Tag: LGBT ally

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Florida: Pro-Equality Ad for Charlie Crist and Annette Taddeo

The Miami Herald reports on a new pro-equality ad in support of former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and Lt. Governor candidate Annette Taddeo:

SAVE, one of South Florida’s best-known LGBT-rights groups, has produced a campaign video, Why We Vote, in support of candidates including Democrats Charlie Crist and Annette Taddeo.

“I’m voting because Rick Scott and Pam Bondi refuse to recognize our marriage,” says SAVE board chairman Christian Ulvert, seen on-camera with his husband Carlos Andrade. Both men are plaintiffs in the ACLU of Florida’s federal lawsuit against Florida’s constitutional gay marriage ban.

In an email to supporters of SAVE, Ulvert appealed for help to buy airtime for the ad as well as funds for voter canvasses, phone banks, and get out the vote events.

“All told, we’re looking to set a new record of turn out among equality voters in make-or-break races for pro-equality candidates,” wrote Ulvert. “We have the opportunity elect for the first time a pro-equality Governor and Lt. Governor in Charlie Crist and Annette Taddeo.”

(h/t JMG)

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Go Purple For Spirit Day 2014

Don’t forget to wear purple today, kids, in honor of Spirit Day 2014!

Whether you are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or an LGBT ally – this is a great way to show your support for ending bullying.

Millions go purple on Spirit Day in a stand against bullying and to show their support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth. Observed annually since 2010, individuals, schools, organizations, corporations, and public figures wear purple, which symbolizes ‘spirit’ on the rainbow flag.

For more info, head over to GLAAD.

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South Dakota man gets decked asking stranger to stop using gay slur

Drew Bratscher, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, got a face full of what it’s like to be an LGBT ally sometimes when he tried to stand up to a woman using a gay slur.

From LGBTQNation:

Bartscher, 27, says he was in crowd with two of his friends outside a local tavern around early Sunday morning when he heard a woman use a derogatory term for gays.

Bartscher, who is straight, says he politely told her she should not say that word.

What happened next blindsided him, reports KELO-TV.

“Then I hear this guy yell at me, ‘What the F did you say to my girlfriend?!?!’ I turned just a little bit and then the next thing I know, my friends are picking me up off the sidewalk, (because) I had gotten punched pretty good,” Bartscher said.

Though Bartscher says he’s a bit embarrassed about his shiner, he’s not ashamed of what he did to get it. He says he posted a photo of his injury almost immediately afterward, with the caption: “Stand up for what you believe in. Love everyone.”

No good deed goes unpunished, kids. I tell you what…

But props to Drew for standing up for the good guys. You get my respect.

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Joe Manganiello Accepts the HRC 2014 Ally For Equality Award

Joe Manganiello accepts the 2014 HRC Ally For Equality Award

True Blood/Magic Mike star and longtime LGBT ally Joe Manganiello accepted the Human Rights Campaign 2014 Ally for Equality Award last weekend.

From Joe’s comments accepting the award:

You know I never set out to be an advocate, I’m simply a person who believes in equality for everyone. And I’m a person who believes in standing up for his friends.

And if I’m being completely honest, there’s a small part of me that felt weird about accepting an award just because I think that everyone should be treated the same – that each individual be allowed the basic human right to love whomever their heart wants to love without fear or hatred or prejudice.

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Nick Jonas “Thrilled” At His Gay Fans

Nick Jonas stopped by HuffPost Live yesterday to talk on his upcoming DirecTV drama series Kingdom (where he may appear not only naked, but possibly gay/bi-curious) and his new solo single, “Jealous.”

He also addressed his recent appearances at NYC gay clubs where he teased his famous abs and biceps, and his thoughts on his gay fan base:

“I love it; I’m thrilled by that. I always had a pretty strong gay fan base, having been a theater kid. That’s a community that I love and have embraced, and [they’ve] embraced me. I love them. They’re so supportive.”

Speaking to MTV News of his recent stops at NYC gay clubs, Nick said, “It’s been a fun couple days partying with some of my gay fans. I love them to death and their support of me, so why not go out and hang?”

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Target signs on to support marriage equality in 7th Circuit Court appeal

Target announced Tuesday that it has signed an amicus, or friend of the court, brief in support of marriage equality in two cases currently before the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.

The cases, Baskin v. Bogan, out of Indiana, and Wisconsin’s Wolf v. Walker, are both on appeal after federal district courts struck down same-sex marriage bans in those states.

Executive Vice President Jodee Kozlak explained the company’s position in this statement:

As our leadership team discussed signing on, we took time to consider the bigger questions at hand. This brief is important, as the issues it addresses have significant impact on businesses. But it is more than that and we agreed that now is the right time to more directly share our views on this issue.

It is our belief that everyone should be treated equally under the law, and that includes rights we believe individuals should have related to marriage.

Without getting into the specifics of a court case, this brief evaluates the issues created by states that both prohibit same-sex marriage and also refuse to recognize marriages that were conducted legally in other states. This position is particularly challenging for a large organization that operates nationally, such as Target. At Target, we have long offered comprehensive, competitive benefits to our LGBT team members and their families, often above what is legally required. We continue to do so today because we believe doing so is right for our team and for our business. But current laws — in places like Wisconsin and Indiana that are addressed in this brief – make it difficult to attract and retain talent. These disparate laws also create confusing and complicated benefits challenges across multiple states.

We believe that everyone – all of our team members and our guests – deserve to be treated equally. And at Target we are proud to support the LGBT community.

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Vikings investigation on Chris Kluwe’s allegations could mean vindication for Kluwe

The Viking Age reports that the Vikings vs Chris Kluwe investigation could come to a close soon, and it looks like there could be vindication for LGBT ally Kluwe.

Kluwe had raised allegations that he was released from his position as punter for the Vikings because of his marriage equality activism.

Journalist Mike Freeman recently tweeted, “I’m hearing Chris Kluwe report could be released very soon and report is favorable to Kluwe.”

From the Viking Age:

“Favorable to Kluwe” is vague enough that it could mean a lot of things, but we have to assume that any report generally favorable to Kluwe is going to be generally not-favorable to [Vikings special coordinator, Mike] Priefer. And since Priefer stands to lose more than anyone else if Kluwe’s allegations are found to have merit…well, let’s just say if there’s anyone out there who has reason to be tense, it’s Priefer.

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Bryan Fischer says Americans are tired of LGBT-inclusive advertising

Bob Witeck, president of strategic communications firm Witeck Communications, talks about the recent surge in LGBT inclusive advertising:

“What we’re witnessing is the idea that you don’t have to isolate gay ads and messaging to markets only intended for gay people. Families all look different from the traditional family Americans grew up with 50 years ago. They are far more multiracial, more single parents, more gay couples raising kids. If you start leaving them out, you’re not only erasing gay people, but you’re also erasing people who are part of people’s family.”

But of course, the haters have to weigh in on the dreaded diversity of America.

Bryan Fischer, of the certified hate group The American Family Association, says ordinary Americans are growing tired of advertising featuring diverse, gay families:

“I think eventually this LGBT advertising push is gonna trigger a blowback from ordinary Americans. I think that ordinary Americans are getting fed up with having the homosexual agenda shoved down their throats when they’re watching TV with their families. What American families are gonna begin to react to is that they are recognizing that this is no longer about advertising a product. This is about propaganda for a sexually deviant lifestyle.”

Check out the “agenda” getting “shoved down their throats” via the recent Chevy commercial above. You’ll note a family with two dads at the :10 mark.

Fischer is horrified, I’m thrilled. The diversity of our country is our strength.

(via Towleroad)

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Walmart supports NYC Gay Pride Parade

JMG points out Walmart’s full page ad in this year’s NYC Pride Parade Guide.

I guess this means the haters will be boycotting the uber-retailer soon? After a while, there’s not going to be anyone left to boycott.

But with companies like Starbucks seeing their stock zoom while being boycotted by NOM, you can only guess it just makes sense all around to be supportive of diversity these days… 🙂