North America
Supreme Court Affirms Rights For Same-Sex Couples
The high court’s decision not to hear Box v. Henderson leaves in place a lower court’s ruling that found Indiana must place both mothers on their child’s birth certificate. The justices rejected the case without explanation. In its petition to the court, Indiana argued that listing two mothers on a birth certificate undermines a “biological… Read more »
Supreme Court hands down victory for lesbian moms
Indiana tried to make it harder for lesbian couples to be recognized as parents. The Supreme Court said no. The Supreme Court has denied Indiana’s petition to hear a case involving the rights for same-sex spouses to appear on their children’s birth certificates, leaving in place an appeals court decision in favor of listing the… Read more »
Dancing Six Feet Apart? They’d Rather Not
The coronavirus pandemic has upended the lives of many American families. Follow this weekly feature called “Family, Interrupted” to find out how. The wedding date came and went. No vows. No toasts. No tears from proud family and friends. The coronavirus pandemic caused Matthew Cohen, who works in the operations department of a technology company,… Read more »
Two of Trump’s judges strike down laws banning ‘conversion therapy’ on children
Two therapists said the ban on the dangerous ‘cures’ undermined their freedom of speech. Two judges, appointed by President Donald Trump, have struck down laws in Florida that banned ‘conversion therapy’ on children. The laws, in the city of Boca Raton and Palm Beach County, banned therapists from trying to ‘cure’ people’s sexual orientation or… Read more »
Ryan Fecteau Makes Political History In More Ways Than One
Ryan Fecteau, a 28-year-old gay man who was re-elected to Maine’s House Of Representatives, has been nominated by the Democrats to be the next Speaker Of The House, making him both the youngest person and the first LGBTIQA person to hold the office, Out reports. Joining the rainbow wave of LGBTIQA candidates who have won… Read more »
Joe Biden appoints trailblazing transgender war veteran to presidential transition team
President-elect Joe Biden has tapped transgender veteran Shawn Skelly to be part of his presidential transition team at the Department of Defense. Donald Trump banned transgender people from serving openly in the US military. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris – who were declared the winners of the US election on Saturday (7 November) – have… Read more »
Barbadian immigrant makes history as his diocese’s first-ever openly gay Black bishop in 180 years
Reverend Deon Kevin Johnson, an immigrant from Barbados, has become the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri’s first-ever openly gay Black bishop in its 179-year history. Johnson was ordained and consecrated as the 11th bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri in a ceremony on Saturday, June 13 at Christ Church Cathedral in St Louis, Missouri. Accoring… Read more »
Virginia becomes first southern state to enact comprehensive discrimination protections for LGBT+ people
The governor of Virginia has signed into law comprehensive discrimination protections for LGBT+ people, making it the first southern US state to do so. Governor Ralph Northam signed senate bill 868, the Virginia Values Act, into law on April 11. The act protects people in the state from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender… Read more »
Canadian Government Introduces Bill To Ban ‘Ex-Gay’ Therapy
The Canadian government on Monday introduced legislation that would ban therapies that attempt to alter the sexual orientation or gender identity of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Canadians. Such therapies go by names such as “conversion therapy,” “reparative therapy,” “sexual orientation change efforts” or “ex-gay therapy.” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau campaigned on implementing such a… Read more »
Progress toward LGBTQ equality ‘is a jagged line.’ Here’s what has changed over the past decade.
In 2010, no states outlawed conversion therapy for LGBTQ minors, banned health insurers from excluding transgender-related coverage or offered gender neutral options on licenses and birth certificates. Ten years later at the dawn of a new decade, roughly 20 states have these protections in place. Breakthroughs? Or evidence of a plodding pace on the road… Read more »
Commemorating the Victims of Canada’s ‘Gay Purge’
A national memorial will soon rise to the thousands of people whose careers were ruined because of their sexual orientation. One of the most extraordinary things about the “gay purge” of Canada’s public servants, members of the military and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is that it continued until 1992. That was a quarter-century after… Read more »
Which California City Is the Best for Queer Travel?
