Steve Lee, Editor

The Chicago LGBT International Film Festival celebrates 32 years this September

CHICAGO – The 32nd  Chicago LGBT International Film Festival, Reeling will commence Thursday, Sept. 18 at The Music Box Theatre (3733 N. Southport ave.) with a screening of Boy Meets Girl, directed by Eric Schaeffer (US, 2014, 95 min). Director Eric Schaeffer is set to attend the screening, along with trans actress Michelle Hendley. There…

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Halloween New Orleans mixes chaos with cause to support those living with HIV/AIDS

NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans reputation as a premier Halloween destination is unwavering. With much enthusiasm, the city prepares to welcome the 31st annual Halloween New Orleans (HNO), Oct. 23 – 26. The weekend-long extravaganza, benefiting Project Lazarus, is the largest gay Halloween charity event in the country; last year drawing its largest crowd since…

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Governor signs landmark Leno bill addressing smartphone theft

SACRAMENTO – Gov. Jerry Brown signed landmark legislation today addressing the growing epidemic of smartphone theft in California. SB 962, authored by Senator Mark Leno and sponsored by San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón, requires all smartphones sold in California to come pre-equipped with theft-deterring technological solutions to render the devices useless if stolen. The…

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New HRC Foundation report exposes anti-LGBT group

WASHINGTON –– The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, today released a new report that exposes one of the most influential groups in America promoting and coordinating the exportation of anti-LGBT bigotry, ideology, and legislation abroad: The World Congress of Families. Labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, and active in several nations across five…

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HRC Alabama receives Justice and Equality Award from Metro Birmingham NAACP

WASHINGTON —The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) received a notable award Sunday from the Metro Birmingham NAACP chapter. The honor acknowledges HRC’s commitment to advancing equality for all Alabamians. The All in for Justice and Equality Award is bestowed upon advocates, community leaders, and organizations aggressively pushing for equality. “HRC Alabama gladly accepts this honor which highlights…

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‘Fat Gay Men: Girth, Mirth and the Politics of Stigma’ paints mixed picture of the realities that fat gay men face

In his review, Fat Gay Men: Girth, Mirth and the Politics of Stigma by columnist Mark Joseph Stern of Slate Magazine, he dissects some of the painful (and often surprising) realities that fat gay men face in what he calls “the cruelly stratified” pecking order of gay male existence. In fact, he probably sums it…

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Moribund bathhouse industry finds ways to modernize, stay afloat

In its heyday, bathhouses were as common in major cities as discos. It was the 1970s and the sexual liberation movement was at its zenith. Gay men, who were still socially ostracized, had fewer options for hooking up. Sure, cruising parks and truck stops offered a modicum of relief, but were risky and often accompanied…

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Advancing an AIDS-free generation by accelerating children’s treatment

From the Office of Science and Technology Policy Blog: Earlier this month, at an event co-hosted by the Office of First Lady Michelle Obama at the African Leaders Summit, several new steps towards advancing the President’s goal of an AIDS-free generation were announced. The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Children’s…

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