U.S. Dept. of Ed. Nods LGBT History Month

In the conclusion of our exclusive audio interview, Malcolm Lazin, Founder and Executive Director of Equality Forum talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ on the importance of educating our country about our LGBT community. As you know for the past 5 years every October Equality Forum coordinates GLBT History Month honoring LGBT leaders and icons. The great news is that The U.S. Department of Education will now recognize October as LGBT History Month with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan providing welcoming remarks at the Department’s first LGBT History Month event. Equality Forum announced that starting in 2011, GLBT History Month will be renamed LGBT History Month.

“For a community deprived of its history, GLBT History Month teaches heritage, provides role models, builds community and recognizes extraordinary national and international contributions,” said Ora Alger, LGBTA Employees at ED President, U.S. Department of Education. “We salute Equality Forum for spearheading this free educational resource.” “GLBT History Month is an educational project,” stated Lazin “We are delighted to have the U.S. Department of Education recognize and celebrate our community’s history month. We salute GLSEN, GSA Network and Campus Pride for promoting Equality Forum GLBT History Month to over 6,000 high schools and colleges.”

Each day in October, an Icon is featured with a video, biography, bibliography, downloadable images and other educational resources. The videos are offered without charge to educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, for profit companies and the public. 2010 marks the 5th anniversary of GLBT History Month, featuring 155 Icons from 2006 to 2010.

“Our community has made profound international contributions as reflected by Alexander the Great, James Baldwin, environmental movement pioneer Rachel Carson, Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Eleanor Roosevelt, Tchaikovsky, Alan Turing, Walt Whitman and Oscar Wilde. Our nation has been enriched by Leonard Bernstein, George Washington Carver, George Eastman, Barney Frank, Philip Johnson, Alfred Kinsey, Annie Leibovitz, Margaret Mead, Suze Orman, Bayard Rustin and Gore Vidal. Our culture would not be the same without Alvin Ailey, Jr., Ellen DeGeneres, Tom Ford, Cary Grant, Keith Haring, Elton John, Jasper Johns, Bill T. Jones, Tony Kushner, k.d. lang, Jane Lynch, Rachel Maddow, Martina Navratilova, Cole Porter, Bessie Smith, Gianni Versace, John Waters and Andy Warhol.” Lazin concluded.

Equality Forum is a national and international LGBT civil rights organization with an educational focus. Equality Forum coordinates GLBT History Month, produces documentary films, undertakes high impact initiatives and presents annually the largest national and international LGBT civil rights summit.
Listen to Part #1: GLBT History Month Celebrates Five Years
For More Info: www.glbtHistoryMonth.com
 
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GLBT History Month Celebrates Five Years

Interview Conclusion: U.S. Dept. of Ed. Nods LGBT History Month
In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with Malcolm Lazin, Founder and Executive Director of Equality Forum. For the past 5 years every October Equality Forum coordinates “GLBT History Month” honoring LGBT leaders and icons. When asked about this important educational project Lazin stated, “We’re very proud of this project because as you know we’re a national and international project and certainly as we’ve seen from “Black History Month”, "Women's History Month", “Hispanic Heritage Month”, those projects are very important civil rights movements and we think particularly important to our (LGBT) community because we’re the only minority worldwide that’s not taught its history at home, in public schools or in religious institutions and so it’s no wonder homophobia has had the pernicious impact on our (LGBT) community. And projects like this that are really educational based and provide role models and a sense of our history are very important to both individuals and community development.”

Lazin also discussed the recent LGBT federal trials addressing Prop 8 in California, the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) challenge of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and the Log Cabin Republican federal case against the military “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy. Federal Judges have ruled that all of these cases have been found to be unconstitutional and discriminatory against our LGBT community.

