San Francisco Mime Troupe “Walls”

San Francisco Mime Troupe has received a NEA Grant for “Walls” their summer Musical that runs July 1st to September 10th. The troupe has been providing free Musical Political Theatre in the Bay Area Parks for 58 years. “Walls” asks the question: How can a nation of immigrants declare war on immigration? The answer is Fear. “Walls” is about L. Mary Jones (Velina Brown) who knows all about fear. As a top agent for I.C.E. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) she knows how to stoke fear to keep her country safe. Fear of people like Bahdoon Samakab (Rotimi Agbabiaka), a Somali refugee escaping oppression, fear of Cliodhna Aghabullogue (Lizzie Calogero), an Irish woman yearning to be American & fear of Zaniyah Nahuatl (Marilet Martinez), whose family comes from here. As a foreigner in a land her people have worked for thousands of years suddenly Zaniyah is a criminal, an illegal, a "bad hombre." What part of herself will this American give up to pass as "American?" Will she? Can she? Should she? Can someone leave part of themselves behind without losing their mind & is it better or worse that she crossed the border to find Agent L. Mary Jones - the woman she loves? It seems even Breitbart News caught wind of “Walls” stating “A San Francisco musical about a criminal illegal alien lesbian with mental health issues who is in love with an immigration agent." “Walls” is written by Michael Gene Sullivan. Photo by David Allen.
For More Info...
LISTEN: Bride Pride Event Returns This July In Provincetown
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

HOME

Congress Addresses Chechnya

Congress has passed a bipartisan resolution condemning the violence & persecution against gay & bisexual men in Chechnya. Congressman David Cicilline LGBT Caucus Co-Chair stated, “I’m proud that the House passed this strong resolution condemning the recent violence targeting gay men in Chechnya. Now, it’s critical that we do more to ensure those fleeing horrific violence can relocate somewhere safe. This is an important step, but there is much more work left to be done.” Florida Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen who has a transgender son & is a member of the House LGBT Equality Caucus & introduced House resolution 351 May 23rd stated, "We will continue to stand united with the LGBT community & shine a bright light on these atrocities, which are encouraged by the evil Putin regime in Russia, in order to help ensure that those who are responsible for these crimes are held to account for their despicable actions." Rep. Alan Lowenthal LGBT Equality Caucus Vice Chair concluded, "It is now up to President Trump, Secretary of State Tillerson & our United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley to follow through on the consensus of the House & bring as much domestic & international political pressure as possible on the Russian government to rein in these deplorable human rights violations.” The House resolution comes months after the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta first reported that members of Chechen law enforcement were targeting gay & bisexual men. The Russian LGBT Network described that roughly 100 LGBTQ men were initially captured by authorities & taken to a detention center where they were beaten, tortured & deaths were reported.
For More Info...
LISTEN: Bride Pride Event Returns This July In Provincetown
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

Supreme Court Takes Cake Case

The United States Supreme Court should take the opportunity to unequivocally state that religious freedom cannot be used as cover for denying rights to others when they decide the case of Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission next term. The fact is the owner of the Colorado bakery violated the state’s anti-discrimination laws when he claimed the religious freedom to refuse to serve gay & lesbian couples according to the Colorado Civil Rights Commission. Supported by the deep pockets of religious right organizations such as the Alliance Defending Freedom the owner will argue before the high court that his personal religious beliefs outweigh the rights of LGBTQ individuals to be treated fairly. Nick Little, Center for Inquiry Legal Director stated, “Religious freedom is not a license to discriminate against individuals. Dressing anti-LGBTQ prejudice in religious garb does not & must not endow that prejudice with legal privileges. If this baker is permitted to exclude LGBTQ people from his store based on his religious views, the floodgates of discrimination will have been opened. Today it is the same-gender couple seeking a wedding cake; tomorrow it could just as easily be women seeking contraception, or African Americans seeking a meal at a lunch counter. This so-called ‘right’ to discriminate based on religion cannot be cabined & threatens to turn America back to the dark days of legally justifiable segregation.” Robyn Blumner, CFI’s President & CEO concluded, “This baker has the right to hold negative opinions about gays & lesbians; he has the right to believe they are damned to Hell. What he does not have is the right to refuse them service at his business.”
LISTEN: Bride Pride Event Returns This July In Provincetown
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

LGBTQ Health Care At Risk

The American people deserve so much more than what the American Health Care Act proposes. If the Senate passes this insult to humanity millions of Americans will lose coverage, Plan Parenthood is in jeopardy & millions of LGBTQ people & people living with HIV will lose their health insurance. Rick Zbur Equality California Executive Director stated, “The bill unveiled by the Senate isn’t just mean, as Donald Trump himself admits about the House version, it’s immoral. If passed, it will have a devastating impact on the health & lives of millions of LGBTQ people & people living with HIV, who will lose health insurance & transgender people who received coverage for the first time under the ACA. Because LGBTQ people are twice as likely to be living in poverty as the general public, the Medicaid expansion & federal subsidies are important components of the ACA which significantly increased healthcare coverage for people in the LGBTQ community. The weakening of protections for people with preexisting conditions means that insurers can once again deny coverage to millions of people or charge them exorbitant premiums, which effectively denies them coverage. The bill also guts Medicaid & hundreds of billions of dollars in federal insurance subsidies, making healthcare unaffordable for millions more. It also imposes a one-year freeze on Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood, a vital healthcare provider on which millions of women & LGBTQ people depend for a wide range of healthcare services. In addition to the cruel & harmful impact on the LGBTQ community, the Republican proposal would devastate the health & wellbeing of millions of vulnerable Americans, including those who are low-income, disabled, living with HIV, older than 50, in poor health or have mental health needs. Equality California is committed to fighting this bill in the days ahead in Washington, D.C., in California & across the country to preserve healthcare access for the LGBTQ community & all Americans.”
LISTEN: Celebrities, Filmmakers & Activists Speak OUT
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

HOME

LGBT Seniors Erasure Partial Win

In March we reported that the Trump Administration was going after the most vulnerable members of our LGBTQ community by attempting to erase our LGBTQ seniors from the National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants (NSOAAP). Today SAGE (Services & Advocacy for LGBT Elders) has declared a victory on getting a question pertaining to sexual orientation back into the NSOAAP survey. While we celebrate this achievement, we must continue to condemn the Trump administration’s continued removal of gender identity from the 2017 survey. All of our elders including our trans elders must be counted. SAGE refuses to let trans older adults or any of the elders who are part of our community be invisible. Michael Adams SAGE CEO stated, "Thousands of LGBT elders & their allies forced the Trump administration to reverse course on their discriminatory plans. But if the administration thinks that with this partial victory SAGE will now abandon trans elders, it's in for a big surprise." In the next 30-day comment period, SAGE will continue to fight to have all LGBT elders included in this survey. The Trump Administration wants to pretend that transgender elders do not exist but we all must not allow them to get away with this. SAGE worked with their sister LGBT advocacy organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) & the Center for American Progress (CAP), as well as ally aging organizations, including the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) & the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) to get this question back on the NSOAAP survey. They also recognize the steadfast support of the 72-member Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (LCOA).
For More Info: sageusa.org
LISTEN: Celebrities, Filmmakers & Activists Speak OUT
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

HOME

NYC Pride March Rise & Resist

Inspired by the defiant spirit from which NYC Pride was born, 18 diverse LGBT community organizations will march together at the front of this year’s NYC Pride March on Sunday June 25th. The allied “Resistance” was formed in response to the attacks on the LGBTQ community by the Trump Administration & other enemies of civil rights & social justice. The group is expected to attract a large number of protesters & celebrants. Ken Kidd, a longtime New York City activist who conceived the plan for resistance groups to lead the march & who led the negotiations with Heritage of Pride, the organization that plans NYC Pride stated, “Since the Stonewall Riots & the first pride march, LGBTQ rights & indeed our very lives--have never been under siege like they are now under the Trump regime. Every year, the March celebrates our victories in our fight for equality. This year, it must celebrate our ongoing commitment to keep the rights our community has worked so hard to achieve & bond us together to expand on them.” Building on the momentum from the pride parade in Los Angeles, which activists turned into a resistance march; the Columbus, Ohio, Pride Festival, where refugees fleeing persecution will serve as grand marshals & Washington, DC, where activists mounted their own alternative March for Unity & Pride, thousands of marchers will convert their frustration & anger at the president into a celebration of strength, perseverance & community. The diverse, multi-generational groups plan to employ chanting, singing, dancing, die-ins & a wide array of props & visuals to express their resistance to a historic assault on LGBTQ rights.
For More Info: riseandresist.org
LISTEN: Celebrities, Filmmakers & Activists Speak OUT
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

