Thanksgiving Recipes, Holiday Gifts, Fall Apparel, and Couples Share the Season!
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The Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) was defeated by a 61 to 39 percent margin delivering a devastating blow to LGBT equality. HERO would have banned discrimination in 15 different categories including housing, employment, and city
contracts based on age, sex, military status, and gender identity. As a result, Houston is now the only major city in the nation without nondiscrimination protections which is a serious problem considering a record 22 transgender people were murdered in Houston in 2015.
Opponents of HERO stopped at nothing in their crusade against HERO. They dubbed HERO as the “bathroom law” stripping the law of its true meaning and intent. The
“bathroom law” name stuck as a result of running ads claiming women and children would become vulnerable to sexual predators in ladies rooms. A claim deemed “baseless and false” by Houston authorities.
"This is a calculated campaign of lies designed to demonize a little understood minority." - Annise Paker Mayor of Houston
The worst part of all of this is that the NFL has the power to change or at the very least strongly inßuence the people of Houston to reconsider their decision. Houston is set to host the Super Bowl in 2017 which will generate upwards of $500 million for Houston’s economy.
The day after HERO was rejected Chad GrifÞn, president of the HRC, wrote a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell urging him to
discuss “nondiscrimination protections” for those attending the 2017 Super Bowl. The NFL responded with this statement: “This will not affect our plans for the Super Bowl in 2017…Our policies emphasize tolerance and inclusiveness, and prohibit discrimination based on age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other improper standard.”
If the NFL “prohibits discrimination” how is it that the rejection of the Houston EQUAL RIGHTS Ordinance will not affect the NFL’s plans for Super Bowl 17? In 1990 the NFL
moved the Super Bowl out of Phoenix when Arizona voters did not approve a state wide holiday for Dr. Martin Luther King. The NFL wanted to send a clear message that
they would not tolerate racism. The message the NFL is currently demonstrating is that they do and will continue to tolerate the discrimination of LGBT people.
All the NFL really needs to do is threaten or hint at the idea of moving the Super
Bowl and Houston would be shaking in their boots. The economic impact of hosting the Super Bowl is tremendous and the inßuence of the NFL is immeasurable.
For an organization like the NFL who is desperate to save face with its fans especially
since last years debacle over Domestic Violence, it is hard to believe they are willing to “ride out” the storm with HERO. The NFL can say what they will about their “policies” but actions speak louder than words and right now their actions are screaming “We don’t care about transgender people or equal rights”.
Brynn Tannehill, director of advocacy for the LGBT military organization SPARTA, said it best:
A change.org petition has been started requesting
Roger Goodell to move the Super Bowl to another city in 2017. I urge everyone to go sign up and voice your disapproval of the NFL’s decision to do nothing in Houston. We have come too far to allow this type of hate and bigotry survive in America.
Join us at Napoleon's Itch during the Holidays and enjoy a cup of our specialty "Peppermint Hot Chocolate", "Cinnamon Schnapps Coffee" or "Spiced Tea"!
Ask for our "Cinnamon Toast Crunch" with Ochata Rum & Fireball! Ask about booking our upstairs bar for your private holiday event!
Ask about booking the upstairs bar for your private holiday event!
The Ultimate Guide and Best Gifts of the Season!
Rainbow Brew
Gay owned and operated An incredible coffee that has been handled, processed, shipped, and roasted with the utmost attention – not only to the quality of the beans, but also to the quality of life surrounding it. They support the LGBT community though their Caffeinated-4-A-Cause shop. Visit rainbowbrew.com.
Whether that person on your list is naughty or nice, young at heart, or impossible to shop for, VIP's Holiday Gift Guide has something to share with that special someone on your gift list. That's right, one tool with endless possibilities to cross off your holiday list. Find what you love, and love what you find with VIP.
Dayak Leather Hook Bracelet JohnHardy.com
Drive HD Dash Cam with WiFi cobra.com/products/dash-cams/cdr-900
Gucci Guilty Spray Gucci.com
Nexus Radio is the first major radio and tv service specializing in dance music. They know what club fans want. They call it the 3Ds: the divas, the divos and the DJs. At the gym, in the car, at work, or just about anywhere fans need some adrenaline pumping tracks, they can turn to Nexus. Listen to Nexus Radio online or download the app to play on all mobile devices. Listeners can opt out of commercials with the VIP option at members.thepuremix.com/nexus/.
