Tag: HRC

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Video: HRC Video Highlights Trump Lies To The LGBTQ Community

Despite weak assertions to the contrary, Donald Trump is no friend of the LGBTQ community.

And the Human Rights Campaign has released this video using his own words to make that clear.

In this week alone, the Trump administration proposed banning all transgender service members from the U.S. military; and, the Justice Department filed a “friend of the court” brief arguing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 offers no protections for LGBTQ folks.

But during the 2016 campaign, Trump attempted to underscore his “friendship” to us.

With friends like Trump, who needs enemies?

Watch the video below.

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HRC Give Away: 2 Tickets To “Will & Grace” Premiere Taping

The Human Rights Campaign has teamed up with the creators of NBC’s Will & Grace for a giveaway trip to the show’s season premiere taping.

In addition to roundtrip travel and hotel accommodations, the lucky winner and companion will get a behind-the-scenes tour of the set and a meet & greet photo op with the cast.

Click here and every $10 donation you make to the HRC is an entry to win. The proceeds from your donation will go to the Human Rights Campaign to support LGBTQ rights.

The iconic Will & Grace ran eight seasons from 1998 until 2006, putting relatable gay and lesbian characters right in the living rooms of millions of Americans.

Sparked by a mini-reunion clip taped during last fall’s presidential campaign, NBC has ordered a 10 episode season reboot beginning September 28.

All four original leads – Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Megan Mullally, and Sean Hayes – are returning, as is director James Burrows, who led every episode during the original run.

Head over and make your donation to HRC by clicking here, and check out the latest Will & Grace promo below.

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Human Rights Campaign Launches $26 Million “HRC Rising” To Combat Trump/Pence Agenda

The Human Rights Campaign has announced the launch of HRC Rising, a $26 million investment in opposing the Trump/Pence agenda:

HRC President Chad Griffin announced the organization would be going on offense with an investment of $26 million coast-to-coast: “It’s not enough to resist the hateful policies and attacks coming from the Trump-Pence regime — we’ve got to accelerate the pace of progress toward full equality and secure protections for LGBTQ people in states and communities across the country.”

In Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Nevada, HRC will make an especially strong, early push to organize against the Trump-Pence agenda and support pro-equality candidates in coming elections. Staff and volunteers will work with state and local organizations and partners in coalition to bolster efforts to advance equality, defend the LGBTQ community against attacks, and deliver wins for pro-equality candidates in order to lay the groundwork for future legislative victories.

More info about HRC Rising here.

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HRC To Trump: You Must Address Anti-Gay Torture In Chechnya With Russian President Putin

The Human Rights Campaign sent a letter from HRC President Chad Griffin to President Donald Trump urging Trump to forcefully raise concerns with Russian President Putin over Chechen attacks against gay and bisexual men.

“It is imperative that you forcefully raise this issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin when you meet him in Germany at the G-20 summit this week,” writes HRC President Chad Griffin. “I urge you to stand with the victims by calling on President Putin to take immediate action to bring the violence to an end and the perpetrators of these horrendous crimes to justice.”

Since news first broke in April, more than 100 gay and bisexual men have been arrested and detained without charge. While some have been set free, reports indicate that many remain in detention, where they have been beaten, tortured, and at least three have been killed.

Just last week, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution condemning the atrocities, and world leaders from British Prime Minister Theresa May to German Chancellor Angela Merkel have made it clear to President Putin that lawless detentions, arrests, torture, and murders of LGBTQ people are unacceptable.

HRC has repeatedly called on Secretary Tillerson and President Trump to forcefully condemn the atrocities in Chechnya. While Ambassador Haley and the State Department have issued statements, the White House has not addressed the crisis.

I am certain Trump has no plans to bring up the horrific treatment of gays in Chechnya.

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How To Get Away With Murder’s Conrad Ricamora Honored By HRC With Visibility Award

This past Saturday, television and stage actor Conrad Ricamora (How To Get Away With Murder, The King & I) received the HRC Visibility Award at the 2016 Cleveland Gala.

