Democrats promise gay immigration

Democrats will add same-sex partner sponsorship to the immigration bill this year.

Democrats promise gay immigration

Democrats will add same-sex partner sponsorship to the immigration bill this year.

PepsiCo statement on anti-gay Uganda concert

I emailed the media folks at PepsiCo about their sponsorship of the anti-gay concert in Uganda. Here’s their response:
Dear Jennifer,
In response to your article, Did Pepsi sponsor an anti-gay concert in Uganda? (http://www.365gay.com/news/vanasco-did-pepsi-sponsor-an-anti-gay-concert-in-uganda/), I wanted to provide you with this official statement on behalf of PepsiCo:

“We are appalled by the …

Gay Dems complain DNC cut off funding, drop support for Biden event

Theboard of directors of the National Stonewall Democrats are dropping their support for a June 25 DNC fundraiser with Vice President Joe Biden over, they wrote in an email obtained by POLITICO, a combination of policy slights and the claim that they’ve been cut off from traditional party funding.

In the email to Tom Petrillo, who runs the party’s substantial gay fundraising operation, the board members write:

[W]e are incredibly disappointed that the DNC has made a decision to withhold any financial support to National Stonewall Democrats this year but is in turn asking us to help raise money for the DNC in a difficult financial environment. The DNC has historically supported National Stonewall through sponsorship of the annual Capitol Champions event. This year, we did not receive any support. The DNC has traditionally provided materials for the many Pride parades and festivals around the country to help educate the LGBT community about why the Democratic Party is the Party for full LGBT equality. This year we were informed that we would not be receiving any materials or support for producing materials for the various nationwide Pride activities. These decisions were very disappointing.

We’d be remiss to also not mention that the recent legal brief of the Obama Administration defending DOMA is incredibly hurtful. The members of the Board and our membership put our hopes, our dollars and our time into ensuring the election of Barack Obama because we believed that he supported us. To now have his Administration refer to our relationships in the same terms used by our long time enemies such as Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and James Dobson hurts on so many levels. To have our committed and loving relationships referred to as the moral equivalent of incest and pedophilia is not something that any of us ever expected from this Administration considering how hard we worked to be seen and respected. For that reason alone, advocating for attendance at a fundraiser to support the Administration and the DNC, while they have not condemned this hurtful language, is not something our membership will receive positively.

The group says it’s not “boycotting” the June 25 fundraiser with Joe Biden; it just won’t encourage its members to attend.

Gay money is, historically, of outsized importance to the Democratic Party. Howard Dean, in particular, launched his presidential campaign in part on enthusiasm from gay donors about his support for civil unions, and maintained those relationships as chairman. For update see Gay Dems complain DNC cut off funding, drop support for Biden event

Politico

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Duane Reade Announces Premier-Level Sponsorship of AIDS Walk New York

~Announces Partnership to Provide New Yorkers with Free HIV/AIDS Testing~

NEW YORK, NY — Duane Reade Holdings, Inc. today announced that The Duane Reade Charitable Foundation has doubled its support from last year and will donate $100,000 as a Premier-level sponsor of AIDS Walk New York (AWNY). AWNY raises funds for Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) and fifty other AIDS service organizations in the New York tri-state area. AWNY is the world’s largest HIV/AIDS fundraising event and has raised more than $100 million since 1996. This year’s 10-kilometer AWNY is expected to attract more than 45,000 participants and will be held in New York City’s Central Park on Sunday, May 17th, 2009. In partnership with GMHC, Duane Reade will also provide free, confidential, on-the-spot, HIV testing starting in June 2009 in several neighborhoods/locations throughout the New York metropolitan area.

Jim Scarfone, Senior Vice President Human Resources & Administration for Duane Reade and a Trustee of The Duane Reade Charitable Foundation, commented, “As the only uniquely New York drug store chain, Duane Reade understands the needs of our city’s residents and strives to give back to the community in meaningful ways. As such, we are very pleased to support GMHC and the 2009 AIDS Walk New York for the third straight year and join in their efforts to promote awareness and prevention of the spread of HIV in New York City. Moreover, we are pleased to be able to double our support for the 2009 walk, and to partner with GMHC to provide free, confidential and on-the-spot HIV testing through their mobile testing unit for the second year.”

According to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York City has more residents living with HIV or AIDS than any other city in the United States. More than 100,000 New Yorkers currently live with HIV, a virus that has become the third leading cause of death for New Yorkers under the age of 65. More than 1,000 New Yorkers each year find out they are HIV-positive when they already have AIDS due to a lack of testing, prevention, and education about the disease.

“We are immensely grateful for Duane Reade’s outstanding support of AIDS Walk New York and our partnership in expanding HIV testing throughout the boroughs,” said Marjorie J. Hill, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Gay Men’s Health Crisis. “Having a trusted family friend like Duane Reade as a partner helps us to continue breaking through the barriers associated with HIV testing such as stigma, fear and lack of access to care. With their ongoing help, we will continue to find the one of four HIV-positive New Yorkers who are unaware of their HIV status, and provide them with the information and care they need.”

To learn more about AIDS Walk New York and its benefactors, please visit www.aidswalk.net/newyork.

To learn more about GMHC, please visit http://www.gmhc.org/.

The Duane Reade Charitable Foundation was formed in March 2007 and is committed to supporting charitable organizations that promote health and wellness in New York’s communities. A portion of the charity’s budget is also reserved to support programs that address local community needs.