HOME

Glamour Spain Cover Andreja Pejic

Andreja Pejic is one of the most prominent out, working transgender models of our time. As an LGBTQ advocate she has made another stride in the right direction. Pejic has landed the July cover of Glamour Spain & this is the first cover that doesn’t label her as 'transgender' & acknowledging her more so as a model of the moment. Pejic has helped drive the fashion industry forward when it comes to issues of non-binary & transgender acceptance. In 2014 Pejic publicly announced her sexual reassignment surgery. In May 2015 she became the first transgender model to feature in American Vogue & has gone on to be the first to land the covers of Marie Claire Spain & GQ Portugal. Andreja Pejic, Stated on Instagram,"Here I am rolling around Coney Island in the latest Balenciaga captured by one of my favorite up & coming photographers Rebekah Campbell. Also, really want to give Glamour Spain a big thumbs up for not feeling the need to slap my gender or medical history across the cover in order to sell more copies. Can I get an amen?" Definitely a step in the correct direction, Bravo Glamour Spain! Pejic has also graced the covers of international editions of Elle, L'Officiel, Fashion, GQ & Harper’s Bazaar Serbia this month. Andreja has also appeared in editorials for fashion publications including, Vogue, Elle, I-D, Dazed & Confused, Love, Allure, Purple & Numero.
LISTEN: Celebrities, Filmmakers & Activists Speak OUT
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

The Center LGBT Garden Party

Kick off Pride Week in New York City at the 34th annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center’s Garden Party: A Taste of Pride with tastings from dozens of New York City’s premier restaurants on June 19th from 6P to 10P. Sip seasonal smart cocktails at an open bar while you bid on delicious silent auction items & watch the sun set over the Hudson River. Proceeds from Garden Party supports The Center’s life-changing programs & services 365 days a year. Glennda Testone, The Center’s Executive Director stated, “I hope you will join us & enjoy the gorgeous weather as we kick off Pride Week at Garden Party: A Taste of Pride, our longest-running, most anticipated event. Celebrate with us & 1500 of our closest friends on Monday June 19th on Hudson River Park’s Pier 84 for a delicious evening of sampling scrumptious food & drinks from over 30 of New York City’s top restaurants. Your support helps The Center keep its doors open 365 days a year & offer vital programs & services to those in our community who need them most. So join us for the most tempting, tastiest Pride kick-off event in NYC!” Tasting Partners include: Ample Hills Creamery, Bittersweet, Boqueria, Café Patoro, Dinosaur BBQ, Haven's Kitchen, Hill Country BBQ Market, Javelina TexMex, Luke's Lobster, Massoni Noreetuh, North Square Restaurant, Peanut Butter & Co, Seamore's, Sticky's Finger Joint, Sweet Chili, The Standard Grill, Toro & more! Tickets start at $85 for Center Members & $99 for the general public. For More Info & Tix: gaycenter.org
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

HOME

Trump Erasing LGBT Civil Rights

Protection for our LGBT community has taken another turn for the worse with the Commerce Department’s decision to remove sexual orientation & gender identity from its equal opportunity employment policy. As the Trump administration began we feared that an executive order would be signed to legalize LGBT discrimination under a “religious liberty” order. That didn’t happen but we did witness Trump revoke President Obama’s guidelines that protected our most vulnerable transgender students from discrimination in public schools & LGBT seniors removed from federal census. Without federal protections LGBT workplace discrimination has unfortunately been one of those state by state issues until the Obama administration changed the policy to read: “The Department of Commerce does not tolerate discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual harassment & pregnancy discrimination), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age (40 years of age & over), genetic information or disability (physical or mental), including the provision of reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants & employees with disabilities.” Kelsey Louie CEO of GMHC stated, “The Commerce Department’s decision to remove sexual orientation & gender identity from its equal opportunity employment policy is a direct assault on LGBTQ Americans. We look to the federal government to protect all citizens; this revised statement further marginalizes the LGBTQ community in an attempt to strip us of our rights. We will continue to make our voices heard, ensuring that all Americans are protected at work & fight the draconian changes by the current Administration that devalue and disrespect LGBTQ lives.” (Equality graphic by Richard Emmanuel.)
LISTEN: Provincetown International Film Festival June 14 to 18
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

