February, 2016 News (102 Articles with 351,074 total views)
On the cover of the print edition for February, 2016 The Laramie Project and The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later will be performed at SUNY Fredonia Feb. 25 - Mar. 5, with Judy Shepard speaking on Mar. 2.
This began publication in December 2002 after a hiatus
Category for this issueCalendar & Upcoming Events
Calendar of Local GLBT Events |
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Local and Regional News
Deadline for March 2016 print edition (issue 244) of Erie Gay News is Monday, February 15
For the next print edition of Erie Gay News (issue # 244, cover dated for March 2016), please send in calendar events, news items, and other info for late February 2016 and beyond by Monday, February 15. We expect that the next print edition will come out on Tuesday, February 23.
Youngest NAACP President to Speak at Penn State Behrend on Feb 15
ERIE, Pa. – Jan. 28, 2016 – As former president and CEO of the NAACP and the youngest president in the organization's history, few individuals are more qualified to discuss race in America than Benjamin Jealous. On Monday, Feb. 15, that will be Jealous' topic of discussion when he visits Penn State Behrend as part of the college's Speaker Series. His presentation – "The Forgotten Origins and Consequences of Race in America" – begins at 7:30 p.m. in the McGarvey Commons of the college's Reed Union Building and is free and open to the public.
Judy Shepard at SUNY Fredonia Mar 2

Judy Shepard will be speaking on "The Legacy of Matthew Shepard" Wednesday, March 2, 2016 at 7:00 pm in King Concert Hall in the Rockefeller Arts Center on the SUNY Fredonia Campus, Fredonia NY.
The Laramie Project at SUNY Fredonia

The SUNY Fredonia Department of Theatre and Dance will present The Laramie Project and its epilogue between Feb. 25 and March 5. 
About the play: In October 1998 Matthew Shepard-a gay university student- was kidnapped, severely beaten and left to die, tied to a fence on the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming. Five weeks later, Moisés Kaufman and fellow members of the Tectonic Theater Project went to Laramie, and over the course of the next year, conducted more than 200 interviews with people of the town. From these interviews they wrote the play The Laramie Project, a chronicle of the life of the town of Laramie in the year after the murder. The Laramie Project is one of the most performed plays in America today.
Board members and officers for NW PA Pride Alliance

NW PA Pride Alliance, Inc has begun 2016 with the announcement of its board of directors and officers. Returning to the board this year are Diana Ames, Season Crannell, Chris Dye, Finu Lukose, Michael Mahler, Michael Mooney, Melanie Shubitowski, Alex Sphon and Daniel Thomas.
Employment opportunities at Evergreen Health Services
Evergreen Health Services works to represent WNY's most underserved people, and improve our community every day. Evergreen Health Services in Jamestown has two open positions. Please share with anyone who you believe would be interested.
Suggestion box email for NW PA Pride
It's a brand new year for us at the Northwest PA Pride Alliance. We are committed to providing the best experience to all our community members as well to as our visitors . So to help us better serve you as a community, we'd like a little input from you. What do you like about our events and resources? How could we improve? Anything you'd like to see us add to our events or website? If you don't usually attend our events, why not?
Erie's LGBT Rainbow Alliance Meets
Erie's LGBT Rainbow Alliance is proud to announce a new support group that provides a safe, confidential space for LGBT community members to come together and share stories, struggles and resources about the LGBT experience especially those involving the medical and legal system. This support group will meet on the second Saturday of each month from 1pm to 3pm at the office of Lake Erie Counseling Inc. 301 West 10th Street, Erie, PA 16502. The initial meeting will be Saturday, February 13, 2016. The group is co-facilitated by Chelsea Nicole and Dale Allgeier, LCSW. Please contact ErieLGBTRainbowAlliance@gmail.com with any questions.
Group forming for LGBT individuals 55+
Lake Erie Counseling is pleased to announce the formation of a new group focusing on the needs of LGBT individuals 55 years of age and older. This monthly group will offer a safe, comfortable space for the older LBGT individual to seek support, friendship, social opportunities and discussion of issues of importance such as medical/health needs, housing, legal/ financial concerns, discrimination, disabilities and social isolation.
Become a 2016 Pride Donor!
As the Northwest PA (NW PA) Pride Alliance begins its first full year as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, we are delighted to see how much we have grown. The support of individuals and organizations in our community has been the catalyst for furthering the Alliance's mission: Improving the visibility of the LGBTQIA community and facilitating communication and collaboration between groups and individuals. We are asking for your support in 2016 as we enter with a unified theme of "Invite, Unite, Ignite!"
Entertainment and Travel
Buffalo United Artists proudly presents Load More Guys
In the anonymous world of gay online 'hook up' apps like Grindr and Scruff, when you exhaust all potential partners in your area, you need to hit the button marked LOAD MORE GUYS. LOAD MORE GUYS examines men, monogamy, and our desperate need to conform to a heterosexual construct of love. Tyler recounts his romantic misadventures as he's sucked down Hollywood's rabbit hole of want, need and desire. The play questions marriage, monogamy and the definition of love through a pastiche of dramatic scenes, monologues, music video, and drag performance. LOAD MORE GUYS takes us through two decades and six lovers, latex wrapped in a gay porn fairy tale. The world premiere of Load More Guys, written and directed by Todd Warfield stars Michael Seitz, Tyler Brown, Joey Bucheker, Sean Marciniak, Aaron Mrowka, Sean Murphy, David Spychalski, and Bebe Bvlgari. It runs February 19th – March 12th, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. at Alleyway Theatre – Main Stage, One Curtain Up Alley, Buffalo, NY. Tickets are $25.00 general admission, $23.00 for seniors, $20.00 for members, $15.00 for students.The box office phone is (716) 886-9239. No one under 18 admitted
All Hail the 100th Queen! Logo Ru-Veals New Cast of the Groundbreaking Competition Series RuPaul's Drag Race
NEW YORK, NY – February 1, 2016 – RuPaul is back to light up the runway with the highly anticipated new season of the groundbreaking series, "RuPaul's Drag Race." Logo revealed the eagerly awaited cast comprised of the nation's 12 drag elite tonight during the "New Now Next Honors." In a nod to superfans, Logo also launched a week-long social scavenger hunt via Dubsmash and Instagram that culminated in the announcement of Kim Chi as a competing queen earlier today. The season premiere also marks a drag milestone as it features the 100th episode and 100th drag queen to sashay into the work room.
