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Texas Attack On Transgender Students


Texas State Teachers Association President Ovidia Molina & National Education Association (NEA) President Becky Pringle jointly respond to Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s directive to report the parents of transgender minors to state authorities for abuse if it appears that they are receiving gender-affirming medical care stating, “Across our races, backgrounds & genders, we want to be treated with dignity & respect. But today, certain politicians are pushing laws that restrict our freedoms because of the color of our skin, what’s in our wallets, or because we are transgender. Take Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s ill-conceived & harmful directive to task professionals who work with children – including teachers, nurses & doctors – to report the parents of transgender minors to state authorities for abuse if it appears that they are receiving gender affirming medical care. No parent should worry that their child’s gender affirming & sometimes lifesaving – care is criminalized because of bigotry & misinformation. By stoking fear, Governor Abbott is attempting to distract & divide us so we will not notice his failures to provide what our students & families need – inclusive, safe & fully resourced schools. Governor Abbott joins a growing list of politicians around the country who are manufacturing false narratives to inflame & divide communities by limiting what history our kids can learn about, what books they can read & now, by putting children in harm’s way by directing state agencies to report parents if it appears their children are receiving gender-affirming medical care. Instead of dividing communities, politicians like Governor Abbott should focus on making sure all students receive the education they deserve, making schools places where children thrive & where students have the freedom to learn without fear or intimidation. We are not fooled by their cruel & politically motivated tactics & will continue to join parents, students & educators to make public schools places where we are all free to thrive & support each other for who we are.” For More Info...

 

Pride Arts Film Festival Goes Virtual

Pride Arts Spring International Film Festival will feature 32 LGBTQ shorts in a 4 week program that will stream from March 14th to April 11th. The films will be shown over 4 separate programs of approximately ninety minutes per program with each program streaming for one week. The first week of the festival will present 10 musical films from the US, Germany, Australia, Spain & Botswana. They range from a music video of an original love song inspired by marriage activist Edie Windsor through films that tell their stories through dance, others through song, a documentary about dancers, & some short but complete musicals. Themes of the second week’s films explore relationships at opposite ends of the age spectrum from young love to a couple dealing with the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease. Some of the third week’s films explore prejudice & discrimination against people with queer identities. One film considers the challenges of sexual relations during the quarantine. Featured in the fourth & closing week of the festival are films concerned with identity & self-image as an LGBTQ person, challenges of romantic relationships & a shocking film about a hate crime. Access to each program of shorts in the PrideArts Fall Film Festival will be $10 which will grant viewing of the program or feature purchased for a full week allowing audiences greater flexibility in viewing the films at their leisure. Full festival passes for all four weeks are also available for $25. Pride Arts was founded in 2010 in Chicago & its programming reflects the diversity of our LGBTQ+ communities by including work made by & illuminating the experiences of lesbians, gay men, transgender people & BIPOC. For More Info & Tix…

Florida House Pass “Don’t Say Gay” Bill


Despite overwhelming public outrage, polling data underscoring immense unpopularity with voters & hours of testimony from LGBTQ families, Florida Republican legislators have passed the “Don’t Say Gay” (HB 1557) & “Stop WOKE” (HB 7) bills. The bills are part of Governor DeSantis’ censorship that seeks to stigmatize & erase LGBTQ people & block honest discussions of civil rights in America. The “Don’t Say Gay” bill bans discussion of LGBTQ people in primary grades & will further stigmatize our LGBTQ community. Nadine Smith Executive Director of Equality Florida stated, “This bill is so extreme that it inspired a rare rebellion within House GOP ranks as seven Republican lawmakers broke with leadership & opposed passage. Those voting NO include a teacher & a child welfare advocate demonstrating that those who work most closely with children & students understand how damaging this legislation truly is. The Florida Senate should follow their lead & reject this extreme legislation.” Republicans who voted no are Rep. Mooney, Rep. Lamarca, Rep. Bussata Cabrera, Rep. Aloupis, Rep. Mariano, Rep. Plasencia & Rep. Will Robinson. The WOKE Act will censor conversations about racism, discrimination & injustice allowing people to sue for discrimination if they are made to feel “guilty” or “discomfort” because of a training or school lesson. If these bills are signed into law they will have disastrous impacts on classrooms & workplaces. They will turn Florida into a surveillance state & give the government broad license to censor conversations about American history, the origins of racism & injustice & the existence of our LGBTQ community. For More Info…

