Greater Fort Lauderdale Hosts Inaugural Global LGBTQ Think Tank Shares Groundbreaking Insights

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau (GFLCVB) held its inaugural Global LGBTQ Think Tank on Sept. 17-18 at The Riverside Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Fourteen leaders from corporate and leisure travel companies came together for the first time to discuss the next steps to improve the LGBTQ travel experience.

“We’re really excited about the opportunities and trends discovered by this esteemed group of thought leaders. Together we can work towards shaping a more respectful and inclusive future in global tourism,” said Richard Gray, vice president, LGBTQ market for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Leveraging insights from the Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBTQ Think Tank will be essential for growing LGBTQ travel globally. This historic sharing of minds and vision was unprecedented and clearly needed, so we are happy to announce the Think Tank will take place again next year.”

The Think Tank leaders identified where LGBTQ travelers are going in the next five to 10 years, how best to reach them, and how to identify their needs. They also acknowledged the importance of identifying the diversity of the audience and how to address them.

“I’m proud of Royal Caribbean and what we’ve been able to accomplish with our diversity and sensitivity training, and we are always looking for additional ways to reach our LGBTQ employees and guests,” said David Nelson, senior portfolio analyst and chairman of LGBTQ Employee Resource Group (ERG) at Royal Caribbean. “We have discovered great opportunities at the Think Tank to build relationships and to collaborate with thanks to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau’s global lead in the LGBTQ platform.”

China is the world’s largest LGBTQ travel market. Jacob Huang, corporate program director at Aibai Culture & Education Center in China, brought the Chinese perspective to the Think Tank.

“I’ve been working on LGBTQ travel issues for several years, and I’m really happy that I had the opportunity to participate in this global exchange of ideas,” he said. “Greater Fort Lauderdale is a destination that would have great appeal to the LGBTQ community in China because of the large LGBTQ scene and because it is home to Sawgrass Mills, one of the world’s largest outlet malls.”

Travel safety proved to be the main concern at the Think Tank. The group also agreed that the LGBTQ market needs to be better integrated into mainstream marketing across the globe.

During the discussion, the importance of employee resource groups was highlighted. These ERGs can be an asset to corporations as to where their LGBTQ employees feel comfortable traveling to. In addition, the group shared LGBTQ allies’ position on travelling to areas that are diverse and supportive of the community.

“We cannot forget that travel doesn’t just mean leisure travel, but it means corporate meetings and incentives,” said Charlie Rounds, program director at Mossier. “The goal is to make destinations more inclusive. Greater Fort Lauderdale has shown to be a clear leader in this, and will continue to do so in the future.”

Haunted Field of Screams Presents Movie on the Field

The Movie on the Field series, presented by the Haunted Field of Screams, offers free outdoor movies on the field of Colorado’s largest haunted attraction. The public is invited to bring blankets and lawn chairs to enjoy a mix of horror movies and family-friendly flicks throughout October.

LGBTQ Coloradans lose health care under Graham-Cassidy

Via One Colorado - The proposed Graham-Cassidy bill would have a disproportionate and devastating impact on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) Coloradans — particularly women, people of color, youth, seniors, survivors of domestic violence, people living with HIV, and transgender people.

It’s a combination of the most damaging parts of the four previous attempts to repeal the ACA that were rejected by congress earlier this year. Here’s a summary of what this bill will do, and you can learn more about it here. 

It gives states the ability to eliminate protections for people with pre-existing health conditions, like gender dysphoria, acid reflux, HIV, migraines, depression, an eating disorder, anxiety, obesity, diabetes, pregnancy, cancer, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, congestive heart failure, hepatitis, sleep apnea, and Parkinson's disease, and many more.
In the next ten years, Colorado will lose $10 billion in funds to supplement health care costs for people and we won’t recover from it.

It will eliminate health care for 468,000 Coloradans.

This affects us all.

Senator Cory Gardner told reporters this morning he is undecided on the new bill, despite his votes in favor of every version of an Obamacare repeal that has come up for a vote.

Call Sen. Gardner’s office TODAY and tell him to vote NO on the Cassidy-Graham bill. Tell him to vote NO on this attack on LGBTQ Coloradans and their families.

Denver Office: (303) 391-5777

DC Office: (202) 224-5941

Travel: Savannah Pride

Savannah Pride has announced that, for the first time, Savannah’s Pride Festival will be held in downtown Savannah and will be free to the public. The four-day event, which has been organized by a newly-selected Board of Directors, will be highlighted by a street fair and musical performances in Savannah’s Ellis Square, an urban public square adjacent to the city’s major tourist and shopping district.

