Tag Archives: lesbian marriage

‘Orange Is the New Black’ Lea DeLaria Talks About Butch Visibility

During the Netflix dramedy’s panel on Tuesday at the Television Critics Association press tour, the cast of Orange Is the New Black were on hand to field questions from reporters on the show.

In attendance was Taylor Schilling, Uzo Aduba, Taryn Manning, Selenis Leyva, Lea DeLaria and Natasha Lyonne.

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Although the cast were tight-lipped about its fourth season, they did shed a lot of light on the show to-date.

One thing they did discuss was the impact the show had made on LGBT visibility.

The show is considered a force for the LGBT movement. With its diverse characters and raw storytelling, it has been a voice for those who have long been without one.

DeLaria, who plays Boo, said the Netflix series has helped to “win the hearts and minds of people.”

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In season 3 we got to see Boo’s backstory. DeLaria expanded on the similarities between her own past and Boo’s, praising OITNB’s writers, and adding that.

I actually had to call [writer] Lauren Morelli and ask if she had read my f—king diary. Butches have a shared life experience and you saw all of it in Boo’s backstory.

She continued.

“My parents actually learned. They actually listened to me. They actually became people who understood that being comfortable in my own skin and having no apologies for who I am was an important thing in this world. And then, they grew to understand me and I grew to understand them, and we love each other very dearly and were very close until the day they both passed.

So that’s the only difference, I think, between Boo’s story and mine. Unfortunately, the story that they showed, Boo’s story, is all too common. Way too common.”

The Netflix star also spoke about impact on the LGBT community:

The politics of the LGBT community has been about gaining our rights, fighting for our rights, achieving our rights. And recently it’s been turned a little bit more towards winning the hearts and minds of people.”

DeLaria added.

A large part of what we’ve done [with regards to] the politics of the LGBT community has been about gaining our rights, fighting for our rights and achieving our rights. Recently, it’s turned more toward winning the hearts and minds of people. I feel very strongly that Orange Is the New Black has been very important in that part of what has happened to us and our community.”

DeLaria and cast-mates are currently shooting Season 4 of Orange.

11 Things I’ve Learnt In My First Year Of Marriage

My wonderful, beautiful wife and I have just celebrated our first anniversary. In total we’ve been together almost five years together, but despite this we still haven’t really figured it out.

This past year has been the most challenging and rewarding of my life. So, here are the things I’ve learned over the last 365 days:

1. Marriage isn’t always easy; it takes work.

Marriage, a house, two cats, and thinking about having a baby. It’s rasied my anxiety levels to a whole new high. We have a serious responsibility and it’s tough.

2. I had no idea how selfish I was.

I’m sure I’m not alone here, but it was much easier for my wife to think of us as a team rather than individuals. It’s not Kate and Sammy anymore. It’s “us” and “we.”

3. However, you should still be a little selfish (sometimes).

That being said, you still need to be a little selfish and do things that make you happy.

4. People communicate differently.

My wife and I are working hard to learn how to communicate with each other. She likes to talk things out, and I avoid all confrontation.

5. You don’t have to agree on everything.

My wife and I have slightly different views on style and fashion, money – how many kids we want. And that’s okay, as long as we respect each other’s views.

6. Don’t stretch yourselves too thin.

Take some time to just chill. Take a nap, binge-watch “Orange Is The New Black,” or just do nothing.

7. Sometimes, you just need to listen.

As humans, we have the urge to solve problems and really just to talk. In marriage, or in any relationship, you should just learn to listen.

8. Actions speak louder than words.

Don’t tell her you are going to do it. Do it.

9. To trust and be trusted are amazing feelings.

Be present, and get excited about every moment you get to spend together

10. Never settle – Make your life together everything you want it to be.

11. Say “I love you.”

 

 

10 Signs You’ve Found The Woman You Should Settle Down With

There’s one thing we’re all chasing after, and that is love.

Falling in love is like coming home. Your worries are quieted and you feel protected in your partner’s arms. And when you’re deep in love, it’s hard not to picture the rest of your life with that other person.

But how do we know for certain that it’s real forever and not just a fantasy?

Here are the ten signs you’ve found the woman you want to spend the rest of your life with:

1. You don’t need to pretend

Good days and bad days, you can totally be yourself — whatever mood you’re in — and she always thinks you shine. She understands who you are and doesn’t expect you to be anyone but yourself. There’s no pretending. You can lounge in stained sweatpants and not formulate sentences; she gets it because she’s right there with you.

