Seniors crawl restaurants
The Gay & Gray Downtown Restaurant Crawl will be held on Feb. 12, 6 p.m., beginning at Undercurrent for appetizers, followed by entree at 1618 Downtown and finishing with dessert at Cheesecakes by Alex. Tickets are $25, in limited numbers and available online. Gay & Gray is a program for LGBTQ folks ages 55 and up. It is a partnership between the LGBTQ Center at the Guilford Green Foundation, Senior Resources of Guilford and AARP.
info: ow.ly/QfYM30nxTjv.
AIDSWatch scholarship apps offered
NC AIDS Action Network, in partnership with the Campaign for Southern Equality, are offering scholarships for advocates who would like to attend (but need some support in getting there) for AIDSWatch in Washington, D.C. that will run from April 1-2 at Capitol Hill. Funds are used for travel expenses. Deadline is Feb. 15 for applications.
info: bit.ly/2HVRvFo.
Bead Bash benefits THP
Bead Bash, a benefit to support Triad Health Project, will be held on March 2, 6 p.m., at Kress Terrace, S.H. Kress Building, 212 S. Elm St., located in Greensboro, N.C. Participants will have the chance to enjoy a Mardi Gras themed event wth a VIP pre-bash cocktail hour and silent auction sneak peek, costume contest, dancing to DJ MacKay beats and more. Miss Kitty Litter will host a special performance by drag performers Fuscia Rage, Crystal Frost and Anjelica Dust. Tickets are $50/general admission and $100/VIP and are available for purchase online. For those unable to attend, contributions are being accepted online.
info: triadhealthproject.com/thebeadbash.
Pros host dinner meeting
The RBPN Chamber of Commerce will hold its monthly meeting on Feb. 13, 6 p.m., at 18 Seaboard, 18 Seaboard Ave., in Raleigh, N.C. Guest speaker is Jessica N. Holmes who will speak on “A New Day, Changes and Challenges.” Home is Wake County Commission chair will provide a brief overview of the commission’s roles and responsibilities and discussion of the board’s current priorities. Enjoy the networking cocktail hour and buffet dinner which will include salad, entree with vegetarian options, sides and dessert will be provided, in addition to soda, tea or water. A full cash bar will be available with a wide selection of beer, wine, well drinks and non-alcohol beverages. Registration for the dinner meeting is required.
info: bit.ly/2BfToan.
Lobby Day slated
The Family Equality Council is holding their Family Equality Lobby Day event from May 14-15 in Washington, D.C. Attendees will meet with members of Congress and urge them to pass the Every Child Deserves a Family Act and the Equality Act. Both bills end discrimination against LGBTQ individuals and families, and overturns existing state anti-LGBTQ foster care and adoption license to discriminate laws in nine states. On May 14, participants will gather with local teams to practice sharing stories, as well as advocacy training for both youth and adults. The following day, teams will meet with four to eight congressional members and/or their staff, sharing personal stories and encouraging lawmakers to support the two pieces of legislation. Registration is available online.
info: familyequality.org.
Drag and theatre support Salisbury Pride
Two events will take place to support and showcase the work of Salisbury Pride. On Feb. 13, head out to support the Hearts & Heels Drag Show and Dinner at Sweet Meadow Café, 105 E. Fisher St. Dinner is at 5:30 p.m., followed by the show at 8 p.m. The show will feature Jamie Monroe, Cierra Nichole, Taylor Knight Addams St. James, plus Maxine & Mitzi Massengill. A $10 contribution is appreciated and will be accepted at the door. Dinner tabs are separate. Then take in a night of the stage performance of “The Cake” at Lee Street Theatre, 329 N. Lee St., from Feb. 21-23 and Feb. 28-March 2 sponsored by Salisbury Pride. Tickets are $15 and are available for purchase online.
info: bit.ly/2GmgKhB. leestreet.org.
Mickey to make magic for Pride
Travel + Leisure has reported that Disneyland Paris will host their first-ever LGBTQ Pride event, Magical Pride Party, on June 1. Specially-themed events and activities are planned, including a diversity parade, party and special access to selected attractions.
info: bit.ly/2Rwxchv.
Arkansas strikes down ordinance
On Jan. 31, the Arkansas Supreme Court struck down Fayetteville’s LGBTQ non-discrimination ordinance.
info: logo.to/2t0dMYm.
Ribbon ball upcoming
The Red Ribbon Ball to support the work of the Alliance of AIDS Services will be held on Feb. 16, 8 p.m., at Stockroom at 230, 230 Fayetteville St. Attendees will be able to enjoy wines and craft beers, served hor d’oeuvres and a dessert bar. Dress is creative semi-formal to formal. Dance music will be provided by DJ Fred and there will be a special performance b Sidecar Social Club. Tickets are $75/general and $100/VIP Friends of the Alliance and are available online.
info: bit.ly/2RGo4a2.
