A federal judge Wednesday struck down a California ban on same-sex marriages as unconstitutional, according to reports.
The ruling by Judge Vaughn R. Walker of Federal District Court in San Francisco represents an important victory for gay rights advocates in a case that many believe may end up eventually going to the United States Supreme Court.
Philadelphia – A grassroots organization of formerly incarcerated transgender people and allies has been awarded a grant of $4,500 by the Bread & Roses Community Fund. The group plans to use its grant to publish and distribute a report entitled, “Glitter is not Allowed: Experiences of Trans and Gender Variant People in Pennsylvania’s Prison Systems”.
“Prison is not safe place to be for anyone, but for trans people it’s worse,” said Pascal Emmer, a member of Hearts on a Wire. “The report we’re issuing will prove that and become a powerful tool to force changes in our criminal justice system to protect trans people. It will also address the root causes leading to incarceration for many trans people.”
Hearts on a Wire was founded in 2007 by an informal gathering of trans and gender variant people who had experience with the criminal justice system. From beatings to rapes to denial of medications, incarcerated transgender and gender variant people face many risks. The group’s report, which will be issued this fall, will provide more details on prison conditions as well as recommendations from transgender prisoners themselves on how to address these issues.
“This is the first grant Bread & Roses has offered to a criminal justice collective focused exclusively on transgender issues,” said Casey Cook, executive director. “Hearts on a Wire is led by passionate activists who will work to organize transgender people and their allies on the outside, as well as the inside, to make real change in our criminal justice system.”
The Bread & Roses board voted to disperse $55,000 to a total of 12 groups in a vote on Friday of last week through the Fund’s Phoebus Criminal Justice Initiative. In addition to Hearts on a Wire, grants were also awarded to Pennsylvanians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty and the National Lawyers Guild, among others.
The Phoebus Criminal Justice Initiative is a donor-advised fund that provides grants for criminal justice reform activism. Decisions about grants are made by a committee of activists and family members of the late Phoebe Valentine, a social justice philanthropist who endowed the fund.
“The additional stresses that trans people endure in prisons have pushed some to contemplate suicide,” said Tyson Smith, Phoebus committee member. “Hearts on a Wire is ending the trend of allowing people to suffer in silence. More than ever, we need to confront the criminal justice system and protect the rights of transgender people.”
About Bread & Roses:
Bread & Roses has provided grants to local organizations working on social, racial and economic justice for over 31 years. Thousands of area residents support social justice through Bread & Roses grant making and advocacy initiatives with gifts ranging from $5 to $50,000 a year. Grantees work on a range of issues from criminal justice reform to opposing casinos to environmental justice to farm worker rights and more. Bread & Roses has been able to offer grants to over 40 organizations working for real change this year alone.
####
Ashley Wilson
Barbara Smith Community School and Communications Intern
Bread & Roses Community Fund
tel. 215.731.1107 x208
www.breadrosesfund.org
For Immediate Release: Thursday, May 6, 2010
LGBT Communities of Color Unite for the 2010 Census
“Fear doesn’t count” “El miedo no cuenta.”
May 6, 2010 (Washington DC) – This week, as millions of Mexican-Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo, the leaders of America’s top organizations serving our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) diverse ethnic households and people of color speak out about the importance of this year’s Census.
Many within the Latino/a community will rally to the slogan of the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) that urges us to be counted by saying: “Fear doesn’t count” – “El miedo no cuenta.”
The groups joining this broad LGBT community appeal include the Latino Equality Alliance, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance, Immigration Equality, and the International Federation of Black Prides.
Ari Gutiérrez, speaking for the Latino Equality Alliance, said, “We are at a hopeful crossroads to educate America about immigration reform and to encourage the respect of all families, including LGBT families. While we battle lies, misconceptions and anger directed at many ethnic groups and people of color, we cannot remain silent or invisible. The Census is our partner in speaking the truth, and we must all do our part and be included in the count.”
This national appeal is timed with the beginning of the second phase of the 2010 Census, as crucial “door-to-door” visits by Census workers are made to complete Census forms among the 48 million households that have not yet returned their forms. The LGBT leaders emphasize that being counted is safe, private and critical – and that all LGBT families and households should welcome these visits and respond to the questions.
