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Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson Hosts Intimate Chats w/ Global LGBTQ Leaders & Their Allies
Episodes
Monday Feb 22, 2010
Monday Feb 22, 2010
Stu Maddux, Producer/Director, talks about his upcoming film “Gen Silent” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson. This new groundbreaking documentary puts a face on what experts in the film call an epidemic: gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender seniors so afraid of being subject to discrimination, or worse, in long-term/health care that many go back into the closet. Their surprising decisions are captured through intimate access to their day-to-day lives over the course of a year in Boston, Massachusetts. When asked what he would like to see accomplished in the Obama administration for our LGBT civil rights, Maddux stated, “From my perspective working and interviewing LGBT seniors and their spouses, it’s all about DOMA. It’s all about the Defense of Marriage Act. The Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) are doing that case to repeal section three of DOMA which defines marriage between a man and a woman. Well here’s what’s going on. People are not getting survival benefits and I am seeing couples who I know have been together in different films I have produced who are survivors, who are devastated by not having social security benefits come in. There are a lot of things that are very important on an emotional level, but on a survival level that’s the issue right now for LGBT folks, especially seniors. It's those survival benefits.” Stu Maddux's award-winning documentaries include “Bob and Jack's 52-Year Adventure” and “Trip to Hell and Back”. His work has been televised internationally on Showtime, BBC and The Learning Channel. “Gen Silent” will have its WORLD PREMIERE at the Boston LGBT Film Festival this May. For More Info: LGBT Aging Project For More Info: Gen Silent
Tuesday Feb 16, 2010
Tuesday Feb 16, 2010
Black Gay Activists Andrea Shorter and Edwin Seth Brown talk with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson in celebration of Black History Month. Andrea Shorter is the Deputy Marriage and Coalitions Director for Equality California. She is passionate about engaging communities of color in dialogue about gay marriage. When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Shorter stated, “Well given the fact that I’m LGBT, that’s who I am. I’m Afro-American, I’m lesbian and in many respects it’s a labor of not only love on my part but also I’m part of the struggle too. I want the next generation of young black lesbians and other lesbians of color to not have to live in a world where we are grappling over whether or not we can marry the person we love.” Edwin Seth Brown is Ambassador to Germany for the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA). He began his career in the arts as a modern dancer where he acquired his love for travel. He shares his experiences of growing up black and gay in urban Los Angeles in the 50’s and 60’s. “In my community being black was very difficult. I’m in my late fifties now. When I grew up as a black person you couldn’t be gay in the community because the church was very non-accepting of same-sex practices. There was such a feeling that you had to be a man just sometimes to get down the street because I grew up in South Central Los Angeles and you had to be a very strong personality not to have somebody trying to push themselves on you or bullying you. I'm lucky, I have a strong personality.” Brown is also very outspoken about the HIV/AIDS epidemic among people of color and an advocate of HIV/AIDS prevention and education.
Thursday Feb 11, 2010
Thursday Feb 11, 2010
Gary Daffin, Executive Director of the Multicultural AIDS Coalition, talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson to get his spin on where we are in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic. MAC is the largest and oldest agency in New England focused exclusively on HIV in communities of color, working in partnership with a wide range of faith and community based organizations. Daffin who is openly gay and black states that the reason his organization is successful working with the Black Christian faith community is based on mutual respect. When asked how we can find a common thread between the LGBT community and communities of color to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Daffin stated, “I think HIV/AIDS is an area where the community of color and the black community and the gay community work very well together. Particularly, if you take the example of people living with HIV, I think that we would all do better to see how well people who come from very different backgrounds, who are dealing with the disease personally, how well they work together in creating programs and advocating, find it easy to put aside differences." Gary Daffin also serves as Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Gay & Lesbian Political Caucus (MGLPC), the state’s oldest legislative advocacy organization. MGLPC played a key role in the effort to secure marriage equality in the Commonwealth and works continuously on issues such as transgender civil rights, bullying, funding for LGBT youth and elder programs. He is a past recipient of Fenway Community Health’s Gerry Studds Visibility Award and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s William A. Hinton Award for promoting the health of minority communities. For More Info: mac-boston.org
Friday Feb 05, 2010
Friday Feb 05, 2010
Nancy Adair, one of the film directors of “Word is Out”, the 1977 groundbreaking gay iconic documentary that is being revived in a restored print and re-released globally, talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson. When asked how “Word is Out” is being received in 2010, Adair stated, “We wondered if it would be seen as just an historic document or whether it would still continue to help people and be relevant today. I think that it does both in a way. It’s a little bit dated in that the music is from the 1970’s, you know people’s clothing is a little different and so on but it is still extremely relevant. It makes people feel really good about themselves. As much as it would seem easier to come out of the closet in areas like Boston, the Bay Area and LA and so on, in small towns like the one I live in, it’s still very difficult for young people. We’re still completely inundated by heterosexual images. It’s not easy for gay and lesbians in rural areas to come out and feel good about themselves. No one has made a film like this with its scope, with its diversities, so it’s still a very powerful statement and I think it will always be, because we made it for gays. But I don’t think in the end that it’s only for gay people. Heterosexuals really love the film because it’s about self actualization, self love and empowerment. So it’s relevant for all people.” Soon after the original opening of “Word is Out”, the book of the same title was released compiled by Nancy and her mother Casey. Nancy lives in Willits in Northern California, where she is a yoga teacher and artist. For More Info: wordisoutmovie.com
Saturday Jan 30, 2010
Saturday Jan 30, 2010
Arline Isaacson, Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson about the recent upset in the Massachusetts senate race and how our LGBT community should become proactive in the 2010 midterm elections. Through her lobbying expertise over the last 20 years, Arline Isaacson has been instrumental in the passage of LGBT rights in Massachusetts and is one of the architects of gay marriage in this country. In this interview she provides valuable insights and strategies into successful legislative initiatives. For More Info: mglpc.org
Monday Jan 25, 2010
Monday Jan 25, 2010
Lea Gilmore is one of the founders of The Maryland Black Family Alliance, a coalition of black families and leaders of many faiths who stand for fairness, justice and equality for all families talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson. Lea is also a classically trained pianist and an award winning Blues, gospel and jazz singer who has appeared in over 45 musical and dramatic theater productions. When asked what her position on gay marriage is Gilmore stated, “I am a full proponent of gay marriage. I think that to deny a group of individuals civil rights based on something as arbitrary, basically inhuman, as who you choose to love is outrageous. We got rid of that in the Loving v. Virginia case in the 1960’s and I look forward to seeing that victory coming soon for the gay and lesbian community.” When asked why she thinks this is such a difficult issue for the black community, Lea explained, ”Because there’s often a disconnect. Sometimes when you’re involved in your own pain you don’t see others. But that being said too, I think that a lot of African Americans, we black folks, have gotten some bad press as well. Because if you ask people one-on-one and when they truly understand what we are asking for, when we ask for civil marriage, you see a light bulb go off and say ‘Wait I believe in that too. I believe that we should not deny people their legal rights based on my spiritual center or my faith center.’ So there’s really a lot of education that needs to happen and a lot of trust that needs to happen. You know Charlotte, nothing happens instantly. We change people's hearts and minds one person at a time. But we can do something legally and that’s what we’re fighting for.”
Monday Jan 18, 2010
Monday Jan 18, 2010
Suzane Northrop, one of the world’s leading Trance Mediums, co-hosts “The Afterlife” with David Millbern on the gay network here! TV and OUT tv in Canada, talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson. The show's concept presents a series of séances for the gay & lesbian audience. This is an exceptional opportunity for members of the LGBT community to experience a real séance. When asked about her work Northrop stated, “Ultimately this is about love. This is about love and my connection with God. The God that I know is all about love. And who we choose or how we choose to believe or whatever our religious preferences are, that’s a personal thing. I know in my heart what I do is about connection of love and that is the whole emphasis of what I do. As I make the connection with the people that we love and, although they have left their bodies, they still continue to love us. For me I think it is an extremely key element for the community. If you can look at this as love and not get into whatever your personal things are, perhaps people would see things differently. When I was asked actually to do the show on this network, I thought about it and you know what, everyone should have access to the best people they can that will help them in that element of connection and love in the LGBT community.” Suzane Northrop Info:theseance.com The Afterlife on here!TV The Afterlife on OUTtv
Monday Jan 11, 2010
Monday Jan 11, 2010
Kate Clinton, gay political humorist concludes her chat with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson. When asked what she would like to see happen for LGBT civil rights in 2010 Clinton stated, “I would definitely like to see ENDA pass and certainly the beginnings of a “stop loss” for 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell'. You know that we stop getting rid of gay people in the military. At this rate I think it’s like two a day are being shuffled out of the service because they are LGBT.” Openly gay Congressman Barney Frank said that repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” will likely be included as part of this year’s Department of Defense Authorization Bill in both chambers of Congress. Senator Joe Lieberman, the Dem who turned Independent from Connecticut, appears to be taking the lead in the Senate to address “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.” With President Obama sending 30,000 troops to Afghanistan you would think repealing “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” would be a priority. Three years ago a 2006 University of California Blue Ribbon Commission report determined that the total cost of "Don’t Ask Don’t Tell" between Fiscal Years 1994 and 2003, from training personnel who are subsequently discharged, was at least $363.8 million. This is a shameful waste of tax dollars as well as human resources, especially in this economic climate. On a lighter note catch Kate Clinton live on her 2010 "Lady Ha Ha Tour." Start your new decade dance with Kate Clinton –comic without borders, wake-up artist, and the original reality gatecrasher. See Kate perform her world-famous burlesque Bubble Wrap Dance as she gleefully pops the air out of deniers and disruptors, birthers and dearthers, conservadems and bibliocrats, the -stans and the bans, spine flu and whine flu, ex-gays and A-gays, the audacity of nope and of course, the pope. All material fully digitalized and gorgeously styled by the Haus of Ha. FOR MORE INFO: KATE CLINTON.COM
Monday Jan 04, 2010
Monday Jan 04, 2010
Kate Clinton, gay political humorist chats with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson about how 2009 played out for addressing LGBT issues. Our LGBT community had a lot of ups & downs in 2009. When asked whether she would say it’s been a roller coaster ride or a bi-polar experience Clinton stated, “I’ve needed Dramamine at certain points. I think that working hard for the election of Barack Obama, that was a very exciting election night. Then it really felt like getting kicked in the stomach with the news of the passing of Prop 8. So I think we brought that feeling of the out gay child at the family party into the New Year.” When asked how she would rate President Obama’s performance on LGBT civil rights Kate answered, “So far I would say that I’m disappointed although it’s lovely to be disappointed after being in complete despair for eight years of Bush, feeling like I had a cinder block on my chest, so it’s kind of nice to get back to old fashion disappointment.” It was a 10 year process for the Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act to be been signed into law. We still have a way to go to see DOMA and the military’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” to be repealed. When asked how patience we should be to see this and other LGBT legislation passed Clinton stated, "I don’t think we should be patient at all. I mean I think it takes people writing the language in committee, people marching on Washington, I think it takes all of that. It also takes being at the holiday table with your family and saying, “What are you doing? What do you think? Who are you talking to? And really reaching out on a personal level to allies and try to change the minds of people who have no clue basically. I am not entitled to my partner of 22 years social security benefits, which is ridiculous!” FOR MORE INFO: KATE CLINTON.COM
Monday Dec 28, 2009
Monday Dec 28, 2009
David Zimmerman, Gay Ally and Publisher of Boston Spirit magazine talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson about his premier regional LGBT magazine. Zimmerman lives in Massachusetts with his wife Kristine and his two children Grace and Jack. When asked how gay marriage has effected his heterosexual marriage Zimmerman stated, “Not one bit. It’s funny, my wife and I were talking about that last night. I don’t know how it came up. It might have been a story on TV or something like that. If two people are walking down the street, whether it be two men or two women, a heterosexual couple, whatever it is, it makes absolutely no difference to me, if I don’t know them whether they’re married or not married, dating or not dating. Go on and live your life. I think it is incredibly sad if a person can actually say that two people they do not know who are in love and want to marry, if those two people marry, it has an effect on their marriage. What that says to me is that your marriage is in big trouble to start.” Boston Spirit also produces several very successful events throughout the year including an LGBT Executive Networking night and a Summer Sunset Cruise. Boston Spirit magazine’s 3rd annual LGBT Executive Networking Night will be held on February 17, 2010 at the Copley Place Marriott Hotel in Boston. The event is sponsored by Fidelity Investments, along with John Hancock, Partners Healthcare, Burns & Levinson, TJX Companies and Ocean Spray. Also, for the first time, the event will incorporate an LGBT Career Fair with human resource representatives from many of the top employers in the area in attendance. For More Info: BostonSpiritMagazine.com