OUTTAKE VOICES™ (Interviews)

Activist Cathy Marino-Thomas talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the current state of our LGBTQ community especially with our transgender, intersex and non-binary American citizens being targeted by the new administration. Most recently the National Park Service has deleted references to transgender and queer people by removing the “TQ” part of the LGBTQ acronym from the Stonewall National Monument website that launched a massive rally in NYC on Valentines Day.  Marino-Thomas who is one of the rally organizers stresses to our audience that this is no time to stay at home. We need to show up and speak out and not allow 50 years of LGBTQ civil rights progress be ripped away with executive orders attempting to erase our history and our community. The new administration is trying to scapegoat our community in an attempt to distract the country to what is really happening to all of our freedoms. This isn’t the first time our LGBTQ community has been targeted by an administration’s hatred and lack of understanding of who we are. When Republican Dwight Eisenhower was elected President he issued Executive Order 10450 in 1953 that revoked Truman’s Executive Order 9835 of 1947 and dismantled Truman’s Loyalty Board Program. This resulted in 5,000 federal gays and lesbians to be fired in government that began the Lavender Scare witch hunt of the 1950’s and continued until 1975. We talked to Cathy about what can we do to ensure our LGBTQ community moves forward in the current Trump administration and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.  Cathy Marino-Thomas spent many years with the Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) Buddy Program visiting people afflicted with HIV/AIDS and assisting them with daily chores, advocacy and information. She worked on the issue of marriage equality since 1998 serving as Executive Director of Marriage Equality NY for 3 years (2005 - 2008) and Board President for 6 years. After merging Marriage Equality NY with Marriage Equality USA 2011 she served as Co-President of Marriage Equality USA for 3 years until retiring in 2014. Cathy has spoken all over the country about the rights, privileges and obligations that protect families only through the right to civil marriage. Currently Cathy is proud to be a board member of the Stonewall Democrats of New York as well as Gilbert Baker Foundation which has joined forces with the ACLU to fight more than 60+ US communities who have banned the Rainbow Flag the global symbol of LGBTQ equality that was recently banned from federal buildings by the new administration. For More Info… LISTEN: 600+ LGBTQ Chats @OUTTAKE VOICES

Author Molly Booker talks with with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about her new must-read memoir “Magic In The Mess” available on 10/10 Press. In these challenging times it’s crucial to know you’re not alone in navigating through your personal struggles no matter what they might be. By sharing her own intimate account the memoir opens with the vivid moment that epitomized her inner turmoil symbolizing the chaos she sought to hide from the world reminding us all that life’s “mess” is often where the magic begins. Booker masterfully illustrates her inspirational story in this candid exploration of identity, resilience and self-acceptance taking the readers on a journey of transformation and healing. With raw honesty and unfiltered vulnerability Molly shares the challenges of navigating a world filled with societal expectations, gender norms and personal upheaval. From her childhood struggles with perfectionism and belonging to her adult quest for authenticity and love “Magic In The Mess” invites readers to discover their strength amid life’s messiness. Booker writes, “The road ahead may still be uncertain but in the chaos I find the opportunity for rebirth. The journey continues, not as a quest to escape failures but as a celebration of resilience and self-discovery. As the sun sets on the landscape of my past I welcome the darkness as a canvas for a new dawn. The alchemy of transformation begins and I carry the lessons of my messy magic into the unfolding chapters of my life.” As we enter into 2025 this memoir could not be more timely in our unfathomable world. We talked to Molly about what she hopes to accomplish with her memoir “Magic In The Mess” and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.  Molly Booker is a passionate author, speaker and advocate for authenticity, self-discovery and mental health. As a suicide prevention advocate and champion for the LGBTQ community, Molly's background in ministry and personal journey resonate deeply with many. She shares her story to inspire others to embrace their true selves and find joy in life's messiness.  For More Info… LISTEN: 600+ LGBTQ Chats @OUTTAKE VOICES

Alexis Stratton talks about the new book “Trans Kids, Our Kids” with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ co-authored with Adam Polaski and Rev.Jasmine Beach-Ferrara from the Campaign for Southern Equality and released by Ig Publishing. In these unprecedented times “Trans Kids, Our Kids” provides a narrative look into the challenges facing our transgender young people. This is especially crucial after the recent GOP presidential campaign distorted and targeted transgender issues to regain control of the White House. The new book provides a truthful blueprint addressing trans youth issues by taking a storytelling approach in capturing how people all across the country are meeting the moment to support, protect and live in solidarity with transgender youth and their families. The book is based on more than 50 interviews with transgender youth, their parents and the medical providers, advocates and faith leaders who are leading the fight against the wave of discriminatory legislation that has flooded statehouses since 2022. One primary focus of “Trans Kids, Our Kids” is the attack on trans youth’s access to gender-affirming care. Less than two years ago there weren’t any states that had such bans in effect. Currently there are now 26 states that have bans or restricted transgender youth from accessing hormone therapy with the issue coming before the Supreme Court in the case United States v. Skrmetti with oral arguments on December 4th. Campaign for Southern Equality (CSE) through their Trans Youth Emergency Project have supported more than 1,000 families of transgender youth in navigating healthcare bans. Since the launch of the project in 2023 CSE has distributed more than $600,000 in direct emergency grants to families and community partners across 26 states. We talked to Alexis about what they hope to accomplish with “Trans Kids, Our Kids” and their spin on our LGBTQ issues.  Alexis Stratton has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC. and their stories and essays have appeared in storySouth, Hayden's Ferry Review, Matador Review and Oyez Review among other publications. In 2022 Alexis’ chapbook “Anywhere Else but Here” was published by Fjords Review and in 2023 won the James River Writers’ and Richmond Magazine’s Best Unpublished Novel Contest. Alexis lives in Richmond, VA. and works as a freelance writer and an LGBTQ rights advocate. Campaign for Southern Equality is based in Asheville, NC. promoting full LGBTQ equality across the South. Their work is rooted in commitments to equity in race, gender and class. Through their Trans Youth Emergency Project they support families of trans youth who are impacted by anti-transgender healthcare bans in the South. All royalties from book sales of “Trans Kids, Our Kids” will benefit this project.  For More  Info… LISTEN: 600+ LGBTQ Chats @OUTTAKE VOICES