About Duane Reade

Uniquely New York since 1960, Duane Reade is the largest drug store chain in the metropolitan New York City area. Focused on making the lives of New Yorkers easier, Duane Reade offers a wide variety of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, health and beauty care items, cosmetics and other daily essentials — How I Feel, How I Look, and What I Need Now — in over 250 convenient locations.

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GLAAD Announces Launch of Advertising Media Program

Levi’s Brand and Wells Fargo Honored at Launch Reception

New York, NY May 08, 2009 – The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) today announced the launch of an Advertising Media Program as part of its national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation work. The program will officially launch during a reception for LGBT advertising professionals and allies where GLAAD will honor Levi’s Brand and Wells Fargo for their commitment to LGBT-inclusive advertising. The reception will be held Monday, May 18, 2009 at the Alvin Ailey Dance Studio (405 West 55th St, New York, NY).

“Words and images matter and can shatter stereotypes. Fair, accurate and inclusive media images prove that we are connected through common, human experiences,” said Neil G. Giuliano, GLAAD President. “These are images that we – and advertisers – have a responsibility to share.”

Leveraging GLAAD’s media advocacy and anti-LGBT defamation resources, GLAAD’s Advertising Media Program will monitor all forms of advertising and work to ensure fair and accurate representations of the LGBT community or demand action when defamation occurs. Most recently, GLAAD successfully advocated that a Virginia used car company pull offensive ads that referred to same-sex flirting as “not smart” from the airwaves and their Web site. The Advertising Media Program will also proactively advance inclusion of the LGBT community in mainstream advertising through advocacy work at advertising agencies and corporate advertising departments. GLAAD will maintain the online library formerly owned by Commercial Closet Association of over 4,000 LGBT-inclusive ads.

“Advertising plays a vital role in how people view the world and our community,” said Rashad Robinson, Senior Director of Media Programs at GLAAD. “We are thrilled to expand our media advocacy work on behalf of the LGBT community to call for fair, accurate and inclusive advertising and hold advertisers accountable for anti-gay defamation.”

To celebrate the launch of the program, GLAAD will honor Levi’s Brand and Wells Fargo with Special Recognition Awards. GLAAD is also planning an Advertising Media Awards for later this year.

Levi’s Brand won the 2008 Images in Advertising Award for Outstanding Commercial for a commercial which depicts a young male pulling on a pair of Levi’s jeans as the street below him comes crashing through his floor, leaving him face-to-face with an attractive stranger in a nearby telephone booth. The two men walk off while holding hands. Levi’s has had a long involvement with the LGBT community as exemplified by the “Support of Gay Marriage” campaign, the “Inside Out” campaign and the recent “Logo Unbuttoned” campaign. Levi’s ads perpetuate the company’s history of LGBT inclusive business practices and marketing outreach. In 1992, Levi Strauss & Co. became the first Fortune 500 company to extend full benefits to the same-sex domestic partners of employees.

Wells Fargo has consistently supported the LGBT community by being one of the first financial institutions to reach out to the community with targeted advertising and sponsorship of LGBT causes and organizations. Wells Fargo has a long standing commitment to speak to our community through advertising for not only financial related products but also in company recruiting and fostering an inclusive workplace. As a result of its long standing support to LGBT causes, anti-gay activists initiated a boycott of Wells Fargo in 2005. In spite of anti-gay activists, the company remains a strong ally to our community.

Tickets for the reception are $25 and will be credited to tickets for the Fall 2009 Advertising Awards. They can be purchased at www.glaad.org/events. Sponsors of the event include ABSOLUT® VODKA, DRAFTFCB, Levi’s Brand and Wells Fargo. Media partners include Gay City News, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, PinkBananaMedia.com and TheMenEvent.com.

About GLAAD
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org.

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It’s still not OK for Aussie stars to be gay

WE may be living in a post-Will & Grace 21st century but Aussie celebrities are still being advised to stay in the closet.

Olympic gold medal-winner Mathew Mitcham has revealed he thought twice about coming out after being advised it would damage his chances of getting sponsorship – and many believe it did.

One celebrity talent manager, who did not wish to be named, told news.com.au he advised clients not to discuss their sexuality, even if everyone knew they were gay, because homophobia was still rampant amongst the gatekeepers of the Aussie media, particularly in television.

Another agent, showbiz veteran Harry M Miller, said he couldn’t see why stars should discuss their sexuality at all - because it’s nobody’s business.

News.com.au had a hard time getting anyone from Australia’s handful of openly gay celebrities to speak about their experiences publicly. Apart from sports star Mitcham, who was happy to talk, everyone else was said to be “too busy”. MORE

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Who Will Save America’s Gay Hockey Team?

QUEERTY REPORTS — Like a burning forest fire, the global financial panic is burning everything in its path; businesses are folding, workers are being laid off, and now the burning embers of recession threaten to melt the ice for GForce, America’s national LGBT hockey team.

The team, made up of LGBT athletes from L.A., New York, Atlanta, Denver, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and elsewhere across the country lost their sponsors this year — and the team’s continued existence is in peril.

“We were saddened but not surprised that our private philanthropists and corporate sponsors pulled out this year,” David Farber, one of the team’s centers, tells Queerty. “With a hard fought political campaign, Prop 8, and a severe economic downturn we were expecting to lose some sponsorship, but not all of it! We are now looking to non-corporate sponsors and grassroots support to help keep this great non-profit alive and spread the message of GForce.”

See Who Will Save America’s Gay Hockey Team?
Queerty, NY -