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Provincetown Tennessee Williams Event

The Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival is celebrating its 19th season September 25th to 29th in Provincetown, MA. The opening play will be The Glass Menagerie on Wednesday September 25th that Williams wrote partially at The A House in Ptown. Live performances of festival plays include Something Cloudy Something Clear, Suddenly Last Summer, Green Eyes, Flight (adapted from a short story by Williams) & Tennessee Rising a play about Tennessee Williams. There will also be a screening of In the Room Where He Waits a gay horror film from Australia inspired by The Glass Menagerie. Marcy Feller, President of the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival Board stated, “The Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival is coming around again, on Thursday - Sunday, September 26 - 29 with an opening preview performance of The Glass Menagerie on Wednesday September 25. On Saturday & Sunday the 28th & 29th, as part of A Supply of Summer, I will have the pleasure & privilege of incarnating the remarkable Valeska Gert, a German-Jewish dancer & avant garde performer who fled the Nazis & came to Ptown where she befriended Tennessee Williams. I hope you will buy your tickets for this event & 6 live Williams’ plays, plus a new queer, supernatural film inspired by The Glass Menagerie” I had the pleasure & honor of meeting Tennessee Williams when I wired him for sound at WCVB-TV in Boston where he appeared on the “Good Day Show” back in the 1970’s. He was wearing his trademark seersucker blue & white suit topped off with a fabulous fedora hat a memory I’m fortunate to have etched in my mind forever. 
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Colorado Law Will Protect LGBTQ Youth

The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Colorado’s law prohibiting conversion therapy for minors is valid as a regulation of medical professionals’ conduct. Chris Stoll, Senior Staff Attorney at the National Center for Lesbian Rights stated, “We are extremely pleased with today’s decision, which allows Colorado to continue protecting its LGBTQ children & adolescents from the dangers of conversion therapy. These discredited practices, which falsely promise to be able to change a young person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, have been rejected as unsafe by every major medical & mental health organization in the country. The Tenth Circuit has joined numerous other federal courts in affirming that states can require licensed mental health providers to comply with professional standards prohibiting these harmful & unnecessary practices.” Nadine Bridges, Executive Director of One Colorado added, “We are delighted that Colorado's youth will remain protected from conversion therapy. Research has shown that conversion therapy can cause increased rates of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, homelessness, self-harm & suicide. LGBTQ+ youth are especially at risk, as are families who are misled into believing these dangerous practices can 'prevent' their children from being who they truly are.” Mathew Shurka, Born Perfect Co-Founder & Chief Strategist concluded, "Born Perfect applauds the Tenth Circuit for ensuring that Colorado can continue to protect youth from the dangers of conversion therapy. Advocates & survivors like me are getting the reassurance we need, that every child is Born Perfect." Twenty-five states & over 100 localities have laws or administrative policies protecting youth from these practices or preventing the expenditure of state funds on conversion therapy. 
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Court Blocks New Hampshire Trans Ban

A federal court has issued an order blocking enforcement of a New Hampshire law that bans transgender girls from playing on school sports teams while plaintiffs Parker Tirrell & Iris Turmelle case proceeds. The court ruled that HB 1205 discriminates against transgender students in violation of Title IX & the U.S. Constitution. The judge ruled that “HB 1205, on its face, discriminates against transgender girls,” & that it “is not even a close call.” The ruling goes on to say, “The stigma & humiliation that comes from such treatment of a child at the hands of the State is substantial & irreparable.” Parker Tirrell stated, “I just want to go to school like other kids, play the game I love & hang out with my friends. I’m really happy this decision means I don’t have to let my team down for the rest of the season.” Henry Klementowicz, Deputy Legal Director, ACLU of New Hampshire concluded, "Today’s court order is a positive step forward in restoring access not just for Parker & Iris but every child in the Granite State who has a right to equal opportunities at school guaranteed under the law. Laws that aim to exclude, single out & discriminate against transgender youth have no place in New Hampshire & we are happy to see the court recognize how unconstitutional & harmful they are." The families of Parker Tirrell & Iris Turmelle are represented by ACLU of New Hampshire, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders & Louis Lobel, Kevin DeJong & Elaine Blais at Goodwin. 
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Court Blocks Arizona Trans Student Ban

The Ninth Circuit unanimously affirmed a trial court decision blocking enforcement of Arizona’s law that bans transgender girls in public schools from playing on any girls’ teams. The case was brought by 2 transgender girls receiving medical treatment for gender dysphoria the medical term for the distress experienced when a persons’ innate sense of their gender does not match their birth sex. The trial court considered extensive expert testimony from medical experts who explained that the plaintiffs in this case do not have any athletic advantage over other girls & ruled that Arizona’s law sweeps far too broadly. Helen Doe, Mother of Plaintiff Jane Doe stated, “Today’s ruling from the 9th Circuit is a relief for our family. With this ruling, our daughter can continue to play with her friends, make new friends & experience all the benefits that school sports have to offer.” Kate Roe, Mother of Plaintiff Megan Roe added, “Megan is over the moon & immensely relieved to learn of the court’s decision allowing her to play the sport she loves on the team that has always welcomed her as one of their own. Having watched her blossom across the last season as both an athlete & a young woman, her dad & I are deeply thankful to the whole legal team that has fought so hard for her basic right to play ball on the team where she so clearly belongs.” Rachel Berg, Staff Attorney at the National Center for Lesbian Rights concluded, “We are pleased with the Ninth Circuit’s ruling today, which held that the Arizona law likely violates the Equal Protection Clause & recognizes that a student’s transgender status is not an accurate proxy for athletic ability & competitive advantage”. 
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Out of Sight Out of Murder In Boston

