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Missouri Transgender Healthcare Ban

A federal judge in Missouri has denied a preliminary injunction on SB 49 the state's anti-transgender healthcare ban so it's now in effect. Missouri's SB 49 bans healthcare for transgender youth & for adults who are incarcerated as well as banning Medicaid from reimbursing costs for transgender healthcare including for adults. Aro Royston, Board Secretary for PROMO Missouri stated, “We are enraged not only has our government & elected officials failed us, but now our justice system has failed to do its job in protecting the most vulnerable of our population. The courts told the transgender community, parents of gender-expansive youth & the entire LGBTQ+ community that we do not exist, that we do not have the right to make our own medical decisions or the right to bodily autonomy. There is no categorical ban like this in the world making the actions of the Missouri State Government the most egregious in history." Justice Horn a Missouri community leader, chair of the City of Kansas City’s LGBTQ+ Commission & formerly the NCAA's first out gay multicultural college wrestler concluded, “Today is a dark day for civil rights in the state of Missouri. Missouri’s state government has successfully stood in the way of access to life saving care for so many of our community’s youth. They may win this legal battle, but the fight for greater access to gender-affirming care will continue because it has to; our youth deserve nothing less from us. To our community’s trans youth, we’re not going to rest until this injustice is corrected here in Missouri. Know that you’re not alone in this fight—we see you & we’re going to continue to fight for you.”                 For More Info… 

 

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Queen Las Vegas Grand Opening Event

Q Group Hospitality & LGBTQ nightlife impresario & visionary Eduardo Cordova will debut the highly anticipated Queen Las Vegas on Friday September 1st at 9P. Queen is a chic mid-century modern style boutique hotel, restaurant, gaming lounge & nightclub located on Las Vegas Boulevard making it the only LGBTQ property on the iconic Strip. For the grand opening Queen Las Vegas will make its foray into the LGBTQ scene with a little help from RuPaul's Drag Race alum Shangela, media personality Perez Hilton & Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman herself among Queen Las Vegas’ resident drag queens. Queen will host guests from around the world, the community, celebrities & tastemakers alike providing a safe space for all to live out loud, proud & celebrate self-expression, inclusiveness & diversity. Queen Las Vegas introduces brunch, dinner & day & nightlife experiences offering guests Californian-inspired cuisine from Executive Chef Natalia Delgado. Guests can experience Queen Las Vegas’ dining options from an intimate booth in the main dining lounge, lounging on the chic patio or overlooking the lively social scene from Queen’s VIP tables. Beginning in late September & then every Saturday & Sunday thereafter comes Queen’s Drag Brunch with the ultimate drag show with a full Rupaul’s Drag Race cast of characters ready to sashay & slay.  Brunch attendees can watch Vegas’ fabulous queens steal the spotlight on upcoming Saturdays & Sundays starting at 11A. Queen Las Vegas is located at 1215 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Queen Las Vegas’ restaurant & bar will be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with nightly DJ sets starting at 9P. 
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Best LGBTQ Friendly Campuses Top 30

Campus Pride has released its annual Best of the Best list of the top 30 colleges & universities for LGBTQ students. The annual ranking recognizes campuses across the country for their LGBTQ friendly policies, programs & practices. The Top 30 recognizes these institutions’ efforts to create safe & welcoming campuses for LGBTQ students, staff & faculty. Shane Mendez Windmeyer, Campus Pride Founder, CEO & Executive Director stated, “The Best of the Best list was first created in 2009 as a way to showcase colleges & universities that were committed to offering safe & inclusive environments for LGBTQ+ students, so that students & families could make informed choices about where to pursue higher education. In today’s climate, which finds LGBTQ+ identities being used as political talking points & laws being weaponized against LGBTQ+ people, the commitment to creating campuses that welcome and protect LGBTQ+ students cannot be taken for granted. The colleges & universities that made our list this year deserve this highest recognition for the efforts they have made and continue to make.” Due to the passage of anti-LGBTQ state laws in Texas & Florida Campus Pride excluded from consideration all colleges & universities from both states in the 2023 Best of the Best list. Windmeyer concluded, “It is important that prospective students & families know that these Texas & Florida laws endanger & harm LGBTQ+ people & create a hostile & unwelcoming learning environment before going to school there.” Since 2001 Campus Pride has been the leading national organization dedicated to building future LGBTQ & ally leaders creating safer communities at colleges & universities. 
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Provincetown Swim For Life 2023 Events