HOME

TrevorLIVE 2017 New York Gala

Dan Reynolds from Imagine Dragons will be honored with the Hero Award & LGBTQ advocate Edie Windsor will be honored with the Icon Award at the 2017 TrevorLIVE New York gala that takes place on June 19th at the Marriott Marquis Times Square in NYC. Comedian, actor & Last Week Tonight host John Oliver is set to emcee the event & YouTube personality Randy Rainbow will serve as Voice of God. The Trevor Project is the nation’s only nonprofit crisis intervention & suicide prevention organization focused on ending suicide among our LGBTQ youth. Everyday The Trevor Project saves young lives through its free & confidential crisis services, educational materials, online resources & advocacy. The event will feature performances by Shoshana Bean, Dana Goldberg, Jeremy Jordan & Grammy Award-winning rock band Imagine Dragons. There will also be a special first-peek performance from the upcoming musical Trevor at this fabulous gala. Additional guests will include Barrett Pall, BD Wong, Brandon Uranowitz, Brendan Monaghan, Chely Wright, Denis O’Hare, EJ Johnson, Eli Tokash, Eric Rutherford, Freema Agyeman, Gideon Glick, Jackie Cruz, James Lecesne, Lina Bradford, Mark Herman, Mark Myars, Mark Woods, Max Emerson, Mila Jam, Omar Sharif Jr., Parker Hurley, Peggy Rajski, Ryan Jordan Santana, Taye Diggs, Tim Davis & Tyler Glenn. Trevor LIVE New York presenting sponsors are Abercrombie & Fitch Co., Deloitte & Goldman Sachs.
For Info & Tix: ny.trevorlive.org
LISTEN: Provincetown International Film Festival June 14 to 18
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

Lambda Literary Award Winners

The winners of the 29th LGBT Annual Lambda Literary Awards (the "Lammys") were announced at a gala ceremony hosted by multi-genre artist Justin Vivian Bond at NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. The Lambda ceremony brought together over 500 attendees, sponsors & celebrities to celebrate excellence in LGBT literature & 29 years of the groundbreaking literary awards. Bond stated, "Authors putting words in order artfully & with thought is a revolutionary thing in the climate we are living in. I want to congratulate everyone who's nominated tonight. We're here to celebrate you for the gift you have given us with your artistry." One of the highlights was Jacqueline Woodson who was honored with the Visionary Award. Cynthia Nixon Tony Award-winning actress introduced Woodson stating, “Jacqueline is writer who is part of the institution but stands outside it & critiques. She is the writer, the friend, the citizen these times demand.” Accepting the Visionary Award, Woodson noted, "The work we do as a queer community for the generations beyond us make me proud to be standing here & accept this award." Other winners included David France for “How to Survive a Plague: The Inside Story of How Citizens & Science Tamed AIDS” which is a companion book to his award-winning documentary film, in LGBT Nonfiction & LGBT activist Cleve Jones for “When We Rise: My Life in the Movement” that was turned into a ground-breaking ABC miniseries won in Gay Memoir/Biography. Cleve stated, "I wrote this book because the LGBT movement saved my life & I'm ready to keep fighting." Tony Valenzuela, Lambda Literary Executive Director concluded "In a year of great political turmoil, the Lammys are a reminder that our LGBTQ writing community remains at the forefront of resistance to attacks on our communities. Congratulations to all the winners and honorees. You inspire us."
For Info & Winners: lambdaliterary.org 
LISTEN: Provincetown International Film Festival June 14 to 18
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

Mario Cantone Live! At The Cabot

Comedian & gay icon Mario Cantone will make his Cabot theatre debut in Beverly, Massachusetts on Saturday June 24th at 8P. Known for his role as Charlotte's wedding planner Anthony on HBO's Sex & the City as well as the Sex & the City movie franchise Cantone gained critical acclaim with his Tony-nominated one-man show Laugh Whore from its appearance at the Cort Theatre on Broadway to the Showtime special. Since 2004 as a guest co-host on the ABC daytime talk show The View, no one dishes the awards shows & red carpet better than Cantone. An accomplished stage actor, Cantone has appeared on Broadway in the role of "Buzz" in Terrence McNally's award-winning dramatic comedy, Love! Valor! Compassion! & "Stephano" in Shakespeare's The Tempest at the Public Theater. On Comedy Central, Cantone's performances have been featured on The USO Comedy Tour, Comics Come Home, The Chappelle Show, The Denis Leary Roast & The Joan Rivers Roast. The network was also home to his first solo stand-up special Comedy Central Presents Mario Cantone. He starred in the 2007 release of Sony's animated film, Surf's Up & appeared in the hilarious film The Aristocrats. Cantone has appeared on the stages of Carnegie Hall, Atlantic City's Borgata, The Golden Nugget, Cearsar's Palace in Las Vegas & the performing arts centers of Santa Rosa, Peekskill, Scottsdale, Fort Lauderdale & St. Louis where he has performed his brilliant comedy & music show, Mario Cantone Live! So don’t miss out! Tickets are from $28.50 to $62.50.
For More Info & Tix: thecabot.org
LISTEN: Provincetown International Film Festival June 14 to 18
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

