The LGBTQ community lost a legend in the passing of Larry Kramer yesterday. Kramer made immeasurable contributions to both HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ people, leaving journalists and writers at a loss for how to describe his legacy. The Washington Post credited Kramer for “‘sounding the alarm’ on HIV/AIDS,” while The New York Timesfinally landed on the words “outspoken” and “confrontational” to describe him. As a writer, Larry knew the power of words, but his true strengths were in words plus action. Demanding to be seen. Refusing to be silent. Raising hell. ACTing UP! Saving lives.

Larry co-founded the Gay Men’s Health Crisis in 1981, years before the President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, ever uttered the word “AIDS”. Kramer went on to found ACT UP! In 1987 and took his relentless insistence for change from the streets of New York to the powerful in Washington. He fought to bring HIV/AIDS out of the shadows, to break down stigma, to roar with outrage at our losses and inaction and move HIV/AIDS to the treatable, survivable condition it is today. His wrenching play “The Normal Heart” revealed his personal and professional life’s work to new audiences over and over, and GLAAD is proud to have honored Larry with a GLAAD Media Award for its revival and TV adaptation.

“GLAAD and so many LGBTQ people and allies recognize Larry as an undeniable accelerant who not only fearlessly demanded change, but made it come to pass,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis in a statement yesterday. “We send all of our love to Larry’s loved ones during this time, and, though we are saddened by his passing, we are forever grateful for his leadership and heroism.”

We see the impact of Larry Kramer’s voice every day in our work at GLAAD. His provocations drew us in. His passion keeps us fighting. Thank you Larry, for your words, actions, and heart. The fight lives on, and we miss you already.

While Pride events around the globe have either been cancelled or postponed, Mobilizing Our Brothers Initiative (MOBI) has announced that MOBIfest, its annual free wellness festival for queer communities of color, will gather audiences virtually on Thursday, June 4th at 6pm EST to celebrate in the age of social distancing at mobifest.live.

In its third year of programming, MOBI remains committed to producing one of the only free festivals focused on seeing its attendees as their holistic selves. The festival is funded with support from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH) and Gilead with support from community partners such as GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC), The New Group, Out in Tech, The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), New York Blood Center, SOULE, Bisi Alimi Foundation, and more. Additionally, many Black Pride organizers from across the country have joined the virtual festival, including Nashville Black Pride Birmingham Black Pride, Austin Black Pride, DC Black Pride, Jacksonville Black Pride, Harlem Pride, and NYC Black Pride.

“Since MOBIfest went virtual, we felt it was important to have Black Pride organizers be a part of the festival experience. They provide much needed space and visibility locally and continue to be staples in their communities. MOBI is providing a virtual space for those communities,” said Julian Walker, MOBI’s Celebrity Ambassador.

On Thursday, June 4th from 6 PM to 11 PM EST, MOBIfest will entertain viewers with live DJ sets, comedy segments, and performances from dancers, musicians, and the house and ballroom community. MOBI has previously curated MOBIfest over three days in New York City. The festival typically launches with an opening cocktail event followed by a community art exhibition and reception showcasing artwork submitted by queer artists of color. This all culminates to the main show with a full day of entertainment and performances. Previous headliners have included R&B heroines Dawn Richard and Sevyn Streeter. This year, MOBI has opted to curate a lineup of queer-only talent, including trans pop artist and activist Mila Jam; POSE choreographer and Ballroom icon Twiggy Pucci Garçon; Miami sensation Saucy Santana; Chicago's rising 17-year old rapper Kidd Kenn, and NAACP Image Award-nominated artist Mykal Kilgore. Additional talent includes DJBMAJR; drag legendary performer and queen of comedy, Harmonica Sunbeam; DJ Oscar Nuñez from Papi Juice; comedian, Paris Sashay; and dancer Shantoni Xavier, with more talent to be announced. Additional surprise guests will appear during the live event.

Due to COVID-19, MOBIfest will be live streamed on the MOBI website at mobifest.live. Despite the challenges faced by organizers, a few things remain the same: MOBI is peer-led and powered by a team of Black gay and queer men eager to carve out spaces for their community, and all the festival programming is free for viewers. This year, viewers can register in advance for access to the virtual festival online to get live updates and announcements. Additionally, people can join the MOBIfest Facebook event to share with their friends and networks. The day of MOBIfest, the main site will feature a live chatroom hosted by Virtual Watch Party Hosts like Kenni  Javon, Ian Haddock, B. Hawk Snipes, Christopher “Maria” Natal, D’Ontace Keys and more to be announced.

“The goal for MOBI has always been to link our community with various health and wellness activities while celebrating contributions to the arts, entertainment, and culture. We’ve hosted pre-festival events like a virtual fitness class with Jarad Lotts of Lit Fit, a lean and quarantine nutrition meal prep class with Moe Felican of Prep Your Game Up Meals, and will conclude the pre-festival on Saturday, May 30^th with a self-care Saturday focused on professional development with Daton Ferguson-Haywood of Momentum Education,” said MOBI Founder and GLAAD’s Program Officer, Communities of Color, DaShawn Usher. “The pandemic has negatively impacted the world, especially queer people of color, so it was even more important for us to be resilient and continue to build community because there just aren’t that many options for us. Many pride events already exclude Black and Brown people. MOBIfest seeks to center the most marginalized, while showcasing and celebrating our continued resilience.”

Additionally, for the first time, MOBIfest will curate MOBIflix, a queer film festival curating creators of color on Saturday, June 6th featuring works from known directors and upcoming creators from public submissions. The program will run from 6 PM  - Midnight EST and will stream films and shorts for queer communities of color to enjoy while quarantined. Ahead of the festival and in partnership with Director, Producer, and Writer Patrik-Ian Polk, MOBI will stream season one of Noah’s Arc for free on the site from June 1^st– 3^rd.

GLAAD is joining in supporting MOBIfest, in addition to over 30 national and international organizations. The full list of MOBIfest community partners include:

Austin Black Pride
Birmingham Black Pride
Bisi Alimi Foundation
Black Gifted & Whole
Counter Narrative Project
DBQ Magazine
DC Black Pride
Gilead
GLAAD
Global Black Gay Men Connect
Harlem Pride
Housing Works
Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC)
Impulse Group Houston
Jacksonville Black Pride
Meak Productions, Inc.
Men of D.I.S.T.I.N.C., Incorporated
Mount Sinai’s Young Adult Sexual Services (YASS)
Nashville Black Pride
National Black Justice Coalition
New York Blood Center’s Project ACHIEVE
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH)
NYC Center for Black Pride
Out In Tech
SOULE
The Bros in Convo Initiative
The Brown Boys
The Center
The Each Other Project
The Gentlemen's Foundation
The New Group

ABOUT MOBILIZING OUR BROTHERS INITIATIVE (MOBI)

Mobilizing Our Brothers Initiative (MOBI) curates experiences that celebrate the diversity of queer people of color while building community, wellness and personal development. The MOBI network features signature programming: MOBItalks, a personal and professional development series and MOBIfest, a citywide interactive wellness festival that celebrates queer voices in fashion, music, visual arts and media. With a focus on wellness, MOBI connects individuals to opportunities to better themselves before and during events.

STAY CONNECTED WITH MOBI: WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

The GLAAD Wrap brings you LGBTQ-related entertainment news highlights, fresh stuff to watch out for, and fun diversions to help you kick off the weekend.

1)HBO has released the trailer for documentary Welcome To Chechnya, from out director David France. The film follows a group of activists risking their lives to confront the ongoing anti-LGBTQ persecution in the repressive and closed Russian republic of Chechnya, working undercover to rescue victims and give them safe houses and ways to escape. It will be released on HBO and available on HBO Max on June 30; watch the trailer below.

2) HBO Max has announced that it will be making a film adaptation of Lev Rosen’s novel Camp, which follows Randy, who plans to re-invent himself and begin acting more stereotypically masculine in an effort to attract his crush Hudson, but things become more complicated than he anticipated and he begins to question just how much he is willing to change himself for love. The film will be writen by out writer, actor, and director Kit Williamson (EastSiders), the novel was released this week. Picturestart has picked up comedy film Monster from out screenwriter Charles Rogers, and his Search Party co-creator Sarah-Violet Bliss, which follows a woman who is a personal assistant for a boss who might be a real monster.

3) Netflix has acquired the worldwide rights to the documentary Disclosure which premiered at Sundance earlier this year. The documentary, directed by Sam Feder and executive produced by Laverne Cox, examines 100 years of transgender representation in television and film while showing how these images have impacted how Americans understand issues transgender people face and the ways media has taught trans people to feel about themselves. The documentary team also prioritized including the trans community in front of and behind the camera, hiring and mentoring trans creatives at all levels of production. GLAAD's Alex Schmider is an associate producer on Disclosure, and our Director of Transgender Representation Nick Adams is a consulting producer and also featured in the documentary. Disclosure will be out on Netflix June 19.

4) The trailer for Hulu’s upcoming Love, Victor has been released. The show, a spinoff of GLAAD Media Award-winning film Love, Simon, follows teenager Victor, who writes to Simon while figuring out his own identity and dealing with his crush on a boy. The show will premiere on Hulu on June 19; watch the trailer below. Amazon announced a new series based on Steig Larsson’sThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which follows bisexual hacker Lisbeth Salander. The new series would place the character in a new setting than that of the books and previous film adaptations.

5) FX announced several new series coming to the network next season, which include American Horror Stories, the anothology spinoff of American Horror Story; Y: The Last Man, whose cast includes Elliot Fletcher; and Pride, a docuseries about the fight for LGBTQ civil rights. FX also renewed vampire comedy What We Do in the Shadows, which features several queer characters. Mystery comedy Search Party, which will premiere its third season on HBO Max, has released a new trailer for the whole series, which includes a first glimpse at its third season. The shows stars include out actors Alia Shawkat and John Early, the latter playing gay character Elliot. The third season premieres on June 25.

6) The trailer for the second season of Netflix’s Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts was released on Thursday. The show follows Kipo and her friends, including gay character Benson, fighting mutants on the surface of her world. The second season will be released on Netflix on June 12. Netflix has announced that the second season of The Umbrella Academy, which features gay character Klaus and stars out actress Ellen Page, will be returning on June 31. Another queer-inclusive Netflix series, The Politician, will debut its second season on June 19.

7) ViacomCBS has announced a handful of remotely produced series on their various brands for Pride. The series include Served! With Jade Thrilwall, where the pop star interviews drag queens and celebrities; drag queen online talk show Dragony Aunts; BET Pride Home Series, interviewing influential members of the LGBTQ community from home; and more. Check out the lineup here.Netflix has announced its renewal of Elite, whose third season was released earlier this year. The show features several queer characters in its ensemble. Netflix has also renewed freshman comedy Gentefied for a second season, which follows a Latinx family in Boyle Heights, including queer character Ana and her girlfriend.

8) ABC has announced its renewals for the next season of television, which include new series Stumptown, with its bisexual lead, as well as other inclusive series, American Housewife, A Million Little Things, The Conners, Grey’s Anatomy, Station 19 and The Rookie. Freeform has renewed freshmen series Everything’s Gonna Be Okay and Motherland: Fort Salem for second seasons, both of which feature queer characters in leading roles. NBC’s Good Girls, which features trans character Ben, has also been renewed for a fourth season.

9) Folk-duo Indigo Girls, made up of out singers Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, released their most recent album Look Long last Friday. In addition to the album, a documentary following the music and impact of the duo has been announced, compiling over 30 years of footage. The film is directed by Alexandria Bombach and produced by Multitude Films. Out singer Rufus Wainwright also announced a small documentary following the making of his new album Unfollow the Rules, which will be out June 10. Pre-order the album here and watch the documentary Rufus Wainwright: Unmaking Unfollow the Rules here. 

10) Bi pop star Lady Gaga released her long-anticipated sixth album Chromatica today. Over the last week she has released singles “Rain on Me” with Ariana Grande and “Sour Candy” with Blackpink. Listen to the album here. Out bi singer and actor Keiynan Lonsdale released his debut album Rainbow Boy today. Download and stream the album here. Out artist Perfume Genius has released his newest album Set My Heart on Fire Immediately earlier this month. Listen to it here.

11) Queer artist Moses Sumney also released an album, grae, on May 15. The album is available here.  Out gay actor and signer Tituss Burgess release a new dance track “Dance M.F.” last week. Listen to the song here. Queer country singer Orville Peck announced his newest EP Show Pony will be released on June 12. Pre-order the album here, and watch his new video "No Glory in the West" below.

12) Last week, the nominations for the 47^th annual Daytime Emmy Awards were announced. They include a historic nomination for Scott Turner Schofield, a trans man nominated for his work on Studio City. Other LGBTQ and inclusive nominees include The Bold and The Beautiful, Days of our Lives, EastSiders, Light as a Feather, Trinkets, Arthur, The Loud House, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, GMA3 Strahan, Sara & Keke, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, and talent Sara Ramirez, Willam Belli and Keke Palmer. The Daytime Emmys will have a live virtual ceremony on June 26. See the full list of nominees here.

13) Out writer James Tynion IV’s new miniseries Wynd has announced that it will release its first issue on June 17. The series follows the titular Wynd, who is on the run to keep his magical identity hidden with the boy of his dreams, his best friend Oakley, and a literal prince. New footage has been released from the highly anticipated game The Last of Us Part II. The post-apocalyptic game follows queer character Ellie, who seeks retribution after violent events unsettle her newfound community. The game will be released on June 19; watch the footage below.

14) Class6, a comic series about a team of LGBTQ superheroes, is currently funding to print the first six issues. With heroes who represent a multitude of identities in the LGBTQ community, the Class6 team has a mission to defend vulnerable queer people from hatred accross the world, but soon discover they have a mission to save all of humanity as well. Click here to learn more and to contribute.

Grab the remote, set your DVR or queue up your streaming service of choice! GLAAD is bringing you the LGBTQ highlights on TV this week. Check back every Sunday for up-to-date coverage in LGBTQ-inclusive programming on TV.

The series finale of GLAAD Media Award winning series Vida airs on Sunday night. The series features lead queer character Emma as well as a plethora of other queer Latinx characters in the ensemble. In the finale, with the weight of their mother’s legacy on their shoulders, the sisters are forced to decide whether they will ultimately stay together or go their separate ways.  Vida: Sunday, 9pm on Starz.

On Sunday the season three finale of Killing Eve airs on Sunday. The series follows the relationship between assassin Villanelle and former MI-6 agent Eve Polastri, and the season finale promises a reunion between the two. The series has already been renewed for a fourth season. Killing Eve: Sunday, 9pm on BBC America and AMC.

A new season of GLAAD Media Award-recipient Queer Eye will be released on Friday. The fifth season follows the Fab Five (Antoni Porowski, Bobby Berk, Jonathan Van Ness, Karamo Brown, and Tan France,) to Philadelphia, where they brighten up the lives of this season’s heroes. Queer Eye: Friday on Netflix.

Sunday, May 31: Hightown (8pm, Starz); Supergirl (9pm, The CW); Killing Eve (9pm, BBC America and AMC); Billions (9pm, Showtime); Vida (9pm, Starz)

Monday: The Baker and the Beauty (10pm, ABC); Roswell, New Mexico (9pm, The CW)

Tuesday: DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (9pm, The CW)

Wednesday: Legendary (HBO Max); Mrs. America (Hulu); The 100 (8pm, The CW); What We Do in the Shadows (10pm, FX)

Thursday: Council of Dads (8pm, NBC); In the Dark (9pm, The CW); We’re Here (9pm, HBO); Top Chef (10pm Bravo); Siren (10pm, Freeform)

Friday: Queer Eye (Netflix); 13 Reasons Why (Netflix); RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars (8pm, VH1); Betty (11pm, HBO)

The recent incidents of racism, murder, and police brutality, including the inhumane murder of George Floyd, have once again reminded us of the systemic racism that continues to plague America. We know that George Floyd’s murder is not an isolated incident: from Breonna Taylor to Ahmaud Arbery to Tony McDade, to the epidemic violence facing trans women of color, we repeatedly see how the long history of oppression of Black and Brown people in America continues to result in discrimination, injustice, police brutality, and murder. It must stop.

It is all of our responsibility to speak out publicly against racism, systemic injustice, and police brutality, and to elevate voices and amplify stories of people of color, especially with the LGBTQ community. Below is a non-exhaustive list of resources that can help you find different ways to support the Black community and the fight to combat racism, discrimination, and police brutality.

Support funds providing necessary financial assistance

• George Floyd Memorial Fund: The official GoFundMe to support the Floyd family.
• In Memory of Tony McDade: The official GoFundMe to support the McDade family. 
• The National Bail Fund Network: A national project that works with organizers, advocates, and legal providers across the country that are using, or contemplating using, community bail funds as part of efforts to radically change local bail systems and reduce incarceration. Click here for the National Bail Fund Network Directory of Community Bail Funds.
• The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund: America’s premier legal organization fighting for racial justice through litigation, advocacy, and public education.
• Minnesota Freedom Fund: A community based nonprofit in Minnesota that pays criminal bail and immigration bonds for individuals who have been arrested while protesting police brutality.

Support organizations that are working to demand justice and fight systems of racial inequality and oppression

• Black Lives Matter: A global organization whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes.
• Color of Change: The nation’s largest online racial justice organization which seeks to end practices that unfairly hold Black people back, and champion solutions that move us all forward.
• Advancement Project: A multi-racial civil rights organization which uses innovative tools and strategies to strengthen social movements and achieve high impact policy change.
• Reclaim the Block: A coalition that advocates for and invests in community-led safety initiatives in Minneapolis neighborhoods.
• Black Visions Collective: A Black, trans, and queer-led organization that is committed to dismantling systems of oppression and violence, and shifting the narrative to create transformative, long-term change.
• Campaign Zero: Online platform & organization that utilizes research-based policy solutions to end police brutality in America.
• Unicorn Riot: A non-profit organization that is dedicated to exposing the root causes of dynamic social and environmental issues.
• The Bail Project: A non-profit organization designed to combat mass incarceration by disrupting the money bail system.
• Communities United Against Police Brutality: A Twin-Cities based organization that was created to deal with police brutality on an ongoing basis. It operates a crisis hotline where people can report abuse, offers legal, medical, and psychological resource referrals, and engages in political action against police brutality.
• Center for Black Equity: An organization committed to supporting leaders, institutions and programs for health, economic and social equity for Black LGBTQ people.
• The National Black Justice Coalition: A civil rights organization dedicated to the empowerment of Black LGBTQ people and people living with HIV/AIDS, with the mission of ending racism and stigma towards LGBTQ people.
• No New Jails NYC: An organization that seeks to keep New York City from constructing new jails, and to instead divert funds that currently go toward the police and incarceration toward housing, ending homelessness, mental health, and other community support systems.
• Know Your Rights Camp: An organization founded by Colin Kaepernick that seeks to advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities through education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilization and the creation of new systems that elevate the next generation of change leaders.
• Fair Fight: An organization founded by Stacey Abrams that aims to end voter suppression and equalize voting rights and access for fairer elections.

Educate yourself about issues affecting the Black community and learn how to become a better ally

• Research Brief: Black LGBTQ Youth Mental Health (The Trevor Project)
• LGBT workers of color are among the most disadvantaged in the U.S. Workforce (Movement Advancement Project)
• COVID-19 in Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups (Center for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Black Americans still are victims of hate crimes more than any other group (Public Integrity)
• How You Can Be Ally to the Black Lives Matter Movement (Great Big Story)
• Black People Need Stronger White Allies — Here’s How You Can Be One (Refinery29)

Support Black-owned businesses

• Support Black Owned (SBO) is a free Black and African-American owned business directory and blog filled with thousands of 100% Black, Moorish, and African-American owned businesses, spread all over the world. Click hereto view the full directory.

Support Black media

• Blavity: An American media outlet created by and for Black millennials. Its mission is to "economically and creatively support Black millennials across the African diaspora, so they can pursue the work they love, and change the world in the process.”
• The Root: An African-American-oriented online magazine that provides an unflinching analysis of important issues in the Black community through insightful and savvy commentary from Black thought-leaders.
• BET: The nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African American audience
• NBCBLK: An NBC platform highlighting “stories by, for and about the Black community” with the goal of “elevating America’s conversation about Black identity, politics & culture today.”
• TheGrio: An American news website focusing on news and events that have a unique interest and/or pronounced impact within the national African American audience.
• Ebony: A magazine committed to showcasing the best and brightest, as well as highlighting disparities in Black life.
• Essence: A lifestyle, fashion and beauty magazine for African American women.
• Refinery 29 - Unbothered: An online platform made for and by Black millennial women, celebrating the beauty, strength, and power in the Black community.
• Madame Noire: An international online magazine that is geared toward the lifestyles of African American women, as well as popular culture.

Make your voice heard

• Ensure that you are registered to vote. GLAAD recently launched its 2020 Action Center, which gives people all the information and steps they need to register to vote and make their voice heard at the polls.

If you’re reading this and you have additional resources you’d like to share with GLAAD’s community, please reach out to press@glaad.org. This list is not comprehensive.

Today marks the first day of Pride Month, and although it may look different this year, the spirit of Pride continues to live on in our community’s resilience in the fight for equality and acceptance for all. And at this very time in our country’s history, this fight has never been more significant.

The inhumane murder of George Floyd has once again reminded us of the systemic racism that continues to plague America. We know that George Floyd’s murder is not an isolated incident: from Breonna Taylor to Ahmaud Arbery to Tony McDade, to the epidemic violence facing trans women of color, we repeatedly see how the long history of oppression of Black and Brown people in America continues to result in discrimination, injustice, police brutality, and murder. It must stop.

GLAAD stands with the loved ones of George Floyd, the Black community, our staff and supporters, and the protesters who continue to fight for justice and equality across this country. It is all of our responsibility to speak out publicly against racism, systemic injustice, and police brutality, and to elevate voices and amplify stories of people of color, especially within the LGBTQ community.

We know that social change is often built on the pain and outrage of moments like the ones we are seeing in America today. It is important to remember that the revolutionary riots at Stonewall in 1969 were spearheaded by many LGBTQ people of color, and that none of the progress made for the acceptance and equality of LGBTQ people over the past 51 years would be possible if not for the action and courage of those protestors.

This Pride Month, we’ll be centering and lifting up the voices of Black LGBTQ people. There can be no Pride if it is not intersectional. We are Together in Pride.

Black Lives Matter.

AMI, the French fashion house by Alexandre Mattiussi known for its distinctive style of effortless luxury, has just dropped its unisex Rainbow capsule collection specially designed for LGBTQ Pride Month – its biggest Pride collection ever.

“AMI strives on the values upon which it was founded: these are friendship, love, inclusion and equality – the same reasons that make the LGBTQ cause especially important to us, and its defense more crucial than ever in the difficult period we are currently living.”

-Alexandre Mattiussi

AMI is sticking to their roots as a staunch ally of the LGBTQ community by donating 100% of global proceeds from this collection to support GLAAD’s culture-change work. With this support, AMI is walking the walk, showing other brands how to support the community this month.

“You are not just marketing to a community; it's about joining a movement”

-Sarah Kate Ellis

Doubling down on the celebration of Pride Month, AMI is working with iconic stars and personalities to highlight all the different ways we find importance in LGBTQ Pride. Unreal’s Jeffrey Bowyer Chapman, How to Get Away With Murder’s Conrad Ricamora, YouTube and Instagram personality Benito Skinner, French Singer-Songwriter SOKO, and more have come together to share their messages of support.

Tap on over to AMI’s Instagram to watch the special video series!

“We are proud and honored to support GLAAD, whose accomplishments are essential to make the world a better place for this community.”

-Alexandre Mattiussi

Check out the collection below, and shop at AMIParis.com.

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This is an open letter to the LGBTQ+ community, but more specifically to the white and non-Black People of Color within the community. As we move into Pride Month with everything else going on in the country, I have but one simple request: Do better.  

The nation has seen much unrest over the past few days as a result of the murders of George Floyd, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many other Black people who have been killed by the police and other racists throughout America.

These murders are a part of the devastating cycle that is being Black in America. Some of their killers are not even being taken into custody and charged - it took ten days for charges to be filed against all four of the officers involved in George Floyd’s death and no arrests have been made for those involvement in Breonna Taylor’s death. Historically, the cops who have been arrested and charged have faced little to no jail time at all for killing an innocent Black person. These are only some of the continuing injustices Black people face from the police, and as a result, protests have broken out throughout the country. Completely outraged, Black people are protesting to be seen, Black people are protesting to be heard, Black people are protesting to live, and above all, Black people are protesting for justice for those lost well before their time.

Recently, I’ve seen a lot of shocking rhetoric coming from people within the LGBTQ+ community which is rather worrying to me. I’ve seen an alarming amount of anti-protest and anti-riot sentiment posted throughout various social media platforms. Some people have said things such as “If you think violence, vandalism, and looting is a correct way to get justice... you might as well unfollow and block me. I will not discuss” or “MLK would have wanted a peaceful protest” when Dr. King’s own children have stood in strong support of the protest and riots. Others push the “all lives matter'' narrative which actively works to undermine the current importance of the BlackLivesMatter movement. I’ve even seen a demonstration organizer in Los Angeles that threatened to “point [protesters] out to the police if [they] try it”, where ‘it’ referred to any riot activity. These kinds of statements are extremely harmful to the protest and the movement as a whole. Not only do they diminish the meaning of the movement and erase the value of the lives lost, but also help reinforce the oppressive systems in which the movement is protesting. 

And it is because of this that I’d like to ask: do those people know the history of Pride and LGBTQ movement?

Some of the first actions of the LGBTQ movement that eventually led to  Pride were violent protests and riots against police harassment and brutality. We’ve seen it with the Cooper Do-Nuts Riot, The Black Cat Tavern, Gene Compton’s Café Riot, and most famously the Stonewall Riots, all of which were pivotal moments in LGBTQ+ history.

And guess what? These riots worked.

They set up the foundations for the movement to grow stronger and stronger and ultimately lead to what we know today. The first Pride marches and parades were to remember the victory of the violent riot. Shortly after the Stonewall riot, groups such as Gay Activists’ Alliance, Gay Liberation Front, and Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries were formed to push for LGBTQ liberation.

It is also critical to recognize that many Black trans people, historically and now, have experienced disproportionate levels of violence from both the police and regular citizens. Tony McDade, Nina Pop, and Iyanna Dior are three victims we’ve seen killed or brutalized in just the last few weeks. Despite this reality, trans leaders in the movement for LGBTQ liberation and Black Lives Matter continue to have to fight to keep Black trans peoples’ experiences from being erased from the larger movements. As their fight continues, so must their ability to protest, riot, and rebel against the forces that oppress them.

Rioting brought our community together to fight for our liberation as a united front, and now the BlackLivesMatter movement is doing the same. They need your support as allies and accomplices, not as critics or absentees.

Pride was, is, and will forever be, a protest and riot from police brutality. To celebrate Pride while looking down upon the BlackLivesMatter movement is nothing less than hypocritical.

Now that you know better, I once again ask you to do better.

Please show support wherever and whenever you can. I’m sure you’ve seen tons of resources floating around your social media in the last few days? Reshare those resources to your own network and speak up if you hear others spreading more harmful rhetoric!  With that being said, instead of spreading your own ideas on this issue, consider amplifying the voices of Black people as they are the ones most impacted by it. 

Below is a page that has compiled information on the BlackLivesMatter movement including a memorial for those who’ve lost their lives, ways you can get involved and donate, as well as additional resources about the movement.

Note that this is not an exhaustive list of ways to get involved. Please take active measures to find more ways to help and show your support. I urge you to take the time to read over everything and join into the fight for Black liberation.

Black lives matter.

Antonio Calbo-Jackson is a GLAAD Campus Ambassador and rising senior at University of California, Santa Cruz. He works at UCSC's Disability Resource Center, as well as with the Environmental Protection Agency in the Section 504 Office where they are making the work of the EPA more accessible the general public. After completing his undergraduate studies, Antonio plans on going to law school before running for public office, where he can continue to serve his community.

El tiroteo masivo ocurrido en la discoteca Pulse el 12 de junio de 2016, en Orlando, Florida, le arrebató la vida a 49 personas y dejó 53 heridos. No sólo fue unos de los ataques con mayor número de muertos en la historia de los Estados Unidos, sino también es el incidente más violento y fatal en contra de la comunidad LGBTQ en la nación.

Desafortunadamente, personas Latinx LGBTQ y sus familias de elección y de origen fueron las más impactadas por esta tragedia ya que el tiroteo sucedió durante la Noche Latina en esta discoteca LGBTQ.

Casi dos años después de la tragedia, aún siguen de luto miembros de la comunidad LGBTQ, Latinx, personas de color e inmigrantes de varias nacionalidades y personas que comparten mas de una de estas identidades. También aún siguen tratando de entender lo que este tiroteo significa para la identidad y sentido de seguridad de todos aquellos que tienen una o más identidades en común con los 49 asesinados y los sobrevivientes.

El tiroteo continúa teniendo un impacto enorme en los sobrevivientes y sus comunidades dentro y fuera de Orlando, incluyendo a amigos y familiares en Puerto Rico, Cuba, Ecuador, México, la República Dominicana, Venezuela y otros lugares afectados por esta tragedia.

La cobertura de los medios puede tener un papel crítico en ayudar a las personas a tener un conocimiento profundo de lo que las personas LGBTQ+ y las comunidades Latinx sienten a causa de los hechos ocurridos en Pulse.

GLAAD está disponible para ayudar a periodistas y profesionales de los medios a cubrir este tema tan importante y para conectarlos con personas dispuestas a hablar sobre sus historias y experiencias. Por favor contáctenos si tiene alguna pregunta relacionada a la cobertura de estos temas en español o inglés.

CONTEXTO:

Violencia en contra de personas LGBTQ, particularmente mujeres transgénero de color, todavía es altamente alarmante en los Estados Unidos y en el extranjero. A la hora de hacer cobertura noticiosa sobre el ataque y sus consecuencias es importante incluir la convergencia de la persistente y aguda discriminación que las personas LGBTQ de color son obligadas a confrontar a diario.

El ataque a Pulse fue dirigido a lo que se suponía fuese una noche segura y festiva para las personas Latinx LGBTQ. Es importante poner este incidente en contexto de la animosidad y violencia que todavía experimentan las personas LGBTQ en los Estados Unidos. Es importante proveer una plataforma eficaz para que se escuchen las voces de las personas más afectadas por el tiroteo en Pulse.

Además de GLAAD, las siguientes organizaciones son un excelente recurso para periodistas y profesionales de los medios interesados en hacer cobertura noticiosas sobre el ataque en Pulse: Muslims for Progressive Values, Immigration Equality, Equality Florida, Hispanic Federation: Proyecto Somos Orlando, y QLatinx.

GLAAD también puede conectar a profesionales de los medios de comunicación con otros expertos quienes pueden ofrecer comentarios sobre las intersecciones de identidad y problemas presentados en el análisis del ataque. Ya que las personas todavía están de luto, por favor esté consciente que tal vez haya miembros de la comunidad local que todavía no están listos para ofrecer entrevistas a los medios.

Prácticas Que Se Deben Evitar:

• Evite hacer una recreación de hechos violentos. Esto es innecesario y puede re-traumatizar a los afectados. 
• Evite omitir la orientación sexual y/o identidades de género de las 49 personas asesinadas, los sobrevivientes y de los amigos y familias de las víctimas.
• Evite omitir las nacionalidades, historias de inmigración y características específicas de las comunidades afectadas.
• Evite especular sobre el motivo, antecedentes, religión u orientación sexual de la persona responsable por el tiroteo.
• Evite hacer declaraciones que generalmente caracterizan al islam o musulmanes como personas violentas.  

Mejores Prácticas:

Sugerencias: 

• Use las palabras “arrebatada/o” o “asesinada/o”, no “perdida/o” cuando se refiere a las vidas 49 víctimas.
• Evite usar la palabra “aniversario” (por su connotación celebratoria) para reconocer la fecha del primer año en que sucedió el tiroteo en Pulse.
• Evite usar el nombre del responsable como sugiere No Notoriety. Enfoquese en las victimas, sus amistades, las familias, y las comunidades. 

Repase la guía GLAAD Media Reference para asegurarse que está usando los términos y definiciones más actualizadas cuando esté hablando de la orientación sexual e identidad de género y expresión de las personas.

• Estas guías están disponibles en español e inglés. Aquí en español.
• Además, LGBTQ Task Force tiene disponible un glosario de estos términos en español.

Ideas para historias no reportadas y cubiertas:

"Actos de amor y bondad" (Acts of Love and Kindness) es un movimiento que surge del espíritu de dar y de las buenas acciones que se han observado después de la tragedia. El movimiento inspira a la comunidad de Orlando y más allá a involucrarse en el voluntariado, compartir historias y mostrar apoyo a través de actos de amor y amabilidad en los 49 días previos al 12 de junio. Se alienta a los participantes a compartir sus historias en las redes sociales usando el hashtag: #ActLoveGive

Contacta a grupos principales LGBTQ del estado de la Florida, como Equality Florida (https://www.eqfl.org/) y Del Ambiente (https://www.facebook.com/DelAmbiente/)

One Orlando Alliance y su campaña #ActLoveGive (https://oneorlandoalliance.org)

Como parte del movimiento Actos de amor y bondad (Acts of Love and Kindness), el 12 de junio a las 12 hora EST, campanas de iglesias tocarán 49 veces al unísono en todo el mundo como un tributo a las víctimas perdidas durante la tragedia de Pulse Nightclub.

