A Photo by Brian Harkin/Getty Images

BY CANDY PARKER
Lesbian.com

Anti-LGBT discrimination in the workplace is alive and well in corporate America. That may not exactly be news to most of us, but now there is new data to back up what we already knew.

The Equal Rights Center and Freedom to Work recently released the results of a one-year study in which fake resumes were submitted to eight different federal contracting firms. In total, resumes were submitted in response to 100 different job postings listed by ExxonMobil, General Electric, L-3 Communications, AmerisourceBergen, Supreme Group Holding SARL, L-3 Communications, Fluor and URS.

In each instance, a pair of similar resumes was submitted in response to a job listing. The resumes were virtually identical in almost every regard, with one notable exception – one resume hinted that the applicant may be a member of the LGBT community via a reference to a leadership position in an LGBT rights group. In each case, the resume with the LGBT reference also included stronger credentials, as shown in the example below featuring two fictitious resumes presented to ExxonMobil.

The study revealed that the better qualified LGBT-related applicants were 23 percent less likely to receive a call in response to their resume submission than their fictitious less suitable counterpart.

“Despite significant progress in advancing civil rights and equality, employment discrimination remains a persistent barrier for the LGBT community,” said Melvina Ford, executive director of the Equal Rights Center.

Tico Almeida, president and founder of Freedom to Work added, “As much progress as our LGBT community has made in freedom to marry, there’s still a lot to be done to make sure our LGBT community has the freedom to work without discrimination.”

The study was initiated in December 2012, prompted by President Obama’s indication that he wouldn’t be signing an executive order prohibiting federal government contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The Equal Rights Center and Freedom to Work concluded their experiment in December 2013, releasing the results shortly after the President’s Pride month announcement that he intends to move forward with the executive order which will require companies like ExxonMobil and other federal contractors, which employ approximately 20 percent of the total U.S. workforce, to adopt LGBT workplace protections.

LGBT rights advocates have urged the President to take action as 29 states still allow employers to fire or deny employment to an individual based on his or her sexual orientation or gender identity.

“Taxpayers should never have to subsidize the kind of anti-LGBT discrimination that was uncovered during this year-long study of contractors with inadequate LGBT workplace protections,” said Almeida. “President Obama’s upcoming executive order will send a strong message that government contracts should be staffed with the highest qualified job candidates, and nobody should ever lose out on a career opportunity just because of who they are or whom they love. President Obama’s executive action to protect LGBT workers confirms that he has advanced fairness for LGBT Americans more than all of his predecessors combined.”

The post Study reveals anti-LGBT bias by major federal contractors first appeared on Lesbian.com.

On June 26, Logo TV will air its initial edition of “Trailblazers,” a one-hour special featuring the celebrities, politicians, activists and trendsetters who are actively working to effect cultural change for the betterment of the LGBT community.

Actor Daniel Radcliffe, a longtime supporter of The Trevor Project, will serve as presenter as DOMA activists Edie Windsor and Roberta Kaplan, the cast of the groundbreaking Netflix series “Orange is the New Black” and openly gay former NBA star Jason Collins are honored.

Scheduled to air during the 45th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and the one-year anniversary of DOMA being overruled, “Trailblazers” will also feature performances by A Great Big World, Ariana Grande, Tegan and Sara, Iggy Azalea, Mary Lambert, Jared Leto, Kylie Minogue, Rita Ora and Tyler Glenn.

The event will be held in New York City’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine, one of the first churches to host gay marriages, and Logo is offering viewers an opportunity to share stories of their own “Hometown Trailblazers” with a chance to win a trip to the Big Apple to view the event live.

The post Logo TV ‘Trailblazers’ honors Windsor, ‘Orange is the New Black’ first appeared on Lesbian.com.

BY CANDY PARKER

I’m not terribly happy right now. In fact, one might be able to classify me as bordering on furious at the present moment, a rare state for this easygoing Libra.

Why am I on the verge of spitting nails? Well, I’ll tell you – I’ve about had it up to here (insert mental image of me with my right hand, palm down, extended just above my head) with middle-aged straight guys, in the form of sports radio talk show hosts and bloggers, whining about “thought police” and the “LGBT mafia” and “bullying” in the context of discussing Michael Sam, the reaction to his being selected in the NFL draft and the resulting disciplinary actions taken against high-profile sports figures who spoke out against the move via social media.

I just ran out to get lunch and heard yet another sports radio talk show host bantering with his guest, a FOX sports blogger, carping about how the world has become so politically correct that people can’t even say what they think anymore. What a terrible world it is we live in when people can be fined, fired or publicly taken to task for merely voicing their opinion! Shouldn’t we all be scared to live in a world where corporations and monopolized organizations like the NFL and NBA can squelch the personal beliefs of their employees?

