Recognizing Transgender Awareness Week
As a suicide-prevention organization, The Trevor Project knows how important it is for young people to feel accepted for who they are and know that someone out there cares about their future. That’s why we’re standing alongside national organizations, colleges, and communities nationwide during Transgender Awareness Week (November 14-20) to help raise the visibility of trans* people and the unique issues they face.

Trevor’s social-media platforms feature quotations from trans* youth — including TrevorLIVE Youth Innovator Award Honoree Skyler Kergil and Trevor supporter Jazz — as they share what makes them truly happy. On Thursday, Nov. 20, we are also excited for “Trans Awareness Week Google Hangout on Air,” hosted by GLAAD Senior Strategist Tiq Milan. During the hangout, Tiq will be joined by Jack Ori, a Trevor volunteer; Charlie Kerr, a member of the Trevor Youth Advisory Council; and Miasha Forbes, a human-rights activist, to talk about trans* visibility, awareness, and more. We hope you can join us!

Every day, The Trevor Project makes it a priority to offer nonjudgmental support for transgender and questioning youth who have nowhere else to turn to for help. Our crisis-services volunteers go through extensive training to understand the distinct challenges these young people face, and they continue to learn about various LGBTQ topics throughout the year. TrevorSpace, our secure social network for LGBTQ youth and their allies, gives members a chance to choose from a myriad of gender terms; they can use more than one or forgo a label completely. For some youth, this can be the first time they’ve ever identified as their true self.

Our newest resource, the Trevor Support Center, features accessible information about gender, transgender and gender-nonconforming identities, and more. No matter how old you are or where you live, this life-affirming online hub allows readers to explore a wide range of topics, Q-and-As, and resources in a way that promotes visibility, spreads awareness about diverse identities, and offers support to youth around the country.

For example, in our “Trans* + Gender Identity” section, we talk about how most of us were taught that there are only two genders (men and women) when in reality, there is a wide spectrum of additional gender identities out there. Above all, who we are is something each of us decides for ourselves. It shouldn’t matter if we identify with the gender we were given at birth (which is called being “cisgender”) or if our gender is fluid and changes over time; everyone’s experience is unique, valuable, and valid and deserves respect.

But even with educational and affirming resources like the Trevor Support Center, there are far too many youth who encounter hate, rejection, and even assault just because they identify as, or are perceived to be, transgender. Researchers estimate that over 40 percent of transgender people have reportedly attempted suicide. In school, 80 percent of transgender students stated that they felt unsafe because of their gender expression. This year, Europe’s Trans Murder Monitoring (TMM) project reported that there have been over 1,500 reported murders of trans people worldwide since January 2008. To honor the people we have lost to anti-trans violence and discrimination, Transgender Remembrance Day is observed on Nov. 20.

Thankfully, society is slowly changing to be a more affirming and accepting place. Shows like Transparent and The “T” Word are promising advancements in visibility and understanding. Heroes like Laverne Cox, Janet Mock, Geena Rocero, Chaz Bono, Laura Jane Grace, and Lana Wachowski are starting invaluable new conversations about what it means to be transgender. Organizations like The Trevor Project will continue to be there for trans* youth who need lifesaving help or want to connect with someone who simply lets them know that it’s OK to be who they are. Advocates will continue to push forward in the fight for true equality, and for the rights of trans* people nationwide who face disproportionately high risks and discrimination. Whether or not these pivotal steps continue to make a difference is up to all of us. As author and activist Jennifer Finney Boylan said in GLAAD’s recent video series, I AM: Trans People Speak:

People don’t need to understand all the ins and outs of what it means to be trans in order to be loving. If we begin with love, everything else will flow from there. And the things that we need to understand will flow from that as well.

If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal, please call the Trevor Lifeline at 1-866-488-7386 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

www.huffingtonpost.com/abbe-land/recognizing-transgender-awareness-week_b_6188542.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

Finn Wittrock: Six Things To Know About Freak Show’s Deadly Dandy

On a supernatural television series that features Jessica Lange as a German chanteuse belting classic Bowie, Sarah Paulson as conjoined twins, Angela Bassett sporting three breasts, the world’s smallest woman and the most terrifying clown known to man, it must be tough to hold your own. So it’s a testament to Finn Wittrock’s undeniable talent and immense charisma that he not only steals scenes on American Horror Story: Freak Show, but has emerged as a stand-out among its illustrious cast. As Dandy Mott, the bratty rich boy, Wittrock certainly knows how to make a bloody impression. Besides, any actor who can evoke sympathy for his character after slaying Matt Bomer and Patti Labelle is definitely on the fast track to stardom.