Celebrating 36 years as a community tradition the Provincetown Community Compact is presenting their annual Provincetown Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla fundraiser. First on Friday September 8th there will an optional swimmer’s orientation at 1P & a kayak orientation at 2P & at 8P there will be a celebration of Life Concert at the UU Meeting House at 8P. Then on September 9th swimmers will swim 1.2 miles along the East End shoreline from Harbor & Breakwater Hotels at Snail Road to Cannery Wharf Park (formerly East End Waterfront Park). Swim begins at 8:30A. A parallel Swim for Life also takes place September 9th at Wellfleet’s Great Pond at 9A. Jay Critchley, Director of The Compact stated, “We are thrilled to be back at the town’s spectacular waterfront park & welcome swimmers, kayakers, volunteers, safety boaters & our fans from across the country.” The Provincetown Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla fundraiser has raised over $6M for AIDS, women’s health & the community. Last year it attracted over 350 swimmers including 33 swimmers “Swimming in Place” around the country. Over 100 volunteers are invited to assist on land & sea including kayakers. Transport to the start will be provided by the Funk Bus & the famous Mermaid Brunch will be catered by Far Land Provisions with the world-traveling Zoe Lewis providing the music. Watch parties along the shore are organizing to cheer the swimmers on. The public is invited to share this post-Labor Day tradition along the shore & greet swimmers at the finish line at Cannery Wharf Park where there will be food, beverage and entertainment. You can also register to swim in your own favorite place on your own schedule. 
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In League with Devils Exhibit Extended

The Luce Center for the Arts & Religion at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC has extended its exhibition In League with Devils by Michael Petry exploring forgotten Gods, resurrected rituals & queer desire until August 31st. Michael Petry is a leading multi-media artist, author & director of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in London, UK. Stephen Fry stated, “Michael Petry celebrates the ceremonial, memorializes the mythical & acknowledges, honors & explores the deeper spirits within us whom we all feel & hear yet have always found hard to name. Our Gods our devils.” Michael Petry concluded, “In order for there to be Gods there has always had to be devils & artists, queer people, others in general, have always been labelled as bad, evil, devils. I feel like an archaeologist sifting through the sands of time to uncover the old stories, the old myths, the old beliefs on which modern believers act. I have bathed in the spirit of the ancients. Marduk & Thor, Brigit & Ra & Janus & Seth are only a few of the now-mythologized Gods of old. They are no longer held in the respect they were, but does that stop them from being Gods? Is it simply time that morphs a God into a myth & if so, what of the current Gods & devils? Will they, too, just become stories told around a campfire? If American Christian Nationalism is any indication, I know I am better off In League with Devils!” The exhibition is curated by Aaron Rosen, PhD, director of the Luce Center for the Arts & Religion. In League with Devils is accompanied by an eponymous hardback book with essays by Petry & more. 
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Alabama Criminalizes Trans Healthcare

A Trump appointed U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit issued a ruling allowing Alabama to enforce its law criminalizing providers of gender-affirming care. The decision allows SB184 that passed in April 2022 to take effect & Alabama healthcare professionals will soon be banned from providing medically necessary healthcare for trans adolescents for the treatment of gender dysphoria, including hormone therapy & puberty blockers. Allison Scott, Director of Impact & Innovation at the Campaign for Southern Equality stated, “We are living through a period of unprecedented cruelty toward transgender people & it should make every American ashamed that most of this cruelty is falling on the shoulders of children. This ruling from the 11th Circuit is the latest example of the exhausting whiplash that families are facing – taking every step to care for their children, then needing to repeatedly pivot to other options. We are honored to be able to help & heart-broken that the support is so necessary right now.” Corey Harvard, Executive Director of Prism United in Mobile concluded, “This decision is devastatingly malicious – these judges are knowingly harming young people across Alabama. It is a heart-breaking development & a blow to youth who simply want to live as their authentic selves. To every trans youth or parent of a trans youth, please know: We see you, we are here for you & we are ready to fight this harmful, politically-motivated, anti-science decision until trans youth have access to the healthcare they deserve.” Alabama families of transgender youth are now eligible to apply for support from the Southern Trans Youth Emergency Project (STYEP). 
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The Dinah Celebrating 32 Years (AUDIO)

