A person wearing a large bow hat is singing into a microphone in front of a crowd.

Queen of Soul dies, caucus endorsements and other top stories


By Johnny Trlica

Has anyone ever noticed that there is a dearth of fast food restaurants in Montrose? Wendy’s ran away several years ago and Burger King followed suit last year.

Relief is on the way. Shake Shack received a building permit last week and will soon begin construction on the property that was previously home to the Whopper, reported SwampLot.com.

Here’s a bit of what else we’ve been reading on the Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page.

Aretha Franklin dies at 76

A friend and gay ally has left us. Aretha Franklin succumbed to advanced pancreatic cancer on August 16 at 76, reports People.com.

“In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our heart. We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family. The love she had for her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins knew no bounds,†the family said in a statement. “We have been deeply touched by the incredible outpouring of love and support we have received from close friends, supporters and fans all around the world. Thank you for your compassion and prayers. We have felt your love for Aretha and it brings us comfort to know that her legacy will live on. As we grieve, we ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time.â€

The Queen of Soul famously sang at a gay couple’s wedding in 2011 and had an unforgettable duet with George Michael, “I Knew You Were Waiting.â€

Coincidentally, August 16 is the same date Elvis “The King†Presley died in 1977 and was also Madonna’s 60th birthday.

Houston GLBT Caucus makes endorsements

With Election Day less than three months away, it’s time for endorsements to be sought after and issued. The Houston GLBT Political Caucus endorsed Democratic Party nominee Lina Hidalgo for Harris County Judge over incumbent Republican Ed Emmett, reports Chron.com.

“I’m trying to think of who is going to be the person most impactful and more helpful toward all communities rather than just majority communities,†said screening committee chair, Brandon Mack. “And in terms someone having actual discussion and seeing them in the community and actually addressing those issues, I saw more of that with respect from Lina than I did from the county judge.â€

Sabrina Lee, who helped screened both candidates, thought Emmett did well during Hurricane Harvey and based much of her opinions as a screening volunteer from that performance. “For me it boils down to what is his background where our community is concerned…. He stepped up for the trans community in the shelters and that’s what it came down to for me,” Lee said.

Hidalgo was pleased with the endorsement and said, “They know, as I know, that we can do so much better in Harris County.â€

Trans history in Vermont

More and more LGBTQ people are running for elected office, and winning. Christine Hallquist, a transgender woman, won the Democratic Party nomination for governor of Vermont on August 14, reports the NewYorkTimes.com.

The win makes Hallquist the first transgender person to become a nominee for governor of a major party. Annise Parker, former mayor of Houston, said, “Christine’s victory is a defining moment in the movement for trans equality and is especially remarkable given how few out trans elected officials there are at any level of government. Yet Vermont voters chose Christine not because of her gender identity, but because she is an open and authentic candidate with a long history of service to the state, and who speaks to the issues most important to voters.â€

Parker is currently the chief executive of the LGBTQ Victory Fund, which trains and supports gay and transgender candidates.

Jack’s bowls

The #MeToo movement has struck the fast food industry. Jack in the Box has met media backlash with its commercial for their new teriyaki bowls, reports Delish.com.

“The ad begins with the Jack in the Box mascot (‘Jack’) walking around the office holding two of the bowls while making jokes about the size and taste of them. Other people in the office join in with balls/bowls jokes (‘Everyone’s going to want to get their hands on Jack’s bowls’ and ‘Those are some nice bowls,’ for example) before Jack gets called to HR to be told the jokes he’s making are inappropriate in the workplace. Jack, of course, doesn’t understand why what he’s saying might be misconstrued,†reads the report.

Eater wrote, “The entire premise of the ad — the joke — is that Jack’s employees are being tricked by their male boss into parroting a sexual innuendo that reinforces his dominant status in the workplace.â€

AdWeek chimed in on the controversy calling the ad tone deaf in the wake of the #MeToo movement. Jack in the Box, through its ad company insisted, “This ad is not diminishing any movement, and we stand firmly against any form of harassment and value those who have the guts to combat it.â€

Johnny Trlica is the manager of the Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page, your source for the latest LGBTQ news and information. Contact him at HRHeditor@gmail.com.

 

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