US Open Celebrates LGBTQ Pride

The US Open tennis tournament has always been an LGBTQ inspiration since champions like Billie Jean King & Martina Navratilova took center court & won their titles. In 1983 I produced the theme music for CBS Sports coverage of the US Open with a talented composer Sharon Stone who was also lesbian which was the first year Martina won the US Open. Now decades later in front of a packed house at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center US Open Pride arrived with 'Love All: An Open Conversation" hosted by sports commentator & journalist Nick McCarvel bringing together seven athletes from four sports genres with over four decades of stories to tell about their lives as athletes & members of the LGBTQ+ community. The panel consisted of tennis legend & WTA co-founder Billie Jean King (who was also a Grand Marshal of the Stonewall 50th NYC Pride Parade), former NBA player Jason Collins, former MLB player Billy Bean, former ATP player Brian Vahaly, Olympic figure skating medalist Adam Rippon & active WTA players & partners Greet Minnen & Alison van Uytvanck from Belgium. The group reflected on a host of topics centered around LGBTQ+ participation in sports, including their own coming-out stories & their hopes for future generations. Thankfully we’ve come a long way since Billie Jean King lost all her sponsorships & what she went through in her coming out process but unfortunately we still have a long way to go.
For More Info: usopen.org
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MassEquality On Straight Parade

In Boston a group known as Super Happy Fun America has planned a Straight Pride March at noon on Saturday August 31st beginning in Boston’s Copley Square & ending at Boston City Hall Plaza. Robb Johnson, MassEquality Acting Executive Director stated, “MassEquality works to ensure that everyone in the Commonwealth can thrive without discrimination & oppression based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. That language is inclusive. The non-discrimination & hate crimes laws that LGBTQ people fought long & hard for protect straight people too. If a straight person feels targeted or excluded based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, they now have avenues to pursue justice. Straight rights are indeed human rights & they’re already protected. We absolutely reject the idea prominently featured on the Parade organizers’ website -- that straight people are oppressed. Straight people’s rights are not diminished when society makes room for LGBTQ people. There is space at the table for all of us. MassEquality supports a vision where we live together in peace. That said, MassEquality does support the right of all Americans to lawfully assemble, whether that be in peaceful protest or in celebration. We also support the right of counter demonstrators to gather to peacefully express concern about the motives or message of those assembled. Unfortunately we live in a time where we’re witnessing the rise of forces that seek to stamp out diversity in this country. It serves us all to be vigilant.” MassEquality is the leading statewide grassroots advocacy organization working to ensure that everyone across Massachusetts can thrive from cradle to grave without discrimination & oppression based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
For More Info: massequality.org
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New LGBTQ Happiness Survey

TAIMI the world’s first LGBTQI+ dating & social network is joining efforts with the LGBT Foundation & The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS’s (UNAIDS) groundbreaking study on LGBTI Happiness to help fill the data gap on the mental well-being of LGBTQ people. The goal is to create better conditions & improve health services. The survey aims to evaluate happiness, sex & quality of life for our LGBTQ community. The collected data will help address immediate concerns & advocate for improvement when it comes to treatment & services provided to LGBTI people. Gunilla Carlsson, UNAIDS Executive Director stated, Many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender & intersex (LGBTI) people face stigma & discrimination daily in education, work, health & social settings. We want to understand how this affects wellness, including mental well-being & also their responses & resilience.” TAIMI’s Head of Business Development Halyna Virt underlines the importance of such groundbreaking studies concluding, "TAIMI is very glad to be joining efforts to promote the UNAIDS & LGBT Foundation’s study on global LGBTI happiness. It is our mission to make sure all people are treated as equal regardless of where they are on the gender & sexuality spectrum. It is crucial for all LGBTQI+ people to respond to this study so together we can make an impact & push for the necessary improvements around the world." TAIMI prides itself on being a reliable & safe network where users can freely post their opinions, create groups & form communities.
Take Survey…
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Tennessee DA Homophobic Acts

