

“With 4 million men, Grindr is the best place to meet guys, and we’re introducing the new Grindr, which makes your search a lot easier and faster, with new features such as filters and communities,” said Joel Simkhai, founder and CEO of Grindr. “The new Grindr continues our commitment to innovation and our belief in leveraging location-based technologies to help gay men find one another.”

For a sneak peek of some new Grindr screenshots, check out Grindr.com/new.

Senate Testimony on ENDA Provides Clear Evidence of Employment Discrimination

In official testimony delivered today before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), Williams Institute Research Director M.V. Lee Badgett shared research of sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in the workplace and the likely positive impact of the federal protections offered by a law like S. 811, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2011 (ENDA).  As currently drafted, ENDA would prohibit a wide range of employers (non-religious) with at least 15 employees from discriminating based on sexual orientation and gender identity in hiring and other employment decisions.

“Decades of social science research have demonstrated that employment discrimination against LGBT employees occurs across the country and evidence suggests that a federal prohibition on such conduct would reduce discrimination” said M.V. Lee Badgett.

During her testimony, Badgett referenced the decades of economic and social science research demonstrating that employment discrimination against LGBT Americans occurs in workplaces all across the country and that this discrimination harms LGBT workers.  Such discrimination cuts across employment sectors, including both private sector employment and public employment in state and local governments.  For example:

• According to the 2008 General Social Survey, 42% of a national random sample of LGBT people had experienced, at some point in their lives, at least one form of employment discrimination because of their sexual orientation.

• In the largest survey of transgender people to date, 78% of respondents reported experiencing at least one form of harassment or mistreatment in the workplace because of their gender identity, with 47% reporting discrimination with regards to hiring, promotion, or job retention.

• Gay and bisexual men earn from 10% to 32% less than similarly qualified heterosexual men.

Absent further federal protections, the current patchwork of local, state, and federal protections offered for LGBT workers and LGBT-inclusive corporate policies still leave millions of LGBT workers at risk of employment discrimination, as noted in a recent Williams Institute study on the legislative impact of federal legislation prohibiting LGBT workplace discrimination.  Click here to view this study published in the Loyola Law Review.

Williams Institute Faculty Advisory Committee Member Kylar W. Broadus, Associate Professor of Business at Lincoln University, also testified at the hearing.

Click here for the full testimony.

Trans United for Obama Launches Nationwide Volunteer Effort

Trans United for Obama, a national volunteer effort, has launched a campaign to rally transgender people, their allies, families, and supporters in the re-election campaign of President Barack Obama.

The campaign, organized by a group of transgender advocates, educators, bloggers, authors, and their families and allies, aims to educate people about the historic changes that the Obama Administration has accomplished in the past three and a half years to secure equal rights and protections for all Americans, including transgender people.

Among the victories achieved during President Obama’s first term is the removal of onerous and outdated requirements to change gender markers on legal documents such as passports, immigration documents, federal employee records, Veterans’ Administration records, and birth certificates for American citizens born outside of the US.  In addition, discrimination based on gender identity is now banned in areas like federal employment and public housing programs, and President Obama signed the first federal law aimed at addressing the rampant violence that transgender people face.

Trans United for Obama (TU4O) will work closely with the president’s campaign and will hold regular national calls to coordinate and boost trans and allied people’s participation in the re-election campaign. One of its goals is to register new trans voters and support others who may be prevented or discouraged from voting by new and discriminatory voter ID laws in several states. Supporters can register at the website to volunteer, donate money to the campaign through the grassroots fundraising site, and express their support for the re-election of President Obama and for his ongoing efforts to secure equal rights for transgender Americans.

Trans United for Obama can be found at http://www.transunitedforobama.org/index.html.

Rainbow Crosswalks

Throughout the month of June, the City of West Hollywood will emblazon two crosswalks along Santa Monica Boulevard and San Vicente Boulevard with the colors of the LGBT rainbow flag in celebration of PRIDE Month. (The decorated crosswalks run along Santa Monica Boulevard between U.S. Bank and American Apparel; and Citibank and the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Department.) As a symbol of PRIDE and as a symbol of LGBT rights, the brick pattern area within the crosswalks will be painted with the colors of the rainbow flag.

Openly Gay Football Player, Marcus Urban Gets Political

Euro 2012: Germany's First Openly Gay Pro Football Player Calls On Merkel to Denounce Anti-Gay Laws in Ukraine - Scheduled for Vote in 2 Weeks

Two days before the kick off of Euro 2012, All Out members are joining with the first openly gay professional football player in Germany, Marcus Urban, in urging Merkel to use the Euro 2012 to denounce human rights violations and the anti-gay crackdown happening now in Ukraine.

