What is #KITTYDECIDES? It’s a retro-electropop novelty tune, a psychedelic video with a kitschy 1960’s aesthetic, and a fun commentary on our cultural obsession with the online feline. With 100% of proceeds benefitting rescue efforts, it’s lighthearted entertainment with a serious mission: to translate the massive enthusiasm for cat videos into meaningful donations to animal rescue efforts.
The full video is set to be released this Friday June 24th, to coincide with Cat World Domination Day and to kickoff CatConLA 2016.
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
People Now Exclusive: Laverne Cox Has Helped Jackie Cruz Understand Her Own Transgender Cousin: 'She's Changed My Way of Thinking'
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE Now,
Jackie Cruz, 29, shares how Cox has helped her understand the
transgender community in an effort to understand more about her own
transgender cousin.
"I
have a family member who is transgender and I didn't understand a lot,"
Cruz admits. "Getting to talk to Laverne, seeing her story on the show,
seeing her real story, helped me understand
a lot about my cousin."
Cox,
32, has been instrumental in educating the public more about the
transgender community ever since the show premiered on Netflix. As an
activist who plays a transgender character,
Cox has helped shine a light on a community that is often discriminated
against due to lack of information and exposure.
"I
just feel like we have such a powerful platform right now. People are
actually listening to what we're saying," Cruz says of Cox's impact.
"She's actually changed my way of thinking."
"She's probably changed the way of thinking for a lot of people," she adds.
Season 4 of
Orange is the New Black is now streaming on Netflix.
Gay Race Car Driver Competes In SCCA June Sprints
June 17-19 was the 61st running of the WeatherTech Chicago Region June Sprints at Road America. Established in 1955, Road America’s legendary 4-mile, 14-turn circuit has challenged the world’s best racers for over 57 years. And since 1956, the June Sprints has been an integral part of the history of the SCCA, Road America and road racing in general.
For race results, click here.
Michael Blume - Colors
The Huffington Post premiered a live video for Michael Blume's single "Colors" and called him "The new queer singer songwriter you can’t miss at pride."
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Broadway's Finest Appear on Tonight's Ep of 'Maya & Marty' to Benefit Orlando
The appearance marks the first time the song will be performed outside the recording studio by this all-star Broadway lineup.
Soon after the Orlando shooting, approximately 60 of Broadway’s top stars — as well as those currently in Los Angeles and Miami — contributed their talents to record what is being titled the “Broadway for Orlando” initiative. The song and accompanying video is currently sold on BroadwayRecords.com and will be available on iTunes with all proceeds going to the LGBT Center of Central Florida.
Top 10 Tax and Estate Planning Considerations for Same-Sex Couples
“In its most basic terms, recognition of same-sex marriage equates to the simple fact that a spouse is now a spouse, irrespective of gender, in the eyes of the law,” commented McManus. “Today, there are opportunities and protections within reach for same-sex couples that were unavailable during most of American history.”
Top 10 Tax and Estate Planning Considerations for Same-Sex Couples
1. Gender-blind: First and foremost, when discussing the changes born of the recognition of same-sex marriage, the overarching theme is that there is no need to draft estate planning documents any differently for same-sex couples. In the eyes of the federal and state governments, same-sex and opposite-sex married couples are afforded the same tax benefits. Whether a Will was executed before the date of Obergefell (6/26/15) makes no difference. The law that applies is the law at the date of the Testator’s death. Pursuant to Obergefell, states MUST recognize same-sex marriage.
2. Unlimited Marital Deduction: Same-sex couples that marry are eligible to take advantage of the unlimited marital deduction for federal estate and gift tax. Prior to Obergefell, same-sex couples had to rely on their applicable exclusion amount with regard to providing for the surviving spouse. It is important for same-sex couples to review with their wealth planning and tax advisors any existing estate planning in order to best utilize the tax-saving vehicles available to them.
3. Portability: In addition to the unlimited marital deduction, the surviving spouse is entitled to the portability provision under federal estate and gift tax law. Pursuant to the portability provision, a surviving spouse may preserve, and thereafter utilize, any portion of the deceased spouse’s unused applicable exclusion amount. One benefit of portability is to allow the surviving spouse to make tax-free gifts in order to reduce the estate tax owed upon the survivor’s death. For more information on portability, please see an in-depth discussion of the top 10 possibilities of portability: http://bit.ly/1R4fagD.
