Boston Pride Week Political Forum

Boston Pride & Freedom for All Massachusetts will host a public forum on Defending Transgender Equality in Massachusetts – A Public Discussion on the Repeal of the Public Accommodations Law during Pride Week on Monday June 4th from 6P to 8P at District Hall 75 Northern Avenue in Boston, MA. The event will feature keynote remarks from Sarah McBride, National Press Secretary for the Human Rights Campaign & the author of Tomorrow Will Be Different: Love, Loss & The Fight For Trans Equality as well as a panel discussion about the upcoming ballot question that if passed would repeal critical protections in public places, such as restaurants, shops & medical facilities for transgender people in Massachusetts. Sylvain Bruni Boston Pride President stated, “The repeal of the Public Accommodations ballot question poses an imminent threat to our community. The purpose of this panel discussion is to address the local & national consequences this repeal could have & what the LGBTQ community & its allies can do to mobilize & defend fairness & dignity for all at the ballot in November. As a matter of social justice for our community, we felt it was of the utmost importance to heighten trans visibility & to amplify trans voices through direct interactions at a community-based panel.” Boston Pride annually holds a public issues & advocacy forum during Pride Week to educate members of the LGBTQ community on the social, cultural & political issues they face. Following the forum there will be a complimentary reception at District Hall sponsored by the Seaport by WS Development. The event is free & open to the public however space is limited & registration is recommended.
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Trans Woman Dies In ICE Custody

Transgender Law Center (TLC), Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement (Familia:TQLM) & Organización Latina de Trans en Texas (OLTT) mourn the death of a transgender asylum seeker who died while in ICE custody at the Cibola Correctional Facility. Roxana Hernández a transgender woman from Honduras was only 33 years-old when she died while incarcerated in immigration detention. Although she was processed into the United States on May 13th 2018 it is unclear where & in what conditions Ms. Hernández was held for the five days she was in custody until she was transferred to ICE. It has been repeatedly reported that asylum seekers at the border are held in freezing holding cells often referred to as “hieleras” for days. Ms. Hernández died from medical complications with pneumonia. Isa Noyola, Deputy Director at Transgender Law Center stated, "Paired with the abuse we know transgender people regularly suffer in ICE detention, the death of Ms. Hernández sends the message that transgender people are disposable & do not deserve dignity, safety, or even life.” Flor Bermudez, Legal Director at Transgender Law Center added, “It is alarming that transgender communities continue to face transphobic violence outside & inside of detention walls. This is why TLC’s Trans Immigrant Defense Effort (TIDE) has organized to demand the liberation of transgender women from detention & the end of all detention & deportations. ICE has shown time & again it is incapable of protecting transgender women in detention. Transgender people should not be detained by ICE at all.”
For More Info: transgenderlawcenter.org
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Mark Gilbert To Be Honored

SAVE is is celebrating 25 years as Florida's largest local LGBTQ advocacy organization & their  25th Annual Champions of Equality Gala takes place on Friday June 8th at The Penthouse at Riverside Wharf at 125 Southwest North River Drive in Miami, Florida. This year Mark Gilbert Board Chair of the OUTshine Film Festival will receive the Equality Icon Award at this fabulous gala event. Mark has helped grow & steer the newly branded OUTshine Film Festival that was originally known as the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival & then in 2008 it combined with Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Film Festival in 2008 becoming MiFo LGBT Film Festival. Gilbert fell in love with the organization & the LGBTQ films he saw & has served on the Board of Directors, Co-Chair & then Chair for the last 18 years. Tony Lima, SAVE Executive Director stated, “We are so excited to honor local hero, Mark Gilbert as our 2018 Equality Icon Award Recipient at the Champions of Equality Gala. As the Board Chair of the OUTshine Film Festival, Mark has helped grow & steer this important event for nearly 18 years. He is an incredible leader in our community & we are proud to honor him and his legacy.” Mark Gilbert OUTshine Film Festival Board Chair conluded, “I hope you can join me for this wonderful event as I am being honored by the incredibly prestigious organization, SAVE, as this year's Champion Of Equality Icon. The event is a lot of fun, a great cause with open bar, plenty of food & great friends.” Tickets are $150 Use Code: OUTSHINE to get a $25 discount.
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Hawaii Bans Conversion Therapy

Hawaii Governor David Ige signed a bill sponsored by Hawaii Senator Stanley Chang into law Friday that will protect Hawaii LGBTQ youth from the horrendous practice of conversion therapy by health professionals. Conversion therapy, sometimes called “ex-gay therapy” attempts to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity & has been discredited by every major medical & mental health organization as an ineffective & harmful practice. The practice of conversion therapy by licensed professionals against minors has now been prohibited by 12 states & the District of Columbia & there is a growing movement across the country to end conversion therapy nationally. Mathew Shurka stated, “As a survivor, I know how harmful conversion therapy can be & I could not be happier that Hawaii has taken this important step to protect the health & safety of its LGBTQ youth from this terrible practice. There are currently more than 700,000 survivors nationally & an estimated 77,000 teenagers across the country will be subjected to conversion therapy over the next five years.” Conversion Therapy has been banned in Connecticut, California, Nevada, New Jersey, the District of Columbia, Oregon, Illinois, Vermont, New York, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Washington, Maryland & now Hawaii all have laws or regulations protecting youth from this abusive practice. A growing number of municipalities have also enacted similar protections, including cities & counties in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, Florida, New York, Arizona & Wisconsin. The Hawaii bill signing was the result of targeted grassroots advocacy efforts by the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), local advocacy group the LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai’I & the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). For More Info: nclrights.org
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Tanya Tucker Performs For Equality

GLAAD + Ty Herndon Concert for Love & Acceptance announced that country music icon Tanya Tucker will take the stage for a very special performance June 7th at the Wildhorse Saloon during CMA Fest in Nashville. Ty Herndon stated, “I am thrilled to welcome my wonderful & dear friend Tanya Tucker to the show. All her kids call me Uncle Ty. I have known Tanya’s heart for many years. She is truly one of the most talented, kind & generous souls on the planet. She is adored by all of us in country music, & we’ll all be watching to learn a little something about how it’s done.” Zeke Stokes, GLAAD’s Vice President of Programs & Executive Producer of the 2018 Concert for Love & Acceptance added, “My first ‘forty-five’ growing up in South Carolina was Tanya Tucker’s ‘Delta Dawn,’ so I have been a fan for a long time. I’m so excited that we have reached a time when the country music community is standing up for love & acceptance for LGBTQ people & young children everywhere who feel different can know that we’re all on their side.” GLAAD & Herndon also announced performances by Billy Dean, Cale Dodds, Parson James, Temecula Road & Thompson Square. Previous announced special guests & performers include Terri Clark, Cam, Shelly Fairchild, Cassadee Pope, Michael Ray, Calum Scott & Brandon Stansell. Anita Cochran will perform & serve as musical director for the show. The 2018 Concert for Love & Acceptance corporate partners include presenting partners CMT, Ketel One Family-Made Vodka and community partners Nissan & The Weissmann Group.
For Info & TIX: glaad.org
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BGMC Celebrates Boston Pride Week

In advance of their South Africa Tour the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus (BGMC) will present Together a concert to celebrate Boston Pride with a blend of Broadway classics, Hollywood hits, spirituals & pop culture crowd pleasers. Performances will take place Saturday June 2nd at 8P & Sunday June 3rd at 3P at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall 30 Gainsborough Street in Boston. Reuben M. Reynolds, III, BGMC’s Music Director stated, “Together reflects the reality that we’re all citizens of the world who must get to know each other better, listen to one another, learn about our differences & share our cultural gifts with the world. We do these things through music. This show will blend American & South African music that reflects our countries’ respective struggles against racial oppression & injustice, pay tribute to our resilience in the face of those struggles & celebrate love—in all its forms—which always trumps injustice.” Craig Coogan BGMC Executive Director concluded, “As we celebrate both LGBT Pride & our South Africa Tour this June, Together showcases music’s power to inspire change, to soothe & heal the wounds of injustice & empower people to overcome oppression & adversity. Your feet will be tapping, your heart will be thumping & your spirit will soar.” Founded in 1982, the BGMC is a 200-voice ensemble known for its outstanding musicianship, creative programming & groundbreaking community outreach. The Boston Gay Men’s Chorus also serves as Cultural Ambassadors being the first LGBT chorus to perform in Poland in 2005, the Middle East in 2015 & now in South Africa in June 2018.
For Info & Tix: bgmc.org/together
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LGBTQ Golf Fore Good Event

The Horizons Foundation’s 9th Annual LGBTQ Golf Fore Good Tournament will take place on Friday, June 8th at the gorgeous Chardonnay Golf Club in the Napa Valley. This is the Bay Area’s premier all-women’s charity golf tournament. Since 2010 the event has drawn hundreds of women from across the Bay Area for a great day of golf & fun & has raised well over $100,000 in support of the LGBT community. LGBTQ Golf Fore Good welcomes golfers of all levels & features unique contests & prize holes to give everyone a chance to be a winner. After play, golfers, volunteers & revelers meet in the clubhouse for dinner, trophies & dancing. Most importantly, LGBTQ Golf Fore Good event supports Horizons’ mission to help meet the needs, secure the rights & celebrate the lives of LGBTQ people. Founded in 1988 the Horizons Foundation believes that justice for LGBTQ people is inextricably tied to a larger movement for social justice for all marginalized communities. They are fiercely dedicated to securing equality, dignity & justice in the daily lives of all LGBTQ people, especially the most vulnerable & disadvantaged. Today, Horizons remains true to its commitment to find & fund our LGBTQ community’s social entrepreneurs & start-up organizations that meet new needs, or meet ongoing needs in new & promising ways. Their evolving grants list continues to reflect & shape the community. Horizons Foundation is today what its founders envisioned: a community philanthropic institution that is of, by & for the LGBTQ community, both today & tomorrow & for future generations.
For More Info: horizonsfoundation.org
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LGBTQ Roles Declining In Movies

Our LGBTQ community is not only being erased by the Trump administration but according to GLAAD’s annual Studio Responsibility Index (SRI), it appears that of the 109 releases from major studios in 2017 only 14 (12.8%) of them included LGBTQ characters. This is a significant decrease from the previous year’s report (18.4%, 23 out of 125) & the lowest percentage of LGBTQ-inclusive major studio releases since GLAAD began tracking in 2012. However while the number of LGBTQ characters dropped substantially there were more racially diverse LGBTQ characters. In 2017 the majority of LGBTQ characters were people of color (57%, 16 of 28). Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD President & CEO stated, “With wildly successful films like Wonder Woman & Black Panther proving that audiences want to see diverse stories that haven’t been told before, there is simply no reason for major studios to have such low scores on the Studio Responsibility Index. At a time when the entertainment industry is holding much needed discussions about inclusion, now is the time to ensure the industry takes meaningful action and incorporates LGBTQ stories & creators as among priorities areas for growing diversity.” Megan Townsend, Director of Entertainment Research & Analysis at GLAAD concluded, “Though wide release films this year like Love, Simon, Annihilation, Blockers & Negasonic & Yukio’s relationship in Deadpool 2, have raised the bar for LGBTQ images, studios must still do more to ensure that LGBTQ storylines & characters are included in fair and accurate ways. We hope that these films are the start of an upward trend of sustained progress & not just a blip in the radar of next year’s SRI.”
For More Info: glaad.org
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No More Fashion “To Die For”

The Eco-fashion house Ministry of Tomorrow vows to end animal slaughter one bag at a time by launching their new Vegan Bag collection in support of the work of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the largest animal rights organization in the world. Julian Prolman, Founder & President of the Ministry of Tomorrow stated, “MOT represents a new frontier for a way of doing business based on love for all & the notion of responsible commerce. We aim to inspire conscious fashion. We are creating a new standard in the fashion world with fabrics that require much more intelligence to create rather than to kill. Our fabrics benefit the planet & represent a more enlightened bag where there is attention to detail from the soil to the sale & doesn’t literally cost an arm & a leg. We want to see an end to the literal “fashion to die for” scenario that has sadly become the societal norm, where animals are killed for our pleasure, in a barbaric perception of luxury. We believe it is morally corrupt to produce garments & accessories at the expense of animals & nature. As an alternative, we promote “fashion to live for” & use this stand as a vehicle for activism that contributes to a movement to end the needless suffering of animals” The Ministry of Tomorrow (MOT), headquartered in Los Angeles, CA is a for-profit social enterprise that designs & produces high-quality, eco-luxury, vegan accessories & garments & markets direct to consumers. Get a $50 discount with code: PETAXMOT
For More Info: ministryoftomorrow.com
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NGLCC Reverse LGBT Erasure

Under the Obama administration the Small Business Administration (SBA) worked directly with  NGLCC & launched an LGBT Business Builder campaign which included a national tour of day-long training sessions & networking events to connect LGBT entrepreneurs to NGLCC & SBA resources & to helped them obtain federal contracts. Then came Trump who erased our LGBTQ community from the SBA website. Thanks to Congressional pressure & the leadership of the NGLCC shortly after speaking by phone with NGLCC Co-Founder & President Justin Nelson, the US Small Business Administration under the leadership of Administrator Linda McMahon restored resources dedicated to America’s LGBT-owned businesses to the SBA website. Justin Nelson & Chance Mitchell NGLCC Co-Founders stated, “Our work with the Small Business Administration over the last decade has ensured more LGBT business owners than ever before have access to the information, certifications & resources available to them that allow their businesses to compete for their piece of the American Dream. The NGLCC is pleased to see the SBA reinstate LGBT entrepreneurial resources on their website just days after the Congressional letter was sent & a conversation between Administrator McMahon & myself was held. Clearly she & the SBA recognize that LGBT business owners across the nation bring countless innovations, contribute over $1.7 trillion to the GDP & create tens of thousands of jobs where they live. America’s LGBT entrepreneurs & in fact every diverse community, should be given unfettered access to opportunities to succeed at every level of government & in every marketplace. We thank Reps. Velázquez & Clarke for their leadership in ensuring greater inclusion for all businesses owners in America.” 
For More Info: nglcc.org
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Massachusetts Marriage Equality

May 17th marks the 14th anniversary of marriage equality in Massachusetts. It was a watershed moment in the history of civil rights when the landmark Goodridge ruling designated the constitutional right of gay & lesbian marriages in Massachusetts & at midnight on May 17, 2004 Cambridge, MA was the first city in the United States to issue marriage licenses for gay & lesbian couples. We were there & filmed our historic award-winning short film entitled OUTTAKE: Gay Marriage 2004 shot from midnight on May 17th 2004 in Cambridge & throughout the day in Boston when marriage equality became the law in Massachusetts. Now 14 years later we’re still fighting the backlash of states throughout this country still bent on taking the right to marry away & more from our LGBTQ community. As an advocate for LGBTQ equality over the last 14 years I’m proud of my community resilience to keep moving forward despite of the Trump administration doing everything they can do erase our existence by appointing people like anti-LGBTQ hate group leader Tony Perkins to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). Perkins was appointed on the recommendation of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell according to an announcement the Congressional Record. Perkins has called for Justice Kennedy to be impeached following his marriage equality ruling, promotes the dangerous & scientifically discredited practice of so-called conversion therapy & has compared LGBTQ advocates to terrorists. But we will prevail because we all know love wins. Happy 14th Anniversary Massachusetts!! WATCH VIDEO
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OutRight Honors LGBT Activists

OutRight Action International honored the Arab Foundation for Freedoms & Equality (AFE), with the Felipa De Souza Award at the organization’s annual Celebration of Courage gala held at Current at Chelsea Piers in NYC. The award was accepted by Georges Azzi, AFE Founder & Executive Director who stated, “We acknowledge that there is still a lot to be done before we reach an acceptable & more just situation for our community & our societies. Homosexuality is still illegal & people are being tortured & killed for being who they are. We are grateful, humbled & even more determined now to keep our voices heard loud & clear. It is now, more than ever, that we need to unite to overcome the tightening on individual liberties that is still happening worldwide.” Netflix’s new Queer Eye Karamo Brown hosted the event & shared the stage with OutSpoken Award recipient Lois Whitman. The OutSpoken Award recognizes an ally who has taken a clear stand for LGBTQ rights, often with some personal risk involved. Whitman stated, “Lawmakers & school administrators have increasingly recognized that LGBT kids are vulnerable in schools & many have put in place policies to protect kids. But the progress is uneven. Many states that have ordered protections, but they are inadequate or unenforced.” Jessica Stern, Executive Director of OutRight Action International concluded, “To borrow a metaphor from Karamo, if you want to travel back in time to 2000 or earlier, to invisibility & lack of legal rights, all you have to do is get on a plane. Walk out of this room, go to JFK & fly to the countries where OutRight works. You will see the hardship, you will remember how far we’ve come & you will want to do something urgently.”
For More Info: outrightinternational.org
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Star Studded AIDS Walk New York

