Monthly Archives: October 2016



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#AM_Equality Tip Sheet: October 19, 2016

#AM_Equality Tip Sheet: October 19, 2016

IN FINAL #NCGOV DEBATE, ROY COOPER SHOWS WHY HE WILL BE NORTH CAROLINA’S NEXT GOVERNOR: Yesterday in North Carolina, Pat McCrory and Roy Cooper squared off for their final debate before the Nov. 8 election. “Pat McCrory continued to blame others and avoid taking responsibility for a dangerously discriminatory law that he alone signed,” said Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin). “Voters across North Carolina saw a stark choice tonight between Pat McCrory’s failed policies and Roy Cooper’s positive vision for the future. By fighting to ensure that everyone in North Carolina can live their lives free from fear of discrimination, Roy Cooper showed again why he deserves the votes of all North Carolinians this Election Day.”  With early in-person voting set to begin Thursday in North Carolina, read more here on how HRC and Equality North Carolina are working to elect pro-equality candidates up and down the ticket in North Carolina.

BEFORE TONIGHT’S FINAL PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE, WATCH THIS: Yesterday, HRC released a new ad highlighting presidential candidate Donald Trump’s alarming promise to appoint judges like late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Tonight’s debate will include a focus on the Supreme Court. “Donald Trump’s dangerous and hateful vision for our Supreme Court is to appoint justices in the model of Antonin Scalia — a man who spent his entire judicial career disparaging LGBTQ Americans, calling us murderers and polygamists,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “The future of the Supreme Court is at stake in this election, and we cannot allow Donald Trump to nominate a new generation of anti-LGBTQ judges who would perpetuate Justice Scalia’s legacy of discrimination. Hillary Clinton has long been a champion for the LGBTQ community and is the only candidate in this race who would ensure that the Supreme Court continues its historic progress securing equality for all Americans.” Watch the video ad here, and read Griffin’s recent op-ed for NBC News on the dangers of giving Trump the power to appoint judges.

  • It’s not just the high court: Jay Michaelson (@jaymichaelson) in The Daily Beast lays out succinctly the disaster a Trump-Pence administration poses for LGBTQ people here and around the word. Read it here.
  • And, there’s this: Trump says that if elected and before he’s sworn in, he’ll meet with anti-LGBTQ Russian President Vladimir Putin.

IN NEW VIDEO, JUDY SHEPARD WARNS OF TERRIFYING CONSEQUENCES OF TRUMP’S HATE-FILLED CAMPAIGN: In a video ad released yesterday, Judy Shepard (@WyoJudyShepard), the mother of Matthew Shepard, warns of the consequences of Donald Trump’s hate-filled campaign. “When I see the hate Donald Trump has brought to his campaign for President,” she says, “it terrifies me.” The video, titled “Hate”,  recounts Matthew’s brutal murder in Wyoming 18 years ago, and features Trump’s despicable language on the campaign trail — inciting violence, mocking people with disabilities, trafficking in racism and bigotry, and joking about gun violence. “I know what can happen as a result of hate,” Judy Shepard says, “and Donald Trump should never be our president.” Judy Shepard also recently penned a powerful joint op-ed with HRC President Chad Griffin on how the LGBTQ community will vote for those they’ve lost to hate, and those still suffering. Watch the video here. More from CNN. And the Casper (Wyoming) Journal writes about how Matthew Shepard’s legacy lives on in his home state.

WATCH: Judy Shepard (@WyoJudyShepard) warns of terrifying consequences of Donald Trump’s hate-filled campaign. t.co/aw9pKJMYqN pic.twitter.com/aliECtQFSx

— HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) October 18, 2016

 

#turnOUT:

  • In Colorado: ICYMI, HRC President Chad Griffin rallied with get-out-the-vote volunteers in Colorado Springs, and met up in Denver with Senator Michael Bennet for a Facebook Live event about LGBTQ equality and what’s at stake in this election. Watch it on Hillary for Colorado’s Facebook page. Colorado has more than 134,000 LGBTQ voters, and the margin of victory in the 2012 presidential election was 137,858 votes.
  • In Nevada: Actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson (@JesseTyler) and husband Justin Mikita (@JustinMikita) visited HRC members, volunteers and supporters in Las Vegas, firing them up to #turnOUT the vote for pro-equality candidates.
  • And in North Carolina, transgender leaders, including HRC National Press Secretary Sarah McBride (@SarahEMcBride), worked in Raleigh to #turnOUT the pro-equality vote over the weekend. Read more here.

WHAT WE’RE READING WEDNESDAY: Terrance Moore, Deputy Executive Director for the National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors, breaks down the issue of implicit bias, and how it creates unique challenges for gay and bisexual Black men seeking healthcare. Moore shares his personal story struggling to find accepting health care after being diagnosed with HIV, writing, “We are in the midst of a crisis in health care right now — but there is a path forward.” Read the full piece at The Advocate.

MIAMI BANS DANGEROUS “CONVERSION THERAPY” FOR MINORS: The Miami Board of Commissioners recently approved a measure banning the dangerous and debunked practice of “conversion therapy” for minors. Though such practices have been rejected for decades by mainstream medical and mental health organizations, some practitioners continue to offer it. Minors are especially vulnerable — studies have shown that so-called “conversion therapy” can lead to depression, anxiety, drug use, homelessness, and suicide. More from The Miami Herald.

MID-WEEK BREAK – LOCAL POLICE OFFICER GETS IN FORMATION: Check out this police officer slay all day while dancing to Beyonce’s “Formation” at a high school pep rally in Virginia. Lieutenant Deuntay Diggs is the first openly gay cadet to attend the Virginia Military Institute, and the first openly gay deputy to serve in Virginia’s Strafford County Sheriff’s Office. More from BuzzFeed.

My sister teaches at a high school in Virginia and she just sent me this video of their county lieutenant dancing to formation @ a pep rally pic.twitter.com/2jaXnFgYrC

— spooky harry �� (@hereforthe1D_) October 14, 2016

READING RAINBOW

The San Francisco Chronicle lays out why the LGBTQ community embraces Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump…

Have news? Send us your news and tips at [email protected]. Click here to subscribe to A.M. Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading!

www.hrc.org/blog/am-equality-tip-sheet-october-19-2016?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

NEWS

Spirit Day to culminate in memorial at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando

Spirit Day to culminate in memorial at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando

Pulse

Natalia (Nats) Getty, founder and designer of Strike Oil, is partnering with LA-based street artist, Mr. Brainwash, and The Girls’ Lounge to create a memorial mural to honor the victims of the Pulse nightclub tragedy. The memorial will take place on Spirit Day and commence at 11:30 PM EST outside of the nightclub in Orlando.

Strike Oil, Mr. Brainwash, and The Girls’ Lounge is inviting friends, family, and the community members to contribute to the mural, which Mr. Brainwash will partially create ahead of the memorial, to embrace those who lost loved ones, while raising awareness of Spirit Day. There will also be a special performance by Kim Anh.

The event will be recognized with a simple message; I AM. WE ARE. LET’S BE. Nats, who also identifies as lesbian says, “We should be able to live as humans. It’s that simple. I go where my heart tells me and where the fight is right. No matter what the cause.”

“The horrific attack on Latin night at Pulse nightclub is a tragic reminder of how far we have left to go to achieve full acceptance of LGBTQ people,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “This Spirit Day vigil to benefit the Pulse Foundation and GLAAD will raise visibility around the staggering rates of bullying LGBTQ youth face, while advancing our work to accelerate acceptance.”

“My heart is overflowing with the amount of love, compassion and commitment Mr. Brainwash and his staff, and Nats Getty have shown to the LGBTQ community and the city of Orlando. My hope is that this expression of love inspires people to use their passion to create change and a better world for the LGBTQ community around the world,” says Barbara Poma, owner of Pulse Nightclub in Orlando.

100% of the proceeds from this special tribute will go to the Pulse Foundation and GLAAD, to help restore the iconic location, which is an integral part of the neighborhood. Prints of the mural will also be available to purchase, along with other collaborative items at StrikeOil.com from Friday, October 21st.

Each year, millions of people “go purple” for Spirit Day in a united stand against bullying and to show support for LGBTQ youth. According to a 2015 GLSEN survey, more than half of LGBTQ students report being victimized based on sexual orientation, with a further three quarters of students who report hearing anti-LGBTQ remarks in school. Started in 2010 by high school student Brittany McMillan, Spirit Day now draws the participation of celebrities, corporations, media outlets, sports leagues, schools, faith institutions, national landmarks, and individuals around the world, who join together in a united stand against bullying.

Check out glaad.org/spiritday for more about how to stand against bullying and show support for LGBTQ youth. Also follow @GLAAD on Twitter to keep up to date with #spiritday news.

Spirit Day is made possible by the generous support of its presenting partners Target and Wells Fargo, official partners, NBA and WNBA, NFL, Viacom, and WWE, and supporting partners, American Eagle Outfitters, Barilla, Comcast NBCUniversal, Kellogg’s, Kirkland & Ellis, Toyota Financial Services, and Zipcar.

Past participants in Spirit Day include the White House, the Empire State Building, Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, Cher, Laverne Cox, Kim Kardashian, Demi Lovato, Ariana Grande, Shaquille O’Neal, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The View, The Talk, The Tonight Show, MTV, the NBA, the NFL, Major League Baseball, NASCAR, WWE, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, the Las Vegas Strip, and more.

October 19, 2016
Issues: 

www.glaad.org/blog/spirit-day-culminate-memorial-pulse-nightclub-orlando

NEWS

FINAL DEBATE: Obama’s Half-Brother is Trump’s Guest; Bill and Melania Won’t Shake Hands

FINAL DEBATE: Obama’s Half-Brother is Trump’s Guest; Bill and Melania Won’t Shake Hands

Tonight’s third and final debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump takes place at 9 pm ET at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas, moderated by FOX News anchor Chris Wallace. We’ll be streaming it live here.

A few details have emerged about tonight’s debate, which will be a conventional one-on-one rather than a town hall.

Malik

Donald Trump has invited Obama’s half-brother Malik to be his guest at the debate, the New York Post reports:

Malik — an American citizen who lives in Washington, DC, when he’s not in Kenya — says he will be a guest of Trump, the Republican nominee he supports for president.

“I’m excited to be at the debate. Trump can make America great again,” Malik told The Post.

“I look very much forward to meeting and being with Malik,” Trump said. “He gets it far better than his brother.”

Malik agrees with Trump that the mainstream media is biased, and he dismisses the women who claim Trump kissed or groped them without their permission.

“I don’t believe them,” Malik said. “Why didn’t they come forward before?”

Malick says he hasn’t seen his half-brother since August 2015 in Kenya during a presidential visit.

It’s unclear what the Trump campaign hopes to accomplish by the invitation.

Melania Trump Bill Clinton

Also, at the Clinton campaign’s request, Bill Clinton and Melania Trump won’t greet at the debate, the New York Times reports:

The new arrangement calls for the candidates’ spouses to enter the hall closer to their seats, rather than crossing the room, and each other’s paths.

That would avoid any potential for confrontations, given Mr. Trump’s penchant for dramatic stunts.

On Tuesday, an aide to Mrs. Clinton declined to comment on the change, and aides to Mr. Trump did not respond to an email seeking comment.

It is possible, of course, that further negotiations could result in a different arrangement, if both sides agree, by the time the debate begins at 9 p.m. Eastern.

We’ll continue to report on any developments as they unfold.

The post FINAL DEBATE: Obama’s Half-Brother is Trump’s Guest; Bill and Melania Won’t Shake Hands appeared first on Towleroad.


FINAL DEBATE: Obama’s Half-Brother is Trump’s Guest; Bill and Melania Won’t Shake Hands

NEWS

Municipal Equality Index: Cities in Battleground States

Municipal Equality Index: Cities in Battleground States

Arizona. Colorado. Florida. Georgia. Iowa. Minnesota. Nevada. New Hampshire. North Carolina. Ohio. Pennsylvania. Virginia. Wisconsin.

Many of these are “battleground states,” poised to play an important deciding role in who will win the upcoming presidential election. And in some, the number of potential LGBTQ voters exceeds the state’s margin of victory for the presidential candidate in 2012 national election, leaving no doubt about the influence of LGBTQ voters.

Unfortunately, many of these states also lack statewide protections for its LGBTQ residents. So while some cities are pushing to become more LGBTQ-inclusive, a lack of statewide protections means that the cities must do more to earn perfect scores on HRC Foundation’s Municipal Equality Index, released this week in partnership with Equality Federation. The outcome of the election will have a profound impact on the lives of LGBTQ residents at the local, state and national levels.

Some states have restrictive legislation that prohibits cities from from passing LGBTQ-inclusive laws, while others apply the Dillon’s Rule, which prevents cities from providing broader nondiscrimination protections than those offered under state law.

Because of these types of restrictions, not every city has the power to enact the types of legislation that the MEI measures. For example, cities looking to advance equality in Virginia and North Carolina, both battleground states, face such restrictions and so are unable to score as well as fair-minded cities in states without the restrictive laws.

Chapel Hill, North Carolina, is just one example. Chapel Hill earned a rating of 68 on the 2016 MEI, up from 55 in 2015. The city has improved in a number of areas, including law enforcement and its relationship to the LGBTQ community. It even earned 14 bonus points this year. But though the city has shown steady progress on equality, it still has a long way to go to be fully inclusive, due in no small part to state-level restrictions such as HB2.