Boston’s The Footlight Club, America’s oldest community theater kicked off its theatrical season with a must-see adaptation of Fred Carmichael’s “Out of Sight...Out of Murder” directed by Kayte Duren. Performances run now through September 21st at historic Eliot Hall in JP at 7A Eliot Street Boston, MA where shows have been presented every year since 1877. “Out of Sight...Out of Murder” stars Johnny Esposito as Peter Knight who is grinding out a murder novel in an old mansion where another author was murdered years before. A weird electrical storm effects a cosmic snafu & his characters come to life. There's the lovely ingenue, the trusty butler, a feisty character woman, a dauntless hero, a fascinating "other woman” the always pregnant serving girl & the wily lawyer waiting for midnight to read the will. As Peter loses control of his characters murder follows & other murders come since the culprit is amongst the characters. This stellar cast also includes Emma Walker, Adam Johnson, Sophie Pels, Jenna Schlags, Cassidy Guimares, David Brown, Juliette McClendon & Jamie Alley. Tickets are a steal for this fabulous night of theatre with adults $25, seniors, students & children under 18 $22 & members free. The Footlight Club continues to sustain its mission to present the best in non-professional theater to a broad-based audience & to preserve & maintain Eliot Hall originally built in 1832 the hall was slated for demolition by the time the club’s members purchased it in 1889 as a community resource. Upcoming plays for its 2024-25 season include, “Bright Star”, “Yellow Face” & the musical “Prom”. 
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Bushwig 2024 LGBTQ Drag Festival

Bushwig is one of the biggest gay drag festivals that takes place September 7th & 8th at The Knockdown Center 52-19 Flushing Avenue in Queens, NYC  attracting over 4,000 visitors. The event brings together a gathering of hundreds of drag stars for 2 full days & nights to remember. Dance, be free, make love & rejoice in togetherness with this big beautiful LGBTQ family. Everyone is welcome & visitors to Brooklyn or Queens can expect drag queens everywhere in glittering beards & sidewalk-engulfing hyper-couture dresses, stomping through the city on stilts & in 10″ platform shoes & all manner of chunky heels. Bushwig showcases drag on the fringes with performers who push the boundaries of what a queen can look like or do on stage. It serves as a messier more avant-garde & frequently more thrilling antidote to RuPaul’s polished world. Brooklyn artists Trust & Horrorchata founded their drag festival in 2012 as a smaller scale Wigstock celebrating local talent. Artist Paco May stated, "I am thrilled to bring this installation to Bushwig, a festival that so perfectly aligns with the spirit of my work. The velvet polka dot portraits will hopefully get the crowd gabbing about who is who to bring it all back to the roots in Brooklyn & hopefully touching them a little bit, too.” Since its debut the festival has expanded internationally becoming an annual staple for the drag community. The program features daylong drag performances & DJ sets. It’s been known to highlight rising city queens. Bushwig is serving up two full days of Non-Stop Drag, Live Music, DJs & Dancing spread across 3 different stages & a dance zone with more than 150 performers. Enjoy Shopping, food & drinks, Icons, legends, looks, stunts & shows. 
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Ava DuVernay Leads Banned Books Week

Award-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay has been named honorary chair for Banned Books Week 2024 that takes place September 22nd to 28th. DuVernay will be joined by youth honorary chair Julia Garnett a student activist who fought book bans in her home state of Tennessee. DuVernay stated, "I believe that censorship is the enemy of freedom. By banning books, we deny ourselves the opportunity to learn from the past & to envision a braver future. Books have the power to open minds & build bridges. This is why certain forces do not want the masses to engage with books. They fear progress & growth in new, bold directions. For this reason, Banned Books Week is vitally important. It is a celebration of our right to access varied voices & to engage with ideas that challenge & champion us. I am honored to be selected as honorary chair of Banned Book Week for this election year & I stand with my fellow readers, fellow writers & fellow advocates around the world who refuse to let voices be silenced." DuVernay is the groundbreaking writer, director & producer behind acclaimed films & television projects such as Selma, 13th, Queen Sugar, When They See Us & One Perfect Shot. She is an Academy Award nominee & winner of Emmy, BAFTA, NAACP, GLAAD, Critics Choice & Peabody Awards. Banned Books Week founded in 1082 has drawn attention to attempts to remove books & other materials from libraries, schools & bookstores. The theme for Banned Books Week 2024 is “Freed Between the Lines” an observance of the freedom we find in the pages of books & the need to defend that freedom from censorship. 
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Supreme Court Trans Health Ban Update

