Florida Agenda

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN – ABSOLUT, one of the world’s most iconic vodka brands, is celebrating 30 years of coming out in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community this fall in truly OUTrageous style – and EVERYONE is invited to join the celebration. To mark three decades of supporting the visionaries and artists of the LGBT community, ABSOLUT is throwing a year-long party in bars and clubs on the streets of the country’s gay epi-centers.

ABSOLUT Vodka placed one of the first national ads in The Advocate in 1981 and has continually supported LGBT charities, bars and clubs, community centers, pride celebrations and media outlets ever since. This ongoing support has earned ABSOLUT widespread recognition as one of the most beloved and recognized brands in the community. Recently awarded the “In the Life Media Pioneer Award” for three decades of being a vanguard of diversity support and giving voice to a community that was historically ignored across media, the new OUTrageous campaign is the next step in the brand’s legendary celebration of the people, events and organizations that make the LGBT community so unique.

ABSOLUT®, the world’s most iconic vodka, is celebrating 30 years of going out and coming out in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community this fall in truly OUTrageous style – and EVERYONE is invited to join the celebration. To mark three decades of supporting the visionaries and artists of the LGBT community, ABSOLUT is throwing a year-long party in bars and clubs on the streets of the country’s gay epi-centers.

The party invitation comes in the form of a stunning new print ad from legendary photographer David LaChapelle and stars his muse, Amanda Lepore amid a visual cornucopia of iconic gay images. In true LaChapelle fashion, the OUTrageous vision draws viewers into to a menagerie of icons and symbols that is about life and cocktails…perfected. The vision encapsulates the celebratory hopefulness of the LGBT community, as well as the legendary men, women (and everything else in between!) that keep the party in the LGBT community going strong.

More information about the year-long party that includes installations, parties, photo opportunities, and much more, visit www.absolut.com

CHICAGO, IL – The newest version of the application to become a student at Elmhurst College asks students if they consider themselves a member of the LGBT community. That question made Elmhurst the first college or university to ask a potential student about their sexual orientation.
According to the Chicago Sun Times, officials of the college said that the question is in a group of questions asking about race and religion and is completely optional and is not taken into consideration on accepting or rejecting the new students. The college said that the purpose of the question was intended to increase diversity among their student body.

By Bob Kecskemety

Last week, U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz held a town hall meeting at the Pride Center at Equality Park where she addressed issues pertinent to the gay community. Despite only a few day notice of the town hall meeting, the main hall of the Pride Center was packed with community members interested in what the Congresswoman had to say.

After introductions by Paul Hyman, Executive Director of the Pride Center and Gary Resnick, Mayor of Wilton Manors, Wasserman Schultz took to the podium and commended the local LGBT community on what a fine job they have done in having such a great community center. She then told how proud she was to represent one of the largest LGBT communities in the country.

Wasserman Schultz is originally from Long Island and attended the University of Florida, where she majored in Political Science. Upon graduation, she decided to stay in Florida and moved to Broward County. At the age of 26, she was elected to the Florida House of Representatives and became the youngest female legislator in the state’s history.

After 8 years in the House, she ran for and won State Senate in 2000. When there became a vacancy for the U.S. House District 20 seat in Florida, she ran and won overwhelmingly. She currently sits on the House’s Budget and Judiciary Committees and is the Democratic Party’s Chief Deputy Whip. She is also Vice Chair of the House’s GLBT Caucus. Last month she received the Pride Center’s Stars of the Rainbow Award for public service and was recently selected by President Barack Obama as the new Chair of the Democratic National Committee.

Wasserman Schultz, now 44, lives in Weston, Florida, with her husband, Steve, eleven year old twins and a seven year old.

“I know you have been frustrated at times. I know that perhaps the pace of change has not come fast enough; I’ve had so many conversations with so many of you saying, ‘come on, let’s go, let’s pick up the pace.”

“I understand that there has been slow changes of pace on gay rights,” said Wasserman Schultz, “hate crimes, the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the decision not to fight the appeal of DOMA and the deportation of a foreign partner in a gay partnership. Well he [President Obama] may have been a little bit of a late-bloomer but you certainly have a lot to be proud of with the hate crimes legislation, the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the decision of the Obama administration, through Attorney General Eric Holder not to appeal the overturning of the Defense of Marriage Act and to halt the deportation of foreign gay partners. That’s tremendous progress. I would not have believed it if you had you told me at the start of my congressional career that we would make this much progress [in just two years].”

Yet, she explained, there is so much more to do. She’s looking forward to passing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, a Student Non-Discrimination Act, a resolution supporting the National Day of Silence, the United American Families Act and a focus on non-bullying measures.

She also feels that the government should provide programs and backup to the public schools to provide a safety net for kids who are struggling with their sexuality so that LGBT teen suicides stop appearing in newspaper headlines.

After speaking, Wasserman Schultz conducted a short question and answer session. Most questions had to do with budget cuts proposed by the Republican majority in the House of Representatives. One of the most touching questions, however, came from a woman who was under chemotherapy and paying $14,000 per treatment.

Another tearful moment was when a gay couple introduced themselves, legally married, they faced separation due to the government’s current policy not recognizing foreign nationals in gay couples.

Other questions included school bullying and teen suicide, lack of Democrats standing up to the Republicans, Medicare and Medicaid cuts, the economy and lack of jobs and increasing Ryan White funding.