LGBT TRAVELERS CAN REVEL IN 2016 LINEUP OF FABULOUS LAS VEGAS EVENTS

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LAS VEGAS – Travelers looking for an exciting and colorful array of LGBT events can look no further than the Entertainment Capital of the World. This year ushers in a blending of events that offer an incredible variety of opportunities for only-in-Vegas moments, including daylife, nightlife, entertainment, sporting events, festivals, conventions and more. With celebrated events returning for another fantastic year, and new events making their debut, this year will truly be extraordinary in Las Vegas.

For the first time in National Gay Basketball Association (NGBA) history, the NGBA will host their National LGBT Basketball Championships April 22-24 in Las Vegas. The Coady Roundball Classic brings 36 LGBT and Ally teams from across the U.S. and Canada to Las Vegas and is the longest running LGBT basketball tournament in the world.

Created for lesbians by lesbians, the fun-filled Dinah Vegas returns for its fifth year in Las Vegas. Guests of the weekend-long event can revel cocktail parties, sunshine, poolside fun and more, April 28 – May 1. Caesars Entertainment welcomes the ladies in style with live entertainment from a top-tier line up of Lesbian DJs including Dawna Montell, Dirty Kurty, Whitney Day and DJ Du Jour. Event highlights include a headlining performance by former Pussycat Doll Kaya at the Infinity Pool Party inside Flamingo Las Vegas and the always anticipated Vegas White party at Chateau Nightclub at Paris Las Vegas.

Poolside summer fun continues with Las Vegas’ longest running LGBT pool party, Temptation Sundays which makes its triumphant return for its seventh season at Luxor Hotel & Casino on May 15. This celebrated poolside party takes place every Sunday afternoon May – Sept and features the hottest DJs spinning top tracks, specialty beverages and celebrations.

Las Vegas welcomes the Prime Timers Western Regional Gathering, May 1-5 at The Stratosphere Hotel & Casino. The gathering is arriving in Las Vegas for its seventh year and brings mature gay and bisexual men together for four days of tours, workshops, activities, friendship, support and personal growth.

Las Vegas welcomes the largest gay dance festival of the summer, Matinee Las Vegas, May 27– 30. The festival is celebrating its sixth year and the festivities will take over Rumor Hotel for four exciting days of revelry. Plus, the Water Park event is back for a new all-day and night edition at Cowabunga Bay May 28. Matinee Las Vegas features sizzling parties, bumping DJs and welcomes thousands of LGBT partiers from coast to coast.

Another first, Las Vegas welcome the Big Gay Men Organization’s Western Coast Conference taking place at Luxor Hotel & Casino July 7–11. This year’s event offers a vendor hall, hospitality suites, evening entertainment options and concludes with the Temptation Sundays pool party.

The Las Vegas Showgirl Invitational bowling tournament is Sept. 2-4. The event takes place at Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall and includes team competition, as well as singles and doubles tournaments all weekend long. Join local bowlers and teams from across the U.S. in this fun LGBT bowling tournament.

Las Vegas PRIDE takes place Oct. 22 and 23 with a lineup of events that celebrate the diversity and uniqueness within the Las Vegas LGBT community. Events include the annual PRIDE Night Parade on Oct. 22 in fabulous Downtown Las Vegas. The PRIDE Festival is in a new, larger location at Sunset Park Oct. 22-23, providing additional space for entertainment. The two-day long event encourages attendees to celebrate their pride with members of the Las Vegas LGBT community and straight allies and enjoy an exciting weekend of events, entertainment and nightlife.

World Gay Rodeo Finals trots into Las Vegas Oct. 20-23, celebrating their 30th anniversary. Spectators can enjoy a multitude of events from bull riding and roping to barrel racing and steer decorating as well as the crowning of the TGRA royal court. The annual three-day event will be held at South Point Hotel, Arena & Equestrian Center.

New Horizons Nevada will host their annual May Fun Festival May 1-5 at the Tuscany Suites hotel. This festival brings together adult gay men for five days of social activities, banquets, pub crawls and more while benefiting the Senior Affordable LGBT Housing project.

To learn more about how LGBT special events or how to book a fabulous vacation, visit http://www.LasVegas.com/GayTravel.

Journalists and news organizations can access hi-resolution photos and HD video of current Las Vegas events on our media center at http://www.press.lvcva.com.

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ABOUT THE LVCVA
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with marketing Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention destination worldwide, and also with operating the Las Vegas Convention Center and Cashman Center. With more than 150,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas alone and almost 11 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space citywide, the LVCVA’s mission centers on attracting ever increasing numbers of leisure and business visitors to the area. For more information, go to http://www.lvcva.com or http://www.LasVegas.com.