The not-good-enough-to-play-so-I-write-and-talk-about-sports twins went on to compare the Miami Dolphins’ Don Jones’ tweets following Sam’s on-screen kiss with his boyfriend (“OMG” and “Horrible” – that Jones is an eloquent and loquacious fellow, after all) to someone voicing an opinion about gun ownership or the legalization of marijuana. If Jones doesn’t want to see two dudes kissing on television shouldn’t he be able to say that? Shouldn’t people be able to speak up if they believe drugs should be legal or that the right to bear automatic weapons in Chipotle is inalienable? (Don’t even get me started on the yahoos who did that over the weekend!)

The always-picked-last-for-kickball duo went on to extoll the virtues of free speech and the importance of open discourse in society. Isn’t that how we solve our problems? Shouldn’t we be discussing our differences in order to reach agreement? For a brief moment, I think I may have even heard American flags gently flapping in the wind as it swept over amber waves of grain.

Of course, the guest made a point of mentioning that he was Libertarian in his views on gay rights or, more specifically, gay marriage. Hey, if those gay people want to get married, then we should go ahead and let ‘em. The ol’ “Hey, I’m not prejudiced; I have black friends”-like disclaimer. (I personally find these types maddening as they’re typically the ones claiming they’re “fine with the gays,” but don’t think we need any “special rights,” having failed to actually familiarize themselves with the actual issues at hand.)

But what these guys don’t get is that talking about my basic rights to be treated like a human being isn’t the same as talking about whether or not someone should be able to spark up on the street corner or own a grenade launcher (solely for hunting purposes, of course).

Yes, there should be public discourse and sharing of opinions regarding matters such as legalized marijuana, gun ownership, abortion, taxes, religion and any countless number of other controversial topics. If an NFL player wants to hop on Twitter and tweet “Taxes suck” then by all means let him. (He certainly won’t get any argument from me on that one.)

But what all the middle-aged straight guys on sports radio don’t understand is that when someone like Jones tweets “Horrible” or when former Ole Miss hoopster Marshall Henderson tweets “Boycotting sportscenter til this michael sam nasty ass s—t is off…My brothers are 7 and 11 and saw that!!! #sickening” what is really being said is “I hate gay people.”

And when people say that they hate gay people, what they’re really saying is that they don’t think gays should have the right to marry; that it’s OK for people to be fired from their job simply for being gay; that they’re all for allowing businesses to discriminate against gays; and, in some of the more extreme cases, that they don’t believe gays have the right to live. And none of that is OK.

If you’re among those bashing us “thought police” types, try substituting the word “black” for the word “gay” in the prior paragraph and see how offensive it sounds. Ooooh, so that’s what we’re all upset about! (If only it were that simple to persuade them, huh?)

If a white NFL player had commented on an image of African-American NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III kissing his white wife by saying, “I don’t want to see that nasty ass n—-r kissing a white woman on ESPN!!! #hanghimhigh” I’d venture a guess that the NFL would have acted swiftly in fining, suspending and/or sending said ignorant white player to “sensitivity training.” So why is it so unreasonable to expect the same in the instances of anti-gay remarks? Answer me that, Mr. middle-aged straight guy sports radio talk show host and blogger!

What it comes down to quite simply is one word – discrimination.

Just because marijuana isn’t legal everywhere doesn’t mean it’s being discriminated against. And just because every gun hasn’t yet found a home doesn’t mean it’s being discriminated against either. It’s OK to voice your opinions “for” or “against” such things. Heck, you can even be for some types of guns and against others; I don’t care. And you can be pro-medical marijuana, but anti-recreational marijuana – tweet away about such things and be as self-contradictory or irrational as you choose. We in the “LGBT mafia” won’t care.

But note that we are not “things;” we are people. And it absolutely isn’t OK to discriminate against people or to be “for” some and “against” others simply because their DNA differs from yours.

You know what’s most remarkable about all of this is that while we’ve made it illegal in this country to discriminate against items that are simply “beliefs” (e.g., religion), we have yet to make it illegal from coast to coast to discriminate against people for simply being born with a given genetic composition. Sure, we took care of it in regard to skin pigmentation (at least from a legal standpoint), but we have yet to do the same for those born with the gay gene.

So middle-aged straight guy sports radio talk show hosts and bloggers, I’m sorry. The world it is a-changin’. It’s not OK to use the “n-word” anymore, wives aren’t the only ones cooking dinner and taking care of the kids these days and it’s not alright to discriminate against the LGBT community either. We’re here, we’re queer and we’re demanding our inalienable rights as human beings. If that makes us “bullies,” so be it. (Actually, we know it doesn’t make us bullies and we’re amused by your attempts to misappropriate the word in an effort to bolster your feeble argument.)

We’re not trying to squash anyone’s right to free speech or stifle open discourse. But our rights are not subject to debate, and, yeah, we’re going to be a little sensitive about the whole thing until it is no longer legal to discriminate against gays and lesbians (and all the other initials in LGBTQIA) in regard to employment, housing, marriage, business services or in any other fashion.

You have to understand that we’re not trying to change minds, we’re trying to change laws and, as I’m sure the African-American community can tell you, the former is far more difficult to affect than the latter. So the small-minded can hate us all they want; we realize that’s not changing any time soon. But just know that we’ll likely be much more tolerant of bigoted rants and social media posts once our rights are fully protected under the law.

So, middle-aged straight guy sports radio talk show hosts and bloggers, do you get it now?

The post Thought police, the LGBT mafia, bullying in the wake of Michael Sam first appeared on Lesbian.com.

BY NATASIA LANGFELDER

The way I see it, the honeymoon was invented so that couples could have a sanity check after all the chaos of wedding planning. There’s nothing better after months of sweating the details together than to get away with your new spouse and laugh over all the highs and the lows. After all, when you are lying on a beach with a margarita even that moment when your Uncle Pete spilled his red wine on your wedding dress will seem funny.

Obviously, your honeymoon should be fun, stress-free and safe. That’s why it’s important to select an LGBT friendly destination in which to engage in your standard newlywed PDA. It’s also great to “vote with your wallet” and spend your dollars in places that support the LGBT community.

We’ve put together this list of six fun and LGBT-friendly destinations perfect for your dream post-wedding getaway.

Hawaii

Hawaii is awesome because they are proponents of marriage equality and it’s part of the United States so you don’t need a passport to get there. Also, it’s absolutely gorgeous. If you want to kick back and have a no-fuss, beach-filled vacation this is the place for you. You can also tap into your adventurous side with a surfing lesson or by visiting a volcano.

Canada

Remember Canada? It was where gay people use to go to get legally married before we finally started to win the fight for equality here at home. If you’re into winter sports, check out one of the many beautiful resorts that offer skiing and snowboarding.

Spain

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Spain since 2005. There are numerous bars and restaurants that cater to the gay clientele all over Madrid, Barcelona, Sitges and Ibiza. Spain offers a good mix of relaxation and adventure. Couples can spend a few days at the beach and also travel between cities easily by rail to do some hardcore sightseeing.

Brazil

Sao Paola, Brazil is famous for throwing the largest pride parade in the world, the “Parada de Orgulho GLBT de Sao Paulo.” The week before the parade itself, which is held on a Sunday, is chock-full of pride parties and events. If you and your love are party people, this is your scene.

France

Paris is the city of love, so of course they have marriage equality laws in place. While France is a little bit of a cliche for honeymooning couples, some things are cliche for a reason. Divide your time up and spend half of it touring the city of Paris and then head down south to experience the beautiful countryside and vineyards. This is also a great pick for wine lovers.

Iceland

Iceland quietly started recognizing same-sex marriage in 2010. Lately, Iceland is working on getting the word out about their tourism business. If adventure is your bag, go to Iceland with your beloved and climb a glacier, bathe in the romantic glow of the Northern Lights and then soak up some culture by visiting a museum or two.

The post Lesbian-friendly honeymoon spots first appeared on Lesbian.com.

BY CANDY PARKER

In 2013, its inaugural year, National Give OUT Day allowed over 400 LGBTQ organizations from across the U.S. to raise over $600,000 as more than 5,500 donors stepped up to participate in the event.

Conceived and funded in part by Charlie Rounds, Board Chair of the IGLTA Foundation, and his husband Mark Hiemenz, and organized by Bolder Giving and Razoo, National Give OUT Day is a 24-hour online fundraising competition that unites the LGBTQ community to raise vitally needed funds to support a wide array of LGBTQ nonprofits.

This year, Thursday, May 15, has been designated as National Give OUT Day and nonprofits across the U.S., Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., are hoping that the LGBTQ community and their allies will take the opportunity to put their money where their pride is by making a donation to the LGBTQ organization of their choice between 12:00a.m. and 11:59p.m. ET that day.

In addition to the individual contributions received, the three organizations with highest dollar volume in donations will also receive cash prizes, as will the top three groups in each of the states/regions with prize boards. The Transgender Law Center (TLC) in Oakland, California, was the fundraising leader for Give OUT Day 2013, garnering $17,000 in individual donations and an additional $11,000 in prize grants.

“We’re certainly not the largest, nor the most resourced – so it still feels a little like a David and Goliath situation,” said Shawn Demmons, TLC’s board vice chair in an interview with EDGE Media. “To be honest though, I hope even more organizations participate. The whole point is to increase giving to LGBTQ causes and we’re all in this together. Look at what’s possible when we come together for a common purpose – last year, Give OUT Day generated over $600,000 on a single day. That’s huge!”

With more than 500 nonprofits participating this year, organizers are hoping the 2014 event will generate donations in excess of $1,000,000 from 10,000 donors as awareness of the event expands. The minimum allowable donation is $10; no upper limit on contributions is imposed.