AIDS Walk New York will bring together 20,000 people on Sunday, May 20th in Central Park to raise millions of dollars for Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) & other tri-state area AIDS service organizations & will feature a line-up of stars including Matt Bomer, Zachary Quinto, Queer Eye’s Antoni Porowski & Tan France, Rosie Perez, the Pointer Sisters, RuPaul’s Drag Race contestants & many more. Participants will have a choice of the traditional 10K walk through Central Park & the streets of the Upper West Side or the Macy’s-Sponsored 5-mile run contained entirely within the park. Kelsey Louie GMHC CEO stated, “Given our polarizing political climate, it’s important that we come together to show that stigma, discrimination & ignorance have no place in our society or in our response to HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS remains an urgent public health & social justice crisis. Over the past 30-plus years, the tens of thousands of people who have joined together for AIDS Walk New York have not only raised crucial funds we need to help end this epidemic, but have demonstrated to the world the power of a united group of caring individuals.” The Opening Ceremony, kicking off Sunday May 20th at 9:15A & will feature Academy Award winner Mercedes Ruehl, Broadway star Michael Urie, Andrea Navedo (Jane the Virgin), Nico Tortorella (Younger), Annie Golden, Selenis Leyva, Dale Soules & Hunter Emery (Orange is the New Black) & Andrew Rannells (Boys in the Band). More celebrity participants will be announced. There is no fee to join in the AIDS Walk. Participants are encouraged to raise as much as they can from family, friends & co-workers.
For More Info: ny.aidswalk.net
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Massachusetts Youth Pride Events

Boston Pride & Boston Alliance of Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Youth (BAGLY) announced that the Massachusetts Youth Pride March & Festival will take place on Saturday May 19th at Boston City Hall Plaza. Massachusetts Youth Pride is celebrating 24 years of queer youth movement in Massachusetts. The festival begins at 11A followed by a parade at 12P. This celebration is the oldest youth-led, adult-supported LGBTQ Youth Pride celebration in the country. Youth Pride is a great opportunity for the younger members of Massachusetts’ LGBTQ community to gather together & celebrate pride & awareness. This year’s Massachusetts Youth Pride theme is “Young, Loud & Proud.” The theme was chosen in order to highlight both the historic & current roles of youth leadership within the LGBTQ+ communities. LGBTQ+ youth from across Massachusetts will rally alongside this theme as they continue to fight for equity, inclusion & safety in today’s tumultuous political & cultural landscape. BAGLY & Boston Pride are excited to be supporting the current generation of LGBTQ+ youth leaders. The 38th annual BAGLY Prom will take place immediately following the Youth Pride March & Festival from 4P to 7P at City Hall Plaza. First held in 1981 the BAGLY Prom is the world’s longest running LGBTQ+ youth prom & sets the national standard for the way LGBTQ+ youth come together, support one another & celebrate. Admission to the prom is free for youth who visit the BAGLY Clinic, located at 14 Beacon Street, 3rd Floor, in Boston, MA on or the week before Youth Pride.
For More Info: bagly.org
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Oklahoma Discrimination Is Not OK

