OUTTAKE VOICES Podcasts Rock

Since 2008 Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson has produced over 400 podcasts with LGBT leaders & celebrity allies. This year alone our weekly audio podcast series reached over a million listeners. We have influenced & helped secured marriage equality as the law of the land by giving LGBT leaders a place where they can come to discuss important LGBT civil rights issues. In 2015 over eighty LGBT activists, celebrities & allies appeared on our audio podcast series OUTTAKE VOICES which also broadcasts weekly on Huffington Post. In 2015 we talked with playwright/actress Terry Baum, activist Josh Sanders, Cheryl Osimo Executive Director of the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition, actor Michael Urie, Bryan Bishop, Founder & Executive Director of OUTVETS, Shahid Manning, Founder & Executive Director of Millennia Scope Entertainment, activist Walter Naegle, filmmaker Jane Clark, Mariah Hanson, Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend, Janson Wu, GLAD Executive Director, author K.B. Draper, George Brescia, style expert & author, Erica Kay-Webster, chef Daisy Martinez, Hip Chick Farms Serafina Palandech, Rabbi Jack Moline, "Modern Manners Expert" Steven Petrow, ESPN’s Christina Kahrl, Police Chief Crystal, Moore who was unfairly fired by the Mayor of Latta, South Carolina, Sarah Kate Ellis GLAAD President & CEO, musician Kristen Henderson, actress Louise Sorel, actress Crystal Chappell, trans actress Trace Lysette, model Cory Wade Ugandan LGBT Activist Pepe Julian Onziema, model Rain Dove, actress Laverne Cox, MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts, country music singer Ty Herndon, TV host Ross Matthews, actress Lynda Carter, actors Judith Light & Jeffrey Tambor from “Transparent”, AIDS activist Liz Page, Grammy winning songwriter producer Desmond Child, Levi Chambers, Lisa Viola, filmmakers Jeffrey Kaufman, Marcia Ross & Laurie Kahn, The Advocate’s Matthew Breen, iconic filmmaker John Waters, Bobcat Goldthwait, Filmmaker Kim Yaged, legendary AIDS Activist Larry Kramer, director Bao Nguyen, actress Jennifer Coolidge, singer/songwriter Jen Foster, actor Jason Stuart, GLAD marriage equality activists Chuck Latovich, Molly Girton, Gabby Hanna, Marcy Feller, Maralyn Wheeler, Amy Charamba, attorney Jennifer Levi, Beck Bailey, Mary Bonauto the architect of marriage equality in this country, Jo Davis, Alix Ritchie, Rick McCarthy, Elyse Cherry, Gary Buseck, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, Dianne Phillips, Robert Four, artist Barbara Cohen & marriage icon Edie Windsor. We chatted with Tony winner Betty Buckley, filmmaker Garry DuFour, author Cleary Wolters, Diego Miguel Sanchez, Lawrence “Larry” Watson, Jennifer Finney Boylan, Jeanne Leszczynski, thespian Susan Claassen, singer-songwriter Melissa Ferrick, Chef Rossi, singer/songwriter Ann Hampton Callaway, AIDS activist Jonathan Welsh, singer Migguel Anggelo, actress Bridget McManus, writer-director Phyllis Nagy, writer/producer Elliot Tiber & Kate Clinton our favorite political humorist delivered her year end review. We still have a lot to accomplish in the US & globally for our LGBT community so let’s make 2016 the best year yet for LGBT equality.
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Celebrity LGBT Activists & Allies

