High Priest Of Gay Parties Dies (AUDIO)
PFLAG New Series "What Makes Pride"
Campus Pride & PFLAG Collegiate Event
The fabulous LGBTQ orgs Campus Pride & PFLAG National will spotlight 18 colleges & universities across the country at this year’s online Lavender Graduation ceremony a commencement to celebrate & honor LGBTQ college graduates. This year’s Lavender Graduation the second such event to be conducted virtually will take place Saturday June 5th at 3P EST / 12P PST. The free event will be live-streamed on Campus Pride & their social media channels as well as on PFLAG National’s Facebook page. Shane Windmeyer, Campus Pride Executive Director stated, “Campus Pride offers support & congratulations to this year’s graduating class of LGBTQ leaders, who embody our values of inclusion on campus & advocacy for social justice. I’m inspired by the work these young people are doing to take the activism skills they learn through programs like Camp Pride, our internships & our leadership trainings & put them into practice on their own campuses, for the betterment of their entire community.” Faculty, administrators & alumni from each of the 18 represented campuses will offer inspiring words to the Class of 2021 & student representatives will reflect on their campus experience & Campus Pride’s mission to make colleges & universities safer & more welcoming for LGBTQ people. PFLAG is the first & largest organization for LGBTQ+ people, their parents, families and allies. With over 400 chapters & 200,000 members PFLAG is committed to creating a world where diversity is celebrated & all people are respected, valued & affirmed. Campus Pride celebrating its 20th anniversary is the leading national nonprofit organization dedicated to building future leaders & creating safer, more inclusive communities for LGBTQ people & allies at colleges & universities. For More info…
Inclusive LGBTQ Youth Sex Education
A major new report reveals the urgent need for LGBTQ youth inclusive sex education programs particularly those who are at the intersection of multiple marginalized communities in order to stay safe & healthy. However whether legally barred or simply ignored, LGBTQ inclusive sex education is not available for most youth especially for LGBTQ youth who are Black, Indigenous & other people of color. Christine Soyong Harley, President & CEO of SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change stated, “It is essential that LGBTQ+ youth are able to not only learn but thrive in their educational settings. To make this a reality, sex education curriculum must be culturally responsive to the unique needs & realities of LGBTQ youth & LGBTQ+ youth of color in particular-- to ensure they can make informed decisions about their reproductive & sexual health & future. Young people must receive this instruction in classrooms that move beyond shame & stigma to celebrate & affirm the identities of LGBTQ+ youth to create a classroom culture that's inclusive of all young people. Policymakers & educators must take action now to support LGBTQ+ youth through undertaking the proactive recommendations of the LGBTQ Call to Action.” The report entitled “A Call to Action: LGBTQ+ Youth Need Inclusive Sex Education” was authored & endorsed by Advocates for Youth, Answer, Black & Pink, the Equality Federation, GLSEN, the Human Rights Campaign, the National LGBTQ Task Force, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change & URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity & provides guidance for parents & families, youth, educators & policymakers. Read Report…
I Love ‘Hating Peter Tatchell’ on Netflix
“Hating Peter Tatchell” is the new must-see documentary on Netflix that tells the story of
UK’s legendary LGBTQ & human rights activist Peter Tatchell, director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation. It’s executive produced by Elton John & David Furnish & directed by Christopher Amos. I interviewed Peter in 2018 for OUTTAKE VOICES™ in London so I emailed him to give us his spin on the film. Tatchell stated, “The film is a snapshot of some of the hundreds of campaigns that I have done over the last 54 years. It gives a flavor of how I began activism, what motivates me & some of the successes that I've helped win. I'm humbled & honored that anyone thinks my grassroots style of campaigning is worthy of a Netflix documentary. The decades of relentless 24/7 campaigning & the many bashings I've suffered, have taken their toll on my mental & physical health but I'm still here. I look forward to another 25-plus years challenging homophobes, misogynists, tyrants & racists. Confronting people like Mike Tyson & Robert Mugabe was scary. Although I was very afraid, what drove me to take them on was my even stronger, overriding passion for human rights. Right from my first LGBT+ activism in 1969, aged 17, I always saw LGBT+ rights as a global struggle, not one confined to western countries like the US and UK. There can be no genuine queer freedom until every LGBT+ person on this planet has respect & human rights." The film features an amazing array of rare archive & an intimate conversation between celebrated actor Ian McKellen & Peter himself as well as interviews with the former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, activist Angela Mason & actor Stephen Fry. For More Info... WATCH TRAILER
New Film ‘Ahead Of The Curve’ (AUDIO)
This week I talked with filmmaker Jen Rainin & Franco Stevens founder of Curve magazine about their new documentary “Ahead Of The Curve” set for release on digital platforms & Wolfe Video DVD on June 1st. The award-winning documentary features Melissa Etheridge, Lea DeLaria, Jewelle Gomez & Franco Stevens. “Ahead Of The Curve” tells the story of how Stevens launched Curve, the best-selling lesbian magazine ever published with a fist full of credit cards, a lucky run at the horse track & chutzpah for days. The film tracks the power of lesbian visibility & community from the early ‘90s to the present day chronicling the story of the magazine. Decades later in the wake of a disabling injury Franco learns that Curve will fold within the year & questions the relevance of the magazine in the face of accelerating threats to our LGBTQ+ community. To forge a path forward Franco reaches out to women working in today’s queer spaces to understand what queer women need today & how Curve can continue to serve the community. “Ahead of the Curve” is directed & produced by Jen Rainin & Rivkah Beth Medow on behalf of Frankly Speaking Films & executive produced by Lindsey Dryden. "Ahead Of The Curve" will be in select theaters starting May 28th & on Starz, Apple, Amazon & everywhere you watch movies starting June 1st in time for Pride Month. I talked to Jen Rainin & Franco Stevens about what they hope to accomplish with “Ahead Of The Curve”, newly created The Curve Foundation & their spin on our LGBTQ issues. LISTEN
For More Info: curvemagmovie.com
Stoli Vodka Honors Activist Harvey Milk
Lesbian Icon Alix Dobkin Passes (AUDIO)
I was sad to hear about Alix Dobkin, Lesbian Activist & Feminist Music Icon back who passed this week at 80. In 2009 I had the honor to talk to Alix in this exclusive audio interview. Dobkin began her music career in Greenwich Village in the early 60’s along with legends like Bob Dylan & Joni Mitchell. In the early 70’s she came out as the first lesbian performer of her day. I talked to Alix about her memoir “My Red Blood” that begins in post-war New York City growing up in a Communist family & rubbing elbows with radical left celebrities like Paul Robeson. In the 1950’s in the midst of the McCarthy Era she joined the Communist Party & offers a first-hand glimpse of daily life as a teenager living under FBI surveillance. In 1965 she married Sam Hood who ran the historic Gaslight Cafe in Greenwich Village. They then moved to Miami & opened The Gaslight South folk club but moved back to New York in 1968. Their daughter Adrian was born two years later & the following year the marriage broke up. A few months later Alix came out as lesbian which was extraordinary for a public personality to do at the time. Shortly after that she released her 1973 debut album “Lavender Jane Loves Women” at 32 which was the very first album by, for & about Lesbians in the history of the world. All present day lesbian & feminist women’s music performers are indebted to Dobkin's groundbreaking accomplishments & spirit. Dobkin suffered a brain aneurysm & stroke & died at home surrounded by family on Wednesday, May 19th in Woodstock, New York. LISTEN
LGBTQ Youth Amid COVID-19 & Beyond
State Department LGBTQ Policy Change
PFLAG Parent Day Virtual Celebration
Marriage Equality Celebrates 17 Years
In Massachusetts May 17th marks the 17th anniversary of marriage equality. 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. I was there & directed & produced this historic award-winning short film “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. The film became instrumental in the passage of marriage equality nationwide in 2013 & was shot by Kirsten Martin & narrated by Arline Isaacson, Co Chair of the Massachusetts Gay & Lesbian Political Caucus. Watch Film Next we need to pass the Equality Act that prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation & gender identity in areas including public accommodations & facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit & the jury system. Specifically the bill defines & includes sex, sexual orientation & gender identity among the prohibited categories of discrimination or segregation. Right now there are only 21 states & 330 cities that have passed LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections which leaves half of our LGBTQ community living in the other 29 states without comprehensive statewide laws. The Equality Act allows the Department of Justice to intervene in equal protection actions in federal court on account of sexual orientation or gender identity. It is time for our Federal government, now with the support of the Biden-Harris administration to pass the Equality Act & have it signed into law.