The festival will also include a series of parties, community get-togethers and films as well as educational workshops and presentations. As is only appropriate for “America’s Most Haunted City,” the festival will take place over Halloween weekend, October 26 – 29.

“This year, it is particularly important to bring the Savannah Pride Festival front-and-center,” says Dusty Church, new Festival Director. “Historically, the festival has taken place in a beautiful but not central part of town, isolated by a fence and an admission fee. As the government chips away at LGBT rights, from the move to ban transgender Americans for serving in the armed forces to the recent news of the Department of Justice throwing its support behind a wedding vendor who refused to bake a cake for a same-sex couple, we felt it was time to come out of the shadows. By bringing it downtown and making it free, we encourage the community to join in this celebration of diversity.”

Having begun in 1999, Savannah Pride is one of Georgia’s largest and longest-running pride events. Throughout its 18-year history, it has celebrated a region known for its unique Southern charm as well as its unmatched natural, historic and architectural beauty.

Last year Savannah celebrated its designation by Travel + Leisure Magazine as one of the top three travel destinations in the U.S. and one of the top ten in the world.

“Savannah is an enchanting town where eccentrics, artists, new transplants, students and a vibrant LGBT community mingle with ease with traditional Southerners and people whose roots run deep in the Georgia soil,” says Church. “More than anything else, Savannah Pride gives us a chance to share our beautiful, accepting, fun and quirky home with visitors from all over the world.”

Miley Cyrus releases new song "Week Without You" / 'Younger Now' album out September 29

Miley Cyrus' sixth studio album Younger Now will be released September 29 via RCA Records and is available for pre-order now at all digital retail providers. Today, she has revealed a fourth track from the collection, "Week Without You," lyrics written by Miley Cyrus, with music written and produced by Miley Cyrus and Oren Yoel. The track will be available as instant-grat upon album pre-order along with previously released tracks "Malibu," "Inspired," and "Younger Now." Listen HERE.

Denver Limo, Inc.: The Hottest Limos In Colorado Now at the Lowest Prices of the Year!

Denver Limo, Inc. is the leader in ground transportation in Denver, Colorado. Providing limousine service in Colorado for over 17 years, Denver Limo, Inc. has the hottest limousines, SUV limos, and Party Buses in the state - and they're currently available at the lowest prices of the year! 

National Center for Lesbian Rights wins Arizona same-sex parental rights case

Wednesday of this week, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) won the Arizona Supreme Court case, McLaughlin v. McLaughlin, which ruled that a woman was the legal parent of the child she and her same-sex spouse conceived through assisted reproduction during their marriage. As the Arizona Supreme Court recognized, the U.S. Supreme Court rulings in Obergefell v. Hodges and Pavan v. Smith require states to treat married same-sex parents and married different-sex parents equally under the law. The Arizona Supreme Court explained, “It would be inconsistent with Obergefell to conclude that same-sex couples can legally marry but states can then deny them the same benefits of marriage afforded opposite-sex couples.”

“I am relieved and overjoyed that the court recognized me as my son’s mother,” said Suzan McLaughlin. “All I have ever wanted is to be there for him like any mother would.”

“We are pleased that the Arizona Supreme Court has ruled—consistent with Obergefell—that same-sex parents and their children have the same rights as other families,” said Cathy Sakimura, Family Law Director at the National Center for Lesbian Rights. “The U.S. Supreme Court has twice explained that the U.S. Constitution requires states to provide the exact same rights to same-sex spouses and different-sex spouses.”

Suzan McLaughlin and Kimberly McLaughlin were a married lesbian couple who had a child in 2011 using an anonymous sperm donor. After separating in 2013, Kimberly stopped allowing Suzan to see their child, and Suzan filed a legal action to be recognized as a parent. Both the Arizona Court of Appeals and the trial court held that Suzan should indeed be recognized as a legal parent to her child. NCLR and Arizona attorney Claudia Work represented Suzan. Additionally, Professor Barbara Atwood and the Child and Family Law Clinic at the University of Arizona Rogers College of Law, as well as 23 Arizona family law attorneys, filed amicus briefs in support of Suzan.