Should you vacation in San Francisco, West Hollywood, or Palm Springs? As one of the country’s most progressive states, California has long been a haven for queer people. And when you factor in legal marijuana and an abundance of sunshine, spending the holidays there was a no brainer. Thankfully, I was able to build a… Read more »
Senate Confirms Openly Gay Ambassador To Lithuania
The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed the nomination of Robert Gilchrist as the U.S. ambassador to Lithuania. Gilchrist is at least the fifth openly gay person to serve in an ambassadorial role under the Trump administration, the Washington Blade reported. Senators confirmed Gilchrist with a voice vote. President Donald Trump nominated Gilchrist, a career Foreign… Read more »
How gay marriage won America
The decade saw a seismic shift in how society views LGBTQ people. When Robin Tyler married Diane Olson 11 years ago, she assured her it would be a small, simple wedding. “I promised Diane something very quiet, not a spectacle,” Tyler said, laughing. The reality was anything but: Friends and family had to stand on… Read more »
One of Chicago’s oldest churches will now become an LGBT homeless youth centre
One of Chicago’s oldest churches will soon be transformed into one of the only holistic, queer-friendly centres for the LGBT homeless at-risk youth in the city. The Black Methodist for Church Renewal has stood in the heart of Chicago’s South Side since 1926. The 12,000-square-foot space remained empty for years after the congregation moved to… Read more »
How Today’s Queer Artists Are Revising History
By revisiting and refuting the cultural history of the West, this group is using time as its primary medium, looking backward to inform a different kind of gay future. 1. Habitations in History Two women and their baby stare straight at us from the American past. Jessie Evans-Whinery, as she is identified in the caption,… Read more »
UBC exhibit of rare books and artifacts chronicles 100 years of queer history
Items dating back to 19th century reveal stories about homosexuality and key cultural moments A new exhibit of rare books, flyers, postcards and pamphlets on display at UBC Okanagan in Kelowna unveils some unique artifacts of queer history. A Queer Century, first shown at the university’s Vancouver campus, highlights some of the changing perceptions of… Read more »
144 Out LGBT Candidates Won Elected Office In 2019
As of Tuesday, 144 openly LGBT candidates have won election in the United States in 2019. With six races undecided and six candidates heading to a runoff, 99 of the 200 known openly LGBT candidates on the ballot Tuesday won their races. The demographics were released Tuesday by the LGBTQ Victory Fund, which works to… Read more »
Suicidal Ideation and Attempt in Transgender and Cisgender Adolescents
Studies that we have published on transgender adolescents have raised concerns about their mental health, especially if the environment in which these teens live is not supportive. But are transgender youth more likely to consider or attempt suicide compared to cisgender adolescents? To answer that question, Thoma et al. (10.1542/peds.2019-1183) studied suicidality in trans- and… Read more »
No single gene associated with being gay
A genetic analysis of almost half a million people has concluded there is no single “gay gene”. The study, published in Science, used data from the UK Biobank and 23andMe, and found some genetic variants associated with same-sex relationships. But genetic factors accounted for, at most, 25% of same-sex behaviour. Advocacy group GLAAD said the… Read more »
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson Attends Pride For First Time As An Openly Gay Man
Longtime Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson participated in Pride activities last week for the first time as an openly gay man. Watson, who has served as mayor since 2010 and previously led Ottawa from 1997 to 2000, came out the day before the start of Ottawa’s weeklong LGBT Pride festival in an op-ed published in the… Read more »
Most LGBTI Americans welcome police at Pride parades
They also approve of corporations and ‘sexual kink’ groups A new survey reveals most LGBTI Americans are welcoming of police and other groups, such as corporations, at annual Pride parades. BuzzFeed News and Whitman Insight Strategies conducted the survey from 5-10 June, speaking to 801 LGBTI people in the US. Most of the respondents identified… Read more »
Gus Kenworthy and more finish the first day of the AIDS/LifeCycle
A record amount was raised this year Each year, thousands of people get on their bicycles to make an unforgettable journey. They bike 545 miles from San Francisco to Los Angeles in the AIDS/LifeCycle, all to raise awareness and funds for HIV/AIDS. The AIDS/LifeCycle first began in 1993 as the California AIDS Ride. Since then,… Read more »
Colorado becomes 18th state to ban conversion therapy on minors
Gay Gov. Jared Polis also signed a bill for LGBTI identification rights Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed into law numerous pieces of LGBTI legislation on Friday (31 May), including a bill banning conversion therapy on minors. Polis, who became the first openly gay US governor when he was elected last year, described conversion therapy… Read more »
Ohio public library cancels Drag 101 day after ‘veiled threats’
Many of the messages came out of state A public library in Ohio canceled a drag event after receiving ‘veiled threats’ from various messages. The Delaware County District Library planned a one-day Drag 101 class on 5 June. Library officials organized the class specifically for a teen audience in mind. Selena T. West, former Miss… Read more »
Nearly half of US LGBTI employees believe being out will hurt their career
