May 2010

Obama Proclaims June Gay Pride Month

Exclusive Audio Interview w/ Arline Isaacson,
Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Gay & Lesbian
Political Caucus on the LGBT Civil Rights
Federal Agenda @OUTTAKE VOICES™

President Obama has declared June officially as LGBT pride
month once again. Remember how Obama made a similar
declaration last year? Obama used this opportunity to cheer
on lawmakers as they move forward to repeal "Don't Ask,
Don't Tell." Obama stated, "Our military is made up of the
best & bravest men & women in our nation & my greatest
honor is leading them as Commander-in-Chief. This legislation
will help make our Armed Forces even stronger & more inclusive
by allowing gay & lesbian soldiers to serve honestly & with
integrity. My administration has advanced our journey by signing
into law the Matthew Shepard & James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes
Prevention Act, which strengthens federal protections against
crimes based on gender identity or sexual orientation. We
renewed the Ryan White CARE Act, which provides life saving
medical services & support to Americans living with HIV/AIDS
& finally eliminated the HIV entry ban. I also signed a presidential
memorandum directing hospitals receiving Medicare & Medicaid
funds to give LGBT patients the compassion & security they deserve
in their time of need, including the ability to choose someone other
than an immediate family member to visit them & make medical
decisions. Our Nation draws its strength from our diversity," Obama
called upon Americans to "observe this month by fighting prejudice
& discrimination in their own lives & everywhere it exists."
Read More.... Updates to come…:)
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P-Town Lesbian Girls Gone Wild '10 (Audio)

Memorial Day Weekend in Provincetown, Massachusetts kicks
off the 2010 Summer Season with what our fave comedian Kate
Clinton calls the 'Bud Light Weekend' in this exclusive audio byte.
The young collegiate lesbians come from all across the country
for their 'Last Hurrah' before returning home to Mom & Dad...

They cruise Commercial Street sporting
blue to-go cups, trendy gear & baseball caps.
We'll be there taking pictures...:)

Have a Fab & Safe Memorial Day Weekend!!

For a politically fun experience in P-Town this weekend
catch Kate Clinton's Lady Ha Ha Tour @ the Crown...

Or get some sun on the beach with a good book.
Exclusive Audio Interview with Ellen Hart
five-time winner of the Lambda Literary Award
for Best Lesbian Mystery about her latest book
“The Mirror & the Mask” @OUTTAKE VOICES™

Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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Congresswoman Baldwin on 'DADT' (Video)

Just In: Rep Tammy Baldwin on House Repeal of “DADT"..... :)
“The repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ marks another important
milestone in our struggle for equal rights for all Americans.
Forcing service members to lie about their personal lives or
face discharge & keeping qualified men & women from serving
their country is a misguided, unjust & discriminatory policy.
I look forward to a full & expeditious implementation of the
repeal to strengthen our national security & afford our service
members the rights & dignity they deserve.”

Thursday Update: Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin's Floor
Statement on Repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”....VIDEO
“Today we have the opportunity to right a wrong. I rise in strong
support of repealing the military’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy.
Seventeen years after Congress passed ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’
we know that it is a misguided, unjust & discriminatory policy.
Not only does ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ damage the lives & livelihoods
of military professionals, it deprives our nation & our armed
services of their honorable service & their needed skills.
Under this law, almost 14,000 service members have been
discharged, including almost a thousand mission-critical troops
& at least 60 Arabic speakers and 10 Farsi linguists. It’s indefensible!
When the House votes to repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ we will
have taken one more step on the path to full civil rights & equality
for LGBT Americans. But we will also change the course of history
for all the courageous Americans who serve our country & for
their families. In the land of free and the home of the brave, it is
long past time for Congress to end this un-American policy.”
Updates to Come…

Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin on 'DADT'

UPDATE: House leadership aides say the amendment vote
is likely to come up Friday for DADT.
McCain Asks Senate Armed Services Committee
To Televise DADT Repeal Vote Read More...
BREAKING: LT. Dan Choi & Capt. Jim Pietrangelo to Embark
on Hunger Strike Over 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Read More...

