How Tennessee Williams inadvertently created one of the world’s gayest hot spots

www.queerty.com/tennessee-williams-inadvertently-created-one-worlds-gayest-hot-spots-20180919?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Trump, Heller and Tarkanian Bring Toxic Anti-LGBTQ Agenda to Nevada

 HRC responded to President Donald Trump, who is scheduled to raise money and campaign for anti-LGBTQ Senator Dean Heller and Congressional candidate Danny Tarkanian. Trump, Heller and Tarkanian all have long records of undermining LGBTQ equality.

“The choice in this election could not be more clear for Nevada voters,” said HRC Nevada State Director Briana Escamilla. “Heller and Tarkanian have pushed anti-LGBTQ policies that are dangerous and politically toxic. By continuing to align themselves with the Trump-Pence administration, they are showing they act as a rubber stamp for the politics of prejudice of this White House. The more than 600,000 Equality Voters in Nevada will not stand for their discriminatory agenda. That’s why HRC is on the ground mobilizing members and supporters across the state to reject the politics of hate, and elect pro-equality champions Jacky Rosen and Susie Lee in November.”

While in office Senator Heller has opposed marriage equality and voted against the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” He also voted against the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr Hate Crimes Prevention Act to provide federal protections from hate crimes based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

HRC has endorsed Rep. Jacky Rosen (NV-03) for Senate, a champion for LGBTQ equality. Since joining Congress, Rosen has been an outspoken critic of the Trump-Pence Administration’s assault on the LGBTQ community, from revoking discrimination protections for transgender children in public schools, to attempting to erase the LGBTQ community in the U.S. census. She is a co-sponsor of the Equality Act and the Global Respect Act, legislation that would strengthen U.S. foreign policy related to anti-LGBTQ discrimination abroad.

Danny Tarkanian supports a license to discriminate against LGBTQ people, and has vowed to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which provides federal protections for LGBTQ people by prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex orientation and gender identity.

In Nevada, HRC has identified more than 600,000 “Equality Voters” — voters who support LGBTQ-inclusive policies. HRC has prioritized investments and organizing in Nevada in the 2018 cycle, and has staff and resources on the ground in the state as part of the largest grassroots expansion in the organization’s 38-year history.

www.hrc.org/blog/trump-heller-tarkanian-bring-toxic-anti-lgbtq-agenda-to-nevada?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

‘Wasn’t That Long Ago…’ Gay Man’s Memory of the AIDS Crisis Goes Viral on Twitter

A powerful series of tweets recalling the AIDS crisis is going viral on Twitter.

The thread was written by Tucker Shaw, the editor of Cook’s Country magazine, and may trigger some devastating memories for those who lived through it.

He was talking about AIDS, in a scholarly way. About how it had galvanized the gay community. How it had spurred change. Paved the way to make things better, in the long run.

— Tucker Shaw (@tucker_shaw) September 18, 2018

Maybe he’s right. I don’t know. It’s not the first time I’ve heard the theory. He spoke with clarity and with confidence. Youthful, full of conviction. But.

— Tucker Shaw (@tucker_shaw) September 18, 2018

Some nights, you’d sneak in to that hospital downtown after visiting hours, just to see who was around. It wasn’t hard.

— Tucker Shaw (@tucker_shaw) September 18, 2018

You’d get kicked out, but you’d sneak back in. Kicked out again. Back in again. Sometimes you’d recognize a friend. Sometimes you wouldn’t.

— Tucker Shaw (@tucker_shaw) September 18, 2018

Together, you’d keep a list of names in a notebook you bought for thirty cents in Chinatown so you could remember who was still here and who wasn’t, because it was so easy to forget.

— Tucker Shaw (@tucker_shaw) September 18, 2018

When he finally had to go too, you got rid of the notebook. No more names.

— Tucker Shaw (@tucker_shaw) September 18, 2018

When he’d been gone long enough and it was time to get rid of his stuff, they’d say so. It’s time. And you’d do it, you’d give away the shirts, sweaters, jackets. Everything.

— Tucker Shaw (@tucker_shaw) September 18, 2018

You’d move to a new neighborhood. You’d unpack the first night, take a shower, make the bed because it’d be bedtime. You’d think of the shoes. For the first time, you’d put them on. Look at those shoes. What great shoes.

— Tucker Shaw (@tucker_shaw) September 18, 2018

You’d sit for a while, maybe an hour, maybe more. Then you’d unlace the shoes, set them by the trash on the curb. You’d go back upstairs in your socks. The phone is ringing. More news.

— Tucker Shaw (@tucker_shaw) September 18, 2018

The long run. Wasn’t that long ago.

— Tucker Shaw (@tucker_shaw) September 18, 2018

Here’s Shaw’s full remembrance:

I overheard a young man on the train on the way home today, talking to another young man. Holding hands. In college, I guessed. About that age anyway. Much younger than I am. He was talking about AIDS, in a scholarly way. About how it had galvanized the gay community. How it had spurred change. Paved the way to make things better, in the long run.

The long run.

Maybe he’s right. I don’t know. It’s not the first time I’ve heard the theory. He spoke with clarity and with confidence. Youthful, full of conviction. But. Remember how terrible it was, not that long ago, during the worst times. How many beautiful friends died. One after the other. Brutally. Restlessly. Brittle and damp. In cold rooms with hot lights. Remember? Some nights, you’d sneak in to that hospital downtown after visiting hours, just to see who was around. It wasn’t hard. You’d bring a boom box. Fresh gossip. Trashy magazines and cheap paperbacks. Hash brownies. Anything. Nothing. You’d get kicked out, but you’d sneak back in. Kicked out again. Back in again. Sometimes you’d recognize a friend. Sometimes you wouldn’t.

