Boy George In UK Gay Art Show

Boy George is exhibiting his artwork in London as part of Platform Six a non-profit arts organization that opened its doors to their first collective featuring LGBT artwork by emerging & established artists. Also in the show are are Carl Hopgood, DNA Factory, James Tailor, Layla Lyons, Lewis Burton, Rolina Blok, Victor Ivanov, William Baker & Judy Blame. Platform Six founder James Tailor who curated the exhibition stated, “There is so much more to LGBT artists than simply their sexuality, however that is what many exhibitions seem to focus on & a lot of the work itself is highly sexualized & falls into a now well-known stereotype. The Platform Six exhibition takes LGBT art out of the context of sex & while some of the works displayed may contain nudity, the work itself deals with themes such as non-conformity, identity & vulnerability.” There will also be a special auction to benefit the UK LGBT organization Stonewall. For the auction Platform Six has joined forces with global sportswear brand Adidas creating 20 pairs of limited edition Adidas x Platform Six Stan Smith trainers which will be transformed into one-off pieces of art by those exhibiting in this year’s show. Platform Six patrons acknowledged for their support of our LGBT community include: Naomi Campbell, Dawn Mellor, Sir Elton John, Kate Moss, Kylie Minogue, Neneh Cherry & Noel Fielding. Platform Six a non-profit organization showcases lesbian, gay & bisexual artwork with debut exhibition alongside special auction in aid for UK Stonewall runs September 7th to 14th at Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, Bargehouse Street SE1 9HP
For More Info: platformsixlondon.com
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Gay Icon Diana Nyad Victorious

Finally U.S. endurance swimmer Diana Nyad completed her swim from Cuba to Florida becoming the first person to make this swim without the help of a shark cage. Nyad swam up to the beach just before 2P EST about 53 hours after she began her journey in Havana on Saturday. When she arrived on the beach in Key West Nyad stated, "I have three messages. One is, we should never, ever give up. Two is, you're never too old to chase your dream. Three is, it looks like a solitary sport, but it is a team." Nyad added, "I have to say, I'm a little bit out of it right now. I just wanted to get out of the sun." Diana gestured toward her swollen lips & simply said "seawater." Her team said she had been slurring her words while she was out in the water. She was on a stretcher on the beach & received an IV before she was taken by ambulance to a hospital. This was her fifth attempt at the 110 mile swim that she completed successfully. Extremely brave for a 64 year old, Nyad first tried the crossing from Cuba in 1978 when she was 28 but failed in the face of winds & heavy waves. Nyad never came out of the closet publicly because she was never in it. She has spoken on the issue of LGBT athletes in sports many times but her focus has always been on sports. Much like Billie Jean King her place as an athlete supersedes her place as a lesbian athlete something many gay people in sports dream of. Diana is a member of the National Women’s Hall of Fame & the International Swimming Hall of Fame. I met Diana years ago in NYC & she’s one of the strongest Alfa women I’ve ever met. Congrats!! Updates to Come...:)
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Labor Day For Gay Workers

Labor Day is always a bittersweet holiday for our LGBT community. While the nation focuses on recent advances in securing marriage equality for gay & lesbian couples 40 years of advocacy has failed to secure federal nondiscrimination protections for LGBT workers. Winnie Stachelberg, Executive Vice President for External Affairs at the Center for American Progress stated, “Even if gay & lesbian couples could marry in all 50 states tomorrow, it would still be perfectly legal to fire someone for being gay under federal law & in a majority of states. In other words, workers would be able to marry the person they love, but if they put that wedding picture on their desk, they might lose their job. While we are seeing recent victories on the marriage equality front, we must do more to address the real & serious problem of employment discrimination against LGBT workers.” In July the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) cleared the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee. Three Republicans, Senators Mark Kirk of Illinois, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska & Orrin Hatch of Utah have joined all Democrats in sending the bill to the full Senate. The Senate could address the bill as early as this month. Last Thursday Procter & Gamble endorsed passing ENDA joining the ranks of other multinational corporations  including Coca-Cola, Pfizer, Nike & General Mills. We must make sure that Washington stays on course & passes ENDA in 2013.
Updates to Come…:)
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Patti Austin Plays Tanglewood

Patti Austin Plays Tanglewood Grammy-award winning singer Patti Austin will perform at Tanglewood’s season-ending Boston Pops matinee concert on Sunday September 1st at 2:30P at the Koussevitzky Music Shed in Lenox, MA. Austin will present her tribute to Ella Fitzgerald led by Thomas Wilkins, the BSO’s Germeshausen Youth & Family Concerts Conductor with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra. Patti crosses all musical genres, has made 16 solo albums & has performed her award-nominated hit songs on the Grammys & the Oscars. As a performer, songwriter & vocalist she has had a star-studded career that began at the age of four making her one of the most beloved artists literally the world over. Austin is the daughter of a jazz trombonist & goddaughter of musical legends Quincy Jones & Dinah Washington & made her stage debut with Washington at the world-famous Apollo Theater in Harlem. Her debut album for Quincy's Qwest label included the chart-topping hit "Baby Come To Me," a now classic duet with James Ingram. In recent years, Patti has performed with Symphonies worldwide & in addition to her international endeavors, Patti has devoted a lot of time performing benefits for AIDS related organizations. As a true artist whose creativity knows no limits Patti Austin continues to create milestones in an incredible career. She is also a fierce gay ally who we interviewed for OUTTAKE VOICES™.
Listen: Gay Ally Patti Austin Speaks OUT
For Info & Tix: bso.org 
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Gay Olympic Athletes Come Out

In less than six months the best athletes from the USA & around the world will travel to Sochi, Russia, for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. Despite Russia's obscene anti LGBT laws athletes of all sexual orientations, gender identities & backgrounds will come together in Sochi in hopes of achieving Olympic glory. By choosing to compete in Russia, many LGBT athletes will soon make a global statement for equality through participation & competition on the world's stage. The LGBT athletes who will compete in the Olympic Games need our support now. LGBT athletes who have come out & those yet to come out, need to know that we stand behind them. To channel support for these LGBT Olympic athletes the organization GO! Athletes is calling on athletes from all across the world to come #Out4Olympics. GO! Athletes announced the launch of #Out4Olympics to prove that LGBT athletes from around the world are ready to come out & support our fellow LGBT athletes. As the first national network of LGBT athletes in the United States GO! Athletes believes it's critical time to come out now. GO! Athletes asks that you take 3 steps: First find your favorite sports photo of yourself, second the #Out4Olympics logo using & third submit your #O4O to @GOAthletes
For More Info: goathletes.org 
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IRS Will Honor Gay Marriages

This just in from U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus who applauds today’s decision by the U.S. Department of Treasury to recognize all legally married gay & lesbian couples regardless of whether or not they live in a state that recognizes marriage equality. The ruling means that married gay & lesbian couples, including Pocan & his husband Phil, who were married in Canada in 2006, can now receive all federal marriage-based tax benefits, including employee benefits, child tax credits & gift & estate taxes. Congressman Pocan stated, “I applaud the Department of Treasury for siding with equality & treating all legally married couples in America the same. Loving same gender couples should not be afraid they could lose their federal benefits or protections simply by moving to another state. Today’s decision continues our nation’s forceful progress toward recognizing the rights & responsibilities of all loving couples.” The decision follows the Supreme Court’s ruling in June that struck down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) & required the federal government to recognize married gay & lesbian couples in states that recognize marriage equality. Today’s decision expands on the ruling & recognizes all couples married in jurisdictions that recognize marriage equality.
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Montreal Hosts InterPride 2013

Fierté Montréal Pride is hosting InterPride 2013 Annual General Meeting & World Conference from Thursday October 10th to Sunday October 13th at the Delta Centre-Ville Hotel in downtown Montréal, Québec, Canada. InterPride is the International Association of LGBT Pride Organizers & Organizations from around the world. InterPride members meet once a year at their Annual General Meeting (AGM) with its members to provide workshops on producing LGBT Pride Events & addressing issues pertinent to our LGBT community. InterPride strives to create a world where there is full cultural, social & legal equality for all. InterPride raises awareness of cultural & social inequality through its network of Pride organizations & to effect positive change through education, collaboration, advocacy & outreach. Co-Presidents InterPride Caryl Dolinko & Gary Van Horn stated, “We live in strange times, we watch proudly as legislation is overturned to support marriage equality in some states in the USA & yet on the other side of the world, we see the death penalty being imposed for LGBTI people in Uganda & anti-homophobic laws passed in Moscow. We find ourselves all over the spectrum of acceptance throughout the world but as activists, we live with Pride 365 days. With persistence & commitment, change will come. We ask you to join us as we stand strong & united & fight for one of the remaining human rights challenges of our time.” This year’s conference theme is “Honoring our past, building our future” & will include sessions on LGBT history, the global situation for LGBT rights & youth perspectives. Early Registration Deadline is August 31st.
For More Info: interpride2013.org 
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