Tucson Observer

Blog Update

2009-07-24T10:23:00.002-07:00

Thanks to Ryn Gargulinski and Mark Evans of the Tucson Citizen, Mark Kerr is blogging on that site about news and issues of concern to the LGBT Community.

The following is the link to the Observer page there, so update your bookmarks.

AIDS Walk, October 11

2009-07-21T13:13:00.000-07:00

Mark your calendars for October 11th as Tucson celebrates its 21st Annual AIDSWALK presented by Desert Diamond Casino & Hotel benefiting the programs and services of the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF). AIDSWALK features a 5K walk, 10K fun run, great food, entertainment, community education, kid and pet friendly play areas, a beautiful quilt opening ceremony with quilt panels on display from the Names Project Foundation, and much more.

Your participation in AIDSWALK means joining thousands of friends, families, and community members to walk in support of those living with or affected by HIV/AIDS, HIV education and prevention, and in memory of loved ones lost to HIV/AIDS.

This year’s message, I walk because, allows people to share their story. I walk because…every 9½ minutes someone is infected with HIV. I walk because…approximately 2 young Americans under the age of 24 become infected with HIV every hour of every day. I walk because…everyone has an HIV status. I walk because…

SAAF provides care and support for people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS in southern Arizona, including housing, a food pantry, medical and dental assistance and support groups. Equally important, SAAF provides outreach to groups at high risk of HIV/AIDS through seven different culturally targeted prevention programs as well as general community education to help reduce the risk of HIV.

You may visit us online for more info at www.aidswalktucson.com or call (520) 791-WALK (9255). Proceeds benefit the programs and services of SAAF.

Reveille Men's Chorus 2009-2010 Season

2009-07-21T13:11:00.001-07:00

Dear Reveille Supporters,

I don't need to tell you about the impact these difficult economic times are having on the arts and nonprofit organizations here in Tucson. In the recent weeks you have no doubt received pleas for help from more than a few local GLBT non-profits. Sadly, Reveille is no different as we find ourselves in the same financial bind as most groups in Tucson. We desperately need your help.

In one month Reveille Men's Chorus will begin our 15th year of changing lives through music in Southern Arizona. As a performance ensemble Reveille has always been dedicated to musical excellence while promoting human rights, diversity and a world free of AIDS. We have partnered with local groups such as SAAF, TIHAN and Wingspan to assist in their efforts in battling HIV. We perform at AIDS Walk, TIHAN's Musical Potpourri, the Annual Wingspan Dinner and various other fundraisers throughout the year. Reveille also performs at local churches, synagogues, schools and senior citizen centers throughout Southern Arizona to entertain and to promote a positive image of our LGBT community. Reveille has performed in Mexico (on 5 separate occasions) and Brazil to help raise funds for local HIV/AIDS support groups. We traveled at our own expense, and funds raised for our performances stayed with the local groups that organized the concerts. We have always felt that music can be a powerful medium to affect change but we are now in danger of having to shut our doors.

I cannot put it in simpler terms, due to a decrease in donations this year we are faced for the first time without having the funds to begin our new season. We are grateful to all those who recently donated funds at our most recent performance in June. That money has enabled us to survive the summer months. But unless we receive the money necessary to begin our 2009-2010 season the singing may have to stop. To make a donation:

* Mail your tax deductible check to Reveille Men's Chorus, 300 E. University Blvd., #142, Tucson, AZ 85705.

* Or call the Reveille phone at (520) 304-1758 to make a credit card donation.

Your support will enable the men of Reveille to continue to raise our voices in song and lend our hands and our hearts to all of those in our community for whom we help with our music.

Thank you,
Jeffrey Bracker
President, Board of Directors

Right to Marry Arizona Update

2009-07-19T22:57:00.002-07:00

Greetings from fellow Arizonans. We are writing to tell you about the Right to Marry campaign that will taking place in August.

We wanted to let you know young-adults will engage Phoenix during the week of August 9th. The Equality Walkers will journey 97 miles, the number of years Arizona has been a state without equal protection for its LGBT citizens, throughout the city. Along the route they will bring the conversation of civics, faith, and equality to religious institutions, politicians and community members.

We are writing foremost because we recognize and value your work on LGBT issues in this state. We think it behooves us all to be in good communication about our respective efforts. Secondly, if you have feedback, insight, or a desire to be involved, we should talk. This week we are putting out the call for participation, and this is an exciting intergenerational campaign that many folks can be a part of in creative ways.

We would love for you to show support of this event in any of the following ways:

* Host a meal

* Walk a portion of the route

* Email blast information about the walk

* Bring your organization members and supporters to the final mile of the walk from Phoenix City Hall to the Arizona State Capital on Saturday August 15th at 11am.

* Contact us with your personal stories

Please also check out our website for more information about the structure, the timeline, and details on involvement. We hope that we can work together or be mutually beneficial in our movement's goals for marriage equality in our state.

Feel free to contact us at any time.

Many thanks,

Meg Sneed

623-262-6696

Melissa Halverson

602-561-9311

meg@righttomarry.org

melissa@righttomarry.org

www.righttomarry.org

Open Letter from Wingspan Board President Cynthia Garcia

2009-07-17T21:24:00.002-07:00

Times are tough. We've all felt the effects in our pocketbooks and portfolios.

Your LGBT community center is no exception. Wingspan is making some big changes. We must take these bold actions now to preserve our core services.

I wanted to tell you what's happening and ask for your help.

First Wingspan is moving.

Beginning this weekend, the Wingspan community center and staff offices will consolidate buildings with the EON Youth Lounge. This is a smaller building just across the street from Wingspan. Wingspan will be open Saturday July 18 and then close Sunday, July 19. Wingspan will remain closed next week (July 20—24) during the transition and reopen Monday, July 27 in the new space.

I've listed further details at the end of this letter about new hours and what this will mean.

There are more big changes ahead.

I want to also let you know that as part of a strategic plan to conserve resources by cutting all staff positions that are not grant-funded, Wingspan's Executive Director Jason Cianciotto has offered his resignation. When Jason saw that his resignation was a necessary part of cost-saving measures to preserve core services, he came to the board to recommend that he resign. We reluctantly accepted.

Jason has volunteered to continue as executive director, with only a $1 salary until July 31. Jason will write to you soon himself. Jason has given complete devotion and passion to his leadership of Wingspan over the last 18 months. We are grateful for his service, leadership, and generosity.

And finally, in place of the annual community dinner held in September, we are going to do something different this year. At this time when every dollar counts, we don't want to spend any money that doesn't go directly to support our programs and staff.

Various activities are being planned in the coming months for the community to gather and support Wingspan. We will continue to keep you informed and encourage your participation in these events.

I realize that this is a lot to take in. And it's happening fast.

It's been difficult for the board to make these changes. We are available to answer your questions and hear your concerns and ideas.

Now more than ever Wingspan needs you. This is our community. It's our center.

We'll need volunteers to do many things that paid staff used to do. We'll also need your financial support to ensure that Wingspan continues.

Wingspan has a strong history of community involvement and leadership. Wingspan began as an all-volunteer organization. Wingspan's roots actually go back to the late 1970s, when local community members offered their homes for a weekly youth support group.

In the late 1980s Wingspan rented a tiny office space. And in 1998 Wingspan hired its first paid staff. It wasn't until 2000 that Wingspan had an executive director.

Now, it's time to return to our roots.

In the very first newsletter of Wingspan, published in the late 1980s, the volunteer leaders wrote why they chose to call the community center Wingspan:

"The word Wingspan represents the enfolding of wings around us, cradling us in our struggle for survival," they wrote. They went on to explain that, "It expresses our desire for freedom; the freedom symbolized by a bird in flight. And it represents the spreading of our own wings, as each of us reach beyond our limits."

It's time to spread our own wings. To reach out. To stretch beyond what we thought was possible.

Your gifts of time and leadership are needed now. And your financial support is imperative.

For Wingspan to continue we must raise $125,000 by October 31, and find 1,000 new monthly donors who commit to giving $25 or more each month. And we need your help to do it.

Every donation counts. Nothing is too small. We need every person who cares about Wingspan in Southern Arizona to stretch and do their part.

Giving online is the quickest and easiest way for us to process your gift. Please go online today to www.wingspan.org and give as much as you can. Ask your friends to do the same.

Times are tough for everyone. But I know that we have an amazing community. The board of directors have already personally pledged $20,000 toward our $125,000 goal.

This is it. This is the critical moment to offer your skills and support to Wingspan. Wingspan needs you to continue offering critical, life-saving services and to speak loudly and proudly on behalf of the freedom and equality of the LGBT community in Southern Arizona.

Thank you in advance for your sacrificial giving. And for all that you will do to ensure that Wingspan continues.

Sincerely,

Cynthia Garcia

Wingspan Board President

P.S. If you have questions or ideas please feel free to email me directly at canngarcia@gmail.com or the board vice president Karyn Prechtel at kprechtel@mac.com.

We've tried to anticipate some of your questions below. But please contact us if you have more questions.

What will the transition be like next week?

· The anti-violence hotline will remain available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week during the transition. The number is 520-624-0348 and toll-free 800-553-9387.

· The EON Youth Lounge will remain open next week during its regular hours, 3 to 8 pm for youth ages 13-23.

· Staff email is currently down due to the transition. We hope to have this back up and running smoothly by the close of business Saturday, July 18.

· The Wingspan website will remain up during the transition. The web address is www.wingspan.org.

· The new combined Wingspan center and EON Youth Lounge will be open at its new location July 27.

What will the new center be like?

· The new center hours will be Monday — Friday. Wingspan and EON will be closed on the weekends. From 11 am until 2 pm the community is welcome to come and use the cyber center, library, and the one available meeting room.

· Wingspan will be closed each weekday from 2 pm to 3 pm to allow for a daily transition to an all-youth lounge.

· EON Youth Lounge will remain a youth-only safe space from 3 pm until 8 pm Monday—Friday. Only youth, SAGA and some Wingspan committees will be able to use the space from 3 pm to 8 pm.

What will the new Wingspan look like?

Wingspan's outreach, support and advocacy will continue with paid staff through the following programs: EON Youth Lounge, Anti-Violence Programs, and the Southern Arizona Gender Alliance. Wingspan's community education programs will also continue with leadership by volunteers. These programs have been the crux of Wingspan's 21-year legacy of providing national leadership in LGBT education and advocacy.

Wingspan's finances will remain professionally administered through a financial management contract.

Volunteer teams of community leaders will take the lead on organizing volunteers, fundraising, and Wingspan's public advocacy. Already volunteers completely run many of Wingspan's work such as our community Senior Programs. Wingspan began as a volunteer organization. By engaging the many gifts and talents of our community and returning to our roots as a volunteer organization, Wingspan will continue to promote the freedom, equality, safety, and well-being of LGBT people in Southern Arizona.

My group used to meet at Wingspan: Where else can we meet?

Tucson's public libraries and city council offices have free meeting spaces for the public. Both have offered their spaces for groups that used to meet at Wingspan.

See these websites for more about reserving rooms at a library near you:

http://www.library.pima.gov/services/meetingrooms/

http://www.library.pima.gov/about/policies/meetingroompolicy.pdf

http://www.library.pima.gov/pdf/MeetingRoomApplication.pdf

I want to help. What can I do?

If you can help pack boxes, come to the center Saturday, July 18, starting at 9 am.

If you'd like to give a donation the easiest way is to go online to www.wingspan.org and donate online.

If you have ideas or would like to volunteer to write grants, do data entry, sweep floors, answer phones, host a fundraiser, or lead a new outreach program for instance, contact board president, Cynthia Garcia, canngarcia@gmail.com or the board vice president, Karyn Prechtel at kprechtel@mac.com. Jason will also be available until July 31.Thank you. Together we are Wingspan. This is our community. And our center.

Mass. Sues Feds over Definition of Marriage

2009-07-17T07:05:00.000-07:00

BOSTON, MA (Observer Update) - assachusetts, the first state to legalize Gay marriage, sued the U.S. government Wednesday (July 7) over a federal law that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman, reported the Associated Press on 365Gay.com.

The federal Defense of Marriage Act interferes with the right of Massachusetts to define and regulate marriage as it sees fit, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley said. The 1996 law denies federal recognition of Gay marriage and gives states the right to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Boston, argues the act “constitutes an overreaching and discriminatory federal law.” It says the approximately 16,000 same-sex couples who have married in Massachusetts since the state began performing Gay marriages in 2004 are being unfairly denied federal benefits given to heterosexual couples.

Besides Massachusetts, five other states - Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and Iowa - have legalized Gay marriage. Gay marriage opponents in Maine said Wednesday that they had collected enough signatures to put the state’s new law on the November ballot for a possible override.

The Massachusetts lawsuit challenges the section of the federal law that creates a federal definition of marriage as “a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife.”

Before the law was passed, Coakley said, the federal government recognized that defining marital status was the “exclusive prerogative of the states.” Now, because of the U.S. law’s definition of marriage, same-sex couples are denied access to benefits given to heterosexual married couples, including federal income tax credits, employment benefits, retirement benefits, health insurance coverage and Social Security payments, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit also argues that the federal law requires the state to violate the constitutional rights of its citizens by treating married heterosexual couples and married same-sex couples differently when determining eligibility for Medicaid benefits and when determining whether the spouse of a veteran can be buried in a Massachusetts veterans’ cemetery.

“In enacting DOMA, Congress overstepped its authority, undermined states’ efforts to recognize marriages between same-sex couples, and codified an animus towards Gay and Lesbian people,” the lawsuit states. The Justice Department had not seen the lawsuit and cannot respond until it has a chance to review it, spokesman Charles Miller said.

The Defense of Marriage Act was enacted when it appeared Hawaii would soon legalize same-sex marriages and opponents worried that other states would be forced to recognize them.

President Barack Obama has pledged to work to repeal the law, although Gay rights activists criticized the administration last month after Justice Department lawyers defended it in a court brief. White House aides said they were doing their jobs to support a law that is on the books. This is the second lawsuit filed in Massachusetts challenging the law.

In March, the Boston-based Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders claimed the law discriminates against Gay couples and is unconstitutional because it denies them access to federal benefits that other married couples receive, such as health insurance and pensions.

DOMA-ME-ME - By Mark R. Kerr

2009-07-16T21:35:00.000-07:00

When the American Foundation for Equal Rights and former Bush v. Gore attorneys, former Solicitor General Ted Olson and David Boies, had teamed up to file suit (May 22) in federal court, the Ninth U.S. Circuit, located in San Francisco, California, challenging California’s Proposition 8, on the grounds that it violates the federal Constitution, specifically the Fourteenth Amendment and the equal protection clause when the California Supreme Court, in its ruling, said Gay and Lesbians could be treated “separate but equal” under the law, LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) rights groups reacted with disdain.

This “premature” legal challenge, in a statement, on May 27 by the ACLU, GLAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance of Defenders), Lambda Legal, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Freedom to marry, GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), the Human Rights Campaign and the National Gay Lesbian Task Force “may well not win the right to marry back in California.” and that a legal defeat “would likely set back the fight for marriage nationwide, and hurt LGBT parents, employees, and students all over America,” but now more than a month later, these groups have filed a legal brief asking to be a part of this legal challenge.

Jennifer Pizer, Lambda Legal's national marriage director, said in an interview that their full participation is vital now that U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker has put the Proposition 8 challenge on a fast-track to trial. "We think it will be very helpful to Judge Walker and the ultimate resolution of the questions in the case for the litigation to have the benefit of the presence of the community in all its diversity," Pizer said.

Chad Griffin, the Board President of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, called the legal maneuvering, “too late” since the same groups originally criticized a federal civil rights claim as premature.
"You have unrelentingly and unequivocally acted to undermine this case even before it was filed. Considering this, it is inconceivable that you would zealously and effectively litigate this case if you were successful in intervening," Griffin said in a letter to the groups. "Therefore, we will vigorously oppose any motion to intervene."

More lawyers, Griffin continued would “delay and unnecessarily complicate the proceedings” but the public interest groups were welcome to continue participating as consultants, something the groups should do since they were initially loath to join this legal challenge, something they now see as a possibility but “if you snooze, you lose!”

Protecting and advancing equal rights through legal and policy advocacy, for all Americans is the reason, according to their website (equalrightsfoundation.org) why the American Foundation for Equal Rights was formed. For more information about this case, the American Foundation or to support their efforts, go to their website.

Boys R Us Presents: Life's a Drag - a Community Drag Event, July 25

2009-07-15T09:31:00.000-07:00

TUCSON - Boys R Us presents: Life's a Drag - A community drag event, Saturday, July 25, 8:00 p.m. - midnight, benefiting IDKE XI, featuring performances by Janee' Starr, Turkish Delights, Switchblade Parade and DJ Motion all on one stage to raise funds for this year's International Drag King Community Extravaganza! Eegees, drinks, auctions!

Life’s a Drag will take place at the Fourth Ave. Winsett Outdoor Performance Center, just south of Bison Witches, 326 N. Fourth Ave.

For more information, contact Rachel Castillo, (520) 551-0778.

Summer Tea Dance, July 25

2009-07-15T09:30:00.000-07:00

TUCSON (Observer Update) - A Summer Tea Dance for LGBT Seniors and their Friends, Saturday, July 25, 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Coyote Moon, 915 W. Prince.

The DJ will play a mix of '40s big band, '50s/'60s oldies, country western, and the best of disco. Burgers, fries and other food items are available for purchase, and be sure to ask about the "Howl/Senior Pride" food and drink special.

For more information, call (520) 624-1779.

Rainbow Families - Mt Lemmon Trip, July 25

2009-07-15T09:29:00.000-07:00

TUCSON (Observer Update) - On Saturday, July 25, 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., enjoy a trip up to the cool temperatures of Mt. Lemmon. Meet at the NE corner of Tanque Verde and Catalina Hwy at the McDonalds (at 11:00 a.m.) to caravan/car pool up the mountian.

There is a $5 per vehicle park pass required. If you want to meet later in the afternoon, take the Catalina Highway off Tanque Verde Road in Tucson. Drive 4.2 miles to the Forest boundary and continue 25.6 miles (through Summerhaven). Marshall Gulch Picnic Area is a quarter mile beyond the village. We will have a rainbow flag at the picnic area.

Rainbow Families is a group of LGBT parents with children who get together for monthly social events. Everyone is welcome and for more information, contact Peter, (520) 245-6659, lakepet@cox.net.

‘Bible Belt’ Playwright's Night, a Fundraiser for Eon Youth Lounge, July 18

2009-07-14T10:39:00.002-07:00

TUCSON (Observer Update) - Enjoy a night with Paul Bonin-Rodriguez, the playwright of the nationally acclaimed "Talk of the Town" and "The Bible Belt...and other Accessories", director Kevin Johnson, and the young star of the Tucson productions, Ryan DeLuca. Both shows are one-man plays about a teenager in a small Texas town coming out, and were performed in Tucson in recent years.

"Bible Belt, " which won 2008 Arizona Daily Star MAC Award for both Best Comedy and Best Actor will return for limited run in August. "Talk..." and "Bible Belt..." are part of a sequence five plays about the same young man as he matures, and are reflections of the playwright's life. There will be a reception with light refreshments following the talk. Eon have asked Paul to talk about coming out as a teenager, as well as coming out in the theater world. We will also have a performance of a scene from THE BIBLE BELT by Mr. DeLuca as well as a reading from Part Five of the series from the playwright.

This event is a pay-what-you-can event so everyone can enjoy the evening. A portion of proceeds will benefit Wingspan's Youth and Family Programs and takes place, Jul 18, 2009, 6:00 - 8:30 p.m., Beowulf Alley Theatre, 11 S. 6th Ave. For more information, contact Kevin Johnson, (520) 270-3332, azonstage@yahoo.com, website: http://www.arizonaonstage.org.

Pride events just 3 months away!

2009-07-14T00:04:00.000-07:00

PRIDE IN THE DESERT & PRIDE ON PARADE

LESS THAN 3 MONTHS AWAY!

Tucson Pride's 2 signature events, Pride on Parade and Pride in the Desert are just a few short months away and we hope you will join us for these fantastic celebrations!

This year's Pride on Parade is moving back to 4th Avenue and will take place on Friday, October 9, 2009. The procession will begin at 6:00pm and a block party will follow featuring many of this year's Pride in the Desert performers.

Pride in the Desert takes place the following day, Saturday, October 10, 2009 at Reid Park. In addition to great entertainment (see below for more details), Pride in the Desert also features more than 100 exhibitors, the ever-popular IBT's Drag Depot, a Latin Dance tent, fun for the kids, and much, much more. You can purchase tickets online now and take advantage of the pre-purchase 20% discount.

We'll look forward to seeing you for another great weekend of events!

2009 PRIDE IN THE DESERT ENTERTAINERS

We're excited to announce that we are close to having a final line-up for this year's Pride in the Desert Mainstage and CoffeeHouse Tent entertainment.

In addition to our fantastic headline entertainers, Ari Gold, Adam Joseph, and Jonny McGovern, we are pleased to announce the addition of: Sabra Faulk, Amber Norgaard (pictured,above left), Candace Aragon, Too Much Information, Chris Jacobs (pictured, above middle), and many more talented musicians both local and national.

This year's Pride in the Desert event will feature entertainment on the mainstage from 10:00am-8:00pm and in the CoffeeHouse Tent from 10:30am-6:00pm.

Stay tuned to the Pride in the Desert page at TucsonPride.org for further information.

Artist availability subject to change.

PRIDE IN THE DESERT EXHIBITOR SPOTS: DISCOUNTED PRICES END JULY 31

Planning on being an exhibitor at this year's Pride in the Desert? Then be sure to let us know by the end of July in order to take advantage of discounted pricing.

Exhibitor spots are going fast and we are expecting to sell out, once again, this year. Click here for complete information, to download forms, and pay fees.

WANT TO GIVE BACK TO TUCSON PRIDE AND ANOTHER FAVORITE NON-PROFIT?

Tucson Pride needs volunteers for our events, Pride on Parade and Pride in the Desert, and we hope you will consider helping out.

The benefits of volunteering for Tucson Pride include gaining free admission to Pride in the Desert as well as the opportunity to make a donation to one of your favorite non-profit groups through our innovative Volunteer Dollars Program!

Let's face it, times are tough! What better way to save a little money while volunteering for a great organization and giving back to one of your favorite groups?

Click here for more information on being a volunteer and our Volunteer Dollars Program.

HIV Social Marketing Campaign Requires Community Input

2009-07-12T20:36:00.002-07:00

TUCSON (Observer Update) - “We’re looking for community input. The Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF) is developing an engaging, creative prevention marketing campaign for the entire Tucson community that will help increase awareness and knowledge about HIV in a strong effort to increase HIV testing and eliminate new HIV infections,” says Wendell Hicks, Executive Director at the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation.

SAAF is launching its first ever community-wide social marketing campaign to increase awareness and education of HIV/AIDS, publicize the services and programs provided through the organization, and get people motivated to get tested.

However, before the campaign is launched, there will be a chance for the public to give input and share ideas about what this important awareness effort will look like. “It’s important to have a dynamic, interactive campaign that will educate and engage people to take action and stay safe through innovative approaches” says Hicks.

To Participate visit www.saaf.org/UandHIV or contact Hank Knaack, Marketing Coordinator at focusgroup@saaf.org or (520) 628-7223.

Each year SAAF provides services to nearly 1,200 people and delivers targeted prevention outreach and education programs to over 20,000 people who are at risk for infection. For more information about the programs and services of the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF) or to schedule a tour of SAAF, please visit www.saaf.org or call (520) 628-7223.

SAAF’s mission is to create and sustain a healthier community through a compassionate, comprehensive response to HIV/AIDS.

Look good. Feel good. Do good for TIHAN on July 15!

2009-07-11T09:27:00.001-07:00

TUCSON (Observer Update) - Look good. Feel good. Do good.

Treat yourself (or a loved one!) to beauty, style, and relaxation, and TIHAN benefits too: all proceeds support TIHAN’s programs for people living with HIV/AIDS! Robert Markley Salon Spa is offering a special event on Wednesday, July 15 from 4:00 - 8:00pm. Pamper yourself and book a massage, facial, waxing, or hair cut/style/treatment/color, and the salon will donate ALL proceeds (and tips!) to TIHAN.

The salon spa is located at the Plaza at Williams Centre, 5350 East Broadway Boulevard (just west of Craycroft), Suite 160. To make an appointment for this special TIHAN event, call Robert Markley Salon Spa at 520-747-1388.

‘Do Ask, Tell, Speak and Act!’ - By Mark R. Kerr

2009-07-09T08:27:00.000-07:00

During a reception at the White House, June 29, President Barack Obama, marking the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York City and the beginning of the modern Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) rights movement, said to those assembled for the event, “Welcome to your White House.”

“And I know that many in this room don't believe that progress has come fast enough, and I understand that,” the president said. “ It's not for me to tell you to be patient, any more than it was for others to counsel patience to African Americans who were petitioning for equal rights a half century ago.”

“I want you to know that I expect and hope to be judged not by words, not by promises I've made, but by the promises that my administration keeps,” Obama stated to the crowd. “We've been in office six months now. I suspect that by the time this administration is over, I think you guys will have pretty good feelings about the Obama administration.”

President Obama ran down the list of the calls he has made to encourage members of Congress to pass the Employee Non-Discrimination Act, the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act and an inclusive hate crimes bill.

Words of encouragement indeed but it will take actions for these words to become paramount and more important, the law and policy of this nation so it is time for the LGBT community to keep the pressure up on both the White House and Congress on Capitol Hill, express encouraging words by telling those in power and act in every way possible as those brave individuals did that night at the Stonewall Inn in New York City.

Actions and words do have consequences since after the controversy over the Obama administration’s “legal response” to the challenge in federal court over the 13-year-old Defense of Marriage Act law enacted by Congress and the president’s “lack of response,” regarding the 16-year-old law, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” for which those out and open Gay and Lesbian individuals, who wish to serve this country in its armed services, can’t do so, as witnessed with the cases of Iraq War Veteran, Arab Linguist and soon to be, former New York National Guard Lt., Dan Choi and Air Force Lt. Col Dan Fehrenbach, show that “yes it can,” but the pressure must continue, now and for the foreseeable future.

Forty years have passed so far in this effort for equal treatment and LGBT citizens, in most states: still don’t have the right to work without the fear of being fired because of whom they are, perceived or otherwise; don’t have the governmental and judicial recognition of their relationships and families, using whatever word or convenient political phrase necessary and can’t serve this nation, if they so choose, by becoming a part of this country’s military.

Mr. President, the welcome was nice but it is not our White House or even government on Capitol Hill yet, until those words on the front of the U.S. Supreme Court apply to LGBT citizens of this nation, “Equal Justice Under the Law.”

Around the Old Pueblo

2009-07-09T05:35:00.000-07:00

TUCSON (Observer Update) - Tickets are available online now for Wingspan's 12th Annual Dinner and Celebration, ¡Volamos!

Snail mail and phone calls to Development Associate Mike Herdegen are one way to go, but now you can also visit WingspanDinner.com and see menu and enterainment details, information about silent auction items (with more to come) and the awards, and purchase your tickets safely online!

This year the dinner features the acapella group, The Kinsey Sicks. You can reach Mike Herdegen at Wingspan, (520) 624-1779, ext 121. ...

The July breakfast meeting for the Tucson Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,Transgender Chamber of Commerce will take place on Thursday, July 16, 7:30 a.m., at the Hotel Tucson City Center Conference Suite Resort (formerly the Inn Suites), 475 N. Granada Ave.

Networking for Success: How to expand your networking reach in the Chamber and beyond. This presentation will help us all to better connect to one another and to use all available tools to expand our businesses and organizations. Bring your 30 second "elevator speech" and a description of your perfect customer!

RSVP by Monday July 13 by 12:00 noon, (520) 615-6436 or info@tucsonglbtchamber.org.

TIHAN Update

2009-07-08T22:29:00.000-07:00

TUCSON (Observer Update) - On Wednesday, July 15, from 4:00-8:00 p.m., Tucsonans are invited to treat themselves to beauty, style, and relaxation at the Robert Markley Salon Spa and the programs of the Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network (TIHAN) will benefit, too! Pampering may include a massage, facial, waxing, or hair cut/ style/ treatment/ color, and the salon will donate ALL proceeds (including tips) to support TIHAN's programs for people living with HIV/AIDS. The salon spa is located at the Plaza at Williams Centre, 5350 East Broadway Boulevard (just west of Craycroft) Suite 160. To make an appointment for this special July 15 event, call Robert Markley Salon Spa at 520-747-1388.

“We hope to have the salon filled with that night with men and women who are transforming themselves with great spa/salon services, while at the same time helping transform the lives of our clients through our programs,” said Scott Blades, Executive Director of TIHAN. “Come get more beautiful, and help build a more beautiful and compassionate community.” TIHAN is the largest privately-funded provider of support services for people living with HIV/AIDS in the state of Arizona. In 2008, TIHAN’s education and awareness programs reached more than 5,000 people through presentations, sermons, spoken announcements, and information tables at community events and another 36,000 through faith community bulletins and newsletters. TIHAN’s volunteer-based support programs served 267 people living with HIV/AIDS in 2008. Its Poz Café lunch program is the largest regular gathering place for people living with HIV/AIDS in Southern Arizona, having served over 10,000 meals to more than 500 people living with HIV/AIDS. ...

The Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network (TIHAN) seeks your assistance with our active search for qualified applicants for two current openings: Administrative Assistant (30 hours/week) – must have experience coordinating volunteers, managing office operations, and proficiency with Microsoft Office programs, especially Microsoft Access Kitchen/Menu Supervisor for Poz Cafe (15 hours/month) – must have experience coordinating volunteers as well as planning and preparing nutritious meals for 125-150 people once a month, ensuring compliance with health department guidelines (must be available on the third Thursday of each month for our Poz Cafe monthly luncheon for people living with HIV/AIDS)

For complete job descriptions, minimum qualifications, and instructions for applying, visit tihan.org and click on “Job Openings.” (Due to funding constraints, these positions have reduced hours.) For more information, visit www.tihan.org or contact Scott Blades, Executive Director, (520) 299-6647 or scott@tihan.org.

On Tuesday, July 14, 2009, the Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network (TIHAN) will hold Volunteer Orientation from 1:00-5:00 p.m. at TIHAN, 1011 N Craycroft #301 (just south of Speedway). TIHAN provides compassionate support to people living with HIV/AIDS, free of prejudice and proselytism.

Advance registration is required for Volunteer Orientation. All a person has to do is call TIHAN, 299-6647, to sign up. Training fee is $17 and scholarships are available. Volunteer applications must be submitted prior to Volunteer Orientation. For more information, call TIHAN, (520) 299-6647.

Observer Events A Smashing Success

2009-07-06T10:29:00.001-07:00

It was a busy weekend for the Observer staff over weekend. It began on Friday evening (June 26) with a fund raiser hosted by the folks at Coyote Moon. The crowd gathered early in the evening there and were entertained by a great show and of course, the raffle tickets, etc were carried out during the performances. Observer thanks Libby and Pat and the entire gang there who put this event on. From the loud applause from the audience, they were enjoying the entertainment as
well.

On Sunday (June 28) an extravaganza was held at IBT’s with all proceeds going to Observer. Several weeks in the planning stage made this event go on without a hitch. From the opening at 2:00 p.m. people began arriving and continued to fill the building and patio with a feeling of warmth and camaraderie.

Many were “Old Timers” who remembered the paper from its beginning and offered their best wishes as well as their donations. Entitled “Observe The Cause”, this affair had something for everyone. From a benefit Drag Show to live and silent auctions as well as raffles galore. Art from members of the community as well as Observer’s own Gary Clark were auctioned off throughout the afternoon.

One of the most unusual and entertaining features was a pictorial on the big screen TV of photos from the Observer archives from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and this decade. It drew a lot of people to view it all day and evening. The benefit Drag Show was hosted by two of Tucson’s Best - Bunny FuFu and Ajia Simone.. Also appearing were Tori Steele, Diva, China Collins and a special duet with Courtney Roxoff and Haw A/C. These girls gave the throng a good taste of four decades of music and fun. During the show there was a DJ on the patio who played music of the 70s-80s-90s and now, and kept the crowd in a dancing mood.

Following the Drag Show there was Karaoke on the Patio with host Robin. But this was not your normal karaoke! Pay $1 donation to sing a song. However if someone in the audience deemed your performance unworthy they had the option to pay $5 to “Gong” you. Even better, someone could counter this offer and pay $10 to keep you singing. All in all it was lots of fun and some playful bickering ensued.

Throughout the afternoon customers had the opportunity to bid on a variety of items during the silent auction. There was a large selection of art pieces, products, services and more from contributors inside and out of the LGBT community. Also during Karaoke on the Patio, Bunny FuFu and Ajia Simone hosted a live auction featuring some beautiful art. The entire staff of IBT’s as well as the female impersonators donated their time and tips to the “Cause.”

The Observer is forever indebted to The Moon as well as IBT’s for hosting this fund raising weekend. Special thanks go to Natalie Perry, Heather Moroso, Steve Barretto, Hal Bardach, SAAF, Wingspan, TIHAN, Colors Food & Spirits, Mike Lopez, Rick Young and Tom Galloway of Tile Canvasas, Scott Trosper, Gayle Whitley, KRQ, Starbucks, Antigone Books, Elements Salon, Silverbell Nursery, Mitch Edwards, Head of Style, Bella Eibenstiener, Backfire Chiropractic, Arizona Theatre Company, Ray Scott’s Automotive, Old Town Artisans, Invisible Theatre, Alec Laughlin, Eddie Gallegos, ‘N Touch and Wayne Rodegeiz and Bill Travis, Desert Fades, Dwayne Hough, Steven Alexander, What’s In A Name Heraldry of Tucson, Jeremy Isajiw, Alvaro DeAsis, Terry Delaney, Troy Terpening, DJ Hurricane, DJ Luis, Bunny FuFu and Ajia Simone, China Collins, Tori Steele, Diva, Ben Cook, Stan Phelps, Mike Vaughn, and to all who donated during this special event. And, of course, Mike Kramkowski of IT’s.

The cash-strapped Observer is indebted to everyone who donated to “The Cause”. It was in peril of closing down but is in fair shape and able to pay off some accrued bills. The Coyote Moon raised over $400 for us and the IT’s event raised over $5,000. Thank you!

Help bring independence from hunger

2009-07-03T11:17:00.001-07:00

(H/T Arizona Daily Star Editorial Board. Bravo indeed!)

For many Tucsonans, the Fourth of July is a time for barbecues, hanging out with friends and watching fireworks. We hope you will join us in expanding the celebrations to include the growing number of folks in our area who rely on the Community Food Bank by turning your gathering into a fun food drive.

The Community Food Bank is serving more people and distributing more food throughout the five counties it serves in Southern Arizona, according to spokesman Jack Parris. In May, the food bank distributed 17,000 emergency food boxes, which supplies enough food to stretch for four to five meals, he said.

An apples-to-apples comparison with last year is difficult because a year ago clients could receive two emergency food boxes per month, but shortages and increased demand forced the food bank to cut that back to one box per month, he said.

The Community Food Bank relies on non-perishable food such as peanut butter and canned meats, vegetables, tomato products and soups. The agency also accepts monetary donations and, because of buying power, can turn every $1 donated into $9 of distributed food.

"We're seeing new people. The need continues to rise with the economy the way it is," Parris told us Thursday. "We continue to need the basic items that we always have had for food drives."

As the economy continues to struggle and unemployment increases, people who've never needed assistance are showing up asking for help to put food on the table. The Community Food Bank distributed 16.5 million pounds of food between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2008, Parris said. Between July 1, 2008, and May 31 the food bank gave out more than 20 million pounds of food, and officials expect when the June figures are in the total will hit 22 million pounds for the last fiscal year.

The unemployment rate in the Tucson metro area, which encompasses all of Pima County, was 7.7 percent in May, an increase of six-tenths of a percentage point over April. As a state, Arizona lost more than 21,000 jobs in May and had a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 8.2 percent, according to a story by Howard Fischer of Capitol Media Services.

U.S. Labor Department figures released Thursday reveal that employers cut 467,000 jobs nationwide in June, which bumped the national unemployment rate to 9.5 percent, The New York Times reported. That translates into 14.7 million who were unemployed in June.

Turning a party into a food drive isn't difficult — we suspect that Tucsonans, when asked directly, will be glad to help. The Community Food Bank comes to mind more readily during the Thanksgiving and winter holidays, but we hope people will begin associate Independence Day with donating food, too.

"People remember to feed the hungry during the holidays, but summertime is when our donations are down," Parris said. "This is the low point for us for donations."
The Community Food Bank fulfills a vital need, and we hope you'll take the challenge and make Independence Day mean independence from hunger for many in our community.

You can help: The Community Food Bank serves five counties in Southern Arizona and relies on donations of nonperishable goods and money to feed more than 220,000 people annually. Staples such as peanut butter, canned meats, vegetables, soups and tomato products are always needed. For help or to donate, call (520) 622-0525 or go online to communityfoodbank.org.

Mark the Date for Wingspan's Annual Dinner!

2009-07-02T23:37:00.000-07:00

TUCSON (Observer Update) - This year’s community celebration will feature Wingspan's annual awards as well as Southern Arizona's first look into the future of Wingspan.

This year’s dinner will take place Saturday, September 26, 5:30 p.m., at the Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church.

Get ready to be motivated by our future and laugh as you enjoy the performance of the Kinsey Sicks, America's favorite dragapella beautyshop quartet. Mix and mingle with friends old and new for this very special night on the town!

For more information, contact Mike Herdegen (520) 624-1779, mherdegen@wingspan.org, wingspandinner.com.

Around the LGBT Pueblo

2009-07-02T23:35:00.000-07:00

TUCSON (Observer Update) - The July breakfast meeting for the Tucson Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,Transgender Chamber of Commerce will take place on Thursday, July 16, 7:30 a.m., at the Hotel Tucson City Center Conference Suite Resort (formerly the Inn Suites), 475 N. Granada Ave.

Networking for Success: How to expand your networking reach in the Chamber and beyond. This presentation will help us all to better connect to one another and to use all available tools to expand our businesses and organizations. Bring your 30 second "elevator speech" and a description of your perfect customer!

RSVP by Monday July 13 by 12:00 noon, (520) 615-6436 or info@tucsonglbtchamber.org.

On Wednesday, July 15, from 4:00-8:00 p.m., Tucsonans are invited to treat themselves to beauty, style, and relaxation at the Robert Markley Salon Spa and the programs of the Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network (TIHAN) will benefit, too! Pampering may include a massage, facial, waxing, or hair cut/ style/ treatment/ color, and the salon will donate ALL proceeds (including tips) to support TIHAN's programs for people living with HIV/AIDS. The salon spa is located at the Plaza at Williams Centre, 5350 East Broadway Boulevard (just west of Craycroft) Suite 160. To make an appointment for this special July 15 event, call Robert Markley Salon Spa at 520-747-1388.