Speaker: Photographer of black South African lesbian life Feb 6

The Cleveland Museum of Art will be hosting: Contemporary Artist Lecture Series: Zanele Muholi on February 6 at 2pm. Zanele is an artist and visual activist who records the lives of black lesbian women in South Africa through photography, installation, and video. She seeks to illuminate the contradictions of life in a country that recognizes the legality of same-sex marriages but is plagued by hate crimes and intolerance for LGBTI individuals. She will be speaking at the Recital Hall of the Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland OH. Free; registration recommended. Reserve tickets at tickets.clevelandart.org, or call the ticket desk at 216-421-7350.

Logo Makes History as the Only Cable Network To Post Ten Consecutive Quarters of Year-Over-Year Growth
New York, NY, January 21, 2016 – Fresh off the heels of the highest rated year in the network's 10-year history, Logo is continuing to break records as the only cable network to post ten consecutive quarters of year-over-year growth. The network has no plans to slow down as it heads into 2016 with the eighth season of mega-hit "RuPaul's Drag Race," along with a diverse slate of programs and high profile tentpole events. Logo today announced the greenlight of two brand new series - "Gay For Play Game Show Starring RuPaul" and "Gay Skit Happens" - plus a third season of "Cocktails & Classics," Michael Urie's love letter to classic films.
BUA proudly presents 'BUA Sings!," A countdown to our 25th Birthday
Founded by Executive Producer Javier Bustillos, Buffalo United Artists (BUA) opened its first show on January 2nd 1992. The musical revue A…My Name is Alice opened at the Franklin Street Theatre on a very cold winter night and became one of the biggest hits in Buffalo history. After performing in different venues all over town, and most recently in two regular spaces, BUA is in residence at the Alleyway Theatre complex. This January, 2016, marks our 24th birthday and we are kicking off the countdown to our 25th in January 2017! BUA Sings! is an evening of songs from selected musicals presented by BUA over the past years . It is hosted by Jimmy Janowski & Kerrykate Abel. Musical direction by Chuck Basil and stars David Butler, Bobby Cooke, Timothy Patrick Finnegan, Matthew Crehan Higgins, Chris Kelly, Loraine O’Donnell, Anne Hartley Pfohl, Marc Sacco, and Michael Seitz. It will be presented on Monday, January 25th at 7:30 p.m. for one night only! at Alleyway Theatre, One Curtain Up Alley, Buffalo NY. Tickets are $25.00 general admission, and the box office phone is (716) 886-9239/ BUA is a self-supporting collective of professional theater artists working to present provocative and relevant work that examines the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer experience.
Gay Rugby World Championship Partners with Suicide Prevention Charity
The Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network (TSPN) is the Charity of Choice of the 2016 Bingham Cup, the world championship of gay rugby. TSPN is a public-private partnership of counselors, mental health professionals and community advocates dedicated to the goal of reducing suicide rates in the state of Tennessee. TSPN works across the state to eliminate mental health stigma and educate communities about the warning signs of suicide with the goal of reducing suicide rates.
Local Faces and Photos
LBT Women Annual Holiday Dinner a Wonderful Time for All
On Sunday, January 10, 2016, the LBT Women of Erie (AKA The Beans) held their annual holiday dinner at Calamari's Squid Row, 1317 State St, Erie PA. About 30 people attended and there was great food, great friends and a delightful gift exchange
Political, Activism and Legal
NCLR Applauds Governor Cuomo for Taking Bold Executive Action to End Conversion Therapy in New York
(New York, NY, February 6, 2016)—New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a series of comprehensive regulations to prevent the practice of so-called lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender "conversion therapy," which has been deemed harmful to patients by a wide variety of leading medical and mental health professionals. The multi-agency regulations announced today ban public and private health care insurers from covering the practice in New York State and also prohibit various mental health facilities across the state from conducting the practice on minors.
BREAKING: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo Takes Historic Action Protecting LGBTQ Youth from Dangerous 'Conversion Therapy
WASHINGTON - February 6, 2016 - Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, praised the news that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo will use the authority of his office to take historic action protecting LGBTQ youth in the Empire State from the dangerous and discredited practice of so-called "conversion therapy." As the first Governor to use his executive authority to protect LGBTQ youth from the widely denounced practice, under his direction, three state agencies will take separate actions.
Shkreli's Smirks at Congress Hearing About Massive Price Hike on Life-Saving Drug
WASHINGTON February 4, 2016 -- Today, the public got a disturbing window into the actions of former Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli, a sniggering, contemptuous former hedge fund manager who led a scheme to turn a profit off of price hikes on a crucial life-saving drug. At a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing this morning, Shkreli appeared alongside Turing CCO Nancy Retzlaff who, astonishingly, testified in defense of their unconscionable 5,000 percent price hike on the life-saving drug Daraprim.
Anti-LGBT Washington State Lawmakers Advance Second Piece of Shameful Legislation Attacking Transgender Americans
WASHINGTON - February 4, 2016 – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, strongly condemned a vote of 4 to 3 late last night by the Washington Senate Committee on Law and Justice in favor of legislation that would specifically prohibit the state's non-discrimination laws from protecting transgender people against discrimination in the use of sex-segregated facilities. The vote to advance SB 6548 comes shortly after a different Senate committee voted last week to advance legislation – SB 6443 – that would repeal long-standing, gender identity non-discrimination regulations previously put into place by the state's Human Rights Commission.
TPP Signing Undermines U.S. Commitment to LGBTQ Equality and the Fight Against HIV/AIDS
Washington - February 3, 2016 – Today, in Auckland, New Zealand, US Trade Representative Michael Froman, along with his counterparts from other Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries, will sign the secretly negotiated trade deal despite numerous flaws, significant opposition, and an unclear path for passage in the US Congress. Pride at Work Executive Director, Jerame Davis, issued the following statement in response:
South Dakota Lawmakers Advance Two More Extreme Measures Targeting LGBT Americans
WASHINGTON - February 3, 2016 – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, decried the unconscionable decision by South Dakota lawmakers to move forward two more pieces of discriminatory legislation targeting LGBT South Dakotans, HB 1112 and HB 1107. Both passed through the House State Affairs committee today by a vote of 10 to 3, HB 1112 could ban transgender students from participating in athletic activities consistent with their gender identity and HB 1107 seeks to explicitly authorize taxpayer-funded discrimination against LGBT South Dakotans and single mothers.
Support for Nondiscrimination Legislation Grows to Historic Level of Nearly 1,000 PA Businesses
Harrisburg, Pa. (Feb. 3, 2016) – Nearly 1,000 Pennsylvania employers, representing an estimated 150,000 employees, are calling on the General Assembly to pass the Pennsylvania Fairness Act to ensure that sexual orientation and gender identity and expression cannot be used as the basis of discrimination. Current state law allows Pennsylvanians to be fired or denied housing and business services solely on the basis of the person being gay or transgender. The coalition has significantly expanded since the legislation was introduced last August.
HRC Highlights Pennsylvania's LGBT Protections, Laws and Legislative Proposals in New National Report
WASHINGTON - February 3, 2016 – The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, in partnership with the Equality Federation, today released its second annual national report assessing the status of state legislation affecting LGBT equality across America, including in Pennsylvania.
ACLU of Indiana Statement on Senate Bill 344
Indianapolis- February 2, 2016 –Today lawmakers in the Indiana General Assembly failed to allow a vote on a measure, Senate Bill 344, which while fundamentally flawed, would have opened the door for updating Indiana's civil rights law to protect Hoosiers based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
BREAKING: Non-Discrimination Bill Dead in Indiana Senate
WASHINGTON - February 2, 2016 – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, responded to the news that SB 344 will not advance in the Indiana Senate. Although it was previously scheduled for a second hearing today, according to the bill's author, the legislation will not be considered and will therefore fail to meet the required deadline this year. The deeply flawed legislation was a failed attempt to address the damning evidence that continues to emerge from the destruction caused to Indiana's economy by Gov. Pence's discriminatory Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) last year, but the Senate had every opportunity to amend the bill to provide real protections for LGBT Hoosiers.
Release of Internal Documents Show Grotesque Greed Driving Shkreli's Push for Turing's Massive Price Increase for Life-S
WASHINGTON - February 2, 2016 -- Following today's release by the House Oversight Committee of astonishing internal documents revealing the greed behind former Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli's decision to increase by 5,000 percent the cost of the life-saving drug Daraprim, Chad Griffin, President of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, issued the following statement:
GOP Frontrunners Close Out Iowa with Fresh Attacks on LGBT People
WASHINGTON - February 1, 2016 – Whichever GOP candidate emerges as the winner of tonight's Iowa caucuses, they spell danger for LGBT equality. In the final days of the race for Iowa, each of the GOP frontrunners -- Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio -- have launched fresh attacks on LGBT people in a last-ditch effort to score conservative cred and push them over the top.
OutServe-SLDN applauds report that Pentagon has proposed changes to its medical benefits for transgender troops, familie
(Washington, DC - February 1, 2016) – According to the Military Times report "the Pentagon is poised to make significant changes to its mental health benefits for troops, families and retirees, to include eliminating limits on inpatient services and allowing Tricare to cover hormone therapy for transgender individuals. The Defense Department will propose several changes to mental health services to better align the military health program with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act."
Defense Department Proposes Rule Change to Provide Medical Benefits for Transgender Troops & Military Dependents
WASHINGTON - February 1, 2016 - Today, the American Military Partner Association (AMPA), the nation's largest organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) military families, responded to the news that the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has proposed a new rule change that will lift the "regulatory prohibition that categorically excludes all treatment of gender dysphoria," thereby extending crucially needed medical care to transgender service members, veterans, and military family members covered under Tricare. The proposed change would not include surgical care which remains prohibited by statute at 10 U.S.C. 1079(a)(11), but would cover care such as hormone replacement therapy.
DNC LGBT Advisory Board Co-Chairs Announced
Last year, the Democratic National Committee took the unprecedented step of creating an LGBT Advisory Board to elevate grassroots LGBT Democratic voices. This Board will work with the DNC to advance LGBT equality, to identify causes of concern to the LGBT community at the local level, and to get out the LGBT and allied vote in order to elect Democratic candidates who respect and support the rights of the LGBT community.
Non-Discrimination Bill Advances in Indiana Legislature With Dangerous Religious Refusal Language
WASHINGTON - January 27, 2016 – Tonight, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, responded to a vote in the Indiana Senate Rules & Legislative Procedure Committee to advance deeply flawed legislation that would unacceptably exclude any and all protections for transgender Hoosiers, would undermine existing protections for race and religion, and would remove the authority of municipalities to pass any new, fully inclusive LGBT non-discrimination protections at the local level. In addition, the proposal now includes a dangerous amendment that is similar to the discriminatory Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) law that passed last year, and it eliminates the so-called "fix" the Legislature eventually passed.