More than half have heard anti-LGBTI comments According to a new survey of LGBTI attitudes in the US workplace, nearly half of all LGBTI employees fear being out will hurt their careers. Glassdoor, a website specializing in workplace reviews, published the survey on Thursday (30 May). The Harris Poll conducted the survey from 26 April… Read more »
‘We won’t slow down’: LGBTI groups and more celebrate the Equality Act
It passed in the House of Representatives this morning On Friday (17 May) morning, the House of Representatives in the United States Congress passed historic legislation for LGBTI equality. In a 236-173 vote, mostly along party lines, the Democrat-controlled chamber passed the Equality Act. This bill provides federal protections for LGBTI people on the basis… Read more »
Trump Administration Says President Is Opposed To LGBT Protections Bill Equality Act
A senior Trump administration official on Monday said that President Donald Trump is opposed to the Equality Act. “The Trump administration absolutely opposes discrimination of any kind and supports the equal treatment of all; however, this bill in its current form is filled with poison pills that threaten to undermine parental and conscience rights,” the… Read more »
Lambda Legal celebrates LGBTI rights advocates at National Liberty Awards
LGBTI rights advocates celebrated in New York City The oldest and largest LGBTI legal group in the US celebrated LGBTI rights advocates at the 2019 National Liberty Awards. Lambda Legal hosted this year’s award show at Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers, in New York City on Thursday (9 May). The evening honored Kate Kendell, the former… Read more »
New Jersey to require schools to teach LGBT history
Woodlawn, N.J. – New Jersey has become the second state in the nation after California to adopt a law that requires schools to teach about LGBT history in a move hailed by civil rights groups as a step toward inclusion and fairness. Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat who promised to promote equality for gay and… Read more »
School board removes book from libraries in Canada because of LGBTI content
We thought you were better Canada Ottawa’s Catholic School Board has removed a book called Drama from the libraries of its elementary school parents complained about it. Parents were reportedly unhappy with LGBTI content in the book. The award winning graphic novel tells the story of teenager trying to get a role in her high… Read more »
Majority of United States schools are unsafe for LGBTI students
Schools need to do better A new report from GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) reveals that a majority of schools in the United States have unsafe environments for LGBTI students. Their State Snapshots looks at 41 states and Puerto Rico, collecting and analyzing data about various forms of discrimination in schools. The… Read more »
First openly gay man to adopt a child in Canada reveals struggle in memoir
He hopes to encourage more adoptions by telling his tale David McKinstry has released a memoir about his journey to become a father twenty years after he became the first openly gay Canadian man to adopt children. The book charts McKinstry’s, from Peterborough, quest as he battled governments from Canada and abroad in order to… Read more »
Triumphs, tragedies and setbacks: These are transgender voices across Mississippi
In Mississippi, 15,250 people identify as transgender. According to a report published by the Williams Institute in 2016, they make up .61 percent of the state’s population. They are Mississippi natives and transplants, teachers and activists, artists and blue collar workers. They are Mississippians. These are their experiences. Jensen Matar, 31, of Jackson Jensen Matar… Read more »
Sharice Davids is the first LGBTI Native American member of Congress in the US
A great win for diversity and representation The people of Kansas today voted in the first ever LGBTI Native American to Congress with Sharice Davids as their preferred candidate. Davids ran for office in Kansas’ 3rd congressional district. She earned 52.8% of the vote, with 70% of precincts submitting their votes. Her Republican opponent, Kevin… Read more »
Jared Polis is the first openly gay man elected governor in the US
The first big win in the anticipated rainbow wave Jared Polis is a history-maker in today’s midterm elections in the United States. He is officially the first openly gay man elected a state governor. Polis ran as the Democratic candidate in Colorado’s gubernatorial race. He was declared the victor with 52% of the votes after… Read more »
Malcolm Kenyatta makes history as black gay politician in Pennsylvania
Malcolm Kenyatta is the first black, gay man elected to statewide office in the state Malcolm Kenyatta was among the many LGBTI candidates celebrating success in the US midterm elections yesterday. Kenyatta, 27, won the 181st District of Pennsylvania in the states house. He is the second openly gay Representative, joining fellow Democrat Brian Sims.… Read more »
Thousands of Canadians rally behind petition to ban ‘conversion therapy’
So-called conversion therapy has been labeled ‘fraudulent’ in other parts of the world Thousands of people signed a petition calling on the government to ban so-called conversion therapy in Canada for LGBTI youth. The petition, signed by 4692 people so far, asks the government to outlaw the practice, citing the harm it can cause to… Read more »
What it’s really like at an LGBTI-inclusive assisted living retirement facility in Palm Springs
LGBTIs from Ohio, Florida, Hawaii are spending their golden years in the desert city. We find out why ‘We say “LGBT community and friends”, so everyone feels welcome,’ says Lauren Kabakoff from her office in sunny Palm Springs, California. ‘But overall, the people who are calling us, looking into us and deciding to move don’t… Read more »
ADS
