May, 2018 News (40 Articles with 103,178 total views)

On the cover of the print edition for May, 2018 Gender Discussion event put on by TransFamily of NW PA at Blasco Public Library on March 27.

This began publication in December 2002 after a hiatus

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Calendar & Upcoming Events

Calendar of Local GLBT Events

Up to date listing of events and meetings.

Local and Regional News

Voters Guide

Voters Guide
Candidates for US Senate, US Congress PA-16, PA Governor, and PA State House were asked about their positions on GLBT issues.
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Deadline for May 2018 print edition (issue # 270) of Erie Gay News is Sunday, April 15

Deadline for May 2018 print edition (issue # 270) of Erie Gay News is Sunday, April 15
For the next print edition of Erie Gay News (issue # 270, cover dated for May 2018), please send in calendar events, news items, and other info for late April 2018 and beyond by Sunday, April 15. We expect that the next print edition will come out on Tuesday, April 24. Please note that this edition will feature our Voters Guide!
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TransFamily of NW PA Community Discussion on Gender

On Tuesday, March 27, 2018, TransFamily of NWPA held a community discussion on gender at the Blasco library.  To recognize International Transgender Day of Visibility, the library also had a display filled with books with trans topics and memoirs available to patrons.  Tyler Titus shared his personal experiences, including poetry.  Two youth, Jewels and Eli also moved the audience with their stories.  About 25 people were in attendance.
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Entertainment and Travel

Alleyway Theatre to host PHANTOM UNMASKED, a benefit April 30

Buffalo, New York --- For one performance only on Monday, April 30 at 7:30pm, the national touring company of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA will partner with Alleyway Theatre to present a benefit concert to raise money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and as part of the fundraising efforts of the WNED/WBFO Artie Awards to benefit ECMC's HIV/AIDS and Immunodeficiency Services.
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Political, Activism and Legal

GLAD Celebrates Historic Passage of Transgender Nondiscrimination Bill in New Hampshire

May 2, 2018 - In a bipartisan 14-10 vote, the New Hampshire Senate today passed HB 1319, a bill that will provide explicit comprehensive nondiscrimination protections for transgender people in employment, housing, and public spaces. The House passed HB 1319 in March by a strong bipartisan vote and the bill now goes to Governor Sununu for his signature. Once the bill is signed into law, New Hampshire will join 18 other states, including every state in New England, in providing comprehensive protections for transgender people.
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ACLU: Crunch Fitness Gym Sued for Refusing To Let Transgender Woman Use Women's Locker Room

SAN DIEGO - May 2, 2018 – The ACLU Foundation of Southern California; ACLU Foundation of San Diego and Imperial Counties; and law firm Nixon Peabody LLP today moved to join a state lawsuit on behalf of Christynne Wood, a transgender woman denied use of women's bathrooms and locker rooms at a Crunch Fitness gym in El Cajon.
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New Report on LGBTQ Poverty Shows Need for More Resources and Research

Washington, D.C. - May 1, 2018 -As the Trump administration works to undermine the historic progress made toward full LGBTQ equality, a new report highlights a harsh reality: LGBTQ people are more likely than their peers to live in poverty.
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Statement from NCLR's Kate Kendell on the Passing of Dykes on Bikes Founding Member Soni Wolf

SAN FRANCISCO - May 1, 2018 -Dykes on Bikes today announced that founding member Soni Wolf, "an inspiring mother of the movement for lesbian pride and dignity" died on Wednesday, April 25 of natural causes at the age of 69. The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and the Brooke Oliver Law Group represented Dykes on Bikes in an action to register its name with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which had initially rejected the application on the grounds that the term "Dykes on Bikes" is disparaging to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. On July 11, 2007, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued a final ruling affirming the group's trademark of the name "Dykes on Bikes."
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Expert Report Refutes Pentagon Rationale for Transgender Ban

San Francisco, CA - April 30, 2018 - As reported in a New York Times editorial this morning, a panel of retired military Surgeons General and Palm Center scholars has released a report refuting the Pentagon's rationale for reinstating ?the? ban on transgender military service. The 55-page report finds that the Defense Department made "a series of erroneous assertions and mischaracterizations about the scientific research" on the health and fitness of transgender people, conducting a "selective review of the evidence" and "distorting the findings of the research it cites."
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Cynthia Nixon announces run for New York governor

Cynthia Nixon announces run for New York governor
Cynthia Nixon announced March 19 that she would be running for New York governor, challenging Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo in this year's Democratic primary. The 51-year-old actress has never served in office before, and will be running against an established encumbent. She is running as a progressive. Cynthia is married to longtime education organizer Christine Marinoni.
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Rachel Levine appointed to Gov. Wolf's cabinet

Rachel Levine appointed to Gov. Wolf's cabinet
On March 20, Rachel Levine was confirmed by the Pennsylvania Senate as Governor Tom Wolf's Secretary of Health. She will remain the state Physician General. Three other women were approved: Secretary of Human Services Teresa Miller, Secretary of the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs Jennifer Smith and Insurance Commissioner Jessica Altman.The appointment makes Rachel Levine the highest ranking transgender government official in Pennsylvania.
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Equality Pennsylvania 2018 endorsements

Gov. Wolf, Legislative Dems Announce Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Protections

Gov. Wolf, Legislative Dems Announce Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Protections
On April 5, Governor Tom Wolf joined House and Senate Democrats to announce a package of reforms to strengthen protections against sexual harassment and discrimination for employees, provide new legal options for victims and hold those who are responsible accountable for their actions.
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ACLU of NW PA Annual Meeting: "Civil Liberties at State Capitol in the Era of The Resistance"

Join the ACLU of Pennsylvania's Legislative Director Liz Randol for a round-up of the General Assembly's latest legislative session and what's ahead. Learn more about the legislative session and how it affects civil liberties in PA. Hot topics will be discussed, including transgender equality, immigration, reproductive rights, and criminal justice reform. The event is at La bella Restaurant and Catering, 802 W 18th St, Erie, PA, Sunday, May 6 from 3 PM - 5 PM, and is free and open to the public. Light Refreshments will be provided. RSVP is requested to RSVP call 877-424-2258 or send an email to northwestchapter@aclupa.org and include your name and number of seats requested.
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California Assembly Passes Bill to Ban "Conversion Therapy"

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - April 19, 2018 - Legislation to ban efforts to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity, sometimes called "conversion therapy" or "reparative therapy," passed in the California Assembly this morning with a bipartisan vote of 50-14 (pending additional votes from members who were not present in the chamber at the time of the initial tally). Assemblymember Evan Low's AB 2943, cosponsored by Equality California and the Trevor Project, would make California the first state in the nation to ban these widely discredited practices from being performed on both children and adults.
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HRC Exposes "The Real Mike Pence" -- From His History of Anti-LGBTQ Fanaticism to His Assault on American Institutions

WASHINGTON - April 19, 2018 - Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, launched "The Real Mike Pence," a comprehensive campaign -- including a scathing report and microsite -- exposing the vice president's long history of anti-LGBTQ animus and shining a spotlight on the inordinate influence he and his inner circle wield in the administration. As part of the campaign, HRC will also be launching a series of videos exposing Mike Pence's record; today The Real Mike Pence campaign launches with a look at his career of attacks on LGBTQ people: WATCH.
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Leaders and Advocates: Duncan and Vitter Are Unfit to Serve as Judges in Louisiana

WASHINGTON - April 16, 2018 – Today, civil rights leaders and Louisiana advocates held a telephone press briefing in opposition to President Trump's nomination of Stuart Kyle Duncan to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and Wendy Vitter to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
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Equality Ohio: South Euclid is the 20th Ohio municipality to enact LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination law

SOUTH EUCLID, OH - April 9, 2018 ––At tonight's council meeting, South Euclid, Ohio passed LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination protections in a unanimous vote.
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Civil and Human Rights Groups Urge Senate to Reject Pompeo

WASHINGTON – The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights joined 54 other civil and human rights groups in urging U.S. Senate opposition to the confirmation of Secretary of State nominee Michael Pompeo. The groups noted Pompeo's troubling history of statements and policy positions, which imperils his ability to represent all in America and to promote human rights abroad.
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Equality Pennsylvania endorses John Fetterman for Lt. Governor

Harrisburg, PA - April 5, 2018  – Equality Pennsylvania, the Commonwealth's leading LGBTQ advocacy organization has endorsed Braddock Mayor John Fetterman for Lieutenant Governor during the state's upcoming Primary Election on Tuesday, May 15, 2018.
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Equality Federation Statement: Anti-Transgender Proposition Defeated in Anchorage

April 6, 2018 - Equality Federation celebrates the defeat of anti-transgender Proposition 1 in Anchorage, Alaska and congratulates our member organization Alaskans Together for Equality and Fair Anchorage for this hard-fought victory.
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State Lawmakers Emphasize Crucial Need to Pass the Pennsylvania Fairness Act

WASHINGTON - April 5, 2018 -- Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, released the following statement after Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf and state lawmakers renewed calls for the passage of SB 613, the Pennsylvania Fairness Act. "We welcome these renewed calls to pass the Pennsylvania Fairness Act, which would extend equal and comprehensive non-discrimination protections to LGBTQ Pennsylvanians," said HRC Pennsylvania State Manager Allison Van Kuiken. "But Governor Wolf and the bill's cosponsors cannot drive progress alone. For too long, lawmakers in the General Assembly have refused to take action to protect the thousands of LGBTQ Pennsylvanians at risk of losing their jobs or being denied services simply because of who they are. Make no mistake, come November, the overwhelming majority of Pennsylvania voters who support equality will hold their lawmakers accountable at the ballot box. No matter who they are or whom they love, all Pennsylvanians deserve to be able to live, work and thrive in their communities free from unfair and unjust discrimination."
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Rep. Dan Frankel welcomes Gov. Wolf call for Fairness Act, other Pa. non-discrimination updates

Rep. Dan Frankel welcomes Gov. Wolf call for Fairness Act, other Pa. non-discrimination updates
HARRISBURG, April 5 – House Democratic Caucus Chairman Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, is welcoming Gov. Tom Wolf's renewed call to strengthen Pennsylvania's non-discrimination law. Frankel is the lead House sponsor of the Pennsylvania Fairness Act (H.B. 1410), which would include sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in the types of discrimination banned statewide in the workplace, housing and public accommodations.
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Health

New campaign to elevate voices of trans people living with HIV in national conversation about health care

(Oakland, CA - April 30, 2018) -- Transgender Law Center's Positively Trans project today launched #ACApositive, a campaign to shift the conversation about health care and the Affordable Care Act towards a focus on the life-or-death stakes for transgender people living with HIV. Launching just a week after news broke that the Trump administration plans to attack the Affordable Care Act's protections for transgender people, the campaign seeks to amplify the experiences and voices of transgender people of color living with HIV in federal health care policy.
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Coming Out Is Mental Health

I've been married for 5 years and it's a sham.  I want to come out, but, I'm scared to death that everyone I know will turn against me.   I have two young kids – a 6-month-old baby girl and a 3-year-old boy – who I love more than anything, and I'm afraid my wife would keep me from ever seeing them again.   I read in your column last year that it's mentally healthy to come out, but is it really worth all the pain it causes?  Please help me make my decision.
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Letters, Columnists and Opinion

Future World LGBT Leaders

From Mark Segal of Philadelphia Gay News: This week I had a great honor. While we in the United States are concerned with the state of our struggle for equality, and worry each day how the Trump administration wants to dismantle the gains we've made, I had the opportunity to meet this week as part of a program from the U.S. State Department called the International Visitor Leadership Program. Seventeen future leaders from central and South America visit the United States, and what the program does is try to show young future leaders of various countries how the U.S. political system operates. Part of that is community involvement, including the LGBT community. The fact that this is still being done under Trump makes me wonder how long before Mike Pence pounces on it.
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The Amazon Trail: The Terlet

When I objected, starting around the age of four or five, to commercials on the radio, I had no idea what the future of marketing would hold for us all. Why, I asked, was "The Lone Ranger" interrupted to sell Silvercup Bread? Was it because of his silver bullets? Well, yes, it was considered a terrific marketing tie-in. I hated ads then and I hate them now when the once open internet has become a mammoth shopping mall for which we pay with our privacy.
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Finding common ground in LGBT Health centers

from Mark Segal of Philadelphia Gay News: Last week, the LGBT medical clinic in Philadelphia, Mazzoni Center, which serves more than 35,000 clients, announced that the board had appointed a new CEO. Lydia Gonzalez Scirarrino, it turns out, is not LGBT, and that seemed to distress some people in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection. How could a non-LGBT person head an organization that has a majority of its clients from the LGBT community?
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Contests

Enter to win Treehouse by Sofi Tukker!

Enter to win Treehouse by Sofi Tukker!
Enter to win Treehouse by Sofi Tukker! To enter the contest, fill out the form here between Friday, May 18 and Friday, June 8.
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Enter to win Remember by Three Baritones!

Enter to win Remember by Three Baritones!
Enter to win Remember by Three Baritones! To enter the contest, fill out the form here between Friday, May 11 and Friday, June 1.
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Win Fifty Shades Freed Blu-Ray!

Win Fifty Shades Freed Blu-Ray!
Win Fifty Shades Freed Blu-Ray! To enter the contest, fill out the form here between Tuesday, May 8 and Tuesday, May 29.
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Enter to win Three Ring Circus e-book from Riverdale Avenue Books!

Enter to win Three Ring Circus e-book from Riverdale Avenue Books!
Enter to win Three Ring Circus e-book from Riverdale Avenue Books! To enter the contest, fill out the form here between Friday, May 4 and Friday, May 25.
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Enter to win Kimbra's PRIMAL HEART!

Enter to win Kimbra's PRIMAL HEART!
Enter to win Kimbra's PRIMAL HEART!  PRIMAL HEART is the new album from Grammy-winning artist, Kimbra, featuring the single "Top of the World."  PRIMAL HEART isout now.  Enter now for a chance to win!  Pre-order or stream PRIMAL HEART here: https://kmbra.me/primalheart. To enter the contest, fill out the form here between Tuesday, May 1 and Tuesday, May 22.
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Enter to win Sex & Cigarettes CD from Toni Braxton!

Enter to win Sex & Cigarettes CD from Toni Braxton!
Enter to win Sex & Cigarettes CD from Toni Braxton! To enter the contest, fill out the form here between Tuesday, May 1 and Tuesday, May 22.
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Enter to win Lisa Stansfield's album DEEPER

Enter to win Lisa Stansfield's album DEEPER
Enter to win Lisa Stansfield's album DEEPER. DEEPER is the new album from legendary pop-soul diva, Lisa Stansfield, featuring new tracks "Never Ever," "Billionaire" and more! To enter the contest, fill out the form here between Friday, April 27 and Friday, May 18.
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Enter for the chance to win an "I Feel Pretty" prize pack!

Enter for the chance to win an 'I Feel Pretty' prize pack!
Enter for the chance to win an I Feel Pretty prize pack! Change everything without changing anything. In I Feel Pretty an ordinary woman who struggles with feelings of insecurity and inadequacy on a daily basis wakes from a fall believing she is suddenly the most beautiful and capable woman on the planet. With this newfound confidence she is empowered to live her life fearlessly and flawlessly, but what will happen when she realizes her appearance never changed? To enter the contest, fill out the form here between Tuesday, April 24 and Tuesday, May 15.
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Enter to win a Charlie Puth prize pack!

Enter to win a Charlie Puth prize pack!
Enter to win a Charlie Puth prize pack! "Done For Me" is the newest single from pop star Charlie Puth, featuring Kehlani!  Win copies of the single and exclusive Charlie Puth prizes. Listen to the single "Done For Me" now: https://youtu.be/1SnWTW6YXbE Preorder "Voicenotes" here: https://Atlantic.lnk.to/VoiceNotes. To enter the contest, fill out the form here between Tuesday, April 24 and Tuesday, May 15.
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Miscellaneous

Tips for Making the Mortgage Application Process Easier

If you're preparing to buy your first home, you're probably not very familiar with the mortgage process. When you go in to get pre-approved or to apply for a loan, you may be surprised at the amount of paperwork and information needed. Additionally, you may also not be clear on the amount of down payment required or any other issues that can come up with a mortgage. These tips will help you be more prepared for applying for a mortgage and for avoiding some of the pitfalls that many first-time homebuyers run in to.
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Tips to Avoid Paying More for Your Mortgage

Buying a house is a major financial commitment. You want to be certain you're getting the best mortgage rate and terms, and that you will be able to afford your mortgage payment now and into the future. Unfortunately, some people don't really shop around or look at their mortgage options when buying a home. Someone who may spend hours researching and comparing prices for technology or a new car will take the first loan offer they receive.
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New Data Analysis Finds Strong Consensus on Effectiveness of Gender Transition Treatment

New Data Analysis Finds Strong Consensus on Effectiveness of Gender Transition Treatment
Ithaca, NY - April 9, 2018 - A new analysis conducted by researchers at the What We Know Project, an initiative of Cornell University's Center for the Study of Inequality, reviewed more than twenty-five years of scholarship on transgender mental health and found a strong consensus that undergoing gender transition can improve transgender well-being. The year-long review screened over 4,000 studies and identified 56 that assessed whether gender transition improves the mental well-being of transgender individuals. The analysis concluded that 93% of the studies found positive effects of gender transition, indicating "a robust international consensus in the peer-reviewed literature that gender transition, including medical treatments such as hormone therapy and surgeries, improves the overall well-being of transgender individuals."
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