Archive for June 25th, 2011 Issue
Homophobia, harassment and isolation aren’t reserved to the realm of youth. Older LGBTs, too, experience much of the same prejudice. Les Geller, a member of the LGBT Center of Raleigh’s board of directors and co-chair of its Gay & Gray Initiative, says older LGBTs from the baby boom-era, like the rest of the country, are standing at a crossroads. As the nation ages, so do its LGBT seniors and many are facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles in healthcare and housing.
The NC Pride Fest and Parade has had their federal tax-exempt status revoked by the Internal Revenue Service more than a year after it was first revealed the group was out of compliance with IRS rules governing annual non-profit tax filings. Efforts to reach the director of the NC Pride Fest and Parade had proven more than difficult for qnotes and other community members, even as the organization and its signature Pride event faces an uncertain future.
Patricia Harris has lived in Durham for 20 years. First a social worker and educational planner, Harris returned to school years ago to receive training as an architect. In all her years in the Bull City, she’s already left a positive legacy, serving on the committee to draft the city’s 2020 master plan and on the zoning board.
Everyone needs to plan for the future, both for the known and expected events, and the unwanted and unplanned ones. LGBT folks have an additional burden, since we lack many of the legal protections other citizens have.
Two North Carolina students have been chosen among 34 young adults across the nation for inclusion in this year’s Point Scholar Class. The youth each receive high-profile scholarships through the Point Foundation, a non-profit group which provides financial support, leadership training, mentoring and hope to LGBT individuals who are marginalized because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
Summer is here. What do you plan to do this year? A major vacation or low-key staycation? A weekend getaway to the mountains or beach? Major vacation out of town. Weekend getaway. Staycation with a back-yard BBQ. A few lazy days here and there. Vacation? You’re crazy. I’ve got work [...]
Part of me would love to think that this month’s earlier mishap with an open mic in a closed-door North Carolina House Republican caucus meeting was intentional — a smart political ploy to bring attention to some GOP initiative or send a sneaky message to the governor and other Democratic foes. Unfortunately, I just don’t think this state’s Republican legislative leadership is that intelligent.
At the start of June, citizens of Richmond, Va., noticed an addition to the flagpole outside the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. Underneath the American flag waved a rainbow flag. The two banners, Old Glory and Newish Pride-y, flapped in the breeze.
Over the past two years, many state and local jurisdictions have enacted laws making discrimination against trans individuals illegal. That’s the good news. The bad news is that those who would prefer to keep discrimination alive and kicking (not hard to figure out who these people are) have a new tactic; well, not really new, but one they’ve taken to exploiting as fully as possible. It’s the kind of effort one might describe as extreme, yet as many on the religious right have become desperate as they continue to lose the battle over hearts and minds. And we all know desperation foreshadows crazy tactics.
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announced June 15 the creation of a first-ever resource center to support the resettlement of LGBT refugees. The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), a division of ACF, awarded a $250,000 grant to the Heartland Alliance of Chicago to create this training and technical assistance center.
North Carolina organizations confronted issues of homosexuality, “ex-gay” reparative therapies and religion recently. Exodus International’s “Reality of Grace” conference was June 8-11 near Black Mountain. In Asheville, organizers with the No Exodus Project hosted national and local speakers to counter the “ex-gay” comference and discuss the harm of religion-based discrimination, the “ex-gay” industry and more.
Mountain Area Health Education Center and TransHealth Coordinators are teaming up to bring the first of its kind Southeastern Transgender Health Summit-2012 to this progressive mountain town during August 2012.
Rev. Micah Royal, minister with Diversity in Faith: A Christian Church for All People, is starting a Bible study group in a welcoming environment. He has has already developed one at the Lumberton church.
The Myrtle Beach Gay Days 2011 is trying to set a Guiness Book of World Records by building a human rainbow flag on Aug. 13 from 1-2 p.m. in front of the SkyWheel
Carter Taylor Seaton has recently released her second novel, “Amo, amas, amat…An Unconventional Love Story,” set against the backdrop of Asheville and Atlanta, with some jaunts to Charlotte as well. Plus: Campus Pride was selected as a national partner by the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation, the world’s first organization dedicated solely to combatting bullying, regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic status or sexual orientation.
The LGBT Community Center has partnered with Equality NC and are currently seeking volunteers to assist in stopping the passage of the anti-LGBT amendment.
Total Engagement Consulting by Kimer, Inc., (TECBK) has received certification as an LGBT-owned and operated business through the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce’s (NGLCC) Supplier Diversity Initiative (SDI). Plus: A former same-sex wedding expert for The New York Times, this syndicated etiquette columnist, along with writing essays for The Huffington Post, has just published “Steven Petrow’s Complete Gay & Lesbian Manners For Every Occasion.”
Highlighting a star-studded evening of Webby friendly five-word speeches, Dan Savage struck back at Tracy Morgan’s recent controversial remarks in his acceptance speech of a Special Recognition Award at the 15th Annual Webbys on June 13 at The Hammerstein Ballroom.
My Facebook alert was going off like the Bat Phone after a Gotham City prison break earlier this month letting me know that I had a message…and another…and another…and another…and — well, you get the idea. Hmmm, had the Prince Harry sextape I’ve been praying for finally come to light? Hey, hope springs eternal. No, it turns out that my gay male Fb friends were blowing up the internet over news that Britney Spears is bringing her Femme Fatale Tour to the Carolinas for two dates.
Remember when we moaned and groaned about the cold weather? Well, that is ancient history as steamy July gets underway. Volcanic retrograde Pluto grabs all the attention as it squares Uranus and Saturn and opposes Venus, Mercury and the Sun. Hold onto your sun hats, kids, and prepare for a scorcher.
