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.

HL’s TOP 10 LGBT Videos and Ads

  • Posted: Jul 06, 2015
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Our top ten videos and LGBT advertisements

With so many mixed responses to the SCOTUS ruling last week, it’ll be interesting to see what companies and politicians begin to ‘come out’ as LGBT friendly.  So far, here are our favorites — the brave and the first few to publicly declare their stance.  Who’ll be next?


 

Ten: President Barack Obama

“You didn’t do anything to deserve being bullied.”

This is an old video, but it’s more valid today than ever.  We’re glad that even five years ago this was on the White House radar.  We especially love that the president publicly recognizes  that the LGBT community makes the country a better place.


Nine: Allstate “Safe in My Hands”

“If you could only see, there is only light where you think there’s shadow.”

A cartoon that comes to life, we love this ad, every single time we watch it.  And yes, like you, we sing along.  Well done, Allstate.


Eight: Cornetto Ice Cream’s “Cupidity”

“The fear of loss is stronger when truly has something to lose.”

This short film, narrated by Lily Allen is so clever, cute and romantic we find it irresistible.  Watch it but beware, it’ll make you’ll fall in love, too.


Seven: Cheerios

“We couldn’t keep all this love and luck for ourselves.”

The gay couple who never thought they’d have kids because they were gay.  They met on a blind date, fell in love, and have a beautiful daughter now.


Six: Burger King

“Do gay people even eat fast food?”

Burger King takes a very simple idea to creatively illustrate a beefy point.  Some people get it, some people don’t.  This is a great idea…and frankly, our stomachs are growling.


Five: Wells Fargo

Two moms learn sign language so they can communicate with their future adopted daughter.  Loving and warm and moving it’s illustrative of the exemplary extent some will go to fulfill a dream and become a family.


Four: Clean and Clear

“I’ve always known who I am.” #SeeTheRealMe

Before Caitlin Jenner’s time, there lived a girl named Jazz Jennings, a girl trapped in a boy’s body.  This commercial is a testament of bravery and being true to one’s self.  Go Jazz, you’re an inspiration to all of us!


Three: Airbnb

Love is Welcome Here #HostWithPride

“If these people knew that I was trans and we were queer, would people talk to us?  Would they be kind to us?”

This video is remarkably representative of a large cross section of real-life LGBT couples.  Mixed race, sixty-plus, queer, gay, lesbian, transgender; this is one of our favorites because it is so very human — the thing we all have in common — and therefore has the capacity to conjure great compassion.


Two: Tylenol

“Family isn’t defined by who you love but how.” #HowWeFamily

This is a beautifully crafted ad, posing the poignant question, “When were you first considered a family?”  They ask, was it when you fell in love, when you got married, when you had kids…  And then a shift in octave occurs and the new question they pose is “When did you first fight to be considered a family?”  Watch this ad and be not only moved but changed.


One: Expedia

#Find Your Understanding

This ad is a three-minute rendition of “Father of the Bride” on LGBT steroids.  A father comes to terms with the fact that his daughter is a lesbian and will be marrying a woman.  Mother and father of the bride fly across the country to attend their daughter’s wedding and really glorious, real moments are captured of this family’s love and acceptance.  A candid and genuine portrait.  Have your tissues ready.

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BLōFISH Pride – The Genderless T-shirt 

We all know how clothing stores work. You go in, find your gender’s section and shop within those parameters. Logan Manford, owner of BLōFISH Clothing, is looking to upend that norm and change things for good with what he calls, “the world’s first non-gender-specific clothing company.”

BLōFISH, which is currently operated online and out of Manford’s home, offers hats, tank tops, t-shirts and bracelets that are designed for both men and women alike. “The easiest way to describe it is, imagine walking into a clothing store, and, instead of worrying about men’s and women’s sections, everybody buys the same stuff,” Manford explains. “The fit is an in-between fit, basically.”

Although the clothes are remarkably comfortable and stylishly minimalist in design, it’s the ideology behind the product that makes it truly stand out. “Our slogan is all for all,” he contends. “So basically, no matter your sex, race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, anything – we just believe everyone should have the same opportunity and be treated equal.”Logan Manford.

