Massachusetts LGBT Bills

Janson Wu, Executive Director of the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) stated, “There’s something you can do - right now - to get us closer to our dream of true equal justice for LGBT people & people living with HIV in Massachusetts. The deadline for legislators to co-sponsor bills has been extended to Monday, February 2nd at 5P.” If you live in Massachusetts please call your senator & representative & ask them to co-sponsor 3 crucial pieces of legislation for our LGBT community this session. First is HD 1769 An Act Relative to HIV-Associated Lipodystrophy Treatment, sponsored by Rep. Sarah Peake & Sen. Mark Montigny. Lipodystrohpy is a disfiguring side effect of some lifesaving, but highly toxic, HIV medications creates stigmatizing changes in body shape & appearance, causing profound physical & psychological harm to people living with HIV. While there are inexpensive, effective medical treatments for lipodystrophy, insurers routinely deny claims for treatment on the basis that they are cosmetic & not medically necessary. This bill requires insurers to provide medical treatment for lipodystrophy. The second bill is HD 3072 An Act Relative to Gender Identity & Non-Discrimination SD 398 An Act Relative to Transgender Non-Discrimination sponsored by Reps Byron Rushing, Denise Provost & Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz. Massachusetts currently provides no express protections for transgender people against discrimination in public spaces like hospitals, stores, or public transportation. This bill would address that unjust situation by amending our public accommodations law to include gender identity. The third bill is HD 3202 An Act Relative to Abusive Practices to Change Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity in Minors sponsored by Rep. Kay Kahn, This bill would prohibit licensed health care professionals from engaging in the discredited & harmful practice of seeking to change a minor’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Once again, the deadline for legislators to co-sponsor these bills is this Monday February 22nd at 5P.
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Lance Bass & Love Is Love Event

Lance Bass, former NSYNC member & Dancing with the Stars alum will be the official “Love is Love” Ambassador during a landmark sunrise beach wedding & vow renewal for 100 LGBT & straight couples from across the country & around the world. Hosted by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, the “Love is Love” destination wedding on Thursday February 5th commemorates marriage equality in Florida & coincides with Bass making TV history the same day with the broadcast of his wedding with Michael Turchin in the E! Network special, Lance Loves Michael: The Lance Bass Wedding – the first American television broadcast of a celebrity marriage between two men. Nicki E. Grossman, President & CEO, Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau stated, “Lance shares the same pioneering spirit of advocating for LGBT equality that we embody here in Greater Fort Lauderdale. We’re thrilled to have him be part of our historic moment on the same day he shares his own personal wedding with the world.” Bass & his husband Michael Turchin were married on December 20th 2014 & will celebrate the Greater Fort Lauderdale special day with lucky couples representing 18 American states, as well as the UK, Italy & South America. The weddings will take place February 5th on Fort Lauderdale beach beginning at 7A with a post-ceremony champagne toast & reception held at The W Fort Lauderdale to commemorate this momentous occasion.
For More Info: sunny.org
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London LGBT Christian Event

The UK Lesbian & Gay Christian Movement is delighted to offer their members & friends an opportunity to hear Rev. Glenna Shepherd reading from her new book on Monday February 2nd at St Anne's Church in London from 5:30 to 7:30P. “Out on a Limb: Sermons of Risk & Revolution" is a collection of lectures that focus on liberating spirituality. Rev. Glenna Shepherd from Atlanta, Georgia is a minister in the United Church of Christ in the U.S. Beginning with ancient scriptural texts Shepherd explores the intersections of current political & social issues & the radical messages of the prophets of Judeo-Christian scriptures. She brings a new perspective to current issues that often divide & alienate modern people from religion. Tracey Byrne LGCM Chief Executive stated, “It would be great to see you there; Glenna is an inspirational speaker & she & her partner Clare Summerskill have been good friends to LGCM over the years. This promises to be a great opportunity to meet, listen & reflect together.” LGCM has been working since 1976 for the full inclusion of gay, lesbian & bisexual people in the life of  churches. They believe that the way in which the churches & their leaders think, speak & act towards LGBT people needs to change, so that churches & faith communities reflect more clearly the inclusive, welcoming love of the Gospels & that the Christian faith is never used as an excuse for homophobia. Rev. Glenna Shepherd reading event is free.
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AT&T Free Tablet Scam

