lgbtq

LGBT Leader Burns Returns To Hamilton College

Brian Shields — Wed, 01 May 2013 19:40:00 +0000

Forty years ago, Richard Burns was a high school senior, getting ready to begin college at Hamilton in the fall. Today, he is the executive director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center in New York City. This afternoon, Richard Burns returns to Hamilton to speak on “LGBTQ Rights, Past and Present” at the Red Room in the Kirner-Johnson building. He spoke to WAMC about what it was like 40 years ago to be gay and in college

Professor Stephen Gottlieb - The Supreme Court on marriage and upcoming cases

Patrick Donges — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 16:11:36 +0000

Last week was a momentous one for the U.S. Supreme Court, as the high court heard two cases that when decided could have national implications on the rights of same sex couples to marry.

Stephen Gottlieb: The Gay Marriage Cases

Stephen Gottlieb — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 19:30:00 +0000

Sunday night, my wife and I attended a Persian Nowruz or New Year’s festival, with many friends. We celebrated the best and happiest of the traditions they had left behind, along with other Americans who had come to take part. While celebrating the rebirth of Spring, we were also celebrating freedom with friends who had become refugees, whose humanity and efforts to use their skills to help others had become unwelcome to Iranian authorities.

Vox Pop : Open Forum - SCOTUS and same sex marriage : 3/26/13

Patrick Donges — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 19:00:00 +0000

Today the Supreme Courts of the United States is hearing the first of two cases that may be the deciding factors in whether same sex marriage is declared legal across the country.

Today we want your take on the cases, today’s argument on California’s Proposition 8 law that banned gay marriage, and tomorrow’s case challenging the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). WAMC's Alan Chartock hosts.

Mary Bonauto, GLAD - The importance of the same sex marriage cases now before SCOTUS

Brian Shields — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 19:34:47 +0000

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments this week in to cases involving gay marriage. The nation’s highest court will hear the cases tomorrow and Wednesday. Mary Bonauto is the civil right project director at the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders. She tells WAMC’S Brian Shields that the cases are monumental.

3/22/13 - Panel

Joe Donahue — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Today’s panelists are WAMC's Ray Graf, WAMC's David Guistina, and WAMC's Patrick Donges. Roundtable host Joe Donahue moderates.

For the part of this hour we'll also be joined by Kevin and Michael Bacon to discuss their careers in music and film, the Bacon Brothers Band, and the cultural phenomenon that is the six degrees of Kevin Bacon.

Today's topics include:

RPI Community Advocates and the Pride Center present "8" in Troy

Joe Donahue — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:35:00 +0000

The play "8" is written by Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black and is based on interviews and transcripts from the Prop 8 trial in California after marriage equality opponents succeeded in having cameras barred from the courtroom. It is made up of interviews, news reports and court transcripts and highlights the main points which led to the court finding Proposition 8 unconstitutional.

In conjunction with RPI Community Advocates and the Pride Center, a staged reading of the play will take place at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall on Friday, March 22 at 7:30pm.

Joining to tell us more, we welcome Aaron Holbritter - the shows director, Isaac Newberry as plaintiff Paul Katami and Gary Maggio as Chief Judge Vaugn Walker.

Poet Richard Blanco at Union College

Joe Donahue — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:45:00 +0000

Richard Blanco, who last month became the fifth presidential inaugural poet, will be at Union College in Schenectady tonight at 7-PM to read from his works. Previous inaugural poets have included Robert Frost and Maya Angelou.

Although his poems have appeared in top literary journals and anthologies, including The Nation, New Republic, Michigan Quarterly Review and The Best American Poetry, Blanco was not widely known until he was chosen by President Barack Obama as the inaugural poet.

Obama selected Blanco because his “deeply personal poems are rooted in the idea of what it means to be an American.” Blanco became the first immigrant, the first Latino and the first openly gay person to be named the inaugural poet. At the inauguration, Blanco read his poem, One Today – which is being released in book form today.

"Eminent Outlaws: The Gay Writers Who Changed America" by Christopher Bram

Joe Donahue — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 15:10:00 +0000

In his book, Eminent Outlaws: The Gay Writers Who Changed America, novelist Christopher Bram chronicles the rise of gay consciousness in American writing. Beginning with a first wave of major gay literary figures -Tennessee Williams, Gore Vidal, Truman Capote, Allen Ginsberg, and James Baldwin - he shows how they set the stage for new generations of gay writers to build on what they had begun.

Question of the Day - Gay Scouts and Troop Leaders?

Joe Donahue and Alan Chartock — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:16:00 +0000

Last summer, The Boy Scouts of America officially banned the participation of homosexuals as scouts or troop leaders.

The BSA will revisit the policy in their national executive board meeting and are expected to reverse that decision.

What do you think?