If you’re a woman of a certain age, no doubt you’ve lived to tell this common tale. It’s a story of chasing after the “confused” girl who really seemed to love having you around — and even made out with you once or twice when no one was around — but who wouldn’t acknowledge you publicly when out with a group of friends.

Well, for those for whom the WNBA has been that “confused” girl, your tale of courtship (pun totally intended) just got its happy ending.

After 17 years of accepting our time, attention and consumer dollars while all the while peppering its television broadcasts with info-bites about its players’ husbands and children (“Hey, look everybody — our players are straight!”) and promoting the league as the summertime destination for male basketball fans and their young daughters, the WNBA finally walked right up to us yesterday and gave us a big wet kiss in front of everybody.

The overture came in the form of an announcement of WNBA Pride, presented by COVERGIRL (but after all these years of pining, I suppose we can forgive them for that), described in a press release as “a new national platform celebrating inclusion and equality, while combating anti-LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) bias.”

“The WNBA welcomes all fans, athletes and partners to our game,” said WNBA President Laurel J. Richie. “These beliefs unite the 12 teams of the WNBA and we are very excited to introduce the WNBA Pride platform which celebrates acceptance and inclusion. The WNBA takes great pride in working with extraordinary partners who share these values, and we are so grateful to our presenting partner COVERGIRL along with ESPN, GLSEN and GLAAD for joining the WNBA on this important initiative.”

Acknowledging that a study commissioned in 2012 revealed that 25 percent of lesbians watch the WNBA’s televised broadcasts and that 21 percent have attended a game, the league confessed the error of its ways in miscalculating its fan base.

“We guessed very wrong on that,” said Rick Welts, who was executive vice president and chief marketing officer of the NBA when the WNBA first started in 1997, noting that the league’s executives had believed that the fan base would be a carry over from the NBA.

Over the years, the WNBA has done some promotion to the LGBT community locally, sponsoring pride events and hosting groups at games. But WNBA Pride is the first league-wide initiative aimed at attracting the LGBT crowd.

Openly gay WNBA superstar Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury said, “I’m so glad we’re finally making a push to the LGBT community who is a strong supporter of the WNBA.” Griner plans to don rainbow-colored shoes throughout June in a show of support for the initiative.

So what will WNBA Pride entail? Well, it started with the launch of the WNBA Pride website on Wednesday and will continue with teams participating in local pride festivals and parades, working with advocacy groups to raise awareness of inclusion through grassroots events and advertising with lesbian media. All 12 teams will also have their own Pride initiative over the course of the season, and the league will sponsor the fifth annual LogoTV/AfterEllen Score Your Seats Sweepstakes, where fans will have the opportunity to win a trip to a WNBA Finals game.

The league will become the first to celebrate LGBT Pride on national television when the Tulsa Shock takes on the Chicago Sky on Sunday, June 22, at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN2. During the national game telecast, WNBA Pride will have a major presence, including the new WNBA Pride logo appearing in court-side signage and in-game promotions.

Other announced Pride games include:

Washington — 7/25/2014
Tulsa — 6/6/2014
Seattle — 6/22/2014
Phoenix — 6/20/2014
New York — 6/27/2014
Minnesota — 6/20/2014
Indiana — 6/11/2014
Chicago — 6/22/2014
Atlanta — 6/20/2014

The news is exciting, ladies, but as is always the case with matters of the heart, keep your eyes open and your wits about you until the object of your desire reveals her true intentions.

The post WNBA finally asks lesbians to go steady first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Comedian Fortune Feimster hosted the New York City GLAAD Media Awards on May 3. In this hilarious monologue she takes on “Orange is the New Black,” M.K. Nobilette, LGBT athletes, DOMA and much more in recapping recent happenings in the LGBT community.

The post Fortune Feimster GLAAD Media Award monologue first appeared on Lesbian.com.

“Orange is the New Black” cast at the NYC GLAAD Media Awards. (L-R) Laura Prepon, Taryn Manning, Yael Stone, Natasha Lyonne, Samira Wiley, Sarah Kate Ellis, Selenis Leyva, Dascha Polanco, Laverne Cox, Emma Myles and Alysia Reiner.

BY CANDY PARKER
Lesbian.com

The New York celebration for the 25th annual GLAAD Media Awards was held Saturday night, with Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black” and actor and LGBT activist George Takei among the honorees.

Comedian Fortune Feimster hosted the event which featured performances by Kylie Minogue and Grammy-winning country artist Kasey Musgraves. Musgraves’ appearance marked the first time a country star performed at the ceremony.

George Takei received the Vito Russo award which is presented to an openly gay media professional for promoting equality for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. “Orange is the New Black,” a Netflix original series based loosely on the book of the same name by Piper Kerman and documenting life at a women’s prison, was named outstanding comedy series.

Honorees at the event included:

Vito Russo Award
George Takei

Outstanding Film – Limited Release
“Concussion” (RADiUS-The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Comedy Series
“Orange Is the New Black” (Netflix)

Outstanding Individual Episode (in a series without a regular LGBT character)
“Snow Angels” Elementary(CBS)

Outstanding Film – Wide Release
“Philomena” (The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Talk Show Episode
“First Openly Gay NBA Player Jason Collins and his Family” Oprah’s Next Chapter (OWN)

Outstanding TV Journalism – Newsmagazine
“Transgender at 11: Listening to Jazz” 20/20 (ABC)

Outstanding TV Journalism Segment
“Gay Rights at Work” MSNBC Live (MSNBC)

Outstanding Magazine Article
“The Hidden War Against Gay Teens” by Alex Morris (Rolling Stone)

Outstanding Magazine Overall Coverage
The New Yorker

Outstanding Digital Journalism Article
“Sex, Lies and HIV: When What You Don’t Tell Your Partner is a Crime” by Sergio Hernandez (Buzzfeed.com/ProPublica.org)

Outstanding Blog
The New Civil Rights Movement

Kasey Musgraves performs her hit song “Follow Your Arrow”

Boy George introduces gay icon Kylie Minogue

George Takei receives the Vito Russo Award

The post ‘Orange is the New Black,’ George Takei honored at GLAAD Media Awards first appeared on Lesbian.com.

The 25th annual GLAAD Media Awards were held Saturday night in Los Angeles. The ceremony, held to recognize fair, accurate and inclusive representation in media of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives, honored 12 of the 29 nominated media categories. Other winners, including those in the movie (outstanding film) and television (outstanding comedy series) will be named at a New York ceremony on May 3.

Among the big winners were Laverne Cox and Jennifer Lopez. Cox received the Stephen F. Kolzak Award which is given to a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender member of the entertainment community. Previous recipients include Wanda Sykes, Melissa Etheridge and Ellen DeGeneres.

Lopez was named winner of the Vanguard Award which hails efforts to increase visibility and understanding of the gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender community. Lopez has been a vocal advocate for LGBT rights and is Executive Producer for the ABC Family series “The Fosters.”

Ellen Page introduces Laverne Cox

Rita Morena presents Jennifer Lopez

Honorees at the event included:

Pioneer Award
Norman Lear

Vanguard Award
Jennifer Lopez

Stephen F. Kolzak Award
Laverne Cox, “Orange Is the New Black”

International Advocate for Change Award
Manny de Guerre, founder of the Side by Side LGBT Film Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia

Outstanding Documentary
TIE: “Bridegroom” (Virgil Films/OWN), Shane Bitney Crone and Linda Bloodworth-Thomason
“Call Me Kuchu” (Cinedigm), co-directors Katherine Fairfax Wright, Malika Zouhali-Worrall, and Ugandan activist John “Long Jones” Abdallah Wambere.

Outstanding Drama Series
“The Fosters” (ABC Family), Peter Paige and Bradley Bredeweg with stars Sheri Saum and Teri Polo

Outstanding TV Movie or Mini-Series
“Behind the Candelabra” (HBO)

Outstanding Reality Program
“Big Freedia: Queen of Bounce” (Fuse)

Outstanding Daily Drama
“Days of Our Lives” (NBC)

Outstanding Newspaper Article
“LGBTQ in the Capital” (series) by Melissa Griffiths (Juneau Empire [Juneau, Alaska])

Outstanding Digital Journalism – Multimedia
“We Are Here: LGBTI in Uganda” by Sunnivie Brydum, D. David Robinson (Advocate.com)

Outstanding Music Artist
Tegan and Sara, “Heartthrob” (Warner Bros. Records)

Outstanding Comic Book
Young Avengers, written by Kieron Gillen (Marvel Comics)

Outstanding Talk Show Interview (Spanish Language)
TIE: “Debate por la igualdad” Al Punto (Univision)
“Decisión Histórica” Sin Límites con Elizabeth Espinosa (CNN en Español)

Outstanding Local TV Journalism (Spanish Language)
“Natalia: rompiendo barreras” Noticiero Telemundo Arizona (KTAZ-39 [Phoenix, Ariz.])

Outstanding TV Journalism Segment (Spanish Language)
“Decisión Histórica” Noticiero Telemundo (Telemundo)

Outstanding Digital Journalism – Multimedia (Spanish Language)
“Eric y Juan, un matrimonio feliz a pesar de todo” by Fernando Mexia (EFE.com)

The post Cox, Lopez honored at 25th GLAAD Media Awards first appeared on Lesbian.com.

GLAAD announced Monday that singer, producer and “American Idol” judge Jennifer Lopez will receive this year’s Vanguard Award. The honor is bestowed upon artists and media professionals who, through their work, have increased the visibility and understanding of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

Lopez will be recognized not only for her very public and emphatic support of the LGBT community in the media, but for her role as one of the executive producers of the ABC Family series “The Fosters.” Lopez was inspired to become involved with the show by her relationship with her late aunt, a lesbian who faced prejudice because of her sexual orientation.

“Through her work to bring ‘The Fosters’ to life and by consistently speaking out as a powerful ally, Jennifer Lopez has not only sent a message of acceptance to LGBT adults and young people, but inspired new support for our community among her many fans around the globe,” said GLAAD CEO and president Sarah Kate Ellis. “Family is about love, and that’s a message Jennifer has shared with millions through her groundbreaking work on ‘The Fosters.'”

The 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards will be held in Los Angeles on April 12.

“When it comes to gay marriage, I just believe in love,” Lopez told GLAAD. “I believe that when two people find each other and love each other, they should be able to spend their lives together with all the same benefits and privileges as everyone.”

Previous Vanguard award winners include Antonio Banderas, Drew Barrymore, Kristin Chenoweth, Whoopi Goldberg, Josh Hutcherson, Janet Jackson, Eric McCormack, Liza Minnelli, Sharon Stone and Elizabeth Taylor.

The post GLAAD honors Lopez for ‘The Fosters’ first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Antigone Rising, the New York based all-female-boot-stompin’-alt-country-rock band, has announced the release of two brand new EPs, “Whiskey & Wine — Volume 1” and “Whiskey & Wine — Volume 2”.

“Whiskey & Wine – Volume 1” is set to drop March 25 on iTunes and the band’s official website and features the singles “Everything Changes,” “That Was The Whiskey,” “Call Me Crazy,” “Magnolia On The Breeze” and “Get To You.” Volume 1 will be followed later this year by “Whiskey & Wine – Volume 2,” due out October 28.

The fab four comprised of Nini Camps (lead singer), Dena Tauriello (drums) and founding sisters Kristen Henderson (bass/vocals) and Cathy Henderson (guitar/vocals), are showing no sign of slowing down.

Starting on March 25 the band will begin a never-ending cycle, one song at a time, releasing a music video, followed by an acoustic or alternate mix version. The goal is to provide audiences a variety of online content from video interviews to blog posts all year long. Treating each song as a single, the band will dedicate 6 to 8 weeks on the individual promotion of each of the five songs featured on “Whiskey & Wine — Volume 1”, and will keep the cycle going all through Fall when “Whiskey & Wine — Volume 2” gets its fall release.

Exploding into the spotlight in 2005, Antigone Rising became the first band on Starbuck’s Hear Music (Lava Records) selling over 150,000 copies of their debut LP. After releasing the 2011 album “23 Red” to great success, touring with acts such as The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, The Allman Brothers Band, The Bangles and Rob Thomas, and traveling to the Middle East, spending time in Israel and the West Bank as cultural ambassadors for the United States Embassy, Antigone Rising introduced last summer its latest single (and accompanying music video), “That Was The Whiskey.”

The infectiously catchy tune received praise from critics as a foot stompin’ mash up, perfectly blending the band’s ability to rock with their gift for writing undeniably catchy songs. The video for the single premiered on CMT.com, trending in the top 10.

Co-written with Nashville songwriter Lori McKenna (Faith Hill, Little Big Town, Hunter Hayes), “That Was The Whiskey” has just been nominated in the “Country Song” Category in The 13th Annual Independent Music Awards.

The girls have already been turning up everywhere from the pages of Curve Magazine, Billboard, Out Magazine, Buzzfeed, AfterEllen, the Huffington Post and Lesbian.com to appearances on “The Today Show” and “The Tonight Show,” among others. More recently, Kristen Ellis-Henderson garnered much media attention when she and her wife, business executive Sarah Kate Ellis (who was recently appointed president and CEO of GLAAD), were featured on the cover of Time magazine’s groundbreaking April 8,2013, Marriage Equality issue.

Having dazzled audiences across the globe and invaded our iPods, Antigone Rising has never been more primed to take the musical world by storm.

The post Antigone Rising announces release of new EP first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Antigone Rising (photo by Leslie Van Stelten)

BY NATASIA LANGFELDER
Lesbian.com

Antigone Rising is an all-female band that has been on the alt-country music scene since the early 2000s. After years of touring with high-profile headliners such as The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith and Joan Jett, band members Kristen Ellis-Henderson, Cathy Henderson, Dena Tauriello and Nini Camps are back with a new EP, “Whiskey & Wine Vol. 1&2.” Their first single, “That was the Whiskey,” is a lighthearted tribute to wild southern nights.

Despite the carefree subject matter, Antigone Rising has been on a serious journey in recent years. In 2012 they traveled as cultural ambassadors throughout the Middle East. And the year before that, founding band member Kristen Ellis-Henderson and her wife wrote “Times Two, Two Women in Love and the Happy Family They Made.” Since then, the band has taken a firm public stance in favor of marriage equality. Now, Antigone Rising is hitting the road again with tour dates lined up across the U.S.

In this interview, I spoke with Kristen Ellis-Henderson about the inspiration behind “Whiskey & Wine” and what it’s like being an all female band on the country music scene.

Your newest single, “That Was the Whiskey,” is currently a smash on Country Music TV and CMT.com. Why do you think it’s had such resonance with the country world?

I think country music fans love songs that tell stories. “That Was the Whiskey” is a really fun, and probably for some people very relatable, story song.

Tell us about the “Whiskey & Wine” EP — what was the creative process like and what messages do you want fans to take away from it?

We really do work and think hard about the songs we write. We are entirely independent, from recording the songs in Nini’s home studio all the way to raising funds to promote the EPs. So, in a sense, some fans who are really plugged in may take away a sense of indie spirit. But most importantly, I just want people to listen to the music and really like it.

Antigone Rising’s style has been designed as alt-country rock. Is this EP going further to the country side of this spectrum?

I think there are very obvious country elements to it, but I do not think it’s more country than rock. Country music has really risen to the mainstream in recent years and the reason for that is because of the great songwriting coming out of Nashville. Country music is foremost about great songs. The fact that Nini [Camp] and I get to co-write with brilliant songwriters like Lori McKenna (Faith Hill, Little Big Town) and Kristen Hall (formerly of Sugarland) who happened to have penned massive country music hits, might speak to why our songs have a country feel. But Nini and I wouldn’t write it if we didn’t feel it. And the band certainly wouldn’t play it. I firmly believe we are a rock band with a country sound. And in 2014, that should be OK.

Bass player Kristen Henderson and her wife wrote a memoir in 2011 “Times Two, Two Women in Love and the Happy Family They Made” and have since become “poster girls” for LGBT marriage equality. Has that had an impact on relationships with other country music stars and your fan base?

I have found, if anything, that being “poster girls” for the LGBT equality movement has broadened our fan base. I think people are drawn to honesty and when you’re telling the truth, people like it. Our audiences are very diverse. Our country music friends have always been our friends’ they’re still our friends and are supportive. The Nashville community and the country music community as a whole may not be as open minded, but we’re not a band that goes toward the darkness. We look for the light — and are drawn to the open doors and the opportunities. We don’t look for the glass half full side of our story. Our glass is overflowing.

You are in an all female band in an industry that is still dominated by men. How has this affected your journey?

Again, we always spin it to our advantage. At a festival with 10 guy bands, we rock the house and people leave saying “the all female band is who I remember.” And if they’re not saying that, we haven’t done our job. That being said, there needs to be more opportunities for women in the business. It has not changed much since we’ve been in it. I do believe female artists need to empower each other — and one critical way of doing that is to give each other opportunities. We have been in situations where we did not get an opening slot with a major female artist because the promoter or manager felt like too many women on a bill won’t sell tickets. The Bangles brought us out on tour with them a few times. Two all-female bands on the same bill. You don’t see that very often. And we plan to pay that forward in our career.