Lambda Legal, Tennessee Equality Project & Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Center of Rutherford County have filed a formal complaint with the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility calling for the investigation & disbarment of Coffee County District Attorney Craig Northcott following Northcott’s public statements that he does not file domestic assault charges if the violence occurred between gay & lesbian spouses because he does not recognize “homosexual marriage” & would not prosecute Tennessee county clerks who deny marriage licenses to gay & lesbian couples. Ethan Rice, Senior Attorney for the Fair Courts Project at Lambda Legal stated, “Coffee County DA Craig Northcott has denied the validity of same-sex marriages & the equal protection of the law to LGBT people. Such conduct violates ethics rules protecting citizens from bias & has no place within the very office designated to enforce the law of the land…District Attorney Northcott’s public comments revealed not only a bias against LGBT people but that he has made discriminatory charging decisions against an entire class of people & intends to continue to do so.” Christopher K. Sanders, Executive Director of Tennessee Equality Project & Tennessee Equality Project Foundation concluded, "LGBTQ people experiencing domestic violence are among the most vulnerable populations in Tennessee. Prosecutors have a duty to treat their cases with the same gravity as all other cases. Discrimination in prosecution endangers our community & erodes the public trust in the criminal justice system. We join Lambda Legal's complaint out of a solemn obligation to the LGBTQ community in Coffee County & a hope for equal protection of the laws."
Read Complaint…
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Harbor To The Bay AIDS Ride

The 17th annual Harbor to the Bay is a one-day bike ride from Boston to Provincetown, MA & takes place on Saturday September 14th with 100% of all pledges going directly to fight HIV/AIDS. Harbor to the Bay began in 2003 with an idea by the late Michael Tye, a group of Boston’s Club Café staff & dedicated friends who shared the dream to launch the 126-mile AIDS bike ride. Their idea was simple, a one-day ride from Boston (Harbor) to Provincetown (Bay) staffed completely by volunteers & a commitment that all rider pledges go directly to defeat HIV/AIDS. With millions of dollars being raised over the last 17 years this year their goal is $500,000. Jim Morgrage, Harbor to the Bay President stated, “Let us acknowledge that our fight is not yet over. Without an increased effort on our part, we risk having to take steps backward & begin to turn away those who need our help most. Thousands of you have honored the life of Michael Tye & the thousands of New Englanders who have lost their lives to HIV. We also know that those who look down on us are smiling & grateful for all you have done over these past 17 years. This year let’s raise more money, double our efforts & ensure that no one who needs our help is turned away.” All proceeds from Harbor to the Bay will support Fenway Health, AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod, Community Research Initiative, AIDS Action Committee & The Harbor to the Bay General Fund. Note that rider registration ends on September 2nd. 
For More Info: harbortothebay.org
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One Night Only Benefit Cabaret Event

The Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation (REAF) presents a special One Night Only Benefit Cabaret event entitled Protest! Revel With Some Rebels featuring cast members from the San Francisco based touring cast of the Broadway show HAMILTON for an Evening of music & dance on Monday  September 16th at Marines’ Memorial Theatre 609 Sutter Street in San Francisco at 7:30P. The Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation has worked with over 60 touring casts to date to produce "One Night Only Cabaret" events. To date, REAF has distributed well over $3.5 million to AIDS service agencies, hunger programs & programs for homeless youth. Philanthropy & stellar entertainment take center stage as the Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation (REAF) presents a special one-night-only benefit cabaret to raise funds for The Richmond /Ermet Aid Foundation & Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Special guest emcees will be Judd Winick & Pam Ling best known from their appearance on Real World San Francisco in 1994. The two met on the show & later married but have been AIDS/HIV activist ever since, continuing to legacy of Pedro Zamora an HIV positive AIDS educator & activist. Judd went on to become a popular cartoonist & has written many popular Super Hero comic books. Pam works in HIV research & the couple are both speakers about HIV/AIDS. Tickets are: $35 for the Balcony, $60 for rear or side orchestra & $100 for VIP front orchestra which includes cocktails & desserts after party with the cast. Note that songs from HAMILTON will not be performed.
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Provincetown Harbor Swim For Life

Celebrating its 32nd year the Provincetown Harbor Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla takes place Saturday September 7th. Since 1987 thousands of swimmers, kayakers, volunteers & the public have been participating in this fabulous Provincetown fundraising tradition presented by the Provincetown Community Compact. This year due to the appearance of white sharks the course of this important Provincetown tradition & fundraiser will move closer to the town’s shoreline. Walkers will be invited to participate as well. In addition to the Provincetown Harbor Shoreline Swim there will be a “Satelite Swim” in Great Pond in Wellfleet pending approval by the town. This fresh water swim is approximately a mile & will follow the shoreline of the pond. Jay Critchley, Director of the Provincetown Community Compact (The Compact), sponsor of the Swim for Life stated, “The Swim was created to honor the pristine harbor, which is the lifeblood of the town. The increased presence of seals & sharks in our waters is a harbinger of changes in the environment & swimmer safety is paramount. These changes continue our celebration of the harbor’s ecology. This is about the resilience of the Swim, the community & the planet.” Swimmers across the country will swim to benefit the following community organizations & projects: AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod (ASGCC), Helping Our Women (HOW), Outer Cape Health Services, Provincetown Rescue Squad Association, Lower Cape Ambulance Association, Soup Kitchen of Provincetown (SKIP), Provincetown Schools, The Compact Community Fund, Accessible Provincetown, West End Racing Club & Cape Cod Children’s Place.
For More Info: swim4life.org
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“Little Shop Of Horrors” Reboot

