Nickelodeon’s ‘Blue’s Clues & You’ releases ‘predatory’ LGBT parade video featuring drag queen
Kid advocates are standing in opposition to what they say is a “savage” and upsetting new video delivered by the Nickelodeon child’s program “Blue’s Clues and You!” that happens at a Pride march and incorporates numerous types of sexuality and sex articulation.
The motorcade is emceed by an energized adaptation of drag entertainer Nina West, a dearest “RuPaul’s Drag Race” candidate from season 11. The video includes a chime in which West’s enlivened character is shown singing to the tune of “The Ants Go Marching.” The verses were changed to fit the LGBTQ subject. The video was delivered online days before LGBT Pride Month starts in June.
Brimming with waving rainbow and other striped banners and pennants, the video highlights numerous LGBT subjects, incorporating families with two mothers, two fathers, trans-distinguished individuals, “expert, bi and skillet” guardians. “Love will be love will be love you see, and everybody should cherish gladly,” West sings.
“Partners to the strange local area can cherish their companions so gladly,” West adds. The presentation likewise highlighted a gathering of beaver characters. One of the beavers wore a transsexual pink-and-blue-striped armband and what online analysts say seems, by all accounts, to be scars on its chest, apparently in view of a corrective twofold mastectomy.
Pundits of the video noticed how blatantly sex disarray and sexualized subjects were focused at small kids. “That Blue’s Clues has chosen to add sexuality and sex material to its writing computer programs is both disillusioning and upsetting,” said Maria Keffler, writer of the book Desist, Detrans, and Detox: Getting Your Child Out of the Gender Cult and the prime supporter of the as of late shaped Partners for Ethical Care, in an email to The Christian Post Monday.
Pre-juvenile youngsters don’t nor ought not have unequivocal information about or driving interest in sex or sexual orientation character. Moral experts who work with youngsters have since a long time ago perceived that when small kids are acquainted about sexual practices, this is unequivocally reminiscent of having been acquainted with such material by grown-ups who don’t have the kid’s wellbeing on a fundamental level.”
Keffler added that a “very much reported strategy that kid sexual stalkers utilize when prepping a youngster for sexual maltreatment is to acquaint sexual points and materials with the kid who is being focused on.” “Blue’s Clues’ presentation of sex and sexual orientation material demonstrates either an upsetting absence of comprehension about the fundamentals of youngster mental turn of events or that the show’s scholars and makers expect to prep kids toward ahead of schedule and formatively unseemly experiences with sex and sex themes,” she asserted.
Keffler further contended that during a time of uncontrolled sexual orientation disarray among teens, the time has come to perceive how ruinous sex philosophy is and how it prompts test medicalization and medical procedures.
“No kid is brought into the world in some unacceptable body, and how could anybody recommend that they could be,” Keffler fights. “Blue’s Clues, tragically, is not, at this point a dependable accomplice to guardians.” Traditionalist media analyst and host of the “Relatable” web recording, Allie Beth Stuckey, tweeted that she was not shocked by the “ruthless” fragment. She cautioned that “kids are consistently the unconsenting subjects of radical social analyses, from populace control to the redefinition of sex and sexuality to socialism itself.”
Harlequins hosted the Premiership’s first Pride Game when they played London Irish in February 2020 – as part of a drive to make the LGBTQ+ community feel more welcome in rugby union
When I was younger, I didn’t think I belonged in sport.
Not that you’d have known it from the outside.
I played hockey in the winter, tennis in the summer and could rattle off members of the Tottenham Hotspur squad like they were part of my own family.
But like many in the LGBTQ+ community, I felt I faced a choice between loving sport and being my true self.
It was partly to recognise and address some of the prejudice towards the LGBTQ+ community in sport that I started the BBC’s LGBT Sport Podcast in 2018.
The start of this year’s Pride Month – a global celebration that takes place every June – offers a chance to reflect on the progress made since then.
And – for all the challenges that still exist – there’s arguably never been a better time to be LGBTQ+ in sport.
‘I just live my life normally, and that’s the way I deal with it’
Liverpool’s Molly McCann recorded her first UFC victory in March 2019
If you’ve not heard the LGBT Sport Podcast, it’s the BBC’s first and only dedicated show that shines a spotlight on amazing sporting groups and individuals that happen to have some sort of link to the LGBTQ+ community.
There have been plenty of personalities to select as guests. Pick a sport, and you’ll almost certainly find someone from the LGBTQ+ community doing great things in it.
In MMA, Molly McCann made history as the first Englishwoman to win inside the UFC Octagon. In gymnastics, Luke Strong has won world and European medals. In Formula 1, Matt Bishop established himself as a key behind-the-scenes figure during his time as McLaren’s public relations boss, and is now doing a similar job at Aston Martin.
Even in football, where so much of the conversation is viewed through the lens of ‘when will a professional English male player come out?’, you’ll find a host of figures excelling in environments where they don’t have to hide who they are.
There’s National League and Women’s Super League referee Ryan Atkin, League One Burton Albion’s strength and conditioning coach Ben Watkiss, non-league Ashford Town manager Luke Tuffs, and Conor Shaw, who works in the media department at Forest Green Rovers.
James Child has refereed in rugby league’s Super League since 2010
Such levels of visibility would have been unimaginable a few years ago – but in 2021, there are hundreds of LGBTQ+ people in sport who are out and open about who they are.
And in this era of social media, many aren’t even having to ‘come out’ – because they were never ‘in’ to start with.
“I’d come out three years before doing that podcast with you. My other half said: ‘That’s good news for me then, considering we’ve been together for two years!'”
The straight allies helping to drive change
Last December, Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson tweeted support for a fan inspired by the armband he wore in support of Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign
One of the reasons so many more LGBTQ+ people feel comfortable in sport is because of the work being done by straight allies.
Definitions of what counts as ‘allyship’ can vary – but as an LGBTQ+ person, you know it when you see it.
It’s when a programme such as the BBC’s Tailenders podcast shares its platform to talk about the world’s first match between two inclusive cricket teams – which will go ahead when London-based Graces face Birmingham Unicorns on 13 June.
It’s when Harlequins hosts rugby union’s first-ever Pride Game – as they did when they played London Irish in the Premiership in February 2020.
It’s when Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson tweets out his support to an LGBTQ+ fan, or when the Argentine Football Association announces it’s working with the International Gay and Lesbian Football Association (IGLFA) to bring a major tournament to Buenos Aires in 2024.
“For them to reach out and work with us and their local LGBTQ soccer team is outstanding,” says IGLFA President Gus Penaranda.
“It is sending a message to the rest of the world that being LGBTQ+ is OK.”
Allyship doesn’t have to be on a grand scale.
It’s bringing in education courses to make coaching at your local club more inclusive; or putting Rainbow Laces in your boots at the start of a new season; or sharing a post on Instagram wishing your LGBTQ+ team-mates a happy Pride Month.
And yes, it’s when a club such as French rugby union second-tier side Biarritz announce a new sponsorship deal with Grindr, as they have just done.
The progress made – and the steps still to be taken
The 10th Gay Games took place in Paris in 2018 – and will next be held in Hong Kong in 2022
For all the changes that have happened, there’s still a long way to go.
It’s still too hard to be transgender in sport.
Major events are still being awarded to countries with poor LGBTQ+ rights records.
There are still people in sport who are afraid to come out, and incidents of homophobic or transphobic abuse happen far too often.
But sometimes, it’s important to recognise just how far things have progressed.
The pace of change has been extraordinary, with so many reasons to be optimistic – and this article has only touched on a few of them.
But because of that and so much more, the current sporting world is almost unrecognisable from the one that I and other LGBTQ+ people once feared we had no place in.
And that, if nothing else, is reason to feel proud.
Roy, a late colleague of mine, was gay. I remember him detailing how he struggled as a Catholic to come to terms with his sexuality. “The church branded me disordered,” he told me “unnatural, a misfit. Finding a loving gay partner is out of the question!”
Dr Luca Badini Confalonieri is director of research at the Wijngaards Institute and principal author of the newly-published report into same-sex relationships
A few weeks ago the Vatican reprised its outdated views, including forbidding priests to bless same-sex unions because “God does not bless sin”. The fallacies in such thinking are exposed in a newly-published study by the Wijngaards Institute for Catholic Research.
The study, Christian Objections to Same-sex Relationships: an Academic Assessment, is the product of collaboration between 20 Christian experts worldwide, together with more than 60 additional academics endorsing the summary of its conclusions in an accompanying academic statement.
Let me, as the lead author of the report, outline our findings.
Our research findings really are explosive and have been endorsed by the leading authorities on the topic of sexuality in the Bible
What are Rome’s arguments? First comes a factual claim: that biology shows ‘procreation’ to be the essential, indispensable finality of each and every act of sexual intercourse. The argument is then given a theological edge: because God established said biological laws, people are not allowed to interfere with them.
As biologically infertile, same-sex acts and relationships lack the child-producing purpose essential to sex and marriage. As such, they are unnatural, disordered and sinful.
Reductionist
You do not need to be an academic to see issues with such a position. Anybody with direct experience of being in a relationship will perceive those affirmations as deeply reductionist.
The fundamental problem, of course, is that the factual premise is grossly and demonstrably wrong: the relationship between insemination on the one hand and fertilisation, implantation and ultimately procreation on the other is statistical and relative, dependent as it is on the fulfilment of numerous conditions.
If it were not so, every act of insemination would result in a conception.
This means in practice that the vast majority of acts of heterosexual intercourse have neither a biological capacity nor a finality for procreation and, in that respect, they are identical to non-heterosexual sexual acts.
And yet, astonishingly, the grand edifice of papal condemnations of artificial contraception and same-sex relations depend entirely on the soundness of that one factual foundation. Undermine it and the whole house of cards comes crumbling down.
I cannot overemphasise that there really is nothing else: since its original papal proclamation in the fateful 1968 document Humanae Vitae, no additional official argument to support them has been put forward, despite the enormity of those judgments.
The shoddiness of papal teaching on this issue is, one suspects, privately acknowledged by a good number of Catholic bishops, although those who have made the point publicly are still very few.
What about scripture? “But wait a minute,” a Vatican monsignore will tell you, “the word of God clearly condemns homosexuality!” Not so. Our report shows that this last remaining objection is also on feeble foundations.
Our research findings really are explosive and have been endorsed by the leading authorities on the topic of sexuality in the Bible. Take, for instance, Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13, popularly believed to offer the most explicit and general condemnation of same-sex relationships.
Our study confirms that the traditional interpretation is based on a mistranslation of the original Hebrew text. Those verses only refer to specific kinds of male same-sex sexual activity (ie adultery and incest) and none condemns same-sex relationships in general.
