the pride
PREP: 05.06.2016 WEST HOLLYWOOD
PROMOTES PREP ⚫ 23
PREP: LOS ANGELES COUNTY PROMOTES PREP ⚫ 23
WWW.THEPRIDELA.COM
POLITICS KAREN OCAMB ON 2016 PRESIDENTIAL RACE ⚫ 7
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ISSUE NUMBER 8, VOLUME 2 1 MAY 6 — MAY 20, 2016
LOS ANGELES
THE LOS ANGELES LGBT NEWSPAPER
ELECTIONS ⚫ 7
Donald Trump: a terrifying triumph and what it could mean for California LEGAL ⚫ 8
D.O.J. says North Carolina bathroom law violates civil Rights GAY PRIDE ⚫ 19
“Evolution” brings “Gay Coachella” as LA Pride comes to West Hollywood WASHINGTON ⚫ 16
Hearing in the works for federal ‘religious freedom’ PRIDE: 2016 SEES THE FESTIVAL SET TO BECOME A N INT’L MUSIC FESTIVAL WHILE THE bill refuse LGBT MARCH REMAINS UNCHANGED. PHOTO: LA PRIDE 2015
L.A. Pride pivots to ‘millennials” and roils the LGBT Community
⚫ Legacy LGBT community members express outrage over a decision they say changes the nature of the event and ignores history.
⚫ West Hollywood City Council member suggests Christopher Street West needs more supervision and is making decisions by fiat.
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LOS ANGELES
New Odefsey is now available ®
ODEC0005_OdefseyJrnlAd-B_Spread_10x11-7_ThePride.indd 1-2
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Actual Size (15.4 mm x 7.3 mm)
One small pill contains rilpivirine, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide (TAF). Ask your healthcare provider if ODEFSEY is right for you. To learn more visit ODEFSEY.com
Please see Brief Summary of Patient Information with important warnings on the following pages.
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Brief Summary of Patient Information about ODEFSEY ODEFSEY (oh-DEF-see) (emtricitabine, rilpivirine and tenofovir alafenamide) tablets Important: Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not be taken with ODEFSEY. There may be new information about ODEFSEY. This information is only a summary and does not take the place of talking with your healthcare provider about your medical condition or treatment. What is the most important information I should know about ODEFSEY? ODEFSEY can cause serious side effects, including: • Build-up of lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis). Lactic acidosis may happen in some people who take ODEFSEY or similar medicines. Lactic acidosis is a serious medical emergency that can lead to death. Lactic acidosis can be hard to identify early, because the symptoms could seem like symptoms of other health problems. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms which could be signs of lactic acidosis: – feel very weak or tired – have unusual (not normal) muscle pain – have trouble breathing – have stomach pain with nausea or vomiting – feel cold, especially in your arms and legs – feel dizzy or lightheaded – have a fast or irregular heartbeat • Severe liver problems. Severe liver problems may happen in people who take ODEFSEY. In some cases, these liver problems can lead to death. Your liver may become large and you may develop fat in your liver. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms of liver problems: – your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice) – dark “tea-colored” urine – light-colored bowel movements (stools) – loss of appetite – nausea – pain, aching, or tenderness on the right side of your stomach area • You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or severe liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking ODEFSEY or a similar medicine for a long time. • Worsening of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. ODEFSEY is not approved to treat HBV. If you have HBV and take ODEFSEY, your HBV may get worse (flare-up) if you stop taking ODEFSEY. A “flare-up” is when your HBV infection suddenly returns in a worse way than before. – Do not run out of ODEFSEY. Refill your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider before your ODEFSEY is all gone. – Do not stop taking ODEFSEY without first talking to your healthcare provider. – If you stop taking ODEFSEY, your healthcare provider will need to check your health often and do blood tests regularly for several months to check your HBV infection. Tell your healthcare provider about any new or unusual symptoms you may have after you stop taking ODEFSEY.
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What is ODEFSEY? ODEFSEY is a prescription medicine that is used to treat HIV-1 in people 12 years of age and older: • who have not received HIV-1 medicines in the past and have an amount of HIV-1 in their blood (“viral load”) that is no more than 100,000 copies/mL, or • to replace their current HIV-1 medicines in people who have been on the same HIV-1 medicines for at least 6 months, have a viral load that is less than 50 copies/mL, and have never failed past HIV-1 treatment. It is not known if ODEFSEY is safe and effective in children under 12 years of age or who weigh less than 77 lb (35 kg). When used to treat HIV-1 infection, ODEFSEY may help: • Reduce the amount of HIV-1 in your blood. This is called “viral load”. • Increase the number of CD4+ (T) cells in your blood that help fight off other infections. Reducing the amount of HIV-1 and increasing the CD4+ (T) cells in your blood may help improve your immune system. This may reduce your risk of death or getting infections that can happen when your immune system is weak (opportunistic infections). ODEFSEY does not cure HIV-1 infection or AIDS. You must keep taking HIV-1 medicines to control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses. Ask your healthcare provider about how to prevent passing HIV-1 to others. Do not share or re-use needles, injection equipment, or personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them. Do not have sex without protection. Always practice safer sex by using a latex or polyurethane condom to lower the chance of sexual contact with semen, vaginal secretions, or blood.
Who should not take ODEFSEY? Do not take ODEFSEY if you also take a medicine that contains: • carbamazepine (Carbatrol®, Epitol®, Equetro®, Tegretol®, Tegretol-XR®, Teril®) • dexamethasone (Ozurdex®, Maxidex®, Decadron®, BaycadronTM) • dexlansoprazole (Dexilant ®) • esomeprazole (Nexium®, Vimovo®) • lansoprazole (Prevacid®) • omeprazole (Prilosec®, Zegerid®) • oxcarbazepine (Trileptal®) • pantoprazole sodium (Protonix®) • phenobarbital (Luminal®) • phenytoin (Dilantin®, Dilantin-125®, Phenytek®) • rabeprazole (Aciphex®) • rifampin (Rifadin®, Rifamate®, Rifater ®, Rimactane®) • rifapentine (Priftin®) • the herb St. John’s wort or a product that contains St. John’s wort
What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking ODEFSEY? Before taking ODEFSEY, tell your healthcare provider if you: • have liver problems including hepatitis B or C virus infection • have kidney and bone problems • have had depression or suicidal thoughts • have any other medical conditions • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if ODEFSEY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking ODEFSEY.
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Pregnancy registry: there is a pregnancy registry for women who take HIV-1 medicines during pregnancy. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. Talk with your healthcare provider about how you can take part in this registry. • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take ODEFSEY. – You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby. – At least one of the medicines in ODEFSEY can pass to your baby in your breast milk. It is not known if the other medicines in ODEFSEY can pass into your breast milk. – Talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Some medicines may interact with ODEFSEY. Keep a list of your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. • You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for a list of medicines that interact with ODEFSEY. • Do not start a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider can tell you if it is safe to take ODEFSEY with other medicines. How should I take ODEFSEY? • Take ODEFSEY exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it. ODEFSEY is • • • • •
taken by itself (not with other HIV-1 medicines) to treat HIV-1 infection. Take ODEFSEY 1 time each day with a meal. Do not change your dose or stop taking ODEFSEY without first talking with your healthcare provider. Stay under a healthcare provider’s care when taking ODEFSEY. Do not miss a dose of ODEFSEY. If you take too much ODEFSEY, call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away. When your ODEFSEY supply starts to run low, get more from your healthcare provider or pharmacy. This is very important because the amount of virus in your blood may increase if the medicine is stopped for even a short time. The virus may develop resistance to ODEFSEY and become harder to treat.
What are the possible side effects of ODEFSEY? ODEFSEY may cause serious side effects, including: • See “What is the most important information I should know about ODEFSEY?” • Severe skin rash and allergic reactions. Skin rash is a common side effect of ODEFSEY. Rash can be serious. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get a rash. In some cases, rash and allergic reaction may need to be treated in a hospital. If you get a rash with any of the following symptoms, stop taking ODEFSEY and call your healthcare provider right away: – fever – skin blisters – mouth sores – redness or swelling of the eyes (conjunctivitis) – swelling of the face, lips, mouth or throat – trouble breathing or swallowing – pain on the right side of the stomach (abdominal) area – dark “tea-colored” urine
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• Depression or mood changes. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have
any of the following symptoms: – feel sad or hopeless – feel anxious or restless – have thoughts of hurting yourself (suicide) or have tried to hurt yourself • Change in liver enzymes. People with a history of hepatitis B or C virus infection or who have certain liver enzyme changes may have an increased risk of developing new or worsening liver problems during treatment with ODEFSEY. Liver problems can also happen during treatment with ODEFSEY in people without a history of liver disease. Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your liver enzymes before and during treatment with ODEFSEY. • Changes in body fat can happen in people who take HIV-1 medicine. These changes may include increased amount of fat in the upper back and neck (“buffalo hump”), breast, and around the middle of your body (trunk). Loss of fat from the legs, arms and face may also happen. The exact cause and long-term health effects of these conditions are not known. • Changes in your immune system (Immune Reconstitution Syndrome) can happen when you start taking HIV-1 medicines. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body for a long time. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you start having any new symptoms after starting your HIV-1 medicine. • New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before you start and while you are taking ODEFSEY. Your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking ODEFSEY if you develop new or worse kidney problems. • Bone problems can happen in some people who take ODEFSEY. Bone problems may include bone pain, softening or thinning (which may lead to fractures). Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your bones. The most common side effects of rilpivirine, one of the medicines in ODEFSEY, are depression, trouble sleeping (insomnia), and headache. The most common side effect of emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide, two of the medicines in ODEFSEY, is nausea. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. • These are not all the possible side effects of ODEFSEY. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist. • Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. This Brief Summary summarizes the most important information about ODEFSEY. If you would like more information, talk with your healthcare provider. You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for information about ODEFSEY that is written for health professionals. For more information, call 1-800-445-3235 or go to www.ODEFSEY.com. Keep ODEFSEY and all medicines out of reach of children. Issued: March 2016
ODEFSEY, the ODEFSEY Logo, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, and GSI are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. All other trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. © 2016 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. ODEC0005 03/16
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CHRISTOPHER STREET WEST
⚫ BY TROY MASTERS
05.06.2016
LOS ANGELES
PRIDE IS CHANGING
L.A. Pride’s marketing shift to “millennials” sparks community outrage
CSW President Chris Classen says the event is “a nearly 50 year old event that is still relevant to the current generation of youth. I think that is extraordinary.”
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n 1970, Morris Kight co-founded Christopher Street West’s L.A. Pride and the parade has remained a galvanizing force in the LGBT rights movement ever since, drawing the rapt attention of several hundred thousand people to the issue of inequality. Kight never wondered who his market was. But in 2016, Chris Classen, current president of CSW, seems to have made one specific demographic central to the organization’s mission. “Adding the word ‘music’ to the title of L.A. Pride is a subtle welcome to a younger generation who does not inherently understand the historical context of the event,” Classen told the West Hollywood City Council at their May 3 meeting. His statement was intended to quell questions about the direction of his leadership. Instead, he exacerbated concern as community criticism intensified over the scope of change being implemented on West Hollywood’s largest public event. Heretofore, L.A. Pride had considered it a proud responsibility to serve as one of the keepers of LGBT and AIDS history, with the parade and festival displays of both progress and challenges facing the community. In his presentation to the council and the community, Classen explained that this year’s L.A. Pride would be “the most inclusive ever” and gave a general overview of festival’s agenda and some of the changes.
Those changes included ticket price increases that he said were driven upward primarily due to the costs associated with security, talent and insuring the event. A reformulation of L.A. Pride was apparently necessitated in part by the reconstruction of West Hollywood Park where the event takes place. The plans reduced the space available in which to hold the event by one-quarter or more. Organizers have been forced to reexamine festival components and community participation. CSW’s proposed solution is to eliminate small business booth vendors from the festival, to limit the number of non-profit groups that can sponsor outreach booths, reorganize the transgender and dyke march portions of the event and relocate or eliminate other non-music- related programs the festival normally offers. Organizers have also limited the number of media sponsors to one mainstream media, The Los Angeles Times, and one LGBT media, Frontiers Magazine, with no explanation as to what this has to do with the actual limitation of space in the park. Classen ended his presentation by saying that his operating budget is small, just under $2 million, and that the organization has no paid employees. “This event takes over a year of planning and we do our best to program a festival that everyone benefits from,” he said. “I would urge everyone to keep compromise in mind: we are a nearly 50 year old event that is still relevant to the current generation of youth. I think that is extraordinary.” In a rebuttal to critics concerned that the music festival represents a radical shift away from L.A. Pride’s LGBT focus, Classen added, “Evolution is what has actually made that possible.” CSW’s seeming shift of priorities sent shivers throughout the community, sparking concern about inclusivity, visibility and the intention of
WEHO CITY COUNCIL HEARD FROM CHRISTOPHER STREET WEST’S PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ABOUT PLANNED FESTIVAL CHANGES, MAY 3, 2016
organizers. But it was the suggestion that CSW is engaged in an existential examination about the relevance of gay rights to the “millennial” generation that caused the greatest storm. Many public commenters complained the event was being transformed into a non-LGBT -related music festival and that history and legacy were being jettisoned to appeal to an apolitical millennial demographic. Concerns ranged from fear of transgender exclusion, ticket price increases, isolation of the leather community and Country-Western offerings to anticipated neighborhood headaches about the noise impact of festival hours that have been extended to 1 AM, and suspension of permitted parking privileges. Shane Nash, a transgender man and former volunteer CSW board member who recently quit the board in protest, spoke after Classen. “I want to ask you how you could stand here and lie to this entire community?” Nash fumed. Nash said the CSW board is in turmoil. “There are only about four of us making decisions,” he said, “the rest of us are in the dark.” Nash did not say what Classen’s
specific lie was but indicated the council was being mislead by CSW requests for ticket subsidy funds. Rachel Rose Lucky, communications VP for Stonewall Democratic Club and a transgender equal rights activist, said the concern about trans exclusion is significant and timely. “Transgender people are under attack like never before,” she said. “Similar attacks on the gay liberation movement motivated Morris Kight and others to found Christopher Street West in the first place. The reason they did this? Visibility! Being out and proud helped draw gay folks out of the closet and ignite the movement.” Lucky alleged that by moving a trans event into evening rush hour on Friday, CSW was marginalizing the community since fewer people could attend. The move, Lucky said, is “contradictory to the original intent of pride; we need more visibility, not less.” “I suspect Morris would not be very happy with these guys and I am hoping after tonight you won’t be either,” Lucky told the council. She implored councilmembers to help “reinstate the LA PRIDE continued on p. 11
05.06.2016 NEW YORK
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
⚫ BY KAREN OCAMB
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LOS ANGELES
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REPUBLICAN NOMINEE
Donald Trump: a terrifying triumph and what it could mean for California A
nd then there was one. A huge one. After slaying 17 candidates contending for the Republican presidential nomination, real estate mogul and reality TV personality Donald Trump won so handily in the Indiana primary on Tuesday, May 3, that his closet rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, and long shot Ohio Gov. John Kasich quickly dropped out. Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus to announce in a tweet: /@realDonaldTrump will be presumptive @GOP nominee, we all need to unite and focus on defeating @Hillary Clinton #NeverClinton.” The GOP is now Donald Trump’s Republican Party and former rivals and naysayers, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, are falling in line, in the name of “party unity.” They fear giving Hillary Clinton the ability to re-shape the Supreme Court. Other establishment Republicans, such as former Presidents George H.W. Bush and his son, George W. Bush, as well as 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney, are so flummoxed, they are refusing to talk about Trump or go to the GOP convention in Cleveland this July. Republican 2008 presidential nominee Sen. John McCain says that Trump at the top of the ticket hurts his own chances for re-election in Arizona. Many now think the Senate—and perhaps even the House—are in play for a Democratic take over this November. Mainstream GOP conservatives are freaking out over Trump’s lack of substance and qualifications to hold the office, tweeting back to Priebus #NeverTrump. Some are calling for a new independent third party rooted in traditional Republican conservative principles to contest Trump’s pure Charlie Sheen-like philosophy of “winning” at any costs. Spies are worried. “My concern with Trump will be that he inadvertently leaks, because as he speaks
CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY VOTERS WILL DECIDE WHO FACES OFF WITH DONALD TRUMP IN THE 2016 U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
extemporaneously, he’ll pull something out of his hat that he heard in a briefing and say it,” a former senior U.S. intelligence official who has participated in the process of briefing presidential candidates told the Daily BeastWednesday. And not every business person thinks Trump is the “greatest” businessman on the planet. Media mogul Barry Diller told CNBC on Thursday. “There’s nobody that I’ve ever known, ever, that’s risen to the presidency that was actually of evil character,” Diller said on “Squawk on the Street.” “Anybody who attacks people in the manner that he attacks people … that’s evil.” Diller is voting for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Trump’s triumph has some on GOP deathwatch while snarky anti-Trump watchers are chuckling over what kind of convention Trump will run, imagining a gaudy, over-the-top Vegas party with World Wide Wrestling Federation half-naked pretty girls prancing across the stage holding up
placards to announce the next political speaker. This not your daddy’s Republican Party. But smirkers should remember that California elected a popular masculinity-obsessed action movie star to be governor, based on his promise to run the state like he would his business and “fix” the economy. Many Republicans felt Arnold Schwarzenegger did OK for California—not so much for the LGBT community, vetoing two marriage bills. But by the time Gov. Jerry Brown was elected, the California Republican Party had shrunk considerably, being pushed out of state offices, though gerrymandering left a number of GOP congressional seats relatively safe. The California Republican Party—which took cues from the RNC’s 2013 Election Autopsy Report and welcomed the gay Log Cabin Republicans into the fold—woke upWednesday to find themselves deprived of a meaningful primary. But then, Trump didn’t seem to care about the state GOP anyway, according to the
San Francisco Chronicle’s report on Trump’s recent performance at the California Republican convention in Burlingame. Trump was “autopiloting” through his “We’re going to win, and we’re going to win in a way nobody has seen before” riffs when he tossed an offthe-cuff insult. “Ideally, we’re going to be together,” Trump said, then adding “I think I will win if we’re not together.” “In other words, Trump’s campaign remains only about Trump. And the rest of California Republicans be damned,” the Chronicle reported. That knocked the wind out of some GOP politicos who had hoped that they could rebuild the state Republican Party by reaching out to women, Latinos and Millennials, assumed to be the future of the party. Now, with Trump at the top of the ticket, the party looks to settle deeper into its permanent minority status. “It frustrates and saddens me,” Los Angeles-based consultant Luis Alvarado told the Chronicle. He’s been trying to elect grassroots Latino Republicans. “How do you tell people that you are different when he represents the party?” Even though the GOP primary is settled, it will nonetheless be interesting to see who turns out to vote for whom onJune 7. Though California is a closed primary, it may be interesting to see if and how many angry, resentment-based independents re-registered to vote for either Trump or Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders. That democratic socialist running a powerful insurgent campaign is convinced he can not only defeat Hillary Clinton in California, but get enough delegates from that win to convince Democratic Super delegates to swing over to him at the Democratic convention in Philadelphia July 25-28. Right now, Sanders has his own version of a #NeverClinDONALD TRUMP continued on p. 19
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NORTH CAROLINA TRANSGENDER
05.06.2016
LOS ANGELES
ANTI-LGBT LAW
⚫ BY TROY MASTERS
D.O.J. says North Carolina bathroom law violates civil Rights A North Carolina law limiting protections to LGBT people violates federal civil rights laws and the state stands to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding.
