Kenneth Cole's New LGBT Equality Tee

Fashion Designer and social activist Kenneth Cole has boldly supported marriage equality for over fifteen years.  Today's Supreme Court decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is a step forward for all who wish to get married.

"Since our first gay rights advertisements in 1995 we have been firm believers in equal rights for all," says Kenneth Cole.  "Today's Supreme Court decision echoes what we have long believed, and validates 'for better or for worse,' the importance of every relationship and everyone's inherent right 'to have and to hold.'"

This June, Kenneth Cole Productions announced its fifth year collaborating with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), with the sale of a limited edition t-shirt encouraging Americans to show support for marriage equality.   

This year's t-shirt is inscribed with the message "Equality… Get Married to the Idea," and features a pink equal sign inspired by the HRC logo that took over social media in anticipation of today's decision.  AWEARNESS, The Kenneth Cole Foundation will donate 100% of the net-profits from the sale of each t-shirt to HRC.

Additionally, Kenneth Cole is hosting in-store events June 27 in New York City and San Francisco with local screen printers on-site to print customers' favorite Kenneth Cole and HRC graphic collaboration.   

To learn more about Kenneth Cole Productions longstanding support of equality visit http://www.awearness.com/#Page_IssuesArchiveCivilLibertiesPage

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Gay Wedding Guards!

Yesterday, gay marriage was legalized in California, the wedding business are going to see a great increase in weddings for the rest of the year. Although the great news may inspire people for equality, others are still against the proposition being passed.

To help our fellow friends in assuring a safe and pleasant wedding, guardNOW has already been named the “Gay Wedding” Private Security guard company by “Engayged Weddings.”

As a new security guard company we are assuring safety to all our California’s at their weddings. The press and the public will be interested in the many weddings that will be taking place starting next month in the gay community, security guards will be a tactic to use to keep unwanted guest and people against gay marriages out of the way. As the go to Security Guard Company we want you to help us inform the gay community that there is a national company catering to them specifically.

Gay marriages are not new to the country, but California is happy to finally be a part of the states that have passed the law. guardNOW services all of California and wants to reach out to as many newly engaged couples that are bow allowed to legally be married.

Our franchisee’s Nate Brown and Joe Luke service Northern and Southern California and are available for tips and insight on ways the gay community is going to need security help for their weddings. With there 15 years in law enforcement their tips to the public on wedding safety could help the newcomers.

Until the end of September guardNOW will be giving all newly engaged and soon to be married couples 15% off their entire wedding order.

(877) 482-7366 | www.guardnow.com

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“My Uncle Gloria” Inspires Life-Altering Change

Transformation of 62-Year-Old Tough Uncle Butch to Attractive Aunt Gloria at 66 in Memoir

At age 62, most people have accepted their life choices and are planning retirement from their fulfilled career to a more quiet and serene lifestyle. Bernard “Butch” Rosichan, however, decided to go through a life-altering change at age 66. Thus, the old-school gruff and surly auto wrecking & salvage owner underwent a transformation via male-to-female reassignment surgery. Today, she goes by the name of Gloria Stein and is a naturally feminine-looking Jewish grandma!

Gloria’s larger-than-life personality and inspiring story has entertained and captivated the hearts of thousands of South Floridians as well as changed the lives of her family members forever. Gloria’s nephew, Steven Shulman, is to release a memoir chronicling how his uncle’s road to self-rediscovery reflected his own rebirth, titled, “My Uncle Gloria.”

“I found in Gloria what I had always hoped to find in Butch, a loving, caring family member,” says Shulman. “Because of her unique journey, my family is now more complete than ever. This memoir is the first step in sharing her beautiful story with the world and helping others.”

This inspiring tale follows the life of Shulman, who battled troubles with drugs due to family turmoil and how the transition and metamorphosis of a gruff uncle to a fierce, funny and loving aunt marked the start of his reconciliation with a problematic past, into a life filled with promise and family love.

Gloria Stein, who founded the South Florida Gender Coalition, now has become a leading advocate to educate the general public regarding misconceptions of the transgendered community. 


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GEORGE TAKEI AND LA TOYA JACKSON TO JOIN SAN DIEGO PRIDE

San Diego Pride is thrilled to announce exciting new additions to our amazing Pride weekend! Actor, author, and activist George Takei will be the keynote speaker at this year’s Spirit of Stonewall Rally and Flag Raising.  He will champion Pride’s 2013 theme “Freedom to Love and Marry.”

Takei had this to say about his participation, "Freedom, love, and commitment are shared values across the spectrum of humanity, and I'm honored to celebrate and share that truth alongside my husband at this year's San Diego LGBT Pride.”

George Takei will be joined by his husband, Brad Takei, as San Diego Pride Parade Grand Marshals due to their extensive work as fearless advocates for marriage, anti-bullying efforts, and LGBT equality.

Singer-songwriter and philanthropist La Toya Jackson will also be a celebrity Grand Marshal for her efforts in continuing her late brother Michael’s mission to combat HIV and AIDS.  La Toya will then appear at the Festival main stage Sunday evening as an MC as we close out Pride weekend.

“I am so excited and I am absolutely honored to be a part of San Diego Pride. Love is hard for anyone to find and if you have someone who you love enough to marry, why not celebrate it,” said La Toya Jackson.


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MIKE RUIZ TO HOST “SHRED OF HOPE” FUNDRAISER

WHAT: This June 20th trailblazing menswear label Nasty Pig will launch Shred of Hope, a fundraiser for the Ali Forney Center (AFC), the nation’s largest services and advocacy organization working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) runaway and homeless youth.

Shred of Hope is an auction of one-of-a-kind “Shredder” t-shirts created by celebrities. The auction will take place entirely online from June 20th through June 27th at ShredofHope.com. 100% of the proceeds of Shred of Hope will support AFC’s work to protect and empower homeless LGBT youth, and to help them in becoming safe and independent as they move from adolescence to adulthood.

On June 20th Nasty Pig and the Ali Forney Center will host a launch party for Shred of Hope at the iconic Rootstein Gallery in New York City. Nasty Pig models will walk the floor selling opportunities to win one-of-a-kind Shred of Hope items and experiences to benefit the AFC.


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Mercy Debuts Special-Edition LGBT Pride Can with GLAAD

Mercy Nutraceuticals, Inc., the maker of functional products with proven results, today debuts its first-ever, special-edition rainbow can in support of LGBT Pride and will donate a portion of the proceeds to GLAAD. This limited-edition version of Mercy, a caffeine-free, non-alcoholic beverage that helps prevent hangovers, marks the company’s first charitable partnership, signifying its commitment to empowering the LGBT community.

Mercy, a citrus-flavored drink packed with vitamins and amino acids, has been involved with the LGBT community since the company’s inception. The rainbow can will be available during GLAAD’s 2013 Summer Pride, which includes parades and celebrations in New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Dallas.

Mercy, which helps fortify the body against damage caused by alcohol, launched in 2011 after eight years of research and development. Its therapeutic mix of vitamins, amino acids and botanical nutrients makes the drink the most effective product on the market at preventing hangovers. Recommended as the last drink of the night, Mercy allows you to have a pleasant and productive next day.

Mercy is sold at groceries, restaurants, hotels and bars in New York City, New Jersey and Florida and is expanding to the San Francisco Bay area, Massachusetts, Rhode Island as well as Southern New Hampshire. It’s also available online at www.drinkmercy.com. Mercy retails for $14 for a four-pack and $33 for a case of twelve.



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25 Great Gay Moments In Music

Equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people is today’s defining civil rights issue, and the music industry is playing a significant part. In honor of LGBT Pride Month, Billboard looked back at some of the most important music-related moments in LGBT progress including:

• Laura Jane Grace of Against Me! comes out as transgender        
• Adam Lambert is the first out gay man to earn No. 1 album        Frank Ocean comes out
• “Same Love” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
• Fun. establishes the Ally Coalition
• Sara Bareilles releases “Brave” written for her friend struggling to come out
• Jay-Z and Obama Support Same-Sex Marriage
• Lady Gaga Fights for Gay Rights
• Lance Bass Gets in Sync With His Sexuality

To see all the LGBT pride stories,  please check out this week’s issue of Billboard Magazine for the “Pride in Music” feature, along with the link below for the full list of “25 Great Gay Moments In Music.”

http://www.billboard.com/articles/list/513476/25-great-gay-moments-in-music?page=0%2C0

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Devotion Project Features Couple’s Bittersweet Journey Through More Than 50 Years

With decisions expected this month in the two marriage cases before the Supreme Court, Freedom to Marry and the Devotion Project released an online video featuring Bill Campbell and John Hilton, a New York couple together 54 years. Hilton worked for Otis Elevator Company for 23 years and later moved into the nonprofit sector, including work for the International Planned Parenthood Federation, while Campbell used his knowledge of over five foreign languages to oversee the production of language textbooks for 25 years and teach ESL to students both in America and abroad.

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Sports Leaders Gather to Tackle Anti-LGBT Bias in Athletics

An alliance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) sports leaders from across the country has announced the second annual Nike LGBT Sports Summit, set for June 12-15 in Portland, Ore. The Sports Summit will bring together college and professional athletes, coaches, athletic administrators, political figures, LGBT advocates and sports organizations to combat anti-LGBT bias in sports.

Over three days, attendees will develop a strategy that embraces LGBT diversity on the courts and playing fields. They will examine best practices, troubleshoot common problems, and develop projects to tackle anti-LGBT bias in kindergarten through professional sports.

The group will also formalize the creation of the LGBT Sports Coalition, a framework to unite the movement toward equality in sports with one goal: End anti-LGBT bias in sports by 2016. Last year’s summit, held at Nike World Headquarters, brought together 25 leading organizations and individuals who began working together toward that goal.

The summit was founded by Outsports.com’s Cyd Zeigler, National Center for Lesbian Rights Sports Project Director Helen Carroll, and LGBT sports pioneer Pat Griffin.

The sports world has experienced a dramatic shift since the first summit, with professional athletes coming out, scores of universities forming LGBT/Straight Athletic Alliances, national and local sports bodies implementing LGBT-inclusive policies, and the sports media focusing more attention on this issue.

More people than ever before now understand that the acceptance of anti-LGBT attitudes is destructive to team development as well as harmful to athletes. Core to the mission of the coalition is the goal of empowering LGBT athletes and coaches to be true to themselves and reach their full potential.


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Oy Vey! My Son Is Gay!

“Oy Vey! My Son Is Gay!” a completed indie comedy film is seeking the public’s help to fund distribution through  www.oyveymovie.com “Oy Vey” has partnered with Freestyle Releasing to start an Indigogo campaign to help finance the distribution dollars to take the movie theaters in the U.S. and beyond.

“Oy Vey” is the heartwarming story about the journey a Jewish mother goes through after finding out her son is not only gay, but that he is dating a Roman Catholic boy. The film stars Golden Globe, Emmy & Tony nominee Lainie Kazan, Emmy winner Jai Rodriguez, Vincent Pastore, Carmen Electra and Saul Rubinek.

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