On Thursday, we’ll explore some of the MEI’s All-Star Cities, which have been able to achieve high scores despite being in states with restrictive laws.

www.hrc.org/blog/municipal-equality-index-cities-in-battleground-states?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

NEWS

#fiveFilms4freedom brings global LGBTQ images to NYC and West Hollywood

#fiveFilms4freedom brings global LGBTQ images to NYC and West Hollywood

Photo Credit: British Council

 

This Thursday evening October 20, at West Hollywood’s London Hotel, British LGBTQ advocate and actor-comedian Stephen Fry will be joined on a panel by director Bryan Singer, GLAAD’s Ray Bradford, Director of Programs, Entertainment Media, and Siri Rødnes, director of Take Your Partners, one of the FiveFilms4Freedom being screened in celebration of LGBTQ History Month.

This will follow the previous evening’s NYC screening featuring a panel that includes GLAAD’s Ross Murray, Director of Programs, Global and US South, Jessica Stern, the Executive Director of OutRight Action International, Jon Hurst, the Director of LGBTQ Student Center, NYU, and director Siri Rødnes .

FiveFilms4Freedom is the screen debut of a highly successful digital LGBTQ film festival pioneered by the British Council and the British Film Institute, showcasing real, lived experiences of LGBTQ persons from Brazil, Ireland, Spain, Philippines, and the UK through art and social media.

Stephen FryStephen Fry shares:

“The films have contributed to a growing global conversation about LGBT rights at a critical time. I am proud to lend my voice to the millions of LGBT people around the globe who have been bullied into silence.”

 

The digital aspect of this film festival makes it possible for people all over the world to view them in safety, and helps to expand the message of acceptance for LGBTQ people all over the world.

Filmmaker Siri Rødnes notes:

“Positive LGBT visibility in the arts and media is immensely important as it contributes so heavily to everyday culture. Working with BFI Flare and the British Council on FiveFilms4Freedom has put our film in the spotlight and continues to extend our reach and message across the globe and beyond our wildest expectations. Love is a human right and we are proud to be a part of this ongoing campaign.”

Chris O’Connor, the British Consul General for Los Angeles, will open the panel discussion and outline how the UK continues to champion LGBTQ rights here in the US and abroad. For example, the British government was the first foreign government to march in Pride parades across the US.

 

FiveFilms4Freedom works to bring LGBTQ representation to countries in which LGBTQ rights are limited or completely nonexistent.  In many countries like Russia or Uganda, LGBTQ human rights are under attack, and presenting a gay or trans-themed film festival, for example, would be nearly impossible.  In Russia, same-sex couples are not granted any of the legal protections that opposite sex couples are.  In Iraq, being LGBTQ has been decriminalized; but with the rise of ISIS, these individuals are being attacked.  In Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, being LGBTQ is punishable by death.  However, these countries whose governments are anti-LGBTQ were among the countries with the most views of the films!

GLAAD Global VoicesGLAAD’s Global Voices initiative aims to build LGBTQ acceptance across the globe by sharing stories of LGBTQ people and their families around the world, and helping advocates build capacity for change in their own cities and countries.  GLAAD’s support of FiveFilms4Freedom amplifies LGBTQ voices around the world and takes another step in accelerating acceptance of all people for who they are and who they love.

This year, the festival includes the films Breathe, directed by James Doherty of the UK and Ireland, Swirl, directed by Peterson Varga of the Philippines, The Orchid, directed by Ferran Navarro-Beltran of Spain, Take Your Partners, directed by Siri Rodnes of Scotland, and Xavier, directed by Ricky Mastro of Brazil. Since the films were released on Facebook and YouTube in March, there have been 1.57 million views of the films in 179 countries on Facebook and YouTube.

Using the hash tag #FiveFilms4Freedom, the digital festival has spurred a growing global conversation, with an online reach of 85.6 million and total web impressions of 54.9 million worldwide.  You can join the 1.5 million who have seen the #FiveFilms4Freedom by watching online at:  www.britishcouncil.us/programmes/arts/fivefilms4freedom2016-US-tour 

The film festival takes place the day before Spirit Day, the largest and most visible campaign in the world working to advance acceptance of LGBTQ youth.

About Spirit Day

Spirit Day BannerEach year, this year landing on Thursday October 20, millions of people “go purple” for Spirit Day in a united stand against bullying and to show support for LGBTQ youth. According to a 2015 GLSEN survey, more than half of LGBTQ students report being victimized based on sexual orientation, with a further three quarters of students who report hearing anti-LGBTQ remarks in school. Started in 2010 by high school student Brittany McMillan, Spirit Day now draws the participation of celebrities, corporations, media outlets, sports leagues, schools, faith institutions, national landmarks, and individuals around the world, who join together in a united stand against bullying. 

Check out glaad.org/spiritday for more about how to stand against bullying and show support for LGBTQ youth. Also follow @GLAAD on Twitter to keep up to date with #spiritday news.

October 18, 2016

www.glaad.org/blog/fivefilms4freedom-brings-global-lgbtq-images-nyc-and-west-hollywood

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