EXCLUSIVE: Mayor Of Orlando Speaks Directly To LGBTQ Community At Logo’s “Trailblazers”

As part of Logo’s annual Trailblazers Honors, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer recorded a statement directly to the LGBTQ community, expressing support and reaffirming that acts love and kindness have the power to heal, even in the face of tragedy.

“In Orlando we’re proud to be an inclusive community that embraces diversity and equality,” Mayor Dyer says. “This makes it even more difficult to understand why someone would attack our very way of life.”

He continues: “In the hours and days since the horrific attack, we saw our community, our nation and the entire world, wrap Orlando in their love. Thousands lined the streets to donate blood, volunteered their time, attended vigils, and donated funds to support the victims, their families and the businesses that have been affected by this horrific crime.

All of these acts have shown that we will not be a community defined by a single act of hate, but rather a community that came together to love and support one another in our darkest hour.”

Watch the segment below, and head here for more information on the Trailblazers Honors:

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NYC Police Commissioner Says No Apology Is Needed For Raid That Led To Stonewall Riots

Well, that could have been handled better. The Police Commissioner of the NYPD just said that his department doesn’t owe anyone an apology for raids on gay bars such as the one that led to the Stonewall Riots.

To be fair … nobody who currently works at the NYPD was involved with the raid in 1969. But if you’re going to be proud of your organization’s long heritage and history of achievements, you’ve got to acknowledge the bad things your predecessors did as well.

And the NYPD has certainly made those acknowledgements. “There’s no doubt denying that out of that terrible experience came so much good, that it was the tipping point,” said Commissioner Bill Bratton. “An apology, I don’t think so. I don’t think that’s necessary. The apology is all that’s occurred since then.”

Yes, it’s true, the police certainly have changed. When Bratton made that statement, there was a police vehicle parked outside that was adorned in rainbows and pride logos. When “hot cops” get identified by the gay community these days, they wear it as a badge of honor. It’s an incredible state of affairs that we’ve gone from the police raiding our bars and ruining lives to having their support.

Bratton himself was appointed as a liaison to the gay community in Boston, all the way back in the 1970s. “Times have changed and are continuing to change,” he said.

That’s putting it mildly. And yeah, it’s really nice to have the support of the police. Maybe an apology isn’t necessary after all this time, and after all that the cops have done to change their culture of antagonism to queers. Of course, even the current NYPD is criticized for all sorts of other prejudices.

But still … how hard is it to say “sorry about that”?

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Transgender Military Ban To Be Lifted July 1st

Today, HRC responded to breaking news reports that on July 1, the Department of Defense will finally announce an end to the ban on transgender people serving openly in our military.

“At long last, thousands of brave transgender patriots will be able to serve our nation openly with the respect they deserve,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “This historic announcement will not only extend long-overdue recognition to thousands of transgender service members, it will strengthen our military and our nation. By turning the page on this disgraceful policy, we will now be able to recruit and retain the very best candidates, rather than discharging highly-trained, talented transgender service members for no other reason than who they are.”

In July 2015, the Pentagon announced a working group to study how to modify existing regulations to allow open transgender military service. The working group was expected to complete its review after six months and provide options for how to address the various regulations needed to be updated in order to allow for open service by transgender people.

According to the Williams Institute, there are approximately 15,500 actively serving transgender members of the U.S. military, making the Department of Defense (DoD) the largest employer of transgender people in America. These courageous men and women were forced to serve in silence by DoD medical regulations prohibiting their service and requiring their separation from the military if discovered – regulations that were outdated and out of step with current medical practice. The outdated regulations have significant implications on our nation’s military readiness and on the transgender service members who are currently risking their lives around the world – sometimes in combat zones – while being unable to be their authentic selves or seek the medical care they need.  A service member who is able to be open and honest about his or her gender identity and receive appropriate care is more productive and more focused on their job.

Eighteen other nations, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Israel, allow transgender people to serve openly in their militaries. U.S. service members have been serving alongside their transgender counterparts from these allied forces since at least 2001.

Unlike the statutory ban that interfered with lesbian, gay, and bisexual service members from serving (known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”), the ban on transgender military service was just policy and only required action by the DoD to update.

www.hrc.org/blog/transgender-military-ban-to-be-lifted-july-1st?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Bermuda Rejects Marriage Equality and Civil Unions in Invalid Referendum

The British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, a collection of small North Atlantic islands, held a non-binding referendum on marriage equality and same-sex civil unions on Thursday.

The Royal Gazette reported today that voters rejected both options by 69 percent and 63 percent, respectively. However, in a message to HRC Global, Tony Brannon of Same Love Bermuda said the results of the referendum are invalid as turnout did not meet the required 50 percent threshold.

Since the results are non-binding and the minimum voter turnout threshold was not met, the government will not be required to take action based on the results. But The Royal Gazette also reported earlier this week that Premier Michael Dunkley indicated the referendum results would guide elected officials as it would represent the “will of the people.”

Groups such as OUTBermuda have made it clear that regardless of the disappointing outcome of the referendum, the government has responsibilities and obligations to legally recognize and protect LGBTQ people and families.

Brannon also criticized the government decision to grant “charity status” to the opposition Preserve Marriage campaign, which allowed them to raise significant sums from U.S.-based anti-equality donors (who can claim tax exemptions on the donations).

“We join LGBTQ activists and human rights champions in Bermuda in expressing our shock and disappointment on the results of this referendum,” said Ty Cobb, Director of HRC Global. “Regardless of this unfortunate outcome, HRC remains committed to supporting efforts to extend marriage equality and full human rights protections to LGBTQ people in Bermuda.”

Many activists and groups, such as OUTBermuda, have opposed the referendum on the grounds that it could curtail the rights of sexual and gender minorities. OUTBermuda and The Rainbow Alliance also criticized the $350,000 cost for taxpayers, arguing that the money would have been better spent on education and other purposes.  

While the results of yesterday’s referendum represent an unfortunate setback, Bermuda has made several advances on LGBTQ rights in recent years. Consensual sex between men was decriminalized in 1994, although the age of consent remains higher for same-sex couples. In June 2013, Bermuda banned discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, but the law did not include protections based on gender identity. An attempt to introduce marriage equality had been voted down in Parliament that same month.

Conservative anti-LGBTQ extremists from the United States, such as Brad Harrub, visited Bermuda in recent months attempting to foment anti-LGBTQ animus in advance of the referendum. Harrub speciously claimed that marriage equality could lead to the spread of paedophilia, bestiality and polygamy. He is part of a group of American extremists  working tirelessly to undercut LGBTQ people around the world.

You can read more about HRC Global’s work by signing up for the newsletter HRC Global News here.

www.hrc.org/blog/bermuda-rejects-marriage-equality-and-civil-unions-in-invalid-referendum?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Explaining Marriage Equality to Children

Post submitted by Charles Girard, Coordinator, HRC Welcoming Schools

This Sunday marks one year since the Supreme Court of the U.S. declared marriage equality the law of the land. Since then, families and schools across the nation have used HRC’s Welcoming Schools Project’s resource, “Who Can Marry Whom?” to talk about family diversity with children.

This guide underscores key points to mention to children when discussing marriage equality such as:

• “People can fall in love and want to be in a relationship, no matter their gender.”
• “Marriage is about love, commitment and responsibility.”

“Who Can Marry Whom?” also provides sample answers to questions like:

• “How can two women have children? Don’t you need a dad?”
• “If two men get married, doesn’t that mean they’re gay? Isn’t that weird?”

Looking for more resources and guides to help you discuss LGBTQ topics with students, children or other youth in your life? Welcoming Schools has plenty of book suggestions, lesson plans, and other materials to help the young people in your life understand and embrace LGBTQ people.

HRC Welcoming Schools is the nation’s premier program dedicated to creating respectful and supportive elementary schools that celebrate family diversity and LGBTQ-inclusion, prevent biased-based bullying and gender stereotyping, and embrace all students. We envision a day when all schools will truly be Welcoming Schools.

www.hrc.org/blog/explaining-marriage-equality-to-children?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Joe Biden, RuPaul, Glenn Close And Others Honor Orlando Victims In Logo’s “Trailblazers”

Logo established the annual Trailblazers Honors three years ago, honoring today’s most prolific LGBTQ advocates of equality. The show quickly established itself as a leading awards gala, and the 2016 version will be bigger and better than ever. As an official event of New York City Pride, VH1 and Logo will simulcast the pride event on Saturday, June 25 at 8pm ET/PT, from the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

The evening is dedicated to the lives lost to the Orlando massacre.

This year’s honorees are longtime contributors to the cause: playwright Harvey Fierstein, tennis champion Billy Jean King, and The Advocate magazine, which next year celebrates its half century mark. That’s right, the big 5-0.

A star-studded cast will pay homage to this year’s winners, including Emma Stone, who will present an award to Billy Jean King, Lance Bass, presenting to The Advocate.

Video tributes by Laverne Cox, Judith Light, Matthew Broderick, Bernadette Peters, Billy Porter, Edie Falco, Joel Grey, Tegan & Sara, and Matthew Morrison.

Here are some highlights:

Vice President Joe Biden says, “We need you, we need all of you, because as we celebrate a year of equality in marriage, draconian state laws deny transgender Americans basic civil rights. And in nearly 70 countries, it’s a crime to be who you are.”

Christina Aguilera, Glenn Close, Sia, Whoopi Goldberg, Boy George, Kathy Griffin, and others passionately decry gun violence and offer heartfelt video tributes to Orlando.

An unusually understated RuPaul holds a moment of silence for the victims of the Orlando massacre.

The cast of RuPaul’s All Stars Drag Race pay tribute to Harvey Fierstein with a surprise performance of “I Am What I Am”.

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Everything You May Not Know About The Creation Of The Pride Flag

A long time ago in a world that was far less gay, Gilbert Baker created something very special with $1,000 and 1,000 yards of fabric.

On June 25th, 1978, he created arguably the most enduring symbol of pride and unity for the LGBT Community.

Our friends at NBCOut caught up with Baker, and he shared the story.

Check out the video below.

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