Men's TM Jersey Long Sleeve Tee in Asphalt $14.50 BEbyTees.com
Godiva Holiday Basket godiva.com
Large Triangle Kookie Baker Cosmetic Bag
etsy.com/Kookie Baker Wares
VIP Entrance Pass for the Bourbon Pub BourbonPub.com
Cadillac CTS-V
Cadillac introduces the 2016 CTS-V, the most powerful product in the brand's 112-year history. With 640hp and a 200mph top speed, its the newest entry in the elite class of the world's highest performing luxury cars. Starting at $84,995
VENETIAN LINK BRACELET
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louisianaequalityfoundation.org Please support our local organizations. GET CONNECTED..STAY CONNECTED
2. If you have an assistant whose not so attractive- (relax, we already know he's a hardworker, no need to justify that because if he wasn't then he'd either have to be straight or you would have already crossed those company lines to frolic under the mistletoe). In any case, hopefully he has a cute brother or best friend that with a little persuasion on your part, he'll bring to your company holiday party. After all isn't he suppossed to be assisting you? 3. Tis the season for shopping so venture to the mall. If Mr. or Mrs. Holiday Right Now isn't there...I mean would you really want to be dating them anyway. 4. Don't skip the urge to volunteer during the holidays. Not only will you get personal satisfaction from helping others which can only boost your chances for Ăžnding true love, if you do Ăžnd seasons greetings, they are probably a better fare than the one sitting at the end of the bar you hit on last week. 5. Consider actually putting down your cell phone or laptop and ask yourself when was the last time you tried to meet someone without the use of modern technology. Try some old fashion technology, hit up the local bar, coffee house, restaurant, park, or wherever and start a conversation with a stranger. Start by wishing them Happy Holidays and who knows, silver bells may just be ringing for you by next year.
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2015
Holiday Event Guide Canal Street Lighting Ceremony Nov. 24, 5:30 p.m. @ Astor Crowne Plaza Stroll along Canal St. and watch as Santa Òßips the switchÓ turning on more than 1 million twinkling lights on New OrleansÕ grand corridor. canalstreetholiday.com/events
Celebration in the Oaks
Nov. 17 - Jan. 2 @ City Park The most spectacular holiday lights festival in the country with several special events. neworleanscitypark.com/ celebrationintheoaks
Baroque Christmas
Dec. 17, 7:30 p.m. @ First Baptist Church Baroque Christmas returns to New Orleans and the Northshore with a festive program featuring select LPO musicians and the NOVA Masterworks Chronicle. lpomusic.com
Holiday Home Tour Dec. 11 - 13 Every year, during the holidays, New Orleanians decorate their homes in colorful, unique decor & open their homes to the public for viewing. prcno.org
Visions of US: American Art at NOMA Nov. 14 - Jan. 24 @ NOMA Visions of US explores evolving ideas about American cultural identity from the 18th through 20th centuries. noma.org
NOLA Christmas Fest
Dec. 18-27 @ Morial Convention Center, Hall B 10 Days of fun in an indoor Christmas festival. Featuring the only indoor ice skating rink in NOLA! nolachristmasfest.com
Sounds of the Season Dec. 18 @ UNO Performing Arts Center Recital Hall The New Orleans Gay MenÕs Chorus takes to the stage once again for their annual Christmas concert. nogmc.com Orpheum Holiday Spectacular
Dec. 12-13 @ Orpheum Theater Celebrate this holiday season the New Orleans way with the LPO and the legendary 610 Stompers. lpomusic.com
Krewe of Jingle Parade Downtown Dec. 12 @ 1:00 p.m. New OrleansÕ ofÞcial holiday parade will once again delight locals and visitors alike with authentic parade ßoats, marching bands, stilt walkers, Christmas characters and many more magical surprises. downtownnola.com/holidays
40th Annual Christmas Bonfire Party
Dec. 5, 7-midnight @ Oak Alley Plantation Food & fun, dancing & drinks, and a celebration like no other! oakalleyplantation.com
Art of Giving
Dec. 1, 5-8 p.m. @ Odgen Museum of Southern Art Holiday shopping event featuring selected craftsmen and vendors from the Center for Southern Craft & Design odgenmuseum.org
French Market Tree Lighting
Dec. 4 @ 1000 Decatur, corner of St. Phillip Street (Joan of Arc statue) Join the French Market in a traditional tree-lighting ceremony. Come early, shop in the French Market for the holidays and stay for the lighting ceremony. frenchmarket.org
The Victory Belles Present: A Swingin’ Christmas
Dec. 2-30 @ National WWII Museum Join our wonderful Victory Belles as they celebrate the season with a sleigh full of swinging holiday hits! nationalww2museum.org
