#AM_Equality Tipsheet: January 10, 2020

60% OF LGBTQ ELDERS WORRY ABOUT HOW THEY WILL BE TREATED IN LONG-TERM CARE SETTINGS: The HRC Foundation and SAGE are joining forces to launch the Long-Term Care Equality Index (LEI) to promote equitable and inclusive care for LGBTQ older people in residential long-term care communities. Learn more here. 

60% of #LGBTQ elders worry about how they will be treated in long-term care settings.
We can change that. t.co/P6hgsmn0b1 pic.twitter.com/siTLAlHXXk

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) January 9, 2020

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY — OPENLY GAY KYRGYZ ACTIVIST DASTAN “DANIK” KASMAMYTOV PLANS TO PLANT A RAINBOW FLAG ON EACH OF THE WORLD’S SEVEN SUMMITS: The Seven Summits are the highest mountain on each of the continents. So far, Kasmamytov has planted a rainbow flag on three mountains — Elbrus in Europe, Kosciusko in Australia and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Read more from The Bay Area Reporter. 

NEW FIVE-PART SERIES, “YOUTH CROSSING GENDER BORDERS,” DEBUTS ON ARIZONA PUBLIC MEDIA: This essential community resource is facilitated by Lizette Trujillo (@ltrudreamer13), who, along with her husband Jose, are members of the HRC Foundation’s Parents for Transgender Equality National Council. Listen at AZPM. 

HRC PRESIDENT ALPHONSO DAVID (@AlphonsoDavid) JOINS OTHER CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS TO CALL ON CONGRESS TO PASS THE NO BAN ACT: The NO BAN Act will end the Muslim Ban and protect immigrants of any faith. Read more from HRC. 

LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS IN VIRGINIA, MARYLAND BEGAN ON WEDNESDAY: LGBTQ advocates in Virginia are hopeful that General Assembly lawmakers will pass a comprehensive LGBTQ non-discrimination bill. Read more from the Washington Blade. 

Congratulations Speaker @EFillerCorn. All of us at @HRC look forward to continuing to work with you in Richmond as we advance equality for LGBTQ people across Virginia. t.co/HgKXNsTzd4

— Alphonso David (@AlphonsoDavid) January 9, 2020

GET CULTURED – Entertainment, arts and sports news!

BILLY PORTER (@theebillyporter) MAKES HISTORY AS THE FIRST MAN TO BE FEATURED ON THE COVER OF ALLURE MAGAZINE: Read more from Ashley C. Ford (@iSmashFizzle) here. 

I’m so unbelievably excited and proud to be gracing the cover of @allure’s February 2020 Beauty issue! It is such an honor to be the first Male to be on the cover in history. This is a testament that times can change and are changing. t.co/Dexgzsl8hL

— Billy Porter (@theebillyporter) January 9, 2020

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

NEW BBC RESEARCH FINDS THAT WAITING TIMES FOR GENDER IDENTITY CLINICS IN THE U.K. AVERAGE 18 MONTHS: Some transgender and non-binary adults have had to wait three years to be seen for an initial appointment. Read more from the BBC. 

PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL PARTIES IN POLAND APPOINT OPENLY GAY POLITICIAN, ROBERT BIEDROŃ (@RobertBiedron), AS CANDIDATE IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: Read more from GCN. 

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

The Morning Call reports on a new Pride exhibit in Lehigh Valley, Penn. 

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-10-2020?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Second Student Expelled for Same-Sex Marriage Sues Seminary

Another student says Fuller Theological Seminary violated federal law by expelling him over his marriage.

www.advocate.com/religion/2020/1/10/second-student-expelled-same-sex-marriage-sues-seminary

Billy Porter first man to star on the cover of Allure – and it’s amazing

Actor and performer Billy Porter has made history as the first man to star on the cover of beauty magazine, Allure.

The front cover and interview was unveiled yesterday.

In the striking cover photo, shot by Ben Hassett. and styled by Nicola Formichetti, Porter has geographic shapes of colored paper around his eyes. Inside, fashion images show him draped in diamonds and wearing glitter lipstick.

Related: Billy Porter opens up about how homophobia almost ruined his career

The magazine, which was founded in 1991, talks to him about his love of making a splash on red carpets.

“[Fashion] was always an expression for me. I always wanted to do something different. I always wanted to express myself in my clothes differently. And I always had great taste. And expensive taste.”

But it also delves into the gay actor’s past. He offers a story from his youth that many other queer people may identify with, recalling how his parents thought that he needed ‘fixing’ when he behaved differently to other little boys.

“The hetero normative construct that masculinity is better silenced me for many years. It was like my masculinity was in question before I could even comprehend the thought. I was sent to a psychologist at five years old because I was a sissy and my family was afraid.

“That’s one of the first memories I have as a child, that something’s wrong with you and you need to be fixed based on ‘You’re not masculine enough.’ I carried that with me for my whole life until, like, two and a half minutes ago.”

Related: Billy Porter becomes first openly gay, black man to win Best Actor & more queer Emmy moments

Porter tried to achieve success as a singer in the 1990s but his music career didn’t take off as he’d hoped. He says some in the music industry dismissed him as being too flamboyant.

“Flamboyance was a silencing mechanism for a long time with me. Flamboyant was code for ‘You’re a faggot, and we don’t want you.’ Flamboyant was a word that was used to marginalize me and pigeonhole me and keep me in a box. You get in the room, you give them flamboyant, and then they come back to you with, ‘He’s too flamboyant.’ And that’s when I started to want to murder people.”

Porter, 50, was raised in Pittsburgh, PA. He first found success as a singer and actor on Broadway. He has enjoyed wide fame since being cast in the FX show Pose in 2017, for which he has won Golden Globe nominations and an Emmy award.

www.queerty.com/billy-porter-first-man-star-cover-allure-amazing-20200110?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Transgender Actress Josie Totah to Star in ‘Saved By The Bell’ Revival with Mario Lopez, Elizabeth Berkley, Mark-Paul Gosselaar Reprising Roles

Josie Totah, the star of NBC’s ill-fated 2018 sitcom Champions who came out as transgender shortly after the show was canceled, will star in the revival of the late ’80s, early ’90s TV show Saved By The Bell and be joined by much of the original cast.

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An AD for Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Basic Bitches Pants by @revolve

A post shared by josie totah (@josietotah) on Oct 13, 2019 at 12:22pm PDT

The revival will be a half-hour comedy on NBCUniversal’s forthcoming streaming channel Peacock. Totah will play Lexi, a cheerleader and the most popular, admired, and feared girl at Bayside High.

ICYMI: Star of NBC’s ‘Champions’ Sitcom Comes Out as Transgender: ‘My Name Is Josie Totah — And I’m Ready to Be Free’

The Hollywood Reporter: “Original stars Mario Lopez and Elizabeth Berkley will reprise their roles as A.C. Slater and Jessie Spano, respectively, in the single-camera comedy that explores what happens when California Gov. Zack Morris (Mark Gosselaar’s role) gets into hot water for closing too many low-income high schools and proposes the affected students be sent to the highest-performing schools in the state — including Bayside High.”

Yesterday, THR added that Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Zack Morris) would officially be returning and producers are interested in having Tiffani-Amber Thiessen reprise her role as well: “Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Gosselaar will appear in three episodes and also be credited as a producer. Those same sources say producers Universal Television are also in talks with former star Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, who played Kelly, to return in some capacity.”

The post Transgender Actress Josie Totah to Star in ‘Saved By The Bell’ Revival with Mario Lopez, Elizabeth Berkley, Mark-Paul Gosselaar Reprising Roles appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Transgender Actress Josie Totah to Star in ‘Saved By The Bell’ Revival with Mario Lopez, Elizabeth Berkley, Mark-Paul Gosselaar Reprising Roles