UTK volOUT

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Yesterday, Raffi Freedman-Gurspan was named as the official LGBT liaison for the White House. She’s a trans woman of color with lots of experience organizing in trans communities and advocacy groups – and she’s also the first transgender person to ever have this role. 

Last year, Raffi became the first trans person on staff at the White House when she became the outreach and recruitment director in the presidential personnel office. Now, she’ll be the administration’s primary point person when it comes to working with LGBT groups. 

Some background on both Raffi and the role:

Marsha Scott, a straight woman, was the first White House gay and lesbian liaison, named to the role by President Clinton in 1995. Later, cisgender gays and lesbians held the role in the Clinton and Obama administrations. The position was held most recently by Aditi Hardikar, who left the post in January to join Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.

Before joining the White House, Raffi was a policy adviser at the National Center for Transgender Equality and a legislative director in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

LGBT+ MASTERLIST PROJECT BY ROCIO @nuevayor

Week One: It’s my pleasure to introduce my fourteen week LGBT+ masterlist project. Each week I’ll delve in different facets of LGBT+ media and share my findings with you all one post at a time. Thanks to my girlfriend, Margaux, @mightyachillis for the gifs. Stay tuned for next week’s post: LGBT+ MOVIES

Without further ado is this week’s medium: LGBT+ TELEVISION

Sense8 — Transgender woman played by a transgender woman! Pansexual characters and lesbian and gay couples! Rainbow dildos! Pride parade! This sci-fi drama honestly has it all in my LGBT book.

The Fosters — This drama surrounds the story of two lesbian women and their foster and adoptive children, one of which is also gay. This show explores what’s not often seen in television — a gay child’s coming of age story.

Shadowhunters — Gay Shadowhunter (Alec) pines over his Parabatai (Jace) while bisexual warlock (Magnus) distracts him from making the wrong choice (Jace) in this fantasy adventure series.

Jane the Virgin — Jane Villanueva is a virgin, and also a soon-to-be mother. She was accidentally artificially inseminated by her OBGYN in the first episode. Aforementioned OBGYN is a lesbian getting over her cheating ex, and the sister of Jane’s baby daddy. Yeah, and it gets more complicated than that in this comedy-drama.

Queer as Folk — This Showtime drama series follows the lives of a group of gay men as they tumbled into lives of parties, drugs, addictions, and a whole bunch of other topics. One thing is for certain: everyone and everything is gay.

Friends — Ross’s ex-wife leaves him before the series starts, but she has a tremendous role in the following ten seasons and for television itself: in the series’ second season (The One with the Lesbian Wedding), Carol marries Susan, her partner, in network TV’s first lesbian wedding.

Looking — Set in San Francisco, a group gay best friends lead their lives trying to find love in the modern city lifestyle and stick together through the hardships sent their way in this HBO drama.

Jessica Jones — Superhuman Jessica Jones works for Jeri Hogarth, a lesbian who’s trying to divorce her wife to be with her assistant.

Broad City — This comedy follows the lives of two New York City girls, one of which is bisexual. Ah, yes, the very well known best friend in love with her straight best friend trope is very much alive and well, and this show proves it — doesn’t make it less funny though.

Orphan Black — Lesbian clone falls for her genius French colleague in this sci-fi drama. #otp: french americana

Once Upon a Time — Mulan is in love with Aurora in this mash up of all your fantastical Disney faves.

The Legend of Korra — Canonically bisexual character! You probably won’t pick up the signs until the later seasons of the animated action series (I sure didn’t), but then take off your heteronormative goggles and you’ll see it plain as day.

Black Sails — A historical drama with gay and bi pirates.

Desperate Housewives — This comedy-drama-mystery features an ensemble cast and LGBT+ themes overarching the series’ run.

It’s Bi Visibility Day! Here are some famous bi people with quotes about their bisexuality :)

Alan Cumming: “I don’t understand this but I never felt any shame about my sexuality and the idea that I found boys attractive as well as girls.”

Lady Gaga: “I’m boy-crazy, and girl-crazy too. it really depends on where I am. I love men, I love women and I love sex.”

Freddie Mercury: “I play on the bisexual thing because it’s something else, it’s fun… the last thing I want to do is to give people an idea of exactly who I am. I want people to work out their own interpretation of me and my image.”

David Bowie: “It’s true — I am a bisexual. But I can’t deny that I’ve used that fact very well. I suppose it’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Anna Paquin: “For me, it’s not really an issue because I’m someone who believes being bisexual is actually a thing. It’s not made up. It’s not a lack of decision. It’s not being greedy or numerous other ignorant things I’ve heard at this point.”

Kurt Cobain: “I’m definitely gay in spirit, and I probably could be bisexual… If I wouldn’t have found Courtney, I probably would have carried on with a bisexual lifestyle.”

Drew Barrymore: “I regard myself as bisexual. If you’re with a woman, it is like if you’re exploring your own body, only through someone else.”

Angelina Jolie: “I like everything. Boyish girls, girlish boys, the heavy and the skinny. Which is a problem when I’m walking down the street.”

For a friend who had troubles keeping track of the different sexual orientations. Sorry for not including all of them, I included the most common ones.

I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS THANK YOU