Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Denver Limo, Inc. - The Hottest Limos In Colorado!
A conversation between Paul Reubens and Kid Cudi
You can listen to the full episode HERE.
How Does Denver Rank for Easter Celebrations?
Source: WalletHub
With Easter Sunday
around the corner and roughly 80 percent of all Americans expected to
observe the holiday in some way, the personal-finance website WalletHub
took a close look at 2017's Best Places to Celebrate Easter to go along with its Easter Facts & Stats infographic.
To find out which cities promise the most egg-citing time on April 16, WalletHub’s number crunchers compared the 100 largest cities across 11 key metrics, ranging from Easter egg-hunt events per capita to Easter weather forecast.
| Best Cities for Easter | |||||
| 1 | St. Louis, MO | 11 | St. Paul, MN | ||
| 2 | Birmingham, AL | 12 | Memphis, TN | ||
| 3 | Pittsburgh, PA | 13 | Tulsa, OK | ||
| 4 | Cincinnati, OH | 14 | Las Vegas, NV | ||
| 5 | Orlando, FL | 15 | Irvine, CA | ||
| 6 | Atlanta, GA | 16 | Tampa, FL | ||
| 7 | Buffalo, NY | 17 | Louisville, KY | ||
| 8 | Honolulu, HI | 18 | Denver, CO | ||
| 9 | Cleveland, OH | 19 | Baton Rouge, LA | ||
| 10 | Minneapolis, MN | 20 | Durham, NC | ||
Check Out Delhi's First Ever Public LGBTQ Dance, Presented by SCRUFF
The gay dating app SCRUFF presented DANCE FOR PRIDE: BREAKING THE STEROTYPES, last Saturday and won the hearts of thousands in Delhi when they did. LGBTQ volunteers came together to Hauz Khas Village to dance to the indigenous beats of Dhol that made the atmosphere euphoric.
As one of the participants expressed on camera:
“There are not many events in India, other than Pride, when we can come down on streets and talk about our sexuality.”
One Colorado's Denver Pride Pink Party
Enjoy '7-inches for Planned Parenthood'
Treat yourself to 7-inches for Planned Parenthood, a curated series of 7-inch vinyl records and digital downloads to benefit Planned Parenthood. The project comprises contributions from acclaimed creative minds who stand with Planned Parenthood and its patients (see below for a full list of participants). 7-inches for Planned Parenthood will be released in batches digitally in the coming weeks, and will be made available for pre-order in its entirety as a vinyl box set. Each single will include a unique piece of artwork accompanying two sides of unique music, comedy or spoken word, many of which are given to Planned Parenthood, which provides reproductive health care to 2.5 million women, men, and young people each year.
Monday, April 10, 2017
Girlpool - It Gets More Blue
Girlpool have released the video for "It Gets More Blue," the latest from Powerplant, the long-awaited follow-up to the band's critically acclaimed debut. Pitchfork TV premiered the Amalia Irons-directed video today, which was conceptualized by the band's Harmony Tividad. Powerplant is available for pre-order now and due out via ANTI- Records on May 12th.
Last month, The FADER, who recently featured Girlpool on their cover, said the album's lead single, "123," "hits like a bag of bricks" and is "proof of the specific magic that happens when their voices come together."
NCLR: Gorsuch confirmation jeopardizes core constitutional rights of millions of Americans
National Center for Lesbian Rights Executive Director Kate Kendell, Esq. issued the following statement in response:
“To change the rules to ram through a Supreme Court nominee too extreme to garner 60 votes undermines the Senate's historical role as a deliberative body. And with today’s appointment, Senate Republicans have jeopardized the core constitutional rights of millions of Americans.
As veterans of the marriage equality fight, we understand how profoundly Supreme Court rulings can affect our daily lives. Judge Gorsuch’s record on some of our most fundamental constitutional freedoms—such as the right to privacy, equality under the law, and access to reproductive health care—is dangerous, troubling, and miles behind where we are today. We must not allow these critical freedoms to be lost or undone. In the wake of this disappointment, we join with millions of other Americans in renewing our commitment to a vision of this country and of our Constitution that looks forward, not back, and that promises freedom and equality for all."
