Gay Games Hong Kong appoints Alan Lang as new co-chair

Gay Games 11 Hong Kong 2023 (GGHK) announced today that Alan Lang, Director of Sports, will step up to join Lisa Lam as co-chair of GGHK.

Alan joined GGHK’s management team in May 2020 as deputy sports director and in that time has led the Sports team to make substantial progress towards creating a successful event. Achievements include confirming event partners and venues, and reaching cooperation agreements with sports associations connected to the 22 sports that GGHK will be hosting.

In addition to new sports added for Hong Kong such as Dodgeball, Dragonboat and Mahjong, the line-up includes Badminton, Field Hockey, Fencing, Football (Soccer), Marathon (half/full), Swimming, Road Races (5/10 km), Martial Arts, Rowing, Rugby Sevens, Sailing, Squash, Table Tennis, Tennis, Track & Field, and Trail Running (short/long).

Co-hosted with Guadalajara, Mexico, the 11th Gay Games will be the first in both Asia and Latin America, as well the first time to be hosted in two cities simultaneously. Open to everyone 18 and older, the Games welcome everyone to participate regardless of ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, and athletic ability.

“I step humbly into the co-chair role and ask for everyone’s support, because I owe so much to this city’s people,” said Alan Lang. “Eight million individuals in a region of 2 billion who adopted me as one of their own, without judgement or preconceived notions; this newly arrived Australian expat who ‘could’.

“More than anything, I’m here because like the first games held in 1982 in San Francisco, I want to make something from nothing. I want to build on what has come before me, and I want to bring what the rest of the world has enjoyed for four decades, the Gay Games, for the first time here in Asia in 2023.”

To be held during 3-11 November 2023 in both cities, the Games will be one of the largest sports, arts & culture events of next year, bringing the global community together through the power of sports and culture. In addition to 22 sports, GGHK will feature Opening & Closing Ceremonies, Festival Village, Arts & Culture events with daily performances, Gala Concert, art exhibitions, and a variety of events to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Gay Games.

Take a First Look at Billy Porter’s Directorial Debut ANYTHING’S POSSIBLE

Written by Ximena García Lecuona and directed by Billy Porter in his directorial feature debut, Anything's Possible releases globally on Prime Vido this Friday July 22. 

Check out the first official clip from Anything’s Possible - introducing Eva Reign as Kelsa and Abubakr Ali as Khal - below.

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Human Rights Campaign Urges Federal Lawmakers to Pass Bipartisan Respect for Marriage Act

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) — the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization — today marked the introduction and urged the passage of the bipartisan Respect for Marriage Act in Congress. This legislation would guarantee the federal rights, benefits, and obligations of marriage s in the federal code, repeal the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and affirms that public acts, records and proceedings should be recognized by all states. HRC is urging federal lawmakers to move forward with passage of this important legislation.

In response to the introduction of the bill, HRC Interim President Joni Madison issued the following statement:

“The Defense of Marriage Act — which excluded legally married same-sex couples from accessing the federal rights, benefits, and obligations of marriage — is a stain upon our nation and deserves to be relegated to the trash bin of History. With the Respect for Marriage Act, Congress has the opportunity to right this wrong by creating an inclusive law that also standardizes the mechanism for evaluating when a marriage should be given federal recognition and affirms that public acts, records, and judicial proceedings should be honored across this country.”

