GLAD Summer Party 2014

Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) is having their 33rd annual Summer Party in Provincetown, MA on Saturday July 26th from 4P to 7P at the Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown Museum. This is a fabulous event held outside in the heart of Provincetown with a breath-taking view of the harbor & a chance to mingle with other GLAD supporters. Our LGBT has accomplished major advancements toward equality this past year but there’s much more work to be done. GLAD continues to challenge our country to tackle the critical areas where injustice persists for our LGBT community & people living with HIV. GLAD’s goal is to ensure that America embraces every member of our community so that “equal justice under law” is not just a phrase carved in granite on the U.S. Supreme Court building. This is an important event to learn about what projects GLAD is currently working on & how you can support their groundbreaking work. There will be a silent & live auction. Kate Clinton is returning as celebrity auctioneer extraordinaire stating, “It is my personally & sincerely held religious belief that GLAD's Summer Party is so much fun, it is entitled to its own Theme Week. You have the right to refuse, but hope to see you there!” Travel packages, restaurants, massages & much more are now online for preview & proxy bidding. Summer fare will be provided by Above & Beyond Catering & complimentary cocktails by Bacardi, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly & Sam Adams. Tickets are $75 online & $85 onsite
For More Info & Tix: glad.org
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Religious Demise of ENDA

With the Supreme Court’s obscene decision last week in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby it has become clear that the current version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which allows religious organizations to discriminate based on sexual orientation & gender identity must not pass. In a joint statement on withdrawal of support for ENDA the following national organizations have signed on to remove this provision in the current bill. They include American Civil Liberties Union, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, Lambda Legal, National Center for Lesbian Rights & Transgender Law Center & are calling on equal workplace protections for LGBT people. An example of how this religious exemption becomes LGBT discrimination appears in the case of Matthew Barrett. In July 2013 Matthew was offered a job as food services director at Fontbonne Academy a college prep high school in Milton, Massachusetts that is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston. Fontbonne Academy has employees & admits students of various faiths. However two days after Matthew listed his husband as his emergency contact on the standard employment paperwork & despite twenty years of work in the food services industry, his job offer was rescinded. Although nothing about the food services job involved religious rituals or teaching Matthew was told by an administrator that the school was unable to hire him because the Catholic religion doesn’t recognize gay & lesbian marriage. The current version of ENDA would authorize this sexual orientation discrimination.
Read The Full Statement….
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New UN Gay Marriage Policy

In a major development the United Nations announced that it will recognize marriage equality for of all its staffers so that all gay & lesbian employees enjoy the same benefits as their hetero colleagues. Up until now the UN only recognized the gay & lesbian marriages of staffers who came from countries where gay marriage is legal. The new policy now includes anyone who marries in countries where marriage equality is legal. This means that gay & lesbian spouses of UN employees will get health insurance coverage & the chance to accompany their spouses on home leave every couple of years, among other benefits. Hyung Hak Nam president of UN-Globe the LGBT group that has been trying to achieve these basic rights & benefits for our community since 1997 stated, "Too many of us have suffered under the previous policy. Too many of us have been unable to secure, for example, residency visas & health benefits for our spouses because of a discriminatory policy that would refuse to recognize our legal partners. Let us just enjoy this moment, this huge victory." The new policy led by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon became effective June 26th & will impact the UN's approximately 43,000 employees worldwide. Ban has been an outspoken supporter of gay rights, openly denouncing homophobia in speeches around the world. Gay marriage is legal in 18 countries, plus parts of the United States & Mexico. Now let’s see how this new UN policy effects countries like Uganda where being gay is punishable by life in prison.
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Not So Gay Independence Day

As we celebrate Independence Day 2014 let’s reflect on how far our LGBT community has advanced & yet how much further we need to go. We've made great progress on the marriage equality front with 19 states & Washington DC passing gay & lesbian marriage but we still have 31 states to go. In those states discrimination still exists for our LGBT families who still have to endure indignity & hardship. In the last year since the Supreme Court decision that found Section 3 of DOMA & Prop 8 unconstitutional courts have ruled in favor of the freedom to marry for gay & lesbian couples again & again. Unfortunately in Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah & Wisconsin where federal court have ruled for marriage equality our opponents have placed appeals preventing gay & lesbian couples from marrying. Then of course we wait for Congress to pass the Employer Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) to ensure all workers are protected from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. We need to give LGBT workers a fair shot to get ahead in life by making sure employers cannot fire, harass, deny a raise, or refuse to hire someone based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Only 21 states have made it illegal to fire or harass someone based on sexual orientation or to deny a raise or refuse to hire on that same basis. So on Independence Day 2014 our LGBT community still remains to be the last Americans trying to achieve equality in our own country. HAPPY JULY 4TH!!
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Florida Gay Marriage Update

