Day of Silence Goes Virtual But Stays Visible

LGBTQ youth will still draw attention to silence and erasure, then break the silence with a livestreamed rally.

www.advocate.com/youth/2020/4/24/day-silence-goes-virtual-stays-visible

WATCH: Steamy new doc chronicles the West Coast answer to Studio 54

Studio 54 may have more notoriety as the world’s most infamous disco, but it was not alone. The trailer for Studio One Forever wants you to know about another.

The new documentary from director Marc Saltarelli examines the wild history of Studio One and The Backlot, sister venues located in West Hollywood that attracted the gay and showbiz sects beginning in the 1970s. Much like Studio 54 in New York City, the club developed a notorious reputation for hedonism, celebrity run-ins and wild parties.

Related: You’ve Heard Of Stonewall, But How About These Four Other LGBT National Landmarks?

“For a generation of gay men who came of age during the era of Scott Forbes’ Studio One, the significance of the club and the turbulence of the times hold a profound place in their hearts and minds,” director Saltarelli says. “From 1974-1994, the club saw the rise of the gay rights movement, the rise and fall of disco and the darkest days of the AIDS crisis when the club became ground zero for AIDS activism…Connected to the dance club, The Backlot evolved into the hottest live music venue in town. On any given night, you could catch established stars like Liza Minnelli, Chita Rivera or Eartha Kitt alongside up and comers like Roseanne Barr or Rosie O’Donnell on the verge of taking off.”

Studio One and The Backlot, later known as Ultra Suede and The Factory, thrived until the 2010s when the gentrification of West Hollywood led to the shuttering and demolition of the venue. Saltarelli aims to memorialize the location, and its historic value. Studio One Forever includes archival footage from the different incarnations of the club, along with anecdotes told by patrons including Bruce Vilanch, former West Hollywood Mayor John Duran, film historian David Del Valle, Melissa Rivers, and more.

Studio One Forever has an anticipated release date of October 2020. At the moment, Saltarelli is soliciting donations from potential viewers to help fund post-production on the film. 

www.queerty.com/watch-steamy-new-doc-chronicles-west-coast-answer-studio-54-20200424?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Amid Pandemic, Trump is About to Roll Back Protections for LGBT Patients

President Donald Trump’s administration appears to be just days away from rolling back an Obama-era policy prohibiting discrimination against LGBT patients.

Politico reports: The health department is close to finalizing its long-developing rewrite of Obamacare’s Section 1557 provision, which barred health care discrimination based on sex and gender identity. The administration’s final rule on Thursday was circulated at the Justice Department, a step toward publicly releasing the regulation in the coming days, said two people with knowledge of the pending rule. The White House on Friday morning also updated a regulatory dashboard to indicate that the rule was under review. Advocates fear that it would allow hospitals and health workers to more easily discriminate against patients based on their gender or sexual orientation. … “If the final rule is anything like the proposed rule, HHS is adopting changes that would be harmful in the best of times but that are especially cruel in the midst of a global pandemic that is disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities and exacerbating disparities,” said Katie Keith, a lawyer and Georgetown professor who’s tracked the rule.

Keith and other advocates fear the new rule will deter LGBT people from seeking care during the COVID-19 crisis.

Last month, more than 100 LGBT organizations signed a letter calling on public health officials to address the community’s heightened vulnerability to the coronavirus. And, earlier this week, the Center for American Progress issued a report highlighting the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on the LGBT community, including when it comes to healthcare discrimination.

From CAP’s report: Even when LGBTQ people have insurance coverage, discrimination can prevent them from accessing medical care. A growing number of courts are interpreting the ACA’s prohibition on sex discrimination to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in federally funded health programs; however, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is currently finalizing a rule that would remove explicit protections for LGBTQ patients. A nationally representative survey commissioned by CAP found that 1 in 4 LGBTQ people reported experiencing discrimination in the year prior, while 8 percent of lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults and 29 percent of transgender adults reported that a health care provider refused to see them because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. LGBTQ people who experienced any form of discrimination were nearly seven times more likely to report avoiding a visit to a doctor’s office to avoid discrimination. No one should be denied medical care because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, particularly not during a pandemic.

The post Amid Pandemic, Trump is About to Roll Back Protections for LGBT Patients appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Amid Pandemic, Trump is About to Roll Back Protections for LGBT Patients

Bravo’s “Family Karma” cast member Amrit and his boyfriend discuss their parents’ journeys towards LGBTQ acceptance in season finale

www.glaad.org/blog/bravo-family-karma-cast-member-amrit-and-his-boyfriend-discuss-their-parents-journeys