2015 Tony Awards Winners: LIST

Kyler Geoffroy

www.towleroad.com/2015/06/tony-awards.html

A Complete List Of The 2015 Tony Award Winners
Prepare your champagne flutes and tuxedos, thespians. The 2015 Tony Awards have officially arrived, bringing all your favorite stage actors under the same roof in New York City’s Radio City Music Hall.

The 69th edition of the annual award show, hosted by Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming, will feature performances from some of the most popular and critically acclaimed Broadway shows of the year, as well as a hefty dose of Hollywood cameos from nominees and presenters like Jennifer Lopez, Jim Parsons, Amanda Seyfried, Bryan Cranston, Phylicia Rashad and — of course — Neil Patrick Harris.

Frontrunners of the night include Best Musical nominees “An American in Paris” and “Fun Home,” both packing a punch with a dozen nods each. “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” Simon Stephens’ stage adaption of the 2003 mystery novel, remains the favorite for Best Play. And poised to nab an award for her performance in “The Audience” is the crowd favorite, Dame Helen Mirren.

The show starts at 8 p.m. EST on CBS, and we’ll be updating you with every win and upset. In the meantime, check out a full list of the nominations.

Leading Actress in a Play: Helen Mirren, “The Audience”

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www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/07/tony-award-winners-2015_n_7531304.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

WATCH: Pride at U.S. State Department Affirms LGBT Human Rights

The U.S. Department of State launched Capital Pride weekend with an earnest conversation with global LGBT activists who are fighting for equality in Turkey and Uganda.

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Denver David Robinson

www.advocate.com/pride/2015/06/07/watch-pride-us-state-department-affirms-lgbt-human-rights

'The Fosters' Creator Peter Paige Addresses That History-Making Same-Sex Kiss
“The Fosters” made history in March when the TV drama aired the youngest ever same-sex kiss on TV. At a panel for the show at ATX Television Festival in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, co-creator Peter Paige again addressed the controversy surrounding the episode and discussed how the relationship between Jude and Connor will evolve in Season 3.

“That’s never been done on television before, seeing two 13-year-olds navigate young love and they both happen to be boys,” Paige said. “Gay adults start as gay kids. … Now they’ve got to figure out how to be with each other and be with family, friends and the communities at school. So, there’s a lot for them to navigate this season.”

When the kiss was first met with backlash, Paige and co-creator Bradley Bredeweg stood staunchly by their choice. “It was time to see this, time to put this up for the world,” Bredeweg told the The Wrap.

In a sit-down interview with The Huffington Post Saturday, Paige said he was met with no hesitation from the ABC Family network prior to the episode and saw all resulting “controversy” as a small minority of particularly loud people.

“99.5 percent of people [said], ‘Oh my god, it’s so beautiful, I can’t believe it happened! I’m team Jonnor!,'” he said over drinks at the Roaring Fork restaurant. “It was one half of 1 percent of people who were disgusted.”

Paige elaborated at the panel. “The first time we received controversy was with the Jonnor kiss,” he said. “That was the first time we received backlash, and I submit again: How old were you when you had your first kiss?”

One audience member asked when Paige knew Jude would be gay, how the actors dealt with the scene and whether their real-life parents had been okay with it.

“That goes back to before he was cast,” Paige said. “Everyone who came in to test for it, it was made very, very clear where we wanted to take the story. Same with Connor. We knew all along that some version of these stories [was] going to be told and we needed people who were on board with helping us tell them.”

Lauren Duca is currently covering the ATX Television Festival for The Huffington Post. Follow her on Twitter @laurenduca and expect much more to come!

— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/07/fosters-gay-kiss_n_7530798.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

Florida Church Opposes Gay Scout Leaders, Equates Them To Pedophiles: VIDEO

John Wright

www.towleroad.com/2015/06/florida-church-opposes-gay-scout-leaders-equates-them-to-pedophiles-video.html

WATCH: Scott Walker Wants to Amend the Constitution to Ban Marriage Equality

The possible GOP 2016 presidential candidate has a back-up plan ready in case the Supreme Court extends the freedom to marry nationwide this month.

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Sunnivie Brydum

www.advocate.com/politics/election/2015/06/07/watch-scott-walker-wants-amend-constitution-ban-marriage-equality

A Love Letter to LGBT Progress
My husband and I are relentless positrons, but, as change agents, we do spend a fair amount of time complaining about how slow progress can be. For instance, when we were recently in Washington, D.C. rallying for full federal marriage equality, I exhaustedly proclaimed:, “I can’t believe we’re still having this conversation.”

But I’m glad we were there. I’m glad that we try to do our part in lending a voice to the fight for full equality. One day, people will really appreciate it. Just as we are grateful for the work of those who paved the way for us.

For example, I doubt the people who took a stand on a hot summer evening at the Stonewall Inn knew their acts of defiance would usher in a new era of LGBT rights. Oh how I wish we could go back to that day in 1969 to tell all those people what was ahead.

Insert dream waves….

As the police pour into the Stonewall Inn — one of the few establishments in the country catering to the marginalized LGBT community in 1969 — we would tell the group that in exactly one year the events of this night will be celebrated with a massive parade. We would tell them that in 2000 President Bill Clinton will name June Gay and Lesbian Pride Month.

As the group refuses to act when told to show their IDs, we would say that in 1977, a man named Harvey Milk will become the first openly gay person to be elected to public office. And in 2013, he will appear on a U.S. postage stamp.

As a drag queen refuses to prove her gender, we would say that in a few decades, a drag queen named RuPaul will have a series of hit singles and go on to host a wildly popular reality TV show about drag queens.

As tensions mount, we would tell the increasingly unruly crowd that in the years to come, a lesbian comedian will come out on a prime time TV show, that an openly gay man will seem to host practically every awards show and play a comically straight character on an extremely popular sitcom.

As a handcuffed woman screams to the crowd, “Why don’t you guys do something?” we would say that in 1983 tennis star Billie Jean King will become the first prominent professional athlete to come out.

As the police — likely as scared as the protesters — barricade themselves inside the Stonewall Inn while they wait for back up, we would let them know that in 2007 Theresa Sparks will become the first openly transgender police commissioner in the U.S. and that, in 2003, she will be the first openly transgender woman to be named “Woman of the Year” by the California State Assembly.

As a kick line forms to taunt the riot police marching forward with batons, we would say that an openly gay man will become one of the most powerful business figures in the world when he is named CEO of Apple Computers.

As hundreds of protesters stand firm, we would tell them that in 2004, same sex marriage will become legal in Massachusetts. We would tell them that in 2013, our home state, Washington, will extend marriage rights to same-sex couples and, just a few months later, the federal government will recognize those rights.

Finally, as the crowds begin to disburse, we would simply say thank you for raising hell, because in 2015 things will have come a long way.

We’ve got it good thanks to the people who advocated before us. In 1969, no one would have imagined that a same-sex couple could be married. Married. And that that same couple could be spokespersons for major brands like Expedia and Microsoft, traveling the world talking about tech, travel, and the good life.

We’ve got a lot of work to do. Today, as we head into Pride month, we raise a glass to progress.

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www.huffingtonpost.com/kent-reiersgaard/a-love-letter-to-lgbt-progress_b_7476064.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

Scott Walker Is a Big Fan of a Constitutional Amendment Allowing States to Ban Gay Marriage: VIDEO

Kyler Geoffroy

www.towleroad.com/2015/06/scott-walker-floats-constitutional-amendment-allowing-states-to-ban-gay-marriage.html

Caitlyn Jenner Shares Inspiring #TransIsBeautiful Photo On Instagram
Caitlyn Jenner already broke the Internet — and now it’s Instagram’s turn.

In a photo posted on Saturday, Jenner poses with her arms around friends as they look out on some breathtaking scenery. The caption reads: “Learn from those who have walked the path before you. #TransIsBeautiful #LivingOurTruth #JustTheBeginning.”

Learn from those who have walked the path before you. #TransIsBeautiful #LivingOurTruth #JustTheBeginning

A photo posted by Caitlyn Jenner (@caitlynjenner) on Jun 6, 2015 at 3:30pm PDT

Jenner previously posted a photo of her Vanity Fair cover on Instagram, but this is the first candid picture she has shared with followers.

Along with her debut on Vanity Fair, Jenner has recently been involved in a number of projects, including a “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” special and filming her docuseries, “I Am Cait.”

Jenner has also been selected to receive the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2015 ESPYS, which air Wednesday, July 15, at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.

— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/07/caitlyn-jenner-photo-transisbeautiful_n_7529672.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

New York Homeless Man Charged with Attempted Murder in Anti-Trans Subway Hate Crime

Kyler Geoffroy

www.towleroad.com/2015/06/new-york-homeless-man-charged-with-attempted-murder-in-anti-trans-subway-hate-crime.html