End
Company Information:
KZN Wildlife is fully aligned with the South African and International
Travel Trade. It has a database of nearly 2000 wholesalers and retailers
who regularly provide business to the Service. KZN Wildlife is in step
with the policies and commission structures applicable in the industry.
It is a full member of the South African Tourism Services Association -
thus adhering to strict codes of conduct as well as assuring its clients
of internationally accepted insurance and liability covers.
Guests from 27 countries are attracted to the diversity of KZN
Wildlife's tourism facilities, and the travel industry accounts for
reservations at most of its major protected areas, from the Ukhahlamba
Drakensberg Park, to the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, and in the game
parks such as Hluhluwe Umfolozi Park with its unique Wilderness Trails.
Its marketing efforts are seen both locally and abroad, with regular
representation on the major consumer shows in the country as well as
local retail workshops. The World Travel Market in London and the I.T.B
in Berlin are attended annually where the visitor facilities and
protected areas of KZN Wildlife are marketed to the world travel
industry. Other shows and workshops are attended in Belgium and Holland.
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife
Media Manager
Jeff Gaisford
+27 (0) 33 845 1235
jeff@kznwildlife.com
www.kznwildlife.com
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife
Travel Trade Manager
Sharon Ilett
+27 (0) 33 845 1003
tradedesk@kznwildlife.com
www.kznwildlife.com
Sent By:
Vivienne Quann
Senior Group Strategist
=============================
Hot Salsa Media - www.hotsalsamedia.co.za
=============================
JHB: 70 Rutland Rd
Parkwood, Johannesburg
KZN: 25 New Scotland Rd
Pietermaritzburg, 3201
PO Box 100350
Scottsville, PMB 3209
=============================
Tel: +27 33 346 2864
Fax: +27 86 514 0767
Cel: +27 84 486 2136
=============================
Media Contact: Sharon Kersten (305) 867-0933 /
kersten@the-beach.net
Photo Attached: Insurance Agent Steven Shulman, with Gloria Stein
Breaking New Ground on Health Coverage for Transsexuals
In what is believed to be the first time in the U.S., a South Florida woman
has been approved for an individual health insurance policy issued to her
post-operative transgender.
Obtaining individual health insurance coverage is often a daunting task, but
for a transsexual, the obstacles are overwhelming. At age 56, Melissa (last
name is withheld by request) is a woman in good physical and mental health,
yet she faced the iron gates of discrimination and bigotry when it came to
getting health insurance. The reason: Melissa completed gender
reassignment surgery six months ago.
Following rejections by numerous insurance underwriters, she contacted
Steven Shulman, a licensed insurance professional based in Miami.
"I was astounded by the responses I received from underwriters andproviders," says Shulman. "Only a couple of underwriters even went through
the motions of requesting an application, which was subsequently denied,
with no reason given. Others responded with the most incredulous
statements." Companies including Vista, United Health, American Medical
Security, Assurant Health, and Avalon declined to accept or underwrite the
case. Some of the responses included
* "We will decline a person that has had a sex change even if
there are no health concerns."
* "Will not consider for underwriting, do not apply!"
Some of the underwriters cited the increased potential of emotional
disorders resulting from gender reassignment surgery, yet when Shulman
offered to have mental health coverage excluded from the policy, it was
still denied.
Only Humana Health Insurance, through its Humana One individual division,
provided Melissa with comprehensive individual health coverage, following
the usual application process, including a complete physical and laboratory
tests.
In 2003, Shulman broke new ground when he successfully assisted Gloria
Stein*, a transsexual, in obtaining an individual life insurance policy
fully underwritten and with a preferred rating under her postoperative
status. The policy was issued by Mutual of Omaha, through its United of
Omaha division.
*Note: For 45 years, Gloria Stein had been Shulman's "Uncle Butch." She
began her gender reassignment surgery at the age of 65, completing it at age
68. Out of his experience with coming to terms with his uncle's
transformation and their subsequent new relationship, Shulman has written a
soon-to-be published book, entitled My Uncle Gloria. "The more I learned
about the barriers faced by people like Gloria, the more I wanted to help
others receive equitable treatment in insurance coverage," stated Shulman."
Hi-Res Image for Print Publications- Click Here
Kersten Communications
1815 Bay Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33141
Tel 305.867.0933
Cell 305.458.3639
Communicating With Integrity
Marianne Puechl
Co-founder
Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine
Same Love, Same Rights™ GLBT Wedding and Family Expos
866-251-1564
RWNMar@bellsouth.net
http://RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com
http://RainbowWeddingExpo.com
http://RainbowWeddingNetwork.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 31, 2006
A Magazine with a Purpose
The Nation's First Gay & Lesbian Wedding Magazine Finds New Ways to Give Back to the
Community
Asheville, NC- Launched in April 2006, RainbowWeddingNetwork Magazine is the
nation's first wedding and family magazine committed to the gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender community. Publishers of the magazine proudly
announce their Subscription Donation program, in which 20% of each subscription
rate is donated back to organizations working directly toward marriage and
adoption rights, effective healthcare and community awareness. For every
thousand new subscriptions, $6000 will be contributed to nonprofits working
locally, at the state level or nationally.
"Our company has been online for over six years, with approximately
30,000 hits per day to our websites," states co-founder Cindy Sproul. "And
now with the print magazine we are reaching an even broader audience. With
the recent rulings in New Jersey and the U.S. Senate, it's an important time
for those involved with equal marriage rights to stand together and support
one another."
Nonprofit organizations such as Marriage Equality USA and The Freedom to Marry Coalition of Massachusetts have joined forces with RainbowWeddingNetwork
Magazine and now receive $6 for every new subscription. Health organizations (The
Juno Foundation, Orlando) and GLBT community centers (The William Way Center,
Philadelphia) have also become involved. New subscribers may designate the organization
of their choice as the recipient of their subscription donation.
RainbowWeddingNetwork Magazine is a quarterly publication, featuring
high content that includes exclusive interviews, professional ceremony planning
tips, a 'Real Couples, Real Weddings' spotlight and current events. The upcoming
Issue 3 includes a Holiday Gift Guide, promoting unique merchants who commit themselves
to a policy of non-discrimination. "Our goal is to bridge couples and advocates with
gay-friendly businesses all across North America," Sproul states. "We screen each of
the 5000 businesses aligned with us, and provide couples free access to wedding
companies, as well as family-planning, travel and home-related resources.
Nonprofits, community groups, churches, temples and other organizations
are invited to get involved with the Subscription Donation program, as a fundraiser
for the vital work that they do on behalf of equal rights, health awareness and
non-discrimination.
"At this time when Marriage Equality is such a controversial topic,
it is essential for advocates to build on one another's resources and continue to
find ways to make a difference," Sproul continues. "We're glad to find ways that
are win-win for everyone involved."
101106
Michael Perronne
323-219-2686
michael@michaelhperronne.com
CONTROVERSIAL GAY AUTHOR "COMES OUT" WITH SECOND
EDITION OF HIS DEBUT NOVEL DURING NATIONAL COMING OUT MONTH
(Los Angeles, CA, 10/11/06)— Novelist, Michael Holloway Perronne, who last year made headlines for shipping a shovel and a copy of his gay themed debut novel, A Time Before Me, to conservative lawmaker Gerald Allen in response to proposed Alabama legislation that would ban (and as suggested by Allen perhaps bury) all gay books, is celebrating the release of the second edition of the very novel that first put him on the gay literature map.
It's no coincidence that the second edition of this gay coming-of-age tale is being released during National Coming Out Month. "Despite the fact that the novel takes place in the early 1990s, gay youth today still experience a lot of the same obstacles during the coming out process," Perronne said. "While gay youth, and gay rights in general, have made many strides in the past fifteen plus years, there is still a strong anti-gay stigma in many parts of the country. We see how homophobia has been used politically to drive people to polls. That's why National Coming Out Month is so extremely important. The more people that come out, the more it educates the straight (and gay) community on our issues. When people can put a face or name of someone they care about to their fear the issue all of a sudden becomes more human and understandable."
Perronne says he worries about the effect on gay youth, and others just coming out, of all the recent politicizing conservatives have done by using gay rights as a "scare tactic" in this country. "When you're talking about writing discrimination into the constitution that sends a strong message to the gay citizens of this country that we are far from being accepted by our society as a whole. As hard as it can be for people at times, the only way to combat that sort of hate is through education and awareness."
In A Time Before Me, a gay teen struggles to come to terms with his identity in the contrasting worlds of small town Mississippi and the Big Easy, New Orleans.
Currently, there are signings for A Time Before Me planned in West Hollywood, San Francisco, and New Orleans. www.michaelhperronne.com/events
Perronne is a writer living in Los Angeles. He has a BA from the University of Southern Mississippi and a MFA from the Creative Writing Workshop at the University of New Orleans. He is currently working on a sequel to the critically praised A Time Before Me, titled Falling Into Me.
A Time Before Me
ISBN: 1-58348-463-9
Publication Date: October 2, 2006
Retail Price: $13.95
Publisher: iUniverse Star
Wholesale- Available from Ingram Book Group- standard wholesale discounts and returns policy.
Retail- Available from on-line book retailers, on order at any bookstore, or visit http://www.michaelhperronne.com for more information.
Media Contacts- including to request review copies and interviews:
press@michaelhperronne.com
(310) 712-1914
"Unkindness of Ravens -- A Sam Perry Mystery" by Kathleen Tracy
Think "The L Word" meets Brenda Starr.if Brenda was a tomboy.
The Sam Perry mystery series features a modern lesbian couple who are independent, headstrong, edgy, confident, have vastly opposing personal styles and fashion sense-and are utterly perfect for one another. Just as Faye Kellerman brought Orthodox Judaism into the mainstream with her Peter Decker/Rena Lazarus books, author Kathleen Tracy presents three-dimensional, complex, hard-to-label gay women in a way too seldom seen in popular media.
The first book, "Unkindness of Ravens," introduces Samantha Perry, a droll, burnt-out crime reporter who moves to Palm Springs seeking a new start and the chance to finally explore her latent sexuality.or not. Ellen Konrad is a well-known actress who left Hollywood to protect family skeletons and is now a fast-rising local political star.
When the torture murder of a young drifter brings them together, there is an immediate emotional connection between the two women-and a simmering attraction. But while digging into the victim's past Sam inadvertently unearths a secret that threatens Konrad's career and tests the strength of their blossoming friendship. She'll have to use all her reporting savvy to protect Ellen and bring the killer to justice.
After identifying the murderer, Sam learns the full story of Ellen's past and unravels a family tragedy filled with emotional twists and unexpected turns. The truth, however, not only sets them free but sets them loose to begin an unlikely, romance that brings Sam and Ellen out of the closet and into each other's very disparate worlds.
Palm Springs' desert setting gives Unkindness of Ravens a unique sense of place and the author's background as an investigative print journalist lends authenticity to Sam's reporting methods-and the guerilla tactics she occasionally employs if necessary to break a story.
Beginning in October, Unkindness of Ravens can be ordered from Ingram and all major online booksellers. It is also available in e-book format. (ISBN 1-933705-82-5, Paribus Press)
To request a review copy (there are a limited number available on a first-come basis) or e-book (unlimited) please visit www.SamPerryMysteries.com, or email ReviewCopy@SamPerryMysteries.com and indicate your preferred format.
Email interview requests to SamPerry@SamPerryMysteries.com.
About the Author
A journalist for over twenty years, Kathleen Tracy's writing has been featured in magazines including Variety, A&E Biography, The Herald, KidScreen, VideoAge and TV Times. She is also the author of over 30 books including "The Boy Who Would Be King" (Dutton), "Jerry Seinfeld: The Entire Domain" (Carol Publishing), "Don Imus: America's Cowboy" (Carroll & Graf), "The Girl's Got Bite: A Look at Buffy's World" (St. Martin's), "Diana Rigg: The Biography" (Benbella Books), "Ellen DeGeneres" (Simon & Shuster), and "The Secret Story of Polygamy" (Sourcebooks), an investigation into the Utah child abuse trial that shed light on polygamy in modern America. Her biography of Morgan Freeman will be published by Barricade Books in late 2006.
The author is represented by Robert Diforio of D4EO Literary Agency and splits her time between LA and Palm Springs.
For Release
Contact: Mark Pietrzyk, research100@cox.net
http://www.internationalorder.org/scandal_response.html
October 9, 2006
RESEARCH REFUTES MYTH OF GAY THREAT TO CHILDREN
A study released today (http://www.internationalorder.org/scandal_response.html) refutes charges made by the religious right in response to the Congressman Foley scandal that homosexuals are significantly more inclined to molest children than heterosexuals. According to author Mark E. Pietrzyk, a number of conservative religious groups have issued papers claiming that gay men pose a highly disproportionate threat to children, citing a number of scientific studies to support their claims. However, when one examines the studies cited in these papers, one finds that the religious right has engaged in a serious distortion of the works of others. The scientists who authored the studies made no such claim about homosexuals posing a greater threat to children, and in fact in many cases argued the opposite.
In addition, many in the religious right have employed a version of the "slippery slope" argument, charging that the gay rights movement has led inevitably to tolerance for pedophilia by eroding all traditional norms of sexual behavior. However, Pietrzyk points out that the "slippery slope" argument is based on the false premise that the protection of children from sexual activity is a long-standing part of the Judeo-Christian ethic, which has only recently come under assault as a result of the gay rights movement. In fact, throughout most of history, the Judeo-Christian tradition tolerated and even approved of sexual relations between adult males and girls of twelve years of age or even younger. The contemporary taboo against sex between adults and minors developed only in the late nineteenth century, as societies became increasingly committed to the ideals of individual rights and personal autonomy, which led to concern about the possibility of coercion and exploitation in adult-minor relationships.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Tyler St. Mark
August 20, 2006 (323) 966-2466
LANDMARK NOVELIST PUBLISHES FIRST NONFICTION BOOK
Patricia Nell Warren's Lavender Locker Room Out In November
Los Angeles, CA---The landmark author of some of the most popular gay fiction of modern time has turned her pen to the real world with what one prominent sports journalist has called "a fascinating array of often overlooked sports stories… from jockeys, skaters, and boxers to early Olympics gender testing."
Internationally celebrated novelist, Patricia Nell Warren, is publishing her first nonfiction book titled The Lavender Locker Room, 3000 Years of Great Athletes Whose Sexual Orientation Was Different, scheduled for release through Wildcat Press (www.wildcatpress.com) in November.
Warren's past works, including The Front Runner, Harlan's Race, Billy's Boy, The Wild Man, and One Is The Sun, represent a distinguished literary career of four decades and are considered essential inventory by booksellers who carry gay fiction.
Warren's latest offering is an anthology of historical essays previously featured on OutSports.com which chronicle the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender athletes over the past three millennia. Among the noteworthy sports figures featured in The Lavender Locker Room are golfer Babe Didrikson, boxer Wilhelm von Homburg, pilot Amelia Earhart, downhill skier Erik Schinegger, jockey John Damien, and 13th century jouster Jeanne la Pucelle, better known as Joan of Arc.
"These authentic, in-depth profiles span many countries and run the sexuality gamut," states Ms. Warren, "focusing both on the compelling personal stories of these remarkable athletes and on their lasting contributions to sport itself."
The Lavender Locker Room is also Warren's first anthology and features athletes from the Trojan War in 1000 B.C. to just after the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion, representing a myriad of sports including alpine skiing, ballooning, baseball, boxing, dressage, fencing, football, horse racing, tennis, swimming, and sport aviation.
"My point in telling these stories is that the presence of athletes with different sexualities in sport is not something that started when football player David Kopay came out in 1975. It has been going on for many centuries," Warren declares.
Warren, who has written eight novels and two books of poetry, has attracted an estimated twenty million readers worldwide with subjects which range from gay life to Native American spirituality. However, The Lavender Locker Room is Warren's first book of nonfiction and is scheduled to arrive in bookstores nationwide by November 1s. According to Warren, launch events are in now preparation for both east and west coasts.
Warren's most celebrated work, The Front Runner, about the relationship between an ex-Marine track coach and his male athlete, was the first novel with openly gay characters to make the New York Times Bestseller List, has sold an estimated ten million copies in ten languages, and is considered by many to be the most influential gay novel of the 20th century.
Online information on The Lavender Locker Room or other books by Patricia Nell Warren is available at: www.wildcatpress.com
# # # # # # #
FOR PRESS INQUIRIES CONTACT: SETH UNGER (312) 281-8041
ADMIN@COLLISIONTHEATRE.ORG
http://www.collisiontheatre.org
Press Release
For Immediate Release:
COLLISION THEATRE RE-IMAGINES DRACULA
A SEXY, BIZARRE, OFF-BEAT VAMPIRE MUSICAL!
Chicago, IL August 28, 2006: Collision Theatre Company announces its
fall show Dracula by Obie Award winning playwright Mac Wellman, Oct
6th- Oct 28th, Friday & Saturday nights 11:00 pm, Special Halloween
Show Tuesday October 31st 8:00 p.m. Angel Island Theatre 731 W.
Sheridan Road. Tickets $15, students $10. For more information check
out www.collisiontheatre.org
Dracula by Mac Wellman is an adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic novel
that preserves the Victorian tendencies of his writing while veering
wildly into new vampire territory. As Seward, head of the asylum, and
his close friend Van Helsing attempt to thwart the machinations of
Dracula, Lucy seeks Dracula out and Mina begins succumbing to his
spell. Wickedly clever language and an often nightmarish world combine
to create a Dracula unlike it's ever been seen before. Directed by
Artistic Director CHRIS GARCIA PEAK.
Collision Theatre Company recently produced Shotgun Wedding at
National Pastime Theatre. We are dedicated to the entertainment,
education, and inspiration of the Chicago community and beyond. We
will produce new plays, company created original works, and
adaptations inspired from the theatrical and literary canon. Our work
will be a bold collision of the physical, visual, and aural realms.
Cast Includes: Erica Peregrine, Sarah Charmoli, Molly Armstrong, Eddie
Jordan III, Desmond Borges, Mary Grill, Kate Cares, Gabe Levinson.
Designed by: Josh Horvath, Shawne Benson, Libby Ford, Seth Unger, John
Sundling .
Contact Information:
for obit
Linda J. Long
Email: llong@OREGON.UOREGON.EDU
541-346-1906
for Prize
JEB (Joan E. Biren)
E-mail: Moonforce.Media@starpower.net
http://www.jebmedia.com/5322.html
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (September 11, 2006)
Pioneer of Erotic Lesbian Art, Tee A. Corinne Dies
Artist and author Tee Athelston Corinne died August 27, 2006, in Sunny Valley, Oregon, her home for the past twenty-five years. Hers was a dignified death, surrounded by friends, admirers, and students, after a six-month battle with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and untreatable cancer. Corinne was born in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 1943. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of South Florida in 1965, and her Masters in Fine Arts from Pratt Institute in New York in 1968. Additional studies were pursued at the Newcomb Art School of Tulane University and the Henry Street Settlement in New York City. She was a teacher of art and writing, most recently at Rogue Community College.
"Completely Queer: The Gay and Lesbian Encyclopedia," called her "one of the most visible and accessible lesbian artists in the world."
Susie Bright (also known as Susie Sexpert) said: "She is the beginning of lesbian erotic photography, and her influence is inestimable....She has created the most lasting images of lesbian eroticism, the vulva landscapes, the crayon-colored cunts, the solarized lesbian embraces, the portrait of her scowling lover in a starched white shirt."
Corinne burst into national awareness in 1977 with the publication of the third issue of the magazine "Sinister Wisdom." A poster of her solarized cover photograph of two women making love became required decoration for dorm rooms, apartments, and homes all over lesbian nation. The San Francisco Bay Area knew Tee even earlier, with her publication of the "Cunt Coloring Book" in 1975. As late as 1999, the Traditional Values Coalition sent copies of the "Cunt Coloring Book" to members of Congress calling it filth and pornography, in an effort to discredit James Hormel during the hearings on his appointment as ambassador to Luxembourg. (A copy of the coloring book is in the James Hormel Gay and Lesbian Reading Center at the San Francisco Public Library.)
In 1965, Corinne began exhibiting her artwork. Her work featured sexual, especially lesbian, imagery starting in the 1970s, when she worked with the San Francisco Sex Information Switchboard. Her artwork and writing began appearing in the lesbian and feminist press in 1974, including over fifty book covers for Naiad Press. Some of the magazines which published her work are "Sinister Wisdom," "Heresies," "Calyx," "Maize," "Libido," "A Woman's Touch," "off our backs," "On Our Backs," "Yellow Silk," "Cupido," "Bad Attitude," and "WomanSpirit." The album cover of Holly Near's "Imagine My Surprise" features a Corinne portrait; Corinne also contributed artwork to albums for Suede and Musica Femina.
>From 1979 to 1981 she co-facilitated the Feminist Photography Ovulars (as opposed to seminars), and was co-founder of "The Blatant Image, A Magazine of Feminist Photography," which grew out of the Ovulars.
Among her books of images are "Women Who Loved Women" (1984) and "Yantras of Womanlove" (1982). She produced dozens of chapbooks of her drawings. Her work is discussed in the books "The Contest of Meaning" (1989), "Stolen Glances: Lesbians Take Photographs" (1991), "Forbidden Subjects" (1992), and "Nothing But The Girl" (1996).
In 1983, she began her career as a writer of erotica, contributing stories to magazines and anthologies. "Dreams of the Woman Who Loved Sex," a collection of stories, appeared in 1987, followed by "Lovers" in 1989, and the novel "The Sparkling Lavender Dust of Lust," 1991. Corinne edited several anthologies of erotica, one of which, "Intricate Passions," won a Lambda Literary Award in 1990.
Corinne read papers at numerous conferences, including as a featured speaker in 1988 at the National Women in Photography Conference, the Berkshire Conference on Women and History, the Northwest Women's Studies Association, and the National Women's Studies Association. A founding board member and past co-chair of the Queer Caucus (originally the Lesbian and Gay Caucus) of the College Art Association, she was also a national board member of the Women's Caucus for Art.
Among her many honors was the 1997 Women's Caucus for Art "President's Award for Service to Women in the Arts." A lifelong activist in the women's and lesbian and gay rights movements, Corinne is the subject of an entry in "The Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts," as well as in the book "Uncommon Heroes." In 2000, she received a Lambda Award for lifetime service from the Abdill-Ellis Lambda Community Center in Ashland, Oregon.
Corinne's art has appeared in shows at the Berkeley Art Museum at the University of California ("In a Different Light," 1995) and the Armand Hammer Museum in Los Angeles ("Sexual Politics," 1996). Some of her artwork will be included in "Wack!" in April 2007 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. A permanent archive of her work and papers has been established at the University of Oregon in Eugene. An index to this body of work is available online through Northwest Digital Archives.
Writer and social activist Beverly Anne Brown, Corinne's partner of sixteen years, died of cancer in October 2005. Their ashes will be interred in a double plot at Granite Hill Cemetery in Grants Pass, Oregon.
In the months after her diagnosis, Corinne completed two major projects. "Lesbian Art Issues: Variations on Queerly Appealing Themes," a collection of her essays, will be published in 2007 by Haworth Press. "Scars, Stoma, Ostomy Bag and Portacath" is a compact disk compilation of manipulated images of photographs she made during Brown's struggle with cancer. The CD was sent to friends and contacts in the art world. It may be viewed online at http://jeansirius.com/TeeACorinne/scars/.
A permanent collection of her papers and work has been established at the University of Oregon in Eugene. A finding aid to the core collection is available online in the Northwest Digital Archives database of finding aids at: http://nwda.wsulibs.wsu.edu/index.html. Additions to the collection are being acquired and will be added to the collection but are not currently available.
Contributions in her memory can be made to UO Foundation/Libraries, with "In memory of Tee Corinne" in the memo line, and should be mailed to the Library Development Office, 1299 University of Oregon, Eugene OR 97403-1299. Alternately, the Tee A. Corinne Prize for Lesbian Media Artists has been established. Tax-deductible contributions to it can be made to Moonforce Media, PO Box 13375, Silver Spring, MD 20911.
---------------------------------------------
300 DPI Portrait for Print Use.
300 DPI Art Image for Print Use.
New Grant for Lesbian Media Artists Established: The Tee A. Corinne Prize
A new prize has been created to honor Tee A. Corinne, an artist with bold vision and a fierce dedication to encouraging and preserving lesbian art. The Tee A. Corinne Prize for Lesbian Media Artists, established by Moonforce Media, will award unrestricted grants of up to $1,000 annually. JEB (Joan E. Biren) will choose the inaugural prize winner. Application guidelines are online at http://jebmedia.com/5322.html. Applications are due by November 1, 2006.
The prize is for artists working in photography, film, video, digital media, new media, or any fusions of these forms and in any genre including documentary, narrative, experimental, or any other styles or combination of genres. The work may be about any subject.
Lesbian media artists are usually excluded from funding opportunities because the form and/or content of their work lie outside the bounds of traditional grantmaking. This prize furthers Tee's wish that individual lesbian artists be financially supported to work independently and without censorship.
If you wish to add your financial support to help ensure the ongoing success of this grant, you can send a tax-exempt donation to: Moonforce Media, PO Box 13375, Silver Spring, MD 20911. All checks earmarked for the Tee A. Corinne Prize will go entirely toward funding the prize.
Moonforce Media is a non-profit 501c(3) organization that has been serving progressive communities by producing and distributing documentary films and videos since 1979. Our productions have been broadcast and used by organizers and activists in the peace, feminist and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender movements. We are dedicated to promoting social justice through media and to encouraging queer media making.
# # #
Photo captions:
Sinister Wisdom © 1977 Tee A. Corinne
originally published on the cover of the magazine Sinister Wisdom #3, 1977
Tee A. Corinne © 2006 Susanne Petermann
Last Portrait of Tee A. Corinne, taken July 27, 2006
091306
Emanned Get's Personal
On September 5th. 2006 Emanned expanded its Gay Adult Auction Site and now has an addition to it's family. Its called Emanned personals.
After receiving numerous emails from members wishing to contact other members who's pictures they had seen
and bid on, the staff at Emanned saw the need to create a place where the members could do just that.
Emanned Personals, which appears to have been born out of necessity will be a truly Gay site for the purpose of making new friends or lovers, casual fun or serious, whatever your preference. It offers something or someone for everyone. It encompasses the entire Gay Community both male and female and reaches around the globe to help you find that certain someone. It is not just for singles but also offers couples the opportunity to meet other couples with the same inclinations.
Emanned Personals will prove to be a cut above the other so called personal sites, in that it will be a truly Gay site and there will be no mistake as to who you are and what you may be looking for. There will never be any censorship of your words, your ideals and your goals. Emanned Personals tells it like it is and encourages you to do the same. Honesty being the best policy and there being someone out there for everyone.
Emanned Personals will cater to the needs of the Gay Community and welcomes any input from its members on how to better serve you, your needs and its Gay Community.
Emanned offers a full month free trial membership and there after only $9.95 a month, and the ability to post numerous photos, where you can put your best foot forward, so to speak. It also offers numerous incentives for referrals and special rates for longer term membership. It affords its members a sounding board and an area where you can post news you feel will be of interest to the Gay community.
You may go to http://www.emanned.com/personals to join and remember it is free for the first month, so you may take advantage of this great opportunity to meet others.
You may contact the staff at emanned by sending your email to Emannedreply@aol.com or Staff@emanned.com should you have any questions or wish to give input.
091206
by Joe Murray
US Convener
Rainbow Sash Movement
www.rainbowsashmovement.com
Matthew Shepard Remembered.
Matthew Wayne Shepard never quite made it to his twenty-second birthday. A student at the University of Wyoming, born on December 1, 1976, he was brutally beaten on October 7, 1998 near Laramie, Wyoming. He died five days later on October 12 at Poudre Valley Hospital as a result of those injuries. His murderers, Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney are now serving life sentences in state prison. The reason for the attack that cost Matthew his life: simply that he was gay.
As we approach the eighth anniversary of Matt's death, we would do well to recall the memory of this young man's life and the values that shaped it. We should also consider what those principles mean for us today.
Matthew Shepard was a gentle person whose life reflected the gospel law of love of neighbor. His father, Dennis Shepard, tells us that his son trusted and believed in the goodness of people. He could never understand how people could hurt one another either verbally or physically. Matt was known as a reconciler. He had a unique ability to bring people together to discuss and resolve their differences. His mother Judy Shepard recounts how Matt believed that pre judging people only shatters the opportunities to come to know and appreciate others as persons. She therefore established the Matthew Shepard Foundation to continue this legacy of tolerance exhibited by her son.
Matt's example is a particular challenge to all of us in the Catholic community at this time. The polarization between the institutional Church and the Gay and Lesbian community is more pronounced than ever. This division often expresses itself in pejorative language that crowds out dialogue and fuels the fires of anger and hate. Each side has its own vocabulary of intolerance. The anniversary of Matthew Shepard's murder reminds us that hateful rhetoric can lead to violence and even death.
The Rainbow Sash Movement joins the many other people of good will who believe that we should renounce any demeaning and intolerant speech toward our fellow human beings no matter their orientation, gender, religion, race, ethnicity or class. Terms such as " homo phobic," "fundamentalist," "morally disordered," "gravely sinful," "reactionary" only slam the door shut on respectful dialogue. Such loaded phrases only prove that we have already judged one another, losing that opportunity Matt believed could bring us to know each other as human beings. We shudder to think how such language has led some to hurt others emotionally and physically. Did such speech give license to those men who attacked and killed Matthew Shepard?
There is no better way to honor the memory of Matthew Shepard than for both sides in the Church's debate on sexuality to mute the angry rhetoric and judgemental language. Such tones only satisfy the more radical fringe in both camps and prevent more rational and charitable people to be heard. We in the Rainbow Sash Movement, like Matthew Shepard, believe that most people on either side the issues that affect the GLBT community, have good will in their hearts. If we in the Catholic community can take the lead in clearing the atmosphere of prejudice, exclusion and negativity, then a respectful and frank dialogue will occur.
We long to establish a common ground where we can come to appreciate our common humanity in love. This would be the most fitting and lasting memorial to the life, death and enduring values of Matthew Wayne Shepard.
091006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DAVID DECOTEAU'S BEASTLY BOYZ HITS DVD FOR HALLOWEEN
Rapid Heart Pictures & odditycinema.com are proud to present prolific gay cult filmmaker David DeCoteau's (LEATHER JACKET LOVE STORY) latest erotic experiment in extreme and provocative queer horror…BEASTLY BOYZ.
Starring Sexy Newcomers: Sebastian Gacki, Emrey Wright, Dean Hrycan, Charlie Marsh, Andrew Butler, Valerie Murphy, Kyle Schwitek, Tyler Burrows, Neil William Hrabowy
Rachel, a beautiful young artist, is murdered at her secluded lake front house by a group of soulless killers. Enraged and shocked by his sister's senseless murder, Rachel's brother, Travis, vows to avenge her murder and punish her killers one by one - even if it costs him his soul.
"What makes BEASTLY BOYZ more potent than my other movies is that the imagery is much stronger and twisted in terms of suspense and the celebration of the male form - much like my previous films VOODOO ACADEMY & THE BROTHERHOOD, only far more sexy."- David DeCoteau
Special Features:
• Limited Edition. Only 5,000 DVDs Available • Signed by director David DeCoteau
• Director's Commentary • Widescreen Presentation • Making of Featurette (69 mins)
• Liner Notes by David DeCoteau • English Language • Unrated & Uncensored
• Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, German, Swedish, Portuguese, Finnish
• NTSC All Regions Playable Worldwide
MSRP: $19.99 Sale Price: $12.99 Release Date: October 2nd, 2006
Pre-Orders Now Available at www.odditycinema.com.
###
For more information or to schedule an interview please contact David DeCoteau at decoteau@rapidheart.com or Chris Bavota at info@odditycinema.com. Digital Press Kit Available at http://rapidheart.com/Beastly_Boyz_Press_Kit.zip
Contact: Michael Ryan Michael@milliongayclicks.com
PRESS RELEASE:
NEW WEB SITE TO SHOWCASE CONTENT AND BUSINESSES FOR THE GAY AND LESBIAN COMMUNITY
Los Angeles, CA, August 2006— By providing "one-click access" to millions of LGBT and LGBT-friendly businesses, MillionGayClicks.com portends being an attention-grabbing and heavily-trafficked new website. In addition to targeting gay consumers with almost pinpoint accuracy, the developers are out to show the world the power of the gay advertising dollar.
The entire cosmos has finally woken up to the fact that LGBT audience—smarter, richer and savvier buyers and spenders—wield hefty economic clout in its buying engine and considerable influence in global markets. Major international powerhouses—clothiers, motor car companies, airlines, gay and gay-friendly travel destinations and national tourism offices, gourmet food and spirits, financial institutions, insurance companies—companies in every sector of the global economy are lining up to court, cajole and win the LGBT market, and need a way to direct these big spenders to their virtual storefronts. Not only are these firms seeking to share in the millions of dollars, euros, yen and pounds sterling generated by the global trend towards gay marriage and civil unions, but the accompanying financial planning, home buying, insurance, adoptive services, and a host of ancillary lines of business see the potential as nothing less than positively explosive growth.
MillionGayClicks has now launched and offers an innovative option. Not only does it offer the merchandisers an opportunity to vie for the gay consumer – but also offers LGBT a search-engine just for them with companies who want their business!
The brainchild of entrepreneurs David Begor and Michael Ryan, Cold Day in Hell Productions' MillionGayClicks.com is 100% gay owned and operated. They saw a niche in the gay online market. While dating sites and porn sites are rampant online, there was a real dearth of sites acting as a portal for gay-themed products and services. Thus, MillionGayClicks was born.
Completely free to the web surfer, MGC presents a homepage full of reviews for shopping, entertainment, travel and music. In addition, MGC offers up weekly links to favorite blogs, videos, podcasts and websites. While not all links or content are gay, per se, they do showcase something of interest to the gay market.
To the advertiser, this site is an ideal place to present a product to the LGBT market. Ad rates ranges from the super-affordable (search engine listings are only $25) to the moderate (homepage promotions are $100 per week) to the affordable (banner ads begin at $100 per month).
And Ryan and Begor are adding a new spin to traditional advertising with their unique Mosaic Page. The concept is buying advertising within a page consisting of 1 million pixels with each pixel selling for $.10 each. "What we're doing is creating mosaic marketing. The Mosaic Page is not only a piece of abstract art, for marketers to reach the gay consumer, but it is a new, innovative take on the search engine. We have your traditional search engine, and we also have the Mosaic Page, which is a visual search engine," said Ryan.
As part of Cold Day in Hell Productions' mission statement to give back to the community, non-profit and community groups will be encouraged to post a free ad on the site. This will give these organizations an instant forum for education and outreach.
The goal is to offer a fun, inclusive and well-rounded experience for each site visitor. Whether you're looking for travel, shopping, entertainment or public resources, you'll find something of interest on MillionGayClicks. The site will soon become an invaluable resource for those traveling to another city and looking for something to do, somewhere to stay or some place to eat.
A two-pronged marketing strategy will assure that MillionGayClicks remains a "safe and sane" place for web surfers of all backgrounds. Adult content and products will be promoted on MillionGayClicks' sister site: HotGayClicks.com.
National publicity and marketing campaigns are underway to ensure that all advertisers get maximum exposure. Media outlets are encouraged to contact MillionGayClicks for details on ad swaps and special media rates.
For more details on MillionGayClicks.com, please visit the website or contact Michael Ryan (Michael@milliongayclicks.com) at 323-666-9807 or David Begor (David@milliongayclicks.com) at 323-666-9808.
MillionGayClicks.com is a product of Cold Day in Hell Productions.
100% gay owned and operated.
Michael Ryan
Cold Day in Hell Productions
P.O. Box 291996
Los Angeles CA 90029
p. 323-666-9807
f. 323-666-9811
082406
FireDating.org Free Gay Dating Launches Today
San Francisco, CA August 24, 2006 -- Fire Dating a not for profit Free Gay Dating announces it's initial launch today. This site is dedicated to the Gay Community and is 100% free. It's sole design and purpose is to offer the services that the large pay for dating sites offer but never at a charge. The site does not take credit cards and will never charge for any features.
We determined that the large sites targeted towards this audience charge far more than the typical person is looking to spend. We have decided to offer a complimentary service with the features that gay men are looking for. Our community at FireDating.org believes in a free open place where they can meet new friends.
FireDating.org includes features such as live community chat, allowing people to chat with each other in public or privately. A forum is also available, allowing users to post about events in their local areas.
Additional features are also included such as Photo Libraries, Email and custom search features. These custom search features can match users based upon their location and preferences.
This site is dedicated to the gay community around the world looking for an alternative way to find someone special in their lives.
Since the site was opened this year we have had almost 900 gay men sign up on the site. 3,000 emails have been exchanged between users and 100's of photographs have been uploaded. Additionally we have had 10's of thousands of chat sessions initiated.
We have upgraded the hosting of this site allowing for thousands of simultaneous connections.
We believe that these services should be free to the gay community.
http://www.firedating.org is a not for profit organization looking to expand the reach of the gay community. We solely operate based upon donations from grateful users.
5th Annual Bi Men Conference & Bi Men Getaway Weekend
NEWS RELEASE: All Sources for Immediate Release
All Media Contact: "Mac" McCloud at 760/322-8672
or email "Mac" directly at : bitxnMAC@msn.com
August 15, 2006 - Palm Springs, CA USA
BISEXUAL 5th Bi MEN CONFERENCE & Bi MEN GETAWAY WEEKEND set for PALM SPRINGS!
The Bi Men Network is pleased to announce that Palm Springs, CA will be the third US city to host their Annual Bi Men Conference and Bi Men Getaway Weekend scheduled this year for October 5th-8th, 2006 in Palm Springs - after its first three years in San Diego and last year in Las Vegas. This four day weekend annual event is hosted by the Bi Men Network - www.bimen.org - the world's largest social and support organization for bisexual, bi-curious and gay adult men as well as bisexual couples - now with over 1/4 million adult male members around the world on all six continents.
Research shows that as much as fifteen per cent or more of the population are bisexual. Yet, there are so few resources available for bisexual people to exchange information and ideas about their unique sexual orientation, and to garner support for coping with life's concerns as a bisexual person. According to "Mac" McCloud - Bi Men Founder and Program Director for this 5th Annual Bi Men Conference and Bi Men Getaway Weekend, there are even fewer resources focusing exclusively on issues specific to bisexual and bi-curious men. This year's theme is: "Be Bi = Be Happy" with a program emphasizing self-acceptance and peace with one's self in order to live a better and more productive as well as happier life for your self - your family, as well as your friends and colleagues.
This annual Bi Men event was created five years ago expressly to allow bisexual, bi-curious and gay men to gather in a safe, supportive environment to dialogue on their issues of concern, including their feelings of invisibility and the societal pressures to remain closeted. The 5th Bi Men Conference will offer ten or more workshops, covering themes including Coming Out, Relationships, Dealing with Guilt; Spousal & Family Relations, Coming Out, Culture, Identity and Health to mention a few as well numerous social events and private mixers over the course of the four day weekend. The past four conferences have been highly successful, drawing men of all ethnicities, races, and religions, and from all across North America for informative, relaxing and fun weekends. The Bi Men expect that attendance at this year's weekend will match or exceed last year's successful event in Las Vegas.
The October 5th to 8th Bi Men Event will include a Friday early evening Welcome Reception, as well as a Saturday "Company Picnic" & Beer Bust, and a Sunday afternoon Pool Party & Beer Bust as well as time to explore Palm Springs and the Low Desert area. Registration fees vary from only $50 now to $80 depending on the time one's registration has been completed. Bargain early registration must be completed by the September 5th early bird deadline. Each attendee is responsible for his own housing accomodations and transportation but the Bi Men Network will strive to help men find shared rides and shared accomations if so desired. Paid admission at the door is permissable at $80, but advance planning and early registration is recommended to all attendees.
For more information about this unique Bi Men Event, please check our website at http://www.bimen.org and at http://www.bimen.org/events.htm and
For all media inquiries and public information please contact: "Mac" McCloud, Bi Men Founder at:
760/322-8672 or email him at: bitxnmac@msn.com
Bi MEN NETWORK www.bimen.org "You are not alone!
*************************************
081106
Donna Red Wing
dredwing@interfaithalliance.org
Donna Red Wing, long time GLBT advocate, has been named Director of The Interfaith Alliance Foundation's new project, First Freedom First.
The founders of our nation believed that all Americans should have the right to worship according to their own beliefs, or not to worship at all. So strong was their commitment to religious freedom that they enshrined it in the first sentence of the Bill of Rights.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
This constitutional guarantee is often known as the "first freedom."
Religion is a deeply personal matter. Americans must be free to practice their religion without coercion. Government exists to provide for the general well-being of all people, and its workings must be independent of specific religious doctrines. Simply put, there must be a separation of church and state.
If we do not stand together as a nation, we stand to lose this fundamental freedom.
Of particular note to GLBT communities are the "Respect All Families" and "Democracy NOT Theocracy" issues; profound and contemporary lenses for us to understand the importance of religious freedom.
Please join us in signing the First Freedom First petition at:
www.firstfreedomfirst.org
And send a message that we do care about religious liberty.
First Freedom First is a joint project of The Interfaith Alliance Foundation and Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
"Faith is a bird that feels dawn breaking and sings while it is still dark."
~~Scandinavian saying
Donna Red Wing
Senior Advisor, Development & Program
Project Director, First Freedom First The Interfaith Alliance
1331 H Street NW
11th Floor
Washington, DC 20005
dredwing@interfaithalliance.org
drwpdx@msn.com
http://www.interfaithalliance.org
The Interfaith Alliance and The Interfaith Alliance Foundation - the national non-partisan advocacy voice of the interfaith movement.
080306
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LET'S GET SOME RINGTONES
Viral Video Star Goes Mobile
August 4, 2006
Glendale, CA - After sweeping social networking sites YouTube and MySpace
with the music video for the debut single from her new album Shoes, viral
video sensation Kelly today announced the launch of her ringtones on mobile
entertainment portal Medialicious.TV
"These tones rule", explained the Tarzana, California teenager who until
recently had been grounded by her parents for nearly 3 months. "You better
buy my ringtones, betch."
"Like any out of control teenager, Kelly has officially taken over our site
and we love it! She wants things done her way and she won't stand for
anything less", said Carolyn Coal, Interactive Creative Director at
Medialicious.TV. "We're thrilled to offer her ringtones and full song
downloads."
Kelly's meteoric rise to fame represents the latest success story in the
user generated content phenomenon on the Internet. A recent article in
Entertainment Weekly listing Kelly as a Viral VIP garnered hundreds of
thousands of downloads online and a celebrity following that included SNL's
Andy Samberg, co-star of the 2005 web sensation Lazy Sunday.
Medialicious.TV, a division of Glendale based strategic marketing firm NoCo
Media Group, will work with Kelly to launch a variety of new ringtones,
wallpapers and original mobile content throughout the fall of 2006.
About Kelly:
Kelly began her act in Santa Monica, California at O'Brien's, with two
songs, Shoes and Let Me Borrow That Top. The response was overwhelming, so
Kelly set to work on a music video for Shoes. That video has gone viral on
YouTube and on MySpace; as of this writing, it has received over 200,000
views with little to no promotion. To satisfy the demand for her material,
Kelly has created a CD of 11 songs.
About NoCo Media Group:
NoCo Media Group is a brand strategy and marketing services agency
specializing in the development of customized business-to-consumer and
business-to-business properties across multiple communications mediums. The
NoCo suite of services provides clients and partners with the resources to
bring a variety of product categories to market and generate new revenue
streams in non-core business applications.
Press Contact:
Carolyn Coal
NoCo Media Group
Carolyn@nocomediagroup.com
080206
S. F. WRITER COMPLETES ROLLER DERBY NOVEL WHILE ON HOSPICE, OPTIONS IT TO HOLLYWOOD
For Immediate Release
Dateline: August 1, 2006, San Francisco:
Stricken with an HIV related brain infection and given a terminal prognosis, writer D. M. Bordner (a.k.a. Tim Patten) finishes a four-year effort, completing the novel ROLLER BABES, THE STORY OF THE ROLLER DERBY QUEEN.
Experimental medications and special treatments suspended the infection's growth then unexpectedly Kaliber Films optioned the novel for movie, serial and TV rights.
"With sometimes five-minutes of strength a day, I worked on the story," Patten said. "I knew my legacy and last living words would be this book. The novel's female characters suffer sexism, racism and homophobia; inspired from actual people and historical events."
"My inspiration was that this untold story of women's empowerment needed a voice. Funny what eminent death can do to a person?"
Owner of Kaliber Films, Laurence Kaldor, read the novel and Tim Patten found himself getting calls from Hollywood requesting to option the rights to the novel.
"You had to scrape me off the ceiling," Patten said. "After the sale, I struggled for a long time over telling my personal story, until now. I'm no longer ashamed of my disease, health condition or trauma involved in writing the book."
On: July 11, 2006: Kaliber Films proudly announced the acquisition of ROLLER BABES, a novel by D. M. Bordner (a.k.a. Tim Patten), set in America circa 1950s, women's roller derby.
"Despite my health circumstance, I hope to stay around in order to see the story on the screen," Patten said.
Tim Patten (a.k.a. D. M. Bordner) and Kaliber Films are available for Interview.
Phone: 415 431-6802
Email: JDCinSF@Aol.com
080106
JUST PUBLISHED: A GUIDEBOOK UNVEILS THE SECRETS OF SUCCESSFUL POLITICAL HOUSE PARTIES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JULY 31, 2006
Contacts:
Dr. Juan Ahonen-Jover, juan@equallitygiving.org, 305-924-1515 (9 am -
9 pm EST)
Dr. Ken Ahonen-Jover, ken@equalitygiving.org, 305-924-1514 (9 am - 9
pm EST)
Miami Beach, July 31, 2006 - With political fundraising about to go
in hyper-drive, "Secrets of Successful Political House Parties"
is a little gem of a guidebook. A very quick read at only 43 pages,
it is written with action bullets that campaigns and fundraisers can
use for getting the most out of house parties. The book has plenty of
space for readers to take notes. In effect, it is really a workbook
and planner to get the job done with minimum headaches and maximum
results.
The guidebook was written by Lila Gracey, who is well qualified to
teach the secrets as she was the Director of Donor Relations at the
Gill Foundation, the past director of the DNC's Gay and Lesbian
Leadership Council, the Chief of Staff of the US Ambassador to
Austria, and an aide to a Colorado governor, among other positions.
She now has a strategic consulting business, Grace Concepts.
Lila is also a member of the National Advisory Board of
www.eQualityGiving.org, the only webservice for major and mega donors
that recommends politicians and organizations working to achieve
LGBTQ equality under the law.
Dr. Juan Ahonen-Jover, cofounder of www.eQualityGiving.org, said,
"Spend a few dollars on this book and by just applying any of the
suggestions given, you will more than recover your investment.
Actually buy a bunch of them and give them to your favorite campaigns
and friends to help them raise more money. We just sent copies to the
more than 60 political campaigns and political organizations that we
endorse to achieve LGBTQ equality under the law."
Dr. Ken Ahonen-Jover, the other cofounder of www.eQualityGiving.org,
said: "This is not a theoretical book, it is really a workbook with
all the action items that you need so you can get money to candidates
and win."
The book is a great workbook for fundraisers. It is more cost
effective for campaigns to buy multiple copies and give a copy to
each host than it is to spend hours repeating the same training. As a
bonus, Lila Gracey offers one hour of free telephone consultation for
each 25 books bought by an organization or individual. Already two
organizations have purchased 70 copies each.
The book is available at http://grace-concepts.com/publications.asp
for $15 a copy or only $10 a copy for quantities of 25 books or more.
______________________________________________________________________
www.eQualityGiving.org is the only webservice for major and mega
donors. It recommends politicians and organizations to achieve LGBTQ
equality under the law. Subscribe to free alerts at
www.eQualityGiving.org
072806
Press Release: Contact - Stan Tiger 858-610-3944
For Immediate Release
NEW T--SHIRT CELEBRATES 1,000 YEARS OF GAY HISTORY WITH 27 GAY
CELEBRITIES -- AND SOME CONTROVERSY
What controversy do Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, modern nursing
founder Florence Nightingale and Hollywood star Rock Hudson have in
common? All are featured on a controversial new T-shirt spotlighting
the achievements of famous GLBT figures throughout history. The
t-shirt - which features the slogan "What a difference a Gay makes!"
superimposed on the freedom rainbow - has just been unveiled on
www.FamousGayShirt.com .
The shirt features 27 gay celebrated figures - some controversialand a source of dispute among historians. Leonardo DaVinci, Richard
the Lion-Hearted and U.S. Founding Father, Alexander Hamilton, are
among those feverishly debated - but not by the t-shirt's creator and
designer, Award-winning Southern California playwright Janet S. Tiger.
"This T-shirt is a moving history lesson. Whatever controversy there
is has to do with lingering homophobia and people's resistance to
accept these famous figures - including one of America's founding
fathers - were gay. The controversy will only help to educate people."
The inspiration for the t-shirt - created by a heterosexual married
woman with two children -- comes from her having worked in the
theatre for many years, surrounded by gay collaborators. "Working
with talented gay actors and directors, I felt that people in the
mainstream didn't appreciate what gays had contributed not only to
theater, but to society." The specific concept of the
history-lesson-in-a-t-shirt came to Tiger after a reading of one of
her plays in San Diego, over ten years ago. "The music went off in my
brain - 'what a difference a gay makes', and the rainbow, and the
image was complete." Tiger, whose plays have been produced from New
York to New Zealand, recently won the DFAS National Playwriting
Contest for "Day of Atonement."
Assisting with research on the shirt's gay history was Jonathan
Dunn-Rankin, a local historian, longtime friend of Tiger, and founder
and past president of the Gay Academic Union. "I am proud to be
wearing the first shirt!" said Jonathan.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit gay community causes such as
PFLAG and the arts programs at Swedenborgian Church, where Tiger's
most recent play, RENNY'S STORY, was performed. "I was delighted to
hear that a portion of the proceeds would go to help our Arts
Ministry," said Rev. Carla Friedrich, M.Div., pastor of the
Swedenborgian Church of San Diego. "It is also consistent with our
ministerial philosophy of social justice that all people are an aspect
of our divine origins."
The shirt may be seen at www.FamousGayShirt.com .
072706
Staff@emanned.com
http://www.emanned.com
On June 18th 2006 Emanned.com opened its site to the public.
We are proud to announce we are a True Gay Adult Auction Site, where you can auction off your sexy used thongs, your smelly old socks and even a pair of ratty old tennis shoes, the sky's the limit. We hope to take our members as far as their imagination will allow, where they can let it all hang out and if they do they can take a picture and can auction that off too.
We created this site in memory of one of the partners late son, Vincent, who's imagination and whit took him through life as far as he could in the short time he was allowed.
We hope ours will be a fun site where people can go to not only sell their personal items at auction, make a few bucks but more importantly make a few friends.
While strolling down the Bay one day (ebay) it occurred to us that we ourselves needed a gay site where we could invest in our own community and do so with our usual good humor, style and of course the true gay way with lots of Panache.
So here we are waiting for you to stop by sign up (no membership fees) and send us your pictures and your auctions. Maybe visit our chat room and make a friend or two.
Although this is an adult site and your imagination and our site can take you on a wild gay ride, we would like you to know you may auction off many other things as well, such as technology, books etc.
Please note we are currently giving a $5.00 credit to new members to use with their auctions. We will also be giving referral fees for new customers. We hope they will email us with any questions regarding our site.
We are new and still getting it all together and need your help to compete with the big guys. So in the spirit of the true Gay Community "won't you please climb aboard" and join us while we strive to bring you the best Gay Adult Auction/Trading site. Come be yourself that's how we like you, and know the rainbow flag will always be flying high on our site.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Out On Film, Atlanta's Gay & Lesbian film festival and second largest cultural event for Atlanta's GLBT community, announces call for entries
The 19th Annual Out On Film will take place November 10-16, 2006 at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema
ATLANTA, Ga., July 24, 2006 – IMAGE Film & Video Center, the non-profit organization that produces Out On Film, announced today that it is now accepting submissions for the 19th Annual Out On Film, Atlanta's second-largest cultural event for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community (after Atlanta Pride). The film festival will take place November 10-16, 2006 at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema in Atlanta, Georgia. Entries must be received by Friday, August 18, 2006. IMAGE Film & Video members have an extra week to submit their films – Friday, August 25, 2006. Filmmakers can download an Out On Film entry form at http://www.outonfilm.com/.
