Rep. Joe Kennedy & Transgender Advocates Talk Equality (AUDIO)

In this exclusive audio podcast Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ participated in a media conference call hosted by Congressman Joe Kennedy III and advocates fighting for transgender equality. The call followed an organizational meeting hosted by Kennedy with colleagues and representatives from organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal, National Center for Transgender Equality, the Palm Center, PFLAG and Human Rights Campaign to discuss the Trump Administration's efforts to ban trans troops, erode protections for trans students and workers and take away health care for trans patients. Kennedy has been Chair of the Congressional LGBTQ Equality Caucus’s Transgender Equality Task Force since 2017 and was outraged at the Trump administration attempt to erase the identities of approximately 2 million people in the country who are transgender by proposing that the U.S. Health & Human Services (HHS) legally define sex under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 to only be by the sex they are born with. Kennedy in his opening remarks talks about how the Trump administration from day one has been targeting our LGBTQ community especially members of our trans community including our youth in schools and strategically attacking trans soldiers by attempting to redefine our trans community out of existence.

First Congressman Kennedy introduced Luc Athayde-Rizzaro from the National Center for Transgender Equality, Policy Counsel who advocates to ensure transgender people can access life-affirming, nondiscriminatory health care at the federal and state level. Then we heard from Aaron Belkin, Founding Director of the Palm Center one of the most effective LGBTQ rights organizations in the United States who addressed the transgender military issue and more followed by Sharon McGowan, Lambda Legal, Chief Strategy Officer and Legal Director who talked about Lambda Legal’s efforts to resist any attempt by the Trump Administration or any other opponent of LGBTQ equality to roll back our community’s progress. Next we heard from Ian Thompson, American Civil Liberties Union, Senior Legislative Representative who works to advance the organization’s civil liberties and civil rights agenda in Congress and the executive branch by focusing on LGBTQ rights, HIV/AIDS and sex education. Thompson talked about the Amy Stevens Case twice delayed by US Supreme Court. Then David Stacy, Human Rights Campaign, Government Affairs Director talked about why the Equality Act should be a priority for the new Democratic Majority in the House of Representatives come 2019. Stacy leads HRC’s federal policy team including advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill and the executive branch. The call concluded with openly trans Diego Miguel Sanchez, PFLAG, Director of Advocacy, Policy & Partnerships who talked about the crisis facing our transgender youth in our school systems. Since 1973 PFLG has been advancing LGBTQ equality through its mission of support, education and advocacy. (Graphic Design by Richard Emmanuel.)

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Michael Petry Talks New Book “The Word Is Art” (AUDIO)

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with Michael Petry, author, artist and Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art in London about his new book “The Word Is Art” that addresses how contemporary global artists incorporate text and language into their works that speaks to some of the most pressing issues of the 21st century. In the digital and online age words have become more important than ever with text becoming information and information striving to become a free form of expression. “The Word Is Art” looks at the work of a diverse range of artists including Annette Messager, Barbara Kruger, Cerith Wyn Evans, Christian Marclay, Christopher Wool, Chun Kwang Young, eL Seed, Fiona Banner, Ghada Amer, Glenn Ligon, Harland Miller, Jenny Holzer, Kay Rosen, Laure Prouvost, Martin Creed, Rachel Whiteread, Raymond Pettibon, Roni Horn, Tania Bruguera, Zhang Huan and many more interpreting how the digital and online age have made words more important than ever. “The Word Is Art” takes us on a fascinating and richly illustrated tour interpreting these trending global art forms. We talked to Michael about his inspiration for creating this book and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.

