#Proud2BMe

ISSUE #21 | JUNE 2016

CH ICAGO | I B I ZA | COSTA R ICA

LOVEALWAYSWIN

LOVE

ConnextingCONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Manny Velasquez-Paredes

CREATIVE DIRECTORXioger Sandoval

FEATURED WRITERDavid Duran

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lilly Chris

Ross ChristiansonH. Luiz MartinezCarlos Mayorga

Aaron Paiva LeytonDavid Perry

JJ VegaManny Velasquez-Paredes

Sarah Stanley-Evan

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ISSN 2160-4347 (print)ISSN 2160-4355 (online)

The views and opinions stated throughout this magazine are not necessarily the opinions of staff at Connextions Magazine.

mvp@connextionsmagazine.com

Connextions Magazine Issue 20: Deluxe Life, features luxurious des-tinations. We traveled all over the world and had lots of fun photo shoots in Oslo, Norway, California, Maui, Connecticut, Lima, Peru and Florida where Connextions Maga-zine visited the Diplomat Resort & Spa for an unforgettable photo shoot with Lithuanian Model Pau-lius Paražinskas. And on location aboard the Starlight Charter with French Model William Rootpeter.

Find us, Follow us, Like us, Tweet us, Pin us, Share us on all social media sites @ConnextionsMag #ConnextionsMag

Cover Photo by: Xioger SandovalModel: Martina Marić Location: Xioger Sandoval Studios in NYC

Croatian Model Martina Marić is the muse for our annual PRIDE issue and the #Proud2BMe campaign, which is the theme of this year’s international calendar of pride events and parades.

We take a look at the First Amendment and the so-called religious-freedom laws, as well as what has become to be known as the bathroom-laws.

What is the meaning of PRIDE and why do we celebrate it as a community?

Read #Proud2BMe article on page 60.

Connextions Magazine, the Travel & Lifestyle magazine for the LGBTQ Traveler since 2010, is a proud member of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association,

National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, Gay European Tourism Association & National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, as well The travel Media Sponsor of

HRC Greater New York.

Connextions Magazine | #Proud2BMe | June 2016

5

Letter from the Editor

ConnextionsMagazine.com

#WeAreOrlandoMVP

Editor In Chief

#Proud2BMe, Connextions Magazine issue #21, analyses the meaning of freedom of religion and we also tackle the so-called bathroom-laws and their implications.

While travelling through the city of Baltimore, we take a behind the scenes tour of a NOH8 photo shoot, featuring Adam Bouska and partner Jeff Parshley, who created The NOH8 Campaign, and my family (proudly pictured above) become the subjects for this campaign. Our Featured Writer and Gay Travel Expert, David Duran takes us to Ibiza to experience the world’s most expensive restaurant, as well as introduces us to Gay Polo in The Palm Beaches.

In addition, we introduce you to 4 hotels in Los Angeles that will make you want to experience for yourself! Our Travel Lite Expert, Ross Christianson, takes us on a New York State of Mind tour where we experience and sip through the many options available in the city that never sleeps.

We also GetFork in Westchester, New York and get lost in a sea of 5 fishes! You’ll notice this issue features new technological advances and we hope you will enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it for you. Don’t forget to follow us on all social media channels under our handle @ConnextionsMag.

PS: The #Proud2BMe issue has been altered to include a tribute in memory of the victims of the horrible tragedy our community faced on June 12, 2016 at Pulse gay club. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in Orlando, FL, specially to the families and friends of our brothers and sisters who lost their lives.