Echelon Magazine Blog

“My Uncle Gloria” Inspires Life-Altering Change

2013-06-18T10:28:00.000-07:00

Transformation of 62-Year-Old Tough Uncle Butch to Attractive Aunt Gloria at 66 in Memoir

At age 62, most people have accepted their life choices and are planning retirement from their fulfilled career to a more quiet and serene lifestyle. Bernard “Butch” Rosichan, however, decided to go through a life-altering change at age 66. Thus, the old-school gruff and surly auto wrecking & salvage owner underwent a transformation via male-to-female reassignment surgery. Today, she goes by the name of Gloria Stein and is a naturally feminine-looking Jewish grandma!

Gloria’s larger-than-life personality and inspiring story has entertained and captivated the hearts of thousands of South Floridians as well as changed the lives of her family members forever. Gloria’s nephew, Steven Shulman, is to release a memoir chronicling how his uncle’s road to self-rediscovery reflected his own rebirth, titled, “My Uncle Gloria.”

“I found in Gloria what I had always hoped to find in Butch, a loving, caring family member,” says Shulman. “Because of her unique journey, my family is now more complete than ever. This memoir is the first step in sharing her beautiful story with the world and helping others.”

This inspiring tale follows the life of Shulman, who battled troubles with drugs due to family turmoil and how the transition and metamorphosis of a gruff uncle to a fierce, funny and loving aunt marked the start of his reconciliation with a problematic past, into a life filled with promise and family love.

Gloria Stein, who founded the South Florida Gender Coalition, now has become a leading advocate to educate the general public regarding misconceptions of the transgendered community.

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GEORGE TAKEI AND LA TOYA JACKSON TO JOIN SAN DIEGO PRIDE

2013-06-11T11:38:00.001-07:00

San Diego Pride is thrilled to announce exciting new additions to our amazing Pride weekend! Actor, author, and activist George Takei will be the keynote speaker at this year’s Spirit of Stonewall Rally and Flag Raising. He will champion Pride’s 2013 theme “Freedom to Love and Marry.”

Takei had this to say about his participation, "Freedom, love, and commitment are shared values across the spectrum of humanity, and I'm honored to celebrate and share that truth alongside my husband at this year's San Diego LGBT Pride.”

George Takei will be joined by his husband, Brad Takei, as San Diego Pride Parade Grand Marshals due to their extensive work as fearless advocates for marriage, anti-bullying efforts, and LGBT equality.

Singer-songwriter and philanthropist La Toya Jackson will also be a celebrity Grand Marshal for her efforts in continuing her late brother Michael’s mission to combat HIV and AIDS. La Toya will then appear at the Festival main stage Sunday evening as an MC as we close out Pride weekend.

“I am so excited and I am absolutely honored to be a part of San Diego Pride. Love is hard for anyone to find and if you have someone who you love enough to marry, why not celebrate it,” said La Toya Jackson.

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MIKE RUIZ TO HOST “SHRED OF HOPE” FUNDRAISER

2013-06-11T10:34:00.001-07:00

WHAT: This June 20th trailblazing menswear label Nasty Pig will launch Shred of Hope, a fundraiser for the Ali Forney Center (AFC), the nation’s largest services and advocacy organization working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) runaway and homeless youth.

Shred of Hope is an auction of one-of-a-kind “Shredder” t-shirts created by celebrities. The auction will take place entirely online from June 20th through June 27th at ShredofHope.com. 100% of the proceeds of Shred of Hope will support AFC’s work to protect and empower homeless LGBT youth, and to help them in becoming safe and independent as they move from adolescence to adulthood.

On June 20th Nasty Pig and the Ali Forney Center will host a launch party for Shred of Hope at the iconic Rootstein Gallery in New York City. Nasty Pig models will walk the floor selling opportunities to win one-of-a-kind Shred of Hope items and experiences to benefit the AFC.

