HRC Mourns Ciara Minaj Carter Frazier, 2nd Black Trans Woman Killed in Chicago in the Last 5 Weeks

HRC Mourns Ciara Minaj Carter Frazier, 2nd Black Trans Woman Killed in Chicago in the Last 5 Weeks

HRC is shocked and horrified to learn of the death of Ciara Minaj Carter Frazier, a 31-year-old Black transgender woman, who was fatally stabbed Wednesday night in the West Side of Chicago.

As reported in the Sun Times, Chicago police declared Frazier’s death a homicide after appearing on the scene. According to officials, Frazier was killed and her body left behind an abandoned building by a man with whom she was arguing. As of Thursday evening, a search for the suspect was still ongoing.

Transgender advocate Monica Roberts has also received reports from “local trans advocates and people that knew Ciara” of undisclosed and disturbing details surrounding Frazier’s death, suggesting anti-trans bias may have played a role in her killing — including that her body may have been mutilated before she was discovered by authorities.

Friends and loved ones took to social media to remember Frazier. “My heart is broken so many memories so many good times” wrote one friend, while another expressed that Frazier will “always be missed.” According to LaSaia Wade, Executive Director of Brave Space Alliances, a transgender advocacy organization located in Chicago, Frazier was a also regular participant in the city’s Black LGBTQ ballroom scene. 

This news comes mere weeks after the death of Dejanay Stanton, another young, Black transgender woman, on August 30 in Chicago. Wade told the Sun Times that she feels the community is being “targeted” and is “frustrated and upset” with the official police response.

Frazier’s death is the sixth known killing of a trans woman of color in the last five weeks and the 22nd known killing of a transgender person in 2018.

Last fall, the HRC Foundation and the Trans People of Color Coalition released a comprehensive report detailing this tragic epidemic that made 2017 the deadliest year on record for transgender people.

If this disturbing trend continues, 2018 may soon see more reported lives lost than in the previous year.

To learn more about HRC’s transgender justice work, visit hrc.org/Transgender.

www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-mourns-ciara-minaj-carter-frazier-2nd-black-trans-woman-killed-in-chica?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

A Totally Unprepared Jesse Tyler Ferguson Takes Architectural Digest on a Lengthy Tour of His Stunning Home: WATCH

A Totally Unprepared Jesse Tyler Ferguson Takes Architectural Digest on a Lengthy Tour of His Stunning Home: WATCH

Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who wasn’t expecting them to show up at all, welcomed Architectural Digest into the home he shares with husband Justin Mikita, which was previously owned and has a dramatic pool installed by Gwen Stefani.

Ferguson also showed off his dueling diva candles, his Liza Minnelli head, the cake topper from their wedding, and their drinking room.

The post A Totally Unprepared Jesse Tyler Ferguson Takes Architectural Digest on a Lengthy Tour of His Stunning Home: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.


A Totally Unprepared Jesse Tyler Ferguson Takes Architectural Digest on a Lengthy Tour of His Stunning Home: WATCH

The GLAAD Wrap: ‘A Star is Born’ in theaters, ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,’ ‘Runaways,’ and ‘Sabrina’ trailers, new music from Mila Jam, Ty Herndon, and more!

The GLAAD Wrap: ‘A Star is Born’ in theaters, ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,’ ‘Runaways,’ and ‘Sabrina’ trailers, new music from Mila Jam, Ty Herndon, and more!

Gaga and Cooper, A Star Is Born
Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

Every week, the GLAAD Wrap brings you LGBTQ-related entertainment news highlights, fresh stuff to watch out for, and fun diversions to help you kick off the weekend!

1) Coming off of rave reviews from the festival circuit, the newest A Star is Born iteration opens in theaters today. Starring bi pop star and actress Lady Gaga opposite director Bradley Cooper, the film tells the classic story of established musician Jackson Maine (Cooper) discovering the talented Ally (Gaga) at a gay bar, and the two falling in love. The film features prominent drag queens as Ally’s friends and supporters, and showcases Gaga’s talent. The soundtrack, featuring original songs by Gaga, is also available wherever music is streamed or sold.

2) Today, out actor Rupert Everett’s directorial debut The Happy Prince opens in theaters. The film tells the story of the final years of legendary gay writer Oscar Wilde, portrayed by Everett, between when he was released from prison and his death in 1900. Through a series of flashbacks, audiences glimpse into his life, his relationship with lover Bosie, and his infamous trial. The Happy Prince opens in limited release today and will open wider next week.