“GLBT History Month" begins October 1, 2010. A GLBT icon is presented daily, with a video bio, bibliography, downloadable images and other resources - all provided for free. The 31 icon videos can be embedded without charge on websites, blogs or social networking. Among this year’s honorees are: George Washington Carver, George Eastman, Leslie Feinberg, Tom Ford, Jane Lynch, Cynthia Nixon, Eleanor Roosevelt, Matthew Shepard, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Rufus Wainwright, to name a few. The conclusion of this interview will be posted next week addressing LGBTQ Teens and the importance of providing positive LGBT educational resources for future generations.
For More Info: www.glbtHistoryMonth.com
 
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Gay Filmmakers New Poetpic "Howl"

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with Academy Award winning filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman (“The Times of Harvey Milk” and “Common Threads”) about their new must-see poetpic “Howl” that opens in theaters on September 24th. Starring James Franco in a brilliant performance as Allen Ginsberg, “Howl” interweaves three stories: the landmark 1957 landmark obscenity trial, a groundbreaking imaginative animated ride through the prophetic masterpiece and a portrait of a gay man who found new ways to express himself and in doing so changed his own life and galvanized a generation. The stellar cast also includes Jon Hamm, David Strathairn, Bob Balaban, Alessandro Nivola, Treat Williams, Mary-Louise Parker and Jeff Daniels.

When asked what their commitment is to LGBT civil rights, Epstein stated, “First of all we’re artists and our role is to tell stories we find to be significant that haven’t been told otherwise and that’s what we look for. The subjects that we tend to be drawn to have been queer in nature and orientation. I can’t say that that’s anything conscious or deliberate. It’s more instinctual and I think that’s probably true for how most artists operate. You know you’re going on your own instincts because in the end that’s the only thing you can rely upon. I would like to think our work has made a contribution and certainly from what we hear from people, that is so.”

In 1987, Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman teamed up to form their production company Telling Pictures in San Francisco, California. Their first film together was “Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt.” Since then among the films they have jointly produced are “The Celluloid Closet” and “Paragraph 175”.
“Howl” opens in theaters on September 24th.
For More Info about “Howl”: howlthemovie.com

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Can Gay Republicans Impact Conservatives?

UPDATE: OUTTAKE BLOG™: Federal Court Rules "DADT" Unconstitutional
In the conclusion of this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ chats with R. Clarke Cooper, Executive Director of the Log Cabin Republicans. In this candid conversation, Cooper talks about the aftermath within the LGBT community about former Chairman of the Republican National Committee and campaign manager for Bush’s 2004 Presidency, Ken Mehlman coming out.

When asked if gay Republicans can impact conservatives, Cooper stated, “We are challenged with making people think a little harder. And you’re right that there are still people on the far right that would rather see me disappear than be in the room. What’s changed is the tipping point we are at is that I am in the room all the time, even if they don’t want me there. And we’re not getting bread crumbs anymore. The pragmatists of the party know that they can’t mandate or legislate feelings, so they can’t legislate or mandate all Republican members of the party to fully support or embrace full civil rights. But what they can do is get them to stop speaking in a negative fashion and just get them to shut-up. And that’s something that people who are following your political analysts in Washington have noted… All of a sudden in the last year there’s been a huge reduction in anti-gay rhetoric coming out of conservatives' mouths. If they can’t say something nice, say nothing at all.”

On September 22nd in Washington D.C. is the Log Cabin Republicans National Dinner. Confirmed speakers include National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Representative Pete Sessions (R-TX), Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL), Representative Anh 'Joseph' Cao (R-LA), Representative Charles Djou (R-HI), Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform, Daily Caller Publisher Tucker Carlson and Nick Herbert MP, Minister of State for Justice/Police (UK).
Listen to Part #1: Gay Republican R. Clarke Cooper Speaks OUT
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Gay Republican R. Clarke Cooper Speaks OUT