“This is a critical time for the Census to be reaching out in our communities. Despite the heightened state of tension that new laws in Arizona create for immigrants and anyone the state might think ‘looks like an illegal immigrant,’ we need to respond to enumerators and get counted now more than ever,” said Benjamin DeGuzman with the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance.
Earl Fowkes added, “The International Federation of Black Prides strongly urges all members of our community to complete the forms provided by the census takers. The information provided by you is confidential under Federal law, and your cooperation is key to bringing more resources to our community.”
“For LGBT immigrants and their families, the Census provides an important opportunity for two communities that have been undercounted for too long, to be fully represented,” said Rachel B. Tiven, executive director of Immigration Equality. “Forty-five percent of LGBT binational couples include a Latino/a partner, and it is critical that they, and their households, be a visible part of the Census. We especially encourage the immigrant partner in all binational households to file as ‘Person Number 1,’ in order to ensure that the broad diversity of our community is reported in the final Census count.”
“The census is extremely important for communities of color and immigrants, especially Latinos,” said Matthew Adler of MALDEF. ”Often, it is people at the intersection of minority communities, such as LGBT people of color, who are most undercounted and therefore benefit the least from resources allocated by the census.”
Adler continued, ”What’s at stake is funding for schools, roads, transportation, and healthcare for the next 10 years, not to mention political representation, which is crucial at a time we are taking on anti-immigrant forces threatening our community. The census is safe and confidential, and as a legal group, we encourage all people regardless of citizenship or immigration status to participate so we all are counted.”
In this next critical phase, here are the top 5 things every person should know when a Census taker comes to your door starting this month:
First, responding to the Census is required under federal law, and it is in fact, mandated by the U.S. Constitution.
Second, your answers are absolutely private and protected under Federal law. It is illegal for the Census or anyone to share your personal information with anyone else or any other government agency under the penalty of fines and even prison. It is entirely safe to answer.
Third, when someone knocks, ask for official Census identification, which a representative will display around their neck in plain view. They can ONLY ask Census questions – these workers will not ask for social security numbers, bank account numbers or credit card numbers. They will not ask for donations and they will not ask how to contact you by email.
Fourth, remember when asked for your information by the Census representative at your door, they cannot reveal any personal information about any respondent or household or face penalties up to 5 years in jail and/or $250,000 fine. Your information is yours alone.
Fifth, Census takers will visit local homes up to 3 times and make up to 3 phone calls to record information for this year’s Census. If there is no answer, the Census taker leaves a door hanger, featuring a phone number – to allow you to call the number to schedule a visit when most convenient.
For more background generally on the 2010 Census, please also visit www.2010census.gov. Be sure to visit www.ourfamiliescount.org for details specifically for LGBT households – with questions and answers found there in both English and Spanish.
To stay connected on popular social networks, you may also find Our Families Count on Facebook, and feel free to follow on Twitter (twitter.com/rfamiliescount), or check out MySpace (myspace.com/ourfamiliescount).
Our Families Count (www.ourfamiliescount.org) is an entirely voluntary public education campaign launched in fall 2009. This campaign represents a collaborative effort by leaders and community organizers across the LGBT and ally spectrum in America. Our partnership website is maintained by Bilerico Media which also is the proud owner and donor of the domain. The campaign has been endorsed by over 140 of the nation’s leading LGBT advocacy and resource organizations, business leaders and academic institutions. While LGBT community leaders and groups will advocate on many public policy issues, this campaign takes no position on specific issues or questions.
For more information on this year’s Census, please visit:
www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute
Our Families Count
Campaign Media Contact:
media@ourfamiliescount.org
Bob Witeck
202-887-0500 ext. 19
To Endorse the Campaign Visit:
www.ourfamiliescount.org/join
DALLAS (April 2, 2010) — American Airlines will receive this year’s Elizabeth Birch Equality Award, co-chairs of the 2010 Black Tie Dinner announced today. Airline executives will attend the 29th annual Black Tie Dinner to receive the prestigious award. The Dinner will be held on Saturday evening, November 6, 2009, at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel.
