Coming Out Support Newsweekly: 8/09/10

Coming Out Support (COS) Newsweekly
Volume 13 No. 31 August 9, 2010
Newsletter Editor: M. G. Auerbach Email: COSNewsweekly@gmail.com

The Fine Print

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The Gay Agenda: Datebook: August 9-15, 2010

Resources: Events Calendars

***Damron Guides Event Calendars: http://www.damron.com/calendar/index.html
***Pride Events worldwide: www.interpride.org.
***PRIDE Calendars: http://www.gayfriendlybiz.com/calendar.html
***Gay.com’s Pride Calendar: www.gay.com/pride/calendar/
***LGBT Sports Events from Outsports: http://www.outsports.com/localEvents/index.cfm
***GayGevalt.com is a new national Queer Jewish Calendar for LGBT community events around the USA. http://gaygevalt.com/calendar/events/index.php
***Family Pride Coalition Calendar: http://www.familypride.org/ourcalendar.html
***LGBT Choruses Performance Calendar: www.galachoruses.org
***Travel Events Calendar from Out Traveler Magazine: http://www.outtraveler.com/calendar.asp
***LGBT Film Festivals from PlanetOut.com: http://www.planetout.com/popcornq/fests/
***CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers. www.lgbtcenters.org
***National Coming Out Day Events posted at the Human Rights Campaign: http://www.hrc.org/issues/10772.htm
***Edge Publications. Calendar listings for events in 15 cities and regions:
***Celebrity Booksignings and Events: http://www.celebritybooksigningsandevents.com/events

Ongoing: Global: 2010 Pride Season. Parades, fairs, festivals celebrating LGBT Pride around the world. www.interpride.org


thru TUE: 8/10: Walhalla, MI: Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival. Music by women for women since 1976. www.michfest.com

thru SUN: 8/15: Los Angeles, CA: Writer’s Retreat for Emerging LGBT Voices. Sponsored by Lambda Lit at the American Jewish University. http://www.lambdaliterary.org/writers-retreat/

WED: 8/11: Atlanta, GA: Alison Arngrim, star of "Little House of the Prairie" signing copies of her new book “Confessions of a Prairie Bitch”.7:30PM. Outwrite Books.

THU-SUN: 8/12-8/15 San Francisco, CA: Homo A Go Go. Queer arts festival. www.homoagogo.com.

THU: 8/12: New York, NY: Broadway in Bryant Park. Free lunchtime (12:30PM) concerts featuring casts of “La Cage Aux Folles” and “West Side Story”. www.1067litefm.com

FRI-SUN: 8/13-8/29: New York, NY: New York International Fringe Festival. emerging theatre serious and otherwise from 197 theatre troupes at 20 venues in lower Manhattan. www.fringenyc.org.

FRI: 8/13: San Francisco, CA: Del Shores and friends sign DVDs of “Sordid Lives”. 7:30PM. A Different Light Books. www.adlbooks.org.

SAT: 8/14: San Francisco, CA: .The Big Gay 10K. www.thebiggay10k.com

SUN: 8/15: San Francisco, CA: Help is On The Way XVI. a benefit for four Bay Area AIDS Service Agencies: Cast features: Carol Channing, James Darren, Melissa Manchester, Karen Mason, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Bruce Vilanch. www.helpisontheway.org

Newsworthy:

Breaking News: Proposition 8 Decision Coming Today (Wednesday, August 4). No hour was given for the announcement. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2010/08/proposition-8-decision-coming-tomorrow.html

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. A new survey commissioned by the Palm Center at the University of California in Santa Barbara raises doubts about DADT. The Boston Globe reports: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/11/10/survey_raises_new_doubts_on_militarys_dont_ask_policy/

Michigan: A federal judge ruled against a former Eastern Michigan University graduate student who refused to help a gay client as part of her master's program in counseling. The Advocate reports: http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/07/28/Judge_Rules_Against_Antigay_Student/

The Buzz (People Making News)

Coming Out: Sara Gilbert, formerly of “Roseanne” and now about to host a CBS talk show, has officially come out. The Advocate reports: http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/07/29/Sara_Gilbert_Officially_Comes_Out/

Ellen DeGeneres has stepped down from judging “American Idol”. The Advocate reports: http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/07/29/Ellen_Steps_Down_from_Idol/

Paul D. Cain, a frequent contributor to this newsletter, is running for Washoe County, NV Recorder. www.cainforrecorder.com.

