Trump’s Gay Press Secretary Lies, Makes Excuses for His Boss

In an interview with Buzzfeed, White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere defends Trump’s refusal to support the Equality Act and his decision to ban trans people from the military.

www.advocate.com/politics/2019/7/01/trumps-gay-press-secretary-lies-makes-excuses-his-boss

New York Pride Days 1-2: Alan Cumming, Neil Patrick Harris, synchronized swimming

Free people from all over the world descended on New York City for the first-ever WorldPride celebration to be held in the U.S. marking the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.

Here’s how our 30-something New York-based writer John Russell survived the magic and mayhem.

Wednesday, June 26

6:45pm: Press check-in for the WorldPride Opening Ceremony at Barclays Center goes pretty smoothly, though there’s no place on the “Rainbow carpet” for me. Which is fine because the battery on my phone is about to die, so I wouldn’t be able to record any interviews anyway.

The crowd is extremely enthusiastic, all decked out in rainbow paraphernalia and glitter. It’s a different sort of crowd than the circuit queens and muscle pigs you see at the big parties. It’s probably a lot of out-of-towners and activists and students, earnest, nerdy types. I have to check my cynicism. It is a privilege, I remind myself, to feel jaded about such earnest displays of enthusiasm for Pride.

I find my seat in what I guess most people would call the nosebleed section, but more accurately should be called the vertigo-inducing section, as seats are positioned an almost a vertical incline. I can just see myself trying to squeeze past others in my row, stumbling and falling onto the people below.

Onstage, Cyndi Lauper emerges from a giant disco glittering globe singing “True Colors” with a squad of drag queens, lead by Lady Bunny, as her backup dancers. Then House of Labeija performs, and Billy Porter takes the stage after. “The category is EGOT,” he says by way of announcing welcoming Whoopi Goldberg to the stage. She delivers a rousing speech about Pride. “Everyone should know, this is how the first U.S. WorldPride does it!”

There’s a video montage, and then Sara Ramirez sings “Over the Rainbow.” I leave during New York City Council speaker Corey Johnson’s speech to try to make it home in time to catch the first night of the Democratic primary debate.

Thursday, June 27
5pm: My friend Lorenzo invites me to a pool party at the Williamsburg Hotel. I’m already planning to go to the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association party at 7pm, but I can make it from FiDi to Williamsburg by 9pm-ish.

There are just too many parties, too many events and launches and pop-ups and brand activations this week. Here’s just a sampling from my inbox currently:

INVITE: Kiesza’s Pride Pop-Ups
(Appearances at Robyn fan party This Party is Killing Me at Brooklyn Bowl and Hot Rabbit at Lot 45)

5 Safety Tips from Doctors Ahead of Pride Parade 2019
(Hydrate, mind your accessories don’t get caught on anyone’s piercings.)

Check out new World Pride Dance anthem “Universal Love” by SHYRA SANCHEZ and TRAIG

How to Celebrate Pride WITHOUT LEAVING YOUR HOUSE: The Feels

Invite: WorldPride NYC X SKYY VODKA
“Following up on the invitation to join SKYY Vodka this Sunday during the WorldPride NYC Parade on Sunday, June 30th!”

You’re Invited: Brunch Out with Trevor in partnership with The Trevor Project
“I wanted to reach out on behalf of Kimpton Hotel Eventi as in partnership with The Trevor Project, we are hosting an exciting Brunch Out with Trevor event this Saturday, June 29th, from 12-3 p.m. with RuPaul’s Drag Race superstar Willam as our key performer and special guest.”

John! Perfect for PRIDE month, New Single From Songland Contestant / Acclaimed Songwriter / Solo Artist TYLER JAMES BELLINGER

NYC Pride 2019 – Celebrate with EFFEN Vodka’s New Bottle!
“For every limited-edition Pride bottle made, EFFEN had donated $1 to Outfest.”

Hotel Manapany Launches New Pride Package
“Package is being offered for stays through December 21, 2019, and 10% of the revenue from each package will be donated to Gay Men’s Health Crisis.”

Obviously, it’s not possible for one person to do all of it. I’m already thinking about canceling the “mini-mani” I booked at Homoco’s pop-up show tomorrow night…

9pm: Bath and Body at the Williamsburg Hotel. Lorenzo and I say hi to the party’s promoter, Deryck Todd, and then take the tiny elevator to the hotel’s roof. There are only a couple of gays in the pool, but it’s early still. Alan Cumming is hosting and I overhear some boys who are super excited about him. Neil Patrick Harris is here too, and he takes off his shirt.

I run into a couple fellow former editors of Next Magazine and it’s like a little reunion. They’re going to the WE! party at the Javits Center on Saturday night where Bette Midler is expected to make an appearance. My friend who works for Bloomberg is excited to see the sunrise through the big glass ceiling, which sounds really cool but also like a nightmare to me.

I get an alert my phone about Kamal and Biden clashing at the second Democratic primary debate, and the conversation turns to the candidates. Most of us seem to be all about Warren. No one mentions Mayor Pete.

Later, there’s synchronized swimming by Team NY Aquatics. Everyone crowds around the edge of the pool so it’s impossible to see what’s happening. “We’ll watch it later on someone’s Insta story,” Lorenzo says. That’s basically how I felt about the Opening Ceremony last night.

www.queerty.com/new-york-pride-days-1-2-alan-cumming-neil-patrick-harris-synchronized-swimming-20190701?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

New York Gov. Signs Ban of Gay, Trans Panic Defenses in Murder Cases

Andrew Cuomo’s action comes shortly after the signing of similar bills in Hawaii and Connecticut.

www.advocate.com/politics/2019/7/01/new-york-gov-signs-ban-gay-trans-panic-defenses-murder-cases

These 8 same-sex marriages are the definition of power couples

As we conclude our celebration the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, 2019 marks another milestone for the community: it’s been fifteen years since Massachusetts became the first United States jurisdiction to license and recognize same-sex marriages.

While it took another decade for the unions to be recognized at the federal level, it’s worth looking back at our achievements.

In honor of marriage equality, take some time to read about ten of our favorite power couples.

1. Sir Elton John and David Furnish

Elton’s filmmaker husband has produced several films including, fittingly, Rocket Man. The power couple spent 12 years together before getting married in 2014.

2. Matt Bomer and Simon Halls

The American Horror Story hunk revealed that he and his superstar publicist husband – who counts Tom Ford and Ryan Murphy as clients – that the pair married in 2011. They have three sons.

3. Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka

The Emmy-winning star and his chef husband spent ten years together before getting married in 2014. They had twins via surrogacy in 2010.

4. Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi

The definitive lesbian power couple married in 2008 after dating for four years.

5. RuPaul Charles and Georges LeBar

The drag superstar met his future hubby on the dancefloor of NYC’s iconic Limelight club in 1994. “Most of the time, he’s on the ranch in Wyoming. He has a 60,000-acre ranch—it’s in two states, it’s in South Dakota, too,” RuPaul said on Hollywood Today Live. “When I go there, I dress up in Western wear and nobody cares.”

6. Melissa Etheridge and Linda Wallem

The duo fell for each other while the longtime friends were taking care of the rocker’s four kids. “We were like a married couple without the benefits, so why not have the benefits!?,” Etheridge said in an interview.

7. George and Brad Takei

The couple has been married for over a decade. In fact, they were the first same-sex couple to apply for a marriage license in West Hollywood.

8. Dan Savage and Terry Miller

The sex columnist and his Insta-model hubby have been married twice: first in Vancouver, and again in Washington state after the 2012 legalization of gay marriage.

9. Tom Ford and Richard Buckley

The two met when Ford was 25 years old and when Buckley, then a magazine editor, was 38. They married in 2014.

www.queerty.com/8-sex-marriages-definition-power-couples-20190701?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

1964 Civil Rights Acts & The Equality Act

Post submitted by David Johns, Executive Director, National Black Justice Coalition. This post originally appeared in the NBJC’s newsletter.

In July 1852, Frederick Douglass asked the following question in one of the most prolific essays published: “What To The Slave is the Fourth of July?” As we prepare to celebrate another Independence Day, the National Black Justice Coalition encourages all Black people to ponder the meaning of this profound question as well as the possible responses that we may consider.

This July marks the 55th anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act which was created to protect individuals from discrimination based on race/ethnicity, sex, color, religion and national origin. The act signaled the formal end of segregation and later paved the way for the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Though progress has been made since the introduction of this act, fifty-five years later there are codified laws and policies in addition to active legislation being introduced to limit and constrict the civil rights and liberties of Black and Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and same gender loving (LGBTQ/SGL) people. Active attempts to discriminate against members of our community spans across many sectors including: employment, housing, education, and healthcare. Policies have been introduced in both federal and state domains to prevent trans individuals from accessing health and human services. The current administration is restricting reproductive rights, which impacts women and families in myriad ways including the provision of hormone therapy and other critical reproductive services. Advocating for programs and policies that ensure those of us who have needs that are frequently neglected and ignored in popular policy discussions have access to the social, civic, and economic programs and services that enable one to fully participate in our democratic society. As we celebrate the legacy of the Civil Rights Act and prepare for the work that must be done to restore and advance existing protections we must remain steadfast in the work required to ensure that policies and practices provide full and complete protections to Black people when considering sexual identity, gender orientation, and gender expression—by ensuring that all parts of our beautifully Black selves are protected all of the time we can ensure we get free.

As we celebrate the pursuit of independence, and true liberty and justice for all, let us ensure we remain ever mindful of the work that still remains to ensure that every member of our community—the Black community can get free. To learn more about federal efforts to advance legislation that protects “All of Me, All of the Time”, like the Equality Act, recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, visit this page.

www.hrc.org/blog/1964-civil-rights-acts-the-equality-act?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed