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London adventure 2013

The adventure begins!

Michael and I are heading to London for some business on his part, and pleasure on mine 🙂

Olivia Newton-John will be performing her first UK concerts in 30 years and Michael will be there to handle her press appearances. The reaction has been amazing from the European fans and can’t wait to see the TV and radio appearances. The UK rocks!

I’m tagging along, AND we have plans to see the brilliant Tony Award winner Betty Buckley in the UK premiere production of Jerry Herman’s DEAR WORLD at Charing Cross Theatre directed by Gillian Lynne. The production and Betty have received terrific reviews. I can’t wait to hear Jerry’s gorgeous score live!

I’ll be blogging along the way and will share anything interesting or funny (at least to me). So thanks for staying tuned in everyone.

As Cornelius says to his sidekick in another Jerry Herman show, “It’s an adventure, Barnaby!”

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New Zealand: Marriage equality bill moves forward in Parliament

From the New Zealand Herald:

The Government Administration Committee said the private member’s bill should progress, but with an amendment to make it clear that no minister was obliged to marry someone against their own beliefs.

The committee report said: “The bill seeks to extend the legal right to marry to same-sex couples; it does not seek to interfere with people’s religious freedoms.”

The Marriage Act would be amended to put beyond doubt that no celebrant recognised by a religious body or nominated by an approved organisation would have to marry a couple if it meant contravening their own, or the organisation’s beliefs…

The report also said that a majority of the select committee agreed that marriage was a human right, and that it was unacceptable for the state to deny this right to same-sex couples.

The Campaign for Marriage Equality says the report “sends a clear message that New Zealand is ready for marriage equality”.

“It is a ringing endorsement of love, fairness, family, and for the equal treatment of all Kiwis before the law,” campaign spokesman Conrad Reyners said.

The bill passed by an 80-40 vote.

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Brian Brown: I’m so mad at Richard Hanna, I hope a Democrat wins next election

Brian Brown, NOM hate-group leader says he would rather see a Democrat win in the next election than see GOP congressman Richard Hanna reelected due to his support for the overturn of Prop 8 in an amicus brief signed by many prominent GOP politicians. Say Brown:

“There’s absolutely no doubt that we are going be involved in the next election for Richard Hanna’s seat,” said Brown. “What folks don’t understand is that we have Republicans and Democrats who support us, but if a Republican betrays the party platform, betrays his constituents, and does what Richard Hanna does, you can bet we’re going to primary him. And if a Democrat wins in the end, so be it.”

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Arizona: Phoenix passes LGBT non-discrimination ordinance

 The Arizona Republic is reporting today that Phoenix, Arizona, the sixth most populous city in the nation, last night passed broad laws barring discrimination against LGBT residents:

Gay-rights advocates said the move was a long time coming. They said Phoenix, the sixth-largest city in the country, is playing “catch-up” with at least 166 other U.S. cities and counties that have adopted similar laws.
An estimated 500 people packed the Orpheum Theatre, and dozens of people spoke on both sides of the issue. Many supporters wore “yes” stickers and rainbow pins.
Mayor Greg Stanton fast-tracked the reforms, which ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression — those who identify as a different sex than they were born as.

The changes approved Tuesday would prohibit discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations, such as restaurants and hotels. Businesses and individuals that don’t comply could be criminally prosecuted and face a misdemeanor charge, punishable by a $2,500 fine. Phoenix currently offers few such safeguards for gay people but bans discrimination based on race, sex, religion, national origin, age and marital status.

(via Towleroad)

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Macklemore & Ryan Lewis: “You Can Play”

LGBT allies Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, who last year gave us “Same Love,” release this video just in time for the first anniversary of the “You Can Play” project. The project is dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, without regard to sexual orientation.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis see fit to expand that definition of “play” to the music world too.

Says Macklemore in the video message: “You know someone who’s gay, they just haven’t told you yet,” says Macklemore in the clip, adding, “Don’t let being gay hold you back, and if you’re straight, do not hold others back…Anti-gay language has no place in sports, or music.”

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Illinois: state House committee votes 6-5 in favor of marriage equality

One more step and Illinois could celebrate marriage equality as law in the land of Lincoln.

From Chicago Phoenix:

The Illinois House Executive Committee voted 6-5 to approve a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage Tuesday evening, sending the bill to a vote in the full House chamber, the bill’s last hurdle before becoming law.

“This is a wonderful moment for the State of Illinois,” said Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago), the bill’s chief sponsor in the House, moments after the committee victory.

“I look forward to a successful vote in the full House,” he said.

Illinois would join nine other states that have legalized same-sex marriage – Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Connecticut, Vermont, Washington, New Hampshire, New York and Massachusetts.

If passed, Governor Pat Quinn has said he will sign it.

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Major corporations to file SCOTUS joint brief in support of Prop 8 repeal

Come Thursday, dozens of major corporations will file a joint Supreme Court brief in support of the overturn of Prop 8.

From Fortune Magazine:

On Thursday, dozens of American corporations, including Apple, Alcoa, Facebook, eBay, Intel, and Morgan Stanley will submit an amicus brief in the landmark Hollingsworth v. Perry case broadly arguing to the U.S. Supreme Court that laws banning same-sex marriages, like California’s ballot initiative Proposition 8, are unconstitutional under the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses.

According to a draft copy obtained by Fortune, the companies argue that such laws “send an unmistakeable signal that same-sex couples are in some way inferior to opposite-sex couples, a proposition that is anathema to amici’s commitment to equality and fair treatment to all.”

At least 60 companies had committed to signing the brief as of Tuesday evening, according to Joshua Rosenkranz, who is counsel of record on the brief and head of the Supreme Court and appellate litigation practice at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe. That number is expected to rise by Thursday, however, according to Rosenkranz. Others who have already committed to sign include AIG, Becton Dickinson, Cisco, Cummins, Kimpton, Levi Strauss, McGraw Hill, NCR, Nike, Office Depot, Oracle, Panasonic, Qualcomm, and Xerox.

(via JMG)