This week I talked with Mariah Hanson, founder & producer of The Dinah the most renowned annual music festival for queer women that’s celebrating its 32nd year & takes place September 20th through September 24th in Palm Springs, CA. The Dinah continues its legend with a show-stopping all-female entertainment line-up at one of Palm Springs’ most historic hotels The Margaritaville formerly The Riviera. This glamorous venue will host The Black & White Ball in the Grand Ballroom Friday night September 22nd with headliner Doechii one of today’s most magnetic rappers. The Dinah mix on Friday night will also feature Black Box who has been keeping millions of fans dancing beneath disco balls & neon lights for 3 decades. Then on Saturday night at The Hollywood Party Princess Nokia the electrifying gender nonconforming queer NY Rapper & newest star to be is set to deliver an explosive headlining performance. Of course, during the daytime there will be The Dinah’s legendary pool parties showcasing a string of galvanizing queer emerging performers. FYI don’t miss The L-Word Pool Party on Saturday September 23rd as Phem one of the most prominent up & coming queer indie genre-defying singers will be performing poolside to get your swim on. Throughout the festivities The Dinah will also present world-famous DJs, go-go dancers, red carpet events with celebrity guests, dance parties, meet & greets & so much more. OUTTAKE MEDIA has been a proud Media Sponsor of The Dinah for the last 7 years & we’ll be onsite broadcasting all the festivities for our global LGBTQ audience. I talked to Mariah about what she hopes to accomplish with The Dinah this year & her spin on our LGBTQ issues. LISTEN  
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Final Harbor To The Bay AIDS Ride Event

The fabulous AIDS fundraiser Harbor To The Bay will hold its 21st & final annual one-day bike ride from Boston to Provincetown, MA. to raise vital funds for 4 AIDS/HIV agencies in the Boston area & Cape Cod on Saturday September 23rd. Harbor To The Bay began in 2003 with an idea by the late Michael Tye & a group of Boston’s Club Café staff & dedicated friends who shared the dream to launch the 126-mile AIDS bike ride with 100% of all pledges going directly to fight HIV/AIDS. Jim Morgrage, Harbor To The Bay President stated, “This was a difficult decision but every event has a beginning, a peak & an eventual end. With your help we were able to sustain Harbor To The Bay for 20 years, even through a pandemic, raising awareness & more than 6.7 million dollars all while making beautiful friendships that will last a life time. Harbor To The Bay will remain as a fundraising tool for Club Café. We will continue the nonprofit work we have started through the bike ride with shows & events throughout the year always donating 100% of what is raised to important organizations that continue to support those living with & affected by HIV/AIDS & we're only $170,000 away from reaching our goal of $7 Million. Thank you so very much to everyone who is signed up to Ride & Crew at this year's event as well as all of you who have been so generous with your support!” All proceeds from Harbor To The Bay will support Fenway Health, AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod, AccessHealth MA, AIDS Action Committee & The Harbor To The Bay General Fund. 
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DeSantis War On LGBTQ People (VIDEO)