What Are the Most Homophobic Cities in the Nation provided by @LGBTQNation w/ COMMENTARY from @Gay50Blog

Planning a trip? You may want to avoid Buffalo, NY, Arlington, TX and Riverside, CA.

These are the nation’s top three antigay cities, according to new analysis of hateful language on Twitter.

Adobo.com — a site that helps perspective tenants find apartments — pored over 12 million tweets written between June 2014 and December 2015. They looked for tweets that contained slurs and other derogatory language against LGBTQ people, as well as several other minority groups.

The slurs searched for included “f*g,” “fa*got,” “homo,” “dyke,” “sodomite,” and “lesbo,” among others.

Read the complete story here.

COMMENTARY:  I am a proud southerner, born and bred.  I have lived in other parts of the country and continue to come back to the South.

For years, southerners have been maligned as backwards, homophobic, racist.

I find it interesting if you look at the poll of the top 10 cities, 3 are southern.  While 50% of the cities listed as anti-gay are found in California, the state that boasts its modernity, acceptance for all and “advanced thinking.”

The number one, most homophobic city as documented by the above poll, comes from the liberal bastion of New York state.

The poll is telling as to where the country really stands.

I’m not saying there aren’t racist misogynistic homophones in the south, there are….but before you label all of us into that category, please check the facts and realize idiots are found everywhere.

International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association Welcomes Starwood Hotels and Resorts as a New Global Partner

International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association

Welcomes Starwood Hotels and Resorts as a New Global Partner

FORT LAUDERDALE (1 March 2016)— The International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association announced that Starwood Hotels and Resorts has been named a global partner, which places them among the elite group of brands that have pledged year-round support for the association and LGBT-welcoming travel.

“Starwood Hotels & Resorts has always been ‘out’ about our support of the LGBT community, especially as this relates to our associates and hotel guests,” said Anthony Ingham, Global Brand Leader for W Hotels Worldwide.  “It is our goal to create an environment where everyone feels invited, embraced, valued and respected – it is simply the right thing to do.”

Starwood has achieved a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index for the past 10 years, underscoring their commitment to diversity. Recently the Turn It Up For Change campaign by Starwood’s W brand joined forces with HRC and Jennifer Hudson to campaign for LGBT marriage equality across the United States.

“Industry leaders like Starwood know that supporting equality and inclusion is good for business,” says IGLTA President/CEO John Tanzella. “It has helped them attract and retain the most loyal guests and employees. We’re thrilled to partner in their efforts to send a welcoming message to LGBT travelers worldwide.”

Starwood operates more than 1,200 hotels in 100 countries and has nearly 200,000 associates worldwide. For more information, please visitstarwood.com.

About IGLTA
The International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association is the leading member-based global organization dedicated to LGBT tourism and a proud Affiliate Member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization. IGLTA’s mission is to expand LGBT tourism globally for the benefit of travelers and its members. The association’s membership includes LGBT and LGBT-friendly accommodations, destinations, service providers, travel agents, tour operators, events and travel media in 80 countries. IGLTA’s Global Partner program provides companies with heightened recognition and visibility among LGBT travelers with enhanced marketing and communication opportunities throughout the association’s worldwide network.

For more information, visit iglta.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @iglta. Our 33rd Annual Global Convention will be held 14-16 April 2016 in Cape Town, South Africa; updates are available at iglta.org/convention.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Prayers for Paris

#MCM – Miguel Almaguer @Miguelnbc

Happy Birthday – @SamChampion

#MCM – @SamChampion

Happy 10th Anniversary @HuffingtonPost

A Letter from Arianna…..

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/huffpost-10-years_b_7225620.html

@RSVPVacations – Spend the Summer in Alaska!

 

Make this a summer to remember with RSVP’s greatest adventure yet as we sail to our most majestic state! The all-new RSVP Alaska cruise gets you into the wild in style, with four fascinating ports and an endless variety of thrilling ways to explore. We invite you to celebrate our 30th anniversary season with our most requested cruise of all time! And watch your mailbox for an exciting announcement about our new 2016 cruises! Alaska Summer Cruise August 1–8, 2015 | Westerdam from Seattle Summer adventure awaits on RSVP’s all-new Alaska cruise through the great Pacific Northwest. There’s no better way to see more of this magnificent state than with 2000 friends and all the fun and entertainment that make RSVP uniquely thrilling. We’re sailing from convenient Seattle to explore the ice fields of Juneau, the serene wonders of Sitka, Ketchikan’s majestic fjords, and marvel at glorious Glacier Bay. There’s even a night to stroll the charming streets and markets of vibrant Victoria, Canada. Discovering Alaska was never this much fun and it’s easier than ever with our fabulous low fares. Great rooms are still available in several categories, including a few select suites. Explore Alaska this summer with RSVP