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Mercy Debuts Special-Edition LGBT Pride Can with GLAAD

2013-06-10T14:16:00.002-07:00

Mercy Nutraceuticals, Inc., the maker of functional products with proven results, today debuts its first-ever, special-edition rainbow can in support of LGBT Pride and will donate a portion of the proceeds to GLAAD. This limited-edition version of Mercy, a caffeine-free, non-alcoholic beverage that helps prevent hangovers, marks the company’s first charitable partnership, signifying its commitment to empowering the LGBT community.

Mercy, a citrus-flavored drink packed with vitamins and amino acids, has been involved with the LGBT community since the company’s inception. The rainbow can will be available during GLAAD’s 2013 Summer Pride, which includes parades and celebrations in New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Dallas.

Mercy, which helps fortify the body against damage caused by alcohol, launched in 2011 after eight years of research and development. Its therapeutic mix of vitamins, amino acids and botanical nutrients makes the drink the most effective product on the market at preventing hangovers. Recommended as the last drink of the night, Mercy allows you to have a pleasant and productive next day.

Mercy is sold at groceries, restaurants, hotels and bars in New York City, New Jersey and Florida and is expanding to the San Francisco Bay area, Massachusetts, Rhode Island as well as Southern New Hampshire. It’s also available online at www.drinkmercy.com. Mercy retails for $14 for a four-pack and $33 for a case of twelve.

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25 Great Gay Moments In Music

2013-06-06T08:44:00.003-07:00

Equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people is today’s defining civil rights issue, and the music industry is playing a significant part. In honor of LGBT Pride Month, Billboard looked back at some of the most important music-related moments in LGBT progress including:

Laura Jane Grace of Against Me! comes out as transgender
Adam Lambert is the first out gay man to earn No. 1 album Frank Ocean comes out
“Same Love” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
Fun. establishes the Ally Coalition
Sara Bareilles releases “Brave” written for her friend struggling to come out
Jay-Z and Obama Support Same-Sex Marriage
Lady Gaga Fights for Gay Rights
Lance Bass Gets in Sync With His Sexuality

To see all the LGBT pride stories, please check out this week’s issue of Billboard Magazine for the “Pride in Music” feature, along with the link below for the full list of “25 Great Gay Moments In Music.”

http://www.billboard.com/articles/list/513476/25-great-gay-moments-in-music?page=0%2C0

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Devotion Project Features Couple’s Bittersweet Journey Through More Than 50 Years

2013-06-05T08:58:00.001-07:00

With decisions expected this month in the two marriage cases before the Supreme Court, Freedom to Marry and the Devotion Project released an online video featuring Bill Campbell and John Hilton, a New York couple together 54 years. Hilton worked for Otis Elevator Company for 23 years and later moved into the nonprofit sector, including work for the International Planned Parenthood Federation, while Campbell used his knowledge of over five foreign languages to oversee the production of language textbooks for 25 years and teach ESL to students both in America and abroad.

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Sports Leaders Gather to Tackle Anti-LGBT Bias in Athletics

2013-06-05T08:51:00.003-07:00

An alliance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) sports leaders from across the country has announced the second annual Nike LGBT Sports Summit, set for June 12-15 in Portland, Ore. The Sports Summit will bring together college and professional athletes, coaches, athletic administrators, political figures, LGBT advocates and sports organizations to combat anti-LGBT bias in sports.

Over three days, attendees will develop a strategy that embraces LGBT diversity on the courts and playing fields. They will examine best practices, troubleshoot common problems, and develop projects to tackle anti-LGBT bias in kindergarten through professional sports.

The group will also formalize the creation of the LGBT Sports Coalition, a framework to unite the movement toward equality in sports with one goal: End anti-LGBT bias in sports by 2016. Last year’s summit, held at Nike World Headquarters, brought together 25 leading organizations and individuals who began working together toward that goal.

The summit was founded by Outsports.com’s Cyd Zeigler, National Center for Lesbian Rights Sports Project Director Helen Carroll, and LGBT sports pioneer Pat Griffin.

The sports world has experienced a dramatic shift since the first summit, with professional athletes coming out, scores of universities forming LGBT/Straight Athletic Alliances, national and local sports bodies implementing LGBT-inclusive policies, and the sports media focusing more attention on this issue.

