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NEA Addresses Supreme Court Ruling

The U.S. Supreme Court has imposed burdensome new requirements on educators & public schools that will undermine their ability to provide students with an inclusive education that reflects the real-life diversity of students & identities in our nation’s public schools & communities. Becky Pringle, National Education Association President stated, “Today the U.S. Supreme Court willfully discounted & ignored the expertise of trained professionals in the classroom. This decision could have a chilling effect on students for generations to come & could lead to more educators self-censoring, shelving books & lessons & preventing some already marginalized students from being seen & acknowledged. In the end, students are the ones who pay the price for censoring what books they can & cannot access & read. Educators know that students can’t learn when they do not feel welcomed, seen or valued…The Court’s ruling is a direct attack on our democracy. Public education is founded on the core educational principle of engaging students on a broad range of ideas, allowing them to explore new perspectives & learn to think for themselves. Students deserve nothing less than to feel supported & valued on that journey, in particular our LGBTQ+ young people & families, who often feel marginalized & excluded. Censoring the books & resources students can access puts limits on their freedom to grow, learn & contribute to society. Everyone deserves to see themselves & their lived experiences in books at our schools & in our libraries. Books are like mirrors & windows. They reflect what we observe & know about the world in which we live & help us understand lives that are different from our own. The Court does students a disservice by limiting access to these opportunities.” 
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Paul Reubens Filmed In His Own Words

Surfing for something relevant to watch I came across “Pee-Wee As Himself” the HBO Original 2-Part 195 minutes documentary directed by Matt Wolf (“The Stroll”) that recounts Reubens life story from over 40 hours of brutally honest intimate interview footage, fabulous archival film & photographs from Reuben personal collections. This must-see binge-worthy film opens your eyes & corrects the record with the factual story of his life. The most revealing part of this riveting documentary was addressing the societal persecution of Reubens for being a gay man forced to remain in the closet during a time in the 1980’s when living openly was totally unacceptable especially with a high-profile Emmy-winning CBS weekly Saturday morning television show like “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse” that ran from 1986 to 1990. I totally sympathize with this on a number of levels. While I was employed by CBS between 1979 to 1984, I had to remain in the closet or be fired for being LGBTQ. I left CBS in 1984 to live my life authentically so I can just imagine the horrendous circumstances Reubens was up against. Sadly he passed away in 2023 at 70 after privately battling cancer for years. Wolf stated, “I was completely unaware that he was sick. I could tell something was up, but I had no sense of the gravity of it. So when he died, it was a complete shock to me, & I went to work immediately to figure out how to make meaning out of these extraordinary circumstances & to better understand the relationship that I had with him & what unfolded through the process of making this film.” “Pee-Wee As Himself” is currently available on HBO/MAX & a truly important way to celebrate Pride in these times. Watch Trailer 
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Stonewall Inn Wall of Honor Inductees

The Wall of Honor at the historic Stonewall Inn will induct 7 trailblazing individuals on June 26th. This year’s ceremony is especially significant as all honorees are trans advocates recognized for their enduring impact & leadership. Nicole Murray Ramirez, Founder of the Wall of Honor stated, “A community-indeed, a movement-that does not know where it came from or whose shoulders it stands on does not really know where it’s going. In these times, when there are radical & extreme campaigns trying to erase our transgender community, the Imperial Courts and Task Force are reminding us all that transgender people have not only always been here, but have also been some of our community’s most dedicated activists & leaders.” This year’s inductees are Ruddy Martinez “Mami Ruddys” who since the 1980s opened her home to nurture, shelter & empower young LGBTQ people rejected by their families, Chili Pepper a fierce activist largely revered for her AIDS awareness activism, Lynn Conway was an electrical engineer, computer scientist & activist, Alan L. Hart a physicist, novelist & writer is considered one of the very first people to receive gender affirming surgery to live as a man, Bianca Castro-Arabejo of RuPaul’s Drag Race & starred in FX Pose as Veronica Ferocity, The Lady Chablis best known from her self-portrayal in the film Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil & Sam Nordquist the Black trans man that was tortured for nearly 3 months before being found dead in Hopewell, NY last February. The Wall of Honor was inaugurated by the International Imperial Court Council & the National LGBTQ Task Force in 2019 with 50 names to mark the 50th anniversary of Stonewall.
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Help Is On The Way Concert & Gala

The Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation is presenting its 31st Anniversary "Help is on the Way" Concert & Gala on Sunday July 20th at the Marines' Memorial Theater at 7:30P & After Party at the Beacon Grand Hotel in San Francisco, CA. "Help Is On The Way" is one of San Francisco’s longest-running benefit concerts featuring stars from Broadway, TV, film & the recording industry. The concert will feature cast members from the Broadway touring cast of “& Juliet” & while you won't hear the music from the touring show you can expect to hear some other fabulous songs as cast members join guest performers from Broadway, TV & Film. Additional entertainers will include Leanne Borghesi, Jason Brock, Garrett Clayton, Julie Garnye, Sam Harris, Bruce Vilanch, Sharon McNight & Paula West. Ken Henderson, Executive Director of the Richmond/Ermet AID Foundation stated, “It’s hard to believe this will be our 31st annual "Help is on the Way" concert & gala. With all the proposed cuts to funding for LGBTQ+ causes as well as food distribution programs like Project Open Hand, we are proud that 100% of ticket sales will go directly to support our cause & we know our ticket buyers will still be getting one hell of a great show.” The Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation was founded by the late Barbara Richmond & Peggy Ermet in memory of their sons John Richmond & Doug Ermet who both lost their lives to AIDS. To date REAF has raised well over $4.5 million dollars to support AIDS/HIV services, hunger programs & programs for homeless & disenfranchised youth. The 31st Gala event consists of a Broadway-style performance & a nightclub-themed after party with the cast. The event benefits Project Open Hand & REAF’s Small Emergency Grants Program. 
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Kate Rigg To Lead NYC Comedy Class

Manhattan Comedy School (MCS) announced an exciting new addition to its summer offerings led by acclaimed performer & writer Kate Rigg. This LGBTQ+ Stand-Up class will begin on June 30th providing a unique, inclusive environment for aspiring comedians to develop their skills, find their voices & learn from one of the industry's finest. Andy Engel, Founder & Owner of MCS stated, "At MCS, we believe in creating a space where everyone—regardless of gender, identity, or background—feels empowered to express themselves through comedy. This LGBTQ+ Stand-Up class, especially with Kate Rigg at the helm, will offer a nurturing & safe environment for participants to explore their comedic voice, learn the craft of stand-up & ultimately feel supported in honing their skills. We're thrilled to be offering this class during Pride Month, a time to celebrate and uplift LGBTQ+ voices in comedy." Rigg concluded, "I'm so honored to be teaching this class at MCS during Pride Month! Stand-up is a powerful form of expression & this class is all about giving LGBTQ+ individuals the space to experiment, develop their material & find their comedic voice in a supportive & inclusive environment. Comedy has the power to change lives & I can't wait to work with the students & help them unleash their potential!" Kate Rigg is an internationally acclaimed performer, writer & producer whose one-person shows have been featured at prestigious events such as the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival, the Smithsonian Institute, The Comedy Central Theater & the Vancouver Comedy Festival. Founded in 2005 the Manhattan Comedy School is a premier institution dedicated to fostering the next generation of comedic talent. 
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Filmmakers Speak Out In Ptown (AUDIO)

In this audio montage of our 2-part series I talked with celebrities & filmmakers at the 27th Provincetown International Film Festival (PIFF). First I talked with Emmy-winning actor & star of “The White Lotus” Murray Bartlett who received the PIFF Excellence in Acting Award & talks about being honored & “Ponyboi” the feature film he appears in. Murray known for his expansive work in HBO’s “The Last of Us”, “Looking” & Hulu’s “Welcome to Chippendales” also gave us his spin on our LGBTQ issues. Then I chatted with director Megan Rossman whose short film “We’ll Carry On Alright” was selected as PIFF Best Documentary Short. Megan talks about her film focusing on the friendship between Mabel Hampton a black lesbian activist & Joan Nestle a white Jewish lesbian professor who is 40 years her junior. Ms. Hampton cared for Joan as a child & the roles reversed when Joan cared for Ms. Hampton at the end of her life. Rossman talks about her film & gives her spin on our current LGBTQ issues. Next I talked to director Carmen Emmi about his film “Plainclothes” that won the PIFF Audience Award / Best Narrative Feature. The film set in 1990s New York is about a working-class undercover officer whose job was to entrap & apprehend gay men only to find himself drawn to one of his targets. I talked to Emmi about his film & his spin on our current civil rights issues. I concluded the first part of our series with directors Jackie Reeves & Lauren Wolk who talk about their film “The Art of Survival (Unafraid)”. The film is a collection of five short animated films that fuses animation, poetry & music to confront themes of identity, resilience & resistance. LISTEN  
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SCOTUS Delivers Heartbreaking Ruling

The U.S. Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision upheld that Tennessee’s transgender medical care ban for youth is constitutional effectively restricting access to gender-affirming medical care for thousands of transgender youth in 27 states. Lucas Cameron-Vaughn, Senior Staff Attorney at the ACLU of Tennessee stated, “The Supreme Court told Tennessee transgender youth & their families that they cannot access healthcare that is vitally important for a successful life. This ruling creates a class of people who politicians believe deserve healthcare & a class of people who do not. We will continue to stand with transgender people in Tennessee & are committed to realizing a world where all people belong, are valued & can access the necessary healthcare they need.” Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD President & CEO added, “The Supreme Court took the place of parents & doctors & stripped away their ability to make private, lifesaving decisions for their children. This ruling is a chilling step toward unchecked government overreach, intruding on the most personal aspects of our private lives. All families are now less safe & left vulnerable to politicians & a Court that has abandoned its duty to protect personal liberties. Every family deserves the freedom to make the medical decisions that help their children live, thrive & be well.” Tony Hoang Equality California Executive Director concluded, "Healthcare decisions should be made between doctors, parents & children. This ruling permits the government to intrude into deeply personal medical decisions. It is a shameful & dangerous setback for transgender youth, their families & every person who believes in freedom & bodily autonomy. The Supreme Court has chosen politics over people & is allowing states to strip transgender kids of the care they need to survive.”
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NEA Addresses Supreme Court Ruling

The U.S. Supreme Court has imposed burdensome new requirements on educators & public schools that will undermine their ability to provid...

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