The 19th annual OUT ON FILM: Atlanta's GLBT Film Festival will feature films and videos from around the world by, for and about the lesbian/gay/trans/bi community. Out On Film will screen films in the Narrative, Documentary, Animation, Experimental and Student categories. The festival is produced annually by IMAGE Film & Video Center, the Southeast's premiere regional media arts center. All works must be submitted on DVD or 1/2" VHS (NTSC system only) for prescreening. DVD is preferred. Please do not send film reels or original material. All works submitted must be available by October 27, 2006 for inclusion in the festival.
All entry fees should be payable to IMAGE Film & Video Center in U.S. currency by check or money order, excepting those using credit card. At the request of those submitting outside of the United States, IMAGE is offering the option of paying by credit card (note: $1 processing charge will be added to your entry fee if you use a credit card.)
Entry fees are as follows:
* $15 - Works entered by an individual or a non-profit organization
* $10 - Works entered by IMAGE members and/or students (enclose copy of membership card or student ID)
Filmmakers should mail their submission, entry form and entry fee to:
Attn: Festival Director
Out On Film
535 Means Street NW
Suite C
Atlanta, GA 30318
About IMAGE Film & Video Center
IMAGE Film &Video Center is a 501c3 not-for-profit charitable organization dedicated to fostering independent and alternative film and video as unique forms of individual expression. Since its founding in 1977, IMAGE (Independent Media Artists of Georgia, Etc.) has grown to become one of the most respected not-for-profit media arts centers in the nation. For more information, please call (404) 352-4225, email holly@imagefv.org or visit our website at http://www.imagefv.org/.
In addition to presenting Out On Film, IMAGE also produces the ten day Atlanta Film Festival, offers screenings, workshops, monthly salons, fiscal sponsorships, screenplay critiquing services, outreach programs, and equipment access. Major funding for IMAGE is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners under the guidance of the Fulton County Arts Council, City of Atlanta Bureau of Cultural Affairs, Georgia Council for the Arts with appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund.
###
072506
New Pet Fashion Line Launched to Color-Coordinate Pets with Their Accessories
Looking for the latest in designer pet wear? Want to be the first to color-coordinate your pet with their own accessories? See the latest and one of the hottest trends in pet collars, leads and more. Luxury leather accessories are customized with cut, polished real semi-precious or faux stones to match your pet's combination of colors.Los Angeles, CA - July 25, 2006 -- With pet ownership at an all time high pet couture is focusing on enhancing each pet's unique beauty. Couture Accessories offers customized leather accessories individually made to order. Features unique to Couture Accessories are color-matching with stones (real semi-precious or faux), and robust custom-manufactured gold-plated rims that secure stones in all pet rough playing (patent pending).
"Yes, people often spend more on their pet than on themselves," says Nela Kash, President of Couture Accessories Inc. "A pet collar or harness is a pet's most fashionable statement showing the world just how pampered and stylish he is."
Couture Accessories sells its products online with a full catalogue of over 400 detailed photos. Pet owners can select the color-category of their pet online and view only the designs that match the pet's color-combination. Pet owners select a design and their choice of semi-precious (combination of agate, onyx, and jasper) or European faux stones. The product is then custom-made for the pet. Products are made from hand-stitched harness leather (used for horses). Soft leather is used for small pets. Each product has gold-plated hooks, buckle and rim for beauty and durability.
For additional information contact Nela Kash or visit www.coutureaccessories.com. Couture Accessories Inc. has exclusive rights on the company logo, brand-name, trademark and designs.
About Couture Accessories Inc.:
Couture Accessories is a European family-owned business with corporate headquarters in Los Angeles, California USA. A percentage of the proceeds are donated to animal shelters.
Contact:
Nela Kash, President
Couture Accessories Inc.
310-446-9746
http://www.coutureaccessories.com
# # #
Contrary to what we think:
Russians Don't Pine for
Democracy and Freedom
- - - - - -When I was a budding Army counter-intelligence agent at Fort Holabird in the mid-'50s, even that nest of right wing super patriots - and let's face it, that included me - felt nothing but pity and sympathy for the millions of enslaved Ivans and Natashas that kept the cogs oiled in the wheels of the great Soviet monolith..
"We hate their government, but we love and sympathize with the Russian people," was heard so often it was almost a mantra.
And later as a newspaper reporter on one of the major dailies of the American Southeast, I remember clearly predicting that some day Russians would be free, because freedom is everyone's natural state; and once you've experienced it, you will never let yourself be pushed back into the box.
It was just a matter of time until the widening cracks in the Soviet Union broke wide open; in the meantime, each day Russians were experiencing a tiny bit more freedom; and finally the flood tide of real freedom would wash everything else away. Gone would be communism, totalitarianism, and all the other isms, washed aside by the relentless surge of freedom and democracy.
[I don't mean to imply that I predicted the collapse of the Soviet Union - at least so soon. I was not nearly so insightful. I merely felt that in the course of time, it would inevitably collapse under the insatiable demands of the human spirit.]
When I finally got my first glimpse of Russia as one of a tour group of American gay square dancers in 1993, Russia was just emerging from the shackles of 70 years of "socialist realism."
Homosexuality had just been decriminalized under the great democratic leader Boris Yeltsin. Young gay Russians were beginning to peer out of the closet. People were experimenting with being themselves. There was almost a sense of frontier freedom.
You even felt that the poverty was something temporary, that the rising tide of democratic capitalism would inevitably wash it away.
America was the world's beacon of inspiration, of a better way of life, of democracy, of freedom, and as its ambassadors, we were viewed with a kind of awe.
I returned every Christmas for the next three years, and finally, in December, 1997, I uprooted myself from everything I had known and been and experienced in America to witness and become a part of what I was sure was a great emerging democracy.
But in the words of the title of the book by Joseph Heller, "Something Happened."
The great democrat Yeltsin showed himself for what he was: A drunken, manipulated fool who had no idea of what a state was, much less how to run it. During his term the appalling and criminal give-away of government property took place under the charade of "privatization." The Khodorkofskys, Berezovskys, Abramoviches, Deripaskas, and on and on were handed the immense wealth of Russia's natural resources and became the "ruling oligarchs" that - with the tragic exception of Mikhail Khodorkovsky -- still dominate the Russian economic scene.
And then came Putin, annointed by Yeltsin because Yeltsin's time was running out and ex-KGB Colonel Putin had demonstrated that he could be counted on to keep his mouth shut and could be trusted to not prosecute Yeltsin and his pals for their obscene excesses, fraud, and looting.
Putin has kept his word. Neither the Yeltsins nor their hangers-on have paid for their crimes -- except for Khodokovsky. And even he was warned. Early in 2003, the same year in which the Yukos oil magnate was arrested and jailed, Putin told Yeltsin's oligarchs to stay out of politics if they wanted to keep their sandboxes. "You leave me alone, and I'll leave you alone."
They all took the hint except Khodorkovsky, who in the meantime, seems to have had an epiphany, to have grasped what a great democracy Russia had the potential of becoming if only the rule of law and Western social and business standards could become a reality.
He saw where Putin was taking the state, and it wasn't in the direction of Western democracy. Khodorkovsky started making noises about opposing Putin in the next election. He created non-profit organizations aimed at democratization. He talked about selling Russian oil to America. The world has seen the result. Once the richest man in Russia, Khodorkovsky has been stripped of his wealth, his power, and his freedom.
Since that time, the rest of the Yeltsin tycoons have busied themselves in their billion-dollar sandboxes and kept out of Putin's playhouse.
Something happened in America, too. George Bush was - questionably -- elected president. There was a - questionable - terrorist plot which destroyed the World Trade Center and became the rationale for American attacks against Muslim oil-producing countries, a bullying stance against the rest of the world, and a diminution of personal freedoms in America. The world's beacon was extinguished.
Before all that, Dubya looked into Putin's eyes and saw the soul of a man he could trust.
But America sees everything in black and white. It's either "the evil empire" or "the soul of a man you can trust."
Now Bush has taken a second look and everything's black again. Putin has strangled democracy in its cradle. The free press is an international joke; the parliament jumps to the snap of his fingers, and the independent judiciary hasn't been independent since long before the Khodorkovsky trial.
It's all true, of course, but there are some grays mixed in there somewhere.
Putin won the last election by a landslide. Although there was a lot of rigging and engineering - though probably less than for Bush's election in America - it was still unquestionably a landslide.
I asked one of my students, Valera, a computer genius and Jewish intellectual, why Russians had opted to reelect the man who was obviously leading them down the path of autocracy when clear democratic alternatives - like the Yabloko Party or Irina Khakamada -- were there for the push of a button.
And that's when my epiphany began.
American fantasy to the contrary notwithstanding, Russians, in the words of one analyst, are not "seething" under the oppression of a reemerging autocracy. The reemerging autocracy scarcely bothers them. They don't dream of freedom. They don't dream of democracy. They dream of stability and predictability, of being able to find and keep a job, of putting money in the bank and knowing that it will be there a year from now, of buying a home, of raising and educating children.
Democracy for them means the chaos, scandals, uncertainty and economic disasters of the Yeltsin years. Certainty and stability for them are infinitely more important than democracy. And Putin has given them that.
Historically, at least from the time of the Tatar conquests, Russia has considered itself a family, and the leader has been the stern and dependable parent. "The little father" was even the historic appellation for the czar. The Bolshevik revolution did nothing to change that except turn the old formula upside down. The working class became the rulers and the former elite became the ruled.
Stalin, the brutish "man of steel," became "the little father," the reincarnation of Ivan the Terrible, say some, who - fiendish despot that he was - nevertheless gave them stability and a sense of pride. They were for the most part happy.
In truth, the vast majority of Russians are happy to see the return of the "little father" in the form of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. The rock of Gibraltar, the stern Big Daddy who must sometimes punish as well as reward, who is returning stability and a sense of pride.
A recent poll showed that 59% approve of Putin's administration and about the same number would like for the constitution to be changed so he can remain czar.
"I really like our president," announced my new boyfriend Alex out of the blue while sitting in the courtyard yesterday. "He's a great man, and he knows just how our country should be ruled."
Alex is no genius. But he was speaking the mind of the Russian people.
Except for a few liberal reformers, Russians laugh at the chidings and tut-tuts of Bush and Cheney. "America should mind its own business," they say.
My friend Andrei in St. Petersburg, a student of international affairs, goes so far as to say each country has its own freedom, and Russia is not ready for the Western version.
"Freedom is not compatible with our culture," he says.
And as for backsliding on democracy, Putin put it in the proper context recently when he said Bush should cast the beam out of his own eye before trying to cast the mote out of his neighbor's.
With the great American democratic experiment visibly sliding to collapse, and with such "democratic" models as Guantanamo and Al Ghraib, the Russian charge of American hypocrisy rings uncomfortably true. America is no longer credible.
By and large, Russians are quite happy with the progress they are making under Putin. While in many respects, Russia is still an undeveloped country, per capita gross domestic product has risen under Putin from $500 to $4,500 - though mostly from oil; poverty rolls have nearly halved from 42 million to 26 million; college grads have grown by 50%, and a middle class is emerging in the nation's cities.
Patriotism and tradition are vastly more important to Russians than democracy or freedom. In fact, mention democracy and you'll hear "been there, did that."
And that's the tragedy. The so-called democracy of Yeltsin was not democracy at all. Russians have not tasted democracy. And thanks to their bitter memories, may never.
My Russian friend Sasha, a doctoral student of chemistry now studying in America, calls his native country a "failed state." And it probably is. Teachers and doctors are paid appallingly. The medical system is an embarrassment. The bureaucracy is stifling and counterproductive. Domestic industrialization is still stunted - almost everything is imported.
Many predict Putin's reversion to autocracy and curbing of freedoms will ultimately bring down the clumsy government. It probably will.
But in the meantime, Russians aren't looking that far ahead. They're doing just fine with Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, thank you. Their "little father" is looking after them.
Russians are no more "seething" under their yoke and waiting for a democratic state to liberate them than were the hapless Iraqis of three years ago.
And they don't need advice from America. In fact, they have a little advice of their own:
"Mind your own business! And while you're at it, clean up your own sordid mess!"
Note: The author, Dieter Hall, is an ex-pat former American journalist and author now teaching in a Moscow university. He is writing this column under an assumed name.
Copyright 2006 by GLINN Media Corporation, Key West, FL. This column is free to use. This weekly column is available for syndication. Email dan@gaydata.com for more information. Online usage requires the entire column be used including this copyright notice.
071806
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070806
Marianne Puechl
Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine
866-251-1564
rwnmar@bellsouth.net
http://www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2006
NY and GA Court Rulings Strengthen and Intensify the Fight for GLBT Marriage and Family Equality
Asheville, NC- According to the Los Angeles Times "the gay-marriage movement suffered two major defeats on the state level Thursday, as Georgia's Supreme Court upheld an amendment banning the unions, and New York's highest court ruled that its state constitution did not grant same-sex couples the right to wed." However, Cindy Sproul and Marianne Puechl, co-founders of Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine and RainbowWeddingNetwork.com, believe the defeats are a call to arms for the GLBT community and its allies. "These decisions are certainly a setback no one can deny," states Sproul, "but we see every day how these situations strengthen and intensify our community's commitment to protecting our families and our civil rights as citizens of this country."
Sproul and Puechl have been leaders in the same-sex wedding industry since 1999. Inspired by their own personal journey as partners the two women began http://www.RainbowWeddingNetwork.com to help GLBT friendly wedding professionals connect with same-sex couples interested in having commitment ceremonies throughout the United States. The website currently has over 4500 vendors listed throughout the nation and in Canada. "Long before 'gay marriage' was in the spotlight same-sex couples have publicly acknowledged their relationships with ceremonies and celebrations," says Puechl. "Legally recognized or not, same-sex couples will continue to have long term relationships and to raise children."
Since the release of the New York and Georgia rulings marriage equality and GLBT rights organizations across the nation have announced their dedication to the protection of GLBT civil rights and families. "As a community we are not going to back down," adds Sproul. "Now is the time for likeminded factions to take real action personally, professionally and financially." "It is time Americans who believe in freedom and equality, the principles our country was founded on, take a stand," continues Puechl. "We urge everyone to think carefully about where and how they spend their money this year. We can utilize our power in so many vital ways, through volunteering, contributing and through the green of our day-to-day purchasing power. We absolutely must support one another and reject all forms of discrimination." The New York ruling comes after the recent, high profile gay bashing of Kevin Aviance in the Village.
Rainbow Wedding Network plans to continue its efforts within the GLBT marriage and family equality sector both online and in print and its production of the national Same Love, Same Rights™ GLBT Wedding and Family Expos. For more information visit http://www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2006
Marianne Puechl
Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine
866-251-1564
rwnmar@bellsouth.net
http://www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com
070406
Community sharply divided on tactics
Moscow Gays Survived Parade By Not Getting Involved
- - - - -
When rain, skinheads, cops, politicians, and the Russian orthodox church aborted Moscow's first-ever gay parade this past May, it was widely reported as a defeat for Moscow's gays.
But that's not exactly true. It was a defeat for gay rights, but it did not come as a blow to the majority of Moscow gays.
This was not an event widely supported by the gay community. Only 100 or so gays actually showed up, and many of them were foreigners who had come to attend a two day session on homophobia in Russia commemorating the 13th anniversary of the legalization of homosexuality. The gay march was to be the capstone event.
The marching gays were far outnumbered by skinheads, Russian Orthodox "christians," and cops. But if you go to one of the city's gay nightclubs, you'd swear half the city is gay. Why did so few of them materialize on the streets of Moscow to support their cause?
First of all, the gay community did not have a big investment in this spectacle. In fact, it was organized by a non-gay, whom many suspected was using the event to build his own reputation and career as an organizer.
Most gays had been cool-to-hostile to the idea of applying for a city hall permit to hold a gay parade in the first place, and had been relieved when Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov denied it.
Gay bookstore owner Ed Mishin, for example, told an interviewer ahead of the event that "the parade won't bring anything but unwanted attention to gays."
Most Moscow gays actually opposed it, he said. "We think there are other ways to fight homophobia in this society."
To those who favor confrontation as the best means for advancing the civil rights - of gays, people of color, women, whatever -- this sounds like a cop-out.
But would these confrontationists also suggest a parade in Tehran or Riyadh to advance the rights of Muslim gays in Iran or Saudi Arabia?
The overwhelming reason gays don't want to call attention to themselves in Moscow is essentially the same reason Muslim gays don't want to call attention to themselves: rampant homophobia. A gay parade would be counterproductive, Moscow gays contend, and would risk intensifying public antagonism against them and perhaps reviving laws banning homosexuality altogether. Or worse.
Confrontation works where there's widespread community support for the rights of the oppressed group - like the gays at Stonewall in NYC. It doesn't work when most of the community is complicit in the oppression.
There's also the matter of personal safety and survival - both physical and professional.
Russia is steeped in tradition, superstition, and religion. The Russian Orthodox Church, the Muslim religion, and even the tiny Russian protestant community are colored by the homophobia of the Old Testament.
When one of my ex-boyfriends, who had been "converted" from Orthodoxy to the Baptist protestant denomination, first arrived from Vladikafkaz in the Caucuses, he devoutly believed that -- although he couldn't change his sexuality -- he was nevertheless doomed to "everlasting hell" for "lying with men" in contravention of the Old Testament laws.
Russia is governed more by tradition than anything else, and there is no accepted tradition of being gay, although Tatanya Mamonovna, a Soviet exiled women's rights advocate now living in America, insists that at least two of Russia's greatest rulers -- Peter the Great and Catherine the Great -- were bisexual.
Even so, homosexuality was forbidden throughout the czarist era and remained outlawed until Yeltsin legalized it in 1993. Nobody knows how many thousands or tens of thousands of gays were executed or died in Stalin's labor camps.
Although homosexuality is now legal, a strong social taboo remains. Gay Russians live in constant fear that family, friends, neighbors, or colleagues might discover they're gay. Outing could cost them their jobs, their place in the university, and perhaps even their families and homes. That is another reason so few showed up for the parade. They couldn't afford the luxury of being publicly identified.
"I know many people whose bosses found out, and they were fired," says my roommate, the former Baptist convert.
Some -- especially those in the provinces and in some former Soviet republics -- are thrown out by their families and become homeless nomads in Moscow, seeking work or more likely a "sponsor," an older man who, in return for sex, will take them in and support them.
I myself must keep my own gay identity under wraps. I am writing this column under a pseudonym. I teach at a public school, a professional academy, and a university, and if I were unveiled as gay at any of them, I would unquestionably lose my position - and perhaps ultimately my visa.
The prevailing attitude of even the most broadminded and liberal Muscovite seems to be, "I'm not against homosexuals, but let them keep to their clubs and quit trying to impose themselves into the lives of ordinary people. Let them do what they want - privately. But not on the streets of Moscow!"
My relatively open-minded student Anton has a four-year-old son whom he doesn't want exposed to "this unnatural way of life. I don't have anything against gays," he says, "but they should stay in their clubs. They have no business having a parade on the streets of Moscow. It's immoral."
There's also the matter of personal safety.
On two different nights a couple of weeks before the gay parade, groups of skinheads and Russian Orthodox Church members united to converge on two Moscow clubs, one of which, "The Three Monkeys," was gay; but the other was simply staging a special evening for lesbians.
Bussed-in babushkas and their priest, armed with Orthodox icons, joined forces with a small army of skinheads to harass and intimidate the two locales.
The special event for lesbians had to be cancelled, and several gays were injured at the Three Monkeys.
A year or two ago, my ex-boyfriend Dima from Nizhniy Novgorod was exiting "Chance" gay club after a night of drinking and dancing when he was set on and beaten by a band of skinheads. He avoided a repetition of the same fate as he was approaching a gay club about the time of the gay parade only by insisting that he wasn't going to the club, that he lived in the neighborhood.
Even more intimidating than the Russian Orthodox Church are the Muslims, who represent a significant percentage of the Russian population and whose prescribed punishment for homosexuality - as recurrent headlines attest -- is beheading.
The chief Muslim authority in the Nizhniy Novgorod region urged Muslims to "stone gays if and when they march"; and the head Muslim honcho for all of Russia declared that all "normal people, both Muslims and Russian Orthodox," should beat gay people if they come out to march.
And that 's exactly what happened when a handful of gay activists defied the parade ban and came out on that rainy Saturday afternoon to demonstrate for gay rights. One of the beating victims turned out to be a lawmaker of the German Bundestag, Volker Beck, whom a young ultranationalist boasted of punching in the face "because I'm a normal Russian guy."
He was "just combining work and pleasure," he told the Moscow Times: beating faggots while hanging out with his pals.
The plan for the unapproved march was to lay flowers at the tomb of the unknown soldier just outside the Kremlin wall, then to march up Tverskaya Blvd., Moscow's main drag, to the statue of Moscow founder Igor Dolgoruky for a ceremony.
When police locked the gates leading to the tomb site, the flowers were instead laid at the gate. Anti-gay protesters stomped and crushed the flowers and pelted gays with eggs and tomatoes, shouting "Death to fags," and "fags out of Russia."
In a speech at the base of the Dolgoruky monument, Russian lawmaker Nikolai Kuryanovich, of the ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party, excoriated the "gay mafia" as "fit for rotting America or dying Europe."
After going on to defend the use of the nazi salute and remind that homosexuality was once a crime in Russia, he led the anti-gay protestors in a chant of "Gays and lesbians to Kolyma," the notorious Soviet labor camp.
In a homophobic tirade the following week, Mayor Luzhkov bragged that the evil homosexuals: "got thrashed."
The tomb of the unknown soldier "may not be a church," he declared, "but it is a state and national altar," and gays' attempt to place flowers at its eternal flame was the "desecration of a holy place."
"They broke through" the barriers, "and of course they got thrashed."
I personally chickened out of making a statement with my body out of fear both for my physical safety and of getting arrested and ultimately kicked out of Russia. This would not be a good career move, I reasoned.
Even if I had wanted to turn my body into a bulletin board for gay rights, I wouldn't have been able to. I didn't find out where the event was taking place until I saw the cops beating heads on TV. Gay sites had purposely held off on giving the information till an hour or two before the march to try to protect the participants. It obviously didn't work.
Some lay the blame for the debacle directly at Luzhkov's homophobic feet, pointing out that the less populous and more provincial Ekaterinburg has had a gay parade for the past two years without incident.
But others point out that Luzhkov does not lead his electorate. He follows. And when he denied the permit you can be sure that he knew that that's what the overwhelming number of his Muscovites wanted. He is homophobic because the population is homophobic.
There's one humorous footnote to the unhappy event: Gays standing at the sidelines under rainbow-colored umbrellas were not accosted. The anti's haven't yet caught on that the six-colored rainbow is the symbol of gay liberation.
Note: The author, Dieter Hall, is an ex-pat former American journalist and author now teaching in a Moscow university. He is writing this column under an assumed name.
This column is copyright 2006 by GLINN Media Corporation. This column is free to use without charge. Online use requires that the entire article be used with this notice. This is a free sample of syndicated series of inside reporting from Moscow with a gay perspective. For more information on this column and syndication rates/rights email dan@gaydata.com.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dave Macey, dmacey@bigfrontier.com
(312) 224-8546
Independent Forensics releases first test to measure human genetic resistance to HIV
New test provides unprecedented personal health knowledge
Chicago - June 26, 2006: Independent Forensics, the nations leading independent forensics laboratory, has developed the world's first test to determine human genetic resistance to HIV. The test can determine if a person is a fast, neutral or slow progressor to AIDS after HIV infection. Results of the test can help individuals affected with HIV determine how quickly the virus will likely cause disease and, with a medical professional decided how aggressive of treatment they should pursue.
The test, which measures the genetics of CCR5 receptors on t-cells uses a simple 'buccal swab' collection procedure which can be done at home. Test results are available in three weeks. CCR5 is the primary HIV receptor in t-cells and persons contain varying amounts of the receptors on their t-cells based on their genetics. The fewer available CCR5 receptors an individual has the more likely they will have a slow progression to AIDS when infected with HIV-1.
"We believe the CCR5 Halotype Test is one of the most important things an individual with HIV can do to help in their treatment. It is part of our philosophy to 'Know Thyself', knowing your own genetic makeup will help everyone make informed and healthy life decisions," says Jack Keehma, CEO of Independent Forensics.
"The development of the CCR5 Halotype Test really puts us on the shoulders of giants," says Karl Reich Chief Scientific Officer, Independent Forensics, "Years of studies by internationally recognized HIV experts have proven the importance of CCR5 receptors in determining HIV progression levels".
Individuals interested in the CCR5 Halotype test should contact Independent Forensics at (866) 434-2400 or ccr5@ifi-test.com. Or visit www.ifi-test.com/basepair/ for more information.
# # #
About Independent Forensics
Independent Forensics is a leading DNA research and analysis laboratory with a scientific team that includes 5 Ph.D.s and 2 M.S. level forensic scientists. Independent Forensics' scientific group has over 60 combined years experience in DNA and related scientific fields. Independent Forensics' services include paternity, immigration, CODIS data basing, convicted offender, casework, expert witness testimony and product development for the forensic community including SampleTrak software and the Rapid-Stain Identification tests for Saliva and Semen. Accreditations include: Forensic Quality Services – ISO/IEC 17025, American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), New York State Department of Health (NYDOH) and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA). Proficiency Testing is administered by the College of American Pathologists (CAP). www.IFI-TEST.com (866) 434-2400 Toll free.
Dave Macey
Main: (312) 238-9308 Direct: (312) 224-8546 Cell: (773) 401-8852 Fax: (312) 602-2450
BIGfrontier Communications Group
600 W. Van Buren Suite 507A Chicago, IL 60607
www.bigfrontier.com
Producers of the BIG Idea Breakfast Events
Winner: 2006 PCC Golden Trumpet; 2006, 2003 League of Professional Communicators award of excellence; 2003, 2004 BMA Tower Awards
062806
Contact: Brian J. Stephens
802.380.8455 (mobile)
bjstephens@TrueAzimuth.biz
http://NavigatingTogether.info
True Azimuth, LLC
1098 Wild Hill Road
Fairlee, VT 05045
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Relationship Course for Gay Couples
True Azimuth, LLC announced today a 3-day adventure-based course for gay
couples. The course, which will be held in the mountains of Vermont, takes
place Thursday August 28 - Saturday September 1. Scott Graham,
personal/executive coach, described the course as "an opportunity for
couples to learn about themselves and each other while developing a
framework for success and sustainability in their relationship."
Highlights of the course include helping couples: make better decisions for
themselves and their relationship, become more intimate with each other,
increase awareness of personal dynamics, identify core values and create a
framework to establish balance between home, work, and play.
Couples will be involved in orienteering, adventure-based problem solving
exercises, trust activities, a solo reflection experience, and an open fire
cooking challenge based upon the excavated kitchen set ups used during the
Revolutionary War.
One of the real bonuses of the course is a pre-course DiSC assessment and a
complimentary post-course coaching session. The DiSC assessment is a
questionaire, the results of which will help couples understand their own
behavior, learn how and when to adapt their behavior, improve communication,
promote appreciation of differences and reduce conflict. "As a life coach I
work with individuals and couples to help them get more out of life. This
course offers an opportunity for a couple to jumpstart that experience,"
Graham said.
"While we will be learning a lot we will also have a whole lot of fun," said
Graham. The course is being co-led by Brian Stephens, Graham's partner of
17 years. Planned discussion topics include: communication, strategies to
a strong personal foundation, what is really causing problems, how to have a
balanced life, self-care, sexuality, values and integrity.
The course is limited to 6 couples to insure quality time and effectiveness
of the experience.
For more information about the course and to register, go to
http://NavigatingTogether.info or email Brian Stephens at
bjstephens@TrueAzimuth.biz.
True Azimuth, LLC is a life coaching service started by G. Sott Graham to
help clients "get their bearings and get going". Services include: personal
coaching, business coaching, adventure-based activities and personal growth
/ learning tools.
###
062406
Catherine R. Laporte - (516) 593-5045 or catzmusicmgt@aol.com
Photo avail and included at bottom of email.
Onsite Day of Event interviews available. Lyrics to "I AM" (the rising) included.
To hear song, go to www.taborah.com (music)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
MEDIA ALERT
* HERITAGE OF PRIDE - PRIDEFEST
STAGEFEST PERFORMANCE
featuring
TABORAH
MEDIA ALERT
SUNDAY, JUNE 25TH - 2006
STAGEFEST - 6:00 PM
New York City
EVENT LOCATION
Inconjunction with the Pride Parade - Pride Fest can be found at Greenwich and Washington Sts. Between Christopher and Spring Streets from 11:00 am -10:00 pm. STAGEFEST - The entertainment stage is located at Greenwich and Clark Streets. DJ from 1pm - 3pm. LIVE intertainment from 3pm - 8pm. The events are free to the public. Stagefest is co-hosted by radio station, 103.5 KTU. For more information regarding Taborah, visit her website at www.taborah.com
For more about Pride Fest and directions visit
Heritage of Pride at www.hopinc.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TABORAH
BRINGS HER PRIDE ANTHEM "I AM (THE RISING) TO
THE HERITAGE OF PRIDE produced STAGE FEST
in the heart of PRIDE FEST
SUNDAY - JUNE 25th * Performance Time: 6:00 pm.
New York, New York, June 21, 2006 – Six octave dance floor diva and BMI songwriter, Taborah returns to New York City for The Heritage of Pride produced StageFest with her smash Billboard Club Dance hit and Pride Anthem of Life which remained on the Billboard Charts for 16 weeks, "I AM" (the rising), and her new single, All I Gave To You 2006, on Sunday, June 25th at Pride Fest (at the base of the internationally acclaim, Heritage of Pride March/Parade). PrideFest is in conjunction with the annual New York City Heritage of Pride March and Parade and is a 4 in 1 entertainment bananaza where Parade revelers can find the best in art, vendors, and family friendly entertainment for GBLT's and GBLT friendly folks who live, visit and work in New York City! Stage Fest features entertainment for the hip, young and proud! This once a year, Dance Block Party features a live DJ from 1pm til 3pm with entertainment from 3pm til 8 pm. Taborah will perform with live backing vocals and dancers and her 6:00 pm show is not to be missed!
Catz Entertainment recording artist, and BMI songwriter, Taborah
Taborah, a Long Island native has been busy on the road promoting her 2nd USA single release, All I Gave To You '06, which is a follow up to her mega-Billboard hit, I AM (the rising). Just released on indi label, Catz Entertainment, her new single hits the Billboard charts this week and is sure to surpass the success found on her first USA single, I AM (the rising). "I AM" (the rising) has become a Pride Anthem and its catchy lyrics are inspirational. The club floor favorite rose to the Top 5 and stayed on the Billboard Dance Club charts for 16 weeks. I Am (the rising) also became the reining tip-off song for the WNBA New York Liberty 2005 season. Taborah's 'I AM" (the rising) lyrics were also chosen by the Long Island Gay & Lesbian Youth Prom Committee as the official theme concept
for the 2006 alternative Prom.
Taborah, formerly of Euro-Pop group Blackwood is no stranger to the record charts having received a FIMI Award, Italy's equivalent to the US Grammy Award with number singles on the Billboard World Charts, Hit Parade and IMusica e Dische, and video's on MTV Europe in the 90's. Hot from an inspirational performance which kicked off New York Pride Week in Bryant Park at the Heritage of Pride Rally, Taborah says, "I am thrilled to come back to StageFest. It's such a great day of rememberance, and celebration! I could think of no other place I would rather be and look forward to seeing everyone on Parade Day! It is so important to remember to continue to strive for equal rights, and Stage Fest is a great day to get that message out in a fun and entertaining way!
--end--
For interviews or Taborah music for review contact:
Catherine R. Laporte - (516) 241-1510 or (516) 593-5045.
catzmusicmgt@aol.com
ww.taborah.com
----------
Lyrics
TABORAH
I AM (the rising)
T. Adams (BMI) / Worldvision (BMI)
(and I am...yes, I am) - ooooooh oooooh oooooh
Verse
Momma told me all my life
Just how a girl is supposed to be
I never looked inside myself to find my own identity
Well, I've been searching and I have found, life's reality
I'm gonna make my own set of rules and
Be just who I want to be
Chorus
And I AM
Making all my choices
I control my destiny
Yes, I AM
I'm gonna do it my way
Following what feels good to me
And I AM...
I'm making all my choices,
I control my destiny
(Yes, I AM)
I'm gonna do it my way
I'm following what feels good to me
And I AM...and I AM...and I AM (and I am)
Verse
Like a bird let out of a cage
I'm finally feeling free to fly
I found happiness in my life
The smile on my face will verify
Well I've been searchin' and I have found life's reality
I'm gonna make my own set of rules and
Be just who I want to be
And I AM...I'm making my own choices
I control my destiny
Yes I AM...Im gonna do things my way
following what feels good to me
(2 times)
And I am, And I am and I am and I am…And I am
I've been searchin' and I have found life's reality
I'm gonna make my own set of rules and
Be just who I want to be
And I AM, making my own choices
I control my destiny
And I AM
I'm gonna do things my way following what feels good to me
(I AM breakout)
And I AM, And I Am, Yes I Am, Yes I AM, And I Am
062206
Press contact:
Carolyn Coal
carolyn@medialicious.tv
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 2006
YOUR CELLPHONE IS COMING OUT!
Los Angeles-based marketing firm launches mobile content portal for the LGBT community
Los Angeles, CA -- NoCo Media Group, a leading strategic marketing and creative services agency, today announced the official launch of its new interactive website Medialicious.TV, a mobile content portal for the gay and lesbian community.
Featuring original ringtones and wallpapers from leading LGBT and
LGBT-friendly celebrities, musicians, comedians and artists, the Medialicious initiative evolved from changes in the media industry that have opened up opportunities for new voices to tell their stories. "What we're ultimately trying to accomplish with Medialicious is a better and more meaningful use of the emerging media platforms that allow us to reach consumers in new and compelling ways", says NoCo Media Group President and CEO Carolyn Coal. "When we first started looking for gay ringtones we were disappointed to see our options limited to polyphonic versions of YMCA or It's Raining Men. We're such a creative community and it seemed like no one had approached the mobile content space in a truly compelling way".
Medialicious has partnered with creative talent that has a passionate fan base eager to embrace new products. "The fans are our best marketing tool", says Coal. "We've signed acts like The Gay Mafia, Melissa Ferrick and Lisp and their audiences are ecstatic."
>From comedians like Julie Brown and Will & Grace's co-star Leslie Jordan to actors and personalities like Doug Spearman, Robert Gant, Chad Allen and Honey Labrador, Medialicious aims to reach the broadest possible demographic in the LGBT community and have a lot of fun in the process. "Gay people are early adopters of technology and we're ready and willing to support products and services that speak directly to our lives in a relevant way", concludes Coal.
"Our ringtones allow fans to experience their favorite performers every time they receive a call."
With community and interactive features including guest blogs, an original podcast interview series called Behind the Tone and viral videos, Medialicious intends to become a daily destination for online audiences seeking original programming they can consume at their desks or on the go. Development on video ringtones, mobile games, original mobisodes and web based video projects is underway with plans to launch new features over the next 6 months.
For more information visit http://www.medialicious.tv
About NoCo Media Group
NoCo Media Group is a brand strategy and marketing services agency specializing in the development of customized business-to-consumer and business-to-business properties across multiple communications mediums. The NoCo suite of services provides clients and partners with the resources to bring a variety of product categories to market and generate new revenue streams in non-core business applications.
061206
Gay video game player survey
Lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgendered and even straight video game players asked to participate in first academically approved study
by Alexander Sliwinski
June 08, 2006
The first study ever of GLBT gamers or "gaymers" was approved by the institutional review board of the University of Illinois and was activated this week for participation at www.gaymersurvey.org. It will be open to participation for 8 weeks.
The study is the brainchild of Jason Rockwood, a recent graduate and a self-confessed non-gamer, who says the last game he really played was "Duck Hunt" on the Nintendo Entertainment System during the 1980s.
As a social scientist, Rockwood rekindled his interest in gaming after taking the class "Videogames: Issues, Content and Policy," taught by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Assistant Professor Dmitri Williams of the Speech Communication Department. Williams, who teaches on the topic of video games, is supervising Rockwood during this study. Rockwood originally completed a limited study on the same subject for the class, and he realized there was a real hunger by those who took the study to give as much information as possible.
"People had talked about being gay and being a gamer, but nobody had asked them to unify those two elements and people were excited about that," Rockwood said in an interview with In Newsweekly. "Some people were hesitant though, because they didn't want to be stereotyped having games that were developed to be ridiculous toward the community. They wanted both sides to be taken seriously and if there was stereotypical content it would trivialize both identities of being gay and a gamer."
The survey is long at 91 questions and takes approximately 30 - 45 minutes to complete. The questions are mostly multiple choice, covering a variety of topics from general gaming habits, sexual identity, online gaming to recent purchases. An initial concern of those within the industry who received advanced copies of the survey was regarding its length.
Rockwood explained that this was an initial issue he had as well. One-third of the survey was cut to make sure people completed the survey, and he believes that those taking it won't mind the length because the study explores new territory.
"A lot of surveys in academia today, they are refinements of many, many years of survey work that have occurred. Just being the first one out there looking for these answers, there are a lot of questions we want to know and we are asking questions that we don't have the answers to. If the survey is too long, nobody will take it and that wouldn't be good for anyone."
This study breaks new ground, not only because it is the first academically approved study regarding GLBT gamers, but it is the first study of any gamer group. There are no real studies of female gamers or gamers of color.
Within the industry IGN's GamerMetrics, says it provides "insight into the gamer audience" tracking the 30 million unique monthly users of the IGN.com family of sites. IGN Entertainment, a division of Fox Interactive Media, is the number one destination for gamers online. However GamerMetrics does not know the demographics of these users. GamerMetrics can only provide what their users are doing on the IGN sites, but is unaware of specific demographics and what various audiences are interested in.
Sheri Graner Ray, game designer and author of "Gender Inclusive Game Design," has spoken in many conferences about women's issues within the industry. She has seen a review copy of the questionnaire, and she says she has concerns about it.
"It's got a definite bias. I had to learn to run focus groups and surveys back when I was at Her Interactive. Writing unbiased questions is really tough, particularly when it's a subject you have a lot of passion about," she wrote to In Newsweekly.
For example, Ray points to Question 43, which asks, "In your opinion, how hostile is the gaming community to gay and lesbian gamers?"
She says, "This is a loaded question. You are assuming the reader believes the gaming community is hostile and are asking them to measure the degree."
Ray compared her issues with the survey with those she has had to face in surveying women, "We women who game are a rarified group and not typically representative of the 'norm.' So when we survey ourselves, it's not terribly useful information. But we don't seem to be able to find a suitable pool of women to survey! Given the chance, I'd love to work with a university or other organization to produce a survey that would provide the best possible information for everyone!"
Even with her reservations regarding the survey she says, "I seriously hope the discussion with GLBT gamers continues. It's the only way we can continue to identify and remove the barriers to access which are currently in our titles that keep the GLBT audience out. If we want to truly see this industry grow to its full potential, we must continue to remove these barriers in our designs, our marketing and our workplace!"
Rockwood says, "The main purpose of the survey was to be a census. Before we can ask more intelligent questions we need to know who we are dealing with. First we need to prove that homosexual gamers even exist. Yeah it sounds ridiculous, but that's where you have to start on something like this. This survey is an attempt to quantify the existence of an invisible minority."
Doug Lowenstein of The ESA (Electronic Software Association), the lobbying group for the industry, which produces the E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) show every year could not provide comment on the survey after numerous requests.
Jason Della Rocca, executive director of the International Game Developers Association, says, "On the whole, the game industry lacks the advanced tools we need to more fully understand the diversity, and desires, of our audience. This is a hit driven business, and any knowledge that can help us better determine what might succeed is worthy of attention."
Currently the video game industry is under attack from numerous state governments. Most recently Minnesota passed a law, which was signed by Governor Tim Pawlenty last week, that would fine minors $25 for purchasing M (mature) or AO (Adults Only) rated titles.
Prof. Williams says, "Computer and electronic games are obviously quite popular, but, despite what you hear from politicians and pundits, are surprisingly understudied. Surveys like this one will help us understand better who plays games, what they play, why they play, and what they get out of the experience. With data in hand, we can move from assumptions, guesswork and stereotypes and into facts and understanding."
Jeb Havens, who speaks on GLBT issues within the industry and is lead designer at 1st Playable working on the "Marvel Trading Card Game" for the Nintendo DS, says, "I think it will be extremely useful to start building a more detailed and realistic image of the gaming community. It seems that whenever someone looks at which people are really gaming and how they are gaming, rather than just assuming they already know the answer, it's always surprising."
Rockwood says he has his own concerns regarding the survey and the feedback he has received. He says that some gay gamers have told him that they are glad that this survey will bring attention to the demographic but they are seriously concerned that the first generation of LGBT games or games that will have out LGBT characters will be subjected to the same stereotyping and patronizing that women were subjected to when they were first recognized in the market with titles like "Barbie Horse Adventure" and the Mary Kate and Ashley games. It is his hope that this survey will give designers some clear information that will assist them in making more informed designs that are more inclusive of players of different genders and sexuality.
He also hopes the survey will create discussion on another concern he received from the original survey.
"Gay gamers experience a double edged sword of prejudice," he said. "The mainstream gay culture and media is not supportive of video games. Then you have the video game culture that is not supportive of gay culture. So you have these people stuck in the middle who have this double edged prejudice. I'm hoping this survey would shed some light on how or why people go through such a process."
As academics and industry professionals show their reservations, concerns and support regarding the study, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and even straight video game players are ready to take the survey and begin contributing information.
Paul S. Kollist of the "Fraggots Clan," one of the few GLBT first person shooter clans that exist said that he really enjoyed reading over the advanced copy and that his straight friend who looked it over thought it was excellent as well.
"A very revealing survey about the new generation of gamers and gaymers alike!" he said. "An excellently put together survey, with mind provoking questions on sexuality and its ties with the gaming world."
Another person that received an advanced copy was Sara Andrews, who became the lightning rod for LGBT issues within the video game industry a few months ago when she was warned about advertising for a "GLBT-friendly" guild in "World of Warcraft."
"I think it's really awesome that such a survey has been created and approved!" Andrews said. "Perhaps this will give game developers a better chance to see some of the issues that we face and that are important to us as gamers. I would love to have the opportunity to take part in the survey whenever it begins!"
Rockwood hopes that the survey can grow from this baseline point and become a valuable resource for the industry and academics alike, "It's my desire to continue my research at the graduate level. I'm looking for a program that allows the study of emerging technologies and cultural convergence from a humanistic perspective. The ideal program for my studies would be NYU's Department of Culture and Communication and MIT's Department of Comparative Media Studies."
In Newsweekly will report on the results of the survey this fall and follow developments. You can participate in the survey at www.gaymersurvey.org
Attention News/Lifestyle/Travel Editors:
A Happy Couple: On the heels of Bush's failed constitutional amendment, the first church to perform a legal same-sex marriage teams up with one of the first same-sex wedding planning groups for the international community
TORONTO, June 9, 2006 – The Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto (MCC Toronto) and Hudson Nuptials, a company dedicated to helping gays and lesbians from the U.S. and abroad get married in Canada, have joined together to help same-sex couples who cannot get married at home. The two organizations hope to continue to bring Canada's progressive marriage laws to the LGBT community across the U.S. and the world.
Reverend Dr. Brent Hawkes, one of the best-known leaders in LGBT marriage rights in the world, hopes that working with Hudson will help generate more interest in his prominent Toronto parish:
"We are very excited to be working with Hudson because here at MCC Toronto we have something very special to offer – and we would like to offer it to as many people as possible. When Hudson brings couples to us, we can ensure that their marriage ceremony is as comfortable, intimate and spiritual as it would have been had they been able to get married at home."
The MCC Toronto has a rich history in the gay and lesbian community, most prominently known as the site of the first-ever legal same-sex marriage ceremony in the world. Hudson Nuptials is quickly becoming a leader in the same-sex wedding market with dozens of bookings from LGBT couples from the U.S., Canada and Mexico who want to legally tie the knot.
A proud member of the gay community, Hudson President, Phil Connell, explains the initiative:
"As the same-sex marriage policy debate in the U.S. continues to rage at both the legislative and judicial level, we are pleased to continue to provide customized, intimate and legal wedding experiences to loving couples. Offering clients the opportunity to get married in the MCC Toronto is exciting because it is where same-sex marriage history began in Canada, and indeed the world."
About Hudson Nuptials
Hudson Nuptials provides upscale, intimate destination weddings for same-sex couples seeking to get married in Toronto, Canada. Since founding in October 2005, the company has booked dozens of couples from the U.S., Canada and Mexico who want to get married in Canada. Clients experience the best of what Toronto has to offer with Hudson's custom-tailored approach. The company is also an expert on gay marriage legislation, providing clients with access to legal and other LGBT-focused resources. A gay-owned and operated company, Hudson proudly brings Canada's progressive marriage laws to the international gay and lesbian community.
About MCC Toronto
Founded in 1973, MCC Toronto has a rich history in the LGBT community – the first LGBT organization in Toronto to own property and a leader in responding to the AIDS crisis in the early nineties founding AIDSCARE (since merged with Bayview Hospice). The congregation has been at the centre of many key struggles for equality including adding 'sexual orientation' to the Ontario Human Rights Code (1986) and to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1996). In 2001, the church led the same-sex marriage fight in Canada by performing the first ever legal marriages in the world and taking the Ontario Government to court when they refused to register the marriages – ultimately winning the case.
For further information: contact Phil Connell, (416) 628-4380; email: phil@hudsonnuptials.com
_____________________________________________
Phil Connell
Hudson Nuptials | 131 Bloor St. W., Suite 200-231 | Toronto, ON | M5S 1R8
[t] +1.416.628.4380 | [f] +1.416.628.4378 | [e] phil@hudsonnuptials.com
"Hudson Nuptials . . . your moment is now."
060606
PRESS RELEASE
Gay Chicago Magazine
3115 North Broadway
Chicago, IL 60657
773.327.7789 X 102
Media Contact: Andrew Hayes, 773.506.8042
Pioneer LGBT Publisher Passes Away
Ralph Paul Gernhardt, 72,
Publisher, Gay Chicago Magazine
(Chicago's longest-lived Gay publication)
June 1, 1934 - June 4, 2006
OBITUARY:
Ralph Paul Gernhardt
Ralph Paul Gernhardt, 72, founder and Publisher Emeritus of Gay Chicago Magazine, passed away peacefully at his home on Sunday, June 4, 2006 after a long battle with lung cancer.
On the occasion of the magazine's 20th anniversary in 1996, Gernhardt said that he launched Chicago's longest-lived LGBT publication, Gay Chicago Magazine, in 1976 because, "I felt there was a need for something. At that particular time, the gay community didn't have any regular periodicals supplying information about what was going on in the community."
Gay Chicago Magazine was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in 1989, and Gernhardt himself was inducted in 2004 for "foster[ing] the development and cohesion of Chicago's sexual-minority communities by helping to provide them, for nearly three decades, with the news and information vital to any community's growth."
Gernhardt was born on Chicago's North Side in 1934. After graduating from high school in Fox Lake, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, serving as a special weapons technician and observer in post-war Korea. Finishing his four-year tour of duty in Wyoming, he returned to Chicago and completed training for a radio broadcasting career. His 17-year radio career included work in Michigan, Wyoming, Colorado, Louisiana, Texas and Tennessee. In 1959, he married Marilyn Ridgedale, and the couple had two children, Craig and Christy. In the early 1970s, he moved back to Chicago to be near his family. Here he taught radio broadcasting before starting his LGBT career.
During that career, besides publishing, Gernhardt became an organizer of the Gay Athletic Association, which preceded the current Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association. He and Gay Chicago co-publisher Dan DiLeo also sponsored numerous bowling and softball teams. They were founding members of the Gay and Lesbian Press Association. Using Gay Chicago pages, they tirelessly promoted safer-sex practices, supported anonymous HIV testing programs and distributed free condoms in addition to publishing a safe sex calendar. With Robert Fagenholz and his son, Fred, of the recently closed Marigold Bowling Arcade, they formed "Strike Against AIDS" a group that contributed tens of thousands of dollars to fight AIDS. Gernhardt's support of AIDS work, athletics, and community events (such as an annual Gay Day at the Great AmericaT amusement park) continued until his passing.
Gernhardt's career also included presenting the Gay Chicago Magazine Awards from 1977 to 1992, which honored outstanding achievements by community members in those years. He aided fund-raising efforts for Center on Halsted activities and led the creation and presentation of Gay Chicago Magazine's Grabby Awards, which recognized outstanding accomplishments and entertainment in the gay erotic video field. The 16th annual Grabby Awards were presented to a packed house at the Vic Theatre during the recent Memorial Day weekend.
Gernhardt is survived by his son, Craig, of Chicago; daughter, Christy (Paul) Street and grandchildren, Jacob, Justin and Maggie, of Conyers, Georgia; sisters, Joy Smage, Carol Francis; and dedicated family at Gay Chicago Magazine.
MEMORIAL/FUNERAL INFO:
Drake Funeral Home
5303 North Western
Visitation Wed. June 7th 3-9pm
Service Thur. June 8th 1pm
Memorial immediately follows at local, private residence
060106
-PRESS RELEASE-
Contact: Jamie Dunne
In The Life Media
212-255-6012, ext. 307
jdunne@inthelifetv.org
IN THE LIFE ANNOUNCES ITS FIRST EVER PERSON
OF THE YEAR PRIDE AWARD
America's Gay and Lesbian Newsmagazine on Public Television Honors
Seventeen-year-old Emily Frerichs and Revisits Her Remarkable Story this
June in Episode #1509, "Pride in Action"
NEW YORK, May 30, 2006-- America¹s gay and lesbian newsmagazine on public
television In the Life announced today presentation of its first ever Person
Of The Year Pride Award. The honor went to high school student Emily
Frerichs, 17, of Iowa. Frerichs was originally featured on In the Life's
January 2006 episode "Principals of Youth". In the Life documented the
inspirational story of this courageous young woman¹s fight for community
acceptance after coming out and attempting to start the first Gay-Straight
alliance (GSA) in her conservative Midwest town.
Frerichs spoke frankly about what it means to be a young, gay and Christian
in Middle America. Frerichs also engaged in a powerful dialogue with her own
priest, discussing Christianity and the church¹s views on homosexuals.
Emily¹s story struck a cord with viewers in a big way. In The Life Media¹s
office received hundreds of phone calls and e-mails as the episode aired
nationwide in January across 140 public television stations.
"The response to this particular story from our audience was overwhelming",
said ITL Executive Producer Maria Patrick. "Emily¹s story is a universal one
and touches on the common struggle we all face in trying to figure out who
we are and where our place is in the world", Patrick concluded.
Honoring Emily, In the Life will revisit her segment "I'm Still Emily" in
its June episode "Pride in Action" with host Kate Clinton. That episode also
takes a look inside John Catania and Charles Ignacio¹s campy documentary
"The Lady in Question is Charles Busch", which profiles the career of
legendary performer Charles Busch. For airdates and broadcast times, visit
www.inthelifetv.org for information.
About In the Life
In the Life is the TV newsmagazine of record on gay and lesbian America. A
three-time Emmy Award nominee, In the Life blends hard-hitting journalism
and bold commentary for a no-holds-barred look at gay and lesbian life. A
television pioneer, the show launched in 1992 and became the country¹s first
regularly scheduled gay-themed program. Currently in its 14th season, In the
Life is broadcast on over 140 public television stations nationwide and
reaches 70% of all US households. Headquartered in New York City, In the
Life is produced by In the Life Media, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3),
member-supported educational corporation.
# # #
053006
Press Release
For Immediate Release
Gay and Lesbian Catholics will enter Catholic Cathedrals nationally on Pentecost Sunday.
The following statement was released today by the Rainbow Sash Movement (RSM). The RSM will respond to the fear and intolerance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Transgender (GLBT) persons, by many of our Catholic Bishops on Pentecost Sunday, June 4, 2006. We will be entering, with our straight allies, Catholic Cathedrals across the nation on Pentecost wearing Rainbow Sashes as a sign of identification. Some Bishops have welcomed us in the past, and we are thankful for their welcome.
Nationally our Bishops have lobbied against our human rights. Our grief is intensified because many in the GLBT Catholic Community feel alienated from the Church because of this assault on our human rights. We believe the Bishops have a serious obligation to root out structures and attitudes that discriminate against the homosexual as a person. A small number of courageous Bishops are exerting their leadership in behalf of this effort, and these Bishops will have our full support and prayers.
The Gospels reveal that, while Jesus did not hesitate to proclaim radical ethic of life grounded in the promise of God's kingdom, he never ceased to reach out to the lowly, to the outcasts of his time even if they did not live up to the full demands of his teaching. Jesus offered forgiveness and healing to all who sought it. And when some objected to this compassion, he responded: "Let the one among you who is guiltless be the first to throw the stone… (John 8:7)
We are followers of Jesus Christ, and Catholic. This is why members of the Rainbow Sash Movement will wear Rainbow Sashes on Pentecost Sunday. We see homophobia within the Church as both an opportunity for education, and a way to promote the idea of love of neighbor. We are calling for dialogue.
To find out more, and get involved with Rainbow Sash Movement please visit our web site at www.rainbowsashmovement.com, or email: Sashmovement@AOL.Com
####
Contact Person,
Joe Murray
US Convener
Rainbow Sash Movement
PH: 312-266-0182.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT:
Joy Seltzer
Sapphire Moon Productions
650-343-0543
contact@sapphiremoonproductions.com
www.sapphiremoonproductions.com
SF LBGT Pride Weekend – A Night of Elegance and Dance For Women
San Francisco, CA, May 22, 2006 - Gay men and women flock to San Francisco for one of the largest Pride Weekends nationwide and this year the highlight of the weekend is the return of a night of elegance and dancing for women from the Bay Area and those visiting from all over the world.
Produced by one of San Francisco's legendary women's event producers, Joy Seltzer, "Puttin' On The Ritz" returns by popular demand and takes place at the elegant, sophisticated Crystal Ballroom at the Marine's Memorial Club.
Puttin' On The Ritz will feature one of the Bay Area's hottest women's dance bands, DEUCE whose members have toured and recorded with David Bowie, Patti LaBelle, Laura Nyro, Chic, Phoebe Snow and Sister Sledge, with whom they recorded the classic "We Are Family".
The evening of dancing, cocktails, gourmet hors d'oeuvres, coffee and dessert will kick off at 8pm on Saturday, June 24th and if past events are any indication, this will be a night to remember.
EVENT: Puttin' On The Ritz, Produced by Sapphire Moon Productions
DATE: Saturday, June 24th, 8:00 PM - Midnight
PLACE: Marines' Memorial Association, 609 Sutter St., San Francisco
CONTACT: Joy Seltzer, phone: 650-343-0543 e-mail: contact@sapphiremoonproductions.com
WEBSITE: Buy Tickets online at http://www.sapphiremoonproductions.com
Individual tickets are $75. To purchase tickets call 650-343-0543 or buy online at www.sapphiremoonproductions.com.
For additional information on the Puttin' On The Ritz event for women, contact Joy Seltzer at 650-343-0543.
Web images can be found at: http://www.sapphiremoonproductions.com/images/ritzimages_web.jpg
Print images can be found at: http://www.sapphiremoonproductions.com/images/ritzimages_print.jpg
For Immediate Release
Rainbow Sash Movement (GLBT Catholics) calls for Intra Faith Prayer Service during the Gay Games in Chicago.
As the Gay Games approach the Windy City, the Rainbow Sash Movement is
calling for a day of prayer to be highlighted by an Intra Faith Pray
Service. The Olympics will give GLBT Community and our straight allies
the opportunity to come together as people of faith to be thankful for
how far we have come as an international community, and to commit to
the journey ahead for universal human rights.
The Chicago Rainbow Sash Movement will be hosting a meeting on May 25,
2006 @ 7PM. To RSVP for this meeting please either email
Sashmovement@AOL.Com or call 312-266-0182. The purpose of this meeting
will be to discuss the possibility of pulling together an Intra Faith
Prayer Service of Thanksgiving, and Hope during the Gay Games.
If you want to get involved and you live outside of Chicago please
contact us via email at above email address, or visit our web site at
www.rainbowsashmovement.com
The GLBT international Community has a diverse faith community base and
it is our hope that we can bring elements of that faith base together
for a joyful day of prayer.
###
Contact Person:
Joe Murray
Spokesperson
312-266-0182
050906
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mike Burke
email: michaelmburke@gmail.com
website: http://www.pozcruz.com
First of Its Kind Website for HIV+ Men Launched
Pozcruz.com, a new dating website exclusively for gay hiv+ and poz friendly men, has launched. The first site of its kind, its goal is to provide a bias- and shame-free environment where gay hiv+ men can feel safe and comfortable.
"It's a place where men don't have to worry about the social consequences of being positive," says founder Mike Burke, positive himself. Pozcruz.com emerged out of Burke's recognition of the lack of a social networking presence on the web for meeting other positive men. "Most gay and other personals sites aren't structured to meet our specific needs, and the growing hiv+ demographic deserves a welcoming, safe place tailored just for us."
There are an estimated 10 million gay men in the United States, and more than 600,000 are hiv+. In the last five years several social networking sites have emerged and industry analysis suggests that traffic runs from 15-20,000 hits daily. Yet, those sites are not targeting an hiv+ man who seeks safety, confidentiality, and acceptance.
With a full array of features, including an advanced search interface, email, and instant messaging, men can "cruise" and meet with ease. There is no charge to post a profile or cruise; $3.95 a month allows unlimited emails and instant messaging. "This fee is dramtically lower than the usual social networking website, and will negate cost as a factor in getting together," says Burke.
Eventually, Mr. Burke hopes to use proceeds from Pozcruz.com to fund hiv+ related charitable funds and education. Pozcruz.com plans to offer Spanish language and mobile versions of the site early next year.
###
050206
. . .For A Cause, Inc.
1107 West Lawrence Avenue
Suite 302
Chicago, Illinois 60640
Media Contact: Robert Webber
Rwebber@rfac.org
773-960-4365
For Immediate Release
April 25, 2006
. . .FOR A CAUSE ANNOUNCES LIST OF BENEFICIARIES FOR 2006
CHICAGO, IL – …For A Cause, Inc. organizers of Ride For A Cause and Walk For a Cause has announced its list of beneficiaries for the 2006 season. This year's beneficiaries are: the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization, Illinois Affiliate and the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Each of these organizations is highly respected in their fields. The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation's mission is to create a future of hope for children and families worldwide by eradicating pediatric AIDS, providing care and treatment to people with HIV/AIDS, and accelerating the discovery of new treatments for other serious and life-threatening pediatric illnesses. The mission of Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization is to ensure, through information, empowerment, and peer support, that no one faces breast cancer alone. To fulfill this mission, Y-ME Illinois provides information and support to those touched by breast cancer, their families, healthcare professionals, and the public, and advocates for scientific research and for the rights of people with breast cancer.
In addition to each event's beneficiary, participants can also designate an additional beneficiary of their choice. This gives them an added level of commitment to the event making it more personal. When a participant designates an additional beneficiary, 100% of their donations will be divided 50/50 between the two beneficiaries. In past events, such organizations have included the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the National Kidney Foundation, the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, The SIDS Foundation, and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago just to name a few. We understand that times are difficult for non-profit organizations and think this is a great way to help everyone involved.
This year's Ride For A Cause event will take place in Scotland and benefit the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. The Scotland AIDS Ride, scheduled for August 13-19, 2006 and is a 7-day event with 5-days of cycling through central Scotland. Riders will stay in one central location and make Ring Rides into the countryside cycling more than 250 miles.
This year's Walk For A cause event will take place in central Italy and benefit the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Foundation, Illinois Affiliate. The Italian Breast Cancer Walk is scheduled for September 10-16, 2006 and is a 7-day event with 5-day of walking through central Italy. Walkers will walk over 60 miles walking form one hill top town to the next.
All of the events have a minimum fundraising requirement of $1,500.00 to participate. Last year participants raised an average of $4,500.00 each. The registration fee for each event is $1,200.00. This may seem high at first glance, but the registration fee covers all the participants' expenses while on the event. This insures that 100% of all donations will go to the beneficiaries and none is used for event promotion. This is the foundation on which …For A Cause, Inc. was organized.
For more information on our events, to register for an event, make a donation, or inquire about Sponsorship opportunities visit the . . .For A Cause, Inc. website at www.rfac.org.
http://rfac.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.display&feature_id=118
http://rfac.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.display&feature_id=47
# # #
042506
For Immediate Release
Rainbow Sash Movement (GLBT Catholics) Challenges Soulforce to Enter into Dialogue
The following letter was sent to the Soulforce leadershipThe Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. We are
contacting you out of deep concern that you are doing harm
to our efforts in communication with our Catholic
Bishops. We understand your zeal. However, zeal must
be tempered with prudence. We whole hardly accept your
support, but not your leadership. We are Roman
Catholics who believe in our Teaching Magisterium, the
Sense of the Faithful, and the Primacy of Conscience.
We ask that you respect our differences of faith, and
allow GLBT Roman Catholics and other Catholic
organizations to challenge the homophobia in our
Church.
We do not doubt your good will, but we feel that you
think you know better what is good for us than we
ourselves do. In spirit of Christ we are calling for
dialogue. However, we feel called to protect GLBT
Catholics from those who would challenge our faith.
Peace of Christ,
Joe Murray
US Convener
Rainbow Sash Movement
312-266-01821
041506
For Immediate Release
The Rainbow Sash Movement responds to Popes Meditation
In his Good Friday meditations on the way of the Cross, Pope Benedict
XVI once again set his sights on modernity. He warned of the dangers of
playing God, the spread of evil and a "decadent narcissism" that
threaten society. It really is an odd set of meditations. Some are
really quite radical and socially progressive one might say, whereas
(others) are a return to a conservative Catholicism. But what is most
startling is his attack on the development of the family in modern
society, and science.
In attacking the development of the family he was clearly referring to
Gay Families. This is an anti-gospel message, and prime example of the
Pope trying to play God. We would remind the Pope of his own words "to
take God's place, without being God, is an insane arrogance, a risky
and dangerous venture."
Modern science is now the villain according to the pope. This is
precisely the time for the Holy Father to be pointing to those things
we need to look at squarely and that we need to act to remedy. We need
more scientific research to find a cure for HIV/AIDS a pandemic that is
now threatening the lives of many in first and third world nations. He
should be promoting light not darkness in the acquisition of knowledge.
Additionally, we need more scientific development in protecting our
environment, and we need to be promoting peace and not war.
Missing from the mediations of the cross were any mention of sexual
abuse of children in families, and churches. While many Catholic
analysis are saying this Pope is looking for consensus before he makes
any drastic moves, we see a Pope unable to balance the various
divisions within the Church, unable to move beyond the ghetto mentality
of the Vatican to seek new ideas and perspective. He appears to be
embracing the pre Vatican II conservative mentality of anti science and
anti knowledge, this is clearly draw back to the mentality that once
governed the dark ages.
The Rainbow Sash Movement does not look to Rome for the salvation of
the Church, rather we look to the courageous men and women both gay and
straight who speak out from our Church's pews both nationally and
internationally. The leadership of the Church is now up in the air, and
only the Holy Spirit will be able to sort it out. There are now many
tribes in the Catholic Church the key is finding a way, for them, to
communicate with each other. Let us pray for a new Pentecost.
Contact Info:
Joe Murray
US Convener
Rainbow Sash Movement
312-266-0182
For immediate release
Media contact Margarétha Moerkerke at The Publicity Company
e-mail margaretha@publicy.nl, telephone +31 (0)20-6127000.
www.vertrouwen.nu
Who can I trust now? - homosexual in Nazi Germany and occupied Holland
AYAAN HIRSI ALI AND IRANIAN ASYLUM-SEEKERS OPEN GAY EXHIBITION IN HOLLAND
Amsterdam, 13 April 2006 - Together with a number of gay Iranian asylum-seekers, Member of Parliament Ayaan Hirsi Ali will open the exhibition Who can I trust now? in the former refugee and transit camp Westerbork on Friday 21 April. The exhibition tells the story of the persecution of and resistance by homosexual men and lesbian women under the Nazis and during the German occupation of the Netherlands. The exhibition Who can I trust now? is based on recent research and uses personal testimonies and unique visual materials. A review of the past that raises questions for the present: can homosexual men and women continue to rely on the protection of the law, or are hard-won freedoms being eroded? What stance will contemporary Dutch society adopt in the face of growing intolerance?
Sixty years after the German occupation of the Netherlands, this is the first time that an exhibition has been mounted dealing exclusively with the persecution of and resistance by homosexual men and lesbian women under the Nazis. Who can I trust now? is therefore also a late salute to these forgotten men and women. After the war, they were abandoned with their memories. The legislation enacted by the Nazis remained in place for decades and the persecution of homosexuals was not recognised.
Respect and courage, identity and individuality, confidence and tolerance are the central themes of the exhibition. The exhibition also asks questions of the present. How sure can homosexual men and women in the Netherlands and Europe be about their current position? Are the freedoms that have been won being given away? Through the threat of violence on the streets, or the harassment of homosexual teachers and students until they are forced out of schools. Or, as currently under consideration by the Dutch government, through the asylum procedure, by sending homosexual refugees back to countries where homosexuality is punishable by death, such as Iran?
The exhibition will first be shown in the former camp at Westerbork, which was initially a camp set up for German Jews fleeing the Nazis, and was later used by the Nazis as a transit camp for Jews and other victims of persecution destined for elimination. The exhibition will then tour the Netherlands. From 22 September, it will be on display in the Resistance Museum in Amsterdam, and in 2007 in the Resistance Museum in Leeuwarden and in Kamp Vught.
Initiative
The initiative for the exhibition was taken by the International Homo/Lesbian Information Centre and Archive (IHLIA). The exhibition was financed thanks to funds from the Legal Compensation Fund for Homosexuals WWII.
Information on the exhibition can also be found at www.vertrouwen.nu.
040706
For Immediate Release
Contact: Sarah Benoit, Event Coordinator and Media Relations
RainbowWeddingNetwork.com
PO Box 2434
Weaverville, NC 28787
866-251-1564
http://www.RainbowWeddingExpo.com
rwnsarah@bellsouth.net
Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine Launched to Celebrate the Third Annual Same Love, Same Rights™ GLBT Wedding and Family Expo
Rainbow Wedding Network will be launching its newest endeavor in the GLBT wedding market this month on April 30. Joining RainbowWeddingNetwork.com, SameLoveSameRights.com and RainbowWeddingExpo.com is Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine. The nation's first full color, quarterly magazine dedicated solely to GLBT couples and marriage equality.
Boston, MA, April 07, 2006 --(PR.COM)-- On May 17, 2004 the lives of many same-sex couples changed in the state of Massachusetts; the hopes and dreams of GLBT couples across the nation changed as well. It was then that RainbowWeddingNetwork.com co-founders, Cindy Sproul and Marianne Puechl, knew their company was about to dramatically change and they were inspired to pursue even bigger professional and personal goals. This year, on April 30, 2006 Sproul, Puechl and the Rainbow Wedding Network (RWN) team will launch the first issue of Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine in celebration of the Third Annual Same Love, Same Rights™ GLBT Wedding and Family Expo and the second year of legal marriage rights for GLBT couples in Massachusetts. They also celebrate the future they know is possible nationwide and the efforts the GLBT community and its allies continue to make in protecting equality, justice and the civil liberties of all Americans.
Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine will be the latest endeavor of the Rainbow Wedding Network team, but certainly not the last of 2006. Under the name Same Love, Same Rights™ RWN has already produced a successful second annual event in Atlanta in February of this year and they look forward to events in Cambridge on April 30, Hartford on May 7, Philadelphia on November 5 and Seattle in the late summer/early fall. New national sponsorships have been created with Clik Magazine, Passional Magazine, SABLEMagazine.com, GayWebMonkey.com, Outvite.com, Lavender Rose and QNortheast Magazine. RWN is also producing Same Love, Same Rights™ benefit after-parties to raise money for local area non-profits involved in marriage equality, GLBT healthcare and adoption rights. These events include musicians such as Jen Foster, Pamela Means and Stephanie Callahan.
Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine is the country's first full color publication dedicated to the issue of marriage equality. The magazine will be published quarterly and distributed in conjunction with Same Love, Same Rights™ events planned throughout the year. Featured articles will include interviews, marriage equality news, tips for weddings and honeymoons, current wedding trends, political reports, family and parenting information, along with a directory of business professionals nationwide who support equal rights for everyone. Rainbow Wedding Network's mission is to bring progressive people of all kinds together to be active in protecting GLBT couples and families everywhere, as well as to create a network through which the GLBT community and its allies can financially, politically and personally support one another.
Rainbow Wedding Network has educated people about same-sex marriage, GLBT families, parenting rights and health issues for five years. RWN has also provided online services to GLBT couples throughout the United States and Canada. RainbowWeddingNetwork.com was the nation's first gay and lesbian wedding gift registry and online directory, launched in 2000. RainbowWeddingNetwork.com currently includes over 5000 vendors in its directory throughout the United States and Canada and all are individually screened as GLBT-friendly. In 2003 RWN expanded to include the Same Love, Same Rights™ Wedding and Family Expos and the company currently produces five expos each year. In 2005 RWN launched a sister website www.RainbowWeddingExpo.com and plans for a RainbowWeddingNetwork.com redesign are in the works for 2007.
Contact Information
RainbowWeddingNetwork.com
Sarah Benoit
866.251.1564
rwnsarah@bellsouth.net
www.RainbowWeddingExpo.com
040606
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: David Smitherman
866-570-6724
dave@palaribooks.com
NEW SUMMER NOVEL FOLLOWS A GAY CRUISE THROUGH MYSTERY, ROMANCE AND A DISASTER AT SEA!
RICHMOND, VA April 4, 2006 - Palari Books announces its latest book in a line of quality gay fiction titles. Renowned author Dave Benbow's newest beach read, SUMMER CRUISING, will be published in June 2006.
SUMMER CRUISING is a novel where romantic days spent touring and tanning end up as exotic nights devoted to dining, dancing and passionate sex. These are the daily activities for the hunky passengers of the RMS Princess Diana, as they set sail on a rollicking all-gay cruise through the sun-drenched Mediterranean and its stunning ports of call. But this idyllic holiday abruptly ends when a calculating psychopath sets in motion a dastardly plan to send the luxurious liner to the bottom of the sea. Soon daring escapes, personal sacrifices, and heart-pounding rescues replace romance as the men of the Diana struggle to survive the sinking ship and each other...
According to the author Dave Benbow, "Gay cruises are becoming more and more popular and extravagant, so it makes the perfect setting for a great summer book full of romance, mystery, and of course, plenty of hot sex as well!" Benbow notes that with the current highly publicized cases of passengers mysteriously missing from mainstream cruises splashed all over the media, and the theatrical remake of The Poseidon Adventure, scheduled for release in early summer, interest in cruising continues to grow. "I wanted to mix that sort of mystery up with the excitement and danger of a disaster at sea," he says. "It's just such a fun read." Well-known writer and performer Bruce Vilanch agrees, "Dave Benbow's SUMMER CRUISING is ready to fire across your bow! It's the gay Poseidon and Titanic, and it stays afloat way longer than either of those girls!"
In the book, Benbow continues the story lines of several characters from his successful previous novels published by Kensington, MALE MODEL and DAYTIME DRAMA.
To learn more, visit the Palari Publishing Web site, palaribooks.com, or go to the author's site at davebenbow.com.
.
-30-
040206
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: George Elda Wilson
email: email@georgeeldawilson.com
website: http://www.georgeeldawilson.com
GAY AUTHOR PUBLISHES FIRST BOOK AND THE SECOND IS ON ITS WAY!
George Wilson, a longtime resident of Orlando, Florida has published a first novel "The Balcony at the Skyline Drive-In" that will hit the bookstore shelves on April 24th. His second book "Here comes Dirt" is scheduled for release later this year.The Balcony is a humorous look at George, a young Arkansas boy as he grows up, soon to be out in a house without men. Set in the forties and fifties, we are soon taken back to America after WWII and before and during rock and roll. Sometimes poignant, sometimes sad, most often extremely funny, you will be taken back to a gentler time.
Here Comes Dirt is a continuation of George's story as he leaves high school and the security offered by his mother's apron strings, for the Navy and San Diego. He is quickly embroiled in the steamy Southern California gay scene, and the intrigue of hiding it all from the military. We soon get to meet all the wild characters that made San Diego George's true coming out party.
George Elda Wilson
For more information:
Email George at: email@georgeeldawilson.com
To order the book online go to:
Website: http://www.georgeeldawilson.com
Contact: Vicky Boone
512.786.6271
Vicky@billyfilms.net
For Immediate Release:
"Bride Monster" Gaining International Acclaim Indie Short Film Earns Major
Film Screenings
Austin, TX, March 28, 2006 -- "Bride Monster" will soon be packing her
wedding trousseau and jetting off to join the glitterati at film festivals
in Miami, New York, Toronto and New Zealand in coming weeks.
"Attack of the Bride Monster," a runaway success at gay and lesbian film
festivals throughout the country, is breaking into mainstream film festival
line-ups, including the Nashville Film Festival, the Tribeca Underground
Film Festival in New York, and the Syracuse International Film and Video
Festival.
True to the adage that great comedy comes from great pain, "Attack of the
Bride Monster," tells a deeply personal story of a lesbian partnership in
crisis when faced with the same-sex-marriage option of 2004.
A stylized homage to the romantic comedies and monster movies of the 1950s,
this 17-minute film, created by Billly Films in Austin, TX, blends live
action, animation and visual effects enhanced with an original score.
Enjoying a string of accolades and awards including the prestigious
McMullen-Sullivan Founders Award in the Out Takes Dallas Film Festival and a
nomination for Best Comedy at the Seventh Annual PlanetOut Short Movie
Awards, "Attack of the Bride Monster" was selected for screening at the
following venues in April, May and June:
Out Takes New Zealand Film Festival
Auckland, May 25 - June 5, 2006
Wellington, June 1 - 11
Christchurch, June 8 - 14
www.outtakes.org.nz
Inside Out Toronto Lesbian and Gay
Film and Video Festival
Toronto, Canada
May 18 - 28, 2006
www.insideout.on.ca
Tribeca Underground Film Festival
New York, NY
May 2 - 7, 2006
www.tribecaundergroundfilmfestival.org
Blowin Up a Spot Film Festival
Austin, TX
April 27 - 30, 2006
www.blowinupaspot.com
Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival
Miami, FL
April 21 - 30, 2006
www.mglff.com
Nashville Film Festival
Nashville, TN
April 20 - 23, 2006
www.nashvillefilmfestival.org
Syracuse International Film and Video Festival
Syracuse, NY
April 6 - 9, 2006
www.syrfilmfest.com
DVD copies are available upon request.
Press Kit: http://www.bridemonster.com/
###
032806
CLEVE JONES JOINS HOTEL WORKERS RISING CAMPAIGN
UNITE HERE, the union representing over 90,000 hotel workers in North America announced today that veteran gay rights and AIDS activist Cleve Jones has been named national liaison to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Jones, 51, has been a prominent activist since the late 1970s when he worked with pioneer gay leader Harvey Milk. He is best known as the originator and founder of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt.UNITE HERE is the merged union of the Union of Needletrade, Industrial and Textile Employees and the Hotel and Restaurant Employees International Union. The Hotel Workers Rising campaign represents an effort to empower thousands of hotel workers in hundreds of hotels across North America as they struggle to improve their jobs and secure better lives for themselves and their families.
According to John Wilhelm, president of the hospitality division of the union, "We are very pleased to have Cleve Jones on board, he has a remarkable history of accomplishments and we are eager to work in coalition with the LGBT community." Wilhelm added, "This campaign seeks to transform low-wage work into decent jobs that give people the opportunity to make it into the middle class." After decades of declining union membership, the Hotel Workers Rising campaign has the potential to be a historic turning point for America's labor movements, uniting workers across the United States and Canada to secure better wages and health care benefits. Kickoff rallies for the campaign last month featured appearances by former U.S. Senator John Edwards, actor Danny Glover and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom."I am honored to be even a small part of this important campaign," said Cleve Jones. "The LGBT community has many reasons to support the workers' efforts. Their demands are just, thousands of members of our community work in the hotel industry and the union representing the workers has a long history of substantive support for LGBT candidates and causes, including nondiscrimination employment policies and groundbreaking benefits for HIV-positive workers."
Major hotel contracts expire this year in Toronto, New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Honolulu and Chicago. San Francisco workers have been without a contract since 2004. In the past few years, hotel workers have worked hard to line up their contract expirations, giving them more leverage in their negotiations with the multinational hotel corporations. Their ambitious campaign to lift hotel workers out of poverty has already met with resistance from the industry. There is a great deal of concern that the hotel corporations will force workers to strike, or even lock them out like they did in 2004 in San Francisco.
"LGBT travelers should be aware that many hotels may be on strike this summer," said Jones, noting that some 20 million people are expected to participate in this year's pride celebrations and street fairs. "Our community is a significant market for the hotel operators, our support for the union can make a real difference."
Visit www.hotelworkersrising.org for more information.
032006
Letter To The Editor
The Rainbow Sash Movement charges the Archdiocese of Boston with a failure to serve, as Jesus taught us to do. We live in a world were the lives of born children are being threatened daily, and yet we put so many other things ahead of their needs. For the Archdiocese to turn its back on children is akin to the Archdiocese turning its back on the Gospel Values the Church is suppose to promote. I think there is a lot of anger to go around.However, if there is only anger and no reason, we sink into endless finger pointing. It is natural to demonize those you don't like, it just makes it right. It is more difficult to build bridges, and outreach your hand. So should we judge all the Catholic Bishops by the actions of a few? What of the Bishops accross the country who allow GLBT families to adopt, and do it very quietly? What about options for women who are pregrant who want the baby and cannot afford it? What about Catholic Charities who does a wonderful job in not being judgemental, and allows GLBT parents to adopt. Should we like the Archdiocese of Boston through out the baby with the water because we can't have it all our way?
The Archdiocese of Boston has committed an abortion of faith, they put other issues ahead of the very real needs of born children. Not all Archdiocese's and Diocese's handle it the same way. O I can hear the war drums beating. Perhaps it is time to listen to Jesus and find another way. What I say to my community is what I say to my Church: this is a very complex and difficult time, let us reach out to each other and try to find a way.