More people than ever before now understand that the acceptance of anti-LGBT attitudes is destructive to team development as well as harmful to athletes. Core to the mission of the coalition is the goal of empowering LGBT athletes and coaches to be true to themselves and reach their full potential.

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Oy Vey! My Son Is Gay!

2013-06-04T11:51:00.001-07:00

“Oy Vey! My Son Is Gay!” a completed indie comedy film is seeking the public’s help to fund distribution through www.oyveymovie.com “Oy Vey” has partnered with Freestyle Releasing to start an Indigogo campaign to help finance the distribution dollars to take the movie theaters in the U.S. and beyond.

“Oy Vey” is the heartwarming story about the journey a Jewish mother goes through after finding out her son is not only gay, but that he is dating a Roman Catholic boy. The film stars Golden Globe, Emmy & Tony nominee Lainie Kazan, Emmy winner Jai Rodriguez, Vincent Pastore, Carmen Electra and Saul Rubinek.

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Esurance Donating $100,000 To LGBT Charities

2013-05-23T11:40:00.001-07:00

Esurance, the direct-to-consumer personal car insurance company, has kicked off its third annual charitable giving campaign supporting LGBT equality.

This year, however, Esurance is increasing its support by donating a total of $100,000 to three very important causes GLAAD, PFLAG, and The Trevor Project. Friends and fans can steer Esurance's donation to these organizations by visiting Esurance's Facebook page, "Liking" Esurance, and voting for their favorite cause. Each organization will earn a percentage of the donation based on the number of votes they receive. The voting campaign will run through June 30.

"As a company rooted in the principles of diversity and inclusion, Esurance recognizes the importance of raising awareness for LGBT issues. We hope that LGBT supporters will cast a vote to help these three deserving causes make a difference in the community," said Esurance Vice President of Marketing Darren Howard.

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Governor Brown Issues Proclamation Declaring "Harvey Milk Day"

2013-05-22T09:36:00.001-07:00

Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today issued a proclamation declaring May 22, 2013 as "Harvey Milk Day" in the State of California.

The text of the proclamation is below:

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Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA) Hosts Second Annual Voice Awards

2013-05-21T15:26:00.000-07:00

Honors Leaders Who Use Their Voices for Equality

Omar Sharif Jr.

The Globe Theatre at Universal Studios was brought to life on Sunday, May 19, 2013 where the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA) hosted its second annual Voice Awards, honoring organizations and activists who have helped lead the charge in support of equality for the LGBT Community.

This year’s honorees included pioneers American Idol and AT&T, which have set precedents for national recognition of equality, activists Fred Arens and Jason Duguay who have helped to raise more than one million dollars for LGBT organizations nationwide, and writer/director Liesel Reinhart, the board member and creator of GMCLA’s national tour of it gets better, which visits schools and communities across America’s heartland with a message of acceptance and anti-bullying. Performances at the Voice Awards were held by the more than 200-member chorus, “Glee” actor Alex Newell and “The Voice” contestant De’Borah.

GMCLA Executive Director, Chris Verdugo, spoke to the crowd of more than 500 attendees, and said that the Chorus was an outlet that saved his life. His was not a story unique to him, he said to the attentive audience. But rather the story of many GMCLA members.

Proud sponsors of GMCLA’s Voice Awards included State Farm, Brian Pendleton & Chad Goldman, Geffen Foundation, Macias Media Group, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Athens Services, Combined Properties, HBO, IAC, Outlook Amusements, Inc. and JimmyWin.com. Hilton Los Angeles/Universal served as the Voice Awards Official Host Hotel, and Southwest Airlines was the Official Airline.

The Chorus will soon conclude its 34th Season, which was sponsored by Wells Fargo, on June 22nd and June 23rd at the Saban Theatre with two performances of “Not Entirely Wicked,” which will feature the music and an appearance of Broadway legend Stephen Schwartz along with the voice of Emmy Award winning singer Liz Callaway. For more information about the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles, or to buy tickets for “Not Entirely Wicked,” please visit www.gmcla.org.