Key Provisions of the Bill

The Respect for Marriage Act would ensure that marriage equality is protected nationally through several provisions:

• Repealing the 1990s era Defense of Marriage Act. Passed in 1996, it discriminated in two important ways. First, Section 2 of DOMA purports to allow states to refuse to recognize valid civil marriages of same-sex couples. Second, Section 3 of the law carves all same-sex couples, regardless of their marital status, out of all federal statutes, regulations and rulings applicable to all other married people—thereby denying them over 1,100 federal benefits and protections. DOMA was rendered unenforceable, in two stages, by the Supreme Court’s 2013 Windsor v. United States ruling and the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling.
• Establishing that “place of celebration” is the standard of recognition for federal benefits of a same-sex marriage. Under this provision, if marriage equality was ever to cease to be recognized in a given state, same-sex couples who travel to get married in another state – one where same-sex marriages are still recognized – would still retain federal marriage benefits.
• Affirming that public acts, records and proceedings should be recognized by all states. Adoption orders, divorce decrees, and other public acts must be honored by all states consistent with the Full Faith and Credit clause of the US Constitution.
• Codifying the federal protections conferred by the Obergefell and Windsor rulings. The landmark ruling stated that bans on marriage equality are unconstitutional.

More Than Two-Thirds of People Support Marriage Equality

The latest survey from PRRI this year on support for LGBTQ+ rights showed nearly seven in ten Americans (68%) favor allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally. Support has increased by 14 percentage points since 2014 (54%). Republicans are now nearly evenly divided over same-sex marriage (48% support, 50% oppose), while 81% of Democrats and 73% of independents favor marriage equality. Today, majorities of most religious groups favor marriage equality. White evangelical Protestants (35%) and Latter-day Saints (46%) remain the only major religious groups with less than majority support for same-sex marriage. 

GLAAD RESPONSE TO MONKEYPOX VACCINE NEWS AND RELEASES COMMUNITY AWARENESS INFORMATION

GLAAD, the world's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, is responding to an announcement from the federal government adding 2.5 million more doses of the monkeypox virus (MPV) vaccine JYNNEOS to the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) over the next year, with an additional 131,000 doses immediately available, and nearly 800,000 more doses available in the coming weeks.

Demand for vaccinations in New York City and other areas has far exceeded current capacity, leading local elected officials to call for more vaccines, testing, and treatment. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced today it placed an order for an additional 2.5 million doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine to respond to the current MPV outbreak and strengthen the nation’s smallpox preparedness. HHS also announced an additional 131,000 doses just arrived and will be immediately available to states and jurisdictions.

The news follows the latest White House briefing for LGBTQ advocates held on Thursday. The briefing featured Dr. Ashish Jha, White House COVID Czar; Harold Phillips, National AIDS Policy Director; Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, Director of the CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention; John Brooks, CDC epidemiologist; and DaShawn Usher, Director, Communities of Color at GLAAD. Attendees included LGBTQ advocates who can share information about MPV and the MPV vaccine to followers and networks.

“News of additional MPV vaccine doses becoming available is welcome and urgently needed,” said DaShawn Usher, GLAAD’s Director, Communities of Color. “As we saw with HIV, COVID-19, and now MPV, discrimination, disinformation, racism and systemic breakdowns in the healthcare system continue to challenge LGBTQ Americans’ health as well as public health and safety, especially for LGBTQ people of color. All people are susceptible to MPV but it showed up early in LGBTQ communities, resulting in additional stigma for us. We must keep our community safe and informed.”

Get Involved With the Stonewall Democrats

"How do I get involved with the Stonewall Democrats of Colorado?"

If you've asked yourself this question, you can join them on Thursday July 21 at 6:30PM for a panel of former and current LGBTQIA+ Party Office holders.

Hear from:

Precinct Organizers
House District Officers
Senate District Officers
Judicial District Officers
County Commissioner Officers
Congressional District Officers
County Party Officers
State Party Initiative Officers
State Party Officers

This is your chance to hear how queer Democrats have added their voice to the Democratic Party organization across Colorado. 

Are You Gay With Something To Say? Bloggers Wanted Denver's Gay Community

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.

Human Rights Campaign Responds to Federal Judge Temporarily Blocking Trans-Affirming Guidance on Title IX

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) recently responded to news that a federal judge temporarily enjoined Department of Education guidance affirming that the rights of transgender students are protected by Title IX.