UPDATE: GOP Gay Activist Speaks OUT on Don't Ask, Don't Tell
In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with R. Clarke Cooper, Executive Director of the Log Cabin Republicans. LGBT Republicans are actively seeking political inclusion. Recently, former Chairman of the Republican National Committee and campaign manager for Bush’s 2004 Presidency, Ken Mehlman declared his sexual orientation as gay. Clarke worked with the George W. Bush Administration for eight years and shares his insight of coming out within the GOP. When asked what he thought about Ken Mehlman coming out, Cooper stated, “For starters it’s a good thing when anyone comes out. I mean all of us, your listeners, myself, those who have gone through the coming out process know how important it is for our family, our friends, our peers, our neighbors to know who we are. The more people out, the better we can advance full civil rights for the entire LGBT community.”

When asked what his hopes are for our LGBT community in the Obama administration, Cooper stated, “Probably no different than most. I think the current government has been a victim of over promise and under deliver. President Obama is no friend to marriage equality. President Obama is on record against it. So there’s a challenge there. He’s been, I know, in the consulting process with Secretary Gates and Admiral Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on advancing an appeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”. It’s been a lukewarm response from the White House…. plus, they’re fighting us in court. The Obama Justice Department is fighting to maintain the ban on gays and lesbians in the military in federal court.” Log Cabin Republicans have challenged the constitutionality of the military’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy in “Log Cabin Republicans vs. the United States Government” and are waiting for a decision from Federal Judge Virginia Phillips. R. Clarke Cooper is an Army Reserve officer and served in Iraq.

On September 22nd in Washington D.C. is the Log Cabin Republicans' National Dinner. Confirmed speakers include National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Representative Pete Sessions (R-TX), Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL), Representative Anh 'Joseph' Cao (R-LA), Representative Charles Djou (R-HI), Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform, Daily Caller Publisher Tucker Carlson and Nick Herbert MP, Minister of State for Justice/Police (UK).
Listen to Part #2: Can Gay Republicans Impact Conservatives?
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Gay Activist Margaret Cho Speaks OUT

New 2011 Interview With Margaret...:)
In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with brilliant actress and hilarious comedian Margaret Cho. Margaret is currently starring in “Drop Dead Diva” on Lifetime and is hitting the road with her brand new tour & CD, “Cho Dependent”. Adam Weinstock of Creative Concept Productions has brought her to Provincetown, Massachusetts where she was Grand Marshal of the Carnival Parade and performing at Vixen through August 24th.

Margaret Cho is a native of California so we thought we’d get her spin on the trials and tribulations of Prop 8. When asked what her reaction was to Prop 8 being overturned and found unconstitutional and yet gay couples are still being denied marriage equality, Cho Stated, “I was really excited when Prop 8 was considered unconstitutional but then they decided to have a stay of the marriages and there was an appeal by the opposing groups. I got really angry because it’s not as if this is a small thing. I mean getting married for so many is a life changing event and we are waiting for this right so desperately. Could you imagine if this happened to straight people if a wedding was canceled the day before because it was considered not acceptable somehow by legal standards? It would be unthinkable for a straight bride to have her wedding canceled the day before. I get so angry that this is going on and I want some relief. The back and forth is torture. Why is it ok for them to appeal and we have to wait until December now to be heard again? Why do we have to wait so long? Why can they appeal something two days after it’s decided and we have to wait weeks, months and years? It’s unfair and insane…It’s just so infuriating because they’re going to lose anyways because it’s unconstitutional. That’s the basic truth of it. There’s nothing they can do about it, yet they keep continuing their charade like it’s going to matter later but it’s just making everyone so hateful and angry.”

Throughout her career, Margaret has been honored by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), American Women in Radio and Television, the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF), the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) and PFLAG for making a significant difference in promoting equal rights for all, regardless of race, sexual orientation or gender identity.

The “Cho Dependent" CD will be released on August 24 and her tour began August 26 which is sponsored by Logo. Margaret Cho has been named on the new cast of "Dancing with the Stars."
For More Info: www.MargaretCho.com

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