Week 4 of America's Best Dance Crew and Vogue Evolution is still in the competition! Despite plenty of backstage drama with transgender crew member Leiomy Maldonado, much of which is believed to have been overblown by the show's producers, the fierce voguers from New York continue to deliver.
This week the remaining six crews took on the Bollywood challenge. Vogue Evolution received the Bollywood style Rajasthani which involves the use of scarves as a prop. The crew easily infused their signature style into the choreography and stepped up the level of difficulty with an amazing stunt that sent Leiomy soaring through the air eventually landing flat on her back in a dip.
To steal a line from the late Michael Jackson, "And nobody thought they would last". While D.C.'s Beat Ya Feet Kings danced their final dance on the ABDC stage last night, Vogue Evolution is still standing and moving into week five.
We're still unsure whether or not to revoke Lil Mama's gay card after her below the belt criticism of Leiomy's behind the scenes behavior. Regardless, the crew to beat is still in it to win it!
Get into Vogue Evolution's Bollywood performance below:
Loldarian.com will be celebrating Atlanta's 13th Annual Black Gay Pride all week long by keeping you informed of all the great events planned over Labor Day weekend as well as profiling performers, authors, activists, and community leaders scheduled to appear during Pride. And because we believe in partying with a purpose, we'll also roll out a list of non-club events that are worth attending.
With very little representation of black gay men on television and a media that seems intent on showcasing us as one dimensional, limp-wristed, flamboyant sidekicks to straight women it was inevitable that Eubanks would draw his share of criticism for his unapologetic "diva" behavior.
Loldarian.com had a chance to speak with Eubanks at length during his participation in the NO H8 Campaign about how he's portrayed on the show, the criticism he receives from other gay men, and those heterosexual marriage rumors.
Loldarian.com was granted exclusive interview access to the the ladies including Dwight Eubanks (who will be featured tomorrow) and Kim Zolciak, who chose to release her inner diva and completely isolated herself from the rest of her cast mates and invited media in attendance. Maybe she was having a bad hair day or was afraid Sheree' was going to pull her wig off completely this time.
Whitfield talks about the explosive season 2 opener, coining a new phrase, and why she gives no energy to her haters. New cast member and Grammy award winner Kandi Burruss surprises us when she reveals the reality show she was being considered for before ATL Housewives, working with cast mate Kim on her music, being caught off guard by the inclusion of her fiance' in the show, and what she really thinks of NeNe.
Get into the interview below as well as a special bonus interview of independent female rap artist Rasheeda aka The Georgia Peach who also has close ties with Burruss.
Shifting the focus. You're probably thinking this is just another meaningless post with pretty shirtless boys meant to distract you from a boring day at work...well that may be true, but there's more to Brandon Hines and J'Sun Ash than their pretty faces. These pretty boys also have pretty amazing voices.
I was introduced to Hines (pictured left) by fellow blogger Gyant of gyantunplugged.com and Ash (pictured right) was brought to my attention by YouTube personality JackEBrown after he noticed Ash's striking resemblance to a man pictured in this photo at the recent Latex Ball.
Both are independent artists currently unsigned to major labels but have gained quite a following on YouTube, which has become ground zero next to American Idol for finding undiscovered talent.
Hines & Ash both cover Maxwell's hit single Pretty Wings on their respective channels and after hearing them sing it's hard to believe they're both unsigned.
R&B songstress Letoya Luckett is living the meaning behind her former bandmates hit single Independent Women with a brand new album in stores (Lady Love), a new film soon to be released (The Preacher's Kid), and fiercely progressive views in support of the LGBT community and marriage equality.
LeToya is a multiple award-winning artist and businesswoman who writes and performs her own music, acts in major motion pictures, and runs her own boutiques. Luckett's gay fans were able to get up close and personal with the singer during a recent appearance at The 19th Annual Latex Ball in New York City reported on loldarian. com last week.
She recently sat down with The Advocate to talk about her budding career and her views on LGBT folks and marriage equality. And I must say one other diva(who will remain nameless) could take a few lesson from Ms. Luckett in this department.
Advocate: You’re from Houston, where you have played Gay Pride festivals. Are attitudes in the South changing toward the LGBT community?
