Wednesday, August 13, 2014
D.C. firm will lobby for Uganda
Uganda has signed a $600,000 contract with Mercury, a consulting firm based in Washington, D.C. The firm will help Uganda with public relations and with lobbying the U.S., which recently issued sanctions against Uganda over its anti-LGBT law.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Sinead O'Connor Billboard Cover Story; North American Tour Dates Announced
Out today, Sinéad O’Connor releases her 10th studio album I’m Not Bossy, I’m The Boss (available HERE via Nettwerk Records). In a career that spans nearly 30 years, O’Connor sat down with Billboard Magazine to discuss past and present controversies that have reared their heads during her 30-year career – marriage, divorce, Saturday Night Live, illness, religion, abuse and twitter wars with other pop stars. Unequivocally raw and searingly honest O’Connor doesn’t flinch from matters that have made her one of the most polarizing and fascinating personalities in music today.
In advance of the album’s release O’Connor also sat down with Linda Wertheimer of NPR’s Weekend Edition to discuss the revamped look, the music industry and the inspiration behind tracks like “James Brown” feat. Seun Kuti (son of Fela Kuti) on saxophone, the autobiographical “8 Good Reasons” and lead single “Take Me To Church.” In addition O’Connor met up with Mantra Magazine for their cover story to talk about what her career has meant to her, looking back at almost thirty years in the music industry.
Shot in London, the official music video for lead single “Take Me To Church” features an incendiary performance by O’Connor and her band in a plot that alludes to her past and takes her right up to the present.
In advance of the album’s release O’Connor also sat down with Linda Wertheimer of NPR’s Weekend Edition to discuss the revamped look, the music industry and the inspiration behind tracks like “James Brown” feat. Seun Kuti (son of Fela Kuti) on saxophone, the autobiographical “8 Good Reasons” and lead single “Take Me To Church.” In addition O’Connor met up with Mantra Magazine for their cover story to talk about what her career has meant to her, looking back at almost thirty years in the music industry.
Shot in London, the official music video for lead single “Take Me To Church” features an incendiary performance by O’Connor and her band in a plot that alludes to her past and takes her right up to the present.
LGBT Organizations Stand with Family of Michael Brown
Today the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights and advocacy organizations penned an open letter of solidarity in response to the tragic death of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager who was shot and killed Saturday by a police officer in suburban St. Louis. Additional details surrounding the shooting are scarce, and the police officials have not provided information as to why the officer shot Brown, or why lethal force was used.
The letter in its entirety, including a list of the organizations that signed on, can be found below and online here.
When communities experience fear, harassment and brutality simply because of who they are or how they look, we are failing as a nation. In light of the recent events in Missouri, it is clearer than ever that there is something profoundly wrong in our country.
The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community cannot be silent at this moment, because LGBT people come from all races, creeds, faiths and backgrounds, and because all movements of equality are deeply connected. We are all part of the fabric of this nation and the promise of liberty and justice for all is yet to be fulfilled.
The LGBT community stands with the family of Michael Brown, who was gunned down in Ferguson, Missouri. We stand with the mothers and fathers of young Black men and women who fear for the safety of their children each time they leave their homes. We call on the national and local media to be responsible and steadfast in their coverage of this story and others like it--racialized killings that have marred this nation since the beginning of its history. We call on policy makers on all levels of American government not to shrink from action, and we are deeply grateful to Attorney General Eric Holder and the Department of Justice for their immediate commitment to a thorough investigation.
At this moment, we are inspired by the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies … but the silence of our friends.”
ACLU
Center for Black Equity, Inc.
Equality Federation
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD)
GMHC
Human Rights Campaign
National Black Justice Coalition
National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR)
National Center for Transgender Equality
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
National Minority AIDS Council
National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA)
PFLAG National
Pride at Work, AFL-CIO
Soulforce
Southerners on New Ground (SONG)
United AIDS
The letter in its entirety, including a list of the organizations that signed on, can be found below and online here.
When communities experience fear, harassment and brutality simply because of who they are or how they look, we are failing as a nation. In light of the recent events in Missouri, it is clearer than ever that there is something profoundly wrong in our country.
The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community cannot be silent at this moment, because LGBT people come from all races, creeds, faiths and backgrounds, and because all movements of equality are deeply connected. We are all part of the fabric of this nation and the promise of liberty and justice for all is yet to be fulfilled.
The LGBT community stands with the family of Michael Brown, who was gunned down in Ferguson, Missouri. We stand with the mothers and fathers of young Black men and women who fear for the safety of their children each time they leave their homes. We call on the national and local media to be responsible and steadfast in their coverage of this story and others like it--racialized killings that have marred this nation since the beginning of its history. We call on policy makers on all levels of American government not to shrink from action, and we are deeply grateful to Attorney General Eric Holder and the Department of Justice for their immediate commitment to a thorough investigation.
At this moment, we are inspired by the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies … but the silence of our friends.”
ACLU
Center for Black Equity, Inc.
Equality Federation
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD)
GMHC
Human Rights Campaign
National Black Justice Coalition
National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR)
National Center for Transgender Equality
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
National Minority AIDS Council
National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA)
PFLAG National
Pride at Work, AFL-CIO
Soulforce
Southerners on New Ground (SONG)
United AIDS
The Gay Vegans Restaurant Review: El Camino
By Dan Hanley The official name of this restaurant is El Camino Community Tavern, a little long to include for a blog post title.
Mike and I were looking for lunch one day and did a search for places around our house. Most of them we had heard of or tried, nothing really exciting. Then we saw El Camino and noticed that they had tempeh tacos! Definitely had to try them!
Lunch was great, but rushed as we had to be somewhere, so we went back for dinner a week later. This gave us a chance to take our time, ask questions, try different items and just enjoy the experience.
And it is indeed an enjoyable experience! Staff is very friendly. We ate once at the bar and once in the seating area and both times had very friendly servers who knew what vegan is and who went through the menu letting us know which menu items could be vegan.
What was written on Kristin's locker?
Over 50% of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) young people say they have experienced verbal harassment, including the use of anti-gay slurs. Kristin was one of them.
Anti-LGBT Activist Jay Sekulow to Receive Human Rights Award
Last week, The Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in America, representing one of the world’s largest Christian denominations, announced that Jay Sekulow will be the next recipient of their annual Athenagoras Human Rights Award. Sekulow is the chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), a group that actively advocated against the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people worldwide.
According to the organization’s website, the award is given annually to a person or organization that “has consistently exemplified by action, purpose and dedication, concern for the basic rights and religious freedom of all people.” Since 1986, five Nobel Peace Prize laureates have received the award, including Mother Theresa, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, former President Jimmy Carter, Elie Weisel, and former Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev.
"Perhaps the very last person I'd put on the same list as Mother Teresa and Archbishop Desmond Tutu is Jay Sekulow," said Sharon Groves, Director of the Human Right Campaign's (HRC) Religion and Faith Program "Their legacies of compassion, understanding and acceptance truly define what it means to be an advocate for justice and human rights. Jay Sekulow has dedicated much of his career to advocating against the basic freedoms, rights, and even safety of LGBT people in the United States and around the world. To honor Sekulow and his anti-LGBT bigotry with this award is not only shocking, but it contradicts the Christian commitment to protect the human dignity of all."
ACLJ’s materials are often explicitly homophobic, and their fundraising emails signed by Sekulow have warned that the homosexual agenda is “bent on destroying our communities” and “the family as we know it.” They’ve claimed that the state has a compelling interest to ban the act of homosexuality and have even advocated for writing discrimination into the constitution by securing 415,000 signed petitions in favor of a Federal Marriage Amendment. ACLJ has also fought efforts against same-sex marriage in a number of states including Washington State, New Jersey and the District of Columbia.
Furthermore, ACLJ and Sekulow have defended sodomy laws as well as the right to harass and exclude lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people from fully and equally participating in society. Among other things, Sekulow was a staunch supporter of the Defense Against Marriage Act, has spoken out against school policies protecting LGBT students from harassment, and claimed that allowing openly gay Boy Scout Leaders would lead to the targeting of religious schools.
Sekulow is also active abroad, and through ACLJ’s affiliate offices in other countries, he lobbies foreign officials to “take the Christian's views into consideration as they draft legislation and policies," according to its website. In Zimbabwe, the office has worked with Dictator Robert Mugabe to keep same-sex marriage and homosexuality a criminal offense and does work in Kenya to shape laws to fit ACLJ’s vision of “family values.”
According to the organization’s website, the award is given annually to a person or organization that “has consistently exemplified by action, purpose and dedication, concern for the basic rights and religious freedom of all people.” Since 1986, five Nobel Peace Prize laureates have received the award, including Mother Theresa, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, former President Jimmy Carter, Elie Weisel, and former Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev.
"Perhaps the very last person I'd put on the same list as Mother Teresa and Archbishop Desmond Tutu is Jay Sekulow," said Sharon Groves, Director of the Human Right Campaign's (HRC) Religion and Faith Program "Their legacies of compassion, understanding and acceptance truly define what it means to be an advocate for justice and human rights. Jay Sekulow has dedicated much of his career to advocating against the basic freedoms, rights, and even safety of LGBT people in the United States and around the world. To honor Sekulow and his anti-LGBT bigotry with this award is not only shocking, but it contradicts the Christian commitment to protect the human dignity of all."
ACLJ’s materials are often explicitly homophobic, and their fundraising emails signed by Sekulow have warned that the homosexual agenda is “bent on destroying our communities” and “the family as we know it.” They’ve claimed that the state has a compelling interest to ban the act of homosexuality and have even advocated for writing discrimination into the constitution by securing 415,000 signed petitions in favor of a Federal Marriage Amendment. ACLJ has also fought efforts against same-sex marriage in a number of states including Washington State, New Jersey and the District of Columbia.
Furthermore, ACLJ and Sekulow have defended sodomy laws as well as the right to harass and exclude lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people from fully and equally participating in society. Among other things, Sekulow was a staunch supporter of the Defense Against Marriage Act, has spoken out against school policies protecting LGBT students from harassment, and claimed that allowing openly gay Boy Scout Leaders would lead to the targeting of religious schools.
Sekulow is also active abroad, and through ACLJ’s affiliate offices in other countries, he lobbies foreign officials to “take the Christian's views into consideration as they draft legislation and policies," according to its website. In Zimbabwe, the office has worked with Dictator Robert Mugabe to keep same-sex marriage and homosexuality a criminal offense and does work in Kenya to shape laws to fit ACLJ’s vision of “family values.”
Röyksopp & Robyn - Monument
Röyksopp and Robyn premiere the ‘Monument' video from the critically-acclaimed ‘Do It Again’ mini-album out now on CherryTree Records/Interscope. ‘Monument’ remixes from Kindness and Mark E will be available on August 18.
Gay Help Wanted: Work In the Gay Community as Part of Denver's Best Gay Blog!
Are you friendly and outgoing?
Award-winning MileHighGayGuy.com is seeking advertising sales reps. The position requires someone who is self-motivated, detail-oriented and who, preferably, is familiar with the GLBT community. This is a contract position and pay will be commission-based.
To apply, email resume and references to Drew Wilson at Drew@milehighgayguy.com.
Pet Portraits By Maurice Becnel
Says Becnel, "Painting animal portraits, for me, is more fun than it is work. I began painting them several years ago. The first one I did was for a friend on her birthday. Because it was a gift it never dawned on me that other people would commission me to do more. Word got out and before I knew it more and more of the emails I was receiving from my website were going to the dogs! And cats!"
Spark Theater Presents 'Death By Design'
Set during a weekend in an English country manor in 1932, Death by Design is a delightful and mysterious “mash-up” of two of the greatest English writers of all time. Edward Bennett, a playwright, and his wife Sorel Bennett, an actress, flee London and head to Cookham after a disastrous opening night. But various guests arrive unexpectedly – a conservative politician, a fiery socialist, a nearsighted ingenue, a zany modern dancer – each with a long-held secret. When one of the guests is murdered, it’s left to Bridgit, the feisty Irish maid with a macabre interest in homicide, to solve the crime. Death by Design is more than homage – it’s a new classic!
Check out “Death by Design" on Fridays and Saturdays September 6th through September 27th at 985 Santa Fe Drive in Denver. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays September 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 and 27 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 and are available online at www.sparktheater.org.
Monday, August 11, 2014
6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals hears marriage cases from 4 states
A three-judge panel from the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday heard arguments in six marriage equality cases out of Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee.
The three-hour oral arguments marked the first time a single court heard challenges to marriage bans in four states in one day. The decision on the bans will likely come down to Judge Jeffrey Sutton, who was appointed to the bench by then-President George W. Bush, but there has been no indication of when a decision will be reached.
"He is seen as an influential judge outside the circuit," Pierre Bergeron, a Cincinnati lawyer and blogger, said of Sutton
The three-hour oral arguments marked the first time a single court heard challenges to marriage bans in four states in one day. The decision on the bans will likely come down to Judge Jeffrey Sutton, who was appointed to the bench by then-President George W. Bush, but there has been no indication of when a decision will be reached.
"He is seen as an influential judge outside the circuit," Pierre Bergeron, a Cincinnati lawyer and blogger, said of Sutton
Are You Gay With Something To Say? Bloggers Wanted For Denver's Best Gay Blog!
Are you a new or experienced writer or blogger? Do you want to be? Or maybe you're just some gay guy with something to say? Well, what better forum for you than MileHighGayGuy?
MileHighGayGuy is looking for regular and guest bloggers to write about local news and events, do music and movie reviews, or write opinion or feature pieces from a gay perspective.
These are unpaid positions but offer the opportunity to be published in Colorado's Best Gay Blog (2010, 2011, 2012 OUTstanding Awards, Denver 2012 #WebAwards), expand your audience and gain valuable experience. There's also swag available in the form of free movie and concert tickets, music, books and other cool stuff.
If interested, shoot an email over to Drew Wilson at drew@milehighgayguy.com. And if you've got column or story ideas to pitch, this is the place to do it.
Twin Peaks - I Found A Way
Twin Peaks' new record, Wild Onion, is a jubilant album that Noisey calls "really fun, classic-feeling garage rock that transcends news cycles" and Pitchfork declares is "a fresh testament to their talent." Consequence of Sound writes that "the band's youthfulness might be their biggest weapon," and it's that youthful wisdom that inspires their new video for the song "I Found A New Way."
AIDS Walk Colorado: The Return of the VIP Breakfast
The Breakfast is also a way for individuals to get involved who may not be able
to walk the entire route or can’t attend the festival after the walk.
Click here for additional information or to RSVP for the Breakfast.
LGBT advocates cry foul over CDC survey on LGBT population size
LGBT rights activists are casting doubt on the results of a July survey measuring sexual orientation in the U.S., saying that the results vastly undercount the number of LGBT Americans. The CDC's National Health Interview Survey, which for the first time included sexual orientation, reported that less than 3% of people in the U.S. identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual.
Scout, the one-named director of the nonprofit CenterLink's Network for LGBT Health Equity, believes the results of the survey could undermine pro-LGBT efforts. "The truth is, numbers matter, and political influence matters," Scout said.
Scout, the one-named director of the nonprofit CenterLink's Network for LGBT Health Equity, believes the results of the survey could undermine pro-LGBT efforts. "The truth is, numbers matter, and political influence matters," Scout said.
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