Oral arguments were heard in Miami July 2nd on a motion filed in May by six gay & lesbian couples & Equality Florida Institute challenging Florida laws barring gay marriage. The couples asked the court to strike down Florida’s marriage ban & order the state to allow gay & lesbian couples to marry. The couples argue that Florida’s ban on marriage equality cannot stand in light of the United States Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2013 that the federal “Defense of Marriage Act” violates the federal constitutional guarantees of equal protection & due process. Nadine Smith CEO Equality Florida Institute stated, “We are proud to stand with these courageous families who have stepped forward to defend their families & challenge a law that serves no purpose than to disparage & discriminate against gay couples & our children. We are optimistic that the judge will rule in favor of equality & fairness, as judges across the country have, & strike down this ban. The tide has turned, & the day is coming when anti-gay marriage laws will meet the same fate as laws banning interracial marriage that limited my parents’ options.” Every court to consider these federal constitutional claims since last summer’s Supreme Court decision has ruled in favor of the freedom to marry for gay & lesbian couples, including federal & state courts in Utah, Ohio, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kentucky, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia & Wisconsin.
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Burger King LGBT Proud Whopper

Burger King is offering a limited edition Proud Whopper Sandwich exclusively at its restaurant located at 1200 Market Street in San Francisco. The rainbow wrapped whopper is selling for $4.29 & all sales will be donated to the Burger King McLamore Foundation for scholarships benefiting LGBT college-bound, high school seniors graduating in spring 2015. They’ve even launched a YouTube promo that was created at a Burger King restaurant over the weekend in the heart of the San Francisco Pride Parade route where a limited edition Proud Whopper Sandwich was added to the menu. The written message inside the Proud Whopper Sandwich wrapper reads “we are all the same inside” which is part of their new “BE YOUR WAYSM” intended to create a global attitude of not telling anyone how they should live but rather elevate their slogan “HAVE IT YOUR WAY®” to an even more meaningful place. Kelly Gomez, Director of West Coast Field Marketing, BURGER KING® West Division stated, “We are always looking to engage our guests on a local level & be part of regionally relevant events. With one of our restaurants on the Pride Parade route, it was a natural fit to be involved & celebrate by giving something back to the community.” Unfortunately the limited edition Proud Whopper Sandwich is only available in San Francisco through July 3rd.
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Fire Island Pines July 4th Weekend

Fire Island Pines Ventures announced the entertainment line-up for Independence Day weekend & the Invasion. The Invasion of The Pines take place on Friday July 4th. This tradition began in 1976 & is the highlight of the holiday weekend. Hundreds of drag queens from Cherry Grove board the ferry & "invade" the Pines where they are greeted by thousands of cheering LGBT spectators & allies. Brian Richards Resort General Manager stated, "We are so fortunate to have the High Tea Deck- the best vantage point for viewing the Invasion. We will give our guests an experience they will never forget". Special VIP "Invasion Experience" tickets will provide entry to the High Tea Deck at the Pavilion for best viewing. The Pavilion will begin the holiday weekend with Pines classic DJ John Ceglia on Wednesday, July 2nd. Internationally acclaimed Freemasons will spin on the Thursday, July 3rd & Frisky Fridays with Pines favorite Morabito will be on the 4th. Saturday night, DJ/producer Paul Goodyear takes the decks & the weekend wraps up with DJ Kitty Glitter on Sunday. All at Pavilion, 11pm. The Pavilion Performance Series continues with The Candis Cayne Show on Saturday. Doors at 7P show at 8:30P. But there’s much more happening at the Blue Whale, Cultured Elephant, the Pool Deck & the Harbor Bar all weekend long!! FIPV owns & operates the majority of the commercial district in Fire Island Pines, New York.
For More Info & Tix: pinesfi.com
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