"We just learned that the anti-gay law is now scheduled for vote in two weeks, said Olena Shevchenko, Chair of the Ukrainian LGBT organization Insight. In a move to make it illegal for anyone in Ukraine to say the word "gay" in public, this anti-gay law - Law 8711 - is advancing through the Ukrainian Parliament, with no public opposition from the highest level of Ukrainian authorities."

The letter from Marcus Urban and signed by almost 20,000 All Out members reads "Chancellor Merkel, as Ukraine's key trade partner, you should give Yanukovych a "red card" by refusing to attend this month's Euro Cup and strongly urging him to denounce the laws in his Parliament that want to make saying "gay" illegal."

SEE SIGNATURES AND COMMENTS FROM SIGNERS: http://allout.org/euro2012

DIRECT MALE LAUNCHING A NEW ERA FOR THE GAY MALE CONSUMER

DIRECT MALE proudly kicks-off the all-new, interactive www.DIRECTMALE.com - this June 18, 2012. DIRECT MALE is a Washington, DC-based online voucher company targeting the gay male consumer niche market by regularly providing upscale and unique goods and services - a virtual “best of the best” in dining, doing and buying featuring local and national offers from bars, clubs, restaurants, spas, salons, travel, hotels, cruises and much more. 

“We’re thrilled to be launching DIRECT MALE across the country this June.  We’ll be offering a wide range of goods, services and experiences catering to the discriminating gay male consumer. We’re partnering with a great collection of national and local companies, while looking to further cultivate relationships with many more both large and small,” said DIRECT MALE President Andrew Isen. With DIRECT MALE, Isen brings 25+ years of integrated marketing experience developing and executing innovative programs for businesses and consumers. “Together with HERE Media, a leader in gay news sources and media distribution - across all of their digital platforms – we’re looking at June as our springboard for success.”  

Isen continues, “There will be comparisons of DIRECT MALE to Groupon and LivingSocial. We recognize these companies serve the mass market, while DIRECT MALE connects with the gay male consumer. Another question we’ve received is, will there be a ‘Deal of the Day?’ The answer is: we’ll have a regular rotation of timed ‘offers,’ garnering real savings. We know, through our experience, gay male consumers can be very brand loyal, and we are hoping for that support for our many partner companies.”  

When first launched in 1992, DIRECT MALE quickly became the most-effective program targeting the gay male consumer by utilizing innovative methods and a 100,000 person opt-in date base. Participating households received quarterly “card decks” in their mailboxes, including offers from local and national advertisers, including Jim Beam Brands, the National Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (NGLTA), British Airways and GlaxoSmithKline, among others.   

The national population of gay men over the age of 18 is approximately 12.3 million, while 93% (11.5 million) of these men are active online consumers. The gay male consumer earns nearly double the average household income and has nearly 70% more disposable income equaling a buying power approaching $900 billion annually (U.S. Census, Harris Interactive/WinMark Concepts).

Gay men are already spending their money on social and recreational products and services: dining out, travel, and personal care. DIRECT MALE will finally deliver the differentiation, and this affinity equates to brand loyalty, repeat purchases and a real difference. Decidedly more. Definitely me. DIRECT MALE. 

For more DIRECT MALE information, please visit: www.DirectMale.com

44 HORRIBLE DATES

What:  Join local Author Eddie Campbell for the signing of his new book “44 Horrible Dates” and discussion of his not so lucky love life on the LA dating scene as told through the book.

When:
Monday June 18, 2012
 7:00pm
Book Soup
8818 Sunset Blvd.
W. Hollywood CA 90069

Wednesday June 27, 2012
7:00 PM
Barnes & Noble Bookstore
3rd Street Promenade
1201 3rd Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401

About the Book:  Eddie Campbell has been on more terrible dates than entire villages. Now, for our amusement, our intrepid dater relates his most hilarious, unbelievable dates in 44 Horrible Dates, ranging from the guy who immediately farted upon entering his car to the guy who drove him to a fast-food burger joint (Eddie is a vegetarian) before admitting he was high on cocaine. Told in a witty, R-rated style similar to Chelsea Handler, Campbell’s stories will make readers realize that no matter how bad their dating life is; at least they don’t have it as bad as he does!

About the Author: Eddie was born and raised in Los Angeles. He had a colorful childhood raised by a Vietnam War Veteran grandfather who had war flashbacks and thought Eddie was going to be gay because he “watched too much television”. Ironically, Eddie went on to have a significant career in Television in Art Direction/Art Department for hit TV series such as; Dawson’s Creek, The Division, Ghost Whisperer, The Closer, Madtv, Parenthood, and is currently working on several projects for Days of our Lives. He plans on writing many more books.