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LGBTQ Activists & Allies Speak OUT

Though this has been once again a very challenging year for our LGBTQ community we want to thank our millions of global listeners for making OUTTAKE VOICES such a fabulous success in 2019. We also want to thank all the LGBTQ activists, celebrities & allies who appeared on our audio podcast series in 2019 syndicated on iTunes including: Evangeline Weiss, Kristine Lucius, Janai Nelson, Michael Collins, Avideh Moussavian, Sharon McGowan, Kyra Sedgwick, Lee Wind, Mariah Hanson, Molly Adele Brown, Caitlin Kinnunen, Billie Lee, Shawn Cotter, Ted Allen, Brandon Uranowitz, Lotti Pharriss Knowles, Leslie Cohen, Zeke Stokes, Ty Herndon, Patrik Gallineaux, Lisa Marie Thalhammer, Kate Davis, David Heilbroner, Lisa Cannistraci, Lynette Molnar, Bob Sanborn, Sharon Gless, Dan Baer, Jan Dee Gordon, Migguel Anggelo, Alecia Orsini, Esther Newton, Cheryl Osimo, Gretchen Wylder, Joshua Lyon, Jeffrey Solomon Christin Baker, Judy Dlugacz & Ruthie Berman. We also wish to thank publicists Mona Elyafi at ILDK Media, Cathy Renna At Target Cue, Ken Henderson & Lawrence Helman at Richmond Ermet Aid Foundation & Annick Muller, Kelly Hires & Audrey Davidson at Wolf Kasteler Public Relation. In been a stellar year for our company. In May 2019 we launched our new boutique LGBTQ streaming network OUTTAKE MEDIA™ & have upgraded both our news & our podcast sites. The new sites are all user-friendly & device savvy. We also want to thank the expertise of Chris Andrews at Andrews Consulting for bringing the new OUTTAKE MEDIA™ Network to life. We already have some fabulous guests scheduled for 2020 so stay tuned & we wish our entire OUTTAKE family a Happy New Year & we look forward to working with you in 2020.
LISTEN: Ruthie Berman Talks Documentary & LGBTQ Equality
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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Cris Williamson Anniversary Concerts

When Olivia Records released Cris Williamson's The Changer & The Changed 45 years ago it quickly became one of the most successful recordings of the time & sparked the music genre that would become known as Women's Music. To celebrate this milestone Cris Williamson will be performing with Vicki Randle, Shelley Doty, Katie Cash, Kofy Brown, Barbara Higbie, Julie Wolf, Ty Greenstein , Ingrid Elizabeth, Mary Watkins & more at The Freight & Salvage  2020 Addison in Berkeley, CA on Friday & Saturday, January 3rd & 4th at 7:30P. Cris Williamson stated, “Everyday now with just a bit of time off for holiday celebration, I'm busy getting ready for these upcoming shows at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley on January 3rd & 4th. By getting ready I mean I am revisiting these songs from The Changer all of which I wrote 45 years ago at the young age of 27. Some were composed earlier, but all were brought to bear in this album from 1975…. See you soon I hope & Happy Holidays, whatever holiday you choose to celebrate.” In 2018 Williamson along with Olivia founder Judy Dlugacz were honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award presented to them by the Americana Music Association. Ann Powers, NPR's Music Critic presented the award in front of a celebrity-studded audience in Nashville’s famed Ryman Auditorium. So this is a great opportunity to bring your story, your sister, your daughter or son, your sweetheart, your friend & take your place as homage is paid to women's music & celebrate our shared history. Tickets are $23 to $65.
For More Info & Tix…
LISTEN: Judy Dlugacz Talks Olivia Travel “Beautiful Together”
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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Jerry Herman Broadway Icon Passes

Very sad to hear about the passing of Jerry Herman the iconic composer & lyricist brilliantly known for his work in Broadway musical theater. Herman composed the scores for the Broadway hit musicals Hello Dolly!, Mame & La Cage Aux Folles. He was nominated for the Tony Award five times & won twice for Hello Dolly! & La Cage Aux Folles. In 2009 Herman received the Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre & was a recipient of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors. Harvey Fierstein stated, “Jerry Herman lost his hard fought battle last night & we lost one of the greats. A collaborator & friend for almost 40 years, I cannot thank him enough for his love, trust, encouragement, support & laughter. Well done, Mr Herman. Bravo!” Bernadette Peters added, “How Sad Jerry Herman has passed away. Of course he made it to Christmas & left us the next day !! He was always so enthusiastic & uplifting about things & gave us the wonderful show Hello Dolly among others !!RIP Jerry Dearest.” Herman was openly gay & at the time of his death his partner was Terry Marler, a real estate broker. Herman was diagnosed HIV-positive in 1985. As noted in the "Words & Music" PBS documentary, "He is one of the fortunate ones who survived to see experimental drug therapies take hold & was still, as one of his lyrics proclaims, 'alive & well & thriving' over quarter of a century later." Herman's published his memoir Showtune in 1996. Herman died on December 26th in Miami Beach, Florida at the age of 88.
LISTEN: Ruthie Berman Talks Documentary & LGBTQ Equality
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™

