Gay Filmmaker Stu Maddux Speaks OUT

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson talks with Producer Director Stu Maddux about his upcoming film “Gen Silent.” In this new groundbreaking documentary Maddux puts a face on what experts in the film call an epidemic: gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender seniors so afraid of being subject to discrimination, or worse, in long-term/health care that many go back into the closet. Their surprising decisions are captured through intimate access to their day-to-day lives over the course of a year in Boston, Massachusetts. When asked what he would like to see accomplished in the Obama administration for our LGBT civil rights, Maddux stated, “From my perspective working and interviewing LGBT seniors and their spouses, it’s all about DOMA. It’s all about the Defense of Marriage Act. The Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) are doing that case to repeal section three of DOMA which defines marriage between a man and a woman. Well here’s what’s going on. People are not getting survival benefits and I am seeing couples who I know have been together in different films I have produced who are survivors, who are devastated by not having social security benefits come in. There are a lot of things that are very important on an emotional level, but on a survival level that’s the issue right now for LGBT folks, especially seniors. It's those survival benefits.”

Stu Maddux's award-winning documentaries include “Bob and Jack's 52-Year Adventure” and “Trip to Hell and Back”. His work has been televised internationally on Showtime, BBC and The Learning Channel. “Gen Silent” will have its WORLD PREMIERE at the Boston LGBT Film Festival this May.
For More Info: LGBT Aging Project
For More Info: Gen Silent
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Black Gay Activists Speak OUT

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson talks with Black Gay Activists Andrea Shorter and Edwin Seth Brown in celebration of Black History Month. Andrea Shorter is the Deputy Marriage and Coalitions Director for Equality California. She is passionate about engaging communities of color in dialogue about gay marriage. When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Shorter stated, “Well given the fact that I’m LGBT, that’s who I am. I’m Afro-American, I’m lesbian and in many respects it’s a labor of not only love on my part but also I’m part of the struggle too.
I want the next generation of young black lesbians and other lesbians of color to not have to live in a world where we are grappling over whether or not we can marry the person we love.”
Edwin Seth Brown is Ambassador to Germany for the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA). He began his career in the arts as a modern dancer where he acquired his love for travel. He shares his experiences of growing up black and gay in urban Los Angeles in the 50’s and 60’s. “In my community being black was very difficult. I’m in my late fifties now. When I grew up as a black person you couldn’t be gay in the community because the church was very non-accepting of same-sex practices. There was such a feeling that you had to be a man just sometimes to get down the street because I grew up in South Central Los Angeles and you had to be a very strong personality not to have somebody trying to push themselves on you or bullying you. I'm lucky, I have a strong personality.” Brown is also very outspoken about the HIV/AIDS epidemic among people of color and an advocate of HIV/AIDS prevention and education.

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Gay Activist Gary Daffin Speaks OUT

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson talks with Gary Daffin, Executive Director of the Multicultural AIDS Coalition, to get his spin on where we are in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic. MAC is the largest and oldest agency in New England focused exclusively on HIV in communities of color, working in partnership with a wide range of faith and community based organizations. Daffin who is openly gay and black states that the reason his organization is successful working with the Black Christian faith community is based on mutual respect. When asked how we can find a common thread between the LGBT community and communities of color to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Daffin stated, “I think HIV/AIDS is an area where the community of color and the black community and the gay community work very well together. Particularly, if you take the example of people living with HIV, I think that we would all do better to see how well people who come from very different backgrounds, who are dealing with the disease personally, how well they work together in creating programs and advocating, find it easy to put aside differences...In a way the disease forces us to look at what we have in common. In terms of the black community and gay community specifically you know both have strong civil rights histories that have really changed the country. And I think there are a lot of things that we can learn from each other about points in those movements that we may need support in. I think in the marriage fight we saw the other side who are against gay marriage try to utilize and pit the black community against the gay community. I think this is a mistake for us to fall into that trap. Certainly in every movement of people who are most effective, I see them working together very well and learning from each other.”

Gary Daffin also serves as Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Gay & Lesbian Political Caucus (MGLPC), the state’s oldest legislative advocacy organization. MGLPC played a key role in the effort to secure marriage equality in the Commonwealth and works continuously on issues such as transgender civil rights, bullying, funding for LGBT youth and elder programs. He is a past recipient of Fenway Community Health’s Gerry Studds Visibility Award and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s William A. Hinton Award for promoting the health of minority communities.
For More Info: mac-boston.org

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Gay Activist Nancy Adair Speaks OUT

 

Full List of 2010 Oscar Nominees...:)
In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson talks with Nancy Adair, one of the film directors of “Word is Out”, the 1977 groundbreaking gay iconic documentary that is being revived in a restored print and playing at Anthology Film Archives in NYC through February 4th. When asked how “Word is Out” is being received in 2010, Adair stated, “We wondered if it would be seen as just an historic document or whether it would still continue to help people and be relevant today. I think that it does both in a way. It’s a little bit dated in that the music is from the 1970’s, you know people’s clothing is a little different and so on but it is still extremely relevant. It makes people feel really good about themselves. As much as it would seem easier to come out of the closet in areas like Boston, the Bay Area and LA and so on, in small towns like the one I live in, it’s still very difficult for young people. We’re still completely inundated by heterosexual images. It’s not easy for gay and lesbians in rural areas to come out and feel good about themselves. No one has made a film like this with its scope, with its diversities, so it’s still a very powerful statement and I think it will always be, because we made it for gays. But I don’t think in the end that it’s only for gay people. Heterosexuals really love the film because it’s about self actualization, self love and empowerment. So it’s relevant for all people.”

Soon after the original opening of “Word is Out”, the book of the same title was released compiled by Nancy and her mother Casey. Nancy lives in Willits in Northern California, where she is a yoga teacher and artist.
For More Info:wordisoutmovie.com

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Gay Activist Arline Isaacson Speaks OUT

 

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson talks with Arline Isaacson, Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus, about the recent upset in the Massachusetts senate race and how our LGBT community should become proactive in the 2010 midterm elections. When asked what she thought went wrong in Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley’s defeat by State Senator Scott Brown, Isaacson stated, “I think that there is no one thing that went wrong…There were mistakes even made in the messaging. Many of us in Massachusetts think there was an over reliance from nationals like the DNC on the heath care bill that stirred people up who were already against Obama’s health care bill. On the other hand there were a lot of people in Massachusetts that thought the health care bill was not strong enough to begin with, so that necessarily wasn’t the right button to push. There were a lot of people who felt that complacency was the biggest problem here. And this one, many people are at fault. Yes, the Coakley campaign staff were complacent in not taking the race seriously enough and assuming she was going to win. But in fairness to them, so did everyone else. So did the National Democratic Party. So did the National Republic Party and the state committee parties as well. Republican and Democrats, many of the people here, most assumed she was going to walk into the seat. There’s a lot of blame that can be spread amongst a lot of people, but there’s no one reason that it went down into defeat. However, complacency is absolutely a theme from which our LGBT community can learn a very important lesson.”

Through her lobbying expertise over the last 20 years, Arline Isaacson has been instrumental in the passage of LGBT rights in Massachusetts and is one of the architects of gay marriage in this country. In this interview she provides valuable insights and strategies into successful legislative initiatives.
For More Info: mglpc.org

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Vicki Kennedy Comes OUT for Martha Coakley

OUTTAKE MEDIA™ UPDATE: Wake Up America, The Dems Need a Plan
In this video Vicki Kennedy, the widow of late Senator Edward M. Kennedy makes a passionate case to vote for Martha Coakley urging voters to allow Senate Candidate Martha Coakley to complete her husband's unfinished work. In this 30-second spot titled "With Her," Vicki Kennedy looks straight at the camera and corrects a line Republican Scott Brown used in a debate when he referred to the post held for 47 years by Kennedy as "the people's seat." Vicki Kennedy states, "Tuesday's election is to fill the term my husband didn't have a chance to complete but it's not the Kennedy seat. It's the peoples' seat. The mother struggling to make ends meet, the father trying to find a job. My husband fought for them. And so does Martha Coakley. Cracking down on Wall Street and insurance company abuses. Fighting for working families. That’s what Martha Coakley stands for, and I’m proud to stand with her.”

This election is crucial for the LGBT community. Arline Isaacson, Co-Chair of Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus stated, “Scott Brown has voted consistently against the LGBT community throughout his entire career in the MA legislature. His has not been an incidental opposition. He has voted against us loudly, proudly and unequivocally. Unfortunately, most people don't realize just how bad his record is. Martha Coakley's record on LGBT issues is the opposite of Brown's. Coakley has stood up for the LGBT community at every opportunity and she has played a leadership role on lgbt issues for many years. Our community cannot afford to lose the most pro-LGBT seat in the U.S. Senate to someone who has no respect for our lives or our families. In this special election turnout will make a huge difference. We urge everyone supporting LGBT equality to vote Today for Coakley and to encourage their friends and family to do so as well.”
For More Info: OUTTAKE BLOG™: Senate Candidate Scott Brown Exposed

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Gay Ally Lea Gilmore Speaks OUT

