SDGLN

Porterville LGBT group launches to oppose rescinding city’s first-ever pro-equality proclamation

PORTERVILLE, Calif. -- A group of residents has launched Porterville Equality and Fairness For All (PEFA), a coalition of local LGBT organizations and allies, opposing the efforts of some city councilmembers to rescind a historic proclamation declaring June “LGBT Pride Month” in the city.

Porterville is between Fresno and Bakersfield in the San Joaquin Valley in Tulare County. The city's population is estimated at 55,000.

The proclamation was issued on June 4 by Mayor Virginia Gurrola recognizing the significant contributions of the LGBT community in Porterville.

Cyclists take over Mission Hills and Presidio Park on Sunday

SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego County Bicycle Coalition and the San Diego Business Improvement District Council have selected Mission Hills as the site for the next Bike Local Sunday on June 16.

In conjunction with the second CicloSDias Mini in Presidio Park, Bike Local Sunday encourages folks to ride bikes to local businesses and support neighborhood economies.

Mainly Mozart Festival will perform four free concerts at Horton Plaza

SAN DIEGO – The Mainly Mozart Festival will present four free concerts this month at Horton Plaza downtown.

No tickets or reservations are necessary. The free concerts can be heard on the third-floor atria and are presented in partnership with Westfield Horton Plaza.

Here is the schedule:

Saturday, June 15 from 3 to 4 pm - Mainly Mozart featured ensemble and SDSU Artists in Residence, The Hausmann Quartet perform.

Social Security Administration updates transgender policy

WASHINGTON — The Social Security Administration (SSA) today issued new regulations updating the standard for changing an individual’s gender marker in Social Security records.

The updated policy recognizes that transition-related care involves decisions made between a transgender person and their doctor therefore is different for each person.

The SSA policy now permits a transgender person to change their gender marker upon submission of one of the following types of documents:

DeMaio's Republican Party evolution

A lot has been written about Carl DeMaio as a candidate and as a gay Republican, and I wanted to take some time to speak to DeMaio about how he perceives himself fitting in with both the LGBT community and the Republican Party.

While this email interview was conduced before DeMaio announced May 31 he was running against Rep. Scott Peters for the 52nd Congressional district, I asked him questions about his perceptions of a community he is at once a member of – and, by some, excluded – that continue to be relevant.

GLAAD's What To Watch This Weekend

(This post was originally published by SDGLN content partner GLAAD.)

Life with Benny: Honoring a true hero

So many people are quietly working to make the world a better place, and we just don't thank them enough. Within our community, we have several awards events to honor people who are doing big things, but too often it's the people who are just living their everyday lives doing the incredible things who don't get any credit for it.

Married gay dads star in VIDEO as Father’s Day approaches

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – With Father’s Day quickly approaching, the Campaign for Southern Equality and Freedom to Marry today released “A Tale of Two Dads,” a video featuring Mark Maxwell and Timothy Young of Winston-Salem, N.C., and their family.

Maxwell and Young got married this year after 20 years together, and have four boys – Torin (13), Justin (16), Derrick (17) and Brandon (24). Because North Carolina refuses to respect their lawful marriage, the parents have not been able to jointly adopt their children and fully protect their family under state law.

Featured Listing

President Obama under pressure on gay rights | VIDEO

WASHINGTON -- With the Supreme Court only days away from major rulings on same-sex marriage, President Obama faces the prospect of having to make his own difficult decisions about the definition of wedlock.

Gay rights advocates are already pressing Obama to immediately broaden the federal government’s recognition of legally married same-sex couples if the court strikes down a ban on providing federal benefits to them.

The question for Obama turns on whether the federal government should extend full benefits to gay couples living in states that don’t recognize their marriages.

Special Delivery receives $57,000 grant

(This post originally appeared in SDGLN media partner Gay San Diego.

SAN DIEGO -- The Thursday Club Juniors gave Special Delivery San Diego, a nonprofit that has prepared and served meals to over 4,500 individuals with HIV, AIDS, cancer, heart disease or other life-threatening illnesses since its inception in 1991, a grant for $57,000.

Founder and Executive Director Ruth Henricks said the organization was “very pleased and honored” for the recognition.

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