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PrEP options likely to change following Truvada patent expiration
Among the myriad challenges facing HIV/AIDS advocates and healthcare providers has been increasing use of pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, among persons at risk for HIV transmission. A PrEP intervention, which usually consists of taking the oral ...
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Most states are considering anti-transgender bills
Legislators in more than half the states are debating bills to limit access to sports or medical care for transgender people, according to an article by The Hill. Across the nation, at least 35 bills have ...
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Dr. Rachel Levine confirmation hearing today, to be first trans Senate-confirmed appointee
--From a press release
Washington, DC — Today Dr. Rachel Levine will testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions about her experience and qualifications to be the next U.S. Assistant Secretary of Health. If moved ...
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Victory Institute condemns Rand Paul attack on
Dr. Rachel Levine, trans youth
--From a press release
Washington, DC — Today LGBTQ Victory Institute condemned Senator Rand Paul's transphobic attack on Dr. Rachel Levine during her confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. He attacked trans you ...
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LGBTs rise to 5.6% of U.S. population
Gallup's latest update on lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender identification finds 5.6% of U.S. adults identifying as LGBT, according to the organization. The current estimate is up from 4.5% in Gallup's previous update based on 2017 ...
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Gov. Pritzker signs legislation transforming Illinois criminal justice system
--From a press release
CHICAGO — Building on efforts to create a more equitable and safe criminal justice system, Governor JB Pritzker signed landmark legislation that transforms Illinois' criminal justice system. This landmark legislation ...
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NATIONAL Virginia items, Marriott CEO, Black LGBTQ+ icons, trans kids' book
Virginia lawmakers are about to roll back a state law that allows faith-based adoption and foster-care agencies to refuse service to LGBTQ families, VirginiaMercury.com reported. The legislation has spurred heated ...
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WORLD Canadian groups, Moroccan refugee, LGBT+ Rights Ghana, trans heroine
From $400,000 in funding for a national initiative aimed at expanding two-spirit advocacy, to $239,000 to improve LGBTQ youth housing access in the Prairies, 76 Canadian community groups are being sent nearly $15 million from the ...
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Male-only Michigan campsite bans trans men
In Michigan, the owners of Camp Boomerang RV Park and Campground in Orleans—about 50 miles northwest of Lansing—announced they will ban trans men from their male-only park when they officially open this spring, PrideSource.com reported. "Camp ...
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CDC establishes school-reopening guidelines
On Feb. 12, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that teachers and students should return to the classroom and can do so safely—even in areas with high rates of viral transmission—if certain mitigation ...
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Quigley statement on HUD announcement of enforcement of Fair Housing Act
--From a press release
Chicago, IL — Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, released a statement after the ...
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HUD to enforce act prohibiting discrimination on sexual orientation, gender identity
--From a press release
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced that it will administer and enforce the Fair Housing Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. HUD's Office ...
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GLAAD: Senators vote against response to riot but introduce anti-trans bill
--From a press release
Five of the eight senators objecting to Electoral College votes and voting against the second Trump impeachment trial have cosponsored a new bill targeting transgender youth, adding to history of anti-LGBTQ votes and views GLAAD: "More ...
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NATIONAL Black History Month, anti-trans bills, Penn. politician, HIV measure
In honor of Black History Month, the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) announced its acquisition of the Ubuntu Biography Project, a press release noted. The Ubuntu Biography Project, created by Stephen A. Maglott, celebrates the legacies ...
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Questions surround Chicago transgender woman's death
During the overnight hours of Jan. 16-17, 34-year-old Sherry Nicholas died at the Jackson Park Supportive Living facility on Chicago's South Side, where she was a resident. She is the second known Chicago transgender woman to ...
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HRC responds to Rand Paul's questions about trans children
On Feb. 3, the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee held a hearing on the confirmation of Connecticut Commissioner of Education Miguel Cardona to be Secretary of Education. During the event, U.S. Sen. Rand ...