This has been another fabulous year for LGBT equality & we want to thank our millions of global listeners for making OUTTAKE VOICES such a success. We also want to thank all the LGBT activists, celebrities & allies who appeared on our audio podcast series in 2015 that's syndicated on Huffington Post. Thank you playwright/actress Terry Baum, activist Josh Sanders, Cheryl Osimo Executive Director of the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition, actor Michael Urie, Bryan Bishop, Founder & Executive Director of OUTVETS, Shahid Manning, Founder & Executive Director of Millennia Scope Entertainment, activist Walter Naegle, filmmaker Jane Clark, Mariah Hanson, Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend, Janson Wu, GLAD Executive Director, author K.B. Draper, George Brescia, style expert & author, Erica Kay-Webster, chef Daisy Martinez, Hip Chick Farms Serafina Palandech, Rabbi Jack Moline, "Modern Manners Expert" Steven Petrow, ESPN’s Christina Kahrl, Police Chief Crystal, Moore who was unfairly fired by the Mayor of Latta, South Carolina, Sarah Kate Ellis GLAAD President & CEO, musician Kristen Henderson, actress Louise Sorel, actress Crystal Chappell, trans actress Trace Lysette, model Cory Wade Ugandan LGBT Activist Pepe Julian Onziema, model Rain Dove, actress Laverne Cox, MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts, country music singer Ty Herndon, TV host Ross Matthews, actress Lynda Carter, actors Judith Light & Jeffrey Tambor from “Transparent”, AIDS activist Liz Page, Grammy winning songwriter producer Desmond Child, Levi Chambers, Lisa Viola, filmmakers Jeffrey Kaufman, Marcia Ross & Laurie Kahn, The Advocate’s Matthew Breen, iconic filmmaker John Waters, Bobcat Goldthwait, Filmmaker Kim Yaged, legendary AIDS Activist Larry Kramer, director Bao Nguyen, actress Jennifer Coolidge, singer/songwriter Jen Foster, actor Jason Stuart, GLAD marriage equality activists Chuck Latovich, Molly Girton, Gabby Hanna, Marcy Feller, Maralyn Wheeler, Amy Charamba, attorney Jennifer Levi, Beck Bailey, Mary Bonauto the architect of marriage equality in this country, Jo Davis, Alix Ritchie, Rick McCarthy, Elyse Cherry, Gary Buseck, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, Dianne Phillips, Robert Four, artist Barbara Cohen & marriage icon Edie Windsor. We chatted with Tony winner Betty Buckley, filmmaker Garry DuFour, author Cleary Wolters, Diego Miguel Sanchez, Lawrence “Larry” Watson, Jennifer Finney Boylan, Jeanne Leszczynski, thespian Susan Claassen, singer-songwriter Melissa Ferrick, Chef Rossi, singer/songwriter Ann Hampton Callaway, AIDS activist Jonathan Welsh, singer Migguel Anggelo, actress Bridget McManus, writer-director Phyllis Nagy, writer/producer Elliot Tiber & Kate Clinton our favorite political humorist delivered her year end review. We still have a lot to accomplish in the US & globally for our LGBT community so let’s make 2016 the best year yet for LGBT equality.
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Gay Las Vegas New Year's Eve

The countdown to New Year’s Eve is on & as 300,000 revelers close down Las Vegas Boulevard the Strip’s only fabulous gay New Year’s party is at Evolve Vegas NYE at The New Tropicana Hotel in its stylish Havana Nightclub with outdoor views of the midnight fireworks. Ringing in 2016 at Evolve Vegas this year will be a gaggle of gay-friendly notables led by the evening’s hostess, Edie of Cirque Du Soleil’s Zumanity. Other entertainers planning to make the night extra special include: headlining performer & Ru Paul’s Drag Race phenomenon Trixie Mattel, Bravo TV personality Scott Nevins, multi-talented recording artist Z LaLa, sexy aerialist duo LV Sky Boys & sounds by DJ Amphion. Last year’s event hosted nearly 1,100 guests & was voted among the top 6 Gay New Year’s Eve blowouts by Out Traveler magazine. Attendees came from 6 continents, making this party one of the most diverse & sought after New Year’s Eve celebrations in Las Vegas. Tickets are $99 for general admission & $149 for VIP admission. Guests with VIP tickets will enjoy a special cocktail reception with a two-hour open bar, exclusive performances, meet & greets with the performers & celebrity guests & premier seating & bar access. All Evolve Vegas NYE partiers will have a superior view of the Strip’s midnight fireworks show thanks to Havana Nightclub’s spacious indoor/outdoor design. The Las Vegas Gay Visitors Bureau is the producer of Evolve Vegas NYE. The bureau provides educational content to a variety of hospitality entities to increase bookings by LGBT travelers. It also offers information on a variety of gay-welcoming Las Vegas tourism organizations to help bring more LGBT visitors to the always-popular destination. The bureau books meetings, conventions & special events year-round.
For More Info: evolvevegasnye.com
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Aspen Gay Ski Week 2016

