From the video’s description:
“On June 29, thousands of Apple employees and their families marched in the San Francisco Pride Parade. They came from around the world — from cities as far as Munich, Paris, and Hong Kong — to celebrate Apple’s unwavering commitment to equality and diversity. Because we believe that inclusion inspires innovation.”
(h/t to Graham for sharing)
Gay gamer convention GaymerCon raises over $12,000 on Kickstarter within first 24 hours
GaymerCon, which is described as “the first gaming and tech convention with a focus on LGBT geek culture,” brought in $12,223 USD from supporters on their Kickstarter project within just 24 hours.
The project was launched at around 11:45pm EST on Wednesday, and by the same time on Thursday, it had reached nearly 50% of its $25,000 goal. GaymerCon is scheduled for the late summer of 2013 and will be held in San Francisco.
Matt Conn, the founder of GaymerCon, is excited by how well the Kickstarter project is going. In a short interview with Equalitopia, Matt said, "I’m extremely surprised and humbled by the outpouring of support - it’s amazing to see that people want to see this subculture grow and flourish… and that’s awesome.“
The Kickstarter project is currently up to over $16,500 (65% of the goal) and has 29 more days left in its funding period. With 338 backers, contributions are averaging at around $49.
Just like all Kickstarter projects, if GaymerCon doesn’t reach its goal by the funding period, all backers will be returned their full contribution and the project will receive $0. Looking at the amount of support it has already received, it’s unlikely that it will have any trouble reaching its goal.
However, not everyone has been so supportive. Matt told us that some have criticized him: "It’s depressing the comments and the way people who are against the con have expressed their…feelings on it. We want to create a safe, fun space for this community to grow - and it is not about segregating them at all from the larger community.”
Oreo posts photo of pride Oreo on Facebook, causes controversy
Oreo posted this image to their official Facebook Page in support of pride weekend, which caused some of their Facebook fans to speak up — both for and against it.
“Same-sex couple Frank Capley-Alfano, left, and Joe Capley-Alfano kiss as they celebrate outside San Francisco City Hall Feb. 7, 2012, in San Francisco.”
Proposition 8 was ruled unconstitutional on Tuesday by a federal appeals court in San Francisco.
(Photo: Getty Images via CBS News via Peter Galazka)
Breaking: Three shot outside gay nightclub in San Francisco
Four people were injured during the gay pride weekend in The Castro District of San Francisco, California, according to a report by California Beat.
The shooting occurred sometime after 11:30pm during Pink Saturday, a street party held the night before San Francisco Pride. FOX40 reports that the shooting was at a gay nightclub called “The Cafe” at the intersection of Market and Castro Streets.
The conditions of the people who were injured are unknown at this time.
According to @GAinSF, the photo above shows a Muni Metro station at the Market and Castro intersection. The photographer reports that all roads closed and the riot police have been called in.
(Above photo: sharayray, main photo: Sharon Hahn Darlin)
(EDIT: California Beat reports that the San Francisco Police Department is now reporting that only three people were shot instead of four, which was previously reported.)
Golden State Warriors NBA team host LGBT charity night
Thursday marked the first time the Golden State Warriors basketball team hosted an LGBT night - adding the gay community to its long roster of diversity-themed games that include everything from Bollywood dancing on Indian culture night to horn-blowing rabbis on Jewish heritage night.
Just before the start of Thursday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Oakland-East Bay Gay Men’s Chorus stood at halfcourt in tuxedos and sang the national anthem.
At halftime, the world’s only gay-identified cheerleading team, Cheer SF, gave a high-octane performance, tossing male and female fliers into the air.
Although this is not the first time an NBA team has held a gay night, many gay fans said it was especially poignant that the Warriors reached out, given former player Tim Hardaway’s notorious “I hate gay people” comment in February 2007, for which he later apologized.
(Full story: San Francisco Chronicle)
San Francisco LGBT Center asking city for $1M bailout
Update: San Francisco LGBT Center has tweeted to Equalitopia, posting a link to this PDF which states that the loan was for $157,500. Following this, the Executive Director and the two Co-Chairs of the Center issued a statement to the contrary, exclaiming they did not ask for a $1 million dollar bailout for the Center and are not in foreclosure. The letter states that the Center isn’t seeking bailout at all, but rather requesting a loan in the sum of $157,000, a great deal less than the $1 million figure reported.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that San Francisco’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center is asking the city for big financial help to stay afloat.
Since opening in 2002, the $12.3 million, city-subsidized center has struggled to pay its mortgage and is now on the verge of foreclosure.
Officials are now asking the city for a $1 million line of credit.
The LGBT Center’s staff of 24 provides counseling, job training, HIV prevention and other programs. Center officials had expected to rely on income from community room rentals and donations, but both have dropped off in the recession.
Supervisor Bevan Dufty says it’s a tough time for cash-strapped San Francisco but says keeping the center alive would be a “tremendous benefit” for the city.
(Full story: San Francisco Chronicle / Photo ’Gregoreeeeezy’ on DeviantART)