In Memoriam:

Nathan Quinones, the one time New York City Schools chancellor who helped to found Harvey Milk High School, died 7/25/10, at age 79.The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/27/nyregion/27quinones.html?_r=1

Tom Murray, the filmmaker whose documentaries were regular features at the annual Gay and Lesbian Film Celebration at Burns Court, died on 7/29/10 at age 65. The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports: http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20100731/ARTICLE/7311042/-1/news?Title=Tom-Murray-whose-films-focused-on-gay-Americans-dies-at-65

Photo Shoots and Video

Video: Rachel Maddow on the Family Research Council’s being appalled over Amtrak’s gay ads. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2010/08/watch-rachel-maddow-on-frcs-anger-over-amtraks-gay-ads.html

Features

Coming Out: Howard Bragman’s “Coming Out Show”. Entertainment Weekly previews the A&E reality show due out this fall. http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/07/28/howard-bragman-coming-out-gay-celebrities/

Profile: Brian Rafanelli: The Out Clinton Wedding Planner. The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/02/nyregion/02planner.html

The Resource Center:

Outintheberkshires.com is a new resource for art, music, nightlife, and commerce for the LGBT community in the Berkshires. For more information please email us at outintheberkshires at gmail.com

Team DC is a charitable organization established to educate the Washington, DC LGBT community on the benefits of individual and team sports participation. www.teamdc.org.

Back-To-School: LGBT Books in the curriculum. 365Gay.com reports: http://www.365gay.com/news/back-to-school-lgbt-books-in-the-curriculum/

In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance

New York City (and Broadway)

***Abraham Lincoln's Big, Gay Dance Party, the comedy about a fourth-grade Christmas pageant which sets off a firestorm of controversy when it calls into question Honest Abe's sexuality. www.abrahamlincolnsbiggaydanceparty.com
***Another American: Asking and Telling. Mark Wolf’s tour-de-force one man show about “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”. Mondays to 8/30/10. Proceeds benefit several LGBT non-profits. http://www.facebook.com/anotheramerican
***As I Am Fully Known, a comedy about a 25 year old catholic lesbian living in Brooklyn who is coming to terms with her sexuality. to 8/19/10. www.fringenyc.org.
***La Cage Aux Folles, a revival of the 1983 Jerry Herman/Harvey Fierstein musical, which inspired the film "Birdcage". Kelsey Grammer stars. www.LaCage.com
***Missionary Position: A Coming of Age Tale. Steven Fales latest solo about being gay and Mormon. It’s part two of his trilogy. 8/14/10. www.fringenyc.org For the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wN1GAv43cNk
***Secrets of The Trade. Out actors John Glover and Bill Brochtrup star in Jonathan Tolins’ new play. to 9/04/10. www.primarystages.org.

Elsewhere...

***Becoming Norman. Norman Dixon’s story about being gay and Mormon. Dixon stars. to 9/12/10. N. Hollywood, CA. www.becomingnorman.com.
***Confessions of a Homo Thug Porn Star by James Earl Hardy, starring Johnathan Cedano as adult film star Tiger Tyson,. 8/13/10. Fire Island Pines, NY. www.downtownurban.net
***Don’t Ask. A drama from Bill Quigley about a reckless US private in Iraq who gets involved in a dangerous affair with his superior officer. to 9/19/10. San Francisco, CA. www.nctcsf.org
***Grey Gardens. The award-winning musical about Big Edie and Little Edie Bouvier Beale. Beth Fowler and Jacquelyn Piro Donovan star. to 8/21/10. Dennis Village, MA. www.capeplayhouse.com
***Love, Loss and What I Wore. The Ephron Sisters’ latest play stars newly out Mereditch Baxter and “Hairspray” star Marissa Jaret Winokur. to 8/29/10. Los Angeles, CA. www.geffenplayhouse.com
***1776, the all-women production of the founding fathers musical. to 8/29/10. Kansas City, MO. http://www.musicaltheaterheritage.com/1776.htm

On Screen (and Video & DVD)

Out on Screen...

***Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride. Bob Christie’s documentary shows that Pride is more than a parade, it’s a giant step on the road to global human rights.
***Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work. A new documentary which follows from gig to gig, onstage and at home, and historically through the ups and downs of her career.
***The Kids Are All Right. Julianne Moore and Annette Bening star in a two-mom family dramedy. Their kids seek out their sperm donor father (Mark Ruffalo). http://www.filminfocus.com/focusfeatures/film/the_kids_are_all_right
***Stonewall Uprising, a new documentary by Kate Davis and David Heilbroner covering the 3-day Stonewall riots in 1969. http://firstrunfeatures.com/stonewalluprising_playdates.html

Out On Video & DVD

***A Single Man. Tom Ford's debut film, an adaptation of a Christopher Isherwood novel, about a day in the life of a gay man, starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore. .
***Cinema Pride Collection. 10 time-tested queer films spanning 40 years of Hollywood from 1961 onward.
***LA Mission. Benjamin Bratt is a barrio tough guy who discovers that his son is involved in a relationship with another boy.
***The Matthew Shepard Story. Stockard Channing plays Judy Shepard in the Lifetime network film about Matthew’s murder. Her performance is incredible.
***My Trip Down The Pink Carpet. Leslie Jordan’s one-man autobiographical show. A recent Off-Broadway hit. www.mytripdownthepinkcarpet.com.
***Out in the Silence. A small town confronts a firestorm of controversy ignited by a same-sex wedding announcement in the local newspaper. Available for viewing online. http://www.hulu.com/watch/157306/out-in-the-silence

On TV Of Note: All times listed are ET. Check local listings for times in your area.

Resource:TV Gayed, GLAAD's Weekly Guide to What's LGBT on TV: Updated frequently. www.glaad.org/tvgayed

***August: In the Life. LGBT news magazine. PBS. Check local listings. http://www.itl.tv/inthelife/episodes/
***August. Clay Aiken: Tried and True, a concert based on Aiken’s new CD, will air with guest appearances by Ruben Studdard and Linda Eder. PBS. Check local listings. www.pbs.org or www.clayaiken.com.

Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events

Ongoing: Global: 2010 Pride Season. Parades, fairs, festivals celebrating LGBT Pride around the world. www.interpride.org

8/17/10: Provincetown, MA: GLAAD BeachBums Benefit.. 12Noon. The Crown & Anchor. www.glaad.org.

8/21/10: Fire Island, NY: The Stonewall Swim 5K open water pledge fundraiser for the Stonewall Community Foundation. http://www.stonewallfoundation.org/events.php?Section=Event

8/22/10-8/29/10: Porter, ME: Camp Camp. Summer camp for LGBT adults.
www.campcamp.com

8/23/10: Philadelphia, PA: .8th Annual Gay Community Night at the Phillies. www.phillygaydays.com

8/26/10-8/28/10: Miami Beach, FL: Lavendar Law 2010. National LGBT Bar Association 2010 Career Fair and Conference. http://lgbtbar.org/annual/

8/26/10-8/29/10: Philadelphia, PA: Rainbow Boogie 2010 World’s only gay skydiving event. www.rainbowskydivie.com.

Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: Don’t Ask Don’t Tell

1. Question: Name this non-profit organization, founded in 1993, which provides support and legal assistance to gays in the military affected by "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". It has responded to over 9,000 requests for legal assistance since its founding. Answer: Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, the non-partisan, non-profit, legal services, watchdog and policy organization. For a history of DADT and a list of SLDN programs an services: www.sldn.org.

2. Question: Name the author of the definitive history of LGBT people in the US military. This author, who had chronicled the gay rights movement in the Harvey Milk years and the rise of AIDS activism in the USA, died shortly after completing the book. Answer: Randy Shilts. "Conduct Unbecoming: Gays and Lesbians in the US Military: Vietnam to the Persian Gulf", was published in 1993. "And The Band Played On", his chronicle of HIV, is one of the most fascinating and compelling books of the late 20th century.

3. Question: Name this gay soldier who was perhaps the best-known openly gay man in the 1970s. A Vietnam War veteran and recipient of the Purpole Heart and the Bronze Star, he came out and fought to stay in the Air Force, a battle that put hiim on the cover of Time Magazine in 1975. Answer: Leonard Matlovich (1943-1988), Technical Sergeant. His outspoken manner resulted in articles in The New York Times and a television movie on NBC.

4. Question: Name this out former colonel in the Washington National Guard and a gay rights activist. Prior to DADT, she came out in a security clearance, and was discharged. She fought for reinstatement. Her battle became the subject of an award-winning film. Answer: Margarethe "Grethe" Cammermeyer. On 6/11/92, she was honorably discharged from the military. Cammermeyer filed a lawsuit against the decision in civil court. In June, 1994, a judge ruled her discharge, and the ban on gays and lesbians serving in the military, unconstitutional. She returned to the National Guard and served as one of the few officially accepted openly gay or lesbian people in the military until her retirement in 1997."Serving in Silence" a film version of her autobiography of the same name, starred Glenn Close.

5. Question: Name this Naval Academy student who was expelled from Annapolis in 1987, after coming out to his commanding officer. At the time, he was six weeks from graduation and one of the top six midshipmen within the academy. He sued for reinstatement. His case was unique in that he was accused of no homosexual conduct; his separation from the military was predicated solely upon his admission of homosexuality. After a long legal battle, he chose not to appeal his case to the U.S. Supreme Court. Today, he's a successful attorney. Answer: Joseph Steffan. His autobiography, "Honor Bound: A Gay American Fights for His Right to Serve His Country" was published by Villard Press in 1992.

This Week’s Trivia Quiz: Fashion Icons

1. Question: Name this gay designer (1932-1990) who was the first international fashion superstar. He designed Jackie Kennedy’s famous Inauguration pillbox hat, and is best known for his social life at Studio 54, where he hung out with Bianca Jagger, Elizabeth Taylor, and Liza Minnelli.

2. Question: Name this possibly bisexual design icon, whose ad campaigns, using photos by Bruce Weber and Herb Ritts, were full of homo-eroticism. Brooke Shields was featured in one of his most famous ads, and MarkyMark’s billboard in Times Square caused numerous fender-benders.

3. Question: Name this acclaimed gay fashion designer, one of Italy’s first public figures to come out. His fashion was legend, and he frequently collaborated with Elton John onstage and in AIDS charity work. He was murdered in Miami, but his sister keeps the business going.

4. Question: Name this gay American designer (1940-1986), one of the first to develop casual sportswear for women and men. He was also one of the first public figures to die from complications of AIDS.

5. Question: Name this out American fashion designer turned film director. He turned around the house of Gucci before developing a fashion brand which carries his name. He recently achieved distinction as a film director for his screen adaptation of a gay-themed work by a gay author.

The first person to submit the correct answers gets their name in print right here. Email your answers to: COSNewsweekly@gmail.com. If you do not want your email address to appear in the blog format of this newsletter, please indicate that. http://cosnewsweekly.blogspot.com/