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Music: The Classic Sound of Gay Pride

While you’re celebrating this week’s huge step forward for marriage equality and getting gussied up for another Pride Weekend, don’t forget the LGBTs and allies that paved the yellow brick road behind us. Rdio is highlighting the musicians and songs that championed same-sex equality with their third Pride focused playlist, The Classic Sound of Gay Pride.

Track Listing:

You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) (12″ Version)
Sylvester – Mighty Real: Greatest Dance Hits

I’m Coming Out
Diana Ross – Motown: The Complete No. 1’s

Y.M.C.A.
The Village People – Disco Gold

Is It All Over My Face? (Female Version)
Loose Joints – Is It All Over My Face?

Dancing Queen
ABBA – ABBA Gold

I Will Survive
Gloria Gaynor – Disco Gold

I Feel Love
Donna Summer – On The Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes I & II

We Are Family
Sister Sledge – We Are Family [Expanded]

Got To Be Real
Cheryl Lynn – Cheryl Lynn

I Was Born This Way (Larry Levan’s Live Edit)
Carl Bean – I Was Born This Way

I Need A Man
Grace Jones – Island Life

Menergy
Patrick Cowley – Patrick Cowley’s Greatest Hits

Macho Man
The Village People – The Casablanca Records Story
14 3:07

I Love The Nightlife (Disco ‘Round)
Alicia Bridges – I Love The Nightlife

No More Tears (Enough Is Enough) (Duet with Donna Summer)
Barbra Streisand – Memories

Take Me Home
Cher – Take Me Home

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (The Garage Version)
Inner Life – Journey Into Paradise: The Larry Levan Story

Under Pressure
Queen – Greatest Hits 1 & 2

Boys Keep Swinging
David Bowie – Lodger (1999 Remaster)

This Charming Man
The Smiths – The Sound Of The Smiths [Deluxe Edition]

All The Young Dudes
Mott The Hoople – All The Young Dudes

Sweet Transvestite
Tim Curry – The Rocky Horror Picture Show – Original Soundtrack

Good To Be Gay
Tom Robinson – Strong Love

Piece Of My Heart
Janis Joplin – The Essential Janis Joplin

We Will Rock You
Queen – Greatest Hits 1 & 2

Rebel Girl
Bikini Kill – Kill Rock Stars Sampler 2009

Dig Me Out
Sleater-Kinney – Dig Me Out

I Hate Myself For Loving You
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – Up Your Alley

Bring Me Some Water
Melissa Etheridge – Melissa Etheridge

Constant Craving
k.d. lang – Recollection

Fast Car
Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman

Possession
Sarah McLachlan – Closer: The Best Of Sarah McLachlan

Passionate Kisses
Mary Chapin Carpenter – The Essential Mary Chapin Carpenter

Closer To Fine
Indigo Girls – Retrospective

Faith
George Michael – Faith (Remastered)

Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover
Sophie B. Hawkins – The Best Of Sophie B. Hawkins

Situation
Yaz – Upstairs At Eric’s

Holiday
Madonna – Madonna

Lovergirl
Teena Marie – Ultimate Collection: Teena Marie

Male Stripper
Man 2 Man – Male Stripper (Retrospective 1983-1990)

You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)
Dead Or Alive – Rip It Up

The Loco-motion (7″ Mix)
Kylie Minogue – The Best of Kylie Minogue

Xanadu
Olivia Newton-John – Xanadu (Soundtrack)

It’s Raining Men
The Weather Girls – Success

Karma Chameleon (2002 – Remaster)
Culture Club – Colour By Numbers

Smalltown Boy
Bronski Beat – The Age Of Consent

Always On My Mind (2003 – Remaster)
Pet Shop Boys – PopArt: The Hits

I Am What I Am (ReMastered)
Gloria Gaynor – I Am What I Am

Chains Of Love
Erasure – The Innocents

Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)

Fascinated
Company B – Company B

Relax
Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Welcome To The Pleasuredome

Deep In Vogue (Introducing Lourdes & Willie Ninja)
Malcolm McLaren & The Bootzilla Orchestra – Waltz Darling

Vogue
Madonna – Celebration (double disc version)

Finally
Cece Peniston – Finally

Free
Ultra Naté – Free

I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Junior’s Happy Handbag Mix)
Whitney Houston – Whitney The Greatest Hits

Believe
Cher – Believe

True Colors
Cyndi Lauper – True Colors

And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going
Jennifer Holliday – 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: Best Of Jennifer Holliday

Over the Rainbow (The Wizard of Oz)
Judy Garland – The Wizard of Oz

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Dan Cathy, Chick-Fil-A owner, tweets then deletes disapproval over DOMA decision

So it looked for a minute there that fast-food chain Chick-fil-A was trying to improve it’s image with the LGBT community by moving away from anti-gay beliefs and practices, but company president and CEO Dan Cathy disproved that myth Wednesday on Twitter.

Responding to the Supreme Court’s rulings on the Defense of Marriage Act and Proposition 8, Cathy tweeted:

Sad day for our nation; founding fathers would be ashamed of our gen. to abandon wisdom of the ages re: cornerstone of strong societies.

And then, lacking the courage of his convictions on LGBT issues, the tweet was quickly deleted.

Chick-fil-A spokeswoman Carrie Kurlander explained that Cathy “has his own views,” but “Chick-fil-A is focused on providing great tasting food and genuine hospitality.”

The distinction may not be very meaningful given that Chick-fil-A is privately owned and Cathy is its owner.

(via ThinkProgress)

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Respect for Marriage Act re-introduced in Congress

Hot on the heels of yesterday’s SCOTUS decisions, the Respect for Marriage Act was re-introduced in both houses of Congress, Freedom to Marry reports:

Representative Jerrold Nadler of New York and Senator Dianne Feinstein of California today reintroduced the Respect for Marriage Act, the bill that would repeal the entirety of the federal so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and assure all married couples equal treatment for all federal programs and purposes.

The move swiftly followed today’s powerful ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, striking down a central part of DOMA and calling into question marriage discrimination.

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Nelson Mandela on life support

Nelson Mandela is reportedly on life support. Reports indicate the news is grave for the 94 year old former South African President.

South Africa’s president visited a gravely ill Nelson Mandela in the hospital on Wednesday night, and canceled a visit planned for the next day to Mozambique, an indication of heightened concern over the deteriorating health of the man widely considered the father of the country.

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Rally in Las Vegas to celebrate marriage equality victories

photo credit: Anthony Pecora

Under a clear blue sky in 105 degree heat,  Nevada LGBT leaders held a rally – part celebration, part battle cry – at the fab new Gay & Lesbian Community Center, following Supreme Court rulings Wednesday that shot down DOMA and Prop 8.

Hosted by Las Vegas’ favorite news anchor, Chris Saldana, community leaders and allies took to the stage to cheer the day and point to the battles ahead.

While Nevada doesn’t allow same-sex marriage currently, the ruling opens the door for questions about the protections of rights for same-sex couples here in the Silver State.  In the last legislative session, both the Assembly and the Senate approved SJR13, the first step to repeal the same-sex marriage ban and give the rights of marriage equality to gay and lesbian couples of Nevada.

In attendance were Chris Miller (co-chair of LGBTQ Coalition), Merek Bute (president of AFAN), Tod Story (ACLU of Nevada), Assemblyman James Healey, Sen. James Parks, Assemblywoman Michele Fiore (only GOP vote for marriage equality bill SJR13 this past legislative session), Sen. Pat Spearman, Assemblyman Paul Aizley, Sen. Ruben Kihuen, Sen. Justin Jones, and Assemblyman Andrew Martin (co-sponsor of SJR13).

Over and over, LGBT leaders and allies sent the message: “The fight for same-sex marriage is not over. The fight for equality is not over. And we need you.”

Rally host Chris Saldana gets the rally started

The crowd celebrates the day

Openly gay Assemblyman James Healy addresses the crowd

GOP Assemblywoman and ally Michele Fiore and her lesbian mom take the stage

Ryan Lyons of Le Reve and Broadway Bares shares a breather in the heat with Chris Saldana
Thanks for the beef cake, boys.

 Openly gay Sen. David Parks

Openly lesbian Sen. Pat Spearman

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Walmart ends business relationship with Paula Deen

The news keeps getting worse for Paula Deen.

After her contracts with the Food Network AND Smithfield Foods were both severed due to her admitting to using racist language, today comes the news from Walmsrt that they, too, are ending their business relationship with Paula Deen.

From The New York Times:

Paula Deen’s culinary empire suffered a new blow on Wednesday, as Walmart announced it was ending their lucrative partnership, selling cookware, food and other products branded with the celebrity chef’s name.

The news came hours after Ms. Deen made a tearful appearance on the “Today” show, insisting that she was not and never had been a racist, as a former employee has charged in a workplace-discrimination lawsuit. Since last week, Ms. Deen has lost two other major corporate contracts, with the Food Network and Smithfield Foods, after her deposition in a workplace-discrimination lawsuit came to widespread attention. In it, she admitted to using racist language, and tolerating racist jokes in one of her restaurants.

In a statement Wednesday afternoon, Walmart said, “We are ending our relationship with Paula Deen Enterprises and we will not place new orders beyond those already committed.” There are currently 215 Paula Deen-branded items on the company’s Web site, from aprons and salad dressings to reading glasses, china and a new line of “finishing butters.”

Check out her emotional appearance on the Today Show this morning:

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
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Edie Windsor’s remarks on winning at the Supreme Court bringing down DOMA

In all the hoopla, one of the most important people to speak on the repeal of DOMA is Edie Windsor, who brought the case to court when her wife died and she was hit with a $360,000+ tax bill because the federal government didn’t recognize her marriage.

I’ve been strangely numb today about the rulings. I’m excited and happy, but it’s almost not real to me. It wasn’t until I saw this clip of Edie speak today that I felt something really moving about what has happened on this historic day.

This is history. For decades we’ll look back and know how important this day is, and how it will lead us to our future.

And, in great part, because this senior citizen who lived most of her life quietly decided to raise her voice, and in doing so has raised up so many of us.

Thank you, Edie Windsor.

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Impact of DOMA decision – Extending federal benefits to service members and families

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says Pentagon to extend all federal benefits to same-sex married couples asap

In response to the repeal of DOMA today, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says the Pentagon will extend health care, housing, and additional federal benefits to the gay spouses of service members as soon as possible, the AP reports:

Defense officials estimate there are 18,000 same-sex couples in the active duty, National Guard and Reserves. It’s unclear how many of those are married.

The court ruling also could allow same-sex spouses to be buried at Arlington Cemetery. The Pentagon has said that by Oct. 1, it would extend a variety of benefits to same-sex partners, including access to on-base commissaries and some health and welfare programs.