Do I think it’s becoming more accepted? Absolutely. Ab-so-lutely. It’s one of those things that’s like, you know what, you’ve got to let people be who they are. Whether you agree with a lifestyle or not, you have to let that person be who they are. You have to love them for who they are.
I just went to the Latex Ball in New York. Oh, my God! I have never seen so much creativity in one room. So much freedom. That’s what I appreciate about the gay community. You know: Do you and don’t worry about other people and their opinions. It’s so colorful and lively, and everybody’s not sitting around and -- you know when you go to a club and everybody’s sitting around and standing along the walls and people watch? It’s not about that. Everybody [at gay clubs] is ready to let their hair down and have fun and get into it, and that’s about love.
I hadn’t had that much fun in a long time. A lo-o-ong time. I mean, they were givin’ it, Honey! Gi-ving. And I love that. I love it. I can’t stand hateful people. I can’t stand hard-hearted people, and unfortunately there’s a lot of people like that in this world, and it’s got to die. Let it die, let it die, let it die. Let love live.
Advocate: Gay marriage is the next major American civil rights hurdle. Do you see gay marriage ever being legal in, say, Texas?
You know what? It eventually has to, or people are going to move and go to places where it’s accepted. It’s going to have to happen eventually. I don’t know if it’ll happen tomorrow, but whatever is in God’s will, it will be. Hey, everybody deserves love. Everybody deserves commitment. And why shouldn’t the gay community have that?
I loved her before but this solidifies it for me. Get into Letoya Luckett's new video "She Ain't Got" from her sophomore album Lady Love in stores now here.
It's not very often that dialogue happens around the consequences of unprotected sex in an environment that is non-judgemental and conducive for those involved to form a different perspective, but New York's Gay Men's Health Crisis may have pulled off the near impossible during a panel discussion on raw sex earlier this month.
Intentionally choosing not to use the popular term "barebacking" (to describe anal sex without the use of condoms) which GMHC believes unfairly stigmatizes gay men who have unprotected sex, the term "raw" was chosen.
Boston's gay publication Edge was present and reports during the August 13th panel discussion that brought out over 100 members of the black & latino gay communities along with seven panelists involved in HIV/AIDS and/or social justice.
GMHC Board of Directors Co-Chair Odell Mays moderated the event, each panelist had five minutes to assert his particular point of view around the issue of stigma and unprotected sex.
• Chris Cochrane (Assistant Director, David Geffen Center for HIV Prevention and Health Education at GMHC) spoke of the "common themes I’ve heard in the last nine years." These included "not being able to stop myself or define limits; getting infected on purpose because there are more benefits if I’m HIV positive; the validation received by anonymous drug-fueled hook-ups" and fucking raw "to feel a sense of belonging."
• Damon Humes (Executive Director of Men of Color Health Awareness Project) talked about the House and Ball communities. He also articulated a problem among men of color who have sex with men: unprotected sex as one of the many consequences of a psychological storm resulting from "not being ourselves. If I don’t love me, why would I wrap it up?"
• Derrick L. Briggs (Actor and Executive Producer of ADTV; Attention Deficit Television) observed that in terms of education and outreach, "We have to go where the gays are." Briggs created his 10-minute YouTube show with short attention spans in mind and asked what toll lack of focus and impatience takes upon safe sex efforts when one or both partners bring to the table the attitude that "the moment is ruined when I have to go across the room to get a condom."
Audience members also animatedly discussed generational differences concerning attitudes towards safe sex; the need for acknowledgement by blood relatives (and the search for creating one’s own family within the community); and overcoming any destructive or debilitating effects of stigma by facing the fact that gay men will be stigmatized for years to come, whether they use condoms or not.
Are you having raw sex despite knowing the consequences of doing so? Does any of the above descriptions describe your situation? Let's talk about it.
Los Angeles based photographers and co-creators of the highly visible NO H8 Campaign Adam Bouska and Jeff Parshley brought their campaign to the east coast yesterday making Atlanta their first and only stop. What began as a small grassroots movement after the people of California voted in favor of Proposition 8 , effectively banning same-sex couples from legalizing their unions, has now turned into a full fledge movement.
Loldarian.com was on set and in front of the camera as Bouska and Parshley shot Atlanta celebrities Sheree Whitfield, Kandi Burris, Kim Zolciak, Dwight Eubanks (The Real Housewives of Atlanta) author J.L. King, Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins (TLC), Tiny & Toya (BET), Michael Knight (Project Runway), independent rap artist Rasheeda, radio personality & female impersonator Miss Sophia (V-103), and Stasha Sanchez (Miss Gay USA) to name a few.