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he United States Department of Justice on Wednesday warned the state of North Car olina that it risked losing millions of dollars in federal funding because its controversial measure on bathroom access discriminated against transgender people. The warning, which came in a letter to Gov. Pat McCrory, escalated what has already become a contentious national debate over North Carolina’s new legal stance on transgender and gay people. The state measure, House Bill 2, known as HB2, was signed into law in March and “is facially discriminatory against transgender employees” because it treats them differently from other employees, said the letter, which came from Vanita Gupta, the top civil rights lawyer for the Justice Department in Washington. The letter was first reported by The Charlotte Observer. “H.B. 2 … is facially discriminatory against transgender employees on the basis of sex because it treats transgender employees, whose gender identity does not match their “biological sex,” as defined by H.B. 2, differently from similarly situated non-transgender employees … H.B. 2 places similar restrictions on access to restrooms and changing facilities for all public agencies in North Carolina. By requiring compliance with H.B. 2, you and the State are therefore resisting the full enjoyment of Title VII rights and discriminating against transgender employ-
NORTH CAROLINA HOUSE SPEAKER TIM MOORE CHARACTERIZED THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT’S WARNING AS GOVERNMENT OVERREACH
ees of public agencies by requiring those public agencies to comply with H.B. 2,” the letter reads. As a result, “we have concluded that in violation of Title VII, the state is engaged in a pattern or practice of resistance to the full enjoyment of Title VII right by employees of public agencies,” the letter said. The New York Times reports that a Justice Department official hopes the state will comply voluntarily with federal civil rights law “by abandoning compliance or implementation of the measure.” Tim Moore, North Carolina’s Speaker of the House, said he will not allow the federal government to “circumvent the will of the electorate and instead unilaterally exert its extreme agenda on the people directly through executive orders, radical interpretations of well-settled common-sense laws and through the fed-
eral court system.” The federal funding issue is a significant one for North Carolina and Title IX violations are at the heart of it. Title IX requires schools that received federal funding to follow a strict set of guidelines about prohibition against sex-based discrimination. The federal government provides billions to state schooling systems around the country through the Department of Education. Including universities, North Carolina receives about $4.5 billion, almost $900 million of that to k-12 schools. If the state is in violation of Title IX, the Department of Education could cease funding education in the state. The transgender community in North Carolina and around the nation cheered the Justice Department’s action. NCTE Executive Director Mara
Keisling said “The Department of Justice has shown leadership and wisdom at a critical juncture for transgender people. It is now clearer than ever that House Bill 2 is not only harmful and discriminatory, but is also in direct violation of federal law and can cost North Carolina billions in federal funding. Specifically, the Justice Department has affirmed that federal laws protect both transgender workers and students, and that HB 2 violates these laws. We trust that Gov. McCrory will not continue to jeopardize funding for North Carolinians’ schools, police departments and hospitals just to keep pushing a misguided agenda of prejudice and discrimination.” Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. in 2014 directed his Justice Department to include gender identity as a basis for a discrimination claim under federal civil rights law.
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LOS ANGELES
If you’re living with HIV, you may face another clinical challenge to healthy aging
Help Curb Excess Abdominal VAT Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) isn’t regular fat. VAT is a hard fat that surrounds organs, may be associated with serious health issues, and can be difficult to control with diet and exercise alone.
EGRIFTA ® (tesamorelin for injection) is the only FDA-approved treatment for excess HIV-related abdominal VAT EGRIFTA ® was shown to reduce VAT in 2 clinical trials of 816 total adult patients who received 2 mg of EGRIFTA ® or placebo (26-week Main Phase and 26-week Extension Phase).a Trial 1: 18% average reduction. Trial 2: 14% average reduction. For additional trial details, see the full Prescribing Information at EGRIFTA.com.
a
EGRIFTA® is not indicated to treat health issues beyond the reduction of excess abdominal VAT.
SELECTED RISK INFORMATION What is EGRIFTA ®? • EGRIFTA ® is an injectable prescription medicine to reduce the excess in abdominal fat in HIV-infected patients with lipodystrophy. The impact and safety of EGRIFTA ® on cardiovascular health has not been studied. • EGRIFTA ® is not indicated for weight loss management. • It is not known whether taking EGRIFTA ® helps improve compliance with anti-retroviral medications. EGRIFTA ® may cause serious side effects including: • Serious allergic reaction. Stop using EGRIFTA ® and get emergency help right away if you have symptoms such as a rash over your body, hives, shortness of breath or trouble breathing, swelling of your face or throat, fast heartbeat, and feeling of faintness or fainting.
• Swelling (fluid retention). EGRIFTA ® can cause swelling in some parts of your body. • Increase in glucose (blood sugar) intolerance and diabetes. • Injection site reactions. Change (rotate) your injection site to help lower your risk for injection site reactions. The following symptoms around the area of the injection site can occur: redness, itching, pain, irritation, bleeding, rash, and swelling. The most common side effects of EGRIFTA ® include: joint pain, pain in legs and arms, swelling in your legs, muscle soreness, tingling, numbness and pricking, nausea, vomiting, rash, and itching. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.
Please see brief summary of full Important Patient Information on next page.
Learn more at EGRIFTA.com A Transformation From Within
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LOS ANGELES
IMPORTANT PATIENT INFORMATION The following is a brief summary only. See complete Prescribing Information at EGRIFTA.com or request complete Prescribing Information by calling 1-844-347-4382. This information does not take the place of talking to your doctor about your medical condition or your treatment. What is EGRIFTA ® (tesamorelin for injection)? • EGRIFTA ® is an injectable prescription medicine to reduce the excess in abdominal fat in HIV-infected patients with lipodystrophy. The impact and safety of EGRIFTA ® on cardiovascular health has not been studied. • EGRIFTA ® is not indicated for weight loss management. • It is not known whether taking EGRIFTA ® helps improve compliance with anti-retroviral medications. Do not use EGRIFTA ® if you: • have pituitary gland tumor, pituitary gland surgery or other problems related to your pituitary gland. • have active cancer or are receiving treatment for cancer • are allergic to tesamorelin or mannitol. • are pregnant or become pregnant. If you become pregnant, stop using EGRIFTA ® and talk with your healthcare provider. Talk to your doctor to find out if EGRIFTA ® is right for you. How should I use EGRIFTA ®?