49 Bells es un llamado de las madres de las víctimas a que se unan iglesias, templos, sinagogas, mezquitas y negocios para que se unan a ellas tocando sus campanas y mostrando solidaridad con los mensajes de amor y amabilidad en sus carteles públicos.

• Recuerdos de/por los familiares y amigos sobre la vida de sus seres queridos.
• Cómo las comunidades impactadas se están organizando para promover el proceso de recuperación como resultado de la masacre.
• La importancia de espacios seguros para personas LGBTQ, sea en el hogar, escuela, trabajo o fuera de su comunidad local.
• Los efectos del tiroteo en la salud mental de las personas y sus sentimientos de seguridad.
• Cómo las intersecciones de las identidades de las personas contribuyen a la manera que las personas viven y entienden sus vidas.

GLAAD está disponible para proveer asistencia a periodistas y profesionales de los medios a cubrir este tema importante y conectarlos con personas que pueden hablar de sus historias y experiencias. Por favor no dude contactarnos con cualquier pregunta, en inglés o español, relacionada a la cobertura del tiroteo.

Las siguientes personas podrán estar disponibles para hablar con los medios sobre Pulse y sus esfuerzos después del tiroteo.

Para más información por favor contacte a Mathew Lasky, Director of Communications, GLAAD (mlasky@glaad.org) o a Monica Trasandes, Directora de Medios en Español y Latinx para GLAAD (mtrasandes@glaad.org).

Para obtener más recursos sobre cómo cubrir noticias que incluyan a personas LGBTQ o que impactan a personas LGBTQ en la Florida puede consultar la guía de GLAAD titulada, Southern Stories: A Guide for Reporting on LGBTQ people in Florida.

Over the past few weeks, GLAAD has led a push for better understanding and respectful coverage of transgender and gender non-conforming people after a KDKA Pittsburgh radio show host misgendered Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine in May. Regional media reported the host referring to Dr. Levine as “sir” at least three times, with her replying, “Please don’t misgender me.” The host was also criticized by other local media, including WESA’s Chris Potter, who tweeted, “What an absolute embarrassment to the western Pennsylvania press corps.”

After reaching out to both Dr. Levine’s office and the radio station, as well as local LGBTQ journalists, GLAAD worked with the city of Pittsburgh’s Commission on Human Relations on a training program for media professionals and appeared on a panel with members of the Pittsburgh media and transgender community. GLAAD consulted on the program and educational materials, which included research from GLAAD’s Media Reference Guide. The focus of the program was on respectful and accurate coverage of gender identity, especially in light of the KDKA issue. The program also include a wider discussion to prepare journalists for the upcoming Supreme Court decisions on transgender and LGB employment discrimination.

Sixty-one journalists from the Pittsburgh region attended the webinar, “Gender Awareness in the Media,” on May 29th, including the radio show host and station management. There was discussion of the coverage of the May 27th police shooting death of Tony McDade in Tallahassee, Florida, which GLAAD has also been monitoring and working on with local media. Attendees received handout guides for accurate and respectful coverage, which included GLAAD’s recommendations for covering crimes involving transgender and gender-nonconforming people. This guide also went to press in Tallahassee.

More than 250 people registered for the second webinar, “Gender Awareness in Pittsburgh,” which was open to the public and held June 5. GLAAD continues to monitor and coordinate with local media in Pittsburgh and Tallahassee on their coverage of these cases and the LGBTQ community.

In the New York Times on June 4^th, Fair Fight Action founder Stacey Abrams shared an op-ed about the importance of voting in addition to impactful protesting. Abrams writes that in moments of social upheaval like right now, voting can feel inadequate, but that it is still incredibly important.

Abrams does address the concerns around politicians and other leaders telling concerned citizens to “just go vote.” Abrams explains this, writing, “‘Go vote’” sounds like a slogan, not a solution. Because millions of us have voted. And too many still die. The moment requires many things of each one of us.” But, she notes, there are many concrete ways that turning out to vote helps people in our communities and across the country.

To Abrams, voting is “the first step in a long and complex process” about civic engagement. She compares civic engagement and meaningful change to a car, writing, “You can have a car with all the bells and whistles, but if it doesn’t have wheels, you can’t move forward.” For Abrams, voting is what keeps the process of progress moving.

“People don’t necessarily care about politicians, but they do care about their own lives,” Abrams explains. Voters turn out to support campaigns that put the issues and policies that matter most to them. She writes about her view of campaigning, that politicians need to explain the job they will do in whatever position they are running for, and to make it plain what they stand for would fight for in order to best help voters make up their mind.

Representative John Lewis, Abrams writes, refers to the right to vote as “almost sacred;” Abrams describes voting as a profound act of faith, and the ultimate power a citizen can have in a democracy. Voting has the impact to transform communities, and uplift people whose voices are not being heard, and Abrams believes that we all must continue to fight for the right to vote and be sure to yield it.

Towards the end of her piece, Abrams discusses the cultural change in America, and writes that when Communities of Color and Progressive and Moderate White communities join together, they make up a majority of the American population.  Right now, we are seeing these groups of justice-minded people come together and stand up against inequality and injustice. Abrams believes that the protesters are right to protest, and that political leaders are right to also urge them to be sure to vote.

Abrams concludes: “Protest to demand attention to the wrenching pain of systemic injustice. Vote because we deserve leaders who see us, who hear us and who are willing to act on our demands.”

On June 17^th, the GLAAD Media Institute is offering a workshop to teach some of the best strategies to do election work that will help to enact meaningful policies to accelerate acceptance in communities throughout the country. With protests happening in cities across the United States, the GLAAD Media Institute also wants to help activists lay the groundwork for meaningful electoral campaigns.

2020 Election Engagement for LGBTQ Equality will take place online on June 17^th at 1pm EST, and is open for anyone to join. During the workshop, the GLAAD Media Institute team and workshop participants will discuss how to tell impactful stories, make voters understand what issues are important to the LGBTQ community and allied communities, and explore resources to find accurate information and counter fake news about the marginalized communities.

You can sign up to join the workshop here.

The GLAAD Media Institute is offering virtual courses and workshops to activists and advocates around the country, and world, in the weeks to come, including a workshop on June 17th. Click here to learn more about how to join a course or workshop and use your voice as a GLAAD Media Institute alum.

On three occasions just this week, as protests rage in all fifty states over the inhumane death of George Floyd and against systemic racism and police brutality, President Trump and his administration looked to religion as a literal cover for their unjust policies. Many religious leaders cried hypocrisy, but for people of color and LGBTQ Americans, there’s consistency: anti-LGBTQ acitivists and some politicians misusing the Bible for political gain, at the expense of equality and basic human dignity.

On Monday, President Trump held up a Bible in front of a church after deploying a militarized clearing of protestors around the White House. The President posed for a photo with the book and five White advisers, images then shared by his campaign.

On Tuesday, to commemorate an executive order supporting religious exemption despite its use to discriminate, President Trump and his third wife visited the shrine of St. John Paul II, an act the Archbishop of Washington called reprehensible, egregious and manipulative.

On Wednesday, the Justice Department filed a friend of the court brief to the Supreme Court, supporting a Catholic agency’s demand to taxpayer funds, even as it discriminates against legally married same-sex taxpayers hoping to become foster parents.

The Bible has long been appropriated by political forces looking to violently enforce the status quo. Every June, LGBTQ people mark Pride month to honor the courage of LGBTQ protestors, many of them Black and Brown, who fought back against New York police “morality officers” at the Stonewall Inn in 1969. It was only last year, 50 years later, that an apology came from the NYPD’s commissioner, saying“The actions and the laws were discriminatory and oppressive.”

Biblical passages have been quoted to oppress women, justify slavery and segregation, and reject LGBTQ people. This can torture parents of LGBTQ children, torn between love for their child and a view that the Bible says being LGBTQ is a sin. It’s a misguided belief that isolates the LGBTQ child from those they love and trust the most, and severs them from their true selves.

Into this crisis of faith and politics comes the follow-up of Sundance favorite For the Bible Tells Me So. The new documentary For They Know Not What They Do centers LGBTQ children and their parents, including two families of color, in the raging culture war waged by the religious right and their political allies against LGBTQ advances like marriage equality and legal recognition of transgender people. It reveals how families can have faith and love their children, even as negative messages bombard them in the media and from conservative religious and political leaders. It gives families tools to counter biblical arguments that conflict with their instincts as parents to love and protect their LGBTQ child.

GLAAD worked with the producers to ensure its transgender participants were involved in important personal decisions while the documentary was being made. The film’s focus on current events shows the urgent need for accurate representation across all media, and increased understanding for LGBTQ people, precisely what GLAAD fights for every day.

On Friday, June 5 through Monday June 8, GLAAD supporters can see a virtual sneak peek of For They Know Not What They Do and help support GLAAD. Go to www.fortheyknow.org and click on the GLAAD logo to rent the film. A portion of every rental goes directly to GLAAD’s work to accelerate LGBTQ acceptance.

“For They Know Not What They Do is a powerful film that is focused on a message of acceptance and love, something that we all need more of today,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “We hope all families see themselves in the film, and fight for a child’s right to be safe and loved for who they are. For They Know Not What They Do is a moving testament to a family’s love, and highlights how important these conversations are for driving acceptance of LGBTQ youth.” 

If you miss sneak peek weekend, For They Know Not What They Do premieres worldwide Friday June 12. Go to www.fortheyknow.org to find a participating independent theater to rent from. The theater gets a portion of the proceeds from each ticket sold, to support them during this difficult economic time.

Grab the remote, set your DVR or queue up your streaming service of choice! GLAAD is bringing you the LGBTQ highlights on TV this week. Check back every Sunday for up-to-date coverage in LGBTQ-inclusive programming on TV.

Freeform’s The Bold Type, which features bisexual character Kat in its main ensemble, returns for the second half of its fourth season on Thursday. In the new episode, Jane returns to Scarlet with new editorial duties. Kat faces a hard truth when she’s forced to take some responsibility. Sutton goes to bat on her first shoot and gets some shocking news that upends her world. The Bold Type: Thursday, 10pm on Freeform.

PBS’s Prideland airs it’s one hour special on Friday night. The show is hosted by Pose actor Dyllón Burnside. As an LGBTQ+ advocate, he guides viewers into the South’s various LGBTQ+ communities, connecting with people of different backgrounds, locations, experiences and points of view. Prideland: Friday, 9pm on PBS.

Sunday, June 7: Hightown (8pm, Starz); Billions (9pm, Showtime); Snowpiercer (9pm, TNT)

Monday: Roswell, New Mexico (9pm, The CW)

Wednesday: Legendary (HBO Max); The 100 (8pm, The CW); Chicago Fire (9pm, NBC); What We Do in the Shadows (10pm, FX)

Thursday: Council of Dads (8pm, NBC); In the Dark (9pm, The CW); Top Chef (10pm Bravo); The Bold Type (10pm, Freeform)

Friday: RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars (8pm, VH1); Prideland (9pm, PBS)

GLAAD is a proud Presenting Partner of the I AM SAMUEL digital screening and live Q&A with Human Rights Watch Film Festival. I AM SAMUEL was directed by Pete Murimi, produced by Toni Kamau, and executive produced by Roger Ross Williams, Judy Kibinge, and Peter Mudamba. 