Below are some facts you might not already know about the devilishly handsome 30-year-old actor.

Finn first became a fave of TV viewers when he played Damon Miller on ABC’s lamented daytime drama All My Children.

He has a solid stage resume, having appeared in acclaimed productions of Tennessee Williams’ Sweet Bird of Youth opposite Diane Lane and the 2012 Broadway revival of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman opposite Andrew Garfield and Phillip Seymour Hoffman (pictured above).

Ryan Murphy, c0-creator of American Horror Story, met Wittrock and cast him in his Emmy-winning adaptation of The Normal Heart and, impressed with his work, asked him to be part of Freak Show.

In an interview with Yahoo, Wittrock said he became friendly with Matt Bomer while working on Normal Heart and “it made sawing his arm off without clothes on a lot less awkward.”

Wittrock will soon be seen in the upcoming Unbroken, the true-life WW2 story directed by Angelina Jolie, whom he described to Yahoo as a “down-to-earth, gracious, intelligent person.”

Oh yeah, he’s straight. Despite some speculation/wishful thinking about his sexual orientation, Finn is hetero and married his longtime girlfriend Sarah Roberts last month.

Jeremy Kinser

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WATCH: 'Wicked' Sing-along Heals Manchester After Antigay Attack

Tram passengers and LGBT choir members joined forces this week to prove that Manchester is a place #SafeToSing after a violent antigay attack earlier this month.

read more

Thom Senzee

www.advocate.com/world/2014/11/19/watch-wicked-sing-along-heals-manchester-after-antigay-attack

The Unauthorized Top 5 Gay NYC Holiday Musts
First off, in creating a gay holiday must see list, lets set the record straight: my picks may be unauthorized (as in who deemed him queen of NY!), but they are not uninformed.

I’ve been swirling through gay Manhattan for two decades. Before I began writing novels, I spent a year as editor of the city’s gay guide Next Magazine, and for several years contributed queer content to Access NY guide books.

Truth is, I absolutely adore Manhattan during the holidays. There’s no better place in the world. It was tough to come up with a top five must do list, but I considered everything from literary lushness to naked ambition. And to add a touch of spice, I’ve enlisted the charming Jamie Brickhouse, a fellow Huffington Post Blogger and author of the upcoming sure-to-be-a-hit Dangerous When Wet: A Memoir (May, 2015) to name a must do. Enjoy!

Hit The Stores!

The city holiday windows are awe inspiring. Forgot botox, the years melt away every time I take in this treat. Visit the four Bs (Bergdorf Goodman, Barney’s, Bloomingdale’s and Bendels). They do not disappoint. It is key, however, to go at night. The windows shimmering in the dark are fabulous, plus if you go after dusk, you avoid the crowds and the gawkers. You can press your nose against the glass, sip a flask of hot cocoa (or toddy)and bask in gay glory.

And a note on the Barney’s Baz Dazzled windows: Baz Luhrmann created the windows with his wife Catherine Martin and Barney’s will donate 25 percentf of all sales from the limited edition Baz Dazzled Holiday collection to Room To Read, a non-profit organization for improving literacy and gender equality in education in the developing world.

The Santa Closet

As much as I relate to Valerie Cherish in HBO’s The Comeback (if you haven’t seen this insanely brilliant show stop reading this and cue up season one now!) my inner holiday child wept snowflake tears over Jeffrey Solomon’s wonderful solo show, The Santa Closet which has returned to the city for a very limited run. It’s a multi-character smorgasbord focusing on a boy who writes to Santa Claus for a doll, and receives a truck instead. I asked for an easy bake oven and got a chemistry set. Ugh! There are only two performances so get a move on girls! November 25th and December 10 at 7pm at STAGE 72 / THE TRIAD NYC. The performance will benefit PFLAG NYC on 11/25 and Truth Wins Out on 12/10.

Get Lit!

As a writer, I had a host of ideas for a great gay literary holiday must do, including curling up next to the fire with a great book like The Stranger’s Child by the Man Booker prize winning author Allan Hollinghurst. I went with poetry, as poets and their use of language never cease to amaze me. Check out the star studded poetry reading at the Bureau of General Services-Queer Division in NYC (208 West 13th Street, Room 210 Between 7th Ave. and Greenwich Ave.). The reading is hosted by Lawrence Kaplun and features Adam Fitzgerald, Maureen McLane, and Stephen Burt. Adam Fitzgerald is the author of The Late Parade (Liveright / Norton) and serves as editor of the literary journal, Maggy. Maureen McLane is the author of three books of poems, most recently, This Blue (FSG) which is a finalist for the 2014 National Book Award. Stephen Burt is the author of three books of poems, most recently, Belmont (Graywolf).

Lettuce Rejoice!

From fellow Huffington Post Blogger and author, Jamie Brickhouse: “If it weren’t for Hedda Lettuce’s annual holiday show, ‘Lettuce Rejoice,’ Christmas would be nothing but a lousy reason to give Grandma another pair of Isotoner Gloves. Hedda’s jolly cocktail of live singing and comedy reminds me that Christmas isn’t about Jesus.” It’s about Mary! “Lettuce Rejoice: The end is near, but nothing can stop Christmas” December 13 – 24 at> The Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd St. $25.00 (212) 206-0440. Jamie Brickhouse is the author of Dangerous When Wet: A Memoir (May, 2015)

Naughty New Year

I promised a bit of naked ambition before I closed out my list, so here it is, for those of you who want a little spice in your stocking (I confess I’m quite happily vanilla). In my single years (before I met my amazing boyfriend!), I danced many a summer night away at Daniel Nardicio’s Fire Island Underwear party. What a hoot! Indeed, my dear friend Charlotte and I would toss on our 2xist and hit the Cherry Grove boardwalk. So, if all the holiday windows and eggnog aren’t your gay thing, try something a touch naughty at Daniel Nardicio and Owen Hawk’s New Year’s Cockin’ Eve! The 13th Annual NYE Masked Ball. www.dworld.us

www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-alexander-hess/an-unauthorized-top-five-_b_6140620.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

The Six Best Quotes From Today’s Montana Victory

Montana AG Tim Fox

Don’t look now, but we’re quickly running out of states where we can grouse about not being treated as equals under the law. Marriage equality should be starting any minute now — if it hasn’t already — in Montana, the last state in the Ninth Circuit to get the freedom to marry.

There’s still some question about whether Montana Attorney General Tim Fox will appeal the decision. It would be pretty pointless for him to do so, since every single court he could turn to at this point has indicated that marriages can go ahead. But he might still try.

This was going to be a slightly more drawn-out process. A judge had scheduled oral argument in the state for yesterday, but then cancelled it after the Ninth Circuit overturned marriage bans in neighboring Nevada and Idaho. Apparently, Judge Brian Morris had heard all he needed to hear, because he issued a ruling today that’s pretty fantastic. Here are some of the best points that he made:

Antigay Lawyers Need to Stop Saying that Marriage is None of the Court’s Business

Antigay attorneys love to rely on the Baker case, in which a 1972 dismissal from the U.S. Supreme Court stated that marriage equality wasn’t a federal issue. That was 42 years ago, and a lot has changed since then. Nevertheless, state attorneys keep bringing it up to try to persuade courts that they shouldn’t weigh in; and courts keep shooting that argument down.

” Baker no longer precludes consideration of challenges to the constitutionality of laws that prohibit same-sex marriage,” Judge Morris wrote.

Discrimination is Discrimination Even if You Say it Isn’t

Incredibly, Montana tried to claim that its gay marriage ban doesn’t single out gays and lesbians. “Defendants contend that these facially neutral laws apply with equal force to all persons,” Morris wrote.

But that’s obviously not true. “Montana’s laws that ban same-sex marriage likewise discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation,” he concluded.

Gays Get Heightened Scrutiny

This isn’t new — the Ninth Circuit has afforded a higher level of scrutiny to laws impacting LGBTs since last year. But it’s nice to see lower courts abiding by that decision, rather than finding some loophole and trying to squirm out of it.

