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GLAAD partners with Nigerian LGBT leaders to publish report on LGBT acceptance
GLAAD worked with Nigerian LGBT leaders to publish and promote "A Closer Look at Nigeria: Attitudes on Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual People," based on polling done by NOI Polls. In conjunction with the report, GLAAD's Claire Pires interviewed Bisi Alimi of The Bisi Alimi Foundation and Olumide Femi Makanjuola of The Initiative for Equal Rights, to give more context to the polling numbers. While a large majority of the surveyed Nigerians (87%) still expressed support for the anti-gay "Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition" Law, support is steadily decreasing. In 2010, 96% opposed relationships between same-sex couples, and in 2013, 92% supported the law. Over half (52%) of respondents who believe people are born lesbian, gay, or bisexual know someone in their family, a friend, or someone in their locality who is. This familiarity with lesbian, gay, and bisexual people has led people to a better understanding of sexual minorities and is leading to increased support. GLAAD's interviews with Alimi and Makanjuola were published on numerous outlets including Gay Star News and PinkNews. GLAAD's work with Nigeria is a part of GLAAD's Global Voices program, which aims to amplify the voices of LGBT people globally. Read more about the study and watch both interviews here.
Now what? The road ahead for LGBT acceptance
Finally, every American – no matter what state they call home – can marry the person they love. But as we see news reports about committed couples still being turned away from their local clerk’s office, we're reminded that you can’t legislate acceptance. In late 2014, GLAAD commissioned a Harris Poll to measure attitudes toward LGBT Americans and found that about 1 in 3 Americans are still uncomfortable with LGBT people. GLAAD created an infographic to show the work that still needs to be done to ensure equality and acceptance for LGBT people, specifically concerning employment and income, housing and accommodation, immigration, mental health and bullying, healthcare, and violence. Get the info graphic here and help GLAAD accelerate acceptance here.
GLAAD talks with Argentinian radio station about marriage equality in the Latino/a community
GLAAD's Monica Trasandes was interviewed on FM Sonar – 91.3 FM Santa Rosa, a popular radio station in Argentina. The show Bajá un cambio, took a look at how the Supreme Court's decision for marriage equality nationwide affected LGBT Latinos/as in the United States. Trasandes also discussed the many challenges ahead for the LGBT community, including employment discrimination.
GLAAD talks with Episcopal priest following Episcopal Church decision in favor of marriage equality for same-sex couples
On July 1, the 78th General Convention of the Episcopal Church voted in favor of religious marriage rites for same-sex couples. In addition to approving Church recognition of marriage equality, the vote replaced "husband" and "wife" with "the couple" in the ceremonial canon in order to respect LGBT inclusion. GLAAD spoke with the Reverend Thomas Brown, an openly gay Episcopal priest at Parish of the Epiphany in Winchester, Massachusetts about his presence at the historic vote. Read more here.
Photographer turns anti-marriage protest into support for GLAAD
After Clinton Brentwood Lee of Brentwood Photography added a rainbow filter to his business's Facebook profile picture after the Supreme Court marriage equality decision, one of his clients contacted him to let him know that the client and fiancé would no longer be using Brentwood Photography's services for their wedding because they only support marriage between a man and a woman. Lee's reply to the ex-client stated: "At Brentwood Photography, we see love in all forms." The ex-client had also asked for a refund of their retainer. Lee explained to the ex-client that, as stated in his contract, the retainer is nonrefundable and instead, he will be donating the sum to GLAAD. Lee has posted the screenshot of the exchange on social media, and the photo alone on Facebook has received more than 81,000 likes. Read more here.
GLAAD's Spanish-Language team highlights transgender Latino/a stories
GLAAD's Monica Trasandes and Janet Quezada worked closely with the producers of Telemundo's Los Angeles-based show Enfoque Los Ángeles to connect them with transgender advocates Mariana Marroquin and Cris Salamanca to be featured guests on a segment about Latino/a transgender issues. Salamanca is a transgender man from Colombia who is featured in the new documentary El Canto del Colibri, which highlights stories of Latino LGBT people and their accepting dads. Trasandes and Sandra Esqueda of Bienestar were also guests on the segment. The segment addressed topics related to Latina/o transgender people and issues that impact them, including immigration, access to healthcare, employment discrimination, and the importance of family acceptance.
GLAAD featured in Entertainment Weekly emphasizing the need for LGBT representations in the media
In its July 10th issue, Entertainment Weekly ran a timeline of LGBT characters in TV and film in recognition of the historic Supreme Court ruling that brought marriage equality to all 50 states. The magazine interviewed GLAAD's Matt Kane on the lasting impact of several groundbreaking programs. As Kane pointed out, shows like The Real World, Ellen, Will & Grace, and Grey's Anatomy brought about greater understanding and compassion for LGBT people, and ultimately helped shape public opinion on issues like marriage. Kane emphasized that LGBT representation in the media helps accelerate acceptance in the public.
