Lady Gaga Talks Kindness With Dalai Lama (Video)

www.advocate.com/religion/2016/6/28/lady-gaga-talks-kindness-dalai-lama-video

Couple at SF Pride Says Uber Driver Kicked Them Out (Video)

www.advocate.com/pride/2016/6/28/couple-sf-pride-says-uber-driver-kicked-them-out-video

Amid Pressure from NBA, North Carolina Lawmakers Draft Revisions to HB 2: REPORT

North Carolina legislators have reportedly drafted revisions to the state’s anti-LGBT law HB 2 as a result of pressure from the NBA.

The NBA is set to hold the 2017 All-Star Game in Charlotte, the city whose pro-LGBT human rights ordinance spurred Republican legislators to rush the discriminatory HB 2 through the state legislature in just one day.

HB 2 bans all local LGBT rights ordinances and also requires that individuals use bathrooms that match their gender at birth, not their gender identity.

WBTV reports on the draft revisions: 

Among the draft bill’s biggest changes is the creation of an official document that would recognize a person’s gender reassignment. The new document, which is treated as the equivalent as a birth certificate in the draft legislation, is referred to as a certificate of sex reassignment.

“An individual who (i) was born in another state or territory of the United States that does not provide a mechanism for amending a current certificate of birth or issuing a new certificate of birth to change the sex of an individual following sex reassignment surgery and (ii) resides in this State at the time of the written application may request a certificate of sex reassignment from the State Registrar,” the legislation reads. “The State Registrar shall issue a certificate of sex reassignment upon a written application from an individual accompanied by a notarized statement from the physician who performed the sex reassignment surgery or from a physician licensed to practice medicine who has examined the individual and can certify that the person has undergone sex reassignment surgery.”

The draft bill also amends portions of HB2 related to protections for employees by adding specific references to federal statutes that provide special protections for certain groups of people. Other changes in the draft legislation increase the penalties for suspects convicted of committing certain offenses in a multi-person bathroom or changing facility.

A source who has been a party to the conversations between league officials and state legislators told WBTV, “What the league is looking for is for anyone to be able to use, at any All Star venue, the bathroom associated with their gender identity.”

NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley called on the NBA to pull the All-Star Game from Charlotte over HB 2. In April, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said that the game would be moved if lawmakers didn’t change HB 2.

The post Amid Pressure from NBA, North Carolina Lawmakers Draft Revisions to HB 2: REPORT appeared first on Towleroad.

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Provincetown’s ‘Crown & Anchor’ Has a Hot 2016 Summer Agenda for You

If you’re heading to Cape Cod and the great, gay resort town of Provincetown, Massachusetts this summer it’s time to start nailing down your plans, as tickets for both parties and shows sell out early!

We’d like to highlight some of the events happening this summer at the iconic Crown & Anchor, one of Towleroad’s partners and a key hub of entertainment and nightlife for ‘Ptown’.

For those of you who might be making a first visit, the Crown & Anchor features the Central House restaurant, Paramount (the town’s largest gay nightclub), Wave video bar, a cabaret, a piano bar, a heated pool, and The Vault leather bar. All feature regular and special events.

Some highlight of this season at The Crown that you won’t want to miss:

Independence 2016, Provincetown’s week-long 4th of July celebration, is fast approaching and the music and party line-up is hotter than ever with Abel, Morabito, Gustavo Scorpio, Joe Gauthreaux, Chris Racine, Isaac Escalante, Eddie Martinez, Alain Jackinsky, and Thiago Oliveira on hand to keep the beats going. Get your tickets and passes HERE.

Dance under the sun at this year’s Freedom: The Beach Party which takes place on Sunday, July 3rd from 1-6 pm with DJ Joe Gauthreaux. Celebrate our LGBT independence under the sun with a gorgeous view of Provincetown Harbor.The inaugural beach party in 2014 was chosen as the best new Circuit event of the year and this year will be even bigger! Tickets and information HERE.

ENTERTAINMENT

Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs

The one and only Alan Cumming will arrive in Provincetown for a one-night-only show on July 16 at Town Hall Auditorium. Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs is the name of the hugely acclaimed cabaret show Alan premiered in 2015 at New York’s legendary Cafe Carlyle. This is one show you won’t want to miss and tickets will sell out. There are also some special VIP tickets available which include a special meet-and-greet after the show. More info and tickets HERE.

Lypsinka

Drag legend Lypsinka is also coming to Town Hall on August 6 for one night only. John Epperson brings his shape-shifting alter ego to the Ptown stage to deliver snippets of outrageous 20th-century female performances in movies and song in Lypsinka: The Boxed Set. Everyone in town will be talking about this show so if you’re coming to the Cape that week make sure to get a ticket early. More information HERE.

Pam Ann Full Throttle

Everyone’s favorite Australian Airhostess Pam Ann will be at the Crown during Bear Week for two shows on July 11 and 12 where she’ll take you on a flight of comedy you’re not going to forget. Nothing is out of reach of her pristine white gloves, strutting up the aisle with a trolley full of beautifully unpredictable, acerbic airline satire. Fasten your seat belts and prepare to be entertained. More information and tickets HERE.

PARTIES

Strip down to your skivvies for the Black-Out Underwear Party every Thursday through September 8  at the Paramount Nightclub with music from DJ Chris Racine. There is a free clothes check so you can let yourself go at the week’s sexiest party. And remember, what happens in Ptown stays in Ptown! The first Black-Out Underwear Party takes place on June 30 and is the Official Independence Week Welcome Party.

Testostérone is the party for those of you who get into your gear. It’s all about the music and the men. On July 13 it kicks off on a Wednesday with a Testosterone Bear Party as part of Bear Week, and after that takes place on Saturdays starting July 30, and continuing August 6, 20, 27, and September 3.

DINING

In her second season at the Central House at the Crown, Celebrity Chef Michele Ragussis is serving up simple and refined cuisine featuring local, seasonal ingredients in a casual atmosphere. Locally-sourced seafood and responsibly raised and grown ingredients are at the heart of Ragussis’ delicious menu. Highlights include the Linguini & Clams and the Spicy Lobster Pappardelle. Serving lunch and dinner 7 days a week.

The post Provincetown’s ‘Crown & Anchor’ Has a Hot 2016 Summer Agenda for You appeared first on Towleroad.

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The ‘Gay of Thrones’ Recap of the Season 6 Finale Is Here: ‘The Twinks of Weho’ – WATCH

Spoilers ahead…

It was the season finale of Game of Thrones this week which means not only do we have to wait another year before we return to Westeros, we will also be left waiting for new episodes of Gay of Thrones.

ICYMI – Winter Is Here: ‘Game Of Thrones’ 06×10 [RECAP] – SPOILERS

Jonathan van Ness and his guest Bryan Safi dissect everything that went down in the 7 kingdoms in the season 6 finale of the HBO show. On tap in this episode? We got the trial of the century in Westeros, a successful gay conversion (during pride month = rude), vintage Mia Farrow serving appletinis, baby TomTom going bye bye, Highgarden Maggie Smith reading Dornish b*tches to filth, Christina and vintage Smith Jared consciously uncoupling, MunchMunch winning the Hand of the Queen medal, and Little Miss No Sunshine reading everyone for not respecting the rules of the phone tree.

Find out what all of that exactly means (in case you’re confused), below.

The post The ‘Gay of Thrones’ Recap of the Season 6 Finale Is Here: ‘The Twinks of Weho’ – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

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Why LGBT Catholics Are Skeptical Of Pope Francis’ Apology To Gays

“…the Church must not only acknowledge the wrongs of the past, but take concrete actions that demonstrate its commitment to treating LGBT people justly from now on.”

