Gathering at the Palace to Cheer Friends & Neighbors in Beltzer’s “Coming of Age”
James Beltzer - photo by Bruce-Michael Gelbert
Source: www.fireislandqnews.com
By Bruce-Michael Gelbert
The Grove’s James Beltzer introduced the documentary “Coming of Age in Cherry Grove,” his work-in-progress, to an appreciative audience, at the Grove Hotel’s Ice Palace on June 20, that had come to see their friends, their neighbors-and themselves-and to cheer.
We saw Bella, who was a few seats away from us, say onscreen that Cherry Grove is “like a Federico Fellini movie” and play Susan Boyle doing “I Dreamed a Dream.” We saw Panzi, bullhorn in hand and all in yellow feathers, leading last year’s Fourth of July Invasion of the Pines and, later, she and Bella and Rose Levine held forth about the origins of the Invasion. The Pines’ Robyn Bird spoke of videotaping the Invasion and claimed, “I’m trisexual-I will try everyone sexually. Read more
Lee & Clara Get Married on the Beach
Lee Sharmat & Clara Bogetti - photo by Bruce-Michael Gelbert
Source: www.fireislandqnews.com
By Bruce-Michael Gelbert
Having gotten legally married in Connecticut in February, Lee Sharmat and Clara Bogetti celebrated, with family and chosen Cherry Grove family, with a wedding on the beach, off Aeon Walk, on a sunny June 19 afternoon.
Sherri Rase officiated at the ceremony under the chupah, others in attendance added remarks, the couple exchanged rings and vows, and Lee stepped on and broke the glass to ward evil spirits away from their union. Mazel tov!
Refreshments at the couple’s home on Aeon preceded the ceremony at the beach and a reception at Jumping Jack’s Seafood Shack restaurant followed it.
Obama Extends Benefits to Same-Sex Partners of Federal Employees
President Barack Obama - photo submitted by Bruce-Michael Gelbert
Source: www.newyorkqnews.com
By Bruce-Michael Gelbert
On June 2, President Barak Obama issued a memorandum to Federal Executive Department and Agency Heads extending benefits enjoyed by Federal heterosexual employees’ spouses and families to domestic partners and children of LGBT families. The memorandum instructs the Director of the Office of Personnel Management and the Administrator of General Services to ensure that sex-sex domestic partners and their children qualify as immediate family members and dependents under the law, with regard to family and medical leave protections, child care services, and retiree pension annuities, for example, but stops short, according to Lambda Legal of guaranteeing family health insurance. Read more
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Repeal Passes U.S. Senate Committee & House of Representatives, But McCain & Colleagues Announce Plan to Filibuster
President Barack Obama, courtesy of Organizing for America
Source: www.newyorkqnews.com
by Bruce-Michael Gelbert
On May 27, the United States Senate Armed Services Committee, chaired by Michigan Democrat Carl Levin, passed, by a vote of 16 to 12, an amendment to the National
Defense Authorization Act that would remove “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”(DADT)-the heinous 17-year-old policy whereby open gay and lesbians are discharged from military service-from federal Read more
GLSEN Presents Respect Awards
Constance McMillien, Dr. Eliza Byard, Chely Wright, CyndiLauper, ReichenLehmkuhl - photos by Lee Sharmat & Clara Bogetti
Source: www.newyorkqnews.com
By Lee Sharmat
GLSEN (the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network), the leading national education organization, focused on ensuring safe schools for all students, and headed by Executive Director Dr. Eliza Byard, held its sold out annual Respect Awards ceremony Read more
NYS Court Affirms Lesbian Non-Biological Mother’s Visitation Rights
Susan Somer, Lambda Legal's Director of Constitutional Litigation, who represented Debra H. - photo from Lambda Legal.org
Source: www.newyorkqnews.com
By Bruce-Michael Gelbert
The New York State Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court, affirmed, on May 4, in the case of Debra H. v. Janice R., that a lesbian non-biological mother of a child could “seek visitation and custody rights at a best-interest hearing,” over the objections of her ex-partner, the biological mother, with whom she had entered into a civil union in Vermont.
Janice R. and her former partner, Debra H., who was represented in the case by Lambda Legal Director of Constitutional Litigation Susan Sommer, met in 2002, decided to raise a family together in a two-parent household, conceived their son using in vitro fertilization, and were joined in civil union in Vermont in November 2003, a month before their son, M.R., was born. According to Lambda Legal, Read more
Immigration Equality Sees Senate Reform Proposal as Unprecedented Opportunity for LGBT Families
press photo - provided by Bruce-Michael Gelbert
Source: www.newyorkqnews.com
By Bruce-Michael Gelbert
On April 29, United States Senate Democrats Harry Reid, from Nevada; Charles E. Schumer, from New York; and Robert Menendez, from New Jersey, issued a Conceptual Proposal for Immigration Reform, intended to provide guidelines for Congressional immigration reform legislation. The proposal authorizes creation of a Commission on Employment-Based Immigration to “recommend policies that promote economic growth and competitiveness while minimizing job displacement, wage depression and unauthorized employment,” and specifies an intent to “eliminate Read more
Song Soirée at Turtle Bay
Molly Watson - photo by Judy Kirtley, copyright2008
Source: www.qonstage.com
By Sherri Rase
Earth Day celebrated its 40th birthday on April 22 and Turtle Bay had a celebration of its own. Nestled in the heart of the City, soprano Molly Watson regaled the Richmond Room at the Turtle Bay Music School on 52nd Street on the East Side. And what a celebration it became.
Imagine. The evening is balmy with breezes that blow down the cross-town streets with hints of rain on their breath. As you look this way and that to cross the street, the western sky is brilliant with a sunset made more dramatic by a volcano halfway round the world. And Molly Watson’s salute to American and English composers and poets was the perfect tribute for spring.
At this entertainment in three acts, the first act consisted of Read more
White House Moves to Bar Discrimination Against Same-Sex Partners in Hospital Visitation Rights
Janice Langbehn & family - photo courtesy of Lambda Legal
Source: www.newyorkqnews.com
By Bruce-Michael Gelbert
On April 15, President Barack Obama directed 21st Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius to draw up rules ensuring that hospitals receiving federal funding, i.e. participating in
Medicare or Medicaid, will not discriminate against same-sex partners concerning visitation rights and respecting legal documents, such as medical power of attorney and health care proxy, that they hold.
In 2007, Janice Langbehn and her children were barred for eight hours by a Miami hospital from visiting her partner of 20 years, Lisa Pond, who was dying of a brain aneurysm, even though Langbehn had power of attorney, and Read more
Burned Rainbow Flag Found in Front of Center-Hate Crime Being Investigated
burned flag - photo courtesy www.gaycenter.org
Source: www.newyorkqnews.com
By Bruce-Michael Gelbert
On April 14, staff members of the LGBT Community Center, on West 13th Street in Manhattan, arrived to find a burned rainbow flag, being interpreted as a threatening message of hate, hanging from a display case in front of the building. According to Center Executive Director Glennda Testone, the incident has been reported to the New York Police Department and the Anti-Violence Project and is being treated, and investigated, as a hate crime.
That evening, Testone told Center members, “This morning our building staff arrived and discovered a burned rainbow flag hanging on one of the poster display cases outside our building. We called the NYPD, and they immediately dispatched detectives from the hate crimes unit and our local precinct. We also contacted the Anti-Violence Project, and the crime is currently under investigation. Read more
FeedBurner RSS