4. Gift Splitting: Each individual is given the right to make gifts on a tax-free basis for federal gift and generation skipping transfer tax. The annual exclusion amount is currently $14,000. Now same-sex couples can enjoy the benefits of gift splitting, whereby one spouse can gift from their own assets, with the consent of the other spouse, in order to utilize both of their annual exclusion amounts (currently $28,000 maximum to any individual) resulting in the gifting spouse’s applicable lifetime gift tax exemption amount remaining intact. Generally, gift splitting requires the filing of a Form 709 Gift Tax Return; however, if the split gifts total $28,000 or less to each donee, only the donor spouse is required to file a gift tax return.
5. Beneficiary Designation of Retirement Benefits:
a. Retirement account assets of a deceased same-sex spouse can now be “rolled over” into the surviving spouse’s account without the requirement of a mandatory minimum distribution or lump sum distribution. This is a positive development because, prior to the recognition of same-sex marriage, this roll-over was not possible.
b. With regard to an ERISA covered plan, the Windsor decision made it possible for the same-sex spouse of a participant in the plan to automatically be the beneficiary. The participant is now required to obtain consent from his or her spouse if that spouse is not the desired beneficiary of the plan.
c. All state-level employment benefits should be reviewed and updated with the same-sex spouse information in order to take advantage of the rights and benefits available to the same-sex spouse. Review employer’s benefits policies – spousal benefits granted to same sex couples.
d. Also review prenuptials and other marital agreements.
6. Insurance: Insurance planning may have been part of same-sex planning prior to the Obergefell decision. All policies, along with beneficiary designations, should be reviewed in conjunction with the new planning concepts for a streamlined flow of assets upon both the first death and the death of the surviving spouse.
7. Previously Filed Federal Tax Returns: Same-sex spouses may amend previously filed federal estate, gift, and income tax returns from single to married status, subject to the statutory limitations period of three years from when the tax return was originally due or filed (if on extension) or two years from the date the tax was paid, whichever is later. Married couples living in states that did not recognize same-sex marriages prior to Obergefell may be able to amend filed state income tax returns for the years 2012, 2013, or 2014, depending on the law of the state.
8. Natural Born and Adopted Children: A child, whether born or adopted into the same-sex union, needs to be specifically identified throughout the estate planning documents. The relationship of the child to the adoptive parent or parents or birth parent in a same-sex married couple can be cause for contest at the death of the legal parent if not planned for ahead of time.
a. If a child is born to one spouse, the other spouse should strongly consider adoption of the child to legalize the relationship. If there is no legal relationship between the child and the spouse of the natural parent, a relative of the natural parent could fight for custody if the natural parent dies or fails to care for the child.
b. The same issue applies to a child who is only adopted by one spouse. Same-sex couples may consider co-parent adoption to ensure that both parents have rights regarding child custody and guardianship.
c. If a partner has a child and the other partner plans to adopt that child, he or she is eligible to receive an adoption tax credit. This credit is not available for a spouse adopting his or her spouse’s child. If a couple is planning to marry and an adoption is part of the big picture, it may be more advantageous for the adoption to take place before the couple marries.
9. Non-Citizen Spouse May Consider Becoming a Citizen: Non-citizen same-sex spouses are afforded the opportunity to become U.S. citizens on the basis of their marriage to a spouse of the same sex who is a U.S. citizen. This eligibility should be considered carefully, taking all ramifications into account. For example, as a U.S. citizen the individual would be taxed by the U.S. on their worldwide income.
Also, expatriating from the U.S., renouncing your U.S. citizenship, and returning to your native country can be an expensive proposition. To expatriate, you generally must prove five years of U.S. tax compliance. If you have a net worth greater than $2 million or average annual net income tax for the five previous years of $160,000 or more, you must pay an exit tax. It is a capital gain tax as if you sold your property when you left. In addition, the U.S. State Department has raised the fee for renouncing U.S. citizenship from $450 to $2,350.
10. Review current estate plan:
a. Due to the tax-saving venues opened to same-sex couples, it is beneficial for the couple to review all existing plans in order to maximize federal and state estate, gift, and income tax planning.
b. Beneficiary designations for insurance and retirement benefits should be reviewed in order to align the designations accordingly.
c. Re-title any property with joint ownership to ownership by the couple as tenancy by the entirety. In community property states, the couple may want to convert separately-owned property to community property in order to receive a step up in basis upon the death of the survivor of the spouses.
d. Confirm that definitions in the estate planning documents correctly reflect relationships, for example “spouse,” “husband,” “wife,” and/or “children,” whether naturally born or adopted.
e. Determine if there is a necessity for a “no contest” clause to be incorporated in the event family members disapprove of the same-sex couple’s lifestyle or decisions regarding the estate plan.
For trusted advice on wealth planning for same-sex couples, call McManus & Associates at 908-898-0100. For more information on award-winning McManus & Associates, go to www.mcmanuslegal.com.
Kristin Chenoweth to Play Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray Live!
Chenoweth will play Velma Von Tussle, the self-promoting and manipulative producer of “The Corny Collins Show,” who will stop at nothing to make her daughter, Amber, the star that Velma never was. Her biggest foe is Tracy Turnblad and she’ll do everything in her power to prevent the integration of the “Corny Collins Show” which Tracy wants so much. “We are so excited and fortunate that Kristin — one of the best musical performers in the world — wants to come and play with us on ‘Hairspray,’” said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment. “Everything she does is incredible, going back to the iconic Glinda in ‘Wicked,’ and there’s no one better to play Velma Von Tussle. Each year we find that more and more of the top talent in our business wants to experience the once-in-a-lifetime thrill of these live musicals, and the bigger the roster of stars, the better the event. This one is shaping up to be one of our best!”
A View from Outside the Closet
Equality is often seen as equal access regardless of sexuality, gender, religion, or ethnicity. But it is so much more than that. True equality is unconditional acceptance of others. It means accepting and respecting others for where they are in life and for who they are becoming. It means holding space for everyone to share personal truths that will help the human race evolve. Equality acknowledges that no one person or journey is greater than another.
I remember when I came out as gay to my mother. I was on the phone in Oakland, California and she in Thomaston, Georgia. I finally said what she had known since I was 10: “Mom, I’m gay.” Her response, “I know,” had incredible significance for me. I had come out to others–even trusted friends–and had never experienced a more powerful feeling of acceptance.
Until that point I had hidden my most authentic self. I married a man I thought I loved to meet the expectations of people I believed would only accept me as a feminine-identified heterosexual woman. My ex-husband and I were best friends, but I knew deep inside that my deepest feelings were for women. At one point I even convinced myself that I was crazy and couldn’t be trusted to make decisions with such a weighted heart. Living out of step with my true self was constant emotional torture.
Two years after divorcing my husband I was a senior in college and in my first lesbian relationship. After graduation, I would go on to attend graduate school in Athens, Georgia and she was about to work for a Fortune 500 company in downtown Atlanta.
Six months into our relationship, my girlfriend had a seizure while we were making dinner at her apartment. Frightened and feeling helpless, I rang her best friend for help. Her friend told me to stay by her side as she drove over to help. Ambulances just made her seizures worse, with the loud noises and seizure-provoking lights.
I found out that new stress in her life—in this case, a high-pressure promotion at work— caused seizures. I also learned that only frequent daily doses of cannabis eliminated her seizures. Her doctor unofficially recommended cannabis as treatment, but also said he could lose his license if he made a formal recommendation. I made it my mission to make sure she was never out of cannabis again.
Georgia’s cannabis laws at the time meant that I could go to jail, and even be charged with a felony, if I continued to ensure that my girlfriend had access to the medicine that treated her condition. The experience felt deeply unjust, much like the frequent discrimination we received as lesbians in the Deep South. I aspired to be a clinical social worker but knew that I could lose everything if I was given a significant drug charge, regardless of my good intentions.
We packed our bags and moved to Oakland, California, where patients had easy access to cannabis and lesbians created communes. On the drive to California, we spent six hours in a U.S. Customs and Border Protection holding cell on the Texas/Mexico border for possession of four joints. It felt like the universe was screaming for us to escape a backwards society and move West towards progress.
My girlfriend received her medical marijuana card one day after we arrived in Oakland. California’s medical cannabis program meant that she could live a more fulfilling life and we could both rest easy knowing her medicine would never land us both in jail.
Harvey Milk, the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California said:
“If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door.