Pulse Massacre Day Of Remembrance

In honor of the first day of remembrance of the June 12th 2016 massacre at the LGBTQ nightclub Pulse in Orlando, Florida 59 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, American Muslim & Latin organizations released the following statement. The statement was convened by national civil rights organizations including Muslim Advocates, the National LGBTQ Task Force, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) & the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC): “One year ago, in the aftermath of the Orlando tragedy, we came together in grief, in unity & in solidarity with the Orlando community & millions of people everywhere, to condemn this act of hate violence & affirm that love conquers hate. That senseless act struck at the heart of the LGBTQ & Latin communities, families & close friends & at the core of one of our nation’s greatest strengths: our diversity. The ensuing backlash against the American Muslim community led to hate speech & violence, shootings & mosque vandalism that claimed even more victims. The acts of kindness that followed also illustrated that, even in our darkest moments & despite the repeated attempts to use fear to further divide us, time & time again, the people of this country come together to console & support those in need. As we remember those we lost & their families, we renew our commitment to honor them with action by protecting one another & our country’s ideals of freedom, liberty & equality under the law for all people. This day of remembrance comes during LGBTQ Pride Month & the holy month of Ramadan. As we reflect on the past year, we are deeply concerned about the direction of our country including efforts to divide Americans from one another by demonizing & scapegoating many of our communities but we are also proud of the millions of Americans of all faiths, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities & backgrounds who continue to rebuff those attempts by stepping up to defend our highest ideals. We have been reminded countless times that a threat against any one community is a threat against all of us, and that we must take notice & action. As our communities resist a massive rollback of civil rights protections at the state and federal level & a rising tide of hate violence, we stand together ever stronger, ever braver & ever more resolute to resist these attacks & move forward with love & acceptance for all.”
To honor & support the victims & survivors….
LISTEN: Provincetown International Film Festival June 14 to 18
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

HOME

Congressional LGBT Pride Message

In recognition of June being LGBT Pride Month, Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI-04) stated, “As a proud member of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, I recognize the great strides we’ve made during the Obama Administration in securing equality for all Americans, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Yet, as President Donald Trump has demonstrated during his short tenure, such progress is fragile & susceptible to attack, underscoring the need for us to remain vigilant and visible. President Trump has made no illusions regarding his indifference to our shared struggle for LGBT equality. Only months into his first term, the president has withdrawn civil protections & rights for over 1.4 million transgender Americans, erased LGBT identifications from data collection & appointed several outspoken anti-LGBT personnel to key positions to his administration. And just this week, rather than acknowledging LGBT Pride Month, President Trump decided to address anti-LGBT leaders at the conservative Road to Majority conference. I refuse to sit on the sidelines as the president & his party wage their ideological war on the LGBT community. Earlier this year, I co-sponsored numerous legislative efforts aimed at establishing new protections for sexuality & gender identity, including the Voices for Veterans Act, a bill that would expand the membership of the Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans to include LGBT veterans. Knowing that our fight for equality must extend beyond our own borders, I recently joined 50 of my congressional colleagues in calling on Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to condemn the detention, torture & murders of gay and bisexual men in Chechnya. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle must come together to fight prejudice & discrimination locally, nationally & globally. Let us use LGBT Pride Month as a call to action to every American to acknowledge our own freedoms & recognize that when everyone is treated as equal, only then can we truly be free.” NOH8 Campaign Photo by Adam Bouska.
LISTEN: Provincetown International Film Festival June 14 to 18
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