Ricamora is a wonderful choice for this honor. He’s been openly gay for years as he’s been starring on the hit network television show “How To Get Away With Murder” at the same time he’s been starring on Broadway in the recent sterling revival of The King & I.

Not only is Ricamora openly gay for some time now, he plays an openly gay character on HTGAWM who is also HIV+.

Watch his disarmingly charming acceptance speech below. He’s especially effusive in praise for those out actors before him like Sean Hayes, George Takei and Sir Ian McKellen.

“I want to thank all of the out actors that have empowered other actors like me to live with integrity because there’s a lot of pressure to stay in the closet when you first start acting. There are some actors though who have chosen to live their lives with integrity, both personally and professionally.

“From George Takei to Sean Hayes, to Sir Ian McKellen to Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and countless, countless others, your honesty and your openness in your public lives allows kids like me from Niceville, Florida to see you on screen, or online, or in print and feel like there’s a place for us in the world, even when we’re scared for our own safety in the communities that we’re living.”

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Arrow/Teen Wolf Star Colton Haynes To Be Honored With HRC’s “Visibility Award”

Colton Haynes

The Human Rights Campaign announced today that Colton Haynes (Teen Wolf, Arrow) will be honored for his work on behalf of LGBTs with the organization’s Visibility Award this year’s Annual Gala event in Seattle tomorrow night.

Via press release:

“Colton Haynes has inspired countless LGBTQ young people across the country and around the world to live their lives as their authentic selves,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “By simply being open about who he is, Haynes is helping to break down barriers and tear down closet doors. We are pleased he will be joining us at the 17th Annual HRC Seattle Gala, and we are proud to honor him with the HRC Visibility Award.”

Haynes, who recently came out publicly as gay in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, said, “I’m happier than I’ve ever been, and healthier than I’ve ever been, and that’s what I care about.”

Haynes also recently participated in a video released by HRC paying tribute to the 49 victims of the Orlando shooting at Pulse nightclub. The 18-minute tribute — directed by Emmy Award-winning Ryan Murphy and Ned Martel, with the support of their colleagues at Ryan Murphy Television — features a diverse cast of 49 actors, directors and other entertainment leaders recounting individual stories of the people killed in our nation’s deadliest mass shooting.

In addition to Teen Wolf and Arrow, Haynes has been featured on Fox’s The Grinder and ABC’s The Gates.

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HRC President Chad Griffin Addresses DNC 2016

Chad Griffin of the Human Rights Campaign

Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, addressed the 2016 Democratic National Convention today.

I love that Chad notes how difficult it was for Donald “Ask The Gays” Trump to even say LGBTQ, when Hillary has been telling the world for years that “gay rights are human rights and human rights are gay rights.”

Chad also notes the vast diversity of our community – as diverse as all America.

Here’s the full text of his remarks:

Last month, our nation was rocked to its core by a senseless and hateful attack that claimed the lives of 49 LGBTQ people and allies at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. They were brothers and sisters, they were sons and daughters. Above all, they were human beings.

Yet while the nation mourned, Donald Trump strutted before the cameras, and exploited our national tragedy. He had the audacity to tell the American public that he was the true champion for LGBTQ people in this race, and that our community would be better off with him in the White House. He even challenged his skeptics to, and I quote – “ask the gays.”

Well, since he asked…Here goes:

While Donald Trump has threatened to strip away our rights, the Hillary Clinton I first got to know as a closeted kid growing up in Arkansas has always been willing to stand up for the voiceless, and she’s made fighting for equality a cornerstone of her campaign.

While Donald Trump has promised to legalize Kim Davis-style discrimination in all 50 states… Hillary Clinton has promised to sign the Equality Act into law.

While Donald Trump chose as his running mate a governor who tried to divert HIV funding in order to finance the abusive practice of so-called “conversion therapy”… Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, is committed to stopping the spread of HIV, banning conversion therapy for minors, and ending the hate and violence our community still faces.

And long before Donald Trump struggled to read “LGBTQ” off a teleprompter last week, Hillary Clinton stood before the United Nations and boldly declared that gay rights are human rights and human rights are gay rights.

I want to remind Donald Trump of one more thing. The LGBTQ community is as diverse as the fabric of our nation. We are Muslim. We are Jewish. We are women. We are black, white and Latino. We are immigrants and we are people with disabilities. And when you attack one of us, you are attacking all of us.

And that, my friends, is why together we are all with her.

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Human Rights Campaign President To Speak On Final Night Of Democratic National Convention

The Democratic National Committee has released a preliminary list of speakers at this weeks’ Democratic National Convention.

You’ll note the vast diversity of speakers, including Congressman Keith Ellison (first Muslim American elected to Congress), Chad Griffin (president of the Human Rights Campaign), and Sarah McBride (transgender LGBT activist).

Via press release:

Monday, July 25 – “United Together”
Congressman Keith Ellison (Minnesota)
National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen Garcia
Congressman Raul Grijalva (Arizona)
Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (Iowa) and candidates of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee
SEIU President Mary Kay Henry
Congressman Joe Kennedy (Massachusetts)
Chair of the Democratic Governors Association Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy
Building Trades President Sean McGarvey
U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (Oregon)
Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (California) and members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus
AFSCME President Lee Saunders
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten
Senator Bernie Sanders
First Lady Michelle Obama

Tuesday, July 26 – “A Lifetime of Fighting For Children and Families”
Democratic National Committee Vice Chair of Voter Registration and Participation Donna Brazile
Former State Senator Jason Carter (Georgia)
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (California) and the Democratic Women of the House
Planned Parenthood Action Fund President Cecile Richards

Wednesday, July 27 – “Working Together”
Congressman GK Butterfield and members of the Congressional Black Caucus
Congresswoman Judy Chu (California) and members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
NARAL President Ilyse Hogue
Rear Admiral John Hutson (Ret. USN)
Civil Rights leader Jesse Jackson
Congressman Ben Ray Lujan and candidates of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
Former Congressman and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta
Former Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey
EMILY’s List President Stephanie Schriock
Center for American Progress Action Fund President Neera Tanden
Vice-President  Joe Biden
President Barack Obama

Thursday, July 28 – “Stronger Together”
General John Allen (ret. USMC), former Commander, International Security Assistance Forces, and Commander, United States Forces – Afghanistan
Candidates of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
President of the Human Rights Campaign Chad Griffin
League of Conservation Voters President Gene Karpinski
Co-Chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney (New York) and LGBT rights activist Sarah McBride
U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski (Maryland) and the Democratic Women of the Senate

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Stop The Hate: 49 Celebrities Honor The 49 Victims Of Orlando Nightclub Shooting

From the Human Rights Campaign:

The attack on Pulse nightclub has tragically become a symbol of how deadly anti-LGBTQ hate can become when it is combined with easy access to military-style assault weapons. In the wake of the attack in Orlando, HRC has been joined by a wide range of civil rights leaders in speaking out against laws and politicians who foment hate against LGBTQ people. HRC has also called on Congress to establish protections for LGBTQ people in all fifty states through the Equality Act and officially adopted a resolution in support of common-sense gun violence prevention legislation that will help ensure LGBTQ people and all Americans are safe and equal in every community.

“The 49 heroes who lost their lives on June 12 were brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, friends and neighbors, boyfriends and girlfriends, husbands and wives. They were mostly young and mostly Latinx. But above all, they were human beings who were loved, and who had hopes and dreams for long, full lives,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “It has been only a few short weeks since we lost 49 people to a deadly act of hatred. It is our responsibility to keep their memories alive and honor their legacies by ensuring our nation acts to end anti-LGBTQ hate and gun violence. We are incredibly grateful to Ryan Murphy, Ned Martel and the 49 artists who came together to create this beautiful and lasting tribute.”

In the aftermath of the Orlando tragedy, Murphy asked how he could help drive awareness about the dual epidemics of anti-LGBTQ hate violence and gun violence that, together, claimed so many lives at Pulse nightclub. The result was this moving tribute, filmed over the course of three days, at FOX Studios in Los Angeles.

“The hate that stole these 49 individuals from all those who loved them has been allowed to flourish in our country for too long,” said Ryan Murphy, Emmy Award-winning screenwriter, director and producer. “No person is born hating another, and we have an obligation as Americans to stand up against prejudice and bigotry that would incite violence against someone simply for who they are. I am proud to have joined with Ned Martel, my talented colleagues, and the Human Rights Campaign to honor these 49 heroes and stop the hate.”

Brief vignettes recounted by leading performers and entertainment leaders tell the stories of all 49 victims (in order of appearance): Jean Carlos Nieves Rodriguez, 27; Stanley Almodovar III, 23; Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32; Luis Daniel Conde, 39; Juan Pablo Rivera Velazquez, 37; Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40; Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33; Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37; Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35; Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21; Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, 49; Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, 24; Franky Jimmy De Jesús Velazquez, 50; Juan Chavez-Martinez, 25; Jerald Arthur Wright, 31; Antonio Davon Brown, 29; Miguel Angel Honorato, 30; Anthony Luis Laureano Disla, 25; ‘K.J.’ Morris, 37; Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34; Frankie Hernandez, 27; Akyra Monet Murray, 18; Joel Rayon Paniagua, 31; Jonathan Antonio Camuy Vega, 24; Yilmary Rodriguez Sulivan, 24; Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez, 25; Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25; Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26; Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22; Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33; Paul Terrell Henry, 41; Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35; Tevin Eugene Crosby, 25; Amanda Alvear, 25; Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30; Angel Luis Candelario-Padro, 28; Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, 31; Oscar A. Aracena-Montero, 26; Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19; Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25; Enrique L. Rios Jr., 25; Darryl Roman Burt II, 29; Cory James Connell, 21; Martin Benitez Torres, 33; Luis S. Vielma, 22; Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20; Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36; Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22; and Christopher Andrew Leinonen, 32.

Their stories are told by (in order of appearance): Lady Gaga, Chris Pine, Cuba Gooding Jr., Connie Britton, Matt Bomer, Sarah Paulson, Angela Bassett, Lea Michele, Colton Haynes, Sophia Bush, Jane Fonda, Harry Shum Jr., Denis O’Hare, Rob Reiner, Melissa Benoist, Caitlyn Jenner, Edgar Ramirez, Max Greenfield, Chaz Bono, Cheyenne Jackson, Emma Roberts, Kerry Washington, George Lopez, Evan Rachel Wood, Sofía Vergara, Diego Boneta, Nina Jacobson, Demi Lovato, Tyler Oakley, Yeardley Smith, Kid Cudi, Kaitlin Olson, Kevin McHale, Jamie Lee Curtis, Lee Daniels, Chace Crawford, Evan Peters, Gerard Butler, Katey Sagal, John Stamos, Laverne Cox, Jordana Brewster, Wes Bentley, Finn Wittrock, Darren Criss, Kathy Bates, Anna Paquin, Guillermo Díaz and Joe Mantello.

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Civil Rights Leaders Join Human Rights Campaign In Response To Orlando Massacre

Via press release:

HRC President HRC President Chad Griffin was joined by other civil rights leaders outside the Human Rights Campaign’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., to respond to the horrific massacre at a Florida LGBTQ nightclub.

“While today is a day of mourning in the wake of this tragedy, I say to LGBTQ people living in every corner in this country and around this globe: Continue to be bold, be loved, and be proud,” Griffin said.

“There are mothers and fathers, spouses and partners, siblings and friends who aren’t thinking about any of that. They’re simply wishing they had just one more moment to say I love you. During this, their darkest hour, we as a nation must be their strength. We must be their comfort. And we must promise that the memory of those they lost will never, ever fade,” Griffin said.

Griffin was joined by Mara Keisling, Executive Director, National Center for Transgender Equality; Janet Murguía; President and CEO, National Council of La Raza; Cornell Brooks, President, NAACP; Sharon Lettman-Hicks, Executive Director, National Black Justice Coalition; Judith Lichtman, of the National Partnership for Women & Families and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights; Brenda Abdelall of Muslim Advocates; Jorge Amaro, of the National LGBTQ Task Force; and María Teresa Kumar, president and CEO of Voto Latino.