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Nordstrom Continues Support Of Same Sex Marriage With New Video

2013-05-20T12:22:00.001-07:00

Nordstrom’s has continued its history of support for the LGBT community, this time including two same-sex couples in a commercial for its wedding suite.
The commercial, titled “Ultimate Dance Party,” features both a lesbian couple and a gay couple, along with heterosexual couples and their party guests, dancing to music by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, the musical duo whose hit 2011 Same Love celebrates LGBT equality

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METRO AREAS WITH HIGHEST PERCENTAGES OF SAME-SEX COUPLES RAISING CHILDREN ARE IN STATES WITH CONSTITUTIONAL BANS ON MARRIAGE

2013-05-20T09:42:00.002-07:00

Salt Lake City, Memphis and San Antonio among top 5 metro areas over 1 million.

The metro areas with the highest percentages of same-sex couples raising children are in states that have a constitutional ban on marriage, according to a new infographic created by the Williams Institute.

"Research consistently shows that same-sex couples raise children all across the country," said Williams Institute public policy research fellow, Angeliki Kastanis. "This analysis underscores the fact that recognition of LGBT families is a consequential policy question in every state."

Mississippi has the highest percentage of same-sex couples raising children at 26 percent.

http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/research/census-lgbt-demographics-studies/infographic-msas-may-2013/

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Matthew Morrison & Human Rights Campaign Announce Partnership in Support of LGBT Equality

2013-05-16T10:40:00.002-07:00

EMMY, TONY, and Golden Globe-nominated star Matthew Morrison is proud to announce that he is partnering with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) in support of LGBT equality. Partial proceeds from the pre-sale of his new studio album, Where It All Began, will benefit HRC. The album, which will be released on June 4, 2013, features an assortment of classic standards, many of which were first made famous in Broadway musicals. Morrison turned to legendary producer Phil Ramone, along with GRAMMY Award-winning producer Gregg Field, to create the 12 songs featured on Where It All Began. The record marks the first release from 222 Records, the newly formed label from Adam Levine. Place your pre-order of Where It All Began now, on Amazon.com, and 222 Records in partnership with Matthew Morrison will donate a portion of the proceeds to the Human Rights Campaign.

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More than 1 in 5 same-sex couples live in states where they can marry; Compared to 1 in 20 in 2009

2013-05-15T09:59:00.001-07:00

Today, with the passage of marriage equality legislation in Minnesota, 18% of the entire U.S. population and 22% of same-sex couples now live in the 12 states, and the District of Columbia, where same-sex couples can legally marry. In 2009, only 3% of the U.S. population and 5% of same-sex couples lived in marriage equality states.

If Illinois extended marriage to same-sex couples, and the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Prop. 8 in California, more than 4 in 10 same-sex couples (or 41%) would live in the 14 states and the District of Columbia where they could legally get married. Thirty-four percent of the entire U.S. population would also live in marriage equality states.

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Minnesota Governor Signs Law Legalizing Marriage for Same-Sex Couples

2013-05-14T15:36:00.000-07:00

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton signed a law legalizing marriage for same-sex couples today. Dayton signed the bill shortly after its passage by the state legislature.

Minnesota is now the twelfth state, in addition to the District of Columbia, to recognize marriage for same-sex couples. It joins Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Washington, New York, Iowa, Rhode Island, and as of last week, Delaware.

"It has been 40 years since the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota filed Baker v. Nelson, the first marriage equality case in the country," said Charles Samuelson, executive director of the ACLU of Minnesota. "We are pleased that after 40 years of fighting for the freedom to marry, equality has finally been realized for all Minnesotans. We are glad to join the 11 other states and the District of Columbia in recognizing marriage for all loving committed couples."

"We congratulate the people of Minnesota and all those who worked so hard to allow loving and committed couples the freedom to marry," said James Esseks, director of the ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Project. "It is thrilling to see Minnesota become the third state in just two weeks to grant same-sex couples the recognition and protection that only marriage can provide."