UPDATE: Voting to begin Today on DADT in Congress.....:)
This week the House will vote on an amendment to repeal the
military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Policy.” The provision will take effect
after the Pentagon working group completes its implementation plan
this December & the President, Secretary of Defense, and Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certify the new policy is consistent with
military standards for readiness. Congresswoman Baldwin stated,
“When the House votes to repeal DADT, as I expect it will this week,
we will have taken one more step on the path to full civil rights for all
LGBT Americans, but we have much further to go. I look forward to
the expeditious implementation of all policies necessary to end
discrimination against gays & lesbians who currently serve or wish to
serve in the military. I also look forward to passage of a fully inclusive
Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the coming weeks. There is
no place for irrational & insidious discrimination in either the military
or the private sector.” Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin is Co-Chair
of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus. Updates to Come...:)

Exclusive Audio Interview with Ellen Hart
five-time winner of the Lambda Literary Award
for Best Lesbian Mystery about her latest book
“The Mirror & the Mask” @OUTTAKE VOICES™

Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
Support Our Vision @ OUTTAKE™ EQUALITY STORE...:)
View Our Historic Short Trailer on Gay Marriage

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Repeal of "DADT" Heating Up

Exclusive Audio Interview with Ellen Hart
five-time winner of the Lambda Literary Award
for Best Lesbian Mystery about her latest book
“The Mirror & the Mask” @OUTTAKE VOICES™

Just In: Finally some hopeful news on “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell" (DADT).
Congressman Patrick Murphy, D-Pa., an Iraq war veteran, is expected
to introduce a legislative proposal Today to repeal "DADT". There may
be a congressional vote as early as this Thursday. If this passes the
Pentagon will continue its review of how to implement the new
policy but it should end most of the harm on our LGBT community
serving in the military. Hopefully a ceasefire moratorium will be set.
"Without a repeal vote by Congress this year, the Pentagon's hands are
tied & the armed forces will be forced to continue adhering to the
discriminatory 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' law." said HRC, Joe Solmonese.
The White House had tried to delay lawmakers until Pentagon
officials had completed their study which could have dragged on for
months, even years. When administration officials realized they
couldn’t stop Congress in its effort to repeal the ban, they invited
LGBT rights activists to the White House to work on a compromise
yesterday. "The proposed amendment will allow for completion of
the comprehensive review, enable the Department of Defense to
assess the results of the review & ensure that the implementation
of the repeal is consistent with standards of military readiness,
effectiveness, unit cohesion, recruiting and retention," budget chief
Peter Orszag wrote in letters to Murphy & Sen. Joe Lieberman of
Connecticut & Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, the three Democrats
leading the push for repeal. Updates to Come…:)

Recent Exclusive Audio Interview with Jarko
De Witte van Leeuwen, an international LGBT
adoption advocate. Jarko has written a children’s
book “Arwen and her Daddies” that tells their
adoption journey @OUTTAKE VOICES™

Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
Support Our Vision @ OUTTAKE™ EQUALITY STORE...:)
View Our Historic Short Trailer on Gay Marriage

Cyndi Lauper Champions LGBT Rights

OK, Bret Michaels just got "hired" by Donald Trump but for our
LGBT community Cyndi Lauper whose charity is the True Colors
Fund of Stonewall Community Foundation was the true winner.
Last night she spoke about the fact that our LGBT American citizens
are denied basic civil rights in this country to a huge TV audience.
Monday Cyndi Lauper was honored by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight
Education Network (GLSEN) along with Pfizer, American Express,
David Dechman & Michel Mercure & Student Advocate of the Year
Danielle Smith @ its seventh annual Respect Awards held at Gotham
Hall in NYC. Among the several celebrities in attendance were
recently OUT country singer Chely Wright.
Thanks Cyndi for all the great work you do for our LGBT families...:)
For Info: www.glsen.org
For More Info: True Colors Fund.org

Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
Support Our Vision @ OUTTAKE™ EQUALITY STORE...:)
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Cleve Jones on Harvey Milk Day (AUDIO)

In this exclusive audio byte Activist Cleve Jones shares his

experience of working with Gay Activist Harvey Milk...