“We hope to have the salon filled with that night with men and women who are transforming themselves with great spa/salon services, while at the same time helping transform the lives of our clients through our programs,” said Scott Blades, Executive Director of TIHAN. “Come get more beautiful, and help build a more beautiful and compassionate community.” TIHAN is the largest privately-funded provider of support services for people living with HIV/AIDS in the state of Arizona. In 2008, TIHAN’s education and awareness programs reached more than 5,000 people through presentations, sermons, spoken announcements, and information tables at community events and another 36,000 through faith community bulletins and newsletters. TIHAN’s volunteer-based support programs served 267 people living with HIV/AIDS in 2008. Its Poz Café lunch program is the largest regular gathering place for people living with HIV/AIDS in Southern Arizona, having served over 10,000 meals to more than 500 people living with HIV/AIDS. ...

The Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network (TIHAN) seeks your assistance with our active search for qualified applicants for two current openings: Administrative Assistant (30 hours/week) – must have experience coordinating volunteers, managing office operations, and proficiency with Microsoft Office programs, especially Microsoft Access Kitchen/Menu Supervisor for Poz Cafe (15 hours/month) – must have experience coordinating volunteers as well as planning and preparing nutritious meals for 125-150 people once a month, ensuring compliance with health department guidelines (must be available on the third Thursday of each month for our Poz Cafe monthly luncheon for people living with HIV/AIDS)

For complete job descriptions, minimum qualifications, and instructions for applying, visit tihan.org and click on “Job Openings.” (Due to funding constraints, these positions have reduced hours.) For more information, visit www.tihan.org or contact Scott Blades, Executive Director, (520) 299-6647 or scott@tihan.org.

What does LGBT Stand For?

2009-07-01T08:57:00.001-07:00

Tucsonans came out to Coyote Moon on Friday, June 26 and IBT’s on Sunday, June 28 to commemorate Pride, the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and the birth of the modern LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) rights movement, as well as to help this free weekly publication to be able to continue to operate during these very trying, economic times, as it has for more than 32 years.

Needed funds were raised for The Observer and the owners and publishers, Mr. Bob Ellis and Mr. Gary Clark to be able to continue providing the local information and news, something for a period of time was questionable because of the current fiscal circumstances and the loss of advertising.

Thanks to many individuals, lead by the indomitable Natalie Perry, the outpouring of financial, community and most important, heartfelt support was overwhelming and appreciated by Mr. Ellis and Mr. Clark, but Mark Kerr, the Managing Editor and those in attendance at both events, so to the Observer Benefit Committee and the sponsors, a big thank you to all for this effort to save a venerable institution, a free, weekly publication for the LGBT community, one of this nation’s oldest, has received the support needed for the interim.

This effort, especially during IBT’s event on Sunday, June 28, raised another question.

During a conversation, Miss Ajia Simone, Tucson’s “Black Cat,” asked why “didn’t Tucson’s community hold more events and benefits like this these days, especially with all that’s going on?”

Ajia’s question was a pertinent one, since she added that it had been several years since performing at IBT’s and added that Tucson’s LGBT bar owners had met on a regular, periodic basis to plan such events.
This point could also be posed towards Tucson’s LGBT groups, organizations and Tucson’s LGBT community itself?

Does Tucson’s LGBT community still stand for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender or does it stand for linking, gaming, blogging, twitterizing-texters.

Has the community become either so assimilated thanks to the accomplishments made year’s ago in the area of rights on the local level that it has become apathetic as time has passed and that LGBT doesn’t mean anything, anymore?

Perhaps it’s just the ecomony and despite the news accounts, studies and reports, the LGBT community here in Tucson just doesn’t have the money to spend?

So what does then LGBT stand for?

Equality Focus June 30, 2009

2009-06-30T18:01:00.001-07:00

Budget or Bust!

We are hours away from the ONE deadline the Legislature is constitutionally obligated to meet. The House republicans are still in caucus about the budget. Nothing released yet, you can watch the proceedings live at www.azleg.gov , click watch live proceedings.

Meanwhile, over in the Senate. The Senate Rules Committee rejected the measure that would refer a temporary sales-tax hike to the ballot. The 1-5 vote was a serious monkey wrench in the whole process with mere hours left before the deadline to enact
a budget for fiscal 2010.

In case you haven't been following the progress until now, last night the budget bills were all re-referred from the Senate Appropriations Committee to the Senate Education Committee. This morning Republican Senators Gould, Harper and Steve Pierce all voted against the first general appropriation bill along with the one Democrat who was present, Paula Aboud, defeating the main budget bill.

In Senate Education, the various budget bills passed along a party-line vote. The Republicans voted in support (Senators Huppenthal, Linda Gray, Paton and Sylvia Allen). The Democrats opposed the budget (Senators Aboud, Landrum-Taylor and Lopez).

There are still not enough Republican votes to pass the sales tax referral. The Governor has publically stated that if the budget gets sent to her without the sales tax referral, then she will veto the entire budget package.

Please take a moment and take our survey about the Legislature. Tell us what you think. To take the survey click here.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/MySurvey_EditorPage.aspx?sm=Y9ROvsShIaDA03NLDSB4Pjh4e%2bVF0xZulKO4X%2fIjysI%3d

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Issue Updates- D.P. Benefits still on the chopping block

Still sitting there quietly in the budget bills is the new definition of dependant that will take away domestic partner benefits for state employees that went into effect last October. We have been talking to legislators nonstop, and we are prepared
for possible outcomes. This includes strong legal action if necessary.

Equality Arizona will fight to protect the rights currently granted to state employees and the benefits of future employees. We are fighting for our families and our right to provide healthcare to them.

We are fighting for over 700 people just like Sarah. Here is her story:

"My partner and I moved to Arizona in the summer of 2007 for her new job at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. Because we live in a rural part of the state, full-time employment in my field has been extremely difficult for me to find. As a result,
I currently have a part-time job that does not offer benefits. I am also epileptic and require regular medical care, including the lifetime use of anti-epileptic drugs. Losing my Blue Cross health insurance through the domestic partner program means that
I would first be without health care and second put into the position of hoping that I would be accepted into AHCCCS. However, given the continuing cuts of this program, I cannot count on being accepted into the program. If I am accepted, the state could conceivably pay for 100% of my health care.

If I no longer have health insurance, my partner and I will be paying 100% out-of-pocket for my necessary doctor visits, medication, and regular lab work. I can only hope that I don't have a seizure and need to see a neurologist or have a CT scan
because I simply wouldn't be able to afford it. I would be in equal fear of getting a cold, strep throat or the "normal" things that affect most of us at some point during the year. A car accident or other life-threatening disease - that no one can plan for - could literally send us into bankruptcy.

At a time when state, municipalities, counties and cities are adding domestic partner benefit programs, I continue to be baffled as to why our state senate and legislature are trying to get rid of a domestic partner program."
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Political Update- Legislation of note

Some other bills have had some movement recently.

SB1209 (support) Establishes rights for children in foster care. Passed the Senate and on the house calendar today.

SB1010 (support) Resolves requirements for those seeking custody to meet criteria now under two conflicting statues. Passed the House and returned to the Senate.

SCR1022 (support) Equal Rights Amendment Ratification advanced in the Senate and assigned to Rules committee.

HB2400 (oppose) Defines and restricts Partial Birth Abortion passed the Senate and returned to the House.

HB 2564 (oppose) Requires consent of parent or guardian for a minor to have an abortion. Passed the Senate and returned to the House.
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News from the Equality Arizona Education- EQAZ listed with SECC

Equality Arizona has been granted approval to be listed as a charity in the 2009 State Employees Charitable Campaign. As a charity in the SECC, our charity information will be listed in the 2009 SECC Donor Guide and on their website at
www.azsecc.org.

This is great news for Equality Arizona! Thank you to the SECC for your recognition of our work, and opportunities for state employees to contribute.
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This week on Equality Arizona Radio

Listen up as guest host Meta Goforth-Zinn is introduced to the underground world of male impersonators, better known as drag kings, with the Emeritus Mister King of the Desert USofA Male Impersonator Anson Reign. Anson has utilized his new title to
organize Kings for a Cause, a nationwide series of drag shows from troupes all over the United States to raise funds to be divided between local and national LGBT organizations. Click here to listen up!

http://equalityarizonaradio.podbean.com/2009/06/30/kings-for-a-cause/

On This Day

2009-06-28T09:35:00.002-07:00

The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969 at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City.

They are frequently cited as the first instance in American history when people in the homosexual community fought back against a government-sponsored system that persecuted sexual minorities, and they have become the defining event that marked the start of the gay rights movement in the United States and around the world.

(Read the rest here.)

40 Years Later, Still Second-Class Americans

2009-06-28T09:31:00.001-07:00

(By Frank Rich, NY Times)

LIKE all students caught up in the civil rights and antiwar movements of the 1960s, I was riveted by the violent confrontations between the police and protestors in Selma, 1965, and Chicago, 1968. But I never heard about the several days of riots that rocked Greenwich Village after the police raided a gay bar called the Stonewall Inn in the wee hours of June 28, 1969 — 40 years ago today. (Read more here.)

SLDN Protest at White House

2009-06-28T09:27:00.001-07:00

(H/T Joe Sudbay with AmericaBlog)

According to press pool reports, President Obama was at the White House today (Sat., June 27). I hope he heard the noise from the protest organized by Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN). The group collected 265 buttons, symbolizing the 265 servicemembers who have been discharged under Don't Ask, Don't Tell since Obama took office, for delivery to the President.

As we all know, the President committed to ending Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeatedly during the primaries and general election. But, it hasn't happened. Nothing has. As Obama said on his campaign website:

America is ready to get rid of the Don't Ask, Dont Tell policy. All that is required is leadership.

Leadership. Yes. It is needed.

It's really quite sad that SLDN has to protest to get the attention of the White House. But, we are where we are and this White House needs pressure. If you haven't called yet, the number is 202-456-1414. Tell Obama to end the DADT policy -- he has the power. Yes, we want a legislative repeal, but Obama can stop the discharges NOW. He is the leader.

Here's a video with several scenes, too:

Show Pride in Tucson’s LGBT Community by Helping the Observer

2009-06-27T23:13:00.000-07:00

TUCSON (Observer Update) - Despite the economic downturn and troubles, the Observer, Tucson’s LGBT newsweekly is still producing a print edition, albeit in reduced numbers.

On Sunday, June 28, IBT’s (616 N. Fourth Avenue), starting at 2:00 p.m., will be holding a fund raiser for the Observer in which all of the proceeds will go help the Observer continue serving Tucson and Southern Arizona’s LGBT community.

Natalie Perry, a long time advocate and resident of Tucson, penned the following:

“ ... As an active member of the Tucson Gay community for over 28 years. If you've been around as long as some of us, I would like to solicit your help for about 15 minutes. It will take your physical presence on June 28.

“The Weekly Observer's owners/publishers, Bob Ellis and Gary Clark are "hanging on by their fingernails" to continue to publish the oldest, weekly Gay publication in Arizona. I am challenging and beseeching each of you to make a physical appearance in the "Parade of History", to donate $1.00 (or more), with many other representatives of Tucson's Gay community who have benefitted in their businesses/ adventures/ fundraisers from the exposure through the Observer over the past 30+ years.

“I'd like former Miss Gay Tucsons and ALL other performers, Sisters of Sonora, TKO, TALL, T-Squares, Wingspan, MCC church, TIHAN, SAAF, Pride, Inc., TLGA members, current and former bar owners and bartenders, Desert Voices, Reveille, Bears of the Old Pueblo, TGSA, Saguaro Regional Rodeo Assn, Gay Chamber, Bowling league, Cinco de Mayo kings and queens and many, many more to show up at IBT's on Sunday, June 28th . The festivities begin at 2pm, with a show at 3pm. I would like the parade of clubs, organizations, etc. to march at the end of the show (approx. 4:30 p.m.) Bring your banners and we'll announce your participation as you walk through and hand Bob a $1.00.

“Please come to show your appreciation, respect and support by joining the "Parade of History". You are a part of the history of Gay Tucson and the Observer needs our help.”

These events are happening during Pride week to mark the 40th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and the modern rights movement as well as the 33rd year of the existence of the country’s oldest LGBT weekly newspaper, still proud, still free and still going!

'Why Don't You Guys Do Something' - By Mark R. Kerr

2009-06-27T23:08:00.001-07:00

A woman in handcuffs was escorted from the door of the bar to the waiting police wagon several times, repeatedly escaping, fighting with the police, swearing and shouting, for about ten minutes until being hit on the head by an officer with a billy club for, as one witness claimed, complaining that her handcuffs were too tight.

Eyewitnesses stated the woman, whose identity remains unknown, sparked the crowd to fight when she looked at bystanders and shouted, "Why don't you guys do something" after an officer picked her up and heaved her into the back of the wagon, the crowd became a mob going “berserk” and the scene became “explosive,” - the beginning of the Stonewall Riots on June 28, 1969, marking the birth of the modern Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) rights movement.

Flash forward forty years and the scene is still “explosive,” especially since the current administration, from which many of those politically active in the LGBT community had hopes for change, chanting “yes we can,” have had nothing but disappointment five months into this new presidency.

As the woman being arrested at the Stonewall Riots, as well as others have stated in the past couple of weeks when LGBT issues, such as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” full benefits and protections for LGBT federal employees, passage of a federal hate crimes law, repealing the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) (not comparing LGBT families to incest but to other families - legal briefs aside) and not being counted openly and honestly in the upcoming Census has pushed the LGBT community to the forefront of the frenetic news cycle, it is time that we “do something,” maintaining, protest and sustained attention.

Over time and through past examples, public pressure will get even the federal government moving forward, on issues of concern in a positive and productive manner and that has even been the case recently with LGBT issues as well.

After filing an offensive legal response to a federal lawsuit challenging the 1996 DOMA law the Department of Justice invited LGBT legal groups to a meeting to start discussions on an upcoming case that challenges the constitutionality of it - in part due to the outrage and news reports over this matter but the activism, public pressure, outrage and protest hasn’t just been confined to one issue of concern.

As previously reported, the Early Treatment for HIV (ETHA), that allow states to extend Medicaid coverage to low-income individuals with the HIV virus before it advances to full-blown AIDS, is now a part of the House Health Reform Draft bill, thanks to activism and public support.

Seventy-seven Congressional members sent a letter to President Obama urging him to take immediate action to stop the investigations of "don't ask, don't tell" violations. The letter does not call for an executive order halting discharges but rather a change in how the policy is implemented within the Department of Defense, as noted in several news accounts.

Rea Carey, Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force noted in a piece for the Huffington Post that the Obama administration, taking the steps on its own, right now, to start fulfilling its vision of change and equality stated in the campaign and on the White House website in regard to LGBT issues, such as:

By issuing an executive order, a “stop loss” to the discharge of Gay and Lesbian servicemembers pending Congressional review, hearings and passage of the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy enacted by Congress in 1993;

Funding LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying, suicide prevention and runaway and homeless youth programs and,

Reversing the regulations that continue to throw roadblocks in the way of HIV-positive individuals who want to travel to this country, just three of the policies that the president can change with his directive, resulting in a positive impact for LGBT citizens and the country as a whole.

Perhaps the administration is getting the message, when they invited LGBT citizens and their families to the White House, Monday, June 29, to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of the Stonewall Riots but according to reports, “the White House has not publicized the reception, and officials did not respond to e-mail requests for comment. But gay leaders from here and around the country said they had received either telephone calls from the White House or written invitations to the event, and were told Mr. Obama is expected to speak. ...Whether Mr. Obama will address the complaints at Monday's reception is unclear. One person who received the invitation said the White House was billing the event as a celebration, akin to the festive affairs the administration holds on St. Patrick's Day or Cinco de Mayo.”

Forty years may have passed but LGBT citizens still have a long way to go and this isn’t the time for “celebration,” since what that Lesbian said while being arrested in front of the Stonewall Inn, still applies, not only to LGBT citizens but our elected officials as well.

PRIDE WEEK 2009

2009-06-25T23:09:00.000-07:00

f you haven't had an opportunity yet to join us for one of this month's many great Pride Week activities, there is still plenty of time to get in on some of the action.

Here are some events coming up over the next few days that we know you will not want to miss!!!

Steak Night

Venture-N

Thursday, June 25

6:00-8:00pm

Family Tradition Fundraiser for The Observer

Coyote Moon

Friday, June 26

Wet Party

Woody's

Saturday, June 27

Fundraiser for The Observer

IBT's

Sunday, June 28

Desert Voices Concert

Saguaro Christian Church

Sunday, June 28

Help Keep LGBT People in Southern Arizona Safe!

2009-06-25T23:08:00.003-07:00

We Need Your Help to Keep LGBT People Safe in Southern Arizona

June 24, 2009

What would Southern Arizona be like for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people without Wingspan's Anti-Violence Programs?

This is a question that has been weighing heavily on my mind this June Pride Month.

Wingspan's Anti-Violence Programs (AVP) help nearly 400 LGBT people every year with crisis intervention in person at the Center or on our 24-hour crisis line. In addition, Wingspan AVP Staff train over 1800 law enforcement agents, service providers and community members in Southern Arizona. This crisis intervention and training makes Southern Arizona better for all of us because violence hurts everyone.

Click on the image above to see our 30-second public service announcement that airs on local TV to raise awareness of intimate partner violence. This outreach is just part of the critical, life-saving work that the AVP does to make Southern Arizona safer for LGBT people.

Click here to donate today to help prevent further reduction in our anti-violence programming.

The following survivor's testimonial serves to illustrate the important and life changing work of the AVP staff and volunteers:

"I came in to see you last week about a violent relationship situation I was in. Thank you for your help and the information I received. Wingspan was a safe place for me to regroup. I will continue to promote Wingspan's Anti-Violence Programs to members of our community as a valuable resource. Thank you for all your work."

Now, more than ever, Wingspan's AVP needs your assistance.

Please make an online donation today in support of Wingspan's critical, life-saving services.

There are still too many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Southern Arizonans who need Wingspan, and I am fighting day and night to prevent the changes wrought by this terrible economic recession from affecting our Anti-Violence Programs. Currently our crisis lines, 520-624-0348 or toll-free at 800-553-9387, are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

However, without your financial support, we will have to further reduce our Anti-Violence programming.

Everyone at Wingspan is committed to ensuring your donation provides the best available support as efficiently as possible. We have made painful decisions since November to make cuts and reduce administrative overhead. while preserving our core programs and services. Yet, this recession is still threatening cuts to all of our programs.

Wingspan needs your support right now. We have raised just under $600 toward our goal of $2,100 in online fundraising in June. We only have six days left to meet this goal, but with your help, I know we can do it!

Thank you so much for your financial support. Together we will ensure that Wingspan continues to provide critical, lifesaving services to our community. That is something we can truly take pride in.

Sincerely,

Jason Cianciotto

Executive Director, Wingspan

P.S. Now, more than ever, I know you want to make sure your donation is being used as efficiently as possible. I invite you to check out our new Fiscal Year 2008 Annual Report online to see all the critical, lifesaving work your donation supports.

An Open Letter to President Obama from People For the American Way

2009-06-24T07:32:00.000-07:00

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Obama:

I am writing to respectfully urge you to bring the energetic moral vision that you championed as a presidential candidate to the cause of equality for gay and lesbian Americans.

Among the reasons that millions of people were inspired by your candidacy was your eloquence on behalf of an America in which everyone is offered respect and equality under the law. At People For the American Way, we disagreed with your decision to stop short of supporting marriage equality, but we welcomed the clarity with which you articulated the constitutional principle of equality in so many other areas. That vision energized not only gays and lesbians, but many other fair-minded Americans who recognize discrimination as a national moral failing, who view equality under the law as a defining part of the American Way, and who believe the country is ready to discard discrimination based on bigotries that should be left in our past. That vision would be even more powerful coming from you as president, but since your election we have heard very little.

Any reasonable person is aware of the extraordinary challenges that faced the nation as you took office, including a dire financial crisis that has cost millions of Americans their jobs, homes, and access to health care. You have not shied from these most daunting of challenges. But it seems that you have shied from promoting the vision of equality that you articulated during your campaign.

Legislative change is needed, and we will continue to push Members of Congress and the Democratic leadership to move forward to end discrimination against LGBT Americans even as they grapple with other urgent national priorities. We are counting on you to call for and help win passage of legislation that you pledged to support.

As importantly, Mr. President, you are uniquely capable of communicating to the American public the moral and constitutional values at stake in ending discrimination against gay Americans. Beyond the clear harm to gay and lesbian Americans, the lack of your leadership on these issues damages both America’s sense of fairness and the credibility of your administration.

Your recent action to extend some benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees, and your statement from the Oval Office committing yourself to work tirelessly toward equality, could have been the kind of moment that was celebrated as a milestone on the march toward equality. But instead it had the feel of, and was reported as, an incremental half-measure rushed onto the stage to placate a discontented political constituency.

While your comments in opposition to the Defense of Marriage Act at the recent signing ceremony were welcome, they would have carried more weight as part of a larger ongoing effort to educate the American public about the moral need for LGBT equality. Moreover, the impact of your words was blunted coming so soon after your administration’s brief in support of DOMA using arguments that degraded gay and lesbian couples. You may have felt it was your duty to defend the law, but your argument that discrimination against same-sex couples doesn't count as discrimination and citation of case law on incest to claim that marriages of gay couples are unworthy of legal recognition was beyond the pale. Americans who support equality would not have been at all surprised if that brief had been filed by the Bush Administration. Coming from you, particularly without a broader public affirmation of your commitment to equality, it had the force of a hard slap in the face by someone we trusted.

Moreover, in the absence of a stronger statement about the importance of equality for all Americans, it has been equally difficult for your supporters to understand the continued discharges under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell of service members devoting their lives to our country. Congress should vote to repeal the destructive law that destroys military careers and robs the armed forces of highly trained soldiers, but until that happens, you should use your authority as commander-in-chief to suspend discharges of these personnel until that law is changed.

We have seen you change a nation’s conversation with an extraordinarily compelling speech on the issue of race in America. We have seen you change the perceptions of the world with a historic speech on history, pluralism, respect, and democracy to the world’s Muslims. We have seen you bring grace and conviction to the debate with your speech at Notre Dame about preserving a woman’s right to choose.

On the question of LGBT equality, it’s time to make that speech.

Mr. President, you have the opportunity to be on the right side of history. Every day, LGBT Americans face discrimination and are being denied their constitutional rights. There is no one in public life who could, and based on your stated principles and promises should, do more to move America forward toward becoming a country in which LGBT people are respected and treated as fully equal under our Constitution and laws.

We ask for your leadership and voice. When you lead, we will back you with every bit of heart and determination we can muster.

Sincerely,

Michael B. Keegan
President
People For the American Way

Sign the Petition

Pride Week: Stonewall Day on 91.3 KXCI

2009-06-23T23:16:00.000-07:00

TUCSON (Observer Update) - 91.3 KXCI will honor the 40th Anniversary of Stonewall on Sunday, June 28 from noon to 6pm with special Stonewall Day programming. Both the schedule of on-air hosts as well as the music and content for the day will feature LGBT community members and allies, LGBT artists, their music, and history, highlights, information, and spoken pieces from and about the gay community locally, nationally, and gay pride and Stonewall Day.

Long time KXCI volunteer Mark Rosenbaum will host a special edition of "Jazz Sundae" from noon to 2pm. "Simple Folk" will feature the best of LGBTQ artists from 2pm-3pm. Our regular Sunday public affairs programs "30 Minutes with Amanda Shauger," "A View From Slightly Off Center with David Yerkey," the nationally syndicated "This Way Out" block, and "Broad Perspectives Radio with Susie B." will devote their shows to current and historic LGBTQ issues and guests.

KXCI is located at 91.3 on your FM dial, or go to kxci.org and click 'listen now' for live webstreaming.

Health Coverage - PCAP Ice Cream Social, June 29

2009-06-23T23:15:00.000-07:00

TUCSON (Observer Update) - Pima Community Access Program (PCAP) will be at Wingspan on June 29, 3:00 - 6:00 p.m., serving ice cream and sharing information about the program.

PCAP is a discounted health care program offering a pay as you go solution for the uninsured. For example, our contracted rate is $30 for a specialist visit. Our network includes over 700 local physicians and all the full-service hospitals.

It is necessary to fit within PCAP guidelines for income and you must reside in Pima County. Please call PCAP at 694-0418 if you have questions. Online at mypcap.org.

Happy Gay Pride Everyone!

2009-06-22T19:15:00.001-07:00

Gay Pride Month has been a great opportunity for volunteers to get involved with our Yes on Gay Marriage campaign. We are seeking 1,000,000 petition signatures to present to President Barack Obama during the National Gay March on Washington D.C. on October 11, 2009.

You can show your support by making a small donation and we will send you a Yes on Gay Marriage T-shirt, Yes on Gay Marriage Sticker, or both.

We are seeing new grassroots movement for equal rights, similar to the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 60s. The young people in our community are hungry to get involved in this fight. They want their voices to be heard and they are angry that federal and state elected officials seem only to be paying lip service to their promises of fierce advocacy for equal rights for the gay community.

Yes On Gay Marriage Team Members are organizing petition drives at hundreds of local Gay Pride events and celebrations all over America. The new interest comes on the heels of the court’s decision to uphold Prop 8, a Justice Department brief comparing gay marriage to incest, the discharge of highly qualified and trained military personnel under the “Don’t Ask; Don’t Tell” policy and President Obama’s seemingly tepid support of equal rights for gays, a community that heavily backed his campaign for the presidency.

Happy Gay Pride Month!

Sincerely,

Dan Kirk
President

Statement from GLAAD on Perez Hilton’s Use of Anti-Gay Slur

2009-06-22T19:14:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK - The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) today issued the following statement in response to a video posted by celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, in which he made the following remarks about a confrontation with will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas and members of the band’s entourage.

"And that is when I made the split-second decision - that I was gonna say what I thought was the worst possible thing that thug [will.i.am] would ever want to hear. As I was standing my ground - without being violent or physical which I would never do - I told him - and you know what? I don't need to respect you and you're a f**. You're gay and stop being such a f***ot."

"These are vulgar anti-gay slurs that feed a climate of hatred and intolerance toward our community," said Rashad Robinson, Senior Director of Media Programs at GLAAD. “For someone in our own community to use it to attack another person by saying that it is, quote, ‘The worst possible thing that thug would ever want to hear,’ is incredibly dangerous. It legitimizes use of a slur that is often linked to violence against our community. And it sends a message that it is OK to attempt to dehumanize people by exploiting anti-gay attitudes.”

“We have reached out to Hilton and asked him to apologize for promoting this anti-gay slur, and we would ask media outlets to avoid repetition of the slur in their coverage of this story.”

Reuters is reporting that Toronto police have charged Liborio Molina, the manager of the Black Eyed Peas, with assault.

“While not all the facts in this case are known, the violence that appears to have been committed against Perez Hilton is unacceptable and ought to be condemned in the strongest possible terms,” said Robinson.

Observer Benefit - June 28

2009-06-20T18:16:00.000-07:00

Hi, This is Natalie Perry, a member of the Observer Benefit committee and an active member of the Tucson gay community for over 28 years. If you've been around as long as some of us, I would like to solicit your help for about 15 minutes. It will take your physical presence on 6/28/09.

The Weekly Observer's owners/publishers, Bob Ellis and Gary Clark are "hanging on by their fingernails" to continue to publish the oldest, weekly gay publication in Arizona. I am challenging/beseeching each of you to make a physical appearance in the "Parade of History", to donate $1.00 (or more), with many other representatives of Tucson's gay community who have benefitted in their businesses/ adventures/ fundraisers from the exposure through the Observer over the past 30+ years.

I'd like former Miss Gay Tucsons and ALL other performers, Sisters of Sonora, TKO, TALL, T-Squares, Wingspan, MCC church, TIHAN, SAAF, Pride, Inc., TLGA members, current and former bar owners and bartenders, Desert Voices, Reveille, Bears of the Old Pueblo, TGSA, Saguaro Regional Rodeo
Assn, Gay Chamber, Bowling league, Cinco de Mayo kings and queens and many, many more to show up at IBT's on Sunday, June 28th . The festivities begin at 2pm, with a show at 3pm. I would like the parade of clubs, organizations, etc. to march at the end of the show (approx. 4:30pm.) Bring your banners and we'll announce your participation as you walk through and hand Bob a $1.00.

Please come to show your appreciation, respect and support by joining the "Parade of History". You are a part of the history of Gay Tucson and the Observer needs our help.

Please contact Natalie at 790-6303 and leave a message to reserve a spot. We look forward to your participation.

Page One Q Update

2009-06-20T11:12:00.000-07:00

Fight over Anchorage gay law wording

Eric Holder to testify on hate crimes

Study: Gay marriages not different

NOM threatens NY legislators

Barney Frank backs down on DOJ

Obama considers gay man for post

Judge asked to block DC marriage decision

CA Gov. stays out of Prop 8 suit

Christian group wants to burn book

Frank to introduce inclusive ENDA

Wingspan Is Seeking Nominations for the Godat Award

2009-06-19T22:09:00.000-07:00

TUCSON (Observer Udate) - The Wingspan Annual Dinner is just a few months away, which means it's time to gather nominations for the Godat Award so help Wingspan recognize those who have made outstanding contributions to Southern Arizona's LGBT community.

Please nominate someone for Wingspan's Godat award by completing a Nomination Form. Nominees do not need to be connected to Wingspan. The Godat Award, named after the first recipient, Ken Godat, was inaugurated in 1998 as a way to recognize annually one person who has made outstanding long-term contributions to Southern Arizona's LGBT community. It is the most prestigious award and highest honor granted each year at the Wingspan Annual Benefit Dinner. Past Godat Award winners include: Ken Godat (1998), Jean Baker (1999), Colette Barajas (2000), Ana "Bertie" Lozano (2001), Bob Ellis (2002), Alexander John Goodrum (2003), Alan Storm (2004), Mae Krueger (2005), Craig Snow (2006), Noel Matkin (2008). No award in 2007.

Now, Wingspan is accepting nominations for the award for 2009, with winners to be honored at Wingspan's 12th Annual Benefit Dinner, on Saturday, September 26, the Tucson Convention Center. (Watch www.WingspanDinner.com for more information.)

Members of the Wingspan Board of Directors or Selection Committee are not eligible to be nominated. Wingspan Board of Directors - Paula Aboud, Kathy Altman, Carol Bradsen, David H. Braun, Leslie Carlson, Rebecca Corran, Roger Funk, Carol Galper, Cynthia Garcia, Yvette Jackson, Sean Kurysh, Brenda Limon, Kevin Maxey, Nicholas Mclain, Scott Morris, Laura Penny, Karyn Prechtel, and Alan P. Taylor. Award Selection Committee - Elizabeth Burden, Carol Galper, Andrew Held, Laura Penny, Karyn Prechtel, and Alan Taylor.

Antigone Books Hosting Reading, June 26

2009-06-19T22:07:00.000-07:00

TUCSON (Observer Update) - Please join us for an event at Antigone Books on Friday, June 26, 7:00 p.m., when Max Cannon, author of Red Meat Gold (St. Martin’s Griffin, $11.95) and Ted Rall, author of America Gone Wild! (Andrews McMeel, $12.95) will discuss their books.

Come hear two nationally known cartoonists discuss their lives in the world of cartooning. Both regulars in the Tucson Weekly, Cannon and Rall will be in town to share their work via powerpoint and give us behind-the-scenes details of their art.

The reading will be followed by a question and answer period. Refreshments will be served.

Desert Voices at Saguaro Christian Church

2009-06-18T22:59:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone. I’m Chris Tackett, the artistic director of Desert Voices. We are Arizona’s Premier Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and allies chorus, celebrating twenty years of raising our voices in song and changing lives through the choral arts.

I’d like to invite you to join us for our last event of the season on Sunday night, the 28th of June at 6:pm. It’s a short concert and reception to thank you, our audience, for the love and support you have shown us throughout the years, to mark the end of Gay Pride Week in Tucson, and to commemorate the fortieth anniversary (to the day) of the beginning of the Stonewall Riots in New York City.

Musically, we’ll be presenting highlights from our last two shows with a couple of new surprises. The Bearatones will be there with their boas, and Alexander Tentser, our incredible accompanist, will join me for some wonderful four-handed piano.

The concert is free and open to all (donations will be gratefully accepted!) and there will be a reception featuring the considerable baking talents of the chorus after the music.

Join us Sunday, the 28th of June at 6:00 pm in the Sanctuary of Saguaro Christian Church, 8302 E Broadway, Tucson AZ. I hope to see you there!

www.desertvoices.org
520-791-9662

Get Out and Get Involved

2009-06-18T22:55:00.002-07:00

In this issue: Community Day at the Diamondbacks, Miss Gay Arizona, and Bisbee Pride

Community Day at the Diamondbacks Saturday June 27th Tickets Start at $15.00 with $5.00 per ticket benefitting Pride Scholarship Fund, Aunt Rita's Foundation, Equality Arizona, 1n10

1:10 D-backs vs. LA Angels

The celebration continues after the game at Coach and Willies

Purchase tickets online at www.dbacks.com/groups, sign in: community Password: baseball

Presented by: Camelback Volkswagen, Subaru, Mazda; One Community; Echo Magazine; MEGA 104.3 and FINS, a monthly networking event

Bisbee Pride June 19-21

Travel to beautiful Bisbee, once known as the "Queen of the Copper Camps" for Bisbee Pride weekend June 19-21, 2009. Kick off the weekend with a Pub Crawl and the Miners and Madams costumed Ball on Friday. Saturday's activities include a Street Fair, a pool party and BBQ at the Historic Copper Queen Hotel, a Film Fest, a Psychic Fair even, speed dating. Explore Bisbee with the Old Bisbee Ghost Tour, the Historical Bisbee Walking Tour, or stroll the galleries and shops.

Wrap up the weekend Sunday with a morning hike and a wine and cheese Farewell Mixer.
For more information, see www.bisbeepride.com.

Miss Gay Arizona America Contest

Experience the best in Female Impersonation. Join us as we crown
a new winner!

Saturday, June 20, 2009 at 7 p.m.

The Madison Events Center, 447 W. Madison St., Phoenix

You can reserve a table or purchase individual tickets. Table for 8 - $250
Table for 4 - $125. Individual Tickets - $10, $15 at the door. Purchase at missgayazamerica.com

Casa Grande officer cleared in Gay-rights protest

2009-06-17T07:41:00.002-07:00

CASA GRANDE (Observer Update) - The Associated Press reporting on azstarnet.com that a Casa Grande police officer who ended a gay-rights demonstration has been cleared of any wrongdoing.

The department’s police chief says officers will be better trained in the future in handling demonstrations and First Amendment rights.

Police Chief Robert Huddleston said he didn’t think the officer engaged in misconduct, but the call could have been handled differently.

“I think that as a department if we fell short, we didn’t go in with a primary objective of protecting their right to demonstrate,” Huddleston said.

In addition to First Amendment training, the department is requiring supervisors be notified when officers respond to protests.

Christopher Hall, 19, a student at Central Arizona College and president and founder of Central Arizona Rainbow Equality, said he was disappointed with the internal investigation’s findings.

“It means we have a lot more work ahead of us,” he said.

Casa Grande Police Officer Brian Walsh was accused of threatening gay-rights demonstrators with arrest for flying a pride flag inside city limits on April 15.
Walsh’s notes on the incident showed the group was “made to leave (and) warned to not obstruct the view of traffic by flying their flag.”

Less than a week later, Hall filed a complaint with the department, alleging his group’s right to assemble was violated and that Walsh discriminated against some of them.

“Straight supporters were not questioned nor harassed, but members of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community were,” Hall wrote.

Fierce Advocate Strikes Again?

2009-06-16T12:53:00.000-07:00

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

City of Tucson GLBT Commission Meeting - June 16

2009-06-15T13:42:00.002-07:00

TUCSON - The City of Tucson Commission on GLBT Issues will be holding their next meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) June 16 at the EOO Conference Room, 100 N. Stone, First Floor.

The agenda for this meeting can be found online at their website.

The Commission as the official advisory body on GLBT issues. 8 year term limit.

For more information, call the Tucson City Clerk's office, (520) 791-4213.

LD 29 Town Hall, June 27

2009-06-15T12:43:00.001-07:00

Join Rep. Daniel Patterson, Rep. Matt Heinz and Sen. Linda Lopez at their last town hall of this legislative session, Saturday, June 27, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Their town hall will be held at the Eckstrom-Columbus branch library (4350 E. 22nd St.).

The state budget, education, jobs & the economy and your priorities will be discussed.

What do we want?

2009-06-15T09:34:00.002-07:00

John Aravosis, writer, editor and proprietor of the great blog Americablog.com posted the following on his site, something the editorial staff of the Observer strongly believes as well.

Joe and I got an email the other day from a well-connected gay friend, and he said he was hearing rumors that the Obama administration, in an effort to woo back the gays, was thinking of possibly announcing the following this month:

1. Something on Hate Crimes.
2. Federal benefits for partners of gay federal employees.
3. A gay ambassador.

Let me explain something. All of that is very sweet and nice. But it's all very 1990s. Bill Clinton and George W Bush both appointed gay ambassadors, so you get no kudos there. Federal benefits for partners of gay federal employees is, again, nice, and will certainly benefit the handful of gays who work in the government. But again, it's very 1990s, in terms of issues on the gay community's radar. And finally, Hate Crimes. Nice bill, important, but totally bottom of the barrel in terms of its importance compared to DOMA, ENDA, and DADT. Not to mention, Hate Crimes already passed the Senate and House in the last Congress - we expect more with a Democratic president who has promised to be our "fierce advocate."

And a word about the federal employee benefits. How exactly are they going to pull that one off? First off, their own DOMA briefargues that it's not fair to ask straight taxpayers to pay for our benefits. So how is the administration going to pull a 180 on that one? Second, what about DOMA? Doesn't it have something to say about the federal government paying benefits to gay partners? Now, sure, I've been told by big gay lawyers that DOMA wouldn't necessarily ban the provision of federal benefits to partners provided they're not in a marriage-like relationship - meaning, DOMA would ban you from getting benefits if you have a civil union or an actual marriage in one of the states that permit it. So what that means is that should Obama decide to give benefits to the partners of gay federal employees, he may have to exclude any federal employees who have civil unions or marriages (in places like Massachusetts, CA, IA, CT, etc). Why? Because he hasn't done anything on DOMA, like he promised. Oops.

Relations are not going to get better between President Obama and the gay community - and in fact, they're going to keep deteriorating - until the White House does something real to move the agenda forward on DOMA, ENDA and DADT (and an openly gay cabinet appointee wouldn't hurt either). No more empty statements of "support." No more explanations as to how powerless you are to get anything done. We want action. You're the president of the free world. Act like it.

Update: National Media Coverage of KRXQ Hosts’ Apologies

2009-06-15T09:31:00.001-07:00

Two weeks after mobilizing GLAAD supporters, Sacramento radio hosts Rob Williams and Arnie States apologized yesterday for their disparaging, anti-transgender remarks that promoted the abuse of transgender children.

Audio of the apologies can be found here.

Following Thursday’s broadcast, Vice President of Entercom Entertainment Sacramento, John Geary, released a statement describing the anti-transgender remarks as “hurtful” and “unacceptable.”

Geary went on to explain his hopes that KRXQ “can foster a greater level of tolerance and understanding by people on both sides of the [transgender] issue.”

Rob Williams also released a statement following yesterday’s broadcast in which he thanked his listeners:

Thank you for having the courage to stand by us and to keep the show in check. It was through the loyal listeners of the Rob, Arnie and Dawn show that Arnie and I were dragged, kicking and screaming, to the reality that we had gone too far and crossed a line in the eyes of OUR audience. It is still a point of sadness and frustration that it took us so long to acknowledge our mistake, believe our audience, and begin making things right. The show of Thursday, June 11 serves to set things in forward motion.

Additionally, several media outlets highlighted the KRXQ apology, such as the AP, the Advocate, the Sacramento Bee, and local television news stations, among others.

As noted in its Thursday press release, GLAAD will continue to monitor the show daily to ensure it stays within the bounds of fair, accurate and inclusive coverage. GLAAD will also continue promoting the stories of transgender people to the show and advising the hosts on covering transgender people with respect and dignity.

Follow Up - Screw the Poor with HIV/AIDS: State DHS

2009-06-14T09:46:00.002-07:00

PHOENIX - The Arizona Republic reported that the state Department of Health Services is slashing the number of free medications it provides to poor and uninsured HIV patients because it didn't receive the level of federal funding it requested for its AIDS Drug Assistance Program.

The program, which has been in place since the mid-1990s, will still cover essential anti-virals that keep patients alive and fight infections.

But beginning July 1, it no longer will pay for more than 130 drugs that help patients manage the side effects of their disease.

Drugs that have been cut from the coverage plan include pain-relievers, antibiotics, medications that control chronic conditions such as diabetes and high cholesterol, and psychotropic drugs that treat anxiety and depression. Most are common ailments in HIV patients.

HIV advocates and health officials worry the cuts could lead to sicker patients, an increase in hospital stays and more deaths.

"The implications of this are very serious," said Jennifer Lewis, director of wellness and life management at the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS in Phoenix. "The concern is that more people will become suicidal, harm themselves and harm others because their quality of life has diminished so significantly."

The program, which serves 1,100 patients throughout Arizona, including 800 in Maricopa County, costs about $14 million annually.

Roughly $1 million of the program's budget comes from the state. The rest is paid for via a federal grant known as the Ryan White Treatment Modernization Act (Part B).

DHS officials said they had hoped to receive about $13 million in federal funding for their program.

But this year, twice as many states applied for the pot of cash, which ultimately reduced Arizona's share.

Arizona received $2.3 million less than what it needed to fully fund the program, said Judy Norton, chief of the DHS' Office of HIV, STD and Hepatitis C Services. As a result, health officials decided to cut back on the number of non-essential medications they offered patients in order to provide the critical, lifesaving medications to everyone enrolled in the program.

The shortfall has left non-profits and local-government agencies scrambling to help needy clients and patients find other ways to pay for their medication.

"Right now, we're just doing what we can," said Cheri Tomlinson, director of grants for the Maricopa Integrated Health System, which treats hundreds of patients enrolled in the drug-assistance program at its McDowell Healthcare Clinic.

The program cuts, medical experts say, are particularly worrisome because Arizona is known as a "moderate- to high-incidence" state for HIV/AIDS infection, officials said. Roughly 13,000 Arizonans live with the virus; an additional 4,000 may have the disease but not know it, officials estimate.

State vital-statistics reports show that 800 people in Arizona are diagnosed with the illness each year.

As the cost of medications and health services has increased, more people have enrolled in the AIDS Drug Assistance Program. In fact, the number of participants have jumped 34 percent in just two years. Patients enrolled in the drug-assistance program received letters notifying them of the changes this week.

By Friday, case managers at Care Directions, a central Phoenix non-profit that provides assistance to HIV and AIDS patients, were busy fielding calls from concerned clients.

"I think (the impact) is going to be varied from person to person," said Debby Elliott, the agency's director. "What we are most concerned about is the anti-psychotic medications. When that is left untreated, it just affects so many realms of people's lives."

Caseworkers are sharing the program changes with clients and offering options for reduced-cost medications, including $4 generics sold by many retail stores.

For some patients, however, there are no generics for their expensive medications. They will need to enroll in patient-assistance programs offered by individual pharmaceutical companies, Elliott said.

Maricopa Integrated Health System officials, meanwhile, have decided to enroll patients in their Copa Care program, which offers health services and medications at a reduced rate. Some patients are on as many as 18 medications a month that are no longer covered by the AIDS drug program, Tomlinson said.

"People think, oh, they are still going to get their lifesaving medications, so it's OK," Tomlinson said. "But these others are critical, too.

"It's tough."

AG Jerry Brown Supports Federal Lawsuit to Overturn Prop 8

2009-06-13T08:18:00.001-07:00

California Attorney General Jerry Brown filed a brief in support of the federal lawsuit seeking to overturn Proposition 8 and restore marriage equality to California.

In stark contrast to President Obama's Justice Department filing a brief defending the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act, California's Attorney General Jerry Brown today filed a brief in support of a federal challenge to Proposition 8. Equality California is extremely appreciative of the Attorney General's continued leadership in opposition to Proposition 8 and in support of ending discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Californians.

Governor Schwarzenegger is expected to file his brief soon. We urge him to take the same principled stance and tell the Court that Prop. 8 violates the Constitution.

The time has come for all elected leaders to follow Jerry Brown’s example and stand up for equality for all Americans, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Equality California will continue our position of not endorsing or supporting any candidate for any level of public office who does not completely and unequivocally support total equality for our community.

In solidarity,

Geoff Kors
Executive Director
Equality California

Something You Can Really Take Pride in This June!

2009-06-12T22:59:00.001-07:00

In honor of June Pride month, I would like to ask you a question that has been weighing heavily on my mind.

What would Southern Arizona be like for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people if Wingspan weren't here?

Matt, a member of our Eon Youth program (pictured at right), has this to say about Wingspan:

I was alone and didn't have anywhere to go. I told the staff at Eon and they helped me find a place to live. Eon has been my personal support for the past eight years. I don't know where I'd be without it.

Click here to donate today in support of youth like Matt.

Imagine if Matt had no safe and accepting place to go when he was teased and tormented out of school and became homeless at 18.

What would have happened to him? Given the tragic statistics about homeless LGBT youth, I don't even want to think about it.

I see Matt nearly every day at the center, and I can't imagine him as anything but the happy young man preparing to attend Pima Community College so he can become a social worker and help other LGBT youth like him.

Matt's story is an incredible example of how Wingspan helps and protects those most vulnerable in our community, inspiring them to spread their own wings and fly higher in life than they imagined possible.

Please make an online donation today in support of Wingspan's critical, lifesaving services.

There are still too many youth like Matt who need Wingspan, and I am fighting day and night to prevent the changes wrought by this terrible economic recession from affecting our youth program.

However, without your financial support, we will have to reduce our youth program staff and the number of hours our youth center is open.

I have a dream this Pride of raising $2,100 online, in honor of Wingspan's 21st birthday and with your help, I know we can do it!

Thank you so much for your financial support. Together we will ensure that Wingspan continues to porvide critical, lifesaving services to our community.

That is something we can truly take pride in.

Sincerely,

Jason Cianciotto

Executive Director, Wingspan

Tucson GLBT Chamber of Commerce Breakfast Reminder

2009-06-12T22:58:00.001-07:00

June Breakfast Meeting

6/18/09
7:30 AM to 9:00 AM

Hotel Tucson City Center Conference Suite Resort

475 N. Granada Ave.

Speaker: Hope Sikora
Pima County Procurement

Topic: Doing Business with Pima County -- What you Need to Know

RSVP by Monday 6/15/09 by 12:00 noon

615-6436 or

info@tucsonglbtchamber.org

Take Action: Obama Defends DOMA

2009-06-12T22:56:00.000-07:00

President Obama had a chance to take a strong stance against the Defense of Marriage Act – and he blew it, going back on his promise to repeal the discriminatory law.

In a recent California Federal Court challenge filed by a couple married in California, President Obama's Justice Department filed a brief supporting DOMA and justifying discrimination in government benefits against legally married same-sex couples.

Enough is enough.

Demand that President Obama stop defending DOMA and instruct the Department of Justice to take any and all actions to support its repeal.

Demand President Obama push for complete equality for LGBT Americans, as he promised during his campaign.

We have been promised too much and have waited too long.

Send a letter using EQCA’s Action Center and it will be delivered immediately to President Obama.

www.eqca.org/takeaction

President Obama has let us down. He can still fix this mistake, but he must act fast. Make sure he knows you want full equality now.

Please forward to everyone you know.

In solidarity,

Geoff Kors
Executive Director
Equality California

Sample Letter

[Sender's Name]
[Sender's Address]

Dear President Obama,

I am writing to express my outrage at the legal brief your administration filed in a California Federal Court defending DOMA, the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act -- a law you promised to repeal when you were running for President.

I am writing to urge you to immediately stop defending DOMA, call for its repeal and instruct the Department of Justice to take any and all actions to support that position, including asking the court to strike the brief.

As your support of many broken promises to the LGBT community, I demand that you immediately call for an end to all discrimination against LGBT Americans and demonstrate that you are the "fierce" advocate you claimed you will be.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]

State cuts meds available for HIV/AIDS patients

2009-06-10T22:59:00.000-07:00

PHOENIX - The Arizona Daily Star reported that a statewide drug assistance program for HIV and AIDS patients is dramatically slashing the number of drugs it will cover, leaving local health care providers scrambling for alternatives.

A list of drugs covered by the state-run AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) was seven pages until this week. Now it’s three. More than 100 drugs are now gone.
The cuts mean patients will not be funded for several medications that help with problems like side effects from their illness and from other medications. At worst, patients who aren’t able to get those drugs could become sicker and ultimately require more care, one local HIV/AIDs doctor says.

But state health officials stress that critical drugs — anti-retrovirals and drugs for opportunistic infections — will not be affected. The program is funded primarily with federal money, which is drying up as the cost of drugs rise and as more HIV and AIDS patients are enrolling.

The state is $2.3 million short of what it had asked from the federal government, leaving them with no choice but to make cuts, said Judy Norton , chief of the state’s office of HIV, STD and Hepatitis Services.

Advocate Not Equivocate, Speak out and ‘March,’ Now and Later - By Mark R. Kerr

2009-06-10T07:48:00.000-07:00

On Monday, June 8, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear, a case challenging the constitutionality of the 1993 law, known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the federal law which prohibits Gays and Lesbians, who want to help protect this nation, by serving in the country’s armed services, openly and honestly. In court papers, the Obama administration said the appeals court ruled correctly in this case when it found that “don’t ask, don’t tell” is “rationally related to the government’s legitimate interest in military discipline and cohesion.” This coming with a new poll, reported in various news outlets, from Gallup shows that 69% of Americans want to see the policy overturned, an increase of six percent over the last five years. While liberals and Democrats remain the most supportive, the biggest increase in support has been among conservatives and weekly churchgoers — up 12 and 11 percentage points, respectively to 58%.

Saturday, June 6, marked the 33rd anniversary of the brutal murder of Richard Heakin, who as a 22 year old college student was brutally murdered outside a northside bar in Tucson for being who he was, a young, Gay man. Four high school boys, looking for some fags to hassle were arrested for the crime, three were prosecuted for the offense and given probation for the murder because, as the judge put it “boys will be boys.” Yet, the Washington Independent reports that “one month after successfully tucking an amendment into the credit card reform bill that expanded gun rights, a small number of Senate Republicans are looking at the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act as another chance to score a victory for the Second Amendment. The possible plan — to add an amendment that would allow gun owners to carry their weapons from one state to another in accordance with concealed carry laws. The possible rationale — to defend LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) rights.”

J.W. Lown, resigned unexpectedly as the Mayor of San Angelo, Texas, as reported in news outlets on May 20. Lown, being recently reelected to a fourth term by an overwhelming margin by the residents of the small, Texas town, because he could not serve, swearing an oath to the constitution to uphold the laws of the city, state and country because he could not live openly with the love of his life, a young man who wasn’t from the United States and was living here illegally.

In California, 18,000 same-sex couples in loving and committed relationships and who were “married” while the window of opportunity was open to them, are considered legal but other similar couples in the golden state aren’t afforded the same opportunity, thus creating a class of citizens in a country that was built on the premise that all people were considered equal.

LGBT rights, AIDS Activist and founder of the NAMES Project - the AIDS Memorial Quilt, Cleve Jones is right on one point, there should be a national march on Washington D.C. around October 10, but it needs to go further, since he said this during a parade and march in Salt Lake City, Utah for its LGBT Pride event.

Show your support and let Congress now (both chambers) that the Uniting American Families Act, H.R. 1024 in the U.S. House of Representatives and S. 424 in the U.S. Senate, must be heard, considered and passed and sent to the President’s desk.

Demand the U.S. Senate, (especially Senator’s Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Joseph Lieberman (CFL-CT), the two potential capitulators) hold hearings and vote on the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act, S. 909, now and without any amendments, especially since a gun was used in Matthew’s brutal assault and murder in Wyoming.

With the nation, solidly favoring the repeal of the 16 year old “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” policy that prevents Americans from serving in its armed forces to defend our rights and protect the interests of the country, simply for being who they are, openly and honestly, march to your phones and computers and state your backing of this nation and what is what founded upon with the support of H.R. 1283, the Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2009.

Section three of the so-called, thirteen year old, Defense of Marriage Act, approved by Congress and signed into law, is what prevents the federal government from recognizing the loving, committed relationships of same-sex couples and their families by whatever terminology and tell them its time for this to stop and repeal it.

All people, LGBT and straight supportive, living with or affected by HIV/AIDS or otherwise must march, speak out now, then and for the foreseeable future until action is taken. As was the case, with the lack of oversight regarding the federal bailout of the financial institutions to the turnout at a recent meeting of the Tucson Mayor and Council pertaining to the proposal to raise the tax rate on rental property - which in turn raises the rent to those who can’t afford housing during these turbulent, economic times, we cannot wait any longer. Advocate, not equivocate because if we don’t speak up for ourselves, no one else, especially those in government will do so until they hear it because thanks to their actions, these problems, some of the many this nation faces, were caused by them.

Richard Heakin's Murder Anniversary Marked - By Mark R. Kerr

2009-06-09T12:55:00.004-07:00

TUCSON (Observer Update) - On Saturday, June 6, while the world marked the 65th Anniversary of D-Day and the Invasion of Normandy during World War II, Tucsonans gathered in Sunset Park to remember a young man, Richard Heakin, brutally murdered at a nightclub for who he was.

Heakin was wrapping up a vacation and went with friends to the former Stonewall Tavern on North First Avenue just south of East Fort Lowell Road. As the group was leaving, Heakin was attacked in the parking lot by four young men, looking for some “fags to hassle.”

These four received only probation for what was termed a hate crime, Tucson pressed for change and introduced anti-discrimination laws, coming about in 1977, resulting in new organizations (this publication) and pride events celebrating the LGBT community ever since.

In 2002, a campaign by community activists was launched to have a memorial plaque created and placed to honor and remember Heakin, which was subsequently place in Sunset Park in front of Tucson’s City Hall.

The plaque reads, “This memorial is placed in gratitude to Richard and all those who have sacrificed in the struggle to make Tucson a place where all persons can enjoy the freedom to be themselves, regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression. We hereby commemorate a tragedy that has transformed us and our history into a triumph of community spirit.”

Observer Fund Raiser, June 28

2009-06-09T12:54:00.001-07:00

Religious voices critical to LGBT equality

2009-06-07T14:01:00.001-07:00

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s National Religious Leadership Roundtable and the Center for American Progress released two groundbreaking reports today analyzing religious and secular advocacy of marriage equality ballot initiatives in California and Michigan.

Although examining different campaigns in different states in different years, the two reports draw remarkably similar conclusions about the need for partnerships between religious and secular supporters of equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.

The Task Force’s report, A Time to Build Up: Analysis of the No on Proposition 8 Campaign and Its Implications for Future Pro-LGBTQQIA Religious Organizing, examines last fall’s Proposition 8 battle in California, highlighting religious-secular partnerships relevant to marriage equality. The report was written by the Rev. Rebecca Voelkel, program director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Institute for Welcoming Resources, and funded by the Arcus Foundation.

The Center’s report, The Faithful Divide Over Wedding Vows: A Profile of Michigan’s 2004 Battle Over Marriage Equality, examines the role that religious groups played in support of and opposition to Proposal 2, the ballot initiative on marriage equality in Michigan. It was written by Sally Steenland, senior policy advisor, Faith and Progressive Policy Initiative, Center for American Progress; and Jonathan Duffy, senior political science major, Kent State University, and intern, Faith and Progressive Policy Initiative, Center for American Progress.

Similarities in the report findings include:

Anti-LGBT ballot initiatives are often rooted in conservative religious rhetoric. Effective responses require faith voices and messages to counteract these claims in order to show religious diversity in support of marriage equality and to disprove the notion that conservative religious voices are the sole guardians of morality on these issues.
Secular-religious partnerships are crucial to the success of legislative campaigns and to the broader goals of social justice and equal rights under the law for LGBT people.
Advocates should not write off certain religious communities as impossible to win nor overlook any “unlikely” allies, be it the Catholic Church, the Mormon Church or African-American churches. While some communities may have official pronouncements against marriage equality and campaign against it, almost always there are members within that community who by conscience have different views.
A narrow political campaign frame hinders effective collaboration with religious communities. LGBT faith advocates and supporters must work within their denominations for full support of LGBT rights, including marriage equality and adoption by same-sex couples.
Media work that takes seriously the language and culture of religious people is critical. It is crucial to quickly rebut inaccurate religious arguments and misleading statements from anti-equality forces. Furthermore, the message of LGBT rights should be framed in a mainstream way so that people feel connected to the issue. In addition, non-LGBT organizations, such as civil and human rights and faith groups, should be sought as campaign allies.
It is important to have both a robust on-the-ground organization and an effective media campaign, especially in larger states where much of the battle is fought over the airwaves.

Michigan report author Sally Steenland says, “The findings of these two reports are highly relevant for future battles on marriage and family equality because these are deeply moral issues. Faith voices have much to contribute to the debate and authentic religious-secular partnerships are essential to achieving human and civil rights for LGBT Americans.”

The Rev. Rebecca Voelkel says of the California report: “As secular and religious organizers, we all strive for a country whose mores, culture and laws reflect the dreams of our forebears — life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and genuine justice for all, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning and intersex people and families. Although there yet remains uncertainty and unknowing between us, these shared visions and values provide us with a solid foundation upon which to build strong partnerships.”