Sincerely,
Joe Murray
US Convener
Rainbow Sash Movement
312-266-0182
www.Rainbowsashmovement.com
GAYS, LESBIANS, AND THE FLYING SPAGHETTI MONSTER TWO NEW COMPETING BOOKS, ONE BY NOTED GAY PSYCHOLOGIST
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) March 15, 2006 -- The simultaneous publication of two books advancing the idea that the universe was created by an entity composed primarily of pasta may indicate a dramatic schism in one of the world's newest religions. "God Speaks! The Flying Spaghetti Monster in His Own Words," by gay Psychologist and author Jon Smith (smithspaghetti@aol.com), appears on Lulu.com, a self-publishing site for print-on-demand books, on the same day that a book by the movement's founder arrives in bookstores across the nation. The schism potentially has broad implications for gays and lesbians.
The publication of Smith's book coincides with the publication of the first book by the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM) movement's founder, Bobby Henderson, as well as with a growing debate over the teaching of intelligent design as a scientific theory.
The competing titles reflect the growth of a cult-like Internet following of the FSM theory espoused by Henderson, an Oregon physics graduate and self-appointed head of a movement known as Pastafarianism, which posits that the universe was created by a creature comprised largely of noodles.
Henderson's book, "The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster," published this week by Villard Books, may herald the arrival of an influential voice within the intelligent design debate plaguing school systems across the U.S. The publication of the competing title by Jon Smith, however, offers evidence that this belief system, like many before it, may well be headed toward rapid fragmentation, or its own evolution. As Smith says, "This is a reformation. Bobby's book is a gospel about the Flying Spaghetti Monster. My book goes one step further and presents words of wisdom and prophecy directly from the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Really."
Smith, who claims to be an ardent supporter of Henderson, nevertheless employs
in his book a spiritual technique nowhere sanctioned on Henderson's official FSM
web site (www.venganza.org
· "Top-heavy, handsomest, negligent flirt"
· "Test-driving of shapely, hot gentleman"
· "God-given nymph of stealthier talents"
Smith used advanced computer technology to examine over 1,000,000 Flying Spaghetti Monster anagrams to select the most pithy, witty, sexy, and occasionally off-color.
Some of Smith's Spaghettigrams are of particular interest to gays and lesbians. When considering the six words "Christianity and the Flying Spaghetti Monster," Smith reveals this anagram:
"Almighty sycophant, if strident, is threatening,."
One bit of revealed wisdom, direct from the FSM, for "Catholicism and the Flying Spaghetti Monster" is the anagram "Empathetic Almighty not chastising fondlers."
An anagram for "Religious fundamentalism and the Flying Spaghetti Monster" is even more revealing: "Maggot's different-shaped ornament humiliates insultingly."
But "Homosexuality and the Flying Spaghetti Monster" is no problem, as revealed in this celebratory anagram: "O My God! Healthful, tasty astonishing experiment." There's more, over 10,000 uncensored Spaghettigrams.
Smith's goal, as he describes it, is undoubtedly ambitious--"to inspire those of all beliefs to put aside the superficial prejudices, distorted thinking, and superstition that can cloud one's vision and interfere with authentic spirituality." Whether or not the FSM movement, which has lobbied to be considered by school boards alongside other theories of intelligent design, will embrace Smith's ideas remains to be seen.
Jon Smith is Dr. Jonathan C. Smith, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Professor of Psychology at Chicago's Roosevelt University, and Founding Director of the Roosevelt University Stress Institute. Dr. Smith has published 15 books and more than three dozen articles on stress, relaxation, and meditation.
031506
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: Karen Greco
212 560 9868
karen AT kgrecopr DOT com
Press comps are available
From HBO's Emmy Award-winning "The Laramie Project," actor/writer Grant James Varjas shines in the NYC premiere of his play 33 to Nothing
New York, New York March 16, 2006—From HBO's Emmy Award-winning
original movie "The Laramie Project," Grant James Varjas has received
critical accolades for his valentine to NYC's gay indie rock scene,
the Off Broadway play 33 to Nothing. The NY Times said, "33 to
Nothing is dynamic and alive! Combines heartache, humor, and powerful
songs... Nod your head to its downtown Bowie-cum-Coldplay groove!"
And Time Out NY raved, "For once, here's a show about an imaginary
band that makes you want to buy a real CD! Magnetic! They rock
together pretty darn welll!"
A band tries to stay together while the gay relationship at its core
falls apart. Set in NYC's influential gay indie rock scene, 33 to
Nothing explores the comedy and tragedy of being an out musician in
today's rock world, while celebrating the influence of gay artists as
disparate as Bob Mould, Stephen Merritt, and George Michael. Written
by Grant James Varjas (who also stars), 33 to Nothing features five
original songs composed by Varjas, which the actors perform as a band.
Presented by the Argo Theater Company, 33 to Nothing is running
through Saturday, April 8 at NYC's Bottle Factory Theater (195 East
3rd Street, between Avenues A & B). The performance schedule is
Wednesday – Saturday at 8:00 PM. Ticket prices range from $19 - 30
and available by calling SmartTix at 212-868-4444 or online at
www.smarttix.com.
BIOS/CAST INFO
The cast features the NY theater debut of singer/songwriter Preston
Clarke, who recently made his network television debut on "The Late
Late Show with Craig Ferguson." Joining Mr. Clarke are Ken Forman
(Late Fragment at Studio Dante; Wilder, Wilder, Wilder on Broadway;
Tom Nonan's What the Hell's Your Problem), John B. Good, Amanda Gruss
(Tom Noonan's Waiting; Territory at Bottle Factory) and Grant James
Varjas.
Grant James Varjas (playwright/actor) wrote the play The Dead Part of
You, which was adapted into short film that starred Matthew Lillard
(Scream). A member of Tectonic Theater Project, he is currently
working with Moises Kaufman (The Laramie Project) as an actor and
writer on a new play about Beethoven, and was featured in the HBO
film version of The Laramie Project. His NY acting credits include
Territory (Bottle Factory Theater); Beyond Recognition (Abingdon
Theater); The Castle (Manhattan Ensemble Theater); Tom Noonan's What
the Hell's Your Problem (Paradise Factory); Christopher Shinn's
Sockdolager, Killing Hand (by David Zelnik), and Tesla's Letters (by
Jeffrey Stanley, dir. Curt Dempster) all at Ensemble Studio Theater;
and Twelve Dreams (dir. and writer James Lapine, Lincoln Center).
Grant has composed and performed original music for Lee Blessing's
Down The Road, starring Eric Stoltz at the Atlantic Theater in NYC,
and Margaux Lansky's recent SizeAte. He was lead singer and
keyboardist for NYC band Mock Turtle for three years.
John B. Good (director/actor) is making his directorial debut of a
full-length play with 33 to Nothing. He has directed several short
pieces, including My Apologies, which he also wrote, that appeared in
the collection Mouthpieces at the Paradise Theater. As an actor, he
has appeared in Territory (Bottle Factory Theater), What the Hell's
Your Problem? An Evening with Bob Nathelson written, directed and
starring Tom Noonan at the Paradise Theater, Losing Ground, Room
314, Wake Up Now Go To Sleep, and Waiting (Paradise Theater).
Regional theater credits include Someone Who'll Watch Over Me, Zombie
Prom and The Waterboy. Film credits include Territory, Losing Ground
and Assault on Devil's Island with international superstar and
wrestling legend Hulk Hogan.
For Immediate Release
Media Contact for Stonewall Communities
Tony Fusco, Sarah Brierley, Catie Howell
(617) 363-0405 Fax: 617-363-0406
fuscofour@aol.com
Land Acquisition for the Nation's First Urban Residential Condominium
Community for Older Gay Men and Lesbians announced by Stonewall Communities
March 14, 2006 (Boston) Stonewall Communities Inc., a nonprofit
organization, and Abbott Real Estate Development announced today that they have completed
the first major step toward their plan to build the nation's first urban
residential condominium community targeted to older gay men and lesbians and their
friends and families. Stonewall, in partnership with Abbott, recently
purchased land at 9 and 23 Miner Street (just outside of Kenmore Square) to create a
new paradigm for inclusive community living. The development, "Stonewall at
Audubon Circle," will offer homeownership opportunities never before available
to older gay men and lesbians in an urban environment. "Stonewall at Audubon
Circle" will offer approximately 66 condominium-style residences with parking
and other amenities.
"Stonewall Communities has been working to create a residential community in
Boston for older members of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender)
community for many years and we have finally taken the first big step to making
it a reality. Stonewall at Audubon Circle will become a model for other urban
settings, and we are very excited that we already have 15 men and women who
have made reservations to purchase condos. These new homeowners will become
active participants in the Fenway/Audubon Circle neighborhood and the Boston's
LGBT community," said David Aronstein, founder, Stonewall Communities. "Our
community has waited for a long time for such an inclusive community that will
respond to the needs of seniors who have been so underserved in the past."
The next step in the development process is to obtain the necessary approvals
and permits from the City of Boston to build at the site. Abbott Real Estate
Development Principal James McAuliffe says they will be working with the
community to create the best project possible.
"We look forward to receiving input on the design and construction of the
building as we move through the permitting and approval process. We strongly
believe in Stonewall Communities and know that the project will tremendously bene
fit the Fenway/Audubon Circle neighborhood and the greater Boston community.
This type of home ownership we hope will further strengthen the Audubon
Circle," said McAuliffe.
Stonewall at Audubon Circle will feature amenities such as onsite underground
parking, lobby with concierge, common dining room and kitchen with prepared
meals available, library/den and other community space, a fitness and wellness
center, home cleaning and personal care services.
The one- and two-bedroom condominiums will be priced at market rate with 15
percent designated as affordable, in accordance with Mayor Thomas Menino's
Executive Orders on affordable housing. Construction is expected to begin in 2007,
following the permitting and approval process, with occupancy expected in
spring of 2008. Priority reservations are now being accepted. For more
information visit www.stonewallcommunities.com.
About Stonewall Communities
Stonewall Communities, Inc. is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation. Since
1998, the mission of Stonewall Communities has been to better understand and
advocate for the needs of older lesbians, gay men, and their friends. The
organization is creating a range of options for older people and developing
residential communities that will combine quality housing with a supportive,
inclusive and diverse community. The organization will support and enhance the
well-being and independence of older members of the LGBT community in their choice to
age at home or in a Stonewall community. As co-founder of the LGBT Aging
Project, Stonewall Communities works to improve the lives of underserved seniors,
particularly lesbians and gay men, who have suffered years of discrimination
and lack of access. For more information:www.stonewallcommunities.com
About Abbott Development
Abbott Real Estate Development, LLC is a developer of single and multi-family
housing in the Greater Boston area. Abbott Homes is a division of Abbott
Real Estate Development, LLC and specializes in the development of active adult
lifestyle communities for residents ages 55 years and better. Abbott Homes
communities include the Village at the Pointe in Mansfield and Seton Highlands at
The Pinehills. In the multi-family market, Abbott was one of the first local
developers to recognize the value of building transit-oriented housing with its
development of Cambridge Park Place at the Alewife MBTA Station. The two
principals, James McAuliffe and Gerard Savard, have a combined 60 years of
experience in commercial and residential real estate development and real estate
portfolio management, as well as extensive experience with institutional investors
and lenders. For more information: www.abbottdev.com
###
"STONEWALL AT AUDUBON CIRCLE" - FACT SHEET
Creating a New Paradigm for Inclusive Living
Abbott Real Estate Development, LLC and Stonewall Communities, Inc. have
partnered to develop an innovative project called Stonewall at Audubon Circle at 9
and 23 Miner Street that will create a new paradigm for inclusive
community-living targeted to gay and lesbian adults 55 years and older in an urban
setting.
Stonewall at Audubon Circle is a groundbreaking concept for gay and lesbian
urban living. Boston will serve as a model for inclusive living and
neighborhood revitalization. Gay and lesbian adults, along with their friends, will find
a supportive community that will enable them to maintain a vigorous urban
lifestyle. The concept combines basic needs-specifically new housing that will
address a growing need in the City of Boston for new units, while also providing
a new model for community living.
Stonewall Communities
Stonewall Communities, Inc. is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation. The
mission is to better understand and advocate for the needs of older lesbians, gay
men, and their friends. This is done by creating a range of options and
developing residential environments that will combine quality housing with a
supportive inclusive and diverse community.
Stonewall Communities residential developments targeted to older gay men and
lesbians propose to:
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the diverse needs of individuals
as they age;
• Support and enhance the well-being and independence of seniors;
• Meet the needs of underserved seniors, particularly those who may have
suffered years of discrimination and lack of access to homeownership.
Stonewall Communities in Boston
In partnership with Abbott Development, Stonewall Communities has purchased
the properties at 23 and 9 Miner Street and plans to build a residential
condominium community of approximately 66 units targeted to older lesbians, gay men,
their friends and families with on-site, underground parking. Approximately
15 per cent of the units will be deeded affordable in accordance with the
Mayor's Executive Orders, and the remainder will be sold at market rates.
Each condominium will be a complete home with high quality finishes and
amenities, but also designed to be accessible to people with physical limitations
and adaptable as conditions change in their life. The property will also
include common amenities and provision of services to enhance the quality of life.
This project will creatively integrate innovative design, partnerships with
established community institutions, and encouragement of active participation in
community and neighborhood life. High quality residential services, amenities
and programs to include:
• Inviting lobby with concierge;
• Common dining room and kitchen with prepared meals offered;
• Communal library/den;
• Fitness and wellness center;
• Apartment cleaning services; and
• Personal care services.
Existing community institutions and groups will be available to support the
needs of the residents. The design and operation of the building will make use
of services easy but still optional to the resident.
Neighborhood Benefits of Stonewall at Audubon Circle
• Creates a new paradigm for inclusive community living targeted to (though
not restricted to) gay and lesbian adults 55 years and older in an urban
setting.
• Fully integrates the principles of Transit Oriented Development, a
fundamental Sustainable Design practice, by providing housing adjacent to public
transportation which will encourage pedestrian-oriented activity and discourage the
use of vehicles.
• Eases the housing crisis in Boston, particularly in the Fenway area,
providing new home ownership opportunities.
• Provides quality affordable units as part of the development in accordance
with the Mayor's Executive Orders.
• Addresses the need for convenient, accessible, and innovative housing for
active adults who wish to maintain their urban lifestyle.
• Enhances the already dynamic Fenway community with a vibrant residential
use, complementing the rich diversity of uses in the neighborhood while adding
stability to the highly populated student area.
• Contributes to the economic activity of the area as residents partake in
the retail, dining, and cultural activities of the Fenway district.
• Professionally managed, maintaining clean and well-manicured building and
site, improves upon the current condition of the sites and increases security
of the area through greater pedestrian activity.
Project Data _
ÿ Developer Information: www.stonewallcommunities.com;
www.abbottdev.com
ÿ Total Ownership Units: 66 Units
ÿ Total Affordable Units: 9 Units (15%)
ÿ Housing Types Available: Condominiums - 1 Bedrooms, 2 Bedrooms
ÿ Total Project Square Footage: 80,000 square feet
ÿ Parking: 51 Spaces
ÿ Parking Ratio: .8 space per unit
030106
<>For Immediate Release:
Contact: Patric Stillman
patric@mediaartscenter.org
619.230.1938 x 103 <>
March 1, 2006
CINE GAY SHOWCASE FEATURED AT 13TH ANNUAL SAN DIEGO LATINO FILM FESTIVAL
<>Series Includes World Premiere of Locally Produced Teen Film Project
<>San Diego, CA – For the first time, the 13h Annual San Diego Latino Film Festival will showcase GLBT films under the showcase banner of Cine Gay. Documenting GLBT life around the globe, Cine Gay at the San Diego Latino Film Festival presented by Lincoln Mercury offers a rich selection of films about bold lives struggling with identity and the resulting impact of living out loud. Six award winning films, five fabulous shorts, and an exciting premiere of a locally produced documentary explore the diversity of modern lives as seen through the eyes of men and women in Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Spain, and USA. These dramatic movies and documentaries explore a range of amazing stories and lives, from internationally acclaimed celebrities as well as San Diego teens living next door. <>
"As Brokeback Mountain has shown audiences the lives of gay men from a particular period of America's past, I think our films vibrantly depict the current struggles and triumphs of the GLBT community from around the world," stated GLBT Showcase Guest Curator Patric Stillman (creator of the incredible gay Tarot deck, Brotherhood Tarot).
Highlights from Cine Gay include the powerful feature film Ronda Nocturna (Night Watch) from director Edgardo Cozarinsky with guest appearance by the films star from Argentina, Gonzalo Heredia, and the premiere of Altered Lives, the first film under the Color Lens Project banner from the Media Arts Center San Diego's Teen Producers Project. For this film, ArcoIris Lounge brought ten young GLBT adults together for 15 weeks to shoot, edit, and produce this video documentary about religion, family, culture and sexuality in San Diego and Tijuana. Other films featured in the Cine gay spotlight are El Che de los Gays, Maricones, Muxes, Cazuza – O Tempo Nao Para, Seres Extravagantes and the short films Con Que La Lavare, Someter, and Implicacion.
Cine Gay will hold a post-screening party following RONDA NOCTURNA on March 12th at Bacchus House, North Park's Premiere Latino Dance Party FIESTA DOMINGO at 3054 University Avenue. Event Hostess Franceska with local recording artist Jeffrey "Mono Mono" Beringer and the Outstanding DJ (2004 Nicky Awards winner) DJ Reuben Casas spinning Spanish Dance, Cumbia, Spanish Pop, Reggaeton and Hip-Hop.
Next month, Media Arts Center San Diego joins with FilmOut San Diego with a special presentation of 20 Centimeters at San Diego's LGBT Film Festival (April 13-16), 2006.
Tickets range from $6.50 to $8.50 for film screenings. For complete information on group rates, festival passes, and a festival schedule, visit the SDLFF website at www.sdlatinofilm.com or call 619-230-1938.
Films:
Ronda Nocturna (Argentina) Co-presented by FilmOut San Diego
Altared Lives (USA) Co-presented by BUZZ Magazine
Cazuza: O Tempo Nao Para (Brazil)
El Che Do Los gays (Chile)
Muxes (Mexico)
Maricones (Peru)
Seres Extravagantes (Spain)
Shorts:
Con Que La Lavare?
David
Implicacion
Someter
Cine Gay Community Partners
Alternative Strategies, ArcoIris Lounge, Bacchus House, Baja Betty's, Buzz Magazine, Diversionary Theatre, FilmOut San Diego, The LGBT Community Center, and Greater San Diego Business Association.
Festival Sponsors
<>
The 2006 San Diego Latino Film Festival sponsors help support the Media Art Center San Diego's year-round programs to nurture and support media artists. This year's esteemed sponsors include: Presenting - Lincoln Mercury, Major Sponsor - AT&T, Screen Sponsors -
Southwest Airlines, Sycuan Casino and Bank of America, Official Newspaper – San Diego Union-Tribune, Showcase Sponsors - 24K International Realty, Union Bank of California, Enlace, Award Sponsors - Lincoln Mercury, AT&T, Student Outreach Sponsor - Macy's, Stage Sponsors - Harrah's Rincon Casino, American Latino TV, Café Sevilla, MisRolas.com, Gala Sponsors - Anheuser Busch, Lincoln Mercury, Official Television Sponsors - NBC, Telemundo, Official Radio Sponsors – Recuerdo 102.9, La Nueva 106.5, Jack-FM 100.7, Magic 92.5, Newspaper Sponsors - El Latino, El Sol, El Mexicano, Enlace, Internet Sponsor - Sign on San Diego, Official Printer – Diego and Son Printing Film Sponsors - Westgate, Thin/Onyx, Mi San Diego TV Channel, Tesoro, Santanas, Future Brands, bulbo, DK Hair, AC&S records, Hifi Boogie.com, Latino Public Broadcasting, sandiego.com
<>SDLFF is also made possible with the financial support from the City of San Diego Commission for Arts & Culture, National Endowment for the Arts, The County of San Diego, The San Diego Foundation and James Irvine Foundation.
About Media Arts Center San Diego
Media Arts Center San Diego (MACSD) is a non-profit organization with a mission to nurture and support media artists working in film, video, audio, and computer-based multimedia. The San Diego Latino Film Festival was originally established as a student film festival. Since that time, the festival has developed into one of the larger and most well respected Latino film festivals in the country. Over 120,000 people have attended and over 1,000 films/videos from across Latin America and the United States have been screened. For more information about MACSD and the San Diego Latino Film Festival visit www.mediaartscenter.org or www.sdlatinofilm.com or call 619-230-1938.
# # #
NOTE TO MEDIA: View and download images and register for press credentials for the film festival at http://sdlatinofilm.com/Press/press.html
022706
Explore St. Louis. The Complete Getaway.
For additional information: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mary Hendron or Donna Andrews
St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission
1-800-916-0040
mhendron@explorestlouis.com
dandrews@explorestlouis.com
www.exploregaystlouis.com
GATEWAY TO GAY TRAVEL
St. Louis Named Among America's
Top 50 Gay-Friendly Places
ST. LOUIS -- February 28, 2006 -- St. Louis has been named as one of America's 50 Fabulous Gay-Friendly Places to Live according to a new, same-titled by author Gregory Kompes. Kompes researched more than 400 U.S. cities to develop the list. Kompes cited St. Louis' tolerant environment, extensive cultural attractions and fun nightlife among the reasons that make the Gateway City an "outstanding living environment and high quality of life for the gay and lesbian community."
You may not be fortunate enough to live in St. Louis, but that doesn't stop you from visiting this fascinating city on the Mississippi to experience what Greg Kompes has written about in his book. To learn more about St. Louis attractions and events and to book a hotel room, visit www.ExploreGayStLouis.com or call the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission at 1-800-916-0040. Be sure to check-out the special St. Louis for Couples section for great ideas for a romantic getaway. An up-to-date calendar of events on the web site gives details on all the activities taking place in the Gateway City throughout 2006.
We could write a book about all the great things there are to do in St. Louis. Actually, we have. The 2006 Official St. Louis Visitors Guide, is available on-line at www.ExploreGayStLouis.com. For the sake of time and space, here's a Top Ten List of not-to-be-missed St. Louis sites, activities and events:
1. Art and Architecture: St. Louis' internationally recognized symbol is a classic architectural form: the glistening Gateway Arch. Visit Eero Saarinen's stainless steel wonder for a 630-foot-high tram ride to the top and tour the remarkable Museum of Westward Expansion below. St. Louis architectural "firsts" include Louis Sullivan's original skyscraper; the Eads Bridge, the initial steel truss bridge to span the Mississippi and the Climatron, R. Buckminster Fuller's first practical use for his geodesic dome which houses a tropical rainforest at the Missouri Botanical Garden. You can wander by pristine Victorian "painted ladies" in the Lafayette Square neighborhood, tour a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed dwelling and enter the historic homes of railroad magnates, fur traders and beer barons. Marvel at the world's largest collection of mosaic art gracing the interior of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis and visit City Museum, an old shoe factory transformed into an artsy warehouse of recycled wonders. View the buildings and contents within the Beaux Arts-style Saint Louis Art Museum and the ultra modern Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis and the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts. (Sharp-eyed readers of GQ may recall that the trendsetting publication included the Pulitzer Foundation in its feature story GQ's Top 25 Guide to The Most Important and Beautiful Structures in America.) Laumeier Sculpture Park provides a pastoral, outdoor setting for works by top international contemporary artists.
2. Fabulous Food: St. Louis' hot restaurant scene serves up treats for the tastebuds and eye-candy for those who appreciate delicious-looking surroundings. Hot new eateries and classic dining spots serve up everything from classic Italian fare for which St. Louis is famous to Nuevo Latino to New American cuisine. With more than a thousand one-of-a-kind restaurants, you're sure to find just what you're craving. Choose a cozy sidewalk cafe in the chic, see-and-be-seen Central West end neighborhood or sidle up to a pint of freshly microbrewed beer and high-end pub grub on historic Laclede's Landing. Classic French cuisine is often served with a side of cabaret style drag shows at Chez Leon and breakfast, lunch and dinner can be had the ?Oh, My Darlin' Cafe within Clementine's, a Soulard neighborhood hot spot that is the oldest gay bar west of the Mississippi. View the dining section of the Official St. Louis Visitors Guide or click on the web site at www.ExploreGayStLouis.com for a full menu of delectable dining options.
3. Incredibly Good Theatre: According to Will Shakespeare, "All the world's a stage." And St. Louis has many stage settings with players performing the classics, the best of Broadway and thought-provoking contemporary works. The hottest shows from the Great White Way including "Bombay Dreams," "Hairspray" and toe-tapper Tommy Tune as "Dr. Dolittle" shine at the elaborate Fox Theatre. The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis' three stages draw rave reviews with an inventive season mixed with shows like "Take Me Out" and "Witness for the Prosecution." The renowned Opera Theatre of Saint Louis elegantly performs famous works like "The Barber of Seville" sung in English. This summer's free St. Louis Shakespeare Festival's offering is "Julius Caesar." The St. Louis Black Rep electrifies audiences with eclectic fare including "Dreamgirls" and "King Hedley II." St. Louis' famous Muny Opera in Forest Park showcases Broadway revivals under a starry summer sky including "Aida" and "The Wizard of Oz." Hot City Theatre presents works like Del Shores' hysterical "Daddy's Dying (Who's Got the Will?)" and New Line Theatre spices its seasons with provocative, adult, alternative musical theatre. Check out the always-updated Calendar of Events at www.ExploreGayStLouis.com to see what's on the boards during your visit.
4. Nightlife: Gotta? dance? There are plenty of places to strut your stuff in St. Louis. Head to the Manchester Gay Strip for karaoke and live bands at Novak's Bar & Grill, Spot or Rainbow's End. The Complex is the largest dance club in town. Magnolia's features a dance floor, leather bar and cabaret drag show. In the Soulard neighborhood, check-out Clementine's and The Bastille. You can learn just how good feeling bad can be at St. Louis' authentic Blues music clubs. Head to BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups, the Broadway Oyster Bar, 1860s Saloon and other hot spots for the soulful sound created in this river city. For more info on GLBT night spots, click on www.gaystlouis.com.
5. Neighborhoods: Explore St. Louis' distinct neighborhoods. The Hill, St. Louis' Little Italy, abounds in Italian eateries from gourmet to mom-and-pop places; Italian specialty shops and bakeries brimming with olive oils, cheeses and pastries; bocce clubs and gelaterias. Furniture, vintage clothing and home decor items await you in the quaint shops along Cherokee Antique Row. In Grand South Grand discover many GLBT-owned shops and eateries, ethnic groceries and Asian restaurants. It also is home to Tower Grove Park, a National Historic Landmark Victorian strolling park which is the site of St. Louis' annual Pridefest parade and events.
Wander the produce and flower stalls at Soulard Farmers Market where St. Louisans have shopped since 1779. Soulard, St. Louis' French Quarter, is where mansard roofed brick row houses happily exist alongside blues music clubs and courtyard restaurants. The neighborhood celebrates its French heritage each year by hosting one of the nation's biggest Mardi Gras celebrations and spirited events to commemorate Bastille Day.
You can relax down by the riverside in Laclede's Landing, St. Louis historic riverfront entertainment district. Art galleries, fine restaurants and boutique shops dot the streets in upscale Clayton. The Central West End is the Greenwich Village of The Lou. Playwright Tennessee Williams once lived there and based his play The Glass Menagerie on memories of his family and their apartment home. Today the neighborhood houses sidewalk cafes, friendly pubs, art and antique galleries and shops including Bissinger's, an historic French confectioner.
The Loop is where St. Louis' most favored sons and daughters are honored along the St. Louis Walk of Fame. You'll also discover an eclectic assortment of used book and record stores, a United Nations of restaurant fare, galleries, boutiques and vintage clothing stores, coffee shops and the Tivoli Theatre, an elegantly restored 1920s-era vaudeville house that specializes in art films. Many of the local restaurants host live music of all genres including the legendary shows by Chuck Berry that rock Blueberry Hill's Duck Room at least once each month.
6. Gardens and Grandeur: This "must see" site is one of the most beautiful places in
St. Louis - the Missouri Botanical Garden. Opened in 1859, it is the oldest public garden in the U.S. and shares the distinction with Kew Gardens and the New York Botanic Garden of being one of the Top Three Public Gardens in the world. Horticultural delights include the Climatron geodesic dome's tropical rainforest, two rose gardens, a Victorian garden complete with walk-through maze, the largest authentic Japanese garden in North America, seasonal displays, a Chinese garden, Boxwood garden, English woodland garden and more. From April 30 through October 31, 2006 the Garden will glitter with a special exhibit Chihuly: Glass in the Garden, when elaborate sculpted glass designs by Dale Chihuly will be woven into the landscape. Beautiful homes and gardens in St. Louis' historic neighborhoods open their gates to visitors during annual tours. The Victorian beauties of the Lafayette Square neighborhood, mansions in the Central West End, Downtown's newest loft living homes and the mid-19th century gems in Soulard are among the places tempting house voyeurs to take a peek. Check the calendar of events section of the www.ExploreGayStLouis.com web site for dates.
7. Free and Easy: Did you know that St. Louis is home to more free, world-class attractions than any place in the U.S. outside Washington, DC? It's true. Many of St. Louis top cultural sites are open with no general admission. The Saint Louis Art Museum, Science Center, Missouri History Museum, and the outstanding Saint Louis Zoo can be experienced for free. You can also visit the St. Louis headquarters of Anheuser-Busch for a tour of the landmark brewery, glimpse at the brewer's famous Clydesdales' breeding farm, see two homes of 18th president Ulysses S. Grant, trace history at the Museum of Westward Expansion beneath the Gateway Arch and view the world's largest collection of mosaic art at the breathtaking Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. Click on the Tickets & Deals section at www.ExploreGayStLouis.com for more savings on your St. Louis getaway.
8. Shop, shop and shop some more: With so many free St. Louis attractions, you'll have more cash to spend on the Number One tourist activity: shopping. From antiques to hip interior decor or one-of-a-kind artwork to kitschy souvenirs, you'll find it in St. Louis. Some of the best shopping happens in wonderful museum stores like Louisiana Purchase at the Missouri History Museum, the Saint Louis Art Museum's amazing shop and funky and funny gag gifts at always-unique City Museum. Garden decor fills the Missouri Botanical Garden's Gardengate shop and wild garden accessories, sterling jewelry and more entice buyers at Gringo Jones Imports. High fashion finds fill Plaza Frontenac and the Saint Louis Galleria in stores like Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, J. Crew, Lord & Taylor, Kenneth Cole New York, Tiffany & Co. and more. Bargain hunters will bag big values at St. Louis Mills and the Warrenton Outlet Center. Interesting gifts and kitchen wares are found in delightful shops in the Kirkwood, Maplewood and Webster Groves neighborhoods. Be sure to pack another bag to carry home all your St. Louis treasures.
9. Pillow Talk: After a whirlwind day touring The Lou, you'll need a comfy place to rest your weary bones. There's no shortage of "home away from home" hotels, inns and B&Bs to choose from in St. Louis. Before you check-in, check out the Great Getaways deals available on-line at www.ExploreGayStLouis.com. With a simple click of the mouse, you can book your room on-line. Many of the Great Getaways packages include tickets to special events, souvenirs or other amenities.
10. Offbeat St. Louis: Explore the unusual at St. Louis' many offbeat sites. At the epicenter of the Downtown Loft District sits City Museum, a whacky warehouse filled with recycled art, its own circus troupe, a funky aquarium, five-story indoor slides, man-made caverns, architectural artifacts and so much more. The Museum of Transportation showcases historic locomotives, aircraft, streetcars and automobiles. Get your kicks on the St. Louis stretch of Route 66 at the iconic Ted Drewes Frozen Custard stand and take in "Mother Road" memorabilia at Route 66 State Park. Go to the dogs at the American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog which is devoted to man's best friend and go on "strike" at the International Bowling Hall of Fame where you'll see a bowling pin car and play on vintage bowling lanes. Adventure seekers can dive into an attraction National Geographic named one of its "Top Ten Adventures" -- Bonne Terre Mine. This former lead mine is flooded with clear water and operated for scuba tours by St. Louis' West End Diving.
- 0 -
MEDIA NOTE: For more information or photography of St. Louis, send an e-mail to PR@explorestlouis.com or call Becky Sharp at 1-314-992-0652. For up-to-date information about St. Louis, your readers can call the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission at 1-800-916-0040 or check out our web site at www.exploregaystlouis.com. This news release is also available in electronic form. To obtain an electronic version, e-mail your request to PR@explorestlouis.com or go to St. Louis' online media center at www.explorestlouis.com/media.
022406
CONTACT: Jeff Guaracino
(215) 599-2290, jeff@gptmc.com
PHILLY CHARTS NEW TERRITORY WITH "ULTIMATE GAY STAY" GIVEAWAY
Giveaway Will Be Promoted On National TV, Magazines, Newspapers, Online And At Sea
PHILADELPHIA, February 23, 2006 – Philadelphia has launched a $100,000 promotion to highlight two of the destination's signature spring events, Equality Forum and Blue Ball. Publicity for the online trip giveaway will be appear on the Logo network, in national and regional publications, online at Gay.com and in the cabins of a RSVP Cruises' ship. Individuals can enter to win the giveaway at www.gophila.com/gaytrip.
The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC), the Sofitel Philadelphia and Gay TravelNews have teamed up to offer two trips to Philadelphia: the "Ultimate Boys Weekend" and the "Ultimate Girls Weekend." Two winners will receive:
Two round-trip airline tickets, courtesy of www.GayTravelNews.com
Three-night, four-day weekend stay at the Sofitel Philadelphia, May 5-8, 2006
Two VIP tickets to Equality Forum and Blue Ball events
A $250 American Express gift certificate, courtesy of GPTMC
Joining the effort to promote Philadelphia as a gay-friendly destination are GPTMC's media partners, including the Logo network, Planet Out, Passport Magazine, Genre magazine and Gay.com. Taking a non-traditional marketing approach, RSVP Cruises has agreed to show Philadelphia's television commercial, Penn Pals, in every cabin during a February cruise to the Caribbean Sea.
Equality Forum celebrates the cultural and political legacy of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community with more than 50 events throughout the week. FUSION: Blue Ball 2006 is the city's internationally famous circuit party. Both events take place between May 1-7, 2006.
The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) builds the region's economy and image through destination marketing to increase the number of visitors, the number of nights they stay and the number of things they do in the five-county region. For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit www.gophila.com or call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Independence National Historical Park, at (800) 537-7676.
Note to Editors: For photos of Greater Philadelphia, visit the photo gallery of www.gophila.com/pressroom.
Anthony Malerba
Public Relations Coordinator
215.599.2291
Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation
30 South 17th St., Ste. 1710
Philadelphia, PA 19103
http://www.gophila.com/
Contact: Mikealvear@mac.com
HX, NY BLADE & FAB FIRST GAY PAPERS TO PROVIDE READERS WITH ONLINE DATING SERVICE
Pioneering Attempt To Recapture
Print Classified Revenue Through Newspaper-Branded Dating Sites
New York - - 22 February, 2006 - - HX, the New York Blade and Toronto FAB are the first gay publications to launch fee-based online dating services through their websites.
Through a partnership with Advanced Membership Services (the folks who run the popular M4M-USA.com site) readers and non-readers alike can post pictures, profiles and send email to potential suitors through each publication's website.
"We've seen our revenue from print personal ads shrink to almost nothing because of the web," said Matthew Blank, publisher of HX and the NY Blade. "We believe we can recapture much of it by providing a truly local dating site."
Michael Schwarz, publisher of FAB, agrees. "Over the years we've developed an emotional connection with our readers in a way that national sites haven't. A FAB-branded dating site gives users a trusted alternative to other options."
Newspapers in the innovative partnership provide marketing, advertising and publicity while AMS provides the technology, infrastructure and management of services. These include Make A Date areas (for men looking for a date) and Open Invitation tm incentive (members looking for a date to accompany them to a specific event) and First Datetm (sponsor-donated prizes, i.e. dinner for two, that members can win and use on their first dates).
In addition to membership fees, participating newspapers can maximize revenue by selling annual sponsorships and charge advertisers higher CPMs as traffic to their sites grow exponentially.
Steven Polakoff, president of AMS believes every newspaper should have an online dating component. "Why turn your readers over to non- gay specific sites like yahoo.com when you can give them better dating opportunities through your own site? Most readers believe that people with interests similar to theirs read the same paper and like to do the same things."
The cash-free partnership is available to all gay newspapers and magazines and will eventually include M4M Mobile, a service that allows members to use their cell phones to cruise online and telephone-based Speed Dating software allowing a single member to meet and chat with 20-30 other date seekers within a 90-minute period.
Note: HX Media LLC publishes HX Magazine and The New York Blade.
AMS operates M4M-USA.com, the leader in using new technology to help men meet other men. Widely acknowledged as the most innovative cruising site in the country, the company serves 33 cities worldwide.
Contact:
Michael Alvear
mikealvear@mac.com
404-444-8324
www.M4M-USA.com.
Open Letter to the GLBT Media
It is becoming more problematic to be both Gay and Catholic. On the one hand you have a Church that condemns GLBT people at the drop of hat. On the other hand you have certain parts of the GLBT Community who think it is not ethical for GLBT people to be Catholic.The recent Vatican Instruction on Gay Priests was not a doctrinal statement about the moral status of homosexuality, but rather a prudential judgment about who should be admitted to seminaries. Prudential judgments are by definition open to question. However, rhetorically the Vatican can punch, and has been known to use its elbows and the occasional low blow in the clinches. Certainly one cannot read this document and arrive at any other conclusion than it is a mean spirited, and a homophobic document.
A recent article by syndicated gay columnist pretty much sums up the other side of this coin. We should out any clerics we can, that way we will force them to support gay rights or be seen as hypocrites. In striking out at the Vatican I think it is important not strike out at GLBT Catholics in the process. The syndicated columnist engaged in what borders on an irrational attack on gay priests. Such an attack also denies the ability of GLBT Catholics to trust their own moral experience when it comes to assenting or dissenting as matter of conscience on current Church’s positions.
My issue is not with the syndicated columnist. I think he has every right to express his opinion in an uncensored manner; rather my concern is with balance. None of the Gay Media that ran this syndicated journalist column made room for a GLBT Catholic response in their letters to the editor, however, other members of the gay media and straight media did print our response. My point is not to attack the syndicated columnist who wrote the article, but to raise the issue of fairness and balance in the Gay Media when dealing with the issue GLBT Catholics. Many GLBT Catholics stay in the Church because of their deep love for their parish communities, and do challenge homophobia in the Church through debate. The debate, is taking place, and gay Catholics betray no disloyalty or impiety to either the Church or the GLBT Community by participating, and remaining with in the Church. Sincerely Yours,
Joe Murray
US Convener
Rainbow Sash Movement
312-266-0182
NEWS FROM Contact: Michael Lever, 818.535.5245
West Coast Singers: www.westcoastsingers.org
Chorus of the Lesbian/Gay Community of Los Angeles
Karlan Judd, Artistic Director For Immediate Release
West Coast Singers presents
FRONT ROW, CENTER!
Saturday, March 4, 2006, 6:30 p.m.
LOS ANGELES - On Saturday, March 4, at 6:30 p.m., West Coast Singers (WCS) presents FRONT ROW, CENTER!, a benefit concert for the chorus that includes an elegant silent auction. This will be an evening filled with classy and fun theater music. The event will take place at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre in Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, near the intersection of Hollywood Blvd. and Vermont Ave.
From 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., VIP ticket holders will have the opportunity to meet and mingle with our special guest artists, Broadway and television stars Jane Lanier and Valarie Pettiford, and our emcee, Momma, the gay community's premier drag diva hostess. The silent auction and concert begin at 6:30 p.m., with an exciting treasure trove of auction items that will go to the highest bidder! Past auctions have included weekend getaways, walk-on television roles, and dinners for two at great L.A. restaurants. The evening also includes a hosted Absolut bar.
General admission tickets are $25. VIP tickets-which include the meet-and-greet reception, a catered buffet from Food Fetish, preferred seating, a gift bag, and a sneak preview of the silent auction items, as well as the chance to bid first-are $50. All tickets can be ordered online at www.westcoastsingers.org or by calling 800.439.4WCS (4927). A map and directions to the theatre are also available on the West Coast Singers website. Parking is free.
Premier sponsor: Absolut.
Barnsdall Gallery Theatre is a facility of the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department.
About West Coast Singers (www.westcoastsingers.org)
As part of its mission, West Coast Singers seeks to educate and facilitate mutual respect between the gay and lesbian community and the community at large, as well as entertain audiences with fantastic music. Now celebrating its 23rd season, West Coast Singers was founded in 1983 and is considered to be one of the nation's premier mixed-voice, lesbian-and-gay choruses. West Coast Singers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
About Jane Lanier
Jane Lanier last appeared on Broadway starring in Fosse, for which she received a Drama Desk Award Nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Her other Broadway credits include Jerome Robbins' Broadway, for which she received a Tony Award Nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical; Guys and Dolls and Anything Goes, both directed by Jerry Zaks; Sweet Charity, directed by Bob Fosse; and On Your Toes, directed by George Abbott. On film she danced with John Travolta in Michael and was a lead in the independent film Mercy. She was seen on TV in The Shield and Diagnosis Murder, and had a recurring role as Susan Dominick on Murder One. Some of her favorite roles in regional theatre include Kate in The Wild Party, Jane in The World Goes 'Round, Cassie in A Chorus Line, Gladys in Pajama Game, Charity in Sweet Charity, Ivy in On the Town, and Claudine in Can-Can. At the Interact Theatre Co. in Los Angeles she has been seen in Elegies for Angels, Punks, and Raging Queens; as Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Petra in A Little Night Music, Mary in Second-Story Man, Wendy in Splitsville, Beth in Tangents, Woman in Hills Like White Elephants, and Bessie in Counsellor-at-Law, for which she received L.A. Drama Critics Circle, Drama-Logue, and Ovation Awards. She toured with Diana Riggs in Colette and with Ann Miller and Mickey Rooney in Sugar Babies.
Her choreography credits include The Wild Party at the Blank Theatre Co.; Smokey Joe's Cafe at 5th Ave Theatre in Seattle; Kiss Me Kate at Musical Theatre West; A Kid's Life at Wadsworth Theatre; Guys and Dolls, A Little Night Music, and The Music Man at Interact Theatre Co.; Ernest in Love at Fremont Theatre; Some Like It Hot, Pajama Game, and On the Town at Hamilton Academy; Night Fever; HBO's Dream On; the ABC mini-series Summer Stories; several Los Angeles S.T.A.G.E. benefits; the 2003 Actor's Fund Benefit; and many national commercials. Directing credits include The Smell of the Kill; The Swan; Yesterday, Quicksand; and Interact's Funny Valentine.
About Valarie Pettiford
Radiant, Queens-born, triple-threat Valarie Pettiford has illuminated stage, screen, and television.
She was principal dancer under the legendary Bob Fosse in his final productions Dancin' and Big Deal. For Big Deal, she was also dance captain. She was later Tony-nominated and Outer Critics Award-nominated for her starring role in the retrospective Fosse. Her Broadway/touring resume sparkles with highlights such as Sophisticated Ladies, Chicago (London West End), West Side Story, Grind, and The Wild Party. In movies, she's shone in Francis Ford Coppola's The Cotton Club and Like Mike, and played Mariah Carey's jazz-singer mom in a thunder-stealing turn in Glitter. On television she has enjoyed a multitude of credits, including the daytime drama One Life to Live, the hit sitcom Frasier, and the acclaimed dramatic series The West Wing and The District, as well as her current prime-time residency on UPN's Half & Half, playing Big Dee Dee Thorne, for which she is a two-time NAACP Image Award nominee.
Ms. Pettiford earned NAACP, Vancouver Readers Sun, and Roby Award honors for her portrayal of Julie in Showboat. She regularly graces venues from the Kennedy Center to the Geffen Playhouse, Actors Theater of Louisville, and Yale Repertory. Ms. Pettiford also lends her talents to any number of charitable benefit performances. Now a Los Angeles resident, she was a marvel of versatility in her one-woman show, Finding My Voice, at Pepperdine University.
Her latest endeavor is her stunning debut CD, Hear My Soul, which is filled with some of the finest compositions of all time. It's an overview of not only the distinguished alto's career but also her life.
About Momma
Fashion, fun, and frolic are what you experience when you are in the presence of Momma, one of the world's most popular drag idols. "People are the reason I'm a drag queen. Without a soul to tickle, I'm just a sour pickle," she says. Her fashion sense and comic timing are requested time and again in both the gay and straight communities. Momma can be seen daily on OutoftheCloset.tv's Out on the Streets with Momma, Momma's Dream House, and The Born-A-Gayns. She toured with Placido Domingo in the Opera Il Pagliacci, and she was the first drag personality hired by the Disney Company to host the Evita Sing-Along. She also has appeared twice on Will & Grace.
Momma has hosted some of the most glamorous events in L.A. She has graced the stages of Dragstrip, Makeup, Outfest, Los Angeles Opera, Bad Boys Pool Parties, Sky Bar, Drag-a-licious, the Nike "Made to Move" campaign, the Red Dress Ball, L.A. Shanti, Dragville, Little Black Dress Event, the Trevor Project, Aid for AIDS, Trannie Shack, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Club FAB, Project Angel Food, and numerous other events to help people with AIDS and breast cancer.
####
021606
CONTACT :
Catherine R. Laporte
Tel: (516)
593-5045
TABORAH BRINGS ON HER SIX-OCTAVE VOCALS DURING
LIGALY'S 5th ANNUAL MARDI GRAS CELEBRATION
with
Long Island, New York,
February 9, 2006– Singer/Songwriter Six octave dance floor Diva, Taborah returns to Long Island to
perform her smash Billboard Club Dance hit “I AM” (the
rising) and her soon to be released new single , All I Gave To You '06 when she joins France Joli and The New Mix 102.7 Party Crew during the
5th Annual Mardi Gras shin-dig,
sponsored by Long Island Gay and Lesbian
Youth (LIGALY) on Saturday, March 4th at 7:00 PM at the Westlake Inn in
Patchogue, Long Island . The 5th Annual Mardi Gras will be celebrated in
true New York fashion with a night of dancing, open bar, fantastic eats, silent
auction, stellar recording artist performances and special performances by the
reining LIGALY Idol and the LIGALY Pride Dancers. One can also expect beads
galore! Capping the celebration will be the crowning of the 2006 Mardi Gras King
and Queen! The event is the first major fundraiser of the year for the not for
profit organization and helps to provide much needed programs for area GBLT
teens.
Catz Entertainment
recording artist, and BMI songwriter, Taborah
Taborah, a
The recent recipient of
HRC's Community Service Award, Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth (LIGALY) is
GLBT owned and operated, and is the only agency on
The 5th Annual Mardi Gras
is not to be missed! The Westlake Inn is located at
-end-
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Uncounted Cost of Don't Ask Don't Tell; those who left in silence
AMERICAN VETERANS FOR EQUAL RIGHTS
www.aver.us
Contact: Denny Meyer, AVER PAO, publicaffairs@aver.us,
(P) (347) 239-9201
The recently released report, by a Blue Ribbon Commission of the University of California regarding the cost of the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy, nearly doubling the estimated cost of DADT discharges from America's armed forces, still does not count the loss of those gay troops who left in silence by not reenlisting. Many of these service members were senior NCOs who could no longer live in silence with freedom to be themselves just outside the base gates.
It is difficult to estimate the cost of the years of lost training, leadership, and experience that these senior enlisted service members took with them when they left the armed forces in silence, because their numbers are unknown. Add to that the cost of recruiting and training new personnel and then nurturing and awaiting their maturation and promotion through years of service.
The GAO report of 2005 estimated the cost of Don't Ask Don't Tell discharges at some 200 million dollars over the previous ten years. The UC report of this week nearly doubles that estimate when the troop replacement costs are counted. These estimates only count the costs of discharging and replacing those who were caught, those whose identity as gay was revealed. The many thousands of other gay and lesbian American volunteers who reluctantly and silently left rather than complete their patriotic careers are left uncounted. Those senior NCOs loved serving our nation; but could not continue leading their troops while having to hide their pride in who they are.
Denny Meyer
AVER Public Affairs
021406
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 6, 2006
Contact:
Erica Peregrine
773-851-1546 (day)
773-851-1546 (eve)
312-541-6061 (fax)
ericaperegrine@collisiontheatre.org
Collision Theatre Produces Play About Gay Holocaust
New Company Takes Bold Leap
Chicago- Shotgun Wedding, written and directed by gay artistic director Chris Garcia Peak, tells the story of a family living in the fictional village of "Le Boulevard Le Grand" in the midst of severe conservative revolutions. Homosexuality, single men and women, fortune cookies, and most luxuries, are illegal. The story follows the Clemente family as they attempt to marry off their lesbian daughter to prevent her from being sent to "Conversion Therapy" camp.
"I wanted to write a play that utilized my bizarre, dark comic style with contemporary issues that were important to my people," says Peak. "So many countries are acknowledging gay marriage, like the recent European parliament support of gay marriage, the South African support of gay marriage, and Canada's support; we are the country that supposedly defines freedom and homosexuals and are kept on a leash like dogs." Shotgun Wedding deals with heavy issues, but it is a bizarre off beat dark comedy. Shotgun Wedding marks the inaugural production for Collision Theatre Company, a group comprised of DePaul University Theatre School graduates.
Shotgun Wedding runs March 9th thru April 2nd at National Pastime Theater, 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago, IL 60613, Thursday thru Saturday at 8:00pm, Sunday at 3:00pm. Tickets are $15, Industry and student discounts $10 with headshot/AEA card.
**Special benefit performance for Chicago organizati0n Season of Concern, March 23rd at 8pm**
For more information or to request interview, press tickets, or photographs contact:
Erica Peregrine at 773-851-1546, 312-855-2524 or ericaperegrine@collisiontheatre.org
Or visit www.collisiontheatre.org
Collision Theatre Company will produce new plays, company created original works, and adaptations inspired from the theatrical and literary canon. Our work will be a bold collision of the physical, visual, and aural realms. We will present compelling theatre with challenging subject matter relevant to the modern world. We will explode the rehearsal process, emphasizing on experimentation and collaboration.
Collision Theatre Company
3614 N. Hoyne Ave #2
Chicago, IL 60618
312-281-8041
Visit our website: www.collisiontheatre.org
IMAGES AVAILABLE: http://www.gaydata.com/download/jacquesteddy2.jpg
IMAGES AVAILABLE: http://www.gaydata.com/download/smalljacquesteddy.jpg
021306
For Immediate Release
Contact: Shane L. Windmeyer
Lambda 10 Project
for GLBT Fraternity & Sorority Issues
(704) 277-6710
shane@lambda10.org
Invisible No More: LGBT Fraternity & Sorority Members Asked to Share Openly
Panel to study real-life experiences of LGBT students nationwide
Survey can be taken online at www.gaygreek.org starting February 13, 2006
Rushed openly gay and didn't get in? The Lambda 10 Project ( http://www.gaygreek.org) wants to hear about it. Came out to fraternity brothers or sorority sisters and received acceptance? Spill the details. The good, the bad and the "oh, no, they didn't!" all have a place in the organization's upcoming research project.
Why a research project? Because lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) fraternity and sorority members, both active and alumni, have long been invisible. The Lambda 10 Project's national study will explore the LGBT experience within fraternities and sororities with the goal of developing educational resources and advancing further research that will assist fraternities and sororities in creating safer, more inclusive environments for their LGBT brothers and sisters.
"We know fraternity and sorority life for LGBT students is dramatically different today than it was ten years ago," said Lambda 10 Project co-founder and coordinator Shane Windmeyer, a national speaker who has edited three popular gay books about life in college fraternities and sororities. "But what exactly has changed, and what problems remain? Those are the questions we need answered."
To get answers, the Lambda 10 Project today issued an official call for participation in the upcoming study. The organization seeks undergraduate and alumni fraternity and sorority members who happen to be LGBT, along with LGBT students who have some sort of experience, positive or negative, with a fraternity or sorority. The assessment goes live on February 13, 2006 and will be available to take online for one month. All responses will be kept confidential and anonymous. Anyone who fits the research criteria may take the assessment; complete information can be found at http://www.gaygreek.org.
Led by Pennsylvania State University's Sue Rankin, a scholar and researcher on LGBT experiences in the campus environment, the survey, which coincides with the Lambda 10 Project's tenth anniversary, is the first-ever formal study of its kind and has been reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board at Pennsylvania State University. The results will be compared to those of the informal assessment "A Glimpse at the Invisible Membership: A national survey of Lesbigay Greeks," conducted by Douglas N. Case, a longtime fraternity and sorority professional. Case's study, published in 1995, provided the first comprehensive view of sexual orientation issues within college fraternities and sororities.
"This study will look back on the issues Case covered a decade ago, with additional questions to gather new data that will help us to better lead educational efforts for men and women in fraternities and sororities," Rankin explained. "The quantifiable, reliable data we gather will serve as a starting point for ongoing education, policymaking and research efforts. Our shared vision is that one day, there will be no invisible LGBT members of the college fraternity or sorority. Each of us will have a welcome place among the brotherhood or sisterhood."
About the Panel Researchers from across the country have compiled the Lambda 10 Project study. All are former or current faculty or staff members at large universities and have professional experience in higher education with LGBT and, or Fraternity/Sorority Life issues. Along with Rankin, the team includes Case at San Diego State University; Windmeyer; Grahaeme A. Hesp at Florida State University; Chuck Eberly at Eastern Illinois University; George Miller of Delta Sigma Phi National Fraternity; and Billy Molasso at Northern Illinois University.
About the Lambda 10 Project
Since 1995, the Lambda 10 Project has served as a clearinghouse for educational resources and materials related to sexual orientation and gender identity and expression in the college fraternity and sorority experience. The organization was founded by Pamela W. Freeman and Shane L. Windmeyer, one of the nation's foremost educators and speakers on issues of sexual orientation and fraternity and sorority life.
PRESS INQUIRIES & MEDIA OPPS: To inquire about interviews or other media opportunities, please contact Shane L. Windmeyer with the Lambda 10 Project by calling (704) 277-6710 or shane@lambda10.org.
Graphics: A PDF flyer can be downloaded at:
http://www.gaygreek.org/gaygreek/GayGreek_flyer_2sheet.pdf
MORE INFORMATION: Details about the "Experiences of LGBT Fraternity & Sorority Members" assessment can be found online at www.gaygreek.org along with the findings of the 1995 informal assessment titled "A Glimpse at the Invisible Membership: A national survey of Lesbigay Greeks," conducted by Douglas N. Case.
News Release
Austin-Based "Bride Monster" Vies for Top Honors
at PlanetOut Movie Awards
Contact: Vicky Boone, 512.786.6271, Vicky@billyfilms.net
For immediate release: February 6, 2006
Austin "Attack of the Bride Monster" has been nominated for Best Comedy
at the Seventh Annual PlanetOut Short Movie Awards. These prestigious
awards celebrating excellence in lesbian and gay short filmmaking -- will
be presented in April.
³Bride Monster,² a 17-minute comedy blending live action, animation, and
visual effects, is now up on the PlanetOut website and can be viewed, along
with other nominated films, at planetout.com/popcornq/posma/vote. Film
enthusiasts are invited to visit the website, view the finalists and vote
online for their favorites in each category.
³Attack of the Bride Monster,² a dark comedy set against the turbulent
backdrop of the legalized same-sex-marriage debate in 2004, is a highly
stylized homage to the romantic comedies and monster movies of the 1950s,
and features an original score.
³The question at the heart of ³Bride Monster² is not whether GLTG people
should have the right to marry, but whether we should have to get married
just because we can,² said writer and producer Leslie Belt. ³I¹m grateful to
PlanetOut for giving this movie a large audience and -- in the process --
creating an opportunity to discuss who should set the standards by which we
gauge commitment in our community,² she added.
The shortlist of finalists for each of the five categories (drama, comedy,
animation, experimental and documentary) were selected by a jury panel from
PlanetOut Inc. and the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.
³Bride Monster¹ is the first comedy I¹ve done that was both fun and
challenging,² said Vicky Boone, the film¹s director. ³I¹ve always been a
fan of Leslie Belt¹s writing and sense of humor and I¹m thrilled that OBride
Monster¹ has tickled so many people. We appreciate very much the amazing
job that PlanetOut does in supporting new voices and giving exposure to
independent movies such as ours.²
Awarded the prestigious McMullen-Sullivan Founders Award (for films with
Texas content or with Texas-based filmmakers) in the Out Takes Dallas Film
Festival in November 2005, ³Attack of the Bride Monster² went on to screen
at the celebrated Chicago Lesbian and Gay International Film Festival, one
of the first established gay and lesbian film festivals in the United
States.
³Attack of the Bride Monster² is scheduled for screening at the Out Far!
Phoenix International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, Salt Lake City¹s annual
Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in February 2006 and at the Miami Gay Lesbian
Film Festival in April 2006.
DVD copies are available upon request.
Press Kit: http://www.bridemonster.com/
###
020906
A Pope for Gay Marriage?
Contact: George Lucien Gregoire 410 625 9741 vatican@att.net
Baltimore - Feb 8, 2006. New 416 page release of 'Murder in the Vatican' also published as 'Pauper Who Would Be Pope'.
There have been many books written about the mysterious death of John Paul I. All of them claim that the Pope was murdered because of his involvement in the Great Vatican Bank Scandal. Lucien Gregoire's 'Murder in the Vatican' proves otherwise: that it was this liberal Pope's struggle for basic human rights for women, homosexuals and others that cost him his life.
Book review, Barry McCrockner, December 2006: This book - the only existing biography of John Paul I - is the compilation of previously published actions of the 33-day Pope. So outlandish and revolutionary - particularly for his time - are many of them, and so ingeniously does the author weave them into the record, one could get the impression from time-to-time that one is immersed in a princely dream. Still, I find it hard to believe that a man's life, so well documented in the world press, could have been so effectively snuffed out by his enemies who survived him and - as the author contends - may have murdered him. Here is the record of a social revolutionary-activist whose deeds and words were recorded in the press from the time he was twelve when he published an article in his school paper that reached all of Europe. Then, a non-conformist from the start, he called upon the nations of the world to live up to their copyright laws and place a warning on the Old Testament, "This is a work of fiction. Keep away from children." In January 1967, faced by an orphan population of two-million in Italy, it had been his lobbying in Italian Parliament that had made it legal for single persons to adopt children. An opposition member challenged, "But that would make it legal for homosexuals to adopt children." John Paul, then Bishop Albino Luciani, responded, "The need to parent children is a basic human want, and until we can guarantee basic human rights to the tiniest minority we cannot truthfully call ourselves a free nation." Then there was that time, just a month before his election, when he cast his vote for genetic science. When the Vatican had condemned Louise Brown - the world's first artificially inseminated child, John Paul, then Archbishop of Venice, wrote her parents, "I congratulate you on the birth of your little girl. I (the Church) have no right to condemn you for what you asked the doctors to carry out. Be assured, there is reserved for both you and your child a high place in heaven."
Nevertheless, here is the valiant champion of human dignity for women, homosexuals, the remarried, those who practice planned parenthood, unwed mothers, bastards and others whose everyday lives are scorned by doctrine. The 33-day Pope's intentions were quite apparent in his acceptance speech in the Sistine Chapel August 27, 1978, " . . . we must rise up the courage that is within us to set aside the prejudices that have been built into us by our Christian forefathers and together we will muster the strength to lift restraints that have been unfairly placed on so many innocent people in their everyday lives . . . for God-given human life is infinitely more precious than is man-made doctrine." 'Murder in the Vatican' is available at all leading glbt and general bookstores and on internet sites. The book can be previewed on amazon.com by using the 'search inside this book' feature.
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Sarah Benoit, Event Coordinator and Media Relations
RainbowWeddingNetwork.com
PO Box 2434
Weaverville, NC 28787
866-251-1564
http://www.RainbowWeddingExpo.com
rwnsarah@bellsouth.net
Second Annual Same Love, Same RightsT GLBT Wedding And Family Expo Is Back In Atlanta And 2006 Brings More Sponsors And Great Live Music!
Atlanta, GA-January 30, 2006 In February 2005 Rainbow Wedding Network (RWN) produced the first ever "Same Love, Same Rights"T GLBT Wedding and Family Expo. This year RWN returns on Sunday February 12, 2006 to Atlanta for their 2nd Annual Same Love, Same RightsT GLBT Wedding and Family Expo hosted by the Holiday Inn Select Decatur. Over forty wedding and family professionals will be present to speak with couples about everything including ceremony planning, travel, counseling, adoption, catering, real estate, legal planning and more. "It is a pleasure to be returning to the Atlanta area," says Cindy Sproul, co-founder of Rainbow Wedding Network. "This is where Rainbow Wedding Network was born," Sproul continues, "and it is a community my partner, Marianne Puechl, and I feel very close to. We are honored to support the GLBT couples and families throughout the state of Georgia, this year with a special focus on the pressing adoption legislation with regard to same-sex couples. We're glad to partner with Marriage Equality GA in raising money and awareness about this very important issue."
The expo will also feature a fashion show with gowns by Crystal Crane Bridal and intimate apparel by Aphrodite's Toy Box. Jewelry will be sponsored by Pride Crystals. Star 94 FM DJ Tripp West and his company Liquid Mind Productions will provide music and live performances by Stephanie Callahan of Halcyon and Jen Foster will top off the afternoon. Callahan and Foster will be available to sign autographs to promote their Valentine's After Party performance at the Red Chair to benefit Marriage Equality Georgia Family Project (MEGA). A lucky 100 people will receive free promotional CD's featuring all of the musicians involved that evening to help raise money for MEGA. Dancers from Come Out Dancing will also perform live. Couples can also expect great food, beverages and giveaways throughout the day.
Rainbow Wedding Network and Marriage Equality Georgia Family Project are dedicated to supporting GLBT families. Couples and their children are welcome to attend this event. The Holiday Inn Select and Rainbow Wedding Network are proud to announce that the Children's Room will be open all day. Animated movies will be provided as entertainment and art supplies will be available for kids of all ages to express how they feel about their unique families. Sponsors of this event include Passional Magazine, Clikque Magazine, OutVite.com, GayWebMonkey.com, Lavender Rose, Event Café, SABLEmagazine.com, Southern Voice, Mary Wood Photography, Labrys Atlanta Magazine, One Click Away Photography, The Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and Actor's Express.
Quotes
"It is a pleasure to be returning to the Atlanta area. This is where Rainbow Wedding Network was born. It is a community my partner, Marianne Puechl, and I feel very close to. We are honored to support the GLBT couples and families throughout the state of Georgia, this year with a special focus on the pressing adoption legislation with regard to same-sex couples. We're glad to partner with Marriage Equality GA in raising money and awareness about this very important issue."-Cindy Sproul, Co-founder of Rainbow Wedding Network
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Sarah Benoit, Event Coordinator and Media Relations
RainbowWeddingNetwork.com
PO Box 2434
Weaverville, NC 28787
866-251-1564
http://www.RainbowWeddingExpo.com
rwnsarah@bellsouth.net
BEARDAR
3972 Barranca Parkway Ste. #J251 Irvine, CA 92606
Beardar.com
Phone: 562-208-2474
Fax: 877-332-8796
Email: info@beardar.com
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Vito Grandolfo
Cell: 562-208-2474
Office: 877-332-8796
Beardar.com a Unique Personals Site for Bears & Cubs (Male, Hairy and Husky Homosexuals) Launches its
Website at **International Bear Rendezvous (IBR) in San Francisco!
Beardar.com a Unique personals site that caters to Bears and Cubs (hairy and husky homosexuals) launches
its Website at IBR (International Bear Rendezvous, bosf.org) Friday, February 17th, 2006 at the Holiday
Inn Golden Gateway 1500 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco CA 415-441-4000 in the Gold Rush Ballroom.
The time of the event is 4:00 p.m. until 8 p.m. Beardar.com features peer-to-peer web camming, the
ability to upload your home made videos (.mpg), password protect your individual pictures and includes
a free compatibility analysis. Our booth will also be available during Saturday and Sundays vendor hours.
Beardar.com is doing a model search for its entry web page. Vito "BigVbear" Grandolfo, Founder says,
"We are taking pictures at the booth. We are looking for couples to take off their shirts, hug face-to-face,
smile for the camera and be proud! We want to show prospective members they can find a partner or husband by using the site".
The booth will feature a Podcast called BearDar Radio (Podcast Website). Vito aka "BigVbear" will be
interviewing pre-scheduled guests as well as bear men he sees roaming the vendor area.
Larry Pennel, Webmaster says, "an array of other surprises including plenty of free candy,
information cards, raffles, gifts and more will be a part this festive event".
For additional information:
Contact: Vito Grandolfo 562-208-2474
Or Phone/Fax at 877-998-8796, Email: info@beardar.com
###
012506
Valentine's Benefit Party for MEGA Family Project Features Live Music and A Sexy Fashion Show!
Atlanta, GA-January 23, 2006 In February 2005 Rainbow Wedding Network (RWN) produced the first ever "Same Love, Same Rights"T GLBT Wedding and Family Expo. This year RWN compliments their second annual "Same Love, Same Rights"T event by planning a Valentine's After Party to raise money for Marriage Equality Georgia (MEGA) Family Project. Scheduled to take place immediately after the "Same Love, Same Rights"T Wedding and Family Expo, on Sunday February 12, 2006, this event will be hosted by the Red Chair Restaurant and Video Lounge located in Amsterdam Walk on Amsterdam Avenue NE. Doors open at 6:30 pm and tickets are $15.00 at the door, $10.00 with the Wedding Expo discount.
The Valentine's After Party will open with Geronimo, a Nashville, TN based band with an "out" front man named Brad Beauchamp. Geronimo plays regularly in clubs in the Nashville metro area, they have also recently been featured on the local television show The Music Factory. Headlining the show will be Jen Foster and Halcyon's Stephanie Callahan. Jen Foster is a recognized singer songwriter who has been recently praised by OUT Magazine. Writer Mikel Wadewitz writes "...And then there's our lesbian Dido, Jen Foster. Closer in spirit to Melissa Etheridge than O'Connor or Berner, Foster's polished sophomore release, 'The Underdogs', is soaring, solidly written pop that aims for airplay as much as it does for listeners' minds." "Tapping into the emotions of misfits and freaks as they come into their own," Wadewitz continues, "Foster's album is a new brand of coming-of-age drama -- it's nabbed the Texas native and Nashville resident some songwriting awards and it positions her for potential exposure on WB-type dramas." In 2004 Foster was honored at the OUT Music Awards winning the title of "Outstanding New Recording Debut - Female".
The band Halcyon is normally the voices and talent of duo Stephanie Callahan and Deborah Hunseder. On February 12th we will see Callahan alongside Jen Foster in order to support MEGA Family Project and to help raise awareness about the potential for the proposal of a state-wide ban of same-sex adoption in Georgia. Halcyon has received praise for their folk-rock style and powerful harmonies. They have a strong grass roots following throughout Florida, Tennessee and Georgia. Halcyon has independently produced four albums. When asked to join this effort to benefit MEGA Callahan responded, "I would love to be a participant in whatever fashion. Thank you so much for thinking of us and for your dedication to a very worthy cause!"
The evening will also feature a sexy, Valentine's lingerie fashion show provided by Aphrodite's Toy Box and is sponsored by Come Out Dancing, Exquisite Memoriez, Southern Voice, Labrys Atlanta Magazine, One Click Away Photography, The Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, Passional Magazine, Clikque Magazine, OutVite.com, GayWebMonkey.com, Lavender Rose and SABLEmagazine.com . Surprise guests are also in the works.
Quotes:
"...And then there's our lesbian Dido, Jen Foster. Closer in spirit to Melissa Etheridge than O'Connor or Berner, Foster's polished sophomore release, 'The Underdogs', is soaring, solidly written pop that aims for airplay as much as it does for listeners' minds. Tapping into the emotions of misfits and freaks as they come into their own, Foster's album is a new brand of coming-of-age drama -- it's nabbed the Texas native and Nashville resident some songwriting awards and it positions her for potential exposure on WB-type dramas."-Mikel Wadewitz-OUT Magazine
"I would love to be a participant in whatever fashion. Thank you so much for thinking of us and for your dedication to a very worthy cause!"-Stephanie Callahan, Halcyon
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Sarah Benoit, Event Coordinator and Media Relations
RainbowWeddingNetwork.com
PO Box 2434
Weaverville, NC 28787
866-251-1564
http://www.RainbowWeddingExpo.com
rwnsarah@bellsouth.net
“Bride Monster” Consumes Film Festival Audiences with Laughter
Contact: Vicky Boone, 512.786.6271, Vicky@billyfilms.netFor immediate release: January 23, 2006
Austin – “ Attack of the Bride Monster” is on the fast-track to cult classic acclaim, both as a noted favorite within the gay and lesbian community, as well as among intelligent filmgoers in general who appreciate irony, cinematic parody, clever filmmaking and insightful storytelling. Awarded Best of the Best in the Houston Gay Lesbian Film Festival in September 2005, “Attack of the Bride Monster” went on to win the prestigious McMullen-Sullivan Founders Award (for films with Texas content or with Texas-based filmmakers) in the Out Takes Dallas Film Festival in November 2005. Most recently, “Attack of the Bride Monster” was screened at the celebrated Chicago Lesbian and Gay International Film Festival, the second oldest gay and lesbian film festival in the U.S.
Written by Leslie Belt, directed by Vicky Boone and shot by award-winning cinematographer PJ Raval, all of Austin, “Attack of the Bride Monster,” is a dark comedy set against the turbulent backdrop of the legalized same-sex-marriage debate in 2004. A 17-minute comedy blending live action, animation and visual effects, “Attack of the Bride Monster” is a highly stylized homage to the romantic comedies and monster movies of the 1950s.
Homophobia, gender roles and commitment issues weigh heavily in this story of a woman’s desire to fulfill her lifelong dream of being a traditional American princess bride – untraditional wedding scenario notwithstanding.
Featuring an original orchestral score and using cinematic language of the period, “Attack of the Bride Monster” takes the viewer on a journey back to a surreal, hyper-controlled, pastel-tinted Pillow Talk world. “Attack of the Bride Monster” is scheduled for screening at the Out Far! Phoenix International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, Salt Lake City’s annual Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in February 2006 and at the Miami Gay Lesbian Film Festival in April 2006.
DVD copies are available upon request.
Press Kit: http://www.bridemonster.com/
###
Valentine's Benefit Party for MEGA Family Project Features Live Music and A Sexy Fashion Show!
Atlanta, GA- January 23, 2006 In February 2005 Rainbow Wedding Network (RWN) produced the first ever "Same Love, Same Rights"T GLBT Wedding and Family Expo. This year RWN compliments their second annual "Same Love, Same Rights"T event by planning a Valentine's After Party to raise money for Marriage Equality Georgia (MEGA) Family Project.Scheduled to take place immediately after the "Same Love, Same Rights"T Wedding and Family Expo, on Sunday February 12, 2006, this event will be hosted by the Red Chair Restaurant and Video Lounge located in Amsterdam Walk on Amsterdam Avenue NE. Doors open at 6:30 pm and tickets are $15.00 at the door, $10.00 with the Wedding Expo discount.
The Valentine's After Party will open with Geronimo, a Nashville, TN based band with an "out" front man named Brad Beauchamp. Geronimo plays regularly in clubs in the Nashville metro area, they have also recently been featured on the local television show The Music Factory. Headlining the show will be Jen Foster and Halcyon's Stephanie Callahan. Jen Foster is a recognized singer songwriter who has been recently praised by OUT Magazine.
Writer Mikel Wadewitz writes "...And then there's our lesbian Dido, Jen Foster. Closer in spirit to Melissa Etheridge than O'Connor or Berner, Foster's polished sophomore release, 'The Underdogs', is soaring, solidly written pop that aims for airplay as much as it does for listeners' minds." "Tapping into the emotions of misfits and freaks as they come into their own," Wadewitz continues, "Foster's album is a new brand of coming-of-age drama -- it's nabbed the Texas native and Nashville resident some songwriting awards and it positions her for potential exposure on WB-type dramas." In 2004 Foster was honored at the OUT Music Awards winning the title of "Outstanding New Recording Debut - Female".
The band Halcyon is normally the voices and talent of duo Stephanie Callahan and Deborah Hunseder. On February 12th we will see Callahan alongside Jen Foster in order to support MEGA Family Project and to help raise awareness about the potential for the proposal of a state-wide ban of same-sex adoption in Georgia. Halcyon has received praise for their folk-rock style and powerful harmonies. They have a strong grass roots following throughout Florida, Tennessee and Georgia. Halcyon has independently produced four albums. When asked to join this effort to benefit MEGA Callahan responded, "I would love to be a participant in whatever fashion. Thank you so much for thinking of us and for your dedication to a very worthy cause!"
The evening will also feature a sexy, Valentine's lingerie fashion show provided by Aphrodite's Toy Box and is sponsored by Come Out Dancing, Exquisite Memoriez, Southern Voice, Labrys Atlanta Magazine, One Click Away Photography, The Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, Passional Magazine, Clikque Magazine, OutVite.com, GayWebMonkey.com, Lavender Rose and SABLEmagazine.com . Surprise guests are also in the works.
Quotes:
"...And then there's our lesbian Dido, Jen Foster. Closer in spirit to Melissa Etheridge than O'Connor or Berner, Foster's polished sophomore release, 'The Underdogs', is soaring, solidly written pop that aims for airplay as much as it does for listeners' minds. Tapping into the emotions of misfits and freaks as they come into their own, Foster's album is a new brand of coming-of-age drama -- it's nabbed the Texas native and Nashville resident some songwriting awards and it positions her for potential exposure on WB-type dramas."-Mikel Wadewitz-OUT Magazine
"I would love to be a participant in whatever fashion. Thank you so much for thinking of us and for your dedication to a very worthy cause!"-Stephanie Callahan, Halcyon
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Sarah Benoit, Event Coordinator and Media Relations
RainbowWeddingNetwork.com
PO Box 2434
Weaverville, NC 28787
866-251-1564
http://www.RainbowWeddingExpo.com
rwnsarah@bellsouth.net
PRESS RELEASE
GLBTWORLD.net LAUNCHES IN JANUARY
For Immediate Release
January 2006 is a milestone month for the GLBT communities with the launch of a new much needed service… GLBTWORLD.net.
The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender communities finally have a one-stop resource they can go to for non-stop CHAT ROOMS (a place where friends meet), an international COMMITMENT REGISTRY repository where couples can announce and share their love with the world and avoid costly, time-consuming legal disputes as to rights of a partner in times of crises.
There’s also access to renowned columnists like Sex and Gender Specialist, Stephen L. Braveman, M.A., L.M.F.T., D.S.T., AASECT Executive Director/COO Stephen Conley, PhD, and Dallas Denny, M.A. writer of articles and advice columnist for the transgender community, together with worldwide information on everything of interest to enhance GLBT life. Subjects range from sports to parenting, pride events to pets, travel to real estate, medical to finance and lifestyle to marriage.
Add to this exciting daily ADVICE COLUMNS by two of America’s leading sex columnists… MAN-TO-MAN by Wayne Pawlowski and WOMAN-TO-WOMAN by Elizabeth Schroeder. There is also a daily HOROSCOPE column by Skye Thomas.
All of the information on GLBTWORLD’s site is free except for a nominal membership fee of $9.95 per month for the Commitment Registry, the Library of Advice Columns and the Chat Rooms. 20% of this fee will be sent to provide much needed financial support for GLBT charities and organizations chosen from GLBTWORLD’s list by members.
GLBTWORLD.net is based in Orlando, Florida with offices in New York. Its founding Chairman, Roy Sanders, first developed the idea as his way of giving back for his very successful legal career and as support for some in his extended family who are active in the gay community. Driven by the importance of the service, he assembled a staff of dedicated professionals. The team today consists of over twenty professionals including an Orlando based state-of-the-art web design firm, former Disney development personnel as well as a New York based marketing unit led by a former executive officer of two of the world’s largest multi-national advertising agencies.
GLBTWORLD.net is “just a click away” from GLBT information worldwide. Individuals and organizations are encouraged to take a tour of this exciting new website by visiting its address at www.GLBTWORLD.net.
For further information contact GLBTWORLD at pressoffice@GLBTWORLD.net or toll free at 866-549-0080.
This Valentine's Day, there is no need to wait for your State. Hudson Nuptials helps gays and lesbians from across the United States get married in Toronto, Canada.
TORONTO, January 10, 2006 - Hudson Nuptials, the first wedding company of its kind to help gays and lesbians from the U.S. get married in Canada, announces its launch in Toronto (www.hudsonnuptials.com). Working with Toronto's finest boutique hotels, most luxurious spas and restaurants, Hudson began serving its first clients last fall.
A proud member of Toronto's gay community, Hudson President, Phil Connell, explains why he started this company:
"As many western countries begin to take a progressive stance on same-sex marriage, the US is falling behind. There are now eighteen states that have banned gay marriage through constitutional amendments. In Canada, gay couples from anywhere can have the wedding they deserve."
Unlike Massachusetts, the Netherlands and Spain, Canada is the only country in the world where gay and lesbian couples can get married without having to be residents. As the 5th largest city in North America, with a thriving gay community, it is no surprise that Toronto is a popular destination (a full 40% of the marriage licenses issued to gay couples in the city of Toronto have been issued to Americans).
When asked why Americans want to get married in Canada when that marriage may not carry any legal recognition at home, Connell says:
"Many of the couples who contact me are looking to make a public declaration of their love and commitment, pure and simple. The most important part of getting married for my clients is not the legal sanction at home. The hope of course is that one day their state will recognize them as a married couple, but for now Canada's acceptance is a great start."
Since launching in October, Connell has handled inquiries from across the U.S. - from Cleveland to Houston to Washington D.C. Connell describes the demand like this:
"Gay relationships are increasingly entering the public eye. From the recent release of 'Brokeback Mountain' to Brit-pop icon Elton John's Christmas union, gay rights and recognition of same-sex marriage are become societal realities. American gay couples are ready for - and deserve - a wedding service designed for gay people by gay people."
About Hudson Nuptials
Hudson Nuptials provides upscale, intimate destination weddings for same-sex couples seeking to get married in Toronto, Canada. Clients experience the best of what Toronto has to offer with Hudson's custom-tailored approach to ceremonies, accommodations, dining and entertainment. Hudson is also an expert on gay marriage legislation, providing clients with access to legal and other GLBT-focused resources. A gay owned and operated company, Hudson proudly brings Canada's progressive marriage laws to the international gay and lesbian community.
For further information: contact Phil Connell, (416) 628-4380; email: info@hudsonnuptials.com
_________________________________________________________________________
Phil Connell
Hudson Nuptials | 131 Bloor St. W., Suite 200-231 | Toronto, ON | M5S 1R8
[t] +1.416.628.4380 | [f] +1.416.628.4378 | [e] phil@hudsonnuptials.com
"Hudson Nuptials . . . your moment is now." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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