I AM SAMUEL revolves around a young man named Samuel growing up in the Kenyan countryside, where tradition is valued above all else. He is close to his mother but his father, a local pastor, doesn’t understand why he isn’t married yet. After moving to Kenya's capital, Nairobi, in search of work and a new life, Samuel falls in love with Alex and finds community and belonging. Their love thrives despite the fact that Kenyan laws criminalize anyone who identifies as LGBTQ+. Despite threats of violence and rejection, Samuel and Alex move between their co-existing worlds, hoping to win acceptance in both.

From the words of director Pete Murimi: "This is a love story of two men, Samuel and Alex, who are deeply committed to each other. It is also a film about the resilience of love between father and son. Samuel’s relationship with his father is very similar to my relationship with my father. Both our deeply traditional African fathers had expectations of us that we could not fulfil. In my case, my dad wanted me to have children of my own and go into business, rather than filmmaking. Samuel’s father, Redon, was desperate for him to marry a woman and live the same kind of life as him - as a farmer, pastor, husband and father."

Producer Toni Kamau also shares, "I AM SAMUEL is an incredible testament to the power of love, African family and acceptance. And it's a really intimate look at the layered life of Samuel, who allowed us to film with him, his community and family for five years. The LGBTQ+ community is "otherised" by most of African society. We truly feel that I AM SAMUEL will help create bridges of understanding."

Screening for the Human Rights Watch Film Festival will run from June 11th to 20th. The tickets are available here.

The screening for I AM SAMUEL will take place on June 14th beginning at 2:15pm PDT, with a Q&A to follow at 3:30pm. Register here for the Q&A.

Advocates and RuPaul’s Drag Race alumni, Peppermint and Bob the Drag Queen, are banding together to bring the “Black Queer Town Hall” to Pride Month.

The “Black Queer Town Hall” will feature three days of performances, roundtable discussions, and fundraising opportunities for #BlackLivesMatter, Black LGBTQ organizations, and local Black LGBTQ drag performers from June 19-21. The new event replaces the previously announced “Pride 2020 Drag Fest” and will shift focus of the event to center Black queer voices. During the “Black Queer Town Hall,” a diverse collection of LGBTQ voices will celebrate Black LGBTQ people and discuss pathways to dismantle racism and white supremacy. Viewers can contribute directly to each of the Black drag performers during their scheduled performance time and can also contribute to organizations run by and serving Black LGBTQ people. The event will also pay homage to the queer people of color who started the revolutionary riots at Stonewall in 1969 and other Black LGBTQ trailblazers who have advanced equality for all.

The star-studded Town Hall will include guests Laverne Cox, Angelica Ross, Todrick Hall, Monet X Change, Isis King, Shea Diamond, Tiq Milan, Alex Newell, and Basit.

"During this time, I've been seeing a lot of Black tragedy,” said Bob the Drag Queen. “That's important. People need to see that. But it's also important that we share Black success, Black victory, and Black lives. Especially queer Black lives. Especially trans Black lives. This is an opportunity to get together and rejoice in all things that are beautiful, black, and queer."

NYC Pride and GLAAD, the global LGBTQ media advocacy organization, will stream the virtual event on YouTube and Facebook pages each day from 6:30-8pm EST beginning on Friday, June 19 and through Sunday, June 21, 2020.

"I think we're on the precipice of great, irreversible change,” said Peppermint. “And I'm so happy to be involved in an event that could be a catalyst for facilitating powerful, meaningful, and inclusive conversations across the board. These conversations must include everyone. I'm speaking to all cis black hetero people when I say: it's time to be a part of this, it's time to embrace our Black queer excellence."

“Bob and Peppermint are incredible leaders and I am honored that our virtual pride event is now being produced by them,” said Marti Gould Cummings, who was set to produce the Pride 2020 Drag Fest. “We must carry on the message of Marsha and Sylvia and I can’t wait for the world to see this incredible event that will uplift black voices within our community”

“Through our work, we are committed to speaking out for all New Yorkers. There is no place for racism in the LGBTQ+ community or anywhere else. NYC Pride will speak up, speak out and stand with our fellow New Yorkers in the face of racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism and all other kinds of oppression. Always,” said Shawn Kobetz, Partnerships Manager, NYC Pride, “We are grateful for the opportunity to help use our platform to listen, educate, and create spaces for dialogue through the Black Queer Town Hall.”

For more information on the Black Queer Town Hall, click here.

Frameline, the world’s longest-running and largest showcase of queer cinema, is proud to announce the full program for the Frameline44 Pride Showcase taking place Thursday, June 25 through Sunday, June 28, 2020 in celebration of the 50th anniversary of San Francisco Pride. Presented in partnership with the Castro Theatre, this four-day virtual event features 12 world premieres, one international premiere, three North American Premieres, and two U.S. premieres, including new narrative features, documentaries, and shorts programs, along with special live and pre-recorded intros, Q&A’s, and other unique programming to evoke the live festival experience Frameline is known for. 

“Pride Month has begun with riots and protests in the face of systemic injustice. The LGBTQ+ community is no stranger to these issues and we honor and support all those raising their voices in dissent and demanding equality,” said James Woolley, Frameline Executive Director. “Frameline has featured inspiring, thought-provoking cinema for more than 40 years and created a festival atmosphere that fosters community engagement and discourse, and we are proud to continue this tradition with our Pride Showcase.” 

“Frameline believes that the courageous act of sharing your story can change the world. We are honored to present a lineup of films during the Pride Showcase that upholds our mission of providing a platform to showcase diverse voices,” said Paul Struthers, Frameline’s Director of Exhibition & Programming. “Two presentations highlight this in especially timely ways: Sue Williams’ ‘Denise Ho-Becoming the Song,’ which chronicles the iconic musician’s career from pop star to activist in Hong Kong and the power of art to address social unrest; and SHOWTIME’S ‘The Chi,’ where some of our field’s most creative and talented Black artists are not only featured but leading the production—including creator and executive producer Lena Waithe and writer Marcus Gardley. It’s a portrait of a community--Chicago’s South Side--and exemplifies that Black stories matter. We are humbled by the opportunity we have to engage, act, and grow with our audiences this month.”

Highlights include the world premiere of Sue Williams’ documentary DENISE HO – BECOMING THE SONG; Jessica Swale’s SUMMERLAND featuring Gemma Arterton, who will be participating in a live Q&A following the film; Thom Fitzgerald’s valentine to San Francisco STAGE MOTHER, which will also include a live Q&A with Jacki Weaver, Mya Taylor, and Jackie Beat who star in the film; a special presentation of Jen Rainin’s world premiere documentary AHEAD OF THE CURVE at Concord’s West Wind Drive-In Theater; Isabel Sandoval’s LINGUA FRANCA and P. David Ebersole’s and Todd Hughes’ HOUSE OF CARDIN, which played at the Venice Film Festival; Ray Yeung’s TWILIGHT’S KISS (SUK SUK) and David France’s WELCOME TO CHECHNYA, which played at the Berlin International Film Festival; and perennial favorites “Fun in Boys Shorts,” “Fun in Girls Shorts,” and “Transtastic” short film programs, which will include the world premiere of ISLAND QUEEN. Directed by Zackary Grady and Jenn Harris, this short features Rachel Dratch and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who will be featured in a Q&A following its premiere.

The Pride Showcase kicks off Frameline's 2020 festival offerings and allows the organization to continue its tradition of celebrating Pride each June while prioritizing the safety of its audience, staff, filmmakers and community partners. As previously announced, the larger Frameline44 Festival has been postponed until this Fall. 

FEATURE FILMS

BREAKING FAST

Directed by Mike Mosallam

Cultures clash and passion blooms in this lively and insightful romantic comedy. Mo, a gay Muslim in West Hollywood, is suddenly single and searching for love in a sea of partying and hook-ups. When a new romance blooms, Mo carefully navigates through an exciting and complicated new reality. This funny, thoughtful film tackles issues of faith, friendship, and sexuality with upbeat energy and a big heart.

EMA

Directed by Pablo Larraín

In the latest from visionary filmmaker Pablo Larraín, director of Jackie and producer of the Oscar-winning A Fantastic Woman, newcomer Mariana Di Girolamo electrifies the screen in the titular role of Ema, a young, unhinged, bisexual dancer who embarks on a difficult journey to regain custody of her adopted son. This dazzling, uniquely cinematic experience, which left audiences spellbound at both the Venice and Sundance Film Festivals, is one that will linger long after the credits roll.

LINGUA FRANCA

Directed by Isabel Sandoval

When Olivia (Isabel Sandoval), an undocumented Filipina trans woman in Brooklyn, becomes the caregiver for an elderly Jewish woman (Lynn Cohen, Sex and the City’s Magda), the last thing she suspects is for romantic and sexual tensions to arise with Olga’s black sheep grandson (The Witcher’s Eamon Farren). A timely and heartfelt tale of lost souls finding each other, with chilling reminders of ICE raids and deportations looming in the background.

STAGE MOTHER

Directed by Thom Fitzgerald

If you cross Sister Act with Sordid Lives and add a dash of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, you’d wind up with Stage Mother. Two-time Oscar nominee Jacki Weaver plays Maybelline, a Texas church choir director whose life is turned upside down when she unexpectedly inherits a San Francisco drag club from her estranged son. Lucy Liu, Adrian Grenier, and Tangerine’s Mya Taylor also star in this moving and quick-witted valentine to San Francisco.

SUMMERLAND

Directed by Jessica Swale

During the throes of the London Blitz, solitary writer Alice (Gemma Arterton, Vita & Virginia) is irritated to learn that a child evacuee, Frank, is to be placed in her cliffside cottage. But his gentle openness sends her ruminating on a passionate love story that Alice buried long ago; as she excavates these memories, the pair form an unlikely bond. This sweeping drama, steeped in folklore and the power of memory, proves love just might come back around.

*Please note that SUMMERLAND will only be available to view June 27–28.

TAHARA

Directed by Olivia Peace

While attending the funeral for one of her classmates, sheepish Carrie (Madeline Grey DeFreece) unexpectedly sparks her queer awakening after a practice lip-lock with her horny and hetero Hebrew-school bestie Hannah (Rachel Sennott). Over the course of the day, the two teens wrestle with their complicated feelings of mortality, social ranking, and desire in director Olivia Peace’s uproarious and incisive generational debut.

TWILIGHT’S KISS (SUK SUK) (North American Premiere)

Directed by Ray Yeung

The challenges facing aging gay men are dramatized with great warmth in this Hong Kong-set portrait of a new love affair from director Ray Yeung (Front Cover, Frameline40). Each a father to adult children, Hoi and Pak have both acknowledged their sexuality late in life. As their developing affection and camaraderie potentially turn to love, the question of what each man is willing to give up becomes a pressing matter.

DOCUMENTARIES
AHEAD OF THE CURVE (World Premiere)

Directed by Jen Rainin

From its start in 1990, Curve magazine was a visionary and unapologetic celebration of lesbian life from cover to cover. Facing the magazine’s possible demise in 2019, director Jen Rainin and Curve founder Franco Stevens explore contemporary questions of lesbian visibility and legacy through interviews with contemporary LGBTQ+ tastemakers, “celesbians” including Melissa Etheridge, Jewelle Gomez, Denice Frohman, Kate Kendell, and Lea DeLaria, along with rich archival footage recounting the formation of a lesbian cultural institution.

In addition to the online presentation, a special screening of AHEAD OF THE CURVE will take place at the West Wind Solano Drive-In Theater in Concord, California (1611 Solano Way, Concord, CA) on Saturday, June 27 at 9 p.m. Tickets range in price from $23–$25 and are available now.