In 2012, Antigone Rising performed in the Middle East as United States Cultural Ambassadors. What was the most memorable moment from that trip?

There were several memorable moments. But one in particular jumps out instantly. Our first day in the West Bank (Palestine), we did an outreach program in a small village called Nahlin, and it’s an area of great unrest in the region. We spent the day with all the women in the village — talking, performing, exchanging American traditions for theirs. Each generation of women in the village shared a tradition with us. They cooked us lunch and we were so moved by their hospitality and graciousness. It shattered any preconceived notions we brought with us that people in this region hate Americans. It was the opposite. The people in this village just wanted to share their customs and culture with us. It was a really intense and amazing day. The U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem edited a great video of our experience.

Which band member has the quirkiest habits while touring?

The irony is that one of our road crew members has the quirkiest habits. And without naming names, we cannot leave hotels in the morning until this road crew member’s feet are completely dry — often she will use a blow dryer to dry them. That being said, it makes my band mates quirky habits pale in comparison. I mean, the road makes you do odd things. I tie my underwear in a knot after wearing them so as not to accidentally wear them again. That’s a pretty deep, dark road trick I am sure my band mates will punch me in the arm for admitting to publicly. We’ve been touring for so long now I don’t even know what quirky is.

Antigone Rising has toured with artists such as Joan Jett, Aerosmith, The Bangles and The Rolling Stones. Which of these artists had the wildest fans?

Joan Jett, hands down. Her fans are die hard and fiercely loyal.

Tell us about the best piece of fan mail you’ve ever received.

When people send us videos of their kids singing along to our songs, or when young performers send us links the them performing our songs, those are always the best.

As a woman-fronted band, you have a lot of female fans and little girls looking up to you. What advice would you give them as they chase their passions in life?

Sometimes it takes a lot of “nos” before you get a yes. I have a silent mantra I repeat in my head (passed on to me from Grammy-winning songwriter Julie Gold) “they’re wrong, they’re wrong, they’re wrong.” Of course, you should stop saying the mantra when they’re right.

Need more Antigone Rising? Help the band raise money to tour and market by visiting them on PledgeMusic.  Five percent of the proceeds will be donated to GLAAD upon hitting the targeted goal. The campaign is also granting backers the opportunity to get an exclusive advanced digital download of “Whiskey & Wine — Volume 1” before it’s available anywhere else.

The post Antigone Rising delivers boot stompin’ girl power first appeared on Lesbian.com.

British actress and writer Sophie Ward is among the GLAAD nominees.

BY MORGAN WELCH
dot429

For the first time, U.S.-based LGBT media advocacy organization GLAAD is honoring international activists, with its brand new International Advocate for Change Award; it will be presented at the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards.

GLAAD Chief Executive Officer & President Sarah Kate Ellis said in a press release, “As equality in America continues to advance, it’s important that we focus attention on LGBT people across the globe who still lack even the most basic protections, as well as the courageous advocates working to advance human rights in those places. Therefore, we are proud to recognize the groundbreaking work of LGBT people and our allies in other countries at the Silver Anniversary of the GLAAD Media Awards.”

Read more at dot429.com

The post GLAAD announces International Advocate for Change Award nominees first appeared on Lesbian.com.

The nominees for the 2014 GLAAD Media Awards were announced on Thursday, January 30, with movies like the Dorian and Hollywood Award-winning “Dallas Buyers Club,” and the adventurous “Philomena” going head-to-head for “Outstanding Film” with wide release.

Another big face-off of the ceremony will be for the “Outstanding Music Artist” award, with Sir Elton John’s “The Diving Board” up against the god-Monster-mother of his kids, Lady Gaga, with “ARTPOP.”

Read more at dot429.com

The post GLAAD Media Award nominees announced first appeared on Lesbian.com.

GLAAD and the Sylvia Rivera Law Project have released a series of PSA featuring transgender and gender non-confirming people and allies, including Annette Benning and Warren Beatty’s transgender son, Stepehen Ira. The PSA discusses issues surrounding healthcare access for transgender people.

To learn more, visit http://glaad.org/healthcare and http://srlp.org/healthcare

The post Healthcare for all: Give trans people access to the care they need first appeared on Lesbian.com.