VIDEO: Kim Davis Takes Another Swipe at Same-Sex Couples
She’s baaaack. The Kentucky county clerk says same-sex couples mistreated her when she refused to issue them licenses.
www.advocate.com/marriage-equality/2016/5/20/video-kim-davis-takes-another-swipe-same-sex-couples
9 Homophobic Moments From Seth Rogen Films We Won’t Miss
www.advocate.com/film/2016/5/20/9-homophobic-moments-seth-rogen-films-we-wont-miss
10 Reasons To See Drag’s Comedy Dream Team Live In SF: Bob The Drag Queen, Lady Bunny & More!
Have you heard of this queen named Bob?
We’re pretty sure she won something recently.
Well now’s your chance to see Ms. “The Queen” do what she does best — leave you in stitches as tears of joy run like the Nile down the aisle.
Of course, you’ll have to get your ass to San Francisco, but when has that ever been a negative?
For one night only, the curiously-funded Sasha Soprano brings back her uproarious Drag Queens of Comedy show to San Francisco’s Castro Theater, and this time Willam won’t be allowed in the building.
This year’s lineup is the cream of the comedy queen crop — head here for info on tickets to the two performances on Saturday, May 28 at 6 & 10 p.m.
Scroll down to see who will be performing (who also happen to be the reasons this show will be a shimmering gem of giggles):
1. Bianca del Rio (host)
Since Bianca’s season 6 Drag Race win, she’s been doing what any successful drag queen with her wig glued down straight would — traveling the world and building an even bigger name for herself. If there’s a better queen to host this night of laughs, we can’t think of one.
Bianca may be a fellow winner, but Bob has the crown as of the Drag Race season 8 finale. Come see America’s next drag superstar show off her superb comedy chops.
3. Coco Peru
Miss Coco Peru is a legend. Having made a name for herself traveling the world with her one woman show. If you’ve been lucky enough to see Coco’s show live, you know how talented she is. From storytelling and comedy to singing and dancing, Coco is truly a master of her craft.
The sassy and hilarious drag performer — who starred in 2003’s Girls Will Be Girls, the off-Broadway musical Lucky Guy, and, very briefly, as “Rosemary Chicken” on the soap opera All My Children —turns out to be one super-hot daddy underneath all those bangles, beads, pancake, and taffeta. Who knew?
5. Lady Bunny
There’s only one Lady Bunny (thank God!). The singularly-talented entertainer is currently taking no prisoners with her riotous new show Trans-Jester, performed at New York City’s iconic Stonewall Inn, but thank your lucky rhinestones she’ll be gracing the stage at The Castro.
The Texas queen of tongue pops and Drag Race season 5 contestant is never short of energy on stage, and you can bet she’ll be in top form for all the children come comedy night.
Many (including her) believe Trixie was sent packing too damn early during Drag Race season 7. Well luckily that eye makeup hasn’t disappeared. Trixie’s been a regular staple at Beaux just up the street from The Castro Theater, and we hope she brings all the tea and all the shade to her performance.
8. Heklina
Heklina was a legend in her own right well before she took the plunge into becoming a business owner, but she breathed new life into the SF drag scene by opening nightlife hotspot Oasis in the SoMa neighborhood, which has morphed into a multipurpose shophouse for fun acts. Oh yeah — and she’s fucking hilarious.
Peaches’ infamous cult-movie events at the Castro Theatre and regularly draw over 1,000 attendees to each new production. Events have featured special guest stars John Waters, Cloris Leachman, Appolonia, Barry Bostwick, Pam Grier, and more. Peaches regularly tours these shows and will be bringing her “Return To Gray Gardens” parody co-starring Jinkx Monsoon and Mink Stole to NYC and Provincetown later this year. This mama works, and it’s definitely working.
10. Sasha Soprano
Sasha has produced and starred in many of her own productions at the Castro Theatre, including: Comedy in the Castro, The Drag Queens of Comedy, and many more. She has opened for such acts as Loni Love, Pam Ann, and Coco Peru. She is the creator and founder of The Drag Queens of Comedy, and thank god she’s spreading all those coins around to this top-notch bill of queens.
Head here for info on tickets to the two performances on Saturday, May 28 at 6 & 10 p.m.
When A $50 Haircut Makes You Feel Like Royalty
Each Friday we’ll try and bring you the perfect meme to distract you — if for just a moment — to get you through that end-of-week homestretch.
While purists might say this week’s entry isn’t exactly a meme (yet), we think the superb clip more than makes up for any technical shortcomings.
We’ve all been there — you sit down at the salon and as the stylist’s comb and/or fingers move across your scalp, you feel like you just descended from heaven. And perhaps you have.
But FYI, this is what you look like from the outside:
feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/3Fa8pphYUNo/50-haircut-makes-feel-like-royalty-20160520
Yesterday’s GOP Switcheroo on LGBT Equality Was More Heinous Than We Thought
Chaos erupted Thursday on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives after 7 Republicans switched their votes from “yea” to “nay” on an amendment that would have protected LGBT workers from discrimination.
The amendment was introduced by openly gay Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) who went into the vote with enough support to pass the amendment. However, at the last minute, Republican leadership began strong-arming members to switch their votes. After the amendment was defeated by only one vote, Democratic lawmakers chanted “shame!” at Republicans.
While much has been made of the 7 GOP members who switched their votes on Thursday, it turns out there were actually 30 Republican members who at one point supported the same provisions in Maloney’s amendment before they voted against them.
Last year, 60 Republicans voted for a similar amendment upholding President Barack Obama’s 2014 executive order banning federal contractors from making hiring decisions that discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The amendment, which California Democratic Rep. Scott Peters attached to a transportation spending bill, was adopted 241-184 . […]
David Stacy, government affairs director at the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBT advocacy group, said he was “very surprised” to see so many Republicans shift their vote on “almost identical” amendments.
“We’ve heard for a while now from House Republican leadership that they didn’t want to be engaged in attacking LBGT people this way,” Stacy said. “But instead of House leadership trying to diffuse this, they seem to be ratcheting up.”
Here’s a list of the 30 Republicans who supported the Peters amendment but voted against the Maloney amendment:
Gay Republican group the Log Cabin Republicans denounced House Republicans for blocking Maloney’s amendment:
“During an election year in which voters across the country are crying out because they feel our country’s political system is at best broken and at worst rigged, the sham on the floor of the United States House of Representatives yesterday spearheaded by Leader McCarthy played up everything wrong with congress today,” Log Cabin Republicans President Gregory T. Angelo stated. “Beyond overriding an executive order that existed under President George W. Bush, yesterday’s actions on the House floor defy the repeated promises of House Leadership to operate under regular order and with transparency. Log Cabin Republicans commends the 29 Republicans who refused to succumb to strong-arm tactics and voted for the amendment, and demands those congressmembers who perpetuated this fraudulence be held accountable.”
Log Cabin Republicans to @GOPLeader: “Shame!” #NDAA t.co/5skdkdZugJ
— LogCabinRepublicans (@LogCabinGOP) May 20, 2016
The post Yesterday’s GOP Switcheroo on LGBT Equality Was More Heinous Than We Thought appeared first on Towleroad.
Willam Gets Dragged in by Jackie Beat to Police the Bathrooms in New Music Video: WATCH
Drag Race alum Willam has never been shy about taking on the latest anti-LGBT debacle (remember Chick-fil-A?), and this time he’s been called in by drag superstar Jackie Beat because there seems to be a 911 emergency in the local public restroom.
Willam, of course, has no problem finding out just what’s going down behind the stall doors.
Watch (warning: work-unfriendly lyrics):
The post Willam Gets Dragged in by Jackie Beat to Police the Bathrooms in New Music Video: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.
HRC, EqualityNC and NCTE Urge Charlotte Leaders To Reject Any Deal Rolling Back Protections
Today, HRC, Equality North Carolina and the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) sent a letter to Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts and the seven City Council members who voted to advance city-wide LGBT non-discrimination protections on February 22, 2016. The letter comes amid reports of a possible deal on HB2 that could potentially involve repealing the city’s non-discrimination ordinance. The Councilmembers who voted in favor of these crucial protections were: Julie Eiselt, James Mitchell, Al Austin, Patsy Kinsey, John Autry, LaWana Mayfield and Vi Lyles.
HB2 has overturned municipal protections for LGBT people at the local level, barred transgender people from using restrooms consistent with their gender identity in all publicly-owned property, and gutted the ability of people who have been discriminated against — including on the basis of race, religion, and sex — to sue in state court.
In the letter, HRC President Chad Griffin, NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling, and Equality North Carolina Executive Director Chris Sgro urge the mayor and city councilmembers not to compromise on this issue and remind them that nothing short of full repeal of HB2 is acceptable. They are leaders on the right side of history.
The letter follows:
Dear Councilmembers,
We respectfully write to you on behalf of Equality North Carolina, the National Center for Transgender Equality and the Human Rights Campaign’s millions of members and supporters, who continue to admire your courage and resilience in the fight to repeal HB2.
Four months ago, you boldly passed protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) citizens — critical nondiscrimination protections that already exist in 18 states and more than 100 other cities across the country. In fact, Charlotte was one of only a handful of major cities without these protections. Despite facing threats from Governor Pat McCrory and lawmakers in Raleigh, you voted to make the Queen City a more just, more equal place. With your votes, you forced our fellow Americans to address the rampant inequality that LGBT Americans — particularly transgender Americans continue to face every day.
You know all too well the backlash that has ensued. Our opponents mobilized as we knew
they would and rammed through the hateful HB2 in less than a day, with none of the discussion or deliberation in which you thoughtfully engaged. With more than 200 business leaders, major entertainers, and the NCAA and NBA unifying against HB2, including cancelling plans to move to or perform in the city, times have been undoubtedly difficult in Charlotte and across North Carolina. But make no mistake, your votes onFebruary 22 did not cause this. The reckless actions of state leaders, elected to protect all citizens, did. They are the ones who jeopardized and continue to jeopardize the state’s economic opportunities.