Miracle on Fulton Street Dec. 4-7 Enjoy the sights and sounds of the holiday season, all on Fulton Street in Downtown NOLA. ceasars.com
Caroling in Jackson Square Dec. 20 @ 6:30 p.m. in Jackson Square A holiday tradition that has been going on since 1946, Christmas Caroling in Jackson Sqaure is a joyful, fun experience that thousands of people participate in every year. patioplanters.org
Patio Planters’ Holiday Home Tour
Reindeer Run and Romp Dec. 12 @ Canal Street Annual holiday fun run for kids on Canal Street! dowtownnola.com/holidays
Brunch with Santa Saturdays in December @ Bourbon Orleans Hotel The Bourbon Orleans Hotel invites you and your family to celebrate the magic of Christmas at Brunch with Santa and his Elves. bourbonorleans.com/santa
Marigny Opera House Presents: “Christmas Concerto” Dec. 10-13 @ 8:00 p.m. A holiday celebration danced to the glorious music of Handel and Corelli, performed live by the New Resonance Orchestra. marignyoperahouse.org
Mignon Faget Trunk Show Dec. 12 - 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Mignon Faget representatives will host a one-day only trunk show at The Historic New Orleans Collection Museum. hnoc.tamretail.net
Creole Queen’s Cajun Holiday Tea with Papa Noel Dec. 12,13,19 @ Paddlewheeler Creole Queen Come pass a good time aboard the Paddlewheeler Creole Queen with Papa Noel, Mrs. Noel, a real-live alligator, and other jolly characters during this family festivity. creolequeen.com
Dec. 20 1:00-4:00 p.m. Savor the holiday spirit as Patio Planters of the Vieux Carre presents French Quarter residences dressed for the season. patioplanters.org
Benny Grunch and the Bunch @ Rock N Bowl Dec. 25 @ 5:00 p.m. New Orleans’ very own Santa Clause and his crew perform Christmas Day. rocknbowl.com/events
Christmas Eve Bonfire Express Tour Dec. 24 4:30-9:30 p.m. Celebrate the Lousiana tradition of viewing the community-built bonÞres that light the way for Papa Noel, the Cajun Santa Claus. graylineneworleans.com
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Dec. 29-Jan. 3 @ The Saenger Theater The original creators of the Broadway production have reunited for this new tour. saengernola.com
Holiday on the Boulevard Dec. 12 @ Holiday Marketplace Holiday Marketplace that is free and open to the public with a live concert not to be missed! ashecac.org
VIP Magazine Christmas Party Dec. 19 Look for the invitation on facebook or in your mailbox! myvipmag.us
OZ Christmas Party Find more information on facebook. ozneworleans.com
Bourbon Pub Christmas Party Dec. 14 @ 801 Bourbon St. bourbonpub.com
Comedian Ian Aber's Gay Thanksgiving Survival Guide: Thanksgiving can be a wonferful holiday Ăžlled with family, food, and fun. Thanksgiving can also be a relentless battle zone, where passive aggressive comments, lifelong familial grudges and political and religious ideology combine with poor alcohol pacing and general ennui to create an emotional thunder dome form which no one escapes unscathed. 1. Drink enough not to care but still sober
enough to drive yourself if you need a quick escape to go get....
2. Ice. You can never have enough of it and
4. Drugs. A 1/2 a Xanax may be all it takes for you not to lose your shit around your family.
Drugs aren't always the answer, but in this case they are. Talk to your health care provider.
icy glares from your boyfriends fundamentalist grandfather doesn't count. Just have an escape plan and a list of keywords, that if
mentioned, you can get out of the Ăžre zone.
Like Obamacare, Boehner, Tea Party and Sarah Palin.
3. Nap. Pretend to be asleep. Maybe mention
5. Pretend you like them. Sometimes the best
close your eyes in the middle of a political
the people who brought you into the world but they are also the ones who installed and push all
might be overselling it.
enjoy their company for one day a year, can't you?
you were diagnosed with Narcolepsy when you arrive so it doesn't seem strange when you discussion with your racist ass uncle. Snoring really loud over the most offensive parts
offense is a complete pretense. Sure, these are
your buttons. But you can atleast act like you
6. If you must go off on anybody, save it for the end of the meal and have your exit planned.
Nothing worse than summarily letting everyone
you are related to have it and then have to wait 30 minutes for a cab.
12-15-15
Bar & Lounge 2218 25th Avenue Gulfport, MS 39501
TO OUR PATRONS, HOSTS, SPONSORS, PARTNERS, VOLUNTEERS, AUCTION DONORS, PROJECT LAZARUS STAFF, BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED:
IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE WEEKEND AND EVERYONE INVOLVED HAS MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO DEPEND ON PROJECT LAZARUS.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT!
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OCTOBER 27-30, 2016