Orlando Massacre One Year Later

This is a very emotionally mixed weekend for our LGBTQ community as many cities celebrate Pride & march for LGBTQ equality June 12th marks the first anniversary when 49 people many from our LGBTQ community were killed by a gunman on Latin Night at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida carrying out the most deadly shooting in US modern history. Jessica Stern, Executive Director of OutRight action International stated, “What happened in Orlando was a tragedy & unfortunately the persecution of LGBTIQ people globally has not deescalated since then. In the past year we have seen so many large scale attacks on LGBTIQ communities globally, from the mass killings in Orlando, to the arrests & torture of over 100 gay men in Chechnya - some of whom are still in prisons and mass arrests in Indonesia. What we had during the Orlando shootings was global recognition & condemnation of violence & discrimination against the LGBTIQ community. This was no more evident than in the historic statement by the United Nations Security Council, which for the first time included a reference to sexual orientation & so acknowledged the anti-gay hate motivated bias in the attack. This important statement sets a precedence in the international peace and security arena that LGBT are being targeted; that this is a matter of international concern. If we ever hope to stop the escalation of violence against LGBTIQ people, we need a global response like the one we had during Orlando. The human rights & lives of LGBTIQ people must be recognized, respected & protected.”
For More Info: outrightinternational.org
LISTEN: Provincetown International Film Festival June 14 to 18
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

New Fenway Institute Co-Chair

Fenway Health announced that Dr. Jennifer Potter has been appointed Co-Chair of The Fenway Institute located in Boston, Massachusetts. Since 1971, Fenway Health has been working to make life healthier for our LGBT community, people living with HIV/AIDS & the broader population. Dr. Potter is Director of Women’s Health at Fenway as well as an Advisory Dean and Director of the William B. Castle Society at Harvard Medical School. She has directed Women’s Health Research at The Fenway Institute since 2015 & has been a member of the faculty since 2010. She is a physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Fenway Health. Dr. Potter will join Dr. Kenneth H. Mayer, who has been a Co-Chair of The Fenway Institute since 2001, in leading The Fenway Institute. Potter stated, “It is an incredible honor to be named co-chair of The Fenway Institute. I am excited & grateful for this new opportunity to advance research to reduce health disparities among LGBT populations & to enhance health outcomes for members of our diverse communities. I look forward to continuing & growing The Fenway Institute’s commitment to nurturing the careers of LGBT scientists & healthcare practitioners. I am also enormously inspired by the legacy & groundbreaking contributions of my late friend and colleague Dr. Bradford.” The Fenway Institute was co-founded in 2001 by Mayer & Dr. Judith B. Bradford. Mayer & Bradford ran The Fenway Institute together as co-chairs until Bradford’s death this past February. Since its founding, The Fenway Institute has become one of the foremost LGBT health & HIV research, education & policy organizations in the world.
For More Info: fenwayhealth.org
LISTEN: Provincetown International Film Festival June 14 to 18
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

HOME

Rainbow Flag Creator Celebration

Tom Taylor, Dr. Jerome Goldstein & the Diversity Foundation will present A Celebration of Life honoring Gilbert Baker (1951 - 2017) creator of the Rainbow Flag on Thursday June 8th at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco at 7P. Gilbert Baker died on March 31st in NYC. Baker affectionately known as “The Gay Betsy Ross” created the Rainbow Flag that has become the international symbol for our LGBTQ community. The two original flags were first unfurled at the San Francisco Gay & Lesbian Parade in 1978. They had been hand-dyed & stitched by Gilbert Baker & a group of volunteers. The flag's design stems from Baker's admiration for the universality of the rainbow as a "natural flag in the sky." Baker stated, "Our job as gay people was to come out, to be visible, to live in the truth as I say, to get out of the lie. A flag really fit that mission, because that’s a way of proclaiming your visibility, or saying, ‘This is who I am!’” Scheduled to speak at the celebration of life for Gilbert Baker are Paul Gabriel & Dr. Jerome Goldstein (co-masters of ceremonies), Mark Leno - Former State Senator and 2018 candidate for SF Mayor, Jeff Sheehy - SF Supervisor – Castro District, Cleve Jones, Members of San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus & Thrillpeddlers - SF Theatrical Troupe. The event is free & open to the public but tickets must be obtained in advance.
For Tix…
LISTEN: Provincetown International Film Festival June 14 to 18
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