We should know by now that if a deal sounds too good to be true it usually has hidden charges. Especially with AT&T who over the years have offered free phones with hidden monthly fees. When my wife & I decided to upgrade our phones & phone plans over the recent holidays we were told that we also qualified to receive a free LG G Pad 10. When I inquired if we could use our Wi-Fi connection with this new device I was told yes we could do that instead of using AT&T. What he neglected to tell us was there was a $40 initiation fee as soon as we turned on the tablet & a monthly $10 fee whether we used the devise or not. We were totally in the dark about this until our bill came with an extra $50 charge. My wife immediately called AT&T to inquire about this extra cost & was then told about all the fees the salesman neglected to inform us about. When she stated that if she knew about these fees we never would have accepted this “free” but really not free offer. The AT&T operator apologized that the store clerk had not been clear about the charges & then told her we still had a month to return the devise but the charges would remain. Of course it’s totally wrong for AT&T to be advertising Free Tablets in their TV ads. So all we can say is buyer beware. If AT&T is offering anything for free, it’s probably not. We’re returning the tablet.
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Juno Gives Boston A Snow Day Off

Boston & all of Massachusetts are under a snow emergency through Wednesday. It’s hard to determine how much snow we’ve had so far because the winds are gusting over 30 mph. You can see from this recent picture that cars are inundated with snowdrifts. Only emergency vehicles are on the roads & of course the media doing their best to make this storm much worse than it is. All national breakfast news shows have been replaced by local programing showing the same pictures over & over again. This is the chance for local weather people to take center stage. Our new governor Charlie Baker closed down the state at 7P last night along with Logan Airport & public transportation ceasing at midnight. We’ve had a lot worse blizzards that this one but down on the cape & the islands 63,000 plus homes are already without power. Everyone is hunkered down for the duration. It feels a bit like the lockdown we experienced with the hunt for the Boston Marathon bomber. Millions of residents told to stay inside. No one allow on the roads & even public transportation cancelled. This is a great time to binge listen to all our audio interviews with LGBT leader & allies at OUTTAKE VOICES...:)
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Call For 49,000 Gay UK Pardons

The Human Rights Campaign has joined British stars Stephen Fry & Benedict Cumberbatch in support of pardons for those who were punished along side Alan Turing just for being gay. Turning was the subject of the Oscar nominated film “The Imitation Game.” In 2013 Queen Elizabeth officially pardoned Alan Turing the renowned English mathematician who led the team that cracked Germany’s Enigma code which dramatically changing the course of WWII. In 1952 Turing was sentenced to “chemical castration” because of his sexuality & died two years later. Though Turing was pardoned thousands who were persecuted along side him were not. Stephen Fry stated, “Should Alan Turing have been pardoned just because he was a genius when somewhere between 50 to 70 thousand other men were imprisoned, chemically castrated, had their lives ruined or indeed committed suicide because of the laws under which Turing suffered?” Cumberbatch added, “Alan Turing was not only prosecuted, but quite arguably persuaded to end his own life early, by a society who called him a criminal for simply seeking out the love he deserved, as all human beings do. Sixty years later, that same government claimed to ‘forgive’ him by pardoning him. I find this deplorable, because Turing’s actions did not warrant forgiveness — theirs did — & the 49,000 other prosecuted men deserve the same." Chad Griffin HRC President concluded, “Winston Churchill said Alan Turing 'made the single biggest contribution to the Allied victory in World War II.' His crime was being gay. Over 49,000 other gay men & women were persecuted in England under the same law. Turing was pardoned by Queen Elizabeth II in 2013. The others were not. Honor this movie. Honor this man. And honor the movement to bring justice to the other 49,000."
Please Sign This Petition: change.org
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Boston LGBT Book Launch Event