Representing the Arcus Foundation, funder of the California report, Tom Kam, director of the Religion and Values Program, says, “Collectively, these reports recognize the power of conservative religious voices to utilize their moral authority to influence public debate on LGBT equality. It is time to respond to these voices with similar authority, fully incorporating within the leadership of the LGBT movement and the public debate, the LGBT and allied religious leaders whose lives and voices speak the truth about our civil and moral equality.” The goal of the Arcus Foundation’s Religion and Values Program is to achieve LGBT moral equality.

Download the reports:

Download a copy of A Time to Build Up: Analysis of the No on Proposition 8 Campaign and Its Implications for Future Pro-LGBTQQIA Religious Organizing at www.welcomingresources.org.

Download a copy of The Faithful Divide Over Wedding Vows: A Profile of Michigan’s 2004 Battle Over Marriage Equality at www.americanprogress.org.

Support your favorite non-profit and enjoy a meal at Pastiche!

2009-06-07T13:58:00.000-07:00

Eat at Pastiche Modern Eatery in June and have 5% of your ticket donated to Desert Voices! (3025 N. Campbell). Twice a year, the Pastiche management donates a percentage of meal tickets to non-profits designated by the diners. Not only will you help Desert Voices but you will enjoy a fabulous meal.

See you there!

Get Out and Get Involved

2009-06-06T15:12:00.002-07:00

Get OUT and Get involved!

In this issue: Community Day at the Diamondbacks, Meet Mesa, and
Bisbee Pride

Community Day at the Diamondbacks Saturday June 27th
Tickets Start at $15.00 with $5.00 per ticket benefitting
Pride Scholarship Fund, Aunt Rita's Foundation, Equality
Arizona, 1n10

1:10 D-backs vs. LA Angels

The celebration continues after the game at Coach and Willies
Purchase tickets online at www.dbacks.com/groups

sign in: community Password: baseball

Presented by: Camelback Volkswagen, Subaru, Mazda; One Community; Echo
Magazine; and FINS, a monthly networking event
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Meet Mesa!
Come meet city officials and get to know Mesa and the East
Valley!

Sunday, June 7, 2009 10am-1pm
862 East Vine Ave | Mesa, AZ

We are inviting the members of the LGBTQ community to see how
wonderful the East Valley is and to see that there are great
values in investing in homes in the East Valley at this time.
Ollie the Trolley will take interested persons around Mesa to
look at homes. Mesa, Gilbert, Scottsdale, Chandler and Apache
Junction are vital parts of the Phoenix Metro Area and there are
numerous LGBTQ households in the East Valley. Come see what
great things are happening in the East Valley!

Come and meet some of the progressive leadership of Mesa.
Councilmember Dennis Kavannaugh, Human Relations Advisory Board
chair Terry Bennelli and other board members, Mary Berumen,
director of diversity/neighborhood outreach, and a
representative of the Mesa Police Department will be present to
express their support and welcome to Mesa to the LGBTQ
community.

For more information click here.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=107973823641
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bisbee Pride June 19-21

Travel to beautiful Bisbee, once known as the "Queen of the
Copper Camps" for Bisbee Pride weekend June 19-21, 2009. Kick
off the weekend with a Pub Crawl and the Miners and Madams
costumed Ball on Friday. Saturday's activities include a Street
Fair, a pool party and BBQ at the Historic Copper Queen Hotel, a
Film Fest, a Psychic Fair even, speed dating. Explore Bisbee
with the Old Bisbee Ghost Tour, the Historical Bisbee Walking
Tour, or stroll the galleries and shops. Wrap up the weekend
Sunday with a morning hike and a wine and cheese Farewell Mixer.
For more information, see bisbeepride.com.

Richard Heakin

2009-06-05T16:17:00.002-07:00

TUCSON - (Editor’s Note: The great blogger/reporter, Jim Burroway ran the following item on his blog, Box Turtle Bulletin, October 13, 2006, about Richard Heakin, who was murdered in Tucson in 1976 because he was Gay. This shocking death and subsequent legal action galvanized a movement for LGBT rights in the Old Pueblo. What follows is the post, a must read for those who remember and for all those who should not forget.)

Our local afternoon paper, the tiny but intrepid Tucson Citizen ran a great article yesterday about Richard J. Heakin, Jr., a Gay man who was visiting Tucson from Nebraska. In June 6, 1975, the 21-year-old was attacked and killed by four teenagers while leaving a local bar near downtown. Outraged that the 15- to 17-year-old killers received only probation for what was termed a hate crime, Tucson pressed for change and introduced anti-discrimination laws, new organizations and pride events celebrating the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered community.

Then a Tucson committee decided on a memorial and tried to reach the Heakin family. But a dishonest friend supposedly said they wanted nothing to do with it, the family later learned. The family remained in the dark about the impact Richard’s death had in Tucson. It led to Tucson becoming one of the first communities in the nation to pass anti-discrimination laws based on sexual orientation a few months after his death. It also led to the establishment of Wingspan, one of the largest LGBT community centers in the country for a city our size. (Tucsonans like to point out that Phoenix doesn’t even have one.) And every year, on June 6, Richard’s death is remembered with a gathering at the Richard Heakin Memorial in Tucson’s Presidio Park.

And now, thanks to the Internet, Richard’s family has learned about the great impact his death has had in our community. His niece tapped his name into a search engine, and a whole world opened up for her and her family. Heather Ryan typed into an Internet search engine the name of an uncle four teens beat to death in Tucson and discovered a world unknown to the family…

While Lori Ryan, Heakin’s sister, was at bingo, her daughter spent the night at their Missouri home tracking down e-mail addresses that resulted in a phone number exchange, which led to a talk with Rowan Frost, one among the group that tried to reach the family years ago.

“We probably still would not have known if she hadn’t . . . gone on the Net,” Ryan, 49, said in a telephone interview Wednesday. “Making that phone call made all the difference.”

So came the tender and thrilling moment when Ryan received a mass of newspaper clippings about various events commemorating her brother. She booked a flight to Tucson so she could get to know the city that has spent decades keeping his name alive.

Tucson’s main morning newspaper, The Arizona Daily Star followed up with another story in Ernesto Portillo, Jr.’s column: She wasn’t emotional as she walked up to the shaded memorial bearing her dead brother’s name Thursday, but Lori Ryan seemed tentative nonetheless. It was understandable. It was the first time Ryan or anyone from her Nebraska family had been to Downtown’s Presidio Park to see the 4-year-old plaque bearing the name of her older brother, Richard J. Heakin Jr., a victim of hate and intolerance….

“I never realized his death made such a difference,” said Ryan, 49, several hours after her plane landed at the airport. “It’s incredible to know that people who didn’t know him went through all this.”

Most Gay communities celebrate Pride during June to commemorate the Stonewall riots. But Tucson waits until October, when the temperature will more reliably remain below 100. This year’s Pride is this weekend and Richard Heakin’s family will be in attendance. The original grand marshal of the parade even stepped aside so Lori Ryan could have the honor.

Kahlil Gilbran once wrote, “Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” Some of our greatest advancements are born through terrible loss. Richard Heakin’s senseless death more than thirty years ago brought about a great transformation in a small city in the desert. This weekend, we will celebrate our pride in ourselves and in our community’s transformation. And we will remember the suffering.

Richard Heakin Memorial Gathering, Saturday, June 6

2009-06-05T16:08:00.002-07:00

TUCSON (Observer Update) - Gather at the Richard Heakin Memorial with Bruce Cole and others for this informal sunset gathering to honor the memory of Richard Heakin on the 33rd anniversary of his death.

Event Details - June 06, 7:30 - 8:30pm, Sunset Park, in front of City Hall, 255 West Alameda St. Tucson.

Event Sponsor - Bruce Cole. For More Information, Contact Bruce Cole, 520-629-8260 ibebac@msn.com.

Budget Approved - DP Benefits Cut: By Mark Kerr

2009-06-05T08:12:00.002-07:00

Thanks to the behind the scenes and "closet" doors maneuvers by the Republican leadership in the Arizona Legislature, the GOP controlled chambers approved their half-baked, ideologically driven induced proposal on a party line vote.

As previously reported and posted, a provision to rescind the extension of medical and dental benefits to the domestic partners of state employees, who have to go through many hoops to be approved for these by the Arizona government (for the past year), would be rescinded if the GOP's financial mangling document is approved.

It's up to Governor Brewer now, to contact her, either call (800) 253-0883, or online.

The Party of No Ideas Strikes Yet Again!

2009-06-04T08:33:00.001-07:00

(H/T Arizona Daily Star, June 4 edition)

Arizona lawmakers move to end domestic partner benefits

PHOENIX — State lawmakers are moving to strip the domestic partners of state and university employees of the health insurance coverage they gained just a year ago.

A provision in the state budget would legally define "dependents" of state employees who are entitled to coverage as a spouse or a child younger than 19 — or younger than 23 if a full-time student. Changing the law would override regulations adopted last year that added domestic partners and their children to the list.

The state Department of Administration says about 750 workers who have signed up for the benefits would be affected.

Senate Majority Whip Pamela Gorman, R-Anthem, said the question of who gets what benefits should be decided by state lawmakers. She said it was wrong of then-Gov. Janet Napolitano to make the change administratively.

Senate President Bob Burns, R-Peoria, said legislative oversight is particularly important this year, with the state running a deficit, and given there is a cost involved. Department of Administration spokesman Alan Ecker said domestic partner coverage costs the state about $3 million a year on top of the $625 million Arizona spent on health insurance for other employees.

It remains to be seen whether Gov. Jan Brewer, who already has registered objections to some parts of the budget, will support the change.

Gubernatorial press aide Paul Senseman said Brewer and her staff are "evaluating" everything in the budget. He said that includes changes in state policies.

Brewer, in a questionnaire she filled out in 2006 for the Center for Arizona Policy, said she opposes the government granting unmarried domestic partners the same employee and health benefits as married couples. The center, which helped push through an initiative last year to constitutionally ban gay marriage in Arizona, tried to block the coverage when Napolitano pushed it through.

At the time, Napolitano's director of administration, Bill Bell, said the cost was outweighed by what the state and universities will save in attracting and retaining qualified employees. University of Arizona President Robert Shelton presented similar arguments in favor of the change.

UA spokesman Johnny Cruz said late Wednesday the school continues to believe that is true.

Gorman, however, said she's not convinced. "I think there's a lot of variables and a lot of talented people in Arizona," she said. "I haven't heard from any of those people saying they only work for Arizona for that reason."
Barbara McCullough-Jones who represents Equality Arizona, a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender advocacy group, said the issue goes beyond employee recruitment and retention.

"This particular benefit is critical because it is doing exactly what society asks us to do, and that's to take care and be responsible for our families," she said. And McCullough-Jones said the state could end up paying anyway because domestic partners and their children could end up with free coverage from the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System.

She said her organization is "studying options" of what to do if the change becomes law, including possibly asking voters to override the legislation.

The rule lawmakers are seeking to scrap does not allow any state or university worker to declare any person to be a domestic partner and eligible for coverage.

It specifically limits benefits to someone living with the employee for at least a year and expected to continue living with that person. There is no reference to the gender of the partner.

It also requires an indication of financial interdependence and an affidavit by the employee that there is a domestic partnership.

Farewell Event Planned for Linus Lerner, June 5

2009-06-03T09:01:00.001-07:00

TUCSON (Observer Update) - Reveille Men's Chorus would like you to join them at Woody's on June 5th starting at 8:00 p.m. as they say good-bye to their conductor of 7 years, Linus Lerner. Linus will be traveling extensively this summer to Brazil and Mexico before assuming his new post as Artistic Director of The Bayou City Performing Arts in Houston, Texas in August. There will be a no-host-bar and a 50/50 raffle to benefit Reveille.

It was announced at Reveille’s Spring concert “Make ‘Em Laugh: Comedy in Music” that after 7 years as artistic director and 2 as executive director this would be Lerner’s last concert with the group. Under his leadership Reveille recorded 4 CDs, traveled 5 times to Mexico to raise money for HIV/AIDS and GLBT groups in Hermosillo, Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta and Mexico City (first openly gay chorus to perform in that country). In 2005 he took the chorus to his native Brazil to be the first openly gay chorus to perform in that country. In Sao Paulo Reveille opened the 2005 Gay Pride celebration and marched in the nation’s pride parade there that numbered 2.5 million people. In addition, he elevated the musical sound of the chorus and increased attendance at the chorus’s concerts so much so that an extra performance day had to be added to each concert.

“It has been an amazing ride with Linus, that’s for sure,” said Reveille Board President Jeffrey Bracker. “I had no illusions that we would have Linus with us forever. In fact, we have been fortunate to have had him for as long as we have. In his 7 years with Reveille Linus radically changed the nature of this organization,” Bracker went on. “He taught us how to sing, raising the bar of musicality for this group. Twice under his guidance we traveled to the GALA choral conferences in Montreal and Miami and twice we held our own against the larger big city choruses, wowing them with that Reveille sound we’ve become famous for. All thanks to Linus.”

Mistress of Ceremonies Ajia Simone will also be on hand so don't miss it. For more information you can call Reveille at (520) 304-1758.

A joint statement from the Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network (TIHAN), Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF), and Wingspan

2009-06-03T08:56:00.000-07:00

TIHAN, SAAF, and Wingspan are happy to announce that we are receiving funding from the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona's Economic Relief and Stability Fund to explore the possibility of additional collaboration and partnership between our three agencies.

This funding will facilitate a process in which we can explore opportunities to more effectively and efficiently serve our community through various forms that enhanced collaboration might take, including the possibility of merger.

In December 2008, Executive Directors from TIHAN, SAAF, and Wingspan began discussions in earnest to explore increasing formal collaborations between the agencies. Consultant Laura Alexander of Alexander Associates guided the first steps in the process.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was drafted and presented to the Board of Directors for each agency. Board members of all three agencies reviewed and approved the MOU to explore additional collaboration, up to and including the possibility of a merger, should that option be the best solution for all involved.

The utmost concern--whether through an increased formal collaboration or a merger--is that clients and constituents served by each organization, as well as the community as a whole, benefit from this process. Additionally, the collaboration must be advantageous for all organizations involved.

Agreements in place include strict confidentiality regarding the discussions and negotiations, transparency between boards and executive directors, mutual respect, full disclosure, and participation of a chief executive and one board representative from each agency to serve on a Collaboration Negotiation Task Force.

As a result of the unique funding opportunity provided by the Community Foundation's Economic Relief and Stability Fund, all three organizations put forward their interest in exploring collaboration in a request for technical assistance and funding to cover costs, including a feasibility study, assessments, and planning services.

We are extremely grateful and excited that the Community Foundation decided to provide funding for this process.

TIHAN, SAAF, and Wingspan welcome the input and feedback of the community we serve regarding our plans for exploration and dialogue. Please email your comments and suggestions to:

Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF)
      Executive Director Wendell Hicks: whicks@saaf.org
Wingspan
      Executive Director Jason Cianciotto: jcianciotto@wingspan.org
Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network
      Executive Director Scott Blades: scott@tihan.org

Pride in Obama As He Declares Pride Month - By Mark R. Kerr

2009-06-01T19:14:00.002-07:00

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

June 1, 2009

LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER PRIDE MONTH, 2009

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Forty years ago, patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn in New York City resisted police harassment that had become all too common for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Out of this resistance, the LGBT rights movement in America was born. During LGBT Pride Month, we commemorate the events of June 1969 and commit to achieving equal justice under law for LGBT Americans.

LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society. There are many well-respected LGBT leaders in all professional fields, including the arts and business communities. LGBT Americans also mobilized the Nation to respond to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic and have played a vital role in broadening this country's response to the HIV pandemic.

Due in no small part to the determination and dedication of the LGBT rights movement, more LGBT Americans are living their lives openly today than ever before. I am proud to be the first President to appoint openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an Administration. These individuals embody the best qualities we seek in public servants, and across my Administration -- in both the White House and the Federal agencies -- openly LGBT employees are doing their jobs with distinction and professionalism.

The LGBT rights movement has achieved great progress, but there is more work to be done. LGBT youth should feel safe to learn without the fear of harassment, and LGBT families and seniors should be allowed to live their lives with dignity and respect.

My Administration has partnered with the LGBT community to advance a wide range of initiatives. At the international level, I have joined efforts at the United Nations to decriminalize homosexuality around the world. Here at home, I continue to support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans. These measures include enhancing hate crimes laws, supporting civil unions and Federal rights for LGBT couples, outlawing discrimination in the workplace, ensuring adoption rights, and ending the existing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in a way that strengthens our Armed Forces and our national security. We must also commit ourselves to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic by both reducing the number of HIV infections and providing care and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS across the United States.

These issues affect not only the LGBT community, but also our entire Nation. As long as the promise of equality for all remains unfulfilled, all Americans are affected. If we can work together to advance the principles upon which our Nation was founded, every American will benefit. During LGBT Pride Month, I call upon the LGBT community, the Congress, and the American people to work together to promote equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2009 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to turn back discrimination and prejudice everywhere it exists.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

BARACK OBAMA

What does your sign say?

2009-06-01T13:48:00.000-07:00

Did you see them at the rally?

As we gathered together to recommit ourselves to repeal Prop. 8, Californians waved their “I Do” signs and wore their “I Do” shirts with pride.

Show your support for the freedom to marry by joining the “I Do” movement. Get your own t-shirt, lawn sign, bumper sticker or window sign—or gift it to a friend.

They are the two words that every couple should have the right to say. And they are the two words that are now sparking millions of conversations to open hearts and minds on the freedom to marry for same-sex couples.

All proceeds benefit Let California Ring coalition organizations who work tirelessly for LGBT equality and the freedom to marry for LGBT couples. You can even designate your favorite group as you check out.

Retire your old “No on Prop. 8” gear. And get your new “I Do” sign, button, t-shirt or bumper sticker to show your support and start conversations about the freedom to marry.

Together, we will win marriage back.

Warmly,

Vaishalee Raja
Communications Director
Let California Ring & Equality California Institute

P.S. Share your photos from D-Day on our Flickr page

Gay and lesbian Californians deserve the freedom to marry the person they love. Let California Ring is a public education campaign to open hearts and minds about the freedom to marry and the respect, support, protections, and responsibilities that come with marriage. Comprised of a coalition of 45 diverse local, state and national organizations, Let California Ring is a project of Equality California Institute.

City Election Facts Versus Fiction

2009-06-01T11:57:00.000-07:00

In the City of Tucson this year, elections will take place for the three Council office seats in Ward Three, Ward Five and Ward Six, various candidates are running to serve on the Tucson City Council.

For the Democrats, two incumbents, Ward 3 Councilmember Karin Uhlich and Ward 6 Councilmember Nina Trasoff are running for second terms.

In Ward 5, Richard Fimbres is running as the Democratic candidate for the open seat for Tucson’s Southside Council ward.

Republican’s are running for the three seats as well as a Green Party candidate in Ward 6 covering Tucson’s central portion.

All the candidates are running under the City of Tucson political campaign public matching funds program - which has been in existence for more than three decades.

Those are the facts, unfortunately some fiction has arisen regarding these elections, pertaining to the campaign public matching funds program.

Council candidates must get a minimum of 200 donations from all city residents, ranging from $10 - $410, to trigger the City’s matching public fund program for their effort. (ESTABLISH ELIGIBILITY Rules & Regs, Part 3, Sec. III, E.2.a.)

It doesn’t mean that they all have to come from a specific Ward and people can give to multiple efforts for their party’s team of candidate’s.

After the initial 200 donations and the candidate’s have been declared eligible after a thorough, City audit (taking 14 days), they then must raise a maximum $50,730.50 to receive the same amount. It is a dollar for dollar matching fund.

