Day Two of Time to THRIVE Features Breakout Workshops, Panels and Guest Speakers

Day two of HRC Foundation’s fourth annual Time to THRIVE Conference wrapped on Saturday after a day full of featured speakers, breakout workshops and panels and a screening of Gender Revolution, a documentary that explores deeply personal stories, as well as the scientific, cultural and historical understanding of gender.

In its fourth year, the premier event addresses safety, inclusion and well-being for LGBTQ and questioning youth, and brings together youth-serving professionals to discuss best practices for working with and caring for LGBTQ youth and their families in schools, community centers, healthcare settings, and beyond. The annual event is held in partnership with the American Counseling Association and the National Education Association, with AT&T and Toyota as presenting sponsors.

During the morning plenary, attendees heard from Dr. Eliza Byard, Executive Director of GLSEN; Dr. Kathleen Ethier of the CDC; HRC Foundation’s Welcoming Schools Director Johanna Eager; Erin O’Flaherty, the first openly lesbian contestant to compete at Miss America and suicide prevention advocate; and HRC Youth Ambassadors Justin Jones, Val Weisler, Tyler Eilts, Zachary Mallory, Roddy Biggs and Alex Cooper.

Thank you Dr Ethier @CDC_DASH for years of work for #teenhealth! Great presenting w/you at #TimeToTHRIVE, look forward to progress ahead. t.co/Q78EhgQDfo

— Eliza Byard (@EByard) April 29, 2017

The Time to THRIVE contingent spent the remainder of the morning in breakout workshops and training sessions.

The lunch plenary featured speakers including Scott Sapperstein, AT&T Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs; Nayeff Hrebid and Btoo Al Lami, whose inspiring Logo TV documentary Out of Iraq won a Daytime Emmy award; and HRC Youth Ambassadors Paolo Veloso, Justin Jones, Tyler Yun, Javier Cifuentes Monzón and Adriana Ibanez. 

@ATT @ATTJobs is honored to be the co-presenting sponsor of #timetothrive @ConnectToGood pic.twitter.com/SM4lG1ivUs

— Scott Sapperstein (@sapperstein) April 28, 2017

 

So happy our film is winning today with Emmy #lovewins

A post shared by Btoo Allami (@btoo_allami) on Apr 28, 2017 at 9:40pm PDT

Additionally, Charles Blow, op-ed columnist at the New York Times and CNN commentator, sat down with HRC Senior Program Specialist for HIV Prevention and Health Equity Noël Gordon to discuss the intersectionality of racial prejudice and the LGBTQ community, bisexual erasure and the roles faith and family in our identities.

 

New York Times op-ed columnist and CNN commentator @CharlesMBlow spoke at Time to THRIVE on the intersectionality of racial prejudice and the #LGBTQ community, bisexual erasure and the roles faith and family in our identities. #TimeToTHRIVE #LGBT #Bisexual #NewYorkTimes #CNN

A post shared by Human Rights Campaign (@humanrightscampaign) on Apr 29, 2017 at 11:58am PDT

Following afternoon breakout workshops, the evening concluded with a screening of the National Geographic documentary Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric.

To learn more, visit TimeToTHRIVE.org, and watch more videos on HRC’s YouTube channel. Read more about day one at Time to THRIVE here.

Time to THRIVE is the premier national convening of educators and youth-serving professionals to build awareness and cultural competency, learn current and emerging best practices and gather resources from leading experts and national organizations in the field. Time to THRIVE takes place April 28-30, 2017 at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park in Washington, D.C. 

Great to talk about program evaluation and impact of data on special LGBTQ communities, like athletes, with the @APA at #TimeToTHRIVE

— Athlete Ally (@AthleteAlly) April 29, 2017

 

Today I had the opportunity to meet Eliza Byard, (on left) and Erin O’Flathery (on right) they have both been huge roles models in my life and are huge advocates in the #lgbt community. #TimeToTHRIVE

A post shared by Roddy Biggs (@roddybiggs) on Apr 29, 2017 at 10:42am PDT

www.hrc.org/blog/day-two-of-time-to-thrive-features-breakout-workshops-panels-and-guest-spea?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Strangers Try to Bridge Political Divide in Heineken Ad

The new spot, featuring ordinary citizens, one of them transgender, is being called the right way for ads to address politics — unlike the Kendall Jenner Pepsi commercial.

www.advocate.com/media/2017/4/29/strangers-try-bridge-political-divide-heineken-ad

HRC Statement on United Methodist Church’s Decision to Rescind Appointment of Lesbian Bishop

HRC released the following statement in response to the United Methodist Church’s (UMC) decision to rescind the appointment of openly lesbian Bishop Karen Oliveto. Oliveto’s appointment was challenged earlier this year by the South Central Jurisdiction of the Church.

“LGBTQ religious leaders deserve the recognition of their peers, and the opportunity to lead the faithful in the same way non-LGBTQ leaders do,” said Ashland Johnson, Director of Public Education and Research. “The Western Jurisdiction of the Church saw fit to recognize, elevate and celebrate Bishop Oliveto. We are disappointed that the UMC did not honor their congregants’ decision.”

At the May 2016 General Conference, the gathering of UMC’s top policy-making body, the Council of Bishops established the Commission on a Way Forward. The purpose of the Commission is to develop a complete examination and possible revision of every paragraph regarding human sexuality in the Book of Discipline, the formal collection of United Methodist doctrine, beliefs and policies that outline the roles and responsibilities of local churches. The Council of Bishops charged the Commission with addressing LGBTQ issues and exploring options to maintain and strengthen the Church as a whole. According to its mission, the Commission’s work is intended to “inform deliberation across the whole church and to help the Council of Bishops in their service to the next General Conference,” which will take place during a special session in early 2018.

In the interim, the South Central Jurisdiction of the Church asked the church’s high court to review Oliveto’s elevation.  It alleges Oliveto’s election violates the Book of Discipline. This review is one of seven similar cases went before the church court from April 25-28, in direct conflict with church’s previous position that such LGBTQ-related deliberations would be held in abeyance until the 2018 special session.

People look to their faith as a source of guidance and inspiration — and LGBTQ people are no different. HRC Foundation’s Religion and Faith Program is working to create a world where nobody is forced to choose between who they are, whom they love and what they believe. Learn more at www.hrc.org/explore/topic/religion-faith.

www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-statement-on-united-methodist-churchs-decision-to-rescind-appointment?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

FOX News Contributor Agrees: LGBT People Who Dress Outside the Norm are ‘Asking for’ Physical Violence

On his personal conservative blog, The Resurgent, Fox News contributor Erick Erickson blasted liberals for hitting back at comments by Senator Mike Enzi that suggested that LGBT people who dress outside the norm are “asking for” physical violence. If anything, Erickson said, it should be expected.

You Will Get Punched and Others Have Rights Too t.co/3DygBIqUxk pic.twitter.com/i4UpRR7H4p

— The Resurgent (@resurgent) April 28, 2017

“It all starts with Mike Enzi who has enraged the BLT&GQ community by declaring a simple fact,” Erickson wrote. “If a guy walks into a bar in Wyoming, he’s probably going to get punched. Enzi said the person would deserve it, which he apologized for, and the guy would not deserve it. But it is probably going to happen and yes, the dude wearing the tutu shoulders some of the responsibility. He should have known better.”

His comments come after Enzi apologized to the man at the center of his own comments on Thursday.

Erickson continued the tirade by claiming that those who exist or express themselves outside of the norm shoulder the blame for the violence perpetrated against them.

“If a guy walks into a bar in Wyoming wearing make up and a tutu, he’s probably going to be asked to leave, if not picked on or punched. If you don’t like that, don’t go to a bar in Wyoming wearing a tutu. It really is that simple. This is not a justification of violence, but let’s not kid ourselves that there won’t be an expectation of violence, however unjustified,” he continued.

Erickson quickly changed gears in the same blog post, however, to also attack a woman who claims she was asked to find a private room to breastfeed her baby in church.

Annie Peguero, the Washington Post reports, was breastfeed her antsy 19-month old infant in Summit Church in Springfield when, she claims she was told to find a private room. After refusing, she adds that she was told breastfeeding without a cover in the church is not allowed because it could make some of her peers uncomfortable.

Erickson argued, however, that she was being selfish.

“Lady, you are not a victim. You are just rude and inconsiderate of others,” he wrote” And now you’re going to lawyer up against a church? The rest of the congregants have a right not to be made uncomfortable by one self-centered mother.”

Erickson rounded off the piece by, essentially, arguing that to get along peacefully in society without backlash or a sucker punch, you’ve got to sacrifice your own rights for those of the majority.

” If you want to breastfeed in public, go to a different chuch. If you want to wear a tutu in a bar, go to San Francisco. But stop your bitching that others have to go along with your ‘rights.’ Get over yourself.”

The post FOX News Contributor Agrees: LGBT People Who Dress Outside the Norm are ‘Asking for’ Physical Violence appeared first on Towleroad.

FOX News Contributor Agrees: LGBT People Who Dress Outside the Norm are ‘Asking for’ Physical Violence

Methodist Court: Consecration of Lesbian Bishop Violated Church Law

The Judicial Council’s ruling on the United Methodist Church’s first lesbian bishop highlights the church’s division on LGBT issues.

www.advocate.com/religion/2017/4/29/methodist-court-consecration-lesbian-bishop-violated-church-law