News Briefs for 07.12.19

Eating orders plague community

A study released by The Trevor Project shows that eating disorders are hitting the LGBTQ population hard. The statistics show, among other issues, that 71 percent who identify as straight have been diagnosed with an eating disorder as compared to 51 percent who are bisexual and 45 percent who are gay or lesbian. Stressors (i.e., coming out, harassment) contribute to the situation leading to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and unhealthy coping mechanisms. Many in the transgender community feel overwhelmed with trying to fit into another body, and societal and social media trends or definitions of what beauty is or what a male or female body “should look like” are examples of stressors as well. Kelly Plummer, who spoke on behalf of Alsana treatment centers, shared other issues that are contributing factors. “Another problem is access to care. Members of the LGBTQ community cannot opt for facilities that are Christian-based without facing bias, they are also stuck guessing: will this doctor/clinic support my choices without judgment? Furthermore, do they understand the intricacies of transgender hormone therapy?”
info: thetrevorproject.org. alsana.com.

Trans woman charged

The Charlotte Observer reported that a transgender woman was arrested after a disturbance at a Denny’s restaurant in Shelby over the use of a ladies restroom. A male customer felt that it was wrong for the transgender woman to be using the bathroom while his wife was also using it. Police officers explained that there was no law forbidding transgender individuals from using the restroom that more closely matches their gender identity.
info: bit.ly/2XwQTO7.

Deacon decries Vatican document

New Ways Ministry Executive Director Francis DeBernardo has reported that a Catholic married deacon, who is the father of a transgender daughter, has spoken out against the Vatican’s new document on gender identity, “ ‘Male and Female He Created Them’: Towards a Path of Dialogue on the Question of Gender Theory in Education.” In an essay published online, Deacon Ray Dever, of Tampa, Fla., said that “The model on which the entire document is based is fundamentally flawed,” noting its lack of scientific evidence or personal testimony from transgender people. “My single greatest pastoral concern is that this document will be used as a reason for Catholic schools and parishes to unjustly discriminate against transgender students, and in the process do some real harm to them and their families.”
info: newwaysministry.org. bit.ly/2Jspm6j.

Military org launches advisory council

The Modern Military Association has announced the launch of its inaugural Advocacy Advisory Council!. The newly merged organization melded the American Military Partner Association and OutServe-SLDN together. The council is made up almost entirely of the members the association it serves — LGBTQ and HIV positive servicemembers, veterans and their spouses. This inaugural class includes the following individuals: Nathaniel Boehme, MA, MSW (chair), Sasha Buchert, JD, Mitch Burge, Scott Davis, Jesse Davis-Dennis, Eric Golnick, MA, Cherissa Jackson, RN, Kimberly Johnson, MD, Paula Neira, JD, MSN, RN, CEN, Chris Pepin-Neff, PhD, Ken Pinkela, Nathan Porter, Matt Rose, Emma Shinn, JD, Shawn Skelly, MA, Sheri Swokowski, MA, Brynn Tannehill and Dylan Waguespack.
info: modernmilitary.org.

Designer releases steps to help trans children

GI Collection’s Founder Carmen Liu has published a document that details five ways to help transgender children. The steps include engaging in research, not assuming it’s a phase, clothing choice approval, providing support and becoming a child advocate.
info: gicollection.co.uk.

Book honors Fire Island

Photographer Alex Geana has released the publication of his full-color photography book “Fire Island: Photographs. It is an homage to one of the first places that gay culture was encouraged and flourished and documents the New York coastal getaway location. With the culmination of four years of work by Geana, it brings awareness to not only the theme of love, but also to the climate crisis that is impacting The Pines community of Long Island, N.Y. currently. “After Hurricane Sandy it became clearer to everyone that the Island is in danger. Not just from sea level rise, but fear that more storms will mean people won’t rebuild. And that would be just as big a loss,” Geana said. “This book is a Herculean effort to preserve the LGBTQ culture and beauty of the island before it is lost.”
info: alexgeanaphotography.com.

Jewish pub supports Pride

In honor of Pride Month, The Forward “invested in telling the stories of LGBTQ Jews. That means celebrating the extraordinary work that LGBTQ Jews do in our community.” The publication added, “That means celebrating the extraordinary work that LGBTQ Jews do in our community, as in a recent profile of the lawyer Roberta Kaplan, who, after helping lead the legal fight for gay marriage, has turned her attention to battling white supremacy. It means challenging the Jewish community to better address the needs of LGBTQ Jews.” Other features included: a cry for yeshivas to expand their curriculum to include LGBTQ education, the benefits of organizations serving gender-neutral b’nai mitzvot, the possibilities of a network for LGBTQ Mizrahi and Sephardic Jews, the complex political situation of LGBTQ Jews in Israel and more. “And it means running stories about the deeply painful ways in which LGBTQ people still suffer from lack of acceptance in the Jewish community, as in this anonymous contributor’s brave open letter to their gay conversion therapist.”
info: forward.com.

PR network formed

LGBTQ members, Washington D.C.-based PR firm RENEWPR and New York City-based MuchPR, are two of six founders of The Change Agencies, a national network of six independent, specialized public relations and marketing firms. The group is the industry’s first national collective of firms to offer inclusive communications services to “effectively represent, engage and connect with African American, Asian American, Latinx and LGBTQ communities,” they shared.
info: thechangeagencies.com.

Queer music, birdwatching collide

On July 3, the National Audubon Society premiered non-binary poetic piano pop musician Stephan Nance’s first major music video. Directed by award-winning queer Latinx director Dawn Jones Redstone, “Overwintered” features Fosse-inspired choreography by Laura Hiszczynskyj and a Harlequin Duck-inspired makeup design by paleontologist Dr. Lisa Buckley, known on Twitter for her #BirdGlamour looks. The song deals with Nance’s experiences in trying to help a struggling queer teen in rural Oregon, only to face threats from the teen’s guardians.
info: youtu.be/L6gPMEnb4AQ. stephannance.com.

History icons list announced

The Equality Forum has selected their LGBT History Month icons for 2019. The list includes: Ethel Allen, trailblazing black politician; Kwame Anthony Appiah, philosopher and author; Gladys Bentley, Blues performer; Jackie Biskupski, mayor of Salt Lake City; Kate Bornstein, transgender activist and author; Ana Brnabić, prime minister of Serbia; Pete Buttigieg, U.S. presidential candidate; Eliza Byard, LGBTQ youth advocate; Brandi Carlile, award-winning singer-songwriter; George Chauncey, distinguished historian; Lou Chibbaro Jr., journalist; Sharice Davids, Native American congresswoman; Babe Didrikson, golf legend; Cheryl Dunye, filmmaker; Lillian Faderman, LGBTQ historian; Ronan Farrow, Pulitzer-winning journalist; Jewelle Gomez, novelist; Emma González, Parkland gun control activist; Sherenté Harris, Native American youth leader; Rock Hudson, Oscar-winning actor; Robert Indiana, LOVE sculptor; James Ivory, Oscar-winning filmmaker; Anne Lister, pioneering feminist; Arthur Mitchell, pioneering ballet dancer; Julia Morgan, architect; Anaraa Nyamdorj, Mongolian LGBTQ activist; Jared Polis, governor of Colorado; Angela Ponce, transgender Miss Spain; Keshav Suri, Indian activist; Lillian Wald, community nursing founder; and Edith Wharto,n Pulitzer-winning novelist.
info: equalityforum.com.

Airline inducted as Stonewall ambassador

United Airlines became the first public company to be inducted into Pride Live’s Stonewall Ambassador program in recognition of the airline’s commitment to LGBTQ equality, from being the first U.S. airline to fully recognize domestic partnerships in 1999 to the first U.S. airline to offer non-binary gender options throughout all booking channels earlier this year. United joins fellow Stonewall Ambassadors including new inductees: The Hon. Hillary Rodham Clinton; Donatella Versace, chief artistic director of Versace; Bozoma Saint John, chief marketing officer of William Morris Endeavor; Conchita Wurst, global LGBTQ activist and recording artist; Stuart Vevers, executive creative director of Coach; Samira Wiley, activist and actor; and current members such as Chelsea Clinton, Laverne Cox, Robbie Rogers, Anna Wintour, Geena Rocero and Cleve Jones, among others.
info: united.com.

Biographical series created

QueerBio.com reported that it is creating a biographical documentary series, “Being Different: 101 Global LGBTQ Individuals Who Changed The World,” highlighting LGBTQ people who have made contributions throughout history.
info: beingdifferentdoc.com.

Actress plays lez POC

Vanessa Williams has stepped into a role of a lesbian in “A Luv Tale: The Series” — a first for the actress.
info: bit.ly/2XxMlXM.

Bar holds first Pride party

The Husk in downtown Wilmington, N.C. held the first annual Pride Party for the coastal town on June 30. Pictorial highlights were showcased at StarNews Online.
info: bit.ly/2XzfPUS.

Two trans women tell their story

Spectrum News in Raleigh, N.C. featured Angela Bridgman and Kendall Vega in a video interview. Each of the women shared their coming out story and how being transgender has been for them. Their experiences were separated by 25 years.
info: bit.ly/2JIEeOn.

Baldwin introduces Stonewall resolution

On June 26, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, the U.S. Senate’s first openly LGBTQ member, introduced a resolution commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall uprising. “When we look back at the Stonewall uprising and activism that grew out of that moment, even the most basic progress seemed like it would take a revolution to achieve. So we had one,” Baldwin said in a statement shared with NBC News. “And that’s how we’ve made such enormous progress over the last 50 years. Today, we should remain inspired by the courage of the story of Stonewall.” Baldwin’s resolution states that “the neighborhood of Greenwich Village, and establishments like the Stonewall Inn, served as a sanctuary for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (referred to in this preamble as ‘LGBTQ’) community from persecution by police and society at large.” The resolution also acknowledges LGBTQ protests that occurred prior to Stonewall, including those at the Los Angeles restaurant Cooper Do-nuts in 1959, San Francisco’s Compton’s Cafeteria in 1966 and the Black Cat Tavern in Los Angeles in 1967.
info: hrc.org.

Former N.C. governor too anti-gay for post

Queerty reported that former North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory was too anti-gay to be hired by Donald Trump for a post with the Department of Energy, saying he found him too problematic. Newly leaked documents depict McCrory’s record as blocking him from higher-level government positions. Cited were the signing of HB2 and McCrory’s statement about Trump’s behavior after the “grab them by the p*ssy” tape that Trump’s mouth should be washed out with soap.
info: bit.ly/2JzUtx7.

United hires expert in sexuality and religion

Rev. Dr. Justin Sabia-Tanis has joined United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities as assistant professor for social transformation and director for the social transformation programs. Recently the director of communications at the Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion at the Pacific School of Religion, Sabia-Tanis is an expert in religion, gender and sexuality, and queer studies. His Ph.D. dissertation, “Queer Bodies, Sacred Subject” explored the ways contemporary artists from different countries use spiritual themes to convey radical inclusion and sacred sexuality.
info: unitedseminary.edu.

Pub highlights LGBTQ community

The Nation published numerous articles in its “Reclaiming Stonewall” coverage during the week of Stonewall 50. Included were a group of dozens of LGBTQ activists, artists, and academics to reflect on its many legacies.
info: bit.ly/2Xtj2W2.

Governor orders youth protection

Utah Governor Gary Herbert released a letter ordering the Utah Psychologist Licensing Board to promulgate regulations protecting youth from efforts by licensed mental health professionals to change their sexual orientation or gender identity (conversion therapy). Herbert ordered the Psychologist Licensing Board “to take the lead on this,” and then to share its results with other state mental health licensing boards. The letter also asked the board to “carefully consider how” psychologists can educate families when parents seek such dangerous treatments for their children.
info: nclrights.org. bornperfect.org.

Reproduction device now available

The Center for Reproductive Health & Gynecology has announced that it now offers the INVOCELL Intravaginal Culture (IVC) System. Dr. Sam Najmabadi, a Los Angeles-based fertility expert, now provides the first-of-its-kind procedure, which comprises the INVOCELL Culture and Retention Devices. This new natural incubation is revolutionary for same-sex couples and is the only IVC system cleared by the Food and Drug Administration.
info: reproductive.org.

Abuses in prisons focus of report

Spectrum News has investigated a growing issue in prisons — sexual abuse and misconduct behind bars. These are not simply between inmates, but also includes detention officers. Robert Blue, who refers to himself as Alanna, is a transgender individual who underwent assaults multiple times during his 10-year stay in North Carolina jails and prisons.
info: bit.ly/2XzhKZy.

SF to create cultural district

The Board of Supervisors unanimously passed an ordinance authored by Supervisor Rafael Mandelman to create the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District, bringing additional funding and resources to one of the country’s most important LGBTQ neighborhoods. The Castro LGBTQ Cultural District will join the list of other recognized Cultural Districts including the Compton’s Transgender Cultural District in the Tenderloin and Leather LGBTQ Cultural District in SoMa. In November of 2018, San Francisco voters approved Proposition E, reallocating a portion of hotel tax revenues for arts and cultural purposes including cultural districts.
info: sfgov.org.

Courage awards bestowed

The Colin Higgins Foundation announced its 19th Annual Youth Courage Award winners, whom it recognizes for “extraordinary leadership and advocacy” on behalf of LGBTQ youth. The 2019 winners are: Kristina Hernandez, 16, from Las Vegas, Nev.; Daniel Landry, 17, from Glenpool, Okla.; Oliver Burnett, 18, from Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Jayna Ledford, 19, from Frederica, Del.
info: colinhiggins.org.

Float missing LGBTQ children

The Winston-Salem Journal reported that organizers of a Fourth of July parade float in Sparta, N.C., were forced to have children under 18 not march in the event due to threats they had received on social media. The float was designed to show support for LGBTQ children who face bullying.
info: bit.ly/2Xz8zZi. bit.ly/2XDrH8I.

Military org launches survey

The 2019 Modern Military Annual Survey is now online and is a “crucially important tool in ensuring your voice is heard as we advocate for our community in the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. As a member of the LGBTQ military and veteran community, your insight will ensure that we’re able to better serve our modern military families through education, advocacy and support,” the Modern Military Association of America said.
info: hbit.ly/2XwvmVD.

Straight Pride organizers ‘freak out’

Organizers of Straight Pride’s parade were alarmed when they received suspicious envelopes and called in authorities to investigate it. What they got was not toxic or harmful. It was glitter, Daily Kos reported. “Yeah, well, LGBTQ people in the Boston area wouldn’t wish for a parade founded on homophobia held by far-right brawlers, but here we are. One side is fighting with their fists and the other is sending glitter.”
info: bit.ly/2JvU9PU.