Panel To Address Anti Gay India

Boston Pride’s Human Rights & Education Committee & the South Asian Arts Council will host a panel on LGBT Rights in India on Monday June 9th from 6P to 8P at the Fenway Health Center. The Panel entitled “377-The Way Forward” features leaders in LGBT advocacy in South Asia & will discuss the implementation of Section 377 which recriminalized homosexuality in India & its effect on the South Asian community. Amit Dixit Executive Director, South Asian Arts Council stated, “I'm honored be working with Boston Pride to highlight 377 as their human rights cause. Boston Pride & our community partners have been instrumental to help spread awareness to the larger LGBT community & beyond. Through visibility we hope to show the similarities between what's happening in India to the early LGBT movement here in America. In the end we are all a global LGBT community & can learn and support one another to help foster change.” Joining Dixit as panelists will include Payal Sharma, Co- Founder of The Genki Spark & MASALA Activist, Sarbpreet Singh, Sikh Leader working with Boston Interfaith circles & frequently represents the Sikh community at Interfaith events & Meenu Motwani-Jethra, Local Community Leader & Ally of South Asian LGBT Community. Following the panel there will be a reception hosted by South Asian Arts Council & Boston Pride. The event is open to the public and free of charge. Fenway Health Center is located at 1340 Boylston Street in Boston, MA.
For More Info: southasianartscouncil.org
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Boston 44th LGBT Pride Begins

Boston Pride kicks off Pride Week 2014 with its 20th annual Flag Raising Ceremony on June 6th at noon at City Hall. Sponsored by Mayor Martin J. Walsh who will attend, the Flag Raising at City Hall is the first official event of Pride Week. This year’s Pride Week theme is “Be Yourself, Change the World” & encourages our LGBT community to embrace what makes each individual unique & to use those qualities to change the world for the better. The ceremony will also recognize the 45th anniversary of the Stonewall Inn uprising in NYC. One of the speakers will be Erica Kay Webster who participated in the Stonewall Inn uprising in New York City 1969. This evening June 6th at 6:30P Boston Pride in collaboration with the South Asian Arts Council will be holding a Pride Diplomatic Reception at the SAAC offices 2 Atlantic Ave, Boston, MA. Many Consuls & representatives from foreign delegations will gather to celebrate human rights around the world & the Pride movement. Amit Dixit Executive Director, South Asian Arts Council stated, "Over 5 consulates have confirmed, with a number of political & community leaders. This event is not to be missed.” The event is open to the public but ticket availability is extremely limited. Tickets are $50  
For Tix: Pride Diplomatic Reception... 
Listen to our audio interview with Sylvain Bruni  President of Boston Pride talk about the fabulous events planned:  
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Gay Marriage Education (VIDEO)

In Florida Circuit Court Judge Sarah Zabel ruled Tuesday that 3 anti gay groups who oppose marriage equality for gay & lesbian couples cannot intervene as parties in Pareto v. Ruvin, the lawsuit challenging Florida’s discriminatory marriage laws. The anti gay marriage groups included Florida Family Action, Inc. (FFAI), Florida Democratic League Inc. (FDL) & People United to Lead the Struggle for Equality, Inc. (PULSE). Ten years after gay marriage began in Massachusetts & now that 19 states have passed marriage equality you would think that these hateful discriminatory groups would cease to exist. Nadine Smith, CEO of Equality Florida Institute & one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit stated, “Today Judge Zabel reached the proper conclusion in denying extremists seeking a platform for their anti-gay rhetoric the right to intervene in this case. This lawsuit is about fundamental, constitutionally protected rights that are violated by a measure that does real harm to our families. We look forward to the day when Florida joins the 19 other states & the District of Columbia, where judges have come to the conclusion that such a ban is indefensible.” In less than a month on Wednesday, July 2nd the fight for marriage equality in Florida will have its day in court when Judge Zabel will hear from attorneys who filed a lawsuit in January on behalf of 6 gay & lesbian couples & Equality Florida Institute. The lawsuit argues that Florida’s laws barring marriage equality violates the United States Constitution by denying them the legal protections & equal dignity that having the freedom to marry provides. Marriage equality opponents should watch this historic gay marriage short & perhaps learn something.
WATCH VIDEO.... 
 
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26th Lambda Award Winners

The winners of the LGBT 26th Annual Lambda Literary Awards known as the "Lammys" were announced Monday night in a gala ceremony hosted by comedienne Kate Clinton at The Great Hall at Cooper Union in NYC. The Lambda ceremony brought together over 500 attendees, sponsors & celebrities to celebrate excellence in LGBT literature & 26 years of the groundbreaking literary awards. Kate Bornstein was presented the Pioneer Award by her life partner Barbara Carrellas who said that when people are asked what Kate Bornstein means to them, "the overwhelming answer is 'Kate Bornstein saved my life.'" Bornstein's call to action to stop the history of shaming with regard to sex & gender brought the audience to a standing ovation. Cartoonist Justin Hall, award-winning creator of the series True Travel Tales presented the Board of Trustees Award for Excellence in Literature to Alison Bechdel stating that her body of work from her comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For to graphic memoirs Fun Home & Are You My Mother? solidify her unique place in the comic book cannon. Obie Award-winning performance artist & past Lambda Award winner Justin Vivian Bond graced the ceremony with a special "half-time" performance. Tony Valenzuela, Lambda Literary Foundation Executive Director stated, "Throughout the beautiful ceremony, we were reminded of the meaningfulness of LGBT literature & writers in our lives. Congratulations to all the winners & honorees." The celebration continued at the VIP After-Party hosted by Scholastic at the Scholastic Greenhouse & Terrace with DJ Sean McMahill.
For Full List of Winners: lambdaliterary.org 
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Top UN Post For Anti Gay Ugandan

Uganda’s anti gay Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa is set to become President of the UN General Assembly on June 11th unless we can stop this from happening. UK Human Rights Activist Peter Tatchell stated, "A close ally of the Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, Sam Kutesa is accused of support for the new anti-gay law, financial corruption, political repression & military intervention in the Congo. As a senior government minister, he has colluded with enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, which dictates automatic life imprisonment for any form of same-sex contact with sexual intent - even mere kissing and cuddling. His government is harboring the leader of the M23 rebel group, Sultani Makenga, who is on a UN sanctions list. The Ugandan government is refusing to hand over Makenga to the Congolese authorities or to the International Criminal Court. It is outrageous that Kutesa has been nominated by the African Union. He is not a fit & proper person to hold this prestigious UN post. Surprisingly, it appears that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has not, so far, objected to his appointment or attempted to challenge it. I have written to the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, urging that a decision on Kutesa's appointment be delayed until his suitability for the presidency is assessed by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. (Read Letter) Looking to the future, the UN needs to put in place a proper scrutiny procedure for all candidates for senior posts, to prevent corrupt officials & human rights abusers being appointed." We need to stop this from happening.
Sign Petition Here…
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Boston AIDS Walk & 5K Run

The 29th annual AIDS Walk Boston & 5K Run takes place on Sunday June 1st. Every year since 1986 our LGBT community & allies have gathered on the first Sunday in June for AIDS Walk Boston & 5K Run, an annual grassroots community event benefiting AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, New England’s largest & oldest AIDS service organization. For nearly three decades thousands of dedicated participants have raised millions of dollars for AIDS Action’s innovative programs & services that are essential to maintaining the health of individuals living with the disease & preventing the spread of the epidemic. Just as important the Walk also raises our awareness of the impact HIV/AIDS has on individuals, families & the community at-large, reminding us all that we must work together to stop the spread of HIV. The event which is the AIDS Action Committee's largest annual fundraiser is expected to draw 10,000 to 15,000 participants & raise approximately $1 million. Sunday Check-in begins at 7:30 a.m., DCR Hatch Memorial Shell, Boston. The Walk begins & ends at the DCR Hatch Memorial Shell on the Charles River Esplanade in Boston. Opening Ceremonies commence 9:50A, 5K Run starts 10A, AIDS Walk Boston begins 10:30A, Wellness Festival begins 11:00A, 5K Run Awards Ceremony & 1:30P Closing Ceremonies commence. Openly gay WCVB-TV newscaster Randy Price will emcee the fundraiser.
For More Info: aac.org 
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Florida’s Anti Gay Attorney General

With all the advancements towards full marriage equality across the country Florida is dealing with an unenlightened Attorney General who believes that "Gay marriage would cause harm". Equality Florida responds to AG Pam Bondi's dated position stating, “Court after court across the country has found that there is no legal basis to deny some Americans the dignity of marriage to the person he or she loves, yet Florida’s attorney general continues to hold on to unfounded arguments to legitimize a law that serves no purpose but to discriminate. To quote U.S. District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen, who ruled against Virginia's ban on marriage equality, ‘We have arrived upon another moment in history when ‘We the People’ becomes more inclusive, and our freedom more perfect.’ Judges appointed by Republicans & Democrats alike have come to the inescapable conclusion - 19 times in a row - that such bans are wrong & constitutionally indefensible. Attorneys General in states across the country have upheld their duty to the U.S. Constitution by refusing to defend a law that so clearly violates basic rights. We call on Attorney General Pam Bondi to reconsider this stand in this defining moment. A defense of the indefensible only squanders our state's resources & delays justice for hundreds of thousands of Florida families. The majority of Floridians stand with us in support of marriage equality. We look forward to our day in court and are confident that equality under the law will prevail.” Let AG Pam Bondi know how wrong she is & she should watch our historic gay marriage video & learn something...

Contact AG Pam Bondi: myfloridalegal.com 
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