The road ahead may be long, and the challenges today may feel insurmountable, but we write today to urge you to stay the course. Backing down in the face of hate isn’t right and it won’t work. Too many people — in North Carolina and across this country — have already suffered at the hands of Governor McCrory, Senator Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore. Not at your hands. But cutting a deal with the likes of lawmakers — or a Chamber that didn’t support Charlotte’s non-discrimination ordinance in the first place — would be foolish and dangerous. They have no desire to take even a single step to ensure LGBT people retain the protections every single American so rightfully deserves.
You must not waiver in your commitment, pin your hopes on a costly and long court battle, or undermine the very values you all fought protect. You are lawmakers. In passing the ordinance, you were doing your job. We urge you to resist retreating, to resist putting what’s easy over what’s right. A deal that calls for a repeal of the ordinance would only tarnish the legacy of your city which you have worked so hard to strengthen.
This moment in which we find ourselves is quickly defining the type of nation we are destined to be. Today, you are standing on the right side of history. As Councilmember Al Austin said the night you passed the ordinance, “Are we a city that panders to fear and hate to those who wish to perpetuate fear and injustice? I say to you, ‘Not on my watch.’” That was true then, and remains true now. We cannot ‘compromise’ on equality and the world is watching.
Respectfully,
Chris Sgro, Executive Director, Equality North Carolina
Mara Keisling, Executive Director, National Center for Transgender Equality
Chad Griffin, President, Human Rights Campaign
Charlotte Shouldn’t Risk So-Called ‘Compromise’ Deal That Kills Local Non-Discrim Ordinance
Today, the Charlotte Observer editorialized about a so-called compromise move in the works over HB2 that would involve the City Council repealing Charlotte’s Non-discrimination ordinance.
“It involves Charlotte City Council members making a symbolic gesture that risks alienating the LGBT community the council is trying to protect from discrimination. It also involves council members trusting Republicans in Raleigh who have done very little to earn that trust. What could go wrong?”
The blame for the current stalemate falls squarely on the shoulders of Gov. McCrory, Senator Berger and Speaker Moore, who rammed through HB2 with less than one day’s debate. The democratically-elected members of the City Council who originally passed Charlotte’s non-discrimination ordinance were only doing their jobs.
The critical nondiscrimination protections that Charlotte passed already exist in 18 states and more than 100 other cities across the country. In fact, until the City Council took action, Charlotte was one of only a handful of major cities without these protections.
Charlotte City Council shouldn’t fall prey to scheming of @PatMcCroryNC @SenatorBerger @NCHouseSpeaker who rammed thru #HB2 in the 1st place
— Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin) May 20, 2016
The world is watching and we cannot ‘compromise’ on equality when so much is at stake. Since HB2 was passed, we’ve heard from countless transgender people in North Carolina like Madeline Goss, who now carry with them daily the fear of discrimination and harassment as they try to go about their lives.
The solution here is to repeal HB2, not Charlotte’s non-discrimination ordinance.
Lawsuit Threatens To End San Francisco Pride Festival Once And For All
An injunction has been filed in an attempt to force the city of San Francisco to shutter its Civic Center Pride festival, a free event attended by upwards of one million people each year. The reason, however, may not be what you’d expect.
There’s a cold, hard truth to San Francisco Pride that at some point during the weekend’s festivities, a senseless act of violence can cast a shadow over the revelry. Now two victims who were injured during a 2013 shooting at the festival have joined a suit to put an end to the upcoming June 2016 gathering.
The action was announced in a release by the Beverly Hills firm of Rosenfeld, Meyer, and Susman — the same firm that represented Trevor Gardner, an LA man who was also shot at the 2013 festival. Gardner sued SF Pride and its Celebration Committee for $10 million, saying the injury hurt his prospects at a career as a physical trainer. His lawyers argued that the committee had been negligent in controlling security in and around the festival, and in 2015, Gardner reached an undisclosed settlement with the organization.
The new complaint references incidents of gunfire at Pride events each year since 2011, and makes note of the fact that the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence decided to walk away from hosting the Pink Saturday street party in the Castro in part because a Sister was attacked in an alleged hate crime at the event in 2014. Pink Saturday has been canceled altogether in 2016 for security reasons.
Also mentioned are internal emails form SF Pride that discuss the impossibility of fully securing the massive street festival, and promote alcohol sales at the event.
If successful, the suit would claim another beloved SF Pride tradition. While the parade would still take place, it would be a major loss for the 99.999% of nonviolent participants who plan to attend the Civic Center celebration.
What do you think — do a few rotten apples spoil the barrel, or should the city do what it can to offer security, cross its fingers and hope for the best?
h/t SFist
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