What needs changing is not church teaching in general, but specifically papal teaching
Indeed, the very fact that the prohibition addressed a specific type of activity suggests same-sex relationships outside the forbidden category were viewed as permissible.
The other key passage which is similarly misinterpreted is Romans 1:26-27. Again, some recent fascinating peer-reviewed research has shown the dominant homophobic interpretation of that passage is entirely without merit.
In short, there is no condemnation anywhere in the Bible of female same-sex relationships, nor of consensual and faithful same-sex relationships in general.
Flimsy arguments
Conclusion? You could be forgiven for thinking that the papal condemnation of same-sex relations was based on profound human and spiritual insights. After all, the Vatican and much of the Catholic hierarchy have strenuously defended such a judgment for decades.
Yet what emerges from critical scrutiny is the flimsiness of the official papal arguments used to justify their condemnation, just as it is in the case of artificial contraception.
Now the ball is in Pope Francis’s court. For what needs changing is not church teaching in general, but specifically papal teaching: a teaching drafted in isolation from the church at large, ignoring both the advice of relevant experts and the experiences of Catholics worldwide.
The cry for justice from gay Catholics worldwide must not be ignored. We hope our report will provide Pope Francis with the necessary foundation for an independent and transparent process of consultation to revise current doctrine and make it fully inclusive.
GREAT BARRINGTON — Rainbow flags flutter in earnest at this time of year, and for good reason. June marks the start of LGBTQ Pride month — to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots in the United States and to celebrate the impact of LGBTQ+ people around the world. Pride, the apt antithesis of shame and stigma, is a month-long opportunity to promote the dignity, equality, rights, and increased visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. In the Berkshires, local author Rev. Erika Allison is leading the charge with her new book, “Gay the Pray Away: Healing Your Life, Love, and Relationships from the Harms of LGBT Conversion Therapy” (Difference Press, 2021).
In her book, the title of which is a tongue-in-cheek play on the conversion-therapy phrase “pray the gay away,” Allison shares her story of healing and offers a path to live “gayly ever after” for others who have experienced identity rejection. When looking for a way to tell her story, one that showed her overcoming a decades’ old experience, Allison leaned on this play on words to create the opposite effect: “Instead of trying to pray this part out of me, I let my gay self out and shined it so brightly that I gayed away all those attempts to change who I was,” she told The Edge in a recent interview. Which, in a world rife with labels, is a way of reclaiming her power, with a twist.
Photo courtesy Erika Allison
Allison, a newly-ordained interfaith minister, grew up in a “suburban community between Dallas and Ft. Worth, [where] the question wasn’t whether you went to church or not; it was which one you attended. The norms were very well-established,” she writes in the opening pages of her book. Her parents pined for their daughter to have a life that was easy and happy — the assumption being that if she were gay, she would miss out on these things. Suffice it to say, Allison is doing the hard work of bringing marginalized experiences to light and making them more prominent — a process that has required “peeling back the layers a little bit deeper” and tons of healing.
“I had to get to a particular point in my own development where I could stop putting [my parents] on that pedestal of having all the answers, of knowing everything that’s right, and needing their approval, [and begin stepping] into my own sovereignty and authority over my life.” Her book calls for consciousness, a process she explains as beginning with intention, “not meaning to do any harm— but that is not going to get us all the way there. The next step is looking closely at how intentions play out in the world,” namely how they create blind spots, then stepping back “to look outside the narrow view of things and take responsibility for the bigger picture outcome — not just the intention.” In her work as an author, speaker, coach, and minister, her remedy is to “Listen deeply, from a place of quiet and stillness, to what my heart and soul says is true.”
Hannah Van Sickle: Can you help define conversion therapy, or put the practice into context, for readers who are unfamiliar?
Erika Allison: There is an overarching term, called Sexual Orientation Change Efforts, [under which conversion “therapy” falls]. It’s a type of practice with the goal of changing [the sexual orientation of homosexual and bisexual individuals to heterosexual] and now gender identity has come under that umbrella, as well. Typically, [conversion therapy] is conducted through a religious lens — and tends to be motivated through religion, but not exclusively — and is based on the premise that being gay is out of alignment with God’s plan for your life, and therefore the best way to save someone’s soul is to change them. It is based on the [erroneous] premise that sexual orientation can be altered or changed, because it is a choice of some kind, not a fixed part of oneself.
HVS: When writing this book, who was your intended audience?
EA: If I had to draw a circle, the smallest circle of my target audience would be people who are LGBTQ who — to make the circle even smaller — have experienced some kind of wounding from their religious past. I knew I needed to come from my grounding, which was in my own experience, but I’ve had so many people read it and say this isn’t just for people who have been through conversion therapy. There is so much here for anyone who has been through any kind of experience where someone, society, or some messaging told them who they are is not okay. And that causes harm, any way you look at it. It tends to be that, if we don’t do something to overwrite those deeply programmed messages, they will follow us throughout life.
HVS: What is your stance on labels when it comes to the conversation surrounding sexual orientation/gender identity?
EA: Labels continue to morph and change. When all this happened in my life 20+ years ago, the word queer was not being used — [LGBTQ individuals] didn’t want to be identified as that — now queer tends to be this over-encompassing term for anyone who is not in the heteronormative mainstream. Labels are interesting. They can be helpful and they can be harmful. I think the key is: Does the individual get to identify their own labels or are they being [assigned] by someone from the outside? It’s helpful for me to identify as LGBTQ, in some cases, because I don’t have the same experience as [others]. I did receive some sort of marginalized treatment because of who I am in the world, and if I erase that label — and I don’t name that as part of my experience — there is a risk of my erasing the experience itself, and there is a lot of strength, a lot of growth, a lot of gold in that experience. [Today], things are becoming more open and more fluid. I think when we use labels, and it’s welcome by an individual, to create a system of belonging — and to help others see that where I am coming from has required overcoming some things — it is very helpful. [Labels] are not helpful when they take away our ability to be fluid, and to be who we are at any moment, knowing that we are all changing and labels are not needed to exist.
HVS: How do we work to remedy (and hopefully eliminate) the hurdle of “coming out” that does not exist for individuals who identify as heterosexual?
EA: I think the time of coming out may be slowly going away — and there will be less and less need for that over time — but I don’t think we are quite there yet. I still think where most of this comes from, unfortunately, is religion-based conditioning. Take my parents, for instance: everything they did was motivated by love. That’s what makes this so complicated; it’s one of the few types of abuse where love is the cause, and it was almost that my Mom loved me so much that she wanted my soul to go to heaven with her. Whatever she had to do [to reach that goal] she would do, [and] what that looked like was some pretty extreme [measures] to save me from this “thing” that had a hold over me. No one should have to come out: we should all just be who we are and it should be fine. I think we are getting to that point.
Photo courtesy Erika Allison
HVS: What inspired you to become an interfaith minister, and what keeps you motivated in your work?
EA: Typically, our religious institutions have excluded the LGBTQ population and, even the ones who are considered accepting, it often feels — from the perspective of someone in this community — like [LGBTQ individuals] are being reluctantly included, which is very different from feeling truly celebrated. That is one of my goals as an interfaith minister: to help people heal from that religious trauma without having to leave spirituality completely. A research study out of Australia, that was just released in March, basically found that people who had religious harm, like conversion therapy, who then went to traditional psychotherapy, in most cases [were told] they needed to leave the religion completely in order to find healing. It’s the same concept as leaving an abuser — you can’t stay in an abusive relationship [and heal] — but what they found is that it was causing further harm to LGBTQ people. They didn’t want to have to make the decision to completely leave religion, faith, spirituality. So part of my goal as an interfaith minister is to help people find a place in their spiritual world where [all of this] can coexist, to broaden their view of spiritually such that who they are is completely validated. They don’t have to throw that part of themselves away, they can actually have their spirituality in a way that affirms and celebrates who they are.
My active ministry is trying to create a monthly, spiritual gathering and community, called Gay the Pray (next meeting June 6 at 8 p.m.), where LGBTQ individuals feel like they can dive in and explore spirituality knowing, from the outset, that who they are is completely accepted and celebrated. It’s spiritual, not religious, [aimed at] helping people find their spiritual center, that place within themselves that is connected to source, higher self, universe — specifically for LGBTQ individuals to find others who are on that path. You can be queer and not run into many people who are thinking spiritually, and you can be in spiritual circles and not run into many people who are queer. And I’m attempting to bring those worlds together [by] finding that harmony between spirituality and sexuality.
HVS: What kernel of wisdom have you learned from your journey to date that you would share with young people today struggling with similar obstacles that you faced?
EA: I would love for the learning curve not to be as long as mine was. I would love for people who have received any kind of negative messaging, or any kind of programmed experience that somehow leads to them feeling flawed or not lovable or not worthy … to read this book and realize they are carrying that now, and do the unpacking and the reprogramming of that now, rather than having to carry around the residuals of those messages for 20 years. This is [also] what keeps me motivated: when I look at my life story, it really took me about 20 years to unpack the fact that I was still carrying around wounding from my experience. I often said [in regards to conversion therapy] “no harm no foul;” it didn’t work, it didn’t make me not gay, so it must not have harmed me either — it must have been a neutral experience. That was a fine belief for a while, and [likely] kept me alive. Interestingly, as I got older and continued through my life, and I watched myself sabotage relationships or I watched myself hop around from career to career still searching for something, I really had to draw a connection between all these things happening and that first experience [with conversion therapy].
HVS: Is there a role for allies in this process?
EA: There is always a role for allies. Allies have been critical along this entire path for LGBTQ rights and equality. I was living in Maine back when gay marriage was being voted into the world, and I remember the first time it was on the ballot, we lost. The second time it came on the ballot, we won. Some of my friends who were leaders in the movement said the key difference was that allies got involved the second time around. The people who have the power also have the ability to create influence—they can change systems and create environments that work better for all people — if they are aware and awake in those positions of power and privilege.
What allies have the opportunity to do is to offer a completely affirming, loving, celebratory presence to anyone in the LGBTQ community, and continue to let that person know they are loved exactly as they are. Don’t underestimate the power of offering that level of acceptance to someone. [In a world full of] subtle messages of non-acceptance … one individual can make a difference by sharing a message of “I totally love and accept you as you are.”
Note: You can find “Gay the Pray Away” at The Bookloft in Great Barrington, The Bookstore in Lenox, and on Amazon. The audiobook version, produced by Alison Larkin Presents, can be found here.
BATON ROUGE, LA. – A measure that would bar transgender athletes from competing on girls’ sports teams in public schools in Louisiana, passed by the Republican majority legislature Thursday is now headed to Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards, who is expected to veto the bill.
Senate Bill 156 (SB156) was sponsored by State Senator Beth Mizell (D-12, Franklinton), the Senate’s second-ranking Republican, who during debate on the measure said that she ‘was concerned only with women’s rights.’ She reminded her 38 colleagues of other measures “we have done together to protect the fact that men and women are different,” the local newspaper, the Baton Rouge Advocate reported.
So far in 2021, legislators in more than 30 states have introduced bills to ban trans kids from playing sports. This measure supporters, which mirrors bans passed by other Republican-led legislatures in several states including Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Montana, and West Virginia, have all said they’re trying to protect female athletes from unfair competition and preserve equality for women’s sports.
“Allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports shatters girls’ equal opportunities,” said Rep. Laurie Schlegel, the Jefferson Parish Republican who handled the bill in the House. “Let’s protect our girls.” This measure would apply to K-12 schools and colleges in the Pelican state.
“For the past ten years, every time far-right extremists and Christian nationalists have tried to create new laws attacking trans people’s core human rights of self-determination and self-expression, trans Louisianans have held the line. Not one of these bills has become law, and we don’t intend on breaking our winning streak this year,” said Dylan Waguespack, president of Louisiana Trans Advocates. “We want to encourage any young trans people in Louisiana who see today’s news to hold onto hope and to remember that you’re not alone. You’re a beloved member of a community that’s strong, that fights for freedom, and that wins.”
The virulently anti-LGBTQ Louisiana Family Forum President Gene Mill applauded the actions by lawmakers in a statement, “We are especially thankful to Sen. Mizell and Rep. Laurie Schegel for bringing the bill forward and sending it to the Governor’s desk. Women in Louisiana deserve to compete on a level playing field. Allowing men to compete in women’s sports destroys fair competition, destroys women’s athletic opportunities, and eventually destroys women’s sports. We look forward to Governor Edwards adding his signature to SB156 and validating Louisiana’s attentiveness to and concern for women athletes.”
There are so far more than 250 anti-LGBTQ bills under consideration in state legislatures across the country. Of those, more than half directly target transgender people and more than 70 would, like SB 156, ban transgender girls and women from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity.
2021 has officially surpassed 2015 as the worst year for anti-LGBTQ legislation in recent history. So far in 2021, twenty-three anti-LGBTQ bills have been enacted into law. States have now enacted more anti-LGBTQ laws this year than in the last three years combined.
“The advancement of this discriminatory bill is shameful and sends a harmful message to LGBTQ youth. Tragically, this bill is just the latest in a wave of attacks on trans and non-binary people in Louisiana and across the nation,” said Alphonso David, Human Rights Campaign President. “Legislators and supporters who say it is about a level playing field cannot even provide an example of one incident where this issue has even occurred. I hope Gov. John Bel Edwards keeps his word and vetoes this terrible legislation.”
Brian Gay Betting Odds And Insights For 2021 The Memorial Tournament Pres. By Nationwide
Brian Gay (+50000 odds to win) enters 2021 the Memorial Tournament pres. by Nationwide at Muirfield Village Golf Club looking for a better finish this year after he missed the cut in his last appearance in this tournament in 2019.
The betting insights in this article reflect betting data from DraftKings as of May 31, 2021, 6:21 PM ET. See table below for current betting odds and CLICK HERE to bet at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Brian Gay odds for the the Memorial Tournament pres. by Nationwide
Gay’s recent form
Gay hasn’t finished inside the top 20 in his last five appearances, with an average finish of 81st.
He’s qualified for the weekend in one of his last five tournaments.
Gay has not been in contention in any recent tournaments, as he’s not posted a score better than the field average or finished within five shots of the leader in any of his last five events.
In his last five tournaments, he finished 18 relative to par in his only made cut.
the Memorial Tournament pres. by Nationwide details
Date: June 3- 6, 2021
Location: Dublin, OH
Course: Muirfield Village Golf Club
Par: 72 / 7,392 yards
Purse: 9.3M
Defending Champ: Jon Rahm
Course history: Gay at the Memorial Tournament pres. by Nationwide
Gay has not finished inside the top 20 in his last three trips to this event.
Gay has one made cut in his last three attempts at this tournament.
Gay did not make the cut in his last appearance at the tournament (2019).
He has played in four events at Muirfield Village Golf Club since 2015.
Gay has an average finish of 36th in his recent stops at this course.
Gay has made the cut two times in his last four events at this course.
The last time Gay played this course in 2020, he finished 27th. His last time here, he finished one round within five shots of the leader.
Course comparison – Muirfield Village Golf Club
This week will take place on a par 72 that clocks in at 7,392 yards, 75 yards longer than the average 7,317 yards for Tour stops over the past year.
Muirfield Village Golf Club has seen an average tournament score of -2.7 recently, which is higher than the Tour scoring average of -4.9 across all courses over the past year.
The average course Gay has played over the last year (7,255 yards) is 137 yards shorter than the course he’ll be playing this week (7,392 yards).
The tournaments he’s played over the past year have seen an average score of -6.4. That’s lower than this course’s recent scoring average of -2.7.
Historical player and course insights reflect data from the 2014-15 PGA season to present.
Your stay at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel could benefit teachers around the U.S.
Loews Miami Beach Hotel
From coast to coast and around the world, these hotels have certainly done their part to make the world a better place. Here’s a closer look at some of their most successful charitable initiatives.
Hyatt Assists Local Businesses Around The World
Hyatt Loves Local, which began in 2020 as an initiative to support local businesses with resources, operational sites and publicity during the Covid-19 pandemic, has now expanded to include more than 160 small business collaborations throughout the Americas, Europe, Southeast Asia, Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East.
“We are proud to continue supporting communities while simultaneously offering our guests experiences that celebrate the future and recovery of travel,” said Amy Weinberg, senior vice president, loyalty, brand marketing and insights at Hyatt.
Hyatt Loves Local projects in the U.S. range from Hyatt properties like the Motif Seattle offering complimentary operational space for female-owned company Mixtape Pasta to the Grand Hyatt Atlanta Buckhead opening a gallery space where local artists can display and sell their masterpieces to the public. Outside the U.S., other collaborations include inviting local artisans in Zanzibar, Cartagena and Bangalore to sell their wares in hotel gift shops and offering guests the opportunity to give back by volunteering with local businesses in Goa and Calgary or personally assisting with conservation efforts in the Maldives.
Loews Hotels Helps Local Schools And Teachers
Now through Labor Day, Loews Hotels is donating a portion of each stay of two or more nights to DonorsChoose, a non-profit helping people make direct donations to teachers and local public school classrooms around the U.S. In other words, you can rest easy knowing your vacation is helping teachers acquire art supplies, books and other essential classroom items for their students’ 2021-2022 school year.
The Godfrey Hotel Boston Offers Three Social Responsibility Packages
The Godfrey Hotel Boston is reinforcing its commitment to fighting inequality and injustice by creating special packages for guests to book with 10% discounts as well as a $15 donation for each night of their stay to one of three social responsibility causes. During the booking process, guests can choose their $15 donation to go toward Stop AAPI Hate, a national coalition dedicated to addressing racism against Asians and Pacific Islanders; the Women’s Foundation of Boston, which works to economically empower women and girls in the Boston area; or BAGLY, The Boston Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth, an organization working toward social justice and sustainable support for Boston’s LGBTQ+ community.
June is lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month, and the Cincinnati area is chock-full of celebrations all month long. Here are the whens and wheres around town.
Know of any events that we haven’t listed here? Email details to calendar@cincinnati.com.
June 1
Inside Out: An Affirming Epiphany, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, Price Hill Branch Library, 970 Purcell Ave., East Price Hill. Exhibit of self-portraits and statements by transgender individuals with responsive poems by Greater Cincinnati poets. Runs June 1-July 3.
Pride Film Series, 6:30 p.m., Esquire Theatre, 320 Ludlow Ave., Clifton. June 1: “Monsoon”. June 8: “Welcome to Chechnya”. June 15: “Paris is Burning”. June 22: “Ammonite”. June 29: “Tangerine”. Free.
Pride at Gano Alley, all month long, Gano Alley next to 21C Hotel, 609 Walnut St., Downtown. Alley transformed by rainbow flags.
Pride Celebration VIP Party, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Vom Fass, Crestview Hills Town Center, 2870 Town Center Blvd., Crestview Hills. Wear festive outfits and enjoy 3-course dinner with cocktail and 2 glasses of wine. $35. eventbrite.com.
Eyes Open Art Show, Creative House of Art and Design, 609 Main St., Covington. Part of Cincy Black Pride. Exhibit runs June 3-June 30. cincinnatiblackpride.com.
Multifaith Pride Celebration, 6 p.m., Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky, 200 Home Road, Covington. Celebration under large tent. Affirming faith/belief systems with Cincinnati Pride, NKY Pride, Lawrenceburg Pride and Cincy Black Pride. Event shared virtually as well. cincinnatipride.org.
Jackie Cox One Woman Show, 7 and 9 p.m., Below Zero Lounge, 1122 Walnut St., Over-the-Rhine. Ages 18-up for early show, 21-up for late show. eventbrite.com.
Northern Kentucky Pride Kickoff Party, 5-7 p.m., Braxton Brewing Co., 27 W. Seventh St., Covington. Rooftop bar. Featuring the return of Braxton’s fan-favorite Pride Watermelon Wheat beer, and a drag show at 6 p.m.
June 5
Pride March, 11 a.m., Rotary Park, 208 High St., Hamilton. March to Marcum Park for start of Pride Festival. Free. hamiltonohiopride.com.
Pride Festival, noon-11 p.m., Marcum Park, 116 Dayton St., Hamilton. Features vendors, food trucks, live music and DJ, community organizations, beer booth supporting Pride, games and activities for kids. hamiltonohiopride.com.
Pride Concert, 6-11 p.m., RiversEdge Amphitheater, 295 N. Second St., Hamilton. Sponsored by Hamilton Ohio Pride. Featuring local drag queens, Dakota Green and The Skivvies. Ages 18-up. Free. hamiltonohiopride.com.
Move for Change, 9-10:30 a.m., Ault Park, 5090 Observatory Ave., Mount Lookout. Group workout includes mobility work and strength training. With Absolute Kinetics Personal Trainers, Trilogy Fitness and MEAS Active. Friendly competition, raffles, swag bags, prizes and more. Benefits Living With Change. $40. eventbrite.com.
June 6
Northern Kentucky PrideFest 2021, noon-5 p.m., Mainstrasse Village, Main Street, Covington. Vendors, performers, family-friendly activities and food and drink options. Information: nkypridecenter.org.
June 11
Cincinnati Reds Pride Night, 7:10 p.m., Great American Ball Park, 100 Joe Nuxhall Way, Downtown. cincinnatipride.org.
June 12
Loving Wyoming Art Exhibition, noon-6 p.m., Wyoming Fine Arts Center, 322 Wyoming Ave. Local queer artists showcase work.
Inside Out: An Affirming Epiphany Book Launch and Poetry Reading, 2-5 p.m., Price Hill Branch Library, 970 Purcell Ave., East Price Hill. Meet participating artists and poets. Exhibit of self-portraits and statements by transgender individuals with responsive poems by Greater Cincinnati poets. Information: Curator Saad Ghosn, saad.ghosn@ucmail.uc.edu.
Pride Pool Takeover, 10 a.m.-5:45 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Ziegler Pool, 1322 Sycamore St., Over-the-Rhine. DJ Syimone spins tunes Saturday, DJ Jayy on Sunday. Sessions run 10 a.m.-12:15 p.m., 12:45-3 p.m. and 3:30-5:45 p.m. Must reserve session in advance via zieglerpark.org.
The Vixen, 8 a.m.-1 a.m., Main Event, 835 Main St., Downtown. RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 10 contestant visits. Reservations: facebook.com/maineventcincinnati.
June 13
Sacred Worth, 2-5 p.m., United Methodist Church, 7388 E. Kemper Road, Sycamore Township. Spirit-filled afternoon of live music, games, worship, glitter tattoos, balloon art, ice cream and more. Resources and information for those seeking support to LGBTQIA folks in their congregations and families.
Showtunes Sunday, 5-9 p.m., Below Zero Lounge, 1122 Walnut St., Over-the-Rhine. Hosted by David Dalton and VJ Paul.
Black Alphabet Film Festival, streaming June 13-17. Finale on June 17 includes virtual facilitated discussion of feature films “Mama Gloria” and “13th and Republic.” cincinnatiblackpride.com.
June 16
Town Hall: State of Black LGBTQ Cincinnati, 6-7:30 p.m. livestreamed. Panel discussion. Free, but pre-registration required. cincinnatiblackpride.com.
June 18
Vizazi Torch Awards, live event link shared on day of event. Hosts Jennifer Balenciaga and Marc Morgan. Performances by Aziza Love and Gravel & Grit. cincinatiblackpride.com.
Cincy Black Pride Juneteenth Kickoff Party, 9 p.m.-1 a.m., Esoteric Brewing Company, 918 E. McMillan St., Walnut Hills. Celebrating Cincy Black Pride. Presented by DJ Jayy and DJ Rah D. cincinnatiblackpride.com.
June 19
Eyes Open Art Show Reception, 6-8 p.m., Creative House of Art and Design, 609 Main St., Covington. Part of Cincy Black Pride. Exhibit runs June 3-June 30. cincinnatiblackpride.com.
Cincy Pride Northside, 6-8 p.m., Liberty Exhibition Hall, 3938 Spring Grove Ave., Northside. Featuring drag headliners Maxi Glamour of Dragula reality TV show and Jade Jolie of RuPaul’s Drag Race. $10-$20. eventbrite.com.
Cincy Pride Northside, 8 p.m.-2 a.m., MixWell’s, 3935 Spring Grove Ave., Northside.
BlackOut: Cincy Pride Edition, 9 p.m.-1 a.m., Good Judy’s, 4169 Hamilton Ave., Northside. Deep and soulful house and classics with DJ Fred Pierce. cincinnatiblackpride.com.
June 23
Movie in the Park: Pride Night, 8 p.m., Washington Park, 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. Film: “Bring It On”. washingtonpark.org.
June 24
Pride Summer Sip, 6 p.m., The Redmoor, 3187 Linwood Ave., Mount Lookout. Drink specials, live music and more. Sponsored by Queen City Lemonade. eventbrite.com.
Pride Party, 4:40-7 p.m., On the Rhine Eatery, 100 E. Court St., Downtown. LGBTQ community can gather, enjoy cocktails, light nibbles and interactive opportunities. Swag bag to first 150 registered. Space is limited. eventbrite.com.
June 25
Middletown Pride, 5-11 p.m., 1050 Central Ave., Middletown. Wear your rainbow gear and enjoy a Pride Color Crawl with signature drinks from participating bars. Sign up for the High Heel Dash and try to race a drag queen. Crawl is 5-9 p.m., High Heel Dash is 7-9 p.m. facebook.com/pridemiddletown.
June 26
Inside Out: An Affirming Epiphany Panel Discussion, 2-5 p.m., Price Hill Branch Library, 970 Purcell Ave., East Price Hill. Panel presentation and Q&A on LGBTQA personal, social and legal considerations with panelists Ashton Michael Lee, Phebe Beiser and Scott Knox. Poetry readings from exhibit of self-portraits and statements by transgender individuals with responsive poems by Greater Cincinnati poets. Information: Curator Saad Ghosn, saad.ghosn@ucmail.uc.edu.
Pride Block Party, 4-8, Gano Alley next to 21C Hotel, 609 Walnut St., Downtown. Featuring outdoor grilled food by Metropole, drink specials, dancing, raffle prizes and more. Family-friendly activities from 4-6 p.m include sidewalk chalk, bubbles, face painting and kid slushies. Live DJ. A portion of proceeds benefits Transform Cincy. Free, reservations: eventbrite.com.
21C Love Is Love Hotel Package, 1-night stay includes $50 credit at Metropole restaurant, 21C Pride swag bag, $10 donation to Transform Cincy.
Pride Rollout Cincy, 8-10 p.m., Smale Riverfront Park Piano, 166 W. Mehring Way, Downtown. In partnership with Cincinnati Rollergirls and Cincinnati Skate Collective, take an evening roll (or stroll) from the Smale Park Piano to the Riverside Outdoor Rink. All wheels welcome.
Cincinnati Men’s Chorus: Big Gay Broadway, 7-8:30 p.m. streaming online. Explores the many GLBT contributions to show tunes. Reservations: cincinnatimenschorus.org.
Kandy Muse, 8-11 p.m., Main Event, 835 Main St., Downtown. RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13 runner-up Kandy Muse visits. Reservations: facebook.com/maineventcincinnati.
June 27
Pride Market, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Washington Park, 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. Chill shopping experience featuring local and queer-owned businesses. Caracole on-site to provide free, private HIV testing services. Music by DJ Jules and DJ Rah D. washingtonpark.org.
Wigs & Waffles, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Fueled Collective, 3825 Edwards Road, Norwood. Celebrate Pride 2021 at a drag brunch benefitting Lighthouse Youth & Family Services’ LGBTQ programs. $49, includes brunch, open bar and drag show. cincydragbrunch.com.
Pride Drag Brunch, 11 a.m., Below Zero Cabaret, 1120 Walnut St., Over-the-Rhine. Drag queens pay tribute to Studio 54. A Catered Affair prepares 3 courses to choose from. All ages welcome. Reservations sold as 2 and 4 seat tables, $31 per person. cabaretcincinnati.com.
Tacos & Tequila: Pride Edition, 2-6 p.m., William Frances Theatre, 6819 Vine St., Carthage. Featuring DJ Trub and Chef Tbeezy. $10 advance. versedthreadz.com.
Yumy – new product of “Social networking APP factory” Newborn Town Inc. went viral among over 5 million users
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the development of online social networking industry has been accelerated worldwide, where Chinese Internet enterprises continue to seize the global market with their localized products and operational capabilities. Recently, Yumy, a popular social networking APP launched by Newborn Town Inc. (9911.HK), one of China’s leading Internet enterprises adapting the “going-global” strategies, has been downloaded for over 5 million times on Google Play store.
Fueled by the Covid-19 epidemic, the new stay-at-home economy has been booming and stimulated the development of online social networking industry, where audio and video features have become the global trend of online APP interaction. Dedicated to global social networking business, Newborn Town Inc. is targeting to satisfy the global users’ needs and hence established a product portfolio of audio and video social networking APPs, including Yiyo, MICO, and YoHo, which have all been well-received in the markets.
The recent new product Yumy, featuring “Video Matching” and “Touched in 10 Seconds”, has become another best-seller forged by “Social networking APP factory” Newborn Town Inc. It enabled the users to get into real-time interactive scenarios based on videos and efficiently establish social relations with one click.
“Touched in 10 Seconds”, Yumy’s core romantic matching function through real-time video communication
In Yumy’s “Heartbeat” mode, the user can start video matching with one simple click. When a match is identified, the user can see other’s face immediately and decide if he or she is “touched” and willing to continue the conversation within 10 seconds. If both parties are “touched” mutually, they can continue the video call and establish a connection, or they’ll pass up.
The real-time face-to-face interaction created by Yumy is gaining high popularity, crediting to the simple layout and function, authentic experience and full of excitement.
Since the initial launch of Yumy, it has been particularly popular in emerging markets like India, Pakistan, and Southeast Asia, with over 5 million downloads. It entered into the list of top 10 most downloaded Google Play social networking APPs in 15 nations/regions worldwide, including Pakistan, Malaysia and Bangladesh, and entered into the list of top 10 best-selling Google Play social networking APPs in 4 nations.
“Social networking APP factory” Newborn Town Inc. invests more in audio and video products
Newborn Town Inc., one with 10 years of business experience in global market, has seen tremendous opportunities in the social networking industry and therefore focusing efforts on building a competitive product portfolio of audio and video social networking APPs for the global markets.
Looking at the current product portfolio of Newborn Town Inc., YoHo has been one of the top 2 voice-chat social networking platforms in the Middle East. MICO has topped the list of most downloaded iOS social networking APPs in 71 nations/regions worldwide. Yiyo, nicknamed the “video version of Tinder”, is particularly popular in the Middle East and North Africa. The new product Yumy also features video social networking, but with many unique efforts made in the fields of product design, path for market expansion, and the like.
Building a diversified social networking product portfolio has been proven to be successful in seizing the market. According to public information, Match Group, the industry giant, owns more than 40 social networking APPs which target at different groups of users by region, age, interest, preference, etc. Newborn Town Inc. is also adopting the strategy of establishing a product portfolio to rapidly seize the global market.
Unlike Match Group, Newborn Town Inc., with the position as a “Social networking APP factory”, is featuring its own brand of premium audio and video APPs. Currently, social networking in the form of images and texts is being replaced by real-time interaction vectors like videos and audios, on which the products previously launched by Newborn Town Inc. are based.
Recently,thanks to its social networking business, good news of Newborn Town Inc. has come one after another. Its revenue increased by more than 470% on a year-on-year basis in 2021 Q1, already close to half of last year’s total. The average MAU of its social networking products approximated to 16.58 million in Q1, marking a quarter-on-quarter growth of over 25%.
As of the close of May 27, 2021, Newborn Town Inc. was added to MSCI China Small Cap Index, demonstrating its strong driving force and tremendous growth potential.
01/06/2021 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS Group. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
June’s Pride Month is a time to honor and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and their allies. ABC7 Eyewitness News will have a series of reports on the LGBTQ+ community throughout the month.
LGBTQ+ Support Organizations
AFFINITY 95 Affinity was born out of the desire of out Black lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals to bring visibility to the south side of Chicago.
AIDS FOUNDATION OF CHICAGO For 35 years, AIDS Foundation Chicago (AFC) has led the fight to create health equity and justice for people living with and disproportionately impacted by HIV and AIDS. Providing case management, advocacy and housing services.
ARCHDIOCESAN GAY AND LESBIAN OUTREACH OF CHICAGO On June 5, 1988, a small group of gay and lesbian Catholics celebrated their first mass as a newly organized ministry of the Archdiocese of Chicago, especially created to reach out to Chicago’s LGBT community. The new ministry was named the Archdiocesan Gay and Lesbian Outreach of Chicago, and its acronym – AGLO – was no coincidence. For over 25 years, AGLOChicago has labored to reflect the light of Christ’s love, offering its dazzling promise to people long forced to live in shadows, not wholly unlike the first Christians.
CENTER ON HALSTED Center on Halsted is the Midwest’s most comprehensive community center dedicated to advancing community and securing the health and well-being of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) people of Chicagoland. More than 1,000 community members visit the Center every day, located in the heart of Chicago’s Lakeview Neighborhood.
Howard Brown exists to eliminate the disparities in healthcare experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people through research, education and the provision of services that promote health and wellness. It is now one of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) organizations serving more than 40,000 adults and youth in its diverse health and social service delivery system focused around seven major programmatic divisions: primary medical care, behavioral health, research, HIV/STI prevention, youth services, elder services, and community initiatives. Howard Brown serves men, women, trans and gender non-conforming folks, infants, youth, and children through a multi-site operation based in Chicago. This includes a main health and research center in the Uptown neighborhood, Howard Brown Health Sheridan, Howard Brown Health Halsted in Lakeview, Howard Brown Health Clark in Rogers Park, Howard Brown Health 63rd Street in Englewood, Howard Brown Health 55th Street in Hyde Park, Howard Brown Health at Thresholds South in Back of the Yards, Howard Brown Health at La Casa Norte in Humboldt Park, the Broadway Youth Center, and three Brown Elephant resale shops in Chicago (Lakeview and Andersonville neighborhoods) and Oak Park.
BROADWAY YOUTH CENTER Broadway Youth Center is a program of Howard Brown Health Center and [its] community partners, offering comprehensive services to youth, ages 12-24 including a safe space for young people experiencing homelessness. The mission of BYC is to make life healthier and happier for young people (12-24) who are transgender, queer, lesbian, bisexual, gay, and especially young people who do not have stable housing. BYC sees anyone, regardless of ability to pay. BYC provides basic needs assistance, resource advocacy, mental wellness supports, and education/vocational services. We consider ourselves a one-stop shop and try to meet as many needs as possible for the people that we serve. Through its basic needs program, the BYC offers homeless youth a safe place to access basic needs, such as food, hygiene supplies, clothing, laundry, and showers. In addition to drop-in services, youth are also able to access a full range of free services and programs ranging from HIV/STI testing and treatment, acute health care services, GED classes, case management, counseling services and social and support groups. We are serving people from three locations. Please call 773.299.7600 for more information.
BRAVE SPACE ALLIANCE Brave Space Alliance is the first Black-led, trans-led LGBTQ+ Center located on the South Side of Chicago, dedicated to creating and providing affirming, culturally competent, for-us by-us resources, programming, and services for LGBTQ+ individuals on the South and West sides of the city. We strive to empower, embolden, and educate each other through mutual aid, knowledge-sharing, and the creation of community-sourced resources as we build toward the liberation of all oppressed peoples.
CHICAGO HOUSE Chicago House empowers persons living with or vulnerable to HIV/AIDS to lead healthy and dignified lives through housing and compassionate, client-centered support services. Annually, we serve more than 2,000 individuals in Chicago across four mission-critical pillars of housing, health, employment support, and the TransLife Care program. In January 2020. Chicago House provides permanent, community-based housing, supportive services, and prevention outreach to individuals and families struggling with HIV and AIDS. Many come to [Chicago House] with the added burdens of poverty, homelessness, substance abuse, and mental illness, as well as the need for job skills and training. Chicago House’s innovative programs are designed to meet the unique needs of these individuals and families including many in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community as well as minority communities who struggle with health and income disparities.
LAMBDA LEGAL ILLINOIS Founded in 1973, Lambda Legal is the oldest and largest national legal organization whose mission is to achieve full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, we do not charge our clients for legal representation or advocacy, and we receive no government funding. We select cases that will have the greatest impact in protecting and advancing the rights of LGBT people and those with HIV. Education: We lead high-impact public education campaigns to help people exercise the rights they have and to build public support for equality. Public Policy: We advocate for public policy at the local, state and federal levels to improve the lives of LGBT people, people affected by HIV, and their families and allies.
LGBT Chamber of Commerce of Illinois To promote economic opportunities for the LGBT community by being an advocate and resource for all member businesses that encourage equality. Champion LGBT Business Interests to State and City Government. The Chamber functions as a support system that empowers the LGBT community, both socially and economically.
THE NIGHT MINISTRY – The Crib The Night Ministry’s overnight youth shelter, The Crib, first opened in January 2011 as a 4-month pilot program funded by the City of Chicago…The Crib has grown substantially in its first two seasons, but continues to be an emergency overnight space for young people ages 18-24 to get a hot meal, sleep, do yoga, dance, rest, and be safe. The space is welcoming to people of all genders and sexual orientations and is recognized for its LGBTQ-competent services. The Crib is open seven nights a week from 9 p.m. until 9 a.m. and can accommodate 20 youth. The Crib is an important addition to Chicago’s efforts to care for youth who are on the streets, because there are only about 230 other shelter beds for youth in Chicago, while an estimated 2,000 young people experience homelessness every night. There are at least two staff members awake and on duty at all times. Staff also provide the youth with links to daytime supportive services. The Night Ministry compassionately provides housing, health care, outreach, spiritual care, and social services to adults and youth who struggle with homelessness, poverty, and loneliness. We accept individuals as they are and offer support as they seek to improve their lives.
Project Fierce Chicago seeks to create affirming transitional housing for LGTBQIA+ youth in Chicago that is responsive to the needs of young people. By mobilizing our communities, we provide pathways to independence. We envision a future where all youth have access to safe and affirming housing and the support and opportunities to achieve their goals. We believe in the power of collective action and community accountability. When youth thrive, communities thrive.
TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE LAW PROJECT OF ILLINOIS As a client-centered organization, we focus on meeting the needs of our clients as a priority over broad policy or reform work. We build long-term relationships and investments in our clients and meet them where they are at with flexibility in our structure and priorities. Throughout our work, we center our values on care-based principles that work to dismantle the oppressive structures of the state. These values can be summed up into three different commitments that guide every aspect of our work: prison abolition, gender self-determination, and transformative justice.
PRISON ABOLITION Prison abolition is a movement to create lasting alternatives to punishment-based institutions such as prisons, jails, juvenile, immigrant, and military detention centers to actualize community safety. Instead of consenting to this false and fear-based need for prisons, we as abolitionists invest our energy in community empowerment, community-led education, radical activism, transformative justice, and liberation as necessary alternatives to the prison system and as methods to make prisons obsolete.
GENDER SELF-DETERMINATION We prioritize the needs of transgender people because we believe that transphobia is inherent in almost all legal and social services available in the Chicago area and throughout Illinois, especially the criminal legal system itself. Gender self-determination necessarily includes access to and control over healthcare, holistic mental and emotional support, fashion and self-expression, gender-affirming housing, education, bathrooms, and social services, freedom from violence, harassment, and incarceration, and all the tools we need to be fabulous, empowered and safe in how we live in our genders.
TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE Through community-based movements, transformative justice seeks to resist state- run responses to violence (such as the police state and systems of punishment, detention, and incarceration) and instead promotes support, compassion, dialogue and community building. In this way, reliance on violent and oppressive State level systems is transformed and replaced with community empowerment.
Check out abc7chicago.com/pride for stories about the LGBTQ+ community and their allies, and share your Pride with #abc7chicago
FRANKFORT, KY. – The contract dispute between Sunrise Children’s Services, a Kentucky Baptist Convention affiliated adoption agency, and the administration of Democratic Governor Andy Beshear over Sunrise’s refusal to sign a clause intended to prevent discrimination against LGBTQ couples looking to adopt or foster children in the state, has advocates, state lawmakers, and others fully engaged in the dispute.
The Lexington Courier-Journal first reported that the dispute is over a single sentence in the contract which state lawmakers are calling on the Governor to respect a provision added to state law this year they say protects the Baptist agency’s “religious rights.”
The provision says no contract for children’s services “shall interfere with the contractor’s freedom of religion.” It also requires the state to allow the contractor to hire a subcontractor to deliver any services it can’t provide because of “religiously held beliefs.”
“The language is unequivocally clear and ensures that the state cannot discriminate against a provider because of that organization’s religious convictions,” said a May 12 letter from House Speaker David Osborne and four other Republican leaders to the Governor urging him to respect Sunrise’s position based on the law. It also was signed by 67 House Republicans, the Courier Journal reported.
One of Kentucky’s largest LGBTQ advocacy groups noted, “If Sunrise doesn’t want to abide by that, that’s fine. They shouldn’t have access to state money, state contracts or children in the state’s care,” said Chris Hartman, executive director of the Louisville-based Fairness Campaign.
Hartman added that he is deeply concerned that the LGBTQ children in Sunrise’s care are hiding their sexual orientation out of fear of “indoctrination and proselytization.”
The state set a June 30 deadline for Sunrise to sign. If it refuses, the state has threatened to stop placing children with the agency. Formerly called Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children, Sunrise’s history dates to caring for Civil War orphans. It has contracted with the state for 50-plus years, becoming one of Kentucky’s largest service providers for abused or neglected children, the Associated Press reported Thursday.
On Monday the Governor confirmed that the issue was over a clause that aims to prevent discrimination over sexual orientation and gender identity, although he didn’t specify.
“My understanding is that is the clause,” Beshear said, when asked directly whether the clause is in regards to sexual orientation. “My understanding is that there has recently been a settlement agreement that impacts this from litigation against the state, possibly because of those waivers. My understanding is that there’s a new supreme court case, at least since the last time a contract came along,” he told the Associated Press.
The Governor was referring to the case of Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, which the U.S. Supreme Court heard last November that could allow private agencies that receive taxpayer-funding to provide government services — such as foster care providers, food banks, homeless shelters, and more — to deny services to people who are LGBTQ, Jewish, Muslim, or Mormon.
Another children’s advocate expressed his concern, “You cannot pivot from losing such a large provider of child welfare services and not anticipate some degree of disruption,” said Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates, a statewide non-profit child advocacy organization.
“If it cuts ties to Sunrise, the state must be prepared to fill the gaps if it loses some foster parents in the agency’s network,” said Brooks. He also stressed that state agencies must ensure a smooth transition for minors who require “intense and specialized treatment” that Sunrise currently provides.
Brooks said he’s confident the state can move children to other agencies but added that “the challenge cannot and should not be minimized.”
“Sunrise would act on a contract today that allows them to care for Kentucky’s needy and abused children while protecting their deeply held religious beliefs,” said Todd Gray, executive director-treasurer of the Kentucky Baptist Convention.
In the meanwhile, the Beshear administration claims that it will hold to the Obama-era federal rule which includes the clause Sunrise opposes. That rule expressly defined sexual orientation as a protected class under federal anti-discrimination provisions.
“It would be a mistake not to place kids with wonderful couples that want to be foster parents that are gay,” the governor told reporters earlier this week. “People make wonderful foster parents in all types of couples, and we shouldn’t be eliminating or discriminating against any of them.”
Although the Sacramento Pride March and Festival will not take place in its traditional format this year, there are several events planned this month to celebrate the city’s LGBTQ community.”The health and safety of our community is our top priority and while we are encouraged by lower COVID-19 infection rates and an increase in vaccinations, the Pride March and Festival require many months of planning and there is still too much uncertainty to safely gather tens of thousands of people as we did prior to the pandemic,” David Heitstuman, CEO of the Sacramento LGBT Community Center, said in a prepared statement.However, those wanting to celebrate Pride Month in the Sacramento area will have the opportunity to do so with a slew of events, the community center says.Here are some of the Pride events happening in Sacramento during the month of June:Progress Pride Flag RaisingWhen: Tuesday, June 1, 2021, at 8:30 a.m.Where: Sacramento City HallInfo: The Progress Pride flag will go up at Sacramento City Hall.Vaccination EventWhen: Wednesday, June 2 from 5 to 8 p.m.Where: Sacramento LGBT Community Center, MidtownInfo: You can get your COVID-19 vaccination at the Sacramento LGBT Community Center. Sutter Health will administer shots and the Sac LGBT Center will be provide food.Remo Virtual PrideWhen: Saturday, June 5 from 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.Where: Virtual – live.remo.co/e/remo-celebrates-prideInfo: Pride on Remo will feature an array of fun virtual programming, from yoga to live music to panels. You can register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/154305027491Plant Daddy Pride – Gay Days of SummerWhen: Saturday, June 5 at 10 a.m.Where: Southside Park, located at 723 S St. in SacramentoInfo: A kickoff off Pride event will be held Plant Daddy’s downtown Sacramento location. Beginning with a dog parade around Southside Park, you and your furry families of all varieties are invited to join in for some fun for all.Pride Celebration and MarketplaceWhen: Sunday, June 6 from 12 to 6 p.m.Where: Bike Dog Brewing Co.’s West Sacramento taproomInfo: Celebrate a Sunday in Pride Month with Bike Dog Brewing Co. and Plant Daddy. Enjoy a day where you can support local queer vendors selling handmade goods, enjoy music spun by DJ Anthony Romero, fill up on tasty food truck food, and enjoy Bike Dog’s exclusive Bike Dog X Plant Daddy Beer.Latinx Pride Celebration at RevivalWhen: Wednesday, June 9 from 5 to 9 p.m.Where: Revival at the SawyerInfo: A networking and informational event with Latinx leaders and organizations while enjoying the views of downtown Sacramento. Celebrate being Latinx, Pride and support the Sacramento LGBT Community Center.Pride Month Youth Art Show & SaleWhen: Saturday, June 12 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.Where: Sacramento LGBT Community Center, MidtownInfo: See the community’s youth display and sell their art. Take Your Pride OutsideWhen: Saturday, June 12 at varying timesWhere: American RiverInfo: OARS and the Sacramento LGBTQ Community Center have partnered together for Pride Month on the South Fork of the American River, including a Pride Day rafting trip on the South Fork of the American River.Battle of the BritneysWhen: Sunday, June 13 from 3 to 4 p.m.Where: DOMA StudioInfo: Celebrate Pride and the LGBTQ community with this free (donations welcome) yoga class inspired by Britney Spears through the years. Pride Pub CrawlWhen: Wednesday, June 16. Time TBD.Where: Ends at Revival LoungeInfo: Explore the city’s LGBTQ+ and allied bars, support local business and conclude the crawl at the Revival Lounge with drink specials and contests benefitting the Sacramento LGBT Community Center. Click here for the latest info. Natomas Pride RideWhen: Thursday, June 17 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.Where: Natomas Regency Park Baseball FieldsInfo: Wear your biggest, baddest, brightest rainbow colors! All wheels welcome! Bikes, scooters, skateboards, unicycles, one wheels, tandems, electric rides, even rollerblades.Marsha P. Johnson Center South Grand OpeningWhen: Tuesday, June 22. Time: TBD.Where: 7725 Stockton Blvd. Info: Join us as we commemorate and cut the ribbon to our brand-new Marsha P. Johnson Center South location in south Sacramento! Click here for the latest info. Shake Shack Pride FundraiserWhen: Monday, June 21 to Tuesday, June 22Where: Shake Shack on R St or Shake Shack at RosevilleInfo: Eat burgers and support the Sacramento LGBT Community Center. Mention the center at the register or use DONATE25 on the Shack App for (pick up or delivery) when checking out and Shake Shack will donate 25% of your total meal purchase to the Sacramento LGBT Community Center. Pride Skate at Roller KingWhen: Thursday, June 24 from 6 to 8 p.m.Where: Roller KingInfo: Bring out your roller skates for a Pride night at one of the city’s oldest skating centers. Proceeds of ticket sales benefit the Sacramento LGBT Community Center.Q Spot Presents: Family Friendly Drag ShowWhen: Friday, June 25 at 6 p.m.Where: Sacramento LGBT Community Center, MidtownInfo: The Sacramento LGBT Community Center will have three local drag performers and all attendees get a food ticket for Kin Thai food! Click here for more info.Sacramento Republic FC Equality NightWhen: Saturday, June 26, 2021. Time: TBDWhere: Heart Health ParkInfo: The Sacramento LGBT Community Center will announce the 2021 Rainbow Scholar and unveil art by local queer artists. Click here for the latest info. Pride 2021 Flatstick Pub Sunday FundraisersWhen: Every Sunday in June 2021Where: Flatstick PubInfo: Flatstick Pub will be doing fundraisers to support the Sacramento LGBT Community Center every Sunday in June in honor of Pride Month. Queens on the GreenWhen: Sunday, June 27 from 12 to 2 p.m.Where: Flatstick PubInfo: Celebrate the last Sunday of Pride Month at Flatstick Pub with Queens on the Green. Come early, grab a drink, find a spot along the course and cheer on your favorite queen.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Although the Sacramento Pride March and Festival will not take place in its traditional format this year, there are several events planned this month to celebrate the city’s LGBTQ community.
[Video Above: Thousands gather in downtown Sacramento for Pride parade in 2019]
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“The health and safety of our community is our top priority and while we are encouraged by lower COVID-19 infection rates and an increase in vaccinations, the Pride March and Festival require many months of planning and there is still too much uncertainty to safely gather tens of thousands of people as we did prior to the pandemic,” David Heitstuman, CEO of the Sacramento LGBT Community Center, said in a prepared statement.
However, those wanting to celebrate Pride Month in the Sacramento area will have the opportunity to do so with a slew of events, the community center says.
Here are some of the Pride events happening in Sacramento during the month of June:
Progress Pride Flag Raising When: Tuesday, June 1, 2021, at 8:30 a.m. Where: Sacramento City Hall Info: The Progress Pride flag will go up at Sacramento City Hall.
Vaccination Event When: Wednesday, June 2 from 5 to 8 p.m. Where: Sacramento LGBT Community Center, Midtown Info: You can get your COVID-19 vaccination at the Sacramento LGBT Community Center. Sutter Health will administer shots and the Sac LGBT Center will be provide food.
Plant Daddy Pride – Gay Days of Summer When: Saturday, June 5 at 10 a.m. Where: Southside Park, located at 723 S St. in Sacramento Info: A kickoff off Pride event will be held Plant Daddy’s downtown Sacramento location. Beginning with a dog parade around Southside Park, you and your furry families of all varieties are invited to join in for some fun for all.
Pride Celebration and Marketplace When: Sunday, June 6 from 12 to 6 p.m. Where: Bike Dog Brewing Co.’s West Sacramento taproom Info: Celebrate a Sunday in Pride Month with Bike Dog Brewing Co. and Plant Daddy. Enjoy a day where you can support local queer vendors selling handmade goods, enjoy music spun by DJ Anthony Romero, fill up on tasty food truck food, and enjoy Bike Dog’s exclusive Bike Dog X Plant Daddy Beer.
Latinx Pride Celebration at Revival When: Wednesday, June 9 from 5 to 9 p.m. Where: Revival at the Sawyer Info: A networking and informational event with Latinx leaders and organizations while enjoying the views of downtown Sacramento. Celebrate being Latinx, Pride and support the Sacramento LGBT Community Center.
Pride Month Youth Art Show & Sale When: Saturday, June 12 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Where: Sacramento LGBT Community Center, Midtown Info: See the community’s youth display and sell their art.
Take Your Pride Outside When: Saturday, June 12 at varying times Where: American River Info: OARS and the Sacramento LGBTQ Community Center have partnered together for Pride Month on the South Fork of the American River, including a Pride Day rafting trip on the South Fork of the American River.
Battle of the Britneys When: Sunday, June 13 from 3 to 4 p.m. Where: DOMA Studio Info: Celebrate Pride and the LGBTQ community with this free (donations welcome) yoga class inspired by Britney Spears through the years.
Pride Pub Crawl When: Wednesday, June 16. Time TBD. Where: Ends at Revival Lounge Info: Explore the city’s LGBTQ+ and allied bars, support local business and conclude the crawl at the Revival Lounge with drink specials and contests benefitting the Sacramento LGBT Community Center. Click here for the latest info.
Natomas Pride Ride When: Thursday, June 17 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Where: Natomas Regency Park Baseball Fields Info: Wear your biggest, baddest, brightest rainbow colors! All wheels welcome! Bikes, scooters, skateboards, unicycles, one wheels, tandems, electric rides, even rollerblades.
Marsha P. Johnson Center South Grand Opening When: Tuesday, June 22. Time: TBD. Where: 7725 Stockton Blvd. Info: Join us as we commemorate and cut the ribbon to our brand-new Marsha P. Johnson Center South location in south Sacramento! Click here for the latest info.
Shake Shack Pride Fundraiser When: Monday, June 21 to Tuesday, June 22 Where: Shake Shack on R St or Shake Shack at Roseville Info: Eat burgers and support the Sacramento LGBT Community Center. Mention the center at the register or use DONATE25 on the Shack App for (pick up or delivery) when checking out and Shake Shack will donate 25% of your total meal purchase to the Sacramento LGBT Community Center.
Pride Skate at Roller King When: Thursday, June 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. Where: Roller King Info: Bring out your roller skates for a Pride night at one of the city’s oldest skating centers. Proceeds of ticket sales benefit the Sacramento LGBT Community Center.
Q Spot Presents: Family Friendly Drag Show When: Friday, June 25 at 6 p.m. Where: Sacramento LGBT Community Center, Midtown Info: The Sacramento LGBT Community Center will have three local drag performers and all attendees get a food ticket for Kin Thai food! Click here for more info.
Sacramento Republic FC Equality Night When: Saturday, June 26, 2021. Time: TBD Where: Heart Health Park Info: The Sacramento LGBT Community Center will announce the 2021 Rainbow Scholar and unveil art by local queer artists. Click here for the latest info.
Pride 2021 Flatstick Pub Sunday Fundraisers When: Every Sunday in June 2021 Where: Flatstick Pub Info: Flatstick Pub will be doing fundraisers to support the Sacramento LGBT Community Center every Sunday in June in honor of Pride Month.
Queens on the Green When: Sunday, June 27 from 12 to 2 p.m. Where: Flatstick Pub Info: Celebrate the last Sunday of Pride Month at Flatstick Pub with Queens on the Green. Come early, grab a drink, find a spot along the course and cheer on your favorite queen.
Way before the teeming Red-Shirt-wearing masses began descending upon the Disney Parks for Gay Days, queer people have long had a love affair with Disney. From the freedom to just be yourself at the place Where Dreams Come True to Disney characters like Ursula and Gaston who have become gay icons, magic happens when Disney and the LGBT+ community unite.
So, with Pride Month just around the corner, what better way to celebrate than with a healthy helping of rainbows and pixie dust? Here’s everything you can look forward to for Gay Days at Disney.
Is Disney World LGBT+ Friendly?
Emphatically yes! On Disneyland’s opening day way back in 1955, Walt Disney commemorated the event with the following words: “To all who come to this happy place: Welcome.” All being the operative word. The Disney magic that so many have come to love is meant for everyone, regardless of what you look like or who you love.
Disney theme parks are intended and engineered to be an escape from reality. From the moment you step through the gate, you leave the outside world behind. And for a community that’s used to dealing with discrimination on the daily, that is incredibly powerful. At Disney World, Disneyland, and other Disney parks, those concerns largely fade away.
“SafeD Begins With Me”
For Disney Parks cast members, The Four Keys (now Five, more on that next) are a blueprint for how you should go about your workday, whether making magic for guests or interacting with fellow cast members. The most important of those keys – before Courtesy, Show, and Efficiency – is Safety. Keeping guests safe and secure is a cast member’s number one priority.
Some safety measures at Disney are obvious, like the bag checks and metal detectors you go through before entering the parks. Others, like a mind-boggling number of hidden cameras and plainclothes security staff, are intentionally less so. As a result, crime at Disney is virtually non-existent – we’re talking a crime rate that’s hundreds of times below the national average. Of course, while it is possible that queer guests may experience negative interactions with fellow guests, they tend to get quashed pretty quickly by security or other cast members.
Inclusion at the Heart
In September 2020, Disney announced that after more than 60 years, The Four Keys would become The Five Keys with the addition of Inclusion. With cast members, guests, and fans from around the world, making sure that everyone feels welcome, celebrated, and seen at Disney theme parks is of the utmost importance.
Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, had this to say in the official press release that dropped in April 2021:
“We want our guests to see their own backgrounds and traditions reflected in the stories, experiences and products they encounter in their interactions with Disney. And we want our cast members – and future cast members – to feel a sense of belonging at work.
That means cultivating an environment where all people feel welcomed and appreciated for their unique life experiences, perspectives and culture. Where we celebrate allyship and support for each other. And where diverse views and ideas are sought after as critical contributions towards our collective success.”
Ah, music to my ears! Those that have been paying attention will already notice the changes, such as the reimagining (or retheming altogether) classic rides like Jungle Cruise and Splash Mountain and gender-inclusive costumes for cast members. On the backend of the business, they’re even working to use more diverse suppliers to help make the magic happen. In short, there couldn’t be a better time to visit.
Who Helps Runs the (Disney) World? Queer Girls and Guys
The Disney Parks have become a haven for the LGBTQ+ community not only for these reasons, but because it’s queer folk like them who help bring Disney magic to life. In fact, one could say that parks like Disney World and Disneyland stand as a testament to gay culture. From the cast members that make magic for guests every day to the Imagineers that work behind the scenes to dream up beloved experiences, you’d be hard-pressed to turn the corner in a Disney theme park without coming face-to-face with something or someone that hasn’t been touched by or isn’t a part of the gay community.
Case in point? Bob Gurr, Imagineer and Disney Legend. A gifted industrial designer, Bob, then a closeted gay man, was invited to join Walt Disney Imagineering – called WED Enterprises at the time – by Walt himself. For almost four decades, he created over 100 designs that still power Disney theme parks today including Walt Disney World’s Monorail, the bobsleds for Disneyland’s Matterhorn, and the Doom Buggies of the Haunted Mansion.
He even worked on Disney’s very first audio-animatronic, Abraham Lincoln for Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. So, the next time you hop on the Monorail on your way to Magic Kingdom, thank Bob Gurr: He invented it.
Does Disney Celebrate Pride Month?
Officially? Not really, at least not with any special events at Disney theme parks stateside. Although, Disneyland Paris did host the first-ever Disney-sponsored gay pride event, the Magical Pride Party, in 2019. Unofficially? Definitely, and you don’t even need to visit the parks! The easiest way to show your LGBTQ+ pride is with something from the Disney Pride collection.
Disney Pride Merchandise
Just in time for Pride Month 2021, Disney fans of all kinds can now get a kaleidoscope of rainbow-bedecked products. And best of all, the collection is larger and more inclusive than ever! Previously just Disney (i.e., Mickey Mouse) merch, now guests can celebrate with colorful products featuring Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars characters too. Everyone’s favorite (drag) queen, Ursula, even makes an appearance.
A range of apparel is available, as are plushies, Funko Pop! figures, and accessories like hats, Mickey ears, bags, phone cases, and more. There’s even Mickey Mouse fan that’s perfect for throwing shade (of both the cooling and side-eye variety) or catching a breeze. Plus, Disney pin trading enthusiasts and dabblers alike can get in on the fun with new Pride flag pins including trans, lesbian, bisexual, and intersectional.
On top of everything, a portion of the proceeds from the Rainbow Disney Collection will be donated to organizations around the world which dedicate their time to supporting LGBTQ+ communities in their area. Click here to learn more.
Celebrating Pride Month With Gay Days at Disney World
Disney World may not have any official, Disney-sanctioned events, but that certainly doesn’t mean there aren’t any happening. Each year (except for 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19), lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and other queer people – along with their family, friends, and LGBTQ+ allies – make the annual pilgrimage to Central Florida to celebrate Pride Month with Gay Days at Disney World and other Orlando-area theme parks.
What started as a single-day event in June 1991 with around 3,000 members of the local LGBT community at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Gay Days has since expanded to a massive near-weeklong, citywide extravaganza with over 180,000 attendees from around the world. Originally organized by the Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Community Center of Orlando (GLBCC), today the celebration is a team effort with parties, special events, and the GayDays Expo thrown by a number of different queer organizations at GayDays Host Hotels and other locations throughout Orlando.
Traditionally, the festivities culminate on the 1st Saturday in June, just like they began back in 1991, at the Magic Kingdom. There, thousands take to the streets in their iconic red shirts for Red Shirt Pride Days. While the unofficial uniform of Gay Days was originally just a practical suggestion, making it easier to find each other among the crowds, the sea of red is now a way of saying to the world, “We’re here, we’re queer, get used to it.”
One Magical Weekend
One Magical Weekend is one of the world’s largest LGBTQ+ pride and music festivals, currently spanning 5 days at the Walt Disney World Resort and hotels in the Disney Springs area. While the event has unfortunately been canceled for 2021, it is set to return in 2022, with the dates set for June 2-6.
Aside from visiting the theme parks, attendees have access to daily pool parties and nightly events with entertainment provided by a slate of international DJs. There’s even the Gay Biz Expo with exhibitors touting everything from fashion, travel, and weddings to financial planning services, healthcare, and home renovations.
Girls in Wonderland
Girls just want to have fun, and for over 20 years, Girls in Wonderland has been helping queer women do just that during Gay Days in Orlando. The event usually coincides with Disney Pride Week in June. In 2021, however, the dates were moved to October 14-18 as part of LGBT+ History Month as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Each year, the ladies take over a hotel in the Kissimmee area (the Grand Orlando Resort in Celebration for 2021) for dance and pool parties, a comedy show, live music from women artists, a drag brunch, celebrities, Les Vixens burlesque performers, and more.
Tidal Wave Party
The manliest of gay men – the bears – get their day in the Florida sunshine too at the Tidal Wave Party. The event is held in conjunction with Disney Gay Days at a resort in the Disney Springs area. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the event has been postponed until 2022.
The party grows each year, with more vacationers and events added to the mix. Its headlining event, held in collaboration with One Magical Weekend and Girls in Wonderland, is the RIPTIDE pool party at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon. Other popular offerings include Bearaoke, the Tidal Wave Ball, a cabaret show, Dirty Bingo, and a vendor space with a barber, apparel, and more.
Celebrating LGBT+ History Month With Disneyland Gay Days
Gay Days at Disney World was so popular that the festivities eventually spread to the west coast as well. Gay Days Anaheim recreates the red shirt magic in October each year as part of LGBT+ History Month. Like its sister event, Gay Days at Disneyland has expanded from a one-day event to a three-day weekend. Luckily, the event has been confirmed for 2021 with details still to be announced.
In addition to visiting the parks, this rainbow-and-red-festooned weekend is packed with fun activities. Here, guests of all stripes and persuasions can enjoy nightly dance parties headlined by stars of RuPaul’s Drag Race and spun by DJs, comedy shows, pool parties, movie nights, book signings, Hollywood sneak peeks, and more.
Flight of Passage Attraction
Remember Bob Gurr, the Disney Legend who worked alongside Walt Disney to create some of Disney’s most beloved transportation offerings? He’s there too, greeting his adoring fans and hopefully swapping a few tales along the way. Plus, you won’t want to miss the group photo opportunities so you can commemorate the gay times that were had.
Well ladies and gents, that wraps up roundup, with a side of pixie dust, of all the ways you can let your rainbow flag fly at Disneyland and Disney World for Pride and LGBT+ History Months. Hopefully, you’ve got some ideas for how to show your pride, share your love for Disney, and maybe make some new friends along the way this year and in the years to come.
Have you been to Gay Days at Disney World or Disneyland? Let us know in the comments, along with any tips and tricks you might have for first timers.
Hoping to make the most of your Disney World vacation while you’re there in between all the pool and dance parties? Our one-day plans for Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios will give you all the tips and tricks you need to accomplish everything on your list. Wanting to maximize your budget instead? Save some cash with our discounted Walt Disney World tickets.
Amber is a proud former Walt Disney World Cast Member, an unabashed travel addict, and a hospitality and tourism specialist with over 10 years in the industry. She likes getting her wanderlust fix by sharing her favorite park tips and tricks with other Disney fans. When she isn’t working, you can usually catch her in a hot power yoga class or spending way too much money at Disney Springs.
The main streets and byways of both Cashiers and Highlands are lined with jewelry treasures.
Let’s go shopping for jewelry and let’s do it locally!
Dozens of boutiques in the Highlands and Cashiers area offer jewelry for your every need and look.From casual pieces to precious stones and everything in between, you can find it here.
The Highlands-Cashiers Plateau has had a symbiotic relationship with fine jewelry for over 150 years. The first white settlers here were quick to notice the flecks of gold that were found in local streams, and the rubies and sapphires that washed down from hillsides after heavy rains. Later, there was the gold and gemstones that adorned the wardrobes of the seasonal residents who created their own social whirl here in the mountains. Fine jewelry is now as much a part of the local landscape as the gold nuggets still panned on the Cullasaja.
The gleaming front window display of Highlands Fine Art and Estate Jewelry at 388 Main Street in Highlands beckon you inside, where owners Joe and Claudia Lazow and their sweet shop dogs will welcome you into their world of handpicked estate and modern jewelry. Whether you’re looking for modern and edgy or classic and elegant, you’ll find something here. Diamonds are abundant but there are also other precious and semi-precious stones and pearls, set in silver, platinum or gold.They also have an extensive selection of time pieces, including preowned from brands such as Rolex.
Jannie Bean Designs at 152 S 2nd Street in Highlands should be your first stop for fine jewelry featuring precious and semi-precious stones. Diamonds are their trademark but you’ll also find pieces incorporating aquamarine, pink tourmaline, amethyst, opals, sapphires, citrine, tanzanite and pearls. Jannie can also help you design your perfect piece so that you’ll truly have a one-of-a-kind heirloom. If you’d rather re-imagine a piece in your collection that is too special to part with but needs modernization, she can help you that too.
Mirror Lake Antiques on the hill, South 4th street, has a wide variety of jewelry. Find your perfect piece from their collections of carat gold, sterling silver and fashion jewelry. Owners Stan and Donna Cochran say they offer pieces that are “old, new, and middle aged – just like the rest of us.” It’s true you can find something for everyone here. Come discover how to make vintage jewelry selections work for you.
The Mountain Casual Look is the perfect framework upon which you can display your treasured everyday jewelry. Just look around you – the stunning pair of studs enhancing a perfect coif; the necklace that mirrors the natural forms and spirits of the landscape; the bracelet of bold colors; and the ring that’s an irresistible blend of playfulness and elegance.
Acorns, located at 212 South 4th Street, naturally offers an elegant array of jewelry, both classic and contemporary, and all dazzling. Since jewelry is the purchase that’s most personal (well, along with shoes), this is a collection that demands a careful browse.
A Jones Company at 3 Chestnut Square carries several lines of jewelry from classic styles such as Enewton and Colby Davis to bohemian Scout and handcrafted fun and funky Leslie Curtis. We have many one-of-a-kind handcrafted sterling silver and turquoise pieces. Marianna and Firefly, handcrafted with Swarovski crystals, will add a pop of color to any outfit.
Allison Diane at 114 N 4th Street is the place to go for classic but on-trend jewelry looks. Featuring the always classic, feminine jewelry of Brighton, you’ll find just the piece to elevate your mood and your look. They also carry Able, an affordable ethical brand that employs and empowers women, so you can do good while looking good. If you’re more in the market for bolder pieces made with semi-precious stones, they carry Original Hardware as well.
Annawear at 355 Main Street offers several different types of jewelry, including their bestselling Darby Drake line of handmade earrings and necklaces made from antiqued brass and delicate beading.They’re noticing that the trends for this season are oversized hoops, delicate and dainty rings and necklaces, and statement earrings – pieces that add bright, bold colors to an outfit.
Dutchmans Designs at 342 Main Street in Highlands is a delight for your senses, so colorful and joyous that you have to peek inside.This emporium, best known for its furniture and home accessories, offers lots of jewelry tucked among their other treasures: bold, colorful jewelry from designers such as Melania Clara and Ayala Bar.Live your life in color this season and wear your art.Check out their unique, handcrafted selections and make yourself or someone else very happy.
McCulley’s on the hill at 242 S 4th Street and on Main Street in Highlands, and at 24 Canoe Point in Cashiers beckons you in with their luxurious cashmere but don’t miss their exciting jewelry pieces to complete your look.2021 is the year that classic-but-bold pendants and bracelets will be the must haves. Elevate your look even further by layering more than one piece.Their French Kande line featuring vintage French medallions from the 1960s will spark your imagination and are a great way to refresh your look for summer. The unique Bittersweet lifestyle brand is also a don’t miss.
Look no further than Narcissus at 71 Highway 107 South in Cashiers for your statement pieces of jewelry. Narcissus carries handcrafted jewelry from world renown Angela Caputi of Florence, Italy. Her necklaces, bracelets, and earrings reflect the rich Florentine history. Elevate your look with itemsfrom the collection from Shushu, each one of a kind piece crafted with semi-precious stones. Or, check out their replica collection of high fashion pieces from such designers as Chanel.
Peak Experience at 2820 Dillard Road is well worth your trip off the beaten path.This charming store features high end estate jewelry with precious and semi-precious gems, set in platinum and 18K and 14K gold.Your next family heirloom could very easily be waiting here. They also carry handcrafted pieces from their featured designer, Suzy Landa, whose unique designs and colorful pieces are customer favorites.In addition you can find everyday jewelry here.
Robin’s Nest carries unique artisan jewelry from Melania Clara, all sterling silver and/or triple 24k dipped and mixed with semi-precious stones. Erin Knight designs their pieces with a mix of contemporary and vintage elements, giving them a twist of California designs for truly one-of-a-kind pieces. Their Vines of the Vineyard from California leather cuff bracelets use semi-precious stones and include magnetic clasps. Pearls are always in fashion so check out their Susan Shaw freshwater pearl jewelry for that special occasion.Robin’s Nest is located at 426 Highway 107 South in Cashiers.
Sashay Around, in the charming cottage at 97 Hwy 107 North in Cashiers is another great place to look for unique jewelry to put new life into your wardrobe.They feature John Wind, whose chunky personalization pieces have been featured in Oprah magazine.For a bold wearable piece of art check out their one-of-a-kind Amy Kahn Russell collection.
True classic southern style is what you’ll find at The Southern Way at 338 Main Street in Highlands. They offer casual, affordable on-trend looks that are the perfect way to add some pizzazz to your wardrobe without spending a fortune.Pendants are the look of the season and you’re likely to find just what you need here.
Spoiled Rotten in Town Square at 343 Main Street glistens with one-of-a-kind jewelry that will elevate your style and your mood.From cubic zirconia rings and bands sprinkled with diamond dust that sparkle and shine like the real thing, to Simon Seabag sterling silver earrings that are bold and light as air, there are treasures to be found here. If you’re becoming a bit weary of wearing masks stop in and check out their mask selections and lanyards to hold them in place.Never wear a boring mask again!
The Look Boutique at 137 Highway 107 North offers looks from casual to dressy, including pieces from Betty Carre.This handcrafted 18K gold-plated collection combines artistic elegance and sensuality for the sophisticated lady.They also have beautiful, handcrafted silk-infused piano wire jewelry from Sea Lily. Their eco-friendly Vestopazzo line is casually chic, crafted in Italy, and handmade from 100 percent recycled aluminum. It’s modern, artful, nickel- and lead-free and never tarnishes.
When you think of T J Bailey’s located at 343C Main Street in Highlands and at 95 NC-107 in Cashiers, you probably think of a finely-curated collection of exceptional men’s clothing.It is that, but did you know that the Cashiers location has women’s clothing and jewelry as well?Don’t miss their colorful collection of items from Brackish, handcrafted in Charleston, South Carolina.These one-of-a-kind, colorful pieces include earrings and cuffs and are fashioned from repurposed feathers of peacocks, guineas and pheasants.
Town and Country General Store at 14 Raggedy Lane in Cashiers really does feature a bit of everything you might be looking for, including jewelry. They feature items for women, children, teens and men,so the whole family can find something here. Their Mud Pie collection for women and children features initial bar necklaces, bangles, earrings and hair clips.They also carry Amanda Blu, an on trend jewelry line that features timeless pieces for everyday wearability.For fun and conversation don’t miss their selection of spinner rings.
Wit’s End at 382 Main Street offers something for everyone.Those looking for classic pieces will love the Gay Boyer line of earrings and necklaces, handcrafted in New York. Looking for something more colorful and casual?Consider a necklace or earrings from their KEP collection.They are especially proud of their extensive collection of enewton jewelry, crafted from gold filled and semi-precious gemstones.Designed to be worn every day, you can sweat, swim and shower in it worry free! Start with a bracelet and add to your collection. It is beautiful jewelry made to last!
HVS: When writing this book, who was your intended audience?
![[9911.HK] – Yahoo Finance UK](https://www.tampabaygaynewstoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/9911-hk-yahoo-finance-uk-768x768.png "[9911.HK] – Yahoo Finance UK")