Update: California celebrated Harvey Milk Day by canvassing
for gay marriage...Read More.....
The first Harvey Milk Day is Saturday May 22nd which would
have been Milk’s 80th birthday. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi,
was among the dignitaries celebrating California's inaugural
Harvey Milk Day Friday @ an event sponsored by Equality, CA
in San Francisco. Milk became the first openly gay elected official
from a major U.S. city when he was elected to the San Francisco
Board of Supervisors in 1977. He won on a platform of civil rights
but his tenure was cut short when he was assassinated by former
supervisor, Dan White, the following year.
“Harvey Milk was a champion for seniors, for working people &
for those who didn't have a voice & his courageous work set the
stage for many of the key civil rights advances we enjoy today,”
said Geoff Kors, Executive Director of Equality California (EQCA)

Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
Support Our Vision @ OUTTAKE™ EQUALITY STORE...:)
View Our Historic Short Trailer on Gay Marriage

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Lesbian Couple Catholic School Saga

Exclusive Audio Interview w/ Arline Isaacson,
Co Chair of the Massachusetts Gay & Lesbian
Political Caucus on the 6th Anniversary of gay
marriage in Massachusetts & the future of LGBT
civil rights in America @ OUTTAKE VOICES™

It’s amazing with all the homophobia by the Vatican why any
gay couple would want their child to be educated in an environment
that demonizes our LGBT community. However in Hingham, MA
this is the scenario that’s playing OUT. A lesbian mom learned that
her son's acceptance had been rescinded during a conference call
with the parish priest, Rev. James Rafferty of St. Paul Elementary
School & the school's principal, Cynthia Duggan. The mom said
Rafferty stated that her relationship was "in discord" with church
teachings that marriage is only between a man & a woman. However,
it gets even thicker, superintendent Mary Grassa O'Neill, the head of
education for the Boston Archdiocese offered to help find a different
Catholic school for the boy. O’Neil stated, "We believe that every
parent who wishes to send their child to a Catholic school should have
the opportunity to pursue that dream." Dream or Nightmare?
Updates to Come...:)

Exclusive Audio Interviews with Bruce Vilanch &
filmmakers & celebrities at the 26th annual Boston
LGBT Film Fest which runs through May 16th
@OUTTAKE VOICES™

Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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Newsweek’s Attack on Gay Actors

There’s a lot of buzz in & out of the LGBT community about the
Newsweek article entitled ‘Straight Jacket’ in which contributor
Ramin Setoodeh criticized LGBT actors. Glee Creator Ryan Murphy
& actors including Kristin Chenoweth & Michael Urie have spoken
OUT against the article. Newsweek is ultimately responsible for
having published this deeply problematic essay & consciously or
not, promoting & encouraging Setoodeh’s homophobic discomfort.
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) has been
in dialogue with Newsweek to provide space for views on the subject
that expand their readers’ understanding of this issue past the
harmful attitudes of writers like Setoodeh, whose perspective is
used to pressure gay actors to stay closeted. Wednesday GLAAD
joined Murphy in urging Newsweek to issue an apology.
Updates to Come....:)

Exclusive Audio Interviews with Bruce Vilanch &
filmmakers & celebrities at the 26th annual Boston
LGBT Film Fest which runs through May 16th
@OUTTAKE VOICES™

Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
Support Our Vision @ OUTTAKE™ EQUALITY STORE...:)
View Our Historic Short Trailer on Gay Marriage

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