#AM_Equality Tipsheet: July 17, 2018

HORRIFYING — GAY CHECHEN KIDNAPPED FROM STREET IN RUSSIA BY MEN WHO APPEARED TO BE POLICE, REPORTEDLY SAVED: While taking out the trash, Zelimkhan Akhmadov, who had been previously detained by Chechen authorities in their anti-LGBTQ purge of gay and bisexual men, was kidnapped in St. Petersburg. He managed to send one text message to the LGBTQ advocates he was working with — “help me.” According to the Russian LGBT Network, the man has since been returned to safety. For more than 15 months, Donald Trump and his administration have refused to publicly condemn the systematic torture, abuse, and murder of LGBTQ people occurring in Chechnya as Vladimir Putin has licensed the violence to continue. More than a 100 LGBTQ people have been rounded up, tortured, and abused — and as many as 20 have been murdered. More from Metro Weekly and Gay Star News.

TUESDAY TWEET: Just ahead of the Trump-Putin summit in Helsinki, HRC projected an enormous message onto the Presidential Palace demanding that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin immediately end the ongoing anti-LGBTQ crimes against humanity occurring in the Russian republic of Chechnya. More from HRC, NewNowNext and NBC.

“Time and time again Donald Trump is failing the test of leadership on the world stage to protect LGBTQ people, to protect all people’s civil rights at home and abroad.“ – @HRC Communications Director @cristoferosgro on the Trump-Putin Summit. #EyesOnChechnya #Helsinki2018 pic.twitter.com/2DQ2r7AGIS

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) July 17, 2018

ALARMING SPIKE IN VIOLENCE AGAINST CLEVELAND’S TRANS COMMUNITY DEMANDS ACTION: A transgender woman was stabbed and wounded this weekend in her Cleveland apartment — the fourth known violent attack against a transgender person in the Ohio city this year, according to news reports. Within the last six months, two transgender women have been murdered and a homeless transgender woman was sexually assaulted in the Cleveland-area. More from HRC and Cleveland.com.

MUST READ LETTER TO THE EDITOR IN CHICAGO TRIBUNE — “IF TRUMP’S SUPREME COURT PICK SCARES YOU, VOTE”: Writes Bloomfield resident Jill Farber-Bramson, “Yes, elections have consequences. In the coming election and every election thereafter, it’s my most sincere hope that Americans will vote en masse for equality, justice, liberty and freedom and to make America kind again.” The prospect of Brett Kavanaugh on the high court threatens to erode our nation’s civil rights laws, block transgender troops from bravely serving this nation and allow a license to discriminate against LGBTQ people in every aspect of American life. The 2018 midterm elections are the most consequential of our lifetime. More from Chicago Tribune.

We should listen to his law clerks. They also believe he would meet the Trump litmus test on health care. #SaveSCOTUS t.co/CZt54vYY7x

— Fatima Goss Graves (@FGossGraves) July 16, 2018

ICYMI — BETRAYING CHILDREN IN NEED, REPUBLICANS ON HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE ADOPT “LICENSE TO DISCRIMINATE” AMENDMENT: If it remains in the final bill, the amendment would grant a “license to discriminate” allowing child welfare placing agencies that receive federal government funding to turn away qualified prospective parents based on the agency’s religious beliefs. More from HRC, Georgia Voice and Palm Springs Desert Sun.

MORNING MUST READ FROM MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE SPEAKER — VOTE ‘YES’ TO PRESERVE PROTECTIONS FOR TRANS COMMUNITY: State Rep. Robert DeLeo writes, “For two years this law has made our communities safer and demonstrated to transgender youth that their state has their back. Let’s ensure that on the morning after Election Day, we can still say that. Stand with me and the growing coalition of thousands who will vote yes on Question 3 on Nov. 6.” More from HRC and The Boston Globe.

HRC REMEMBERS FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER JERRY WELLER: “With Jerry Weller’s passing, our community has lost another giant,” said Vic Basile, who served as HRC’s first executive director. “When few of us had the courage to be out and fighting the good fight, Jerry was there, ready to lead or simply to lend a helping hand.  He was spirited, brave and selfless.” More from HRC and The Oregonian.