Since the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court marriage equality decision, Obergefell v. Hodges, numerous cases have recognized that married same-sex parents and married different-sex parents must be treated equally under the law. In June 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court held in Pavan v. Smith, another National Center for Lesbian Rights case, that Obergefell required states to treat married same-sex parents and married different-sex parents equally. The Arizona Supreme Court’s decision in McLaughlin follows this settled law and should be instructive to other states across the country considering this issue.

For more information on NCLR’s June 2017 U.S. Supreme Court victory in Pavan v. Smith, click here.     

Leaf Peeping, Pumpkin Spice...and a New Pup?

Fall officially begins this Friday! So the Dumb Friends League is inviting you to Fall in love and adopt your new best friend! Today through Sunday, they’re taking $25 off adoption fees for all dogs over 1 year old.

DDFL has dozens of wonderful dogs looking for loving forever homes—like Romeo & Juliet, an adorable bonded pair who want to spend their lives together.

So whether your Fall plans include leaf peeping in the mountains or sipping on something pumpkin spiced, DDFL has the perfect canine companion to help you enjoy the season!

Cherry Creek North: Have You Ever Been Someplace That Just Feels Right?

One hundred and forty years ago, Cherry Creek North was part of a small town called Harman. Since then, Cherry Creek North has emerged as a staple in the fabric of Denver and Colorado, blossoming into a very special mixed-use district.

What sets it apart? Perhaps it’s the walkability of the area, or lodging that provides all the comforts of home. Maybe it’s the laughter spilling out of a gallery during a nightly wine tasting, or alfresco dining on a patio laced with flowers. When you’re in Cherry Creek North, you can sit back and exhale. Life feels good here. 

WalletHub Report: 2017’s Most Fun Cities in America

With the upcoming fall season bringing cooler weather to enjoy more activities indoors and out, the personal-finance website WalletHub took a close look at 2017's Most Fun Cities in America.

To help Americans find the cities with the greatest number and variety of cheap, fun activities, WalletHub’s data crunchers compared the 150 largest U.S. cities across 58 key metrics, ranging from fitness clubs per capita to movie costs to average open hours of breweries.
 

Source: WalletHub

Top 20 Most Fun Cities in America
1	Las Vegas, NV		11	Denver, CO
2	Orlando, FL		12	Los Angeles, CA
3	New York, NY		13	Cincinnati, OH
4	Miami, FL		14	St. Louis, MO
5	Portland, OR		15	Tampa, FL
6	Atlanta, GA		16	Philadelphia, PA
7	San Francisco, CA		17	Washington, DC
8	New Orleans, LA		18	Austin, TX
9	Chicago, IL		19	Houston, TX
10	San Diego, CA		20	Seattle, WA

The Little Dog Laughed: Can His Hollywood Career Survive a Run-In with a New York Call-Boy?

Mitchell Green is a Hollywood star on his way to the A-list -- if he can only keep that pesky “recurring case of homosexuality” under wraps. When Mitchell falls for a young call-boy while in New York for a premiere, his acerbic, fast-talking Hollywood agent, Diane, takes matters into her own hands. Meanwhile, the call-boy, Alex, is trying to figure out what he wants: Mitchell, or best friend/lover Ellen. He is torn between his desires for glitter and money and his longing for love, with all its requisite complications. Throughout all this, the tabloid-mad public keeps at everyone’s heels, waiting anxiously for someone to fall.

Vintage Theatre presents the Denver premiere of “The Little Dog Laughed” September 8 through October 22*. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays and Monday, September 25 at 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 2:30 p.m. at the Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora 80010. Tickets are $15 - $30 and available online at www.vintagetheatre.com or by calling 303-856-7830.

NCLR and GLAD, At the Center of Transgender Military Ban Legal Fight, Express Outrage Over Trump Judicial Nominee Calling Transgender Kids Part of 'Satan's Plan'

Today, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), the LGBT advocacy organizations at the center of the transgender military fight, expressed outrage over comments made by Trump judicial nominee Jeff Mateer following reports that he called transgender children part of “Satan’s Plan” and supported conversion therapy. NCLR and GLAD have said that Mateer’s nomination, coupled with efforts to bar transgender Americans from serving in the military, continue to promote false stereotypes, scapegoating, and fears that will hurt our country.

“NCLR and GLAD are at the forefront of protecting the rights of transgender Americans, and we will fight discrimination of any kind,” said Shannon Minter, National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) Legal Director. “These comments made by a Trump nominee reflect a hostility toward transgender people that is deeply disturbing. There is no room for this sort of vitriol in our public discourse. Our government must stand for inclusion and fairness for all, and we will speak out against efforts to turn back the clock on equality."

“It's concerning that the Trump Administration is trying to infuse its anti-transgender ideology into our judicial system,” said GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) Transgender Rights Project Director Jennifer Levi. “Our courts must serve as a backstop to President Trump’s divisive and exclusionary policies, not promote discrimination. Courts must treat all Americans fairly and promote equal rights. That’s why GLAD and NCLR filed Doe v. Trump, because if President Trump is going to discriminate against our community, we will use all the legal tools at our disposal to stop him.”

LGBTQ Panelists Needed - National Coming Out Day

The LGBTQ Student Resource Center is looking for panelists for their annual National Coming Out Day event and they are hoping to have a variety of speakers (5 total) who would be willing to detail identity-related experiences and talk about coming out in relevance to them. The panel would also include a Q&A from the audience after the panel.

If you are interested please fill out the form below. The cutoff date is September 27.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1wIPyeGEKxIVXHzYn3QvqsUZMI8am28wPeH6fwY1Kt8U/edit

"Billions" Star Asia Kate Dillon on Being the First Openly Gender-Fluid Actor on TV

MarieClaire.com today features a new interview with Billions star Asia Kate Dillon, the first openly gender-fluid actor on TV. In their work as an actor and activist, Dillon has been confronting ignorance and bias in many forms, including publicly challenging the existence of separate "actor" and "actress" categories at award shows earlier this year.

Dillon opens up to MarieClaire.com about pushing the boundaries in Hollywood and beyond, and helping usher in a more inclusivity.

On Hollywood's progress with gender representation
"Even if Taylor Mason was the only character outside the expected gender binary we usually see on TV, that would be progress in and of itself. But they're not the only one. We have characters on Orange Is the New Black, Transparent—there are all of these shows and films out there that are at the forefront of giving representation and visibility to marginalized and historically disenfranchised people. And we still have a long way to go. People who are light-skinned, white, assigned female at birth like myself—we certainly have privileges that my friends who were assigned male at birth and are people of color don't have. Those people are still ostracized and living on the margins in ways that we need to be having conversations about as a nation."

On the importance of the terminology
"I do use the term 'trans.' A trans person is someone whose gender identity does not conform to the sex they were assigned at birth. And although I was assigned female at birth and we use the terms 'girl,' 'woman,' and 'female' synonymously, they are not, in fact, the same thing. 'Girl' and 'woman' are identity words and 'female' is a sex word. That's why I use the term 'non-binary.'

“One of the exciting things I'm seeing—especially on social media—is growing understanding and visibility of the 'non-transition' people like myself, who aren't undergoing any physical or surgical transformation in order to express gender identity outwardly.

“For a long time I thought 'trans' meant 'transition,' or someone who had transitioned from one sex to the other. I'm happy to see a growing visibility and acceptance for all different kinds of expression and all different kinds of body types. Body hair has no gender; makeup has no gender; clothes have no gender: It's all stuff that's out there for any of us to try on and see whether it feels like us."

On what gender identity means in 2017
"I think one of the biggest misconceptions is that only gender non-conforming, non-binary, or trans people have a gender identity. But the truth is, everyone has a gender identity. Some people's gender identity conforms to the one they were assigned at birth, and some people's identity doesn't. That realization was certainly very freeing for me—and could be very freeing for other people."

Outright International Reacts to President Trump at UN General Assembly

On September 18 and 19, President Trump addressed world leaders at the opening of the 72nd Session of the General Assembly in New York. Jessica Stern, Executive Director of OutRight Action International, reacted to President Trump’s address:

Time and time again, President Trump has threatened to curtail the United States’ obligations to the international human rights system and to the United Nations itself. In his remarks today, the word he said most often - sovereignty - underscored that his political agenda promotes political isolationism and undermines the global cooperation that protects vulnerable people from natural disasters, corrupt governments, and civil war.

As an organization that serves as a watchdog on the UN, we know that sovereignty is a term loaded with negative meaning. Sovereignty is often an excuse for States to ignore their obligation to protect the human rights of individuals, especially those that are most marginalized and vulnerable.

Reform in President Trump’s words is code for stripping the human rights system of much-needed resources. We believe the only reform that is truly needed puts LGBTIQ people and all vulnerable groups at the center of UN governance, human rights, and programs. The reform and resources we need would elevate the rights of the world’s most marginalized, open space for meaningful civil society participation, and invest in climate justice.