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Golden Globe nods announced; LGBTQ shows, characters and actors included
Nominations for the 78th Annual Golden Globe Awards—which honor the best in television and film—were announced Feb. 3. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will return as hosts of the event for a fourth time. The Golden ...
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Pete Buttigieg is first LGBTQ Senate-confirmed cabinet member
--From a Victory Institute press release
Washington, DC — Today the United States Senate confirmed Pete Buttigieg as Secretary of Transportation, making him the first out LGBTQ person ever confirmed for a cabinet position. Buttigieg is one of dozens of high-profile LGBTQ ...
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'Draw With Me' follows trans teen who's Jennifer Lopez's nibling; director reflects
Draw With Me—an official Oscar entry for Documentary Short Subject—is the story of talented teen artist Brendon Scholl, who identifies as trans non-binary and whose art has been a vital outlet for self expression. The movie—created ...
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NATIONAL Puerto Rico action, firefighter, HIV drug, trans candidate, Janelle Monae
Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro R. Pierluisi declared a state of emergency to combat violence committed against the transgender community, out.com reported. Pierluisi signed an executive order in response to the surge in violent killings of transgender ...
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WORLD Trans honoree, Sophie dies, famous Africans come out, Leo Varadkar
In India, the list of Padma awards recipients this year included a transgender individual from Karnataka who has, over the past many decades, practiced and single-handedly popularized rural folk arts, according to NDTV. For Manjamma Jogathi, ...
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Chicago trans trailblazer Gloria Allen to receive SAGE award in memory of Carmen Vazquez
--From a SAGE press release
[NEW YORK, N.Y.] — SAGE, the world's largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBT elders, will present Gloria Allen, known as "Mama Gloria," with the Carmen Vázquez SAGE Award for Excellence in ...
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CDC issues mask mandate for travelers
Starting in February, travelers and commuters will be required to wear face masks on nearly all forms of public transportation as part of a sweeping new order from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ...
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GLAAD announces award nominees, Windy City Times receives Barbara Gittings Award
--From a GLAAD press release
GLAAD, the world's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, announced today the nominees for the 32nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards. Actress Josie Totah (Peacock's Saved By The Bell), actor and ...
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Pete Buttigieg set to become first LGBTQ Senate-confirmed cabinet member
--From a press release from the LGBTQ Victory Institute
Washington, DC — Today the United States Senate's Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation recommended the full Senate confirm Pete Buttigieg as Secretary of Transportation by a vote of 21 to 3. The recommendation paves the ...
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Elliot Page and wife announce divorce
Elliot Page—the Oscar-nominated actor who recently came out as transgender—and his wife, Emma Portner, are getting divorced, CNN.com reported. A statement read, "After much thought and careful consideration, we have ...
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Biden's repeal of trans military ban impacts over 15,500 adults in the military
--From a Williams Institute press release
A summary of current data on transgender military service in U.S. Today, President Biden signed an executive order ending the ban on transgender military service. The directive instructs the Department of Defense to reinstate the 2016 ...
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LGBTQA+ organizations praise Biden's lift of trans military ban
After President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Jan. 25 lifting former President Donald Trump's ban on transgender individuals being in the military, several LGBTQA+ groups and individuals issued press releases praising the move: —LGBTQ ...
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LGBTQ laws rated in Human Rights Campaign State Equality Index
--From a press release
WASHINGTON — Today, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization ...
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Biden nominates Dr. Rachel Levine, first trans person nominated for Senate-confirmed position
--From press releases
From Victory Institute: Washington, DC — President-elect Joe Biden nominated Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine to be the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Health — a historic nomination that makes her the first out trans ...
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Biden picks transgender assistant health secretary
President-elect Joe Biden has chosen Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine to be his assistant secretary of health—positioning her to become the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, a Seattle Times ...
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SHOWBIZ LGBTQ movies, 'Color Purple,' Nick Jonas, gay coach
The film Draw with Me has launched its virtual theatrical release at ArenaScreen through Feb. 9, and was the subject of the first-ever panel at the United Nations on Transgender Health, a release stated. Featuring Jennifer ...