“Give OUT Day is an unparalleled opportunity for even small LGBTQ nonprofits to reach new donors. And, as the same time, by making information on the nonprofits so readily available, Give OUT Day empowers both long-time and newer donors to support causes they care about,” said Roger Doughty, Executive Director of the Horizons Foundation, sponsor of two of the nine prize boards across the country.

Last year, over one third of all donors discovered a new group to support on Give OUT Day and 13 percent were first time donors to an LGBTQ organization. Further, 81 percent of participating groups reported receiving gifts from new donors and 82 percent reported raising larger donations from their current donors.

Some organizations are taking the opportunity to partner with outside groups to maximize the fundraising effort. For instance, Rounds’ International Gay Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) Foundation entered into a high-level marketing partnership with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau via which individual donations made to IGLTA Foundation will be matched, up to $15,000.

“Giving Day campaigns across the country have been successful at raising millions of dollars for nonprofits. What’s more, this model has proven to bring in new donors and new dollars, complimenting and amplifying nonprofits’ existing fundraising efforts,” said Charlie Rounds. “We come together as a community around so many things – Pride, sports, cultural events and elections. This allows us to come together one day a year to give back.”

For more information on National Give OUT Day please visit their website and watch the video below.

The post National Give OUT Day: Let your wallet show your pride first appeared on Lesbian.com.

BY EMELINA MINERO

AfterEllen’s Managing Editor, Trish Bendix, first realized that she could get paid to write about queer culture when a journalist on an arts and entertainment reporting panel at her college shared how he got his start writing with gay magazines. It was that moment that sparked her journey into queer media with freelancing and starting her own endeavors.

In 2006, discontent with the national print media for queer women, Bendix co-founded now defunct Chill Magazine, a queer print publication focused on the female community in Chicago. In 2007, realizing that the majority of their audience was outside of Chicago and that managing a blog would make their content more accessible, she co-founded Girlfriendisahomo.com, a nationwide news and pop culture site for queer women. Frustrated with the lack of organization in a queer music festival she helped organize with her then girlfriend in 2007, they created their own, Queer Fest Midwest. In 2010, when Bendix realized that SXSW didn’t have an organized space for the queer community, she created their first queer panel. Bendix has an eye for seeing what’s missing in queer representation, and a passion for filling those voids.

Bendix infuses her passion into her work, and she has been outpouring her energy for the queer community into AfterEllen since 2008. We got to chat with Bendix about her take on queer media, its evolution in the past seven years and her upcoming novel.

In a 2007 “Feministing” interview, you talked about how you were looking for yourself reflected in the music you listen to, the films you watch, the art you view and the books you read because like everyone else, you deserve to have a presence in American culture. Seven years later, from the point of view of a consumer and creator of queer media, what changes have you noticed in queer representation?

When I started at AfterEllen, we didn’t have enough lesbian, bisexual or queer portrayals in media or pop culture to write about on the site, so we’d have one big weekly column called Best Lesbian Week Ever, and that’s where most of the tidbits would go. The rest of the site was more open to writing about women we liked or admired, many of whom have played a gay role or are fierce allies, so part of the greater community.

It’s incredible how much that has changed in seven years time. Now there is so much representation for us to comment on or cover that it’s almost impossible to do it all. AfterEllen used to post one big feature a day (an interview, a movie review, an “L Word” recap) and then a few blog posts. Now we are averaging around 12 stories a day with explicitly lesbian or bi themes.

I think what has changed is the amount of truth-telling that we as the LGBT community have done. We have demanded and pushed to be seen and heard, and we are becoming a big enough mouthpiece collectively that our stories are being told, and being told right. It used to be that lesbian characters were small roles and frequently villainous or punished in some way for their deviance — or used for titillation during sweeps week. I think the more queer women are out in the real world, the more we will see ourselves accurately represented as whole human beings in characters on the small and big screens. And with that kind of representation comes the responsibility of educating Americans who might not know a lesbian in real life. One thing I’ve learned during my time at AfterEllen is to never underestimate the power fictional characters can have on real people.

How do you believe the queer community is positioned by the media and pop culture, and how has that evolved over time?

The way we are positioned now is much better than it has been in the past. It’s constantly evolving, but I think the balance that exists now between how much positive news and information is shared about the community vs. negative is so much better. In fact, I would venture to say that the mainstream media and culture (American, specifically) has been much more pro-LGBT. (The “B” and “T” still need more improvement.)

I think a great way of comparing how much things have changed is looking at the number of out people on television daily: Rachel Maddow, Ellen DeGeneres, Anderson Cooper, Don Lemon, Robin Roberts, Sam Champion. It’s only a handful, but these people have power, the kind that we could only dream of back when Ellen first came out and had her show subsequently cancelled.