This statement is available at:
aclu.org/lgbt-rights/minnesota-governor-signs-law-legalizing-marriage-same-sex-couples

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SPORTS ILLUSTRATED COVER STORY EXCLUSIVE: JASON COLLINS, 12-YEAR NBA VETERAN ANNOUNCES HE IS GAY

2013-04-29T12:20:00.000-07:00

“I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black and I’m gay,” begins Jason Collins the 7-foot, 12-year NBA veteran who sat down with Sports Illustrated contributor Franz Lidz and Executive Editor L. Jon Wertheim to openly discuss his sexuality and why he is now making it public. Collins’s exclusive story is part of a Sports Illustrated cross-platform editorial package on the gay athlete. The issue hits newsstands this week and Collins’ poignant thoughts can be found here now on SI.com.

Collins’s essay takes us through his decision as well as reaction from family members and close friends. “I realized I needed to go public when Massachusetts congressman Joe Kennedy, my old roommate at Stanford, told me he had just marched in Boston’s 2012 Gay Pride Parade. I’m seldom jealous of others, but hearing what Joe had done filled me with envy,” Collins explains. “I want to do the right thing and not hide anymore. I want to march for tolerance, acceptance and understanding. I want to take a stand and say, “me, too.”

Also from the piece: “The strain of hiding my sexuality became almost unbearable in March, when the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments for and against same-sex marriage. Less than three miles from my apartment, nine jurists argued about my happiness and my future. Here was my chance to be heard and I couldn’t say a thing. I didn’t want to answer questions and draw attention to myself. Not while I was still playing.”

Collins's decision to go public causes his family trepidation. “My maternal grandmother was apprehensive about my plans to come out publicly," he says. "She grew up in rural Louisiana and witnessed the horrors of segregation. During the civil rights movement she saw great bravery play out amid the ugliest side of humanity. She worries that I am opening myself u up to prejudice and hatred. I explained to her that in a way, my coming out is preemptive. I shouldn’t have to live under the threat of being outed. The announcement should be mine to make, not TMZ’s.”

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Full-Page Ad in Politico Declares that “Reagan’s Big Tent Isn’t What it Used to Be”

2013-04-24T18:09:00.005-07:00

Log Cabin Republicans (LCR) has a full-page ad in Politico tomorrow calling on the Republican Party to grow the proverbial “big tent” by dropping its opposition to granting equal rights to the LGBT community. The ad is a part of LCR’s relaunch efforts, which will more aggressively challenge the GOP to not be beholden to the vocal minority within the party that oppose rights for gays and lesbians.

View the ad here: http://www.logcabin.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/lcr-big-tent.pdf

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GLAAD Launches PSA Campaign Created by Brett Ratner Asking for Straight Allies to 'Come Out For Equality'

2013-04-19T08:27:00.003-07:00

GLAAD, the nation’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, today officially launched a new public service announcement campaign helmed by director Brett Ratner. The GLAAD 'Coming Out for Equality' PSA series features a diverse group of straight celebrities and athletes "coming out of the closet" as supporters of equality and calling for other Americans to speak out. Viewers are directed to www.glaad.org/ally to pledge to be an ally and sign up for the GLAAD Ally Network.

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GAY DIET & FITNESS EXPERT, JORGE CRUISE

2013-04-12T09:52:00.001-07:00

JORGE CRUISE is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over 15 weight loss books. His mission is to guarantee weight loss for busy people. Science has proven that fitness begins in the kitchen, not in the gym. By merging breakthrough dietary science with great taste he produces delicious fat melting menus. He has appeared on numerous television shows like Anderson Cooper, The Today Show, Dr OZ, The Rachael Ray Show, Good Morning America, The View, The Talk, LIVE with Kelly and Michael.

For more on his current methods, please visit http://jorgecruise.com/the-method/

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Human Rights Campaign Turns the Internet Red for Marriage Equality

2013-03-27T10:16:00.001-07:00

As Supreme Court hears arguments on marriage, HRC equality logo goes viral

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, yesterday released a modified red version of its logo in anticipation of arguments at the Supreme Court on two marriage equality cases. The logo, which ordinarily features a yellow equal sign in front of a blue background, has gone viral on social media pages across the world.

As part of HRC’s robust social media efforts around the two cases before the Supreme Court, the red logo launched on the HRC Facebook page at 1:00pm ET Monday and the original image has been shared more than 100,000 times and created upwards of 10 million impressions in all 50 states – not including countless user-created versions. Additionally HRC.org has seen a 600% increase in normal traffic.