While Manford is currently in the thrall of success and rapid company growth, the concept of BLōFISH had an unlikely genesis. He finished his undergraduate career at Bellarmine University before working in construction for several years. He then returned to school and got his MBA from Bellarmine and finished in January of this year.

While on a cruise last year, one of his female friends was lamenting the fact that she didn’t have any clothes that fit her. To Manford, she said there should be a company called Boy Fit that made this kind of product, but he thought she said “Blow Fish.” Thus, the idea was born and there was no turning back.

Later that year, Bellarmine sponsored a contest called The Search for the Next Big Thing in the style of the television show “Shark Tank.” In just one week, Manford, with the help of his friend Brooke Willoughby, brought the idea of BLōFISH into reality, and it was a hit at the competition. “Everybody loved us, but they said we were too young – and honestly we were just a week old,” Manford remembers.

From there, he and his group of volunteers – Manford remains the only employee of the company – circulated different festivals and events promoting and selling the clothing. As BLōFISH visited several pride festivals, the gay community quickly latched onto the concept. “It’s just such a tight-knit community and everybody’s so supportive,” he says. “They just really picked it up and helped us run with it.”

Now, a little more than a year after the competition at Bellarmine, BLōFISH is finally on its feet. “This past month, we’ve sold almost more than we did all last year,” Manford reveals. While the company’s overwhelming success certainly is at least partially due to its product and concept, it could also be due to its philanthropy. “My overall view is I want to give back,” Manford asserts. “Money is important to me, yeah, but 10 percent of our sales go straight to a charity that we rotate every month. Not profit. Sales.”

For a start-up company, that’s a hefty amount to be donating away, but Manford sees it as integral to BLōFISH’s identity. “I want to be able to give at least $50,000 to $60,000 to charity every year,” he says, with hopes to increase that number significantly. But that isn’t his only ambition. His two-year plan is to have three locations: one in Louisville, one in Nashville and one in an undetermined location. And beyond that, “the five year plan is national.”

His first location is slated to be up and running by the end of the year, possibly located in NuLu. From there, he plans to continue his wildfire success. “It’s always been my dream to give back to people and to own my own company,” Manford contends. And thanks to BLōFISH and its principles, it’s clear he is indeed living his dream.

Follow BLōFISH on social media @blofishclothing or visit their website blofishclothing.com to order with free shipping.

Source: Label-less Clothing Remy Sisk, Voice Tribune 

Reviewed Again: Delta Airlines!

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HL’s Director of IT, Josh Tayloe, was flying home today from Orlando to LAX with our namesake. Check out his review of Delta Airlines in the Travel section of our Orlando page.

Thanks Delta!

TOP 10 BEST & WORST REACTIONS OF SCOTUS

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Everything’s Coming Up Rainbows: Love Now Legal Nationwide

Friday, June 26th, 2015: a historical mile marker for the United States. Courthouses across the U.S. are now open for business, serving straight AND same-sex marriages. Here are some of our favorite (and least favorite) reactions, stories and tweets:


One:

God @TheTweetOfGod: “If the Founding Fathers were alive today they’d all start marrying each other.”


Two:

Slate.com reports how Fox News reacts – We can only watch and wince, almost feeling bad for them.


THREE:

Yes, finally. A passionate, conservative voice of reason. Thank you, CNN contributor S.E. Cupp.


FOUR:

The GOP Candidates’ Responses
We don’t get it either. The best part about what they think? It doesn’t matter anymore!
P.S. Our “favorite” (as in “least favorite”) here: it’s a draw between Mike Huckabee and Rich Santorum.


FIVE:

The Rainbow-Lit Whitehouse
What a beautiful beacon of hope! The light after the storm and exactly what a rainbow is all about.


SIX:

Tim Cook’s tweet hits the nail on the head — love, as with marriage, is all about perseverance.
“Today marks a victory for equality, perseverance and love.” — Tim Cook


SEVEN:

Ellen DeGeneres. Let’s face it: anything she says is amazing and we love her.
“Love won. #MarriageEquality” — Ellen DeGeneres


EIGHT:

Dan Savage, you count twice for these tear-jerker Tweets.
“1/2. Telling my parents I was gay in 1980 didn’t just mean telling them that I was sexually and romantically attracted to other boys.” — Dan Savage


NINE:

“2/2. I was also telling them that I would never have children and that I would never be married. That was then. This is now.” — Dan Savage


TEN:

Here’s to Vinicius Vacanti for hitting two birds (or should we say four old dinosaurs?) with one stone:

View image on Twitter

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Supreme Court Rules a Win for Same-Sex Marriage!

