You're Invited to a Call with Senator Michael Bennet on LGBT Aging Issues

November 27, 2012  2:30 – 3:30 PM

Join SAGE, One Colorado and Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) for a special call on LGBT inclusion in the Older Americans Act.

Event Details

Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) and One Colorado invite you to a conversation with Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) about the LGBT Elder Americans Act of 2012. Join Senator Bennet and leaders in the LGBT and aging fields to discuss how this act would increase services and supports to millions of LGBT older adults nationwide.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012, 2:30 pm EST

The LGBT Elder Americans Act of 2012 proposes several amendments to the Older Americans Act (OAA), the country’s largest vehicle for funding and delivering services to older people. The OAA is currently up for reauthorization and includes no mention of LGBT older adults. Participants in the call will learn more about the bill, and its potential impact on aging providers and LGBT older adults.

The presentation, followed by a Q&A session, will feature:

-Senator Michael Bennet

-Michael Adams, Executive Director, SAGE

-Brad Clark, Executive Director, One Colorado

-Sandy Markwood, CEO, National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a)

-Shari Wilkins, Program Coordinator, SAGE of the Rockies

Phone Number: (805) 399-1200, Participant Access Code: 917325

No RSVP required. Reposted at http://www.keystothecloset.blogspot.com,

Promoting Well Being for LGBT Youth at Univ. at Albany

TheSOGIProject The Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity Project at the University at Albany School of Social Welfare Presents   Promoting Well-being for LGBT Youth

Friday, November 16th, 2012 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM   SUNY Albany, Downtown Campus Husted Amphitheater 106A    The Critical Role of Families in Reducing Risk for Suicide & Other Health Problems with Caitlin Ryan, PhD, ACSW, Director, Family Acceptance Project, SF State University   This workshop will present compelling new research on LGBT youth and families from the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University on the dramatic influence families have on their LGBT children's health, mental health and well-being. Family acceptance protects against risk and helps promote well-being, while family rejection is related to serious health and mental health concerns including depression, suicidality, substance abuse and STDs. Dr. Ryan will discuss key findings and an evidence-based family intervention model to help ethnically and religiously diverse families support their LGBT children. Revolutionary and paradigm-changing, this work is changing how LGBT youth are served across multiple domains and systems of care.        Caitlin Ryan, PhD, ACSW is a clinical social worker who has worked on LGBT health and mental health for nearly 40 years. She is the Director of the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University. Dr. Ryan received the American Psychological Association, Division 44 Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award and the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association Achievement Award for groundbreaking research on LGBT youth and families. Her family education publications have been designated as the first "Best Practice" resources for suicide prevention for LGBT people by the national Best Practices Registry for Suicide Prevention. Dr. Ryan has trained more than 30,000 providers, clergy, families and youth on her research and evidence-based family approach across the U.S., Mexico, Spain, Latin America and China.     $25 professionals/$10 students (scholarships available)  includes lunch and training materials   REGISTRATION:  (518) 462-6138 (Box 12) or sogi@albany.edu www.albany.edu/ssw/Academic/sogi.shtml   This workshop is made possible through the generous support of the University at Albany Diversity Transformation Fund, NYS Office of Mental Health's Suicide Prevention Initiative, the Northeast Division of NASW NYS, The Sage Colleges, Rainbow Access Initiative, and the Pride Center of the Capital Region's LGBT Mental Health Substance Abuse Network.

Reposted at http://www.keystothecloset.blogspot.com

Equality Landslide

From marriage campaigns to reelecting President Obama and other priorities, LGBT Americans were the big winners on election night
 
Reposted at http://www.keystothecloset.blogspot.com,

WASHINGTON – Following the largest-ever mobilization of the nation’s LGBT community, the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender civil rights organization, is celebrating last night’s landslide victories for equality.

During this election cycle alone, HRC, along with our energized supporters, raised and contributed more than $20 million to reelect President Obama and to advance marriage equality and other electoral. And this historic investment paid off.

From the reelection of the most pro-LGBT President in American history, to the election of the first ever openly gay person to the U.S. Senate, to a record level of LGB representation in Congress, to groundbreaking wins at the ballot box for marriage equality (three states and counting), 2012 was a milestone year with a clear mandate for equality moving forward.

To discuss these victories and their significance moving forward, HRC President Chad Griffin will host a national press call at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time.  To participate in the call, dial (888) 814-4335 at 12:30 p.m.  Conference ID # 69007501.

HRC President Chad Griffin released the following statement:

“When the history books are written, 2012 will be remembered as the year when LGBT Americans won decisively at the ballot box.  The dreams of millions of fair-minded Americans were realized as discrimination crumbled and equality prevailed.”

A snapshot of last night’s historic victories is detailed below.

Pro-Marriage Equality President Wins Reelection

• President Barack Obama is the most pro LGBT equality President in American history, not least for his wholehearted endorsement of marriage equality. He is the first sitting president to have come out publicly for marriage equality and the first marriage equality president to have been re-elected.  

 

• Despite the dire predictions of anti-LGBT organizations, the President’s pro-equality positions strengthened his candidacy and contributed to his victory.

First Openly Gay Senator

• Voters shattered a glass ceiling last night when Tammy Baldwin became the first openly gay person elected to the United States Senate and the first female Senator-elect in the history of the Wisconsin delegation.