Aspen Gay Ski Week (AGSW) is the nation’s largest & oldest gay ski event returning for its 39th year from January 17th to 24th 2016. Proceeds from the event will benefit Roaring Fork Gay & Lesbian Community Fund, which has promoted tolerance, understanding & diversity through education, community action & service since 1996. Pamela Herr, organizer of AGSW stated, "Our event injects over $1.5 million into the local Aspen economy in one week, selling 2,500 hotel room nights & thousands of ski lift tickets. From magazines & blogs from Australia to Brazil to Germany, AGSW 2015 was read, seen & heard about internationally." Après-ski parties take place each afternoon during Aspen Gay Ski Week, Limelight Hotel is the site for après-ski parties from 3P to 7P attracting up to 1,000 daily, these events feature DJ entertainment, free gifts from sponsors, a hospitality suite, heated pool & two hot-tubs. Kevin McManamon, co-chair of Aspen Gay Ski Week concluded, “There is something for everyone at Aspen Gay Ski Week, especially for the non-skier. Aspen offers visitors world-renowned restaurants, award-winning spas & first class shopping. We broke attendance records in 2015 & we expect to do the same in 2016, helping us to continue to be the premier LGBT winter travel event.” Aspen Gay Ski Week is produced by the Roaring Fork Gay & Lesbian Community Fund (RFGLCF) which has been serving the LGBT community of the Roaring Fork Valley & beyond since 1996 as a non-profit organization. The event is presented by LOGO with additional LGBT sponsors.
For More Info: gayskiweek.com
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LGBT XMAS CELEBRATION

This has been such an amazing year for our LGBT community. We have a lot to celebrate this year with marriage equality becoming the law of the entire country. Of course we still have opponents trying to undo what we have accomplished but today we’ll just wish them well & hope they will one day realize that equality will prevail. We want to take a moment &wish all our friends & family a healthy & happy holiday & we also want to thank our global LGBT audience & allies for making this past year so rewarding for our OUTTAKE Team. So Let’s Make the Yule-tide Gay & enjoy this performance of Judy Garland singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" a song she introduced in the 1944 MGM musical Meet Me in St. Louis written by Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane. We’ve included the lyrics so you can all sing along: Have yourself a merry little Christmas, Let your heart be light From now on, our troubles will be out of sight. Have yourself a merry little Christmas, Make the Yule-tide gay, From now on, our troubles will be miles away. Here we are as in olden days, Happy golden days of yore. Faithful friends who are dear to us Gather near to us once more. Through the years We all will be together, If the Fates allow Hang a shining star upon the highest bough. And have yourself A merry little Christmas now. HAVE A SAFE & FABULOUS XMAS!!

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Lesbian Military Hero Killed

Such sad news on the fifth anniversary of the end of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. Ariana Bostian-Kentes President & Co-founder Military Partners & Families Coalition (MPFC) stated, “We lost a member of our military family Monday. Our friend, Air Force Major Adrianna Vorderbruggen, was killed while serving in Afghanistan. All military families understand that part of serving means the potential of sending their loved one into harms way, but no amount of understanding can reduce the pain of loss when they do not return. Major Vorderbruggen leaves behind her wife, Heather & four year-old son, Jacob. As we try to find comfort in our community during this time we also extend our love & compassion to the five other U.S. military families who lost a loved one Monday. Major Vorderbruggen was a person who lived for her family & for her country. She was one of the most friendly & laid-back people you could ever hope to meet & was an accomplished airman, a great athlete & most of all, a wonderful mom. She leaves an indelible legacy of strength & selflessness to all those touched by her life. As today marks five years since the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was signed, we honor the anniversary with somber hearts & the knowledge that families like Major Vorderbruggen’s no longer serve in the shadows. We can take small comfort in the fact that they will be extended the same rights & protections due any American military family as they move through this incredibly difficult period in their lives. Adrianna, Heather & Jacob were part of our MPFC family nearly from the start & took great pride in being members of the military community. When their marriage was finally legally recognized, they celebrated by signing up Heather & Jacob as Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) dependents, taking a shopping trip to the commissary with the dependent ID card & scheduling their first doctor’s appointment on base for Jacob. This family is the reason that the anniversary of repeal matters. The upswell in support & prayers offered by military families everywhere to Major Vorderbruggen’s is unique to those who know what it means to serve. This is what community is about & this is why your MPFC family is unfailingly here for you.”
For More Info: milpfc.org
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New FDA Negative LGBT Policy

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced it had finalized their new policy that will allow gay & bisexual men to donate blood only if they haven’t had sex or sexual contact with other men in a year. Russell Roybal, National LGBTQ Task Force’s Deputy Executive Director stated, “The FDA has decided not to bring their policy in line with science & instead continues its longstanding discrimination against gay & bisexual men, people who inject drugs & people who engage in sex work. The new policy further fuels negative LGBTQ stereotypes & stigma associated with HIV & AIDS as it stops short of fully lifting an antiquated & scientifically unsound ban established in the height of the epidemic—when not enough was known about the virus. The decision is not based on science, but on fear & ignorance. Modern science has developed tremendously in the last thirty years & important safeguards are now in place that accurately screen blood for HIV. We are disappointed & angry that millions of gay & bisexual men, including myself, are still denied the opportunity to donate blood to save another person’s life.” For years the National LGBTQ Task Force has been calling on the FDA to lift the discriminatory ban that prohibits gay & bisexual men from donating life-saving blood as well as lifting the lifetime bans on survival sex workers & people who inject drugs. Current policy also prohibits many transgender people, of which 11 percent report engaging in survival sex work, from donating blood. In June, The Task Force sent a letter to the FDA calling for a complete lift on the ban of all blood donations by gay & bisexual men.
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Yuletide Gay & Winter Solstice

It’s always a mental relief when the Winter Solstice arrives marking the shortest day of the year & also the longest night. Winter Solstice is also known as Yule. We love celebrating our Yuletide Gay. A little history about solstice as witches & warlocks celebrate this date as the birth of the Sun God since from this point forward the days get longer. Wiccan celebrations include Yule logs, Yule trees & Mistletoe which all sounds a lot like our traditional Christmas celebrations. The Winter Solstice is also celebrated by druids & pagans as the ‘re-birth’ of the sun for the New Year. In the UK thousands gather each year to mark the occasion at Stonehenge in Somerset. At the North Pole the sun actually never rises on this day. There are many customs associated with the Winter Solstice that derive from stories of a mighty battle between the dark & the light which is won of course by the light, even the Christian faith of a savior (the Sun-Child) being born to a virgin mother. Then there’s Albert Camus the French Nobel Prize winning author, journalist & philosopher famous Winter Solstice quote “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” However our LGBT community celebrates the shortest day & longest night, whether alone or with family & friends in the northern hemisphere just remember that the southern hemisphere is basking in sunshine & enjoying the first day of summer.
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Elliot Tiber Speaks OUT (AUDIO)

Writer/producer Elliot Tiber talks about his third volume of memoirs entitled “After Woodstock.” The book completes his trilogy following the critically acclaimed “Palm Trees on the Hudson” & his breakout bestseller “Taking Woodstock” co-written with Tom Monte & made into a feature film by director Ang Lee. During the summer of ’69 Tiber helped start the gay liberation movement & saved the Woodstock Festival from cancellation. This must-read book & perfect XMAS present begins as Elliot heads to Hollywood to fulfill his dreams in the movie industry driving his recently purchased Cadillac with a duffle bag filled with $50,000 in cash all acquired from his Woodstock Festival windfall. Hollywood doesn’t quite turn out as he expected but the adventure continues. Along the way Tiber meets the love of his life Belgian playwright & director André Ernotte. Over the course of their 27 year relationship, Tiber realizes his potential as a humorist & writer & finds a way to cope with his difficult mother whose second wedding in the hills of Israel gives new meaning to the Wailing Wall. The relationship is tested by the AIDS crisis & a string of professional disappointments but ultimately endures the test of time. We talked to Tiber about the inspiration for his new memoir & his spin on our LGBT issues. Tiber stated, “It’s amazing to me there is such a movement & such an organization that’s worldwide because when I was coming out there were no groups, there was nobody to talk to. There were no companions, no people you could come out & say ‘Hey I’m gay & you’re gay let’s be friends’, no such thing. So seeing this develop into a movement it’s very inspiring to me and hopeful to me. I’m 80 years old now, it’s a little late for me & I’m in forced celibacy now at 80. I feel good that the new generation have a model someplace to look to find some answers & carry on with their own lives & hopefully these people go the next step further. I don’t know what that would be at the moment but the next step further so that we’re all equal which we should be.” Elliot Tiber has written & produced numerous award winning plays, musical comedies, television shows & films. Currently Tiber is a highly sought-after lecturer & hopes he can inspire new LGBT generations with his latest memoir “After Woodstock: The True Story of a Belgian Movie, an Israeli Wedding & a Manhattan Breakdown” published by Square One Publishers & available on Amazon.
For Info: squareonepublishers.com
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LGBT Creating Change Conference