DENISE HO – BECOMING THE SONG (World Premiere)

Directed by Sue Williams

At the peak of her musical career, Hong Kong’s Cantopop diva Denise Ho was performing in lavish costumes at packed stadium concerts. Her eccentric performances garnered audiences, but it was her brave lyrics that resonated with a city in turmoil. In Sue Williams’ uplifting documentary, the filmmaker chronicles Ho’s career from pop star to activist and the parallels to Hong Kong, a city in constant transformation.

HOUSE OF CARDIN

Directed by P. David Ebersole and Todd Hughes

In a film as bubbly and vibrant as its subject at hand, filmmaking duo P. David Ebersole and Todd Hughes (Mansfield 66/67) shift their cameras toward self-made fashion genius Pierre Cardin. Including interviews with Naomi Campbell, Sharon Stone, Dionne Warwick, and Jean-Paul Gaultier, House of Cardin celebrates the designer’s influential career, including his pioneering attempts to diversify the catwalks of Paris with women of color modeling his signature looks.

WELCOME TO CHECHNYA

Directed by David France

A prizewinner at both the Sundance and Berlin International Film Festivals this year, the latest documentary feature from Oscar-nominated director David France (How to Survive a Plague) highlights an undercover team of LGBTQ+ activists in Russia, desperately trying to save their vulnerable queer community from further persecution and even death as homophobic attacks surge in Chechnya.

EPISODIC

THE CHI

Episode 302 “Brewfurd”

Written by Oakland native Marcus Gardley, Directed by Rashaad Ernesto Green

Frameline is thrilled to present a very special sneak preview episode from the upcoming season of the SHOWTIME® series THE CHI in honor of LGBTQ+ Pride month. Produced entirely in its namesake city, season three of THE CHI finds a maturing Emmett (Jacob Latimore) trying to alter the way his mother Jada (Yolonda Ross) sees him, going from unmotivated teen to full-fledged businessman. Created and executive produced by Emmy® winner Lena Waithe, the hit drama series is executive produced by Justin Hillian, Aaron Kaplan, Common, Derek Dudley and Shelby Stone of Freedom Road Productions, Rick Famuyiwa and Jet Wilkinson. THE CHI is produced by Fox 21 Television Studios.

SHORTS

PARADE

Directed by Ronald Chase

This film of the very first Gay Pride Parade in San Francisco was believed to be lost for almost 50 years.  This was actually the first “official” gay parade, organized with permits by the city.  The very first parade was held a year after the Stonewall Riots (1970) on Folsom Street, organized by the rock group Black Sabbath as a promotional event for a number of emerging bands. This parade followed a year later (1971), with a very small attendance and a lot of very brave people. Notice the turnout was sparse (only two blocks of well-wishers turned out to watch), but the atmosphere was electric. Chase felt that gay people should make their own case to the public, and this film was made in hope it might be helpful in changing attitudes in the straight community.

This short is presented in partnership with SF PRIDE in celebration of their 50th anniversary.

TRANSTASTIC SHORT FILMS

MAKING SAMANTHA — Directed by T Cooper

KAPAEMAHU — Directed by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer & Joe Wilson

DANCE, DANCE, EVOLUTION — Directed by Jules Rosskam

BIND — Directed by Emory Chao Johnson

WISHES — Directed by Amy Jenkins

THE NAME OF THE SON — Directed by Martina Matzkin — (North American Premiere)

DUNGAREES — Directed by Abel Rubinstein — (North American Premiere)

SHÉÁR AVORY: TO BE CONTINUED — Directed by Abram Cerda

FUN IN BOYS SHORTS

MATT & DAN: GRINDR — Directed by Will Gordh (World Premiere)

WHEN IN ROME (PAESE CHE VAI) — Directed by Luca Padrini (World Premiere) 

GO GO, BOY! — Directed by Oriana Oppice

PETE CAN’T PLAY BASKETBALL — Directed by Nicolas Borenstein (World Premiere)

ABOUT A SHORT FILM — Directed by Kevin Yee

BLOW JOB — Directed by Jeffrey Braverman (World Premiere)

ISLAND QUEEN — Directed by Zackary Grady, Jenn Harris (World Premiere)

THE DICK APPOINTMENT — Directed by Mike Roma (World Premiere)

SHORT CALF MUSCLE — Directed by Victoria Warmerdam

THE SHAWL — Directed by Sara Kiener

FUN IN GIRLS SHORTS

WERE YOU GAY IN HIGH SCHOOL? — Directed by Niki Ang (World Premiere)

I KNOW HER — Directed by Fawzia Mirza

DINETTE SEASON 2 EPISODE 1 & 2 — Directed by Shaina Feinberg (World Premiere)

PEACH — Directed by Sophie Saville & Rowan Devereux (International Premiere)

THE SECRET GARDENER — Directed by Lorena Russi (U.S. Premiere)

BREAK IN — Directed by Alyssa Lerner (World Premiere)

CC DANCES THE GO-GO — Directed by Erin C. Buckley (World Premiere)

6:23AM — Directed by Geoffrey Breton (U.S. Premiere)

You can buy your tickets at frameline.org. Tickets are $8 - 10 per screening and year-long passes start at $250. Ticket holders will be able to tune in live to each screening or access any film at any time during the four-day event.

The Frameline44 Pride Showcase is made possible with generous support from returning Premier Partners GILEAD SCIENCES, INC.,  SHOWTIME®, BANK OF AMERICA, and MONIKER. Additional funding is provided by THE ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES, WELLS FARGO FOUNDATION, AT&T, WARNERMEDIA, ARNOLD & PORTER, BANK OF THE WEST, BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES, and SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY. 

This Sunday, June 14, High School Democrats of America (HSDA) is organizing a digital Pride celebration in honor of the LGBTQ community! Virtual Pride 2020 is taking place on Facebook Live from 2:00-4:00pm EST. The event will feature live video appearances from prominent LGBTQ advocates, artists, and politicians including Chasten Buttigieg, Joshua Rush, Charlotte Clymer, GLAAD Campus Ambassadors Bri Hill and Nasir Anthony Montalvo, and more.

HSDA’s Virtual Pride will serve as a valuable platform for LGBTQ people, including youth, to talk about the issues they care about most and how to take action as we move closer to election day. LGBTQ youth stand to make an impact in elections, locally and nationally, this November. Nearly 9 million LGBTQ Americans are registered to vote, and, on average, the community skews younger as a population than non-LGBTQ voters. GLAAD joined as a partner of Virtual Pride as part of our ongoing advocacy that aims to inform and engage LGBTQ voters for Election 2020. LGBTQ youth and allies can register to vote and find other helpful tools for taking action this election season at glaad.org/action.

HSDA is a national political organization that serves as an entry point to Democratic politics for youth activists from across the country. HSDA’s network of resources and chapters provide a platform for politically-active youth. As an entirely student run organization, HSDA’s Virtual Pride 2020 also intends to uplift their own LGBTQ student leaders. As part of GLAAD’s gratitude for their hard work, we wanted to shine a spotlight on these youth advocates and get our audience excited for this incredible event. 

Check out below to hear from HSDA LGBTQ+ Caucus Leadership members Cyn Gomez (National Relations Coordinator of LGBTQ+ Caucus), Julien Hector (Chair of LGBTQ+ Caucus), and Shana Richards (Vice Chair of LGBTQ+ Caucus, Chair of Northwest Virtual Chapter). Their responses have been edited for length and clarity.

HSDA LGBTQ+ Caucus student leaders: Cyn, Julien, and Shana (L-R)

Why did you get involved in High School Democrats of America?

Cyn (they/them): I saw HSDA as a community I should be a part of in order to further my experience, and not only this but to learn the ropes of government and politics. Then, I had come across the LGBTQ+ Caucus within the organization through a friend and begun engaging in this great community since then. The LGBTQ+ Caucus strengthened my sense of community and allowed me to take a position of leadership! I saw HSDA as a great opportunity to further my preparedness for a career in government and politics so I took this amazing organization in stride!

Julien (he/him): I got involved in HSDA because I wanted as a high school student to get involved in politics and play a role to promote civic engagement and youth getting involved in politics. I joined the LGBTQ Caucus specifically because I wanted a place to meet LGBTQ+ students from all over the country, learn about their experiences, and meet people who had been through similar struggles as me. Where I could feel comfortable being myself and expressing myself in a community built around support and encouragement. I wanted to provide an outlet for LGBTQ Youth to get involved in politics and advocate for the changes whether it be culturally or on a systemic level that they wanted to see change. This Caucus has been my home, and I've loved serving as the Chair and planning events for the Caucus to participate in.

Shana (she/her): I became involved in HSDA last summer as I began to get more involved in electoral politics. Over this past year, I volunteered with a presidential campaign for the first time, and also became involved in down-ballot and grassroots initiatives. HSDA seemed like a great space for me to get to know other people of my age who are also passionate about political activism. I enjoy having a space where I can interact with a diverse group of people from all over the country who share similar goals as me, and collectively advocate and work for issues, legislation, and elections that we care about.

What do you love most about being an LGBTQ advocate?

Cyn: Being an LGBTQ advocate [in the LGBTQ community], there is so much diversity and that is personally my favorite part about being an advocate. We are not defined by one sole characteristic as a community, we are diverse and unique, so being an LGBTQ advocate encapsulates so much and entails for constant learning and adjustment, creating a very empathetic and understanding band of individuals. Not only do you represent/advocate for the gay community that has grown in support and recognition, but you also represent/advocate for those fighting for their rights like the Black and Latinx trans women and non-binary individuals. This community transcends age groups, gender identities, races, and ethnicities and to be an advocate for all of the LGBTQ community you get to fight equally as hard for each minority in our community. It's truly a beautiful and humanizing experience. 

Julien: I think what I love most about being an LGBTQ advocate and activist is that I can fight for people without a voice and be an advocate for the acceptance and understanding that is needed for LGBT Youth. We go through so many struggles that are not as easy to spot whether it be mental health, the process of coming out, and the anxiety of living in a world where you are not seen as "normal.” I love that through being an LGBTQ advocate, I can break and deconstruct that stereotype and remind LGBTQ youth that being unique and different is beautiful and that we should embrace our identity rather than suppress them. I love the ability to help people who are struggling and provide someone empathy as I can truly understand their experience

Shana: What I love most about being an LGBTQ+ advocate is helping other people. I am grateful that I have access to resources that allow me to help people in finding their place and voice in this world. As somebody who has struggled with mental health, I know how isolating it can be to come to terms with your identity, especially in unaccepting environments. I want every LGBTQ+ person to know that they are not alone in that fight.

Additionally, growing up I often felt as though faith in God and being LGBTQ+ could not coexist. I had always seen people using God as a justification for injustice toward LGBTQ+ individuals. I want any LGBTQ+ folks out there who are struggling to reconcile their spirituality conflicting with their identity to understand that God and queerness are compatible and that there are many affirming religious institutions. Every being is worthy of love and fellowship.

Who are you most excited to hear speak at Virtual Pride 2020?

Cyn: For most of our Caucus, myself included, we are astounded and honored to have Chasten Buttigieg attending. Not only is his husband to the former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, but he is an amazing advocate and voice of the community. Through his work on the campaign trail, his educational influence as a teacher, and the release of his upcoming book his impact on the LGBTQ community extends to representing the grandiose that comes within our community! Chasten is an amazing role model for me and to have him speak at our event is exciting to say the least!