Ahead of the first Republican Presidential Primary Debate new data from HRC underscores the incredible damage being done to LGBTQ people in Florida by the DeSantis regime. Nadine Smith Equality Florida Executive Director stated, “Ron DeSantis is inflicting deep & lasting damage on Florida with his war on freedom that bans books, censors curriculum, whitewashes history & replaces facts & science with extremist propaganda. The results of this survey make clear that we Floridians will be repairing the damage long after he has left the Governors mansion. Conferences are canceling, talent is fleeing and the best & the brightest are abandoning our universities as he guts academic freedom. The more the nation sees the impact of his reckless policies & hateful rhetoric, the further DeSantis plummets in the polls.” In the LGBTQ Community Survey 80% of transgender & nonbinary Floridians report that gender-affirming care bans impact their physical or mental health or that of their loved ones, 81% wanted to or took steps to relocate from Florida as a result from attacks on medical freedom & 93% reported feeling less safe as a result of these policies. Nationwide 62% of those surveyed said they would not consider moving to Florida as a result of restrictions on healthcare for transgender & nonbinary people. Florida is also ground zero with the current culture wars specifically drag artists under attack. In this fabulous video Drag Diva Randy Roberts addresses this issue honestly & flawlessly with a tribute to Governor DeSantis in a parody entitled “He’s DeSantis” to the song “It's De-Lovely”. WATCH VIDEO  
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New LGBTQ Americans Safety Report

A new analysis of data from Community Marketing Insight’s (CMI) 17th Annual LGBTQ Community Survey, co-sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation & others reveals the universal impact gender-affirming care bans are having on LGBTQ adults. Nearly 8-in-10 LGBTQ adults report feeling less safe as a result of gender-affirming care bans & nearly half report that gender-affirming care bans impact the physical & mental health of themselves or their loved ones. This year with more than 550 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in 43 states & more than 80 signed into law has doubled last year number that was previously the worst year on record. Kelley Robinson, HRC President stated, “Just two months after HRC declared a National State of Emergency for LGBTQ+ people, this survey reveals that the current climate of hostility & fear is only growing worse & that gender-affirming care bans are taking a detrimental toll on the physical & mental health of LGBTQ+ Americans. Extremist, anti-LGBTQ+ politicians & their allies are waging a dangerous & cruel misinformation campaign that seeks to stigmatize not only gender-affirming care but transgender & non-binary people as well. Through fear mongering & propaganda, extremist leaders are working overtime to manufacture panic, rile up their base & coax them into opposing healthcare for transgender people, even though it’s endorsed by every major medical organization. The rhetoric & misinformation is having a virtually universal impact on LGBTQ+ people & further plunging us into a state of emergency that’s threatening the health & safety of every LGBTQ+ person.” 
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California Hall of Fame LGBTQ Inductee

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that José Julio Sarria one of our LGBTQ most legendary iconic trailblazers & heroes will be inducted into the prestigious California Hall of Fame. Sarria was a proud Latino & World War II veteran & in 1961 became the first openly gay candidate to run for public office as a candidate for the San Francisco County Board of Supervisors placing fifth among a field of 29 candidates. Sarria’s courageous run for public office put “Gay Power” on the political map & paved the way for over 600 elected LGBTQ officials now in public office. San Diego County/City Commissioner Nicole Murray Ramirez stated, “José Julio Sarria was the Rosa Parks of the LGBTQ Civil Rights Movement. It is very symbolic of Governor Newsom to name José into the California Hall of Fame during this time when drag queens & transgender people are under attack by the Radical Right Wing.” Commissioner Ramirez & then San Francisco Supervisor Bevan Dufty led the campaign that resulted in Sarria being the first openly gay man to have a street named after him by the City of San Francisco. He was also inducted into the National LGBTQ Wall of Fame located in the historic Stonewall Inn in New York City as well as being honored as an historic figure on the Rainbow Honor Walk in the Castro District of San Francisco. The 16th class of the California Hall of Fame will be inducted in a virtual ceremony on Tuesday August 22nd at 6P. The all-posthumous 16th class will be featured in online exhibitions developed by the Museum in collaboration with the inductees’ representatives. 
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North Carolina Cruel New LGBTQ Laws

Extremely bad news out of North Carolina where their General Assembly has voted to override Governor Roy Cooper's vetoes of two anti-transgender bills & a broad anti-LGBTQ curriculum censorship bill similar to Florida's so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill to take effect immediately. HB808 will prohibit the initiation of all gender-affirming medical care for transgender people under the age of 18 including puberty blockers, gender-affirming hormone therapy & surgery. HB574 prohibits transgender girls & young women in grade school & higher education from participating in school sports & SB49 is a curriculum censorship bill that also requires school staff to “out” transgender students. Allison Scott Director of Impact & Innovation at the Campaign for Southern Equality stated, “We need to call this what it is: An all-out attack on queer & transgender youth in North Carolina. The NCGA is going out of its way to blatantly enact the far-Right’s anti-LGBTQ wish list, causing harm & discrimination to young people in every area of life, from school to the doctor’s office to the athletic fields. You would have thought that the NCGA would have learned its lesson from HB2 & the havoc it caused for our state & our communities. We know this is a very difficult time for transgender youth & their families & for the LGBTQ+ community & our supporters across North Carolina. I also know that no law can stop the transgender community from charting our paths to thriving & living authentically – our community will make sure of that. Right now, help is available: Please reach out to our Southern Trans Youth Emergency Project to better understand your options & how you can continue to access gender-affirming care in neighboring states. We are sending solidarity & love during this relentless time." 
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LGBTQ Students Back To School Fears

With a total of 566 anti-LGBTQ+ bills that have been introduced in 49 states, 80 bills have passed & 86% of these bills target trans youth by banning access to gender-affirming care & banning trans students from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity. In Florida which has serves as ground zero for LGBTQ discrimination a new statewide program has been launched by Equality Florida to bring together a coalition of organizations from across the country to help parents & families in the Sunshine State. “Parenting With Pride” will build a hub of resources for those families to know their rights, have access to the support & resources they need to fight back against the laws that harm their family. Jennifer Solomon, Equality Florida Parents & Families Support Manager stated, “As a mom of four, including two LGBTQ children, the last few years have taken a toll on families like mine & the time has come for us to speak out. Parents are fed up with politicians waging war on families by banning books, censoring curriculum, whitewashing history, replacing education with propaganda -- all at the expense of our kids & their futures. We developed Parenting with Pride as an answer for families across the state, furious at how they are being used as political pawns & demanding an end to government censorship & intrusion into their lives…Our kids deserve respect & the opportunity to have schools & classrooms where they can grow into the leaders of tomorrow. Enough is enough.” 
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Provincetown Carnival “Land Of Toys”

The 45th Annual Provincetown Carnival takes place now through August 19th in Provincetown, MA. This year’s theme is “Land Of Toys” which is so perfect in so many ways. Carnival was created by the Provincetown Business Guild in 1978 & is Ptown’s original Summer celebration of community, expression & creativity. The weeklong festival attracts tens of thousands of guests from all over the world to enjoy parties, events, costume contests & the celebrated Carnival parade down Commercial Street. The Provincetown Business Guild (PBG) proudly to announced the Grand Marshal for the 2023 Carnival Parade on August 17th will be Jason Carter aka drag artist Monica Moore who will lead the community of floats & parade walkers down Commercial Street. Stephan Hengst, Executive Director of the PBG stated, “Jason is a courageous example of the many community advocates & activists who are on the front lines of the fight against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation & protests occurring across the country. Most don’t think something like this can happen in MA. So, when the staff & board of the PBG heard about Jason’s story, we instantly knew we wanted to find a way to honor him & surround him with love & support as only the Provincetown Carnival Parade can do.” Jason Carter concluded, “I am incredibly honored and privileged to have this title of Grand Marshal for such an iconic event in Provincetown. I worked hard to be where I am today & I will always support & love my community because we aren’t going anywhere.” 
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Arizona Transgender Class Action Case

A federal district court in Tucson granted the plaintiffs’ request to certify a class action in a case challenging Arizona’s outdated requirement that transgender people must have surgery to change the gender marker on their birth certificates. This ruling means that this case will now benefit all transgender people born in Arizona not just the individual plaintiffs who originally brought the case. The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) along with co-counsel Cooley LLP & Osborn Maledon, P.A. initially filed the case on behalf of three transgender individuals who sought to correct their birth certificates. Rachel Berg, NCLR Staff Attorney stated, “The stories of our clients are just a small representation of the thousands of individuals born in Arizona who are unable to amend their birth certificates to reflect who they are. We are thrilled that this case will now apply to all transgender individuals born in Arizona who wish to amend their birth certificates to accurately reflect their gender identity. Access to correct identity documents is critically important to the health and well-being of transgender people.” Barrett Anderson, Attorney for Cooley LLP concluded, “We are pleased that the court has certified this case as a class action. With this ruling, all transgender people born in Arizona seeking to amend the gender marker on their birth certificate will now be eligible for relief from the state’s discriminatory & unconstitutional law.” The lawsuit alleges that Arizona’s surgical requirement violates the Equal Protection & Due Process Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. 
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New Show ‘Aging Disgracefully’ (AUDIO)

This week I talked with Drag Diva Randy Roberts about performing his new show “Aging Dis-Gracefully” currently at the Post Office Cafe & Cabaret now through August 29th in Provincetown, MA. I caught his fabulous new show last week & was thoroughly entertained with his theme of divas who refuse to grow old gracefully including impeccable performances from Cher, Bette Midler & more. However, what makes Roberts show so outstanding is how he brings his own voice to the party. This is not a lip sync show but a Virtuoso performing in drag. Then when he concluded the show performing “The Music of the Night” from The Phantom of the Opera in his own persona I was blown away especially thinking about the controversy all drag artists are facing in this country with the politicizing of their art. In Key West, Florida where Randy has performed at the La Te Da Cabaret on Duval Street for 25 years they no longer allow anyone under 18 years old to attend even though Randy’s show is totally appropriate for all ages. In “Aging Dis-Gracefully” he does address Florida being ground zero with the current culture wars specifically drag artists under attack. Yet Roberts manages to address the issue flawlessly with a tribute to Governor DeSantis in a parody entitled “He’s DeSantis” to the song “It's De-Lovely” & a moving rendition of the LGBTQ power anthem “Color Out Of Colorado.” I talked to Randy about his inspiration for his new show “Aging Dis-Gracefully” & his spin on our LGBTQ on our LGBTQ issues. LISTEN    


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LGBTQ Black & Brown Equality Ball

HRC will present The Equality Ball in association with Beeline Productions & the Shady Gang with support from the BeyGOOD Foundation the public charity founded by Beyoncé to celebrate & uplift the beauty of Black & Brown queer joy on August 27th at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. Kelly Robinson Human Rights Campaign President who will be attending stated, “Ballroom culture is synonymous with the Black queer community—it creates a safe space for LGBTQ+ people at a time when being your authentic self was dangerous. But, let’s not get confused, it’s still dangerous for us—Black & Brown trans women are facing an epidemic of fatal violence & just within the past week, O’Shea Sibley, a Black queer man, was brutally murdered for vogueing. The Equality Ball serves as another space for those who feel overlooked to take center stage & let the world know that—as Beyoncé sings—you won’t break our souls’. There is hate out there, but nothing can break our souls. We see the community’s resilience in our own programs—in the leadership of advocates who work in our Trans Justice Initiative, in the unlimited potential that shines through students in our HBCU program & in the work we do with Black & Brown leaders advancing health equity, inclusive workplaces & schools free of bullying & bias. Despite the challenges facing our community, we continue to celebrate this renaissance of freedom & self-love & honor the Black & Brown, queer & transgender pioneers who paved the way for us to live our best lives.”  
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Florida Reverses Psychology Class Ban

After a national outcry when the College Board determined Florida essentially barred a high school Advanced Placement psychology course in the state because it includes lessons on sexual orientation & identity which violates the state "Don’t Say LGBTQ" law, Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz issued guidance to Florida school districts informing them that AP Psychology can be taught “in its entirety” in classrooms. Joe Saunders Equality Florida Senior Political Director stated, “This week Florida’s parents are waking up to the reality that Governor Desantis, Education Commissioner Manny Diaz & the Florida Board of Education have turned our public schools into political battlefields. Their intentionally vague Don’t Say LGBTQ rule, built on the legislature’s Don’t Say LGBTQ law, is fostering sweeping censorship in every classroom in our state. We applaud the school districts that have held strong in the fight against the censorship of the Don’t Say LGBTQ law & rule & encourage all education leaders to take the Commissioner at his word. Districts & teachers should teach AP Psychology in its entirety -- including the LGBTQ-inclusive content. Additionally, we call on the Department of Education to immediately issue clarifying guidance that affirms AP Psychology’s alignment with state standards & protects AP Psychology teachers from political attacks for teaching the course "in its entirety." But let's be clear. We did not have to be here. Governor DeSantis & his political ambition have turned Florida’s classrooms into political battlegrounds. Put an end to the chaos. Let teachers teach. Let students learn & stop using Florida’s schools as a petri dish for the rightwing anti-freedom agenda. The hateful Don’t Say LGBTQ rule should be repealed immediately.” 
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SAGE Welcomes New Board Members

SAGE the world’s largest & oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ elders welcomes David de Figueiredo, Staci Alexander & Loren Ostrow to its Board of Directors. David, Staci & Loren bring decades of expertise in policy, finance & community building that will serve as incredible assets to SAGE’s work in advocating for LGBTQ elder rights & health equity. David de Figueiredo stated, “SAGE is committed to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ older adults & is a leading voice in advocating for their rights & well-being. SAGE has been recognized for its pioneering work in this field & is a trusted resource for LGBTQ+ seniors, their families & caregivers & I am proud to serve on its board.” Staci Alexander added, “I am honored to support SAGE’s mission to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ adults. SAGE is advocating for the right to age with dignity as we celebrate our diversity & community. I look forward to working with my fellow board members to help SAGE continue to innovate & grow its services, network & advocacy.” Loren Ostrow concluded, “I am delighted to join the Board of Directors of SAGE. The Board, its CEO, Michael Adams & its talented staff & volunteers are a dedicated group of individuals deeply committed to addressing the unfortunately vast needs of LGBTQ+ seniors brought on by the continuing homophobia of our society. It is an honor to join with them to ensure that SAGE has the resources, financial & otherwise, to carry out its mission.” Founded in 1978 SAGE offers supportive services & consumer resources to LGBTQ+ older people & their caregivers. 
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Pink Martini Massachusetts Double Play

Pink Martini the fabulous little orchestra that crosses classical, Latin, traditional pop & jazz featuring vocalist China Forbes & pianist/bandleader Thomas Lauderdale are concluding their Summer tour with 2 Massachusetts gigs this weekend. First at the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis on Saturday August 5th at 8P & then on Sunday August 6th as part of the Lowell Summer Music series at 7:30P. Featuring a dozen musicians with songs in 25 languages Pink Martini has performed its multilingual repertoire on concert stages on six continents, sold over 3 million albums globally & played with over 50 orchestras around the world. Thomas Lauderdale stated, “Pink Martini is a rollicking around-the-world musical adventure. If the United Nations had a house band hopefully we’d be that band.” Founded in 1994 Pink Martini is gearing up to celebrate their 30th anniversary as they continue to provide a more beautiful & inclusive soundtrack in these challenging times. China Forbes concluded, "Summer performances in my home state of Massachusetts have become a Pink Martini tradition. Thomas & I always look forward to returning to where our musical partnership began. We have two wonderful concerts coming up: The Cape Cod Melody Tent is one of our favorite venues in the entire world because we get to play on a revolving stage! We’re equally excited to play the Lowell Summer Music Series for the first time. These are the last two shows on our big summer tour & we hope to see you ALL there!" Also joining Forbes will be guest singers Edna Vazquez & Jimmie Herrod. For Info & Tix…

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Maryland Passes Freedom To Read Act

Maryland Governor Wes Moore has signed HB785 the “Freedom to Read Act” & HB1386 that mandates anti-bias training for all school employee...

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