• Swelling (fluid retention). EGRIFTA ® can cause swelling in some parts of your body. Call your healthcare provider if you have an increase in joint pain, or pain or numbness in your hands or wrist (carpal tunnel syndrome). • Increase in glucose (blood sugar) intolerance and diabetes. Your healthcare provider will measure your blood sugar periodically. • Injection-site reactions. Change (rotate) your injection site to help lower your risk for injection-site reactions. Call your healthcare provider for medical advice if you have the following symptoms around the area of the injection site: • redness • bleeding • itching • rash • pain • swelling • irritation The most common side effects of EGRIFTA ® include: • joint pain • nausea • pain in legs and arms • vomiting • swelling in your legs • rash • muscle soreness • itching • tingling, numbness and pricking
• Read the detailed “Instructions for Use” that comes with EGRIFTA ® before you start using EGRIFTA ®. Your healthcare provider will show you how to inject EGRIFTA ®. • Use EGRIFTA ® exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider. • Inject EGRIFTA ® under the skin (subcutaneously) of your stomach area (abdomen). • Change (rotate) the injection site on your stomach area (abdomen) with each dose. Do not inject EGRIFTA ® into scar tissue, bruises or your navel.
These are not all the possible side effects of EGRIFTA ®. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
EGRIFTA ® may cause serious side effects including:
Manufactured by: Jubilant HollisterStier General Partnership, 16751 Trans-Canada Highway, Montreal, Québec, Canada H9H 4J4
• Serious allergic reaction. Some people taking EGRIFTA ® may have an allergic reaction. Stop using EGRIFTA ® and get emergency help right away if you have any of the following symptoms: • a rash over your body • shortness of breath or trouble breathing • hives • fast heartbeat • swelling of your face or • feeling of faintness throat or fainting
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05.06.2016
LOS ANGELES
LA Pride controversy LA PRIDE continued from p. 6
full trans night programming,” or organizers may face a trans protest at the corner of San Vicente and Santa Monica Boulevards. Manny Rodriguez, a resident of West Hollywood, also claimed that the council is being misled by organizers. “There is a difference between a festival with music and a music festival: it’s booked differently, it’s staged different, it’s run differently and the expectations are different,” he said. “With gay pride weekend now being branded as a music festival first, our neighborhood should not be expected to continue accommodating an event that has changed so much from it’s original, unique purpose and focus,” he said. Rodriguez said residents were happy to support the gay pride parade but not the three day festival: “…the rest of the weekend is just an oversized, over-capacity version of what happens on any given weekend west of La Cienega Boulevard. The new threeday long, admission-funded music festival could be held more appropriately anywhere else.” Jason Orion Green, a 20-year resident of West Hollywood spoke about his experiences with a free gay pride and implored the council to find a way to make the festivities free of charge. Dan Marin pointed to Classen’s statement that attendance at the festival was “overwhelmingly millennial” and that the best way to reach them was through live music. He challenged Classen’s claim that the festival offered ‘world class talent’ at an affordable price. Carly Rae Jepsen, Marin noted, L.A. Pride’s 2016 headline act, had her last hit with “Call Me Maybe,” in 2012. “That was four years ago. Do the millennials even remember (music from) four years ago? Does anybody?” “In your obsession to garner the financial support of millennials, you have certainly ignored our past struggles and the very generations who made numerous sacrifices to have this event at all and to spare the millennials the terrible discrimination which we had to endure,” he told Classen. “I just want to ask for the respect and acknowledgement [of the gains] that our generation created for those who have come after us,” said Marin as he fought back tears. Michael King said “the millennial focus of the event excludes those of us
who came before — those of us who are of a generation where many of us are no longer here — my age and up, a 20 or 25 year span of gay men who are no longer here. They are being excluded, their memories are being excluded by this music festival.” “If [the event] is not going to be about gay pride, it shouldn’t be here. It shouldn’t be disrupting our lives,” King said. Lesbian icon Ivy Bottini, a 17-year resident of West Hollywood, was outraged. “How dare CSW change the festival without consulting the community.” Bottini also suggested CSW’s board is making “mistakes” with the intention of “trying to sell it later.” “That letter [from CSW to the community] was probably the most ageist thing I have encountered since I got here in 1975. Ageist!” she exclaimed. “I’d like to know who is running CSW? Is it a one-man show? A twoman show? The board should be making decisions. Are they doing that? Or has the head of the organization suddenly decided it’s his organization?” Bottini asked. “Feels like we aren’t really important any more. There were so many trans people who were part of Stonewall and fought to get the LGBT movement started,” said Jayne Fields, a trans AIDS educator. “Barely two hours to congregate and be ourselves! To market this event to millennials is to do a grave disservice to the elders who brought us to this moment.”. City Councilman and Mayor Pro-tem John Heilman said that while he feels sympathy for the board and appreciates their mindfulness to budgeting, he feels community criticism is valid. “The goal should always be for this festival and parade to be inclusive of everyone in the community,” he said. “I heard the concern about the rebranding of the event as a music festival…taking what was a celebration of Pride and converting it a commercial music venture,” Heilman said. “There is a big problem in terms of communication.” “There needs to be a more expansive community group who guides and advises CSW because right now it sounds like they are making decisions a little bit in isolation,” Heilman added. Councilmember John Duran emphasized the city’s month-long commitment to LGBT visibility, One City, LA PRIDE continued on p. 13
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WEST HOLLYWOOD HAKUNA TRUVADA
⚫ BY STAFF
05.06.2016
LOS ANGELES
>
HIV PREVENTION
West Hollywood highlights PrEP Amid a national push to promote the drug to sexually active members of the gay community, the City of West Hollywood helped out singer Todrick Hall with a Lion King-inspired public service announcement.
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est Hollywood is launching a comprehensive public awareness campaign to inform the community about pre-exposure prophylaxis, known simply as “PrEP.” The campaign includes outdoor media advertising and targeted print information with details about obtaining a PrEP prescription and about health care services available locally that contribute to helping prevent the spread of HIV. In order to emphasize the message on social media, the city has joined with Todrick Hall to produce a catchy music video, “Hakuna Truvada,” as a public service announcement, which was released last week on Hall’s YouTube channel. The campaign is part of the city’s strategic plan in collaboration with HIV and substance abuse treatment service provider partners to reduce new HIV/AIDS cases. “I have been an eyewitness to the AIDS epidemic from the very beginning,” City Councilman John Duran said. “I believe that PrEP is part of the beginning of the end of the epidemic. Thirty years ago we prayed for a medication that would prevent transmission. It is here.” “West Hollywood wants every person to access the tools and opportunity needed to avoid an HIV infection. It’s important,” Councilman John D’Ami-
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co said. “Talk to your health care provider to see if PrEP is right for you.” Hall, a singer, actor, director, choreographer and dancer, has worked with the city on previous campaigns to encourage pedestrian safety and promote voting and public participation. “Hakuna Truvada” is a local-themed parody of Elton John’s and Tim Rice’s Oscar-nominated mega-hit song “Hakuna Matata” from Disney’s “The Lion King,” based on the Swahili phrase that roughly translates to “no worries.” In the PSA video, dancers are adorned in wild-animal prints as they dance and prance in West Hollywood’s own jungles and plains in a jaunty West Hollywood-style twist of the famous scene from “The Lion King” — the characters sashay as a group to the Los Angeles LGBT Center WeHo for a health checkup and a PrEP prescription. “When you look at the statistics and see that one in four new HIV infections each year occurs in those aged 13-24, it’s evident that young people aren’t paying attention to traditional methods of education about HIV,” said Joel Goldman, managing director
of the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. “This PSA is a brilliant concept from the city of West Hollywood and Todrick Hall to break through the clutter and reach young people with really important information about HIV prevention.” In addition to the video, the city, in collaboration with AIDS Project Los Angeles and the Los Angeles LGBT Center, has released a new slate of printed materials in English and Spanish with PrEP information targeted to multiple communities, such as gay men and transgender people. To obtain location-based information about local PrEP providers, text “PREP” to 41411. Transgender people can text “Trans” to the same number for a link to the West Hollywood Transgender Resource Guide. Texting “PrEPare” will generate a link to Spanish-language information. All text links connect to information based at www.pleaseprepme.org. West Hollywood has one of the highest proportions of LGBT residents in the US. Los Angeles County and several non-profit groups, including the LA LGBT Center also have PrEP promos.