In addition to the logo being a constant presence on social media, HRC conducted highly targeted online marketing to provide supporters on the ground with digital support. This included promoted tweets on search terms and trends related to the Supreme Court cases. Geo-targeted mobile banner advertising was also targeted to users within a quarter mile of the U.S. Supreme Court building to inform them of the bipartisan support for marriage equality and how they could get updates on the cases.

Frontiers Announces Launch of MarriageEqualityFrontiers.org

2013-03-27T09:57:00.001-07:00

Frontiers Media, the multi-platform company responsible for Southern California's LGBT publication of record, Frontiers, as well as FrontiersLA.com and LACityScoop.com, today introduces its latest web property, MarriageEqualityFrontiers.org, the very first undertaking of the recently created Frontiers Awareness & Education Foundation. This new website, made possible by the generosity of the Evelyn and Walter Jr. Haas Foundation, aims to provide comprehensive coverage of the fight for gay and lesbian marriage equality.

Timed with this week's Proposition 8 and DOMA oral arguments before the United States Supreme Court, MarriageEqualityFrontiers.org documents the LGBT community's road to achieving equal marriage rights, a hard-fought battle that began nearly a decade ago. This new site utilizes the trusted, hard-hitting reporting and analysis that Frontiers magazine has become known for over the last 30 years.

Components of the new website include a blog that will keep visitors up-to-date on the movement's latest advances, a resource page providing visitors with resources to get involved and take action and a comprehensive archive of Frontiers' coverage of DOMA and Proposition 8 through the years. MarriageEqualityFrontiers.org will also offer a live chat component, for which a tentative schedule of moderators has been set.

Frontiers urges all those interested in following the current political movement toward LGBT marriage equality to visit MarriageEqualityFrontiers.org today.

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Allure Includes LGBT In Anti-Aging Survey

2013-03-19T10:49:00.001-07:00

Allure’s first-ever anti-aging survey reveals that LGBT respondents are more attracted to people 10 years older than them.

This result and more is part of a national anti-aging poll commissioned by Allure magazine. The leading beauty publication questioned a sampling of 2,000 men and women to take the current pulse on the inevitable topic of anti-aging. The study examines how aging impacts every aspect of a person’s life, from relationships to the workplace, as well as, aging perceptions in pop culture.

Key findings from Allure’s Anti-Aging Survey:

·         LGBT respondents are more likely to be attracted to people older than them by more than 10 years compared to straight respondents
·         LGBT respondents think they attract people younger than them by more than 10 years more so than straight respondents do
·         73% of LGBT respondents think that women have more pressure to look young now than they did 10 years ago versus only 46% of LGBT respondents think that men have that same pressure

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Hillary Clinton Joins Human Rights Campaign’s Americans for Marriage Equality Series

2013-03-18T10:38:00.003-07:00

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton today joined the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Americans for Marriage Equality series, a public engagement campaign featuring prominent Americans who support committed gay and lesbian couples getting married.

A hallmark of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights movement is the fight to have our relationships recognized as equal under the law. Full marriage equality is an important measure of our success in this area.

The Americans for Marriage Equality series has included political and civil rights leaders, professional athletes, film and music celebrities, and business leaders: www.hrc.org/americansformarriageequality

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Razoo Will Host First National LGBT Day of Giving

2013-03-08T11:46:00.000-08:00

On May 9th, Razoo.com will host the first national day of giving for the LGBT community, Give OUT Day.

Give OUT Day is a new national initiative that will engage hundreds of organizations and mobilize thousands of people on a single day across the country to give in support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender & queer community.

Razoo is the leader in online Giving Days, which are unique 24 hour giving competitions. The most successful Giving Day was GiveMN, which raised over $16 million for Minnesota charities!

As the fastest growing crowdfunding site for causes, Razoo.com makes it easy for anyone to donate to their favorite charity or even set up their own fundraiser. To date, Razoo has raised over $136 million for nonprofits, with over half of that raised in the last year alone.

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