It is always exciting when a new media organization starts up and provides readers and listeners with news you are truly interested in and entertainment to lighten your day. The new Sac Pride Media Group led by Tyler Edwards will launch the first ever live LGBTQ weekly radio show, “Sac Pride Live” on local Talk 650 KSTE Radio as well as worldwide on iHeartRadio, by app on your Smartphone or online at www.iheart.com/live/Talk-650-KSTE-229. The first show will air live Saturday, April 27 after the River Cats game between 10:00 PM and 12 midnight. On-air hosts for Sacramento’s newest source for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer community, will be realtor Tyler Edwards and we

To follow up “National Day of Silence”, an event held in Junior and High Schools all across the nation, the local Sacramento LGBTQ Youth Task Force is hosting a “Breaking the Silence” rally on the west steps of the California State Capitol (1314 Tenth St., Sacramento, CA 95814) Friday, April 19, 2013 between 5:00pm and 7:30pm. Originally organized by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in 1996, the “Day of Silence” is a day of action in which “hundreds of thousands of students across the country take some form of a vow of silence to call attention to the silencing effect of anti-LGBT bullying, harassment and peer-abuse in schools. Through their activities students can sp

A group of dedicated marriage equality activists waited out the morning at Badlands in the heart of Lavender Heights Monday only to learn that once again, the Supreme Court issued no word on the status of Proposition 8 along with several other federal cases involving same-sex couples. It was mid-morning when finally it was learned that the justices announced that it “redistributed the Prop 8 and DOMA cases for consideration during its morning conference this Friday, December 7, 2012”. According to the web site of the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER), “This means we could get word from the Court on Friday, or the morning of Monday, December 10. It is important to remember that

To most Northern Californians, the torrential rain may have dampened interest in what is going on behind closed doors in Washington at the Supreme Court, but for hundreds of same-sex couples here in Sacramento, there is but one thing on their minds. Will they be planning a December wedding? Today the U.S. Supreme Court justices were in conference to decide if they will take on the case of Proposition 8 (Hollingsworth v. Perry). When the clerk of the court handed out outcome of the conference today to the press, none of the marriage equality cases were on the list. In other words they did not make a decision ether way. The next time we have a chance to find out anything is Monday mornin

Sacramento organizations plan events around Prop 8 Supreme Court decision It has been a long road for Sacramento’s same-sex couples, their families, friends, and supporters, and that road may or may not end this week. The Supreme Court justices will go behind closed doors Friday morning to decide if they will take on the case of Proposition 8 (Hollingsworth v. Perry), if the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits the State of California from defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman. At the same conference session Friday, the court will work their way through several appeals to decide whether legally married gay couples have the right to equal benefits u

Kate Sullivan Gibbens, with license from the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) and Broadway Impact, is proud to announce a one-night-only reading of “8,” Saturday, October 20, 2012 at the downtown Crest Theater. “8” is a play chronicling the historic trial in the federal constitutional challenge to California’s Proposition 8, written by Academy Award-winning screenwriter and AFER Founding Board Member Dustin Lance Black. Black, who pinned the Academy Award-winning feature film Milk and the film J. Edgar, based “8” on the actual words of the trial transcripts, first-hand observations of the courtroom drama and interviews with the plaintiffs and their families of the unprecedente

Tuesday, shortly after the ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denying an en banc hearing, upholding an earlier ruling that Proposition 8’s ban on same-sex marriages is unconstitutional, LGBT leaders and community members gathered at the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center for a press conference. Shara Murphy, Executive Director of the Center hosted members of the Board of Directors of Equality Action NOW, same-sex couples who are waiting to be married, representatives of organizations such as the Sacramento Stonewall Democrats, Rainbow Chamber of Commerce, Sacramento City Councilman elect, Steve Hansen,  as well as allies and members of the community. While most are happy that

Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center Hosts Community Gathering An announcement was made today that the Ninth Circuit will issue an order tomorrow around 10:00am on the court’s web site, concerning marriage equality here in California. To date, in a decision by a three-judge panel after a fiery hearing, affirmed Judge Walker’s decision striking down Proposition 8 as unconstitutional. Those who supported Prop 8 were frustrated. So in a “play to slow down the process of marriage equality”, they asked the ninth Circuit for an en banc rehearing. They were basically saying “we do not like the decision from those three judges so we want an 11 judge panel to re-hear the case”, hoping to perhaps put

“It is important for me personally to go ahead and affirm that same-sex couples should be able to get married.” It was short and sweet. History was made Wednesday as the first sitting president to ever come out for full marriage equality, not civil unions, but marriage equality across the board. President Obama has come to the decision that it is in the best interest for our country to accept committed same-sex couples and afford them the same rights and privileges straight couples have. Members of the board of directors of Equality Action NOW, a Sacramento local grassroots civil rights organization were elated with the news but as their middle name implies, they look forward to walkin

Equality Action NOW (EAN), a local Sacramento grassroots civil rights organization is hosting their third annual, all-ages, Harvey Milk Day celebration, Tuesday, May 22, 2012 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at Mulvaney’s Next Door to the B&L, 1215 19th Street, Sacramento. Harvey Milk was a leader in the gay rights movement who was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. This made him the nation’s first openly gay man elected to public office in a major U.S. city. Milk, along with San Francisco Mayor George Moscone was assassinated by ousted Supervisor Dan White, November 27, 1978. On October 12, 2009, Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the bill (SB 572) establishing “Harvey Milk Day”

Following the successful New York/L.A. premiere of “Bully” distributor Harvey Weinstein and filmmaker Lee Hirsch will open the compelling documentary in cities across the U.S. April 13, 2012. Last week the heavy-hitting documentary opened in five theaters and made an average of $23,000 per-theater in a single night. Here in Sacramento “Bully” will premiere at the Tower Theater for invited guests Tuesday, April 10 then open for a limited run beginning Friday, April 13th. During the 2009-2010 school year, director Hirsch and his crew followed five families affected by youth bullying by their peers, including two who’s children committed suicide after persistent and intense mental and physi

Press Conference Called in Front of the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center Tomorrow 1:00pm March 8, 2012 – Earlier today news broke that the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento, earlier this year, decided that because the new Executive Director of Francis House Center, Reverend Faith Whitmore, supported LGBT marriage rights and the organization, Planned Parenthood, they would abruptly pull their yearly donation to the homeless organization. While Rev. Whitmore was eloquent in an interview with the Sacramento Bee and News 10 of how she took the news when she received the letter from the Diocese, members of the LGBT community, the faith-based community and homeless rights advocates were qu

Monday evening, Equality California (EQCA) hosted their 2012 Equality Awards reception at the California Dental Association’s banquet room, just a block away from the State Capitol in Sacramento. San Francisco based, EQCA is the largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights advocacy organization in California. They have partnered with legislators and advocates to sponsor more than 80 pro-equality bills providing the LGBT community with the most comprehensive civil rights protections in the nation. Each year, the organization bestows three awards to persons who most exemplify the work EQCA does by improving the lives of LGBT Californians, creating a strong California, a

Come out, come out, wherever you are! ~ Harvey Milk Equality Action NOW and the Gender Health Center are co-hosting an all-ages party to formally introduce the “coming out” of the first elected Board of Directors for E.A.N. on National Coming Out Day - Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at Hoppy Brewing Company (6300 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95819) starting at 6:00pm. Equality Action NOW is a nationally-known civil rights organization based in Sacramento and is at the forefront of speaking out and standing for the rights of all people since its inception. The organization was born moments after the November 2008 general election when President Obama was elected and Proposition 8 was voted int

Monday, the California Assembly Appropriations Committee heard testimony concerning AB 9, otherwise known as Seth’s Law. Speaking for the anti-bullying law was its author, Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco), bill sponsors Matt Bunch, Equality California’s Government Affairs Manager and John Lovell of the California Police Chiefs Association. AB 9 will work hand-in-hand with the 2008 Safe Place to Learn Act by requiring schools to adopt comprehensive polices prohibiting intimidation and bullying in their existing anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies; establishing a process for receiving and investigating complaints of intimidation and bullying; ensuring personnel are

Tuesday, the California State Assembly passed a bill that would require schools to fairly and accurately portray the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights movement and the historic contributions of the diverse LGBT community in social science instruction. The leadership of Equality Action NOW, a local grassroots civil rights organization is celebrating the 49 – 25 vote. In an announcement, Tina Reynolds, co-founder of Equality Action NOW said, “When children are taught about the history of our involvement in humanity and how our achievements matter, we will all have better children. Thank you Senator Leno!” The Fair, Accurate, Inclusive, and Respectful (FAIR) Educati

Equality Action NOW Hosts Event at the Crocker Art Museum Today, California Governor Jerry Brown officially proclaimed Sunday, May 22, Harvey Milk Day. Last year Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law the Harvey Milk Day bill, in honor of the slain San Francisco supervisor who fought for LGBT rights. The proclamation begins by saying, “In 1977, Harvey Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, becoming the first openly gay man in the history of the United States to be elected to public office. This milestone achievement gave hope to millions of gays and lesbians across the country that a day would come when they could live their lives openly and honestly without fear

Sacramento, CA – August 9, 2010 - It isn’t known how many same-sex couples are poised to rush down to the Sacramento County Clerk’s Office, however if Wednesday is any indication there could be more then just a few dozen who spent the weekend ring shopping, buying flowers and ordering wedding cakes in anticipation of the possibility Judge Vaughn Walker who presided over the Federal Prop 8 Trial will lift the stay and allow those couples to apply for a marriage license. If you go to the Sacramento County Clerks Office web site you will see highlighted in bright yellow the following statement: “Prop 8 Ruling – Until the ruling on Proposition 8 is entered, it is not in effect. The court has

Sacramento, CA – May 27, 2010 – Today the Senate Armed Services Committee voted 16-12 to allow the repeal of the long-standing ban on gays serving openly in the U.S. Military. This evening the United States House of Representatives voted on striking down “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and with a vote of 234 Yea and 194 Nay, the repeal bill passed. In the end 5 Republicans voted for it and 26 Democrats voted against. The bill needed at least 218 votes to pass. After the results were announced, applause rang out in the otherwise stoic House Chambers. The highly controversial issue will move to the full Senate floor sometime this summer. In a statement released by Wendy Rae Hill, the newly appoin

 To commemorate Harvey Milk Day, on his birthday, May 22, 2010 Equality Action Now will host a fun and historic Rally and March on the West steps of the State Capitol. Invited guests include adult and youth speakers from the community as well as entertainment. Highlighting the entertainment will be the cast of Broadway’s hit, A Chorus Line. The road tour of A Chorus Line will be playing at the Sacramento Community Theatre May 19-23. According to their tour manager the cast will perform their matinee show then head over to the Capitol to perform a musical number from A Chorus Line, “What I Did For Love”. A Chorus Line, one of the most recognized Broadway musicals, won nine Tony Awards, in