Amy Patton

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40 Years After Harvey Milk’s Death: Where Are We Now?

About 41 years ago, first openly gay elected official Harvey Milk made history after winning a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and 40 years ago Nov 27 – he was murdered. “It’s not my victory, it’s yours and yours and yours,” Milk said after winning. “If a gay can win, it means there is hope that the system can work for all minorities if we fight. We’ve given them hope.” Milk and the mayor of San Francisco at the time were gunned down at San Francisco City Hall the following year on November 27 by fellow board […]

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Mourning Transgender Lives Lost so Far This Year

Photo: Facebook. Viccky Gutierrez, 33, was stabbed and had her body set ablaze inside her Los Angeles home on January 10. The transgender community is still one of the most targeted minorities in the United States. Not only are gender-nonconforming individuals being harassed and attacked on the streets, but the government is attempting to erase their entire identity out of existence. With National Transgender Day of Remembrance coming up on November 20, the City of West Hollywood is planning a ceremony for the trans lives lost this year at Jeremy Hotel from 6 – 9 p.m. In total, there were 29 […]

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For Underrepresented LGBTQ+ Community, Our Votes = Our Voices During Midterm Elections

The House and Senate are red. The Trump Administration is directly targeting the LGBTQ+ community on a weekly basis. Your. Vote. Matters.  With midterms just around the corner, it is not only important to vote, but be an informed voter as well. Democrats across the nation have seen a swell of LGBTQ+ candidates running for various positions. “I think candidates are running because they see it’s possible,” Victory Fund President Annise Parker said. “They see the need for more LGBTQ candidates to get involved in the process. But they now see clear evidence that we can win at the very […]

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LGBTQ+ Scholarship Program Provides Future and Opportunity to Queer Students

The application process for the largest national LGBTQ+ scholarship program is opening next week. On average, LGBTQ students accrue $16,000 more debt on than their heterosexual peers, according to a survey by StudentLoanHero.com. Queer-identifying students enrolling in an undergraduate or graduate program for the 2019-2020 school year can can apply for a Point Foundation Scholarship, an L.A.-based organization that currently provides financial assistance to 97 students throughout the U.S. Nearly a third of LGBTQ+ students report being discriminated against based on gender identity or sexual orientation when seeking financial assistance for higher education. “Despite the constant attacks on our community, our LGBTQ young […]

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First LGBTQ+ Church in Los Angeles Celebrates 50 years or Resilience and Acceptance

For many religious members of the LGBTQ+ community, accepting oneself can mean rejecting the Church. However, for Reverend Troy D. Perry, it simply meant there was an space to fill within the LGBTQ+ community with the word of God.  And thus, the Metropolitan Community Church was born. After being kicked out of his church in 1968 for coming out to his wife and clergy, Perry was at a loss. “I felt like I had failed the Lord,” Perry said. Yet, later that year he created a revolution within a revolution a year before Stonewall when he advertised in the Advocate […]

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West Hollywood to Host First Ever Bi Pride

Dust off your pink, purple and blue blue flags because it is Pride season again. Bi Pride, that is! The City of West Hollywood, amBi LA and HRC LA is hosting the first city-wide Bi Pride celebration in the country on Saturday, Sept. 22 at the WeHo Park Auditorium. The event will begin with a rally in front of the auditorium and continue with a Bi Visibility Walk through the heart of West Hollywood before culminating with a party back at the Auditorium. Artists include Torrey Mercer performing her new single Boys/Girls. L.A. Department of Cultural Affairs Artist-in-Residence Kai Hazelwood […]

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California Documentation to Match Gender Identity

Promoting safety and acceptance, two laws that allow Californians to legally change their gender on IDs and birth certificates and simplify the process went into effect this month. Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), authored Senate Bill 179, the Gender Recognition Act, and Senate Bill 310, the Name and Gender Act last year. Now, as they go into effect, he encourages residents to visit the California Courts’ online help center for assistance with the new streamlined procedures. “Mindful of all the people I know who are gender-nonconforming, and the families I know with transgender children, I wanted to make sure […]

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Let the Gay Games Begin!

Gay Games Paris are from Aug. 4 – 12. With the 10th Annual Gay Games celebration in Paris, France right around the corner, Southern California athletes in the LGBTQ+ community are gearing up to bring home the gold! Most notable local participant, West Hollywood Councilmember John Heilman will be running a half marathon and two 10ks. “While we’ve made significant progress in advancing equality for LGBTIQ people in the U.S., progress has been much slower in other parts of the world,” Heilman said on his GoFundMe fundraising page. “In fact, homosexuality is still a crime in over 70 countries, and […]

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