When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBTQ civil rights Petry stated, “I’m one of the ancients who’s been around fighting for LGBTQ rights since the early eighties and I’ve been involved in so many different ways over the years. I consider myself queer because I think that is a broader term that for me represents who I am and what I think and part of that commitment as a queer who is an artist and who also is an author and a curator is to try and bring queer artists to the foreground of the art world. We only have to think back a few years to realize that LGBTQ artists were very marginalized and that’s still the case for many people. In the LGBTQ movement every year I curate a Pride Exhibition in London which I really hope to introduce LGBTQ artists not only to that community but to the straight community and I work within all the structures that are available whether that’s museums or the corporate structure to get that recognition for LGBTQ people because I think what is at issue in the broader political sphere is this notion of fear. Fear of others and of course that fear is not limited to the general public. It’s also in the art world.”

Michael Petry has written a number of books, including “Installation Art”, “The Art of Not Making: the new artist/artisan relationship”, “Nature Morte: Contemporary Artists Reinvigorate the Still-Life Tradition” and his most recent work “The Word Is Art” all published by Thames & Hudson. In 2019 he will be speaking and exhibiting his work worldwide.
For More Info: michaelpetry.com

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Peter Tatchell Talks LGBTQ Equality & Human Rights (AUDIO)

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with United Kingdom’s legendary LGBTQ and human rights activist Peter Tatchell, director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation. Tatchell began campaigning for queer freedom in 1969 at age 17 inspired by the teaching of Mahatma Gandhi, Sylvia Pankurst, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X adapting their peaceful protest methods and actually inventing a few of his own. In 1971 Tatchell was a leading activist in the UK’s Gay Liberation Front and was the defeated Labour candidate in 1983 which turned out to be the most violent and homophobic British election in the last 100 years. In 1990 he helped found the queer rights group OutRage! which outed 10 Anglican bishops in 1994 accusing them of hypocrisy for publicly conspiring with the church’s homophobic stance. He went on to remove outdated UK laws against our LGBTQ community and eventually created the Peter Tatchell Foundation, an independent, non-party political organization based in the United Kingdom which promotes and protects the human rights of individuals, communities and nations in the UK and internationally in accordance with established national and international human rights law. We talked to Peter about what he hopes to accomplish with his work and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.

When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBTQ civil rights Tatchell stated, “Well I have worked through in the early days the Gay Liberation Front in the 1990’s with OutRage! the queer rights direct action group and now as director of my own small human rights foundation the Peter Tatchell Foundation which works on both LGBT+ rights but also on other human rights issues as well supporting the struggle for democracy and human rights in countries like Russia, Pakistan, Uganda and many others. It’s very interesting the way in which my work on non LGBT issues has inadvertently helped raise the profile and awareness of LGBT rights. For example I’ve done work supporting the democracy movement in Pakistan and in particular the national liberation struggle of the people of Balochistan who have been occupied by Balochistan since the late 1940’s and because I am a gay man, an openly gay man and because I support LGBT rights even without mentioning it this has created an awareness, a mind change among many people in Pakistan who previously never met an openly gay person and who you know regarded LGBT people as demons or whatever. Because I have supported their struggle it’s helped bring about change in values and attitudes a much more sympathetic attitude towards LGBT+ rights.”

Recently during the 2018 World Cup games in Moscow, Russia Tatchell was arrested and released after bravely staging a one-man protest against Putin’s failure to act against Chechnya’s torture of our LGBTQ community that brought international attention to this issue. For almost fifty years Peter Tatchell has unselfishly fought for educating, advocating and lobbying for the elimination of exclusion and discrimination on the grounds of ethnicity, race, gender, disability, religion, belief, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic, social, cultural or refugee status.
For More Info: petertatchellfoundation.org

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Singer Joey Suarez Talks Pop Hit “Dancing By Myself” (AUDIO)

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with LGBTQ singer songwriter Joey Suarez about his new dance hit “Dancing By Myself” that just landed at #5 and climbing on the UK Upfront Club Chart. The song remixed by chart-topping UK-based HausUnited landed just behind superstars Calvin Harris and Sam Smith. Suarez talks about the inspiration behind “Dancing by Myself” and how it is a very self-descriptive portrayal of the feeling of being alone at a club after being in an eight year relationship and content with the idea that you are now alone. He hopes the song will be inspirational to listeners who are experiencing this kind of independence for the first time. He explains that the song grows and changes a lot like our emotions do when we are heart broken. With that said he hope this song finds those who feel alone and are trying to dance away their troubles. We talked to Joey about what he hopes to accomplish with his music and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.

When asked what he hopes to accomplish with his music Suarez stated, “Honestly I believe my lifelong goal for music is to give my family something to hold on to. We are all foreigners, my parents come from different countries and so we don’t have a lot of history other than moving here. A big part of being in the music industry for me was to rewrite a lot of negative family history that brought us here and give us something to be proud of. So my main goal as a musician and my music is essentially to make all my thirteen nieces and nephews and eleven brothers and sisters to feel that have something else to be proud of other than all the negative things that exist in our world today.”

Joey Suarez is a classically-trained opera/choir singer with over ten years of classical vocal training. Suarez didn’t begin to explore pop music until he was 21 years old drawing from a wide range of musical influences including Linkin Park, Miley Cyrus and Daft Punk as he crafted a truly unique style of music. While most musicians tend to hide their sexuality at the beginning of their career for fear of rejection, Suarez consciously decided to live his life authentically as a proud gay man. His songs have generated over 200,000 streams and he is currently in the studio writing and recording more songs and creating new music projects that will be released in 2019.
For More Info: joeysuarez.com

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Brynn Tannehill Talks New Transgender Handbook (AUDIO)

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with author and activist Brynn Tannehill about her new book “Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Trans (But Were Afraid to Ask)” that really does tell you everything you need to know about transgender issues and serves as a valuable reference source to debunk many of the untruths circulating about our transgender community. This book truly breaks down misconceptions about trans people across all aspects of life and provides readers with a deeper understanding of what it means to be transgender. Coming from an analytical military background Brynn approached her book like a manual or handbook for transgender people as well as for the cisgender community. Tannehill graduated from the Naval Academy and earned her Naval Aviator wings piloting SH-60B helicopters and P-3C maritime patrol aircraft during three deployments between 2000 and 2004. After serving as a campaign analyst Brynn earned a masters degree in Operations Research from the Air Force Institute of Technology. She then transferred from active duty to the Naval Reserves and began working as a senior defense research scientist in the private sector as she began her transition. We talked to Brynn about what led her to write this timely informative book and give us her spin on our LGBTQ issues especially with the Trump administration’s recent attempt to erase our trans community.

When asked about her personal commitment to LGBTQ civil rights Tannehill stated, “One thing that I wish people understood and particularly lesbian, gay and bisexual people who are cisgender is that if the transgender movement fails, if we lose our rights, if we are successfully driven out of public life through policy and legislation and impact litigation by groups like The Alliance Defending Freedom, lesbians and gays are next. If they can kick all the transgender people out of the military because they feel like it they can bring back ‘Don’t ask Don’t Tell’. If they can rule that my marriage isn’t valid they can rule that your marriage isn’t valid. If they can ban people from bathrooms because the idea of sharing a bathroom with a transgender person scares straight people guess what, during ‘Don’t ask Don’t Tell’ the primary argument was that sharing a bathroom or a shower or a locker room with a gay person scares straight people and we can go straight back that is verification to discriminate against lesbians and gays. This is a unified fight whether we like it or not. The only difference is that we will go down first because we are the primary target now and once we lose, if we lose, the same methods, tactics and impact litigation that took us down will be used to do the same thing to lesbians and gays in America. Make no mistake about it the anti LGBT hate groups haven’t forgotten about lesbians and gays. They’re just having to recognize that there is greater acceptance for lesbians and gays in our society and more protections of them and are going for the low hanging fruit first which is us.”