Call for Volunteers: Five Points Jazz Festival
Nice To See StevieB: The Name Game
Could date a person with the same name as you? It is an odd question that truly applies to LGBT people. Could you date a guy or a girl with the same name. If I was chatting up a guy named Steve, I'm unsure how I would feel. Yes, there's the lame joke about screaming out your own name during sex, but seriously? I think I would really have mixed feelings whether I could ask out a guy named Steve.
What about dating? Would we be known as "The Steves?" Like when inviting people over to a fabulous dinner party one host would turn to their partner and ask, "Should we invite The Steves?" Or, when you are living together, a telemarketer calls and asks to speak to Steve. I've know Kathy and
Kathie, like the "y" changes things. I've known a Jim and a Jimbo, and a Mike whose handsome life partner was Mic. I really am curious how these couples know what Christmas stocking to grab on Christmas morning. How narcissistic would it be to stand around at work on Monday morning talking about how much fun you had with Sue. "Sue is soooo great at rock climbing. Sue is such a great cook, Saturday Sue made Spaghetti alla Carbonara."
What about dating a person with your Dad or Mom's name? Do you really want to quietly whisper your Dad's name into the ear of someone who passed out on top of you after hours of sweaty sex? My Dad's first name is Wilbur , so.... no trouble with that. I've never chatted up that hot bro leaning against the bar to find out his name is Wilbur. Would it be okay to be sitting at Thanksgiving and telling the family your new partner is also named Linda. "Linda and I are really romantically compatible."
Is it a deal breaker?
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Don't Cry for Her, Argentina ...
Argentina's controversial First Lady is the subject of this dynamic musical masterpiece. As an illegitimate fifteen year old, Eva escaped her dirt-poor existence for the bright lights of Buenos Aires. Driven by ambition and blessed with charisma, she was a starlet at twenty-two, the president's mistress at twenty-four, First Lady at twenty-seven, and dead at thirty-three. Eva Perón - "saint to the working-class, reviled by the aristocracy, and mistrusted by the military" - was destined to leave a fascinating political legacy unique in the 20th century. Told through a compelling score with a live orchestra that fuses haunting chorales with exuberant Latin, pop and jazz influences, EVITA creates an arresting theatrical portrait as complex as the woman herself.
Read Gina Rattan's Director's Notes and an interview with Gina about her trip to Argentina on the Lone Tree Arts Center blog.
Stop the Killings and Persecution of Gays in Chechnya
On 1 April 2017, Novaya Gazeta reported that more than 100 men have been arbitrarily detained and at least three have been murdered by Chechen authorities for their alleged “non traditional” sexual orientation. Independent sources have confirmed the mass detention, described acts of torture, and suggested that the number of men killed may be as many as 20. The scale and scope of the crisis means that LGBTIQ people in Chechnya are in extreme danger, and the international community must act urgently.
In response to the crisis, the Russian LGBT Network is currently evacuating people from Chechnya who may be at risk for kidnapping, arrest or otherwise in harm’s way. The Network is calling on international institutions and governments to pressure Russian authorities to intervene to immediately stop the abuse. It has also underscored that even those LGBTIQ people not at risk of direct state violence may now be at heightened risk of family violence.
Jessica Stern, executive director of OutRight Action International, commented, “The perpetrators of this malicious campaign must be held accountable for the systematic detention, torture, and killings of innocent men in Chechnya. No government should get away with such wanton human rights violations.”
OutRight has requested swift and urgent action from a dozen governments, including that they engage their Russian counterparts to: condemn these reports, urge that the perpetrators be held accountable, demand the men’s immediate release, and insist that all survivors and victims’ families be given reparations. OutRight is also calling for statements of condemnation from United Nations officials.
A spokesman for Chechnya’s leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, denied the allegations. He said, “You cannot arrest or repress people who just don’t exist in the republic.” The spokesman also indirectly highlighted the violence and homophobia faced by gay men, saying, “If such people existed in Chechnya, law enforcement would not have to worry about them, as their own relatives would have sent them to where they could never return.”
International reaction to these reports has been shock and horror. However, people have also used the crisis to engage in islamophobic, racist, and anti-Russia rhetoric.
Stern said, “Using a violent attack on men accused of being gay to legitimize islamophobia is dangerous and misleading. It negates the experiences of queer muslims and essentializes all muslims as homophobic. We cannot permit this tragedy to be co-opted by ethno-nationalists to perpetuate anti-Muslim or anti-Russian sentiment. The people and their government are never the same.”
Stern concluded, “We remember the victims of this heinous crime. They are in our hearts as we call on the international community to urgently support the safety of all LGBTIQ Chechens.”
Those who may be in distress or in need of help within Chechnya are encouraged to reach out to the Russian LGBT Network at 8 800 555 73 74 (the call is free within Russia). Additionally, anyone with information on the current situation in Chechnya can confidentially contact ILGA-Europe at +32 2 609 54 10 or info@ilga-europe.org.
In response to the crisis, the Russian LGBT Network is currently evacuating people from Chechnya who may be at risk for kidnapping, arrest or otherwise in harm’s way. The Network is calling on international institutions and governments to pressure Russian authorities to intervene to immediately stop the abuse. It has also underscored that even those LGBTIQ people not at risk of direct state violence may now be at heightened risk of family violence.
Jessica Stern, executive director of OutRight Action International, commented, “The perpetrators of this malicious campaign must be held accountable for the systematic detention, torture, and killings of innocent men in Chechnya. No government should get away with such wanton human rights violations.”
OutRight has requested swift and urgent action from a dozen governments, including that they engage their Russian counterparts to: condemn these reports, urge that the perpetrators be held accountable, demand the men’s immediate release, and insist that all survivors and victims’ families be given reparations. OutRight is also calling for statements of condemnation from United Nations officials.
A spokesman for Chechnya’s leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, denied the allegations. He said, “You cannot arrest or repress people who just don’t exist in the republic.” The spokesman also indirectly highlighted the violence and homophobia faced by gay men, saying, “If such people existed in Chechnya, law enforcement would not have to worry about them, as their own relatives would have sent them to where they could never return.”
International reaction to these reports has been shock and horror. However, people have also used the crisis to engage in islamophobic, racist, and anti-Russia rhetoric.
Stern said, “Using a violent attack on men accused of being gay to legitimize islamophobia is dangerous and misleading. It negates the experiences of queer muslims and essentializes all muslims as homophobic. We cannot permit this tragedy to be co-opted by ethno-nationalists to perpetuate anti-Muslim or anti-Russian sentiment. The people and their government are never the same.”
Stern concluded, “We remember the victims of this heinous crime. They are in our hearts as we call on the international community to urgently support the safety of all LGBTIQ Chechens.”
Those who may be in distress or in need of help within Chechnya are encouraged to reach out to the Russian LGBT Network at 8 800 555 73 74 (the call is free within Russia). Additionally, anyone with information on the current situation in Chechnya can confidentially contact ILGA-Europe at +32 2 609 54 10 or info@ilga-europe.org.
Lea Michele - Run To You
Lea Michele has launched the preorder for her upcoming sophomore album Places. The 11 track album, which is set to release on April 28, features the previously released “Love Is Alive”, “Anything’s Possible,” and new track “Run To You.”
Washington Supreme Court - LGBTQ parents can't be punished for sexual orientation in child custody decisions
Despite the fact that Rachelle had been a stay-at-home parent to the couple’s three children for 15 years, the trial court gave primary custody to the father. The trial court also restricted Rachelle from discussing religion, homosexuality, or so-called “alternative lifestyle concepts” with the children.
The trial court’s decision relied heavily on the recommendations of a guardian ad litem— the person appointed by the court to represent the best interests of the children—who repeatedly referred to Rachelle’s sexual orientation as a “lifestyle choice.”
In a written ruling, the trial court expressed its view that it would be “very challenging for the children to reconcile their religious upbringing” with Rachelle’s sexual orientation. The lower court also favored the father based on its view that he would be “more stable” in maintaining the children’s religious upbringing.
In a decision authored by Chief Justice Mary Fairhurst, the Washington Supreme Court unanimously reversed the trial court’s decision. The Court held that “the trial court here failed to remain neutral regarding Rachelle’s sexual orientation and impermissibly favored [the father’s] religious beliefs.” The Supreme Court further recognized that “bias against Rachelle permeated the proceedings” in the lower court.
“If a parent’s sexual orientation is wrongfully considered in a child custody case, discrimination is baked in to every layer of that decision,” said David Ward of Legal Voice. “We applaud the Supreme Court for recognizing this, and we hope this decision will send a strong message to other courts: discrimination against LGBTQ parents has no place in the courtroom.”
The Supreme Court rejected arguments that the father could be favored in deciding custody based on the trial court’s view that the father would be more stable in maintaining the children’s religious upbringing. The Court recognized that “the trial court’s improper - More - consideration of Rachelle’s sexual orientation was intertwined with an implicit preference for [the father’s] religious beliefs,” which condemn same-sex relationships.
The Supreme Court ordered that the case be sent back to Pierce County Superior Court, with decisions about custody, decision-making, and alimony to be made by a new judge. Rachelle was represented in her appeal by David Ward of Legal Voice and by Amanda Beane, Kelly Moser, and Julie Wilson-McNerney of Perkins Coie LLP. Her attorneys hailed the decision.
“Parents’ sexual orientation or gender identity should never cause them to lose custody of their children. And today, the Supreme Court of the State of Washington agreed,” said National Center for Lesbian Rights Deputy Director and Family Law Director Cathy Sakimura. “This ruling takes another step toward eliminating anti-LGBTQ bias in family courts and our legal system generally. The National Center for Lesbian Rights thanks Legal Voice for bringing this case and is proud to have filed a brief in support. Every day, we will continue working to strengthen LGBTQ families in Washington and across the country.”
European Court Ends Forced Sterilizations of Trans People
While forced sterilization has been deemed a human rights violation, the EU Court upheld that medical examinations and a mental health diagnosis were in line with the European Convention of Human Rights.
Jessica Stern, Executive Director of OutRight Action International, commented on the decision,
“Today the world moved in the right direction for for trans rights everywhere. Forcing unnecessary medical interventions to access basic human rights like legal recognition of a person’s gender is barbaric. As more countries review laws for gender identity recognition it is essential that they forgo outdated policies and follow legislation from places like Malta or Argentina which prioritize self-determination. The decision from the European Court raises the bar globally.”In a press release issued today Julia Ehrt, Executive Director of Transgender Europe, a human rights organization that has been at the forefront of of fighting these laws, also gave insight to the ruling, saying,
“Today is a victory for trans people and human rights in Europe. This decision ends the dark chapter of state-induced sterilisation in Europe. The 22 states in which a sterilisation is still mandatory will have to swiftly end this practice. We are looking forward to supporting those and other countries in reforming their national legislation.”This ruling results from three cases against France submitted in 2012 and 2013 which leveraged Article 8 of the European Convention of Human rights, the “Right to respect for private and family rights,” Article 3 of the Convention the “Prohibition of torture,” as well as Article 14, “Prohibition of discrimination.”
In 2015 the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International, considered an anti-LGBT hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, submitted a written intervention to the court on this case, positing that states should have the right to address issues as they pertain to transgender individuals based on national contexts, and that the court should not consider the Yogyakarta Principles, a set of international principles relating to sexual orientation and gender identity, when considering the three cases.
Stern commented on the intervention of ADF International, and said,
“Alliance Defending Freedom makes a mockery of the word freedom when they put religious dogma over the rights of individuals to be legally recognized. These cases are about every trans person’s right to self-determination and the freedom of every trans person to not be forcibly sterilized. This is without a doubt a fundamental right that must be upheld in every context.”European countries are moving in the direction of more progressive legislation on this issue. Since October 2016, France no longer force sterilization on trans citizens to access gender identity recognition. Sweden abandoned the requirement of sterilization in 2013. The Swedish Government has recently announced that anyone who was forced to undergo sterilization to access legal gender recognition between 1972-2013 is eligible for compensation from the state in the amount of 225,000 SEK ($25,000).
Maria Sjödin, Deputy Executive Director of OutRight and former Execuive Director of Swedens largest LGBTQ organizations RFSL, comments,
“Money can never fully compensate the suffering of those that were forced to undergo sterilization, but it is an admittance from the state that the requirement was a violation of people’s rights.”Only four countries in Europe, Norway, Ireland, Malta, and Denmark currently have gender identity recognition policies that are based on the principle of self-determination without any medical requirements.
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