Every gay person must come out. As difficult as it is, you must tell your
immediate family. You must tell your relatives. You must tell your friends
if indeed they are your friends. You must tell the people you work with.
You must tell the people in the stores you shop in. Once they realize that
we are indeed their children, that we are indeed everywhere, every myth,
every lie, every innuendo will be destroyed once and all.”
The same could be said of cannabis. When we come out of the closet, we find our allies and friends. By coming out we inspire others to lead their communities towards a more compassionate political stance on cannabis as medicine. By coming out we defy unjust laws and conventional medicine. Coming out helps create an industry of acceptance–acceptance that Mother Nature provides healing for our bodies and acceptance for those who need medicinal cannabis.
There are many in the world who feel trapped in a closet. They might be afraid of coming out as gay, or as cannabis consumers, or some other identity stigmatized by the mainstream. If this is your struggle, I implore you to find your tribe and thrive. Show up authentically and your people will find you. Remember that revolution does not happen in the streets. Revolution happens when we reach solidarity in our hearts and through our actions. When it costs more to stay silent than it does to find your true voice, you will find that you have no choice but to bust the door of the closet wide open and declare yourself to the world.
Catfest - Colorado's coolest cat event is coming
CatFest will feature dozens of cats and kittens available for adoption, educational demonstrations on how to clicker-train your cat, pet behavior and veterinary advice from experts, activities for kids and the “Meow Market,” where guests can peruse unique cat-inspired merchandise from a variety of local vendors. There will also be food trucks and music to round out this enjoyable summer event.
If you’re looking to adopt a new feline friend, DDFL will be offering $10 adoption fees for all cats (1 year and older). Cat adopters will receive a free goodie bag upon adoption.
“Putting cats first is an important part of the compassionate care we provide at the Dumb Friends League and CatFest is a great way to highlight what wonderful companions they are,” said Bob Rohde, President and CEO of the Dumb Friends League.
All cat adoptions from the Dumb Friends League include a spay/neuter surgery, initial vaccinations, a microchip implant and a free follow-up office visit with a participating veterinarian.
Admission to CatFest is free, and all ages are welcome. CatFest is sponsored by Hill’s Science Diet® and takes place at the Dumb Friends League Quebec Street Shelter, located at 2080 S. Quebec St. in Denver. Adoption pricing specials during CatFest will also be honored at the Buddy Center in Castle Rock and all partner locations where Dumb Friends League cats are available for adoption.
For more information, visit www.ddfl.org/catfest or call (303) 751-5772.
Fred Caruso's "Go Go Crazy" Raising Money for Trevor Project
Starring iconic drag comedian Hedda Lettuce, gay adult film star Jake Steel, and some sexy broadway actors, Go Go Crazy is a hilarious, outrageous mockumentary. With a little sex, sabotage, and dirty tricks, this movie will turn you on, bend you over with laughter, and then give you a happy ending.
The DVD special features include deleted scenes, bloopers, Hedda Lettuce’s audition tape, the official trailer, and several musical numbers.
“Fred’s last wish was for others to donate to The Trevor Project. We want to honor that request while sharing his film with the world and especially the LGBTQ community,” says the company.
To purchase GO GO CRAZY go to Breaking Glass’ online store: http://shop.breakingglasspictures.com/Go-Go-Crazy-QCC285.htm and get $5 off with this discount code: GOGOINMEMORIAM
Your Front Row Seat to Marriage Eqauality
Love won – and the path to our triumphant victory stretched back years and miles. It was paved by the efforts, talents, and engagement of millions of people. It required a dream, hard work – and a plan. And it succeeded through a national conversation among all Americans about who LGBT people are and why marriage matters.
These days especially, as we share our grief and celebrate the lives of the 49 victims of the Orlando shooting, we again see the power of stories to touch hearts and inspire action. Sparking conversation and turning support into political and legal change were the core of our strategy to win the freedom to marry – and we know from the marriage victory that change can happen, even against all odds.
Now you can get an inside look at the movement that transformed a nation and the law. Award-winning filmmaker Eddie Rosenstein has just finished a powerful feature documentary that truly captures the riveting story of how we won. Rosenstein's The Freedom to Marry is a “War Room” style film that provides an emotional, behind-the-scenes view of the campaign and strategy that ended marriage discrimination nationwide.