To honor national leaders, and in recognition of the inspirational leadership of former Human Rights Campaign Executive Director Elizabeth Birch, this award is given by discretion, no more than yearly, to an individual, organization or company that has made a significant contribution of national scope to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. Elizabeth Birch received the first such award, as well as the distinction of having this recognition renamed in her honor. Past recipients of the Birch award include Showtime Networks/Robert Greenblatt, Alan Cumming, Sharon Stone, Bishop V. Gene Robinson and, last year, Judy Shepard.
“We are deeply honored to accept this special award and look forward to this year’s Black Tie Dinner so much,” said Denise Lynn, American Airlines’ Vice President of Diversity & Leadership Strategies. “There is no greater embrace than that given by your hometown, and receiving the Elizabeth Birch Award will only magnify the pride we take in being part of the inclusive and welcoming fabric that makes up the people of Dallas and Fort Worth and the lives of all our employees.”
For over a decade, Fort Worth-based American Airlines has been a pioneer in implementing fair-minded policies and practices for its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) customers and employees. American Airlines has consistently held the highest possible ranking on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index and is the only airline to achieve this distinction every year since its inception in 2002.
“The Dallas-Fort Worth market is fortunate to have so many choices when it comes to travel,” said Black Tie Dinner Co-Chair Ron Guillard. “American Airlines consistently proves that they want the loyal business of gays and lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people — and they work to earn it.”
“American Airlines doesn’t just talk the talk,” Guillard said. “American established an entire gay and lesbian national marketing and sales team, called the Rainbow TeAAm. The team consists of travel specialists working with gay and lesbian community groups and national and local organizations to expertly handle our community’s travel needs.”
American Airlines boasts a long list of industry firsts: the first major airline to implement same-sex domestic partner benefits; the first to implement both sexual orientation and gender identity in its workplace nondiscrimination policies; the first to endorse the Employment Non-Discrimination Act; the first to have a company-recognized LGBT employee resource group, GLEAM; and the first to launch a dedicated LGBT-specific website, www.aa.com/rainbow.
“American Airlines is one of the leading corporate members of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association and is a founding corporate member of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, as well as the first and only airline today to include LGBT-owned businesses in its supplier diversity program,” said Black Tie Dinner Co-Chair Nan Arnold.
“American Airlines remains the most gay-friendly of all U.S. airlines through its generous partnerships with the LGBT community, as well as its loyalty and respect for customers, employees and shareholders,” Nan Arnold continued. “We’re pleased to honor American Airlines for its unflagging commitment to diversity.”
ABOUT BLACK TIE DINNER:
Black Tie Dinner, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that raises funds for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender supportive organizations through a premier event of empowerment, education and entertainment in partnership with the community. The event has headlined local and national celebrities and leaders such as Maya Angelou, Ann Richards, Geena Davis, Lily Tomlin, Goldie Hawn, Martin Sheen and most recently, Mayor Gavin Newsom.
Black Tie Dinner presents awards in addition to the Elizabeth Birch Equality Award. Steve Atkinson was the recipient of the 2009 Kuchling Humanitarian Award for his extraordinary gifts of time and talents on behalf of the GLBT community. The Black Tie Media Award was given to Cyndi Lauper, in recognition of positive, increased awareness of GLBT issues in the media.
Black Tie Dinner, Inc. began in Dallas in 1982 to help support the Human Rights Campaign Fund. There were 140 guests in attendance at the first dinner, which raised $6,000. In 2009, the dinner distributed $1.04 million to 19 local beneficiaries and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. In its 28-year history, the dinner has distributed almost $14 million.
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llamasqua is the product of a heady mix of influences. Its roots stem from the dark and illicit 1920s club scene, and combine a rich heritage in the manufacture of make-up for film and theatre. It also takes inspiration from members of the ‘alternative scenes’ for whom self-expression is paramount. Alternative cultures have always dared to be dramatic. They have an emotional attachment to making up. It’s an expression of their darker side, a release for their alter ego.
Illamasqua is for the bolder person hiding inside all of us. It is an act and an attitude. A symbol of tolerance. A celebration of idiosyncrasies. A confident statement of self-ownership.
Latino LGBT and civil rights organizations hold community forum for “hard to count” community to discuss importance of being included in the 2010 Census.
Los Angeles, CA – The Latino Equality Alliance (LEA) – an alliance of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) community based groups – MALDEF and the Census Bureau held a community forum last Saturday, February 27 with numerous families in Highland Park, a largely Latino neighborhood in Los Angeles, to discuss why and how the LGBT community should be counted in the 2010 Census. The first of its kind, the forum was to educate same-sex Latino couples on how to fill out the Census form to make sure that LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) couples participate and are counted.
“The LGBT community is denied a number of federal civil rights associated with military service, social security, immigration, health and marriage benefits. A Census of LGBT couples is a good first step in highlighting the needs of our community,” stated Eddie Martinez, LEA co-chair and associate director of the Wall/Las Memorias.
An accurate Census count of the LGBT Latino community in the U.S. will help secure funding for crucial health programs and needed services for the community. Recent studies indicate that Latino LGBT communities experience a large disparity in health outcomes compared to the general population. Census demographic data helps educate legislators and the public about the specific needs of the Latino and LGBT community and prioritize funding accordingly.
Reflective of a policy change by the Obama Administration, the 2010 Census is the first national effort to acknowledge same-sex couples, providing insight into the size and racial diversity of the LGBT community.
“Same-sex couples filling out the Census can indicate their relationship to their married spouse by indicating ‘husband’ or ‘wife.’ Other same sex couples can select the ‘unmarried partner’ option to reflect their household status,” explained Matthew E. Weinstein, LGBT community partnership specialist for the Census Bureau.
“We appreciate the Census Bureau is recognizing the LGBT community to be as diverse as the general public and that each community comes with its own needs,” said Ari Gutierrez, LEA co-chair and vice president of HONOR Political Action Committee. “The Census does not ask transgender status or sexual orientation questions but Transgender individuals can select the gender with which they identify. Importantly, the Census is completely confidential and will benefit our community in the long-run,” she added.
Forum speakers include, Lauren Pérez-Rangel, Western Regional Census Director for MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund) who stated, “MALDEF is deeply vested in making sure we achieve a full count of all Latinos and that includes Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) members of our community. We are working with the Latino Equality Alliance to reassure the Latino community that the census is confidential and extremely important. At MALDEF, we strive for all Latinos to have fair and equal treatment in society, and achieving an accurate count of the Latino LGBT community will assist us in advocating for improved policies and practices for the community.”
As part of a larger civil rights effort, the Latino Equality Alliance’s forum provided an opportunity for members of the Latino LGBT community to actively engage in changing incorrect perceptions and to increase support by the mainstream Latino community. The Latino Equality Alliance is funded through a grant by the Liberty Hill Foundation.
LGBT community service organizations including BIENESTAR Human Service’s 11 southern California locations, have been designated Census Resource Centers where the public can access additional information about how to fill-out the Census form.
For information about the LGBT Census and resource locations visit www.ourfamiliescount.org or call 1-877-352-3676. Photographs of the February 27 event in Highland Park, CA also are available upon request.
Out & Equal Workplace Advocates is proud to announce that three new Board members have joined its governing Board of Directors.
They are:
“I am delighted to welcome our new Board members to Out & Equal,” said Founding Executive Director Selisse Berry. “They each bring an incredible amount of dedication and passion to the movement of achieving lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender workplace equality, and they will help us further our mission nationally and globally.”
Guest made national headlines three years ago when he decided to retire from his role as a U.S. diplomat — serving in various positions over 26 years — to protest the lack of equal rights, benefits and protections for partners of gay and lesbian Foreign Service employees. He subsequently served on President Barack Obama’s State Department Transition Team, identifying remedies to these policies, which the Obama Administration has since adopted. Guest co-founded and works with the Council for Global Equality, a coalition of 18 human rights and LGBT organizations that seeks stronger U.S. support for LGBT equality at home and abroad. He resides in Washington D.C. with his partner, Alex Nevarez.
Hogan is responsible for Xerox sales, technical services delivery and professional services throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. She has played various roles at Xerox over the last two decades. She joined Xerox as a customer services engineer, held various services operations management positions and general management assignments, including strategy, planning and technology infrastructure. Before joining Xerox, she served in the United States Navy, providing technical support for classified defense computer systems and intelligence projects. She currently resides in San Ramon, California with her partner, Allison Leach.
Wallent has spent more than a decade working for Microsoft, responsible for delivering multiple versions of Internet Explorer, leading a large team that built major portions of Windows Vista, and currently leads a team in the Windows Server and Tools Division. She’s an outspoken advocate of transgender rights, and transitioned on the job in 2007. She chronicled her experiences on meganwallent.com
, which has generated a wide and varied readership. She resides in Seattle, Wash., with her spouse, Anh, and their children, Peri, John and Daniel.
Berry also thanked outgoing Board members, Tara Bunch, who served four years on the Board, including two years as President, and Amanda Simpson, who left the Board this month after three years to take a senior advisory position within the United States Department of Commerce.
“Tara and Amanda have both played invaluable roles with Out & Equal,” Berry said. “We appreciate everything they have done for us, and their commitment to making a difference for the LGBT community. They will continue to be instrumental in the movement for LGBT equality, either through their direct involvement with Out & Equal or by being the voices of our community in their own workplaces.”
The new Board members will serve a two-year renewable term beginning this month.
Media Contact: Associate Director of Marketing & Communications Erik Olvera, 415-694-6512, eolvera@outandequal.org
Out & Equal offers a wide range of programs and services to promote LGBT workplace equality, including the Out & Equal Executive Forum, set for April 19-21, 2010 in New York City, and the Out & Equal Workplace Summit, set for Oct. 5-8, 2010 in Los Angeles.
# # #
Out & Equal™ Workplace Advocates is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Out & Equal champions safe and equitable workplaces for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. The organization advocates building and strengthening successful organizations that value all employees, customers, and communities. See our website, www.outandequal.org, for more details.
LIMBIC FIRE | fashion : design : art : music
Our favourite pic is none other than the sassy Miss Joey herself wearing the most fabulous and sexy outfit:
Born male but living as a woman, Orrin Harris, 48, who is known as Pepper, sleeps during the day and stays up all night.
http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/nyregion/1-in-8-million/index.html#/orrin_harris
DC AGENDA LAUNCHES
Former Employees of Washington Blade Vow to Continue Mission, Begin New Venture
WASHINGTON, DC — The Washington Blade, formerly the nation’s oldest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) newspaper, died on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 9:30 AM. The 40-year-old paper ceased operation under the weight of its parent company’s financial problems. Window Media’s financial condition and the exact reasons for closing the Washington Blade remain unclear. No statement has been issued by the former executives from Atlanta, Miami or New York regarding how the decision to abruptly shut down the publication was made.
After Monday’s shuttering, 17 former employees vowed to not miss this Friday’s production of Washington DC’s LGBTQ news weekly. Today they delivered on that promise. At 9:30 AM this morning the publication that will replace the Washington Blade – DC Agenda – hit the streets. As demonstrated in the first issue, the new publication provides critical coverage of local and national LGBT issues along with much needed community news.
“The power and effectiveness of the Washington Blade did not die with the name,” said DC Agenda Publisher Lynne Brown, also former Publisher of the Washington Blade and employee of that publication for over 23 years. “That strength actually came from the spirit and intensity of those who wrote the stories and reached out to the community. It’s those same people who are the backbone of this new venture, a group that is the true definition of grit and resilience.”
“It’s been a tough week, but we have been buoyed by the outpouring of support from our colleagues, our community, people all over the city and even beyond DC,” said DC Agenda Editor Kevin Naff. “The DC Agenda represents former Blade employees’ commitment to carry on the important mission and work of the Blade,” said Naff. “We expect this effort to grow and evolve and to eventually include a larger and more diverse group of voices.”
The 17 former Blade staff members, who also celebrated that publication’s 40th anniversary last month, hand-distributed the first edition of DC Agenda on Friday November 20th, 2009 at 10:00 AM EST.
“We thank all those who have taken the risk of advertising in our new venture. We also would like to invite readers to visit our new news website at www.dcagenda.com and our temporary support website at www.savetheblade.com.” said Brown. “We are thrilled with what we achieved this week. This early iteration of our new newspaper is modest but…we did it! And we look forward to doing it again next week.” concluded Brown.
About DC Agenda: DC Agenda’s mission is to inform, enlighten and serve as the LGBTQ community’s news source.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lynne Brown, publisher, 202-486-0625, lynnebrown222@comcast.net
Kevin Naff, editor, 410-404-0325, kevinnaff@yahoo.com
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