The National LGBTQ Task Force has announced the award recipients for the 28th annual Creating Change Conference which is the nation’s largest LGBTQ advocacy conference that takes place January 20th to 24th at the Downtown Chicago Hilton. Russell Roybal, National LGBTQ Task Force Deputy Executive Director stated, “We are proud to announce our 2016 Creating Change award recipients all of whom have made significant contributions to advance basic freedoms, rights & protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender & queer people. We’re thrilled to be hosting Creating Change in Chicago which is expected to be the largest gathering to date. We look forward to welcoming, training & reconnecting with over 5,000 LGBTQ advocates & allies in the Windy City!” During the conference, Barbara Smith will be presented with the Susan J. Hyde Award for Longevity in the Movement. Smith, a life-long activist in the LGBTQ, civil rights & women’s rights movements, founded Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press & served two terms as a councilmember of Albany, New York. Marisa Franco, campaign director of the #Not1More campaign, will receive the Leadership on Immigration Award & Katherine Acey, who served as the executive director of GRIOT Circle as well as the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, will receive the SAGE Advocacy Award for Excellence in Leadership on Aging Issues. Additional award recipients include Bob Miller, Nick Sakurai, Kasey White & Hilton Worldwide. Creating Change is a unique four-day experience consisting of daylong institutes, dynamic plenary sessions & over 350 skills-building workshops, presentations & trainings. The conference also features networking sessions, film screenings, interfaith services, community caucuses, hospitality suites & special receptions.
For More Info: creatingchange.org
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LGBT Support For Hillary Clinton

As we head into 2016 it’s time for our LGBT community to come out & show their support for democratic presidential candidates. We at OUTTAKE VOICES are supporting Hillary Clinton. Ricky Martin has launched a new group for LGBT supporters of Hillary Clinton as well. Recently Martin released an email asking LGBT voters & their allies to join LGBT for Hillary by donating at least $1 towards her campaign. Martin stated, “Hillary has been a fighter for us for years, from supporting equal workplace legislation to working for equal rights for trans Americans. Now we’re standing with her. Growing up in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, I never dreamed that I would one day be a proud, out gay father of two beautiful little boys, in a country where marriage equality was the law of the land. Now, that’s just an average day — that’s what real progress is. Hillary knows this & she’s not going to stop fighting. But in order to protect & build on the progress we’ve made, we need to win this election.” Martin announced his support for Hillary earlier this year in a tweet, in which he called the former Secretary of State ‘a Latina at heart.’ We interviewed Martin on the Red Carpet at the 2011 GLAAD Media Awards in NYC. It’s amazing how far our LGBT community has advanced towards equality in the last 4 years.
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Elle King To Perform At The Dinah

It’s been announced that singer Elle King will be one of the headliners at the Dinah Shore Weekend in Palm Springs, California that runs from March 30th to April 3rd in 2016. King’s dominating the airwaves & ruling the Billboard charts with her hit single “Exs & Ohs” but Elle King’s world domination has only just begun. She just received her first Grammy Nominations in not one but two categories “Best Rock Performance” & “Best Rock Song.” The platinum blonde with the free-spirited personality, loads of rad tattoos & the perfect rebel attitude to go with it has already become a household name. Now the self-described soulful rock & roll artist who plays lots of banjo & a mean guitar is set to conquer the largest lesbian event in the world with a headlining performance at the epic Dinah Shore Weekend in Palm Springs. Elle King is having more than a breakout year. A force to be reckoned with, her sound shook up the music scene with her bluesy pop/rock anthem to ‘badass bitches’ (her words), “Exs & Ohs,” the lead single off of her 2015 debut album “Love Stuff.” “Ex’s & Oh’s” has been Top 10 on the Billboard Digital Songs Chart for the last 10 weeks, #1 on the iTunes Alternative Songs Chart for 13 weeks, #1 on the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart for 8 weeks & #4 most viral track of 2015 on Spotify. Raised on everyone from AC/DC to Elvis Presley & Dolly Parton, the sexy sassy blonde with that raspy voice a la Janis Joplin, blends blues, country, rock, soul & honky-tonk into a sound that’s uniquely Elle.
For More Info & Tix: thedinah.com
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LGBT Federal Health Report