Alarming: South Dakota House of Representatives Passes Extreme Anti-Transgender Student Bill
WASHINGTON – Today, by a vote of 58 to 10, the South Dakota House of Representatives alarmingly passed discriminatory legislation targeting transgender students. Seeking to prevent transgender students in public schools from using facilities consistent with their gender identity, HB 1008 would put state law in direct conflict with the U.S. Department of Education and force public schools to pay the costs of the resulting legal challenges. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, has repeatedly called on the state's lawmakers to stop the discriminatory legislation and slammed today's vote as a vile and shameful attack on transgender students.
Huntsville Hosts Alabama #RuralPride Summit February 4
(Huntsville, AL, January 27, 2016)—The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) will host the next #RuralPride summit in Huntsville, Alabama on February 4. The event, co-hosted by the True Colors Fund, will be held at the Alabama A&M University, Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Building 0870, 4900 Meridian Street North, Huntsville, Alabama, from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
Federal Appeals Court Hears Arguments in Virginia Case to Protect Transgender Student Under Title IX
RICHMOND, Va. January 27, 2016 – The American Civil Liberties Union will appear before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit today to argue that a policy in Gloucester, Virginia segregating transgender students from their peers by requiring them to use "alternative, private" restroom facilities violates federal non-discrimination laws and the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
United We Dream Unveils Largest Survey of LGBTQ Immigrant Community
Washington, DC - January 26, 2016 - United We Dream, the national network of immigrant youth, has just released its "No More Closets" report, the largest national survey of the LGBTQ immigrant community ever conducted.
Damning New Evidence Reveals Indiana Lost At Least $60 Million Due To RFRA Fight Last Year
WASHINGTON - January 26, 20-16 – A brand new survey from Visit Indy is set to be released on Thursday that shows Indiana lost as much as $60 million in convention revenue alone because of last year's disastrous and divisive Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) fight. As reported by the Associated Press late last night, "12 out-of-state groups were surveyed and all said that the state's controversial religious objections law played a role in their decision to hold their events elsewhere. " The news comes as Indiana lawmakers appear poised to double down on the debacle by considering an even more dangerous and extreme measure tomorrow in the Senate Judiciary Committee. This new proposal is a "Super RFRA " – Senate Bill 66 – that could allow anyone who claims a religious exemption the right to discriminate against LGBT Hoosiers, visitors, and other minorities.
GLSEN Launches First Lifestyle Brand to Support LGBT Youth, Safe and Affirming Schools
NEW YORK (January 26, 2015) - GLSEN, the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe and affirming schools for all students, today officially launched the new GLSEN Shop, which includes the first-ever lifestyle brand to support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth and improve school climates.
Slate of Hate: Oklahoma Leads the Nation in Number of Appalling Bills Attacking LGBT People and their Families
WASHINGTON - January 26, 2016 – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, and Freedom Oklahoma, the statewide LGBT advocacy organization, sounded the alarm on a barrage of egregious anti-LGBT bills being pushed in the Oklahoma state legislature by anti-equality activists. With state lawmakers set to convene on February 1 for the 2016 legislative session, at least 26 bills attacking LGBT Oklahomans and their families are already in the docket for consideration – the most of any state in the nation.
Deja Vu All Over Again: Indiana Sees Extreme Anti-LGBT 'Super-RFRA' Advance in Legislature
WASHINGTON - January 25, 2016 – As Yogi Berra famously said, it's deja vu all over again. In a stunning development following last year's divisive and disastrous Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) fight, Indiana lawmakers appear poised to double down on the debacle by considering an even more dangerous and extreme measure this Wednesday. In advance of a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Senate Bill 66, today the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, blasted the proposal that could allow anyone who claims a religious exemption the right to discriminate against LGBT Hoosiers, visitors, and other minorities. The legislation is being pushed by extreme anti-LGBT Republican Senators Michael Young, Phil Boos, Jim Banks, and Dennis Kruse.
South Dakota Anti-LGBT Lawmakers Vote In Favor of Deplorable Legislation Attacking Transgender Students
WASHINGTON -January 25, 2016 – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, expressed outrage at a vote by the South Dakota House State Affairs Committee in favor of discriminatory legislation targeting transgender students. By a vote of 10-3 this morning, the committee voted to advance HB 1008 to the House floor. The deplorable legislation seeks to prevent transgender students in public schools from using facilities that are consistent with their gender identity. The legislation was also amended to require educational institutions to pay the costs of the resulting legal challenges.
Empire Pride Agenda to conclude major operations in 2016; cites priorities achieved

In a press release dated Dec. 12, 2015, Empire Pride Agenda made this announcement: "After 25 years of groundbreaking advocacy and service to New York's LGBT community resulting in over 100 state legislative and policy victories, The Empire State Pride Agenda, New York's statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, will conclude major operations in 2016. In the coming months, the Pride Agenda will identify aspects of its policy work to transition to partner LGBT organizations. The organization will maintain its Political Action Committee (PAC) in order to play a continuing role in electoral politics." The complete press release can be seen at www.prideagenda.org

Anti-Equality Lawmakers in South Dakota Target Transgender Students With Deplorable Legislation
WASHINGTON January 22, 2016 – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, strongly condemned discriminatory legislation targeting transgender students that is gaining traction in South Dakota. Scheduled for a hearing on Monday in the House State Affairs committee, HB 1008 seeks to prevent transgender students in public schools from using restrooms or locker rooms that are consistent with their gender identity and requires taxpayers to assume the costly financial consequences in resulting legal challenges.
Gay Widower SF Bay Area Union Pension Plan Survivor Benefits Lawsuit
(San Francisco, January 22, 2016) – Today, the widower of a hotel telecommunications engineer in San Francisco sued the IUOE Stationary Engineers Local 39 Pension Plan and its Board of Trustees for refusing to provide him with a spousal pension benefit required by the terms of the pension plan and federal law, solely because both spouses are men.
