Stepping Out

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There are some weekends when my girlfriend and I are searching for something to do, other than watch the entire first season of Arrested Development (again). But the next few weeks are shaping up to be chock-full of activities that are quickly filling up my calendar, and are sure to entice even the most home-bodied among us to come out for a night on the town.

Gay Girl / Straight World

Gearing Up for Pride: It’s hard to believe, but it’s already time to start getting ready for Pride, happening this year at Chase Palm Park on July 11. This Saturday, April 18, from 4 to 8 p.m., there will be a Pride-B-Q at 1422 Euclid Ave., where a $10 entry fee gets you an afternoon of food, drinks, and music. On Sunday, April 19, at 8 p.m. at the Wildcat Lounge (15 W. Ortega St.), enjoy the King and Queen of Pride Pageant, where—you guessed it—the king and queen of Pride 2009 will be selected. Visit pacificpridefestival.org.

Queer Youth Advocacy: Friday, April 17-Sunday, April 19, Sacramento is the place to be for young activists passionate about gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender issues. The Advocacy & Youth Leadership Academy is a three-day intensive training session that aims to teach middle- and high-schoolers to talk effectively with legislators about the needs of LGBT youth and how to end harassment and discrimination in schools. The session culminates on Monday, April 20, with Queer Youth Advocacy Day, where the newly trained activists will speak with legislators about two specific bills, one allowing minors aged 12-17 to consent to mental health treatment without a parent’s permission (SB543) and the other designating May 22 as Harvey Milk Day (SB572). Registration deadlines have already passed, but you can still help by donating money to offset travel costs for kids going to Sacramento. Visit gsanetwork.org or www.eqca.org/institute for more information.

Equal Right to Marry? The Politics of Proposition 8: The Santa Barbara chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union will host a public forum addressing the legal, moral, and civil rights issues of Prop. 8’s passage and the pending Supreme Court decision. It takes place on Wednesday, April 22, at 7 p.m. in the downtown library’s Faulkner Gallery (40 E. Anapamu St.).

Signs of His Times: On exhibit until June 14 at UCSB’s University Art Museum (www.uam.ucsb.edu) is Signs of His Times, a collection of pieces documenting gay art history donated by UCSB art professor Gary Brown. Some of Brown’s personal artwork will also be on display in the Thayer Gallery, as well as John Bommer's "Wait Now & See What Comes," thought to be the first artwork by an AIDS patient addressing the disease. There will be a reception on Friday, April 24, 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the gallery.

Town Hall Meeting: S.B.’s Strategic Alliance for Marriage Equality (SAME) presents a town hall meeting on Wednesday, April 29, 6-8 p.m. at the Louise Lowry Davis Center (1232 De la Vina St.) to discuss Prop. 8 and how the community will respond to the announcement of the Supreme Court’s decision. The discussion should be made even more interesting with the recent announcements of marriage equality in Iowa and Vermont. Guest panelists will include Equality California's Marc Solomon and Amy Mello, who played a key role in the Massachusetts campaign. Visit pacificpridefoundation.org/same for more information.

May Events: After a successful kickoff last Wednesday evening, Pacific Pride Foundation’s Sunset at the Canary mixers are back in action. The popular shindig on the rooftop of S.B.’s Canary Hotel (31 W. Carrillo St.) takes place the second Wednesday of each month from April to September, with the next one on May 13, 6-8 p.m. And the annual Get Out & Golf Women’s Classic takes place this year on May 22, with registration due by May 15. Be sure to check out pacificpridefoundation.org for more information.

Related Links

• More Gay Girl/Straight World columns
• More on Prop 8

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