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2. At the end of a really bad day, all you want is to be with her

No matter what kind of crummy mood you’re in, you’d rather be with her than be alone. She will always patiently listen to you, while you speak your mind and she won’t invalidate your concerns with her honest feedback. Her confidence and passion positively influence your own, which makes your relationship all the more exciting. You want to be near her, always.

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3. The attraction is more than just physical

Physically, emotionally and mentally, you two are compatible on all those levels. The chemistry between you both is powerful enough to block everything else out. Even doing the littlest things together, such as running to the grocery store, feel more special because she’s around. You can’t keep your hands off each other and you certainly aren’t holding back.

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4. You want to share every experience with her

When you envision your future, she has a major role in it (and vice versa). The idea of spending the rest of your life with her doesn’t scare you. Being by her side is where you feel most comfortable.

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5. She not only listens to you, but she also hears what you’re saying

She can read between the lines and anticipate your needs without you having to communicate them all the time. She knows what you are trying to say without having to always explain yourself. You help each other grow and become the people you want to be.

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6. You have the same idea of romance

Whatever your definition of romance is — intimate dinners, long road trips, cuddling in bed — she shares in it and will go the extra step to make that happen.

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7. You love more than you fight

It never feels good to fight because you care too much about her to hurt her. The compromise always seems like the best option because you both can be happy. But at the end of the day, you really can’t stay mad at each other for long.

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8. Your happiness is her happiness, and vice versa

You know she’s the one because she’s good to you in ways that you’ve never thought possible. She wants what’s best for you, even if it comes at a cost to her.
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9. She accepts you as you are

You’re messier, louder and maybe less funny, but she loves you for it. She makes you feel good about all those things you might dislike about yourself.

She knows everything about you — good and bad — and appreciates both because it’s all part of who you are.

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10. She lets the world know you’re her true love

She brags about you to her friends because she’s so proud to call you her own. You would brag more, except everyone already knows how enamoured you are.

You are hers, she is yours and suddenly it all feels comfortingly simple.

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Lea Delaria Loses Weight After Diabetes Diagnosis

Comedian and actress, Lea Delaria, has lost 50 Pounds (22.7 Kilograms) after she was diagnosed with diabetes.

The Orange Is The New Black star said she started to feel sluggish as she shot season two of the hit female prison drama series last year (14), and it was only after she visited a doctor that she learned the cause of her problem.

I went through a year of going, ‘Why do I feel so bad?’… I’ve always been really energetic, but for a year I was feeling really weird, I didn’t know what was going on. Once we did the blood test and we understood what was going on, it was great. 

And now I’ve got my energy back. I feel like me and everything is great… I lost 50 pounds since September. I lost 25 pounds since the SAG Awards (in January) – it’s crazy!”

DeLaria reveals she had to reduce carbohydrates and sugar in her diet to help control the type two diabetes, and the lifestyle change, in addition to her medication, has helped her slim down dramatically.

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However, the actress admits her weight loss journey hasn’t been fun as the diabetes medication frequently makes her feel sick.

One: I have no appetite. Two: When I finally do get an appetite, I take two bites of it. Three: Anything I eat comes right out again because of the medication. My fiancee is like, ‘You’re living my dream!’ It ain’t my dream (sic) – I’d rather eat a steak, let’s be honest.”

DeLaria became engaged to Chelsea Fairless in February (15).

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Its official, Orange is the New Black’s Lea DeLaria Is Getting Married

Its official, Orange is the New Black’s Lea DeLaria is off the market. The actress, singer and comedienne, made the announcement Friday on her Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages that she is marrying longtime girlfriend Chelsea Fairless.

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The announcement was accompanied by an altered photo of DeLaria and Fairless standing beside Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor (the original image was from Liza Minnelli and David Gest’s 2002 wedding).

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“Despite their concerns about the patriarchal confines of marriage, actor / singer Lea DeLaria & editrix Chelsea Fairless of Brooklyn, New York are pleased to announce their engagement. No date has been set for the impending nuptials but it’s safe to say that it will be the event of the season, or, a total shit show.” 

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The actress also confirmed that Jesse Tyler Ferguson will be the best man, while Sandra Bernhard will officiate the wedding.

DeLaria, who now has had number stage and screen appearances, including her standout role of prison inmate Big Boo in the hit Netflix series, will also be honored in Chicago on Valentine’s Day with the Equality Illinois Freedom Award.

Lifting Same-Sex Marriage Ban In Florida Allows Lesbian Couple To Be Legally Recognised As Joint Parents

A Florida judge has ruled that genetics are not required for parenthood.