3) The first teaser has been released for the Elton John biopic Rocketman, which shows Taron Egerton portraying the iconic gay singer as he plays the titular song over a montage of exciting moments from John’s life. The film will open on May 31, 2019. In further film news, pansexual singer and actress Janelle Monae has been cast in the upcoming Harriet, the biopic of abolitionist Harriet Tubman, starring Cynthia Erivo. Additionally, Rosie Perez has been cast in DC’s upcoming Birds of Prey movie as lesbian character Renee Montoya, a Gotham City detective from the comics.

4) A trailer has been released for upcoming comedy Lez Bomb from out writer, director, and star Jenna Laurenzo. The film takes place over the course of Thanksgiving weekend when a young woman comes home with the intention of coming out to her family, but things end up not going exactly as planned. The film will be released in theaters and on demand November 9. Good Kisser, another film about queer women, from writer/director Wendy Jo Carlton, has just announced its cast. It will star Kari Alison Hodge as Jenna, a woman who goes on a weekend trip with her girlfriend (Rachel Paulson) and another woman (Julie Eringer), and realizes she’s bitten off more than she can chew. Good Kisser will begin filming this fall.

5) A new featurette – “Becoming Freddie” – premiered for upcoming Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. It gives a behind the scenes look at actor Rami Malek’s transformation into the iconic queer Queen front man. The film will be released in theaters on November 2, and you can check out the featurette below! Documentary Hurley, another film about a queer figure in history, as just received distribution through The Orchard. Hurley follows Hurley Haywood, a successful race car driver who kept his sexuality a secret for the majority of his career. The film is directed by Derek Dodge and executive produced by Patrick Dempsey and is expected to be released sometime next year.

6) Out writer and director Justin Simien, best known for creating Dear White People, will direct the upcoming feature film about Sylvia Robinson, the singer, producer, and songwriter known as “The Mother of Hip-Hop.” The Warner Brothers film will follow Robinson’s rise as a female music executive in a male-dominated world. It’s also been announced that short film Normal Doors will be adapted into a feature by writer/director/actor James Sweeney. The full-length film, which is titled Straight Up, tells the story of a gay man with OCD with finds his intellectual soulmate in a struggling actress

7) A trailer had been released for the final season of GLAAD Media Award-nominated musical comedy Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. The trailer sees protagonist Rebecca Bunch in jail, and the show itself features a number of queer characters including Rebecca’s bisexual boss Darryl and her rival-turned-friend Valencia. Season four premieres on The CW on October 12. A trailer was also released for the second season of Marvel’s Runaways, the show based on the popular comics about a group of superhero teens who discover their parents are villains. The second season will continue to explore their powers, as well as the new relationship between queer heroes Nico and Karolina. Season two of Runaways will be released on December 12 on Hulu.

8) This week, Netflix released the trailer to their adaptation of the ’60s comic, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. The show, follows the titular Sabrina with one foot in the human world and one foot in the witch world, which includes her cousin Ambrose, a pansexual warlock who lives with her and her aunts. Non-binary actor Lachlan Watson is also in the cast, playing the character of Susie Putnam. In other comic book property news, it was announced on Wednesday that out actor Matt Bomer will play the role of Negative Man in the upcoming Doom Patrol from out producer Greg Berlanti for the new DC Universe streaming service platform. Also announced this week is that GLAAD Media Award-nominated Star Trek: Discovery will return to CBS All Access this January.

9) Trans singer Mila Jam released her newest EP Bruised on Thursday. The EP and accompanying music video confronts the violence faced by trans women at the hands of abusive men and offers a message of up hope. Jam wants to make sure that trans women have a voice in the #MeToo movement and that this voice is being heard. The video for Bruised features trans stars Laverne Cox and MJ Rodriguez, as well as Drag Race star Yuhua Hamasaki, and is dedicated to women, specifically trans women, who lost their lives at the hands of abusers.

10) Trans pop star Kim Petras released a new mixtape this week, the Halloween inspired Turn Off the Light, Volume 1, an eight-track mixtape with spooky themes. Petras is currently working on her debut full length album. Queer singer St. Vincent has also announced new music, an acoustic version of last year’s Masseduction, called MassEducation. The album was recorded over two days with pianist Thomas Bartlett, and will be released on October 12.