Be one of the first to see the trailer for The Freedom to Marry before its official premiere in San Francisco on Saturday – click here to watch it now!
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Beyond ISIS -- In the Aftermath of Orlando...
International is shocked and saddened by the deadly massacre at Latin Night at Pulse nightclub on 12 June 2016 in Orlando, Florida. We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the 49 people whose lives were taken and the more than 50 people injured. These events were not only a tragedy for the LGBTIQ community in Orlando but for all humanity. Our way forward must emphasize community building from a global perspective.
Some commentators have questioned whether the location of the attack – a gay nightclub – is relevant to our understanding of recent events. Omar Mateen’s decision to attack a gay nightclub, a safe place for LGBTIQ people to gather, timed during the Pride celebrations of June, cannot be extricated from the motivations and consequences of the attack. More LGBTIQ people were killed at Pulse than in any other known LGBTIQ bias-motivated attack in US history. Clearly, this was an act of hate and violence against LGBTIQ persons, our freedom of assembly, and our fundamental dignity.
The attack at Pulse nightclub is about more than ISIS, including the on-going violence experienced by LGBTIQ people in the US, and lack of gun safety. However, ISIS has claimed responsibility for the massacre, so we must examine ISIS’ conduct, put it in perspective, and consider it within the context of the threat of US military response.
The line between ISIS fighter and sympathizer is at best blurry and possibly irrelevant. Mateen pledged allegiance to ISIS, and ISIS subsequently claimed responsibility. ISIS’ semi-official news agency, Amaq, claimed responsibility for the deaths, posting in English and Arabic, “The attack that targeted a nightclub for homosexuals in Orlando, Florida and that left more than 100 dead and wounded was carried out by an Islamic State fighter.” Al-bayan Radio, a station owned and operated by ISIS, broadcasted, ”One of the Caliphate’s soldiers in America carried out a security invasion where he was able to enter a crusader gathering at a nightclub for homosexuals in Orlando, Florida...where he killed and injured more than a hundred of them.”Similar announcements were reposted by ISIS affiliates and sympathizers, including the Haq website which regularly posts ISIS reports and photography.
ISIS: An undeniable record of terror against LGBTI people
Since December 2014, OutRight has documented more than 41 men accused of sodomy and killed by ISIS, according to ISIS’ own accounts (see OutRight’s timeline of executions, which include a description of the terminology used to justify the killings). Prior to the deaths in Orlando, the highest number of men killed at one time by ISIS for sodomy, or a related charge, was four in July 2015 in Fallujah Province. Little is known about the men who were killed, including whether they ever engaged in homosexual acts or personally identified as gay; ISIS does not provide substantiating information or charge victims in a court of law. OutRight has observed that ISIS typically claims quick public responsibility for these killings, using social media as a central component in its campaign of terror. These acts of violence by ISIS exist on a continuum with its targeting of many vulnerable groups. (To bring this to wider attention, in August 2015, we spoke before an Arria formula meeting of the UN Security Council, calling attention to the situation of LGBTI people in ISIS controlled territories.)
The coming days and weeks will bring mourning, information, and debate as we try to make sense of the most widespread loss of life in the US since 9/11. During this time, we send our deepest sympathies, strength, and support to the families of those who lost their loved ones and to those injured during the attacks.
We caution against drawing harmful conclusions about Muslims from the recent attack. Conflating the actions of one person with the beliefs of an entire religion, or ISIS with Islam, is dangerous. OutRight stands in solidarity with Muslims everywhere. We refuse to allow the LGBTIQ community's tragedy to be used to pit minorities against each other. LGBTIQ people, Muslims, LGBTIQ Muslims, and our allies -- must support one another and stand strong against bigotry and violence.
In the US, there is much work to be done
We must enact gun control and meaningful gun safety. The killings in Orlando were made possible by inadequate policies on gun control and gun safety. More than 32,000 Americans are shot to death every year -- a higher rate than any other developed nation. Omar Mateen bought his weapons legally.
We must recognize that LGBTIQ people are not the only group targeted by ISIS. ISIS has systematically attacked women and girls, Christians, Turkmanis, Kurds, and Yazidis. Anyone who violates ISIS’ fundamentalist notions of gender and sexuality or is deemed “inappropriate” is targeted in its apocalyptic worldview.
