Monday, June 21, 2010

Via JMG: Constance McMillen Invited To White House LGBT Pride Reception

Lesbian teen Constance McMillen has been invited to join a select group of activists at a White House reception tomorrow to celebrate LGBT Pride Month.
The White House confirmed Friday that Obama will host the event and is expected to deliver brief remarks. After the prom controversy, McMillen said, she faced a hostile environment from her peers and transferred out of her northeast Mississippi school district to a school 200 miles away in Jackson. She said she broke down in tears at the graduation ceremony. "I didn't really want to walk, but I did it for my parents," she said. "My name wasn't on the program." On Friday, McMillen will be the guest of honor at a benefit concert in Woodstock, N.Y., with Spector, best known for her hits with the Ronettes in the early 1960s. The money raised will go toward McMillen's college education and the American Civil Liberties Union's Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Project and AIDS Project. Two days later, she will be in New York City as one of the grand marshals in the city's gay pride parade. "I'll never get my senior year back," she said. "But the experiences that I have had because of this have really made it a lot easier. It has really helped me."
The White House hasn't released an official list of the invitees, but according to the Washington Blade, most of those attending will be the leaders of state LGBT activist groups.

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reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Quote Of The Day - Eric Holder

"We have much to celebrate today. In the year since we last gathered, our nation – and the Justice Department – have taken steps to address some of the unique challenges faced by members of our country’s LGBT community. As you all know, up until last fall, there was not a single line in the nearly 225-year history of the U.S. Code that referred explicitly to gender identity. Today, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act – which the President signed into law last October – does just that, finally protecting our nation’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered individuals from the most brutal forms of bias-motivated violence.

In another important development, in April of this year, the Justice Department concluded that the Violence Against Women Act covers, and more importantly protects, same sex partners. And, just several weeks ago, as part of the department’s, and the Administration’s, commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion, I announced a new Diversity Management Plan and the appointment of Channing Phillips as Deputy Associate Attorney General for Diversity. With this initiative, and with Channing’s leadership, we’re working to ensure that the Department can effectively recruit, hire, retain, and develop a workforce that reflects our nation’s rich diversity, a Department that welcomes and encourages the contributions of its LGBT employees." - U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, speaking to representatives of DOJ Pride and others in recognition of LGBT Pride Month.

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reposted from Joe

GLEE - Season Finale Performance - "Over the Rainbow"

Via Bilerico: GOALLLLLLL!

Via 365Gay: CNN's Gay In America: Stereotypes Abound & Bigger Picture Ignored

Filed by: Bil Browning

June 20, 2010 7:00 PM

I had a chance to preview CNN's first episode of their new Gay in America series: Gary & Tony Have A Baby. Unlike the multi-hour Black In America extravaganzas, the network has cnn-logo.jpgseveral one hour shows planned to look inside the queer community. BIA host Soledad O'Brien also helms this documentary.

When the press kit arrived, I didn't bother to read the letter or description. The title spoke for itself: two gay guys are having a baby. I wasn't impressed; as a starter topic it's about as original as a documentary on pride. Jerame, however, was excited that the news network was focusing on our community and really wanted to watch it.

Before we popped it into the player, he chastised me for being so pessimistic about the show. As the DVD started to play, I looked at Jerame and made a few predictions. Not only did I nail every one, but the documentary goes so far beyond the usual mass media dreck that GLAAD should issue an action alert about it for perpetuating gay stereotypes.

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