LAWSUIT: MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR COMPANY REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE CALIFORNIA EMPLOYEE’S SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW

(Photo: Judith Dominguez) A Los Angeles County lesbian couple filed suit in federal court against a Colorado-based company and its health insurance administrator for its refusal to provide them spousal health insurance coverage on an equal basis to its heterosexual employees. They argue the employer’s conduct violates federal laws prohibiting discrimination based on sex including Title…

LOS ANGELES LGBT CENTER CONDEMNS DOMESTIC TERRORISM IN CHARLOTTESVILLE

(Photo Courtesy Andrew Shurtleff/The Daily Progress) In response to Saturday’s acts of domestic terrorism in Charlottesville, Virginia, Los Angeles LGBT Center Chief of Staff Darrel Cummings released the following statement: “The Los Angeles LGBT Center condemns in the strongest possible terms the hateful actions of the KKK, white supremacists and neo-Nazi terrorists in Charlottesville, Virginia.…

Get A Clue

See the 1985 cult classic Clue, outdoors at the iconic Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Friday, August 11, benefiting the LA LGBT Center. BY ORLY LYONNE Lesley Ann Warren has never seen a movie in a cemetery before. That will change on Friday, August 11 when the Golden Globe Award-winning actress takes part in the screening of…

Kicking Balls

Will Hackner’s inclusive Varsity Gay League turns ten. BY LARRY BUHL  |  PHOTOS BY GILLIAN PERRY It was a balmy Wednesday evening when I dropped in on the Varsity Gay League’s (VGL) kickball scrimmage in Poinsettia Park in West Hollywood. The middle school memories were just flooding back—similar rules as baseball, a large ball that…

Senior Services

The L.A. LGBT Center’s Triangle Square offers affordable housing for LGBT seniors. BY ORLY LYONNE There are an estimated 65,000 LGBT people over the age of 64 who live in Los Angeles, 68% of whom live alone. More than others of their age, LGBT seniors struggle to afford housing because they’re four times less likely…

The City

Arriving at Gold Coast’s Red Dress Party in WeHo.  LOS ANGELES RESIST MARCH FOUNDER MAY RUN FOR OFFICE Brian Pendleton, the gay philanthropist who spearheaded LA Pride’s ResistMarch, may be considering a run for California State Treasurer, reports WEHOville’s gaylifela.com. Chad Goldman, Pendleton’s friend and former partner, has reached out to people asking if they…

The Epidemic

Take Your Statins Studies have shown that HIV-positive people are more likely to suffer a heart attack. BY VICTOR MELAMED A new report published in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes shows a majority of HIV-positive people at high risk for heart disease are not on statins, a lipid-lowering medication that’s been found to reduce heart…

The Event

San Diego PRIDE Close to 300,000 people attended the parade and festival. This year’s Pride theme was “Allied in Action: United for Justice.” Last month’s San Diego Pride saw a significant increase in both parade and festival attendance this year. Over 230,000 people witnessed 253 contingents marching in celebration. The Festival amassed over 50,000 attendees. This…

The Final Fight

The Queer Insurrection First LGBT unit created to fight Daesh (ISIS) in Syria. BY VICTOR MELAMED LGBT supporters are fighting back against the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) on the Syrian battlefield after three years of persecution in which their community suffered stoning and executions from rooftops, reports Newsweek’s Jack Moore. A group of international volunteers fighting…

The Music

Ti Amo Inspired by a “pre-Berlusconi” Italy in vibe and song titles, Phoenix’s 6th album is brimming with a very retro, Italo-disco flavor and an effervescent yacht rock vibe. BY PAUL V. VITAGLIANO Not only do the French have a handsome new president, they also have a band that scores super good vibes during summer…

The Rostow Report by Ann Rostow

Architect Ashley Smith, a transwoman, cleverly convinced the Texas governor to pose for a selfie with her, asking online how the bathroom police could recognize her as a male by birth if the governor could not. Good question! BAD NEWS BEARS Hello my dear FIGHT readers! When it rains, it pours as they say, and…

The State

Role Model Equality California endorses Robert Garcia in Long Beach mayor reelection bid. BY VICTOR MELAMED Equality California has endorsed Robert Garcia in his campaign for reelection as mayor of Long Beach. “Robert Garcia is one of the most prominent and respected LGBTQ elected officials in the country,” said Rick Zbur, executive director of Equality California.…

The Talk

I Thank Him “My sexual orientation once again came into question this week when a prominent gay man used an awards acceptance speech to ‘out’ me. While he did not mention me by name, the explicit details of his reference made it easy for the public and media to connect the dots. While it is…

The Transaction

Career Opportunities Los Angeles holds training session to help trans youth find employment. BY PAULO MURILLO Over 100 caseworkers from L.A., county agencies, and local nonprofit groups attended a training session last month to focus on expanding career opportunities for transgender youth. Attendees learned about issues facing trans youth when seeking employment. There was a discussion…

LGBT Conservatives, Progressives Find Common Ground at Politicon

  More than 10,000 people attended this year’s Politicon at the Pasadena Convention Center. Panelists included the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Terra Russell Slavin. At Politicon 2017, a panel comprised of LGBT conservatives and progressives signaled that in this era of Trump, the two sides may be more open than ever to working together. “Everything in…

Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Young Professionals Council Hosts Panel Discussion August 15 About the Business of Drag

(Photo: Mayhem Miller) LOS ANGELES, July 31, 2017—The Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Young Professionals Council (YPC) will host a panel discussion featuring some of your favorite drag superstars for a fascinating discussion on the business of drag on Tuesday, August 15. Moderated by YPC member and celebrity fitness trainer Jason Wimberly, the free forum YPC: Queens…

Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Response to President Trump’s Intent to Ban Transgender Military Servicemembers

LOS ANGELES, July 26, 2017— In response to President Trump’s morning tweets banning transgender individuals from serving in the U.S. military, Los Angeles LGBT Center CEO Lorri L. Jean released the following statement: “This morning the President of the United States tweeted that ‘The U.S. Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve…