Greetings from the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance of Washington, DC

GLAA Update

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

www.glaa.org

Items in this issue:

1. Prop 8 Reporting and Commentary
2. GLAA issues Spanish version of Talking Points on D.C. Marriage Equality
3. Introducing GLAA Secretary Miguel Tuason
4. Zavos at Mautner: Lesbians and the Law, June 9
5. Metro DC PFLAG’s 2nd Annual Brunch and 2009 Annual Meeting, June 28
6. Volunteer for GLAA’s booth at Capital Pride, June 14
7. Gay Men’s Chorus Pride Concert, June 6-7

1. Prop 8 Reporting and Commentary

Prop 8 ruling (pdf format)

Supreme Court of California, 05/26/09

http://www.washblade.com/2009/prop8-ruling-word.pdf

California high court upholds gay marriage ban

Associated Press, 05/26/09

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/26/AR2009052601582.html

California court upholds Prop 8; Marriages of 18,000 couples remain valid

The Washington Blade, 05/26/09

http://www.washblade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=25532

New York Law School Professor Arthur S. Leonard on Prop 8 ruling

Leonard Link, 05/26/09

http://tinyurl.com/pgvd87

Gay marriage battle to return to Calif. ballot

Associated Press, 05/27/09

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/27/AR2009052700405.html

Calif. Ruling Shows Hurdles Remain for Gay Marriage

The Washington Post, 05/27/09

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/26/AR2009052600363.html

Proposition 8 Stands: California's highest court rules that the voters have the right to be wrong.

Editorial, The Washington Post, 05/27/09

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/26/AR2009052602800.html

The big gay shrug: Sorry, enemies of gay marriage. Prop 8 or no, you've already lost

Mark Morford, SFGate, 05/27/09

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2009/05/27/notes052709.DTL&tsp=1

Bush Solicitor General Ted Olson Supporting Same Sex Marriage

ABC News, 05/27/09

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/05/bush-solicitor.html

Gay groups call federal marriage suit premature

Associated Press, 05/27/09

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/27/AR2009052700405.html

2. GLAA issues Spanish version of Talking Points on D.C. Marriage Equality

GLAA today issued a Spanish-language version of our talking points on D.C. marriage equality. This will facilitate outreach to D.C.’s sizeable Spanish-speaking population, which is concentrated in Ward 1. We have already discussed distribution of the flyers with Jose Gutierrez, President of the Latino LGBT History Project, as well as Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham, and will be in touch with other community leaders as well. Thanks to TCS Translations for their pro bono services. The flyer is now online at:

Igualdad de matrimonio: 10 puntos (html)

http://www.glaa.org/archive/2009/igualdaddematrimonio0527.shtml

Igualdad de matrimonio: 10 puntos (pdf)

http://www.glaa.org/archive/2009/igualdaddematrimonio0527.pdf

3. Introducing GLAA Secretary Miguel Tuason

Miguel Tuason, who has been a GLAA supporter for the past few years, was elected to fill the vacant post of Secretary at the GLAA meeting on May 26. He has already shown initiative on our behalf, having arranged for TCS Translations—a DC-based federal language services provider for which he is Creative Director—to prepare the Spanish translation of GLAA’s talking points on marriage equality as a pro bono community service. Thanks for that, Miguel, and welcome aboard! You can see Miguel’s bio and photo on GLAA’s officers page at:

http://www.glaa.org/officers.shtml#tuason

4. Zavos at Mautner: Lesbians and the Law, June 9

Our friend Michele Zavos, a well-known attorney in the Washington metropolitan area specializing in LGBT family law, will be at the Mautner Project on Jun 9 to discuss issues regarding marriage and domestic partnerships, creating families with children, and estate planning issues, including the preparation of Wills, Living Wills, and Powers of Attorney for Health Care and Finances. Come learn about the District's comprehensive domestic partnership law and what it may mean for you, whether you live in the District or not. Find out about recent legislation in Maryland that extends some benefits to partners. Hear about implications of California marriages and marrying in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Learn about creating legal relationships with the children you are raising, and why that's important. Get information on how your wishes can be carried out regarding health care, finances, and transfer your assets at the end of life. Michele is an engaging and knowledgeable speaker on all of these issues. Don't be afraid of the "L" word - the Law!

The "L" Word: Lesbians and the Law

Tuesday, June 9, 6:30-8:00 PM

Mautner Project offices

1875 Connecticut Ave. NW Suite 710

Washington, DC 20009

5. Metro DC PFLAG's 2nd Annual Brunch and 2009 Annual Meeting, June 28

Metro DC PFLAG's 2nd Annual Brunch and 2009 Annual Meeting will be held at the Savoy Hotel on June 28. Treat your parents, grandparents, surrogate parents, son, daughter, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, and/or best friend to an awesome brunch, music, program and celebration of families and friends! Thank them for their support! Celebrate your gay or trans son or daughter's courage! Bring the "straight" siblings and celebrate as a family in a supportive environment!

We all know the stories of families who struggle to embrace their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members, but we sometimes forget to celebrate those families and friends who have embraced their loved ones regardless of orientation or gender expression.  This is the time to Celebrate!

Brunch will include: Omelet and waffle stations, fresh fruit, bagel with cream cheese, assortment of freshly baked breads and pastries, scrambled eggs and breakfast potatoes, ham, fruit juices, freshly brewed coffee and tea, as well as Mimosas and Bloody Mary's.

Tickets are $35.00 each and may be purchased by calling (202) 638-3852 ext. 221 or by mailing a check and ticket request to: Metro DC PFLAG, 1111 14th Street NW, Suite 350, Washington, DC 20005. Number of tickets is limited so please reserve early. No charge if only attending the Annual Meeting. Members vote for 2009 - 2010 Board Officers and New Board Members during the Annual Meeting. Free parking is available on site and a shuttle is available from the Woodley Park Metro station to the Hotel.

Sunday June 28, 2009

12:30 - 2:30 pm Brunch

2:30 - 3:30 pm Annual Meeting

Savoy Hotel

2505 Wisconsin Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20007

6. Volunteer for GLAA’s booth at Capital Pride, June 14

The annual Capital Pride street festival will take place on Sunday, June 14th from 11am-6pm on Pennsylvania Avenue NW in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol. The incomparable RuPaul will be headlining this year’s main stage entertainment.

This landmark event brings over 250,000 visitors to Pennsylvania Avenue for a day filled with fun, friends, supportive organizations, information, education, and live performances. There will be three stages of entertainment and the addition of a Family Section for those with children.

GLAA is looking for volunteers to help staff our information booth at the festival. We will be distributing GLAA stickers and flyers (especially our talking points on marriage equality), and signing people up for GLAA's email announcement list. We will take care of setting up and breaking down, so all volunteers have to do is sit at the table, greet passersby, and encourage them to take information. Please let us know by email to equal@... if you can help staff our booth for one of the hours between 11:00 am and 6:00 pm on Sunday, June 14. Thanks!

For more info on the festival and other Capital Pride events, see:

www.capitalpride.org/

7. Gay Men’s Chorus Pride Concert June 6-7

The Gay Men's Chorus of Washington will kick off Capital Pride at Lisner Auditorium on June 6 and 7. The first half of the show is a powerful and inspiring celebration of the beauty of friends and lovers. The second half features the East Coast premiere of through a glass, darkly, one of the edgiest new theater pieces ever commissioned by a gay chorus. Composed by Michael Shaieb for three actors, dancers and chorus, the piece wrestles with a burgeoning crisis in the GLBT community: crystal meth addiction. Very simply, it is a story of a young man addicted to meth, and how it changes his life and the lives of the people around him. The music captures the hard-driven sound of the club scene with a combination of electronica and more traditional choral singing. Commissioned and first performed by the Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus in March, 2008 to sold-out audiences, the piece passionately reinforces the truth that, with friends, we gain the insight to see life more clearly.

Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C.

Through a Glass, Darkly

Saturday, June 6, 2009 at 8 pm

Sunday, June 7, 2009 at 3 pm (ASL Interpreted)

Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University

730 21st Street, NW, Washington, DC 20052

To order tickets, visit:

www.gmcw.org