Keep hope alive
Feb. 18 — Civil Rights Movement leader and LGBTQ+ rights ally Rev. Jesse Jackson died on Feb. 17 at age 84. An early supporter of marriage equality, Jackson was among the prominent speakers at the 1987 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. The two-time presidential contender is remembered for his “Keep hope alive” speech at the Democratic National Convention in 1988, which became his rallying cry.
More headlines:
🚨 A part-time DeKalb police officer was fired after being accused of misgendering and accosting a transwoman at a library in Tucker.
🗳️ With early voting underway this week, Georgia Equality has announced its endorsements for special elections in Senate District 53 and House Districts 94 and 130.
⚽ The Atlanta United LGBTQ+ supporter group, All Stripes ATL, posted a letter of solidarity with fans of St. Louis City SC, which banned trans and Black Lives Matter flags in the supporter sections at home games.
🏳️⚧️ U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and U.S. Reps. Pramila Jayapal and Sara Jacobs announced the reintroduction of a Trans Bill of Rights to Congress last week.
🇪🇺 The European Parliament adopted a transgender-inclusive resolution ahead of next month’s U.N. Commission on the Status of Women meeting.
The question is moot!
Collin
✨ Party like it’s 1985 at Spruill Center for the Arts’ 40th Artistic Affair! On March 28 join us for 1980s fun, open bar, arcade games, costume contests, a live auction, and more. Get your tickets today for this totally tubular event! SPONSOR MESSAGE
Pride flag raised at Stonewall after National Park Service took it down
🏳️🌈 A Pride flag was raised at the site of the Stonewall National Monument in New York City on Thursday, days after a National Park Service directive banned flying the flag at the birthplace of the LGBTQ+ rights movement in the U.S.
The flag-raising was led by Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal and supported by other elected officials.
The directive to remove the flag came from Trump-appointed National Park Service Acting Director Jessica Bowron. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer introduced legislation to legally protect the Pride flag following the incident.
➡ Find out more from Washington Blade reporter Joe Reberkenny.
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Georgia lawmakers support measure to let pharmacists provide HIV prevention medicines
💊 Bipartisan legislation that would allow pharmacists to order and dispense or inject preventative HIV drugs passed the Georgia House by a wide margin last week. It’s now being considered in the Senate, where it originated last year but failed to pass.
Senate Bill 195 would authorize pharmacists to order and then dispense or inject a 30- to 90-day supply of preexposure drugs and to do the same with a 30-day supply of postexposure drugs.
Metro Atlanta is an HIV hotspot, with more than 50 new diagnosed cases per 100,000 people in 2023, about twice the state average, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.
The Human Rights Campaign, which advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, said it was encouraged to see the legislation moving. “Increasing access to HIV and AIDS care and prevention by empowering pharmacists will save lives,” the group’s Georgia director, Bentley Hudgins, said in a statement.
➡ Read the full story from Capitol Beat here.
Out On Film announces Spring Mini Fest lineup
📽️ Out On Film, Atlanta’s LGBTQ+ film festival, has announced the line-up for the fourth annual Spring Mini Fest.
From March 17-19, five LGBTQ+ films will screen at the Midtown Arts Cinema as part of Out On Film’s Queer All Year initiative. Tickets are available for each film, or attendees can purchase a festival pass to watch all five films for the price of four.
➡ See the full lineup of films here.
MORE MOVIES & TV
💋 “Kissing Jessica Stein” is playing at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival on Feb. 21 at the Plaza Theatre. Co-writer and lead actress Jennifer Westfeldt will be in attendance for a Q&A. Check out Sammie Purcell’s ruminations on the lesbian romcom.
📺 Jim Farmer has a report from SCAD TVFest, which featured out actor Andrew Rannells co-host of “The Great American Baking Show: Celebrity Big Game,” and Michael Patrick King, showrunner of “Sex and the City” and “Just Like That…”
✨ Party like it’s 1985 at Spruill Center for the Arts’ 40th Artistic Affair! On March 28 join us for 1980s fun, open bar, arcade games, costume contests, a live auction, and more. Get your tickets today for this totally tubular event! SPONSOR MESSAGE
Best Bets
🪩 Nonsense ATL is hosting The Gaga Ball: A Mayhem Dance Party on Feb. 21 at 10 p.m. at The Garden Club at Wild Heaven West End.
💃🏻 The Armorettes will be at The Heretic on Feb. 21 from 8-10 p.m. with Show Us Love, a charity camp drag show.
🥾 Trailblazers, the Rome Pride Adventure Club, will host its next hike on Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. at Garrard Trail. Visit @romegapride on IG for more information and a map.
🗣️ Living Lesbian Archive and The Bakery Atlanta are hosting On Black Lesbian Histories, a panel discussion featuring Jasmin Benward, Aleo Pugh, Angela Denise Davis, and Saturn (AKA Mother Shakura), on Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. at The Supermarket.