Trans denied status
he High Court of Hong Kong has denied three transgender men to be recognized as males on their official identity cards because they had not undergone full transition surgery, The Associated Press reports.
info: bit.ly/2MK5eOi.
Service org turns five celebration
Volunteer service organization ReachOUT NC turns five in 2019 and are hosting a celebratory social event to mark the milestone at The Green Monkey, 1217 Hillsborough St., in Raleigh, N.C. beginning at 7 p.m. There will be bartending by familiar ReachOUT faces, pizza, socializing with old and new friends and a preview of thing to come in 2019, with a special announcement at 8:30 p.m. The Green Monkey will donate the bartender tips and 10 percent of the sales proceeds during the event to the organization.
info: reachoutnc.org.
Military gala set
The American Military Partner Association announced that industry giants and military family champions Comcast NBCUniversal and USAA will be joint presenting sponsors of the 6th Annual AMPA National Gala held on May 11 at the Capital Hilton. Attended by hundreds of LGBTQ service members, military spouses, veterans, and allies from across the country and around the world, the event honors modern military families for their service and sacrifice to the nation.
info: militarypartners.org.
Youth org academy reg open
Campus Pride’s 2019 Camp Pride LGBTQ Leadership Academy will be held from July 10-14 and registration is now open. Through April 3, attendees can receive a discount of $300 off their registration fee by using an online coupon.
info: campuspride.org.
Kenyan survey results in
A new survey, “Sexual and Gender Minorities in Western Kenya: Health and Rights Concerns of People Assigned Female at Birth,” finds economic empowerment, LGBTQ acceptance campaigns and safety from violence among the greatest needs for the country’s sexual and gender minorities assigned female at birth, according to new research by the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angles School of Law with collaborating partners and authors Bianca D.M. Wilson, Ph.D., Rabbi Barbara Zacky senior public policy scholar at the Williams Institute, Soon Kyu Choi, program manager at the Williams Institute, Laima Augustaitis, research assistant at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, Laura Jadwin-Cakmak, research director at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, Leah C. Neubauer, Ed.D., assistant professor of preventive medicine at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, and Gary H. Harper, Ph.D., professor of global health at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.
info: williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu.
Gay mayor enters prez race
Harvard University graduate and Rhodes Scholar Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Ind., has tossed his hat into the ring for the 2020 Democratic race for president. He is the first openly gah politician to ever seek a mainstream party’s nomination.
info: bit.ly/2sZTRJ6.
Funders elect first trans chair
Funders for LGBTQ Issues has announced the election of Rickke Mananzala of Borealis Philanthropy as its new chair. Mananzala is the first transgender chair for the organization.
info: lgbtfunders.org.
Gala, party tickets selling out
The 2019 Guilford Green Foundation Gala & Green Party will be held on March 23 at the Starmount Forest Country Club, 6087, 1 Sam Snead Dr., and tickets are being sold quickly, the organization announced. This year’s event is a formal sit-down dinner, followed by the Green Party hosted by Jessica Mashburn and Evan Olson. Special guest speaker for the Gala will be Sarah McBride, transgender national press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign and the author of “Tomorrow Will Be Different: Love, Loss, and the Fight for Trans Equality.” A silent auction will be featured during the event and items are still being accepted. Email Malvy Shaw at melvy.shaw@ggfnc.org to contribute. Sponsorships are also being sought. Email infor@ggfnc.org to inquire. Tickets can be purchased online and are $175 for the gala and $50 for the Green Party.
info: guilfordgreenfoundation.org.
LGBTQ history encyclopedia released
Gale has released the “Global Encyclopedia of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) History.” This new encyclopedia is the first authoritative academic resource of its kind with an international focus on the history of the LGBTQ community, the company said. Libraries can provide students and researchers with global content on LGBTQ history.
info: gale.com.
How ‘queer’ was adopted
The Columbia Journal Review published an article on how the word “queer” was adopted by the LGBTQ community. “Originally a derogatory name for a homosexual, ‘queer’ has been embraced by some in the non-heterosexual community. In response, some activists in the gay community (to use a broad term) started calling themselves ‘queer’ in a prideful way,” the Journal shared.
info: bit.ly/2WG3XfF.
LCR to hold session
The Log Cabin Republicans National Board of Directors will convene for its annual open session on Feb. 9 in Las Vegas. Nev. It provides its members with an opportunity for direct interaction the national board, insight into the 2019 strategy and an opportunity to relay their own thoughts and suggestions on how to grow and strengthen the organization.
info: logcabin.org.
Trans activist lands film role
In 2005 Rajee Narinesingh, a transgender actress, activist, author, and reality television personality, wanted to alter her appearance from male to female as part of her gender transition, and was the victim of botched surgeries due to the lack of skills of a fake doctor. She sought help from reconstructive surgeons Dr. Terry Dubrow and Dr. Paul Nassif of reality TV’s “Botched.” Over the course of her four repairs, she worked to attain a more natural look. Now, she has been cast in a movie role in “Prophecy.” Narinesingh will also star in a feature-length documentary, tentatively entitled “Beyond Judgment,” that exposes society’s perceptions on the transgender community. Both are due for release in 2019. In 2010 she had been cast in a short film, “Bella Maddo,” which starred transgender actors playing non-transgender roles.
info: Justin Gwin, justingtalent@gmail.com.
