Growing Up Hayden

 

We’ve named our blog, Growing Up Hayden because we feel it’s a testament to what it is to live in the now, in a world where the LGBT community is fighting for acceptance and equality.  Our content is focused on all aspects of what it is to live, love and thrive in what’s still a very judgmental world.  Growing Up Hayden is a live narrative that we hope will continue to illustrate positive changes and a more and more loving, open and welcoming world.

Dignity over Revenue

Dignity over Revenue

New York Grilled Cheese Company in Wilton Manors, Florida has received a few bad reviews online.  But not over their grilled cheese.   Their bad reviews are in reference to their employee, Mia, and the gender-neutral / trans-friendly bathrooms.

Mary Bolda’s review complained about the terrible service from her “waiter,” a trans employee named Mia.  Mary continued to refer to Mia as “he” and “him” loudly and was a distraction to other customers.  Another reviewer complained that she wouldn’t go back to New York Grilled Cheese Company because “they only have transgender restrooms.”

New York Grilled Cheese Company shared the following on social media in support of their employee Mia: “We at New York Grilled Cheese Co. want to send a clear message that the company culture is and always will be one of acceptance, equality, and support of our transgender community and any other walk of life.  This week one of employees, Mia, was the victim of discrimination and we’d like to respond with one simple message: LOVE. Share this graphic if you got Love for Mia and our local transgender community. ‪#‎LOVEMIA‬”

Owner Leor Barak said he was sorry to hear the customer wouldn’t make a return visit to New York Grilled Cheese Company but announced “we would never choose the revenue of an intolerant patron over the dignity of our employees.”

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A Survivor Dances

Angel Colon is a Pulse victim survivor and a lover of Zumba.

The Zumba Instructor Network, who held their convention in Orlando recently, honored Angel for his bravery and determination. Angel was shot six times during the massacre at Pulse.

Just over a month later, he was able to use a walker to go on stage and speak to the convention. “This past month has been the worst month of my life, but going through this there’s been nothing but love and support from everyone,” he told the crowd.

The Zumba Instructor Network announced the start of the “Zumba Fitness Angel Institution”, which is a scholarship to be used to send one instructor who demonstrates love and diversity to the annual convention. The Zumba Instructor Network also announced that they would be paying for all of Angel’s physical therapy and his rent for a year.

Angel danced to the song “Love Make the World Go Round,” a song released by Jennifer Lopez and Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of the Broadway sensation “Hamilton.”  The song was created for the Orlando victims families and to address the needs of the mentally ill.  Lopez stated “The world really needs the message of love being the answer.  That’s what really matters; that’s what really makes the world go ’round, nothing else.  Hate, anger, it’s not gonna get us anywhere.”

Before Angel went on stage he received a message from JLo herself: “Stand tall, Angel and dance, dance as the world is watching.”

Check out Angel’s triumphant return here.

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Bisexual Black-Eyed Pea Singer

The jaw-droppingly gorgeous Fergie comes out as bisexual.  According to nydailynews.com, Fergie says: “I think women are beautiful,” she says. “I’ve had a lot of fun with women, and I’m not ashamed of it.”

Fergie’s not only “not ashamed,” she’s owning up to it.  She also adds, “The problem is that I also love a well-endowed man.”

 

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Is it Positive or Negative: New York, help us decide!

Actor Tituss Burgess claims that moving company, Frank’s Express Moving from Brooklyn is not LGBT friendly.  The actor, known for his Emmy nominated role in the Netflix series, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” says he hired the company to move a sofa.  The representative Burgess spoke to said he would not move the sofa until Burgess posted a positive review online.  Burgess told the representative he had no problem doing a review after his couch was moved. Burgess claims a gay slur was used toward him and, well the couch stayed where it was, but Burgess did complete a review.  On Yelp.

Frank’s Express Moving response to the scathing review?  The company claims the representative is an impostor.  Frank’s Moving Express said they never had Burgess as a customer or even spoke to him. The company says they are working with police to find out the identity of the impostor.

So, we want to know: what is it?  New Yorkers are known for telling it like it is and we want to know:  is Frank’s Express Moving actually LGBT friendly?  Or did (so-called imposter) Burgess get it right with his review?  Let Hayden’s List know by submitting a review today!

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Gay Day cancelled…over a hug?

Gay Day cancelled…over a hug?

Last week Brandon Hamilton and Barrett Morrison headed out on a casual summer day trip. They visited Wonderland, an amusement park in Canada on the park’s annual Gay Day, an event organized by PFLAG Canada (Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) to highlight LGBT issues.

Since it was Gay Day, Brandon and Barrett felt they were in a welcoming environment at Wonderland.  While waiting in line for the lazy river, they expressed a typical and commonplace display of affection for a couple by hugging.  That’s when an employee of Wonderland instructed the couple to stop hugging because they were at a “family” establishment.

Brandon and Barrett told the employee the admonishment was offensive and based on Canadian law, illegal.  However the couple does not blame the employee.  Brandon and Barrett want more employee training on how to handle discrimination complaints and to make Gay Day a park-wide event instead of just a booth by the entrance.

Wonderland responded by stating that their employees receive “extensive” training on how to handle discrimination cases.  However, the amusement park also said they had no plans to make Gay Day a park-wide event. “We partner with more than 5,000 groups, communities and companies each season and therefore don’t designate a day to any given group,” Soulla Lindo of Wonderland told BuzzFeed Canada. “But we’ve enjoyed our partnership with PFLAG in hosting this annual event and we hope they will return again in 2017.”

PFLAG Canada, however, accused Wonderland of not being “interested in mending this relationship, and ensuring a safe environment” for LGBTQ visitors. President Bev Belanger told BuzzFeed Canada that her organization’s board “has decided to cancel future Gay Days at Canada’s Wonderland.”

Check out Hayden’s List reviews for LGBT friendly amusement parks.

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Vice President Officiates Same-Sex Marriage

White House staff, Brian Mosteller and Joe Mahshie, were united in marriage as Vice President Joe Biden presided over his first wedding ceremony; a same-sex wedding ceremony.  Gaystarnews.com reports, “Mosteller is a special assistant to President Barack Obama and the Director of Oval Office Operations while Mahshie is a trip coordinator for Michelle Obama.”

The vice president tweeted, “Proud to marry Brian and Joe at my house. Couldn’t be happier, two longtime White House staffers, two great guys.”

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All Star Heros for LGBT

“The state of North Carolina grossly overreached by passing the worst anti-L.G.B.T. bill in the nation, and they have cost us the N.B.A. All-Star Game. The blame for $100 million in economic loss and the impact that it has on the city of Charlotte and the entire state is squarely at the feet of the McCrory machine.”

This is the statement from Chris Sgro, the Executive Director of Equality North Carolina. By “McCrory machine,” he is, of course, referring to the state’s governor.   The bill, now state law, passed in March eliminating anti-discrimination protections for the LGBT community and prohibiting transgender individuals from using bathrooms in public buildings that do not match their birth gender.

It’s because of this law that the NBA has decided to move the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte.  The NBA aren’t alone in their sentiments.  Bruce Springsteen, Ringo Starr and Itzhak Perlman, canceled concerts in North Carolina.  A number of businesses have also canceled plans to create new jobs in the state.

The United States Justice Department has challenged the law as a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  Next month a federal judge in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, will hear arguments about whether to block the law while the litigation is pending.

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