Ugandan Anti Gay Tyrant Visits US

Now that a Ugandan court invalidated the notorious anti gay bill that was signed into law earlier this year we have another crucial situation. Ugandan dictator of 28 years President Yoweri Museveni & Uganda's top homophobe will be in Washington August 4th to 6th when President Obama hosts dozens of presidents at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. The Ugandan tyrant once told The Atlantic Monthly magazine that people brought to the United States as slaves must have been "stupid" & a Ugandan newspaper once quoted him as having praised Hitler. When he signed the country's anti LGBT law earlier this year he said his "scientists" should study gay people by drawing their blood & examining their genes. Museveni stated, "No study has shown that you can be homosexual purely by nature. Since nurture is the main cause of homosexuality then society can do something about it to discourage the trends. That is why I have agreed to sign the Bill." This is also the person who campaigned aggressively to have its anti gay foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa installed as President of the UN General Assembly on June 11th. Now even though the anti LGBT law was recently "annulled" by the Constitutional Court in Uganda on a technicality their Parliament could still pass the law correctly next time. This may be very interesting having Obama meet with Museveni. However, Change.org is running a petition to disinvite Museveni to Washington:
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Uganda Court Kills Anti Gay Act

Finally some fabulous news from Uganda. A Ugandan court invalidated the notorious anti-gay bill signed into law earlier this year stating the measure is illegal because it was passed during a parliamentary session that lacked a quorum. Frank Mugisha, Sexual Minorities Uganda Director & brave Ugandan gay leader said the ruling Friday was a "step forward" for gay rights even though he was concerned about possible retaliation stating with the court’s nullification of the law “we become legal again.” However this ruling won’t make life better for LGBT people right away adding, “Society won’t give in, though there is now an open space & a chance for dialogue with the government now that the law is gone.” Mugisha & other LGBT activists said before the ruling they were braced for a surge in violence. The law’s supporters, like Ssempa & the leadership of the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda, had been whipping up their supporters during the 2 days of hearings before the ruling & LGBT activists expected a backlash if they won. The panel of 5 judges on the East African country's Constitutional Court said the speaker of parliament acted illegally when she allowed a vote on the measure despite at least three objections including from the country's prime minister over a lack of a quorum when the bill was passed on December 20th, 2013.
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NBC's "Peter Pan Live!" Cast Lead

Openly gay executive producers Craig Zadan & Neil Meron have announced that Allison Williams who co-stars in HBO’s "Girls" has been cast in the title role of NBC's upcoming telecast of "Peter Pan Live!" scheduled for Dec. 4th. Williams who is a classically trained singer is also Brian Williams daughter the anchor & managing editor of NBC Nightly News. Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment stated, "We couldn’t be happier that Allison Williams is our Peter Pan. She’s a lovely rising star on the award-winning show ‘Girls’ where she occasionally shows off her incredible vocal talent & we think she will bring the perfect blend of ‘boyish’ vulnerability & bravado to save the day against Christopher Walken’s powerful Captain Hook.” Craig Zadan & Neil Meron added, "Allison Williams is a major find. She will reinvent the iconic role of Peter Pan with her wit, her warmth, her dynamic flying & her wonderful musical abilities. The score will be sung beautifully & introduced to a whole new generation of families." Allison Williams concluded, “I have wanted to play Peter Pan since I was about three years old, so this is a dream come true. It’s such an honor to be a part of this adventure & I’m very excited to get to work with this extraordinarily talented team. And besides what could go wrong in a live televised production with simultaneous flying, sword fighting & singing?" The last time Peter Pan was broadcast live was in 1955 with Mary Martin as Peter & Cyril Ritchard as Captain Hook. I actually own a copy of that. It will be interesting to see how the new TV production will compare.
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Another Gay Marriage Victory

