United States, North America

Owing to the United States' federal system and the diversity in attitudes toward LGBT rights, the status of LGBT civil rights in the U.S. is at present a patchwork. At the federal level, there is no recognition of same-sex unions and no laws forbidding employment discrimination against LGBT persons. Some states have enacted such laws, however. State legislatures in Connecticut (2005), California (1999), Hawaii (1996), Maine (2004), New Jersey (2006), Washington (2007), New Hampshire (2007), Oregon (2007) Vermont (1999) and the District of Columbia (2001) have enacted either civil unions or more limited domestic partnership options for same-sex couples. Since 2004 marriage is open to gays in Massachusetts; Connecticut made it available in 2008. More states are debating it currently. For more, click here.

 

News & Reports:

 

Say G’Day To Drag Race Down Under

Since its inception in 2009, the reality drag competition has been on a rollercoaster that only goes up. Hosted by RuPaul, arguably the most famous drag queen internationally, the show has had 13 seasons producing some of the world’s most beloved drag superstars. Drag Race Down Under will feature Australia and New Zealand queens and… Read more »

Negative attitudes towards effeminacy associated with internalized homophobia among gay and bisexual men

Most members of the LGBTQ+ community recognize that it, like many marginalized and minority communities, suffers from internal struggles centered on identity and the outward display of personality traits and behaviors that generate discrimination from the general public. Effeminacy among gay and bisexual men, and the (perceived) rejection of gender stereotypes associated with it, is… Read more »

Amazon to stop selling books that frame LGBTQ+ identities as mental illness

Retail giant announces decision in letter to Republican US senators about removal of book by conservative academic Amazon will no longer sell books that frame gay, lesbian, transgender and other sexual and gender identities as a mental illness. The company made the announcement public in a letter sent to Republican senators who had asked why… Read more »

Three dads, a baby and the legal battle to get their names added to a birth certificate

Three dads, a baby and the legal battle to get their names added to a birth certificate (CNN) – Meet Ian Jenkins and his partners, Alan and Jeremy. They’re a “throuple”: a committed polyamorous relationship involving three people. And after a complicated and expensive court battle to all become legal parents, the trio are raising… Read more »

Homophobes are more likely to be stupid, according to science

There is a scientific link between lower levels of cognitive intelligence and being homophobic, a study has found. Researchers at the University of Queensland, Australia, drew correlations between those who record a low intelligence quotient (IQ) score and those who express bigoted, prejudiced views. This connection, scientists wrote in the journal Intelligence, is the first… Read more »

The Life and Death of Modern Homosexuality

Abolish the capitalist forces that produced “gay people” Sexual Hegemony: Statecraft, Sodomy, and Capital in the Rise of the World System by Christopher Chitty. Duke University Press, 240 pages. Ever Since The Modern Invention of homosexuality, many homosexuals have been profoundly invested in claiming that homosexuality is not a modern invention, or even an invention… Read more »

Openly Gay Mark Levine Launches Campaign For Virginia Lieutenant Governor

Virginia state Delegate Mark Levine, an openly gay Democrat from Alexandria, has launched his campaign for lieutenant governor. According to the Washington Blade, Levine’s successful bid would make him the state’s first openly LGBT officeholder elected statewide. Levine announced his campaign on Monday, December 21 on social media. “Injustice has always gotten under my skin,”… Read more »

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 »

Alexander von Humboldt and the United States: Art, Nature, and Culture” Curator’s Video Tour

Source – YouTube

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »