Women's Weekend 2.0 Schedule of Events - Sept 12-14, 2014

Women's Weekend 2.0 is the REINVENTION of the classic Russian River women's festival.  

Headliners are: Beverly McClellan of NBC's "The Voice" (photo below), Suzanne Westenhoefer, and Julie Goldman of Logo and Bravo TV, and Lori Moore of Fox TV's "The X Factor". 

Highlights include: a Sunday Jazz and Blues Day with Tori Roze, Steph Johnson, Azucar Con Ache, golf tournament, wine tasting, single's mixers, color drop, flash mob dance, crafts fair and much more. Hotels or camping available. Ride Sharing and Room Sharing available. 

Early bird tickets are $50 for full day Sunday and $56 for full day Saturday. Early bird prices end Sept. 1 and are available on the website -www.womensweekend2.com

Full Schedule of Events:

Women's Weekend 2.0, Sept. 12 -14, 2014

 

Women’s Weekend 2.0 is the reinvention of the classic lesbian music and comedy festival that has been happening annually on the Russian River (70 miles north of San Francisco) since 1986.

The overall theme of the festival is “Practice Random Acts of Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty”.

Women’s Weekend 2.0 will take place on the Russian River with Saturday and Sunday being an outdoor festival at the Monte Rio Amphitheater. The lesbian entertainers will include Beverly McClellan of NBC's "The Voice", and Suzanne Westenhoefer and Julie Goldman from Logo's "Big, Gay Comedy Sketch Show". There will also be a crafts fair, color drop, flash mob, concessions, golf tournament, single’s mixers, wine tasting, a Jazz and Blues day on Sunday and much more. Evening DJ dances and live bands will be held at the River Theater in Guerneville.

WW2.0 offers events that will appeal to all ages over 21 – Baby Boomers are invited! WW2.0 is designed to allow women to play full-out and have the kind of fun we thought was left in childhood. There is a deep thrill in seeing one’s own beauty reflected in the open hearts of others with a backdrop of the gorgeous Russian River scenery. It’s breathtaking fun, is what it is! WW2.0 is structured to enable women to really connect in a way that inspires them not to hide out in cliques, right?

There will be a variety of accommodations available to suit everyone's taste,  with everything from tent camping to 5 star hotels.

Tickets are now on sale, so visit their website to get all the 411.

Victory for California LGBT Youth

Equality California Press Release - June 30, 2014

(Los Angeles)—Today, the Supreme Court of the United States declined to review a 2013 decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upholding California’s Senate Bill 1172, a law that prohibits licensed counselors and therapists from engaging in dangerous practices to try to change the sexual orientation or gender expression of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender children. Known as “conversion therapy,” “reparative therapy,” “ex-gay therapy,” or “sexual orientation change efforts,” the practices have been condemned by medical and mental health organizations across the country because they are known to lead to extreme depression and suicide.

The Supreme Court’s decision today clears the way for enforcement of California’s law—signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in September 2012 and the first of its kind in the nation—that provides that state-licensed therapists who engage in the prohibited practices with minor patients may be subject to professional discipline by California licensing authorities. The constitutionality of the California law was challenged in October 2012 in two lawsuits filed by anti-LGBT groups, primarily representing therapists who engage in the prohibited practices. In the fall of 2012, Equality California filed a successful motion to intervene in one of the lawsuits to defend the law alongside California Attorney General Kamala Harris, who represents the State of California defendants. Equality California is represented by the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and the law firm of Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP.

On August 29, 2013, a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously upheld the law, ruling that the plaintiffs in two legal challenges could not succeed on their claim that the law infringes the free speech rights of therapists who wish to engage in these dangerous and long-discredited practices.

The full Ninth Circuit court declined to further review that decision, and the plaintiffs in the two lawsuits then asked the Supreme Court to review the cases. The Supreme Court denied those requests today, meaning that the Ninth Circuit panel’s decision upholding the law will be the final decision on the plaintiffs’ free-speech claims and the California law may be enforced.

Senate Bill 1172 was authored by Senator Ted Lieu and sponsored by NCLR, Equality California, Gaylesta, Courage Campaign, Lambda Legal, and Mental Health America of Northern California, and supported by dozens of organizations, including the California Psychological Association, the California Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, and the California Division of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter said: “This life-saving law has cleared the final hurdle and will now protect California youth from harmful practices that have been rejected by all leading medical and mental health organizations. This important legislation will permanently improve the health and well-being of California’s most vulnerable LGBT young people. We look forward to more states joining California and New Jersey in preventing state-licensed therapists from engaging in discredited practices that offer no health benefits and put LGBT youth at risk of severe harm, including depression and suicide.”

Added Equality California Executive Director-Elect Rick Zbur: “The Supreme Court’s decision to let Senate Bill 1172 protect our LGBT youth is a major step forward for California and our nation. We are proud to live in the first state to protect young people from the lifelong damage caused by these horrific practices. We thank Sen. Ted Lieu for authoring this bill, Speaker Emeritus John A. Pérez for his bold leadership in helping to get the law passed, and Gov. Jerry Brown for signing it into law.”
NCLR recently launched #BornPerfect: The Campaign to End Conversion Therapy, a national effort aimed at protecting LGBT kids from conversion therapy and ending the practice across the country in five years.

Equality California (EQCA) is the largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender advocacy organization in California. For more than a decade, Equality California has strategically moved California from a state with extremely limited legal protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people to a state with some of the most comprehensive human rights protections in the nation. Equality California has partnered with legislators to successfully sponsor 96 pieces of pro-equality legislation. EQCA continues to advance equality through legislative advocacy, electoral work, public education and community empowerment. www.eqca.org
www.eqca.org

2014 US Gay Pride Festivals & Celebrations

May 23-26 Washington, DC DC Black Pride May 23-26 Chicago, IL Bear Pride May 23-26 Chicago, IL Internatonal Mr Leather IML May 25-June 1 Buffalo, New York Buffalo Gay Pride celebration May 25 Melbourne, FL Space Coast Pride May 30-June 1 Guerneville, CA Sonoma County Pride May 31 Albuquerque, NM Albuquerque Pride May 31 Cincinnati, OH Cincinnati Pride 2014 June 1 Pine City, MN East Central Minnesota Pride June 1 Asbury Park, NJ Jersey Pride June 3-9 Orlando, FL Disney Gay Days June 3-9 Orlando, FL Orlando Black Pride June 4-7 Albany, NY Albany Black & Latino Gay Pride June 6 Washington, DC Capital Pride June 6-8 Los Angeles, CA LA Pride June 6-8 Milwaukee, WI Pridefest June 6-8 Orlando, FL One Magical Weekend June 6-15 Pittsburgh, PA Pittsburgh Pride June 6-16 Boston, MA Boston Pride June 7 Honolulu, HI Honolulu Gay Pride June 7 Anchorage, AK Anchorage Pridefest June 7 Indianapolis, IN Indy Pride Festival June 7 Joplin, MO Joplin Missouri Pridefest June 7-8 Ferndale, MI Motor City Pride June 8 Charleston, WV Rainbow Pride of West Virginia June 8 Philadelphia, PA Philly Pride June 8 Milwaukee, WI Milwaukee Pride Parade June 8 Nyack, NY Gay Pride Rockland June 9-14 Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Pride June 11-15 Key West, FL Key West PrideFest June 12-15 Memphis, TN Memphis Black Pride June 13-14 Nashville, TN Nashville Pride Fest June 13-15 Bisbee, AZ Bisbee Pride June 13-15 Des Moines, IA Capital City Pride June 13-23 Baltimore, MD Baltimore Pride June 14 Spokane, WA OutSpokane Rainbow Festival June 14 Long Island, NY Long Island Pride Parade June 14-15 Portland, OR Portland Pride Festival June 20-21 Columbus, OH Columbus Pride June 20-22 Oklahoma City, OK OKC Pride June 20-22 New Orleans, LA Gay Pride New Orleans June 20-22 Olympia, WA Capital City Pride June 20-29 Houston, TX Pride Houston June 21 Providence, RI RI Pridefest & Parade June 21-22 Fort Collins, CO Fort Collins PrideFest June 21-22 Denver, CO Gay Pride Fest Denver June 21-29 Chicago, IL Chicago Pride June 22 New York, NY Folsom Street East June 22-29 Harlem, NYC Harlem Pride June 27-29 NYC, NY NYC Gay Pride June 27-29 St. Petersburg, FL St. Pete Pride June 28 Santa Fe, NM Pride on the Plaza June 28-29 Minneapolis, MN Twin Cities Pride Celebration June 28-29 San Francisco, CA San Francisco LGBT Pride June 29 Seattle, WA Seattle PrideFest July 1 Orlando, FL Family Outfest July 12 Tacoma, WA July 18-20 San Diego, CA San Diego Pride July 27 San Francisco, CA Up Your Alley TBA Tampa, FL Tampa Pride July 12-13 Bellingham, WA Bellingham Pride July 19-20 Colorado Springs, CO Colorado Springs PrideFest 23 July 20 Bremerton, WA Kitsap Pride Oct 5 Little Rock, AR Little Rock Black Pride August 3 Providence, RI Same Love Same Rights Wedding Expo August 9-10 Chicago, IL Northalsted Market Days August 9-16 Cleveland, OH 2014 Gay Games August 23 Norfolk, Va Hampton Roads Pride Aug 27- Sept 1 New Orleans, LA Southern Decadence August 31 Oakland, CA Oakland Gay Pride 2017 Miami, FL World Outgames TBA Cheyenne, WY Rendezvous TBA Eugene, OR Eugene/Springfield Pride Festival TBA Reno, NV Reno Gay Pride TBA Lansing, MI Michigan Pride TBA Toledo, OH Toledo Pride TBA Charlotte, NC Pride Charlotte September 2-8 Las Vegas, NV Gay Days Las Vegas September 5-6 Las Vegas, NV Las Vegas Pride September 5-7 Lincoln City, OR Oregon Coast Pride September 15 Burlington, VT VT PRIDE September 20 Austin, TX Austin Pride September 21 Dallas, TX Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade September 28 Dallas, TX Same Love Same Rights Wedding Expo TBA Chula Vista, CA South Bay Pride TBA Burlington, VT Pride Vermont Festival TBA Pasadena, CA San Gabriel Valley Pride TBA Roanoke, VA Pride in the Park TBA Durham, NC North Carolina Pride October 6-12 Orlando, FL Come Out with Pride Orlando October 11 Oceanside, CA North County Pride by the Beach October 11-12 Atlanta, GA October 18 Tuscon, AZ Pride in the Desert TBA Memphis, TN Mid-South Pride

Oregon Marriage equality lawsuit: Judge to issue a decision Monday

For Immediate Release -- Friday, May 16

Contact: Peter Zuckerman, Press Secretary: 310-507-4689

Marriage equality lawsuit: Judge to issue a decision Monday

Some counties prepared to start issuing licenses right away

The federal judge in Oregon’s marriage equality lawsuit said he plans to issue an opinion at noon on Monday.

If judge Michael McShane strikes down Oregon’s law excluding same-sex couples from marriage, all loving and committed couples in Oregon could be granted the freedom to marry.
“We don't know which way the judge will rule, but we are hopeful that Oregon is on the verge of making history—and that by next week, all of Oregon's loving, committed couples will be able to wed in our state,” said Amy Ruiz, deputy campaign manager for Oregon United for Marriage.
Oregon United for Marriage launched a “Decision Day Resource Page” last week, for Oregonians anticipating the ruling.

On April 23, Judge McShane heard arguments on motions for summary judgment in the case. On Wednesday May 17 the Judge heard oral arguments from the National Organization for Marriage, which filed their motion to intervene in the case at 11:04 p.m. two days before oral arguments.
So far, more than a dozen judges have ruled for the freedom to marry since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down key parts of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act last year. Once Oregon wins marriage equality, Multnomah County has said that it plans to start issuing licenses right away to gay and lesbian couples.

BACKGROUND ON THE CASES:
Attorneys filed two lawsuits last year in the federal court in Eugene to challenge laws that exclude same-sex couples from marriage in Oregon. In October, attorneys Lake Perriguey and Lea Ann Easton filed the first case, Geiger v. Kitzhaber, on behalf of two couples. In December, staff attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Oregon, and volunteer counsel Misha Isaak and Tom Johnson of Perkins Coie, LLP, and Jennifer Middleton of Johnson, Johnson & Schaller, PC, filed a second case, Rummell v. Kitzhaber,  on behalf of two same-sex couples who wish to marry in Oregon and Basic Rights Education Fund. In January, the judge, Michael McShane, consolidated the two cases.

Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum announced in February that Measure 36 is indefensible. “Sexual orientation does not determine an individual’s capacity to establish a loving and enduring relationship,” she wrote in a brief filed with the court. “The ban cannot withstand a federal constitutional challenge under any standard of review.”

The National Organization for Marriage in Washington D.C. filed a motion to intervene in the case, and now the judge is hearing arguments about how to rule.

The 2014 Russian River Weekend Coming

The 34th Annual Russian River weekend will be the week of May 15 - May 19th, 2014  and will be held in beautiful downtown Guerneville, California.

Russian River Women’s Weekend Tentative Schedule
May 15 – 19, 2014

VIP Pass Pick-up Location = *

 Weekend Long Activities:

• Thursday – Sunday Weekend of the ELEMENTS Guerneville
•  Saturday – Sunday Massage for the Health of It r3 Hotel Courtyard

Thursday:

• 6:00 – 9:00   Welcome Party and VIP Passes available McT’s BullPen *
• 6:00 – 10:00   ELEMENT: FIRE ~ Firewalk of Transformation Camp Outback
• 8:00 – Close   Country Dan’s Lesbytarian Karaoke McT’s BullPen *
• 9:00 – 12:00   Hey Gurl Hey r3 Hotel

Friday:

• 11:00-6:00    VIP Pass Pick-up Center for Sacred Studies*
• 12:00 – 5:00 Let’s get this Party Started Pool Party r3 Hotel ($5.00 or free with VIP Pass)
• 6:00 – 8:00   RAGS - River Area Gals Society (rivergals.com) Rainbow Cattle Company *
• 7:00 – 9:00   Spiritual Seminar Center for Sacred Studies Ladamira – Siberian Shamanaka from Russia (No VIP Pass) $25
• 8:00 – 12:00  Country Dan’s Lesbytarian Karaoke r3 Hotel
• 8:00 – 12:00  3rd Annual DRAGSTRAVAGANZA Buck’s River Mill Theater * ($10 or Free With VIP Pass)
• 8:00 – 1:00 Dance Party w/dj Lady Char River Theater ($10 or Free with VIP Pass)

Saturday:

• 10:00 – 2:00 Spiritual Seminar with Ladamira Center for Sacred Studies (No VIP Pass) $90 one day/$150 both
• 10:00 – 12:00 ELEMENT: AIR ~ Chanting and Mantras Center for Sacred Studies
• ELEMENT: EARTH ~ Walk in Armstrong Woods meet at Center for Sacred Studies With Ladamira
• 11:00 – 6:00 VIP Pass Pick-up Center for Sacred Studies*
• 12:00 – 6:00 ELEMENT: WATER ~ Pool Party R3 Hotel With DJ LadyRyan
• Water Blessing HIGH NOON
• Commitment/Marriage Ceremony ($10 or Free With VIP Pass)
• 2:00 – 5:00 Wet “tease” T-shirt Contest R3 Hotel ($10 or Free With VIP Pass)
• 8:00 – 12:00 Teresa Raef, Darcie Rickert and Velvetta! Buck’s River Mill Theater * ($10 or Free with VIP Pass)
• 9:00 – Close Poo Poo Head Burlesque Show and Dance Party River Theater * With DJ LadyChar Show starts 10:30 ($10 or Free With VIP Pass)

The “More Bang for Your Buck” Show Special:
$15 for both shows on either Friday OR Saturday Nights

•  Friday: 3rd Annual DRAGSTRAVAGANZA & Dance Party
• Saturday: Live Music & Poo Poo Head Burlesque/Dance Party

Sunday:

• 10:00 – 2:00 Spiritual Seminar with Ladamira Center for Sacred Studies (No VIP Pass) $90 one day/$150 both
• 11:00 – 5:00 Brunch and Live Music Buck’s River Mill Theater * ($10, NO VIP Pass –Brunch not included)
• 12:00 – 4:00 Liquid Church Pool Party with DJ LadyRyan r3 Hotel * ($10 or Free With VIP Pass)
• 1:00 – 4:00 “Eat my Pie” Contest r3 Hotel * “Painted Lady” Tattoo Contest RAFFLE to be held at 2:00 p.m. ($10 or Free With VIP Pass)
• 1:00 – 5:30 Sweat Wildwood Retreat Center (No VIP Pass)
• 3:00 Rendezvous with Cool Beans River Mill Dinner Theater ($10, NO VIP Pass)
• 3:00 ELEMENT: WATER~ Special Blessing with Ladamira Center for Sacred Studies
• 7:00 – 10:00 The Afterglow Main Street Station with "Wild Jane, Miss Maple, & The Bass Babe"
• 8:00 - Close Country Dan’s Lesbitarian Karaoke r3 Hotel

Monday:
10:00 – 5:00 Leftover’s Lounge r3 Hotel

For more information, please visit: russianriverwomensweekend.org.

California may remove the words "between a man and a woman"

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A bill that would strike the traditional definition of marriage from California law was approved by the state Senate on Thursday after the U.S. and state supreme courts allowed same-sex unions to resume last year.

SB1306 would remove from the state Family Code language that marriage must be "between a man and a woman." It would substitute gender-neutral language, define marriage as a personal relation arising from a civil contract between two persons, and remove limits on the state recognizing the validity of same-sex marriages performed outside of California.

The bill removes "discriminatory language" from the Family Code and brings state law into compliance with federal and state court decisions allowing same-sex marriages, said Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco.

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court left in place a lower court judge's order striking down as unconstitutional a ballot measure known as Proposition 8, the 2008 voter initiative that outlawed same-sex marriages in California. A 5-4 court majority ruled that the ban's sponsors lacked authority to defend the measure on appeal, though the justices did not directly address the ban's constitutionality.

Marriages resumed in late June after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a stay it had imposed on the lower court ruling. The state Supreme Court dismissed a final challenge by the ban's backers in August.

"I cannot bring myself, though, to diminish the words 'husband and wife,' and this clearly does that. Throughout history those words have been widely used and accepted," said Sen. Jim Nielsen, R-Gerber, the only senator to speak in opposition. "They're kind of sacred terms, I would argue, and by this bill we are diminishing those very important words."

The bill was sent to the Assembly on a 25-10 vote, with only Republicans in opposition. Two Republicans, Anthony Cannella of Ceres and Ted Gaines of Roseville, voted in favor.

"All this bill does is bring our Family Code section up to date to comply with those two court decisions," Leno said. He added later: "The sky did not fall, civilization as we know it did not end" when gay marriages began.

DON THOMPSON, ASSOCIATED PRESS