 

• Baldwin is no stranger to making history. She was the first non-incumbent openly gay member of the House of Representatives following her election in 1998. And upon Congressman Barney Frank’s retirement at the end of the 112^th Congress, Baldwin will become the longest-serving openly gay member of Congress.

                                                                                      

• Inclusive representation in Baldwin’s House district will continue, as openly gay state representative Mark Pocan was elected to succeed her last night.

Pickup of Fair-Minded and Openly LGB Members of Congress

• This was a landmark year for the election of LGB members of Congress. In addition to Tammy Baldwin’s victory on the Senate side, at least 5 (and as many as 6) openly LGB people will be elected to the House of Representatives. This means that LGB representation in Congress will be at a record high of 6 and potentially 7. This is up from 4 members this Congress.

 

• Among these victorious candidates is California’s Mark Takano, the first openly gay person of color elected to Congress. And Arizona’s Kyrsten Sinema would be the first openly bisexual member of Congress, though most major networks have not yet called this race.

 

• LGBT voters are celebrating the victories of our straight allies as well. The United States Senate saw a net gain of four pro-marriage equality Senators—Chris Murphy in Connecticut, Elizabeth Warren in Massachusetts, Angus King in Maine and Martin Heinrich in New Mexico. And Hawaii’s Mazie Hirono and Wisconsin’s Tammy Baldwin will continue the pro-marriage equality record of their predecessors.  

Marriage Wins at Ballot Box for First Time

• Voters made history last night by affirming marriage equality in Maine, Maryland and Minnesota

 

• Marriage equality is currently leading in Washington State as well, with additional results expected later today.  

 

• This is the very first time that marriage equality has been approved by popular vote at the ballot box. As a result, one victory for marriage equality would have been historic, three or more is nothing short of a sea change.

 

• In each of these four states, pro-equality advocates outworked our adversaries and dedicated ourselves to changing hearts and minds.

 

• According to the campaign disclosure reports for each of the states, the pro-equality coalitions raised $32.7 million to guarantee these victories, while anti-equality organizations raised $11.3 million, including $1.3 million from the Catholic Church.

 

• HRC has invested $8.4 million during the 2012 election cycle to legislative and electoral marriage efforts, including $5.5 million in these four campaigns.

 

• These victories were made possible because of enthusiastic and diverse faith coalitions, widespread business support from the likes of General Mills, Starbucks, Nike and Reuters and civic organizations of all stripes coming together to stand up for fairness. The President and Mrs. Obama’s steadfast support for marriage equality was a critical lynchpin.

Voters Retain Iowa Justice Who Decided for Marriage

• Fair-minded Iowa voters beat back an attempt led by the National Organization for Marriage to politicize and undermine Iowa’s independent judiciary.

 

• Justice David Wiggins—one of the Iowa Supreme Court justices who took part in a unanimous 2009 decision affirming marriage equality in the state—faced a campaign similar to those which successfully ousted three of his colleagues two years ago.

 

• This attempt was stopped in its tracks, dealing a blow to a dangerous precedent which would undermine independent judiciaries around the country.

LGBT Voters Flex Political Muscle, Break for President

• LGBT voters and fair-minded allies turned out in droves to support President Barack Obama’s re-election. The national exit poll found that lesbian, gay and bisexual voters increased their overall share of the electorate to 5%, and that this group increased its overall support for the President by 7% to a high of 77%. 

The States

• There are important fights still to come, and last night’s election laid the groundwork for our future progress.

 

• We celebrated the election of pro-marriage equality advocate and former New Hampshire Senate Majority Leader Maggie Hassan to the governor’s mansion in the Granite State. Her victory means attempts to roll back New Hampshire’s popular marriage equality law are dead in their tracks.

 

• And new Democratic majorities in the Colorado and Minnesota state legislatures provide real opportunities to win relationship recognition there in the months to come.

 

To participate in the call, dial (888) 814-4335 at 12:30 p.m.  Conference ID # 69007501.

The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

San Francisco GLBT Museum Attacked By Vandals

HISTORY REPEATS

The GLBT Museum in San Francisco fell prey to vandals early Monday morning, when two broken plate-glass windows were discovered at the Castro District institution. The museum, founded in 1985, is the only full-time, standalone cultural center devoted to queer history in the U.S.

“When the alarm sounded at 4:50 this morning, the security firm immediately summoned the San Francisco Police Department and notified our staff, who were on the scene very quickly,” says museum director Paul Boneberg.

None of the artifacts or displays were damaged, though it’s unclear if anti-gay animus or Halloween hijinks are to blame—or if the incident had any connection to October being LGBT History Month.
The museum was closed on Monday for repairs but is now open for its regular hours.

The cost of fixing the windows is still undetermined but it’s expected to be at least several thousand dollars. Donations are being accepted on the museum website. “We’re grateful for the outpouring of support we are already receiving from people in San Francisco and around the world,” said Boneberg.

“That support speaks to the important role the museum plays in advancing understanding of GLBT history and culture.”

 By: Dan Avery,  Oct 31, 2012                               
Reposted at http://www.keystothecloset.blogspot.com,

Full story here: http://www.queerty.com/san-francisco-glbt-museum-attacked-by-vandals-20121031/#ixzz2AyUVLKvl