HOME

Conversion Therapy Must End

In Massachusetts the Joint Committee on Children, Families & People With Disabilities held a hearing Tuesday June 6th on SB 62/HB 1190, An Act relative to abusive practices to change sexual orientation & gender identity in minors, also known as the Conversion Therapy Ban Bill. This bill would prohibit state-licensed mental health professionals from engaging in practices aimed at changing a minor’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Deborah Shields MassEquality Executive Director stated, "In today's successful hearing on the Conversion Therapy Ban Bill, we made a compelling case for banning the dangerous & discredited practice of conversion therapy on minors. To date, nine other states & Washington, D.C. have passed similar laws & Rhode Island is poised to become the next state to do so. It is past time for Massachusetts, which has long been at the forefront of promoting fairness & equality for all, to join these states in preventing young people from being harmed by these abusive & traumatizing techniques…MassEquality thanks the conversion therapy survivors who courageously testified before the committee today, those who submitted written testimony in favor of the bill, our many supporters who have contacted their legislators to urge them to vote in favor of this bill & our colleagues & partners who have worked with us to advocate for this much-needed legislation. We are confident that the committee will report favorably on this bill and that soon, LGBTQ youth in Massachusetts will no longer face these dangerous & abusive practices."

For More Info: massequality.org
LISTEN: Provincetown International Film Festival June 14 to 18
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

Alice Austen House LGBTQ Status

The Alice Austen House in Staten Island New York will formally celebrate becoming a National LGBTQ Historical Site at an event on Tuesday, June 20th at 11A. The designation marks an important milestone for this historic house in bringing forth the LGBTQ story represented there. Alice Austen House is a nationally landmarked museum devoted to the trailblazing American street photographer Alice Austen (1866-1952). Austen was in a loving & devoted relationship with Gertrude Tate for more than fifty years & nearly 30 of those years were lived together at the Austen family home that serves as the museum. As part of an initiative of the National Park Service launched in 2014 the Alice Austen House’s listing on the National Register of Historic Places has been amended to include LGBTQ history as an area of significance. Alice Austen captured a changing New York City in more than 7000 photographs taken mostly around the turn of the twentieth century. Austen documented her life on Staten Island & went onto the streets of Manhattan to photograph the activities of immigrants & the working class. She was versatile & forged her own path without much regard for acceptable Victorian behavior for women. Austen was a master tennis player, an early advocate for women riding bicycles, founder of the Staten Island Garden Club & is said to be the first woman on Staten Island to own a car. During the June 20th event, photographer& activist Joan E. Biren (JEB) will speak. Biren is an award-winning documentary photographer & filmmaker & has been chronicling the lives of LGBT individuals for more than 30 years.
For More Info: aliceausten.org
LISTEN: Provincetown International Film Festival June 14 to 18
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

HOME

U.S. Navy Celebrating LGBT Pride

The U.S. Navy joins the nation in recognizing LGBT Pride Month throughout June even though the Trump administration has neglected to do so. The Department of Defense began observing LGBT Pride Month in 2012 after repeal of “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” in 2011 allowing gay, lesbian & bisexuals to serve openly in the United States Armed Forces. In 2016 the Department of Defense instituted a policy change allowing transgender individuals to serve in the military as their preferred gender. In an official email we received from the US Navy they have assured us that they’re committed to recruit & retain top talent regardless of race, class, sex or background & they continue to provide a diverse, inclusive environment allowing diversity of thought & innovation to thrive. The LGBT community is part of One Navy Team that contributes their diverse talents, skills & service to the strength of the force. Capt. Candace Eckert, U.S. Navy Special Assistant for Inclusion & Diversity stated, "To remain the finest seagoing fighting force, the Navy needs men & women who are the right fit for the right job regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, creed or gender identity. Our goal is to ensure that the mission is carried out by the most qualified & capable Sailors. If an individual can meet the Navy's standards, they should be afforded the opportunity to be part of the One Navy Team." We at OUTTAKE VOICES support our LGBT service members as well as all the men & women in the U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force & Marines deployed around the clock & ready to protect & defend America on the world's oceans.
Read US Navy Official Statement… 
LISTEN: Provincetown International Film Festival June 14 to 18
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