11) Out country sing Ty Herndon released his new Christmas track “O Holy Night” featuring Chrystal Lewis. The track is available to buy and stream here, and the video is below! Out singer Troye Sivan also released a new track with singer Charli XCX, “1999,” both singing about nostalgia for the titular year. The song is available from streaming and purchase here.

12) The Outfest Legacy Awards will hand out their 13th annual trophies on October 28. FX’s Pose will receive the Trailblazer Award, while Dear White People’s Justin Simien will receive the Rising Star Award. The Corporate Trailblazer Award will go to Sony Pictures Classics, which last year released GLAAD Media Award-winning films A Fantastic Woman and Call Me by Your Name. For tickets to the Outfest Legacy Awards, click here!

13) “Celebrating the Asian American LGBTQ Experience” is an event being put on by queer author CB Lee in Los Angeles that celebrates the underrepresented culture of queer Asian Americans. It is currently raising funds for both an ongoing annual event to celebrate talent within the community and to donate to Asian American and LGBTQ organizations. To find out more, click here!

October 5, 2018

www.glaad.org/blog/glaad-wrap-star-born-theaters-crazy-ex-girlfriend-runaways-and-sabrina-trailers-new-music-mila

HRC: Senator Collins’ Deeply Disappointing Vote Will Have Long Lasting Consequences for Millions

HRC: Senator Collins’ Deeply Disappointing Vote Will Have Long Lasting Consequences for Millions

Today, HRC responded to the news that Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) intends to vote for Brett Kavanaugh to be confirmed to the Supreme Court of the United States.

“We are deeply disappointed in Senator Collins today. In one of the most consequential votes of her lifetime — and of her constituents’ lifetimes — she has opted to back a dangerous, unqualified nominee who repeatedly lied under oath and has multiple credible allegations of sexual assault,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “The harmful consequences of Senator Collins’ decision to support Brett Kavanaugh will last decades. In the wake of this news, there is only one course of action. The millions of Americans who have fought a valiant struggle against this despicable nominee must make their voices heard in November and beyond by electing lawmakers who will stand up for our rights rather than sell us out.”

The Human Rights Campaign and its members have been fighting back against this nomination since day one:

  • HRC has mobilized thousands of people to dozens of rallies in Washington, DC and across the nation. This morning, HRC President Chad Griffin and HRC staff joined the #PeoplesFilibuster and broadcast the stories of dozens of HRC members who fear for their civil rights and for what Kavanaugh’s nomination means for sexual assault survivors across the nation.
  • HRC has taken out two flights of ads in Maine, Alaska, Nevada and Colorado with coalition partners calling on Senators to vote no on Kavanaugh’s nomination.
  • In August, HRC joined partner coalition organizations in calling on Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley to order the release of millions of documents in the National Archives and George W. Bush Presidential Library related to the career of Brett Kavanaugh, a standard practice for Supreme Court nominees. This was ignored by Chairman Grassley, Senate Republicans and the White House.
  • HRC released a video and report explaining why understanding Kavanaugh’s record at the White House is important; during these years, former President George W. Bush pressed for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex couples from marrying and opposed hate crimes legislation.
  • HRC has released stories of real Maine and Alaska residents threatened by Kavanaugh’s nomination.
  • More than 54,000 HRC members have called their Senators to object to Kavanaugh’s nomination, including more than 15,000 calls today alone.

With just one month until Election Day, HRC has deployed 140 staff to 70 key Congressional races to mobilize more than 10 million LGBTQ voters and 52 million “Equality Voters” to #TurnOUT in November.

Supporters in any state can text “VOTER” to 30644 to verify their voter registration, find their polling place and receive election reminders. For more information on how to get involved, sign up to volunteer, or join an advocacy training, visit HRC’s Equality Voter Action Center.

www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-senator-collins-deeply-disappointing-vote-will-have-long-lasting-conseq?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

John Paul Stevens, Holy Ghost, Connie Chung, Heather Wilson, Elton John, South Florida, Bette Midler, Monica Lewinsky: HOT LINKS

John Paul Stevens, Holy Ghost, Connie Chung, Heather Wilson, Elton John, South Florida, Bette Midler, Monica Lewinsky: HOT LINKS

45 YEARS AGO TODAY. Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road was released.

MATTHEW SHEPARD. The legacy of a gay college student 20 years after his death.

JOHN PAUL STEVENS. Retired SCOTUS justice says Kavanaugh does not belong on the court: ‘Speaking to a crowd of retirees in Boca Raton, Stevens, 98, said Kavanaugh’s performance during a recent Senate confirmation hearing suggested that he lacks the temperament for the job. Stevens, a lifelong Republican who is known for falling on the liberal side of several judicial rulings, praised Kavanaugh and one of his rulings on a political contribution case in the 2014 book “Six Amendments: How and Why We Should Change the Constitution.”’

DELETED TWEET OF THE DAY. Bette Midler compared women to the N-word and it went about as well as you’d think.

VIRAL HANDMAID’S TALE AD OF THE DAY. Janet Garrett: ‘The Democrat running to unseat powerful Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan has unleashed a campaign video that accuses him of actively working to limit the rights of women — and that is inspired by “The Handmaid’s Tale.”‘

HEATHER WILSON. Trump ready to can Air Force Chief because she’s not supporting his Space Force hard enough: ‘U.S. President Donald Trump is peeved with Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson over her handling of his directive to stand up a separate Space Force in the U.S. military, and he’s considering ousting her after the midterm elections, three sources with knowledge of the matter told Foreign Policy.’

BROADWAY BUFF. Ricardo Zayas.

CONNIE CHUNG. I, too, was sexually assaulted: “I, too, was sexually assaulted — not 36 years ago but about 50 years ago. I have kept my dirty little secret to myself. Silence for five decades…The molester was our trusted family doctor. What made this monster even more reprehensible was that he was the very doctor who delivered me on Aug. 20, 1946. I’m 72 now…It was the 1960s. I was in college. The sexual revolution was in full swing. The exact date and year are fuzzy. But details of the event are vivid — forever seared in my memory.”

CYBERBULLYING. Monica Lewinsky changes Twitter handle to Monica “Chunky Slut Stalker That Woman” Lewinsky.

RIP MS. COLOMBIA. Beloved NYC figure found dead: “Ms. Colombia, whose birth name was Osvaldo Gomez, was found dead in the waters off Jacob Riis Park, Dromm’s office said. No foul play is currently suspected, although the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has yet to determine the cause of her death. Dromm said that he remembered seeing her in many different parades across the city, including at the first Queens Pride Parade.”

SOUTH FLORIDA. Builders prepare to break ground on Florida’s first affordable housing project for elderly LGBT+ residents: ‘The notion that the LGBT+ population in the United States is wealthy and can afford to retire to beachfront condos or facilities with farm-to-table cuisine is a myth, experts said. “We’ve noticed a growing number of gay seniors who are struggling financially, and are looking for affordable housing solutions,” said Bruce Williams, a coordinator at The Pride Center, which is behind the housing project in Wilton Manors.’

ONE KISS. Christina Aguilera recalls how she missed the headline with kiss from Madonna at MTV VMAs.

TRAFFIC JAM OF THE DAY. So this happened when they opened a Krispy Kreme in Dublin, Ireland. “Krispy Kreme opened a 24-hour drive-thru in Dublin, and the Irish city couldn’t contain itself. Long lines of endless cars waited to order their donuts, sometimes honking in excitement at each other in the middle of the night.”

 

NU-DISCO TUNE OF THE DAY. Holy Ghost “Anxious”. ‘Nu-disco lovers rejoice! Brooklyn synthpop duo Holy Ghost! have teamed up with iconic ’70s disco label West End Records — coaxing the long-dormant label out of retirement — to release the disco-influenced group’s first new music since their 2016 EP Crime Cutz for DFA. It marks West End Record’s first original release in over 30 years.’

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE DAY. Baby Pigeons by Tom McGovern.

LEAKED RPG GAME OF THE DAY. Amazon’s New World. ‘Amazon is currently running a closed beta for its upcoming game New World, but hasn’t publicly revealed much of what it looks like. Thankfully, one of the participants captured some two hours of footage and shared it’

DIFFICULT CHOICE OF THE DAY. Debra Messing on whether she’d rather be stuck in an elevator with Donald Trump or Susan Sarandon.

FRIDAY FLASH. Alex Landi, Grey’s Anatomy’s new gay surgeon.

The post John Paul Stevens, Holy Ghost, Connie Chung, Heather Wilson, Elton John, South Florida, Bette Midler, Monica Lewinsky: HOT LINKS appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.


John Paul Stevens, Holy Ghost, Connie Chung, Heather Wilson, Elton John, South Florida, Bette Midler, Monica Lewinsky: HOT LINKS