OUTTAKE VOICES™ (Interviews)

National Gay Blood Drive

Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ participated in a media call hosted by the National Gay Blood Drive and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee with Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO) and Congressman Alan Grayson (D-FL) urging the FDA to lift the requirement that gay and bisexual men be celibate for a year before donating blood. Since the LGBT massacre in Orlando, Florida more than 130 members of Congress have signed letters asking the Commissioner of the FDA to remove the requirement including Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) who are leading the effort in the Senate and along with Rep. Polis leading the effort in the House are Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL). In addition, a grassroots petition by National Gay Blood Drive, the Equality Federation and the PCCC has raised over 12,000 signatures stating that scientific evidence does not support this ban and that screening should be based on behavior and not sexual orientation.

Courtney Hagen, Progressive Change Campaign Committee’s Capitol Hill Team stated, “Today we have a clear message for the FDA: The public and members of Congress want you to lift the ban on gay men donating blood and treat all people equally. After Orlando, a discriminatory FDA ban that requires gay men to be celibate for one year to donate meant that thousands of would-be healthy donors were turned away from Orlando blood banks that desperately needed their blood. Their community was under attack but they were unable to do even the simplest of acts to help it heal.”

Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO), the first openly gay parent in Congress added, “The FDA simply needs to make screening based off of behavior and off of science, not off of orientation. The gender of one’s partner has nothing to do with whether one is engaged in risky behavior or not. It’s high time for this outdated and discriminatory policy to end and I’m confident with such broad spread support among both the American public as well as members of Congress the FDA will be moved to look at the science that shows, in fact, that there’s nothing inherently different about the blood of gay or bisexual Americans.”

Congressman Alan Grayson (D-FL) of Orlando concluded, “At times of tragedy, giving blood is a form of showing solidarity, showing concern for the victims and even a form of citizenship. We can’t say that we have first-class citizens and second-class citizens; we can’t say some people can give blood and other people can’t based upon their sexual orientation or anything like that. When I asked people and other elected officials asked people, to give blood, we had over 5,000 donors in less than 24 hours. In one location, we had two blocks that had to be cordoned off because the line was that long -- a line two blocks long in the rain of people anxious to give blood that day. And that’s a recognition of the impulse we all feel in times of tragedy to help and no one should be turned away in those kinds of circumstances.”

According to a study published in the Columbia Medical Review the one-year celibacy requirement is outdated and ignores that all blood donations are thoroughly tested using the latest technology and scientific advancements. The AIDS Research Institute calls the policy discriminatory and “not really supported by the facts.” Over 4.2 million eligible blood donors are affected by the requirement.
For More Info: gayblooddrive.com
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New LGBT Senior Housing In NYC

Michael Adams, Chief Executive Officer of Services & Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Elders (SAGE) which is the country's largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBT older adults founded in 1978 and headquartered in NYC talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Recently SAGE has announced it has joined forces with HELP USA and BFC Partners to develop New York City’s first senior housing with services designed specifically for the LGBT community. Ingersoll Senior Residences and Crotona Senior Residences will collectively provide nearly 230 units and bring comprehensive LGBT culturally competent services to older adults at both sites. Located in Ft. Greene, Brooklyn Ingersoll Senior Residences will be the nation’s largest LGBT-welcoming elder housing development in the nation with 145 affordable units. Crotona Senior Residences will provide 82 units located in Crotona Park North, Bronx and will be developed as part of a collaboration between HPD, HELP USA, NY State Homes and Community Renewal and SAGE. As President Obama recently stated in his Pride Month Proclamation LGBT elder housing is a national issue and these new developments will address this need by weaving together affordable housing and comprehensive on-site services. We talked to Michael about providing our LGBT elder pioneers access to safe housing where they can be themselves and his spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what he would like to see happen for LGBT equality in the next few years Adams stated, “We spend a lot of time in our movement, as has been necessary, fighting for equal rights, legal rights, for marriage equality. We have made good progress but we still obviously have a long way to go to ensure that we are protected against discrimination since in many parts of the country we’re not; so many parts of the country it’s perfectly legal to discriminate against us in housing, in employment and other parts of life. So the fight to win anti discrimination protections is very important. Equally important is ensuring all of our work in all of our communities is inclusive and supports all parts of the community and what we’ve seen is we have groups within the community that too often get left behind. That includes transgender folks and certainly includes elders in our community and so really ensuring that the progress we make is progress for all including our most vulnerable, most marginalized member of the community to me that is really critical.”

Michael Adams is a graduate of Stanford Law School and Harvard College. Prior to becoming Chief Executive Officer at SAGE he was the Director of Education and Public Affairs for Lambda Legal. Prior to that Michael spent a decade leading cutting-edge litigation that established new rights for LGBT people, first as Associate Director of the ACLU's Lesbian and Gay Rights Project and then as Deputy Legal Director at Lambda Legal. He has authored numerous publications on an array of LGBT issues. SAGE offers national supportive services and consumer resources to LGBT older adults and their caregivers, advocates for public policy changes that address the needs of LGBT older people and provides training for aging providers and LGBT organizations through its National Resource Center on LGBT Aging. With offices in New York City, Washington, DC and Chicago, SAGE coordinates a growing network of 29 SAGE affiliates in 21 states and the District of Columbia.
For More Info: sageusa.org
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“Brothers” Transgender Web Series

Filmmaker and writer Emmett Jack Lundberg talks about the second season of his web series “Brothers” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. This is the first narrative series about a group of transgender male friends that not only features the stories about trans men but also casts trans actors in the main roles. The show follows four transgender men navigating life and love in Brooklyn, NY and touches on a few of the many issues that face transgender individuals including healthcare, dating, transphobia, identity and more. Season One is currently on Vimeo On Demand and Amazon Prime. In a quick summary, Jack the series’ main character starts sleeping with a cisgender man after exclusively dating women. His friend Davyn proposed to his long time girlfriend Amy with disastrous results. Aiden the youngest member of the group who is pre-testosterone and pre-surgery tries to raise money for his upcoming top surgery but becomes disenchanted at the last minute. Then Max who has been on hormones longer than both Jack and Davyn can’t get the financial resources to obtain his top surgery. In season two Jack is still struggling with his sexual identity while Max is living through the hell of online dating. Davyn has fled his disastrous relationship and New York as Aiden has plummeted down a rabbit hole of addiction and depression. The core group has shifted and fractured as the “Brothers” are no longer one big happy family. Along with a host of new characters the guys discover whether testosterone is actually thicker than blood. We talked to Emmett about his inspiration for his web series “Brothers” and his spin on our LGBT issues prior to the Orlando Massacre.

When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil right and what he would like to see happen for LGBT equality in the next few years Lundberg stated, “I think for me as the filmmaker you know the stories I want to tell are very much stories that are overlooked and for me that’s the way I feel comfortable and good about giving back and adding something to the community…I think a huge thing for me in LGBT equality is specifically trans healthcare. You know the healthcare system in our country in general is pretty messed up but for trans people it can be really terrifying and difficult to navigate. You know you have to pay for your own surgery and having to do all these things out of pocket when really all these things should be covered.”

Emmett Jack Lundberg series “Brothers” was named one of indieWIRE’s 10 Best Indie TV Series and ET Online’s “Six Web Series to Watch While Waiting for Transparent to Return”. SiriusXM called it “More revolutionary than “Orange Is The New Black.” Season 2, Episode 1 has already screened at several festivals and has won “Best in LGBT+” at the Buffer Festival in Toronto, Canada. As a writer Lundberg co-edited and contributed to “Finding Masculinity”, an anthology of trans masculine essays that was published by Riverdale Avenue Books in May 2015.
For More Info: brothersseries.com
Hear 400+ LGBT Interviews @OUTTAKE VOICES

“Skirtchasers” New LGBT Web Series

Elizabeth Keener talks about her new tello Films web series “Skirtchasers” that she stars in with Barry Bostwick (“Rocky Horror Picture Show”, “Spin City”) as her estranged father and Meredith Baxter (“Family Ties”, “Young and the Restless”) as her divorced mom with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Keener plays Robyn Samuels who is freshly single after a break-up with her long time girlfriend the day before their wedding. As Robyn deals with mending her broken heart she realizes her issues with commitment go way back to her father after the split of her parents. Bostwick plays Damien Samuels her best-selling novelist father who has remarried a much younger woman, starts a new family and abandons Robyn. The five part web series was written by James Berg and Stan Zimmerman (“The Golden Girls”, “Gilmore Girls”, “The Brady Bunch” movies), bringing over 30 years of writing and producing experience to the project. Amanda Bearse directed four of the episodes with Zimmerman directing one. Bearse has over 25 years of directing and producing experience (“MADtv”, “Dharma & Gregg”, “Jamie Foxx Show”). She is also known for her role as Marcy D’Arcy in the Fox classic comedy, “Married With Children”. “Skirtchasers” is distributed by Christin Baker, co-founder and CEO of tello Films and produced jointly by Baker, Bearse, Bostwick, Zimmerman and Keener. We talked to Elizabeth about what she hoped to accomplish with “Skirtchasers” and her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Keener stated, “My personal commitment as a human being is for everyone to have the same rights. I mean we all started as an egg and a sperm, we all started right there. It just becomes convoluted. My personal opinion is that many people, most people, I wouldn’t say all but they find ways to elevate themselves by downing other people and if people would just stop in some way, I mean it starts in the home. I think we need to let people know that everyone is equal. I don’t care, we can label everything we want; we can have new labels for this and new labels for that; we can do all that stuff but we’re all the same and it’s just shocking to me that people haven’t gotten that yet and you know we’re heading for 2020 and people just don’t get it or they do get it but they don’t care because the only way they can elevate themselves is finding a way to down somebody else. I’m just going to find a way and I hope in my way, I mean politically I’m an actress and I don’t know how much in politics people care what I say, but it doesn’t matter because we don’t live in politics. We live in real life and I’m going to do all I can from my end to get people to see that everyone is the same.”

Elizabeth Keener is an actor, writer, producer and voiceover artist. She is best known for her role as the kick ass bar owner Dawn Denbo in Showtime's “The L Word”. She has also been in numerous television shows and feature films including Terror Films “The Chosen”, ABC's “My Generation” and Nicole Holofcener's “Friends with Money”. Keener is the younger sister of actress Catherine Keener. “Skirtchasers” is currently available on tello Films that creates web series specifically for the lesbian/queer community.
For Info & Watch: tellofilms.com
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Coping After The LGBT Massacre

Arline Isaacson, Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Gay & Lesbian Political Caucus and one of the architects of marriage equality in this country talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Isaacson is a brilliant and dedicated lobbyist who has fought successfully for decades for our LGBT community. In the aftermath of the worst mass killing in American history at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida that left 49 dead and many more wounded we asked Arline for her spin on this national and global tragedy and to shed some light on where we are now and the future for LGBTQ civil rights in this country, especially during a presidential race with a shameful republican candidate who is still spewing hate and with over 200 state discriminatory bills still pending against our LGBTQ community. This is a time when we need to come together to console our sorrow and begin the healing progress from the devastation of this horrific attack on our LGBTQ community and move forward in solidarity as a nation.

When asked what she would like to see happen for LGBT equality in the next few years Isaacson stated, “The good news that we have to remind ourselves is that we are on a trajectory that’s very positive and very good for our community. That there will always be bumps in the road and this is hardly a bump, this is a chasm that’s a total earthquake road-breaking chasm that just happened in Orlando but we need to remember that we can build a bridge across that chasm. We will build a bridge across that chasm and because we are LGBT it will be the most fabulous bridge anyone has ever built anywhere in the world. It will be the most beautiful bridge anyone ever built and it will be strong and it will be enduring and it will be gorgeous and we have to remind ourselves it’s just going to take some time and it’s going to take some work and you can’t stop building the bridge in the middle, you got to keep going until you get to the other side.

The other thing we need to remind ourselves is very important in my mind is that we have to remember to use this horrible tragedy as a lesson for what we must not do to others, culturally and politically. Let this remind us that as we gain our equality and as we move up the ladder so to speak culturally of acceptance or politically of acceptance, or politically in equality, we have to make sure we pull others up behind us, that we don’t dis other communities and groups whether they’re based on their religion or their race or their immigrant status or economic status. We have to fight religious extremists and even if you’re anti abortion you have to condemn people who shoot up abortion clinics and shoot up abortion doctors. We have to apply the lessons we wish to have applied to ourselves. We have to remember the importance of applying them to someone else and then when one group in our nation is disenfranchised, when one group in our nation is discriminated against, when one group is treated unequally, we are ultimately all unequal.”

Arline Isaacson co-chair’s Massachusetts Gay & Lesbian Political Caucus with Gary Daffin. MGLPC is the most experienced and respected lobbying operation on Beacon Hill in Massachusetts working for LGBTQ equal rights. Founded in 1973 MGLPC has had enormous success advocating with professional lobbyists for the interests and needs of our LGBT community. MGLPC continues to fight for LGBT civil rights especially transgender equality, AIDS-related issues and more. It is a totally volunteer effort and your support is needed especially in these difficult times. 
For More Info: mglpc.org 
To Help Orlando Victims: weareorlando.org
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LPAC NYC Comedy Event June 16

Kate Kight, Political Operations Associate for LPAC the Lesbian Political Action Committee Super Pac and comedian Jes Tom talk with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the LPAC event “Levity & Justice for All” that takes place at The Town Hall in New York City on June 16th. This fabulous must-attend event features an all-star line-up of lesbian comics and activists including Rosie O’Donnell, Kate Clinton, Billie Jean King, Judy Gold, Lea DeLaria, Rhea Butcher, Fortune Feimster, Marsha Warfield, Karen Williams, Marga Gomez, Beth Shipp, Executive Director of LPAC and special musical guest BETTY. This is the first comedy benefit for LPAC, the nation’s only lesbian super PAC. Tennis Icon Billie Jean King is a longtime LPAC supporter and is honorary co-chair alongside benefit chairs Karen Dixon from Washington, DC, Laura Ricketts the co-owner of the Chicago Cubs, producer Joy Tomchin and activist Urvashi Vaid from NYC. “Levity & Justice for All” will be a night of political humor and comic relief from the deluge of anti-LGBTQ politicians, including the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. We talked to Kate and Jes about how important an event like “Levity & Justice for All” is just to be able to laugh at the 2016 election climate and give us their spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what she would you like to see happen for LGBT equality in the next few years Kight stated, “I think we are on the forefront of recognizing LGBT equality as one integral part of equality in America and across the world. I think one of the most wonderful parts of working for LPAC is that everyday our work is not just about how do we make sure to elect more queer women or lesbians into office. Our work everyday is are we advancing equality, are we advancing social justice, increasing access to reproductive rights, trying to call attention to the incredible amount of racism we have seen come out in the past few years and that is being brought up in terrifying ways by the Republican ticket this year; not just by the presidential candidate but all the way down in different states across the country. I love that fact that my work is a part of a narrative that is recognizing the intersectionality of these fights and I think that as we continue to move forward and create a strong progressive coalition of activism, fights for equality are not just about one group of people but advancing different kinds of equality we can change the narrative and make this about everyone.”

LPAC mission is to build the political power of lesbians and queer women by electing candidates who champion LGBTQ rights, women’s equality, and social justice. Founded in 2012 by experienced leaders in feminist, LGBTQ and social justice movements, LPAC has raised over $2.1 million dollars from more than 1,500 donors across 48 states and the District of Columbia. LPAC researches and presents a slate of candidates, ballot initiatives and campaigns in which it invests. LPAC has been instrumental in electing key national and local candidates, supporting legislation and ballot referenda that guarantee women are paid the same as men for the same jobs, have access to reproductive health, aren't discriminated against when it comes to their own healthcare decisions and safeguard LGBTQ employees from being fired. Funds raised by “Levity & Justice for All” will be used for political education, organizing, and mobilization efforts to support LPAC endorsed candidates.
For Info & Tix: teamlpac.com
Hear 400+ LGBT Interviews @OUTTAKE VOICES

Tab Hunter In Provincetown June 3-5

Screen legend and LGBT Icon Tab Hunter talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about hosting with his partner Allan Glaser the Provincetown International Film Festival Launch Party Weekend that takes place June 3rd to June 5th in Provincetown, MA. Tab was selected as the Launch Weekend’s first-ever host in recognition of his status as a classic Hollywood film star and his local ties through his long-time collaborator and friend director John Waters who will also be attending. Waters is a founder of the Provincetown Film Society and the Provincetown International Film Festival. Opening Night schedule includes intimate meet and greets, special screenings of Hunter’s film the 1981 cult classic “Polyester” and the award-winning documentary “Tab Hunter Confidential”. There will also be the opportunity to hear from PIFF’s programmers about the upcoming festival lineup complete with insider tips, anecdotes, favorites and recommendations. We talked to Tab about his stellar career as he shared personal inspirational stories, lifelong survival philosophies and his spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what advise he would give young LGBT kids dealing with bullying Hunter stated, “I’m not a good one on advise, but I have to tell you a story that’s really interesting. Years ago I was doing a television show with Geraldine Page who was a brilliant actress and I said ‘God you know Gerry, the press they love you and they just hate my guts. They’re just despicable to me and I feel terrible about this.’ She grabbed hold of my arm and said ‘Remember this Tab. If people don’t like you that’s their bad taste.’ I thought Whoa, that’s powerful. I thought, I’m going to apply that to my life and furthermore pass that along to every person I know particularly young people because they don’t have the support and guidance while they’re growing up. A lot of parents out there are very, ‘I want to be your friend’. That’s bullshit. You know, they’re parents be parents. There’s a yes and a no. There’s a right and a wrong. You have to have it and I was very fortunate to have a strong but religious German mother and that was important and I think we need boundaries in our lives. Today there doesn’t seem to be a lot of boundaries. But young people have to go forward as the best that they can and give a lot of thought to their development mentally, physically and spiritually.”

Tab Hunter has appeared in over 40 films. His breakout role in 1951 at age nineteen was with Samuel Goldwyn Studios in “The Lawless”. His Southern California “golden boy” good looks catapulted him to overnight matinee idol stardom and he enjoyed a robust film career throughout the 1950’s and 60’s. The 1970’s started out strong including a leading role in John Huston’s “The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean” starring Paul Newman but work began to wane in the later 70’s. A call from filmmaker and fan John Waters catapulted Hunter back into the limelight and took him into a new, freer direction with the now cult classic comedy “Polyester” in 1981 starring the infamous drag icon Divine. When his partner Allan Glaser saw Jeffrey Schwarz’s fabulous documentary “I am Divine” he hired Schwarz to do the brilliant documentary “Tab Hunter Confidential” recently release on iTunes and NETFLIX based on his bestselling autobiography. During the Provincetown International Film Festival Launch Party Weekend June 3rd to June 5th there will be must-attend festivities throughout including an intimate dinner with Tab Hunter and Allan Glaser, film screenings, parties and more.
For Info & Tix: ptownfilmfest.org
Hear 400+ LGBT Interviews @OUTTAKE VOICES

GLAAD Celebrity Activists & Allies

In this exclusive audio montage celebrity activists and allies talk with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ on the Red Carpet at the 27th GLAAD Media Awards in NYC. First we spoke with Jackson Riemerschmid the teen who made news by leading the successful effort to eliminate the binary system of purple graduation gowns for boys and white gowns for girls at New Rochelle High School in New York. Next we talked to Tracey Norman who’s best known for having been the first African-American transgender woman model and for appearing on a box of Clairol in the 1970s. Then we talked with Sarah Kate Ellis, CEO & President of GLAAD about issues facing our LGBT community and what projects GLAAD is working on to create more diversity in mainstream media. Next director Eric Schaeffer talked to us about his film “Boy Meets Girl” which stars Michelle Hendley as a transgender woman living in a small town in Kentucky looking for love that was nominated for a GLAAD Award. Then we chatted with trans teen advocate Nicole Maines who made her acting debut as a guest star on USA's “Royal Pains”. Nicole won the landmark case in the Maine Supreme Court in 2014 against her school district for preventing her from using the school’s girls restrooms that ignited the regulations issued by President Obama and his administration as well as the U.S. Department of Education for issuing new guidelines to ensure transgender students will be treated fairly in public and federally funded schools, including equitable access to facilities such as restrooms and locker rooms.

Next gender queer advocate Jacob Tobia and Daniella Carter who appeared on the documentary The T-Word both talked to us about the broad spectrum of our transgender community and the importance of uplifting our LGBT youth with love and support. We were then joined by Jim Obergefell the lead plaintiff in last year’s historic Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges that resulted in marriage equality becoming the law of the land. Jim won the GLAAD Award for Anderson Cooper's “Interview with Jim Obergefell” in the Outstanding TV Journalism Segment category. Then Kally Duling and Emily Skeggs who are currently appearing in “Fun Home” the 2015 Tony Award winning play stopped by to talk about their play and LGBT equality before performing at the GLAAD Awards. We were then joined by Jenny Boylan, Co-Chair of GLAAD’s Board of Directors who talked about all the crucial programs GLAAD is developing and her work with Caitlyn Jenner on the reality television series “I Am Cait”.

Then we talked with Selenis Leyva about her role as Gloria Mendoza in the Netflix comedy-drama series “Orange Is the New Black” followed by Laura Gómez who portrays Blanca Flores a member of the Hispanic group also on “Orange Is the New Black” who both gave us a little insight of the direction of the upcoming fourth season. Next Darren Young the first openly gay WWE superstar wrestler talked to us about making a difference for LGBT youth and reminding us that LGBT equality is a process. Then we chatted with CNN political analyst Margaret Hoover who’s an LGBT rights activist, author and republican who attended with her husband John Avlon the editor in chief of The Daily Beast and also a CNN political analyst. Next Lea DeLaria who plays Big Boo on “Orange Is The New Black” talked about the show’s fourth season that premiers on June 17th and her spin on transgender bathroom legislation.

We then chatted with Noah Galvin who currently plays the role of gay son Kenny O'Neal in the ABC sitcom The Real O'Neals. Noah talked about how he hoped shows like his will help our LGBT community become more normalized. Then we talked with eye candy Daniel Newman who appears on “Walking Dead” and models for Calvin Klein about his impression of his first GLAAD Awards. Next Alex Newell best known for playing the transgender student Unique Adams on the Fox musical series “Glee” talked about his new CD and upcoming tour with Adam Lambert. Alex also performed at the event. Then we talked with the fabulous Randy Jones best known as the cowboy from Village People about his spin on our LGBT issues. Next producer Lee Daniels stopped by to talk about presenting Mariah Carey with the GLAAD Ally Award. We concluded with Laverne Cox who hosted the 27th GLAAD Awards who had a lot of good things to say about the Obama administration taking a position to support our transgender youth and more. Robert De Niro was also honored by GLAAD with the Excellence in Media Award presented by Jennifer Lawrence. (Photos by Marilyn Rosen)
For More Info: glaad.org

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LGBT Federal Employees At Risk

Sarah McBride, Campaigns & Communications Manager for LGBT Progress at the Center For American Progress in Washington D.C. talks to Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™. Recently the House Armed Services Committee approved an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would rescind important existing workplace protections for LGBT employees of federal contractors. This harmful legislation would gut a 2014 executive order issued by President Obama that added sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of classes protected from discrimination by any company or entity with a federal contract of $10,000 or more a year. The amendment’s scope far exceeds the overall bill of the Armed Services Committee’s jurisdiction. This discriminatory amendment comes on the heels of growing national outcry in response to anti LGBT legislation passed in North Carolina and Mississippi last month. Since marriage equality became the law of the land the backlash has resulted in over 200 state discriminatory bills pending against out LGBT community. We talked to Sarah about the importance of fighting these prejudicial bills and her spin on passing legislation like the Equality Act that could finally provide federal LGBT non-discrimination protections for our community.

When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT equality McBride stated, “I come to this work not only as someone who is transgender but as someone who has loved someone who is transgender. I met my future husband Andy fighting for trans equality and we fell in love. A couple of months after we started dating Andy was diagnosed with cancer and despite getting a clean bill of health several months later eventually his cancer came back and it was terminal. Andy and I decided to get married in August of 2014 and just 4 days after we married he passed away. For me I carry my relationship with Andy with me in my LGBT advocacy work. I carry it with me because one of the most important lessons that I have learned from that experience at 23 years old at the time was that every day matters and this fight every day matters building a world where every person can live their life to the fullest; where every person has a roof over their head and job opportunities based on their skills and their talent and their work ethnic and not on their identity. Every day matters when it comes to just being yourself and so for me that’s probably my biggest personal motivation in this work. It’s not just about who I am but people I love.”

Sarah McBride joined the Center For American Progress after completing her undergraduate degree at American University. During her time at American University Sarah served as student body president and helped to expand opportunities and enhance policies for LGBT students, women, students of color, people with disabilities and students of varying economic backgrounds. At the end of her term Sarah made national headlines when she came out as transgender in the student newspaper. Sarah also serves on the Board of Directors of Equality Delaware the state’s primary LGBT advocacy and educational organization. The Center for American Progress is a nonpartisan research and educational institute dedicated to promoting a strong, just and free America that ensures opportunity for all. They work to find progressive and pragmatic solutions to significant domestic and international problems and develop policy proposals that foster a government that is of the people, by the people and for the people.
For More Info: americanprogress.org
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Trans Memoir “Some Days Are Diamonds”

Writer/musician Deena Kaye Rose talks about her must-read memoir “Some Days Are Diamonds” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ that chronicles Deena’s life as a Nashville songwriter and her struggle to transition during a time when the term transgender didn’t exist. In her true country voice Deena recounts her times with Nashville legends from conversations with Dolly Parton to style tips from Johnny Cash to writing the first lesbian country music song as well as the first and probably only country song about being transgender that ended up being a chart-topping hit. Deena pioneered LGBT issues in the country music scene in the 1970’s the only way she knew how, through music. Only the observant knew the true meaning behind these heartfelt songs that came out of gender introspection. Her songs performed by country legends like John Denver were in actuality Deena Kaye Rose’s way of coming out to the world, while not having to visually for fear of the shame, disappointment and hurt it would cause her family. We talked to Deena about the inspiration for her memoir and her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what she hopes to accomplish with her work Rose stated, “First I want to do it for my community. I want to claim my little part of being transgender and the struggle with it. I’m a mature lady; I’m an older woman; I’m a senior citizen and I struggled with this at a time when we didn’t even have the word. In fact, there wasn’t any word until Christine Jorgensen and then it was sex change, you had a sex change and nobody knew that. In later years I read that she did not claim being transgender. She did not change her sex she changed her gender and there was nothing to call it. We didn’t know there was anyone else. There’s a great song by Barry Manilow called ‘All The Time’ and it says ‘All the time I thought there’s only me crazy in a way that I only could be…’ and I wish I had written that and maybe I will but that’s exactly how I felt in that time that there wasn’t anyone else. But I want people my age to know that I was there too girl. We just didn’t know about each other.”

Deena Kaye Rose is a Nashville songwriting legend. She has written hundreds of songs for some of country’s most renowned stars like Johnny Cash, Jerry Reed, John Denver and even wrote the theme song for the all-time American classic movie, “Smokey and the Bandit”. Deena has done it all but she did much of it as a male writer with a feminine soul living inside yearning to come out. In her new book “Some Days Are Diamonds” she chronicles the best and worst times of living the raucous and crazy musician life while suppressing her true feminine self. Today Deena is a transgender woman and activist sharing the history of her journey in performances and lectures around the country. She is letting the transgender community know they are not alone.
For More Info: deenakayerose.com
Hear 400+ LGBT Interviews @OUTTAKE VOICES