Barbara Rosenberg

I just got an e-mail from Patti Fink who is at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. (Her partner, Erin Moore, is there as an Obama delegate.)

Patti wrote to tell me that Hillary Clinton is holding a private meeting with her pledged delegates right now and that someone in the meeting had sent her a text telling her that Barbara Rosenberg, another gay delegate from Dallas, had been chosen to introduce Hillary at the meeting.

Barbara is turning out to be quite the celebrity at this convention! As I wrote in an Instant Tea post yesterday, she was interviewed on NPR about the convention two days in a row, and now she gets to introduce Sen. Clinton!

NPR really seems to like the Dallas gay folks at the convention: Yesterday afternoon, in a different story, they interviewed Neal Emmons.

Del Martin, right, and Phyllis Lyon

Del Martin, one of the nation’s foremost lesbian activists, died today at UCSF Hospital in San Francisco at the age of 87.

Martin and her lifelong partner, Phyllis Lyon, were the first same-sex couple married in California in 2004 when Mayor Gavin Newsom declared the city would recognize gay marriages. And they were married again — in the city hall with Newsom officiating — in June this year, after 55 years together, after the California Supreme Court ruled the state must recognize same-sex marriage.

But their activism dates back to the 1950s when they co-founded the Daughters of Bilitis and started publishing the lesbian newsletter “The Ladder.” Del Martin co-founded the Council on Religion and the Homosexual in the 1960s, and she was the first open lesbian elected to the board of N.O.W., among many other firsts.

Martin was also known as an author and an advocate for women, especially battered women.

As Kate Kendall, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said in an e-mail announcing Martin’s death: “Today, the LGBT movement lost a real hero.”

Watch Friday’s issue of Dallas Voice for a complete obituary.

The film “Exit Speed” was shot locally, with Hollywood and Texas talent in many roles. The film gets a world premiere on the red carpet Tuesday at the Studio Movie Grill on 75 and Royal. In addition to actors like Lea Thompson, local favorite Denise Lee will be walking down the gantlet. Get there by 6:30 to cheer her on.

I just saw a post on GosspSauce.com confirming the line-up for the new season of “Dancing With the Stars,” and the line-up includes openly gay ’N Sync-er Lance Bass — dancing with a female partner, not with a male partner as had been rumored.

TV goddess Susan Lucci and big screen goddess Cloris Leachman are also on the list, along with newly-gold-medaled volleyball goddess Misty May-Treanor, Kim Kardashian, Toni Braxton, Brooke Burke, Maurice Green, Cody Linley, Jeff Ross, Warren Sapp and Ted McGinley.

Mark McGrath was supposed to be on there, but has dropped out “for unknown reasons.” He is being replaced by Rocco DiSpirito.

I have never really watched the show, and probably still won’t. But if I did, I would root for Cloris Leachman. She won my heart as Frau Blucher in “Young Frankestein” (”He vas my boyfriend!) and later as Nurse Charlotte Diesel in “High Anxiety” (”We’re dealing with sick people here!”).

Barbara Rosenberg

Barbara Rosenberg of Dallas, one of the openly gay delegates to the Democratic National Convention from Dallas, has been interviewed two days in a row now by NPR.

She is there as a pledged delegate for Hillary Clinton, and today she was talking about how Sen. Clinton’s speech tomorrow and the opportunity to vote for her for the nomination will give Clinton delegates the closure they need, and how the party will ultimately unite behind Obama.

And at 6:18 p.m. CST today, lesbian Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin will address the convention on the topic of “Women and the Economy.” The speech will be broadcast live on C-SPAN and streamed on www.demconvention.com.

I just thought of this: If Baldwin were to run for president in 2016, she could be our first female president AND our first openly gay or lesbian president. How cool would that be?!

Tammy Baldwin

This probably has made the rounds, but a friend sent me this and it was too funny not to share … especially because I have no doubt they are all true. Thanks NBC sports team for talking too much!

1. Weight-lifting commentator: “This is Gregoriava from Bulgaria. I saw her snatch this morning during her warm up and it was amazing.”

2. Dressage commentator: “This is really a lovely horse and I speak from personal experience since I once mounted her mother.”

3. Paul Hamm, gymnast: “I owe a lot to my parents, especially my mother and father.”

4. Boxing analyst: “Sure there have been injuries, and even some deaths in boxing, but none of them really that serious.”

5. Softball announcer: “If history repeats itself, I should think we can expect the same thing again.”

6. Basketball analyst: “He dribbles a lot and the opposition doesn’t like it. In fact you can see it all over their faces.”

7. At the rowing medal ceremony: “Ah, isn’t that nice, the wife of the IOC president is hugging the cox of the British crew.”

8. Soccer commentator: “Julian Dicks i s everywhere. It’s like they’ve got eleven Dicks on the field.”

9. Tennis commentator: “One of the reasons Andy is playing so well is that, before the final round, his wife takes out his balls and kisses them… Oh my God, what have I just said?”

While Manchester is The Smiths and Morrissey’s boyhood stomping grounds, the city’s queer vibe was always lyrically represented as a miserable place — especially for queers.

Not anymore.

Completed in 1887, Manchester Town Hall, above, is an impressive neo-Gothic building in Albert Sqaure. It houses the city and government function.s  And during the Pride festival, the flag proudly flaps in the wind. (more…)

Freelance reporter Lisa Keen is in Denver this week to cover the Democratic National Convention. She will be sending Dallas Voice regular reports from the convention, and those reports will be post on the Voice’s home page. Be sure to check in each day to see what’s happening with the Democrats.

Finally, a guy wins gold in the water whose name isn’t “Phelps” … but who certainly had gay guys cheering. And he’s not even an American.

Matthew Mitcham, the openly gay Australian diver, thwarted China’s hopes of complete domination in all diving medal sports by surpassing the Chinese contingent in the 10 m platform event. 

Mitcham was a recent cover boy for the gay newsmagazine The Advocate, where he resisted being hyped as the next Greg Louganis. But for now at least, he doesn’t have a choice. 

Howdy, y’all.

Roving reporter Daniel A. Kusner in Northwest U.K. this weekend. It’s Manchester’s 18th Pride celebration.

Earlier this afternoon, their parade passed near the Town Hall. About 44,000 attendees are expected during the 10-day festival. I don’t believe they are fudging the numbers. The crowds are overwhelming. Even Lord Mayor Mavis Smitheman with her purple-dyed hair gave her blessing while the 84 outrageous, poignant and breathtaking (203 police officers, plus a 40-member marching band) floats made their way down the city center.
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