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05.06.2016 LA PRIDE continued from p. 11
One Pride. “During the month of June, both before CSW and after, we are going to have literary readings, art exhibits, the history of drag displayed at the library upstairs, musical performances, the Rainbow Key awards, celebration theater, OutFest is doing screenings in the month of June around LGBT history,” Duran said. “I don’t think it’s fair to place the responsibility to capture Pride one weekend by a volunteer board of directors. Rather, we should look at all the activities that will be going on
LOS ANGELES around Pride month,” he said. Duran told The Pride that the “community is finally catching its breath after the losses of so many people during the AIDS epidemic. What we elders have failed to do is teach our young people about our history and our culture. The festival is not the ideal place to teach about history and culture. It is more of a weekend of celebration in the park.” “The city,” Duran said, “is developing many programs to teach our own LGBT youth and the greater community about our history and culture, such as the proposed AIDS monument, permanently placing the ONE
archives on Robertson Boulevard, expanding the space for the June Mazer Lesbian Archives at the Werle Building and the purchase of the Coast Playhouse for LGBT theater space.” Specifically addressing concerns that the festival was pivoting away from LGBT identity, Duran said the celebration has always been evolving. “The parade has usually reflected where our LGBT community was at that moment in time. During the 1970’s, the parade was about us ‘coming out’ and marching down Santa Monica Boulevard holding hands and signs about who we were. During the 1980s the parade reflected the
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anger of ACT Up and Queer Nation as we protested against the Reagan and Bush administrations. During the 1990s it was all about ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and gays in the military. During the early 2000’s the parade was all about marriage equality,’ Duran said. “But in 2016, we won’t see these reflections of the past except as nostalgic memories. The parade of 2016 will reflect where people are today, rather than yesteryear.” “A number of community concerns were raised at the May 2 City Council meeting about LA Pride in West Hollywood — important issues about communication, inclusiveness, festival pricing, programming, and LA Pride’s impacts on our neighborhoods,” West Hollywood Mayor Lauren Meister told The Pride. “West Hollywood will do all it can to address these concerns by working with CSW and the community, and by providing a subsidy for some of the festival tickets, helping with logistics, and so on. The City also has a full calendar of events for One City, One Pride, nearly all free of charge — and we hope the community will take advantage of all the City has to offer. “Clearly, though,” Meister said, “there is a much larger discussion to be had among our community members and partners like LA Pride — not only about the evolution of LA Pride in West Hollywood to date, but how our community sees celebrating Pride in the future. Based on the public comments, I’m sure it will be an interesting and passionate discussion, and I, for one, look forward to being a part of it.” But the controversy over the CSW Pride parade and festival is not merely one of marketing optics. Exclusion from the festival could mean a life or death connection for those seeking access to social service providers such as the HIV and health and wellness agency, Bienestar. “West Hollywood Pride organizers eliminated the diversity and inclusiveness, and removed the Welcome mat,” says Bienestar executive director Oscar de la O on Facebook. “For Bienestar, this year we cannot participate inside the festival by having an outreach booth. For the past 22 years we have paid the registration fees and obtained a booth to inform, connect and provide testing services. “This year CSW won’t respond to our request for a vendor application,” de la O said. “We have heard that CSW is limiting the participation of nonprofit organizations to 7 and they already selected the ‘main-stream’ agencies that they want. So much for the struggles for inclusiveness, equal treatment and opportunities, if after all these years ‘our own’ community pride festival leaders will not offer it to ALL members of the community. Where is the Pride?”
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BANGLADESH MURDER
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05.06.2016
LOS ANGELES
TERRORISM
⚫ BY MICHAEL K. LAVERS,WASHINGTON BLADE
Editor of Bangladesh LGBT magazine hacked to death Secretary of State John Kerry in a statement said Xulhaz was “a trusted colleague, a beloved friend, and advocate for human rights and dignity in Bangladesh”.
A
n editor of Bangladesh’s first LGBT magazine was hacked to death on Monday, April 25, 2016. The Dhaka Times reported that Xulhaz Mannan, who was an editor of Roopbaan, and a friend, Tanay Mojumdar, were killed inside an apartment in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka. The newspaper said up to half a dozen young men who claimed they worked for a courier company entered the apartment building and attacked Mannan and Mojumdar. Mannan, who was also a prominent LGBT rights advocate in the South Asian country, worked at the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka. “I am devastated by the brutal murder of Xulhaz Mannan and another young Bangladeshi this evening in Dhaka,” said U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat in a statement. “Xulhaz was more than a colleague to those of us fortunate to work with him at the U.S. Embassy. He was a dear friend. Our prayers are with Xulhaz, the other victim, and those injured in the attack. We abhor this senseless act of violence and urge the government of Bangladesh in the strongest terms to apprehend the criminals behind these murders.” U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Gayle Smith said in a statement that Mannan worked for the U.S. Embassy for eight years until joining USAID last September. “Today, USAID lost one of our own,” said Smith. “On behalf of our entire team, I send our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of USAID Foreign Service National Xulhaz Mannan, who was brutally murdered in Bangladesh today. We condemn this cruel and inhumane act of violence and add our voices to all those calling to bring his cowardly attackers to justice.” State Department spokesperson John Kirby told reporters during his daily press briefing described Mannan as a “staunch defender of LGBT rights.” “He was a staunch defender of LGBT rights,” said Kirby. “He was brutally, viciously murdered in his own home and that’s just atrocious and barbaric.” Bangladesh Against Homophobia, an LGBT ad-
vocacy group, described Mannan’s death on its Facebook page as “a devastating blow to the LGBT movement in Bangladesh.” An LGBT rights activist in Bangladesh who asked the Washington Blade not to publish their name because of safety concerns also mourned Mannan. “We just lost our Harvey Milk of Bangladesh,” said the advocate. U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) in a statement said he condemns Mannan and Majumder’s murders “in the strongest way possible.” Gay Men’s Health Crisis CEO Kelsey Louie noted his organization is “saddened and horrified by the killing of a leading gay rights activist and editor at Bangladesh’s only LGBT magazine.” “These senseless acts of violence reminds us how critical it is for our political leaders to be dedicated to advancing social justice and equal rights for all people, and we will continue our fight to end stigma surrounding the LGBT community in the wake of this tragedy,” said Louie in his statement. Roopbaan, a Bangladeshi LGBT advocacy group, began to publish the magazine that shares its name in 2014. Mannan’s death comes two days after members of the so-called Islamic State claimed responsibility for the hacking death of Rezaul Karim Siddique, a university professor, in northwestern Bangladesh. A number of other secular academics, writers and bloggers and members of religious minority groups have also been killed by Islamists in Bangladesh over the last year. The Bangladeshi advocate with whom the Blade spoke said an Islamist group really wrote on its Facebook page that “it is high time to eliminate gays” from the country. Roopbaan cancelled a “Rainbow Rally” that was to have taken place during a Bengali New Year celebration in Dhaka on April 14 because Islamists had threatened to attack participants. The advocate with whom the Blade spoke on Monday said that Roopbaan was also targeted. The activist said the Bangladeshi government “did not care about that threat” and did not remove it from the Islamist group’s Facebook page. 76crimes.com reported that police arrested four LGBT rights activists who had gathered in the area where the April 14 event was to have taken place. “The brutal killing today of an editor of an LGBTI publication and his friend, days after a university professor was hacked to death, underscores the appalling lack of protection being afforded to a range of peaceful activists in the country,” said Amnesty International South Asia Director Champa Patel in a statement. Human Rights Campaign Global Director Ty
XULHAZ MANNAN, COURTESY US DEPT. OF STATE
Cobb echoed Patel. “HRC joins the international community in mourning the death of Xulhas Mannan, said Cobb in a statement. “His death follows a worrying pattern of attacks targeting secular activists, religious minorities, activists and academics by extremist Islamic groups. The government of Bangladesh needs to take immediate measures to end these attacks and end the sense of impunity among attackers by arresting and bringing them to justice.” The Dhaka Tribune reported that Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Asaduzzaman Kahn said the murders were “a targeted one.” He said the investigation into Mannan and Mojumdar’s deaths continues. U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Gayle Smith on May 4, 2016 offered condolences to the family of a Bangladeshi LGBT rights advocate who was hacked to death. A USAID official told the Washington Blade that Smith “extended the agency’s condolences” to Xulhaz Mannan’s family “and offered its support during this very difficult time” during a meeting with USAID staffers and employees of the U.S. Embassy in Bangladesh. Assistant USAID Administrator for Asia Jonathan Stivers and Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal also attended the meeting that took place in the country’s capital of Dhaka.
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05.06.2016 TENNESSEE LEGAL
LOS ANGELES
COUNSELING
Tennessee: doctors may refuse LGBT Tennessee is the fourth state this year to enact anti-LGBT law. The governor says he believes health professionals should be able to decline care if it violates their beliefs.
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ennessee Governor Bill Haslam has signed into law a bill that allows licensed counselors or therapists to deny treatment to any client if the patients ‘goals, (desired) outcomes or behaviors” do not align with the counselor’s “sincerely held principles.” The law has been roundly denounced by the American Counseling Association. The group called the legislation a “hate bill” against LGBT people that can be used against anybody. The new law shields therapists against civil suits and criminal prosecution and prevents any sanctions from licensing agents. Among the many questions about the law is how it collides with accreditation organization rules and whether it violates any federal laws. Therapists who wish to refuse clients are required under the law to make referrals but does require treatment by the counselor unless a patient is “in imminent danger of harming themselves or others.” Haslam told the Tennessean (newspaper) that at first he “was concerned about the legislation - the connotations,” but because counselors are required to provide emergency care in life threatening situation and refer other clients they did not want to treat he signed the bill. It is the latest in a series of “religious freedom.” Tennessee’s Senate approved the counseling bill 27-5 in February and
“STIRRING AND ENTERTAINING!” – ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
⚫ BY TROY MASTERS
the House on 68-22 on April 6. Upon signing the bill into law today the governor issued this statement: “The substance of this bill doesn’t address a group, issue or belief system. Rather, it allows counselors – just as we allow other professionals like doctors and lawyers – to refer a client to another counselor when the goals or behaviors would violate a sincerely held principle. I believe it is reasonable to allow these professionals to determine if and when an individual would be better served by another counselor better suited to meet his or her needs.” Obviously no one would want a therapist who they do not like and obviously would not want to be treated by one who does not like them. But why is a law necessary? Chris Sanders, Executive Director of the Tennessee Equality Project, said “There may also be a repeal effort, but it will be uphill and have to wait until January.” The group has launched a new campaign, Counseling Unconditionally, to allow counselors, therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers to identify themselves as practitioners who will not turn away clients simply based on their values and principles. Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the ACLU of Tennessee, told Washington Blade the governor’s decision to sign the bill is “disappointing.” “This measure is rooted in the dangerous misconception that religion can be used as a free pass to discriminate,” Weinberg added. “Allowing counselors to treat some potential clients differently from others based on their personal beliefs defies professional standards and could cause significant harm to vulnerable people. This law is yet another attack on the LGBT community in the wake of marriage equality — but we will continue to fight until LGBT Tennesseans are treated fairly and equally in every part of their lives and in the greater community.”
⚫
CRITICS PICK!
“Terrific … Smart, literate, funny. Mr. Giardina’s stimulating play illuminates the emotional toll that living in such a house divided (and a country divided) can take on its inhabitants.” – THE NEW YORK TIMES
By Anthony Giardina Directed by Michael Wilson STARRING Christine Lahti Jason Ritter Steven Culp Michael Learned Deborah Offner Johnny Ramey David Selby and Georgia King
MAY 17 - JUNE 4, 2016 TheWallis.org/Conversation | 310.746.4000 9390 N SANTA MONICA BLVD, BEVERLY HILLS CA 90210
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WASHINGTON CIVIL RIGHTS
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05.06.2016
LOS ANGELES
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
⚫ BY CHRIS JOHNSON
Hearing in the works for federal ‘religious freedom’ bill National Organization for Marriage is seeking a hearing on the antigay “First Amendment Defense Act” Jason Chaf fetz (R-Utah) is planning a hearing on “religious freedom” legislation for the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee. Congress has mostly stayed out of the “religious freedom” fight as states
pass legislation allowing anti-LGBT discrimination for religious reasons, but that may soon change. A U.S. House committee is planning a hearing on the First Amendment Defense Act, a “religious freedom” bill with the purported purpose of preventing federal gover nment action against individuals and businesses that oppose same-sex marriage for religious reasons. Critics say it essentially carves out a legal exemption for anti-LGBT discrimination. The legislation was introduced by Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho) in
the U.S. House and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) in the U.S. Senate. M.J. Henshaw, a spokesperson for the House Oversight & Government Refor m Committee, said the panel is “working towards a hearing” on the legislation, although no date has been scheduled. A follow-up email on whether the hearing was likely before the end of this month wasn’t retur ned. It remains to be seen if a committee vote or consideration on the House floor will follow the hearing. Chaired by Rep. Jason Chaf fetz
(R-Utah), the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee is packed with conservative Republicans, including Rep. Steve Russell (R-Okla.), who recently attached to a major defense spending bill an amendment that would undermine President Obama’s executive order prohibiting anti-LGBT workplace discrimination among federal contractors. The anti-LGBT National Organization for Marriage has been pushing for a hearing on the First Amendment FED. RELIGIOUS FREEDOM continued on p. 21
05.06.2016
LOS ANGELES
IF YOU WANT A SINGING CAREER, STAY AWAY FROM SECONDHAND SMOKE.
Ellie, Age 57 Her partner, Karen Florida
Ellie’s severe asthma attacks were triggered by secondhand smoke at work. She and her partner have to live with its effects forever. If you or someone you know wants free help to quit smoking, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW. #CDCTips
www.cdc.gov/tips
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⚫ 18
NEW YORK LANDMARK
⚫ BY STAFF
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05.06.2016
LOS ANGELES
LEGACY AND HISTORY
NYC’s Stonewall expected to become National Monument The push to create a national park or monument near the Stonewall Inn is intended to recognize the protests that erupted at the Manhattan bar after the police raided it in summer 1969.
P
resident Barack Obama is preparing to name Stonewall Inn in New York City the first national monument to gay rights. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and the head of the National Park Service will travel to New York Monday for meetings on the proposal, the Washington Post reports. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., will also attend these meetings, which will include a “listening session” to hear feedback on the proposal. If no complications or municipal concerns arise, the president is prepared to make his announcement as soon as next month. The inn is the location of 1969 gay rights riots, seen by many historians as kicking off the national gay rights movement that would mature and succeed decades later. The 1960s are noted for national movements for civil and gender rights, but they closed with the genesis event of the American gay rights movement in June 1969. Police raided the Stonewall Inn, a known hotspot for gay men in Greenwich Village, on June 28, 1969. Protests quickly ensued and continued for six days. Many protesters and police officers were injured, but no one was killed. Nearby witness Bob Kohler described the scene to historian
AN UNIDENTIFIED GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE CELEBRATE OUTSIDE THE BOARDED-UP STONEWALL INN AFTER RIOTS OVER THE WEEKEND IN LATE JUNE 1969.
NEW YORK CITY’S LANDMARKS PRESERVATION COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY VOTED JUNE 23, 2015 TO GRANT LANDMARK STATUS TO THE STONEWALL INN, THE WEST VILLAGE BAR LONG CONSIDERED THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE LGBT RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
David Carter, which was included in Carter’s 2004 book, “Stonewall: The Riots That Sparked the Gay Revolution.”.
“I had been in enough riots to know the fun was over... The cops were totally humiliated. This never, ever happened. They were angrier than
I guess they had ever been, because everybody else had rioted,” Kohler recalled. “But the fairies were not supposed to riot... no group had ever forced cops to retreat before, so the anger was just enor mous. I mean, they wanted to kill,” Kohler continued. Stonewall deserves to be remembered,” said Brian Sullivan, a former bartender at the tavern who returns almost daily. “When I started coming here, gay people were disowned by their families, so this is the place where we formed a new gay family of our own.” Mr. Sullivan, 57, leaned against the bar’s red-brick edifice as he recalled some of the history he had witnessed there, from harrowing police raids to resolute speeches by the drag queen Marsha P. Johnson. “This is the mecca; it’s where it all started,” he said. Police raids were common on gay establishments at this time, but the police unusually lost control of the situation during the Stonewall incident. The following year, on June 28, 1970, the first Gay Pride marches took place in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The Stonewall Inn is already a national historic landmark, a largely symbolic designation applied to thousands of historical sites around the country. The monument des ignation would have the ef fect of transferring ownership of Christopher Park from the city to the federal gover nment and management responsibilities to the National Park Service. It would be the first national monument anchored by a dive bar and surrounded by a warren of narrow streets that long has been regarded the historic center of gay cultural life in New York City. The bar is still in operation today in half of its original space.
