(Photo courtesy of Cedric Terrell)

BY LESBIAN.COM

On April 5 Equality Virginia will celebrate OUTstanding Virginians to highlight the importance of being out to the LGBTQ movement. These individuals represent Virginia’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community with distinction.

Tagg Magazine’s Managing Editor and Owner, Ebone F. Bell has been recognized as one of these individuals. Bell started the magazine in September 2012 to give the lesbian, bisexual and transgender community a voice in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia and Delaware.

After coming out in college, Bell quickly immersed herself in LGBTQ causes. Once involved, her entrepreneurial spirit took over and she has been responsible for organizing a multitude of events and projects, including the annual Capital Queer Prom, hugely successful fundraisers for Capital Pride, and the bi-monthly publication Tagg Magazine. A triple threat, Bell has her hands in publishing, fundraising and event promoting, and is always looking towards the next big idea.

“I’m so honored to be receiving this award from Equality Virginia,” said Bell. “It’s always nice to have someone recognize your hard work for something you’re really passionate about.”

Bell will be awarded the honor alongside eight other outstanding individuals on Saturday, April 5, at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. Special guests will include Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black” Laverne Cox and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jonathan Capehart.

Equality Virginia is proud to recognize OUTStanding Virginians who have made contributions to the equality movement. The Equality Virginia’s 11th Annual Commonwealth Dinner is the state’s largest gala gathering for the Virginia LGBTQ community and supporters. This year will be particularly spectacular because Equality Virginia will be celebrating its 25th anniversary. Attendees will enjoy live entertainment from noted invitees, a silent auction and the opportunity to meet and network with other members of the LGBTQ community and allies.

Tickets are still available at www.equalityvirginia.org.

The post Equality Virginia honors Tagg Magazine editor first appeared on Lesbian.com.

BY JADE SALAZAR

When its legislature passed Senate Bill 1 last November, Hawaii became the 15th state to legalize gay marriage. Already the number one wedding destination in the world, Hawaii is beginning to take center stage in the LGBT community. And, the tourism industry is well aware that LGBT couples who are planning their dream wedding will have a positive impact on the economy. While many of Hawaii’s major hotels and resorts are starting to offer wedding packages for the community, one resort, in particular, stands out.

The Maui Sunseeker LGBT Resort, located in the heart of beautiful Maui, is the only LGBT-owned-and-operated resort in all of Hawaii. Often referred to as “Your home under the rainbow,” Sunseeker has been catering to the gay community for the past 10 years, albeit focusing more attention on gay males. However, this resort has made considerable progress in its efforts to include the entire LGBTQ spectrum, as well as our straight allies. In fact, this Pacific getaway is creating an entire week devoted to lesbian events and activities.

Read more at TaggMagazine.com

Tagg Magazine is a print and online resource for LBT women in the DC Metropolitan and Rehoboth, DE areas.

The post An LGBT resort in paradise: The Maui Sunseeker first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Baby, it’s cold outside! Dry, itchy winter skin is still in full effect. With less moisture in the air, there is less moisture in our skin, and indoor heat can be just as dehydrating. Common winter skin problems may be: scaly skin, a dull complexion, or ragged cuticles. Winter does a number on our skin. The below tips should help you feel moisturized and soothed during the cold season.

For the face: Look for gentle cleansers that do not contain sulfates. Sulfates are foaming agents that create the lather you get from most detergents. Proper names you might recognize include sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS) and ammonium laureth sulfate (ALES). They’re popular cleansing agents that unfortunately strip skin of the lipid (top) layer, causing irritation. Look for moisturizers that promote the retention of water in the skin using plant based oils, and avoid mineral oil because it does not absorb into your skin or heal.

Check out more winter skin care tips at TaggMagazine.com

Tagg Magazine is a print and online resource for LBT women in the DC Metropolitan and Rehoboth, DE areas.

The post Healthy skin vs. harsh winter first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Are you a narcissist?

According to a study in the Journal of Applied Psychology, narcissists perform better in job interviews because they convey confidence. A job interview is a time when you must sell yourself. The potential employer might have liked your resumé, but now they need to like you. If you’re unsure of yourself and uncomfortable, then the interviewer will sense your insecurity and discomfort. And, when that happens, your chances of being hired start to fall exponentially.

People usually think about preparing for a job interview as a set of steps to take. Conduct research, know the answers to the important questions, and be ready for a salary conversation. This is only half of job interview preparation. It is important that you walk into your interview with confidence. It’s just as important that you continue to exude this demeanor and conclude the interview confidently. You might know this expression: “Fake it until you make it.” That might be a fine strategy, but ultimately, it won’t serve you as well as true confidence.

Read more at TaggMagazine.com

Tagg Magazine is a print and online resource for LBT women in the DC Metropolitan and Rehoboth, DE areas.

The post Boosting your pre-interview confidence first appeared on Lesbian.com.

BY MEGHANN NOVINSKIE and KIM ROSENBERG

It’s Cupid season! Did her arrow miss you this year?! While our team is busy arranging dinner date reservations for our matched up couples, we want to offer a guide for some of our favorite people in the world — singles. Some will forget Valentine’s Day even happened and others will have a date with two men (named Ben and Jerry)!  But for those who are dateless and want something to do, here’s where and what (and potentially who) to do on V-day:

If you are less inclined to party than the aforementioned, call your best friend or your favorite couple and invite them over for dinner. Nothing shows love like cooking a delicious meal for others. If your favorite couple has kids, offer to babysit for them. If you love baking, whip up a couple batches of cookies and drop them off at your local fire station. Any of these will warm your heart – and theirs.