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in Virginia’s Bostic v. Schaeffer marks the second federal appeals court that has ruled in favor of marriage equality since last year's historic Windsor ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. The decision today follows the June rulings by a three-judge panel of the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in Utah’s Kitchen v. Herbert and Okahoma's Bishop v. Smith. Today’s ruling solidifies Virginia’s already unique place in the U.S. history of marriage. In 1967 the Supreme Court of the United States handed down the “Loving decision”, in Loving v. Virginian, which was the landmark civil rights decision, which overturned the laws against interracial marriage. Tracy Hollister MEUSA Program Director noted that the Fourth Circuit is the governing judicial circuit for Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, South Carolina & her home state of North Carolina. Hollister stated, "I am thrilled that the Fourth Circuit set legal precedent that, once final, will help undo North Carolina’s Amendment One, making it our country’s most short-lived & last anti-marriage equality amendment. This ruling affirms what I felt in my heart as my friends & I phone banked to defeat Amendment One: each of us deserves the full dignity & respect that comes with being able to legally marry the person we love. When I return home, I will feel more equal & more hopeful."
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Jackie O Would Have Been 85

Jackie Kennedy Onassis, one of the most fabulous iconic figures in American & fashion history would have been 85 today. She was born on July 28th 1929 in Southampton, New York. Her classic American style help create what was chic about the 1960’s & evolved from there. Think about the hats, scarfs, sunglasses, hairstyles & more. Jackie O totally left her mark on fashion, style & the world. Actually her fashion letters were recently auctioned off in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy Assassination. Jackie wrote personal letters with sketches to Marita O'Connor of Bergdorf Goodman requesting hats, accessories & other garments. She was something. When I lived in NYC in the 1980’s she lived around the corner from me. I saw her many times. Once I walked into my neighborhood Gristedes Market on the corner of Madison & E85th & I heard from behind the deli counter, “Has the Onassis order gone out yet.” It was wild! I’m disappointed that I never got to chat with her. During that time in NYC just her celebrity siting was at least 100 points up there next to Greta Garbo! I’m sure Jackie would have been a fierce LGBT ally. My favorite Jackie Kennedy Onassis quote is, “Even though people may be well known, they hold in their hearts the emotions of a simple person for the moments that are the most important of those we know on earth: birth, marriage & death.”
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Health Care Act & LGBT Families

The Affordable Care Act offers unprecedented opportunities to improve the health & economic security of millions of Americans including our LGBT communities. However the first open enrollment period showed that these opportunities might not be fully realized if outreach & enrollment efforts do not effectively engage LGBT people & their families. A new report from the Out2Enroll campaign a collaborative LGBT outreach & enrollment initiative takes a look into LGBT-oriented community engagement efforts over the first open enrollment period. The report assesses promising practices, identifies remaining concerns & offers concrete recommendations to help the marketplaces & other stakeholders effectively connect LGBT people with their new coverage options. Kellan Baker, Associate Director of the LGBT Research & Communications Project at the Center for American Progress & an Out2Enroll steering committee member stated, “With one in three low & middle-income LGBT people uninsured before the launch of open enrollment in 2013, the ACAs efforts to close the coverage gap are an incredible opportunity to improve the health & financial security of millions of LGBT Americans. This report identifies many promising outreach and enrollment practices but also underscores the need for more targeted efforts to make sure that the benefits of the law reach everyone who needs them, including LGBT people.” The report’s specific recommendations include; outreach & enrollment efforts in every state should explicitly include LGBT communities, LGBT-specific cultural-competency training should be provided for outreach & enrollment personnel & voluntary demographic information on sexual orientation & gender identity should be collected through health insurance marketplace applications.
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LGBT Important Ptown Events

LGBT leaders & allies come together on Saturday July 26th from 4P to 7P in Provincetown at the GLAD (Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders) 33rd annual Summer Party at the Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown Museum. This fabulous event held outside in the heart of Provincetown is a chance to mingle with other GLAD supporters & enjoy the breathtaking views. 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 will be auctioned off to support this great org. Summer fare will be provided by Above & Beyond Catering & complimentary cocktails by Bacardi, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly & Sam Adams. Tickets are $85 onsite. Openly gay Massachusetts Attorney General candidate Maura Healey will be attending the GLAD Summer Party Event. Then on Sunday July 27th there will be an Outer-Cape Fundraiser Kick-Off Party also hosted by comedian Kate Clinton at The Harbor Lounge 359 Commercial Street Provincetown, MA. This is a perfect opportunity to meet & greet Maura & learn about her bid for Attorney General. Healey is seeking the Democratic nomination in the primary election on September 9th 2014.
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