With gay marriage headed to the US Supreme Court once again Marc Solomon, National Campaign Director for Freedom to Marry is having a book launch party for his new book Winning Marriage in Boston’s historic Beacon Hill where marriage equality began. Tammy Baldwin, the first openly gay US Senator stated, “Winning Marriage offers a front row seat to the historic progress we have seen across our country. Our nation’s experience has always been defined by movements that have advanced our uniquely American values of freedom, equality &fairness. Marc Solomon captures a very important chapter in our movement for marriage equality & tells the inspiring story of more & more Americans deciding that they want to leave to the next generation a country that is more equal, not less.” The event is happening on Wednesday January 28th at the Union Club 8 Park Street from 5:30P to 7:30P. The host committee includes, Massachusetts Senate President Stan Rosenberg, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, State Rep. Cory Atkins, Ed Augustus, Rep. Ruth Balser, Sen. Harriette L. Chandler, Rep. Nick Collins, Sen. Ben Downing, Sen. Jamie Eldridge, Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry, David Friedman, Rep. Sean Garballey, Steve Grossman, Patrick Guerriero, Rachel Kaprelien, Paul Kujawski, Rep. David Linsky, Sen. Barbara L'Italien, Jesse Mermell, Rep. Mike Moran, Therese Murray, Councilman Matt O’Malley, Rep. Sarah Peake, Rep. Alice Peisch, Rep. Angelo Puppolo, Henri Rauschenbach, Kathi-Anne Reinstein, Sen. Richard Ross, Rep. Tom Sannicandro, Carl Sciortino, Jerome Smith, Steve Tolman, John Walsh & Robert White. Books will be available for purchase at the event.
For Info & RSVP: freedomtomarry.org
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Gay Marriage In Alabama

UPDATE: A 2 week stay has been implemented by Judge Granade...
U.S. District Court Judge Callie Granade struck down Alabama's ban on gay marriage ruling it unconstitutional on Friday & clearing the way for the Southern state to become the 37th U.S. state where marriage equality is legal. The interesting part is that Judge Granade didn’t place a stay on her ruling so gay & lesbian couples could be eligible to apply for marriage licenses when clerk's offices open which could happen as soon as Saturday. Granade is an appointee of President George W. Bush & found that the ban does not further Alabama's goal of protecting the ties between children & their biological parents & that it is harmful to the children of gay & lesbian parents stating, "Those children currently being raised by same-sex parents in Alabama are just as worthy of protection & recognition by the state as are the children being raised by opposite-sex parents." The case was fought by a lesbian couple Cari Searcy & Kimberly McKeand who were legally married in California & sought for Searcy to be able to adopt McKeand's biological son under a provision of Alabama law allowing for the adoption of a "spouse's child." Sarah Warbelow HRC Legal Director added, "Judge Granade's ruling today affirms what we already know to be true – that all loving, committed Alabama couples should have the right to marry." Perhaps the movie Selma is making a civil rights difference in that state after all.
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GLAAD Media Awards Nominees

It’s that time of year when GLAAD, the nation’s LGBT media watchdogs announce their nominees for its 26th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. This is in recognition for outstanding images of our LGBT community in the entertainment & media industry. Sarah Kate Ellis GLAAD President & CEO stated, "For nearly 30 years, the GLAAD Media Awards have raised the bar for inclusion in news & entertainment, transforming LGBT representation in media & moving the dial for acceptance across the globe. It's been a remarkable year for equality & nowhere is that more evident than in the visibility LGBT people have gained across media. This year's nominees, including expanded categories in Outstanding Comedy & Drama Series, reflect the widening diversity of LGBT images & storylines that are closing the gap to full acceptance." Among the nominees: Amazon Instant Video's smash hit Transparent; ABC's How to Get Away with Murder; HBO's Game of Thrones, Looking, & The Normal Heart; Academy Award nominee The Imitation Game & Golden Globe nominee Pride; Love is Strange, Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word & True Trans with Laura Jane Grace, both documentaries about transgender people & Sam Smith for his critically acclaimed album In the Lonely Hour. The GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies will be held in Los Angeles on March 21th at The Beverly Hilton & we’ll be in in New York on May 9th at the Waldorf Astoria in NYC to cover the RED Carpet for OUTTTAKE VOICES™.
For More Info & List: glad.org
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Historic Gay Attorney General

