#AM_Equality: March 26, 2020

IDAHO IS FOCUSING ON ANTI-TRANSGENDER LEGISLATION INSTEAD OF THE REAL CRISIS, COVID-19: “What makes these bills particularly hurtful for trans people in Idaho is the timing of the legislation,” writes Nico Lang (@Nico_Lang). “They were pushed through the state Senate during the same week that municipalities across the country took measures to curb the spread of coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. And yet in Idaho, little has been done to stop its citizens from contracting coronavirus.” Read the full piece from VICE. 

• Said HRC State Legislative Director and Senior Counsel Cathryn Oakley (@CthrynOkly), “[This bill] is legislation that is based purely in misinformation about trans youth, and it is targeting trans youth for discriminatory treatment. For any trans person in Idaho, they are now on notice that their government is willing to make laws that are based on fear and not facts.” 

HRC PRESIDENT ON TRUMP “SHADOW DIPLOMAT” AND CABINET BIBLE STUDY LEADER BLAMING LGBTQ PEOPLE FOR COVID-19 PANDEMIC: Late last night, reports surfaced of Ralph Drollinger blaming LGBTQ people for “God’s consequential wrath” and the COVID-19 pandemic. Said HRC President Alphonso David (@AlphonsoDavid), “LGBTQ people around the country and around the world are struggling to cope with this global pandemic. They are worried about their health, their livelihoods and their families. Our country is in crisis, and rather than placing the blame to marginalized communities that are disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, our leaders and their advisors must focus in, buckle up and flatten the curve.” More from HRC and NBC Out. 

THANKFUL THURSDAY — WOMEN ON THE RISE: SPOTLIGHT ON LGBTQ LEADERS & ALLIES: From trailblazing figures of our past, to champions on the front lines of today’s movement, women have been at the heart of the fight for equality. For Women’s History Month, HRC is shining a light on openly LGBTQ women leaders and allies who are leading on LGBTQ-inclusive bills in the battleground states of Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio and Wisconsin, as well as in our nation’s capital. Read more from HRC. 

For #WomensHistoryMonth, HRC is highlighting trailblazing women across battleground states who are running for office, have been elected and are advancing equality for LGBTQ people. t.co/FDfTsnAhir

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) March 25, 2020

 IN THE STATES

 YOUR LOCAL QUEER BUSINESS NEEDS YOUR SOCIAL-DISTANCED SUPPORT! 

• Read more about how to support LGBTQ businesses and non-profits in Washington, D.C. from Austa Somvichian-Clausen (@austaclausen) at Thrillist. 
• Read more about how to support LGBTQ businesses in Chicago from Jessi Roti (@JessiTaylorRO) at Thrillist. 

GET CULTURED – Entertainment, arts and sports news!

 “SCHITT’S CREEK” STARS DAN LEVY (@danjlevy) AND NOAH REID (@olreid) GRACE THE DIGITAL COVER OF ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: More from EW. 

Make a wish, David and Patrick. In our new digital cover story, #SchittsCreek stars @danjlevy and @olreid take us inside the journey that saw two business partners become soulmates: t.co/AnFr6IQRMY Story by: @shananaomi pic.twitter.com/sV0C3CvvY8

— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) March 25, 2020

DOMINIQUE PROVOST-CHALKLEY (@DominiqueP_C), STAR OF “WYNONNA EARP,” COMES OUT AS QUEER: More from Autostraddle. 

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

ANDORRA TO CONSIDER LEGALIZING MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN THE COMING MONTHS: More from NewNowNext. 

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

Star Observer reports on a new series from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation about a trans high schooler 

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-march-26-2020?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

WATCH: Elton John’s kids sing him happy birthday and it’s adorable

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Grateful for the best birthday ever with my family

A post shared by Elton John (@eltonjohn) on Mar 25, 2020 at 4:46pm PDT

Elton John turned 73 yesterday. Like so many others, he’s currently in lockdown with his family and his final world tour is on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Having your birthday while isolating at home can’t be much fun, but fortunately, the singer’s family rallied around to make sure he felt special on his big day.

Related: 16 things for LGBTQ people to do if they’re self-isolating

Elton and husband David Furnish, 57, became dads to sons Zachary and Elijah in 2010 and 2013 respectively.

The two boys sang happy birthday to daddy Elton and presented him with a cake with candles, which he then blew out. Elton posted a video clip to his Instagram (above).

He also shared other snippets from his day on his Instagram stories, revealing his sons had pasted up a big happy birthday sign on the window for when he awoke in the morning and hand-made birthday cards for him.

Husband David Furnish posted his own birthday message on Instagram, saying, “Happy Birthday to my incomparable, darling husband Thank-you for all that you give to your family and to the world. You are the best.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Happy Birthday to my incomparable, darling husband Thank-you for all that you give to your family and to the world. You are the best. Love, David xoxo

A post shared by David Furnish (@davidfurnish) on Mar 25, 2020 at 8:54am PDT

Friends to wish Elton well included David and Victoria Beckham, who posted messages to their Instagram stories, along with actress Sharon Stone.

This Sunday (March 29), Elton will host the ‘iHeart Living Room Concert for America’ to benefit coronavirus charities. It will air at 9pm ET on all FOX platforms and iHeartMedia radio stations nationwide. Among those performing from their living rooms will be Elton, Billie Eilish, Alicia Keys and Mariah Carey.

Related: Dramatic footage shows Elton John forced off stage by rainstorm

Elton was born Reginald Dwight on March 25, 1947, in the London suburb of Pinner. His life story was brought to life in last year’s movie, Rocketman.

In 2018, he announced he was embarking on a three-year, 272-date farewell tour, which is due to complete in 2021. He’s said that he wants to then be able to spend more time with his family and enjoy watching his sons grow up.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Happiest of birthdays to my dear lovely friend E from S

A post shared by Sharon Stone (@sharonstone) on Mar 25, 2020 at 4:40pm PDT

www.queerty.com/watch-elton-johns-sons-sing-happy-birthday-adorable-20200326?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Library of Congress Inducts Village People’s Gay Disco Anthem ‘Y.M.C.A.’ Into National Recording Registry: VIDEO

“Y.M.C.A.,” the 1978 gay disco anthem from the Village People, has been inducted into the U.S. Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry.

The National Recording Registry honors “aural treasures worthy of preservation because of their cultural, historical and aesthetic importance to the nation’s recorded sound heritage,” according to a Library of Congress news release announcing this year’s inductees.

“In 1977, the Village People emerged as a purposely campy and extravagantly costumed vocal sextet of guys — the Native American, the cop, the biker, the soldier, the cowboy and the construction worker — singing upbeat dance floor anthems that often referenced gay pop culture,” the release states. “Now, over 40 years since it hit the streets and the dance floors, ‘Y.M.C.A.,’ their biggest hit, is an American cultural phenomenon — people from all walks of life do the ‘Y.M.C.A.’ dance at weddings, Bar Mitzvahs or sporting events. It is as likely to be heard at a Midwestern prom as it is at New York City’s annual Gay Pride parade. Back in its heyday, ‘Y.M.C.A.’ was a hit around the world, going to No. 1 on the charts in over 15 countries, and its ongoing popularity is evidence that, despite the naysayers, disco has never truly died.”

“Y.M.C.A.” is one of 25 songs or albums added to the National Recording Registry this year. Others include Whitney Houston’s version of “I Will Always Love You,” Tina Turner’s “Private Dancer,” Selena’s Ven Conmigo, Dr. Dre’s The Chronic, and the original Broadway cast recording of Fiddler on the Roof.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reports: The selection of “Y.M.C.A.” was welcomed by Village People leader and lead singer Victor Willis, a longtime San Diego resident, who rejoined the group in 2017 after a four-decade hiatus. He wrote the lyrics to “Y.M.C.A.” and other Village People hits, including “Macho Man,” “In the Navy” and “Go West.” He also wrote the group’s recently released 2019 piano ballad, “If You Believe,” an inspirational song of hope, whose video version has just been released and features coronavirus-inspired footage and images. “I had no idea when we wrote ‘Y.M.C.A.’ that it would become one of the most iconic songs in the world, and a fixture at almost every wedding, birthday party, bar mitzvah and sporting event,” Willis said in a statement issued by the Library of Congress.

Although the song was inspired by the YMCA in New York City’s heavily gay Chelsea neighborhood, Willis told the Union-Tribune it was intended to have universal appeal.

“Whether you’re gay, straight, Democrat, Republican, it doesn’t matter to me,” he said. “I tried to write it in an open enough way that anybody could find something in it and relate it to their life.”

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Village People this week released the group’s video for “If You Believe,” a song from their 2019 Christmas album.

“We decided now would be a good time to release the video, because the song is uplifting and may give people a little hope,” Willis told the newspaper.

Watch it below.

The post Library of Congress Inducts Village People’s Gay Disco Anthem ‘Y.M.C.A.’ Into National Recording Registry: VIDEO appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Library of Congress Inducts Village People’s Gay Disco Anthem ‘Y.M.C.A.’ Into National Recording Registry: VIDEO

U.S. Death Toll from Coronavirus Surpasses 1,000; Queens Hospital Uses Refrigerated Truck to Store Bodies: VIDEO

The death toll from coronavirus in the U.S. surpassed 1,000 late Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins University.

NBC News reports: The number of reported deaths associated with the disease in the U.S. was at least 1,001 as of Thursday morning, according to that count, and there have been more than 68,000 reported cases. Globally, reported deaths passed 21,000, according to Johns Hopkins University. The university puts the U.S. death toll even higher than the NBC News count, listing 1,050 as of around 2:30 a.m. ET. Deaths continued to rise in New York, which has been called the epicenter of the epidemic on the U.S. There have been at least 334 deaths linked to the illness caused by the novel coronavirus as of early Thursday.

The coronavirus deaths in New York included 13 in just 24 hours at Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, which has already reached its breaking point.

From the New York Times: Elmhurst, a 545-bed public hospital in Queens, has begun transferring patients not suffering from coronavirus to other hospitals as it moves toward becoming dedicated entirely to the outbreak. Doctors and nurses have struggled to make do with a few dozen ventilators. Calls over a loudspeaker of “Team 700,” the code for when a patient is on the verge of death, come several times a shift. Some have died inside the emergency room while waiting for a bed. A refrigerated truck has been stationed outside to hold the bodies of the dead. Over the past 24 hours, New York City’s public hospital system said in a statement, 13 people at Elmhurst had died. “It’s apocalyptic,” said Dr. Bray, 27, a general medicine resident at the hospital.

Watch a video report from the NYT below.

The post U.S. Death Toll from Coronavirus Surpasses 1,000; Queens Hospital Uses Refrigerated Truck to Store Bodies: VIDEO appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

U.S. Death Toll from Coronavirus Surpasses 1,000; Queens Hospital Uses Refrigerated Truck to Store Bodies: VIDEO