Brynn Tannehill is a leading trans activist and essayist and has written for The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Bilerico, Slate, Salon, USA Today, The Advocate, LGBTQ Nation and The New Civil Rights Movement. Her new book "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Trans (But Were Afraid to Ask)” is being published just in time for Transgender Awareness Week November 17th to 21st and can be preordered on Amazon. 
For More Info: brynntannehill.com

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MBCC To Honor Charlotte Robinson At Annual Event (AUDIO)

Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition has announced it will honor Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson with the MBCC Appreciation Award at their 21st annual fundraising event Lesbians & Friends LGBTQ Dance Party For Prevention that takes place in Brookline, Massachusetts on October 20th. In these challenging times it is important to come together with hundreds of LGBTQ individuals and allies to celebrate life and the impact MBCC has achieved toward their goal of breast cancer prevention. In this exclusive audio interview Cheryl Osimo MBCC Executive Director talks about how MBCC was founded in 1992 by a few savvy lesbian women to establish the only breast cancer non-profit working closely with a research and sister organization Silent Spring Institute to investigate preventable and environmental causes of the disease. This work is funded through annual fundraising events like the upcoming Lesbians & Friends Dance: A Party for Prevention. Since 1994 Silent Spring Institute has conducted scientifically sound and environmentally focused breast cancer prevention research. Honoree Charlotte Robinson who is a breast cancer survivor talks about how breast cancer impacted her life and inspired her to establish OUTTAKE VOICES™ the online news network that for the last ten years has broadcasted to millions globally and has provided a voice for thousands of LGBTQ organizations and allies including MBCC.

When asked about being honored this year by MBCC Robinson stated, “It means a lot to me. I was diagnosed with breast cancer 22 years ago. It changed the course of my life. One of the things that really got me through it was someone told me that the Chinese believe that ‘When disease manifests itself it’s the beginning of healing’. So I took the journey of explore what in my life I needed to change in order to get back on a healthier course. In my exploration since breast cancer does not run genetically in my family I truly believe that it may exist in the water we drink because before 1996 I never drank filtered or spring water. I have since then and I have been cancer free for the last 22 years.”

The 21st Annual Lesbians and Friends LGBTQ Dance Party For Prevention takes place on Saturday October 20th from 8P to12A at the Brookline-Boston Holiday Inn located at 1200 Beacon Street in Brookline, MA. Hundreds of women will come together to celebrate and hope for a future free of breast cancer. Their goal is to raise at least $20,000. Directly before the event dance instructor Liz Nania will lead a free Merengue dance workshop for all interested participants from 7P to 8P. Refreshments including complimentary hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar will also be provided to all attendees. There will be a silent auction and DJ Shelly Cullen will provide the music. Tickets are $45 and $20 for students purchased in advance online and available at the door on the evening of the dance for $50 and $25 for students.
For More Info & Tix: mbcc.org

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Michael Gaucher Talks Hilarious New Golden Girls Parody (AUDIO)

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with playwright and director Michael Gaucher about his hysterical new show “Dirty Secrets: A Golden Girls Lost Episode” a drag, musical parody that runs from October 5th to November 18th, 2018 at Club Café at 209 Columbus Avenue in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bitter Bitch Production is based on one of America’s favorite sitcoms with an updated twist. Blanche is being blackmailed and the girls will do anything to get the money to save their friend’s reputation. The dilemma is clear as Blanche attempts to escape public humiliation while Sophia confronts her fears of ending up back in Shady Pines. Come enjoy a perfect night out and find out how this is resolved in this hilarious tribute for anyone who loves The Golden Girls. The show stars Blake Siskavich as Dorothy, Joshua Roberts as Rose, Brooks Reeves as Blanche and Joey Lachimia as Sophia with fabulous original musical numbers written by Fresh Fruit alumni Peter Gaioni and Michael Gaucher. So grab your BFFs and get ready to revisit Blanche and the girls in this must-see drag, musical parody event. We talked to Michael about his inspiration for creating “Dirty Secrets: A Golden Girls Lost Episode” and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.

When asked what he would like to accomplish with this show Gaucher stated, “Make some people laugh, make some money. If anyone hasn’t been exposed to The Golden Girls help to that but really just to expand on a much loved institution.”

Michael Gaucher received an MA in writing from Emerson College. He’s the author of a collection of short stories entitled “Fresh Graves”, several blogs and a contributing writer to multiple periodicals including Boston Spirit Magazine. He was a principle writer and performer in the drag cabaret comedy troupe “Fresh Fruit” and initiated “Herring Cove Beach Theater” along with Abe Rybeck from The Theater Offensive. “Dirty Secrets: A Golden Girls Lost Episode” performances will be on select Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8P with select Sunday matinees at 1P from October 5th to November 18th, 2018 at Club Café in Boston, MA. There will also be cabaret-style table service for dinner/brunch and a show plus a 20% discount on food with your show ticket.
For More Info & Tix: goldengirlsdirtysecrets.com

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Cathy Renna Talks The 20 Year Legacy of Matthew Shepard (AUDIO)

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with Cathy Renna, managing partner at Target Cue an LGBTQ focused public relations firm about the 20th anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s death next month, the events she is working on nationwide to honor this sad milestone and her spin on our LGBTQ issues. In October 1998 Matthew Shepard a twenty-one-year-old openly gay student at the University of Wyoming was kidnapped, beaten, tortured and left to die tied to a fence in the middle of a prairie outside Laramie, Wyoming, simply for being gay. At that time Renna was the Community Relations Director at GLAAD where she played a central role in shaping the media coverage onsite of both the beating death of Matthew Shepard and the trial that followed, a tragedy that became a cultural marker for a shift in the level of media visibility of our LGBTQ issues. After leaving GLAAD Cathy has partnered with dozens of different organizations including the Matthew Shepard Foundation. One of the projects that Cathy is involved with in recognition of the 20th anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s death was at the Iron Crow Theatre in Baltimore, Maryland with a production of the groundbreaking and award-winning play “The Laramie Project” written by Moisés Kaufman with members of Tectonic Theater Project.

Cathy also talked about the Tectonic Theater Project celebrity reading of “The Laramie Project” that took place on Monday September 24th at 7P at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College in NYC which is a benefit to honor the progress made over the last two decades to erase hate. Performing in this event included Judy and Dennis Shepard, Emmy Award winner Michael Emerson (Lost, Gross Indecency: The Trials of Oscar Wilde), six-time Tony Award nominee Danny Burstein (Fiddler on the Roof, The Drowsy Chaperone), Purva Bedi (Dance Nation, An Ordinary Muslim), Drama League and Outer Critics Circle Award nominee Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Newsies, Tuck Everlasting), Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Mary Louise Parker (Proof, Weeds), Tony Award winner Billy Porter (Kinky Boots), Olympic bronze medalist and U.S. Figure Skating champion Adam Rippon in his stage debut, Emmy Award nominee Samira Wiley (The Handmaid’s Tale, Orange is the New Black), Critic’s Choice Television Award nominee Asia Kate Dillon (John Wick 3: Parabellum, Billions), YouTube star and comedian Randy Rainbow and the original company of The Laramie Project: Stephen Belber, Amanda Gronich, Mercedes Herrero, Andy Paris, Greg Pierotti, Barbara Pitts McAdams and Kelli Simpkins with Tectonic Theater Project company member Scott Barrow. Tectonic Theater Project founder and Artistic Director Moisés Kaufman and company member Jimmy Maize directed this event and Emmy and Peabody Award winning journalist Anderson Cooper hosted the evening’s benefit reception. Proceeds benefited both the Matthew Shepard Foundation and Tectonic Theater Project.
For More Info: laramiealegacy.org
For More Events Nationwide: matthewshepard.org

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