Washington (CNN)

In a landmark opinion, the Supreme Court ruled Friday that states cannot ban same-sex marriage, establishing a new civil right and handing gay rights advocates a victory that until very recently would have seemed unthinkable.The 5-4 ruling had Justice Anthony Kennedy writing for the majority with the four liberal justices. Each of the four conservative justices wrote their own dissent.The far-reaching decision settles one of the major civil rights fights of this era — one that has rapidly evolved in the minds of the American pubic and its leaders, including President Barack Obama. He struggled publicly with the issue and ultimately embraced same-sex marriage in the months before his 2012 re-election.”No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice and family,” Kennedy wrote. “In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than they once were.”In a dissent, Justice Antonin Scalia blasted the Court’s “threat to American democracy.””The substance of today’s decree is not of immense personal importance to me,” he wrote. “But what really astounds is the hubris reflected in today’s judicial Putsch.”Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the decision had “nothing to do with the Constitution.”If you are among the many Americans—of whatever sexual orientation—who favor expanding same-sex marriage, by all means celebrate today’s decision. Celebrate the achievement of a desired goal,” he wrote. “Celebrate the opportunity for a new expression of commitment to a partner. Celebrate the availability of new benefits. But do not celebrate the Constitution. It had nothing to do with it.”The U.S. is now the 21st country to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide. Married same-sex couples will now enjoy the same legal rights and benefits as married heterosexual couples nationwide and will be recognized on official documents such as birth and death certificates.By the numbers: Same-sex marriageThe decision affirmed growing public support in the U.S. for gay marriage, with about two-thirds of Americans now in favor. And it comes as gay rights groups have seen gay marriage bans fall rapidly in recent years, with the number of states allowing gay marriage swelling most recently to 37 — that is, until this ruling.There were two questions before the Court, the first asked whether states could ban same sex marriage, the second asked whether states had to recognize lawful marriages performed out of state.The relevant cases were argued earlier this year. Attorney John Bursch, serving as Michigan’s Special Assistant Attorney General, defended four states’ bans on gay marriage before the Court, arguing that the case was not about how to define marriage, but rather about who gets to decide the question.The case came before the Supreme Court after several lower courts overturned state bans on gay marriage. A federal appeals court had previously ruled in favor of the state bans, with Judge Jeffrey Sutton of the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals writing a majority opinion in line with the rationale that the issue should be decided through the political process, not the courts.Fourteen couples and two widowers challenged the bans. Attorneys Mary Bonauto and Doug Hallward-Driemeier presented their case before the Court, arguing that the freedom to marry is a fundamental right for all people and should not be left to popular vote.

Three years after Obama first voiced his support for gay couples’ right to marry, his administration supported the same sex couples at the Supreme Court.”Gay and lesbian people are equal,” Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli Jr. told the justices at the oral arguments earlier this year. “It is simply untenable — untenable — to suggest that they can be denied the right of equal participation in an institution of marriage, or that they can be required to wait until the majority decides that it is ready to treat gay and lesbian people as equals.Map: Where same-sex marriage is recognized in the U.S.The same-sex couples who challenged gay marriage bans in Michigan, Tennessee, Kentucky and Ohio were just a few of the estimated 650,000 same-sex couples in the United States, 125,000 of whom are raising children.The challenges included same-sex couples who wanted to marry, those who sought to have their lawful out-of-state marriage recognized, as well as those who wanted to amend a birth or death certificate with their marriage status.The lead plaintiff in the case is Jim Obergefell who married his spouse John Arthur in 2013 months before Arthur died.The couple, who lived in Ohio, had to travel to Maryland aboard a medical jet to get married when Arthur became gravely ill. And when Arthur died, Obergefell began to fight to be recognized as Arthur’s spouse on his death certificate.The plaintiffs from Michigan are April DeBoer and Jayne Rowse, two Detroit-area nurses who are

Source: Supreme Court rules states must allow same-sex marriage – CNNPolitics.com

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