Tide of Anti-LGBTQ Legislation Washes Across the U.S.
January 21, 2016 - Today, Equality Federation launched the Legislative Action Center (LAC). The LAC will empower state-based LGBTQ organizations to hold their ground during turbulent state legislative sessions while also winning nondiscrimination protections and other important policy advances for LGBTQ people and their families. With these new tools, Equality Federation can anticipate committee hearings, floor votes, and other important legislative milestones to help advocates prepare for their on-the-ground work to win equality.
Outrageous Anti-LGBT Legislation Voted Down in Tennessee House Subcommittee
WASHINGTON - January 20, 2016 – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, and Tennessee Equality Project (TEP), the statewide organization working to advance the values of equality and inclusion for LGBT people, praised the news that the House Civil Justice Subcommittee has voted down an extreme measure being pushed by anti-LGBT activists which disgracefully sought to eliminate marriage equality in the state and require the state to defend marriage as "between one man and one woman."
BREAKING: Department of Education Answers HRC's Call for Greater Transparency On Anti-LGBT Religious Exemption Requests
WASHINGTON - January 20, 2016 – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization praised a decision from the U.S. Department of Education to publish a searchable database in the coming months of educational institutions who have sought and/or received an exemption from federal civil rights law in order to discriminate against LGBT students. To help increase transparency and accountability, HRC called on the Department of Education in December to take action in light of this growing and disturbing trend by some religious colleges and universities.
Anti-LGBT Georgia State Senator Introduces Legislation To Enable Discrimination Against Same-Sex Couples
WASHINGTON - January 20, 2016 – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, blasted outrageous legislation introduced in the Georgia State Senate by anti-LGBT Republican Senator Greg Kirk. The so-called First Amendment Defense Act of Georgia would go far beyond protecting the right to practice one's religion – already firmly established in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution – and would promote state taxpayer-funded discrimination against same-sex couples and their families in Georgia.
Lambda Legal Resolves Lawsuit on Behalf of American Military Partner Association for VA Benefits for Same-Sex Spouses
WASHINGTON - January 20, 2016 - Today, Lambda Legal and the American Military Partner Association (AMPA) announced that they are concluding litigation against the US Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) following the VA's changes to its policies on benefits ending discrimination against veterans and their same-sex spouses. The new policies are consistent with the June 2015 US Supreme Court decision in Obergefell that struck down marriage discrimination.
Breaking: Mark Kirk Becomes First Senate Republican to Co-Sponsor the Equality Act
WASHINGTON - January 19, 2016 – The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, hailed U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) for becoming the first Senate Republican to co-sponsor the Equality Act – landmark federal legislation that guarantee explicit, permanent protections for LGBT people from discrimination in many of the most important aspects of their lives. Senator Kirk joins Rep. Bob Dold, (R-IL) who announced his support for the Equality Act last week.
Anti-LGBT Tennessee Lawmaker Shamefully Pushes To Defy the U.S. Supreme Court on Marriage Equality
WASHINGTON - January 19, 2016 – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, and Tennessee Equality Project (TEP), the statewide organization working to advance the values of equality and inclusion for LGBT people, strongly condemned legislation gaining traction in Tennessee that attempts to defy the Supreme Court of the United States on marriage equality. Being pushed by Rep. Mark Pody (R-46), the so-called Tennessee Natural Marriage Defense Act disgracefully attempts to eliminate marriage equality in the state and would require the state to defend marriage as "between one man and one woman." The legislation is scheduled for a hearing tomorrow in the House Civil Justice Subcommittee.
NCLR Statement on U.S. Supreme Court Decision to Hear DAPA/DACA Case
(January 19, 2016, Washington, D.C.)—Today the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review the Fifth Court of Appeal's decision blocking the implementation of the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) program and the expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. By agreeing to hear the challenge to the Fifth Circuit Court's ruling, the Supreme Court has the chance to positively affect the lives of millions of undocumented immigrants and their families, many of whom are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) individuals.
Human Rights Campaign Endorses Hillary Clinton for President
WASHINGTON - January 19, 2016 – The Human Rights Campaign, (HRC) the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, today announced its endorsement of Hillary Clinton for President. HRC's Board of Directors, comprised of 32 community leaders from across the nation, unanimously voted to endorse Secretary Clinton -- an endorsement she will accept next Sunday, January 24 at an event in Des Moines, Iowa with HRC President Chad Griffin and the organization's members and supporters.
Montana Gov Steve Bullock Signs Executive Order Protecting LGBT State Employees
Washington - January 18, 2016 -- Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization hailed Montana Governor Steve Bullock for signing an executive order that will prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity for state employees, as well state contractors and subcontractors.
HRC Celebrates the Legacy of Civil Rights Leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
WASHINGTON - January 18, 2016 – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a trailblazing pioneer whose vision and fearlessness continue to inspire and empower millions people around the world every day.
Secretary of Defense Will Make Final Decision On Transgender Military Ban By Spring
WASHINGTON - January 14, 2016 – Today, the American Military Partner Association (AMPA), the nation's largest organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) military families, responded to the news that the Pentagon is expected to announce it's decision on whether to lift the ban on transgender service members by this spring.
Organization for Refuge, Asylum & Migration Reaction to the State of the Union Address
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - January 12, 2016– As President Barack Obama delivers his final State of the Union Address, the Organization for Refuge, Asylum & Migration (ORAM) - an international non-profit organization devoted to advocating on behalf of the world's most vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers, including those fleeing persecution based on their sexual orientation or gender identity - released the following statement calling on the United States government to fulfill the President's promise to create safety for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) endangered around the world.