VMAS NOMINATE LGBTQ, ALLIED PERFORMERS: Among the nominees are Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande), Hayley Kiyoko (@HayleyKiyoko), Demi Lovato (@ddlovato), P!nk (@Pink), Jennifer Lopez (@JLo), Imagine Dragons (@Imaginedragons), Panic! At The Disco (@PanicAtTheDisco) and Janelle Monáe (@JanelleMonae). Read the full list of nominees from Variety.

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

INDIAN STATE OF KERALA WILL RESERVE SPACE IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS FOR TRANS STUDENTS: More from CNN.

PROPOSED BILL DENIES  ISRAELI SAME-SEX COUPLES STATE-SUPPORTED SURROGACY SERVICES: More from The Jerusalem Post.

FIRST MINISTER NICOLA STURGEON LEADS LARGEST-EVER LGBTQ PRIDE PARADE IN SCOTLAND: More from Advocate and The Hill.

Way to go, Nicola Sturgeon! t.co/PwzNKywPgZ

— The Advocate (@TheAdvocateMag) July 15, 2018

READING RAINBOW – Bookmark now to read on your lunch break!

Playbill asks where the original cast of Angels in America are now; Advocate profiles HRC-endorsed candidate for U.S. Senate, Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ); Black Star News reports that pro-equality Ugandan Bishop Christopher Senyonjo will receive an honorary degree from Leeds University; OutSports congratulates Rachel Bowers and Stephanie Loh, two LGBTQ editors recently-promoted sports journalists; Independent gives a history lesson on the anti-LGBTQ trial of George Bryan “Beau” Brummell; The Post and Courier reviews a memoir about the gay daughter of a Focus on the Family executive coming out within the church; Entertainment Tonight Canada shares a heartwarming video of icon Mariah Carey helping two men get engaged during a recent concert

he said yes!!!����‍❤️‍�� #thebutterflyreturns pic.twitter.com/L2NTAgCEwj

— Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey) July 15, 2018

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

www.hrc.org/blog/am-equality-tipsheet-july-17-2018?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

#Representlove This World Emoji Day

Show your love for emojis and support interracial couples ❤️

There’s no question that the universal language of the digital age are emojis. It’s how we green-light plans, how we call you out on your drama, and how we represent ourselves. Though it may seem like there’s an emoji for everything, don’t be fooled. While 2015 brought us emojis for people of color and same-sex couples, there’s a group of folks that are seriously lacking emoji representation: Interracial couples.

This spring, we received an overwhelming amount of support when we asked Unicode to bring some much-needed attention to interracial couples. While more than 44,000 people have showed their support so far, our job isn’t over yet. This month, Unicode will vote on which emojis will make the cut and we need your help to keep the dream alive. At Tinder, we firmly believe that no one should ever feel unseen.

The rise of interracial couples is being directly linked to the rise of online dating (holla!), and it’s time the universal language of love included connections made between all races. According to this research published in Technology Review, interracial marriage has risen dramatically and can be attributed to the clever algorithms used by dating sites to increase the likelihood of people stepping outside of their own comfort zone. The research module shows a forecast of complete racial integration in the online dating community and that can only mean one thing: love is in the air regardless of your skin tone. Now, we just need an emoji to reflect that.

It’s time for emojis to start spreading the love: If you haven’t already, sign our Change.org petition to help bring interracial couple emojis to keyboards around the world.

blog.gotinder.com/representlove-this-world-emoji-day/

Azarel Fox: My Wildest Fantasy

While in my room today a gentleman asked me what my wildest fantasy was. I found it an interesting question that I don’t hear much, so I thought I’d share with everyone. Upon reflection my wildest fantasy would be this:One day a man with rogue-ish good looks comes along, sweeps me off my feet and whisks me away to a beautiful country. There he would keep me in a beautiful little cottage in lush forest. After a while of being his sex slave, he falls in love with me, decides to marry me and gives me a lovely collar. And for the rest of our days he’d pamper me and cherish me; coupled with mind blowing sex of course.

Visit Azarel Fox’s Chat Room

www.flirt4free.com/models/bios/azarel_fox/about.php?mp_code=f48t&service=girls

‘FOX & Friends’ Host Brian Kilmeade Piles Praise on Trump, Begs Him Directly to ‘Correct’ His Mistake: WATCH

Brian Kilmeade, the host of Trump’s favorite State TV show, pleaded with the president after several conservatives denounced yesterday’s tragic and horrific Trump treason summit press conference.