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson talks with Lea Gilmore, one of the founders of The Maryland Black Family Alliance, a coalition of black families and leaders of many faiths who stand for fairness, justice and equality for all families. Lea is also a classically trained pianist and an award winning Blues, gospel and jazz singer who has appeared in over 45 musical and dramatic theater productions. When asked what her position on gay marriage is Gilmore stated, “I am a full proponent of gay marriage. I think that to deny a group of individuals civil rights based on something as arbitrary, basically inhuman, as who you choose to love is outrageous. We got rid of that in the Loving v. Virginia case in the 1960’s and I look forward to seeing that victory coming soon for the gay and lesbian community.” When asked why she thinks this is such a difficult issue for the black community, Lea explained, ”Because there’s often a disconnect. Sometimes when you’re involved in your own pain you don’t see others. But that being said too, I think that a lot of African Americans, we black folks, have gotten some bad press as well. Because if you ask people one-on-one and when they truly understand what we are asking for, when we ask for civil marriage, you see a light bulb go off and say ‘Wait I believe in that too. I believe that we should not deny people their legal rights based on my spiritual center or my faith center.’ So there’s really a lot of education that needs to happen and a lot of trust that needs to happen. You know Charlotte, nothing happens instantly. We change people's hearts and minds one person at a time. But we can do something legally and that’s what we’re fighting for.”

In addition to her United States festivals and concerts, Lea has performed, lead workshops, lectured in France, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg, in Belgium churches in small villages and to sell-out audiences in stadiums, leading a 2000 voice choir.
Lea Gilmore is married to David Gilmore and they are the proud parents of two sons, Jonathan and Gabriel. They live in Maryland.
More Info Maryland Black Family Alliance & Video

Lea Info & To Purchase Her CD's

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Gay Activist Suzane Northrop Speaks OUT

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson talks with Suzane Northrop, one of the world’s leading Trance Mediums. Suzane co-hosts “The Afterlife” with David Millbern on the gay network here! TV and OUT tv in Canada. The show's concept presents a series of séances for the gay & lesbian audience. This is an exceptional opportunity for members of the LGBT community to experience a real séance. When asked about her work Northrop stated, “Ultimately this is about love. This is about love and my connection with God. The God that I know is all about love. And who we choose or how we choose to believe or whatever our religious preferences are, that’s a personal thing. I know in my heart what I do is about connection of love and that is the whole emphasis of what I do. As I make the connection with the people that we love and, although they have left their bodies, they still continue to love us. For me I think it is an extremely key element for the community. If you can look at this as love and not get into whatever your personal things are, perhaps people would see things differently. When I was asked actually to do the show on this network, I thought about it and you know what, everyone should have access to the best people they can that will help them in that element of connection and love in the LGBT community.”

For the past 26 years, Suzane Northrop has worked to bridge the gap between the world of living and the spirit world. Her literary credits include The Séance: Guide for the Living, The Séance: Messages from Beyond, Second Chance: Healing Messages from the Afterlife, Everything Happens for a Reason, Recipes for the Soul (a Medium's Cookbook). She has lectured extensively in the United States, Great Britain and Canada to groups including the New York University’s Anthropological Society, New York Women’s Bar Association, The Spiritual Frontier Fellowship, American and British Societies for Physical Research and most recently the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine.

Suzane Northrop Info:theseance.comThe Afterlife on here!TV
The Afterlife on OUTtv

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Gay Activist Kate Clinton's 2010 LGBT Forecast

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson concludes her interview with gay political humorist Kate Clinton. When asked what she would like to see happen for LGBT civil rights in 2010 Clinton stated, “I would definitely like to see ENDA pass and certainly the beginnings of a “stop loss” for 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell'. You know that we stop getting rid of gay people in the military. At this rate I think it’s like two a day are being shuffled out of the service because they are LGBT.” Openly gay Congressman Barney Frank said that repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” will likely be included as part of this year’s Department of Defense Authorization Bill in both chambers of Congress. Senator Joe Lieberman, the Dem who turned Independent from Connecticut, appears to be taking the lead in the Senate to address “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.” With President Obama sending 30,000 troops to Afghanistan you would think repealing “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” would be a priority. Three years ago a 2006 University of California Blue Ribbon Commission report determined that the total cost of "Don’t Ask Don’t Tell" between Fiscal Years 1994 and 2003, from training personnel who are subsequently discharged, was at least $363.8 million. This is a shameful waste of tax dollars as well as human resources, especially in this economic climate.

On a lighter note catch Kate Clinton live on her 2010 "Lady Ha Ha Tour." Start your new decade dance with Kate Clinton –comic without borders, wake-up artist, and the original reality gatecrasher. See Kate perform her world-famous burlesque Bubble Wrap Dance as she gleefully pops the air out of deniers and disruptors, birthers and dearthers, conservadems and bibliocrats, the -stans and the bans, spine flu and whine flu, ex-gays and A-gays, the audacity of nope and of course, the pope. All material fully digitalized and gorgeously styled by the Haus of Ha.

FOR MORE INFO: KATE CLINTON.COM
Part#1 Kate Clinton Speaks OUT on 2009

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