“The Ninth Circuit previously had determined that rational basis review should apply to classifications based on sexual orientation,” Morris wrote, but now “This Court must evaluate Montana’s ban on same-sex marriage using the heightened scrutiny analysis. ”

Marriage Bans are Pointless

“Defendants fail to put forth any persuasive argument that the discriminatory means employed by these laws relate substantially to the achievement of any important governmental objectives,” Judge Morris writes. That’s about as clear as a judge could possibly be on the topic! You law is dumb, Montana, and you should feel bad.

Morris heavily cites the previous Idaho and Nevada case, known as Latta. In that case,  he writes, “The defendants also argued that permitting same-sex marriage will encourage opposite-sex couples to opt-out of marriage. The defendants argued that a father who sees a child being raised by two women will decide that it is unnecessary for his children to have a father. The court disparaged this proposition as a ‘crass and callous view of parental love.’”

Gay Parents are Awesome

Judge Morris gets poetic at the end of his ruling:

These families want for their children what all families in Montana want. They want to provide a safe and loving home in which their children have the chance to explore the world in which they live. They want their children to have the chance to discover their place in this world. And they want their children to have the chance to fulfill their highest dreams.

Nice!

Stop Dicking Around and Start Marrying

Some courts have stayed their decisions regarding marriage so that anti-gay lawyers have time to appeal. Judge Morris has no time for that nonsense. “The Court PERMANENTLY ENJOINS the State of Montana and its officers, employees, agents, and political subdivisions from enforcing [the ban],” he writes. “This injunction shall take effect immediately.”

matt baume

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NEWS: Keystone XL, Don Lemon, Norman Lear, Michael Sam

Sean Mandell

www.towleroad.com/2014/11/news-keystone-xl-don-lemon-norman-lear-michael-sam.html

PHOTOS: Super Flemish by Sacha Goldberger

Sacha Goldberger’s mash-up of content, period, and Flemish master lighting reveals the sweet melancholy of superheroism.

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Christopher Harrity

www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/2014/11/19/photos-super-flemish-sacha-goldberger

Jason Collins: Fear Keeps Gay Professional Athletes From Coming Out
After he came out in April 2013, Jason Collins became the first openly gay athlete active in any of the four recognized major North American professional team sports leagues. When the 35-year-old retired from the NBA in November 2014, he was still the only out athlete ever to have played a game in the NBA, NFL, MLB or NHL.

In a pair of first-person essays published Wednesday by Sports Illustrated and The Players’ Tribune announcing his retirement, Collins reflected on his own experiences as an LGBT pioneer and also addressed the concerns of other gay athletes who have yet to come out.

For Sports Illustrated, Collins wrote:

There are still no publicly gay players in the NFL, NHL or major league baseball. Believe me: They exist. Every pro sport has them. I know some of them personally. When we get to the point where a gay pro athlete is no longer forced to live in fear that he’ll be shunned by teammates or outed by tabloids, when we get to the point where he plays while his significant other waits in the family room, when we get to the point where he’s not compelled to hide his true self and is able to live an authentic life, then coming out won’t be such a big deal. But we’re not there yet.

In the piece published at The Players’ Tribune, Collins recounted a moment from his playing career when he experienced the fear of being outed by one his teammates:

“Hey Jason … Jason! How come we never see you with any women? Are you gay?”

The team bus was uncomfortably silent. Everybody from the front of the bus to the back heard the question. It wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. In sports, guys bust each other’s balls all the time. I had been asked that question a few different times by teammates in my previous years in the league, but this time was different. Whenever guys would go out on the town on road trips, I always had a built-in excuse — a trip to a local casino or a visit to a family friend or a college buddy in that city who I had to go see. Sometimes those friends were real. Sometimes I made them up and would sit alone in the hotel watching TV while the guys went out to enjoy the nightlife.

Collins, feeling angry yet embarrassed, asked himself: “What would a straight guy do in this situation?” From the back of the bus, another teammate claimed he had recently seen Collins out with a woman, diffusing the tense moment. For Collins, keeping up the act of being straight was “exhausting.”

After coming out, Collins received a warm welcome from fans in his debut with the Nets against the Lakers in Los Angeles as well as in his first home game in Brooklyn. Before his historic first game with the Nets, Collins was asked during a press conference to deliver a message to other gay athletes who had yet to come out.

“My message to other athletes is just be yourself. Be your true authentic self and never be afraid or ashamed or have any fear to be your true, authentic self,” Collins told reporters.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/19/jason-collins-gay-athletes-fear_n_6186728.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices