31st Annual HR Pride Launch

Barry Menser and I with our dear friend Pam Northam (not the best photo of me!).

The husband and I attended the 31st annual Hampton Roads Pride launch event today at Tysinger Motors here in Hampton, Virginia.  As is always the case when Tysinger hosts, the event was over the top - especially when  surrounded by beautiful Mercedes Benz's and Audi's - and I suspect new levels of pledges to fund the HP Pride event in Norfolk's Town Point Park were achieved.  Despite the last week of political turmoil the event host, the First Lady of Virginia and our very dear friend, Pam Northam, was in attendance.  In addition to setting new records of sponsorship being achieved  - the City of Norfolk again pledged $50,000 - many new sponsors were in attendance as well. 

Other than Harbor Fest (always the first weekend in June), Pride Fest is Norfolk's now largest festival with 30,000 people in attendance.  It is the largest pride event in Virginia and is increasingly drawing cities in Hampton Roads to work collaboratively.  Today, we had members of Congress in attendance, members of the Virginia legislature, and elected officials from Portsmouth, Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Hampton in attendance.

Interestingly, the heavy hitters in the Hampton Roads LGBT community are heavily supportive of Ralph Northam, so Virginia Democrats kissing the butts of DC insiders (Tim Kaine and Mark Warner have major fence mending to do) and would be Democratic presidential candidates may be in for a rude awakening come November 2019, and in 2020, when they want support from the Hampton Roads LGBT community.  I even received thank you's from an number of major players for all my vocal  support of Northam.  Julian Castro, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and even former Virginia Governor Terry McAullife may have irreparably burned some bridges in their rush to judgment against Ralph Northam, one of the most decent and genuine politicians I have ever known.  I certainly will not support any of these individuals other than perhaps McAulliffe who would have to do some truly major acts of penance to earn my forgiveness.

Pam Northam at the 2019HR Pride launch party.

Nation's Larges Naval Shipbuilder Scores High on LGBTQ Polices

As the crow flies, I live perhaps 5 or 6 miles from Newport News Shipbuilding, Virginia's largest employer and the builder of America's nuclear powered aircraft carrier fleet and many of the U.S. Navy's nuclear submarines.   For the last several years the company has been a champion of LGBT rights locally and a presenting sponsor for the HR Pride event each summer.  The Christofascists, of course, must be having conniption fits.  Unlike Virginia Republicans, Newport News Shipbuilding when your policies are welcoming to all and discrimination is banned, you can hire the best and the brightest employees.  Who they love really should play no role whatsoever in employment decisions.  Moreover, such policies make a region and/or state attractive to other progressive, forward looking businesses.  A piece in U.S. News & World Reports looks at the company's LGBT friendly polices.  Here are highlights:

One of the nation's leading gay rights groups is praising the LGBTQ-friendly policies of the nation's largest military shipbuilder.

The Daily Press in Newport News reported Friday that Huntington Ingalls Industries received a 100 rating on a corporate survey from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

The survey evaluated policies that include domestic partner benefits and transgender-inclusive medical benefits. The company builds aircraft carriers and submarines. It was one of 609 major businesses that earned a top rating.

The shipbuilder first participated in HRC's survey last year and scored an 85. The company's score was higher this year for a few reasons.

One was the addition of medical benefits for gender transition. The benefits include surgery, mental health services or other measures.

A piece in the Daily Press provides more on the views of the company's leadership and that of its parent company, including opposition to GOP backed license to discriminate laws masquerading as "religious freedom" laws:  

The nation’s largest military shipbuilder began ramping up efforts on diversity and inclusion several years ago at the behest of CEO and President Mike Petters.

He has vowed to change the culture of a corporate giant built on a foundation of shipyards, a traditional, male-dominated workplace. At Newport News, senior shipbuilders started walking the waterfront decades ago — back when attitudes on race, gender and sexual orientation were far different — so things won’t change overnight.

Changing the culture also means speaking out when necessary.

When the state of Mississippi advanced what supporters termed a religious freedom law, LGBTQ advocates rallied to oppose it.

Major business interests in the state opposed the bill, including MGM Resorts International, which operates casinos in the state, and Nissan North America. HII joined the opposition on behalf of its Ingalls Shipbuilding division in Pascagoula, Miss. 

LGBT Activist Nicole Carry Appointed to Norfolk City Council

The world is truly changing in Hampton Roads for LGBT Virginians, especially in the city of Norfolk where my good friend and former fellow HRBOR board member, Nicole Carry has been appointed to hold an interim seat on Norfolk City Council.  Less than 13 years ago I was fired by a large law firm for being gay - Virginia still has zero employment protections for LGBT citizens - and now Pride Fest is the city's second largest festival, HRBOR has grown by leaps and bounds, and now an LGBT activist has been appointed to Norfolk City Council.  Kudos to Nicole!!  Here are highlights from the Virginian Pilot:

The City Council chose a Navy veteran and gay-rights activist Thursday to temporarily fill a council seat in the ward that includes the world’s largest naval base.

Nicole Carry, 46, is believed to be the first Navy veteran to serve on Norfolk’s council in recent history, as well as the first gay council member.

She had applied for the seat a month ago but was surprised when she got it after a round of public interviews Thursday afternoon.

“Wow. Awesome!” Carry said when council members called her to tell her she’d beaten out six other people for the post.

Later, she said she was proud of Norfolk for making a progressive choice.

“It wasn’t that long ago I was in the Navy and being witch-hunted,” said Carry, who identifies as lesbian. She served from 1991 to 1997, a time when service members could not be openly gay.

Carry will be sworn in oday and will be on the dais for Tuesday’s regular council meeting. She replaces Andy Protogyrou, who served on the council for six years but had to step down in the middle of a term because he ran unsuccessfully for mayor.

Carry is expected to serve for less than two months and participate in, at most, three meetings. A special election is scheduled for Aug. 23 to let voters choose someone to represent Ward 1 until June 2018. Carry does not plan to run for the seat .

“This would never have happened on the last council,” Smigiel said.  He noted that most applicants admitted they could accomplish little in just a few weeks on the council – but not Carry.

An information-technology consultant who has lived in Norfolk for more than 20 years, Carry has advocated for city government to be more innovative in education and technology.

She hopes to get Norfolk schools to partner with Code Virginia, a group that trains teachers on how to instruct students in computer science and coding.  And she has been pushing the city for about three years to create an information-technology commission that she says would spur technological innovation.

After publicly interviewing all seven candidates over nearly two hours, the council discussed the choices behind closed doors for a few minutes. They then returned to public session and unanimously appointed Carry, the only woman among the seven.

“She just blew it out of the water,” Mayor Kenny Alexander said, calling her a progressive whose IT and military experience and command of issues clearly put her at the top of the list.

It has been truly amazing to see and be a part of the LGBT community going mainstream in this region even as the "godly folk" slowly are losing their power and influence.   

2016 Hampton Road Pride Pride

A week from today the main event of 2016 Hampton Roads Pride Fest will take place in downtown Norfolk's Town Point Park, one of the region's premier outdoor venues. The transformation of Pride Fest from when I first attended after "coming out" 14 years ago is nothing short of amazing.  In 2003, the event consisted of a single day event with few hundred people tucked away in a hidden part of Lakewood Part in Norfolk.  This year's event may see 20,000 attendees with the nation's only Pride boat parade (the husband is pictured in the red tank to the left in the photo above from 2014) and events will take place throughout the coming week.  There will be an event on the Hampton Waterfront on Wednesday, Thursday, HRBOR, the local LGBT chamber of commerce holds an event at O'Connor Brewing in Norfolk, and Friday night the block party at Scope, Norfolk's downtown coliseum takes place.  Smaller events are taking place starting today.  

As a sign that Hampton Roads Pride has made the big time, the event site GayCities is even advertising the event with details here. 

If you have never attended a Pride event, consider attending this year. If you cannot make the Saturday event, consider the block party at Scope.  Last year's block party - the first in Scope - was truly spectacular and we had to keep reminding ourselves that we were in Norfolk and not some European capital.  

Yes, Newport News Shipbuilding is a major sponsor.  The changes have been incredible.

Hampton Roads Retail Alliance Gala 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award

click image to enlarge

A number of our friends tease us about the number of formal events we go to each year. but if one supports worthy causes and wants to support friends and community advocates, it actually takes an effort NOT to go to many events.  Tonight, on a reminder from our dear friend Cindy Cutler (a former Legends honoree), we attended the Greater Hampton Roads Retail Alliance Gala that honored top retailers from both the Virginia Peninsula and the so-called "Southside" - i.e., the cities of Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth and Suffolk -  and, most importantly, our dear friends, Claus Ihlemann (another past Legends honoree and Equality Virginia "Outstanding Virginian" and his husband, Robert Roman, the owners of Decorum Furniture.

Not only are Claus and Robert great supporters of LGBT equality - the are presenting sponsors at the 2016 Pride fest event in Norfolk on June 18, 2016 (the husband and I are also sponsors, but on nowhere near that level) - but their philanthropic efforts extend to ACCESS/AIDS Care, Hope House, Tidewater Arts Outreach and many other causes that seek to enhance the greater Hampton Roads community.  Their constant refrain for what they do is "Pay it forward."

The husband and I consider ourselves lucky to count this year's lifetime achievement winners as friends.  Moreover, the set the stand for other to emulate, including their willingness to live their lives honestly and authentically, making no apologies for who they are. The same goes for our friend Cindy Cutler, mentioned above, a formidable "straight ally" to the LGBT community.

As I have advise in the past for those coming out - especially those coming out later in life - the key to thriving is to get involved and surround yourself with inspiring people.  Each of us has the ability to create change and to make sure that it gets better for those coming after us.  

As for the event itself, it was well done, with a masquerade theme - many guest sported formal wear and stylish masks - we wore masks from Venice - and to liven up the evening, performers from the based Hurrah Players (which among others, first launched actor Grant Gustin ) providing well done renditions from Phantom of the Opera.   In short, it was a wonderful evening.

The 2016 HP Pride Launch Event - Changing Hearts and Minds

The husband and I attended the HR Pride 2016 launch event this afternoon which works to raises funds for the June 18, 2016, Pride fest Event in Town Point Park on the downtown Norfolk waterfront.  The event has transformed dramatically since I was first on the HR Pride board of directors some years ago. The launch party has been equally transformed and this year was a standing room only event at the East Beach Pool/Club House hosted  by Lt. Governor Ralph Northam and his wonderful wife Pam.  The number of politicos in attendance has likewise increased dramatically and GOP House of Delegates member Scott Taylor was in attendance, demonstrating that a least some Republicans are waking up to the reality that an all welcoming Virginia is good for business. 

Perhaps the most surprising sponsors who pledged financial support were (i) Newport News Shipbuilding and WHRO who joined Decorum Furniture at the presenting sponsor level, and (ii) the Central Intelligence Agency - that's right, the CIA - which was a well into the 4 digit sponsor.  Other surprising sponsors were the City of Norfolk and two competing mayoral candidates. I lost track in the amount pledged today, but suffice it to say it was far in excess of $125,000.00.  As we have done for the last number of years, the husband and I are again sponsors of this amazing event which has become the largest outdoor festival in Norfolk after Harborfest.

Thirteen year ago when I attended my first "out in the Park" event it consisted of a few hundred people tucked out of sight in the back of one of Norfolk's city parks.  Now the event involves close to 20,000 attendees and the politicians - at least on the Democrat side of the aisle - who acted as if the LGBT community was radioactive, cannot go far enough to demonstrate their support for the LGBT community and LGBT equality under the civil laws. It has been a phenomenal sea change.

Sadly, the Virginia GOP continues to prostitute itself to the Christofascists and hate merchants at The Family Foundations and strives to send a worldwide message that Virginia is welcoming to only right wing extremists and modern day Pharisees.  Today's event underscored that the Virginia GOP is going to find itself resoundingly on the wrong side of history and, if we are lucky, politically irrelevant.  

GOP Del. Scott Taylor and Democrat Sen. Lynnwood Lewis

Congressman Bobby Scott

Lt. Governor Ralph Northam

The Problem of Ageism In the LGBT Community

SHOW SOME F*CKING RESPECT!
Something I think all gay men need to hear...
Posted by Davey Wavey on Friday, January 29, 2016

I came out in mid-life and was struck by the emphasis on youth and beauty in the gay community.  Indeed, I felt  like a "has been" before I got out of the gate.  Sadly, the problem of agism within the LGBT community has not gotten any better since I came out.

I make no claim to have been among the earlier warriors for gay equality, but over the last 15 years, I have tried very hard to make life for LGBT Virginians through involvement with Equality Virginia (Legends committee for 6 years and monthly supporter), founding and supporting Hampton Roads Business OutReach ("HRBOR"), active political involvement, including donating to gay friendly politicians, writing a monthly LGBT column in VERR Magazine, and providing substantial financial support for HR Pride.  My husband has been there right beside me as have many of my friends in the LGBT community of my generation.  I am not trying to brag or blow my own horn. The reality is that in Hampton Roads to a large extent, it is always the same people writing the checks, fighting the fight and putting themselves out there to change minds and hearts.

Yet, meanwhile many young gays do nothing to support the larger LGBT community and take for granted the much improved world in which they now live and seem oblivious as to who and what got us to where we are today.  Worse yet, they show no respect for older gays who fought in the trenches to make things better for all of us. The above video posted by Davey Wavey struck a cord with me has a message that some in the younger generations really needs to hear.

Do I Sound Gay? At the Naro Theater on September 9, 2015 at 7:30PM

The following is a cross-post of my August, 2015, column in VEER Magazine that reviews this film - the owner of the Naro Theater graciously allowed me an advance viewing - and  the issues it addresses.  If you have not seen the film and live locally, try to make it to the showing on this coming Wednesday evening.  I will be one of the panelists.  Here's the column:

Growing up, especially during one’s teen years can be difficult for many of us.  But growing up gay and often striving to fool both one’s self and everyone else about one’s sexual orientation takes matters to a whole new realm.  Particularly, if one feels an added urgency to hide one’s true self in order to survive in hostile social and/or family settings. The situation is complicated at best.  Based on my own experience, one might be best described the situation as a mix of (i) knowing deep down in one’s heart what the truth really is yet (ii) trying desperately to convince the world and one’s self that one’s secretly known truth is not in fact real.  Side effect of these mental contortions include being hypersensitive about how one acts, looks and god forbid, talks and sounds to others.   Some gays never leave this struggle behind them.

In his new documentary “Do I Sound Gay,” which will be playing at the NARO Theater on Colley Avenue in the Ghent area of Norfolk on September 9, 2015, documentarian David Thorpe looks at the origins of the so-called “gay voice’ – if there is, indeed such a thing – and the impact it and/or the fear of “sounding gay” inflicts on many in the LBGT community.  I had the privilege of previewing the film and found it to both humorous at times and at other times disturbing given some of the violence against gays featured in the film. The film is definitely thought provoking and should be viewed by both members of the LGBT community and members of the straight community.  Indeed, I would argue that it should perhaps be required viewing for anti-gay church goers who might be forced to reflect for a moment and face the inhumanity they display towards gays and others who are different from themselves.

In the course of the film, which is in documentary format, Thorpe looks at his own childhood and upbringing in Columbia, South Carolina, his escape to college and eventual move to New York City.  He also interviews his friends, speech pathologists, linguists and LBGT celebrities like Dan Savage, David Sedaris, Tim Gunn, Don Lemon and Margaret Cho.  As the movie reveals, there is in actuality no such thing as the “gay voice” per se, but rather merely differences in pronunciation, tone, and the stress of vowels and certain consonants.  The result is traits that some might describe as “feminine” or “intellectual.”   Some theories are that one’s voice can be influenced by who one spent the most time with and/or identified with growing up, and other factors.

However, as the movie makes clear, these characteristics that make up the supposed “gay voice” very often cross sexual orientation lines.  Indeed, studies that have asked participants to guess an individual’s sexual orientation based on their voice have found that participants are wrong at least 40% of the time.  Males with high voices can be 100% straight while deep voiced gays can “pass as straight” even though they are 100% gay.  The take away is that voices, like looks can be very deceiving.

But sadly, these truths don’t help those of us who have struggled (or currently struggle) to live with the stigma that can attach to being gay. This stigma can translate into violence as was experienced by a fifteen year old high school student featured in the film or “comedy” routines that make gays the butt of their jokes.  Columnist and gay rights activist Dan Savage states that he believes that many gay men, having been bullied in school for being gay and, therefore, try to eliminate any traits — manners of speech, of gait, of dress, etc.  — that might potentially betray them.  Based on my own experience in the closet, I believe that Savage is likely on to something.

But the anti-gay stigma can be even more pervasive and subtle than acts of violence or “jokes.” One movie historian interviewed in the film even makes the case that in movies for decades the presumably gay characters often were the villains or the ridiculous “pansy.”  He further notes that often the gay characters were either killed or were killers.  In short, growing up, many of us received continual societal messages that being gay was not a good thing even without factoring the religious disapproval that so many gays continue to face even with same sex marriage now being legal.

While all of this toxicity towards gays has given gays, both those “in the closet” and those long “out of the closet” reason to dread of the “gay voice” and other traits that might give their secret away are painstakingly avoided, it has also fostered something else: internalized homophobia. By internalized homophobia I mean the inability to fully accept one’s self as gay and let go of all the negative messages one has received over one’s life time.  And a stigma against sounding or acting gay exists even with some members of the LGBT community.  If you don’t believe those interviewed in the film, go to any gay dating site and you will quickly see men advertising themselves as “straight acting” as if acting gay is something to be avoided.

Internalized homophobia and fear of “sounding gay” are all part and parcel with trying to live up to a perceived stereotype of how straight men and women act and talk.  The effort to maintain this role can be non-stop except perhaps when one is alone.  It is exhausting to say the least.  Eventually, many of us simply give up and belatedly accept ourselves for the most part for who we are.  Many never do.

How do we end the stigma?  Thankfully, many in the Millennial generation seem to be increasingly ignoring the anti-gay messaging coming from conservative religious denomination, right wing politicians and other anti-gay dog whistle messages.  For the rest of us, something that President Obama said to a gathering of young African leaders at a Presidential Summit earlier this month focuses on the solution:  we must cultivate the ability to see others as equal human beings despite their differences in skin color and/or sexual orientation.   Specifically, Obama told the audience:

“The same, by the way, is true for sexual orientation,” . . . I spoke about this in Africa, and everybody is like, oh, oh, we don’t want to hear that. But the truth of the matter is, is that if you’re treating people differently just because of who they love and who they are, then there’s a connection between that mindset and the mindset that led to racism, and the mindset that leads to ethnic conflict. It means that you’re not able to see somebody else as a human being.”

Whether or not one “sounds gay” should not matter.  We are all unique individuals and we should be judged, as eloquently stated by Martin Luther King in his “I have a dream . . .” speech,   based on the content of our characters and our talents.  Sexual orientation, skin color and national origin and other factors used all too often to fan division should not matter.

Huffington Post Recaps HR Pride Fest

The husband and I were aboard the American Rover pictured above

To my surprise Huffington Post has a piece extolling last weekend's Hampton Roads 2015 Pride Fest  in a piece that ought to make both the Pride board and the City of Norfolk - which has finally awakened to the fact that the event has the potential to be a real tourism draw, hence the City's cooperation in moving the Block Party into Scope due to threatening weather - very proud.  The piece is full of great photos and nice things about the event and certainly gives the event some great national exposure.  Here are some article highlights:

This year I had a strong desire to attend a unique and rare style of pride event, especially in light of the landscape-altering decision by the United States Supreme Court, forever altering America's social contracts.

The State of Virginia holds the nation's only Gay Pride Boat Parade, that's right: no floats, just boats! Hampton Roads Pride, in Norfolk, Virginia, is the State's largest pride celebration, throwing a unique twist on the gay festivities.

Norfolk is synonymous with boats. It's the home of largest naval base in the world, Naval Station Norfolk, and the final resting position of the Wisconsin . . . . . The Wisconsin, a WWII and Korean Conflict battleship punctuates the Norfolk skyline and helps to educate future generations as a fully functional museum ship.

The floating festivities are open to everyone. If you own a boat you're more than welcome to get a permit, color her up, and ride in the parade. If you aren't lucky enough to have your own boat, join someone else's! If you're plagued by the devil that is sea-sickness, get yourself an inflatable swan and watch the parade from the safety of a mimosa on the waterfront!

[T]he American Rover makes a strong and powerful entrance, and best of all, it was open to the public. Tickets were sold to sit aboard this grand vessel as it unfurled those gorgeous sails, and presented a dignified wrut (the water equivalent of a strut) along the parade woute (the water equivalent of a route).

The annual Pridefest Block Party had a seamless run even after a last minute venue change prompted by Mother Nature's insistence on hydrating the land. That's coordination at its finest, moving the party at the last minute, and still having everyone show up. Well done!

What I was most proud of at Hampton Roads Pridefest was the next generation of Americans. These are folks who're going to grow up in the environment we leave to them, and they're in many ways better prognosticators than we were.

In all seriousness, the City of Norfolk - and other local cities - need to advertise the event which is steadily becoming a week long event.  Interestingly, at the event the mayor of Virginia Beach suggested that perhaps Pride should consider Virginia Beach as a future venue for the event.  The times are changing!

The 11-Year-Old Who Rocked Hampton Roads Pride Block Party

I will be posted photos shortly from yesterday's PrideFest event which unfortunately had to close early due to violent thunderstorms that moved into the area halfway through the event. However, a friend on the Pride Board just shared this Youtube video that I found very touching.  What is ironic is that at one point, we were dancing close to him.  He was having a ball.  This is his mother's post that goes with the video:

My son Quin is 11, he has Asperger Syndrome and has been bullied for being different. When he heard we were going to the Pride Block Party at the Scope Center, here in Norfolk, Virginia, to celebrate the passage of national equal marriage he asked to come. "I relate to not being accepted, bullied and having to not be who you really are," he said. "I'm happy the law is changed. I'm happy people can be who they really are and love who they really love. Let's party!"
And he sure did.

Quin's enthusism and happiness was shared by the thousands of others who were at the block party.  It was an amazing event.  There was far more joy and kindness towards others at the event than what you see in most church services, especially Southern Baptist services, I suspect.

HR Pride Block Party - Gays Have Come a Long Way

A thorn between two roses

Last night's HR Pride  Block Party which was moved to Scope - Norfolk's concert and sports arena - because of threatening weather.  The event was so over the top compared to anything ever seen before outside of the actual PrideFest event in Town Point Park.  Perhaps because of yesterday's historic marriage ruling, people may have been in an extra celebratory mood.  Whatever the reason, the place was packed with thousands of people, a huge dance floor, great music, a wonderful decor - including a full moon and "moonlit" seating areas for those not wanting to dance - and, of course, adult refreshments.  One thing that was amazing is how the city of Norfolk stepped up and made Scope available on basically a day's notice.  The entire event was something that no one in the LGBT community would have imagined ever being held in Norfolk just five to ten years ago, especially with massive cooperation with the city.     While there, I had the opportunity to speak with the Grand Marshal for today's event, MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts (who was a local reporter years ago) and his husband, Patrick.

The weather forecast today is less than wonderful but the husband and I will be aboard the American Rover for the PrideFest boat parade - the only one in America - with friends before spending the afternoon at PrideFest.  I encourage local readers to attend.  More details can be found here. 

This year's Pride celebration has truly turned into a Pride week with events virtually every day all week.  Just 12 years ago when I attended my first Hampton Roads Pride, the event was tucked back out of sight in a Norfolk city park with the number of attendees being in the hundreds.  Now, we are celebrating in Norfolk's premier waterfront venue and the attendees number in the many thousands.  We have truly come a long way in Norfolk and across the nation.

On a side note, one of my daughters posted this on her Facebook page and really touched me:

This is probably not the most mature thing but....if you don't agree with today's ruling please either go ahead and unfriend yourself, or comment so I can unfriend you. Today's ruling was just the first step of many needed to provide our LGBTQ brothers and sisters with the rights they are due.

The Christofascists and Republican Party are truly alienating the Millennials with their anti-gay animus and bigotry. 

HR Pride Block Party - Change of Venue!!

Special announcement: Due to looming bad weather weather conditions, the HR Pride Block Party scheduled for Friday, June 26, 2015, from 7:00 to 11:59PM will now be at Scope located at the corner of St. Paul's Bouevard and Brambleton Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia! Rain or shine! Please attend - it will be a  PARTY!  Here are more details (full details on the Pride week schedule are here):

Be a part of the Positivity as we Celebrate Unity, Equality, and Diversity.

Ascend with us!

Let's Fly together!

Virginia Beach Favorite, DJ RAYS Returns!

Beer, Bubbles, and Craft Cocktails!

Delicious Eats by Brick House Diner!

$10 Donation @ The Door

All proceeds benefit Hampton Roads Pride and it's mission.

All Ages Welcome

Prediction Panel: The Supreme Court Will Rule Against Gay Marriage Bans

No one knows for certain how the U.S. Supreme Court will rule on gay marriage bans except the justices themselves and perhaps their law clerks.  As the Christofascists continue to carry on and wail as if the world is soon to be ending - the only thing ending is the ease with once they have stigmatized LGBT individuals - various legal prognosticators are predicting how the Court will rule.  As the Wall Street Journal reports, most believe that the Court will invalidate all state bans, especially given its refusal to hear appeals from the 4th Circuit ruling that brought same sex marriage to Virginia.  Note, only those affiliated with the hate group, National Organization for Marriage predict victory for the Christofascists.  Here are some article highlights:

The Supreme Court by next week is expected to decide whether gay couples are constitutionally entitled to marry. With the votes still unknown, Law Blog asked a group of legal scholars to predict the outcome in the historic case.

The big question in the case, which justices argued in April, is whether the 14th Amendment requires all states to perform same-sex marriages. Most legal experts who spoke with Law Blog anticipate a victory for gay rights.

Ilya Somin, a constitutional scholar at George Mason University School of Law, thinks that justices, by a vote of 5-4 or 6-3, will decide that laws banning same-sex marriage are unconstitutional.
Cornell University law professor Michael Dorf makes the same prediction. He said the Supreme Court tipped its hand last year when it left in place rulings from several lower courts striking down state bans.

The decision not to intervene then effectively expanded gay marriage to states like Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin, and Mr. Dorf said he doesn’t think the justices would have allowed same-sex unions in those states to proceed if they “weren’t confident that there were at least five votes to find a right to same-sex marriage,” he said.

Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of UC Irvine Law School, predicts a 6-3 gay marriage victory, with Justice Anthony Kennedy writing an opinion arguing that state laws prohibiting same-sex marriage violate equal-protection guarantees.

Chapman University law professor John Eastman, the chairman of the anti-gay marriage National Organization for Marriage, expects Justice Kennedy will be a swing vote — but in a ruling against gay marriage.

Peeking further into the crystal ball, Law Blog checked in with FantasySCOTUS, the Supreme Court fantasy league sponsored by Thomson Reuters. This year’s contest drew more than 4,000 contestants — many lawyers and law students but others from non-legal backgrounds — who compete for a grand prize of $10,000 by predicting outcomes in Supreme Court cases over the course of a term.

Collectively, the online fantasy league is predicting a 5-4 gay marriage win. The league’s top-three leaders, including the league’s reigning champion Jacob Berlove, are  betting on that outcome too.

A ruling in favor of marriage equality on either Thursday or Friday - the Court has added a day for releasing opinions - prior to HR Pride's big event on Saturday would be wonderful!

Pride Week 2015 - Growing Up . . . Gay in Hampton Roads

Earlier in the month I wrote about an event sponsored by the Hampton History Museum that will take place tomorrow evening.  The recordings of the panel discussion from the event will become part of the Museum's oral history collection that seeks to preserve history through the recollections of ordinary people as well as the prominent and famous.  The topic is growing up gay in Hampton Roads.  The husband is one of the panelists.  Last evening we hosted a gathering at our home for the panelists and some of the Museum staff in order that the panel could get to know each other somewhat before the event and review the event format.  Based on last night, the panel discussion should be remarkable, especially the contributions to be made by  Gavin Grimm, a transgender boy on who's behalf the ACLU has filed a law suit against the Gloucester County School Board.  Here are details on the event (which will be followed by music and a cocktail party):

This year The Hampton History Museum will be presenting an event entitled "Our Story, Our Time  Growing Up . . . Gay in Hampton Roads."  The event is free to the public and starts at 5:30 on June 24, 2015, at the Crown Plaza Marina, 700 Settlers Landing Road in downtown Hampton.  Part of what the event focuses upon is the reality that LGBT individuals have always been part of our local history even if in times past they felt the need to remain invisible. 

The Hampton History Museum event will include a panel the members of which will describe what it was like to grow up "different" in Hampton Roads.  Panelists include Dick Fore, the owner of Foremost Florists, Barry Menser, owner of Barry's for Hair, Corey Mason, an actor, theater director and college student, Anthony Cudrup of the Hampton Finance Department, Bobbi Mitchell, and Art Institute student and Gavin Grimm, a transgender high school student.

Local readers need to attend and learn some interesting history and meet some wonderful people.

P.S. Posting will be reduced all week due to the daily Pride events we will be attending every evening.

Reflections on Hampton Roads Pride Fest 2014

Mikado preparing to leave the dock

Yesterday's Pride Fest in Norfolk's Town Point Park by all estimates was the largest ever.  News reports say the crowd exceeded 15,000.  One of the Absolut vodka reps I spoke with - Absolute was a presenting sponsor - pegged the crowd at 20,000.  Whatever the final number, the event was a huge success and no doubt sent shivers through the gay haters in the Virginia GOP and The Family Foundation.  One of the most remarkable things was the diversity of the crowd both in terms of age span, the number of families and racial mix - black, white, Hispanic and lots of Filipinos (Hampton Roads has a large Filipino population).  Another remarkable thing was that the CIA had a recruiting booth at the event.  We have gone from the days when being gay got one fired to now where gays are being sought after.   The Norfolk Police Department also had a recruiting booth at the event.   

CIA recruiting booth

Our day began with the Pride Boat Parade on board the 50' Mikado, the lead boat of the parade with Pride Fest grand marshals Tim Bostic and Tony London among the passengers.  It was a great kick off for the day's events and the flotilla received loud cheers and waves as it passed by Town Point Park.    From the sponsors' tent - my company was among the corporate sponsors - we had a great view of the main stage where various acts, culminating with Deborah Cox performed to the large crowd.   Below are assorted photos from the day.

Other boat parade participants

The roster of sponsor who backed the $100,000 cost of the event (my company was a gold sponsor)

An early view of the gathering main stage crowd

Me and the husband

A panel from the History Project that looks at Virginia's early gay rulers

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A boat decorated for the boat parade

We hope that next year's event will be even bigger and that marriage equality will be a reality in Virginia.  Meanwhile, make a point of giving your business to the companies that supported this year's event. 

UPDATED: One more photo of some of the boats that participated in the Pride Boat Parade.

 

Hampton Roads Pride Fest

Hampton Roads Pride's mission is to:

To instill pride, celebrate unity and embrace diversity in the Hampton Roads Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community by creating visibility and promoting full human and civil rights through education, celebration, and networking.

 

This year's Hampton Roads Pride Fest looks like it will be the best ever if last night's kick off block party is any indication.  Seemingly a couple thousand people attended the event on 20th Street in Norfolk which included food, beverages, music and a light show.  The folks at HP Pride truly outdid themselves.  The image below gives and idea of the excitement.

One of the unique aspects of HR Pride is that it has the only boat parade of any Pride event in the country.  The husband and I will be participating on a friend's 50 foot boat (shown below) and will be boarding around 11:00AM to with other friends.  The assembled fleet parades along the Norfolk water front with boats competing for the wildest decorations and cheering passengers.  Our boat reportedly will have go-go boys. :)

For the complete schedule of events, either pick up the special VEER magazine Pride insert or go to HR Pride's web page here.  Here where you can find today's schedule for the party in Norfolk's Town Point Park.

My new employer is a corporate sponsor of the event and it shows how things are changing.  10 years ago I was fired for being gay by a large local law firm.  Now I work for a company that jumped at the opportunity to support this year's Pride event.  If you need title or settlement services, please look us up.  We operate in 10 states and strive to be on the cutting edge of high level services: