@RyanNewYork
He sits on the Broad of Directors of The Ali Forney Center, where he is the founding producer of their annual Broadway Beauty Pageant fundraiser. He's also on the Board of Directors of The Deconstructive Theatre Project and the Board of Advisers of the startup TV Dinner.
He's also a director/producer, who lives in Brooklyn, NY and created the musical White Noise. Ryan writes about politics for The Huffington Post & The Hill. He has been a guest editor for Queerty and is the host of the podcast Gay History: Uncut.
Here Ryan blogs about politics, film, TV, history, religion, science, books, theater, digital media, LGBT issues, Bushwick & Williamsburg, New York City, and anything else he's interested in at the moment. Oh, and he'll probably talk a lot about himself.
This is a personal blog. Any opinions expressed here and on my Twitter represent my own and not those of my employer or clients.
Equality.
I was asked to record a short address on digital and marriage equality in Italy for The Associazione Radicale Certi Diritti Conference in Naples in April.
Excited that Italian activist are embracing marriage equality as a goal and expect to see big things in the next few years.
My speech on marriage equality and digital media at Social Media Week Milan.
Had an amazing time there and was happy to spread the word.
My latest post on the Blue State Digital blog on lessons learned from The Four 2012 and the four state marriage equality victories. Click here or the image for all four.
I wrote the below op-ed for my hometown newspaper, Salisbury, MD’s The Daily Times.
On Tuesday, Marylanders have an opportunity to make history by voting for Question 6 and passing marriage equality by popular vote for the first time in our nation’s history. Supporters of marriage equality have lost 32 ballot initiatives in a row, but 2012 is the year we capture the momentum and win victories in four states — Maine, Maryland, Minnesota and Washington.
We’ve seen millions of dollars spent in sleazy, misleading ads by anti-equality groups looking to scare Marylanders about what marriage equality is and what Question 6 means. Don’t believe them, because it’s really as simple as equality, fairness and justice for all families.
Marriage equality shouldn’t be a political issue. If President Barack Obama and former Vice President Dick Cheney both support a cause, you know it defies conventional politics. You can vote for Question 6 whether you consider yourself a progressive or a tea partier — or if you’re entirely apolitical.
Marriage equality is not a religious issue. Nobody will ever tell your pastor whom he or she has to marry. As many as noted, this is about rights, not rites; things that happen in a courthouse, not a church. You can vote for marriage equality without fear of any changes to your place of worship.
When I came out of the closet in 10th grade at James M. Bennett High School, I was the only openly gay student in the school.
I know my 15-year-old self would be astonished at the progress made in the last decade, but we’re not there yet. There are more than a thousand legal protections that straight married couples have but gay committed couples do not have access to; that’s not fair. I know the Eastern Shore and its residents believe in fairness.
Gay people are your neighbors, your friends, your family and your colleagues. They deserve access to the same rights for their families as you have for yours.
Polls overwhelmingly show that young people support marriage equality — by huge margins. Maryland has an opportunity to stand on the right side of history.
I, for one, hope it does.
Ryan Davis was born and raised in Salisbury. He is a cofounder of TheFour.com and a contributor to Marylanders For Marriage Equality. He lives in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Great article on Buzzfeed about the brand new video that Lady Gaga just released for The Four 2012. You can just skip to the video here.
Thrilled my friends Jeffery Self and Cole Escola reunited to support marriage equality and The Four 2012.
Jeffery and Cole reunite in a video after two years to remind YOU to vote for marriage equality.
Daily Content at http://www.thefour.com
I’m so happy with the series of videos we at The Four 2012 produced with New Left Media. Here’s the third from Washington State.
From Washington, this is the third of a four-part series, co-produced by New Left Media and The Four, made in each of the states that have marriage equality votes this November. The first two can be viewed here.
Marriage For All Families captures the real experience of same-sex couples, to show that they have the same challenges, responsibilities, and aspirations as other couples. Still, they are strangers in the eyes of the law. That’s why marriage equality is so important: it aligns personality reality with legal reality, as a simple matter of fairness and equality.
Part four will be released Tuesday, October 23rd on TheFour.com.
Just 22 days until the election. Please reblog and share on Facebook to spread the word.
Share On Facebook: I’m voting for marriage equality.
Reblog to show your friends and family you’re supporting equality.
Get daily content at http://www.thefour.com.
I’m gay!
Please support marriage equality today and everyday.
Happy National Coming Out Day!
Reblog and share to show your support for marriage equality.
See daily content at http://www.thefour.com
The second video of The Four’s four-part series focuses on real gay couples in the state of Minnesota. It’s lovely, please share.
From Minnesota, this is the second of a four-part series, co-produced by New Left Media and The Four, made in each of the states that have marriage equality votes this November. Part one, from Maine, can be viewed here.
Marriage For All Families captures the real experience of same-sex couples, to show that they have the same challenges, responsibilities, and aspirations as other couples. Still, they are strangers in the eyes of the law. That’s why marriage equality is so important: it aligns personality reality with legal reality, as a simple matter of fairness and equality.
Part three will be released Tuesday, October 16th on TheFour.com.
Was so happy we got to partner with my friends Chase Whiteside & Erick Stoll on this amazing four state video project.
Our first video is on Maine, the other states are being released the following three Tuesdays.
From Maine, this is the first of a four-part series, co-produced by New Left Media and The Four, made in each of the states that have marriage equality votes this November.
Marriage For All Families captures the real experience of same-sex couples, to show that they have the same challenges, responsibilities, and aspirations as other couples. Still, they are strangers in the eyes of the law. That’s why marriage equality is so important: it aligns personality reality with legal reality, as a simple matter of fairness and equality.
Part two will be released Tuesday, October 9th on TheFour.com.
Money doesn’t decide elections, but it plays a huge part. We’ve lost 32 state LGBT ballot initiatives and we’ve been outspent in the majority of those fights. We’re not going to let that happen this year. Donate today to the four states.
http://www.thefour2012.com/moneybomb
Moneybomb For Marriage: Support Marriage Equality in Four Key States
It’s started. America’s biggest anti-gay organization has written a check for a quarter of a million dollars to take out marriage equality in Washington State. This won’t be the last check they write either, and the next ones will probably be bigger, and in more states.
So we’re fighting back. This November, there are four states with marriage on the ballot and we have a chance to win them all, if there is enough money to match our opposition dollar for dollar. To make it simple, we’ve created a way for you to donate to the pro-equality groups in all four states - Maine, Maryland, Minnesota and Washington - all at once. However much you like — split any way you like.
We are 40 days out from Election Day - and every dollar counts. Will you make a contribution to any or all of the four states and make marriage happen? Thanks for helping.