NYC Pride Human Rights Conference
Inside Out Toronto LGBTQ Film Festival
The 31st annual Inside Out Toronto LGBTQ+ Film Festival will go virtual globally May 27th to June 6th via Apple TV & Roku showcasing 143 films including 33 feature films & 5 episodic series. Lauren Howes Inside Out Executive Director stated, “United, we come together-apart for Inside Out’s Covid Edition 2.0 Having pulled off the 30th anniversary Covid Edition in October 2020, our team has worked tirelessly to bring us a stellar festival line-up & return to our sweet spot on the May calendar.” Andrew Murphy Inside Out Director of Programming added, “This past year hasn’t been easy. We miss you & we miss our filmmaking family around the world. That’s why we set out to curate a festival to help us all feel something & maybe feel a little less alone.” Emerging & established filmmakers will follow guidelines from the city of Toronto who remain in lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Films within the premiere category will launch daily during the festival & the festival will host a digital library available for pass holders that will be available throughout the festival, with capped attendance. The festival’s opening night film will be the Canadian premiere of Natalie Morales’ socially distant platonic love story LANGUAGE LESSONS, which won the coveted audience award at this year’s SXSW Film Festival after premiering at the Berlin Film Festival. Closing the festival will be the Charli XCX documentary ALONE TOGETHER, which follows the famous pop musician in 2020 as she writes, records & releases a full album in 40 days while confronting mental health issues & connecting with vulnerable LGBTQ+ fans in need. Both films will stream live in the evening to ticket & pass holders. For More Info…
New Trans Workplace Memoir (AUDIO)
This week I talked to activist & author Stephanie Battaglino about her new memoir “Reflections From Both Sides of the Glass Ceiling: Finding My True Self in Corporate America” published by L’Oste Vineyard Press. After many years in the corporate world struggling to find her true self Battaglino went on to become New York Life’s first transgender officer. Stephanie’s memoir explores her journey to fulfillment both personally & professionally advocating for gender equality & calling to attention the work that is ahead. Stephanie now leads Diversity & Inclusion workshops, presentations & trainings sharing over 40 years of professional experience working with & within Fortune 100 companies. Retiring in 2019 from her position as Corporate Vice President at New York Life Insurance Company she is well versed in the ways of corporate America & has become a leader in the conversation surrounding workplace equality for transgender & non-binary people. Unfortunately the reality still remains that many of our LGBTQ community must make a choice between coming out in the workplace & assuring their job security. “Reflections From Both Sides of the Glass Ceiling: Finding My Authentic Self in Corporate America” is part memoir & also part cautionary tale of what it is like to experience a career on both sides of the gender divide. Stephanie's honest & intimate storytelling paints a vivid picture of what the intersection of gender & gender identity looks like from a decidedly unique point of view. I talked to Stephanie about her inspiration for writing “Reflections From Both Sides of the Glass Ceiling" & her spin on our LGBTQ issues. LISTEN
For More Info: stephaniebattaglino.com
Social Media Unsafe For LGBTQ Users
Biden Restores Anti-Bias Protections
The Biden Administration announced that it will restore protections against discrimination in healthcare based on gender identity & sexual orientation. Erin Uritus, CEO of Out & Equal Workplace Advocates stated, “Every American deserves access to health care. It was especially cruel for President Trump to roll back health protections for LGBTQ individuals one year ago in the midst of a pandemic. I am thankful that President Biden has put an end to this absurdity. It's one more proof point that he is standing up for the LGBTQ community. This, however, is not enough. We need to see Congress pass laws that will prevent future administrations from taking away our rights.” Michael Adams SAGE CEO added, “We at SAGE applaud the Biden administration’s public declaration from the Department for Health & Human Services prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation & gender identity under section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. These protections are critical to the health & well-being of millions of LGBT elders across the country. While this is an important step forward, we must urge the Senate to take action and make the Equality Act the law of the land. LGBT elders have already waited too long for the broader non-discrimination protections that the Equality Act affords.” Dr. Susan R. Bailey, President, American Medical Association concluded, “The Biden administration did the right thing by terminating a short-lived effort to allow discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation when seeking health care…This move is a victory for health equity & ends a dismal chapter in which a federal agency sought to remove civil rights protections.”