In Kentucky parents of transgender children & a wide array of civil rights groups have weighed in as the Supreme Court prepares to hear U.S. v. Skrmetti the challenge to Tennessee’s ban on healthcare for transgender adolescents. The families are plaintiffs in Doe v Thornbury a challenge to a similar law in Kentucky & are joined by SAGE, National Trans Bar Association, LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York, Mazzoni Center, Americans United for Separation of Church and State & Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (BALIF). They are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders & Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. Corey Shapiro, Legal Director at the ACLU of Kentucky stated, “The parents challenging these laws have seen firsthand the positive impact appropriate medical care has had on their children’s wellbeing & the detrimental health impacts their kids experience without it. Denying these treatments to transgender youth who need them is not only unlawful, it is heartbreaking for parents. We are proud to represent these Kentucky families & will continue to fight for their right to make decisions for their families without government interference.” Shannon Minter, Legal Director at the National Center for Lesbian Rights concluded, “Families, not the government, should make decisions about medical care. These bans target youth whose doctors have determined they need this care & whose parents have made informed decisions about what is best for their own children.” As a result of this discriminatory treatment transgender youth are unable to obtain the only effective treatment for the severe distress caused by gender dysphoria. 
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Gloucester Trans Teen Brutally Attacked

A transgender teenage boy was badly beaten by a large group of other teens in Gloucester, MA. Many of the attackers are on the Gloucester High School football team. The 16-year-old Jayden Tkaczyk stated, "One second, I was having fun, the next second, I was on the ground getting my face stomped & beat up. They were just saying the F slur over & over & over as they were punching me & stomping me.” He is recovering from a broken bone in his face, nerve damage, a head injury & bruises all over his body. Jayden's mother Jasmine Tkaczyk added, "This has always been my worst fear as a mom of a trans teen, getting that phone call that your son is in the hospital for getting beaten up." Mass Equality stated, “Mass Equality was horrified to hear of the brutal beating of a transgender Gloucester teenage boy, by members of the Gloucester High School Football team on Friday night. With compassion, we extend our heartfelt thoughts to the student, their family & everyone touched by this loss within the community & beyond. Mass Equality has been in direct contact with the victim’s family & will be working, alongside our partner organizations to provide support. We will also work with the schools & community in Gloucester to ensure that they have the resources that they need to combat hate & violence & demand accountability for the actions of those who were responsible for this attack. Violence against the LGBTQ+ community has been on the rise across the nation & in Massachusetts. Per the Department of Justice, hate crimes motivated by gender identity more than doubled between 2020 & 20221 & nearly doubled for those based on sexual orientation.” 
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Provincetown Swim For Life 2024 Events

Celebrating 37 years as a community tradition the Provincetown Community Compact is presenting their annual Provincetown Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla fundraiser. First on Friday September 6th 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 7th swimmers will swim 1.2 miles along the East End shoreline from Breakwater Hotel at 716 Commercial Street that begins at 2:20P & a half mile swim from the Town Landing at Atkins Lane also starting at 2:30P. There will also be a fresh water swim in Wellfleet’s Great Pond on September 7th beginning 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. Over 100 volunteers are invited to assist on land & sea including kayakers. There will be Watch Parties for the public along the shoreline to cheer on the swimmers & the famous Mermaid Brunch will be catered by Far Land Provisions with the world-traveling Zoe Lewis providing the music. Walkers are also invited to participate with a walk along the beach route & Commercial Street & the public is invited to share this post-Labor Day tradition along the shore & greet swimmers at the finish line where there will be food, beverage & entertainment. Swim Design Graphic by Tim Convery 
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Massachusetts LGBTQ Healthcare Act

The Massachusetts House & Senate have approved LGBTQ inclusive language in House Bill No. 5033 “An Act to Improve Quality & Oversight of Long-Term care” & sent it to Governor Healey’s desk to be signed into law. This will help LGBTQ older adults & older people living with HIV in long-term care facilities. State Senator Jehlen stated, “I vividly remember testimony at one of our LGBT Aging Commission hearings. A family in western Massachusetts could no longer care for their transgender aunt & could not find a single nursing home that would admit her. Finally, they found one & that nursing home ironically put her in a converted closet.” Rep. Jack Patrick Lewis added, “LGBTQ+ seniors have spent their lives fighting for the social equality & legal protections that many of us now benefit from. Many of them were pioneers is this struggle, losing partners & friends at the height of the AIDS epidemic, while also fighting for our very right to exist publicly & proudly in our families, our schools, our faith communities & in our halls of government. The stories of LGBTQ+ seniors being forced back into the closet or mistreated in their golden years are simply unconscionable. I am grateful to House and Senate Leadership, along with all my legislative colleagues, for including this vital language that I worked on with Senator Jehlen in the final version of this bill.” In passing the LGBTQ Long Term Care Bill of Rights as part of the LTC oversight legislation Massachusetts joins four states California, New Jersey, New York, Oregon & the District of Columbia which have similar LGBTQ Long Term Care Bills of Rights.
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Provincetown Tennessee Williams Event

The Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival is celebrating its 19th season September 25th to 29th in Provincetown, MA. The opening ...

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