BREAKING: Rep. Bob Dold Becomes First Republican to Co-Sponsor the Equality Act
WASHINGTON - January 15, 2016 - The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, hailed Illinois Rep. Bob Dold, who today became the first Republican member of Congress to co-sponsor the Equality Act – landmark federal legislation that would guarantee explicit, permanent protections for LGBT people from discrimination in many of the most important aspects of their lives.
Victory: Wedding Venue Cannot Discriminate Against Same-Sex Couples
January 14, 2016 — The Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court today affirmed that it is illegal for businesses to discriminate based on sexual orientation. The New York Civil Liberties Union victory came in the case of Melisa and Jennifer McCarthy, who were turned away by the Albany wedding venue they chose after the venue owners found out that they were a same-sex couple.
36 LGBTQ Organizations Call on President Obama to Stop the Raids, Provide Immediate Relief to Immigrants
Washington, DC - January 14, 2016 - Today, 36 national and local organizations representing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people sent a letter to Jeh Johnson, Secretary of Homeland Security calling for an immediate end to the Administration's heavy-handed and immoral immigration raids , which have sparked a new wave of terror in immigrant communities across the country. The groups also called on the Administration to provide immediate relief to those fleeing violence and decried the Administration's giving short shrift to due process protections.
Indiana Governor Mike Pence Punts On LGBT Non-Discrimination Protections in State of the State Address
WASHINGTON - January 12, 2016 – Tonight, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, criticized Governor Mike Pence for his failure to clearly call for fully inclusive non-discrimination protections for all LGBT Hoosiers and visitors in his State of the State address. Instead, he chose to follow a non-committal path similar to his lack of leadership on the issue last legislative session.
HRC Calls on Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to Support LGBT Non-Discrimination Protections in his State of the State Address
WASHINGTON - January 11, 2016 – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, urged Indiana Governor Mike Pence to join the overwhelming majority of Hoosiers and endorse fully-inclusive non-discrimination protections for all LGBT people in Indiana during his State of the State address tomorrow night. In the year since Gov. Pence threw Indiana into chaos by signing a law allowing anyone who claims a religious exemption to discriminate against LGBT Hoosiers and other minorities, he has shown little leadership in moving the state forward – despite the fact that an incredible 70 percent of Hoosiers support LGBT non-discrimination protections and the business community is demanding action.
House Republicans Defeat Motion to Safeguard Protections for LGBT Employees of Federal Contractors
WASHINGTON – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, responded to a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives to safeguard President Obama's executive order protecting LGBT employees of federal contractors from discrimination.
SPLC Files New Information in Ethics Complaint Against Chief Justice Roy Moore
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - January 6, 2016 – Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore should be removed from the bench for advising state probate judges to enforce Alabama's same-sex marriage ban, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) said in a new supplement filed today in its ongoing ethics complaint against Moore.
Alabama Chief Judge Efforts to Block Marriage Equality Barred by July Federal Court Order
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - January 6, 2016 - Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore issued an administrative order today attempting to block the implementation of the U.S. Supreme Court's historic marriage equality decision in Obergefell v. Hodge.
Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore Defies Supreme Court, Orders Probate Judges To Discriminate Against Same-Sex Couples
WASHINGTON - January 6, 2016 – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender civil rights organization, strongly condemned a shameful order from Alabama's Chief Justice Roy Moore saying the state's probate judges "have a ministerial duty" not to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples regardless of the Supreme Court's decision affirming a nationwide right to marriage equality.
Oklahoma Wesleyan University President Says He is 'Proud' to Discriminate Against Transgender People
WASHINGTON - January 6, 2016 -- Following the publication this week of a commentary by Everett Piper, president of Oklahoma Wesleyan University, in which he boasts of being "proud" to lead an institution that sought a waiver from the government so that it could discriminate against transgender people, Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality, released the following statement:
Carson Says Bringing Back 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Might Be a Good Idea
WASHINGTON - January 6, 2016 – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, called on all presidential candidates to repudiate the suggestion from Ben Carson that he would be open to returning to a policy in the military where gay, lesbian, and bisexual troops are prevented from serving openly, and continuing to bar transgender troops from openly serving.
Health
'Most Impacted, Least Served': Ensuring Engagement of Transgender People in Global Fund Processes
The IRGT and MSMGF are proud to announce the release of a new report entitled "Most Impacted, Least Served: Ensuring the Meaningful Engagement of Transgender People in Global Fund Processes." The document is produced by the IRGT: A Global Network of Transgender Women and HIV, which has broad cultural, global and geographic representation.
AHF: Ohio Drug Pricing Initiative Moves to General Assembly; Secretary Husted Had No Legal Standing for One Month Delay
COLUMBUS, OH (February 4, 2016) Advocates from AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) and members of Ohioans for Fair Drug Prices today welcomed news that Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted finally forwarded ballot initiative language for The Ohio Drug Price Relief Act to Ohio's General Assembly for its consideration. Husted was legally required under the Ohio Constitution to transmit the proposed law to the legislature on January 4th, but he instead defied his statutory obligation regarding certification of voter signatures and the transmission of the initiative language and instead returned the signatures to local election boards for recertification. The ballot intitiative will amend Ohio law to require state programs to pay the same or less for prescription medications as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs[1] . Backers plan to have the initiative appear on Ohio's November 2016 presidential election ballot.
Despite progress, persistent disparities prolong HIV epidemic among African Americans
African Americans living with HIV are less likely than white or Latino Americans to receive consistent, ongoing medical care, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report published today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). Despite the promising sign of declining HIV diagnoses over the past decade, these findings demonstrate yet another persistent disparity that prolongs the epidemic among African Americans.
Can romantic partner support help ease physical pain?