The iconic sci-fi musical comedy Little Shop of Horrors comes to the Pasadena Playhouse September 17th through October 20th for the musical theater event of the season with some deliciously devious new twists. The cast features George Salazar (Be More Chill) as Seymour Krelborn, Mj Rodriguez (Pose) as Audrey & Amber Riley (Glee) as Audrey II. Created by Howard Ashman & Alan Menken (Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Beauty & the Beast & Aladdin), Little Shop of Horrors has devoured the hearts of theatergoers of all ages for more than 30 years. Danny Feldman, Pasadena Playhouse Producing Artistic Director stated, “Our new electrifying production of Little Shop of Horrors will give our audiences the opportunity to see a show they know & love in a way they never have before. From a delicious new take on everyone's favorite singing plant to the stunningly talented cast, this is sure to be a landmark theatrical event for Los Angeles." Director Mike Donahue concluded, "With its gritty early-Motown-meets-B-movie-horror-sci-fi vibe, Little Shop of Horrors has always been a favorite musical of mine & it is a thrill for me to delve deeply into this rich material with this spectacular, electric cast. I look forward to not only paying homage to this musical theatre classic, but also exploring the themes that are still so much a part of our world today. More than anything, I look forward to Playhouse audiences having the time of their lives & hearing our Little Shop with fresh ears, in a way they never have before.”
For More Info & Tix: pasadenaplayhouse.org
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Global Conversion Therapy Report

A groundbreaking new report released by OutRight Action International exposes the global reach of so-called conversion therapy. Drawing on data from survey results with almost 500 respondents from 80 countries & in-depth interviews with experts & survivors from more than a dozen countries, the report overwhelmingly shows that so-called conversion therapy efforts occur across the world & are predominantly promoted & perpetrated by people acting in the name of religion or pseudo-healthcare, often instigated by family pressure. Maria Sjödin, Deputy Director of Outright Action International stated, “Our report paints a chilling picture of the global prevalence of these barbaric practices which constitute cis-gender, heteronormative indoctrination. So-called conversion therapy efforts hinge on the belief that cis-gender heterosexuality is the norm & gender identities beyond the binary and/or same-gender attraction not only fall outside the norm, but have to be changed, if need be by brutal, inhuman force, through practices which have been recognized to be tantamount to torture by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. We welcome the efforts of a handful of governments around the world to ban so-called conversion therapy & urge governments in other countries highlighted in this report to take similar steps to safeguard their LGBTIQ citizens from these harmful practices. At the same time, it is clear that the demand for “conversion therapy” will only diminish when social, family & religious condemnation of LGBTIQ lives ceases & LGBTIQ people are free to live their lives with access to their full human rights. As such, we look forward to working across civil society, states & multilateral organizations to not only ban "conversion therapy", but continually seek ways to ensure the sustainable & genuine inclusion, acceptance & safeguarding of the human rights of LGBTIQ people.”
Read Full Report… 
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GLAAD To Honor Ali Rosenthal

GLAAD announced that the founder of Leadout Capital, Ali Rosenthal will be honored with the Ric Weiland Award at the 2019 GLAAD Gala San Francisco on September 28th at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco, CA. The Ric Weiland Award honors an innovator in tech & new media who is advancing equality & recognition of our LGBTQ community. Ali Rosenthal has made this mission her full-time job: founding Leadout Capital to find, vet & support founders who are building companies for overlooked & underserved markets & communities. Previous GLAAD San Francisco Honorees include Sam Altman, Marc Benioff, Margaret Cho, Hannah Hart, Adam Lambert, Don Lemon, Alyssa Milano, Megan Mullally, Tyler Oakley, Shonda Rhimes, Cybill Shepherd, Brooke Shields, Megan Smith, Emil Wilbekin & more. Ali joins the Davidson/Valentini honoree Dan Levy for what will be an unforgettable evening hosted by Peppermint with many more announcements to come. GLAAD Gala San Francisco begins with arrivals & cocktail reception at 5:30P followed by a dinner & awards ceremony at 7P & an after party at 10P. The GLAAD Gala San Francisco celebrates & features storytellers & tech innovators who accelerate LGBTQ acceptance & helps fund GLAAD’s digital advocacy work to grow LGBTQ inclusion in digital and social media. Funds raised from the GLAAD Gala SF support GLAAD’s crucial programs working to accelerate acceptance for LGBTQ people. The GLAAD Gala San Francisco is presented by Gilead, Ketel One Family-Made Vodka & Wells Fargo.
For More Info & Tix: glaad.org
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Dan Baer Speaks OUT (AUDIO)

This week I talked with Dan Baer, former US Ambassador for the Obama administration & Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate about his campaign to defeat Republican Senator Cory Gardner in Colorado. Dan is endorsed by both the LGBTQ Victory Fund & Foreign Policy for America Action Network & if elected he will become the first openly gay man to serve in the US Senate. In a record-breaking second quarter his U.S. Senate FEC report shows $1,355,256 in total receipts with 87% of donations in amounts of $100 or less & an average online contribution of $25. This is the largest initial report for an LGBTQ candidate running for the U.S. Senate or U.S. House in history. Baer stated, “I’m proud that thousands & thousands of people are rising to meet this moment with us because they believe Colorado & our country can do better than the failed leadership of Cory Gardner, Mitch McConnell & Donald Trump." Dan Baer graduated from Harvard University with a degree in social studies & African American studies & was then a Marshall Scholar at Oxford University where he earned masters & doctoral degrees in international relations. Baer served as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights & Labor under Secretary Clinton & Secretary Kerry from 2009 to 2013 & then as the youngest United States Ambassador to the Organization for Security & Co-operation in Europe from 2013 to 2017. In 2018 Governor John Hickenlooper appointed Baer as the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education. Dan lives in Denver with his husband Brian Walsh a climate economist. I talked to Dan about his groundbreaking campaign & his spin on our LGBTQ issues.

For More Info: danforcolorado.com
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Lesbians Who Tech & Allies Event

The Lesbians Who Tech + Allies Leadership Summit takes place in New York from September 11th to 13th for mid-level & executive non-binary, LGBTQ women & their allies. This summit will bring their most accomplished leaders for an intimate conference focused on technology trends. Confirmed speakers will include Alicia Garza, Principal, Black Futures Lab & Co-founder, #BlackLivesMatter & Supermajority, Arlan Hamilton, Founder, Backstage Capital, Cecile Richards, Co-founder, Supermajority & Former President, Planned Parenthood, Cheryl Contee, CEO, Do Big Things, Claudia Brind-Woody, VP of Global Intellectual Property Licensing, IBM, Dana Lawson, VP of Engineering, Github, Dara Treseder, CMO, Carbon, Debbie Millman, Host, “Design Matters”, Gabrielle Korn, Editor, Writer & Former Editor-in-Chief, NYLON, Gretchen Saegh-Fleming, CMO, L'Oréal, Isabel Sierra Gómez de León, Creative Director, Bloomberg, Jen Vescio, Principal, Awestruck Ventures, Jen Wong, COO, Reddit, Jess Szmajda, CTO, Axios, Jimena Almendares, CEO of Global Payments, Intuit, Kara Swisher, Co-founder, Recode & Op-ed Columnist, The NY Times, Katherine Grainger, Co-founder, Supermajority & Partner, Civitas Public Affairs Group, Kelcey Gosserand, Program Director, Developer Advocacy North America, IBM, Kima Jones, Founder, Jack Jones Literary Arts, Linda Wastack, Customer Experience & IT Executive Director, Verizon Wireless, Robyn Exton, Founder, HER, Roxane Gay, Writer & Editor, Roz Harris, Recruiting Manager, Slack, Salina Brown, Director of User Experience, HP, Shamina Singh, President, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, Sophie Vandebroek, Former VP of Emerging Technology Partnerships, IBM, Swati Vauthrin, VP of Engineering, Buzzfeed, Stephanie Mehta, Editor-in-Chief, Fast Company & Yasmin Green, Director of Research & Development, Jigsaw, Google Alphabet. The conference speakers consist of 80% lesbians, 50% women of color, 25% black & latinx & 15% transgender & gender non-conforming.
For More Info: lesbianswhotech.org
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Trump Attacks LGBTQ Workers

