One Colorado: It's Pride Season!

From Brad Clark, Executive Director, One Colorado:

Flip-flops. Shades. Farmer's tan. Oh my! It's here: Pride Season.

And One Colorado is hitting the road to visit a Pride near you! From the Front Range to Four Corners -- we want to celebrate with you! So pull on a One Love T-shirt, walk with us in a parade, volunteer at our booth, sign up new supporters of equality and join in the shenanigans and fun this summer. Here are some opportunities to join us:

• Denver PrideFest: Join us at the country’s 3rd largest Pride celebration! We will be marching in the parade on Sunday, June 16 -- meet us at Cheesman Park at 8:15 AM to march with us. We’ll have our One Love T-shirts and breakfast for those who join. We’ll also have our booth at the main celebration both Saturday and Sunday.
   
• Colorado Springs PrideFest: This Southern Colorado Pride will be in a new location this year -- the America The Beautiful Park in Colorado Springs. Join us on Sunday, July 21, at 10:30 AM to march with us in the Parade. We’ll be in our One Love T-shirts and taking off from E. Cache La Poudre & N. Tejon. Like Denver, we’ll also be at our booth both Saturday and Sunday.
   
• Boulder Pride: Sunday, September 15 is the 10th Anniversary of Boulder Pride! We’ll have a booth at Boulder Central Park from 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM and would love for you to join us there.

• Four Corners Pride Festival (Durango): We will be on-site and ready to celebrate on Friday, June 21 and Saturday, June 22, so please swing by our booth and say hello!

• Pueblo Pride: Join us on Sunday, August 18 for a day of fun and festivities!

Pride season is always an exciting time -- to see friends, meet new people, and even volunteer! We would love to have you join us for a 2-hour shift at our booth at any of these Pride events. It’s easy to sign up -- just click here and fill out this form.

Some of the final details for these three events are being sorted out, so make sure you’ve liked us on Facebook to get all the updates and last minute details.

Grab your shades and get your sunscreen on -- we can’t wait to celebrate with you this summer!

The soundtrack to Gay Pride 2012: Hey Boy, Hey Girl!

Astralwerks are proud to announce their second annual Gay Pride sampler, Hey Boy, Hey Girl! - Pride 2012, featuring some of the label’s most acclaimed artists and several newcomers that are already creating waves on the global stage. A limited edition CD version will be distributed free at numerous Gay Pride events throughout June and into the Summer months. A digital version is also available to stream and download NOW for FREE by clicking here.  

 
From the uplifting disco-house of Eric Prydz to the electro-acoustic atmospheres of Air, Hey Boy, Hey Girl! - Pride 2012 is a journey through contemporary electronic dance music, and features music that we hope will be part of your soundtrack to Gay Pride 2012 festivities.

In recent years Astralwerks has enjoyed numerous successful album campaigns with luminary artists such as Kylie Minogue, Pet Shop Boys, David Guetta, The B-52s and others. Working closely with lifestyle and media contacts in the LGBT community has been a big part of that success. Glenn Mendlinger, Astralwerks General Manager says, “We are grateful for the support and love that this community has shown to our artists. This is our way of saying thank you."

Hey Boy, Hey Girl! - Pride 2012 Tracklisting:1. Eric Prydz & Andreas Postl : "Mighty Love" www.ericprydz.com
2. Swedish House Mafia vs. Knife Party : "Antidote" (Tommy Trash Remix) www.swedishhousemafia.com
3. David Guetta : "Paris" www.davidguetta.com
4. Gold Fields : "Treehouse" (Gloves Remix) www.goldfieldsband.com
5. Morning Parade : "Headlights" (James Nije Remix) www.morningparade.com 
6. The Chemical Brothers : "Don't Think" (Live from Japan) www.thechemicalbrothers.com
7. The Good Natured : "Video Voyeur" (Adrian Lux Remix) www.thegoodnatured.co.uk
8. Air : "Seven Stars" www.aircheology.com

Gay Pride Month: Focus Features Celebrates 10th Anniversary

During Pride month, Focus Features is celebrating its 10th anniversary by releasing their unforgettable collection of LGBT films On Demand this month.  

Newly added to Focus Features’ already impressive catalogue of LGBT-themed films is Loose Cannons, a romantic comedy about family, business, and coming out.  Loose Cannons will be available in the U.S. for the first time ever on June 1 on iTunes and across all Video-on-Demand (VOD) platforms through Focus World, the unique alternative distribution initiative owned and operated by Focus Features. 

In addition to Loose Cannons, the collection also includes Brokeback Mountain, Far from Heaven, The Kids Are All Right, Milk, My Summer of Love, andPariah, all of which will be available On Demand throughout the month of June. Additionally, all the selections will be grouped within the Focus Features folder on Xfinity, the nation’s largest cable VOD platform.

Gay Pride Month: Summer Glam featuring Jason Dottley

Jason Dottley is frickin' cute, frickin' talented, and he's gonna be at frickin' Summer Glam with Deborah Cox on Friday, June 15. Don't miss it!

SLDN to bring 30 Days of Pride initiative to Denver

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network has launched a month-long campaign, 30 Days of Pride, that will profile individuals and organizations making a difference today in the fight for full LGBT military equality. 

The campaign will feature a new profile per day throughout the month of June - LGBT Pride Month - and begins June 1 by spotlighting the plaintiffs in SLDN's landmark litigation, McLaughlin v. U.S.  The lawsuit, filed in October 2011, challenges the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and three other federal statutes that may be interpreted to preclude the military from providing equal recognition, support, and benefits to the families of gay and lesbian service members and veterans.  

 

"The McLaughlin plaintiffs are trailblazers in the fight for full LGBT equality for all service members, veterans, and their families, and we are pleased to kickoff this Pride month celebration by highlighting their heroic fight in the courts. These couples are in long term, committed, and legally recognized marriages, and the military should not be forced to turn its back on them because the federal government refuses to recognize their marriages," said Army Veteran and SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis.  

Together, the plaintiffs represent 159 years of military service; serve in the Army, Air Force, Navy and National Guard; and as couples, have been together for a total of 79 years. To view their profiles, click here.  

In addition to posting a new profile each day, SLDN will be on the road at LGBT Pride celebrations across the U.S. throughout the month of June.  These include Honolulu, Boston, Denver, New Orleans, and New York City.  For a complete listing, click here. 

President Obama proclaims June 2012 LGBT Pride Month

This June, The President highlights the unsung heroes of the LGBT community.

President Obama kicks off Gay Pride Month

By Gautam Raghavan

June is Pride Month for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community.  This is an opportunity to reflect on the progress we’ve made, and recommit ourselves to the work ahead. 

To help kick off LGBT Pride Month, today President Obama recorded the following video message to Americans across the country:

In addition, the President also issued a Proclamation where he describes the progress we’ve made over the last few years and our ongoing commitment to the rights of LGBT Americans. The Proclamation says in part:

Since I took office, my Administration has worked to broaden opportunity, advance equality, and level the playing field for LGBT people and communities.  We have fought to secure justice for all under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and we have taken action to end housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.  We expanded hospital visitation rights for LGBT patients and their loved ones, and under the Affordable Care Act, we ensured that insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage to someone just because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.  Because we understand that LGBT rights are human rights, we continue to engage with the international community in promoting and protecting the rights of LGBT persons around the world.  Because we repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans can serve their country openly, honestly, and without fear of losing their jobs because of whom they love.  And because we must treat others the way we want to be treated, I personally believe in marriage equality for same-sex couples.

Throughout the month, we’ll be posting periodic updates at whitehouse.gov/LGBT. Check back often, and make sure you sign up for updates!

Gautam Raghavan is an Associate Director in the White House Office of Public Engagement. This post originally appeared here.