How does increased mainstream coverage of the LGBT community impact queer media, as well as your role as a queer journalist?

We’re at a really interesting time with queer media because we are no longer the only ones telling our stories. The fact that major internet outlets have their own separate LGBT sections or that “Orange is the New Black” is prominently featured on “EW” or “The Daily Beast” means that some might argue we are not as necessary in 2014 and beyond.

I think what really separates us, though (us being the LGBT media), is that we are speaking to a very specific kind of reader, one who comes to us with an understanding of queer culture and ideas. One who is hoping for an involved discussion on sexuality or facets of it as portrayed in the media or pop culture. Our recaps of a lesbian relationship on a TV show will surely be different from that on a major television site. Our recaps on AfterEllen are one of the biggest draws to readers for that very reason, and the powers that be behind television shows are aware of that.

Every year I go to the Television Critics Association conference in Los Angeles — once in the winter, once in the summer — and I feel half journalist, half lobbyist. While other reporters are there to find out scoops on castings or plot twists, I’m often asking producers, writers or network heads about LGBT visibility, pressing them on what they are doing to make it better. It’s a unique situation to be in there, but I like to think that part of my job is keeping people in tune with what we want, too, and that is fair representation.

Social media has made that kind of connection to writers, producers [and] networks so much easier, and now fans can rally and reach out on their own, but sometimes a face-to-face interaction with someone about their lack of queer characters can be fruitful.

You’re working on a book right now. What is it about and what inspired the story?

I’m working on a novel about two women that end up on a road trip across the country together based on their two different journeys back to where they came from. It’s set in 1993, which was a very scary time for women in the United States, as there were several tragic high profile murders, specifically in the Pacific Northwest where it is partly based.

Much of my inspiration came from my nostalgia for the time period, in which in real life I was a few years too young to participate in the riot grrrl/Lesbian Avengers era, and so I chose to live in it through fiction. Also there aren’t a lot of road trip stories about women, and that was exciting to me, too.

The largest theme I can call out from the book is rebuilding yourself after you feel like your life has been burned down, and how that can happen in the wake of devastation.

What has surprised you the most in the process of working on your book?

I started thinking I was going to write the book from only one woman’s perspective but ended up going back after an early draft and adding a second perspective, so the chapters alternate between the two main characters. And through that I actually found that my second character was much stronger and people that have read pieces of the book thus far actually like her better!

When can we expect your book to release?

I’m still at work on it but hoping to have it completed in the next few months. So I’d venture to say 2015.

What advice do you have for people who want to get involved in creating queer media?

Don’t read the comments. (Seriously though.) Okay but really, make yourself an expert. What I mean by that is, start writing, reporting, doing the things you want to do and prove that you are a valuable voice of the community. Make yourself knowledgeable — read, watch, learn all about our history and representation in the past — and be indispensable. But really, know that you will never, ever, ever please everyone.

The post Trish Bendix discusses queer media, pop culture first appeared on Lesbian.com.

The Transgender Day of Empowerment is an extraordinary day, one in which we acknowledge the strengths and contributions from a segment of our community that until recently has seen little in the way of recognition. April 26 marks the eleventh year of San Diego’s celebration, as it brings together the LGBT community and its allies. Not long ago, I was neither aware of nor recognized this special day. Now, I understand and I will be celebrating, too.

Here is how it started for me. Back in the 1990s, a relative confided in me that there had been a mistake. I looked into the brown eyes of the teen before me; his hair long, his body tall, thin and gangly; his movements awkward from a recent growth spurt as if he hadn’t gotten used to the length of his arms. I was familiar with his sincere, quiet nature and the seriousness of his voice clued me in to an upcoming shared confidence. Yes, there had been a mistake. Fifteen years ago “he” was born into the wrong body. “He” was supposed to be a she.

She was sad because she would never have a period or bear children. She thought I would understand her predicament because I was female and gay. I listened intently with great curiosity. I admitted my confusion. I hadn’t had much experience around 15-year-old boys, and hadn’t a clue about what might transpire in their sexual development. She was not close to either parent, and though I wouldn’t tell them, I didn’t know what to do with the information. I was unfamiliar with the term transgender. I didn’t understand that it wasn’t a fascination with the female body, or a mistake on “his” part, or the truth; that despite outward appearances, “he” was a she.

Today, this relative is a beautiful woman exalting in herself and the newness of what it feels like to live as you are without being tied to the stated gender on your birth certificate or driver’s license. Actually, there was a mistake, and those documents have been changed. It took many years before she was able to start transitioning and later still to tell her parents. Part of her change and acceptance came about because what it means to be transgender is no longer foreign to us.

As a lesbian, I have experienced various challenges of being outside the majority. I understand discrimination and selective use of pronouns. I acknowledge the decisions of others not to be out. I can only imagine how hard it must be to transition, yet I feel hope and encouragement when I see how this family member has embraced her femininity. She asked for my support and I was happy to give it.

Coincidentally, during the time I witnessed her transition from afar, I also met a handful of transgendered individuals where I live and became friends with several. These relationships helped me understand the obstacles they faced by being born in the wrong body and the courage it took to make things right.

The term transsexual or transgender (some prefer one over the other, while others use it interchangeably) has come into the forefront of our modern conversation. As people are exposed to transmen and transwomen, there is productive discussion, misinformation, opinions favored over fact, hostility, indifference, tolerance, acceptance and love; and the distinction among knowledgeable persons between gender assignment and sexual orientation.

As individuals we make our contributions to society, we fall in love, pay taxes, raise children, travel, invent, consume, give and receive. All individuals count, yet all do not get a fair shake because prejudice and fear are strong. Ignorance and ego can trump common sense and love for our fellow neighbor, whoever they may be. The transgender community is small, but as they gain presence, they gain strength, confidence and the ability to educate others.

The Transgender Day of Empowerment helps promote awareness. It is a reminder that we can thrive in a positive environment and, by allowing and promoting individuals to become the best they can be, society as a whole benefits.

With more years of high profile exposure behind them, lesbians and gays have traveled further down this road. They know it can be not only rough, but life threatening. So it is with our brothers and sisters in the transgender community. Gays and lesbians have their pride celebrations, in part because it brings community presence, acknowledgement and acceptance. It is heartbreaking to honor those lost during the Transgender Day of Remembrance. The Transgender Day of Empowerment exists to empower us all and it’s an honor to share in it. If your community doesn’t have a celebration, start planning now and join us next year.

Zoe Amos brings her lesbian point of view to articles and stories on diverse topics. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter. Read her stories on Kindle and Nook. Check out her other life at JanetFWilliams.com

The post From A to Zoe: Celebrate transgender empowerment first appeared on Lesbian.com.

BY CANDY PARKER

The official first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony for the Harvey Milk “Forever” stamp will take place at the White House on May 22. The date is also celebrated as Harvey Milk Day in California.

Milk was a visionary leader who became one of the first openly gay elected officials in the U.S. when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. Milk’s achievements gave hope and confidence to the LGBT community at a time when the community was encountering widespread hostility and discrimination. Milk believed that government should represent all citizens, ensuring equality and providing needed services.

Milk’s life and career were cut short on November 27, 1978, when he and San Francisco Mayor George Moscone were assassinated by fellow Board of Supervisors member Dan White.

The stamp image will be previewed at a later date and a public dedication ceremony will take place in San Francisco May 28. Milk is the first openly LGBT elected official to be featured on a U.S. stamp.

The post Milk stamp dedication ceremony set for May 22 first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Wednesday kicks off the 24th annual Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend in Palm Springs, Calif., the largest queer female party and musical festival in the world. Known for its debauchery, infamous pool parties, world-class dance parties and musical talent, the Dinah Shore is the ultimate spring break for queer women, April 2-6.

The Dinah Shore isn’t just about scandalous parties. If you want to have a debauched weekend, if you want to network and promote your business, if you want to leave Palm Springs with new friendships, then it’s the place to be. To make the most of your trip, here’s a rundown on the week’s festivities.

Wednesday kicks off the complimentary Dinah Official Pre-party at the Hilton Hotel from 8pm to midnight. Thursday brings the Dinah Comedy Night at the Palm Springs Convention Center hosted by Suzanne Westenhoefer and featuring “Chelsea Lately’s” Fortune Feimster and “Last Comic Standing’s” Erin Foley and Gina Yashere. Doors open at 8pm and the show starts at 9pm. These opening events are a great opportunity to meet women that you can hangout with for the rest of the weekend.

The Dinah Opening Party kicks off the dancing Thursday night at 9pm at Zeldaz nightclub with the best DJs and a special performance by Palm Springs local, III G, performing her hit, “Wavy.”

On Wednesday and Thursday, all of the Dinah events don’t start until the evening, which is why you should take full advantage of the Palm Springs Dinah VIP program for Wednesday and Thursday Dinah guests. The city has provided a VIP card to Dinah guests offering discounts to Palm Springs sites and attractions. Enjoy the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, the world’s largest rotating tramcar, The Indian Canyons, shopping and dining out.

Local restaurant Frida’s, co-owned by a gay and lesbian couple, hosts a kick off event with a DJ on Wednesday at 6pm. Their food is a fusion of Mexican, Spanish, French, Cuban, Caribbean and Central/South American dishes. Plus they serve the most delicious mixed drinks. All of the proceeds go to the local LGBT community center.

Friday, April 4, from 12pm to 6pm is AfterEllen’s Thank God It’s Dinah Friday Pool Party at the Hilton main pool area. They’ll be DJs, cocktails, dancing, a live Sirius XM radio broadcast with OUT Q’s most popular radio personalities and a live performance by disco diva Evelyn Champagne King.

Friday night at 8pm in the Hilton grand ballroom, you can watch the latest web series and short films with the casts and crew who created them, hosted by JD Disalvatore, award-winning producer of “A Marine Story” and “Elena Undone.” The Dinah’s second annual Dinah Film Festival is screening “Dyke Central,” “Girl Gets Girl,” “#Hashtag,” “Kiss Her I’m Famous,” “Nikki and Nora,” “Little Horribles” and “Secrets and Toys” followed by a question-and-answer session with the casts and crews.

Expect an electric performance from Iggy Azalea at The Dinah White Party, hosted by Curve, on Friday at the Palm Springs Convention Center. The celebrity-studded red carpet arrivals begin at 10pm.

“The L Word” fans won’t want to miss the largest lesbian pool party in the world on Saturday, April 5, from 10am to 6pm at the Hilton main pool. “The L Word” Pool Party, commemorating “The L Word’s” 10-year anniversary, boasts an outside beer garden, thousands of women, go-go dancers, incredible DJs, a performance by “The Real L Word’s” Hunter Valentine, exclusive “The L Word” giveaways plus a photo opportunity from 2:30pm to 5pm with Leisha Hailey, Kate Moennig and Laurel Holloman, aka Alice Pieszecki, Shane McCutcheon and Tina Kennard respectively.

If you want a more chill pool environment on Saturday and Sunday and you like old school music, then you’ll want to attend The Dinah Pool Party II at The Saguaro, from 10am to 4pm. If you’re big into dancing with wet, half-naked queer women in hot weather, then be sure to be at the Hilton’s main pool at 4pm on both Saturday and Sunday for the Battle of the DJs.

Twin heartthrobs Tegan and Sara are ready to make you swoon, dance and sing along on Saturday night. Their concert starts at 8:30pm. Doors open at 7:30pm at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

Music sensation Eve is performing at The Black Party, the largest party of the weekend. Held at the Palm Springs Convention Center, doors open at 9 pm and the celebrity studded red carpet arrivals, with cameos from Leisha Hailey and Kate Moennig, begin at 10 pm.

The celebrity poker tournament benefiting the Human Rights Campaign takes place during The Black Party at 10pm. You’ll need a ticket to The Black Party to get on the poker action. With a $50 dollar buy-in, you’ll be playing poker with a lot of your favorite queer women, from actress Nicole Pacent to filmmaker Rolla Selbak to “Real World Ex-plosion” star Ari Fitz. You’ll also be entered into a raffle to win a lot of amazing prizes, like a free weekend for two to The Dinah 2015, including 3 nights at one of the host hotels and two VIP tickets, a weekend for two to Shedonism, Las Vegas’ hottest women’s weekend, a gift basket from Curve and more.

Mary Lambert is singing “Same Love” at The Wet and Wild Pool Party on Sunday at the Hilton main pool at 5pm. From 10am to 6pm, you can get your dance, drink and swim on. They’ll be DJs, go-go dancers, plenty of beverages plus a special performance by Ifalade and Pink Dewberries at 1pm. Due to the popularity of “The L Word” reunion, there will be a second chance to see your favorite characters from 11:30am to 1pm at the Hilton pool.

The best way to end the weekend is at The Dinah Closing Party on Sunday night at Zeldaz nightclub. If you’ve been eying a special someone throughout the weekend, this is your last chance to make a move. It’s also your last chance to hang out with the women who you’ll leave Dinah Shore calling your friends. Get your dance on one last time, enjoy the people you’ve met this week and the incredible experiences you’ve shared. Additionally, you’ll enjoy a live performance by Thea Austin.

All photos courtesy of Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend and Frida’s.

The post What to expect at The Dinah this weekend first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Nicole Pacent on set of of SHE4ME filming at the Andaz West Hollywood
(Photo by Rodney Bursiel)

BY NATASIA LANGFELDER
Lesbian.com

The talented Nicole Pacent is an actress, singer and model. She’s also one of the few out bisexual women in Hollywood. Her fans know her best from the web series, “Anyone But Me,” in which she portrayed the lovable Aster. Now, she’s back and starring in the SHE4ME PSA for marriage equality alongside actress Gabrielle Christian.

As a member of the LGBT community, Nicole has a vested interest in furthering equality. She sat down with Lesbian.com to discuss the behind-the-scenes fun on the SHE4ME set and her advice to fans on how to navigate the world as a bisexual person.

How did you first hear of the SHE4ME PSA and why did you choose to get involved with this project?

Well, really, I was sort of there when it was being conceived. I heard about it from my manager Sue Melke. She introduced me to Nicole Conn because they had been speaking about it and collaborating.

Nicole wanted to bring me on board as the bride and I just jumped on board. From there, the next thing we had to do was find another bride. It really was a meeting of minds. I decided to do it because it’s a cause I’m very passionate about, obviously, and I like Nicole Conn’s aesthetic.

What was it like working with director Nicole Conn?

Nicole is really clear on what she wants. It’s always great to work with a director who is that way, that way you can give them what they want. It’s refreshing.

Did you know Gabrielle Christian was going to play the other bride?

Sue forwarded me some ideas on who would be playing the second bride. When they settled on Gaby, it was really cool because we had sort of been orbiting in the same circle for so long, but we had never met or worked together. So we finally got to meet. She is such a doll.

Judging from the blooper reel, there was a lot of fun on the set. Can you dish on any of the behind the scenes hijinks?

It was all shot in one day! There were so many moving parts that everything was going on at once. There was no time for anything really crazy like would happen on a longer shoot. But the atmosphere was very jovial the whole time and during the wedding scene people just started doing funny dances. Everyone was just really happy to be there and have fun with each other.

You’ve been out as a bisexual woman for most of your career. How do you think that’s affected your journey?

It has affected it vastly. I can’t imagine how the journey would be different in terms of being more positive or negative thus far. I really don’t know. I’m glad I did it. In terms of the feedback, I’ve never gotten flack for it as far as I know. Everyone has been really accepting both within the gay community and outside of it. It’s really been wonderful.

Part of Aster’s popularity was because I was out to the fan base. I got a lot more projects out of that. I don’t know how things would have been different. It shaped it in ways I’m aware of and not aware of. But I’ve never doubted it and I’ve never second guessed it.

What would tell young fans who may be struggling with their bisexuality?

There are challenges that bisexuals face that you don’t get if you’re straight or gay. People don’t have enough information. And I’ve experienced that in my life. But in terms of my experience with work it hasn’t been a problem so far, which is awesome.

People message me about this all the time and it’s really hard because I wish I had time to respond to all of them. I would say there’s no blanket anecdote in terms of coming out for everybody. It’s different for everyone based on family situations or the country you live in. I can’t say come out and be who you are because it’s not that easy in many environments.

But that said, the more that you are able to be yourself and accept yourself as who you are, not only the happier you’re going to be, but the less you are just going keep hiding for your whole life. Whether they’re a total nerd or a cheerleader or if you have a non-traditional sexuality, if you spend your whole life fighting that, you’ll get tired after a while. It wears on you. It’s generally just a better path to go down to accept who you are and trust you’ll find your way. I really do believe that.

Finding spaces that are more accepting and attending support groups are always really good ideas. Connecting with other people, making sure you don’t feel alone. Those things are paramount. For me, it was so important to be surrounded by the bisexual and gay community even before I came out.

It’s so cliche, I know! But the older I get I have to tell you that’s what it’s all about. The constant struggle of having to let go of the idea that I have to be something other than what I am. It’s not worth it. It’s a losing battle. Just be who you are!

“South of Nowhere” ended in 2008 and many fans were able to dry their tears by moving onto “Anyone But Me.” In fact, one of the YouTube comments on the video is “Aster + Spencer = Perfection.” Do you think Spencer and Aster would have ever hooked up?

That’s so funny! I think from Aster’s point of view, she was so young. Vivian was her second girlfriend, but like first real love. Spencer and Aster could definitely have slept together maybe later in life.

Tell us about your favorite interaction with a fan.

Oh man, there are so many, especially because I’m now friends with some fans as a result. I remember this one instance quite well. A couple years back, before “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was repealed, there a woman who messaged me and came out to me. She couldn’t tell anyone but me. She wasn’t out to anyone else. But she had seen “Anyone But Me” and she felt like I provided a safe space where she could be herself. Her job was defending our country and she couldn’t come out. That was pretty incredible. I have to say that messages like that where people have come out because of “Anyone But Me” or because I’m out about my sexuality or anything like that is endlessly inspiring to me and sort of unbelievable.

If you could star in a remake of any movie, which movie would you choose?

“Star Wars!” There’s not even a question in my mind. I could die happy if I was in that.

I would want to be Princess Leia 110 percent. She’s such an awesome female character. I grew up playing Princess Leia on the playground. I love that time period, too, episodes 4-6, of course!

In my adult years, I’ve been able to look back at it and appreciate it on so many other levels, including how strong Leia is as a female character. She is tough and she’s sarcastic and in charge and not submissive at all. She’s just feisty and fun with a dry sense of humor. She’s the type of character I would love to play.

Where can your fans find you?

There are a couple things in the works. There’s a short film that I did that’s going to be released mid-April, “It’s a Cold Cold Night.” I play a pretty funny, wacko character my fans will love.

And, if you are in Los Angeles, you can see me in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “All’s Well That Ends Well” at my theater company. Check my Twitter or Facebook, if you want to know more.

The post Nicole Pacent: The SHE4ME bride with the heart of Princess Leia first appeared on Lesbian.com.