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, or HHS recently released the 2015 annual report of the HHS Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender or LGBT Issues Coordinating Committee in the “LGBT Health & Well-being: HHS Issues Coordinating Committee 2015 Report” which documents the department’s work over the past year & its commitments for 2016. Kellan Baker, Center for American Progress Senior Fellow stated, “Access to inclusive & quality health care remains at the heart of the fight for LGBT equality. In addition to the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on marriage equality, 2015 has seen historic advances, such as new nationwide nondiscrimination protections in health care & coverage & data collection initiatives giving LGBT people the opportunity to share information with their health care providers that will help make sure they get the care they need with the respect they deserve. With these & other initiatives, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services is helping lead the way toward equality for LGBT people & their families, allowing more Americans to live full, authentic & healthy lives.” The report documents major steps HHS has taken over the past year including establishing explicit nondiscrimination protections in health care, combatting conversion therapy & enhancing data collection efforts. It also outlines several important steps the department will take in the coming year to build on this progress, from updates to the Medicare & Medicaid Conditions of Participation for hospitals to improving LGBT-inclusive data collection in surveys, administrative forms, and electronic health records. The report release came amid the National LGBT Week of Action for Enrollment, a collaborative effort between HHS, the White House, Out2Enroll & LGBT organizations to promote access to quality, affordable health insurance coverage for our LGBT community.
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LGBT Stories Go Mainstream

In movies “Carol” leads the list of Golden Globes nominations including Best Picture after winning the New York Film Critics Circle for Best Screenplay & the New York Film Critics Circle for Best Film marking just the beginning for our LGBT stories finally making it to mainstream media. “Carol” is Phyllis Nagy's screenplay about two lesbians falling in love in the 1950s which earned nods for both of its stars Cate Blanchett & Rooney Mara while Todd Haynes was also nominated for directing after receiving the New York Film Critics Circle nod for Best Directing. Then we have “The Danish Girl” about the first ever recipient of male to female sex reassignment surgery earning both its leads Eddie Redmayne & Alicia Vikander Golden Globes nominations for their brilliant performances. In television “Transparent” has been nominated for 3 Golden Globe Awards including Best Television Series - Comedy or Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical for the second year for Jeffrey Tambor & Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television for Judith Light. The show as you know has rocketed Amazon TV on the television credibility map with one of the biggest civil rights themes in modern-day America addressing the rights of a transgender person. In this exclusive audio byte we talked to fierce LGBT allies & now both this year's Golden Globes nominated actors Judith Light & Jeffrey Tambor at the 2015 GLAAD Media Awards about their hit Amazon series “Transparent”. Light & Tambor both talked about the importance of using their celebrity to make change for LGBT & gender equality stating, “What is most important is that lives are being saved."  
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The Danish Girl Is A Must See

This is an amazing story of unconditional love inspired by the lives of Lili Elbe portrayed by Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne & Gerda Wegener played by Alicia Vikander ("Ex Machina") who both received Golden Globe nominations for their extraordinary performances. The 1920s true story takes place in Denmark & France & is beautifully directed by Academy Award winner Tom Hooper ("The King's Speech," "Les Misérables"). The story is based on the book "The Danish Girl" by David Ebershoff & is about one of the pioneers of the transgender movement which the film is dedicated to. The film begins in 1920s Copenhagen when illustrator & artist Gerda Wegener (Alicia Vikander) asks her husband, Einar Wegener (Eddie Redmayne), to stand in for a female model. The portraits become an overwhelming success leading to Gerda painting her husband in further pictures as a woman. While modeling Einar discovers his true sexuality & begins exploring living as a woman named Lili Elbe. Ultimately Elbe becomes the first ever recipient of male to female sex reassignment surgery & Gerda supports her decision as their marriage begins to fall apart when Gerda comes to the realization that Lili is no longer the person she married. Eddie Redmayne nominated for a Golden Globe for his absolutely brilliant performance is supported by a fabulous stellar cast. “The Danish Girl” is in limited release & opens nationwide on Friday December 11th distributed by Focus Films. Thank you Boston LGBT Film Festival for this sneak preview so that our LGBT community can spread the word about this must see this film.  
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LGBT Reaction To Donald Trump

After Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump called for a “total & complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States” LGBTQ advocates are condemning his fascist remarks. Rea Carey, Executive Director, National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund stated, "We wholeheartedly condemn & reject Donald Trump’s call to stop Muslims from entering the United States. Moreover, we believe that his comments about Muslims reveal all you need to know about him. First, there are no standards of decency, no limits to where he will go to grab attention in his quest to win the Republican Party nomination. He is willing to attack, alienate & cause harm to anyone for political gain, regardless of the impact on people’s lives or the divisiveness he feeds. Second, this is someone who does not learn from history. The same xenophobic frame-of-mind led to the appalling injustice of interning Japanese Americans during World War II. The legacy of that injustice lives on – in the Priority Enforcement Program run by the Dept. of Homeland Security, which targets Muslim immigrants for deportation & in the climate of racism that puts all Muslims, Arabs & South Asians at risk of harassment and violence. Finally, words are weapons. Do we really want someone who — we can see from his words — fires first & aims later to have his finger on the world's biggest arsenal of weapons of mass destruction?"
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San Francisco Holiday Fundraiser

The Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation presents “Help is on the Way for the Holidays XIV” on Monday, December 7th at the Marines Memorial Theatre in San Francisco from 7:30P to 10P. “Help is on the Way for the Holidays” is a San Francisco Bay Area holiday tradition that benefits children & youth with HIV & AIDS. This event celebrates the holidays of all faiths at this time of year & promotes hope, caring & compassion through holiday music. It features many top Bay Area, as well internationally acclaimed, performers & includes a silent as well as limited live auction. Since it’s inception in 1995, The Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation has raised over $3 million for AIDS service agencies in the Bay Area and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. 100% of proceeds from ticket sales have always gone directly to the beneficiary partners. REAF also supports hunger programs & programs that serve and support homeless youth. Celebrities scheduled to perform this year include: Mary Wilson -Recording star/Original member of The Supremes; Martha Wash – Two-time Grammy nominee; Steve Grand – YouTube sensation/ recording artist; Jake Simpson - 2-time Star Search Grand Champion winner / recording star, Shawn Ryan - America's Got Talent / TV / Cabaret star; Jason Brock - X-Factor, cabaret star; Sharon McNight - Tony nominee / cabaret star; Lea Bourgade- Virtuoso violinist; & cast members from the Tony Award-winning show “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder”. There’s an after party with the cast at Clift Hotel, Velvet & Redwood Rooms.
For More Info: reaf-sf.org
Listen: Writer Phyllis Nagy Talks About Her Film “Carol”
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Jen Foster To Rock Cambridge

Singer/songwriter Jen Foster will be performing Sunday December 13th at the Middle East (Upstairs) in Cambridge, Massachusetts at 7P. This is a sneak preview of Foster’s new double LP titled “The White Room Sessions” slated for release in Spring 2016 she’ll be performing with her band & long time collaborator/producer Rich Jacques. The new 21 track LP contains classic fan favorites, re-imagined previously released tracks, as well as new material that shows her growth as an artist & continues her career focus on writing songs that speak universally to the human condition. Foster stated, "The last time I played Boston I found the people there to be exceptionally warm, attentive & engaged. I'm really excited to go back & play the Middle East, which I've heard is another great listening room. I'm expecting some family & close friends at the show & I also hope to meet a bunch of new people as well. I can't wait to share the new music with everyone! Of course, I'll be playing some oldies, too!" A long time philanthropist Jen has chosen two charities to benefit from this release in perpetuity: The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, TN & Bonaparte’s Retreat, a dog rescue founded by Emmylou Harris in Nashville, TN. Ten percent of the proceeds from this project will go to these charities & her 2016 tour will not only focus on bringing new music to her fans but also to support local animal rescues in the cities where she will be performing. Tickets are $10 for this fabulous event. Last July we interviewed Jen on OUTTAKE VOICES about “The White Room Sessions” & her spin on our LGBT issues in the exclusive audio interview:

For Info & Tix… 
Listen: Writer Phyllis Nagy Talks About Her Film “Carol”
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Phyllis Nagy Speaks OUT (Audio)