“We are disappointed and outraged by this ruling from the Eastern District of Tennessee where, in yet another example of far-right judges legislating from the bench, the court blocked guidance affirming what the Supreme Court decided in Bostock v. Clayton County: that LGBTQ+ Americans are protected under existing civil rights law,” said HRC Interim President Joni Madison. “Nothing in this decision can stop schools from treating students consistent with their gender identity. And nothing in this decision eliminates schools’ obligations under Title IX or students’ or parents’ abilities to bring lawsuits in federal court. HRC will continue to fight these anti-transgender rulings with every tool in our toolbox.”

Bostock v. Clayton County, the landmark Supreme Court decision that protected LGBTQ+ employees from discrimination nationwide, recognized that Title VII’s framework of prohibiting discrimination based upon sex also, by its very nature, prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Title IX, which uses a similar framework, also provides the same protections, as affirmed by the Department of Education’s guidance and numerous federal courts.

Additionally, earlier this month, the Department of Education issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to reverse unjust Trump administration changes to Title IX that limited the obligation of schools which receive federal funding to investigate and address allegations of sexual harassment and assault. HRC praised this move, and notes that this injunction does not impact the ongoing rulemaking process.

MY OLD SCHOOL starring Alan Cumming In Theaters July 22

 

In 1993, 16-year-old Brandon Lee enrolled at Bearsden Academy, a secondary school in a well-to-do suburb of Glasgow, Scotland. What followed over the next two years would become the stuff of legend. 

Brandon had been privately tutored in Canada while he accompanied his mother, an opera diva, on tour before her tragic death. The preternaturally bright student surprised teachers by blazing toward his goal of entering medical school, displaying a wealth of knowledge beyond his years. Brandon found friends despite his initial awkwardness, taking bullied students under his wing, introducing classmates to seminal retro bands, and even starring in the school's production of South Pacific. But then his unbelievable secret was revealed. 

Filmmaker Jono McLeod returns to his old school for a nostalgic look at the strange but true story of his former classmate, Brandon Lee. Utilizing playful, period-specific animation, a pitch-perfect soundtrack, the memories of students and teachers, and the talents of Alan Cumming to bring the tale to life, MY OLD SCHOOL offers more than one surprise along the way.

Human Rights Campaign Urges LGBTQ+ People, Allies to Weigh In, Support Proposed Changes in Title IX Protections

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) — the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization — marked the publication earlier this week of the U.S. Department of Education’s Title IX Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. The proposed regulation, which will add sexual orientation and gender identity as enumerated protected characteristics within the Title IX regulation, is now open for public comment for 60 days. The Department is inviting comments from members of the general public and offers a helpful tip sheet on how to compose comments that will have an impact on the rulemaking process. 

“All students -- no matter their background, sexual orientation, or gender identity -- deserve to feel safe and welcomed in schools. The proposed rule to include clear protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity within the Title IX regulation will do just that,” said Sarah Warbelow, HRC Legal Director. “This is not a ceremonial step;  the voice of the people truly matters here, and we strongly encourage affected people – students, parents, and educators – to submit an official comment about how the proposed rule would positively impact students’ experiences in school. As we await further the Department’s promised additional rule on athletics provisions, which we expect to make clear that transgender youth should be included in these protections, individuals and groups can make their voices heard in defense of LGBTQ+ youth right now.”

The Title IX proposal will help the Biden administration to combat laws like the ‘Don’t Say Gay or Trans’ bills passed in Florida and Alabama that invite harassment of LGBTQ+ youth, and the bathroom bills in Alabama and Oklahoma that prevent transgender students from using facilities matching their gender identity. Polling shows that the public supports nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people, and this rule change is about making the will of the people a reality.

The proposed rule would reverse May 2020 changes to Title IX that limited federally funded educational institutions’ obligation to address sexual harassment and assault. The updated rule would also reinforce protections on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Even prior to final rules on implementation of Title IX, the law provides protections to LGBTQ+ students in federally funded educational programs. Numerous federal courts have found that discrimination on the basis of sex includes discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, including in Title IX. This includes decisions from federal courts that it is a violation of Title IX to exclude transgender students from restrooms, locker rooms, and sex-separated programs and activities, including athletics, consistent with their gender identity.

Under the Trump administration, the Department of Education instituted a series of controversial and discriminatory regulatory and guidance changes to the implementation of Title IX – the federal civil rights law that protects students from discrimination in federally-funded educational activities and programs – dismantling long-standing protections and opening the door to sex-based discrimination against LGBTQ+ students.

• In 2017, the Departments of Education and Justice rescinded guidance to schools about their obligations to transgender students. 
• As part of the regulatory changes, requirements that federally-funded schools report sexual assault were relaxed and dismantled – creating more hurdles for survivors of sexual assault to seek justice, while giving more rights to alleged perpetrators of sexual violence.  
• The changes further threatened LGBTQ+ students and women, who face disproportionately high rates of sex-based discrimination and stigma that can make it more difficult for LGBTQ survivors to report sexual assault and harassment.
• Studies suggest that nearly half of bisexual women have been raped and half of transgender people will experience sexual violence at some point in their lifetimes. According to the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a national survey of high school students, lesbian and bisexual women and gay and bisexual men experienced higher rates of sexual assault than their straight counterparts. In addition, a 2015 study by the Association of American Universities found that 60 percent of gay and lesbian students and nearly 70 percent of bisexual students report being sexually harassed on campus.

In March 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order 14021 to begin the process of undoing the Trump administration’s harmful actions undermining Title IX and protections for LGBTQ+ students. The executive order directed the federal government to ensure federally funded facilities and educational environments are free from sexual harassment, sexual violence, and discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

Dance Pop Artist Scott Gardner Drops Two New Singles, 'Daydreaming' and 'What You Do To Me'

NYC-based pop dance artist Scott Gardner springs back onto the music scene with not one but two new singles, “Daydreaming” and “What You Do To Me” that are out now on all major streaming platforms. Written, recorded and produced by Gardner, both songs give a taste of the independent artist’s new EP, set to drop later this summer.

Having built a successful career as a professional model over the past decade, Gardner has worked hard behind the scenes to also power up his music career. In 2019, he instantly hit the ground running, releasing three pop singles that fall. That same year, the artist gave his debut live performance at the Live. Life. Love: Concert For Suicide Prevention, presented by Journey's in Nashville, opening for Lizzo, Louis Tomlinson, Chelsea Cutler and other major artists.

Immediately after that big introduction to the music industry, Gardner performed on stages in DC and Miami for the epic iHeartRadio Jingle Ball, presented by Capital One in December 2019. The budding artist joined the lineup of some of the biggest music stars of today, including BTS, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Billie Eilish, Jonas Brothers, Lizzo, Niall Horan, Camila Cabello, Halsey and many others.

During the pandemic, Gardner continued songwriting. He collaborated with Venezuelan producer and three-time Latin Grammy Nominee and 13-time Promax Award winner Arturo Cabrera Brambilla to co-produce his two new singles.

Gardner has also teamed up with Billboard Dance charting DJ/Producer Hector Fonseca to produce a new remix version of his new “Daydreaming” single, which he plans to release later this month.

A Place Called Home - A Remarkable Story of Poverty, Foster Care, and Coming Out by Amazon Exec and Child Welfare Advocate David Ambroz

As a child David Ambroz was raised homeless in New York City, the home of Wall Street and more than 100,000 homeless children.

For David and his two siblings, their mother’s diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia sets them in motion for a life of poverty, violence and instability as they travel across New York and New England seeking shelter. For eleven years home for David means living in train stations, subway cars, 24-hour diners, and wherever is safe and warm; bathing in public restrooms; and stealing food to quell his hunger. When he gets into foster care, it feels like salvation, but it soon proves to be just as unsafe for young people—more of his foster siblings are put on a prison pipeline than college-bound.

Surmounting violence, continued poverty and physical and emotional abuse at the hands of his caregivers, David harnesses an inner grit to escape the inevitable outcome for kids like him. He takes shelter and finds hope on his own in libraries, schools, and in the occasional adult angel. Through hard work and unwavering resolve, he is able to get into Vassar College, the first significant step out from the yolk of poverty, and later graduates UCLA School of Law.

This heart-wrenching and inspiring story about young people pulls back the curtain on homelessness and poverty in the lives of children and shines a pivotal light on generations of kids that have been systematically ignored and overlooked. A Place Called Home is both David’s powerful personal account through the lens of a child surviving it daily. And as the go-to child welfare advocate for the Obama administration and major U.S. companies, A Place Called Home is a beckoning call to our national conscience to move from pity to action.

Helen R. Murray to Depart from Aurora Fox Joining American Stage in the Fall

American Stage in the Tampa Bay area recently announced the hiring of Helen R. Murray, as their new producing artistic director beginning in October. Murray will kick off Season 38 of the Aurora Fox Arts Center with the Gala Night Season Celebration on Sept. 17 and the Oct. 7 Colorado premiere of “Futurity,” before her departure to St. Petersburg, Florida. The city of Aurora will soon begin a national search for her successor.

 

Statement from Midori Clark, Director of Library and Cultural Services for the city of Aurora:

 

“Helen helped elevate Aurora’s place in the professional theater industry with award-winning, high-quality productions and several premieres. With her passion for thought-provoking shows and her intentional selection of diverse productions that contribute to conversations about important topics of our times, she set a solid precedent for the future of the Aurora Fox. Without a doubt, her shoes will be hard to fill."

 

“At a personal level, I will miss Helen. Over the last three years I got to know her and appreciate her many human qualities. I will cherish our hard work together at the peak of Covid safely reopening the Aurora Fox with a clear understanding of the importance cultural offerings have in times of isolation. I thank Helen for all her contributions and wish her nothing but the best in her next chapter of her prolific and successful career. I know she will do amazing things in Tampa Bay as she did here.”

 

Statement from Helen R. Murray, Executive Producer for the Aurora Fox Arts Center:

 

“It is bittersweet to be leaving the Aurora Fox. I have cherished my time here, and the work I have done with the city, the staff, and the community, is something of which I am very proud. I cannot thank the City of Aurora enough, especially Midori Clark, our library and cultural services director, for the efforts they made during the pandemic to help us keep operations going. As the theater industry across the world struggled, Aurora saw the importance of the art we make and the stories we tell."

 

“I also want our board, community stakeholders, partner organizations, sponsors, and supporters to know that I leave the Aurora Fox knowing that it will continue to be a beacon in the Arts District because of the passion and commitment of so many. I have had the honor of producing and directing so many beautiful pieces of work at the Fox, and am thrilled that my last effort for this wonderful theater is to direct ‘Futurity’, a new musical about ending violence and the things we can accomplish if we dream big.”

Limited Edition Rapunzel Doll Available Now on shopDisney

Time to let your hair down: Rapunzel is the newest addition to The Disney Designer Collection’s Ultimate Princess Celebration! A pink flower tops her infamously long curls, with her lengthy hair descending down a beautiful pink dress of gemstones and tulle, all tied together in a bow.

Finally out of the castle tower and now available on shopDisney.com, Rapunzel will certainly make an elegant addition to the esteemed collection! Designed by Tetsunosuke Saiki, this limited edition doll has been delicately curated to ensure every detail was captured. The fluffy gown, flower top and pink hue invite us into a world of garden parties and lush springtime. This collectible doll is sure to be a treasured keepsake for many years to come.

Want to Connect with Denver's Gay Community? Advertise With MileHighGayGuy!

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