Bouska was gracious enough to grant some camera time to loldarian.com and to share with the readers of this blog the inspiration behind their successful campaign and the effect legalized discrimination contiunes to have on gay & lesbian couples and their families.
Get into the interview below and be sure to check back throughout the day for more celebrity interviews.
I'll be spending most of the day interviewing The Real Housewives of Atlanta cast members Kim, Kandi, Sheree, & Dwight for the blog at a special event here in Atlanta that I'm dying to share with all of you, but unfortunately I'm gonna have to wait another day.
New updates should resume later this afternoon after I'm done playing in the fantasy world of these divas...Dwight included. I'm so excited!
How many times have we heard those opposed to marriage equality say "let the states decide" or "let the people have a say" ; and when state representatives who are elected by the people vote in favor of equality for everyone regardless of sexual orientation or the majority of the people in a given state choose equality all hell breaks loose?
It's happening in Maine and Iowa and a group of black pastors in Washington, D.C. are working fervently to overturn an almost unanimous vote by the D.C. City council recognizing same-sex unions performed outside of the district that went into effect early last month.
A scheduled meeting by the pastors on August 12 to help organize a ballot initiative regarding same-sex marriage in D.C. drew just five commissioners-most of whom said they opposed such an initiative.
The 8:30 a.m. meeting, which was called by Ward 5 ANC Commissioner Robert King, was scheduled to take place at Mount Zion Baptist Church on upper 14th St., N.W., in Ward 4. But church employees did not arrive in time to unlock the doors, forcing King to convene the meeting on the sidewalk outside.
In addition to the five commissioners, all from Ward 4, about seven or eight others joined the meeting. Some said they were members of a local coalition supporting same-sex marriage and came to urge the commissioners not to back a ballot measure on the issue.
King said he called the meeting as a follow-up to an Aug. 4 letter he sent all of the city’s 236 ANC commissioners. In the letter, he asked commissioners to sign a resolution supporting a D.C. ballot initiative in 2010 that would allow voters to decide whether same-sex marriage should be banned or legalized in the city.
James Davis II, of ANC 4C who said he supports marriage equality for same-sex couples, asked King whether he would have supported a voter initiative on the landmark U.S. Civil Rights Act of 1964 or the Voting Rights Act of 1965, two measures credited with helping to end racial discrimination in the U.S.
“Should Alabama have been given a vote on a law like that?” Davis asked King. “A plebiscite would have resulted in those laws being voted down.”
In response, King said that he would not “talk about that.”
“You want me to wake up Rip Van Winkle,” he said. “I’m not going back to that. I want the people to vote here and now on the issue of whether the definition of marriage should be changed.”
How convenient of King not to answer. When are these ministers going to start using their energy towards actual problems that are affecting members in their congregations and the black community as a whole? In a city where 3% of its residents are infected with HIV/AIDS I'm sure his attention could be better utilized by building an HIV/AIDS ministry in his church. But I guess that would require real work and compassion.
Eight years ago today the music industry and the world lost an angel when Aaliyah Dana Haughton along with Anthony Dodd, Eric Foreman, Scott Gallin, Keeth Wallace, Gina Smith, Douglas Kratz, Christopher Maldonado, and Luis Morales lost their lives in a shocking and tragic plane crash in the Bahamas.
Today we remember her amazing beauty and contributions to the world through her music. Gone but not forgotten.
New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker is another example of a straight ally in public service who happens to be black and who happens to share a different opinion on the progress of the Obama Administration on LGBT issues, proving that the black community is not monolithic when it comes to gay rights or the performance of our first African-American President.
Booker recently sat down with The Advocate to discuss his frustration with the lack of progress on gay rights by the Obama Administration and the effects its having on the people of his state. New Jersey is one of a handful of states that offers civil unions for gay couples and is expected to extend full marriage rights in the very near future.
“I was a huge supporter of Barack Obama and still am, but I think that he needs to take some steps right now, and I think that the more people who are friends of his or associates of him get into his ear about ending ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ about repealing DOMA, about creating more inclusive employment discrimination policy, I think that we as a nation can start moving a lot further forward,” said Booker, who co-chaired the Obama campaign in the Garden State last year.
“Unless you can change the federal strategy or focus on these issues, New Jersey residents will face high levels of discrimination in my opinion,” he said.
“I think the Obama administration is in the middle of some of the most important fights in the history of our country,” he said. “They’re eight months into an administration, if that. And I have trouble casting judgment on them feeling a lot of sympathy for what they’re going thorough.
“But that does not mean that I can’t as a citizen of this country be frustrated, impatient to watch what friends of mine who are gay and lesbian go through on a daily basis. That is such an affront to what we claim to be as a nation, and so having come from a group of Americans that’s been historically discriminated against, there’s no time but now to do certain things,” said Booker.
Booker, widely recognized for a commitment to revitalize his city, which sits eight miles west of Manhattan, devoted much discussion to his efforts to improve what he called a “very difficult reality” for LGBT residents in Newark. The predominantly African-American and Latino city was the site of the 2003 murder of Sakia Gunn, a 15-year-old African-American lesbian who was stabbed after she refused the proposition of two men in 2003.
The first-term mayor enumerated his efforts since taking office in 2006, particularly to help LGBT youths of color. His administration was the first to fly a gay pride flag in Newark, and he recently established a commission that will advise him on LGBT issues.
Preaching from his "bible" during a Sunday sermon Anderson proclaims it is written that every homosexual in the bible is a "rapist or child molester". But he doesn't stop there.
Watch the video to see exactly what the church has become. And prepare to protect your keyboards around the 7:50 mark when this "man of God" begins to lose it.
Brooks who is currently co-starring as Eggs on the hit HBO vampire drama True Blood has been turning up the heat on the tube and on countless blogs with his "bulging" features.
Brooks' participation in last weekends event will help raise awareness and money for impoverished children, cancer, Africa, & Global Green.
We love Mechad Brooks around these parts. Body and heart...what more can a guy ask for?
If you're planning on visiting The New Olivet Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee you better be prepared to obey the commands of Pastor Kenneth T. Whalum Jr. or you may find yourself leaving with bruises and scratches according to lesbian couple Monique Stephens and Yas Meen.
An hour into service, Whalum told the congregation to bow to the ground and blow kisses to God, Stephens said, but she and her partner, who are agnostic, did not move.
She said Whalum and church members began calling them “devil worshippers” and “gay,” among other derogatory names. Security guards surrounded and pushed them out of the sanctuary. Stephens said her glasses were broken and both she and her partner of three years have bruises and scratches from the altercation.
"A security guard asked us to leave because we were disturbing God's House. I asked what had we done to disturb God's House. He could not give me an answer. He just said you two need to leave. He informed us that he had called the police. I told him because I did not clearly understand what was going on, we will just wait for the police. That's when the herd of men gathered around to physically remove us from God's House! While this was going on, the church's photographer was taking pictures of Monique and I. We begged them to stop taking pictures of us. She continued and when she finished, she blew us a kiss and said God Bless You!"
And allegedly all of this occured while Rev. Whalum stood silent from the pulpit. "The women were “being disruptive, boisterous and speaking loud, Whalum said in a statement issued to commercial appeal.com "They had to have some kind of agenda to come in church like that. If I put every lesbian out of church, we’d be putting people out of church all day long,' said Whalum."
Vogue Evolution clawed their way through another hot performance last night during week three of America's Best Dance Crew. Dancing to a master mix of Ciara's latest single 'Work' the talented New York voguers were challenged to include Kung Fu movement into their choreography. The crew chose to perform catlike movements that forced them to dance both masculine and feminine, proving to be one of the greatest challenges for their feminine dance style.
Judge Shane Sparks was not impressed and for the first time since the show's premiere Vogue Evolution may be in trouble next week, although I'm betting on their survival...but then again I'm bias.
Aiyi'nah Ford and her partner Torian Brown got a side order of discrimination during an early morning visit last week to Tastee Diner in Silver Spring, Maryland. The couple tells Washington Blade that after they finished eating and paid, they waited at the counter to give the waitress her tip, and embraced. This simple display of affection and the subsequent reaction from the diner's manager prompted a sit-in protest Wednesday night by Ford & Brown along with dozens of same-sex couples.
Ford said a manager she identified only by the first name Paul, asked if they could "please take that outside." Ford asked Paul if he was serious, and he said that he was. Ford noted that a heterosexual couple was kissing at a nearby booth.
"He proceeded to say that this was a family establishment and that people are trying to eat, as though our embrace would make someone sick," Ford said.
She said the waitress followed the women outside after she received her tip and apologized, adding that the incident was embarrassing and that similar incidents have happened before.
"That was the icing on the cake," Ford said.
"It stops now"! Disrespect, discrimination, hatred, bigotry, will stop now and it will stop today or else they will not receive the buying power of the 15 million individuals who identify as lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, or intersex," says a defiant Ford to the media before the scheduled protest.
"And our 744 million dollars worth of buying power will no longer come to Tastee Diner anymore and I will show as much affection as I want and I encourage everyone else to do so tastefully and peacefully".
In an interview with NBC Washington restaurant manager Lisa Wilkes says the couple went further than simple affection and touched each other innapropriately. "The Tastee Diner is a family restaurant, and it doesn't matter if you're straight or if you're gay,' Wilkes said. 'If you start going beyond the point of kissing and things start to get a little X-rated, we're going to ask you to stop.'"
Funny how management didn't ask Brown & Ford to stop but demanded that they leave. The obvious double standard when it comes to public displays of affection between straight and gay couples is preposterous.
Tastee Diner management has since stated that they plan to release the surveillance video that will prove the couple's public affection crossed the line. Let's not hold our breath for that. Kudos to the ladies for standing up to discrimination.
Get into the video of the sit-in protest below:
Update: 8/21/09 Tastee Diner has released the footage of the lesbian couple in an attempt to clear their name and it looks like the attempt may backfire.
The National Black Justice Coalition, America's only civil rights organization dually committed to ending racism and homophobia has joined forces with Soulforce, Beyond Ex-Gay, Truth Wins Out,& Equality Florida for a three day conference November 20-22 in West Palm Beach, Florida to begin the tedious work of stamping out heterosexism, reparative therapy, and the pervasive notion that straightness is superior and preferable.
Taking their cue from a groundbreaking American Psychological Association report released earlier this month that advised psychologists to avoid telling their clients that therapy or other treatments can change them from gay to straight, these LGBT organizations are challenging ex-gay groups like Exodus International and societal attitudes regarding sexual orientation head on.
In my view, the conversation about whether gays can change is a distraction from the much more important question; which is "Why do those in power encourage change in the first place?, asks Jeff Lutes, Executive Director of Soulforce.The answer, of course, is the rampant heterosexism that infuses nearly every aspect of our culture."
"In the same way that racism keeps whites in power over people of color and sexism keeps women subordinate to men, heterosexism keeps those who are straight dominant over those who are not, " he adds.
When was the last time you heard a debate about whether therapy and prayer can change a straight person to gay?
But the only way things change is if you and I are willing to be “anti” so that no one ever again has to be “ex.”
I've decided to take a play from the urban blogs and some advice from a new friend and launch a new feature on loldarian.com titled "Coupled Up". Instead of posting the same celebrity photos that can be seen a million times over on countless blogs this feature will be reserved for real everyday SGL couples of color. I think it's imperative that there are images of healthy SGL relationships accessible to our community as a reminder that they do exist.
First up is Lee & Brandon from Mobile, Alabama. The couple have been together for close to two years and for the first six months maintained a long distance relationship before they both settled down in Mobile.
Lee & Brandon on resolving conflict:
We solve all of our conflict with open communication. Although we haven't always used this concept, we understand that it's the only way to fully dissolve issues. If a problem comes up we talk it out at that given time until their is some kind of mutual ground or understanding met. There isn't much arguing in our relationship, but if necessary we will lock ourselves in a small room and won't come out until we have met a resolution.
On being an openly gay couple within an African-American family:
Before entering into our relationship we were both out to our families and they are completely supportive. We both feel that our families have meshed well with each other. Last Christmas Brandon's family invited my family over for dinner and gift sharing. So my family (mother, brother, sister, bro. in-law, neice) traveled the two hours to join forces. It was a great gathering that everyone enjoyed. My mom loves her some Brandon. Everytime I go home, before she can hug my neck, the first thing she says is "now why didn't you bring my Brandon."? Blaming me because he couldn't make the occasional trip.