Candidates have signed contracts with the City to spend a total of $101,461 for the whole campaign. Nothing more since the City’s program has a spending limit.

Yes, the Democrat’s have three candidates running and all Democrat’s within the Tucson city limits should support their effort in this year’s contest.

For more information, visit http://www.karin2009.com, http://www.fimbresforcouncil.com and http://www.trasofffortucson.com.

Advocates for Youth joins the 80 Million Strong Campaign

2009-05-31T20:55:00.001-07:00

I wanted to take a moment to share some exciting news: Advocates for Youth has entered into a new partnership with the 80 Million Strong Campaign for Young American Jobs. Collaborating with and supporting the work of youth activists is central to Advocates' Rights. Respect. Responsibility.^®vision - and we are looking forward to continuing this role on the steering committee and as a coalition partner of the 80 Million Strong Campaign.

Named for the 80 million members of the Millennial Generation (those born after 1980) the 80 Million Strong Campaign is focused on uniting young people to form their own progressive public policy solutions to challenges they face as adolescents and young adults. The campaign is a partnership between organizations like Advocates for Youth, with years of experience in youth advocacy, and newer organizations founded and led by young people from the Millennial Generation.

With support from Advocates for Youth, the 80 Million Strong Campaign will hold its inaugural youth policy summit July 14-15, 2009. The summit will bring together young people from around the country to present policy solutions and draft legislation to solve the jobs crisis among young Americans. I invite you to join us in this effort.

Click here to donate to the 80 Million Strong Campaign

The current economic crisis has hit young people particularly hard. Youth unemployment is estimated to be nearly nine points higher than the general population, despite the fact that Millennials are among the most active members of their communities, highly skilled, and highly educated. Strong economic opportunity for young adults plays a key role in sexual health, while lack of opportunity can contribute to poor health outcomes for young people.

80 Million Strong is currently raising funds to provide full scholarships to 100 young people to attend the summit in July. I invite you to join me in supporting their efforts. Your donation will help ensure that young people with the most diverse backgrounds, experiences, and brightest ideas can attend the summit, independent of financial obstacles.

Click here to donate to the 80 Million Strong Campaign

Advocates is deeply excited to announce this new partnership - and we look forward to supporting the goals and vision of the 80 Million Strong Campaign in the months ahead.

Sincerely,

James Wagoner
President
Advocates for Youth

PS - Do you know any young people who would be interested in attending the 80 Million Strong jobs summit this July? Click here for information about the application and scholarship process.

Tucson Comes Out for Day of Decision

2009-05-31T20:52:00.000-07:00

Rainbow Foot Soldiers in conjunction with Wingspan and local activists and supporters of Marriage Equality gathered on the evening of Tuesday, May 26, in Catalina Park (4th Avenue & 1st Street) for a rally in response to the California Supreme Court decision on the validity of Proposition 8. The high energy crowd marched and chanted down 4th Ave. to Wingspan, geting support from cars with honking horns and cheers from cafe customers.

Rainbow Foot Soldiers (rainbowfootsoldiers.com) is a grassroots activist group, founded by Buck Bannister, Michael Koch, and Sandi. As their website states: "We are here to assist and support the community and community groups. When necessary we will step into the forefront to organize events." Planning an event with an unknown date is very challenging. In the end it was on Friday, May 23, that the Court announced that it would issue its decision on Tuesday, May 26 -- the first business day after a three-day weekend. RFS worked throughout the weekend to get this event off the ground, and community came out in support.

Speakers at the event included: Buck Bannister, John Mijac, Ray and Kathy Green, Jason Cianciotto and Courter Simmons, and Deb and Sal Risinger.

Wingspan Statement on the California Supreme Court's Prop 8 Decision

2009-05-30T10:15:00.000-07:00

The California State Supreme Court upheld Proposition 8, the ban on same-sex marriage in their state. The ruling, however, does not invalidate the over 18,000 same-sex marriages in California that happened prior to the passage of Prop 8 last November. The following is a statement from Jason Cianciotto, Executive Director of Wingspan, Southern Arizona's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Community Center:

"We stand in solidarity with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight ally citizens of California and across the nation bitterly disappointed by today's ruling upholding Proposition 8. The founders of this country never intended for minority rights, including the right to legally marry, to be determined by a popular vote. This is the epitome of majority tyranny.

While we take some comfort in the fact that this ruling does not invalidate the over 18,000 same-sex marriages solemnized in California prior to November 2008, millions more will be denied the basic right to legally protect their loved ones.

Despite this setback, we need only look at the historic steps toward equality that recently occurred in Iowa, which began providing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in April, and Maine, which will issue them in September, to know that equal access to civil marriage for same-sex couples is not just possible, it is inevitable."

For more information and to see and share stories about LGBT families in Arizona, go to www.familiesyouknow.com.

LGBT Pride Marked In Tucson

2009-05-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

TUCSON (Observer Update) - June 26 will mark the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and the beginning of the modern LGBT rights movement. Cities and towns across the globe will be holding events and festivals to mark this important occasion.

In the Old Pueblo, a series of events are being held to mark LGBT Pride in Southern Arizona, being overseen by Tucson Pride, and they are scheduled from June 17-27.

Wed, June 17, Doors open at 6:30 p.m. An Evening with Wicked author Gregory Maguire, The Loft Cinema-3233 East Speedway Blvd. The Pima County Public Library presents author Gregory Maguire as part of its Annual GLBT Author event. Maguire will present a talk on the creation of the Wicked series and will read from his books. Mr. Maguire will sign books following the presentation.

Friday-Sunday, June 19-21, Bisbee Pride (bisbeepride.com). Kick off Pride Week and join Tucson Pride as we celebrate LGBT Pride in Bisbee. Though located in a small town, Bisbee Pride is big on fun, entertainment, and great people who are excited to welcome you to their amazing town.

Friday, June 19, Gaystock, The Biz - 2900 East Broadway Blvd. Join us at the Biz for an evening of peace, love, and understanding that spans generations.

Saturday, June 20, 9:00 p.m. Boys R Us presents “All Eyes on Me,” at the Hotel Congress - 311 East Congress Street. Bold and Bold and daring, Boys R Us dives in to the spirit of Pride and reveals whats underneath. Sex, Politics and Pride - we're pulling no stops, holding no bars - celebrate your pride with the boys at Club Congress.

Sunday, June 21, 4:00 - 9:00 p.m. Colors - 5305 East Speedway Blvd. Join Colors for dinner at Colors. Colors will donate 10% of your pre-tax food and beverage order to TIHAN.

Tuesday, June 23, Eon Dinner and a Movie, Eon Youth Lounge - Call (520) 620-6245 for directions. Join Eon for dinner and a movie at the Eon Youth Lounge. Event open to youth 23 years of age and younger.

Tuesday, June 23, 8:00 p.m., Girlyman, Hotel Congress- 311 East Congress Street
Club Congress celebrates Pride Week with one of the nation’s best acts, Girlyman. Great harmonies and great music are hallmarks of Atalnta Ga's Girlyman, bouyed by a nation of rabid "Girlyfans". A fantastic night of music and fun. Must be 21 or older to attend. To purchase tickets visit hotelcongress.com

Wednesday, June 24, Wingspan Night Out at The Claim Jumper- 3761 East Broadway Blvd. Join Wingspan for a night of food, drinks, and fabulous gaiety at the Claim Jumper restaurant at El Con Mall. Claim Jumper will donate 10% of your pre-tax food and beverage order to Wingspan when you present the event flyer to your server. Wingspan is not allowed to hand the flyer out on the night, so please visit wingspan.org to download and print your very own and hand to your server on the night. Call (520) 795-2900 to make a reservation.

Thursday, June 25, Steak Night at the Venture-N- 1239 North Sixth Avenue. Join us at Venture-N and get your steak on!

Friday, June 26, Family Tradition Fundraiser at the Coyote Moon - 915 West Prince Road. A fundraiser to assist the Observer, our local community newspaper, in continued service. It's a night of country music, dancing, performances, and raffles. Join us for some Friday Fun!

Saturday, June 27, Wet Party at Woody’s -3710 North Oracle Road. Join Woody’s on June 27th from 8 p.m. until close for their monthly Wet Party. Check website and myspace for updates. (myspace.com/4mywoodys)

For more information, visit tucsonpride.org.

Bisbee Pride

2009-05-30T09:59:00.000-07:00

BISBEE (Observer Update) - On Father’s Day Weekend, June 19-21, Bisbee will be hosting its annual Pride Weekend of Activities.

This annual event is sponsored, hosted and organized by Bisbee Pride, whose mission s to encourage the expression and celebrate, champion, and support the rights and freedoms of the southeastern Arizona Pride Community (meaning Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, other same sex attracted people and those that support them), as well as provide educational outreach to the community at large.

There are many events scheduled for this week, to get the schedule, other information or get questions answered, go online to bisbeepride.com.

Kirby Dick's ‘Outrage,’ June 5

2009-05-30T09:58:00.000-07:00

TUCSON (Observer Update) - Meet Oscar-nominated filmmaker KIRBY DICK at a post-film Q&A on Saturday, June 6, 7:00 p.m., at the Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway for “Outrage.”

From Academy Award-nominated documentary filmmaker Kirby Dick (This Film Is Not Yet Rated, Twist of Faith) comes OUTRAGE, a searing and controversial indictment of the hypocrisy of closeted politicians with appalling Gay rights voting records who actively campaign against the LGBT community they covertly belong to. Boldly revealing the hidden lives of some of the United States' most powerful policymakers, OUTRAGE takes a comprehensive look at the harm they've inflicted on millions of Americans, and examines the media's complicity in keeping their secrets.

With analysis from prominent members of the Gay community such as Congressman Barney Frank, former NJ Governor Jim McGreevey, activist Larry Kramer, radio personality Michelangelo Signorile, and openly Lesbian congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (Representative, Wisconsin 2nd district), OUTRAGE probes deeply into the psychology of this double lifestyle, the ethics of outing closeted politicians, the double standards that the media upholds in its coverage of the sex lives of Gay public figures, and much more.

Regular admission prices will be charged for this special screening.

Count, Serve and Be Remembered - By Mark R. Kerr

2009-05-30T09:57:00.000-07:00

For Gays and Lesbians to actually count as individuals or couples by the government (at least in each Census), to be able to serve in the military and to be remembered, it is time to speak out and up for their rights as individuals, citizens and couples.

With the approval by the U.S. Congress and the signature of then President Bill Clinton of the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, as well as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the policy prohibiting Gays and Lesbians from serving openly and honestly in the country’s armed services in 1993, more Congressional action would be necessary to undo was enacted into law and to be a full part of this country and not just a rating’s grabber, for the media, come November, February and May of each respective year.

Open Lesbian Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Tammy Baldwin, D-WI and 52 other House Members (including Arizona Democratic Congressman Raul Grijalva) have sent a letter to Peter Orszag, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and in charge of the U.S. Census, urging that Gay and Lesbian couples be counted in the upcoming Census in 2010.

Contact Mr. Orszag and let him know Gay and Lesbian Couples must be counted. Either through postal mail at The Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20503, Phone (202) 395-3080, Fax (202) 395-3888 or at whitehouse.gov/contact and put in subject line “Gay and Lesbian couples must be counted in Census!”

Meanwhile, legislation introduced (H.R. 2460) in Congress requiring most employers to provide at least seven days of paid sick leave a year for most employees could be a major boon to same-sex families. U.S. Representative Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) filed the Healthy Families Act, which would include all companies with 15 or more workers and guarantee employees one-paid hour off for each 30 hours worked, enabling them to earn up to seven paid sick days a year. Employees could use the leave provided by the Act to attend to their own medical needs or the medical needs of children, parents, spouses or any other individual “whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship.”

H.R. 2460 was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and House Administration. Call or E-mail your Member of Congress at house.gov, senate.gov or callcongress.org to let them know to support this measure.

After hedging, hemming and hawing, the White House, after considerable pressure put on by interest groups, progressive media outlets and from the resulting fallout from news accounts of individuals who served their country in the military where fired for being Gay or Lesbian, has stated that the 16-year old policy, known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” is under review and that a policy to overturn the measure is being worked on.

Take action by going online to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network website, sldn.org/action and tell President Obama, the U.S. Congress and the military that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” must be overturned. Since his inauguration and the swearing in of the 111th Congress in January of this year alone, more than 200 servicemembers, who have served this country admirably, have been fired for being Gay or Lesbian.

H.R. 2517, also known as the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009, was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, to give the domestic partners of federal employees the same benefits, and require of them the same obligations, as the spouses of federal employees.

Sponsored by open Lesbian Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, D-WI, H.R. 2517 would require same-sex domestic partners of federal employees living in a committed relationship, be eligible for benefits such as health care, long-term care, family and medical leave, and federal retirement benefits. Domestic partners would also be subject to the same responsibilities as the spouses of federal employees, such as financial disclosure requirements and anti-nepotism policies.

H.R. 2517 has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee for consideration. U.S. Representative John Conyers, D-MI, a longtime friend and supporter of the community is the Chair of the Judiciary Committee, but he needs to be contacted on this bill to get hearings scheduled. Representative Conyers can be reached online at his Congressional website at the following address: conyers.house.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.OnlineContactForm.

SAAF Expanding Testing Hours

2009-05-29T22:38:00.002-07:00

TUCSON - The Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF) is expanding HIV testing hours to include two evenings a week effective Tuesday, June 2. Currently SAAF offers HIV testing through a collaboration with the Pima County Health Department at SAAF Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:00pm by appointment or walk-in as available.

“Our hope is that by offering more opportunities for HIV testing times we’ll be able to help reduce the proportion of people living with HIV in Pima County that don’t know their status, which is currently estimated at 25%”, says Wendell Hicks, Executive Director of SAAF.

Effective June 2nd testing will be available on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 4:00-8:00pm at SAAF located at 375 S. Euclid. There is a suggested $20.00 donation for HIV testing, but no one is refused an HIV test. All proceeds from HIV testing are used to help the program continue to offer and expand evening hours for testing. “We are hoping that by the fall, SAAF’s expanded testing program will be offered 3-5 nights a week and we will have a presence at special community events through mobile testing”, says Luis Ortega, Director of Prevention Services.

SAAF’s expanded HIV testing program uses Clearview COMPLETE HIV 1-2. The test is fast, easy, reliable, and flexible. Results can be expected in as little as 15 minutes. Clearview's innovative technology provides highly accurate detection of HIV.

Also, coming up…..NATIONAL HIV TESTING DAY, JUNE 27. For more information contact at a prevention specialist at (520) 628-7223 or visit www.saaf.org.

Each year SAAF provides services to nearly 1,200 people and delivers targeted prevention outreach and education programs to over 20,000 people who are at risk for infection. For more information about the programs and services of the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF) or to schedule a tour of SAAF, please visit www.saaf.org or call (520) 628-7223.

SAAF’s mission is to create and sustain a healthier community through a compassionate, comprehensive response to HIV/AIDS.

Letter to the Editor

2009-05-29T22:36:00.003-07:00

Editor:

Has the AZ State Government lost its mind? It's always been about the money-mostly from taxes-but don't they under- stand that people/families coming to AZ look for employment, housing and good schools for their kids.

There have been so many studies that show that a smaller student to teacher ratio produces better functioning kids and yet the AZ State Government wants to take money and teachers away from the schools! Why would any family want to raise their kids in a State that puts so little value on education?

It's these families who buy homes, cars, groceries, clothes, books, supplies and a myriad of other goods and services. HELLO - tax base? How about restructuring the school system and reducing the multitude of districts and the top-heavy, bureaucratic layers for starters. Be creative in attracting families to come to or stay in our State! Education is a necessity not a pet project!!

Stephen Bergmann,MA,MSW,CRC
Prescott, Arizona

Saturday: TMI with THREE Special Guests!

2009-05-29T22:36:00.001-07:00

Hey Too Much Information fans!

We know you don't want to miss the show this Saturday night! Three--count 'em THREE--special guests on the TMI stage: Julie Nicolay on trumpet, honorary TMI member Stevie Gold on keyboard, and our new friend Dave Perez sitting in for Bruce on lead guitar. Come rock the house with us!

All the usual applies:

Coyote Moon Pub (915 W. Prince, at Fairview)
8:30-midnight(ish)
$5 cover
All kinds of great music -- including several new tunes for your dancing pleasure!!

TORN BETWEEN TWO LOVERS?? If you're torn between TMI's show and Namoli Brennet's CD release party, no need to stress about it! Just show your Namoli CD or handstamp at the Coyote Moon Pub door and get $2 off our cover charge! Be careful, though--that's an awful lot of fun for one night!

All the details are found at www.tmi-band.com.

See you Saturday!

Michael

Pride Month Television Programming Highlights

2009-05-27T22:47:00.000-07:00

Pride Month Television Programming Highlights:
Kathy Griffin, k.d. lang, Neil Patrick Harris and More

View photos from last year's
New York City pride parade.

June is designated lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Pride Month in honor of the historic Stonewall uprising on June 28, 1969. To commemorate the 40th anniversary of this critical date in LGBT history, GLAAD presents this special Pride Month Programming Guide highlighting the best in LGBT television.

Be sure to also check out and link to TV Gayed, our weekly guide to what’s LGBT on TV.

And for the latest and greatest LGBT entertainment news, visit glaadBLOG's Entertainment Section.

Happy Pride!

Monday, June 1
In the Life (Syndicated)
The GLAAD Media Award-winning LGBT newsmagazine will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of Stonewall with its three-part series Summer of Stonewall. The series examines the evolution and future of the movement, traces the history of the pride flag, and interviews longtime activist Larry Kramer. Multiple airings; check listings

Tuesday, June 2
Different for Girls(Showtime, 11:30 PM ET/PT)
Karl and Paul were best friends in boarding school in the seventies. When they meet again after 16 years, Karl is now Kim and the two begin exploring the possibility of a new kind of relationship. Different for Girls stars Rupert Graves and was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award in 1998. Multiple airings; check listings

Party Monster(IFC, 11:30 PM ET/PT)
Written and directed by GLAAD Media Award winning filmmakers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, Party Monster is the controversial story of glam NY club kids Michael Alig and James St. James.

Wednesday, June 3
Bad Girls(Logo, 8:30 ET/PT) SEASON PREMIERE
Logo begins airing the seventh season of the hit British series that examines the drama, love and betrayal that unfolds between the inmates, correctional officers, and prison administrators of the Larkhall women’s prison facility.

The Walker(Showtime, 6 PM ET/PT)
Woody Harrelson plays Carter Page III, a high society escort to some of Washington, D.C.’s most powerful men. When a lobbyist linked to Carter and one of his clients is found murdered, Carter tries to uncover the truth. Multiple airings; check listings

Thursday, June 4
Hollow Reed (Showtime, 6:15 PM ET/PT)
After coming out and divorcing his wife, Martin Wyatt loses custody of his son. However, when his son shows up bruised on his doorstep, Martin suspects that the boy’s new stepfather has been beating him and begins a long courtroom battle for custody. Multiple airings; check listings

Friday, June 5
Fabulous: The Story of Queer Cinema(IFC, 7 PM ET/PT)
This IFC original documentary offers a chronological exploration of LGBT cinema, from the experimental films of 1940s to the Academy Award winning films of today.