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Research on military trans ban shows urgency of Biden acting on pledge
--From a press release by The Palm Center
President-elect Joseph Biden has promised to reverse the military's ban on service by transgender Americans on "day one" of his presidency. Research recently released by the Palm Center explains why lifting the ban is an urgent ...
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Trans woman, man killed in Chicago's Gresham area
A transgender woman and a man were killed in a shooting Jan. 6 in Chicago's Gresham neighborhood, The Chicago Sun-Times reported. A gunman fired shots from a silver-colored vehicle about 5 a.m. in the 800 block ...
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Vulnerable communities slow to adopt key strategy to stop HIV's spread
--From a UCLA press release
LOS ANGELES — Taking a daily pill to prevent HIV transmission is one of the most effective biomedical strategies available to combat the virus' spread, yet use of this health regimen remains low among vulnerable communities ...
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SHOWBIZ Laverne Cox, lesbian coach, Jim Parsons, 'Brokeback,' theater items
Laverne Cox is teaming with Meryl Streep and Rashida Jones to executive-produce a new documentary exploring one of the most critical issues at the intersection of race, feminism, and power: the sex industry, out.com noted. Sell/Buy/Date ...
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NATIONAL Anti-bias rule nixed, trans deaths, lesbian archivist dies
Under the cover of chaos the day after Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, the Trump administration officially nixed regulations barring federal grantees in the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) from discriminating against LGBTQ ...
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WORLD Greece appointee, India trans items, top LGBTQ issues
The center-right government of Greece announced the country's first out minister, out.com reported. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis appointed Nicholas Yatromanolakis as the new deputy minister of culture. The 44-year-old native ...
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National LGBTQ organizations call for Trump's removal from office
--From a press release
New York, NY - Thursday, Jan. 7, 2020 - GLAAD, the world's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, along with leading LGBTQ legal, health, youth, justice and equality organizations, is callin ...
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New reports from Palm Center look at military transgender ban, Biden's position
—From a press release
President-elect Joseph Biden has promised to reverse the military's ban on service by transgender Americans on "day one" of his presidency. Research recently released by the Palm Center explains why lifting the ban is an urgent ...
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Legislators partner with Chicago group for trans women's funeral expenses
Several LGBTQ and allied legislators are partnering with Chicago-based trans organization Brave Space Alliance (BSA) to establish a dedicated fund to support the funeral expenses of local trans women who have been murdered. The lawmakers are ...
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Chicago trans woman Eshay Key, 25, dies in Christmas shooting
Column by Sue Kerr
Just a week after writing about the ugly shooting death of a 19-year-old Black gender nonconforming young adult while they were at a Christmas party, I was hopeful there would be no more deaths to cover ...
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SHOWBIZ Trans movie, best/worst LGBTQ films, sports items, Whitney
Shout! Studios entered into an exclusive deal with Kirkpatrick & Kinslow Productions (KKP) and Scatena & Rosner Films (SNR) to distribute the new LGBTQ-focused documentary The Sound of Identity, a press release noted. The movie chronicles ...
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NATIONAL Aimee Stephens, GNC teen murdered, Katie Hill, Amazon
A consent decree ordered that Michigan business Harris Funeral Homes—which fired the late Aimee Stephens for being transgender and led her to sue the business in litigation that made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court—must ...
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WORLD Lithuania outlook, HIV/AIDS and COVID, lawyer arrested, trans youth
Lithuania appears set to legalize same-sex civil partnerships next year, but same-sex marriage could be up to a decade away, according to Tomas Raskevicius—the country's only openly LGBT+ lawmaker, Reuters reported. "We're going to submit t ...
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200 athletes support trans women and girls playing sports
On Dec. 21, sports icon Billie Jean King, U.S. National Women's Soccer Team co-captain and World Cup Champion Megan Rapinoe, and WNBA trailblazer and legend Candace Parker joined nearly 200 fellow athletes in women's sports to ...
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Bechdel Fest 8 to highlight femme, female-identifying, non-binary, trans, queer actors
Broken Nose Theatre (BNT) will present Bechdel Fest 8: Realign—the company’s annual festival of new short plays featuring an ensemble of femme, female-identifying, non-binary, trans and queer actors talking about things other than men.