Institute seeks applicants
The Williams Institute is growing and is searching for applicants for several positions, such as an attorney to serve as a legal and policy analyst, a development and events coordinator, as well as judges for their March 23 moot court and the next Daniel H. Renberg Law Fellow. Visit the institute to learn more and to submit applications.
info: williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu.
AFFA battles hate crimes
The Alliance for Full Acceptance (AFFA) will hold a hate crime forum and town hall meeting with the Charleston Police Department and community leaders on Feb. 20, 6 p.m., at The Charleston Museum, 360 Meeting St. Afterward, the organization and the Charleston Branch of the NAACP will host a reception following the program at JohnKing Grill & Bar, 428 King St. Then on Feb. 19, 7 p.m., AFFA will join We Are Family in welcoming transgender author and activist S. Bear Bergman for an intimate evening at The Schoolhouse, 720 Magnolia Rd.
info: affa-sc.org.
Tar Heel State changes license process
On Jan. 30, the North Carolina Department of Transportation released a Sex Designation Form that will now be used to streamline the process for changing the gender marker on driver’s licenses and state identification cards, Equality North Carolina reported. “This change will make the process to update a person’s gender marker uniform for DMV customers across the state.” The new procedure for changing the gender marker on a driver’s license is recommended by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators and is used by 21 other states. The Sex Designation Form replaces the former requirement for a surgeon’s letter and can be authorized by a broader range of providers, the organization added. “We still have a long way to go before LGBTQ North Carolinians are seen as equal citizens in the eyes of the law, but this is one step in that direction,” said Equality North Carolina Executive Director Kendra R. Johnson. “We applaud this step the DMV has taken to modernize the process to update gender markers on driver’s licenses,” said Sarah Gillooly, director of political strategy and advocacy for the ACLU of North Carolina. “Driver’s licenses are basic forms of identification that many people use to participate in public life, and this policy update will help transgender North Carolinians do just that.”
info: equalitync.org. acluofnc.org. bit.ly/2SntUBG.
SONG sets revival
Southerners on New Ground (SONG) will hold their Queer South Revival for its membership from March 14-17 in Whitakers, N.C. Application is available online. In other news, SONG’s “A Labor of Love: Black Mama’s Bail Out Action 2019” is gearing up for its May initiative. Weekly regional calls will take place on Sundays at 6 p.m. from Feb. 10-May 26. To participate, RSVP to SONG.
info: southernersonnewground.org.
Americans oppose trans military ban
The American Military Partner Association responded to a new Quinnipiac University National Poll showing that an overwhelming majority (70 percent) of Americans oppose Donald Trump’s attempts to implement a transgender military ban and that transgender people should be allowed to serve in the military. “It’s crystal clear that the far majority of Americans reject Donald Trump’s reckless, discriminatory attack on our nation’s brave transgender service members,” said association President Ashley Broadway-Mack. “Instead of singling out transgender troops for discrimination, Donald Trump should reverse course and honor them for the heroes they are. Transgender service members have proven time and again that what matters is their ability to accomplish the mission — not their gender identity.”
info: militarypartners.org.
Bar org passes equality resolution
On Jan. 28, the American Bar Association took a stand for family equality at the their Midyear Meeting in Las Vegas, Nev. The House of Delegates passed Resolution 113 at the urging of the National LGBT Bar Association. The resolution reaffirms that LGBTQ individuals are “equal under the law and therefore possess the fundamental right to parent and raise children free from discrimination or unreasonable interference from all forms of government. The resolution also urges lawmakers in jurisdictions where discriminatory laws, regulations, and practices targeting LGBTQ+ families exist to repeal such policies,” the association shared. With this resolution, the “American Bar Association encourages lawmakers at federal, state, local, territorial and tribal levels to work to end discrimination against LGBTQ+ parents and to ensure that LGBTQ+ parents and their families receive equal protection under the law.”
info: lgbtbar.org.
NCSU center holds social justice training
North Carolina State University held its Social Justice January daylong training, “Beyond the Buzzwords,” for its students and staff on Jan. 23. The four sessions offered addressed diversity, privilege, intersectionality, and oppression, The College Fix reported. “I think there has been a real movement over the last few years to think about the ways in which as four centers, we’re not serving four different communities,” GLBT Center Director Renee Wells told Technician Online. “A lot of our students have multiple marginalized identities.” Organizers consisted of the GLBT, Women’s and the African American Cultural centers along with the Multicultural Student Affairs division.
info: bit.ly/2D91GAG.
Institute tours southern health departments
The Black AIDS Institute conducted a tour of southern health departments at the end 2018. Among those visited was the Charlotte-Mecklenburg County.
info: blackaids.org.