Nowhere (IFC, 8:30 PM ET/PT)
The final installment in out filmmaker Gregg Araki’s self described “teen apocalypse trilogy,” Nowhere follows the crazy lives of a group of young Los Angelenos with fluid sexualities. Multiple airings; check listings

I Just Want to Be Somebody(IFC, 9:55 PM ET/PT)
Filmmaker Jay Rosenblatt explores the connection between the religious right and the LGBT movement in this short film comprised of television news clips, commercials, and the home movies of Anita Bryant.

Sugar(IFC, 10:05 PM ET/PT)
From cult writer Bruce LaBruce comes this story about Cliff, a gay teenager in 1980s Toronto who ventures into the city to discover himself and falls in love with a gorgeous hustler along the way. Multiple airings; check listings

Saturday, June 6
Save Me (Showtime, 12 AM ET/PT)
GLAAD Media Award honoree Chad Allen stars in this moving tale of a drug-addicted man who joins a ministry in an attempt to “cure” his attraction to men. Instead he meets Robert Gant. Multiple airings; check listings

Sunday, June 7
The 63rd Annual Tony Awards (CBS, 8pm ET/PT)
Broadway’s most fabulous night promises to be even better this year with Neil Patrick Harris emceeing the night’s festivities. Tune in to see if Elton John’s Billy Elliot sweeps the musical categories and if any of the out nominated actors take home a Tony!

Monday, June 8
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (Bravo, 10pm ET/PT) SEASON PREMIERE
GLAAD Media Award honoree Kathy Griffin returns with the fifth season of her two-time Emmy Award-winning show. Her first episode has Kathy visiting Bette Midler in Las Vegas! Frequent repeats; new episodes air every Monday at 10 PM

Weeds (Showtime, 10 PM ET/PT) SEASON PREMIERE
Weeds is back for its fifth season! What distress will sharp-tongued teenage lesbian, Isabella, cause for her mother, Celia? And here’s hoping we get to see more of Sanjay now that he’s out and proud! Frequent repeats; new episodes air every Monday at 10 PM

Raising the Bar (TNT, 10 PM ET/PT) SEASON PREMIERE
The second season premiere of TNT’s new hit legal drama finds law clerk Charlie Sagansky facing a new life as an openly gay man, having come out to his colleagues at the end of season one.

Nurse Jackie (Showtime, 10:30 PM ET/PT) SERIES PREMIERE
This brand new series brings the welcome introduction of the only openly gay Middle Eastern character currently on TV. Haaz Sleiman plays Mo-Mo Nurse Jackie’s co-worker and confidant in this darkly comic new show. Frequent repeats; new episodes air every Monday at 10:30PM

Wednesday, June 10
Top Chef Masters (Bravo, 10 PM ET/PT) SERIES PREMIERE
This new unscripted series takes the Top Chef format and flips it by using masters of the culinary world as contestants. 24 chefs, including out chefs Anita Lo and Elizabeth Falkner, will compete to win one hundred thousand dollars to be donated to the charity of their choice. The show will also feature fun and exciting guest judges such as Neil Patrick Harris, Morgan Spurlock and Zooey Deschanel. Frequent repeats; new episodes air every Wednesday at 10 PM

Saturday, June 13
Kings (NBC, 8 PM ET/PT) SERIES RETURN
Kings returns to primetime after a brief hiatus. Will King Silas’ son Jack finally prove worthy of the throne? Or will his secret life and clingy ex-boyfriend continue to prove problematic in his fight for his birthright?

2009 NewNowNext Awards(Logo, 9 PM ET/PT)
The award show that celebrates the best in gay and lesbian pop culture returns. The show, which is hosted by RuPaul, features plenty of special guests and performers, so it promises to be great, unpredictable fun! Multiple airings; check listings

Ellen Degeneres: Here and Now (HBO, 10 PM ET/PT)
HBO re-airs Ellen’s second comedy special, filmed at Broadway’s Beacon Theater in 2003, before she became the reigning queen of daytime talk shows.

John Waters: This Filthy World (Showtime Showcase, 11:45 PM ET/PT)
Comedian and John Waters fan Jeff Garlin directed the cult filmmaker in his one-man stage show, in which Waters delves into the dirty details of his eclectic life.

Sunday, June 14
One Night Stand 09: Paula Poundstone (HBO Comedy, 8:30 PM ET/PT)
Openly gay comic Paula Poundstone returns to stand-up in this all new live concert film.

True Blood (HBO, 9pm ET/PT) SEASON PREMIERE
Season one of Alan Ball’s bloody new vampire series ended with gay chef Lafayette’s fate up in the air. Let’s hope he survives to keep serving up hot plates of sass all season long. Frequent repeats; new episodes air every Sunday at 9PM

Friday, June 19
Jeffrey and Cole Casserole (Logo, 11 PM ET/PT) SERIES PREMIERE
YouTube sensations Jeffrey Self and Cole Escola make their television debut in this new comedy show. Frequent repeats; new episodes air every Friday at 11 PM.

Sunday, June 21
Quinceañera (Logo, 10 PM ET/PT)
This touching film by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland won the 2007 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film – Limited Release. Jesse Garcia stars as a young Mexican-American in Los Angeles dealing with his sexuality amidst conservative Catholic culture.

Friday, June 26 – Sunday, June 28
Pride Party Weekend (Logo)
Logo celebrates Pride Weekend with a host of great party programming, such as the films Psycho Beach Party, The Gymnast, and A Four Letter Wordas well as marathons of some of your favorite Logo shows, like Shirts & Skins, Gimme Sugar, and Rick & Steve.

Saturday, June 27
k.d. lang Live in London (Logo, 9 PM ET/PT)
k.d. lang’s 2008 concert at St. Luke’s Church in London chronicles her successful career as a sing/songwriter. Backed by the BBC Orchestra this concert solidifies lang’s place among the great performers of her time.

About GLAAD
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org.

Court fails to overturn 8 – Campaign to win marriage back starts today

2009-05-26T10:35:00.000-07:00

Our worst fears have come to pass. The California Supreme Court just ruled that a slim majority of voters could eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry. This unjust decision flies in the face of our constitution’s promise of equal protection.

Although we are relieved that the Court did not forcibly divorce the estimated 18,000 couples who married before Prop 8 passed, our community and our allies will not allow this on-going discrimination to stand. We will overturn Prop 8, but only with your support.

www.eqca.org/overturn8

Qualifying an initiative and ensuring a victory will require us to raise more money than we’ve ever raised (and earlier), volunteer more hours than we’ve ever worked, and have more face-to-face conversations with people in areas where people voted yes on 8.

EQCA is ready; we’ve already hit the ground running. We have a plan to reach 300,000 Californians in the next 100 days. Are you willing to do what it takes to win?

Thanks to your support, we now have eight new staff on the ground in Sacramento, the Central Valley, Inland Empire, Orange County, and San Diego in addition to our staff in Los Angeles and San Francisco. These organizers are working in the field with other grassroots groups to talk directly to voters at their doors and at festivals, events, and shopping centers in their communities. Meet the Team Win organizers>

While eight organizers is a strong start, it is honestly a drop in the bucket in a state the size of California. To reach our targets and build a winning effort, we must have a minimum of 25 field staff on the ground across the state as soon as possible. To pay for this work, we need to raise a minimum of $500,000 in the next 90 days. If we can’t do that, we will surely not be able to fund a massive campaign to put an initiative on the ballot and win.

We will only get there with your help. Every dollar you donate in response to this email will support grassroots organizing in areas where people voted yes on 8.

The No on 8 campaign was more than ten million dollars behind in fundraising until the last few weeks. To ensure a majority of Californians will stand with us, we need your investment from day one.

We may have lost in court today, but together we will right this wrong and win marriage back. The fight will take everything we have, but with your help, we know we will be victorious.

In solidarity,

Geoff Kors
Executive Director
Equality California

Marc Solomon
Marriage Director
Equality California

Equality California is dedicated to achieving equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Californians.

Our work depends on individual financial contributions. Donate now using our secure website or download a donation form to send via fax or mail.

Donations to EQCA support our political work and are therefore not tax-deductible as charitable contributions.

An Evening with Wicked Author Gregory Maguire, June 17

2009-05-25T10:04:00.000-07:00

TUCSON (Observer Update) - Novelist Gregory Maguire, author of the best-selling Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, will present a talk on the creation of the Wicked, alternate-Oz series and will read from his books at the annual author presentation of the Pima County Public Library's GLBT Committee.

Maguire’s free talk will be Wednesday, June 17, 6:30 p.m., The Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway.

Maguire's other two books in the Wicked series include Son of a Witch, and the latest, A Lion Among Men. Wicked is the basis for the Tony Award-winning Broadway and international hit musical Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz, which returns to ASU's Gammage Auditorium in Tempe in July. He is also the author of the best-sellers Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, Lost and Mirror Mirror. Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, a retelling of Cinderella set during the Dutch Golden Age, was made into an ABC movie starring Stockard Channing. He has also written several children's novels including The Hamlet Chronicles, a seven-book series that includes Seven Spiders Spinning, Six Haunted Hairdos, Five Alien Elves, Four Stupid Cupids, Three Rotten Eggs, A Couple of April Fools, and One Final Firecracker. Maguire will sign books following the presentation, and his books will be available for sale.

The annual GLBT author event is made possible through generous funding from the Friends of the Pima County Public Library. Past authors include: Susie Bright, Chastity Bono, Michelangelo Signorile, Patrick Califia, Holocaust scholar David Schneer, writer and advice columnist Dan Savage, Alison Bechdel, Alex Sanchez, and Armistead Maupin.

Around the Old Pueblo

2009-05-25T10:03:00.000-07:00

TUCSON (Observer Update) - You're invited to a Tucson GLBT Chamber of Commerce, ‘Out and About’ hosted by Century 21 Centra Realty, May 28, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m., 811 N. Longfellow, one block east of Alvernon, Between Speedway and 5th.

Come find out what's happening in the real estate market, network with peers, and just have a great evening!

RSVP to: Colette 909-4190 or Mike 272-6959 or info@c21centra.com.

Tucson Day of Decision on Tuesday

2009-05-24T23:58:00.001-07:00

TUCSON - Rainbow Foot Soldiers in coordination with local activists and supporters of Marriage Equality will gather at Catalina Park in downtown Tucson, AZ on May 26, 2009 for a rally in response to the California Supreme Court decision on the validity of Proposition 8.

The California case will directly impact many couples here in Tucson who were married in California and whose marriages hang in the balance. The decision will be announced at 10am on Tuesday morning and the rally will go forward at 6:30pm with plans for a human billboard along Speedway Boulevard.

“Being ‘next door’ to California, many of our friends were married before Proposition 8 passed in November. They have gone about their lives as any other married people, continuing to work toward the day when a marriage in any state will be legal in every state. Yet, after November, they have been in limbo. Will the state and religious groups force them to divorce against their wills or will this be a day of celebration when the court reaffirms the right of all to love and create a family?” said Buck Bannister of Rainbow Foot Soldiers.

“For our families, this isn’t about politics, this is personal,” said Pamela Brown, Marriage Equality USA Policy Director. “Being told that marriage is not an option for you is an absolutely devastating verdict to receive, after all Romeo and Juliet ended their lives upon hearing such news and they weren’t subject to a popular vote on whether or not they could marry. Our kids are confused and don’t understand why people would do this to their families. They are subjected to school yard bullies and taunts that their parents can’t or are not really married. For years, our families have been living on an extremely emotional roller coaster. We’ve been used as a wedge in Presidential elections, we’ve been given a window of six months to pop the question and plan a wedding, and we’ve had a mere majority of Californians vote to take away our fundamental rights. Recognizing the strain our community has been under, win or lose, Marriage Equality USA has helped organize a series of community gatherings across the state for all Californians supportive of the freedom to marry to come together on the Day of Decision.”

Speakers will be on hand with information about the impact of the decision as well as local couples who will share their thoughts about this momentous case.

E-mail Problems Update

2009-05-24T10:09:00.001-07:00

The situation for the Observer print edition has been resolved, resume sending items to info@tucsonobserver.com. Thank you.

E-mail Problems

2009-05-23T14:10:00.003-07:00

The Observer's E-mail accounts have gone down and are presently not working. Until further notice, please send E-mail correspondence to tucsonobserver@gmail.com.

Thank you for your patience and when the situation is fixed, we'll update you.

Harvey Milk

2009-05-22T11:02:00.002-07:00

Today is Harvey Milk's birthday, he would have been 79.

WTF?!

2009-05-19T11:32:00.000-07:00

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

LGBT family-inclusive faith curriculum launched, fills gap

2009-05-17T10:54:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Leading organizations have released a curriculum designed to help faith communities support and embrace lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and their families. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s Institute for Welcoming Resources, COLAGE and Family Equality Council announced that this multimedia curriculum will go a long way in providing the necessary tools to make faith communities affirming of LGBT people and their families.

“While many churches have done very well welcoming individual lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members into their midst, many have not done so well with LGBT families,” says the Rev. Rebecca Voelkel, Institute for Welcoming Resources and faith work director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. “But LGBT families deserve the same love and honor as all of God’s beloved families. This curriculum helps congregations extend God’s extravagant welcome to all of God’s families — especially LGBT families.”

All in God’s Family includes concrete tools to educate faith leaders, including a step-by-step guide to supporting LGBT families of faith and tools for facilitating group learning, community dialogue, Bible study and community action planning to highlight LGBT families in our communities. Additionally, the curriculum includes Families Like Mine, a book about adults with LGBT parents written by Abigail Garner, whose father is gay; the youth-produced documentary In My Shoes: Stories of Youth with LGBT Parents; and a CD containing the phototext exhibit “That’s So Gay: Portraits of Youth with LGBT Parents.”

“I know many LGBT parents who struggle with faith,” says Jennifer Chrisler, executive director of Family Equality Council. “It can be difficult to find a congregation that feels welcoming and supportive. Though they want raise their children in a community that shares their values and beliefs, LGBT parents also want their children to be embraced. That’s why we partnered to put together All in God’s Family: Creating Allies for our LGBT Families. We know there are thousands of congregations out there that want to embrace our families. We want to give them the tools to do so more fully.”

“For youth and adults with LGBTQ parents, finding a faith community where your family is respected and reflected can be a challenge,” says Meredith Fenton, COLAGE program director. “COLAGE is pleased to be a partner on All in God’s Family: Creating Allies for our LGBT Families and invites your faith community to use these tools to move beyond acceptance to full inclusion and celebration of LGBTQ families.”

All in God’s Family: Creating Allies for Our LGBT Families can be acquired for a suggested donation of $50.00. As a special promotion, the first 50 congregations to request the curriculum will receive it for free. All in God’s Family: Creating Allies for Our LGBT Families can be acquired at www.WelcomingResources.org.

TGLBTCC Out And About

2009-05-17T10:53:00.002-07:00

"Out & About"

You're invited to an Out and About hosted by

Century 21 Centra Realty!

Come find out what's happening in the real estate

market, network with peers, and just have

a great evening!

DATE: Thursday May 28th, 2009

TIME: 4:30PM - 6:30PM

LOCATON: 811 N. Longfellow Ave - Home of Mike Pollack (1block east of Alvernon, Between Speedway and 5th)

RSVP to: Colette 909-4190 or Mike 272-6959 or info@c21centra.com

Community Update from Jason Cianciotto, Executive Director

2009-05-16T17:56:00.000-07:00

On May 13, I had to face the challenge of carrying out the 3rd round of layoffs at Wingspan in the past 12 months because of the economic recession.

Wednesday was the last day at the office for two dedicated colleagues: Peter Powers-Lake, Director of Finance and Administration, and Nick Ray, Director of Development.

Peter served our community as Wingspan's Director of Finance for over three years. We shared an office, and from the very beginning of my tenure I learned from his calm and steadfast management. Peter's passion and commitment went above and beyond his job duties – just this past weekend he shared his family story as part of Wingspan's Families You Know storytelling event.

Nick Ray's commitment to Wingspan stretches back for over a decade, when he was a member of Wingspan's Board of Directors and founder of our Annual Dinner. Prior to our time together at Wingspan, I had the honor of working with Nick for several years at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute in New York. After a challenging time of interim leadership, Nick brought enthusiasm and creativity to Wingspan's development team.

The Wingspan Board and I made these difficult decisions to reduce costs and ensure that our center is here to serve future generations. There are too many in the LGBT community who need a safe space to call home, too many who are victims of harassment and violence, too many youth rejected from their homes, too many seniors who need community and companionship. The list goes on and on...

As we fight to support our center, we need to remember that these changes result from the rippling effects of failed state and national policies that have devastated our economy and increased our country's unemployment rate to the highest it's been since 1983.

While the majority in our state legislature acts based on extremist ideology and further delays passing a state budget, and our city and county governments fight over their own, we are left with uncertainty about the renewal at the end of June of grant funding that makes up more than half of our current budget.

Despite these challenges, I am inspired by the continued dedication of Wingspan's staff, volunteers and board, as well as our partner organizations exploring ways to strengthen collaborations and to use community resources more efficiently.

I am grateful to share about a new partnership with the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation, whose financial management team will now also be overseeing Wingspan's financial systems.

Wendell Hicks, SAAF's Executive Director, and Lorna Petersen, SAAF's Finance Director, have worked with me and Wingspan's board to build a collaboration that ensures Wingspan is held to the highest standards of fiscal management, while reducing administrative costs to help us adapt to funding challenges.

This innovative collaboration is just one part of a broader plan to re-enforce Wingspan's foundation in these challenging times. Our board also recently crafted three operating plans based on different grant and fundraising projections. These plans ensure the availability of our community center space, as well as core programs and services, through a combination of staff and volunteer opportunities. Let's not forget that Wingspan began as an all-volunteer center, and our volunteers remain the life-blood of this organization.

Please join me in thanking and supporting Peter, Nick, Wingspan staff, volunteers and board members for their incredible commitment to our community and our center. I want to thank you as well for your continued support. Together we will sustain our center and emerge from this recession with a strong foundation for growth.

Steele: Marriage Bad For Small Business

2009-05-16T14:23:00.001-07:00

(H/T Raw Story)

RNC Chairman Michael Steele wouldn't have risen to his position if he weren't a pretty sharp tack. ... But you wouldn't know it listening to him argue against marriage equality.

From the Associated Press:

Steele said that was just an example of how the party can retool its message to appeal to young voters and minorities without sacrificing core conservative principles. Steele said he used the argument weeks ago while chatting on a flight with a college student who described herself as fiscally conservative but socially liberal on issues like gay marriage.
"Now all of a sudden I've got someone who wasn't a spouse before, that I had no responsibility for, who is now getting claimed as a spouse that I now have financial responsibility for," Steele told Republicans at the state convention in traditionally conservative Georgia. "So how do I pay for that? Who pays for that? You just cost me money."
As Steele talked about ways the party could position itself, he also poked fun at his previous pledge to give the GOP a "hip-hop makeover."
"You don't have to wear your pants cut down here or the big bling," he said.

Gee, does this mean the Republican party will stop claiming marriage equality will lead to people marrying animals? Or have we not yet heard the last from the "homosexuality is worse than pedophilia" crowd?

And I must add, it's a good thing Steele is averse to the "big bling" ... Small businesses like the GOP need to keep on budget.

News from Tucson GLBT Chamber of Commerce

2009-05-16T10:09:00.000-07:00

May Breakfast Meeting
5/21/09
7:30 AM to 9:00 AM

Hotel Tucson
City Center Conference Suite Resort
475 N. Granada Ave.

Speaker: Judy Wood
Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau

Topic: Embrace Tourism & Win!

RSVP by Monday, May 18, 2009 by 12 noon
615-6436

info@TucsonGLBTChamber.org

Breakfast Sponsored By

The Clements Agency