HRC to Honor Naomi Campbell, Kristin Chenoweth & PVH Corporation at the 19th Annual Greater NY Gala

HRC to Honor Naomi Campbell, Kristin Chenoweth & PVH Corporation at the 19th Annual Greater NY Gala

Today, HRC announced that award-winning supermodel, philanthropist and businesswoman Naomi Campbell will be honored with HRC’s Global Advocacy Award, award-winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth will be honored with the Ally for Equality Award, and PVH Corporation (PVH Corp), owner of iconic brands including Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, will be honored with the HRC Corporate Equality Award at the 19th Annual HRC Greater New York Gala on Saturday, February 1 at the Marriott Marquis. 

“Naomi Campbell is a global change-maker and cultural innovator. As an outspoken human rights advocate, Naomi has used her international platform to address humanitarian issues, including women’s rights, environmentalism and the global HIV and AIDS epidemic impacting millions of people around the world,” said HRC President Alphonso David. “As a trailblazer and world-renowned figure in the modeling and fashion industry, Campbell has been a fierce champion for diversity and inclusion in the industry. We are incredibly excited to honor Naomi Campbell with HRC’s Global Advocacy Award at the 2020 HRC Greater New York Gala.”

“Kristin Chenoweth is a dynamic, multi-faceted artist who has used her platform to lift up the LGBTQ community,” added David. “On the stage, screen and beyond, Chenoweth is leaving her mark while proudly standing with us as a powerful ally and advocate. We are excited to honor Kristin Chenoweth with the HRC Ally for Equality Award at the 2020 HRC Greater New York Gala.”

“As a fashion industry leader, PVH Corp’s commitment to LGBTQ equality is making a real difference in the lives of their employees and customers,” said David. “The Human Rights Campaign applauds PVH Corp’s continued advocacy on behalf of LGBTQ people, and we look forward to honoring them with the HRC Corporate Equality Award at the 2020 HRC Greater New York Gala.”

One of the five original supermodels, Naomi Campbell is one of the most prolific and influential profiles of contemporary culture today, fronting the covers of more than 1000 magazines and featured in advertising campaigns that included Burberry, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent and Valentino. As a barrier-breaking leader, Naomi was the first Black model to appear on the cover of TIME magazine, French and Russian vogue as well as the first British Black model to appear on the cover of British Vogue. Through the years, she has been outspoken on diversity and inclusion in the modeling and fashion industry. With an international platform, Campbell has been actively engaged in an array of nonprofit initiatives across the globe — from human rights and global health to environmentalism. Her most prominent work for Africa began when she met the late Nelson Mandela in the early 1990s, who named Campbell as an “Honorary Granddaughter” for her endless activism. In 2005, Naomi founded her own non-profit Fashion For Relief, which presented charity fashion shows around the world to raise millions for various global crisis. As an advocate for HIV and AIDS research, Campbell has also addressed the need to end the global HIV and AIDS epidemic impacting millions of people around the world.

Emmy and Tony Award winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth’s career spans film, television, voiceover and stage. Chenoweth is best known for her performance as Sally Brown in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown on Broadway, for which she received a Tony Award in 1999, and she was also nominated for her original role of Glinda the Good Witch in the musical Wicked. In 2009, she received an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in Pushing Daisies. Chenoweth has also been nominated for two Emmy Awards and a People’s Choice Award for her role on Glee. As an outspoken person of faith, Chenoweth has often used her platform to speak out against the discrimination of LGBTQ people. She has also actively engaged in educational initiatives, including creating “Places! The Kristin Chenoweth Tour Experience,” an educational program that works to cultivate arts education across the globe. 

Through its leadership in the fashion industry, the PVH Corporation has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to equality for all Americans, including advocacy for LGBTQ Americans in the workplace. PVH Corporation has shown support to the LGBTQ community across the United States in combating various anti-LGBTQ legislations and partnered on campaigns and efforts around ongoing issues facing LGBTQ Americans.

“We’re proud to be recognized by HRC for taking a stand on LGBTQ+ rights and we’ll continue to use our voice and collective power to work towards equality and acceptance within our workplace, our industry and the world at large,” said Emanuel Chirico, Chairman & CEO, PVH Corp. “At PVH, our longstanding commitment to inclusivity is embedded in our culture and the way we do business. We believe that every individual should feel empowered to be themselves and express who they are.”

Set to take place at the Marriott Marquis, the 2020 HRC Greater New York Gala, the first since HRC opened its New York office, brings together HRC’s most active members and supporters in the greater New York area to raise crucial funds in the fight for LGBTQ equality. Tickets and further information are available at www.hrc.org/events/hrc-greater-new-york-gala.

www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-to-honor-naomi-campbell-kristin-chenoweth-pvh-corp-at-new-york-gala?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Victory! Arizona Sex Education Bill Requiring Teachers to Instruct LGBTQ Students to be Abstinent Stopped

Victory! Arizona Sex Education Bill Requiring Teachers to Instruct LGBTQ Students to be Abstinent Stopped

Source: The Hill

GLAAD today celebrated what appears to be the end of SB 1082, a dangerous bill introduced by anti-LGBTQ activist, Arizona Republican State Senator Sylvia Allen.

Arizona State Rep. Daniel Hernandez just confirmed that the Arizona Senate Education Committee canceled a hearing for the bill which was scheduled for today. His tweet is available below:

Your work has paid off!

SB1082 has been stopped and will not be heard today in the Senate. Your calls tweets and emails have shown that discrimination is not an AZ value. #StopSB1082

CC: @AZLGBTQ t.co/W57GhLGsbG pic.twitter.com/fikSk4ZR9U

— Representative Daniel Hernandez Jr (@danielforaz) January 14, 2020

GLAAD has been working to shine national attention on the bill alongside Arizona-based organization ONE Community, a coalition of socially responsible businesses, organizations, and individuals who are moving diversity, inclusion, and equality forward for all Arizonans.

According to ONE Community, SB 1082 would have:

  • Required teaching abstinence to LGBTQ and other students,
  • Prohibited age appropriate and medically accurate sex education before seventh grade, which goes against the recommendations of Republican Governor Doug Ducey’s task force to prevent sexual abuse, and
  • Froze out sex education in both district and charter schools by threatening schools with lawsuits from individual parents and connecting health education with crimes against children.

SB 1082 was first introduced by State Senator Allen earlier this year, and after public outcry, was quickly amended to remove language that included “homosexuality” in a list of topics that would be banned from sexual education classes.

LGBTQ talent including Manny MUA, Trace Lysette, and Joey Graceffa also spoke out against the bill on Twitter. 

This. Cannot. Be. Passed. Absolutely not!!!!!! This would require teachers to teach ABSTINENCE ONLY to LGTBQ kids…. no no no t.co/m3rVO9v1U0

— Manny MUA (@MannyMua733) January 14, 2020

SB 1082 Requires teaching abstinence to LGBTQ and other students.
Prohibits age appropriate and medically accurate sex education before seventh grade. Yikes… @glaad t.co/eeOpbiaASk

— Trace Lysette (@tracelysette) January 14, 2020

TAKE A MOMENT TO READ ABOUT THIS. Teaching “abstinence-only” in schools is not only extremely dated, but harmful & dangerous to today’s youth. Teaching safe-sex and consent is the only way. t.co/TNRETuaPSg

— Joey Graceffa (@JoeyGraceffa) January 13, 2020

Arizona State Rep. Daniel Hernandez today spoke out: “With the cancellation of today’s hearing on the anti LGBTQ SB1082 our faith has been renewed that hate is not an Arizona value. We must continue the fight and be vigilant but today we can breathe a sigh of relief. We look forward to the day that all Arizonans can work, live, and thrive without fear of discrimination that is enshrined in law.”

Angela Hughey, President and Co-Founder of Arizona’s ONE Community and ONE Community Foundation: “The State Senate’s decision to not hear SB1082 is victory for LGBTQ students in Arizona. We thank the Senate for listening to stakeholders across the state about the harmful impacts of this bill by saying no to Sen. Allen’s dangerous legislation. We will continue to work to educate our community about the positive benefits of inclusive policies for all Arizonans, including LGBTQ Arizonans.”

GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis also spoke out today: “Phenomenal LGBTQ leaders like ONE Community and local elected officials made sure Republican State Senator Sylvia Allen’s shocking anti-LGBTQ bill had no place in Arizona’s legislature. State Senator Allen had no business introducing a poorly researched and irresponsible bill to the state legislature, and it’s a relief that LGBTQ Arizonans will not be placed in jeopardy due to one person’s selfish, and ill-informed agenda.”

Previously, Arizona State Representative Daniel Hernandez and State Senator Tony Navarrete both spoke out against SB 1082 in a video released on Twitter:

I joined my colleague @NavarreteAZ co chair of the @AZLatinoLC to talk about a bad bill moving this Tuesday t.co/p8uymPXJXz

— Representative Daniel Hernandez Jr (@danielforaz) January 10, 2020

In 2019, Arizona elected leaders came together in a bipartisan fashion to repeal the harmful and discriminatory “no promo homo” law, a decades-old law that prevented LGBTQ students from receiving accurate information in health education classes and banned schools from sexual education that “promoted a homosexual lifestyle.” Republican Governor Doug Ducey signed the repeal into law.

The 2015 Arizona Youth Risk Behavior survey by the Williams Institute of UCLA School of Law found that 47% of lesbian, gay, and bisexual students in Arizona had seriously considered suicide compared to 15% of non-LGB students in the prior year. SB 1082 would ban potentially life-saving information from reaching at risk students.  

According to ONE Community, parents in Arizona already have the right to see all educational materials that will be used in their children’s classrooms.  All parents in Arizona can keep their own children out of sex education classes because no student participates in a sex education curriculum unless their parents give written permission. SB 1082 would ban education for other people’s children.

Arizona State Senator Sylvia Allen has a long history of opposing equality for LGBTQ Arizonans and spouting controversial rhetoric about other marginalized communities. She was a staunch opponent of the successful repeal of Arizona’s “no promo homo” laws last year. Prior to that, she advocated for a state constitutional amendment to ban marriage equality, writing: “same sex marriage is about forcing all within our society regardless of religious or traditional beliefs to accept radical changes which will have far reaching consequences. Consequences that change the very core of our society and how it functions. The loser will be the children who must endure the selfish desires of adults.”

During a 2015 debate on a bill allowing people to bring concealed weapons into public buildings, she attracted national attention for suggesting: “Probably we should be debating a bill requiring every American to attend a church of their choice on Sunday.” Last year, State Senator Allen apologized following widespread criticism for a speech she gave in which she spoke about the “browning” of America and said “we’re going to look like South American countries very quickly.”

January 14, 2020

www.glaad.org/blog/victory-arizona-sex-education-bill-requiring-teachers-instruct-lgbtq-students-be-abstinent

Major tech company challenges LGBTQ censorship in China with this commercial featuring a gay couple

Major tech company challenges LGBTQ censorship in China with this commercial featuring a gay couple

One the largest tech company’s in China is being applauded for its latest gay-friendly ad.

Alibaba is an e-commerce and tech multinational conglomerate. The multi-billion dollar company just released a 20-second commercial that shows a gay couple returning to one of their homes for Chinese New Year.

The ad starts with one of the guys introducing his boyfriend Kelvin to his mother. The camera then cuts to his father eyeing the men suspiciously while two girls, presumably in on the secret, giggle at the table. The ad concludes with a narrator promoting a site-wide discount for the coming holiday.

LGBTQ representation is still very uncommon in China, where queer people are often subject to discrimination and state censorship and where same-sex couples cannot marry or adopt.

Many on Twitter are praising Alibaba’s ad for its sweet and subtle representation of same-sex love.

Alibaba’s Tmall promo subtly shows gay and lesbian couples celebrating new year with their families. The ad doesn’t explicitly mention LGBTQ but it’s a rare representation done by a big Chinese company. pic.twitter.com/SxBYR4ekym

— Toni (but what’s your *real* name?) (@tony_zy) January 8, 2020

Meanwhile, over on Weibo, China’s version Twitter, one person said: “It doesn’t directly support or not support [same-sex couples], but the fact that we can see it is already an amazing step.”

Alibaba issued a statement saying: “Chinese New Year is a time for family reunion and inclusion, and the ad is a creative expression to celebrate such an occasion.”

This isn’t the first time the company has been supportive of China’s LGBTQ communities either. In 2017, it flew 10 same-sex couples to Los Angeles so they could get married.

Watch.

www.queerty.com/major-tech-company-challenges-lgbtq-censorship-china-commercial-featuring-gay-couple-20200114?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Kentucky School Expels Student for Celebrating Birthday with Rainbow Cake, Calls it a ‘Lifestyle Violation’

Kentucky School Expels Student for Celebrating Birthday with Rainbow Cake, Calls it a ‘Lifestyle Violation’

Kayla Kenney, a freshman at Whitefield Academy in Louisville, Kentucky, has been expelled from the school after officials at the Christian school saw a social media post by her mother showing her celebrating her birthday with a rainbow cake, in a matching sweater.

Kenney’s mother was told that the photo “demonstrates a posture of morality and cultural acceptance contrary to that of Whitefield Academy’s beliefs [and follows two years of ] lifestyle violations,” the Courier-Journal reports.

Kenney’s mother says her daughter is not gay, and the bakery listed the cake as “assorted colors.”

The other “lifestyle violations” included getting caught with Juul pods.

WAVE reports: “The code of conduct does address sexual orientation and says if a student’s off-campus behavior isn’t in line with the school’s beliefs they can be disciplined. But Alford wants to know how the shirt brought them to that conclusion.”

Here’s what it says: “On occasion, the atmosphere or conduct within a particular home may be counter or in opposition to the biblical lifestyle the school teaches. This includes, but is not limited to, sexual immorality, homosexual orientation or the inability to support Biblical standards of right and wrong … In such cases, the school reserves the right, within its sole discretion, to refuse admission of an applicant or to discontinue enrollment of a student.”

The post Kentucky School Expels Student for Celebrating Birthday with Rainbow Cake, Calls it a ‘Lifestyle Violation’ appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.


Kentucky School Expels Student for Celebrating Birthday with Rainbow Cake, Calls it a ‘Lifestyle Violation’