There are so many online travel sites these days it’s hard to know which ones to use. All in all, most travel sites offer the same things (hotel, car, and airline reservations), but, there’s a few that stand out from the pack. Whether it’s an easy-to-use rewards program or the latest travel deals, here are the best online travel sites that you should be using to book your next getaway. Expedia The Best Points Program Expedia offers the best rewards program as a whole. You earn points by shopping on their website, or by using their credit card. Then those…
Author: Keith Langston
A new campaign called Well Beings is aiming to help the mental health crisis amongst America’s youth. To launch the project, the organization assembled celebrities and mental health professionals to hold a virtual town hall to address the issue of youth mental health. The event was hosted by numerous celebrities including Billy Porter, Alanis Morissette, Bill Pullman, Jewel, Kid Cudi, and Demi Moore, among many others. One of the main topics was mental health among LGBTQ youth. Trans actor Ian Alexander, star of Netflix’s The OA, spoke about his experience growing up. He said that when he tried to speak…
Tobi, a 16-year-old transgender student at Siegel High in Murfreesboro, was harassed and threatened while using the boy’s bathroom at their high school. According to the Daily News Journal, while Tobi was using one of the stalls, a group of boys entered the bathroom yelling slurs and began banging on the stall door. At one point, Tobi had to press against the door with all their weight in order to keep it from opening. When help finally arrived, Tobi was in the stall crying and shaking with fear. Tobi was given permission to use single-person bathrooms in the school, however, on…
The Stonewall National Museum and Archives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida is believed to be the largest LGBTQ library in the world. The archive is made up of more than six million pages of LGBTQ history. If all the books were stacked up on top of each other, they would equal the height of two Empire State Buildings. However, the Stonewall National Museum and Archives also understands the critical need to enter the digital age and create an online database that can be accessed by anyone, anywhere. Hence how the new In Plain Sight exhibit was born. https://www.stonewallnma.orgThe digital exhibit can…
Chile has just become the 31st country to legalize same-sex marriage, enabling its 18 million residents to love freely. The bill, however, contained much more than just marriage equality. Chile has enacted more parenting and adoption rights for same-sex couples, as well as access to reproductive procedures for the LGBTQ community. The bill was passed overwhelmingly by both sides of the political spectrum, passing with a vote of 82 – 20. According to the BBC, even the country’s right-wing president, Sebastian Pinera, supported the bill, stating, “I think we should deepen the value of freedom, including the freedom to love…
The second edition of KibbutZurich – the Jewish Arts Festival – will take place from May 18 -26 2019 in Zurich! You can expect a diverse program of more than 16 events. The six-day cultural festival (with a special pre-festival party) offers a wide range of events in dance, music, workshops, lectures, culinary expeditions and much more. Here is a primer of the must-visit events of this year’s festival! MAY 18 Tel Aviv Eurovision Dance Party Labor Bar, Schiffbaustrasse 3, 8005 Zürich photo courtesy of KibbutZurichIn A special pre-festival event, the grand finale of Eurovision will be broadcast live…
Earlier this year, famed musician k.d. lang released an album of remixes titled, Makeover. The album soared to #1 on the electronic charts and even spawned two #1 singles on the dance music charts. it was an impressive record that even led NPR to call lang “an immortal voice” in the music world. Now, k.d. lang is back with another remix, this time with the help of DJ and producer, Tracy Young. The song, Constant Craving – Fashionably Late Remix, is a remixed version of her 1992 hit single, Constant Craving. Upon its original release, the single peaked at #2…
At last night’s Oscars celebration, Ariana DeBose made history by becoming the first queer woman of color to win an Academy Award. DeBose won Best Supporting Actress, thanks to her role as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s remake of the famed musical, West Side Story. According to CNN, DeBose took the stage and emotionally stated, “Even in this weird world we live in, dreams do come true. For anyone who has ever questioned their identity, there is indeed a place for us.” DeBose has been widely praised for her role in West Side Story, and her Oscar marks the fourth major…
Suburban Toronto has a new bus taking residents to wherever they need to go… it’s a giant pink bus, with images of famous LGBTQ Canadians on its side. Inside, the bus is filled with facts, information cards, and words of encouragement, all meant to educate people on the LGBTQ community, as well as to inspire LGBTQ riders to feel comfortable being themselves. https://twitter.com/blogTO/status/1145470835018350593 The idea for the bus began with the nonprofit LoveisLoveisLove, after famed Canadian philanthropist Kathryn E. Langley Hope gave the organization a hefty donation to make it happen. The goal was to operate the bus during Pride…
OUTFEST, the world’s premiere LGBTQ entertainment festival, has partnered with the Colin Higgins Foundation to secure grants worth $15,000 to be awarded to young LGBTQ filmmakers. The Colin Higgins Foundation is named after acclaimed LGBTQ screenwriter and director Colin Higgins, who wrote hit films (and queer classics) like Harold and Maude, 9 to 5, and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Sadly, Higgins was diagnosed with AIDS in 1985. After receiving his diagnosis, he was determined to help the future of the LGBTQ community in whatever way he could. He then established the Colin Higgins Foundation, which would be used…
On September 24, the ACLU was presented with the Emmy for Outstanding Short Documentary for their film Trans in America: Texas Strong. The film was made in partnership with Little by Little Films, and was distributed by Conde Nast’s LGBTQ brand, Them. The film centers around 8-year-old transgender child Kai Shappley and her mother Kimberly. At a very young age Kai showed signs that she didn’t identity with her gender at birth. Her mother, Kimberly, struggled with trying to understand and comprehend what was happening. Finally, Kimberly accepted her daughter Kai and embraced her with love and affection. However, with…
LUSH has been famous for decades, known best for their handmade, cruelty-free soaps, shampoos, and of course, bath bombs. But the company is also known for its active social justice campaigns, often fighting to raise funds for animal rights, environmental protection, underprivileged communities, and now, LGBTQ rights. The company has just unveiled their Gay is OK soap. This tropical bar is made with cocoa butter, coconut oil, and grapefruit oil, creating a lusciously fruity and moisturizing soap. Best of all, it’s dusted with LUSH’s famous biodegradable glitter, coating the bar with a shimmery, shining gold sheen. Better yet, 100% of…
The website Apartment Guide just released the new list of America’s most expensive zip codes for renters. They collected data for rental prices for one bedroom apartments throughout the month of October and compiled the rankings. If you’re thinking 90210 is on the list… you’d be wrong. Manhattan isn’t even one of the most expensive places anymore! So, what zip codes did make the list…? 10.) 90292 Marina Del Rey, Los Angeles, California Avg. Price: $3,170 Marina Del Rey, one of LA’s beachside neighborhoods, has boomed in popularity recently. And why wouldn’t it? In Marina Del Rey you can…
One of the most anticipated films of the holiday season is West Side Story. The Disney-backed, Spielberg-directed powerhouse is already getting massive Oscar buzz. However, in the Arab world, the movie has caused intense backlash and has since been banned in numerous countries. The nations of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait have all banned the new adaptation of West Side Story from screening due to its portrayal of a transgender character. The character in question is Anybodys. In the original film, Anybodys was a tomboy who often hung around the Jets. In more recent years, as…
Previously, we reported that cities and regions around Poland are declaring themselves as “LGBT-Fee” zones, and trying to “rid themselves of LGBTQ people and ideology.” Over 80 regions in Poland have declared themselves to “LGBT-Free.” This hateful movement now includes more than 1/3 of the entire country. These regions claim that LGBTQ people go against “traditional values” and lead to the downfall of society. Many activists are calling on the European Union to take action against the blatant human rights violations that are underway in Poland and other countries in Europe, including Hungary and Croatia. And while it’s understandable that…
Earlier this year, photographer Manuel Rodriguez teamed up with The Phluid Project to collaborate on a special project for World Pride. Rodriguez believed it was important to showcase the vast beauty and strength within the LGBTQ community, and the dichotomy of World Pride taking place in an era when LGBTQ rights are being stripped away served as his inspiration: “This book was to tell the world, we’re here,” he said. To create this vision, he spread the word that he would be taking photos of the LGBTQ community and for everyone to send their friends, family, and colleagues his way.…
The new documentary Julia Scotti – Funny That Way explores the life of comedian Julia Scotti, who shot to fame on the talent show America’s Got Talent. Julia, born Rick Scotti, always had a love for stand-up comedy, and despite a good career on the comedy club circuit, Scotti felt something was missing: that he wasn’t who he truly was supposed to be. In his late 40’s, Rick realized he needed to be his true self. After transitioning, Julia not only blossomed into a happier, healthier person, but she rebooted her career as a stand-up comediene. Little did she know…
A new organically-made soda brand, Mixwell, isn’t shying away from showing its values. In their new ad, they blatantly make fun of the MAGA crowd by starting their commercial with a burly man in a truck complaining about needing to make America more manly again. The ad finishes by revealing that the man has a husband, and the two then embrace for a long kiss. The spot concludes with the words “If Real Freedom Offends You, Please Don’t Buy Mixwell.” The ad is quick, witty, fearless, and completely hilarious. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7esCe-LhtSY&t=60s The commercial very clearly mocks Trump-era America, which has…