Brandon's godmother, who is 78 years old, has been the greatest force within our relationship. She is always eager to share the secrets of her sucessful 50 year marriage. She has welcomed me into her home with open arms as if I was her son.
Many thanks to Lee & Brandon for sharing their love with us.
Well Corbin Bleu sure has come a long way from High School Musical. The 20 year old actor appears in a very revealing promo shot for his upcoming CW series The Beautiful Life: TBL centered around the lives of teenage fashion models. What is it with CW and models? Not sure if I'll be tuning in to watch the series, but let's hope this picture of Bleu isn't plastered on the side of buildings in L.A. because it'll surely cause a few accidents.
And if you prefer a little more realness and less Hollywood glam then get into BJ from GuyswithiPhones. This site is definitely graphic and not safe for work. While this week has been filled with celebrity photos that have been leaked from their phones, BJ and hundreds of willing exhibitionists upload their pictures directly to the site, showing off their iPhones and their goodies. GuyswithIphones have definitely become my guilty pleasure. Enjoy!
Sorry for being a little late on this one, but just when I thought this story couldn't get any more ridiculous it just did.
Washington Wizards center Brendan Haywood has issued somewhat of an apology regarding comments he made about fellow NBA player Stephon Marbury's erratic behavior in a series of videos posted on YouTube over the summer where he's seen shirtless, crying, and dancing to Aqua's "Barbie Girl". Haywood describes one particular video starring Marbury where he is being massaged on the shoulder by a male friend as "gay porn". Let's take a look at the initial comment by Haywood that started this whole mess.
“At first it was cool, but after a while it just became disturbing. He’s on YouTube crying with no shirt on for no reason, sweating while his boy’s rubbing his shoulders. What’s that about? That’s like gay porn. I don’t understand it. He’s dancing to a song called ‘Barbie Doll’, doing like stripper moves. I have no idea what’s going on with the guy, it’s almost like he’s trying to end his own career. There’s not a GM out there that would touch Marbury right now… Have you seen the ‘Barbie Doll’ clip? Click on YouTube and go to Barbie Doll. There’s no way any other professional athletes would wanna get dressed around this guy, because you gotta think something is a little, he’s swinging from both sides of the fence.”
But what a difference a couple of weeks of bad press from the gay mafia can make. In a post published on the sports blog Yarbarker on Tuesday Haywood retracts his earlier statement. “I just wanted to take a time out and let you know that no disrespect was intended. I was just trying to have fun with a crazy situation. I don’t support or condemn homosexuality and I believe in everyone making choices for themselves.”
Haywood also blogged about the clip on August 4, saying, “If I was on his team, there’s no way I’m getting undressed in front of him after watching that…”
In his "apology" on Tuesday, Haywood said that his interview comments and earlier blog post had been “misinterpreted.” Yeah right.
“I hope no one was offended because I wasn’t trying to come off like Tim Hardaway,” he said, referring to the former Miami Heat guard who apologized in 2007 after saying “I hate gay people” in response to an interviewer's question about John Amaechi's coming out.
And for fun...the infamous Stephon Marbury video below:
The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network is taking on the popular catchphrase "That's So Gay" in a new ad campaign targeting students who use the phrase to insult LGBT students and those perceived to be gay.
The campaign aims to raise awareness about the prevalence and consequences of anti-LGBT bias and behavior in America’s schools. According to thinkb4youspeak.com the goal is to reduce and prevent the use of homophobic language in an effort to create a more positive environment for LGBT teens. The campaign also aims to reach adults, including school personnel and parents. This campaign comes on the heels of the suicide deaths of 11 year olds Carl Edward Walker-Hoover Jr and Jaheem Herrera, both who were victims of anti-gay harrassment in school.
One of my favorite ads in the campaign reads, " THAT'S SO ''JOCK WHO CAN COMPLETE A PASS BUT NOT A SENTENCE". Love it.
GLSEN was also behind a series of television commercials aimed at spreading awareness about the painful effect of the phrase, one of which included the newly out black lesbian Wanda Sykes who admonishes a group of male teenagers using the phrase as only she can.
Get into Sykes' PSA below and learn more about GLSEN on their official website here.
Well that's what popular NY drag preformer Ericka Toure Aviance is saying after he showed up at a taping on August 12th of the self-proclaimed "Queen of All Media's" new daytime talk show along with gay singer-songwriter Adam Joseph and gay entertainer Johnny McGovern, star of Logo’s The Big Gay Sketch Show.
“I decided to get dressed for Wendy because I thought she’d appreciate it,” says Aviance, a fixture of New York City nightlife for the last decade. “It wasn’t anything outlandish: It was a black baby-doll dress, heels, tights, and standard makeup -- not even anything sparkly. It was very demure, especially for me.”
While standing in line outside the studio Wednesday morning, the group was approached by a female intern who noted the fact that Aviance was a drag queen. “She took my name down, so we thought we were about to get VIP treatment,” Aviance recalls. “After another hour we got to the door, and there’s this little white man standing there giving us the eyeball. He gets in our way to prevent us from going in, and he says, ‘You’re in violation of our no-costumes dress code. We usually don’t do this, but we know you’ve been waiting out there for a while, so we’re going to let you in. But you can’t appear on camera, and if you get up for Hot Topics or try to ask Wendy a question, you’ll be removed from the building.’
Aviance believes it wasn't about his appearance but the simple fact that he was a man in a dress. "For someone who appropriates so much gay culture, you’d think Wendy’s policies would be a little more celebratory of the community.”
The Wendy Williams show released a statement after Johnny McGovern took to his Facebook page to explain what occurred.
“Producers at The Wendy Williams Show never intended to offend Erickatoure Aviance, but the fact of the matter is that the show does request that audience members dress appropriately, not in costume-like attire. We certainly support the LGBTQ community and believe that personal style is a form of self-expression, as evidenced by our host Wendy Williams each and every day. But in this case, our staff was concerned that Erickatoure’s attire was over-the-top and would be distracting to fans at home.”
Really? If you ask me Wendy Williams ought to be happy people are showing up to sit in the audience of her show. Am I the only person who can't seem to make it through an entire episode? One drag queen should never discriminate against another. Obviously Wendy missed the memo.
November 14th will mark the one year anniversary of the murder of 22 year old Lateisha Green, a Syracuse, NY transgendered woman who was shot to death by convicted gunman Dwight DeLee while sitting in a parked car outside a house party with her 18 year old brother Mark Cannon who was also shot but survived.
In a gut wrenching interview with Essence.com, Lateisha Green's mother Roxanne Green speaks candidly about the abuse her daughter received as a result of living openly as a transgender female and the last moments of her life, recalling watching Green take her last breaths as she bled on her front porch from the gunshot wound that punctured a main artery behind her heart.
There was a boy who lived around the corner that Lateisha used to talk to. He got mad because people found out he had something to do with Lateisha. He was still in the closet and embarrassed by it. When I got home, I saw all this blood in the bathroom sink. I found out they had taken Moses to the hospital and he had been slashed all over his face. I told her not to leave the house and she didn't, but this boy and some friends came to the house and did this. The doctor said they had just missed a vital vein and that he was a very lucky young man. All I could think was why?
After that incident Lateisha just stopped running. She got stronger. Suddenly, it didn't matter what people were saying about her. The night she died, Lateisha and her brother Mark drove up to a friend's house. There were people outside talking. The next thing they knew, someone came to the window and opened fire. Lateisha told Mark to take off. She was screaming out, "My heart, my heart." Mark was telling her no, you just got shot in the shoulder. You'll be all right. Mark was on his way to the hospital but all Lateisha wanted to do was come home. I was inside when they came to the house. I ran outside to see my baby on the ground. I got there right before she died. The autopsy report said that her lungs had quickly filled up with blood. The bullet ended up hitting the main artery in the back of her heart. I never thought in a million years that I would be burying my child.
Since Lateisha's death, I haven't known how to help my family, especially her father. He's hurting so badly. When Lateisha came out, he was hurt because he has always tried to protect her. She was such a sensitive child and would get so upset when the kids would jump her after school. But in the end, neither one of us could protect her. We're used to a having this happy-go-lucky person, who could just light up the room with us all the time. I never knew I could miss something so much in my life. I just want to scream sometimes. I've never felt this type of pain before. I'm bitter and I hate it.
Dwight DeLee has been charged with murder in the second degree as a hate crime and was sentenced to 25 years in prison and 5 years of supervision earlier this morning.
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Monday, August 31, 2009