05.06.2016
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WEST HOLLYWOOD PRIDE
LOS ANGELES
LA PRIDE EVOLVES
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⚫ BY TROY MASTERS
“Gay Coachella” takes LA Pride “This year’s multiple stages, oversized art exhibits, experiential activations and pop-up bars and restaurants from notable hot spots in Los Angeles will certainly add to ana already stellar festival experience”
W
est Hollywood’s L.A. Pride Music Festival & Parade aims to become the premiere annual music festival in Los Angeles. The three-day event, formerly a more grassroots, community based blend of gay rights rally with a variety of entertainment has been transformed this year (some would say high-jacked) into a high-energy, well-produced and pricey event. Unabashedly targeting a millennial audience (the coveted 18-34 year old crowd) the music festival will send up a mixture of pop, hip-hop, R&B and Latin artists and — hat tip to the organizers — you are not likely to find a better or more current roster of talent in one place, anywhere in the world. Carly Rae Jepsen and Charli XCX and electronic dance music duo Krewella are the featured headline stars, choTRUMP continued from p. 7
ton campaign. “Just pack up your revolution and go home? Really? That’s not going to happen,” Tara Margolin, a 50-year-old L.A.-based Sanders supporter and self-described Democrat told The Atlantic Thursday. “She would cement in place everything we are fighting against. I could never in good conscience vote for Hillary Clinton.” Sanders has not yet announced his plans to campaign in Cali-
THIS YEAR’S MAIN SPONSOR IS DELTA AIRLINE AND ON THE MAIN STAGE, THE DELTA AIRLINE STAGE, THE MUSIC FESTIVAL WILL SHOWCASE EVERYTHING FROM TOP 40 HIT MAKERS TO EMERGING ARTISTS. OTHER STAGES INCLUDE THE NISSAN LATIN MUSIC STAGE, THE HIP HOP MUSIC STAGE AND A NEW ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC STAGE. LIZA MINNELLI WILL NOT PERFORM.
sen to kick of the rebranded LGBT (add “Music”) Festival. As reported elsewhere in this issue of The Pride, rebranding of the nearly 50 year old event has met with considerable controversy and some confusion, much to the surprise of organizers and the city. Legacy and minority community members express rage that their history and efforts feel ignored and their contributions marginalized. The L.A. Pride Music Festival will include a massive Pride Parade on Sunday, the final day of the June 10-12
fornia but the Clinton team will be all over Los Angeles this week and next week. Hillary Clinton will be at a downtown fundraiser with L.A. City Councilmember Jose Huizar Thursday, where hosts who raise $27,000 can attend a reception with the candidate and become members of the campaign’s Finance Committee, according to the L.A. Times. Clinton’s top aide Huma Abedin will be at yet another downtown fundraiser hosted by Dr. Asif Mahmood, and Bill Clinton will be at
a private fundraiser on Friday night. Lest WeHo and the LGBT community feels left out—onMay 12, openly gay campaign manager Robby Mook and chief digital and technology strategist Teddy Goff are staging a lunchtime “conversation” at Craig’s in West Hollywood, with contributions ranging from $250 to $2,500, the latter getting you co-host status where you can attend a reception with the two. And to get explicitly LGBT (more lesbian, really), out Wisconsin
event. The Parade appears unchanged from previous years. During the Music Festival, to be held in a high-security, enclosed area in the heart of West Hollywood at West Hollywood Park (along the west side of San Vicente Boulevard between Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue) several stages will present dozens of big names. In addition to headliners Rae Jepsen, Charli XCX and EDM duo Krewella, R&B singer Gallant, avant-garde rap star Le1f, bounce artist Big Freedia, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Lilly Tomlin, Meredith Baxter, Suzanne Westenhoefer and Stephanie Miller will hold a reception at the home of Baxter and Nancy Locke in Santa Monica. The chairs for the event include longtime politico Roberta Conroy, Ashley Kennedy, Rosezetta Cummings, Claire Lucas, Judy Dlugacz, Andrea Meyerson and Valerie Ploumpis, according to The Times. Contributions range from $500 to $10,000, the latter getting cochair status with the promise of an invitation
actress and dance-pop singer Hailee Steinfeld and singer Shamir and dozens of other high-energy perfomers, Bebe Rexha, Bianca Simone, and Daya, to name a few . To date there are four stages for various categories of performer, including one for top performers and a designated EDM area. “This year we doubled down on talent and are excited to have such a strong lineup performing at the Music Festival,” Christopher Street West president Chris Classen said in a statement. “Our Festival rivals other major music events around the country and offers a lineup you can’t find anywhere else among LGBTQ events, and at a fraction of the cost of other music festival tickets.” General admission three-day passes are $55 until June 3, with VIP passes priced at $125 for the weekend. Single-day tickets are also available and start at $30. As many as 100,000 people are expected to attend the Music festival. West Hollywood City Council approved a community intended to help lower the price. “The city has approved a $15,000 ticket subsidy which to cover the cost of 500 single-day tickets to the LA Pride Music Festival to be distributed to various local non-profit organizations and groups who provide programming to underserved community members,” said Joshua Schare, Public Information Officer for the City of West Hollywood.
to “a future event with Hillary or President Bill Clinton.” Finally, on May 23, Hillary Clinton will star at an early evening fundraiser at the home of out entertainment agent Bryan Lourd and Bruce Bozzi, with Anna Wintour listed as a host. Contributions for that one range from $2,700 to co-host status at $10,000, which includes a photo with Hillary. No mention whether an #ImWithHer will be inscribed at the bottom. The O’Jay’s “For The Love of Money” (“mon-
ey, money, money…”) is now playing non-stop as the background music of America. On Thursday, Donald Trump, who’s appeal to many is that he is a self-declared self-funded candidate, announced that he intends to raise $1 billion to fight Hillary Clinton in the general election. He thinks Hillary will raise $2 billion, though the Clinton campaign has not said that. Electing someone this November who promises to overturn Citizens United just became even more important.
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CUBA
LGBT UNDERGOUND
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MOVIE KING
⚫ BY JOHN PAUL KING
“Viva” is no drag...sensitive and subversive
“…a subtle change of focus, underscoring a shift into a new era, in which it’s possible for those who don’t conform to societal “norms” to be true to themselves without having to live a life apart.”
T
here’s a comparatively high level of visibility for drag performers on the entertainment scene today. Not long ago, they were known only to the LGBT community and a few savvy “straights;” now, thanks to widening acceptance, you would be hardpressed to find anyone not at least marginally aware of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” or of movies like “Kinky Boots.” While still not exactly mainstream, drag has emerged from the gay bar and planted its cha-cha heels firmly on the stage of popular culture. Most of the time, we are treated largely to the finished product of an artist’s long struggle towards triumphant self-expression. This is as it should be; drag deserves to be celebrated for its own merit. Still, it’s been decades since “Torch Song Trilogy,” and the time seems ripe for a new story about the offstage life of a queen. Thanks to film director Paddy Breathnach and screenwriter Mark O’Halloran, we need wait no longer. Set in the slums of Havana, “Viva” follows Jesus, a gay eighteen-year-old who supports himself by styling hair for his female relatives- and the wigs of the queens at a local drag club. Given a chance to perform himself, he is just beginning to blossom when his father Angel- a “local hero” boxer who abandoned him at the age of three- suddenly returns to his life. Angel- a homophobic macho man- insists on moving in with his son and refuses to allow him to continue working at the club. Torn between his longing for a father he never knew and his new-found self-ex-
RAISED BY A FAMILY OF WOLVES SINCE BIRTH, MOWGLI (NEEL SETHI) MUST LEAVE THE ONLY HOME HE’S EVER KNOWN.
pression, Jesus must forge a relationship with this stranger and attempt to build a bridge between their seemingly incompatible worlds. From its very first scenes, “Viva” promises to be the story of an awkward gay boy’s evolution into a fabulous queen. It delivers on that promise, but not by taking the expected route. Though it starts us through familiar territory- the trying on of wigs and outfits, the catty dressing-room banter, the obligatory jokes about tucking- it suddenly (and literally) stops us in our tracks with a punch to the face. From that point forward, Jesus’ story is less about the outer trappings of drag and more about the inner journey that will eventually bring power and passion to his stage persona- and give him the strength and integrity necessary to live truly as himself. We’ve seen the hard-knock, emotionally dysfunctional background of such a character before, of course, but in the past it has usually been portrayed as something to rise above, with drag as both protective armor and triumphal raiment. Here, though, Breathnach and O’Halloran give us a new take, in which their protagonist embraces his hardships instead of enduring them.
It’s a subtle change of focus, underscoring a shift into a new era in which there’s a chance for those who don’t conform to societal “norms” to be true to themselves without having to live a life apart. The key reason that “Viva” has resonance at a societal level is that O’Halloran’s script avoids politicizing or pontificating and instead focuses on an intimate relationship between father and son. In their negotiations, Jesus and Angel serve as stand-ins for their respective generations- and if these two men can gain acceptance from each other, there is hope for us all to do the same. Director Breathnach understands where the strength of his movie lies; other than making sure that the Havana location (described by Angel as “the most beautiful slum in the world”) is magnificently captured, he wisely keeps his cinematic styling simple and direct, allowing his cast to dominate the screen. It helps that actors- especially the movie’s two handsome co-stars- are up to the challenge. The movie naturally belongs to Héctor Medina; the young actor combines sensitivity and strength, his expressive face allowing us to experience Jesus’ journey with him, and
caps it with a climactic performance in which he brings the film’s title character into a full, electric life of her own. As Angel, Jorge Perugorría embodies the hubris of culturally-bestowed entitlement, yet infuses his character with the humanity necessary to invite love and compassion. Providing an important third perspective to their dynamic is Luis Alberto García, who elegantly avoids stereotype as “Mama,” the drag club owner who takes Jesus under his wing. Though it’s an Irish-made movie, “Viva” is spoken in the Spanish appropriate to its Cuban setting. This might be a challenge if you are subtitle-averse, but to skip seeing it would be a mistake for anyone who longs for world-class LGBT-themed cinema. By eschewing heavy-handed tactics, it takes a story which, in the not-toodistant past, might have been a tale of despair and tells it instead as parable of hope.
VIVA
DIRECTOR: PADDY BREATHNACH SCREENPLAY: MARK O’HALLORAN EDITOR: STEPHEN O’CONNELL MUSIC COMPOSED BY: STEPHEN RENNICKS
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FED. RELIGIOUS FREEDOM continued from p. 16
Defense Act in a campaign it calls “Fax for FADA.” The effort encour ages supporters to sign a petition in support of the legislation, which triggers a fax sent to House Republican leadership and the House Oversight & Gover nment Refor m Committee. According to the National Organization for Marriage’s website, the petition as of Wednesday had 3,870 signatures. Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, wrote in a blog post the “Fax for FADA” effort “is making a big impact.” “Word is that the First Amendment Defense Act (FADA) will be scheduled for a hearing very soon,” Brown writes. “Our faxes to the House Republican leadership and members of the House Oversight and Government Reform committee are having an impact!” Upon its introduction last year in an attempt to counter the expected ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court in favor of same-sex marriage nationwide, the First Amendment Defense Act is seen as an attempt to make a carve out into that decision without
REP. JASON CHAFFETZ (R-UTAH) IS PLANNING A HEARING ON “RELIGIOUS FREEDOM” LEGISLATION FOR THE HOUSE OVERSIGHT & GOVERNMENT REFORM COMMITTEE. (WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY)
entirely overturning it. Among other things, LGBT advocates have said the legislation as introduced would 1) permit a feder al employee to refuse to process tax returns, visa applications or Social Security checks for same-sex couples; 2) allow recipients of feder al grants and contracts, including
those for social services programs like homeless shelters and substance abuse treatment programs, to turn away LGBT people; and 3) per mit anyone who believes they have been somehow required by the federal government to approve of married same-sex couples to file a lawsuit and potentially receive damages from tax-
KNOWLEDGABLE
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payer funds. Roddy Flynn, executive director of the LGBT Equality Caucus, said the legislation is akin to controversial state anti-LGBT laws recently enacted in North Carolina and Mississippi, calling the planned hearing the latest “in a string of attacks on LGBT people.” “First North Carolina and Mississippi, then the NDAA amendment, now a hearing on FADA, some lawmakers are deter mined to per mit discrimination at all costs,” Flynn said. “These measures are not about religious liberty or the First Amendment, they are attempts to roll back hard fought protections that provide stability and security to LGBT people. With the incredible backlash against North Carolina’s law, it is shocking some lawmakers are doubling down on this much more radical bill. FADA goes far beyond North Car olina’s anti-LGBT law, giving a license to discriminate for anyone who doesn’t like LGBT people.” On the Senate side, Lee has presented a new version of the First Amendment Defense Act that limits that carve-out for opponents of sameFED. RELIGIOUS FREEDOM continued on p. 22
PROFESSIONAL |
CONFIDENTIAL
MURRAY WEISBERG Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. Associate Manager, Brentwood cell: 310.729.6156 office: 310.481.6260 mw729@aol.com
SPECIALIZING IN WESTSIDE REAL ESTATE & COMPLETE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION Murray Weisberg has expertise in a number of tranquil, sunny and beautiful locations in Los Angeles. For those searching for a sense of calm, community, beaches and ocean breezes, Murray represents properties in Malibu. For those who would rather be in the hub of the activity and still maintain a luxurious lifestyle, Murray can help find a home in Beverly Hills, where residents are treated to a convenient commute to Rodeo Drive, the most prestigious boutiques, and one of the highest standards of living in the world. For those looking for a smaller community, but one that is chic and glamorous, Murray has expertise in Bel Air, the long-time home to some of the most influential and popular individuals in entertainment and politics. He also represents properties in Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, Westwood and Holmby Hills, all offering the grandeur and luxurious lifestyle that characterizes Los Angeles. Each area has its own personality and offers enough choices to satisfy the most discriminating person.
Sunday, June 12th • 12:00 -4:00 pm At the Lake Casitas Recreation Area • Over 60 Wineries & 250 Wines • Lakefront VIP Lounge with Hors d’oeuvres • 30 Premium Beers • Live Music & Dancing • Silent Wine Auction • Free Hourly Shuttle from Ojai • A selection of Ojai’s Best Restaurants
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Murray is the associate manager at Sotheby’s lntemational Realty in Brentwood. He is also the 2005 past president of the Beverly Hills/Greater Los Angeles Association of Realtors, and has served for many years as a Director of the California Association of Realtors, as well as a Director of the Combined Los Angeles Westside Multiple Listing System. Currently he serves on the Professional Standards Committee, which handles all ethics and arbitration disputes. Since the late 1980s, he has been providing exceptional real estate consultation and representation services to discerning clients. His highest priority is client satisfaction, and he loves to introduce clients to the Westside of Los Angeles. Murray helps buyers, sellers and investors achieve their ultimate real estate goals. Please feel free to call him for a confidential consultation.
CalBRE# 00906751
ONLYWITHUS.COM
Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered (or unregistered) service marks used with permission. Operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc.
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LA’s PrEP Federal “Protectors” Religious T Freedom bill he L.A. County Department of Public Health unveiled its first-ever awareness campaign for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), the once daily medication (Truvada ®) that prevents the transmission of HIV among uninfected persons. The campaign features three animated superheroes collectively called “The Protectors” who encourage LA County residents to learn more about PrEP. “Despite significant progress in reducing HIV infections in LA County, HIV transmission stubbornly persists,” said Mario J. Pérez, MPH, Director for Public Health’s Division of HIV and STD Programs. “There continues to be a disproportionate impact among African-American and Latino gay men and transgender women, and PrEP is one of the best HIV prevention tools to address the impact on those populations.” Supervisor Sheila Kuehl approved
implementation of the program last June. “Although we’ve made great progress over the years in reducing new HIV infections, HIV continues to exact a toll on many of our families and friends,” said Supervisor Kuehl. “I’m looking forward to this launch of a comprehensive education and awareness campaign aimed at those at highest risk for HIV who could benefit from PrEP.” “The Protectors” campaign will appear on a 40-ft mobile RV unit at the Long Beach Pride parade on May 22 and throughout LA County at community events. Also, the campaign will be featured at LA Pride, Long Beach Pride and RuPaul’s DragCon. Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, a long-time HIV prevention advocate said “It’s a resource worth knowing about. PrEP promises to play a critical role in finally ending the HIV/ AIDS epidemic.”
MAGGIE GALLAGHER HAS RISEN. RELIGIOUS FREEDOM continued from p. 21
sex marriage, although the update hasn’t officially been filed. The new version, which is displayed on Lee’s website, spells out protections from government action won’t apply to publicly traded for-profit entities; federal employees acting within the scope of their employment; federal for-profit contractors acting within the scope of their contracts; and hospitals and nursing homes with respect to visitation, decision-making on health care and certain treatments. Conn Carroll, a Lee spokesperson, said Tuesday the version of the First Amendment Defense Act on Lee’s website is the “up to date” version of the legislation. “This finalized version of the First Amendment Defense Act, which we’ve been working with religious liberty experts on for months, makes crystal clear that we are only seeking to prevent federal government discrimination against people and institutions that define marriage as a union between one man and one woman,” Carroll said. On the House side, Labrador’s office didn’t respond to the Washington Blade’s request to comment on the article or to confirm if the updated
Senate version is the new House version as well. Ian Thompson, legislative representative for the American Civil Liberties Union, said the legislation remains discriminatory against LGBT people regardless of the change. “It is disappointing that some Republicans in the House have failed to learn the lessons that Governors Pence, McCrory and Bryant now know all too well,” Thompson said. “Embarking down this discriminatory road is going to meet with the swift backlash that it deserves.” Thompson said one example of discrimination the bill would still allow is permitting certain federal contractors or grantees, including those that provide social services like homeless shelters or drug treatment programs, to turn away LGBT people, same-sex couples or anyone who has a sexual relationship outside of a marriage, such as a single mother. “Whether in its original or 2.0 versions, FADA is about permitting taxpayer-funded discrimination,” Thompson said. “This legislation is beneath who we are as a nation. I hope that Speaker Ryan and Chairman Chaffetz will reconsider the wisdom of putting such a bright spotlight onto such an ugly, mean-spirited bill.”
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