We cannot compromise the human rights of LGBTIQ people. The tragic loss of life in Orlando must not be used to justify military action. The safety and security of LGBTIQ people in Iraq and Syria, within and beyond ISIS control, must be central in our response. Regional backlash and escalation of violence against those perceived as not conforming to traditional notions of gender and sexuality is a real danger.
The US government should investigate the application of the principles of universal jurisdiction to hold ISIS accountable if command responsibility is established in the case of Orlando. Due process should in all instances be upheld.
On a continuum of violence
At OutRight, we understand the devastating attack in Orlando in the context of violence targeting LGBTIQ people in the US. While the scale of this massacre is unprecedented, violent crimes against the LGBTIQ community in the US are not. In 2015 alone, more than 21 transgender individuals were murdered in the US, most of whom were trans women of color. The Latino community in Orlando was on the frontlines of the attack at Pulse. Through holistic law, policy, and programming, aimed to promote non-discrimination and access to education, healthcare, and employment, we can put an end to these unacceptable levels of violence.
The tragedy of Orlando is a call to action: it underscores with heart-breaking clarity the need for a globalized understanding of current events and the place of LGBTI people in the global community. For those who thought that ISIS would only impact their lives in Iraq or Syria, we are with you. For those in Brussels and Paris who experienced violence at the hands of ISIS, we are with you. For those in the US who are newly members of this unwanted club, we are with you. It is time to channel our sorrow and anger into the best response: strong community-building. With LGBTIQ people, Muslims, LGBTIQ Muslims, and our allies globally, we must seek a peaceful and holistic strategy focused on community well-being to move us forward.
As we enter into this new era, I urge all - friends and allies - reclaim this Pride month! Show the world that we are not afraid, we will not hide, and we will not stand down… And to our friends who we have lost, may you always rest in power.
Advocacy Groups Call for Unity in Wake of Orlando Mass Shooting
The
National LGBTQ Task Force along with 52 other groups today called for
unity in the wake of the mass shooting that took place in Orlando last
weekend.
The attack that has caused outrage across the nation and the world
happened at Pulse during the LGBTQ nightclub’s Latino-themed night.
Forty-nine people were murdered, the majority of which were Latino and
Black LGBTQ people. The groups released the following
statement in four languages. Attached are the Arabic, French, and
Spanish version. The English version of the statement follows:
We the
undersigned organizations working on the front lines of the lesbian,
gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) movement share in the
profound grief for those who were killed and many
more who were wounded during Latin Night at the Pulse nightclub in
Orlando, Florida. Their lives were lost or forever altered in this
devastating act of violence targeting LGBTQ people. Our hearts go out to
all the family and friends touched by this horrific
act. We know their lives will never be the same again.
This
national tragedy happened against the backdrop of anti-LGBTQ legislation
sweeping this country and we must not forget that in this time of
grief. Unity and an organized response in the face
of hatred is what we owe the fallen and the grieving. Collective
resolve across national, racial and political lines will be required to
turn the tide against anti-LGBTQ violence. Our response to this horrific
act, committed by one individual, will have a
deep impact on Muslim communities in this country and around the world.
We as an intersectional movement cannot allow anti-Muslim sentiment to
be the focal point as it distracts from the larger issue, which is the
epidemic of violence that LGBTQ people, including
those in the Muslim community, are facing in this country.
The
animus and violence toward LGBTQ people is not news to our community. It
is our history, and it is our reality. In 1973, 32 LGBTQ people died in
an arson fire at an LGBTQ Upstairs Lounge in
New Orleans. More than forty years later, similar acts of anti-LGBTQ
violence are commonplace. Crimes motivated by bias due to sexual
orientation and gender identity were the second largest set of hate
crimes documented by the FBI in 2015 (over 20 percent).
Murders and violence against transgender people globally have taken
more than 2000 lives over the last nine years. Bias crimes against US
immigrant populations, which include significant numbers of LGBTQ
people, have increased over the past decade as anti-immigrant
rhetoric has escalated.
For
those of us who carry multiple marginalized identities, the impact of
this violence and discrimination has even more severe consequences.