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The Ruthie & Connie Movie (AUDIO)

This week I talked with pioneer lesbian activist Ruthie Berman about the documentary “Ruthie & Connie: Every Room in the House”. The updated version was directed by three-time Oscar nominee Deborah Dickson & is available on Starz, Amazon & numerous streaming networks. This hour-long vérité documentary explores the lives of Ruthie Berman & Connie Kurtz who met in Brooklyn, NY in the 1950’s & became friends. Both were married to men at the time & had children. Kurtz moved to Israel with her family in 1970 & when she returned in 1974 she & Ruthie fell in love, divorced their husbands & became a couple. The movie chronicles the struggle this brave couple went through to live their life authentically. One of the clips includes their appearance on The Phil Donahue Show where they publicly came out in 1988. The journey that followed changed their lives forever & turned them both into national heroines. As a couple they successfully sued the New York City Board of Education for domestic partner benefits winning benefits for all New York City employees in 1994. Ruthie & Connie were legally married in 2011 in New York officiated by Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum. In 2016 Ruthie Berman and Connie Kurtz were honored with the SAGE Pioneer Award presented by Services & Advocacy For LGBTQ Elders. Then in 2017 the Ruthie & Connie LGBT Elder Americans Act of 2017 was introduced to Congress. If passed this bill will amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to include the specific needs for our LGBTQ community. Sadly Connie Kurtz passed away in 2018. I talked to Berman about “Ruthie & Connie: Every Room in the House” and her spin on our LGBTQ issues. LISTEN:
For More Info: ruthieandconniethemovie.com
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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A LGBTQ XMAS Wish For All (VIDEO)

This has been a tough year for our LGBTQ community or any minority in this administration but with Trump’s pending impeachment maybe there is hope heading into 2020. Especially with the upcoming presidential election though the Democratic candidate is still a mystery. How this will all turn out is still something for the history books to record but in the meantime let’s hope for the best in the holiday spirit & hope that this bigoted small-minded administration will soon be defeated & one day they’ll realize that equality must prevail for all in the grand order of things. So with that said we want to take a moment & wish all our friends & family a healthy & happy holiday & we also want to thank our global LGBTQ audience & allies for making this past year so rewarding for our OUTTAKE Team. Let’s Make the Yule-tide Gay & enjoy this performance of Judy Garland singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" a song she introduced in the 1944 MGM musical Meet Me in St. Louis written by Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane. We’ve included the lyrics so you can all sing along: Have yourself a merry little Christmas, Let your heart be light From now on, our troubles will be out of sight. Have yourself a merry little Christmas, Make the Yule-tide gay, From now on, our troubles will be miles away. Here we are as in olden days, Happy golden days of yore. Faithful friends who are dear to us Gather near to us once more. Through the years We all will be together, If the Fates allow Hang a shining star upon the highest bough. And have yourself A merry little Christmas now."
HAVE A FABULOUS XMAS!!
 
LISTEN: Judy Dlugacz Talks Olivia Travel “Beautiful Together”
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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LGBTQ Equality & Civil Rights Backlash

We came across this incredibly hateful anti LGBTQ Letter to the Editor at The Mirror in Federal Way, Washington posted on December 21, 2019 entitled “Cramming ‘perverted values’ onto whole society”. It’s actually claiming to be written by a woman but who knows these days with all the digital posers. According to this person’s hateful rant “When we fly the rainbow gay flag, we are celebrating the LGBT/homosexual activism in the public schools through activist homosexual & allied teachers (Gay & Lesbian Independent School Teachers Network members) heavy-handedly promoting the homosexual LGBT cult to tweens & teens. Yes, the LGBT cult is after the age 11-year-olds & up at the middle & high school levels at all of the Federal Way Public schools. The cultish Gay Straight Alliance clubs are only known by their an acronym 'GSA.' And the GSA clubs do not show up for a club photo in the yearbooks of these schools. These clubs are flying under the radar. The activists school staff members strategically place rainbow colored “SAFE SPACE” stickers around the high schools & middle schools. The activist school staff members wear rainbow buttons to dragnet other people’s children into the homosexual & transgender lifestyle.” The letter goes on lacking any sign of compassion or empathy for our community or humanity at that rate. Sometimes we just need to be reminder on what we’re fighting for. The rant ends stating. “Now does flying the rainbow flag make the citizens of Federal Way proud? Or does the rainbow flag represent a tiny minority cramming its perverted values onto the whole society, with a laser beam focus on grooming the next generation?” Just a reminder of how far we still need to go to achieve equality.
Read Full Letter…
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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Winter Solstice Brings Yuletide Gay

With the impeachment of Trump we head into Winter Solstice the shortest day of the year with only 9 ½ hours of sunlight here in the northeast. We’re celebrating the Winter Solstice with the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus (BGMC) at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall in Boston. Though we may have a little mental relief knowing that as the Winter Solstice arrives marking the shortest day of the year & also the longest night, days will be getting longer but America needs to get out of this presidential darkness & become more humanitarian. With that said, back to the Winter Solstice which is also known as Yule. We love celebrating our Yuletide Gay. A little history about solstice as witches & warlocks celebrate this date as the birth of the Sun God since from this point forward the days get longer. Wiccan celebrations include Yule logs, Yule trees & Mistletoe which all sounds a lot like our traditional Christmas celebrations. There are many customs associated with the Winter Solstice that derive from stories of a mighty battle between the dark & the light or in America we call that between the haves & have-nots. Then there’s Albert Camus the French Nobel Prize winning author, journalist & philosopher famous Winter Solstice quote “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” However our LGBTQ community celebrates the shortest day & longest night, whether alone or with family & friends in the northern hemisphere just remember that the southern hemisphere is basking in sunshine & enjoying the first day of summer. So come out tonight & see how the BGMC 200+ members puts the merry & gay into the holidays singing your traditional favorites & modern classics.
For More Info & Tix: bgmc.org
LISTEN: Christin Baker Talks First LGBTQ Holiday Movie 
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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San Francisco Holigays Concert Event

The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus is celebrating the season with their signature romp through holiday favorites new & old, along with unexpected surprises & unique interpretations. The concert features funny, outrageous & heart-warming songs from Liza Minnelli's outrageous "Ring Them Bells" to a new arrangement of SFGMC's beloved tradition of "Silent Night." It's also the 30th anniversary their December 24th performance at the historic Castro Theatre 429 Castro Street in San Francisco. CA. The only tickets available are for their 9P Holigays Are Here Performance. The concert will feature special guests Velocity Handbell Ensemble, San Francisco’s premier professional bell ensemble, & a new arrangement of SFGMC’s beloved tradition of “Silent Night.” Dr. Timothy Seelig an Francisco Gay Men's Chorus Artistic Director stated, “No one presents holidays ‘with a twist’ quite like the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. The 275 men sing & dance & their hearts out in order to bring the holiday spirit to stages around the Bay Area. This season, it's all about bells. From the clang of the trolley to the carillon at Grace Cathedral, we are surrounded by bells, especially during the holidays. Our very special guests will be the 12-member professional Velocity Handbell Ensemble. There's nothing like the rumble of men's voices with the brilliance of bells accompanying them.” For more than 40 years, the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus has served as an international standard bearer for a powerful mix of musical excellence and mission-driven activism. Founded in 1978, SFGMC was the first choral organization to courageously proclaim its orientation in its name & is credited with helping start the LGBTQ choral movement that now spans the entire globe, galvanizing & changing the course of LGBT history.
For Info & Tix…
LISTEN: Christin Baker Talks First LGBTQ Holiday Movie 
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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“Conversion Therapy” Ban In Germany

The Cabinet of Germany which is the country’s chief executive body consisting of Chancellor Angela Merkel & the cabinet of ministers approved a draft bill this week banning advertising & offering of “conversion therapy” practices to change, suppress, or divert sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. The bill will now pass to Parliament for voting. If passed by both houses of parliament Germany will join Malta, Ecuador, Brazil & Taiwan to become only the 5th country in the world to ban “conversion therapy”. Jessica Stern, Executive Director of OutRight Action International stated, “It is incredibly encouraging to see the Cabinet of Germany taking this step towards banning 'conversion therapy' practices, sending a powerful message that LGBTIQ people are not in need of change or cure. Demand for “conversion therapy” will decrease only if acceptance of LGBTIQ lives grows. As such, legal efforts to tackle “conversion therapy” have to go hand in hand with measures designed to promote understanding & inclusion of LGBTIQ people. Germany is heading in this direction & I hope to see other countries follow suit!” The proposed bill will outlaw advertising or offering “conversion therapy”, prescribing a monetary penalty of €30,000 for infringement. Prior to approving the bill, the Cabinet expanded its reach to include banning the practice on 16 to 18 year olds as well as younger minors. OutRight Action International  headquartered in NYC is the only global LGBTQ specific organization with a permanent presence at the United Nations in New York that advocates for human rights progress for LGBTQ people.
For More Info: outrightinternational.org
LISTEN: Judy Dlugacz Talks Olivia Travel “Beautiful Together”
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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LGBTQ Creating Change Conference

Thousands of LGBTQ advocates, activists, leaders & allies will gather in Dallas, Texas for the 32nd Creating Change Conference from Wednesday January 15th through Sunday January 19th at the Sheraton Dallas. The National LGBTQ Task Force’s Creating Change Conference is the foremost political, leadership & skills-building conference for the LGBTQ social justice movement. Since 1988 Creating Change has created opportunities for tens of thousands of committed people to develop & hone their activist skills, build community & inspire. This year in addition to the political focus of the work the Conference will be focusing on the 2020 Census & building capacity to ensure everyone is counted. This is the second Creating Change Conference managed by Andy Garcia who stated, “It is clear that 2020 will be a critical year for all of us, including LGBTQ communities. We face a historic election year, some of the most significant Supreme Court cases in our lifetime, on-going attacks from the current administration & an epidemic of violence, among other challenges. Creating Change is where LGBTQ advocates, activists, leaders & allies come together to learn & connect with each other, with a focus on creating a welcoming space for queer & trans people of color. We need that now more than ever.” The primary goal of the Creating Change Conference is to build the LGBTQ movement’s political power from the ground up to secure our overarching goal of full freedom, justice & equality for LGBTQ people & their families in the United States.
For More Info: creatingchange.org
LISTEN: Judy Dlugacz Talks Olivia Travel “Beautiful Together”
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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PFLAG & OneUp Duo Partner (VIDEO)

With the holiday season upon us OneUp Duo the pop/soul vocal combo comprised of husbands Adam & Jerome Bell-Bastien are partnering with PFLAG National to spread the message that family acceptance & support for LGBTQ+ people saves lives via OneUp Duo’s new holiday single “Let Me Come Home.” OneUp Duo stated, “We are elated to partner with an organization that embodies the message we are trying to send out to the world. We had no idea when we wrote this song how beautifully it would mirror the mission of PFLAG. We couldn’t feel more honored to know that Let Me Come Home has found a home with PFLAG!” Liz Owen PFLAG National Director of Communications concluded, “It’s a story we have heard so many times, from hundreds of thousands of LGBTQ+ people who want unconditional love & support from their families. The song is authentic & beautiful, and speaks to the heart of the work that PFLAG has been doing for over 46 years. Music is a powerful medium & I know that this song is going to help families connect this holiday season. We’re so honored to partner with Adam & Jerome.” OneUp Duo rose to fame as the first same gender couple duo contestant on Season 15 of NBC’s The Voice. PFLAG is the first & largest organization LGBTQ+ people, their parents, families & allies with over 400 chapters & 200,000 members across America. PFLAG is committed to creating a world where diversity is celebrated & all people are respected, valued & affirmed. WATCH VIDEO
For More Info: pflag.org 
LISTEN: Judy Dlugacz Talks Olivia Travel “Beautiful Together”
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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Hallmark Does The Right Thing (VIDEO)

After extreme pressure to do the right thing The Hallmark Channel has reinstated TV ads featuring a lesbian couple. Sarah Kate Ellis GLAAD President & CEO stated, “The Hallmark Channel’s decision to correct its mistake sends an important message to LGBTQ people & represents a major loss for fringe organizations, like One Million Moms, whose sole purpose is to hurt families like mine. LGBTQ people are & will continue to be a part of advertisements & family programming & that will never change. GLAAD exists to hold brands like The Hallmark Channel accountable when they make discriminatory decisions & to proactively ensure families of all kinds are represented in fair and accurate ways.” Mike Perry CEO of Hallmark stated, “Hallmark is & always has been, committed to diversity & inclusion – both in our workplace as well as the products & experiences we create. It is never Hallmark’s intention to be divisive or generate controversy. We are an inclusive company & have a track record to prove it. We have LGBTQ greeting cards & feature LGBTQ couples in commercials. We have been recognized as one of the Human Rights Campaigns Best Places to Work & as one of Forbes America’s Best Employers for Diversity…Hallmark will be working with GLAAD to better represent the LGBTQ community across our portfolio of brands. The Hallmark Channel will be reaching out to Zola to reestablish our partnership & reinstate the commercials.” This is great news but Hallmark rolled out 40 original holiday-themed movies this season & none of these films included an LGBTQ main character. Only “Season of Love” produced Tello Films & DASH Productions filled that void. Watch Trailer:  
For More Info: tellofilms.com
LISTEN: Christin Baker Talks First LGBTQ Holiday Movie 
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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Olivia Takes On Times Square (AUDIO)

This week I talked with Judy Dlugacz, President & CEO of Olivia Travel about their new campaign aimed at making a political statement with the company’s first-ever billboard in Times Square. The “Because She Said Yes” campaign embodies Olivia’s message of love, acceptance & community projected across three jumbo screens & carries images of LGBTQ women aimed at showcasing the company’s longstanding commitment to equality. The new billboard covers a 7,000-square-foot viewing area that spans 21 floors & can be seen at the intersection of 7th Ave and 42nd Street in Times Square. The billboards feature real Olivia guests & will be displayed through January 31, 2020. In addition Olivia is also launching a contest encouraging LGBTQ+ women to share photos of themselves across social media using the hashtag, #beautifultogether. The company will pick one participant who enters by January 3, 2020 to win a vacation for two to Turks & Caicos Resort II, November 14th to 20th 2020. All entries received before 11:59 PM PT on December 15th will also be eligible to be featured during the Olivia Times Square billboard campaign. For over 45 years Olivia has been a leader in experiences, opportunities & inclusion. From its early beginnings as Olivia Records to now the 30th anniversary of operation as Olivia Travel it’s a force for positive change to build a better & more accepting world for the LGBTQ+ women’s community. Olivia has taken over 250,000 women on more than 350 cruise, resort, riverboat & adventure vacations all over the world. These are not ordinary off-the-shelf vacations. I talked to Judy about what she hopes to accomplish with the “Beautiful Together” campaign & her spin on our LGBTQ issues. LISTEN:
For More Info: olivia.com
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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LGBTQ Seniors Aging Services Crisis

A new report reveals that LGBTQ seniors face critical challenges when accessing aging services. This groundbreaking new report by the University of California, San Francisco found that 20 percent of LGBTQ seniors in San Francisco don’t use aging services because they feel unsafe or unwelcome & many participants experienced poor quality care including long waits, discrimination from service providers, homophobia, transphobia, racism & a lack of specialist HIV care. Jason Flatt, PhD, MPH at UCSF stated, “In many respects, LGBTQ seniors in San Francisco face an uphill battle when it comes to accessing many vital services. These include choosing lower quality services to accommodate fixed incomes, experiencing discrimination, having unique emotional & social barriers & surviving trauma associated with either being victimized & or living through the HIV/AIDS epidemic. These new findings provide a strong rationale for a one-stop shop program that integrates case management, LGBTQ-identifying staff, use of trauma care approaches & social activities/programs that reflect the diverse interests & backgrounds of the LGBTQ community. Many seniors aren’t accessing necessary support because services are simply not inclusive, affordable & customizable to meet their broader needs. We’ve heard first-hand from seniors & their caregivers that their deep desire is to access critical services & thoughtfully designed programs. They want a nondiscriminatory welcoming environment that’s created with their unique set of needs in mind.” San Francisco-based nonprofits On Lok & Openhouse are looking to tackle these issues head-on with their new Community Day Services (CDS) program. It’s estimated by 2030 that nearly 1 out of 3 San Francisco residents will be age 60 or older. More than 12 percent of older San Francisco residents around 20,000 identify as LGBTQ.
For More Info: openhouse-sf.org
LISTEN: Christin Baker Talks First LGBTQ Holiday Movie 
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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Only LGBTQ Themed Holiday Movie

With the holiday movie season in full swing only one movie “Season of Love” produced by Tello Films & DASH Productions presents something new & different to this holiday season, the first LGBTQ queer women holiday rom-com. The Hallmark Network rolled out 40 original holiday-themed movies this season. Shamefully none of these films included an LGBTQ main character & hate groups One Million Moms & LifeSiteNews are petitioning to keep it that way. Though Bill Abbott, CEO of Hallmark’s parent company Crown Media Family Networks claims that their network is open to any type of movie of any type of relationship in any space only “Season of Love” written by Kathryn Trammell & directed by Christin Baker is delivering a must-see lighthearted holiday rom-com featuring a large ensemble cast of diverse & queer women. “Season of Love” brings together actresses from classic LGBTQ films & current television shows including Dominique Provost-Chalkley ("Wynonna Earp", "Avengers: Age of Ultron"), Jessica Clark ("True Blood", "A Perfect Ending"), Emily Goss (“Snapshots”), Laur Allen (“Young and the Restless”), Janelle Marie & Sandra Mae Frank ("Deaf West's Spring Awakening", "Daybreak”). In a “Love Actually” type format this stellar cast explores their connected love lives during the hectic holiday period just before Christmas through the New Year who discover love truly is the best gift of all. “Season of Love” is a great holiday gift retailing at $14.99. I talked to Christin Baker about what she hopes to accomplish with this breakthrough queer holiday film in this exclusive podcast. LISTEN
For More Info: tellofilms.com
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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Provincetown Film Society New CEO

The Provincetown Film Society (PFS) announced that Rachael Brister has been hired as the organization’s new CEO & will also serve as the Executive Director of the Provincetown International Film Festival. Anthony Lawson, PFS Board President stated, “We are so pleased to have Rachael join the PFS team – her vision & experience made her an ideal candidate to help us champion diverse voices in film & continue to expand our mission locally & globally.” Brister added, “I am thrilled to be joining such a highly respected film organization that continually supports & lifts up the voices of minority communities & creates a space for emerging and established producers, directors & actors to tell their stories. I feel so fortunate to be a part of an organization whose programming is imbued with the unique perspectives & value of inclusivity of America’s oldest arts colony. I look forward to building upon the significant accomplishments of the board & staff & work with them to write the next chapter of the Provincetown Film Society.” Brister brings over 20 years of film festival, nonprofit leadership, marketing & fundraising experience to The Provincetown Film Society. Brister’s film experience includes Executive Director of ImageOut, The Rochester LGBTQ Film Festival & Executive Director of Three Dollar Bill Cinema in Seattle, WA, producers of The Seattle Queer Film Festival & The Seattle Transgender Film Festival. Brister takes over the CEO role from Christine Walker who will remain involved with the organization with a focus on its women’s initiatives including the annual Women’s Media Summit.
For More Info: provincetownfilm.org
LISTEN: Christin Baker Talks First LGBTQ Holiday Movie 
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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A Super Gay Christmas Concert Event

The Boston Gay Men’s Chorus (BGMC) presents “A Super Gay Christmas” bringing their annual holiday concerts to New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall in Boston on December 15th, 20th, 21st & 22nd. The show opens with “Funky That Hall,” a variation of “Deck the Halls” inspired by RuPaul's “Sissy That Walk.” & includes hilarious holiday pop favorites such as “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Up On The Housetop” &“Mistletoe & Holly” as well as the Christmas classics “Here We Come A Wassailing”, “The First Noel”, & “Alleluia.” Reuben M. Reynolds, III BGMC Music Director stated, “If you’re not in the Christmas spirit at the start of the show, you will be by the end. We’re going to have so much fun with all of the classics be they camp, pop, or traditional. This show has something for everyone.” Craig Coogan BGMC Executive Director concluded, “A Super Gay Christmas celebrates the fun of the season & really does put the merry & gay in Christmas.” The concert features more than 200 chorus members, 16 dancers, twinkling lights & a disco Santa performing the Village People’s version of “Noel.” There will also be a special performance of “Silent Night” performed in American Sign Language by the chorus in honor of long-time interpreter LeWana Clark, Ph.D who is marking her 30th anniversary with the chorus this year. So come out & see how the BGMC 200+ members puts the merry & gay into Christmas singing your traditional favorites & modern classics.
For More Info & Tix: bgmc.org
LISTEN: Christin Baker Talks First LGBTQ Holiday Movie 
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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Equality Act Compromise Attempt

On Friday Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT) announced the introduction of ‘Fairness for All Americans’ Act" a bill in the House of Representatives claiming to provide greater federal protections for our LGBTQ community. This bill however falls seriously short of adequately addressing our issues & opens avenues for more religious discrimination against our LGBTQ community & other groups even though some conservative religious leaders are finally recognizing that LGBTQ people need federal protections from harm. As we reported earlier in this session of Congress, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed H.R. 5, the Equality Act. the landmark legislation has the support of scores of faith & civil rights leaders from across the country. Despite bipartisan support for this critical legislation good old Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has refused to schedule a vote on the Equality Act in the Senate. Maggie Siddiqi, Center for American Progress Director of the Faith & Progressive Policy Initiative stated, “While we welcome new faith groups to the movement for LGBTQ equality, numerous faith leaders & faith communities from across the country have already endorsed the Equality Act in order to provide full nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people & other protected groups. As people of faith, we care deeply about our religious freedom & about equality for our LGBTQ community members & we believe that the Equality Act affirms both rights. It is false to suggest that one right must be compromised in order to fulfill the other. We urge faith-based organizations who support LGBTQ civil rights to affirm that support by endorsing the Equality Act.”
For More Info: americanprogress.org
LISTEN: Christin Baker Talks First LGBTQ Holiday Movie 
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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BGMC “A Super Gay Christmas” Event

The Boston Gay Men’s Chorus (BGMC) is presenting “A Super Gay Christmas” kicking off the holiday season as part of Holly Folly in Provincetown, MA on December 7th & bringing their annual XMAS concerts at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall in Boston on December 15th, 20th, 21st & 22nd. The title of the show comes from “Super Gay Christmas” that was written & recorded by the comedian Kevin Yee. The show opens with “Funky That Hall,” which is a variation of “Deck the Halls” inspired by RuPaul's “Sissy That Walk.” It includes raucous holiday pop favorites such as “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Up On The Housetop” &“Mistletoe and Holly” as well as the Christmas classics “Here We Come A Wassailing”, “The First Noel”, & “Alleluia.” Reuben M. Reynolds, III BGMC Music Director stated, “If you’re not in the Christmas spirit at the start of the show, you will be by the end. We’re going to have so much fun with all of the classics be they camp, pop, or traditional. This show has something for everyone.” Craig Coogan BGMC Executive Director concluded, “A Super Gay Christmas celebrates the fun of the season & really does put the merry & gay in Christmas.” The concert features more than 200 chorus members, 16 dancers, twinkling lights & “A Disco Santa,” the Village People’s version of “Noel.” There will also be a special performance of “Silent Night” performed in American Sign Language by the chorus in honor of long-time interpreter LeWana Clark, Ph.D who is marking her 30th anniversary with the chorus this year.
For More Info & Tix: bgmc.org 
LISTEN: Christin Baker Talks First LGBTQ Holiday Movie 
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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“Season of Love” XMAS Movie (AUDIO)

This week I talked with Christin Baker, President & CEO of Tello Films about her new LGBTQ holiday film “Season of Love”. With over 100 holiday films shown this year sadly none of these films feature an LGBTQ couple. “Season of Love” fills that void & is definitely headed to becoming a classic holiday movie staple in the "Love Actually" genre. Written by Kathryn Trammell & directed by Baker this must-see film is a lighthearted rom-com featuring a large ensemble cast of diverse women & their connected love lives during the hectic holiday period just before Christmas through the New Year who discover love truly is the best gift of all. The stellar cast brings together actresses from classic LGBTQ films & current television shows including Dominique Provost-Chalkley ("Wynonna Earp", "Avengers: Age of Ultron"), Jessica Clark ("True Blood", "A Perfect Ending"), Emily Goss (“Snapshots”), Laur Allen (“Young and the Restless”), Janelle Marie & Sandra Mae Frank ("Deaf West's Spring Awakening", "Daybreak”). “Season of Love” came together from a Queer Holiday Feature Pitch contest & was produced by Tello Films with DASH Productions' Ashley Arnold & Danielle Jablonski. The film also delivers a holiday soundtrack featuring a wide range of original tunes & favorites. “Season of Love” recently screened with cast & crew in Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Nashville & London & is a great holiday gift retailing at $14.99. I talked to Christin about what she hopes to accomplish with this breakthrough queer holiday film & her spin on our LGBTQ issues.
For More Info: tellofilms.com
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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LGBTQ Activism Global Summit


OutRight Action International is presenting its fifth annual OutSummit entitled “Pushing the Boundaries of LGBTIQ Activism” on Saturday December 5th at CUNY Law School at 2 Court Square in Long Island City, NY. OutSummit is a one-day conference that brings together international & US-based activists for a day of panels & workshops on human rights addressing sexual orientation, gender identity & intersex issues. Jessica Stern, Executive Director of OutRight Action International stated, "On Saturday, OutRight will hold our annual conference on LGBTIQ rights globally, OutSummit. We'll feature LGBTIQ activists from the frontlines in 40 countries around the world, journalists, business leaders & diplomats. Keynote speeches by Victor Madrigal (UN Independent Expert) & Ahmed Shihab-Eldin (Al Jazeera journalist). I feel smarter by the end of the day, more angry & more hopeful. It's my favorite day of the year." In recent years incredible progress in the recognition & promotion of the human rights of LGBTIQ people has been seen around the globe. Last year alone Angola, Botswana & Bhutan have decriminalized gay & lesbian relations. Taiwan, the Cayman Islands & Ecuador legalized marriage equality &the World Health Organization has removed ”gender identity disorder“ from the International Classification of Diseases. This is a time when pushing the boundaries of LGBTIQ activism is absolutely crucial to ensure that our the hard-won battles for equality do not backslide enabling us to continue taking steps towards achieving a world in which we can live free from discrimination, harassment & violence purely for being the gender we are & loving whom we do. OutSummit is co-organized by the Sorensen Center for International Peace & Justice & CUNY School of Law.
For More Info: outsummit.org
AUDIO: Jeffrey Solomon Talks “The Santa Closet” NYC Premiere
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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Horizons LGBTQ Leadership Event

Horizons the world’s first community foundation for LGBTQ people is having their 10th annual State of the LGBTQ Movement event on Tuesday December 3rd at the San Francisco Public Library at 100 Larkin Street in the Koret Auditorium from 6P to 7:30P in San Francisco, CA. This is an opportunity to join with national & international leaders of the LGBTQ movement for a discussion on where our movement is headed as we approach 2020. Participating on the panel will be Vicki Gaubeca, Director, Southern Border Communities Coalition, Kris Hayashi, Executive Director, Transgender Law Center, Katie Hultquist, West Coast Director, OutRight Action International & Kasey Suffredini, President of Strategy & Incoming Executive Director, Freedom for All Americans. Roger Doughty from the Horizons Foundation will moderate the event. In 2020 Horizons will celebrate its 40th anniversary as we head into the crucial presidential election. Horizons envisions a world where all LGBTQ people live freely & fully. They invest in LGBTQ nonprofits, strengthen a culture of LGBTQ giving, & build a permanent endowment to secure our community’s future for generations to come. Since 1980 Horizons has made grants supporting the entire LGBTQ community. Their support is intentionally broad because the needs of our community are so many & run so deep. At the same time their venture philanthropy approach looks favorably toward innovative, grassroots solutions to our community's emerging needs, especially those of the most under-resourced segments of our community. The event is free.
To Register…
AUDIO: Jeffrey Solomon Talks “The Santa Closet” NYC Premiere
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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LGBTQ Gear Cyber Monday Event

Now more than ever it’s extremely important to display your commitment to LGBTQ equality & this Cyber Monday for the Holiday Season we’re offering the highest quality gear for all our LGBTQ shoppers & allies. We would appreciate it if you could take a moment & visit our online OUTTAKE EQUALITY STORE where your purchases will help support our mission to provide & produce our free exclusive & insightful podcasts with LGBTQ leaders & allies on OUTTAKE VOICES into 2019 & beyond. Choose from a fabulous array of unique gear while supporting our quest for full global LGBTQ equality. We have tee shirts, tote bags, watches & more all displaying either our cool OUTTAKE logo or merchandise designed by visionary Richard Emmanuel whose emblem consists of universal symbols. Two androgynous gender nonconforming figures are meeting each other within the circle of the world. This creates a symbol of unity that is diverse with its differences, yet respectful of each person’s beliefs. The word “Equality” is boldly displayed with the words “LGBTQ Civil Rights.” This awesome design is empowering & a courageous symbol for our LGBTQ community with a symbol that reflects our strong commitment to equality. Both of these designs are an excellent way to get the conversation started to maintain & advance LGBTQ civil rights & equality. So what are you waiting for? Just click on the link below & check it OUT!! :)
Visit Our Equality Store...
AUDIO: Jeffrey Solomon Talks “The Santa Closet” NYC Premiere
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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Celebrate & Support World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day has been observed since 1988 & this year’s theme is “Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic: Community by Community”. António Guterres UN Secretary-General stated, “Ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030, as we commit to in the Sustainable Development Goals, will require a continuous collaborative effort. The United Nations, Governments, civil society & other partners have been working together to scale up access to health services & to halt new HIV infections. More than 23 million people living with HIV were receiving treatment in 2018. Communities around the world are at the heart of this response―helping people to claim their rights, promoting access to stigma-free health & social services, ensuring that services reach the most vulnerable & marginalized & pressing to change laws that discriminate. As the theme of this year’s observance rightly highlights, communities make the difference. Yet unmet needs remain. A record 38 million people are living with HIV & resources for the response to the epidemic declined by $1 billion last year. More than ever we need to harness the role of community-led organizations that advocate for their peers, deliver HIV services, defend human rights & provide support. Where communities are engaged, we see change happen. We see investment lead to results & we see equality, respect and dignity. With communities, we can end AIDS.” Each year organizations & individuals across the world bring attention to the HIV epidemic to increase HIV awareness & knowledge, speak out against HIV stigma & call for an increased response to move toward ending the HIV epidemic. World AIDS Day is an opportunity to celebrate & remember those who have died from this epidemic & support those living with HIV.
For More Info: worldaidsday.org
AUDIO: Jeffrey Solomon Talks “The Santa Closet” NYC Premiere
Hear Audio Chats w/ LGBTQ Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
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