Tag: LGBT

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Openly gay Pennsylvania teacher fired for applying for marriage license

Michael Griffin, an openly gay teacher at the Holy Ghost Preparatory School in Pennsylvania for 12 years, was suddenly fired from his job yesterday – the same day he and his long-time partner applied for a same-sex marriage license.

From WPVI:

Michael Griffin says he emailed the principal of Holy Ghost Prep earlier in the week saying he may be late Friday, that he was applying for a marriage license.

After an in-service day he says he was called into the office of School President Father James McCloskey, along with Principal Jeffrey Danilak. Griffin explains, “He said, ‘It’s not really a secret here that you’re gay.’ I said, ‘Correct.’ He said, ‘I assume this is a same sex marriage.’ ‘Yes.’ He said if I go through with it, he had no choice but to terminate my position.”

In tears, he left. His over a decade-long tenure at Holy Ghost was over. “I really didn’t think that it would happen. At our school we talk about it’s a community our motto is ‘One heart, one mind.'”

His partner, Vincent Giannetto, tells Action News, “We applied this morning and on the same day he’s fired from his job. So it kind of flipped things upside down for us.”

Holy Ghost is an all boys Catholic high school located in Bensalem, Pennsylvania.

(via Towleroad)

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Las Vegas: INSTAGLAM fund raising event for The Center tonight!

Get out tonight for InstaGLAM – A night of holiday shopping, cocktails, food and fun, benefitting The Center.

This fabulous fashion-forward event will take place at The Market LV, located in Tivoli Village (above Brio Tuscan Grille.)

Your ticket includes two cocktail tickets, samples from The Crepe, hors d’oeuvres, sweet treats from CupKates by Kate and plenty of entertainment!

Tickets are $35 (+ processing fee) in advance or $40 at the door (cash only.)

Each guest also receives a raffle ticket, with great prizes including gifts from The Market LV retailers, Zappos gift cards, show tickets and more! Additional raffle tickets will be available for purchase and all raffle money goes directly to The Center.

The Market LV retailers will also be donating a portion of their sales for that evening to The Center.

Click here for to buy tickets to attend this cool holiday event that will benefit The Gay and Lesbian Center of

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LGBT web-series EastSiders gets Satellite Award nomination

 
For the first time, the International Press Academy for the Satellite Award will recognize exceptional web content, and the LGBT-based EastSiders has earned one of the nominations.

If you haven’t been following the series, the show follows a gay couple struggling with infidelity in Los Angeles.

After the first two episodes debuted on Youtube last year, the first season found it’s funding through Kickstarter in only four days, and the remaining episodes premiered on LogoTV.com and Viacom.

Kit Williamson, EastSiders’ creator, had this to say about the nomination:

“I think it’s amazing that the International Press Academy has added a category recognizing web series this year. It’s a huge step forward for digital content creators and I’m honored to be a part of the inaugural class of digital nominees. EastSiders started out as a labor of love — I just wanted to make a show I’d want to watch, with gay characters I could relate to — and when I put the first episode on youtube last December I never expected the show to attract the attention of Logo, much less to be recognized by the International Press Academy. It’s especially exciting to be nominated alongside such an amazing lineup of shows.”

EastSiders will be included in the Original Short-Format Category.   The other nominees include High Maintenance, Burning Love, Ask A Slave, Little Horribles, Blue, #Just Saying,#SamoKazem, and Ghost Girls. 

Check out all of the 2013 nominees by clicking here.

 (via OUT)

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Hawaii says “Aloha!” to day one of marriage equality

Same-sex couples are taking advantage of Hawaii’s newfound aloha for gay weddings.

Six couples tied the knot early Monday, shortly after midnight, when the new law allowing same-sex couples to marry took effect.

A Waikiki resort was hosting mass ceremonies for anyone wanting to sign up, while a group of clergy who pushed for the new law planned to host a wedding for an openly gay Unitarian minister at a church near downtown Honolulu.

Take a look at all the shiny, happy people via Buzzfeed. Congratulations Hawaii!

The first couples to take advantage of Hawaii’s new found marriage equality gather for a group picture at the Sheraton Waikiki, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013 in Honolulu.

Michelle Broder Van Dyke/BuzzFeed

Michelle Broder Van Dyke/BuzzFeed

Michelle Broder Van Dyke/BuzzFeed

(source)

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Madonna joins HRC to fight anti-gay Russian “campaign of hate”

http://shop.hrc.org/love-conquers-hate-collection/love-conquers-hate-russian-t-shirt.html?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=Madonna-body&utm_campaign=SUPPORTRUSSIA
Click image for more info to support Love Conquers Hate

Madonna LGBT equality Madonna has graciously joined thousands of others from around the world to be part of our #LoveConquersHate campaign – standing in solidarity with LGBT people in Russia. Her inspiring note is below.

At this dangerous moment in Russian history, we as advocates have a responsibility to speak up and take our hopeful message global. That’s why I’m joining HRC’s Love Conquers Hate campaign, in hopes that more and more fair-minded people around the world will stand up and fight against the Russian government’s campaign of hate.

Right now, you can send that message directly to the Russian people and provide much-needed support to LGBT advocates in Russia by purchasing the Russian-language Love Conquers Hate t-shirt. And once you have your t-shirt, share a picture of yourself wearing it on social media using #LoveConquersHate. With your help, we can make this simple message go global.

Click here for more info on the campaign from Madonna and the HRC.

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UK Olympic diver Tom Daley comes out

The Guardian is reporting that British Olympic diver Tom Daley has come out.  As he says in the video “I’m dating a guy and I couldn’t be happier:”

The Olympic diving star Tom Daley has said he is in a relationship with a man. He made the announcement in a video on YouTube to “put an end to all the rumours and speculation”. Daley, 19, said he “couldn’t be happier” in the five-minute video in which he speaks about his new partner for the first time. He added: “I’ve been dating girls and I’ve never really had a serious relationship to talk about and now I feel ready to talk about my relationships. Come spring this year my life changed massively when I met someone and it made me feel so happy, so safe, and everything just feels great. And, well, that someone is a guy.” Daley, who won a bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympics, said he wanted to reveal the news in a video because he didn’t want his words to be “twisted”.

The video clip has received over 450,000 views and 10,000 comments in less than a day.

Tom has become quite has a huge following on Instagram and shares pics frequently. It’s easy to see why he’s captured the attention of the world.

Pic via Inatagram

Pic via Instagram
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Right wing websites angry President Obama includes LGBT community in Thanksgiving proclamation

Yesterday, President Obama’s Thanksgiving proclamation included a veiled inclusion of the LGBT community as “first and foremost Americans.” Here’s a quote from the statement:

“Thanksgiving offers each of us the chance to count our many blessings — the freedoms we enjoy, the time we spend with loved ones, the brave men and women who defend our Nation at home and abroad.

“This tradition reminds us that no matter what our background or beliefs, no matter who we are or who we love, at our core we are first and foremost Americans.

[snip]

“NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 28, 2013, as a National Day of Thanksgiving.”

Nice, friendly and warm, right?

You should read the ranting going on over on conservative websites and the names the President is being called because he included EVERYONE in his proclamation.

It really is incredible, and no wonder a Republican hasn’t won the popular vote in the past six Presidential elections.

Go back and read the quote above then head over and check out some of the comments on the right wing “news” site CNSnews.

The hate is pretty amazing.

(h/t JMG)

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Video: LGBTQ Connect in San Francisco

Award-winning filmmaker Marc Smolowitz directed & produced this 7 minute video for various nonprofit partners in San Francisco that collaborated on the 1st ever LGBTQ Connect – an event designed to help the City’s LGBT Homeless population.

The event was held on Oct. 7th, 2013 at the SF LGBT Center.

You can find out how to volunteer in San Francisco at Project Homeless Connect.

Follow the organization at their Facebook page.

Hosted by The Mayor’s Office of HOPE, Project Homeless Connect, and AIDS Housing Alliance, the day was sponsored by Metta Fund, Sass Social Justice Fund of Horizons Foundation, Dignity Fund, Haas, Jr. Foundation.

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Oregon Family Council files ballot initiative to legalize discrimination

The Portland Tribune is reporting that anti-gay group Oregon Family Council has filed a ballot initiative to make it legal for those who oppose marriage equality to discriminate based on “religious freedoms:”

The East Portland group filed a state ballot initiative Thursday, Nov. 21, that would guarantee the right of people and businesses to refrain from participating in or supporting ceremonies for same-sex civil unions, domestic partnerships or marriages, if those violate their religious beliefs.

The group calls the measure the Protect Religious Freedom Initiative.

The measure is a response to public penalties and lawsuits brought against bakers, florists and photographers in Oregon, Washington, Colorado and New Mexico who refused to play roles in same-sex ceremonies for civil unions, domestic partnerships or marriages, says Teresa Harke communications director for Oregon Family Council.

Harke says the Council’s focus is moving more towards protecting “religious freedoms” versus opposing marriage equality as recent events show the advances for legalizing same-sex marriage across the country show the direction the country is taking on the issue.

In Oregon, recent polls show 53% support marriage equality.

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Oregon-based Nike launches PAC with goal of legalizing marriage equality

Nike - sporting goods giant - launches new PAC to support passage of marriage equality in Oregon

Sporting goods giant Nike Inc. has recently created a political action committee with the specific goal of legalizing marriage equality in Oregon.

Nike’s statement issued Tuesday afternoon says:

Nike is fully supportive of the initiative to create marriage equality so our employees are treated fairly and with respect in the workplace and the community.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion and strive to treat our employees equally. We believe that diversity drives innovation and allows us to attract and retain world class talent. For Oregon businesses to attract and retain the best talent, we need fair and equitable laws that treat all Oregonians equally and prevent discrimination.”

To support the efforts to bring marriage equality to Oregon, Nike has created the Nike Equality PAC to help raise funds from Nike-affiliated donors in support of marriage equality. We chose to set up the Nike Equality PAC so that Nike, and its employees if they choose, have a specific avenue to support campaign efforts that are directly related to winning marriage equality in Oregon.

The PAC will give employees a specific avenue to support efforts, such as the Oregon United for Marriage campaign, that are directly related to winning marriage equality for the state. The Portland Business Journal notes that the company donated $100,000 to start the PAC, with its executives donating the remaining $180,000.

“Nike has just stood up for marriage equality in an unprecedented way, with a monumental financial contribution to support the Freedom to Marry and Religious Protection Initiative,” said Mike Marshall, campaign manager for Oregon United for Marriage. “Nike has been a leader for marriage equality, and this incredible move puts Nike out front among Oregon businesses who are taking a stand for winning the freedom to marry for Oregon’s same-sex couples. We are so proud and grateful for their generous support.”

The PAC begins with $280,000: A $100,000 contribution from Nike and another $180,000 from Nike executives.

Nearly 20 years ago, Nike was one of the first companies to extend benefits to same-sex couples.

In 2011, Nike was one of the 60 companies that filed an amicus brief opposing DOMA.