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Daily Archives: August 27, 2017
Actor Dean Cain loves Trump; Black Mirror Season 4; every Song of Summer, since time began
Actor Dean Cain loves Trump; Black Mirror Season 4; every Song of Summer, since time began
Your guide to the best queer culture of the week.
Security Tightened for Charlotte Pride Parade as Excluded Pro-Trump Group Threatens Protest
Security Tightened for Charlotte Pride Parade as Excluded Pro-Trump Group Threatens Protest
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department announced its intentions to step up security preparations for the city’s annual Pride parade slated for today, in the face of a threatened protest by a pro-Trump group previously excluded from participation.
The event’s organizers, Charlotte Pride, had decided in June that they would not approve an application from Deplorable Pride, a self-declared “gays for Trump” association. While a reason was not given, the organization reserved its right to decide that a group’s character was contrary to the event’s mission and message. The Trump administration’s several anti-LGBTQ moves have been self-evident, the most recent such example an anti-transgender memo issued this week calling for the draconian barring of transgender troops from the military.
The Charlotte Observer reports:
The Charlotte-based Republican group Deplorable Pride said their march will begin 30 minutes before the parade, and they intend it to be “a non-confrontational peaceful demonstration.” The group will walk from Romare Bearden Park on Church Street to the corner of Trade and Tryon streets, which is the center of Charlotte Pride activities.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police estimate up to 130,000 people will attend the two-day Charlotte Pride festival and parade, which is the largest annual parade in the city.
A spokesman for Charlotte Pride defended its decision Friday, saying the nonprofit has the right to exclude any group it feels does not reflect the parade’s values of welcoming groups on the fringes of American society, including undocumented immigrants.
“In the past, we have made similar decisions to decline participation from other organizations espousing anti-LGBTQ religious or public policy stances,” according a Charlotte Pride statement. “Charlotte Pride envisions a world in which LGBTQ people are affirmed, respected, and included in the full social and civic life of their local communities, free from fear of any discrimination, rejection, and prejudice.”
In response, the CMPD signaled its intent to increase security, although they characterized it as an acknowledgement of recent events worldwide in which large gatherings have been targeted.
Local television network WSOC reports:
Police have barriers in place blocking streets and officers are keeping an eye on activities to ensure they stay safe. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers said they plan to have officers walking around with rifles.
Police said they do not expect any violent or extremist groups to disrupt this weekend’s festival.
“Things have changed around the world,” said Maj. Gerald Smith, of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
Police officers say they are constantly changing tactics to protect large crowds such as the one expected this weekend. Smith said the police department is only aware of one group of peaceful protesters planning to show up this weekend.
“We’ve worked diligently to put together a plan that we think will increase safety significantly up here,” Smith said.
The police department said it contacted the Deplorable Pride organizer to be sure the protest would be peaceful.
Watch a report from WSOC:
The post Security Tightened for Charlotte Pride Parade as Excluded Pro-Trump Group Threatens Protest appeared first on Towleroad.
Security Tightened for Charlotte Pride Parade as Excluded Pro-Trump Group Threatens Protest
PHOTOS: Burly bears unleash in Madrid
PHOTOS: Burly bears unleash in Madrid
Bearbie is a weekly bear party that takes place every weekend in the heart of Plaza de Pedro Zerolo in Madrid.
National Faith HIV and AIDS Awareness Day: Pastor Curt Thomas
National Faith HIV and AIDS Awareness Day: Pastor Curt Thomas
HRC Foundation is excited to work with RAHMA and its many partners as they spearhead the inaugural National Faith HIV and AIDS Awareness Day. The goal is to rally all U.S. communities representative of different faiths to take a stand against stigma in their congregations and raise awareness on HIV and AIDS.
HRC sat down with Pastor Curt Thomas of the Renewed Church of Los Angeles to discuss the need to address HIV in his community and congregation.
How has faith played a role in your life?
Faith is probably one of the most artistic examples of God working in our lives. It’s because of faith that we are able to secure dreams and experience realities on all levels. Faith is what has created liberation for me in my personal and public life. If we as believers could really grabble the true secret of faith our lives would benefit more. The sad thing about Christians today is our faith can sometimes be sabotaged by comfortability.
Places of worship have a role in addressing HIV. What ways have you seen that happen?
HIV can be a challenging subject in most churches. Currently, only a small percentage actually have visible and viable approaches to combating the disease and the social stigma related to eradicating it from our society. A number of churches around the world participate and bring awareness through several ways: one, community health fairs; two, national awareness days utilizing educational tools and community resources to get people tested; and, three, inviting speakers to Sunday morning services and including websites and information in announcements and bulletins.
What advice would you give others who are attempting to address HIV in a faith setting?
That’s simple: find the tools, resources and educational materials and JUST DO IT! Find people in community to help.
How will you observe National Faith and HIV & AIDS Awareness Day today?
Today, I will make sure to challenge my congregation and the people around me to, one, get educated, two, get tested and, three, repeat the process with two or three people.
As a person within the LGBTQ community and of faith, what is one of the core values you believe the faith community need to address HIV?
It may sound rhetorical but the greatest thing we can do in the community to combat HIV is to erase social stigmas, hate and lack of knowledge associated with the disease and the people involved. We must also erase hate and homophobic approaches to marginalizing something that, honestly, doesn’t discriminate. HIV doesn’t care about your color, creed or origin. It will fairly implode on anyone who does not educate, protect and remain watchful about how it’s affecting communities across the world.
To learn more about National Faith HIV and AIDS Awareness Day, visit www.faithaidsday.com.
To learn more about the Human RIghts Campaign’s work on these issues, visit www.hrc.org.
Curt D. Thomas, a native of Pasadena, California, began his ministerial journey at the age of nine. Curt D. Thomas serves as the Senior Pastor of The Renewed Church of Los Angeles. Under Thomas’ leadership, Renewed L.A. has grown from a weekly Bible study meeting to a vibrant, growing, progressive congregation. Renewed L.A. is an affiliate of the United Progressive Pentecostal Church (UPPC), under the leadership of Bishop Oliver Clyde Allen III, the presiding prelate.
