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Kate Clinton, Edie Windsor and LGBT Supporters Talk Equality (AUDIO)
In the conclusion of my exclusive two part audio montage series I talked with LGBT lawyers, activists and allies at the annual Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) Summer Party at the Pilgrim Monument and Museum in Provincetown, Massachusetts. This has been an epic year to celebrate especially with the historic Supreme Court marriage equality ruling but we still have a lot more work to do and this work needs to be funded. There was a silent auction at the event and our favorite political humorist Kate Clinton returned as auctioneer extraordinaire raising $160,000 for GLAD. Then I talked to Elyse Cherry who is CEO of Boston Community Capital and served as a board member of GLAD in the 1990’s when the marriage battle began 20 years ago. Cherry hopes that our LGBT community builds on the momentum of the historic Supreme Court ruling and LGBT candidates run for political office throughout the nation. Then I chatted with Gary Buseck GLAD’s Legal Director who has been involved with GLAD in various capacities for more than 35 years including serving as Executive Director from 1997 to January, 2004. Gary talked about celebrating the wonderful progress GLAD has achieved so far and ready to move to the next level of LGBT equality which include national nondiscrimination protections for our community. He is especially concerned about our LGBT youth’s safety in and out of the school and religious liberty issues.
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Next I chatted with Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey who is the first openly gay state attorney general elected in America. Maura talked about celebrating the work GLAD has done advancing equality across the country. When asked about what she would you like to see happen for LGBT equality in the next few years Healey talked about advancing transgender protections, safety for LGBT young people and ensuring LGBT seniors’ healthcare and nursing home protections. Then Dianne Phillips, GLAD’s Board of Directors President talked about what’s on the agenda for the organization including their current lawsuit Jacqueline Cote, et al. v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. where Wal-Mart has violated the federal Civil Rights Act by discriminating against Jacqueline Cote based on her sex.
When I asked Kate Clinton about her spin on recent advancements for our LGBT community she joked that you can always judge our success by backlash that’s already happening by our opponents. Kate also reminded me that although we can now legally marry in all 50 states our community can still be fired in 30 of those states where sexual orientation is not protected and how the national Equality Act needs to pass to finally end LGBT discrimination. Next I chatted with Robert Four who has been involved in the marriage movement since the late 1990’s. Robert stated he would like to see comprehensive nondiscrimination legislation across the country that would ensure housing and job security for our LGBT community. Then I spoke to artist Barbara Cohen who has supported GLAD for years and also strives to see equality across the board for our LGBT community. Barbara attended the Summer Party with marriage icon Edie Windsor who she graciously introduced me to. Edie told me she was at the event because GLAD began the whole marriage movement. Windsor had one request and that was to stop using the term “same-sex marriage.” I agree with Edie 100%. For over ten years I have been trying to educate the heterosexual and LGBT community to not use the term that was conceived by Karl Rove the former White House Deputy Chief of Staff during the George W. Bush administration to raise a red flag with the religious right by using the word “sex” in describing our LGBT community. When mainstream media uses this term all you can hear is the redundancy of the word sex. When asked what she would like to see happen for LGBT equality in the next few years Edie added she would like to see LGBT homeless kids who statistically account for 50% of all homeless youth to be off the streets and receive the love and support they deserve just for being themselves. She concluded by saying she was pleased to see the progress happening for trans people in this country and hopes to see rights for not just gender but gender identity.
(Photos by Marilyn Rosen)
For More Info: glad.org
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