About Me

Justice For Transgender Murder Victim

The first trial under the Matthew Shepard & James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act for violence against a transgender person has resulted in a guilty verdict. Daqua Lameek Ritter was found guilty of a Hate Crime for murdering Dime Doe a transgender woman in South Carolina because of her gender identity. After a four-day trial in a federal hate crime case a jury found the South Carolina man guilty of all charges in the indictment which included one hate crime count, one federal firearms count & one obstruction count. Benjamin C. Mizer Acting Associate Attorney General stated, “Acts of violence against LGBTQI+ people, including transgender women of color like Dime Doe, are on the rise & have no place in our society. The Justice Department takes seriously all bias-motivated acts of violence & will not hesitate to hold accountable those who commit them. No one should have to live in fear of deadly violence because of who they are.” Kristen Clarke Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division concluded, “A unanimous jury has found the defendant guilty for the heinous & tragic murder of Dime Doe, a Black transgender woman. The jury’s verdict sends a clear message: Black trans lives matter, bias-motivated violence will not be tolerated & perpetrators of hate crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We want the Black trans community to know that you are seen & heard, that we stand with the LGBTQI+ community & that we will use every tool available to seek justice for victims & their families.” 
No comments:

Transgender Ban Heads To Florida House

Florida’s Trans Erasure Bill (HB 1639) imposes sweeping mandates on private insurance companies & bans transgender Floridians from accessing accurate driver's licenses & IDs has passed its final committee in the Florida House. Despite bipartisan opposition from lawmakers & thousands of Floridians having spoken out against the harms this sweeping legislation would cause the bill was voted out of committee favorably by a 9 - 15 vote. The bill is now headed to the Florida House floor. Equality Florida stated, “Transgender people exist & always will. This cruel bill weaponizes private insurance companies & state agencies to threaten the safety & inclusion of the transgender community & it exists for the purpose of bullying transgender Floridians out of public life entirely. HB 1639 includes sweeping new anti-LGBTQ government mandates on private insurance carriers in the state that are sure to increase health insurance costs for every Floridian at a time when we are already facing an affordability crisis. The proposal further requires that all healthcare plans offered in the state include coverage for anti-trans “conversion therapy,” a dangerous & debunked practice opposed by the American Medical Association & banned in twenty-two states. The bill also blocks transgender Floridians from obtaining accurate state-issued identification, which denies their legal existence & takes Florida out of compliance with the federal REAL ID Act. Forcing transgender Floridians to out themselves at an airport, in interactions with law enforcement, or when accessing a club or movie theater is a threat to their safety. Lawmakers should end the continued obsession with culture war attacks in service to an agenda of censorship & government control & overreach & instead, focus on solving problems rather than creating new ones that future legislatures will eventually have to clean up.” 
No comments:

GLSEN Addresses Nex Benedict Death

Horrendous news out of Oklahoma where a 16-year-old nonbinary Owasso High student died after being assaulted in a school bathroom. The school sent them home bloodied & bruised without notifying police or seeking urgent medical attention which led to their death the following day. GLSEN has found that 75% of trans students feel unsafe at school & we're already dealing with over 300 anti-LGBTQ bills mostly against trans kids filed across the USA in 2024. Melanie Willingham-Jaggers GLSEN Executive Director stated, “The murder of Nex Benedict is devastating. The fact that the mob killing of this child was carried out by other children is a chilling reminder of the influence adults hold over young minds. When adults propagate extremist ideologies & fuel the spread of hate, it's sadly not surprising that hate crimes ensue. We must name the role that individuals and legislation have played in this murder. Nex's life was taken due to anti-trans hatred peddled by Chaya Raichik (Libs of TikTok), bigoted school leaders & extremist state legislators. These adults must be held accountable for their actions & words. Hate speech, especially when enshrined into law as demonstrated by Oklahoma's transphobic bathroom ban, not only empowers children to commit atrocious acts of violence but also desensitizes the adults in their environment, fostering a culture of callousness & disregard for human life. The tragic reality is that the youth who inflicted fatal injuries upon Nex were indoctrinated with hatred, fed lies & instilled with a profound fear of trans individuals. This indoctrination was so potent that they felt justified in carrying out a deadly assault on their peer in a school bathroom.” 
No comments:

Diversity Honors 8th Annual Gala Event

The Diversity Honors celebration returns for its eighth year benefiting the Harvey Milk Foundation & The Pride Center at Equality Park on Saturday, March 9th at 7P hosted by Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. The event recognizes those who are transforming lives by living authentically & advancing inclusiveness. This year the foundation will honor the fabulous, out & proud Emmy, Tony & Grammy Award-winning actor, singer, director, composer, playwright & activist Billy Porter who will receive a Harvey Milk Champion Medal. The foundation will also bestow Harvey Milk Medals to honor music pioneer, multiple Grammy Award-winner & LGBTQ activist Belinda Carlisle & Native American (Seminole/Choctaw) award-winning singer/songwriter, producer & actor Spencer Battiest. Entrepreneur Mark Hunter Seymour will receive The Pride Center at Equality Park Alan Schubert Award as well as Tatiana Williams & the Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida will receive Diversity Honors awards. Susan Renneisen, VP of community affairs & special events for Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood stated, “Diversity Honors celebrates the vision of Harvey Milk & the dream for a better tomorrow filled with the hope for equality & a world without hate. We are honored to produce this event, in support of the Harvey Milk Foundation & The Pride Center at Equality Park, which recognizes those who are transforming lives by living authentically & advancing inclusiveness. Billy Porter, Belinda Carlisle & Spencer Battiest along with a host of local honorees are well-deserving of this salute for all they do to make the world a more united place for everyone.” Tickets to this fabulous event are $250 per person for the cocktail chic event which includes an open bar, poolside dining & live entertainment. 
No comments:

Stonewall National Museum Gala Event

The Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library’s GALA takes place the Venue Ballroom in Wilton Manor, FLA on February 24th from 6P to 10P. The event will be honoring Iconic swimmer Diana Nyad, the star & director of HBO films documentary "The Stroll" Kristen Lovell & Stacy Ritter, president/ceo of Visit Lauderdale. Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library’s (SNMAL) “Standing on the Shoulders of Heroes Gala 2024” at The Venue will raise awareness & funds to support SNMAL’s tireless 50+ year fight to tell the stories of our LGBTQ community ensuring it holds its place in the historic record. This most significant LGBTQ library, archives & museum is a one-of-a-kind institution collecting & sharing powerful stories, hosting dynamic weekly events, launching fact based solutions to real world problems & mobilizing educators who face an ever more difficult time educating students. Robert Kesten, Stonewall National Museum Executive Director stated, “We expect over 500 guests & VIPS to attend this high-energy celebration of inspiring messages, delicious eats, entertainment, open bar, awards & live auction. This Gala is crucial to moving the needle on the ‘battleground’ for human rights.” The Stonewall National Museum, Archives, & Library is a safe welcoming place that inspires & promotes understanding through collecting, preserving & sharing the proud culture of LGBTQ people of all stories & their significant role in American society. Their Gala on February 24th begins at 6P with a cocktail reception in the Venue’s Epic Ballroom, delicious hors d’oeuvres, open bar & fabulous silent auction. Then at 7P guests will be invited into the Crystal Ballroom for more festivities including dinner with an open bar, entertainment, awards & live auction. For More Info & Tix…
No comments:

Creating Change Voguing Event (AUDIO)

I had the pleasure to talk with dancer/actor Jason A. Rodriguez at the 2024 National LGBTQ Task Force Creating Change Conference that took place in New Orleans, LA. Creating Change is the foremost political, leadership & skills-building conference for our LGBTQ social justice movement. There are also fun events especially when Jason A. Rodriguez the talented dancer/actor from the hit FX series “Pose” presented a workshop on the history, importance & elements of Vogue. This year’s conference theme was “Queer Power, Action & Joy” & Jason brought the joy conducting workshops on New Way Vogue. Jason who played Lamar on “Pose” also served as the movement coach for all three seasons. Currently Rodriguez conducts New Way Vogue classes at the Ailey Studios in NYC. The workshops Jason led at the Creating Change Conference gave the attendees an opportunity to learn the 3 styles of Voguing. Stretch & precision are key to New Way Vogue allowing the voguers to show off contorted & flexible poses with precision & grace. It’s all accomplished by learning arm controls to show off your control of creating lines, shapes, illusions & face framing movements to the beat of the music in addition to poses, floor work, cat walks, duck walks & dips. Jason also served as one of the judges at the Conference’s “Agents of Change –A Night of a Thousand Stars Mini-Ball” which showcased professional & novice Voguers on the runway. I talked to Jason about his inspiration to carry on the Voguing tradition & his spin on our LGBTQ issues. LISTEN  
No comments:

SAGE Joins Council For Global Equality

SAGE the fabulous org dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ older people announced its membership into the Council for Global Equality (CGE). The Council for Global Equality is a coalition of prominent U.S.-based human rights & LGBTIQ advocacy organizations that together encourage a clear U.S. voice for the human rights of LGBTIQ communities around the world. SAGE is the first CGE member organization focused on LGBTIQ aging that aims to make an impact by elevating the issues LGBTQ elders face globally. Around the world LGBTQ older people suffer widespread violations of their human rights based on their sexual orientation & or gender identity, compounded by the stigma of ageism. Hannah Yore SAGE’s Director of International Programs stated, “The decision to join the Council of Global Equality is a significant milestone for SAGE as we deepen our engagement internationally. We recognize the critical importance of a united front in advocating for human rights & through this partnership, we look forward to moving the conversation about LGBTIQ+ aging forward.” The Council for Global Equality is a coalition of prominent U.S.-based human rights & LGBTQ advocacy organizations that together encourage a clear U.S. voice for the human rights of LGBTQ communities around the world. SAGE is the world’s largest & oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ older people. Founded in 1978 & headquartered in NYC, SAGE is a national organization that offers supportive services & consumer resources to LGBTQ older people & their caregivers. SAGE also advocates for public policy changes that address the needs of LGBTQ elders, provides education & technical assistance for aging providers and LGBTQ community organizations through its National Resource Center on LGBTQ Aging & cultural competency training through SAGECare.  
No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Featured Post

The Flea Beyond The Stardust & More

The Flea in NYC announced a new partnership with Pittsburgh based event production collective Honcho for the upcoming Beyond The Stardust co...

Popular Posts

  • Ariana Grande Launches Foundation
    Ariana Grande has announced the launch of The Brighter Days Ahead Foundation that champions justice & equity through 4 core funds to ...
  • MBCC 27th Against the Tide Event
    Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition (MBCC) will hold its 27th annual Against the Tide Athletic Fundraising Event at DCR's Hopkinton ...
  • Gay Character Joins Star Wars
    It’s been announced that the official "Star Wars" universe is getting its first openly gay character. A lesbian governor appears...