About Me

Martin Luther King Day & Voting Bills

So here we are on Martin Luther King Day in 2022 with two basic voting bills in jeopardy because two so called Democratic Senators Arizona's Sinema & West Virginia's Manchin are playing into the Republican agenda to end our democracy. Kierra Johnson, National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund Executive Director stated, “The National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund urges the U.S. Senate to pass the Freedom to Vote Act & the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Voting rights are a cornerstone of our democratic process & have been under attack by conservative political extremists. These extremists have tried everything from partisan gerrymandering to mass purges of voter rolls in attempts to undermine the work of election officials, sow false doubt in legitimate election results & curb access to registering & casting votes. There are many things to be divided over but right now there is an opportunity to be aligned in eradicating barriers to voting. We have an opportunity to restore faith in the American people that there are still foundational values & inalienable rights that can hold us together. The right to vote is a baseline. It is an essential part to exercise our power & participate in our democracy. When LGBTQ+ Americans, People of Color & other marginalized populations vote in high numbers, elections are greatly impacted & it can make the difference in local, state & federal elections. The fear of losing power & the threat of losing an elected seat is not justification for our leaders to carve out LGBTQ+ folks, People of Color, women, poor people & so many other already marginalized groups from the political process.” Urge the U.S. Senate to pass these bills. For More Info…
No comments:

Mariska Hargitay Addressing Our Issues

Mariska Hargitay has consistently addressed important issues on “Law & Order: Special Victims’ Unit” with episodes going beyond sexually abuse taking on racism, the Me Too Movement, COVID & most recently our LGBTQ community when her young son Noah played by Ryan Buggle reveals to his mom played by Hargitay that he is bisexual. The January 13th episode entitled “Burning with Rage Forever” begins with Noah being bullied in a cage by a boy named Hudson who’s filming it on his phone demanding Noah on all fours to "bark like a dog”. In a touching Mother son discussion at the end of the episode they address Hudson’s bullying & Noah states, “Hudson's just an idiot, no one likes him anyway. He bullies everyone. It was just my turn to be his target." Then Olivia asks Noah why & he explains how Hudson went after other kids including one who uses they/them pronouns who Hudson called a fairy. Then Noah tells Olivia "Then I said that I was bi & that there's no shame in being true to yourself." Hargitay adds, "That is incredibly brave." "Well, it's my truth. I just hadn't told anybody before" he tells her. "Well thank you for telling me," Olivia says, smiling at her son. "No big deal," he replies adding, "It's not like I have a boyfriend or girlfriend, it's just not fair for anybody to be left out." Then the total tearjerker happened for me as Olivia concludes, "I hear that I'm really proud of you." Well we’ve definitely turned a corner in mainstream TV.  Brava Mariska Hargitay & we at OUTTAKE MEDIA thank you for your decades of groundbreaking work & make sure to check out Hargitay’s Joyful Heart Foundation…
No comments:

First Black Trans Woman Killed In 2022


Amariey Lej is the first transgender person to be killed in 2022. Amariey Lej was a 20-year-old Black transgender woman who was found shot & lying in the streets of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania on January 1st 2022. Lej was a dancer who shared her gift & passion with the Lady Diamonds dance squad. She also worked with the Legacy Arts Project as a youth artist apprentice. Her family described her as a “vibrant soul with a presence that filled every space she entered” & said she “had an unforgettable presence that will be deeply missed.” Victoria Kirby York, National Black Justice Coalition Deputy Executive Director stated, “I am deeply saddened to learn about Amariey, who we lost on the first day of this year. As we enter this New Year, we must remain focused on ending the epidemic of violence facing the transgender, nonbinary & gender-nonconforming community. Currently, sufficient action has not been taken to protect the community & that must change soon to decrease the level of violence this year. We must continue to demand that those in power, elected officials, law enforcement, media, do better & do more. Enough is enough. We have lost too many siblings.” In 2021 NBJC tracked the deaths of 52 trans, nonbinary or gender-nonconforming people. Most of those we lost last year were Black transgender women like Lej. This violent & senseless attack on our transgender community must be addressed. The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) is America’s leading civil rights organization dedicated to the empowerment of Black LGBTQ people including people living with HIV. For More Info…
No comments:

LGBTQ & BIPOC Youth Led COVID Study

Out Boulder County in partnership with El Centro AMISTAD & Unwoven Ventures with the leadership of LGBTQ & Black, Indigenous & People of Color (BIPOC) youth have created the nation’s first LGBTQ & BIPOC youth-led survey on COVID-19 vaccination uptake, acceptance, hesitancy & resistance. A key finding of the survey is that economic disadvantage & race make a meaningful impact on vaccination rates & levels of acceptance. Mardi Moore, Executive Director of Out Boulder County stated, “LGBTQ+ & BIPOC young people are too often ignored by the medical establishment & society. It was important to Out Boulder County & our partners to have youth lead the survey & to elevate voices in these too often ignored communities. Understanding their views & attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination is crucial to managing & ending this pandemic.” There were 420 respondents who met the criteria for inclusion in the survey. It consisted of 37 questions targeting youth ages 12 to 17 & young adults between the ages of 18 to 24. Michal Duffy, Director of Education & Research at Out Boulder County concluded, “Studying vaccination rates as well as views, attitudes & barriers to vaccination at these intersections of identities revealed valuable data that should inform efforts to promote vaccination. The data clearly reveal that a person's socio-economic status & identity impacts their views toward vaccination & their successful uptake of the vaccine.” When it comes to understanding COVID-19 vaccine reluctance this information is crucial to an effective community vaccination program which requires participation by people of every age group & demographic. Read Full Report…
No comments:

Golden Globe Winner Mj Rodriguez

Michaela Jae “Mj” Rodriguez has made history as the first openly transgender actor to win a Golden Globe for her role as Blanca on the FX series “Pose”. With the Golden Globes show on social media this year after it was boycotted by the industry accused of racism, sexism, bullying & corruption, Rodriguez accepted the award on Instagram stating, “OMG OMGGG!!!! @goldenglobes Wow! You talking about sickening birthday present! Thank you! This is the door that is going to Open the door for many more young talented individuals. They will see that it is more than possible. They will see that a young Black Latina girl from Newark New Jersey who had a dream, to change the minds others would WITH LOVE. LOVE WINS. To my young LGBTQAI babies WE ARE HERE the door is now open now reach the stars!!!!!” David Johns, Executive Director of the National Black Justice concluded, “I am thrilled to see the incredibly talented Mj Rodriguez recognized for her talent and groundbreaking leadership. Pose has offered essential representation for the Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer+ & same-gender loving (LGBTQ+/SGL) community, with Mj playing a leading role in helping to curate positive, affirming & diverse stories about our communities. It is powerful to see a show that celebrates us & our history continue to receive acclaim. I hope this continues to serve as a testament to the fact that we have always been here & will continue to show up and show out. As Mj said, this visibility shows our babies that we are here, we are thriving & anything is possible for us. Let us continue to lead on behalf of our babies.”
No comments:

The Lineup At Birdland In NYC (AUDIO)

This week I talked with actress/singer Susie Mosher about her fabulous live weekly show The Lineup at the world famous Birdland at 315 West 44th Street in New York, NY Tuesday nights at 8:30P. The Lineup is a wild anything-goes variety show featuring entertainers from the Broadway, cabaret & comedy scenes. Mosher hosts this spontaneous extravaganza Tuesday nights & each week the show is unique & promises to deliver an unforgettable night of quintessential NYC entertainment. Susie has been performing professionally since she was sixteen & obtained her childhood dream of being on Broadway when she was cast in Hairspray playing Prudy Pingleton for the last two years of its amazing six-year run. Broadway veteran Jim Caruso approached Mosher & asked if she would be interested in creating an original show at Birdland & Susie jumped at the opportunity. A contrast from Caruso’s Cast Party the long running songfest that plays Birdland every Monday night, The Lineup has a hand-picked roster hosted by the multitalented & hilarious Mosher with musical director Brad Simmons & featuring Jon Miller on bass & Clint De Ganon on drums. The next show is on Tuesday January 18th with Donna Vivino, Gianmarco Soresi, Christina Wheeler, Connor Antico, Ari Axelrod, Benny Benack The III, Pascal Pastrana & Robbie Rozelle. There’s a $20 cover & $20 minimum so come & enjoy their food & beverage menu. Birdland is a fully vaccinated venue & all patrons must bring & show proof of vaccine to attend the show. I talked to Susie about her inspiration for creating The Lineup & her spin on our LGBTQ Issues. LISTEN  

  

 For More Info & Tix…

Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES
No comments:

Pete Buttigieg Bobblehead Unveiled

For National Bobblehead Day the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame & Museum has unveiled the first bobblehead of United States Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. We all know Buttigieg’s story from a little known Mayor from South Bend, Indiana to his Presidential bid for the White House & his Biden Administration appointment as the first openly LGBTQ Cabinet member in U.S. history as U.S. Secretary of Transportation. Now you can purchase the Pete Buttigieg bobblehead. Phil Sklar National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum Co-founder & CEO stated, "We are excited to release the first bobblehead of Pete Buttigieg on National Bobblehead Day. While he is currently the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, he will always be known as ‘Mayor Pete’ to the people in his hometown of South Bend, Indiana.” Elected mayor of his hometown of South Bend, Indiana at age 29 Buttigieg served for eight years before shifting his focus to national politics. The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame & Museum provides access to the world’s largest collection of Bobbleheads to advance an understanding of the historical role Bobbleheads play in American culture & to celebrate the fun & quirky side of collecting. Check out my exclusive interview with filmmaker Jesse Moss about his documentary “Mayor Pete” now on Amazon’s Prime Video. The film takes viewers inside Buttigieg’s historic campaign as the first openly gay democratic Presidential candidate’s bid for the highest office of the United States from the earliest days of the campaign to his unexpected triumph in Iowa & how it impacted the lives of those involved. LISTEN 

   

For More Info...

Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES
No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Featured Post

Martin Luther King Day & Voting Bills

So here we are on Martin Luther King Day in 2022 with two basic voting bills in jeopardy because two so called Democratic Senators Arizona...

Popular Posts

  • Supreme Court Rains On LGBTQ Pride
    In the midst of celebrating LGBTQ Pride the U.S. Supreme Court rained on our virtual parade by ruling in favor of the Catholic Social Serv...
  • Celebrities To Celebrate Pride Prom
    In celebration of Pride Stacey Bendet CEO & creative director of alice + olivia clothing will be joined by Nicky Hilton, Hari Nef, Savan...
  • LGBTQ Victory In North Carolina
    The City Council of Charlotte, North Carolina has unanimously & with bipartisan support passed a nondiscrimination ordinance that pr...