The post Why LGBT Catholics Are Skeptical Of Pope Francis’ Apology To Gays appeared first on ThinkProgress.

thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2016/06/28/3793566/pope-francis-apology-lgbt/

#AM_Equality Tip Sheet: June 28, 2016

JUDGE BLOCKS PART OF DISCRIMINATORY MISSISSIPPI LAW: In a ruling yesterday, U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves blocked a provision of Mississippi’s discriminatory H.B. 1523 that would allow county clerks to deny same-sex couples marriage licenses. The rest of the harmful law goes into effect on Friday. The ruling comes in a case litigated by Roberta Kaplan, the civil rights lawyer who argued in front of the Supreme Court of the United States in the landmark case United States v. Windsor. More from HRC.

GOOD DAY AT THE SCOTUS: Yesterday, the Supreme Court of the United States made two key decisions to protect Americans — including LGBTQ Americans. First, in a major victory, SCOTUS ruled to strike down Texas’ HB2 (the OTHER bad HB2) in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt. Health centers like Whole Woman’s Health ensure access to safe healthcare for millions of Texans, including family planning, HIV testing, transition-related care and countless other services the LGBTQ community relies on. SCOTUS also ruled in the case Voisine v. the United States that it is permissible for the federal government to keep guns out of the hands of those convicted of domestic violence, including where the domestic violence involves reckless conduct– a move that could protect countless people from injury or death. In the wake of Orlando, we should be doing more to create thoughtful gun violence prevention measures. More from The Washington Post and The Boston Globe.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, STONEWALL: On this day in 1969, LGBTQ patrons of the Stonewall Inn, a New York City bar, took a stand and fought back against the brutal police intimidation and harassment they regularly faced simply for congregating. By refusing to resign themselves to the shadows of that bar, or the corners of American society, these early pioneers helped birth a movement to eradicate discrimination against all LGBTQ people. The following year, the first Pride marches took place in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles on June 28, commemorating the anniversary of this brave and historic stand against injustice. More from HRC.

• At yesterday’s powerful dedication ceremony for the Stonewall National Monument in New York City, Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Obama, praised the Administration for its steadfast dedication to LGBTQ rights. She also reflected on the Orlando massacre, and work left to be done to achieve LGBTQ equality, saying, “That night served as an excruciating reminder that though we have made immense progress — of which we should all be proud — our work remains to make the United States a more tolerant, safe, and just country for all Americans.” Read the full speech on the Huffington Post and see pictures from yesterday’s event here.
• New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed an executive order establishing an LGBT Memorial Commission tasked with building a monument in New York City honoring LGBTQ victims of hate and violence, including those killed in Orlando. More from WHAM.

SHOCKING POST-ORLANDO HATE FROM EXTREMIST PASTORS: While the response from U.S. religious leaders to the Orlando massacre has largely been supportive of the LGBTQ community, The New York Times chronicles the spate of hate-filled comments from extremist, anti-LGBTQ preachers — including the shocking assertion by an Arizona Baptist Church leader that the 49 innocent victims “all should have been killed.” The extremist pastors and their outrageous rhetoric have been roundly condemned, but the Southern Poverty Law Center warns that such hate speech “should not be dismissed as empty rhetoric,” the Times reports. Read more here.

ROY MOORE’S ETHICS VIOLATIONS: On August 8, disgraced Chief Justice Roy Moore will finally answer charges that he violated judicial ethics by repeatedly using his position on the Alabama Supreme Court to attempt to block marriage equality in the state in direct conflict with federal court decisions. The Court of the Judiciary announced the hearing date yesterday, and also asked Moore’s supporters to stop calling. More from The Montgomery Advertiser.

TIME FOR A CHECK-UP: A national health study reveals that LGBTQ people are more likely than their non-LGBTQ peers to experience chronic stress and report poor health and health behaviors, including heavy drinking and smoking. A study co-author says, “the experience of being part of a stigmatized minority population can lead to chronic stress, which, in turn, can have negative impacts on health and health behaviors.” More from U.S. News & World Report.

WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH, MEET THE TRANSGENDER FLAG: Planting Peace has expanded its rainbow-painted Equality House resource center across the street from the hateful Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka to include a house painted in the colors of the transgender flag. The project was inspired by Avery Jackson, a young transgender girl who said visiting the Equality House gave her joy and the confidence to speak about her transition. Read more about Avery and her mother Debi Jackson at HRC.

TAKE PRIDE IN KNOWING: Yesterday, to mark National HIV Testing Day, HRC encouraged individuals to get tested, know their status and speak out about HIV and AIDS. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in eight Americans does not know their HIV status. Read more at HRC.

LGBTQ DISABILITY DAY: To honor LGBTQ Disability Day, The White House yesterday hosted advocates for a Forum on LGBT and Disability Issues. Watch the full forum: The White House

READING RAINBOW

Vogue looks at how the LGBTQ community is looking at gun safety as an issue; TIME shares findings from the 2016 LGBT Financial Experience survey; Advocate showcases a self-guided NYC “Gay Bars That Are Gone” walking tour; Yahoo! reports the controversy surrounding the first openly non-binary prom queen; NBC News highlights the LGBTQ community uniting to celebrate Pride in the wake of the Orlando massacre.
Have news? Send us your news and tips at [email protected]. Click here to subscribe to A.M. Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading!

www.hrc.org/blog/am-equality-tip-sheet-june-28-2016?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

One Dance, Caitlyn Jenner, Luke Lewis, Blood Ban, Brian Brown, Philippines: NEWS

BLOOD BAN. Rep. Jared Polis leading effort to remove FDA’s gay blood ban: “Polis is expected to speak to journalists nationally on a conference call Tuesday morning, joining Rep. Alan Grayson of Orlando, National Gay Blood Drive spokesman Jay Franzone and Progressive Change Campaign Committee co-founder Adam Green.”

LAWSUITS. Gay black man says 2013 beating the result of close relationship between NYPD, city officials, and Jewish safety patrols: “Taj Patterson of Fort Greene, was walking down Flushing Ave. in Williamsburg in December 2013 when he was set upon by a gang of men linked to the Shomrim, a volunteer Orthodox Jewish security patrol. He was left battered, and lost eyesight in one eye.”

PAKISTAN. Clerics say transgender marriages are allowed in Islam. “It is permissible for a transgender person with male indications on his body to marry a transgender person with female indications on her body,” said the document, signed by 50 clerics and issued on Sunday. “Also, normal men and women can also marry such transgender people as have clear indications on their body.”

SHE’S BACK. Caitlyn Jenner returns to the cover of Sports Illustrated.

EXCLUSIVE: @Caitlyn_Jenner revisits the 1976 Olympics in this week’s cover story t.co/Pn3CNbMjhR pic.twitter.com/7kj341lWNF

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 28, 2016

Map of the gay friendly Philippines

PHILIPPINES. Nation’s first transgender lawmaker looks into legalizing same-sex unions: “”Iba ang same-sex marriage kasi yung term, first of all, is very controversial. There are certain sectors in our society that want an exclusive hold on that term, let them keep that term. What we want are the civil rights as well as privileges and obligations of a marriage. We can call it civil union.”

TANZANIA. Top official says country will never lift ban on same-sex marriage: “The Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Constitutional Affairs and Justice, Mr Amon Mpanju, made the remarks in Dar es Salaam yesterday at the Second Universal Periodic Review Recommendations- Civil Society Feedback Session and Development Follow up Strategies Workshop. ‘While you are discussing, you should note that the government will never entertain recommendations that are contrary with the law of the land and the cultural norms of the society.’ stressed Mr Mpanju.”

REJOICING. $100,000 Pyramid is back.

PATHETIC. NOM’s Brian Brown says fight against same-sex marriage will continue for decades. “It’s going to take years, maybe decades, but we need a movement that has this march to be a living symbol year in and year out that we’re here, we’re not going away, and we’re growing.”

POSTERIORS. Rugby player Luke Lewis.

JACK TOOK QUITE A SPILL. The Metro Los Angeles safety video is quite grisly.

ONE DANCE. Obama sings the Drake hit.

NUZZLING HORSE. When a reporter can’t escape.

TOO HOT FOR TUESDAY. Mek Rattanakup.

The post One Dance, Caitlyn Jenner, Luke Lewis, Blood Ban, Brian Brown, Philippines: NEWS appeared first on Towleroad.

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