This is a first in Florida, but by lifting of a same-sex marriage ban now means an infant has the right to call both women in a lesbian couple her parents.

Palm Beach Circuit Judge, Lisa Small, ruled that both Lisa Maxwell and Christine Stephens-Maxwell are the parents of 7-week-old Satori. Satori was born last month after Christine became pregnant through in-vitro fertilization. The couple had married in New York in 2012.

Florida law recognizes that a baby born to a married couple from in-vitro fertilization is the child of both husband and wife. But Circuit Judge Lisa Small extended that recognition to the spouse of the child-bearing wife, now that Florida recognizes same-sex marriages.

“To afford the constitutional protections to which petitioner is entitled, the court interprets ‘husband’ … to mean the spouse of the child-bearing wife.”

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Before the ban was lifted earlier this month, Lisa would have had to adopt Satori.

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“I can’t imagine having to go to a hospital, having to go to a school and being turned away and not recognized that this is my child who I love dearly”

Lisa Maxwell.

Lisa Maxwell’s petition also asked Small to recognize the couple’s out-of-state marriage, which she did.

“Not only can we get married, but we can create wonderful families.”

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Small’s ruling builds on the ground-breaking federal court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage Jan. 6 in Florida.

Court Rules that Indiana Must Recognise Terminally Ill Lesbian’s Marriage

Prior to the current flood of in-state support for same-sex marriage, in which several states in the United States of America have had their same-sex marriage bans struck down by judges who have deemed the bans as a violation of the United States Constitution (and are therefore unlawful), judges in the state of Indiana made waves back in May when it was forced to recognise the marriage of Niki Quasney – who has terminal ovarian cancer – and Amy Sandler. At the time, the judge said that there was “no reason” to delay the recognition and in some cases it paved the way for last week’s decision by US District Judge Richard Young to throw out Indiana’s ban on same-sex marriages altogether. However, as the appeals court recently saw that ban reinstated, it may be back to square one for Quasney, Sandler and other same-sex couples like them.

The appeals court in question saw that the ban would be put in place until the appeal is over. It’s unclear as to whether or not the appeal would be successful and therefore bring back Indiana’s same-sex marriage ban full-time, but that ruling did mean that Quasney and Sandler’s marriage was no longer recognised by the state. Thankfully, the ruling was partially overturned by the 7th Circuit Court of appeals meaning good news for the couple at least as their marriage will now be recognised once more.

Paul D. Castillo, Staff Attorney for Lambda Legal said of the rulings,

“It is time for the State of Indiana to leave Niki and Amy in peace and not subject them and their marriage to any more stress and uncertainty as this case proceeds. We’re thrilled that the court ruled in favour of this family as Niki battles stage four ovarian cancer. We will continue to fight until no family in Indiana needs to worry about their marriage being stripped away from them and all Hoosiers have the freedom to marry.”

Hopefully the stress will be kept off of the couple in the future but other couples will possibly have to wait until the end of Summer for a definitive decision on Indiana’s same-sex marriage ban, given that the appeals court is waiting until the 5th of August to hear the case. We’ll keep you posted on developments in the case once we know more.

Demi Lovato Promote’s Equal Marriage with HRC

HRC have officially re-launched their successful video campaign – Americans for Marriage Equality. The first first features Demi Lovato.

In the video, Lovato makes the case for marriage equality, saying,

“Let’s protect love and strengthen the institution of marriage by allowing loving, caring and committed same-sex couples to legally marry.”

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The video is part of the HRC’s public engagement campaign featuring prominent Americans who support committed gay and lesbian couples getting married. Demi also penned an email to HRC’s more than 1.5 million members and supporters, calling on all Americans to get involved in the fight for marriage equality nationwide.

Platinum-selling recording artist and actress, Demi Lovato, recently lent her voice to the LGBT community, by being named Grand Marshal of the 44th annual Los Angeles Pride parade and headline performing at NYC Pride’s Dance on the Pier. Her performance at LA Pride served as the backdrop for her new music video and LGBT anthem, “Really Don’t Care.” With a fan base that includes over 20 million die-hard Twitter followers and 30 million fans on Facebook, her latest album, Demi, hit #1 on iTunes in 50 countries and the lead single—”Heart Attack”— earned Platinum status just 10 weeks after launch.

As one of the LGBT community’s most vocal allies, Demi has made anti-bullying advocacy a cornerstone of her public life, impacting countless young people around the world – including the youth in the LGBT community who view her as a role-model when it comes to being true to yourself. At a time where 92 percent of adolescents are constantly being exposed to negative messages about being LGBT, Demi provides an incredible stance on positivity and love.

For more information visit http://americansformarriageequality.org

Gay Wedding Photographers Talk About Their Craft

Buzzfeed recently interviewed contributors to a fascinating new book about gay wedding photography, The New Art of Capturing Love. A dozen of them were happy to chat about snapping intimate moments, having their expectations challenged and learning about same-sex love…

Denver Smith loves snapping couples who are out and proud all the way through their wedding ceremony. ‘I love it when they both ask their parents to stand close to them during their vows,’ he says.

Thea Dodd from Authentic Eye Photography claims that photographing same-sex marriages has opened her mind and made her better at photographing any kind of wedding, straight or gay. The most wonderful moment in Andrea Flanagan’s career so far is witnessing the loved ones of a gay couple circling round them, offering their heratfelt compliments and tributes. For her, there was no better way these relatives could ‘support the union’. She has come up with this eloquent metaphor for marriage equality: ‘Love is a universal melody sung by all couples; it’s up to you to hear the music.’

‘There is something so pure, so real, and vulnerable about the love between the couples I’ve photographed,’ says Kristin Chalmers. Bri McDaniel believes that, in her line of work, there’s nothing better than documenting on camera the love of two people. Similarly, Kat Forder asserts that the quiet, intimate moments between LGBT newlyweds make the best pictures.

Maggie Winters of the Washington, DC-based wedding photography firm Pop Ed Co loves seeing her subjects being congratulated and high-fived by passersby: ‘People come from all over the district to get married and I look forward to every gig.’

‘The most important thing I learned when photographing same-sex couples was not to put gender roles on them,’ says straight snapper Cean Orrett, having spent two years working at same-sex weddings.

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Looking back, Yet Still Looking Forward – The Acceptance of Same Sex Love

Same Love is KitschMix’s tune of the day.

Back in 2012 Seattle-based hip hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis released this video to YouTube. 118, 137, 502 views later the music and words are still so powerful to listen to. Same Love, features vocals by the amazing Mary Lambert, and talks openly about the issue of LGBTQ rights. It was recorded during the campaign for Washington Referendum 74, which was campaign to legalise Same-sex marriage in Washington State – Now approved.

The song reached number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the first song to ever openly promote and celebrate same-sex marriage in the United States It also reached number 1 in both New Zealand and Australia, and was nominated at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards for Song of the Year.

The music video was launched on YouTube on October 2, 2012, and accumulated 350,000 views 24 hours after its debut. The video, spanning decades, depicts the life of the main character and the same-sex partner with whom he falls in love, including the social conflicts which befall them in relation to their sexual orientation, their eventual marriage, and their final parting in old age.

The wedding of the main couple was filmed at All Pilgrims Christian Church in Seattle. Macklemore and Mary Lambert cameo in non-speaking roles in the video. “Same Love” is now the unofficially adopted as an anthem by supporters of legalising same-sex marriage, particularly in reference.

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First Ever Lesbian Married ‘Throuple’ Expecting Baby

Three women from Massachusetts, USA, who were the world’s first lesbian threesome (a.k.a. as ‘throuple’) to get married, are expecting their first baby. Kitten, Doll and Bryn, who tied the knot last summer, have been receiving IVF treatment using an anonymous sperm donor. Kitten, 27, is now expecting and the plan is that all three wives will eventually have babies.

If the IVF treatment is not successful for all of them, they are happy to consider alternatives such as adoption. 34-year-old Brynn says: ‘The hope is to have three kids altogether. We always joke that the children should never outnumber the parents.’

At their wedding ceremony in August 2013, the three women, dressed in traditional white gowns, were given away by each of their fathers. A specialist family attorney worked hard to draw up the necessary paperwork to ensure that the throuple would be as legally bound to each other as possible.

Kitten and Brynn are legally married according to Massachusetts legislation, while Doll is handfasted. There is no marriage quite like it anywhere in the world. Software designer Brynn and met fashion designer Doll back in 2009, and they had both decided that monogamous relationships didn’t suit them.

Doll says: ‘I had always dated girls – who although they had boyfriends or girlfriends – were also allowed to date me. I never thought that much about it and I had never really ‘come out’ as poly to my friends and family. To me, it was just how I was.’

Deciding that they wanted to turn their relationship into a threesome, Doll and Brynn set up an OKCupid page and found fashion manager Kitten, who had had two long-term relationships with men in the past. She says, ‘I realised that I hadn’t been happy in my previous monogamous relationships and I discovered that I was poly.