Filmmaker Marco Calvani talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about “High Tide” his feature film debut that stars Marco Pigossi (Lourenço) as a Brazilian undocumented immigrant adrift Provincetown in the late summer. The film is about a young man coping after a break up & left adrift in Ptown with his travel visa running out. Lourenço then meets Maurice a Black American & a romance evolves. Though Maurice’s comes with a circle of friends he’s is also quite aware he’s the minority in a predominantly white queer tourist mecca. Pigossi gives a haunting performance steeped in melancholy & raw pain but delivers moments of openness, optimism & joy with an affective portrait of the depths LGBTQ men experience seeking meaningful connections. As the summer season fades & with his unexpected romance with Maurice together the two reconcile the pasts they’ve left behind & pursue their uncertain futures. The film distributed by Strand Releasing premiered at South by Southwest & was released in NYC earlier this month followed by an expansion to Los Angeles & will begin a run at Waters Edge Cinema in Provincetown & Coolidge Corner Theater in Brookline, MA on Friday November 1st. The stellar cast also includes James Bland as Maurice, Marisa Tomei as Miriam, Bill Irwin as Scott, Sean Mahon as Bob, Mya Taylor as Crystal, Bryan Batt as Todd, Todd Flaherty as Leslie, Karl Gregory as BJ & João Santos as Dimo with a haunting score by Sebastian Plano.  Marco Calvani is an Italian playwright, director, filmmaker, translator & actor. Trained as an actor since he was a teenager Calvani made his debut as a playwright in 2002 with Quasi commissioned by the European Social Forum. Prior to his first feature film High Tide which had its world premiere at SXSW in March 2024 he wrote & directed the short film The View from Up Here starring Melissa Leo & Leïla Bekhti based on his eponymous play originally commissioned by The Actors Studio & directed by Estelle Parsons. As of 2020 Marco  is in a relationship with Brazilian actor Marco Pigossi. LISTEN: 600+ LGBTQ Chats @OUTTAKE VOICES

Activist Rev. Irene Monroe talks with Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about appearing in our issue driven non-partisan VOTE PSA Campaign we’ve launched on social media and beyond to get the VOTE OUT. As early voting has begun in states across the country OUTTAKE MEDIA™ has spearheaded this timely and compelling VOTE PSA Campaign to bring our LGBTQ community and marginalized grassroots groups together about the importance of voting. Not only will this campaign get people to vote it will also address our issues. Whether you’re Christian, Muslim, Catholic, Jewish, Indigenous or LGBTQ we need to come together now or possibly lose our rights. In our VOTE PSA Rev. Monroe addresses these issues including women’s rights and the rise of hate crimes as we head into a presidential election questioning our Democracy. The campaign is directed by C. Fitz (Queen Sugar, One Perfect Shot), West Coast producer Lissa Forehan (More Beautiful for Having Been Broken) and performing the closing tagline song “Vote For A Working America” is Broadway/Cabaret Diva Ann Hampton Callaway. Produced in the historic Calderwood Studio at WGBH in Boston we want to thank our GBH team including Terry Quinn Director of Studio Operations, Phil Reilly Set Design and Lighting Director, Howard Powell Cinematographer, Beth Godlin Lillis Post Production Manager, Editor Deb Holland and Juan José Cadena Duenas Studio Operations Manager. This is a full circle experience for Executive Producer Charlotte Robinson who began her stellar career at WGBH as assistant to Paula Apsell, Senior Executive Producer Emerita NOVA at GBH. We talked to Rev. Irene Monroe about the significance of this VOTE PSA Campaign and her spin on our LGBTQ issues.    Rev. Irene Monroe graduated from Wellesley College and Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University and served as a pastor at an African-American church in New Jersey before receiving her doctorate at Harvard Divinity School as a Ford Fellow. She was instrumental in Union United Methodist Church a predominately African American church in Boston's South End becoming a Reconciling Congregation first in New England. Monroe’s syndicated religion columns appear in Bay Windows, Cambridge Chronicle, Dig Boston, Curve and in several cities across the country and in the UK and Canada. Monroe is the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail and History UnErased. Monroe is a founder and now member emeritus of several national LGBTQ Black and religious organizations and currently can be heard on the podcast and standing Boston Public Radio segment “All Rev’d Up” on WGBH-FM. WATCH VIDEO    LISTEN: 600+ LGBTQ Chats @OUTTAKE VOICES