Our LGBTQ Activists & Allies

This has been a very difficult year for our LGBTQ community. We want to thank our millions of global listeners for making OUTTAKE VOICES such a success despite of it being such a trying year. We also want to thank all the LGBT activists, celebrities & allies who appeared on our audio podcast series in 2016 that's syndicated on Huffington Post. Thank you filmmaker Tim McCarthy, trans actress Jen Richards, author attorney Elizabeth Schwartz, Diedra Meredith, Groundswell founder Kyle DeVries, activist Brian Silva, The Dinah’s Mariah Hanson, LPAC’s Beth Shipp, producer Christine Beebe, attorney activist Kate Kendell, Massachusetts AG Maura Healey, trans activist Michaela Mendelsohn, actor-host David Millbern, filmmaker JD Disalvatore, writer/musician Deena Kaye Rose, activist Sarah McBride, Sarah Kate Ellis, CEO & President of GLAAD & GLAAD Red Carpet celebs Jackson Riemerschmid, Tracey Norman, director Eric Schaeffer, trans teen advocate Nicole Maines, Jacob Tobia & Daniella Carte, Jim Obergefell, Fun Home’s Kally Duling & Emily Skeggs, Jenny Boylan, from “Orange Is the New Black” Selenis Leyva, Laura Gómez, Lea DeLaria & Laverne Cox, WWE superstar Darren Young, journalists Margaret Hoover & John Avlon, actor Noah Galvin, singers Alex Newell & Randy Jones & producer Lee Daniels. Then we talked to film icon Tab Hunter, actress Elizabeth Keener, activist Arline Isaacson, trans filmmaker & writer Emmett Jack Lundberg, LGBT seniors activist Michael Adams, CEO of Equality Florida Nadine Smith, trans activist Aidan Key, filmmaker Ray Yeung, NGLCC Jonathan D. Lovitz, Bruce Vilanch, Nick Verreos, producer Sue Maslin, Selisse Berry, UK playwright Peter Darney, country singer Brandon Stansell, actor-writer Sandro Isaack, filmmake Jon Alpert, Dr. Lauren Costine, activist Jessica Stern, singrs Will & Anthony Nunziata, comedian Kate Clinton & Professor Dominic Shellard. Since the election our global traffic has tripled so in spite of the obstacles we may have in front of us let’s make 2017 the best year yet for LGBTQ equality.
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Carrie Fisher Another Great Loss

When I heard the news about her heart attack I began to grieve but hoped & prayed for the best outcome. Carrie Fisher was one of the most brilliant minds of our generation. Yes she was known for her 'Star Wars' iconic role as Princess Leia but she was so much more. Her brutal honesty is what impressed me. I caught her theatrical performance of “Wishful Drinking” a few years ago at the Huntington Theatre in Boston twice. The first time the electricity went out but she continued to perform with candles until she just had to admit it wasn’t going to work for that night but in the meantime it was like experiencing an intimate moment with her. When we returned a few nights later for our rain-check or electricity-check she was brilliant. There are few performers who when you see they are going to be on a talk show you know not to miss their appearance & Carrie Fisher was high on that list. I remember in the 1980’s I sat in back of Carrie when she was with Paul Simon attending a movie on the Upper West Side in NYC. I can’t remember what the movie was but I do remember I had no problem watching the movie over their petit sizes & they were so refreshingly real with each other. Our hearts & thoughts go out to her family. Another fabulous person we have lost in this painful, awful year.
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Gay Pop Idol George Michael Dies

Our LGBT community mourns the loss of British Pop Star George Michael & founding member of Wham! who died Christmas Day at the age of 53 in Goring, England. It was reported the cause of death was heart failure. Elton John stated on Instagram, "I am in deep shock, I have lost a beloved friend — the kindest, most generous soul & a brilliant artist. My heart goes out to his family & all of his fans." We have been covering George Michael’s ups & down for years. As an openly out member of our LGBT community Michaels once stated, “I have a serious problem with the fact that every time I made a mistake & every time I let myself down that I was letting young gay kids down. Because they would then witness the homophobia that was thrown at me & the language that we use in this country. There are things I want to do with my next album to make up for the damage that I have inadvertently caused by making myself so newsworthy & putting myself on the back foot enough that I couldn’t defend gay children from some of that language. I’m not surprised that my fans have stuck by me. I have been surprised by the amount of support I’ve had in some ways, but my fans have always been incredibly loyal. In terms of trying to stay on the straight & narrow as it were, then there is nothing better than the work you love.”
George Michael RIP….
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Equality Holiday Tidings For All

We have a hard road ahead of us with the Teflon Don about to become president. This is a giant step backwards for progressive thinking Americans, especially for our LGBT community in this country. The new administration may try to undo what we have worked so hard to accomplish but heading into the holidays we’ll just wish them well & hope they will one day realize that equality will prevail. We want to take a moment & wish all our friends & family a healthy & happy holiday & we also want to thank our global LGBT audience & allies for making this past year so rewarding for our OUTTAKE Team. So Let’s Make the Yule-tide Gay & enjoy this performance of Judy Garland singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" a song she introduced in the 1944 MGM musical Meet Me in St. Louis written by Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane. We’ve included the lyrics so you can all sing along: Have yourself a merry little Christmas, Let your heart be light From now on, our troubles will be out of sight. Have yourself a merry little Christmas, Make the Yule-tide gay, From now on, our troubles will be miles away. Here we are as in olden days, Happy golden days of yore. Faithful friends who are dear to us Gather near to us once more. Through the years We all will be together, If the Fates allow Hang a shining star upon the highest bough. And have yourself A merry little Christmas now.... & Happy Chanukah!! Have A Safe & Fabulous Holiday Everyone :)

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Women Film Journalists Awards

The Alliance of Women Film Journalists announced the winners of their tenth annual AWFJ EDA Awards. This year AWFJ presented EDA Awards in 25 categories, divided into three sections: the standard ‘Best Of’ section, the Female Focus awards & the irreverent EDA Special Mention awards including Annette Bening & Isabelle Huppert tying for the Actress Defying Age & Ageism Award, while Huppert was honored the Bravest Performance Award for "Elle." Actress Most in Need of a New Agent went to Jennifer Aniston for "Mother’s Day" & "Office Christmas Party" & the AWFJ Hall of Shame Award went to Sharon Maguire & Renee Zellwegger for “Bridget Jones’s Baby”. In the ‘Best Of’ section, this year’s big winner is "Moonlight", garnering EDA Awards in seven categories, including Best Film, Best Director for Barry Jenkins, Best Screenplay (Adapted) for Jenkins, Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Mahershala Ali, Best Ensemble Cast, Best Cinematography & Best Editing. Filmmaker Ava DuVernay won three EDAs for Best Documentary, Best Female Director & Outstanding Achievement by a Woman in the Film Industry for “13th” & for raising awareness about the need for diversity and gender equality in Hollywood. Jennifer Merin EDA AWARDS & AWFJ founder & film critic stated, “This year has brought heightened awareness of the impact movies & cinema culture have on setting our social norms. The need for gender parity & greater diversity in the movie industry is patently clear. These goals are fundamental to AWFJ’s mission & core values. I'm thrilled that in our 10th anniversary awards season AWFJ members voted to honor such a diverse array of talent representing such a broad spectrum of perspectives, making the 2016 EDA Awards particularly relevant at a time when art & film, in particular must be the vanguard of social progress.”
For Complete List Of Awards…
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North Carolina Fails Again

North Carolina's state legislature has failed to pass legislation repealing HB2 before adjourning a special session. Previously the Charlotte City Council voted to repeal its local city ordinance that clashed with HB2 after receiving commitment from the state lawmakers to repeal the anti LGBTQ law. Rea Carey, Executive Director, National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund stated, “The full repeal of HB2 with no harmful amendments would be welcomed news for North Carolina but instead, GOP lawmakers have turned their backs on LGBTQ people, workers, veterans, women & people of faith. Let's be clear: HB2 is bad for business, bad for politicians but bad for all North Carolinians as it denies millions of people freedom, justice, equality & human dignity. HB2 bans cities & local jurisdictions from enacting non-discrimination protections on grounds such as race & gender, from enacting equal pay laws, family paid leave & livable minimum wages. Tonight, self-interested North Carolina politicians showed that they will stop at nothing as they resigned themselves to an even worse reputation & an economy that’s continuing to plummet. If nothing else, these lawmakers not only need to repeal HB2 but also pass comprehensive nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people. If they do nothing, HB2 will go down in history as one of the most vindictive & damaging laws in the state’s recent history. We are deeply disappointed that the Charlotte City Council repealed its landmark law in good conscience & the state lawmakers failed to do their part. What is particularly notable about all of this is the role that thousands of people of faith played in protesting HB2 as immoral…This was a tremendous opportunity for North Carolina to right a great wrong; it’s unconscionable that lawmakers chose to waste it.”
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Winter Solstice Makes Yuletide Gay

Since the presidential election we’ve been in the darkness of what 2017 will bring our LGBT community. It’s always a mental relief when the Winter Solstice arrives marking the shortest day of the year & also the longest night but knowing the days will get longer this year will be more than welcomed. Winter Solstice is also known as Yule. We love celebrating our Yuletide Gay. A little history about solstice as witches & warlocks celebrate this date as the birth of the Sun God since from this point forward the days get longer. Wiccan celebrations include Yule logs, Yule trees & Mistletoe which all sounds a lot like our traditional Christmas celebrations. The Winter Solstice is also celebrated by druids & pagans as the ‘re-birth’ of the sun for the New Year. In the UK thousands gather each year tonight to mark the occasion at Stonehenge in Somerset. At the North Pole the sun actually never rises on this day. There are many customs associated with the Winter Solstice that derive from stories of a mighty battle between the dark & the light which is won of course by the light, even the Christian faith of a savior (the Sun-Child) being born to a virgin mother. Then there’s Albert Camus the French Nobel Prize winning author, journalist & philosopher famous Winter Solstice quote “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” However our LGBT community celebrates the shortest day & longest night, whether alone or with family & friends in the northern hemisphere just remember that the southern hemisphere is basking in sunshine & enjoying the first day of summer.
Listen To Kate Clinton Talk Winter Solstice:

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