Julien: I am most excited to hear from Joshua Rush at Virtual Pride. I remember watching him on Andi Mack on Disney Channel with my little sister and brother and how beautiful it was seeing him go through the struggles that I went through as a child. Seeing him come to terms with his sexuality, and coming out on national television, was so monumental to me. I actually used him on the show as a way to introduce the concept of being "gay" to my little siblings and eventually gain the courage to come out to them myself. It was through this show, and after seeing him come out as bisexual and being inspired by his activism that really encourages me to this day to fight for what I believe in. I hope he can continue to inspire LGBTQ Youth at Virtual Pride, just as he did for me.

Shana: I am most looking forward to hearing from Charlotte Clymer. Charlotte is an outspoken activist on topics such as LGBTQ+ rights, feminism, and veterans’ affairs. I look up to her for all that she has done for our country, both as a part of the military and also as part of civil rights organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign. In many ways, she inspires me to use my platform to advocate for and educate people, always leading with compassion, integrity, and understanding.

Clare Kenny is the Director of Youth Engagement at GLAAD. She leads GLAAD's Campus Ambassador Program, Rising Stars Program, and Amp digital platform. Clare is a graduate of Skidmore College.

The GLAAD Wrap brings you LGBTQ-related entertainment news highlights, fresh stuff to watch out for, and fun diversions to help you kick off the weekend.

1) A first look has been released for documentary Disclosure, which follows the history of 100 years of trans representation on screen. The documentary is directed by Sam Feder, with appearances from trans creatives and artists including Laverne Cox (who also executive produced the documentary), Mj Rodriguez, Jamie Clayton, Lilly Wachowski, Yance Ford and more. GLAAD's Alex Schmider is an associate producer on Disclosure, and our Director of Transgender Representation Nick Adams is a consulting producer and also featured in the documentary, which will be released on Netflix on June 19.

2) Festival-favorite documentary Mucho Mucho Amor has announced that it will be coming to Netflix on July 8. The film takes a look at the life and legacy of Walter Mercado, the famed Puerto Rican astrologer who made waves as a television personality. The first trailer has been released for Freedia Got a Gun, which follows out musician Big Freedia on their personal journey and opposition to gun violence, and how it affects queer and Black communities. Watch the trailer below.

3) Documentary I am Samuel will be available to watch as part of the Human Rights Watch Film Festival on Sunday. The film follows Samuel, who grew up on a farm in the Kenyan countryside, where tradition is valued above all else. He moves to Nairobi in search of a new life, where he finds belonging in a community of fellow queer men and meets and falls in love with Alex. Click here for more information and to screen the film Sunday at 2:15 EDT. A trailer has been released for upcoming documentary Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn. The film follows Cohn as he worked for McCarthy and against the LGBTQ community, while being closeted himself. Those interviewed in the documentary include John Waters, Nathan Lane, and Tony Kushner. Watch the trailer below.

4) All Boys Aren’t Blue, the memoir from queer Black writer George M. Johnson, will be adapted into a television series by Sony Pictures TV and Gabrielle Union. “I needed to do my part to make sure the next generation of Black queer children had something they could relate to and connect with,” Johnson said of the project, with Union adding, “being a parent to a queer identifying daughter has given me the platform to make sure that these stories are being told in a truthful and authentic way.”

5) Starz’ Hightown, which stars out actress Monica Raymond as the lead lesbian character, has been renewed for a season two. Also coming back for a second season is HBO's We’re Here, the unscripted show following drag queens Bob the Drag Queen, Shangela and Eureka O’Hara. Disney+’s Diary of a Future President, which features queer character Camila, was also renewed for season two.

6) Out singer Shamir released a new single this week, “On My Own,” which follows his journey after a breakup. Shamir also announced that he will be putting out a full-length album later this fall. Listen to “On My Own” here and watch the video below.

7) Alternative band Neon Trees, led by out singer Tyler Glenn, announced a new album I Can Feel You Forgive Me, which will be released on June 26. The band also released a single “New Best Friend,” this week. Listen to it here, and preorder the album here. Out singer Rufus Wainwright has released a new music video for his single “You Ain’t Big” off of his upcoming album Unfollow the Rules. Pre-order the album here and watch the music video below!

8) A new DC Comics’ graphic novel You Brought Me the Ocean was released this week. The book is a new story about queer hero Aqualad from out writer Alex Sánchez and artist Julie Maroh. It follows Jake (aka Aqualad) as a he navigates college applications, a lifelong friendship, a burgeoning crush and the unexpected development of his latent superpowers. Click here to purchase the book.

9) On Wednesday, the 2020 Peabody Awards were announced for broadcasting and digital media. Among the winners were LGBTQ-inclusive series David Makes Man, Dickinson, Stranger Things, Watchmen, and When They See Us. See the full list of winners here. The nominations for the Critics Choice Real TV Awards were also announced this week with nominees including RuPaul’s Drag Race, Cheer, We’re Here, Queer Eye, Next in Fashion and more! See the full list of nominees here.

10) The 32nd Lambda Literary Award Winners were announced last week, honoring outstanding achievements in LGBTQ literature. Winners includes out writers Nicole Dennis-Benn for her novel Patsy, Saeed Jones for his memoir How We Fight For Our Lives, Michael J. Jackson for his stage musical A Strange Loop, and more! See the full list here.

Today, GLAAD responded to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruling on LGBTQ workplace protections. In their ruling, SCOTUS stated: “An employer who fires an individual merely for being gay or transgender violates Title VII.”

“The Supreme Court’s historic decision affirms what shouldn’t have even been a debate: LGBTQ Americans should be able to work without fear of losing jobs because of who they are. The decision  gives us hope that as a country we can unite for the common good and continue the fight for LGBTQ acceptance,” said GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “Especially at a time when the Trump Administration is rolling back the rights of transgender people and anti-transgender violence continues to plague our nation, this decision is a step towards affirming the dignity of transgender people, and all LGBTQ people.”

GLAAD also received the following statement from Gerald Bostock, the Plaintiff in Bostock v. Clayton Co., one of the three employment discrimination cases decided today:

“There are truly no words to describe just how elated I am,” said Bostock, a Georgia man who alleges he was fired from his job as a child welfare services coordinator after joining a gay recreational softball team. “When I was fired seven years ago, I was devastated. But this fight became about so much more than me. I am sincerely grateful to the Supreme Court, my attorneys, advocacy organizations like GLAAD, and every person who supported me on this journey.” Bostock continued, “Today, we can go to work without the fear of being fired for who we are and who we love. Yet, there is more work to be done. Discrimination has no place in this world, and I will not rest until we have equal rights for all.”

GLAAD recently released a tip sheet for media covering the SCOTUS decisions about LGBTQ workplace discrimination, which includes additional information about each of the cases, and the impact of each potential outcome on LGBTQ rights.

On October 8, 2019, The Supreme Court of the United States heard three cases that asked whether LGBTQ people are protected under federal nondiscrimination law, or whether employers have a right to discriminate. Two of the SCOTUS cases involved men who were fired from their jobs because of their sexual orientation. In the case of Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, Gerald Bobstock, who was a Welfare Services Coordinator for Clayton County Juvenile Court System, was terminated from his job for so-called “conduct unbecoming of its employees.” After Bostock joined an extra-curricular gay softball league, Bostock’s work colleagues made disparaging remarks about his sexual orientation in front of his supervisor, which led to an internal audit of his work and ultimate termination. In the case of Altitude Express v. Zarda, Donald Zarda, who was a gay man working for skydiving business on Long Island, New York, was immediately fired after he revealed he was LGBTQ during business hours – fitting a disturbing history of anti-LGBTQ encounters from the business. Zarda sued the business because of clear anti-LGBTQ discrimination. Zarda has passed away, but the case is being managed by his sister, Melissa Zarda, and former partner, Bill Moore.

The third case involved a woman who was fired from her job because of her gender identity. In the case of R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes v. EEOC, Aimee Stephens, who worked as a funeral director at R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes in Garden City, Michigan, was fired after she informed the funeral home’s owner that she is transgender and planned to come to work as the woman she is. Aimee took her case to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) where the agency sued the company on behalf of her. Stephens sadly passed away on May 12

In all three cases, the employers asked the Supreme Court to reverse the rulings of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and instead find that it is perfectly legal under federal law to fire workers because they are LGBTQ.

Data shows that public opinion supports LGBTQ Americans. A May 2019 Quinnipiac University Poll found that 92-percent of American voters believe employers should not fire someone for being LGBTQ. Americans also believe LGBTQ people already have such protections, with a June 2019 Reuters/Ipsos poll finding that only 23-percent of Americans realize that federal anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people do not already exist. The business community also wants these protections for LGBTQ Americans. In July 2019, more than 200 major companies submitted an amicus brief calling for the U.S. Supreme Court to protect LGBTQ employees from discrimination in the workplace.

Today, LGBTQ Americans lack explicit workplace protections in over half of U.S. states. According to the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), just 22 states and the District of Columbia explicitly protect LGBTQ employees from discrimination in the workplace, with 21 states and D.C. protecting transgender Americans. Two states (Michigan and Pennsylvania) do not have explicit protections, but human and civil rights commissions have stated that the state’s existing protections against sex discrimination include protections for both sexual orientation and gender identity.

In August 2019, the Trump Administration submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court opposing workplace protections for LGBTQ Americans. This opposition is just one of the 150 anti-LGBTQ attacks President Trump has made against LGBTQ Americans since taking office in 2017.

Outfest has partnered with Film Independent’s Project Involve for its inaugural United in Pride digital film festival, running from June 11 to 28, 2020. As a precursor to Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQIA+ Film Festival (August 20 - 30), United in Pride is an inclusive platform that celebrates, elevates, and amplifies the voices of LGBTQIA+ filmmakers, storytellers, and creators. The festival will feature exclusive conversations featuring LGBTQIA+ filmmakers and creators of color, a collection of feature-length + short films by LGBTQIA+ filmmakers, curated playlists of queer cinema, and much more. 

“Considering these unprecedented times, Outfest has reflected on how it rises to serve the needs of our community during Pride,” says Damien S. Navarro, Outfest’s Executive Director. “United in Pride is a program that stems from our Outfest Always On initiative.  By leveraging our new Vimeo-backed digital platform and partnerships like Film Independent, we significantly increase the opportunities for filmmakers and audiences to discover one another.  Expanding access to queer people of color and trans artists and their stories directly aligns with the Outfest mission to create visibility for diverse LGBTQIA+ stories and empower storytellers, building empathy to drive meaningful social change.”

"Film Independent stands United in Pride to highlight the work of our Project Involve Fellows," said Josh Welsh, Film Independent's President. "For almost 30 years, Project Involve has fought for filmmakers from communities that have faced inequity, injustice, and exclusion in the film industry – people of color, LGBTQIA+, women, and people with disabilities. Joining forces with Outfest and THR/Billboard, we bring our voices together as one in support of such great talent."

OUTFEST PROGRAMMING

Outfest Industry Chat with Effie Brown, Elegance Bratton, and Chester Algernal

Friday, June 12 at 5:30 pm PT

Simulcast live @Outfest on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. 

Recording available to the public immediately after.

In July 2019, Outfest Los Angeles hosted the World Premiere of Elegance Bratton’s remarkable documentary, Pier Kids: The Life, a years-in-the-making effort about the queer and trans youth living at New York City’s Christopher Street Pier. It has since had a successful run on this film festival circuit, but distribution remains elusive. Bratton is joined by his producer, Chester Algernal, in a discussion with award-winning Producer and CEO of film financing fund Gamechanger Effie Brown (Dear White People) about the origins of the film, the industry’s response to films and projects that center queer Black life, and how Pier Kids undoubtedly speaks to this current moment when systemic racism, police violence toward the Black community, and the solutions necessary to address those issues are the focal point of an urgent national conversation.

OUTFEST FILM SELECTION

Pier Kids: The Life (2019)

Through dance halls and police-filled streets, Elegance Bratton spent three years at 

NYC’s Christopher Street Pier documenting its community of queer and trans kids of color. The resulting raw, immersive film captures the spirit of this new generation living on the edge of homelessness with bold visual style. By elevating stories like that of central figure Krystal LaBeija, a young trans woman named for the ballroom legend, Bratton crafts a transcendent narrative around these still hopeful, vibrant youth.

Director: Elegance Bratton, Producer: Chester Algernal, Featuring: Cheetah Revlon, Desean Irby, Krystal Labeija Dixon, Anniyah Balenciaga, Jusheem Casper Thorne
Available to watch Thursday, July 11 - Wednesday, July 17th at outfest.org/unitedinpride

LIVE Q&A with Elegance Bratton, Chester Algernal, and subjects from the film.

Wednesday, June 17th at 5:30 pm PT

Simulcast @Outfest on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. 

Audience participation encouraged!

OUTFEST SHORT FILM SHOWCASE

Program 1: I’ve Got Something to Tell You

A collection of shorts in which queer protagonists navigate honest communication with their friends, family, or partners.

Engaged (2019)

An LGBT comedic drama that follows Darren, who keeps trying – and failing – to propose to his boyfriend Elliot. When their relationship is put into an uncomfortable spotlight during a friend’s outrageous engagement party, Darren realizes he actually might be self-sabotaging himself due to unresolved insecurities about his sexuality.

Writer/Director: David Scala, Producers: Chester Gordon Algernal, Marzy Hart, Daniel Ornitz, Carrie Radigan, David Scala, Cinematographer: Jesse Coyote Sanchez-Strauss, Editor: David Scala

The Fish Curry (2017)

Twenty-something Lalit fuses the coming out process to his parents by cooking his father’s favorite fish curry.

Writer/Director: Abhishek Verma, Producers: Abhishek Verma, Jayesh Bhosale, Executive Producer: Piyush Priyadarshi Sikarwar Editor: Antariksh Jain

Ladies Day (2018)

Amma’s day at the salon is full of sheen spray, gossip, and laughter, but how will she deal with the casual homophobia?

Writer/Director: Abena Taylor-Smith, Producer: Loran Dunn, Executive Producers: Carolina Giammetta, Solomon Nwabueze, Paul Ashton, Cinematographer: Rachel Clark, Editor: Rachel Durance

Lucky (2019)

Lucky devises a plan to be able to afford taking her girlfriend to prom, while hiding the relationship from her longtime best friend.

Writer/Director: Lydia Lane, Producers: Juliette Beneich, Vanessa Branch, Valentino Misino, Executive Producer: Brianna Nix, Cinematographer: Mikaela Addison, Editor: Shay McCleavy

The Real Thing (2017)

A soldier returns home to meet his daughter, who transitioned while he was on tour.

Writer/Director: Brandon Kelley, Producers: Brandon Kelley, Jon Gestal,  Executive Producers: Christie Gestal, Jamie Law, William Kelley, Lori Kelley, Cinematographer: Greta Zozula, Editor: Taylor Levy

Sweetheart Dancers (2018)

A Two-Spirit couple rewrites the rules of Native American culture through their participation in the Sweetheart Dance: a celebratory contest held at powwows across the country only for straight couples, until now.

Director: Ben-Alex Dupris, Producers: Ben-Alex Dupris, Heather Rae, Executive Producers: Rahdi Taylor, Davis Guggenheim, Cinematographer: Shaandiin Tome, Editor: Derek Doneen

Program 2: Living Your Truth

A collection of shorts dedicated to our queer family who dedicate themselves to living  out, proud, and authentically, no matter the roadblocks thrown in their path.

Drip Like Coffee (2019)

Drip Like Coffee is an intimate portrait of a Black woman whose desire for her female co-worker complicates her relationship with her boyfriend.

Writer/Director/Editor: Anaiis Cisco, Producer: Nicolas Jara, Cinematographer: Andres Gallegos

Flourish (2019)

Flourish follows 5 characters at a queer dance party and drag club. A seasoned drag queen struggles to disentangle from an unhealthy relationship juxtaposed with the abandon of young queers in love discovering nonmonogamy. The stories swirl together as the magic of a queer dance party pulls us in and the transformative power of drag allows us to break free.

Writer/Director: Heather María Ács, Producer: Vanessa Haroutunian, Executive Producer: Silas Howard, Cinematographer: Sarah Tricker, Editor: Tom Knight

Gavin Grimm vs. (2016)

In this empowering short documentary, high school student Gavin Grimm becomes the face of transgender civil rights while he prepares to take the bathroom bill all the way to the Supreme Court.

Director: Nadia Hallgren, Producer: Lauren Cioffi,  Executive Producers: Charlotte Cook, Loira Limbal, Stanley Nelson, Laura Poitras, AJ Schnack, Marcia Smith, Cinematographer: Nadia Hallgren, Editors: Erin Casper, Nathan Punwar

My Gay Sister (2017)

On a roadtrip to the Norwegian Fjords, 10-year-old Cleo is full of questions about her older sister’s lesbian relationship.

Writer/Director: Lia Hietala, Producers: Stefan Henriksson, Lia Hietala, Karin Stenwall Co-Producer: Håkon B. Toft, Cinematographer: Karin Stenwall, Editor: Lia Hietala

Ode to Pablo (2019)

A young, queer deaf man holds his ground against the neighborhood boys on the basketball court.

Writer/Director: Adelina Anthony, Producers: Adelina Anthony, Marisa Becerra, Cinematographer: Leah Anova, Editor: Adelina Anthony

Out Again (2017)

Cat visits her parents with her partner Liz for the weekend and is confronted with her mother’s inability to remember one key detail.

Writer/Director/Producer: Robin Cloud, Cinematographer: Yessica Curiel Montoya, Editor: Iris Rodrigo

Outfest OutSet Shorts 

These films were produced via Outfest’s OutSet: The Young Filmmakers Project, which each year in partnership with the Los Angeles LGBT Center selects a diverse group of young filmmakers - ages 16 - 24 - for a 6-month intensive filmmaking lab.

Victory Boulevard (2018)

In the heat and haze of a Van Nuys summer, two teenage boys discover an unexpected connection.

Writer/Director: Johnny Alvarez, Producer: Ash Aron Lavacca, Cinematographer: Colin Oh, Editor: Asher Lewis

My Mother’s Orphan (2014)

Maria, a 60-year-old devout Catholic mother is growing blind. As her sight declines, her lesbian daughter Lucha, a clumsy and shy 27-year- old photographer, pleads for her mother to move in so she can take care of her. When Maria refuses to move in until Lucha recognizes that she is NOT gay, Lucha must decide between rejecting her identity and her partner whom she lives with or rejecting her mother. While making her decision, Lucha prepares a photography project in order to show her mother she can't change.

Writer/Director: Melissa Perez, Producer: Francisco Sanchez, Production Design: Ki McLeod

Promise Me a Lie (2012)

The plot centers on a Mexican high school student who defies his culture by falling for a Salvadorian student, who is experiencing love for the first time.

Director: Alexandra Grey, Writer: Danny Hernandez, Producer: Shaka Walker

Protected (2019)

A young skater and older gentleman discuss life, community, and activism while getting tested at a HIV clinic.

Writer/Director: Sal Rubio, Producer: Sav Rodgers, Production Designer: Kelsey Jones

Prudence (2015)

Prudence, an elderly lady and recent widow, has shut out the world, convinced there is nothing left worth living for. One day she receives an invitation to the home’s Veteran’s Day Dance from her deceased wife. With a wandering mind and aching soul, she sets out to see her wife, and by doing so, lives again.

Writer/Director: Ocean Vashti Jude, Producer: Alexander Mok, Production Designer: Diana McFadzean

Outfest Queerantine List

Outfest’s Programming team devised a comprehensive, diverse list of LGBTQ content available on popular streaming platforms to watch while remaining home and responsibly social distancing, available here.

FILM INDEPENDENT PROGRAMMING

Film Independent Coffee Talk with John Cameron Mitchell and Gus Van Sant

These two icons of the New Queer Cinema movement Gus Van Sant (My Own Private Idaho, Elephant, Milk) and John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Shortbus, Shrill) come together for a thought-provoking and inspiring conversation.

The conversation will be available on Friday, June 12. 

Film Independent’s Project Involve Shorts

A collection of short films made in Film Independent’s mentorship program Project Involve, chronicling the lives of LGBTQIA+ individuals who fight for love, acceptance and respect.  

Care (2016)

Rose, in an assisted living facility and deeply aware of the passage of time, unexpectedly falls for another resident, Bea; but with her memory failing, she reflects on this love before she forgets entirely. 

Director: April A. Wilson, Writer: Donna Choo, Producer: Zoe Sua Cho, Cinematographer: Isiah Donté Lee,  Editor: Sara Pellegrini  

Get The Life (2016) 

A transgender teenager faces an unwanted pregnancy and risks losing everything he loves in order to live courageously. 

Director: Ozzy Villazon, Writer: Adelina Anthony, Producer: Sue-Ellen Chitunya, Cinematographer: Simu Feng, Editor: Franzis Muller 

La Gloria (2019)  

In the days following her suicide attempt, a queer lovelorn teen finds connection and solace with her abuela through the secret language of dreams. 

Director: Mary Evangelista, Writer: Stephanie Adams-Santos, Creative Executive: Amy Ma, Producers: Apoorva Charan, Adanne Ebo, Gia Rigoli, Cinematographer: Lorena Durán, Editor: Sunghwan Moon 

Robo Saints (2015)

Cosplaying serves as a metaphor for the heroic courage needed to express one’s identity as well as one’s emotions when a gay male cosplayer dresses up as a female anime character to win the heart of his best friend, whom he’s harbored a secret crush for a long time. 

Writer/Director: Peter Wonsuk Jin, Producer: Jorge Garcia Castro, Cinematographer: Moira Morel, Editor: Robert Lee 

Vamonos (2015) 

When Mac, a young butch Latina dies, her girlfriend Hope must overcome both personal grief and homophobic hostilities in order to respectfully send Mac off. 

Director: Marvin Bryan Lemus, Writers: Moira Morel and Erick Castrillon, Producer: Carlos Garza, Cinematographer: Moira Morel

You’re Dead To Me (2013) 

Andrea, a grieving Chicana mother, confronts an uninvited family member before her Día de los Muertos celebration. By night’s end, death offers her a choice that she couldn’t make in life. 

Director: Wu Tsang, Writer: Adelina Anthony, Producer: Melissa Haizlip, Cinematographer: Michelle Lawler

Film Independent Playlist 

Film Independent celebrates Pride Month and Black Lives Matter by spotlighting nine favorite Black LGBTQIA+ content creators, which is available here.