HOME

Boston Pride Political Forum

It is crucial that we address how our LGBTQ community is affected by the election of Donald Trump & what we can do to resist. In Boston on Monday June 5th Boston Pride will hold a political forum focused on human rights & education addressing our LGBTQ community at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, 210 Morrissey Blvd in Boston, Massachusetts at 6P. Panelists will include Congressman Mike Capuano, Arline Isaacson, Co-Chair Massachusetts Gay & Lesbian Political Caucus, Carl Sciortino, Executive Director, AIDS Action Committee & former State Representative, Kevin J. Dumas, Mayor Attleboro MA & Alison King, Political Reporter NBC Boston will moderate the event. Arline Isaacson, MGLPC Co-Chair stated, “Our community has experienced decades of pain & travail: Harassment, discrimination, psychological & physical assaults of all kinds. We have also enjoyed the success of our movements for equality, bringing us more benefits & protections than ever before. The question is: Will we allow an erosion in those victories & successes? Will we put up with diminutions in our equality? I hope the answer is a resounding No & I hope our answer for others is No as well. We've learned a lot from our battles for equality. We've learned the we couldn't have succeeded without the support & active involvement of friends & allies. Now as we fight to protect our own advancements, we need to return the favor and work to protect those of others as well. To not do so, would leave us culpable of the crime of indifference. To borrow from Edmund Burke: 'The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.' "
For More Info: bostonpride.org
Listen: Rev. Edmonds-Allen Talks LGBTQ Religious Freedom Event
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

HOME

Boston LGBTQ Pride Kicks Off

Boston LGBTQ Pride Week that runs June 2nd to June 11th will kick off Friday June 2nd at City Hall Plaza with Boston Mayor Marty Walsh & the official rainbow flag raising. Interesting fact is that June 2nd would have been Gilbert Baker 66th birthday who designed of the rainbow flag in 1978. The 2017 Pride Marshals will also be introduced at the Boston event that starts promptly at 12P near the flagpoles. There will be event throughout that day including Pride Night at Hedwig & The Angry Inch Shubert Theatre. On Saturday June 3rd join the LGBTQ community at Faneuil Hall Marketplace for a day full of family-friendly entertainment. The lineup of artists & performers who will entertain the crowd at the 2017 Pride Day at Faneuil Hall includes Salsa with Mr.Bstyles, Zumba with Jess, Sirlesque, Kevin Hamel, QWAM – Queens with a Mission, Miss Boston and Miss Cambridge, The Donkey Show, Pablo Picker, Iyadonna, Newly-crowned Boston Pride Pageant Winners, Nikita Le Femme, Tee-Sparks, Amanda Playwit, Kamden T. Rage, Titan Majoretts & Sage. Then on Sunday June 4th marks the 32nd year of the AIDS Action Committee AIDS Walk & Run Boston, New England’s largest HIV/AIDS fundraising & awareness event. Join thousands of people who come together to take action in honor of those we’ve lost & to give hope to people living with HIV/AIDS. Also on Sunday is The Silver Party on Sunday June 4th at The Holiday Inn in Brookline from 3P to 7P. Boston Pride is in its 47th year & The Silver Party is a festive dinner dance for LGBT seniors & their friends that features music by DJ Shelly. There will also be a presentation ceremony for the annual Jim Campbell Award for LGBT Advocacy.
For All Pride Events: bostonpride.org
LISTEN: Back Lot Bash Women’s Festival Rocks Chicago Pride
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

Faith In America For LGBT Youth

Faith in America has released plans to bring the message of protecting LGBT youth to the Southern Baptist Convention that runs June 13th to 14th at the Phoenix Convention Center in Arizona. America’s LGBT teens & kids are in crisis. For example LGBT kids raised in condemning homophobic religious families are 8 times more likely to attempt suicide than their straight peers & nearly half of America’s homeless youth are LGBT. Since the Trump presidency more than a quarter of LGBT youth say they have been personally bullied or harassed compared to 14 percent of non-LGBT youth. Mitchell Gold, FIA co-founder stated, "This is an historic moment & we, at Faith in America, are taking action. We ask the media to cover this with the seriousness this deserves. This is not about conflict & division. It is about speaking the truth & standing up for our kids & teens being hurt. It is also about finding common ground around our children and youth. The level of depression & anxiety existing in the lives of LGBT teens & kids is sadly outpacing those maladies in other groups. We use the word “condemning” to describe the churches that are bad players & hurt LGBT teens & kids with harsh messages that alienate, diminish & stigmatize. This hurts youth & creates animosity within the hearts of parents, siblings & other kin that, in turn, also serves to abandon our youth, leaving them feeling alone in a cold world. These teachings create bullies.” Faith in America is in communication with Southern Baptist Convention leadership & a meeting is pending scheduling.
For More Info: faithinamerica.org
LISTEN: Back Lot Bash Women’s Festival Rocks Chicago Pride
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ NOW ON HUFF POST...:)
SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

HOME