Headaches, toothaches, stomachaches, pulled muscles, sprained ankles, broken limbs… everyone deals with acute pain at one time or another. To help cope with pain, we often turn to a loved one, but does it actually have a positive effect? That's the question Carol Wilson will attempt to answer when the Colloquium Series in Psychological Sciences and Human Behavior returns to Penn State Behrend. Wilson's talk, "Pain, Passion, and Parturition: Romantic Partner Support During Physical Pain," begins at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 23, in the college's Reed Auditorium. Admission is free and open to the public.
AHF Lauds WHO for Swift Declaration on Zika, Demands More Urgent Global Response than on Ebola
WASHINGTON (February 2, 2016), AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization that provides HIV care, treatment and testing services to over 588,000 individuals in 35 countries, today commended the World Health Organization (WHO), for swiftly declaring a 'Public Health Emergency of International Concern' on Zika virus. WHO officially announced the Declaration on Monday over concerns on an explosion of Zika virus infections mainly found in the Americas, and in particular, Zika's possible association with clusters of microcephaly and neurologic disorders, in accordance with International Health Regulations, (IHR 2005).
Ohio Drug Pricing Ballot Signatures Recertified, but 'Outlaw' Secretary of State Husted Continues to Willfully Obstruct
COLUMBUS, OH (February 2, 2016) Members of Ohioans for Fair Drug Prices today blasted Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted for continuing to willfully obstruct the law by defying his statutory obligations regarding certification of voter signatures and the transmission of ballot initiative language to Ohio's General Assembly for a citizen-driven ballot initiative that will change Ohio law to lower drug prices for all state programs. The proposed law, The Ohio Drug Price Relief Act, will amend Ohio law to require state programs pay the same or less for prescription medications as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Backers plan to have the initiative appear on Ohio's November 2016 presidential election ballot.
AHF: Gilead Billionaire CEO John Martin Steps Down
LOS ANGELES (January 29, 2016) AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization and a vocal critic of drug profiteering and runaway drug pricing, today is shining a light on one of the most egregious practitioners of such greed: Gilead Sciences, the leading HIV/AIDS drug maker, and its billionaire CEO John Martin, who is stepping down after 20 years at the helm with vast riches just as the Bay Area drug company faces increasing heat and scrutiny over its AIDS and Hepatitis C drug pricing, patents & policies.
MSMGF Launches Global Platform to Fast-Track the HIV and Human Rights Responses Among Gay and Bisexual Men and Other MSM
MSMGF is proud to announce, together with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the launch of a Global Platform to achieve ambitious global HIV and human rights targets among gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men. The Platform is a response to accelerated targets set by UNAIDS for the global HIV response, the "Fast-Track strategy" to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. Through the Platform, members will provide strategic advice to United Nations agencies, major donors, and other stakeholders on HIV program needs and priorities for gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men. In all its work, the Platform seeks to "re-center" the global response to HIV around unabated and disproportionate HIV incidence and prevalence in this population worldwide.
AHF Files Federal Lawsuit Against Gilead to Invalidate Patents on Key AIDS Drug
LOS ANGELES (January 26, 2016) AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) filed a federal lawsuit today against Gilead Sciences Inc. seeking to invalidate patents on key AIDS drugs held by the Bay Area drug maker. The legal action was filed today in U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, [Case # 3:16-cv-00443] and concerns Tenofovir, a key HIV/AIDS drug which was first synthesized over thirty years ago in the Czech Republic. Tenofovir is a component in Genvoya, Gilead's four-in-one Fixed Dose Combination (FDC) to treat HIV/AIDS patients as well as Gilead's similar predecessor FDC, Stribild.
The Double Testosterone Marriage
I am pleased to report that I have recently signed a contract to publish my new book "The Double Testosterone Marriage: Monogamy or Open Relationship?" with Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. I will turn in the manuscript in June and the book should be published later in the year.
HRC Foundation Launches Fellowship Program for Young Leaders in Communities Most Affected by HIV
WASHINGTON - January 22, 2016 - Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, announced it is launching an intensive, capacity-building fellowship program for young leaders at the front lines of the fight to end the spread and stigma of HIV.
AHF Applauds Tinder's Decision to Add Health Safety Section Including Healthvana's STD Testing Locator
LOS ANGELES (January 21, 2016) Tinder has added a Health Safety section to its website that will include a link to Healthvana's free HIV and STD testing site locator, following recommendations by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF).
AHF Files FDA Complaint Against Gilead for Truvada PrEP Ads Promoting Off-label Use
LOS ANGELES (January 19, 2016) Advocates from AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) stepped up efforts to ensure that Gilead Sciences, Inc. be held accountable for promoting off-label use of Truvada for use as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV infection. AHF also wants Gilead to be compelled to promote and market use of its AIDS treatment in accordance with FDA statute and regulations as well as other applicable law.
AHF Applauds Congress For Restoring Federal Money For Syringe Exchange Programs
LOS ANGELES (January 12, 2016) — AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) today applauded Congress for partially lifting its longstanding ban on federal dollars being used to support needle exchange programs that have been proven to reduce the transmission of HIV and disease by allowing intravenous drug users to trade in used syringes for new, clean ones. Inserted as a provision in the omnibus spending bill signed by President Obama last month, the legislation, while still prohibiting federal dollars from directly purchasing syringes for needle exchanges, allows for federal funding to be used to support other costs related to these programs, including staff and educational outreach.
Blake Late Show
The New Year is full of hope, happiness, and wellness for us all...if we're willing to grab a hold of it. And I'm starting 2016 with that in mind. I will tell you what I'm doing and my great hope is it will inspire you to do awesome and healthy things in your life too.