A Monumental Error In Boston

Shocking that in Boston Massachusetts the birthplace of Marriage Equality they’re about to erect a 22-foot bronze sculpture for a 9.5 million dollar price tag dedicated to the love of one man & one woman in the historic Boston Commons. Though the heterosexual couple happens to be Martin Luther & Coretta King the questionable decision in the Commonwealth to approve such a project with total disregard to the civil rights our LGBTQ community has worked so hard to achieve is astonishing. This towering monumental depiction of a straight relationship in the 21st Century with complete indifference toward LGBTQ people is not only politically incorrect but also trivializes that “Love Is Love” is the law of the land. Then of course there’s the whole issue of the feminist struggle ignored placing the woman under or behind the man. Of course it’s a male perspective provided by designer Hank Willis Thomas. I don’t even think if the Kings were alive today they would approve of this tribute to their relationship. For years before her death in 2006 Coretta Scott King always said that Martin Luther King would have supported LGBTQ Equality stating, “I still hear people say that I should not be talking about the rights of lesbian & gay people & I should stick to the issue of racial justice… But I hasten to remind them that Martin Luther King, Jr., said, ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere’ … I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream to make room at the table of brotherhood & sisterhood for lesbian & gay people.” This controversial statue entitled “The Embrace” should encompass Martin Luther King & all Americans & must be addressed before it breaks ground in April.

LGBTQ Task Force Virtual Census Event

The National LGBTQ Task Force is presenting “Queer the Census: When We Count” virtually Thursday February 24th at 6:30P EST via Zoom. Census Bureau staff will discuss the agency's work to collect & analyze data about LGBTQ+ people across the U.S. using the American Community Survey, the Household Pulse Survey & the Economic Census. The National LGBTQ Task Force & Creating Change 365 will host a panel discussion with U.S. Census Bureau staff including Heidi Crawford, Data Dissemination Specialist, U.S. Census Bureau, Anh Nguyen, Data Dissemination Specialist, U.S. Census Bureau & Larry B. Carter, Account Manager, U.S. Census Bureau. The event will be hosted by National LGBTQ Task Force's own Federal Regulatory Counsel, Clermon E. Acklin III. Find out what happens when data about LGBTQ+ people is collected. The Census helps LGBTQ communities access billions in federal funding for social programs, helps us build political power & helps us enforce civil rights protections. While the Census doesn’t ask questions about sexual orientation or gender identity it’s still vital for us to be counted. Filling out the Census is a critical component in building our collective power to fight for our rights including the right to be fully represented in the Census count. Like other marginalized communities LGBTQ people have historically been undercounted on the Census. The ‘Queer the Census’ campaign is working to change that so that our community can access the things it needs most - dollars, democracy & justice. This is a crucially important factor of achieving our equality. For nearly 50 years the National LGBTQ Task Force has organized digitally & directly on-the-ground & the Census has been a focus of our advocacy since 1990. For Registration…

Holocaust & LGBTQ Equality (AUDIO)

This week I talked with actor-activist Yuval David about his involvement with The Shoah Foundation. Yuval is the first descendant of Holocaust survivors to be interviewed by The Shoah Foundation for its Next Generation Project which is a series telling the survivors' stories from their children & grandchildren's perspective. The Shoah Foundation was founded in 1994 by filmmaker Stephen Spielberg to videotape & preserve interviews with survivors & other witnesses of the Holocaust. In his video testimony Yuval a celebrated & award-winning actor, host, director & filmmaker shares how his grandmother & grandfather told their Holocaust survival story to The Shoah Foundation while he was growing up with a special focus on how their lives & experiences inspired his own. The Shoah Foundation’s Visual History Archive at the University of Southern California is one of the largest digital collections of its kind in the world. The Next Generation Project tells the stories passed down through generations emphasizing the power of history & how the experiences of survivors affect the lives of their descendants. Inspired by his grandparents & family Yuval has engaged in Jewish advocacy & helping other marginalized & victimized people as his duty to help his people, his community & all those in need. As an impassioned public speaker, social & LGBTQ activist he has partnered with US, Israeli & international organizations as a keynote speaker, ambassador & advocate collaborating in their mutual initiatives. I talked to Yuval about his impression of the rise of Anti-Semitism globally & his spin on our LGBTQ issues. LISTEN  