Said Kilmeade: The president’s under the impression — and I don’t know why still — that if he says the Russians hacked, it makes his election look illegitimate.”

Kilmeade then appealed directly to Trump, a regular viewer of the program: “I have news for you. Senator Schumer and Hillary Clinton will never get over the fact that you won the election. Neither will 16 Republicans get over the fact that you won the primary. Did the Russians help you with that? No. From the day you came down the escalator you shocked the world. From November, when everyone had you losing, you shocked the world. It wasn’t because of Russia. But Russia’s goal was to upend our electoral process. They hate democracy.”

Added Kilmeade: “And I will say this to the president. When Newt Gingrich, when General Jack Keane, when Matt Schlapp say the president fell short, and made our intelligence apparatus look bad, I think it’s time to pay attention. It’s easily correctable…nobody’s perfect.”

Watch:

President Trump fires back at his critics over his meeting with Russian President Putin | @foxandfriends pic.twitter.com/cijS3BfUi4

— Brian Kilmeade (@kilmeade) July 17, 2018

The post ‘FOX & Friends’ Host Brian Kilmeade Piles Praise on Trump, Begs Him Directly to ‘Correct’ His Mistake: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

‘FOX & Friends’ Host Brian Kilmeade Piles Praise on Trump, Begs Him Directly to ‘Correct’ His Mistake: WATCH

Alarming Spike in Violence Against Cleveland’s Transgender Community Demands Action

A transgender woman was stabbed and wounded this weekend in her Cleveland apartment — the fourth known violent attack against a transgender person in the Ohio city this year, according to news reports.

While the survivor’s name is not yet public, Cleveland.com reported that police charged Ulious Brooks, 36, with felonious assault in the attack. According to police reports, the woman was found wounded in her apartment by her aunt, who heard the fight with Brooks.

This most recent attack occurred against an alarming backdrop of violence against transgender people in the city. During the last six months, two transgender women have been murdered and a homeless transgender woman was sexually assaulted in the Cleveland area.

Phylicia Mitchell, 45, was shot and killed outside her home on February 23. Her longtime partner, Shane Mitchell, described her as his soulmate.

“Everyone loved her,” Mitchell said. “My nieces and nephews opened up to her so much. She was just so funny and kind.”

On May 21, a 31-year-old transgender woman was sexually assaulted while sleeping in a Cleveland homeless shelter, according to Cleveland.com.

The woman, whose name was withheld, told the news outlet that she is too scared to return to the shelter, and fears for her safety when she passes a man on the street.

Keisha Wells, 58, was found dead with a gunshot wound to her abdomen in the parking lot of an apartment complex on June 24.

A longtime friend of Wells described her as “the nicest person ever” but also a “tough cookie.”

HRC stands with the Cleveland transgender community during this difficult time and urges a thorough investigation of these attacks. Elected leaders and policymakers must act to end this epidemic of violence.

Sadly, 2018 has already seen at least 14 transgender or non-binary people fatally shot or killed by other violent means nationwide.

Last fall, the HRC Foundation and the Trans People of Color Coalition released a report documenting the senseless acts of violence that made 2017 the deadliest year on record for transgender people, particularly for trans women of color.

To learn more about HRC’s transgender justice work, visit hrc.org/Transgender.

www.hrc.org/blog/alarming-spike-in-violence-against-clevelands-transgender-community-demands?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

John McCain Rips Trump’s ‘Tragic’ Putin Summit: ‘No Prior President Has Abased Himself More Abjectly Before a Tyrant’

Senator John McCain (R-AZ) tore into Donald Trump after Trump threw the FBI under the bus and sided with Vladimir Putin on Russian election meddling.

McCain’s statement:

“Today’s press conference in Helsinki was one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory. The damage inflicted by President Trump’s naiveté, egotism, false equivalence, and sympathy for autocrats is difficult to calculate. But it is clear that the summit in Helsinki was a tragic mistake.

“President Trump proved not only unable, but unwilling to stand up to Putin. He and Putin seemed to be speaking from the same script as the president made a conscious choice to defend a tyrant against the fair questions of a free press, and to grant Putin an uncontested platform to spew propaganda and lies to the world.

“It is tempting to describe the press conference as a pathetic rout – as an illustration of the perils of under-preparation and inexperience. But these were not the errant tweets of a novice politician. These were the deliberate choices of a president who seems determined to realize his delusions of a warm relationship with Putin’s regime without any regard for the true nature of his rule, his violent disregard for the sovereignty of his neighbors, his complicity in the slaughter of the Syrian people, his violation of international treaties, and his assault on democratic institutions throughout the world.

“Coming close on the heels of President Trump’s bombastic and erratic conduct towards our closest friends and allies in Brussels and Britain, today’s press conference marks a recent low point in the history of the American Presidency. That the president was attended in Helsinki by a team of competent and patriotic advisors makes his blunders and capitulations all the more painful and inexplicable.

“No prior president has ever abased himself more abjectly before a tyrant. Not only did President Trump fail to speak the truth about an adversary; but speaking for America to the world, our president failed to defend all that makes us who we are—a republic of free people dedicated to the cause of liberty at home and abroad. American presidents must be the champions of that cause if it is to succeed. Americans are waiting and hoping for President Trump to embrace that sacred responsibility. One can only hope they are not waiting totally in vain.”

The post John McCain Rips Trump’s ‘Tragic’ Putin Summit: ‘No Prior President Has Abased Himself More Abjectly Before a Tyrant’ appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

John McCain Rips Trump’s ‘Tragic’ Putin Summit: ‘No Prior President Has Abased Himself More Abjectly Before a Tyrant’

Former CIA Director John Brennan: Trump’s Performance at Summit ‘Was Nothing Short of Treasonous’

Former CIA Director John Brennan blasted Donald Trump’s astonishing performance at the summit with Vladimir Putin, in which he threw the FBI under the bus and sided with Russia over election meddling among other things, “treasonous.”

Tweeted Brennan: “Donald Trump’s press conference performance in Helsinki rises to & exceeds the threshold of “high crimes & misdemeanors.” It was nothing short of treasonous. Not only were Trump’s comments imbecilic, he is wholly in the pocket of Putin. Republican Patriots: Where are you???”

Donald Trump’s press conference performance in Helsinki rises to & exceeds the threshold of “high crimes & misdemeanors.” It was nothing short of treasonous. Not only were Trump’s comments imbecilic, he is wholly in the pocket of Putin. Republican Patriots: Where are you???

— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) July 16, 2018

Added Brennan: “Why did Trump meet 1 on 1 with Putin? What might he be hiding from Bolton, Pompeo, Kelly, & the American public? How will Putin use whatever Trump could be hiding to advantage Russia & hurt America? Trump’s total lack of credibility renders spurious whatever explanation he gives.”

Why did Trump meet 1 on 1 with Putin? What might he be hiding from Bolton, Pompeo, Kelly, & the American public? How will Putin use whatever Trump could be hiding to advantage Russia & hurt America? Trump’s total lack of credibility renders spurious whatever explanation he gives.

— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) July 16, 2018

The post Former CIA Director John Brennan: Trump’s Performance at Summit ‘Was Nothing Short of Treasonous’ appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Former CIA Director John Brennan: Trump’s Performance at Putin Summit ‘Was Nothing Short of Treasonous’

Upgrade to the latest version of Skype for desktop

Skype has always been about bringing people together. We continue to be driven by the opportunity to connect our global community of hundreds of millions, empowering them to feel closer and achieve more together. As we pursue these goals, we’re always looking for new ways to enhance the experience, improve quality and reliability, and connect people from any device.

Today, we are rolling out an updated version of Skype (version 8.0) for desktop that will replace Skype version 7.0 (also known as Skype classic).

We are encouraging everyone to upgrade now to avoid any inconvenience as only Skype version 8.0 will work after September 1, 2018. As we roll out improvements, there comes a time when we must shut down older services and application versions. This is done to ensure that all customers have the best possible Skype experience, and that there are no quality or reliability issues resulting from old technology and new technology interoperating. We know change can be hard, so we’re working to make the update as simple as possible. For help with the upgrade, please visit our support site. We appreciate the support of the Skype community as we upgrade the experience and listen to feedback along the way.

Everything about this new version, from the underlying performance improvements to the usability enhancements, is designed to keep you connected to the people who matter most. We built Skype version 8.0 based on feedback from our community—adding exciting new features while ensuring it’s simple to use with the same familiar interface of Skype version 7.0.

Here are some of the new features that come with Skype version 8.0—our most powerful, intuitive, and flexible version of Skype version yet:

• Free HD video and screensharing calls—Get together with 1 or 24 of your friends, families, or colleagues no matter what device they use Skype on. See everyone in high definition, view 1080px video, and share things together.
• More productive messaging—Express how you’re feeling by reacting to messages in conversations. Use @mentions to easily grab someone’s attention in a group chat. Simply type the @ symbol followed by their name to trigger a notification for them. You can easily find all your @mentions and get back to people in the notification center.
• Chat media gallery—Looking for the link or photo sent a few weeks ago? Chat media gallery makes it easy to find files, links, and photos that were shared in a conversation, whether it was yesterday or last month. No more scrolling through your chat history—just click Gallery under the chat name to see all the files, links, and photos in the conversation.
• Share photos, videos, and other files—Share up to 300 MB at a time over Skype just by dragging and dropping files into your conversation window.

Visit our upgrade page to learn more about all the latest features available on Skype version 8.0.

We have a few more ideas up our sleeves, too. Here’s a sneak peek at more new features we’re starting to roll out now with more coming later this summer:

• Skype version 8.0 rolling out on iPad—Features such as quoted messages, personalized themes, chat list, @mentions, and more are now available on the Skype for iPad experience.
• Read receipts—See at a glance who’s read your messages. Once someone reads your message, their avatar appears beneath it in the Skype chat—enabling you to see how far someone has read in the conversation without tapping every message. This is especially useful in group conversations to help you make sure everyone is caught up with the latest messages.
• Private Conversations—Have end-to-end encrypted Skype audio calls and send text messages or files—such as images, audio, or videos—using the industry standard Signal Protocol. Messages and notifications in these conversations will be hidden in the chat list to keep the information you share private. More information can be found at the Private Conversations FAQ.
• Call recording—Take call snapshots to the next level with call recording. Capture a special Skype calls with loved ones or record important meetings with colleagues. Call recording is completely cloud-based, and as soon as you start recording, everyone in the call is notified that the call is being recorded—so there are no surprises. Call recordings combine everyone’s video as well as any screens shared during the call.
• Profile invites—Easily start a conversation or call with people who aren’t on Skype yet. Simply go to your profile in Skype and tap the Share Profile option to invite friends to join you on Skype.
• Group links—Quickly get a group together on Skype, for either a group chat or call. Create a new group and tap the Invite More People option to share a link to your group. Anyone you send the link to can join your group quickly and simply.

To upgrade to the latest version of Skype from the app, select Help from the top toolbar and then select Check for Updates or visit Download Skype. It’s quick and easy—your account information will automatically and securely sync to the latest update—including password, contacts, and conversation history from the last year.

To learn more about the upgrade, please visit our friendly FAQ. For more information on which devices and operating systems Skype currently supports, please check our support site. To chat with us directly, please let us know your feedback through our Community, or use the “Send Feedback” option within the Skype app—just go to Settings and select Help & Feedback to send us a message.

The post Upgrade to the latest version of Skype for desktop appeared first on Skype Blogs.

blogs.skype.com/news/2018/07/16/upgrade-to-the-latest-version-of-skype-for-desktop/

The Best Local Dating Spots in the U.S. According to People Who Actually Date

Here are the 2018 OkCupid + Yelp Daters’ Choice Awards winners

Looking for the perfect date spot? You’ve come to the right place. Your fellow OkCupid daters did the legwork for you and found the coolest local date spots in 8 cities across the U.S. These are places you won’t find in any old guidebook, but ones with the stamp of approval from real people who go on real dates every day (FACT: OkCupid users go on 50k coffee and drink dates every week). We partnered with Yelp to ask those daters to vote for the best spots in various categories from cheap eats to no-judgements makeout spots (#priorities) for this year’s OkCupid Daters’ Choice Awards—and the results are in!

So here they are, your 2018 OkCupid Daters’ Choice Awards winners. If you want to skip directly to your home city click on it below, or scroll through the old-fashioned way and see the entire list. You can also see the full detailed list from Yelp here.

Boston

Philadelphia

New York

Austin

Chicago

San Francisco

Los Angeles

Seattle

Best Morning After Brunch: Lulu’s Allston

No-Judgement Makeout Spots: Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar

Fitness & Wellness Dates: Lawn on D

Best Hotel Bars: Noir

Cheap Eats: Charlie’s Kitchen

Photo Friendly Spots: Top of the Hub

Spots that Spark Conversation: MFA

Spots Where Drinks Could Turn Into Dinner: Eastern Standard

Best Themed Bar: A4cade

Bookmark the Boston spots on Yelp.