Other nights, you’d go out to dance and drink. A different distraction. You’d see a face in the dark, in the back of the bar. Is it you? Old friend! No. Not him. Just a ghost. At work, you’d find an umbrella, one you’d borrowed a few rainstorms ago from a coworker. I should return it, you’d think. No. No need. He’s gone. It’s yours now. Season after season. Year after year.

One day you’d get lucky and meet someone lovely. You’d feel happy, optimistic. You’d make plans. Together, you’d keep a list of names in a notebook you bought for thirty cents in Chinatown so you could remember who was still here and who wasn’t, because it was so easy to forget. But there were so many names to write down. Too many names. Names you didn’t want to write down. When he finally had to go too, you got rid of the notebook. No more names.

Your friends would come over with takeout and wine and you’d see how hard they tried not to ask when he was coming home because they knew he wasn’t coming home. No one came home. You’d turn 24. When he’d been gone long enough and it was time to get rid of his stuff, they’d say so. It’s time. And you’d do it, you’d give away the shirts, sweaters, jackets. Everything. Except those shoes. You remember the ones. He loved those shoes, you’d say. We loved those shoes. I’ll keep those shoes under the bed.

You’d move to a new neighborhood. You’d unpack the first night, take a shower, make the bed because it’d be bedtime. You’d think of the shoes. For the first time, you’d put them on. Look at those shoes. What great shoes. Air. You’d need air. You’d walk outside in the shoes, just to the stoop. You’d sit. A breeze. A neighbor steps past. “Great shoes,” she’d say. But the shoes are too big for you. You’d sit for a while, maybe an hour, maybe more. Then you’d unlace the shoes, set them by the trash on the curb. You’d go back upstairs in your socks. The phone is ringing. More news.

The long run. Wasn’t that long ago.

The post ‘Wasn’t That Long Ago…’ Gay Man’s Memory of the AIDS Crisis Goes Viral on Twitter appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

‘Wasn’t That Long Ago…’ Gay Man’s Memory of the AIDS Crisis Goes Viral on Twitter

Wilfred Labiosa: A un año de Irma y María, Puerto Rico continúa en la lucha

Para el puertorriqueño Wilfred Labiosa, los esfuerzos de recuperación para ayudar a su pueblo continúan desafiando a los activistas y líderes comunitarios, casi a un año después de los devastadores huracanes Irma y María.

Labiosa es el director ejecutivo de Waves Ahead, entidad dedicada a ayudar a personas LGBTQ y comunidades marginadas de Puerto Rico, y miembro fundador de #ReconstruyeQ, una coalición de organizaciones LGBTQ y aliadas que lideran los esfuerzos de recuperación y restauración para la comunidad LGBTQ de la isla.

A principios de este año, HRC se unió al proyecto #ReconstruyeQ junto a más de cincuenta voluntarios de Estados Unidos y el Reino Unido, para brindar apoyo práctico a la comunidad LGBTQ de la isla que aún enfrenta las devastadoras consecuencias de las tormentas tropicales.

Puerto Rico sigue luchando para superar el sinnúmero de problemas desatados por las fatales tormentas, que incluyen cortes de energía eléctrica generalizados y la falta de agua potable. Un estudio reciente realizado por la Universidad George Washington estima que el número de fallecidos por las tormentas y sus secuelas es de 2,975.

HRC conversó con Labiosa sobre los últimos acontecimientos en la región.

A medida que se acerca el primer aniversario de Irma y María, ¿cuál es el sentimiento entre las comunidades de la isla?

Somos personas de gran resiliencia, hemos notado esto ahora más que nunca. Aunque hay mucha ansiedad durante la temporada de huracanes, estamos listos para actuar y ayudarnos mutuamente. Hay mucho por hacer, pero sabemos que podemos hacerlo juntos.

¿Han sido suficientes los esfuerzos de recuperación después de los eventos devastadores?

No. Aunque hemos recibido algo de apoyo, no ha sido suficiente. El gobierno puertorriqueño ha recibido fondos para reconstruir carreteras, pero todavía estamos esperando que tomen medidas. Hay muchas esquinas sin postes de luz y muchas empresas que cerraron porque no pudieron recuperarse.

Cuéntanos sobre la importancia del proyecto #ReconstruyeQ.

#ReconstruyeQ es la única esperanza para muchos que luchan por la ayuda de instituciones públicas que agudizan los problemas legales y carecen de una comprensión general sobre las necesidades específicas de la comunidad LGBTQ. Junto a organizaciones sin fines de lucro y miembros de la comunidad, estamos comprometidos no solo a reconstruir hogares, sino también a ayudar a quienes lo necesitan con apoyo emocional y servicios de salud mental.

¿Qué desafíos específicos experimentan las personas LGBTQ después de los huracanes?

He escuchado tantas historias de personas LGBTQ que solicitan ayuda de instituciones públicas y que se las niega por ser quiénes son o por cómo se ven. Nuestra comunidad necesita respeto. No hay registros oficiales de víctimas LGBTQ de las tormentas porque el gobierno no reconoce la importancia de recopilar datos de personas LGBTQ dentro de nuestra sociedad.

¿Alguna lección que te gustaría compartir?

Cuando nos unimos como comunidad puertorriqueña y LGBTQ, podemos hacer mucho más. ¡Necesitamos unirnos y usar nuestro voto para traer cambios!

A medida que las tormentas tropicales continúan llegando a EE. UU., HRC se solidariza con los afectados por Florence en las Carolinas y en toda la región. HRC se enorgullece de ser parte de #ReconstruyeQ y ayudar a los miembros de la comunidad LGBTQ de Puerto Rico a reconstruir sus hogares y sus vidas.

www.hrc.org/blog/wilfred-labiosa-a-un-ano-de-irma-y-maria-puerto-rico-continua-en-la-lucha?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed