Dems Choose Georgia’s Stacey Abrams To Respond To Trump’s State Of The Union

Dems Choose Georgia’s Stacey Abrams To Respond To Trump’s State Of The Union

Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams has been chosen to deliver the Democratic response to President Trump’s State of the Union address next week reported MSNBC.

“She is just a great spokesperson. She is an incredible leader,” Schumer told reporters at the Capitol in the video below. “She has led the charge for voting rights, which is at the root of just about everything else. And she has, if you look at her background — she knows what working people, middle-class people go through.”

Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she was thrilled Abrams had accepted, according to NPR.

Pelosi said that in the 2018 campaign her “electrifying message reinvigorated our nation & continues to inspire millions in every part of the country.”

We are thrilled to have @StaceyAbrams deliver the Democratic Response to the State of the Union. Her electrifying message reinvigorated our nation & continues to inspire millions in every part of the country. #SOTU t.co/ISywFm7PQ3 pic.twitter.com/JiuOA9kTyj— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 29, 2019

We are thrilled to have @StaceyAbrams deliver the Democratic Response to the State of the Union. Her electrifying message reinvigorated our nation & continues to inspire millions in every part of the country. #SOTU t.co/ISywFm7PQ3 pic.twitter.com/JiuOA9kTyj

— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 29, 2019

Abrams said was honored to be delivering the response.

At a moment when our nation needs to hear from leaders who can unite for a common purpose, I am honored to be delivering the Democratic State of the Union response. t.co/0dpA3lJZpS

— Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) January 29, 2019

The democratic rising power and former Georgia House minority leader lost by almost 55,000 votes against Republican Brian Kemp, the then-secretary of state who came under fire for alleged voter suppression tactics. 

Abrams is also being courted as a possible Senate candidate in 2020 to challenge Georgia Republican Sen. David Perdue said NPR.

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Dems Choose Georgia’s Stacey Abrams To Respond To Trump’s State Of The Union

New CDC Report Highlights Need To Support Trans and Gender Non-Conforming Youth

New CDC Report Highlights Need To Support Trans and Gender Non-Conforming Youth

Trigger warning: Post contains references to suicide and self-harm.

A recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed some of the challenges transgender high school students experience.

The alarming CDC data revealed that 27 percent of transgender and gender-nonconforming youth feel unsafe traveling to school and being there, 35 percent are bullied and 35 percent have attempted suicide in the past 12 months. Additionally, the report found that transgender and gender non-conforming youth are at higher risk of attempting suicide than their peers.

“These findings indicate a need for intervention efforts to improve health outcomes among transgender youths,” the report notes.

Dr. Kathleen Ethier, the director of CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, will present the details of this report at HRC Foundation’s 6th annual Time to THRIVE Conference next month in Anaheim, California. The data is consistent with what the HRC Foundation and University of Connecticut’s 2018 LGBTQ Youth Report, which underscores these significant challenges and barriers facing transgender and gender-expansive youth around the country, found.

HRC and researchers at the University of Connecticut found that less than a quarter of transgender and gender-expansive youth feel like they can definitely be themselves at home. More than half of transgender and gender expansive youth never use restrooms at school that align with their gender identity.

For transgender and gender-expansive youth, parental and peer support is incredibly important. In light of growing transgender visibility in recent years, HRC is committed to providing the kinds of resources children, families and other youth-serving professionals need to support one another in their journeys.  

That’s why HRC Foundation’s Welcoming Schools released an “FAQ on Supporting Transgender and Non-Binary Students in K-12 Schools” to guide educators looking for answers on how to support transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming students.

HRC Foundation’s Welcoming Schools program also provides specific guidance to parents, teachers and the wider community for preventing anti-LGBTQ bullying and aggression in schools. This can be as simple as responding appropriately to anti-LGBTQ comments in the classroom, or encouraging educators to promote inclusivity and diversity in their lesson plans.

Parents and families can start by learning the facts and educating themselves about issues that impact LGBTQ youth. Whether or not families have openly LGBTQ children, it is vital to make home a safe and affirming space for all identities.

Parents of transgender youth can also join HRC Foundation’s Parents for Transgender Equality Council — a vocal force of parent-advocates fighting for equality.

If you or someone you know may be at risk of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. If you’re a young LGBTQ person and need to talk to someone, call The Trevor Project’s 24-hour crisis hotline for youth at 1-866-488-7386. If you are a transgender person of any age, call the Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860.

To learn more about transgender and gender expansive youth resources, visit hrc.org/transgender.

www.hrc.org/blog/new-cdc-report-highlights-need-to-support-trans-and-gender-non-conforming-y?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

#AM_Equality Tipsheet: January 30, 2019

#AM_Equality Tipsheet: January 30, 2019

HORRIFYING — ACTOR AND SINGER JUSSIE SMOLLETT ATTACKED IN SUSPECTED HATE-MOTIVATED CRIME: According to police in Chicago, where the attack occurred, Smollett’s assailants poured an unknown substance on him, put a rope around his neck and called him anti-Black and anti-LGBTQ slurs. Said HRC President Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin): “This shocking attack on our friend and tremendous advocate Jussie Smollett is, unfortunately, not an isolated incident. There is an alarming epidemic of hate violence in our country that disproportionately targets Black people, LGBTQ people, and religious minorities — and particularly those living at the intersections of multiple identities.” More from Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter.

  • HRC continues to press for improved reporting of hate-motivated crimes, state laws that protect LGBTQ individuals from hate crimes and expanded education and training initiatives. More from HRC.

I am sick to my stomach over the news of a violent attack on @JussieSmollett. I’m so glad you are safe, my friend. All of us at @HRC wish you a quick recovery. Law enforcement MUST act quickly & thoroughly given the horrific racist/homophobic details described in news reports.

— Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin) January 29, 2019

ICYMI — VIRGINIA’S BUSINESS AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY SUPPORT LGBTQ PROTECTIONS: The Virginia Beach Restaurant Association and the Virginia Beach Resort Advisory Commission have both issued letters to the state legislature supporting measures that would prohibit discrimination in housing and public employment on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. “As the business and tourism industries add their voices to the growing majority of Virginians who want to protect their friends and neighbors from discrimination, we have to ask the House of Delegates: what are you waiting for?” said HRC Legal Director Sarah Warbelow.

  • Additionally, business leaders recently took out an ad in the Virginian-Pilot urging the legislature to act to pass this legislation.

HUGE — NEW POLLING SHOWS 70 PERCENT OF AMERICAN VOTERS SUPPORT ALLOWING TRANSGENDER PEOPLE TO SERVE IN THE MILITARY: The Trump-Pence cruel and inhumane #TransMilitaryBan isn’t just unconstitutional, it’s also deeply unpopular. More from Quinnipiac University. More from The Hill.

WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO WEDNESDAY — SAN FRANCISCO DESIGNATES NATION’S FIRST-EVER ‘TRANSGENDER DISTRICT’: The new cultural district aims to protect vulnerable residents from losing their homes and businesses to gentrification. The district is also home to the Compton’s Cafeteria, where the local transgender community led an historic uprising against discriminatory police action in 1966. More from NPR.

San Francisco has created the country’s first official transgender cultural district — in an effort to protect the Tenderloin neighborhood’s storied trans community from pressures of gentrification. t.co/yL0g29OfgH

— NPR (@NPR) January 29, 2019

DESPICABLE ANTI-TRANS BILL IN INDIANA WOULD BAR STUDENTS FROM USING RESTROOM MOST ALIGNED WITH THEIR GENDER IDENTITY: More from Pink News.

AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION PASSES RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF LGBTQ PARENTS, NON-DISCRIMINATION PROTECTIONS: Read the full resolution here.

The American Bar Association (@ABAesq) passed a vital resolution this week that protects #LGBTQ parents, opposes discriminatory laws and defends LGBTQ people who have faced discrimination. ️‍ t.co/epgbh5CCvJ pic.twitter.com/9UdRNx9XED

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) January 29, 2019

FRIDAY — MICHIGAN CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION TO CONSIDER PROTECTIONS FOR LGBTQ PEOPLE UNDER STATE SEX NONDISCRIMINATION LAW: The resolution would ask Attorney General Dana Nessel to reaffirm the inclusive interpretation of the law. More from The Detroit News.

LGBTQ ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES MUST BE WELCOME HERE: The recent government shutdown highlighted the humanitarian crisis facing asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border, a symptom of the Trump-Pence administration’s ongoing, disgraceful policies targeting asylum seekers and refugees around the world. More from HRC.

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

AS MYANMAR CELEBRATES PRIDE, ADVOCATES REFLECT ON NEED FOR LEGAL EQUALITY: More from Voice of America.

READING RAINBOW – Bookmark now to read on your lunch break!

NBC interviews the first openly LGBTQ ice dancing partners to compete in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships; Rolling Stone interviews Michael Caine, who says he was warned against taking on LGBTQ roles;  Gay Star News shares the story behind a heartwarming  viral video of middle school students singing to their teacher and his soon-to-be husband; Page Six looks at Bella Thorne’s (@bellathorne) cover story for Gay Times Magazine

Have news? Send us your news and tips at [email protected]. Click here to subscribe to #AM_Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading!

www.hrc.org/blog/am-equality-tipsheet-january-30-2019?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Lee Daniels Reacts to Jussie Smollett Attack in Emotional Video as FBI Joins Investigation, Police Expand Search Area: WATCH

Lee Daniels Reacts to Jussie Smollett Attack in Emotional Video as FBI Joins Investigation, Police Expand Search Area: WATCH

Empire creator Lee Daniels posted an emotional video message to actor Jussie Smollett on Instagram following an attack in which it was reported that two men beat Smollett on a Chicago street, poured bleach on him, and put a noose around his neck while using racist and homophobic slurs.

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We got this @jussiesmollett

A post shared by Lee Daniels (@theoriginalbigdaddy) on

Said Daniels in the video posted to Instagram: “It’s taken me a minute to come to social media about this because, Jussie, you are my son. You didn’t deserve nor anybody deserves to have a noose put around your neck, to have bleach thrown on you, to be called ‘die f****t n****r or whatever they said to you. You are better than that. We are better than that. America is better than that. It starts at home. It starts at home, yo. We have to love each other regardless of what sexual orientation we are because it shows that we are united on a united front and no racist f**k can come in and do the things that they did to you. Hold your head up, Jussie. I’m with you. I’ll be there in a minute. It’s just another f**king day in America.”

Meanwhile, Chicago Police confirmed to ABC News that the FBI has reportedly joined the investigation into the attack, which is being investigated as a possible hate crime.

Yesterday, Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said police had expanded the search area for surveillance video in efforts to find any footage of the attack.

RELATED: ‘Empire’ Actor Jussie Smollett Hospitalized in Chicago After Violent Racial Homophobic Attack

Tweeted Guglielmi: “CASE UPDATE: Tonight #ChicagoPolice detectives expanded the search area for cameras to be able to provide photos of the alleged assailants in this attack. Thus far, no video of the alleged assailants or a vehicle has been discovered but we are continuing to broaden our search”

CASE UPDATE: Tonight #ChicagoPolice detectives expanded the search area for cameras to be able to provide photos of the alleged assailants in this attack. Thus far, no video of the alleged assailants or a vehicle has been discovered but we are continuing to broaden our search pic.twitter.com/glRMbAX6D0

— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) January 30, 2019

The mood was somber on the set of Empire in Chicago on Tuesday: Deadline reports: ‘Counselors and a SAG-AFTRA representative were made available on the set of the Terrence Howard-Taraji P. Henson series Tuesday to talk with and listen to cast, crew and producers. The intention is that those trauma counselors will continue to maintain a presence on the Windy City-filmed Empire over the coming few weeks as Smollett returns to the show and the law enforcement investigation into the two men who attacked the actor unfolds. Key principals on the show were informed early Tuesday of the racist and homophobic slurs, beating and chemical substance-drenching Smollett endured despite attempting to defend himself. However, the overall Empire set was told collectively by a producer of what had happened to the actor who plays Jamal Lyon on the show.’

The post Lee Daniels Reacts to Jussie Smollett Attack in Emotional Video as FBI Joins Investigation, Police Expand Search Area: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.


Lee Daniels Reacts to Jussie Smollett Attack in Emotional Video as FBI Joins Investigation, Police Expand Search Area: WATCH

Entering the Castro district, San Francisco

Entering the Castro district, San Francisco

M McBey posted a photo:

Entering the Castro district, San Francisco

Seen here looking South at the crossing with Market Street.

This area in San Francisco, was one of the first gay neighborhoods in the United States and still has a high proportion of LGBT residents.

At the middle-left of the picture you see the sign for the Castro Theatre, which is a Historic Landmark.

It also hosted the world premiere of the film “Milk” which told the story of the assassinated politician of that name – starring Sean Penn. Much of the film related to this area and was filmed here.

Entering the Castro district, San Francisco

Frank Ocean, Rihanna, Naomi Cambell, Nick Jonas, and More: HOT LINKS

Frank Ocean, Rihanna, Naomi Cambell, Nick Jonas, and More: HOT LINKS

THIRD TIMES A CHARM Rihanna is celebrating the third anniversary of her album Anti by honoring the artist he painted the album artwork!The 30-year-old singer took to her Instagram account to share a video of artist Roy Nachum working on the large painting.

“this is the man behind the most iconic artwork of my album covers to date… @roynachum
shout outs to @iamchloemitchell for this beautiful poem in braille. So many layers of art in this album man! #ANTI #ANTIversary,” Rihanna captioned the video on her page.

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this is the man behind the most iconic artwork of my album covers to date… @roynachum shout outs to @iamchloemitchell for this beautiful poem in braille. So many layers of art in this album man! #ANTI #ANTIversary

A post shared by badgalriri (@badgalriri) on

Rihanna released her album Anti on January 28, 2016. It featured such hit songs as “Work,” “Needed Me,” and “Love on the Brain.” She earned six Grammy nominations thanks to the album.

DON’T STOP On the same day that the Michael Jackson family released a statement calling the HBO/Channel 4 documentary Leaving Neverland a “public lynching” of the late pop icon, Frank Ocean shared a photo of himself on his recently revealed Instagram in which he’s wearing an MJ shirt.

The shirt features art circa the singer’s 1991 album Dangerous. In the caption, Ocean said, simply, “MAN IN THE MIRROR.” That, of course, is a reference to Jackson’s 1988 Badsingle of the same name. He makes no specific mention of the documentary. At the time of this writing, Ocean’s post had garnered roughly 120,000 likes. 

POSITIVE NEGATIVE The HIV-positive status of 14,200 people, as well as their identification numbers and contact details, has been leaked online, authorities in Singapore said Monday.Records leaked include 5,400 Singaporeans diagnosed as HIV-positive before January 2013, and 8,800 foreigners diagnosed before December 2011, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a statement.Patient names, identification numbers, phone numbers, addresses, HIV test results and medical information was included in the information leaked by a former Singaporean resident.”We are sorry for the anxiety and distress caused by this incident,” the statement said. “Our priority is the wellbeing of the affected individuals. Since 26 January, we have been progressively contacting the individuals to notify them and render assistance.”Leow Yangfa, a spokesman for LGBT charity Oogachaga, said the group was concerned people who have not disclosed their HIV status to employers, family or friends could face repercussions due to the leak.

This reminds us of the insufferable stigma, fear and discrimination that continues to surround people living with HIV in Singapore today,” Yangfa said. “Those of us who live without HIV cannot begin to imagine the shock, distress, pain and betrayal they must be going through right now.”

WATCH FOR FLYING PHONES Naomi Campbell And Liam Payne Were Spotted Together At A ConcertIt’s hard to imagine Naomi Campbell getting all soft and goofy over a boy. Yet she did, or at least she pretended to, recently when she exchanged kissy faces and heart emojis with Liam Payne, formally of One Direction. Now, according to Daily Star, things are getting serious and Naomi may even have been practicing writing “Mrs. Payne” in cursive on the inside of her Trapper Keeper (coincidentally, Mrs. Payne is also her dominatrix name). Naomi and Liam were spotted attending a concert together at London’s O2 Arena where they shared a private suite, reigniting rumors that the two have indeed been K-I-S-S-I-N-G. Put that in your Trapper Keeper and smoke it!

MORE JONAS  You will never believe who had another wedding reception.

QUESTION OF THE DAY Suggested by Shaker theflyinglizard: “What little-known fact do you most love to tell people about? The nerdier the better!”

SERIAL GAY KILLER Bruce McArthur pleads guilty to eight counts of murder. The former landscaper was accused of preying on men with ties to Toronto’s Gay Village. 

The case against Bruce McArthur highlighted tensions between the Toronto Police and the city’s LGBTQ+ communities, as they had long believed a serial killer was preying on men in the Village.

An independent investigation into how the Toronto Police deal with missing persons cases was struck last year. The review plans to consult with members of the public, groups, and experts and plans to conclude in 2020.

REAL MEN EAT IT Antoni makes meatloaf with GOOP.

OGS Prominent LGBT activists and allies have come out in strong support of a politically engaged NYC Pride March and Rally to mark the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion.

Eschewing the corporate-saturated, highly policed nature of recent parades, the March is a truly grassroots action that mobilizes the community to address the many social and political battles that continue to be fought locally, nationally, and globally.

“I’ve seen first-hand the violence the vast militarized police state has done to our queer and trans communities,” said activist and whistleblower Chelsea Manning. “Our history is one of rebellion and solidarity. We must stand united and refuse to march with police, corporations, and the systemic violence they continue to inflict on immigrants, people of color, and marginalized folks across the queer and trans spectrum.”

COLOMBIAN COVER BOY Via Brazil.

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Follow @cute.sexy.boys

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Frank Ocean, Rihanna, Naomi Cambell, Nick Jonas, and More: HOT LINKS