Maura Healey was sworn in as the 55th Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Wednesday. Carly Burton, Interim Co-Executive Director for MassEquality stated, “This is a historic day in Massachusetts. Besides being the first openly gay attorney general in the nation, Maura brings a wealth of experience, knowledge & skill to this position. The intensity & compassion she will bring to the AG’s office is clearly in evidence as seen with her eagerness to hit the ground running & tackle several different issues, from opioid abuse to protecting our children. We’re looking forward to working with Maura & fighting side-by-side with her.” Attorney General Healey added, "I'm looking forward to working with MassEquality & other partners to continue the fight for civil rights & expanded opportunity. It will take determination & partnership to address discrimination & disparities but MassEquality has always stepped up to take on tough challenges. This year is another opportunity to lead." Healey was the architect of the state's successful challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which she argued & won twice in federal court before the Supreme Court finally struck it down. Attorney General Healey delivered an aggressive first-term agenda in her inaugural address at historic Faneuil Hall after being sworn in by Chief Justice Ralph Gants. In her address, Healey proposed creating two new divisions within the office to help keep her promise to be the people’s lawyer & to use the resources of the office to better protect at-risk young people.
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Obama’s Historic LGBT Inclusion

In President Obama’s State of the Union Speech his inclusion of our bisexual & transgender community while addressing human rights was historic stating, “That’s why we defend free speech & advocate for political prisoners & condemn the persecution of women or religious minorities or people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. We do these things not only because they’re right, but because they make us safer." With marriage equality headed to the US Supreme Court Obama also called gay marriage a civil right stating, “I’ve seen something like gay marriage go from a wedge issue used to drive us apart to a story of freedom across our country, a civil right now legal in states that seven in 10 Americans call home. So I know the good & optimistic & big-hearted generosity of the American people who, every day, live the idea that we are our brother’s keeper & our sister’s keeper. And I know they expect those of us who serve here to set a better example.” The third mention of our LGBT community was in the conclusion of his speech stating, “I want future generations to know that we are a people who see our differences as a great gift, that we are a people who value the dignity & worth of every citizen – man & woman, young & old, black & white, Latino & Asian, immigrant & Native American, gay & straight, Americans with mental illness or physical disability.” Winnie Stachelberg, Center for American Progress Executive Vice President for External Affairs stated, “The president’s historic inclusion of bisexual & transgender Americans in tonight’s speech is a reminder of how far we have come as a community & a country. We are ready to build on the progress that the president spoke of & to work to make the vision of a more just & equal America a reality.”
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Sharon Isbin To Play Boston

The Boston Classical Guitar Society is bringing Sharon Isbin the multiple Grammy Award winner hailed as “the pre-eminent guitarist of our time” for a performance at the First Lutheran Church of Boston this Friday January 23rd at 7:30P. Sharon is also the winner of Guitar Player magazine’s “Best Classical Guitarist” award & was the first guitarist ever to win the Munich Competition. Isbin has appeared as soloist with over 170 orchestras & has given sold-out performances in the world’s finest halls. She’s performed at the White House for the Obamas & even made a cameo appearance on Showtime Television’s hit series The L Word. Last fall when Sharon appeared on OUTTAKE VOICES she talked about LGBT equality stating, “Wouldn’t it be a wonderful world if you didn’t have to worry about simply wanting the same rights as everyone else has? Whether it be marriage, whether it be job security, whether it be education opportunity, not to be bullied? I mean these are basic human rights that we are still fighting for today & it would be wonderful if that world would change and people could really feel free to be who they are & be accepted by their families, be accepted by their colleagues & their friends & really live their lives without having to worry about a sexual orientation being a determining factor in whether or not they can be accepted or successful.” If you can’t make the concert she’s currently featured on a fabulous one-hour American Public Television documentary entitled Sharon Isbin: Troubadour produced by Susan Dangel. For Broadcast Dates… 
For Concert Info & Tix...
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MLK Day & LGBT Equality

Each year as we celebrate Martin Luther King Day we talk about how King would have supported full LGBT civil rights. Jack O'Dell, former Southern Christian Leadership Conference activist & aide to Dr. Martin Luther King stated, "Dr. King would have fully supported gay marriage." The late Coretta Scott King agreed stating, “Gay & Lesbian people have families & their families should have legal protections.” Now that marriage equality is headed to the US Supreme Court once again we move a little closer to sharing King’s dream. We owe a lot to the legacy of Martin Luther King. We have fought hard but we still have a ways to go until our LGBT community has full equality in America & globally but King would have been very proud about the advancements we have made in the last decade. Until this country wakes up to the fact that the majority should never vote on the rights of a minority our hard work will continue. When we asked singer & gay ally Patti Austin on OUTTAKE VOICES™ what Martin Luther King Day means to her Austin stated, “When Martin Luther King was alive I was very active politically. I was in high school at the time. I was truly a political activist...So I was kind of all over that stuff. And by now I’m exhausted from the whole experience. It just represents a lot of pain & a lot of hard work & a lot of anguish because I lived it.” Listen to Audio Byte:
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Supreme Court Gay Marriage Rerun

Breaking: The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear cases challenging gay & lesbian marriage bans in four states in the Sixth Circuit. A nationwide decision by the Court is expected by late June 2015. The decisions the Court agreed to review today come from the federal Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals covering Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio & Michigan from which a three-judge panel upheld those states’ bans on marriage for gay & lesbian couples. That decision conflicted with favorable marriage rulings in four other appellate circuits. More than 50 federal & state courts have struck down discriminatory marriage bans in the past year and a half. Briefs will now be filed on both sides, oral argument will be scheduled & the Supreme Court will likely hand down a decision by next summer, potentially bringing an end to marriage discrimination in the United States. Brian Silva, Marriage Equality USA’s Executive Director stated, “It’s time for America to no longer be a house divided when it comes to the freedom to marry. 36 states & the District of Columbia already have marriage equality. LGBTQ couples should no longer be excluded in the remaining 14 states, Puerto Rico & other US territories.” said John Lewis, MEUSA’s Legal and Policy Director added, “We urge the Supreme Court to affirm the near unanimous consensus of the over 55 courts who have ruled in favor of marriage equality over the last 18 months. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people are part of the fabric of America. We look to the Supreme Court to recognize once and for all that we should have the same freedom to marry that all other Americans enjoy and that we should have full constitutional protections in all aspects of our lives”. Updates to Come…:)
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Newlyweds Todd & Jeff Delmay

Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz has invited newlyweds Todd & Jeff Delmay to accompany her to Washington, D.C. for President Obama’s State of the Union Address on Tuesday, January 20th. Todd & Jeff were the second couple in Florida to marry on January 5th when Judge Sarah Zabel lifted her stay on gay & lesbian marriage. They were plaintiffs, along with Equality Florida Institute & five other gay & lesbian couples in Pareto v. Ruvin, which successfully challenged Florida’s ban on marriage equality. Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz stated, “It is my distinct honor to invite my constituents Todd & Jeff to join me for the President’s State of the Union address at the Capitol next week. Their bold efforts, along with Equality Florida & the other plaintiff couples, helped turn the page on the legal discrimination of the past & start a new chapter in Florida’s history. I’m looking forward to celebrating their marriage & highlighting the ongoing effort to achieve equality for all, next week in Washington.” Todd concluded “When we married last week, little did we know that we’d be spending our honeymoon with our beloved congresswoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, at the State of the Union. We are over the moon with excitement!” A steadfast champion for Florida’s LGBT community, Debbie Wasserman Schultz was honored by Equality Florida with the Voice for Equality award in 2010. She has advocated for repealing the state’s ban on gay adoption & in Washington DC she has been a leader in the LGBT Equality Caucus as well as co-sponsored numerous pieces of legislation to end marriage & workplace discrimination against the LGBT community, including most recently the Respect for Marriage Act. CONGRATS TODD & JEFF!!
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Justin Bieber & Gay Republicans