...
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NATIONAL Equality Virginia, trans case, Hitler video, Pentagon
Equality Virginia discussed proposed guidelines for transgender rights in schools in during a virtual town hall that guided participants through crafting public comments in support of the guidelines which solidify protections for trans students and school ...
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'Pose' star headlining virtual talent benefit Dec. 16
Dominique Jackson—an activist and co-star of the FX series Pose—is headlining the #REFUGEE RAINBOW EXTRAVAGANZA Talent Show "Still Here, Still Queer" on Wed., Dec. 16, 5-6 p.m. CT. ORAM (Organization for Refugee, Asylum and Migration) is ...
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Reports: Biden asks Buttigieg to be transportation secretary
President-elect Joe Biden has reportedly tapped Pete Buttigieg to lead the U.S. Transportation Department, Reuters reported. The appointment of Buttigieg, 38—who competed in the Democratic presidential primary—is another step in ...
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Biden to name Buttigieg Sec. Transportation, first open LGBTQ+ Cabinet Secretary
--From press releases
President-elect Joe Biden is expected to nominate Pete Buttigieg, former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and Democratic candidate for president, to serve as the next Secretary of Transportation. ...
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SHOWBIZ Trans acting challenge, NYE parties, Charlize Theron, Diana Ross
Michael D. Cohen, with support from Nickelodeon, is launching the Trans Youth Acting Challenge, according to a press release. Trans and non-binary kids can submit audition self-tapes online (preferably through their parents), and the top 12 ...
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NATIONAL Federal rule, anti-LGBTQ crimes, restroom case, Karamo
The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs announced a final rule that dramatically expands the ability of federal contractors to claim religious exemptions from federal nondiscrimination ...
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Chicago trans icon Gloria Allen among Creating Change honorees
Community leaders Gloria Allen, Lisbeth Melendez Rivera, Javier Hernandez and Gayle Rubin will all be honored at the 33rd annual Creating Change Conference, run by the National LGBTQ Task Force. Held virtually Jan. 28-31, 2021, the ...
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WORLD Dutch apology, Swiss gov't, Victory Institute, 'Queer Japan'
The Dutch government issued a formal apology to transgender and intersex citizens who were required to undergo sterilization surgeries to legally change their gender and agreed to compensate some of those who underwent the procedures, The ...
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NATIONAL Trans deaths, Elizabeth Taylor, Kamala's successor
Chae'Meshia Simms, a Black transgender woman, was killed in Richmond, Virginia, advocate.com reported, citing The Richmond Times-Dispatch. Simms's body was found in a car that had crashed into a garage Nov. 23; she had suffered a ...
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Actor formerly known as Ellen Page comes out as trans
Elliot Page has come out as transgender. The star of movies like Juno and TV shows like The Umbrella Academy, formerly known as Ellen Page, posted about his transition on social media on Dec. 1, according ...
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Prominent lesbians of color will join Biden administration
Two prominent lesbians of color have been appointed to major roles in President-elect Joe Biden's communications department, the transition team announced in a news release November 29. Karine Jean-Pierre, who served as a Biden senior adviser ...
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Laverne Cox 'in shock' but okay after transphobic attack
Transgender actress/activist Laverne Cox (Orange Is the New Black) said she was "definitely in shock" and "triggered" but okay after an anti-trans attack while walking with a friend in a Los Angeles park, USA Today reported. ...
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Lawsuit filed regarding trans exclusion for health benefits
Lambda Legal and Sirianni Youtz Spoonemore Hamburger PLLC filed a federal lawsuit challenging Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois' (BCBSIL's) administration of a blanket exclusion of gender-affirming care in an ...
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New study: Military transgender ban hurts readiness
--From a press release
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — A new study has found that the current ban on military service by transgender Americans has harmed the armed forces, contradicting claims by the Trump administration that the ban was needed to ...
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Black transgender artist Heather Hills releases single, video from Trans Trenderz
--From a press release
(New York, NY) Electro-pop/rap artist, Heather Hills, has released the new single and video, "Get Dun," on the Trans Trenderz label. "Get Dun" is not for those expecting trauma porn. "I got a cute beat and ...
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Day With(out) Art: Transmissions launches online Nov. 30
--From a press release
NEW YORK, Nov. 16, 2020 — Visual AIDS, the only contemporary arts organization fully committed to raising AIDS and HIV awareness through dialogue, art exhibitions and public forums, announces their ...
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PPIL extends Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy program statewide
During this year's Transgender Awareness Week (which culminates with the Transgender Day of Remembrance on Nov. 20), Planned Parenthood of Illinois (PPIL) is highlighting its Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy (GAHT) ...
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WORLD Trans deaths, China census, Rob Halford, Hungary measure
Globally, at least 350 transgender people have been killed this year (2020)—a figure that has risen since last year's total of 331, Forbes noted. The annual list, released for Transgender Day of Remembrance (Nov. 20) by ...
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MOVIES Trans-focused Born to Be to be released Nov. 20
Born To Be—a hit documentary on the country's first hospital center for transgender medical care—will open in Philadelphia on Friday, Nov. 20 (also the Transgender Day of Remembrance) with Gene Sickle Film Center Virtual Cinema. The ...
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Mama Gloria, about Chicago's elder, trans, activist icon, to screen
--From a press release
CHICAGO, IL — Luchina Fisher's Mama Gloria, an important and timely documentary about Chicago's trailblazing Black trans elder icon and activist Gloria Allen, will hold nationwide screenings during Transgender Awareness ...
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Victory Institute calls for LGBTQ cabinet appointee
--From a press release
Washington, DC — Today LGBTQ Victory Institute called on President-elect Joe Biden to appoint at least one out LGBTQ person to a Senate-confirmed Cabinet position and said it will provide the transition team with a list ...
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SHOWBIZ Rock Hudson, The CW, Jillian Michaels, Isis King
Among Kino Lorber's December DVD and Blu-ray releases is a three-movie set (with the 1953-54 features Seminole, Golden Blade and Bengal Brigade) starring the late actor Rock Hudson, a press release noted. Co-stars in the films ...
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Jill Rose Quinn first trans elected official in Illinois; wins for Cook County Circuit Court Judge
Washington, DC — Today LGBTQ Victory Fund endorsed candidate Jill Rose Quinn won her election to be a judge on the Cook County Circuit Court, becoming the first out transgender person ever elected in the state ...
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Sarah McBride of Delaware first trans State Senator in U.S. history
Washington, DC — Today LGBTQ Victory Fund endorsed candidate Sarah McBride won her election for the Delaware state Senate, becoming the first out transgender person ever elected to a state senate seat anywhere in the United ...
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Jennifer N. Pritzker, Erin E. Solaro wed
--From a press release
Jennifer N. Pritzker and Erin E. Solaro were married in a private ceremony in Chicago on Oct. 31, 2020. Ms. Pritzker is President & CEO of TAWANI Enterprises Inc., Lieutenant Colonel U.S. Army, Retired, and Founder ...
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NATIONAL Texas board, intersex portfolio, hate crimes, beauty queen dies
A Texas regulatory board reinstated protections that bar social workers from refusing services to LGBTQ people and people with disabilities, NBC News reported. The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council, or BHEC, on Tuesday unanimously reversed an ...
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THEATER REVIEW Being Earnest
Playwright book and lyrics by Paul Gordon, music by Paul Gordon and Jay Gruska At Skylight Music Theatre online at SkylightMusicTheatre.org. Tickets: $25. Runs through Dec. 31, 2020. Two things to remember when proposing to transform a ...
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LETTER Pope Francis appoints America's first African American cardinal
Pope Francis has appointed 13 new cardinals world wide. Archbishop Gregory is listed as elevated to cardinal by his Holiness. The archbishop served in Chicago for 10 years under Cardinal Joseph Bernadine, being transferred to Atlanta ...
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