Ang Lee’s Taking Woodstock Opens Tomorrow Nationwide
August 27, 2009
Taking Woodstock, the latest film from director Ang Lee and screenwriter James Schamus, opens tomorrow in wide release. GLAAD’s Entertainment Media team screened the film and is pleased to report that Taking Woodstock follows in the LGBT-inclusive vein of Lee’s previous work.
Demetri Martin (l.) and Liev Schreiber (r.) in "Taking Woodstock"
The film tells the real life story of Elliot Tiber (Demetri Martin), a key figure in organizing 1969’s monumental Woodstock Festival. Elliot, who is gay, had been active in post-Stonewall riots in New York before returning to his parent’s home Bethel, NY. Through a series of events, Tiber helps bring Woodstock to Bethel where he meets thousands of colorful characters.
Among these is Vilma (Liev Schreiber), a transgender woman who is an acquaintance of Elliot’s ex-boyfriend and offers to work security. Though a few jokes are made, Vilma is not played for laughs and easily becomes one of the most likable characters in Taking Woodstock. Indeed, she develops a close friendship with Elliot’s elderly Jewish father that is quite touching. Elliot also finds romance among the visitors in town for three days of peace and music.
Lee, the director of gay cinema classics such as The Wedding Banquet and Brokeback Mountain (for which he won an Academy Award), and Schamus, a GLAAD Media Award Special Honoree in 2008, have again delivered a film that does an excellent job of portraying LGBT stories. Be sure to check it out this weekend in a theater near you.
Related Posts:Openly Gay Captain Hopes to Act as Bridge Between LGBT Community and Sheriff’s Office
August 26, 2009
Raymond Gregory has become the highest ranking openly gay person in one of the nation’s largest sheriff’s office, reports the Press-Enterprise. As captain, Gregory, 45, will oversee sheriff’s jails in Riverside County, California.
As the article notes, relationships between law enforcement officials and the LGBT community have historically been strained. The 1969 Stonewall Riots, the event often considered the beginning of the gay rights movement, was sparked by tensions between the New York police force and the LGBT patrons of the Stonewall Inn. Modern police forces have become more equitable in hiring practices, including being more inclusive of women, minorities, and LGBT people.
Gregory acknowledges the unique position that he is in, and he considers himself as part of a bridge between the LGBT community and the sheriff’s office. He has also said that he would like LGBT people better represented throughout the police force in order to be more like community.
Greg Miraglia, author of the book “Coming Out From Behind the Badge”, says that Gregory’s story is an inspiration. He said that the environment has changed for gay officers since he left the police force in 1978 and compares it to equality for women in the police force. He said, “It’s very much the same thing that women went through when they were first hired in the ’70s and ’80s.” He believes that more officers that come out, the better accepted gay officers will begin to be within the ranks.
Bringing acceptance to the police force is one of Gregory’s goals, and he acknowledges that the sheriff’s office has come a long way.
Last year Gregory orchestrated the Sheriff’s office participating in Palms Springs pride events. The captain, who legally married his longtime partner when California had marriage equality in 2008, got to ride on a float and it became the first time that the Sheriff’s department had participated in Pride events.
On gaining such notable career advancement in a field not necessarily known for their admirable treatment of LGBT people, Gregory said, “It shows that’s not a barrier anymore.”
Related Posts:Dos Casos Alarmantes de Violencia, en Nueva York y Texas/Two Alarming Cases of Violence, in New York and Texas
July 2, 2009
GLAAD is following media coverage of two alarming cases. One involves a young Queens, New York woman, Leslie Mora, 27, who was beaten with a belt by two individuals who shouted anti-gay insults, such as ‘f**got.’
Leslie Mora
The second case involves a bar raid at the Rainbow Lounge in Fort Worth, Texas, where bystanders say police attacked and arrested patrons without provocation. At least one patron was hospitalized and seven others arrested.
Police say they will conduct an investigation. Local residents protested the raid at the county courthouse on Sunday June 28.
This has taken place during the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which helped launch the LGBT rights movement.
Dos Casos Alarmantes de Violencia, en Nueva York y Texas
En GLAAD estamos siguiendo dos casos alarmantes. El primero es de un ataque violento en Queens, New York, donde una mujer transgénera llamada Leslie Mora, de 27, quien fue atacada con un cinturón por dos personas que gritaban insultos anti-gay en español.
Los que la atacaron a Mora, Trinidad Tapia, 19, y Gilberto Ortiz, 32 fueron arrestados después del ataque. Esto fue obviamenteun crimen de odio y se esta pidiendo que asi se trate bajo la ley, dijo Michael Silverman, el Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund.
El segundo caso occurió en Fort Worth, Texas, donde la comunidad gay y transgénera está sumamente alarmada por lo que dicen haber sido un ataque sin provocación de la policía local en un bar gay llamado el Rainbow Lounge. Por lo menos unos de los clientes tuvo que ser llevado al hospital, y estaba en cuidado intensivo. Otros siete fueron arrestados.
La policía ha dicho que investigará. Miembros de la comunidad protestaron delante de las cortes el domingo, 27 de junio. Este es el aniversario de las ruedas de Stonewall en Nueva York, las cuales ayudaron a lanzar el movimiento de derechos gay y transgénero.
Related Posts:Celebrating Pride in New York and Across the Country
June 30, 2009
Hundreds of thousands crowded New York City’s streets Sunday for the city’s annual LGBT Pride festivities. Sunday’s march marked an especially significant occasion for LGBT people and their allies as it commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, the event that most view as sparking the modern LGBT rights movement.
San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago and other cities across the globe celebrated on Sunday as well – marking 40 years to the day since the famed uprising took place.
New York’s march, which ends its two mile course near the historic Stonewall Inn, drew prominent figures from the LGBT movement, both past and present. Dustin Lance Black, who recently won an Oscar for his screenplay Milk, was one of four grand marshals at the parade. Cleve Jones and Anne Kronenberg, both of whom worked closely with the iconic LGBT rights leader, Harvey Milk, also grand marshaled the event. Additionally, hundreds of organizations, companies, and political groups marched in support of the local and national LGBT community.
New Yorkers appeared hopeful that soon they would join the ranks of such states as Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, Delaware and New Hampshire and become the seventh state to legalize marriage for same-sex couples. A bill that would extend marriage protections to same-sex couples is currently pending a vote in the NY senate.
Gov. David Paterson (D-NY), a strong proponent of the bill, was an honorary grand marshal in yesterday’s parade. Gov. Paterson told The Associated Press yesterday that “if we have an end to the stalemate in Albany, [he] would think that [the bill] would be passed shortly after.”
But some were in more somber spirits, reflecting on what they see as President Obama’s lack of commitment to the LGBT community. The New York Times, for instance, published an editorial on Sunday, in which columnist Frank Rich noted that “Obama’s inaction on gay civil rights is striking.”
Rich goes on challenge President Obama to action, saying:
Gay Americans aren’t just another political special interest group. They are Americans who are actively discriminated against by federal laws. If the president is to properly honor the memory of Stonewall, he should get up to speed on what happened 40 years ago, when courageous kids who had nothing, not even a public acknowledgment of their existence, stood up to make history happen in the least likely of places.
Blogger ‘ARDem’, however, said to readers on DailyKos and Pam’s House Blend that LGBT people should celebrate their progress, rather than ruminate over their losses:
the fact that a popular President is being held to task for his lack of action on behalf of [the LGBT] community is something that should be reassuring… instead we could be facing the same things those that went before us did – organized state oppression, a world where hatred of LGBT Americans isn’t simply a disgusting fact of life but something to be expected and uplifted. . .
‘ARDem’ bids his readers to “channel the courage of Stonewall” in their struggle toward equality.
Yesterday, President Obama honored the 40th anniversary of Stonewall alongside 250 plus LGBT leaders in the East Room of the White House.
Shin Inouye, a White House spokesman, said of the event:
[It] is a chance for the White House to recognize the accomplishments of LGBT Americans. Invited guests include families, volunteers and activists, and community leaders. This event was long planned as a way to applaud these individuals during Pride month.
GLAAD’s incoming President, Jarrett Barrios, attended the White House event with his 17-year-old son, Javier. Barrios said the event “was a symbol of the fact that the administration recognizes our community at a time when there has been growing frustration about his administration’s seeming reticence to follow through on campaign promises.”
GLAAD will continue to report on the media’s coverage of Stonewall’s 40th Anniversary. Updates can be found on GLAADblog.org as they become available.
Related Posts:Incoming GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios Statement on White House Event to Commemorate Stonewall
June 29, 2009
New York, NY, June 29, 2009 – Jarrett Barrios, incoming President of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), today joined fellow lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocates as well as President Obama and Mrs. Obama at a reception to commemorate the Stonewall Riots of 1969 — when patrons at a New York city gay bar fought back against police brutality and harassment and set in motion a wave of activism.
“It was an honor to take part in this important event for the gay and transgender community with fellow advocates and my 17-year old son,” said Jarrett Barrios, incoming President of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and former Massachusetts state Senator. “Today’s event, the first time that Stonewall was commemorated by the White House, was a symbol of the fact that the administration recognizes our community at a time when there has been growing frustration about his administration’s seeming reticence to follow through on campaign promises.”
“During his speech today, President Obama said that the road to equality is not only about changing laws, but about changing hearts. Indeed, legal advances are vitally important, but full equality requires us to move our culture – through conversations, living openly in our communities, and through media representations- to a place where gay and transgender Americans are accepted and understood.
“Our community will continue to advocate and will be watching closely to ensure Obama makes good on the promises he discussed today and during the campaign. At the heart of the issues discussed today are everyday Americans who want the same chance as everyone else to earn a living, be safe in their communities, serve their country, and take care of the ones they love.”
Related Posts:GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios Pens Washington Post Op-ed on Stonewall
June 29, 2009
WashingtonPost.com is running an opinion piece by Jarrett Barrios – former Massachusetts state Senator and incoming President of GLAAD – about his attendance at today’s White House event with President Obama commemorating the anniversary of the Stonewall riots. Read an excerpt here:
“I have to admit I was ambivalent when I received the invitation, with its fancy curlicue script (truly, just like my sister’s wedding announcement) and a return address that read simply “The White House.” The problem is that I haven’t been as excited as I’d like to be about President Obama. I’d been excited by Candidate Obama. His campaign invited people like me and my husband Doug — gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans — into his aspirational vision of America the Possible. But, as President Obama, he has presided over an administration that has stumbled — sometimes symbolically, sometimes substantially — in its commitment to include us on the agenda.”
…
“When I told my 17-year-old son Javier about the reception, he could sense that I was torn. From across the dinner table, he looked straight at me: “Papi, you need to go to the White House, and you need to take me. It’s the President.” Not persuaded by that one, kid. “It’s the President, and he needs to see our family, too. To remind him that we’re counting on him.”
Click here to read the full article.
Related Posts:Sundays of Solidarity
April 29, 2009
Atticus Circle and Soulforce are teaming up for a nationwide action involving LGBT equality advocates visiting faith communities across the United States called Sundays of Solidarity (SOS).
The SOS campaign will start May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia, and will end on June 28 – the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion in New York City. Advocates for LGBT equality will visit churches, synagogues and other faith communities across the nation for seven straight Sundays in order to start dialogue about LGBT people and issues with members of faith communities across the nation.
SOS participants will be given training and will attend worship services and other faith community meetings wearing T-shirts and buttons proclaiming “Gay? Fine by Me.”
GLAAD will be assisting both organizations with raising awareness of SOS and amplifying the media coverage of their excellent work. GLAAD previously collaborated with Soul Force and Atticus Circle in 2007 and 2008 in media strategy planning for Seven Straight Nights, a series of vigils and awareness-raising events held across the nation to bring LGBT equality supporters together in demonstrations of public support.
Atticus Circle is an Austin-based organization that educates and mobilizes fair-minded straight people to advance equal rights for LGBT people. Soulforce is known for its Equality Ride, during which they travel around the country to challenge anti-gay policies at Christian colleges or visit American Family Outings at mega-churches to share stories about LGBT families.
In order to promote the Sundays of Solidarity event, Jeff Lutes, Executive Director of Soulforce and Rev. Paul Dodd released the following video where they talk about the inspiration behind the campaign.
Ruggers Campaign for LGBT Equality
December 10, 2008
Let’s give some kudos to our athlete cousins across the pond!
The United Kingdom’s Rugby Football League (RFL) has become the first national governing body of a major sport to support a campaign for LGBT equality. The league announced last week that they have joined British LGBT group Stonewall’s Diversity Champions Programme.
“I am very proud to be a part of an organization that has a genuine commitment to equality and diversity,” RFL’s Equality and Diversity Manger, Sarah Williams said in a press release. “I am confident that the RFL as an organization and the wider Rugby League family will rise to the challenge and look forward working with Stonewall to make a real difference.”
When the new season begins in March, the league will post advertisements like “Some people are gay. Get over it!” on rugby grounds and in programs and fanzines. The RFL will also organize a forum for staff and players on LGBT issues.
This is one of the largest direct actions towards combating homophobia in sports. And it was completely proactive! According to Williams, RFL joined the campaign after regional clubs had success working with local LGBT groups.
American teams could learn a thing or two from the Brits. Go to any major sporting event, and you still hear anti-gay slurs. GLAAD’s office has fielded and taken action on calls from fans who have gone to baseball, football and other sporting events and have heard anti-gay slurs directed toward players and other fans.
But, we have seen improvement. After GLAAD connected The New York Times and some New York hockey fans earlier this year, Katie Thomas wrote about their experiences with homophobia at New York Rangers games. Then, representatives from the Rangers and Madison Square Garden met with former GLSEN executive director Kevin Jennings and Director of the New York Gay Hockey Association Jeff Kagan.
Jennings said they discussed creating a public service announcement and more sensitivity training for Rangers employees. And although Kagan doesn’t attend games as often as he used to, he hasn’t heard as much anti-gay behavior or comments recently.
Efforts to end the chants and slurs are good, but let’s address these anti-gay attitudes BEFORE they are vocalized. Teams can’t wait until someone shouts something hurtful from the stands or a player makes an offensive comment in an interview. It’s alienating and downright scary for LGBT fans.
GLAAD’s Sports Media program continues to work with professional sports organizations to provide more outreach towards fans, and to act quickly and appropriately to show that slurs will not be tolerated at games.
We’re all there (LGBT and straight) to cheer on our favorite teams. And we should feel comfortable and safe to do so.