AHF: National Coalition of STD Directors Backs Condoms In Adult Films
LOS ANGELES (January 8, 2016) — Today AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) applauded the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD) for its updated policy statement in support of protecting workers in the adult film industry from STDs and HIV. In a letter publicly distributed on December 18th, NCSD Executive Director William A. Smith promotes condom usage in adult film production and writes, "After passing a Policy Statement on Worker Health and Safety in the Adult Film Industry in 2010, NCSD continues to be concerned about insufficient STD and HIV prevention efforts within the adult film industry. This industry creates between 4,000-11,000 films each year with gross revenue of $9-13 billion annually. Yet evidence suggests that the industry fails to take the necessary steps to ensure its thousands of workers are protected from acquiring STDs, including HIV."
AHF: Rise of Drug Resistant Gonorrhea in UK Underscores Need For Adherence To Proven STD Treatment Regimens
LOS ANGELES (January 7, 2016) — A drug-resistant strain of gonorrhea first discovered in the United Kingdom last spring could potentially threaten public health in the U.S. and other countries according to recent warnings by Britain's chief medical officer, Dame Sally Davies, and Dr. Sachin Jain, medical director of HIV prevention programs at Montefiore AIDS Center in Bronx, New York. As reported by CBS News on December 28th, Dame Davies and Britain's chief pharmaceutical officer Dr. Keith Ridge sent a letter to the country's physicians and pharmacists alerting of a "super-gonorrhea" and the need for health professionals to consistently prescribe both antibiotics—injectable ceftriaxone and azithromycin—used to properly threat the sexually transmitted infection. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has called gonorrhea an "urgent threat" and reported in 2013 that about one-third of all gonorrhea cases were resistant to at least one antibiotic. The CDC estimates that more than 800,000 cases of gonorrhea occur annually in the United States.
AHF: Ohio Secretary of State Sued over Delay on Certifying and Advancing Drug Pricing Ballot Initiative for Nov. 2016 Ba
COLUMBUS, OH (January 6, 2016) A lawsuit was filed in the Supreme Court of Ohio (Case # 2016-20) late Wednesday afternoon against Ohio Secretary of State John Husted over, Husted's, "... failure to fulfill his clear statutory obligation to certify and transmit a proposed initiative ("proposed law") to the General Assembly pursuant to Art. II,§ 1b, Ohio Constitution."
Spirituality and Religion
RAC Leader Condemns Protests at LGBT Conference
Washington, D.C., January 25, 2016 – In response to hateful protests at a Jewish-sponsored LGBT event this weekend, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism Director Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner has released the following statement:
Letters, Columnists and Opinion
Words from Mark: Insensitive, anti-Semitic protests
From Philadelphia Gay News: When I was a boy of 13, my grandmother took me to my first civil-rights demonstration to teach me about racism and social justice. She knew those issues well: Our family fled from the pogroms in Russia, others in our family perished in the Holocaust and Grandmom even fought for women's rights.
Philadelphia Gay News: 40 Years Strong and Counting
From Philadephia Gay News: This is a very special week here at PGN On Jan. 3, we marked the 40th anniversary of the first issue of PGN. We'll have an official 40th-anniversary edition and event later in the year; stay tuned for that information.
The Amazon Trail: Aargh! Just Aargh.
In our town we have a small, out of the way thrift store, dark and not heavily patronized except by people who are very down and out. The owner— and who knows her story—sells what she can, but is always willing to help out the homeless with clothing or outdoor equipment that they need to survive in this wet environment where there are beaches for sleeping and woods for encampments, soup kitchens for food, tourists for panhandling, the library for web access.
Contests
Win How to Win at Checkers (Every Time) DVD from Wolfe Video!
Win How to Win at Checkers (Every Time) DVD from Wolfe Video! To enter the contest, fill out the form here between February 19 and March 11. The DVD's release date is February 2, 2016.
Win Portrait of a Serial Monogamist DVD from Wolfe Video!
Win Portrait of a Serial Monogamist DVD from Wolfe Video! To enter the contest, fill out the form here between February 16 and March 8. The DVD's release date is February 9, 2016.
Win Hugo Duchamp Investigates: Un Homme Qui Attend by GN Hetherington
Win Hugo Duchamp Investigates: Un Homme Qui Attend by GN Hetherington! To enter the contest, fill out the form here between February 12 and March 4.
Win Naz & Maalik DVD from Wolfe Video!
Win Naz & Maalik DVD from Wolfe Video! To enter the contest, fill out the form here between February 9 and March 1. The DVD's release date is January 26, 2016.
Win Pulse II from Hot Octopuss!
Win Pulse II from Hot Octopuss! To enter the contest, fill out the form below between February 9 and March 1.
Win Grief Matters by Janice Mann
Win Grief Matters by Janice Mann! To enter the contest, fill out the form here between February 5 and February 26.
Win The Big Book of Kink from Cleis Press!
Win The Big Book of Kink from Cleis Press! To enter the contest, fill out the form here between February 2 and February 23.
Enter to win Wonderful Crazy Night from Elton John!
Enter to win Wonderful Crazy Night from Elton John! WONDERFUL CRAZY NIGHT, the new album from the iconic ELTON JOHN. Produced by T-Bone Burnett and featuring "Looking Up " and "Blue Wonderful." Available February 5: http://po.st/WCNiTpr To enter the contest, fill out the form here between January 30 and February 19.
Win Dirty Dates: Erotic Fantasies for Couples from Cleis Press!
Win Dirty Dates: Erotic Fantasies for Couples from Cleis Press! To enter the contest, fill out the form here between January 29 and February 1
Win TV Finales FAQ from Applause Books!
Win TV Finales FAQ by Stephen Tropiano and Holly Van Buren from Applause Books! To enter the contest, fill out the form here between January 26 and February 1
Miscellaneous
Mental Health Perceptions Survey
Please participate in this survey to help the community better understand the local needs of individuals and families with mental illness in Erie County. Let's provide our community leaders with statistical evidence for the importance of mental health services, education and support. If you would like to enter to win a $100 gas card please enter your contact information at the end of the survey. One lucky winner will be contacted by March 1st to claim their prize!
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