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LGBTQ Diversity Comes To Podcasts

When we launched OUTTAKE VOICES our commitment to the LGBTQ community was to provide a platform to address our issues. Now with 550+ episodes with global LGBTQ leaders, celebrities & their allies we’re syndicated on iTunes, Amazon Music, iHeart, Spotify, Podbean & 15 other podcast apps. Guests have included Alan Ball, Ricky Martin, Senator Tammy Baldwin, Kyra Sedgwick, Kathleen Turner, John Waters, Dustin Lance Black, Tab Hunter, Sharon Gless, Loni Anderson & comedian Margaret Cho to name a few. The concept was developed in 2008 to provide a voice for hundreds of LGBTQ+ organizations & allies during these challenging times of attempting to filter through The Good, The Bad & The Ugly of politicians, pundits & talk show hosts from all media platforms. We want to thank all the LGBTQ leaders, filmmakers, actors, authors & allies who appeared on OUTTAKE VOICES over the years & we also want to thank our loyal global audience & contributors for supporting OUTTAKE MEDIA’s mission through thick & thin as we soar over 5 million page views on our network. We now look forward to the next stage as we welcome our new global podcast listeners. Over the last 14 years we’ve been overwhelmed by your love & support of our mission. Our commitment will continue to bring you the best in podcast excellence. We will also continue to be media champions for all marginalized LGBTQ communities. OUTTAKE MEDIA LLC & is a proud sponsor of The National LGBTQ Task Force, The Dinah Palm Springs, The Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition & ReadOut: A Festival of Lesbian Literature. For More Info…

LGBTQ Visibility On Broadcast TV Rises

GLAAD has announced 11.9% of series regular characters scheduled to appear on broadcast scripted primetime television this season are LGBTQ an increase of 2.8% from last year & a new record-high percentage in the history of their Where We Are on TV report. This marks the 26th year that GLAAD has tracked the presence of LGBTQ characters on television & the 17th edition of the Where We Are on TV report. Sarah Kate Ellis GLAAD President & CEO stated, “The growing state of LGBTQ representation on television is a signal that Hollywood is truly starting to recognize the power of telling LGBTQ stories that audiences around the world connect with. At a time when anti-LGBTQ legislation & violence continues to increase, it is cultural institutions like television that take on the crucial role of changing hearts & minds through diverse & inclusive storytelling. Networks & platforms must continue to prioritize telling LGBTQ stories that have been long overlooked, with a specific focus on the trans community, LGBTQ people of color, people living with HIV & LGBTQ people with disabilities.” Megan Townsend, GLAAD’s Director of Entertainment Research & Analysis concluded, “However, we continue to see that LGBTQ inclusion is often found in clusters from a concentrated number of creatives & networks who have prioritized telling our stories. Just three cable networks account for close to half of all LGBTQ inclusion on cable & 8.5 percent of LGBTQ characters across all platforms tracked appear on shows tied to just four producers.” This year there are 42 regular & recurring transgender characters tracked across all three platforms on broadcast, cable & streaming which is up from 29 last year. So perhaps we're seeing a positive upswing for our LGBTQ community. For More Info…

Radical Anti-Trans Sports Ban Bill

The Kentucky State Senate has advanced a bill to ban transgender youth from playing sports consistent with their gender identity. The bill effectively excludes transgender girls from all sports activities increasing their isolation & denying them the social, physical & emotional benefits of sports benefits which are especially important as the country emerges from a pandemic that has isolated youth from their peers. Cathryn Oakley HRC State Legislative Director & Senior Counsel stated, “By passing this bill the Kentucky State Senate has put misinformation & disapproval of transgender youth ahead of the best interest of the kids of the Commonwealth. This has been an especially difficult last few years for young people, who have been isolated from their friends & forced to be apart for their own safety. Now is the time to be coming together & sports is a huge part of that. School sports are about health, leadership & having fun which are important lessons for kids, including transgender kids, to learn. Legislators have failed to provide examples of any problem in Kentucky related to trans kids playing sports alongside their peers - the only justification for this bill is discrimination against kids who are different. We thank the champions of equality who stood up & spoke out on behalf of transgender youth. We urge the House to follow these leaders’ examples & to vote ‘no’ all legislation that harms transgender youth – to avoid putting the national spotlight on Kentucky for the wrong reasons & to do the right thing for Kentucky’s families.” The passage of Kentucky’s SB 83 & a similar bill HB 23 both come after a historically bad 2021 session that saw a record number of anti-transgender bills introduced & passed across the country. For More Info…