UPDATE: Phyllis Nagy has been nominated for an Oscar Best Adapted Screenplay for “Carol”
 Writer-director Phyllis Nagy talks about her screenplay “Carol” starring Cate Blanchett that just won her the New York Film Critics Circle for Best Screenplay & the New York Film Critics Circle for Best Film. This much-anticipated romantic film is an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s important novel “The Price of Salt” that became an eighteen year journey bringing it to the screen. The movie follows two women from very different class backgrounds who find themselves in an unexpected love affair in 1950s New York. “Carol” is an important must-see film especially by our LGBT millennial generation to reflect just how far our community has advanced. Nagy delivers a beautiful & honest story within the conventional norms of the time. The refreshing aspect to “Carol” is that the story is not problematic because the relationship is between two women but instead the characters just have complicated issues like everyone else. When we asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Nagy stated, “I’m an out lesbian, I always have been & I think by leading my life openly as possible & trying to inspire other people to do that & help other people do that, I don’t know if there could be a bigger commitment than that, to inspire people not to hide, let’s say. When one’s creating one’s work it’s important to include out interesting characters. They don’t have to be saints. It’s preferable that they’re not, but that they are presented as real people with real complexities who are neither burdened by having the weight of centuries of sexual attitudes behind them nor burdened by having to represent every single gay person on earth. Just real honest characters behaving in a world that either accepts them or does not, but how they behave in that space reflects well on them.” “Carol” is now playing in limited release by The Weinstein Company.
Listen To Exclusive Interview:  
For More Info: carolfilm.com
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San Francisco Holiday Event

Hailed as one of the “Best Bets for Holiday Dance” the Dance-Along Nutcracker is one of San Francisco’s most treasured holiday events that takes place at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on December 12th & 13th. Exemplifying San Francisco Lesbian & Gay Freedom Band’s mission for the last 30 years the Dance-Along Nutcracker has been bringing together the community with a show that takes children, families, couples & singles on a magical holiday journey. This year the 2015 Dance-Along Nutcracker® blends Tchaikovsky’s classic fairytale with a unique adaptation of the timeless story of Oz into a musical theater treat guaranteed to delight both children & adults. Join Clara, her dog Fritz & the Stahlbaum clan on their escapade down the yellow brick road. Under the baton of Artistic Director Pete Nowlen, the band will play “Ozesque” favorites from the 1939 cinema classics, Wicked & The Wiz. Donna Sachet, Tina Sogliuzzio, Leigh Crow join Zelda Koznofski, Flynn DeMarco, Joe Wicht & Noah Haydon in the cast this year to bring favorite Oz characters to life. As always, Sugar Plum wannabes are invited to join the actors onstage to dance under the spotlights of the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. If twirling & pirouetting is not your thing, listening & watching is equally gratifying. The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts is located on 701 Mission Street in San Francisco, CA.
For More Info & Tix: ybca.org
LISTEN: Bridget McManus Talks New LGBT Web Series
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World AIDS Day 2015 (AUDIO)

World AIDS Day takes place each year on December 1st & is an opportunity not only to spread awareness about the ongoing impact of HIV & AIDS has had on our LGBT community & allies but also to commemorate those who have died from this horrific epidemic. AIDS has killed more than 25 million people with an estimated 34 million people living with HIV, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history. This year’s theme is: Think Positive, Rethink HIV. Rea Carey, Executive Director, National LGBTQ Task Force stated, “As this year’s theme suggests, we all need to think positive & rethink HIV & in doing so decisively act to create a world where people living with HIV & AIDS do not face stigma & have full access to all the care they need. We are so close to achieving an AIDS-free world. We must seize the opportunity together & we can make it happen. The time to act is now.” In Boston the AIDS Memorial Quilt is on exhibit through December 4th at the University of Massachusetts Campus Center on the 2nd Floor Terrace. The 54-ton handmade tapestry memorializes more than 90,000 individuals lost to AIDS. There will be a World AIDS Day Community Reception December 1st from 5:30P to 7:30P. Listen to this exclusive audio byte with gay activist & historian Cleve Jones who talks about how AIDS affected our LGBT community. Jones has been an AIDS activist for over 30 years. After working with Harvey Milk, Cleve conceived the idea of the AIDS Memorial Quilt.
For More Info…
LISTEN: Bridget McManus Talks New LGBT Web Series
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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