Disturbing news from Oklahoma that bigoted homophobic Republican Governor Mary Fallin has signed SB 1140 the adoption & discrimination bill making it the first piece of anti-LGBTQ legislation in the nation this year. This law allows child welfare organizations including adoption & foster care agencies to discriminate against qualified Oklahomans seeking to care for a child in need including LGBTQ couples, interfaith couples, single parents, married couples in which one prospective parent has previously been divorced or other parents to whom the agency has a religious objection. Josh Stickney, Administrative Associate at Equality Federation, is an adoptee & has lived in Oklahoma his entire life stated, “I’m extremely disappointed that our state has decided to fund discrimination in our foster care & adoption agencies. I am confident that Oklahoma will now be subject to expensive & unnecessary litigation & heartache for LGBTQ families. I call on Governor Fallin to veto this embarrassing & unconstitutional legislation. Furthermore, I call on the people of Oklahoma to elect leaders who have the true Oklahoma Standard at heart rather than this kind of bigotry & hatred toward their fellow Oklahomans.” All youth deserve loving homes & discrimination has no place in this country. This obscene legislation will cost Oklahomans a great deal of money in lost business & ongoing lawsuits at a time when the state is having trouble affording the basics like school supplies & infrastructure. When will people learn that hate never wins.
For More Info: freedomoklahoma.org
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Pink Martini Celebrates Sympathique

Pink Martini the self-proclaimed “little orchestra” is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Sympathique their fabulous first & most popular album with an ambitious tour throughout America & Europe. Pink Martini with a repertoire that crosses genres of classical, jazz & golden-era pop music draws inspiration from music from all over the world & performs in 22 languages. Thomas Lauderdale Pink Martini founder stated, “We’re very much an American band but we spend a lot of time abroad & therefore have the incredible diplomatic opportunity to represent a broader, more inclusive America. The America which remains the most heterogeneously populated country in the world composed of people of every country, every language, every religion.” Though the band is based in Portland, Oregon Lauderdale met Cambridge native lead singer China Forbes while classmates at Harvard & they always look forward to performing at Berklee Performance Center in Boston, Massachusetts happening May 17th & 18th. China Forbes stated “I’m thrilled to return with Pink Martini to my hometown for the 20th anniversary of our first album release. This is sure to be a special appearance, steeped in nostalgia on every level!” Thomas Lauderdale concluded, “We are absolutely delighted to come back to Boston & the Berklee Performance Center for 2 nights & can’t wait to be back in China’s hometown.” Pink Martini released its ninth studio album, Je Dis Oui! which features vocals from China Forbes, Storm Large, Ari Shapiro, fashion guru Ikram Goldman, civil rights activist Kathleen Saadat & Rufus Wainwright. The album’s 15 tracks span eight languages including French, Farsi, Armenian, Portuguese, Arabic, Turkish, Xhosa & English affirming the band’s commitment to global inclusivity & collaborative spirit.
For More Info & Tix: pinkmartini.com 
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Connecticut LGBT Film Festival

Out Film CT has revealed its full lineup & schedule for the 31st Connecticut LGBT Film Festival that runs June 1st to 9th. The Festival will celebrate diverse filmmaking with its trademark mix of dramas, comedies, documentaries, feature-length & short features, talk backs & parties. Screenings will occur mainly at the festival's longtime home at Cinestudio on the campus of Trinity College with special screenings at Real Art Ways, Spotlight Theatres at Front Street & Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, all located in Hartford, Connecticut. Shane Engstrom Out Film CT Festival Director stated, "After screening hundreds of films, Out Film CT's dedicated volunteer committee is delighted once again to bring the best of global LGBT filmmaking to Connecticut. Whatever your gender or orientation, there is something for everyone to enjoy." The Connecticut LGBT Film Festival is supported in part by the Greater Hartford Arts Council's United Arts Campaign with major support from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. Out Film CT, which organizes the Festival, is a nonprofit cultural organization dedicated to presenting outstanding LGBT cinema & other theatrical events throughout the year, culminating in the nine-day Connecticut LGBT Film Festival. Connecticut's longest-running film festival holds a special place in our state’s cultural landscape, bringing the community together to introduce, celebrate & rediscover the ideas & values that make the LGBT community unique. Out Film CT also presents the Second Thursdays Cinema series, with screenings at Cinestudio on the second Thursday of each month.
For More Info: outfilmct.org
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NCLR Anniversary Celebration Event

The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) is celebrating their 41st anniversary on May 19th at the Innovation Hangar at The Palace of Fine Arts at 3601 Lyon Street in San Francisco, California. NCLR's Anniversary Celebration includes a three-course dinner & a fabulous after party for 2,000 guests. This is a bittersweet celebration this year since Kate Kendell announced last month that she’ll be stepping down as Executive Director at the end of the year after 22 years at the helm. After a tenure marker by unimaginable leaps of progress with legalization of marriage equality, expansion of LGBTQ adoption & parental rights Kate will leave an organization that is stronger, louder & more determined than ever to rise up to defend the rights of all LGBTQ people. Kate Kendell stated, “My time at NCLR has widened my vistas & laid open my heart. I’ve been at the center of enormous NCLR victories, four at the U.S. Supreme Court, including the freedom to marry, a fight that was fanciful to me 22 years ago. Most importantly, I have been held up by so many. I would not be who I am without all of you. I have been unalterably marked by this work & by the many relationships that have brought me so much joy. I feel enormous gratitude to have been a part of the NCLR legacy, part of the history of the fight, still on-going, for full lived justice for all LGBTQ people. I am forever beholden to you all for making me better. The honor, truly, has been all mine.” NCLR was founded in 1977 with the commitment to advance the civil & human rights of our LGBTQ community & their families through litigation, legislation, policy & public education.
For Info & Tix: nclrights.org
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Provincetown Film Fest Boston Cruise

The Provincetown International Film Festival is kicking off their milestone 20th anniversary celebration on Friday May 18th with a fabulous cruise in Boston's beautiful harbor with all proceeds benefiting the Provincetown Film Society who has brought world-class cinema to Provincetown for the last 20 years. Boarding begins at 6:30P at Long Wharf’s Gate 3 at 3 Long Wharf, Boston, MA aboard the Boston Harbor Cruise ship Majesty. Set sail with Boston Harbor Cruises & the Provincetown Film Festival to get a VIP preview look into this year's PIFF program. Join Artistic Director Lisa Viola & this year's festival filmmakers for dinner & an exclusive 3 hour cruise. Tickets are $85. Filmmakers in attendance will be Adam Mazo & Ben Pender-Cudlip co-directors of documentary DAWNLAND & Kristen Salerno/editor of DAWNLAND. Also Marnie Crawford Samuelson & Shane Hofelt co-directors of short film, KEEPER & Dawn Smith/director of short film PAID FOR BY & more. Gabrielle Hanna stated, “Please join me for this fun evening to hear about PIFF’s 20th Anniversary programming, events & so much more. The food will be exquisite & who doesn’t like to tool around Boston Harbor on a nice evening?” The Provincetown International Film Festival runs from June 13th to 17th in Provincetown, MA & is part of the Provincetown Film Society, Inc. (PFS) a non-profit year-round organization & home of PIFF, Waters Edge Cinema & Gabrielle Hanna Film Institute that is dedicated to showcasing new achievements in independent film & honoring the work of acclaimed & emerging directors, producers & actors.
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New York GLAAD Awards Rock

Melissa Etheridge & Adam Lambert set the tone opening the 29th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at the Hilton Midtown in New York on Saturday night. Ross Mathews hosted the event & Melissa Etheridge & Adam Lambert performed a duet to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Etheridge’s breakthrough album YES I AM by performing an unforgettable new arrangement of her song "I'm The Only One." The Excellence in Media Award went to director Ava DuVernay presented by Senator Cory Booker & the Vito Russo Award went to actress Samira Wiley present by Alexis Bledel. Special Recognition Award of "Smile" by Jay-Z featuring Gloria Carter was accepted by Ms. Gloria Carter & Outstanding Film – Wide Release was won by Sony Pictures Classics “Call Me By Your Name” & was accepted by Academy Award-winning screenwriter James Ivory & producer Peter Spears. Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD President & CEO stated, “GLAAD is working to ensure the spirit of unity & intersectionality that was celebrated tonight extends throughout the year. Tonight’s award recipients are the front lines to ensuring that LGBTQ acceptance moves forward in a political & cultural climate that is working against us.” At the event, celebrities sported blue “&” pins for GLAAD’s Together movement representing GLAAD’s work on intersectional issues including immigration, racial justice, women’s rights & LGBTQ acceptance. This symbol represents the power of solidarity & great accomplishments that occur when marginalized community groups including women, Muslims, immigrants & LGBTQ people – resist together.
For More Info: glaad.org 
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Dear Abby Award To Dr. Caitlin Ryan

The Group for Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) which is the policy “think tank” for the psychiatry profession presented Dr. Caitlin Ryan, Director of the Family Acceptance Project with the Dear Abby Award at their Spring meeting in White Plains, New York. The award is given in honor of Dear Abby’s long-term relationship with GAP to educate the public on mental health needs in recognition of individuals who have made key contributions to innovations in mental health. Dr. Ryan stated, “I’m honored to receive this award in recognition of our work to help diverse families learn to support & accept their LGBT children from thought leaders in psychiatry and Dear Abby herself! Educating families & the public about mental health & reducing risk is a lifesaving mission we share.” Former GAP President & American Psychiatric Association President, Steven Sharfstein, MD, introduced Jeanne Phillips better known as Dear Abby & Dr. Ryan’s important work & dedication in helping LGBT youth & their families. Mary Barber, MD of the GAP LGBT Committee, introduced Ryan as that rare combination of researcher, clinician & advocate who has taken her research into action with families that some would be reluctant to approach. Dr. Ryan gave an information-filled talk about her research and the Family Acceptance Project’s (FAP) family support work & showed one of FAP’s family intervention films that movingly illustrated her work. The Family Acceptance Project is a research, education, intervention & policy project that is helping diverse families learn to support their LGBT children through research-based family support services & resources that are being integrated into health, mental health, school-based, out-of-home & pastoral care services.
For More Info: familyproject.sfsu.edu
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LGBTQ Workout Fundraising Event

The Murph + OUTWOD Challenge is a national fundraiser benefiting OutServe-SLDN & The OUT Foundation & the communities they serve including LGBTQ athletes & our LGBTQ military community. On Memorial Day this workout event takes place throughout the United States on Monday May 28th & they want we you to join countless other LGBTQ & allied Americans to raise awareness & funding by registering for Murph + OUTWOD today. When you register you’ll get an exclusive Murph 2018 shirt, inclusion on the leaderboard & more. You can also be featured on their social media pages by sending pictures or videos under 10 seconds of yourself preparing for the workout. There will be more updates & opportunities over the coming weeks. OutServe-SLDN is the largest non-profit, legal services, advocacy & policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military & ending all forms of discrimination & harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation & gender identity. The OUT Foundation is dedicated to providing the LGBTQ+ community with the tools to thrive through health & wellness by providing, supporting & ensuring LGBTQ+ access to health & wellness through fitness. They accomplish this by providing gym memberships, nutritional counseling & mental health services for underserved LGBTQ+ youth &creating a supportive space for gender identity & expression in the fitness community. They have hosted over 3000 LGBTQ+ athletes & allies, all sweating inclusivity for a cause.
For More Info: murph.outwod.com
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Resist The Assault On America Part 2

Boston OLOC (Old Lesbians Organizing For Change) presents “What’s Happening? Resisting the Assault on America II” on Sunday May 6th from 2P to 4P at the Brookline Senior Center at 93 Winchester Street in Brookline, Massachusetts. After last year’s standing-room-only crowd at the first “Resisting the Assault on America,” OLOC feels it is time to revisit the ways in which the Trump administration is assaulting America. The forum panel will include Holly Gunner (ACLU Foundation), Jenn Doe (Lead Labor Union Organizer for SEIU Local 509), Patience Polly Crozier from GLAD (GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders), Colleen Flanagan (disability rights activist) & Nancy Kelly (Manager of Immigration Unit of the Greater Boston Legal Services). This panel of expert speakers will explain how their organizations are responding & resisting these attacks on the rights of the most vulnerable among us. Sue Katz stated, “Now a year has passed & while there is still a sense of disbelief, our worst nightmares are coming true, as this new Administration attacks civil & human rights & encourages the worst kinds of racism & sexism. This year's panelists will cover very different areas of struggle - from disability rights to immigration policies to workers' situation. Join us!” Boston programs & events are open to lesbians of all ages, including transgender lesbians. OLOC’s mission includes their commitment to creating communities of older lesbians & solidarity with allies for racial, economic & social justice. Following the event there will be an early dinner at Pho Lemon Grass at 239 Harvard Street in Brookline, MA.
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