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BETTY Rocks Their New Holiday Show

After their sold-out show in NYC BETTY the award-winning indie rock trio of Alyson Palmer, Elizabeth Ziff & Amy Ziff are taking their “EAT, Drink & Be Merry For Tomorrow!” holiday show live to City Winery in Boston on Sunday December 15th at 7:30P. Ring in the holiday bells with BETTY in a feast for all senses as the indie band returns to town with their brand-new album EAT & a seasonal celebration of songs, stories & harmonies smooth, sweet & hooky as candy canes. BETTY is thrilled to return to the delicious Haymarket Lounge to share cheer & sleigh. Elizabeth Ziff stated, “BETTY couldn’t be more stoked to be back in Boston at City Winery with our holiday show! Now more than ever we all need to be together & celebrate each other!” Since forming in 1986 the band’s distinctive sound has been heard in concert & on TV with The L Word theme song. The indie pop trio consists of Alyson Palmer on vocals, bass, guitar & Elizabeth Ziff on vocals, guitar, electronic programming with her sister Amy Ziff on vocals & cello. BETTY uses beguiling melodies, compelling lyrics & signature harmonies to create energetic live shows that mix music, performance art, politics & comedy. Their melodies & rhythms are infectious & the appeal is limitless. In addition to their concerts they tour with The BETTY Effect a non-profit organization created to hold equality & empowerment workshops for women, girls & our LGBTQ community. Then they’re headed to Washington DC bringing their “EAT, Drink & Be Merry For Tomorrow!” tour to Union Stage in DC on Tuesday December 17th at 7P. Tickets run from $25 & up but are selling out fast so don’t miss this uplifting show. 
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LGBTQ Report On Supreme Court Case

After oral arguments were heard before the Supreme Court in the case of United States v Skrmetti addressing transgender healthcare access LGBTQ civil rights groups provided the following statements. D Dangaran, co-chair of the National Trans Bar Association stated, "It was inspiring to hear Chase Strangio advocating for trans youth & all trans people, in this historic argument. Trans issues have been before the Court before, starting with Dee Farmer's prison rights case argued in 1994, but it is so significant that this major Equal Protection case, which may have long-lasting impacts on the access to gender-affirming care in this country, was argued in part by a trans attorney who has spent his life at the forefront of trans advocacy. No matter what the Court decides, today it heard an excellent argument from an excellent trans lawyer & that itself is a win for the entire trans community." Shannon Minter, Vice President of Legal at the National Center for Lesbian Rights concluded, “The plaintiffs today made a strong case that, on its face, this law discriminates by barring medications based solely on a person’s birth sex. The State of Tennessee had no effective response to that obvious fact, which several justices made clear Based on today’s argument, we are hopeful the Court will rule that Tennessee’s law discriminates based on sex & must therefore be subject to the same high standard of review applied to all other sex-based laws. That would be a huge victory & would provide clear guidance for the lower courts about how to evaluate these laws.” A decision will be reached in mid 2025.
For More Info….
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES 
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Supreme Court Hears Trans Health Case

This morning oral arguments were heard for United States v Skrmetti the U.S. Supreme Court’s first case on access to healthcare for transgender people. Kelley Robinson, President HRC (Human Rights Campaign) stated, “Today’s oral arguments laid bare that there is simply no legal or medical basis to deny transgender youth the same protections under the U.S. Constitution that everyone else enjoys. Trans youth deserve compassion, access to medical care & the same opportunities to thrive as all youth & their parents deserve the same rights to support their needs as all other parents. Despite attempts in the courtroom to argue otherwise, the facts are clear: transgender healthcare is best-practice, medically necessary & supported by almost every major medical association in the country. It’s healthcare, plain & simple & no politician should be able to interfere in the healthcare decisions best made by families & doctors. Now the Supreme Court has the opportunity to follow the facts, the science & the law & affirm our constitutional promise of equal protection for all. Thank you to Solicitor General Prelogar, who combined an unmatched command of the law with vivid examples of how discriminatory bans impact the lives & wellbeing of our youth & the heart of the community today was with Chase Strangio, the first trans lawyer to argue in front of the Supreme Court. His presence in the courtroom was about more than history–by taking part in the arguments, he sent a clear signal to trans people across the country that they are seen, they are strong & they are not going anywhere.” A decision should be reached by summer of 2025.
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Trans Youth Erasure Gearing Up (AUDIO)

Last week Ohio's Governor Mike DeWine signed SB 104 into law that includes a bathroom ban provision that prohibits over 8,500 transgender K-12 students in Ohio from using restrooms & locker rooms consistent with their gender identity. On December 4th the Supreme Court consider a case about bodily autonomy & whether the courts have a right to come between patients & medical professionals in United States v. Skrmetti. The court is being asked to consider the legality of Tennessee’s ban on access to best-practice transgender medical care for youth. The case could have far-reaching implications for our LGBTQ community’s nondiscrimination & doctors’ ability to treat their patients without political interference. If the court decides to reject their own logic in Bostock v. Clayton County as it rejected clear & longstanding precedent in Roe v. Wade & deny transgender youth equal protection under the Constitution then bans on transgender medical care will remain in place across the country. Haley Norris, Center for American Progress LGBTQ Policy Analyst stated, “Bans on transgender health care are part of a larger attack on sex discrimination protections that will harm bodily autonomy by restricting reproductive rights & access to medical care, all of which are a part of the far right’s attempts to redefine sex & gender. The fallout of the Skrmetti decision, which likely won’t be released until the summer of 2025, is something that everyone concerned about bodily autonomy should be worried about.” I talked to Southern Equality’s Alexis Stratton about this & other trans issues in this exclusive podcast. LISTEN
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Act Up For World AIDS Day 36th (AUDIO)

We’re commemorating the 36th Anniversary of World AIDS Day today on December 1st with a photo by Howard Pope who died of AIDS in the early 90s. Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Rachel Levine, MD stated, “The theme of this year’s World AIDS Day, ‘Collective Action: Sustain & Accelerate HIV Progress,’ reminds us that we must remain steadfast in our commitment to prevent new HIV infections & provide essential services to all people with HIV. Today, we pause to remember the estimated 39 million individuals around the globe with HIV, including approximately 1.2 million people here in the United States. We also remember the 42 million individuals worldwide who have died from HIV/AIDS. Their stories & their lives will continue to motivate & inform our work to end the HIV epidemic…” According to the World Health Organization more than one million people acquired HIV in 2023 alone. By sharing the story of AIDS we make strides toward ensuring that future communities will not be harmed by fear, silence, discrimination or stigma. Kelsey Louie GMHC CEO stated, “Candlelight vigils, rallies, gatherings & other ways that people can come together—especially on World AIDS Day—remain important because AIDS is not over. When we gather, we support each other to keep going, keep doing the work in all the ways we can & keep persisting & resisting with a collective goal to end AIDS.” I talked to the late Larry Kramer the pioneering co-founder of Gay Men’s Health Crisis & ACT UP in 2018 about his spin on the AIDS crisis that continues in this country & around the world in this exclusive audio byte. LISTEN
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San Francisco Premiere "A Red Carol"

Gearing up for the next holiday in these challenging times the San Francisco Mime Troupe will present the world premiere of “A Red Carol” Michael Gene Sullivan’s deconstructed, activist adaptation of Dickens’ classic “A Christmas Carol.” It runs on stage December 14th to 29th at Z Space in San Francisco, CA. We all know the story about the redemption of a cranky miser at Christmas, a ghost story designed to let an audience feel good about themselves for not being heartless. However Charles Dickens wasn't trying to make people feel good, he was trying to show them a stark reality, scaring them into being more human. He wrote "A Christmas Carol" to shake up society & with “A Red Carol” it re-establishes his story as the revolutionary call-to-action Dickens intended. In Dickens story Bob Crachit tells Scrooge, "People always think this story is about you. But it ain’t about you, it’s about us & how we let ourselves get infected with your ideas, your greed, your lies, it’s you steppin’ over the hungry & homeless & us following your lead, it’s us lettin’ you turn our government into a casino, listenin’ while you say day after day that profit is the new god & us not standin’ up & shouting NO! It ain’t about you it’s about us.” This isn't your average feel-good Christmas tale but it was never supposed to be. With music, joy & plenty of harsh truths about his time & ours “A Red Carol” is the demand for economic & social justice Dickens wanted then & we need now. 
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Positivity Queen Alethea Crimmins

Alethea Crimmins the widely celebrated "positivity queen" & "international hype girl" will deliver the keynote at the 81st Annual PANJ-EF Training Conference on November 26th at Atlantic City’s Hard Rock Hotel & Casino to help foster professional growth amongst New Jersey Probation Officers & supervisors. With over 1.6M TikTok followers & 1.1M Instagram fans Alethea has caught the attention of icons like Madonna, Viola Davis & Rihanna & recently made her third appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show. Alethea Crimmins stated, “I’m super excited about spreading positivity to this phenomenal group of law enforcement professionals. These are individuals that give of themselves daily, putting their lives on the line for the people in their community. It is truly my pleasure to be able to motivate, empower & inspire them. I’m truly honored to give back to them a small token of what they give to others.” Alethea’s mission is to inspire others particularly women & our LGTBQ community to turn their own pain into purpose. Additionally Crimmins will lead a workshop entitled "Tips to Having a Good Day On Purpose" an empowering & interactive workshop designed to help you take charge of your day & cultivate intentional positivity. Through practical tips & hands-on exercises participants will learn to build effective self-care routines, harness the power of positive self-talk, rewrite limiting narratives & unlock their full potential. Drawing from personal challenges & triumphs Alethea will energize & motivate attendees to step boldly into their greatness. Crimmins inspires others through podcasts, keynotes, life coaching & music drawing on 15 years of experience in early childhood education to share her wealth of motivational insight & wisdom. 
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BETTY Rocks Their New Holiday Show

After their sold-out show in NYC BETTY the award-winning indie rock trio of Alyson Palmer, Elizabeth Ziff & Amy Ziff are taking their “E...

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