GLAAD's Spanish-language team talks family acceptance in Latino/a community
GLAAD's Monica Trasandes and Janet Quezada met last week with several executives from the media company Entravision, which owns 15 television stations and 12 Spanish language radio stations in key areas with large Latino populations. The team discussed the importance of correct terminology as well as how GLAAD can be a resource and assist with booking guests and devising stories. A few days later, Trasandes was invited to be a guest on El Show de Erazno y La Chokolata, a popular radio show that's heard by more than 3 million listeners. The hour-long on-air discussion focused on family acceptance and coming out in the Latino/a community, and featured a Los Angeles-based gay man alongside Trasandes.
GLAAD endorses and attends annual Trans Day of Action in NYC
On Friday, June 26, GLAAD endorsed the annual Trans Day of Action in New York City, organized by TransJustice at the Audre Lorde Project. The Trans Day of Action is a march and rally designed to bring together trans and gender non-conforming people of color and allies to rise up in solidarity and strength against violence and discrimination while honoring and continuing the struggle for justice, liberation, and recognition for all oppressed people worldwide. Several of the GLAAD staff members, including those from our Transgender Media Program, were in attendance and participated in the march and rally. GLAAD emphasizes that marriage equality is a benchmark and not a finish line, implying that there is more work to be done to achieve equality and acceptance for the LGBT community. Read more here.
GLAAD encourages LGBT people and allies to say I've #GotYourBack at Pride
GLAAD encouraged LGBT people and allies to voice their support for the LGBT community by participating in GLAAD's #GotYourBack campaign during Los Angeles Pride on June 14 at Lisa Vanderpump's popular restaurant PUMP, and during the NYC and San Francisco Pride festivals on June 28. Hundreds of people held signs that read "I've #GotYourBack" as they posed for #GotYourBack-branded photos at GLAAD's photo booth inside PUMP and at GLAAD's photo booth located at the front of the NYC Pride Festival. In addition to the photo booth in New York, GLAAD had our own float that donned the hashtag #GotYourBack as over one-hundred volunteers passed out #GotYourBack magnets and encouraged people to participate in the campaign by voicing their support for acceptance. View photos of GLAAD at the NYC Pride parade here and at the photo booth here, and view photos of GLAAD at San Francisco Pride here.
DoSomething.org staff member comes out as trans and GLAAD says We've #GotYourBack
On July 2nd 2015, DoSomething.org Mobile Engagement Manager, Freddie Bologno, came out as transgender to all 2.4 million members of their text list. In an effort to promote their #Ready4Freddie campaign, which aimed to educate millions of young people worldwide about transgender issues and promote acceptance of transgender people, DoSomething reached out to GLAAD to promote the campaign as well. GLAAD showed its support by tweeting about Freddie and posting on GLAAD's newsroom to show that we #GotYourBack. Read more here.
GLAAD partners with OUTFEST LA for 'I Am Jazz' screening
OUTFEST, the Los Angeles LGBT Film Festival, kicked off July 9 and GLAAD is proud to be a community collaborator again this year. GLAAD partnered with OUTFEST for a preview screening of TLC's upcoming docu-series, I Am Jazz, which follows the life of transgender teen advocate, Jazz Jennings. Nick Adams, GLAAD's Director of Programs for Transgender Media, moderated a panel after the screening with Jazz herself and three other transgender youth. Jazz, Elliot, Zoey, and Scott talked to the audience about their experience as trans youth and why telling their stories in the media is important to them.
GLAAD continues to amplify voices of LGBT people and allies in the U.S. South
During the Southern Stories Summer Tour, GLAAD visited Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia over eight days to meet local advocates and discuss pertinent issues surrounding the LGBT community in the South. Why the South? Why now? In late 2014, GLAAD commissioned a Harris Poll of over 2,000 adult (18+) Americans to examine the state of LGBT acceptance. In conjunction with its Southern Stories Summer Tour, GLAAD released the numbers from Deep South states. Those numbers show that in the South, levels of LGBT acceptance are lower than the rest of the nation. With the tour behind us, GLAAD continues to amplify the stories of LGBT people and allies in the South to accelerate acceptance in those communities. GLAAD published pieces about the moving documentaryA Mississippi Love Story, 5 LGBT Georgians who are changing lives, Blackbird star Julian Walker's message to teenagers, and 6 Mississippians who are accelerating acceptance in the Magnolia state. In addition to publishing a recap video of the eight-day bus tour trip, YouTube star Raymond Braun also published a second video entitled "Overcoming LGBTQ Youth Homelessness in the South" with interviews he conducted during GLAAD's youth event at Lost-n-Found Youth, which provides services for homeless LGBT youth in Atlanta.
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