Don’t you just love it! Justin Bieber crashed a meeting of LGBT org The Log Cabin Republicans in a West Hollywood restaurant earlier this week & was described by one of the members as a “butcher version of Miley Cyrus.” Ben Coleman a member of LCR said the restaurant warned them that some people might come in & hang out in a corner of the upstairs space where they were having their meeting. Then Justin & four friends sat down in a section of the State Social House restaurant called “The Attic.” Ben stated, “Literally, I was like, ‘I don’t see Justin Bieber. I just see like, it looks like a bunch of girls.’ I looked a little closer & sure enough, there’s Bieber… but he looked like kind of a butcher version of Miley Cyrus.” It also seems that Bieber was sitting just a few feet from the Log Cabin Republican’s banner so it appears he knew where he was. Ben also wrote about his encounter on Facebook, saying that other than the guns Justin’s bodyguards carried, it was “a dream come true.” He wrote: “So, Justin Bieber crashed our Log Cabin Republican meeting last night. Like, literally he walked into our upstairs private lounge at State Social House and sat in the corner while Ronald Reagan’s former personal assistant Peggy Grande finished her talk to us. Talk about epic. I tried to get a pic of the Biebs in front of the Log Cabin banner with Peggy & I but the bodyguards said no. And they had guns, so that didn’t happen. Otherwise it was a dream come true.”
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Philadelphia LGBT Candidate

Paul Steinke has announced his historic bid for City Council in Philadelphia. The West Philly resident is running on his community & economic development experience to become the first openly LGBT person elected to citywide office. The former Reading Terminal Market General Manager was joined Tuesday by approximately 150 supporters to announce his campaign for Philadelphia City Council At-Large. Steinke stated, “I am running for City Council because I want to leverage my experience in creating jobs & community development to make sure that every family in Philadelphia has the opportunities they deserve. After nearly 50 years of losing population Philadelphia is growing again, development is taking off, neighborhoods are being revitalized. Great things are happening in our City. We just need a new generation of political leaders to take us to the next level.” State Rep. Brian Sims the first openly LGBT person elected to state office in Pennsylvania added, “The strength of our City lies in its diversity & our City Council is, for the most part, representative of our citizens. I need partners in Philadelphia City Hall to take the trip up to Harrisburg with me to & help me lobby for fair education funding for our schools.” For the past 13 years, Steinke has managed operations of the Reading Terminal Market where he oversaw a 30% increase in visits & a $4 million renovation & expansion. Steinke also served as the first finance director for the Center City District & as the first executive director for the University City District. We need more LGBT candidates like Steinke representing our community nationwide.
For More Info: paulsteinke.com
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LGBT Affordable Care Act

The National LGBT Outreach & Enrollment Week for the Affordable Care Act runs from January 12th to January 18th. Laura E. Durso, Director of the LGBT Research & Communications Project at the Center for American Progress stated, "The Affordable Care Act is already having a positive impact on the LGBT community by reducing persistent disparities in insurance coverage. CAP & Out2Enroll are proud to work with our partners at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, at the White House & in states across the country to ensure that these coverage gaps are being addressed. National LGBT Outreach & Enrollment Week is a crucial opportunity to get the word out that comprehensive, affordable insurance plans are available to LGBT consumers & their families to help them live full & healthy lives, even if their states do not yet recognize the dignity of their relationships.” According to recent research from CAP the uninsured rate among low & middle-income LGBT people who are potentially eligible for financial assistance to get coverage under the law have dropped almost 1/4 between 2013 & 2014. This is down from one in three or 34% in 2013 to one in four or 26% in 2014. LGBT Americans should visit Out2Enroll to learn more about enrollment & where they can find free, in-person help from trained LGBT-friendly assisters in their local area.
For More Info: out2enroll.org
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LGBT Wins With Jeffrey Tambor

There were a few LGBT wins at the Golden Globes this year. The biggest was for the Amazon series “Transparent” that took home the Golden Globe for Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy. The series creator Jill Soloway accepted the award & dedicated it to the memory of Leelah Alcorn, a trans teen who committed suicide in December. “Transparent” lead Jeffrey Tambor won Best Actor in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy who plays a father transitioning into a woman. The category was presented perfectly by the LGBT icon comedian Lilly Tomlin & legendary actress Jane Fonda. In his acceptance speech Tambor stated, “This is big. This is much bigger than me.” And after he made the usual niceties he stated directly to the transgender community adding, “Thank you for your courage, thank you for your inspiration, thank you for your patience & thank you for letting us be part of the change.” Other notable LGBT wins were Matt Bomer who won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Mini-Series or TV Movie for his role as an AIDS positive journalist in "The Normal Heart." Bomer thanked his husband & 3 children. Of course the most controversial skit was with openly bisexual Margaret Cho who didn’t hold back at the Golden Globes mocking North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un dressed as Korean leader & posing for a photo & selfie with Meryl Streep then took the stage with hosts Amy Poehler & Tina Fey.
For List Of Winners…
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Fox Empire Is Gay Brilliance

Finally a pure brilliant must-see TV series this season that includes an honest LGBT depiction. Empire is about a music empire hip-hop family drama created by Lee Daniels & Danny Strong that stars Terrence Howard & Taraji P. Henson. The show is actually partially based on William Shakespeare's King Lear & James Goldman's The Lion in Winter. Terrence Howard plays Lucious Lyon a former drug dealer turned hip-hop mogul & the CEO of Empire Entertainment whose life begins to unravel when his past sins comeback to haunt him after being diagnosed with ALS. Taraji P. Henson is Cookie Lyon, Lucious' outspoken ex-wife & mother of his three sons who was just released from jail after serving 17 years in prison for drug dealing. She returns on the scene to get her share of the company which she built with Lucious & then took the fall for running the drugs that financed Lucious' early career. But the amazing portrayal is by Jussie Smollett as Jamal Lyon the middle son & a talented gay singer-songwriter who lives with his lover played by Rafael de la Fuente as Michael Sanchez. His father can’t stand his middle son because he’s gay & the homophobia is handled honestly & brilliantly by Lee Daniels. This is definitely appointment viewing. Empire airs on Wednesday at 9P on Fox & you it on Fox On-Demand.
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Gay Marriage Moving Forward

With the U.S. Supreme Court expected to decide whether to hear challenges to gay marriage bans in four states at their January 9th conference, in Washington DC on Wednesday U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), a co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, signed on as an original cosponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act, introduced by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY-10). This bill would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act of 1996 (DOMA) in its entirety, providing equality under the law & certainty for all married couples with regard to critical federal obligations & benefits. Representative Mark Pocan stated, “With over 35 states recognizing gay & lesbian marriages, it is time we bring more fairness & stability to the lives of these married couples & their families. The Respect for Marriage Act would ensure equal treatment under federal law & finally put to rest the awful consequences of DOMA. While we have made great strides towards equality for the LGBT community, we must continue to fight for the thousands of individuals still discriminated against merely because of whom they love. We must not stop fighting until all 50 states recognize all relationships equally & all citizens equally under the law.” The Supreme Court ruling in United States v. Windsor resulted in the federal government granting marriage recognition based on a state’s recognition of the marriage. The Respect for Marriage Act would provide a uniform marriage recognition rule, ensuring a marriage is valid under the law of the state where performed & is recognized for purposes of federal law. This ensures key federal agencies such as the Social Security Administration & Department of Veterans Affairs recognize all married couples, guaranteeing the ability of these couples to plan for a future of mutual obligation & support with confidence. Congressman Pocan has been married to his husband Phil since 2006.
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Massachusetts Homeless Youth Bill