“Assorted Fruit” New Monthly Event

Joe’s Pub in NYC will present “Assorted Fruit” a new monthly queer variety show from the people that brought you The Meeting on Sunday, February 20th at 9:30P hosted Justin Elizabeth Syre. This all-queer, all-fun night of the best in LGBTQ talent from across New York & all over the world offering lots of new faces & some of your favorites. Join Justin & Dusty Childers the show’s fabulous director on a journey into the weird & wonderful world of “Assorted Fruit.” Special guests for February will include Jon-Michael Reese & Charlene Incarnate. Sayre stated, “I wanted to try something new & adventurous. This show lets me break out of the mold & explore more voices & point of views. I still think queer people are making the best art out there & I wanted to create a forum to work with & showcase gay creators of all stripes. In my own funny way, I’ve always loved gay slurs. They’re mostly so silly, but my favorite has always been a fruit. What’s so queer about fruit? Well, it’s vital & packed with goodness. I think fruit could be the new way to name the queer community. I’m a fruit. Are you a fruit too?” Along with “Assorted Fruit” Sayre continues a busy season of projects. Their new solo work To Build a Soul debuted at New York’s La MaMa Theatre continues in May & in June the 10th annual presentation of the “Night of a Thousand Judys” Pride concert to benefit The Ali Forney Center. Also a new piece will be performed at the Edinburgh International Festival later this year. The second “Assorted Fruit” at Joe’s Pub is Sunday March 13th at 9:30P. For More Info & Tix… 

 

Florida Fights LGBTQ Censorship (Video)

Equality Florida has launched the first of two television ads highlighting the disastrous impacts of Governor Ron DeSantis’ legislative agenda that threatens to turn Florida into a surveillance state & give the government broad license to censor conversations about American history, the origins of racism & injustice & the existence of LGBTQ people. The 30-second ads depict school life in the wake of the bills aimed at muzzling teachers & erasing LGBTQ families. Nadine Smith, Equality Florida Executive Director stated, “Not since the days of Anita Bryant have we seen such craven attempts by a leader to build political power by targeting & demonizing LGBTQ people. Governor DeSantis is pushing legislation to curb free speech, propagandize school curriculums & monitor classroom conversations, private workplaces & doctor’s offices -- all in order to outflank Donald Trump to the right & build an onramp to run for President in 2024. As a parent of a 10 year-old, these bills fail to protect my child & our family. It is a tool for the state to censor & that encourages lawsuits against schools as a means of intimidation.” The Don’t Say Gay bill (HB1557/SB1834) & the Stop WOKE Act (HB7/SB148) are being fast tracked through the legislature, despite overwhelming opposition from the state’s largest parents group the PTA, child welfare & medical experts & from educators who warn of the chilling effect & chaotic implications of the broadly written bills. Each bill would censor speech in classrooms across the state, effectively erasing large swaths of American history & society while designed to fuel the governor’s political ambitions, both bills will have profound impacts on LGBTQ people. WATCH   

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Jason Stuart & The Indie Series Awards

It’s awards season in the entertainment industry & we want to congratulate actor Jason Stuart who’s nominated for Best Actor in a Comedy Series for the Indie Series Awards for “Smothered”. The Indie Awards will be presented April 7th in North Hollywood CA at The Colony Theatre. Stuart stated "I share this nomination with my co-star Mitch Hara as I could not of done this performance without him". The series was also nominated for the Spotlight Award for Best Digital Series as well as 2 guest-star nominations. Stuart & Hara co-wrote, co-produced & co-stars in the short form series with their moto  "We don't wait for permission to be creative". The 1st season is now available on Amazon, Revry, YouTube, Apple TV & more. "Smothered" is a fabulous must-see comedy series that brings much needed comedic relief with a 30-minute binge session of 7, 5-minute episodes of outrageous, irreverent & laugh out loud bliss. Jason Stuart (The Birth Of A Nation) & Mitch Hara (Mutant Olive) co-wrote, co-starred & co-produced the series about a longtime gay couple that cannot stand each other but can’t afford to get divorced. They decide to try & save their relationship by navigating their way through couple’s therapy. As the series unfolds through their uninhibited & often shocking therapy sessions viewers discover just how dysfunctional the couple of 20 years are as they outrageously nit-pick & push each other’s buttons. They're currently shooting season 2 with guest stars Amanda Bearse, Jai Rodriguez, Aida Rodriguez, Armand Fields, Jasper Cole & more. I talked to Jason & Mitch in 2020 about what they hope to accomplish with this hysterical comedy series & their spin on our LGBTQ issues in this exclusive audio interview. LISTEN 
 

Abraham Lincoln True Diversity (AUDIO)

We all have been taught that Abraham Lincoln was an American lawyer & statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. He led the nation through the American Civil War & succeeded in preserving the Union, abolishing slavery, bolstering the federal government & modernizing the U.S. economy. Let’s celebrate Lincoln’s birthday as we re-revisit the interesting theory that Abraham Lincoln might have been our first LGBTQ president referencing Carl Sandburg who alluded to the early relationship of Lincoln & his friend Joshua Fry Speed as having "a streak of lavender & spots soft as May violets" in his 1926 biography. "Streak of lavender" was a term of an effeminate man in those days & later it implied homosexuality. Then in 1999 playwright & activist Larry Kramer claim that he had uncovered previously unknown documents while conducting research for his work-in-progress, The American People: A History claiming to be found hidden in the floorboards of the old store once shared by Lincoln & Joshua Speed. Just think how amazingly supportive that would be for our LGBTQ kids to know that they had a role model in Abraham Lincoln. I talked with author Lee Wind in this exclusive audio interview about his novel “Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill” that actually centers around Wyatt a 15 year old dealing with his sexuality in a homophobic small town who discovers this theory about Abraham Lincoln's relationship with Joshua Fry Speed a Springfield, Illinois merchant who met Lincoln in 1837. Wyatt can't help feel that if the world knew about this relationship perhaps they would treat our LGBTQ community differently.

The Estate A Must-See On Hulu (AUDIO)

This week I talked with writer-actor Chris Baker about his new film “The Estate” a dark comedic thriller about real people doing despicable things. If you love movies like John Water’s “Serial Mom” this fabulous film delivers in the same guilty-pleasure vein. Written & starring Baker the film centers on the spoiled son & the newest wife (Eliza Coupe) of a billionaire patriarch (Eric Roberts) who plot to murder him forming a psychosexual bond with their brutally handsome hitman (Greg Finlay) as they kill in their quest for wealth & recognition. Baker tells us that growing up all he ever wanted to do was to make movies & while he was an avid consumer he noticed the lack of films that reflected our LGBTQ community. When his director & producer came to him asking what kind of film he wanted to do he remembered all the movies like “Cruel Intentions” & “Wild Things” & “Scream” & movies that had that balance of tone where things could be very funny but they could also kill people so Chris came back with the script for “The Estate”. The stellar cast also includes Heather Matarazzo, Rif Hutton, Alexander Billings, Kyle Rezzarday & Ezra Buzzington. The film is directed by James Kapner & produced by Rod Hamilton, Adam Makowka & Alixandra von Renner. It’s available on Hulu & most VOD streaming outlets. Baker a Harvard graduate is best known for “Baker Daily: Trump Takedown” (2017) & “The Office Is Mine” (2019) after collecting millions of views on YouTube as a pop singer. I talked to Chris about his inspiration for writing “The Estate” & his spin on our LGBTQ issues. LISTEN  

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Brother Murders Transgender Sister

Doski Azad was a transgender woman who was murdered by her brother in Kurdistan-Iraq on January 31st who traveled back to the region after living abroad in Europe. Salah Ahmad Jiyan Foundation Founder & Chair stated, “So-called ‘honor killings’ are barbaric hate crimes that have no place in a civilized society. This despicable act is emblematic of a culture that invites terrorism, hatred & violence across the Middle East. Jiyan Foundation, together with like-minded organizations across the region urge the Kurdistan Regional Government & Iraqi authorities to end the ‘honor killing’ tradition by prioritizing investigations of hate crimes committed against LGBTQ+ individuals.” Shene Mohammed Jiyan Foundation Psychotherapist concluded, “Most LGBTQ+ people in the Kurdistan Region we see are afraid to show themselves because of the violence they face; they struggle with depression & substance abuse, anxiety, low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts & guilt because their families & society do not accept them. They don’t feel that they are loved by society.” The Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights is a nonprofit organization that supports survivors of human rights violations, defends fundamental freedoms & promotes democratic values throughout the world. Jiyan Foundation seeks to build democratic societies that protects the dignity of human beings where adults & children enjoy the rights to life & freedom & citizens are free from violence, torture & terror. Their programs, projects & initiatives provide mental health, medical treatment & other health services to survivors of trauma, terror, domestic violence & human rights violations. Since 2005 their programs have provided support to over 100,000 people. For More Info…

Chantale Wong Named U.S. Ambassador

The United States Senate has confirmed Chantale Wong by a vote of 66-31 to serve as the Director of the Asian Development Bank (ADP) making Wong the first openly lesbian & first LGBTQ person of color confirmed to an ambassador-level role in the history of the United States. Imani Rupert-Gordon NCLR Executive Director stated, "When President Biden took office a year ago, he pledged to transform the Executive Branch by including appointments that reflected the full diversity of our great nation including people of color & members of the LGBTQ+ community. From appointing Secretary Buttigieg & Admiral Rachel Levine the first Senate-confirmed openly gay & transgender cabinet-level appointments respectively to confirmation of Ambassador Wong, it is clear that President Biden is intent on fulfilling that promise. While there is still much work to be done on elevating LGBTQ nominees to federal judicial roles, we are heartened to see LGBTQ individuals finally being represented in the highest levels of government for the first time in history." Ambassador Wong concluded, “22 years ago, President Clinton appointed me to the Board of the ADB as the Alternate Executive Director. I was young & impressionable & had so much to learn. Tonight the US Senate confirmed me to return to the ADB as President Biden’s appointee. It is with great pride & humility I will serve once again at the ADB & knowing the challenges ahead will be great. I am ready!” Ambassador Wong now becomes one of the highest-ranking leaders of U.S. economic & international policy in Asia. NCLR is a national legal organization committed to advancing the human & civil rights of the LGBTQ community through litigation, public policy advocacy & public education. For More Info… 

LGBTQ Diversity Podcast On Spotify


OUTTAKE VOICES is an informative & intimate audio interview series of podcasts with over 550 episodes with global LGBTQ leaders, celebrities & their allies hosted by Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson. It’s syndicated on iTunes, Amazon Music, iHeart & the current controversial streaming platform Spotify. Guests have included Alan Ball, Ricky Martin, Senator Tammy Baldwin, Kyra Sedgwick, Kathleen Turner, John Waters, Dustin Lance Black, Tab Hunter, Sharon Gless, Loni Anderson & comedian Margaret Cho to name a few. The concept was developed to provide a voice for hundreds of LGBTQ+ organizations & allies during these challenging times of having to filter through The Good, The Bad & The Ugly politicians, pundits & talk show hosts from all media platforms. With the current controversy surrounding Spotify OUTTAKE VOICES provides some sanity from the opposite end of the spectrum. We totally understand & respect musical artists pulling their albums off Spotify at this time. Over the years we have been victimized over & over by shock-jock talk show hosts that have insulted our humanity for obscene monetary gains. Josh Rogan is just one of millions of podcasts available on Spotify so like Andy Griffith’s character Larry 'Lonesome' Rhodes in the 1957 film “A Face in the Crowd” just turn him off & find something or someone more relevant to listen to. OUTTAKE VOICES is produced by OUTTAKE MEDIA LLC & is a proud sponsor of The Dinah Palm Springs, The National LGBTQ Task Force, The Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition & ReadOut: A Festival of Lesbian Literature. 

Listen To OUTTAKE VOICES…

Patty Bourrée Valentine Drag Cabaret

Get ready for the new normal Valentine show in the greater Boston area with “Are You Mad at Me? A Drag Cabaret with Patty Bourrée” an evening of live music, drag & storytelling at The Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown, MA on February 12th at 8P. The show also features Brendon Shapiro on piano as well as Boston's favorite drag darlings Rusty Hammer & Briar Blush. Alexis Rappaport, Are You Mad at Me? Producer stated, “This is Mosesian Arts' FIRST EVER drag event, so please help me make it a smash success so that there may be many, many similar events in the future. If you love me, if you love Patty Bourrée, or even if you hate either of us, come check us out!” Humble cabaret legend Patty Bourrée is the greatest new star of the Greater Boston area. A chic chanteuse & mouthy comedienne Patty has been wowing New England audiences since she left New York & gave up on her acting career in 2018 & has become regionally known for her big voice, hilarious parodies, vintage style & bad attitude. An evening with Patty Bourrée is sure to be jam packed with song, antics & special skills. Note this show includes some adult humor that may be inappropriate for children. COVID policies are in effect & all guests are required to wear a CDC-approved mask except when actively eating or drinking when seated or in stationary position. Be sure to bring proof of vaccination for COVID-19 or proof of a recent negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours or a negative COVID-19 antigen test taken within 24 hours prior to the performance required for audience members age 12 & up. Tickets are $22. For More Info & Tix…

Lesbian Literature 2022 Virtual Event

The LGBTQ Resource Center of the Gulfport Library in Gulfport, Florida is presenting the 5th annual ReadOut 2022: A Festival of Lesbian Literature to be held virtually from February 18th to 20th via Zoom. ReadOut 2022 is a unique hybrid of live-streamed interactive panels (Pods), prerecorded readings (Pearls) with chat opportunities between sessions. The festival will demonstrate how Lesbian Voices Persist & Prevail in these transformative times. More than 50 well-known lesbian authors are slated to present streamed Pods (aka panels) on themes such as elder lesbian writings, Black women writers, mystery, fiction & the intersection of friendship & careers as lesbian authors. With the magic of Zoom, readers & participants may attend this two-day free event from anywhere in the world. Barbara Talkov, ReadOut 2022 Organizing Committee stated, “I’m so excited about what ReadOut 2022 has to offer this year. Once again this festival will be virtual, available internationally & full of intriguing live panels & videos of authors reading from their literary works.” Some of the infamous authors included in Readout 2022 are Rita Potter, LaToya Hankins, Doris Bush, Stephanie Shea, Estela Gonzale, Carol Anne Douglas, Georgia Beers, Christiana Harrell & Sue Katz. ReadOut 2022 is produced by Barbara Talkov, Sally Otto, Susan Gore, Beth Settle, Kelsey Dye, & Sarah Jünke with technological & video-editing support by the staff of the Gulfport Public Library in Gulfport, Florida a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization in Gulfport, Florida. Since 2018 ReadOut has provided an inclusive event that showcases literature written by, for & about lesbians. To attend this fabulous free event you must register. 

LGBTQ Activist Arnie Kantrowitz Dies

Arnie Kantrowitz, a prominent LGBTQ activist & co-founder of GLAAD has died at 81. Kantrowitz also established a Gay Studies course at the College of Staten Island among other LGBTQ advocacy wins. Sarah Kate Ellis GLAAD President & CEO stated, “Arnie Kantrowitz’s activism paved the way for the growing visibility, protections & acceptance of the LGBTQ community that we see today. At a time when LGBTQ people were villainized in the public sphere, Arnie bravely used his personal story to educate the public about our community & its history, ultimately fighting for the fair & accurate representation of LGBTQ people & our issues in the media. His legacy inspires us to continue fighting for a future where the most marginalized among us are seen, heard & protected.” Kantrowitz’s groundbreaking memoir “Under the Rainbow: Growing Up Gay” (1977) successfully reached a wide audience opening their eyes about the hardships our LGBTQ community faced in the 1950s & ’60s even sharing how he had dealt with them including two suicide attempts. The book also chronicled historical events in our movement including the first Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day Parade held in New York City in 1969 after Stonewall. Andy Humm concluded, “He was a leader of the generation of activists in the immediate aftermath of the Stonewall Rebellion who put their lives & livelihoods on the line to advance the cause of gay liberation.” GLAAD is the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization & has been at the forefront of cultural change & accelerating acceptance for our LGBTQ community. For More Info…

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Castro Street Fair 50th Annual Event

The 50th Annual Castro Street Fair takes place on Sunday October 6th from 11A to 6P at Castro & Market Street in San Francisco, CA. This...

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