Tarringo T. Vaughan » New England Gay Issues

Lady Gaga and ‘Modern Family’ amongst GLAAD Media Awards nominees

tarringovaughan — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 21:16:34 +0000

Nominations for the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards were announced on Thursday (Jan. 30). Pop star Lady Gaga, along with hit ABC series “Modern Family” were amongst the 130 nominees announced according to Reuters on Jan. 30.

GLAAD, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy organization, hold the awards annual to recognize inspiring and influential individuals or media entities who have been valuable to the representation and portrayal of the LGBT community in media. READ MORE

Daughter pens open letter to billionaire dad to accept that she’s gay

tarringovaughan — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 21:57:29 +0000

Gigi Chao, the lesbian daughter of the billionaire Hong Kong tycoon who made an offer of up to $500 million Hong Kong dollars to any man who could change his daughter, has penned an open letter to her father. According to CBS News on Jan. 28, Chao just wants her father to accept who she is.

Cecil Chao made headlines with the offer, as he believed it wasn’t to late for his daughter to be changed back to straight by the right man. Although he claimed he had many respondents to the offer, no man was successful because Gigi is happily married to the woman that she loves and simply is who she is. In the letter, Gigi asks her father not to “be afraid” of her partner and accept her nine year relationship. READ MORE

Hundreds rally in state Capitol to press gay marriage issue in Illinois

tarringovaughan — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 19:06:23 +0000

Gay marriage supporters are lobbying for the state of Illinois to become the next state to legalize same-sex marriage. According to the Chicago Tribune on October 22, hundreds of advocates turned out for a rally in the state Capitol in hopes of persuading lawmakers to finally vote in favor of a proposal that have been stalled for months.

Gay rights organizations have turned up efforts ever since the a gay marriage bill passed by the Senate was turned down by the House. If gay marriage was to by passed by the house, Governor Pat Quinn promised to sign the bill. That is just how close the state of Illinois is and advocates are hopeful that the legalization of gay marriage in the neighboring state of Minnesota and also the historic Supreme Court ruling striking down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) has shifted momentum and provided a change in opinion amongst lawmakers who return for the start of the fall veto session. READ MORE

John Greyson freed: Gay Canadian filmmaker released from imprisonment

tarringovaughan — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 15:48:18 +0000

According to a report by the Hollywood Reporter on October 6, Sunday was a liberating day for Canadian filmmaker John Greyson and physician Dr. Tarek Loubani as both was released from their imprisonment in Cairo. The duo has been held in a Cairo prison since Aug. 16.

Both Greyson and Loubani were arrested for coming to the aide of wounded Islamic citizens who were involved in protests around a mosque in Rames Square. The unrest surrounded the ouster of Islamic President Mohammed Morsi in a coup. As the protesters clashed with police officers, Greyson recorded the incident where they saw over 50 Egyptians die. READ MORE

National Cathedral dean calls homophobia and heterosexism a sin

tarringovaughan — Sun, 06 Oct 2013 21:58:02 +0000

The main argument for those against homosexuality is that it is a sin and goes against the teachings of the Bible. But the Bible doesn’t teach hatred and that’s the message the dean of Washington National Cathedralsent out during a weekend of events for gay youth at the church. As the Associated Press reports on October 6, Rev. Gary Hall has labeled homophobia a sin.

Hall used the killing of Matthew Shepard and the suicide Tyler Clementi to support his message to you that “shaming people for whom they love is a sin.” He also stated in his Sunday sermon the church’s role in calling out homophobia and heterosexism as a sin. READ MORE

Steve Grand to perform ‘All American boy’ at GLSEN Respect Awards

tarringovaughan — Sun, 06 Oct 2013 13:24:19 +0000

Singer and songwriter Steve Grand, who took YouTube by storm with the video release of his hit song “All American Boy” is scheduled to perform the song at the GLSEN Respect Awards according to a report by the Hollywood Reporter on October 5.

The gay singer rose to broader recognition as the video received 1.5 million views in just the first two weeks after being released back in July. The success of the song, about a gay boy’s unrequited love for a straight friend, led to appearances on ABC’s “Good Morning America” and “CNN Newsroom” for Grand. GLSEN’s Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, is excited to have Grand a part of the special night. READ MORE At Examiner.com