Lambda Literary Awards Go Virtual
The 33rd annual Lambda Literary Awards ("Lammys") will take place virtually on Tuesday June 1st from 7P to 9P EDT via Zoom. This is a free event. Usually the Lammys are held in person in New York City but this year they will be presented virtually for the first time ever making it available to LGBTQ book lovers everywhere. The award ceremony created over 30 years ago recognizes the crucial role LGBTQ writers play in shaping the world & the Lammys celebrate the very best in LGBTQ literature. Sue Landers, Executive Director stated, "For over 30 years, the Lammys have celebrated authors who bring necessary, urgent & artful writing into the world & these honorees are truly exceptional in this regard. We are grateful for their work & look forward to celebrating them at this year's Lammys." This year’s virtual event will be hosted by Rakesh Satyal & presenters will include John Paul Brammer, Katherine V. Forrest, Alex Gino, Alan Hollinghurst, Cyrée Jarelle Johnson, R.O. Kwon, Carmen Maria Machado, Ryan O'Connell & Torrey Peters. There will also be a performance by Meshell Ndegeocello. For over 30 years Lambda Literary has championed LGBTQ books & authors. No other organization in the world serves LGBTQ writers & readers more comprehensively than Lambda Literary who nurtures & advocates for LGBTQ writers elevating the impact of their words to create community, preserve our legacies & affirms the value of our stories & our lives. This is a free event however with registrations & donations of $75 you will receive a virtual gift bag full of digital goodies & registrations with donations of $125 & above you will receive a virtual gift bag + a special gift. For Info & Registration…
Rufus Does Judy At Capitol Studios
This fabulous virtual concert event will star Rufus Wainwright backed by a four-piece band performing Judy Garland's entire 1961 Carnegie Hall set in front of a micro-audience comprised of 2 time Academy Award-winning actress Renée Zellweger winner of last year’s “Best Actress” Oscar for her performance as Garland in "Judy". Wainwright will also be joined by award-winning star of stage & screen Kristin Chenoweth in person at Capitol Studios with his sister Martha Wainwright remotely from Montreal on June 10th, which would have been Judy Garland’s 99th birthday. Wainwright stated, “The American Songbook & Judy Garland’s famed 1961 Carnegie Hall concert gave me a lot of hope after 9/11 & lead to the idea for my first song by song recreation of that show at the same venue. It felt fitting to do the entire set again as the dazzling finale of my Rufus-Retro-Wainwright-Spective & hopefully the beginning of the finale of this global pandemic. Once again, these songs revealed their healing power. To be able to sing them in front of Renée, to sing with Kristin Chenoweth & still have my sister Martha be part of these shows was particularly meaningful although to sing them into the very microphone that Judy used for her recordings at Capitol Studios was the most mind-blowing.” Kristin Chenoweth concluded, “I’ve been wanting my moment with Rufus for forever. It’s finally happening!” There will also be a limited edition Rufus Does Judy at Capitol Studios t-shirt created by Michael Kors benefiting the LGBTQ human rights organization OutRight Action International available through June – Pride Month 2021. The Rufus Does Judy At Capitol Studios virtual event will be aired globally at 3 separate times on June 10th via veeps. For More Info & Tix…
Provincetown International Film Fest
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