President Biden Hosts a Ceremony on the South Lawn to Sign the Respect for Marriage Act!

What a sweet moment! 🥹@POTUS gave @VP Harris the pen he used to sign the Respect for Marriage Act into law.

📸: Kent Nishimura pic.twitter.com/L5mgzDjYR2

— best of kamala harris (@archivekamala) December 13, 2022

It was great to be at the White House to celebrate the Respect for Marriage Act being signed into law by @POTUS! I’m happy that the hard work and long hours of bipartisan negotiation have finally paid off for the millions of loving same-sex & interracial couples across America. pic.twitter.com/BrnxtnYAxw

— Sen. Tammy Baldwin (@SenatorBaldwin) December 13, 2022

Who woulda thought the gayest party I’ve ever been to was at the White House? Thank you @POTUS for signing the Respect for Marriage Act! #LoveIsLove 🏳️‍🌈 pic.twitter.com/EA1rdoAxXt

— Jeremy Moss (@JeremyAllenMoss) December 13, 2022

A beautiful day to witness and celebrate @POTUS signing the Respect for Marriage Act into law! 🏳️‍🌈

A special shout-out to my friend @SenatorBaldwin and all of the advocates who worked so hard to make this happen. pic.twitter.com/UXxNrUAZNV

— Senator Mazie Hirono (@maziehirono) December 13, 2022

The Respect for Marriage Act is now the law of the land. I was honored to watch as @POTUS honored the fundamental right of Americans to marry the person they love. It means people like my child will have the same rights as everyone else.💖 pic.twitter.com/4HNclCg2DZ

— Secretary Deb Haaland (@SecDebHaaland) December 13, 2022

Joe Biden got ahead of Barack Obama on marriage equality. After signing the Respect for Marriage Act into law, he passed his pen to VP Kamala Harris.

Never say both parties are the same. Only Democrats are committed to protecting LGBTQ people & other vulnerable communities. https://t.co/JFXxZenYfu

— HawaiiDelilah™ (@HawaiiDelilah) December 13, 2022

As attorney general of California, I had the honor of giving the order to allow same-sex marriages to take place across the state in 2013.

Now, we continue our progress with the Respect for Marriage Act becoming law. pic.twitter.com/w6eDBri6e0

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) December 13, 2022

Could not be happier to have @ageofjavs, @ProudTwinkie, and @Victorshi2020 representing the @VotersTomorrow team at the White House today. #LoveAndEqualityWin pic.twitter.com/8V2DrIdnfF

— Santiago Mayer (@santiagomayer_) December 14, 2022

Love, forever more. 💕 pic.twitter.com/sg8DGGCRlw

— Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) December 14, 2022

Writing a Chrysanthemum: The Drawings of Rick Barton

Fascinating new exhibition of drawings by Rick Barton at the The Morgan Library & Museum.

They write:

"Very little is known about Rick Barton (1928–1992), who, between 1958 and 1962, created hundreds of drawings of striking originality. His subjects range from the intimacy of his room to the architecture of Mexican cathedrals, and from the gathering places of Beat-era San Francisco to the sinuous contours of plants. Drawing almost exclusively in pen or brush and ink, he captured his subjects in a web of line that was sometimes simple and economical, but more often complex and kaleidoscopic. With the exception of small displays in cafés and bookshops in the 1950s and ‘60s, this exhibition of sixty drawings, two accordion-fold sketchbooks, and five printed works, is the first time Barton’s art is being seen by the public."

 

“Untitled [Seated figure in the Black Cat Café],” Sept. 27, 1960, pen and ink, in the exhibition “Writing a Chrysanthemum: The Drawings of Rick Barton” at the Morgan Library & Museum. UCLA Library Special Collections 

The Morgan provides details on Rick Barton's drawing: "The Black Cat Café, located at the edge of San Francisco's North Beach, was a cause célèbre in the fight for gay rights. In the 1940s it became a gathering place for the queer community, attracting the attention of state liquor officials, who often revoked the licenses of gay bars. For nearly fifteen years the Black Cat's owner fought in court to retain its liquor license. The Black Cat gained additional renown tor the popular drag performances of activist Jose Sarria, who mounted a historic, if ultimately unsuccessful. campaign for a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1961. ...this figure who is absorbed in a book, bears some resemblance to Sarria."

More by Walker Mimms in the New York Times - Unearthing Rick Barton, a Boho Bard of North Beach

"His drawings from the early ’60s in 'craggy, neurotic, ruthlessly precise ink' are on view in a remarkable museum debut at the Morgan Library."

Catalog Available from the Morgan and also Here 

St. Vincent & Dua Lipa | Masseduction / One Kiss | 2019 GRAMMYs

St. Vincent & Dua Lipa share the stage for mashup performance of their respective songs, 'Masseduction' and 'One Kiss.'

Thank You Taylor Swift!

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I’m writing this post about the upcoming midterm elections on November 6th, in which I’ll be voting in the state of Tennessee. In the past I’ve been reluctant to publicly voice my political opinions, but due to several events in my life and in the world in the past two years, I feel very differently about that now. I always have and always will cast my vote based on which candidate will protect and fight for the human rights I believe we all deserve in this country. I believe in the fight for LGBTQ rights, and that any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender is WRONG. I believe that the systemic racism we still see in this country towards people of color is terrifying, sickening and prevalent. I cannot vote for someone who will not be willing to fight for dignity for ALL Americans, no matter their skin color, gender or who they love. Running for Senate in the state of Tennessee is a woman named Marsha Blackburn. As much as I have in the past and would like to continue voting for women in office, I cannot support Marsha Blackburn. Her voting record in Congress appalls and terrifies me. She voted against equal pay for women. She voted against the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which attempts to protect women from domestic violence, stalking, and date rape. She believes businesses have a right to refuse service to gay couples. She also believes they should not have the right to marry. These are not MY Tennessee values. I will be voting for Phil Bredesen for Senate and Jim Cooper for House of Representatives. Please, please educate yourself on the candidates running in your state and vote based on who most closely represents your values. For a lot of us, we may never find a candidate or party with whom we agree 100% on every issue, but we have to vote anyway. So many intelligent, thoughtful, self-possessed people have turned 18 in the past two years and now have the right and privilege to make their vote count. But first you need to register, which is quick and easy to do. October 9th is the LAST DAY to register to vote in the state of TN. Go to vote.org and you can find all the info. Happy Voting! 🗳😃🌈

A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) on Oct 7, 2018 at 4:33pm PDT

Happy National Coming Out Day

John Lewis ‏@repjohnlewis  1h1 hour ago

It doesn't matter if we are straight or gay or transgender--we are one people, we are one family, we are one love. #NationalComingOutDay

From HRC: Every year on National Coming Out Day, we celebrate coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) or as an ally. Today, Oct. 11, 2016, we mark the 28th anniversary of National Coming Out Day.
28 years ago, on the anniversary of the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, we first observed National Coming Out Day as a reminder that one of our most basic tools is the power of coming out. One out of every two Americans has someone close to them who is gay or lesbian. For transgender people, that number is only one in 10.
Coming out - whether it is as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or allied - STILL MATTERS. When people know someone who is LGBTQ, they are far more likely to support equality under the law. Beyond that, our stories can be powerful to each other.
In honor of National Coming Out Day, HRC honors all who have come out as LGBTQ or as a straight ally for equality – that takes bravery, and we commend you.Every person who speaks up changes more hearts and minds, and creates new advocates for equality.
Watch HRC's National Coming Out Day 2016 video:

Wear Purple Today to Show Support for LGBTQ Youth