PHILADELPHIA MARKS 10 YEARS OF GAY MARKETING WITH NEW TV SPOT

 To celebrate the 10^th anniversary of its award-winning Philadelphia – Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay^® campaign, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) is set to release its second commercial geared toward the LGBT traveler. In 2004, GPTMC produced the first TV commercial by a U.S. destination for the LGBT travel market.


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Pvt. Chelsea E. Manning Comes Out, Deserves Respectful Treatment by Media and Officials

Pvt. Chelsea E. Manning announced today that she is female and wishes to begin hormone treatment therapy.  Human Rights Campaign Vice President and Chief Foundation Officer Jeff Krehely released the following statement:

“Regardless of how she came to our attention, Pvt. Chelsea Manning’s transition deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.  As she requested in her letter, journalists and other officials should use her chosen name of Chelsea and refer to her with female pronouns.  Using the name Bradley or male pronouns is nothing short of an insult.  Media, having reported on her wishes, must respect them as is the standard followed by the AP Stylebook.

“As Pvt. Manning serves her sentence, she deserves the same thing that any incarcerated person does – appropriate and competent medical care and protection from discrimination and violence.  The care she receives should be something that she and her doctors – including professionals who understand transgender care – agree is best for her.  There is a clear legal consensus that it is the government’s responsibility to provide medically necessary care for transgender people and the military has an obligation to follow those guidelines.

“What should not be lost is that there are transgender servicemembers and veterans who serve and have served this nation with honor, distinction and great sacrifice.  We must not forget or dishonor those individuals. Pvt. Manning’s experience is not a proxy for any other transgender man or woman who wears the uniform of the United States.”



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Theatre Review: "In The Dining Room"

 Studio C Artists, the LGBT-owned theatre in Hollywood, CA, launched their second series of brand new one act plays this past weekend to a packed house.

"In The Dining Room" is a collection of 10 original works that delves into
 various themes, including homophobia, infidelity, apathy, family matters and robot love. Three of the stand-outs include: "20:30," "A Line is Drawn At Ruby Tuesdays" and "Far From The Tree."

"20:30," brilliantly directed by Amanda Hallman and eloquently performed by Yuki Sagara and Wes McGee is beautifully written by James Edward Quinn. The story centers on a loving couple's last 15 minutes together before one of them (who is a humanoid robot) is deactivated because they couldn't pay the bill.

"Far From The Tree" stars Lena Bouton, Max Lichtig and J.Richey Nash. Penned by Bouton, the drama focuses on the hidden passions between step mom and step son as fantasy turns into a bitter sweet reality. Also directed by Hallman, Bouton and Lichtig are stellar as the star-crossed lovers and deliver a beautiful tale of unrequited love.

"A Line is Drawn At Ruby Tuesdays" is hysterical and stars Pippa Hinchley, Jorge-Luis Pallo, Grace Serrano, & Ramona Young. Written by Dean Donofrio and directed by Jason Weiss, a young couple musters the nerve to tell their overbearing neighbor to leave them alone.

The theatre provides a refreshing venue for writers to be bring their new plays to life. Actors have to opportunity to originate roles and directors try their hand at new material.

The theatre showcases 5 plays per evening and runs through September 14, 2013.
Studio C Artists is located on Theatre Row, Hollywood, 6448 Santa Monica Blvd. (between Wilcox and Cole) Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.

Visit: http://www.oneact.studiocartists.com for more information.

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AT&T's LGBT Employee Group Releases "It Gets Better" Video

LEAGUE at AT&T, the resource group for AT&T’s LGBT and Allied employees, recently released an “It Gets Better” video.  The video encourages LGBT youth to come out to their parents, stresses the importance having open and honest dialogues about sexual identity, and features a moving testimonial from an AT&T executive about his relationship with his gay son.  It also highlights a variety of reasons why AT&T is an excellent place for openly LGBT people to work.

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