Best Morning After Brunch: Sabrina’s Café

No-Judgement Makeout Spots: Tattooed Mom

Fitness & Wellness Dates: Schuylkill River Trail

Best Hotel Bars: Stratus Rooftop Lounge

Cheap Eats: Loco Pez

Photo Friendly Spots: Spruce Street Harbor Park

Spots that Spark Conversation: Franklin Institute After Dark

Spots Where Drinks Could Turn Into Dinner: Friday Saturday Sunday

Best Themed Bar: Garage

Bookmark the Philadelphia spots on Yelp.

Best Morning After Brunch: Sweet Chick

No-Judgement Makeout Spots: House of Yes

Fitness & Wellness Dates: Chelsea Piers

Best Hotel Bars: Standard Beer Garden

Cheap Eats: Ramen-Ya

Photo Friendly Spots: Mother of Pearl

Spots that Spark Conversation: Museum of the Moving Image

Spots Where Drinks Could Turn Into Dinner: The Happiest Hour

Best Themed Bars: Otto’s Shrunken Head

Bookmark the NYC spots on Yelp.

Best Morning After Brunch: Snooze an AM Eatery

No-Judgement Makeout Spots: Cheer Up Charlies

Fitness & Wellness Dates: EpicSup Paddle Boarding

Best Hotel Bars: The Driskill Bar

Cheap Eats: Trorchy’s Tacos

Photo Friendly Spots: Jo’s Coffee

Spots That Spark Conversation: Blanton Museum of Art

Spots Where Drinks Could turn Into Dinner: Whisler’s

Best Themed Bar: Midnight Cowboy

Bookmark the Austin spots on Yelp.

Best Morning After Brunch: Lula Café

No-Judgement Makeout Spots: Slippery Slope

Fitness & Wellness Dates: Urban Kayaks

Best Hotel Bars: Cindy’s Rooftop

Cheap Eats: 90 Miles Cuban Café

Photo Friendly Spots: Punch House

Spots That Spark Conversation: Adler Planetarium

Spots Where Drinks Could Turn Into Dinner: The Violet Hour

Best Themed Bar: Three Dots and a Dash

Bookmark the Chicago spots on Yelp.

Best Morning After Brunch: Nopa

No-Judgement Makeout Spots: El Rio

Fitness & Wellness Dates: Dogpatch Boulders

Best Hotel Bars: The View

Cheap Eats: La Taqueria

Photo Friendly Spots: Foreign Cinema

Spots That Spark Conversation: California Academy of Sciences

Spots Where Drinks Could Turn Into Dinner: Trick Dog

Best Themed Bar: Smuggler’s Cove

Bookmark the San Francisco spots on Yelp.

Best Morning After Brunch: Nighthawk: Breakfast Bar

No-Judgement Makeout Spots: The Varnish

Fitness & Wellness Dates: Moonlight Rollerway Skating Rink

Best Hotel Bars: Skybar

Cheap Eats: Smorgasburg

Photo Friendly Spots: Griffith Observatory

Spots That Spark Conversation: The Broad

Spots Where Drinks Could Turn Into Dinner: The Edison

Best Themed Bar: Tiki-ti

Bookmark the LA spots on Yelp.

Best Morning After Brunch: 5 Spot

No-Judgement Makeout Spots: Lava Lounge

Fitness & Wellness Dates: Seattle Bouldering Project

Best Hotel Bars: Stoneburner

Cheap Eats: Katsu Burger

Photo Friendly Spots: The London Plane

Spots That Spark Conversation: Seattle Art Museum

Spots Where Drinks Could Turn Into Dinner: The Pink Door

Best Themed Bar: Unicorn

Bookmark the Seattle spots on Yelp.

Now that you’ve got the place, go find the date on OkCupid.

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The Best Local Dating Spots in the U.S. According to People Who Actually Date was originally published in The OkCupid Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

medium.com/m/global-identity?redirectUrl=https://theblog.okcupid.com/the-best-local-dating-spots-in-the-u-s-according-to-people-who-actually-date-2b424b9e6599?source=rss—-2cd59e7d4ed1—4