As we gear up for the U.S. Supreme Court to hear oral arguments October 8th in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia & Altitude Express v. Zarda on whether the federal ban on employment discrimination “because of sex” applies to discrimination based on sexual orientation the Trump administration has ramped up their attack on LGBTQ workers. First the U.S. Department of Labor proposed a rule last week that attempts to let government contractors discriminate against workers in the name of religion. Then the Department of Justice submitted a brief on Friday arguing that transgender people are not protected by Title VII’s prohibition on sex discrimination. This brief was submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court in the case EEOC v. Harris Funeral Homes. Sarah Warbelow HRC Legal Director stated, “The Trump-Pence administration’s filing today is both legally & morally unjustifiable. Their argument is un-American, anti-business & flies in the face of decades of federal case law, including established Supreme Court precedent. There can be no justification for such a narrow interpretation of the term ‘sex.’ Our community will not be silent & we will not be erased.” In July this case & two related filings, HRC, Lambda Legal, Out & Equal, Out Leadership & Freedom for All Americans submitted a “friend of the court” brief signed by over 200 major corporations arguing that LGBTQ people should be understood to be protected under Title VII. The landmark brief had more corporate signers than any previous business brief in an LGBTQ non-discrimination case. People we must stay vigilant on what the Trump administration is doing to erase our LGBTQ community.
For More Info: hrc.org
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Jimmy James Plays Boston

Jimmy James has electrified audiences with his live impressions of the greatest vocalists in history for decades & he’s coming to Boston on Friday August 16th at Club Café 209 Columbus Avenue at 8P. When it comes to his live impressions Jimmy James is by far the best with sold-out shows & standing ovations for over 30 years across the nation he has electrified audiences with his tributes to the greatest vocalists in history including Cher, Elvis, Barbra Streisand, Adele, Patsy Cline, Lana Del Rey, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Liza Minnelli, Stevie Nicks, Judy Garland, Neil Diamond, Macy Gray, Billie Holiday, Tina Turner Robin Thicke, Eartha Kitt, Diana Ross, David Bowie & more. His impressions of entertainment icons such as Marilyn Monroe & Bette Davis have been wowing audiences for decades. After 2 Sold-Out shows in Ogunquit, Maine he’s playing Boston for the first time in thirty years bringing his show FASHIONISTA to Club Café. Billboard Magazine review of FASHIONISTA stated, "Once in a great while, a camp anthem squirms its way out of the gay ghetto into the pop-culture world at large (a la RuPaul's "Supermodel"). "Fashionista," by veteran New York performance artist Jimmy James, is so damn clever, it is hard not to offer a howling squeal of approval.” In addition to topping the Billboard dance charts James has also over 35 million views on YouTube. This show is definitely going to sell-out so reserve you seat now for a mere $25 plus service.
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My Woodstock Trip Revisited Part 2

During the summer of 1969 I was seeing this guy Rob who had a Ford Econoline van & he was game in making the drive to Woodstock. Then the complications began to arise. He also wanted to take this other person Anne. We stopped off at a mutual friend of ours Richard whose college roommate Patrick was visiting. Patrick decided he wanted to join us so our Woodstock foursome was established & we were off for Bethel, New York the evening of August 14th. We drove as far as the traffic would allow & then had to walk to the site of the concert. The day was typically hot for August as Patrick & I headed for the concert site. Rob & Anne remained in the van to explore their new found chemistry in the time of drugs, sex & rock 'n' roll as they were redefining the latter. I’m not sure how many miles Patrick & I walked but it seemed to take hours as we joined the steady stream of thousands on our crusade to the concert site. Along the way we drank water from neighboring lawn hoses since this was way before bottled water & stores along the way were quickly selling out of stock. As we neared the concert site Hog Farm a commune from New Mexico was serving free bowls of brown rice. I think it was the first time I ate brown rice. As we entered the concert site I was overwhelmed hearing Richie Havens lead a chorus of hundreds of thousands singing With A Little Help From My Friends followed by Strawberry Fields For Ever, Hey Jude & finishing with Freedom. We left the site as the sun was setting & Tim Hardin was singing If I Were A Carpenter & made our way back to Rob & Anne in the van. We slept through the night & were awakened by thunder & lightning with pouring rain in the morning & mutually agreed to leave Woodstock. We were golden caught in the devil's bargain & we got ourselves back to the garden of Cape Ann. Read Part One
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My Woodstock Trip Revisited

Fifty years ago I was a child of God walking along the road to Yasgur's farm to join in a rock 'n' roll concert called Woodstock. It changed the course of my life & led to my obsession of being at the right place at the right time. For me 1969 was riveted with major events both personal & global. Nixon had just become president & the Vietnam War was raging. The military draft was on everyone’s mind because if you were an 18 year old male you either went to college or Vietnam or escaped to Canada. Being female the draft wasn’t going after me but it was going after all my draft age male friends & family members. Now I had just graduated from Newton South High School in Massachusetts & I was headed to the University of New Mexico at the end of the summer. It was then my friend Sue told me about a concert in upstate New York called Woodstock that was happening Aug 15, 1969 to Aug 18, 1969 in Bethel, New York that she thought we must attend. The list of performers included Richie Havens, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Santana, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Sly & The Family Stone, The Who, The Band, Crosby, Stills & Nash & many more. The ticket price for the 3-day event was $18 in advance & $24 at the gate which was equivalent to about $120 & $160 today. We did some investigating & found we could purchase the tickets at the Harvard Coop in Harvard Square in Cambridge. My family was vacationing in Gloucester MA so we took the train to Cambridge from Gloucester & purchased the tickets. Our strategy was we would convince our parents to let us go since we already made the investment. It was a plan & it worked. Now we just had to figure out how to get there. Read Conclusion...
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LGBTQ Best & Worst Colleges

The Princeton Review’s Best 385 Colleges list for 2020 has been released. The list includes the top 20 LGBTQ Friendly colleges & the top homophobic anti LGBTQ colleges. The rankings were based on data they collected from 140,000 students who completed their 80-question survey about their campus experiences at their schools which addressed on how strongly students agree that their fellow students treat all persons equally regardless of their sexual orientation & gender identity/expression. Leading the list of the top 20 LGBTQ friendly colleges is Bryn Mawr College followed by Mount Holyoke College, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, Brown University Agnes Scott College, Emerson College, College of the Atlantic, Reed College, Wellesley College, Rice University, Warren Wilson College, The University of North Carolina at Asheville, Pitzer College, Mills College, College of William & Mary, Sarah Lawrence College, Eckerd College, Nazareth College, Wesleyan University & number 20 is St. John's College (MD). The most homophobic anti LGBTQ college is College of the Ozarks followed by Wheaton College (IL), University of Tennessee- Knoxville, Grove City College, Auburn University, The University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa, Brigham Young University (UT), University of Dallas, Gordon College in Wenham, MA, Providence College, Louisiana State University--Baton Rouge, Baylor University, Calvin University, Montana Tech of the Univ. of Montana, University of Wyoming, University of Arkansas—Fayetteville, Iowa State University, Hillsdale College; University of Nebraska—Lincoln & number 20 is the University of North Dakota. The Princeton Review is a leading tutoring, test prep & college admission services company.
For More Info: princetonreview.com
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Illinois Will Teach LGBTQ History

In Illinois The LGBTQ Inclusive Curriculum Bill has been approved & signed by Governor Jay Robert "J. B." Pritzker & will commence in the 2020-21 school year. The Inclusive Curriculum Law – House Bill 246 – will ensure the inclusion of the contributions of LGBTQ people in the history curriculum taught in Illinois public schools. Illinois is the 5th state to enact such legislation after California in 2011 & New Jersey, Colorado & Oregon in 2019. The bill was sponsored by State Rep. Anna Moeller (D-Elgin) & State Sen. Heather Steans (D-Chicago) as well as Equality Illinois, the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance & the Legacy Project & is supported by more than 40 education, health care & civil rights organizations across Illinois. Brian C. Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois stated, “We are excited to pass & enact the Inclusive Curriculum Law in 2019 – the 50th anniversary year of the Stonewall Riots & the birth of the modern LGBTQ equality movement. As a former first grade teacher, I know how an inclusive education system can create change within a community. By including information in public school curriculum about the contributions of LGBTQ people & affiliated historical events, we will get closer as a state to telling the whole story of our shared history. We thank Governor Pritzker for signing the Inclusive Curriculum Law & ensuring that LGBTQ youth will now see themselves in the history they are taught. We also thank Rep. Moeller & Sen. Steans for their bold leadership & advocacy during the two years they led the legislative efforts to pass the Inclusive Curriculum Law.”
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New Trans Women Of Color Study

A groundbreaking study finds that young transgender women of color hit several developmental milestones significantly earlier than their white peers. The new study entitled “Developmental Milestones in Young Transgender Women in Two American Cities: Results from a Racially & Ethnically Diverse Sample” was conducted at Boston’s Fenway Health & Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago as part of Project LifeSkills a randomized controlled trial with the goal of reducing risk HIV acquisition & transmission. Dr. Sari Reisner study co-author & Director of Transgender Health Research at The Fenway Institute & Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School stated, “Developmental milestones, such as the age at which youth become aware of their transgender identity or the age at which they disclose their identity to others, are important considerations in providing care. Care needs to be contextualized to provide content relevant to a young person’s particular developmental trajectory.” The study found that on average participants became aware of their transfeminine identity around age nine with some as early as four. However, Black & Latina transgender women begin disclosing their identity to others between ages 13 & 15 while White transgender women typically do not do so until age 17. Arjee Restar study lead author & MPH, PhDc of the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences & Epidemiology at Brown University’s School of Public Health concluded, “The results of this study show significant disparities by race in how early young transgender women, especially persons of color, experience these milestones. Racial discrimination & norms of identity concealment/disclosure may lead young transgender women of color to reach these sexual milestones earlier than their white peers.”
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Against The Tide Cape Cod Events

Against the Tide is a family-friendly, multi-sport event to benefit the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition (MBCC). Celebrating its 20th anniversary this swim, kayak, walk or run fundraising event will be held at DCR's Nickerson State Park in Brewster, MA on Saturday August 17th & on August 18th the MBCC Road Race returns to Falmouth, MA. The funds raised through Against the Tide helps support & expand their community education program "Let’s Talk Prevention: Reducing Toxic Exposures", the MBCC Research Video Series, MBCC Webinar Series & the newly-introduced environmental health program for high school students. Cheryl Osimo, MBCC's Executive Director & Co-Founder of Silent Spring Institute stated, “MBCC looks forward to the upcoming Against the Tide events August 17th on Cape Cod, as these inspiring events bring together citizens from all across the Commonwealth to show their support of our unique mission of prevention. On August 18th, the MBCC Team will once again take part in the Falmouth Road Race. Each year our Road Race Team is made up of exceptional individuals who train for this challenging race & raise funds on our behalf. Together with the Against the Tide events, funds raised by the MBCC Road Race Team go a long way in helping MBCC to serve as an invaluable bridge between research & medical communities to educate our citizens while advocating for the policy changes necessary to protect the health of our children, grandchildren & future generations.” MBCC is the only non-profit in the state dedicated to the prevention of breast cancer from environmental causes.
For More Info: mbcc.org
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Sharon Gless Speaks OUT (AUDIO)

This week I talked with Emmy & Golden Globe winning actress Sharon Gless about her reunion with Tyne Daly at the Richmond Ermet Aid Foundation’s Silver Anniversary Gala event “Help Is On The Way 25 Celebrating Broadway” that takes place on Sunday August 18th with a concert & gala that benefits Meals on Wheels of San Francisco & Raphael House at the Herbst Theatre 401 Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco, CA. Gless is reuniting with her “Cagney & Lacey” partner Tyne Daly in a reunion performance not to be missed. Also scheduled to appear will be Eileen Bourgade, Carole Cook, Franc D’ambrosio, Sam Harris, Kimberley Locke, Constantine Maroulis, Jai Rodriguez, Del Shores, Lisa Vroman, Bruce Vilanch, Paula West & the cast of the National Touring Company of “Hamilton”. Carole Cook a protégé of Lucille Ball who has starred on stage & screen for over 70 years will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at Help Is On the Way 25. For over twenty years the Richmond Ermet Aid Foundation has raised millions of dollars by producing Broadway quality entertainment events & galas to advance HIV treatments & support AIDS services until there is a cure. I talked to Sharon about this tremendous organization & as a fierce ally her spin on our LGBTQ issues. Sharon Gless has entertained TV viewers worldwide for over the last five decades. However it was her breakout role on the CBS hit TV series Cagney & Lacey that won our hearts as over 30 million viewers each week watched Gless as NYPD detective Christine Cagney in the first hour-long drama to feature two females in the leading roles that ran for six Emmy-winning seasons from 1982 until 1988. Then another generation of viewers fell in love with Sharon’s portrayal of Debbie Novotny the outspoken devoted mom of a gay son & confidant & loyal supporter to his gay friends for all five seasons of Showtime’s daring smash series Queer As Folk. We also talked to Gless about the possibility of a Queer As Folk reunion. "Help Is On The Way 25" is Northern California's largest annual benefit concert benefiting HIV/AIDS & hunger programs. It's an elegant evening of wonderful music, delicious food & beverage tastings & most of all fun. LISTEN
 
For More Info & Tix: reaf-sf.org
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Trump Rhetoric Ignites Mass Killings

This weekend brought 2 more horrific mass killings ignited by the hate monger who preaches from his bully pulpit in the White House. It’s way over due that our government accepts responsibility for this madness, takes action & passes new gun laws to put an end to this era of American domestic terrorism. So in the wake of the two mass shootings this weekend within 13 hours apart that left at least 29 dead & 53 injured Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called on the Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to end the chamber's break to vote on a universal background check bill stating, “One awful event after another. Leader McConnell must call the Senate back for an emergency session to put the House-passed universal background checks legislation on the Senate floor for debate & a vote immediately." Then it’s reported that McConnell literally took a fall & broke his shoulder. Enough delays. I agree with Gloria Steinem who stated, “I want any young men who buy a gun to be treated like young women who seek an abortion. Think about it: a mandatory 48-hours waiting period, written permission from a parent or a judge, a note from a doctor proving that he understands what he is about to do, time spent watching a video on individual & mass murders, traveling hundreds of miles at his own expense to the nearest gun shop & walking through protestors holding photos of loved ones killed by guns, protestor who call him a murderer. After all, it makes more sense to do this for young men seeking guns than for young women seeking an abortion. No young woman needing reproductive freedom has ever murdered a roomful of strangers.” The Senate is currently in recess until September.
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MMAA Rainbow Shield Training

The Modern Military Association of America (MMAA), the nation’s largest organization of LGBTQ service members, military spouses, veterans, their families & allies announced that they are launching their inaugural MMAA Rainbow Shield training sessions on Tuesday, August 13th starting at 11A EST. This online LGBTQ cultural competency training is a unique opportunity for military & veteran service providers & advocates to sharpen their skills & expand their knowledge base. All participants will receive certificates that they can provide to their organization for potential CEU or CPU credit. Participants will also receive digital badges to display on their LinkedIn profile, email, social media or elsewhere. There are three levels of expertise, Basic for LGBTQ 101 for Leaders, Advocates & Service Providers, Intermediate for HIV 101 for Leaders, Advocates & Service Providers & Advanced for Trauma Informed Care (TIC) for LGBTQ & HIV+ Veterans. The Modern Military Association of America was formed through the merger of the American Military Partner Association & OutServe-SLDN. They are a united voice for the LBGTQ military & veteran community. As a non-partisan, non-profit (501c3) organization, they are working to make a real difference in the lives of our modern military families through education, advocacy & support. They also provide free direct legal services for the LGBTQ & HIV+ military & veteran community. As you know there are more than a million LGBTQ service members & veterans in the United States & MMAA is committed to maintain diversity & inclusion for all currently serving & all that have served our nation.
For More Info: modernmilitary.org
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Trump Targeting Trans Homeless

The Trump administration is attempting undermine protections for transgender people at homeless shelters to cause confusion for providers & place a vulnerable population at greater risk, according to the Center for American Progress. The Trump administration’s proposal would allow shelter providers to create their own policies for access to single-sex or sex-segregated facilities which could result in shelters denying admission to transgender people on religious or other discriminatory grounds. Laura E. Durso, Vice President for the LGBT Research & Communications Project at the Center for American Progress & co-author of the report stated, “This proposal would let shelters turn away people experiencing homelessness or put them at risk for discrimination & abuse if forced into inappropriate housing. The Trump Administration’s move to undermine the Equal Access Rule’s clear & explicit protections is contrary to the law, will prevent providers from understanding their obligations to serve people equally & will reduce access to shelter for transgender & nonbinary people, especially those living in nonmetropolitan areas.” Policies that prohibit discrimination based on gender identity like the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development’s 2012 & 2016 Equal Access Rules are necessary to ensure safe & equal access to shelters for people in need. The new analysis finds that among respondents to a nationally representative survey of LGBTQ people, nearly 76 percent of those living in nonmetropolitan areas reported that it would be somewhat difficult, very difficult or impossible to find an alternative shelter if they were turned away.
For More Info: americanprogress.org
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