Read the rest of the list at TaggMagazine.com

Tagg Magazine is a print and online resource for LBT women in the DC Metropolitan and Rehoboth, DE areas

Looking for your real-life love story? OneGoodLove.com is the leading online dating site created specifically for the relationship-minded LGBT community by the LGBT community. We understand how challenging finding love can be so find LOVE now.

The post How to rock a single Valentine’s Day first appeared on Lesbian.com.

The Brown Boi Project Spring 2010 Cohort

BY JADE SALAZAR
TaggMagazine

Have you ever looked around and felt that you were underrepresented within the LGBTQ community? Have you been looking for like-minded people with shared struggles that are passionate about creating change? There is a fast-emerging organization within the LGBTQ community that may be exactly what you have been looking for. The Brown Boi Project (BBP), founded by B. Cole in 2010, is by definition, “a community of masculine of center womyn, men, two-spirited people, transmen and allies committed to transforming privilege of masculinity, gender and race into tools for achieving racial and gender justice”.

It is a community for masculine of center, people of color that provides participants with an expansive curriculum, workshops, one-on-one life coaching, and unlimited resources of like-minded people, over 150 Brown Bois and growing, from all over the nation. The BBP also provides participants with the tools to take their drive and knowledge back into their own communities to help both current and future generations achieve balance both racially and within genders. To get started, most participants apply online for the semi-annual, all-expense paid, retreat where they learn about themselves, their communities and meet Brown Bois from all over the United States.

You can learn more about the Brown Boi Project and donate to the cause through their website, www.brownboiproject.org.

Read more at TaggMagazine.com

Tagg Magazine is a print and online resource for LBT women in the DC Metropolitan and Rehoboth, DE areas

The post The Brown Boi Project: Working toward racial and gender justice first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Castro Theater and Castro Street at dusk. (Photo via LesbiansWhoTech)

BY KATY RAY
Tagg Magazine

This year marks the first ever Lesbians Who Tech Summit, a national event that connects queer women across all areas of technology. Founded by Leanne Pittsford, the mission of Lesbians Who Tech is fourfold: the organization empowers women not only to connect with each other and other leaders in the tech community, but also to connect with community organizations to gain visibility in the field of technology, encouraging more queer women to enter this male-dominated industry.

“So many of our tech icons are straight, white men,” says Pittsford. “We want to increase the number of women in technology and leadership positions in the field, raise the visibility of the lesbians who are already leading tech innovation, and help younger lesbians advance their careers.” The Lesbians Who Tech Summit seeks to create a culture of empowerment, enabling women to advance their own careers and be an advocate for women’s and LGBT causes in their own company.

The Lesbians Who Tech Summit will be held February 27 – March 2 at the Castro Street Theater in San Francisco, California. For ticket cost and more information,visit the Lesbians Who Tech Summit site.

Read more at TaggMagazine.com

Tagg Magazine is a print and online resource for LBT women in the DC Metropolitan and Rehoboth, DE areas

The post First ever Lesbians Who Tech Summit to be held in San Francisco first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend has announced the official selection of lesbian-themed projects that will be screened at this year’s Dinah Film Festival. Palm Springs Hilton Hotel on Friday, April 4 .

The Dinah Shore Film Festival was launched last year as a way to promote the work of talented independent filmmakers and to show a glimpse of lesbian culture. Supporting filmmakers and film is important for Club Skirts’ founder and producer Mariah Hanson.

Categories include:

Web Series  including Rolla Selbak‘s “Kiss her I’m Famous”

Short Film including Dalila Ali Rajah‘s “Secrets and Toys”

Documentary about God-des and She

Read more at TaggMagazine.com

The post The Dinah Shore Film Festival announces line-up first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Image via Saint Harridan

“If you’re dating a woman who looks like a man, then why don’t you just date men?” We femmes hear this question far too often. Granted, most of the time we get this question it is just some jerk trying to get under our skin, but as unbelievable as it may sound, there are still some people who look us in the eye and ask because they truly wonder. The moment someone asks why I don’t just date men, they are telling me that they have no understanding or appreciation of what it means to be a woman. People with these questions are saying that their idea of a woman is based solely on physical appearance.

If we put traditional ideas of masculine and feminine on two ends of a spectrum, most of us fall somewhere in between. It is society, the  media, and the idea of “traditional roles” that put men on one side and women on the other. My spectrum does not have men. I am a lesbian, and being attracted to the more “masculine” end of the spectrum does not change that. At its core, when someone asks the question, “If you’re dating a woman who looks like a man, then why don’t you just date men?” what they’re really saying is, “You’re dating a woman and she does not fall within my limited mold. It makes me uncomfortable and so does your sexuality.”

Read more at TaggMagazine.com

Tagg Magazine is a print and online resource for LBT women in the DC Metropolitan and Rehoboth, DE areas

The post On loving butch women first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Working in a veterinarian’s office isn’t the only job that lets you interact with animals at work. A growing number of companies are allowing employees to bring their dogs to work. Currently, about 17 percent of U.S. companies allow pets in the workplace, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPA), and bringing dogs to work is more than just an indulgence — employees can actually benefit from the presence of man’s best friend.

Less Stress

Pet owners often worry about leaving their dogs at home unattended while they’re at work. It’s easy to imagine that bringing Fido to the office would lower the stress level of a dog owner, and a Virginia Commonwealth University study found that employees who are accompanied by their dog actually produce lower levels of cortisol, a stress-induced hormone. The presence of their dog forces people to get outside even for a few minutes instead of sitting at their desk all day, letting stress build.

Read more at TaggMagazine.com

Tagg Magazine is a print and online resource for LBT women in the DC Metropolitan and Rehoboth, DE areas.

The post Four-legged friends in the workplace first appeared on Lesbian.com.