With almost 40 percent of unaccompanied homeless youth identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer in Massachusetts, Governor Deval Patrick signed into law the Unaccompanied Homeless Youth bill which defines who is an unaccompanied homeless youth & instructs the Executive Office of Health & Human Services to enter into contracts to provide housing & supports for these young people ages 24 and below. The bill also paves the way for implementing services aimed at improving the physical, mental & educational outcomes for homeless youth. Carly Burton, Interim Co-Executive Director for MassEquality stated, “Many thanks to Governor Patrick, Senate President Murray, Speaker DeLeo, Rep. James O’Day & the other leaders in the Senate & House who worked together for the common good of unaccompanied homeless youth. We also appreciate the tireless effort of the Massachusetts Coalition of the Homeless on ensuring this bill became a reality. This law will go a long way to ensure that this specific population has the necessary supports to make a healthy transition into adulthood. Once again, the Commonwealth is passing legislation that will set the standard for other states attempting to address unaccompanied youth homelessness.” The LGBT org MassEquality has worked tirelessly with policymakers, other advocates & service providers through its seat on the Special Commission on Unaccompanied Youth Homelessness to research & build a consensus around programs & services needed to support these young people to live up to their potential.
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TLC Gay Sexuality Deception

The big LGBT story today is the petition that more than 70,000 people have signed at Change.org calling on TLC television network to cancel its upcoming special "My Husband's Not Gay." The program is set to air on January 11th that follows 4 Mormon men who are in denial of their sexual orientation because their faith is not accepting of gay people who live their lives openly. Josh Sanders who launched the petition stated, “As a gay Christian man who’s seen first hand how this message can harm people, I am calling on TLC to cancel “My Husband’s Not Gay” & to stop telling America that LGBT people should lie to themselves & to their faith communities about who they are & who they love.” Sanders was once subjected to so-called “reparative therapy" the harmful practice that aims to "turn" gay people straight & which nearly every major medical authority has denounced as both dangerous & ineffective added, "I was promised I could change & told that I should 'pray the gay away. In the end, the only thing that this so-called 'therapy' did was stoke a growing despair that maybe my life wasn't worth living." Sarah Kate Ellis President & CEO of GLAAD concluded, “This show is downright irresponsible. No one can change who they love & more importantly, no one should have to. By investing in this dangerous programming, TLC is putting countless young LGBT people in harm’s way.”
Sign Petition: change.org
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Gay Marriage 2015 Update

UPDATE: Circuit Judge Sarah Zabel lifted the stay on gay marriage in Miami-Dade County Monday making it the first county to allow gay & lesbian marriages in the state of Florida. Following her decision gay & lesbian marriages will begin in the county at 2P... Gay marriage will become legal statewide at 12:01A EST on Jan 6th...Congrats Florida!!
In Miami today Equality Florida Institute & six gay & lesbian couples are seeking the right to marry & asking Judge Sarah Zabel to lift a stay on her ruling that declared the anti gay marriage ban unconstitutional. The hearing is scheduled for Monday January 5th at 11A following a motion filed by Miami Dade County Clerk Harvey Ruvin asking Zabel for guidance now that a federal judge has cleared the way for marriage in all 67 counties. Regardless at the stroke of Midnight on January 6th Florida will become the 36th state where gay & lesbian couples can legally marry. Also this week the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide whether to hear challenges to gay marriage bans in four states, Tennessee, Kentucky, Michigan & Ohio at their January 9th conference. Though gay marriage is on the calendar it does not mean an announcement will be made on the same day. Shannon Minter Legal Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights stated, "We hope to hear on January 9th, but the court could take longer to announce its decision." If the court votes to review the issue this could happen in the term that ends in June or July according to SCOTUS Blog. What we would like to see happen is the U.S. Supreme Court rules that gay & lesbian marriages across the country would finally become legal as soon as possible because this legal procrastination that’s going on is really hurting our LGBT community. We think that enough is enough & marriage equality should be passed in the United States & become the law of the land.
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