Books: ‘The Comfortable Shoe Diaries’ explores lesbian and gay culture in an offbeat way

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Renée J. Lukas’s debut novel, The Comfortable Shoe Diaries (Bella Books, 2015) explores LGBT culture in a funny and offbeat way, including the issue of gay marriage. It’s the story of Sydney Gray, a neurotic writer who loses everything—her job, home and a long-term relationship to boot. How she’s able to pick…

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Lorena Gonzalez proposes bill to provide professional sports cheerleaders with employee rights

SACRAMENTO – California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) introduced Assembly Bill 202 today to treat cheerleaders of professional sports teams as employees under California law, a move that will better protect cheer athletes in the state from workplace abuses and bring equity to the multibillion-dollar professional sports landscape. Recent attention to the issue from…

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Alan Ball, Elton John to produce new musical drama for HBO

Alan Ball, the writer-producer who developed True Blood for TV is back with HBO with Virtuoso, a Fame-like musical drama that has received a pilot pickup, according to The Hollywood Reporter. According to the report Ball will write, exec produce and direct Virtuoso, an hourlong period drama set against the complex and volatile backdrop of…

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Budweiser’s Super Bowl ad tugs at the heart strings (VIDEO)

http://youtu.be/xAsjRRMMg_Q Budweiser released its 2015 Super Bowl ad Wednesday, a sequel to its successful dog-and-Clydesdale story from last year. The commercial, entitled “Lost Dog.” #BestBuds is set to the song  “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” performed by Sleeping At Last. The puppy in the commercial goes off on an unscheduled trip, eventually finding his way…

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Mormon church backs LGBT rights — with conditions

Convening a rare press conference on Tuesday at church headquarters in Salt Lake City, Mormon leaders pledged to support anti-discrimination laws for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people, as long the laws also protect the rights of religious groups, reports CNN. In exchange, the Mormon church wants gay rights advocates — and the government —…

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Grammy award-winning Musicians Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer to partner with HRC

WASHINGTON –  Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation announced a partnership with award-winning children’s musicians Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, who will dedicate a portion of proceeds from their new album to the HRC Foundation’s unique Welcoming Schools program. The duo will also debut its latest CD, “Dancin’ In The Kitchen,” which celebrates diverse…

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All-female ‘Ghostbusters’ cast revealed

Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, and “SNL” stars Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon are negotiating to star in the new Ghostbusters movie which will be direted by Paul Feig, reports The Hollywood Reporter. Negotiations are ongoing, but the quartet are expected to sign on as the specter-seeking, poltergeist-punishing, phantom-phollowing foursome in the reboot, which is scheduled…

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