These intersectional identities and their ramifications
are apparent at every level in the Orlando tragedy, which
disproportionately affected Latino/a members of our communities, and has
xenophobic consequences that threaten LGBTQ Muslims. According to the
National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP), there
were 24 reports of hate violence related homicides in 2015, and 62% of
those victims were LGBTQ people of color. Transgender and gender
nonconforming people made up 67% of the homicides, the majority of whom
were transgender women of color. The violence against
transgender and gender nonconforming people has continued into 2016
with 13 reported individual homicides this year alone. NCAVP research on
hate violence shows that LGBTQ people experience violence not only by
strangers, but also in their everyday environments
by employers, coworkers, landlords and neighbors. The Orlando shooting
is simply an extreme instance of the kind of violence that LGBTQ people
encounter every day.
As
LGBTQ people who lived through the AIDS crisis, we know what it looks
like and feels like to be scapegoated and isolated in the midst of a
crisis that actually requires solidarity, empathy
and collaboration from all quarters. We appeal to all in our movement
and all who support us to band together in rejecting hatred and violence
in all its shape shifting forms. Let us stand united as a diverse LGBTQ
community of many faiths, races, ethnicities,
nationalities and backgrounds.
Signed,
Arcus Foundation
Believe Out Loud
BiNet USA
Bisexual Resource Center
Center for Black Equity, Inc.
CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers
The Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals
The Council for Global Equality
Courage Campaign
Equality Federation
Family Equality Council
Freedom for All Americans
Freedom to Work
GLBTQ Legal
Advocates & Defenders (GLAD)
Gay Men’s Health Crisis
The Gill Foundation
GLAAD
GLMA: Health Professionals
Advancing LGBT Equality
GLSEN
Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network
The Harvey Milk Foundation
Human Rights Campaign
interACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth
The Johnson Family Foundation
Lambda Legal
MAP
Marriage Equality USA
Muslim Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity
National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs
National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
National Black Justice Coalition
National Center for Lesbian Rights
National Center for Transgender Equality
National Council of La Raza
National LGBTQ Task Force
National Minority Aids Council (NMAC)
National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance
The New York City Anti-Violence Project
Out & Equal Workplace Advocates
OutRight Action International
The Palette Fund
PFLAG National
Pride at Work
Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE)
Southerners on New Ground (SONG)
SpeakOUT Boston
The T*Circle Collective
Tarab NYC
Transgender Education Network of Texas
Trans People of Color Coalition
Transgender Law Center
The Trevor Project
The Williams Institute
Tegan and Sara - Pride Mixtape
“We get asked a lot what kind of advice we’d offer to young people that are coming out or just to anyone about self-love, and the truth is that the best advice I was ever given about Pride and self-love was from my mom when I was very young, which was just to be cool. Be you…. And so I offer that advice to all of you, just be yourself. You’re cool.” – Tegan and Sarah
Also included in the mix are audio clips of Tegan and Sara discussing what Pride means to them, along with uplifting quotes and their LGBTQ inspirations. The mixtape includes artists like Santigold, Haim, Metric, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Florence + The Machine, MGMT, Empire of the Sun, and many more!
Check out the Tegan and Sara PRIDE Mixtape now!
WNBA Guard and Orlando Native Shavonte Zellous on the Pulse Shooting and the Significance of Gay Clubs to the LGBTQ Community
Today on The Players’ Tribune, New York Liberty guard and Orlando native Shavonte Zellous
speaks out about the mass shooting in Orlando, the significance of gay
clubs to the LGBTQ community and tells the story
of her sister who lost several friends on Saturday night and the fateful phone call that kept her away.
On her sister’s story:
My sister had been on her way to Pulse on Saturday night to meet three of her friends, just as she’d also done last Saturday. It was Latin night. It was also Pride month.
Her phone rang while she was driving. It was the shift manager from her job, asking her to cover the 6 a.m. shift.
She
said yes, turned around and went home to bed. Her friends — the three
she was going to meet — never made it back home. They were among the 49
killed.
On the significance of gay clubs:
Gay
clubs are more than places where people dance and drink. They are
sanctuaries. They are communities. Gay clubs are where many go to find
themselves or be themselves
or commune with others like themselves, away from the judgment of the
world outside.
On being a part of the LGBTQ community:
When
you’re gay or trans or queer, you carry the hate of others with you
every day. It comes in many forms: insults, discrimination, ignorance,
violence. I would imagine
this wasn’t the first time the victims of Pulse had felt terrorized
just for being themselves.
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