N.C. correspondent dies
Gay author and journalist Perry Deane Young, 77, died in Chapel Hill from cancer, Stock Daily Dish reported. The North Carolina native, who grew up near Asheville, found fame as a United Press International Vietnam War correspondent. He also penned plays and books which included “The David Kopay Story” depicting a coming out storyline.
info: bit.ly/35EqVrB.
Mayors lend voice to equality
The Rainbow Times reported that on Nov. 22 the Mayors Against LGBTQ Discrimination coalition has reached more than 350 mayors from every state in the U.S. in its goal to have every corner of the nation covered by LGBTQ-affirming governmental officials. The initiative was launched in 2017. Representation totals more than 60 million constituents. North and South Carolina members include: Esther Manheimer (Asheville), Ian Baltutis (Burlington), Lydia Lavelle (Carrboro), Pam Hemminger (Chapel Hill), Mark Kleinschmidt (former mayor, Chapel Hill), Jennifer Roberts (former mayor, Charlotte), William Bell (former mayor, Durham), Steve Schewel (Durham), Nancy Vaughan (Greensboro), Tom Stevens (Hillsborough), Cindy Perry (Pittsboro), Nancy McFarlane (Raleigh), John Teclenburg (Charleston) and Steve Benjamin (Columbia).
info: bit.ly/2XIqycD. mayorsagainstlgbtdiscrimination.org.
Attorney receives journal award
Marie-Amélie George, a law assistant professor at Wake Forest University School of Law has received The Michael Cunningham Prize for her article entitled “Bureaucratic Agency: Administering the Transformation of LGBT Rights” that appeared in the Yale Law and Policy Review. The award was given in recognition of the best sexual orientation and gender identity law review articles of 2018 by The Dukeminier Awards Journal at the University of California, Los Angeles. Deadline for the 2019 selections consideration is Dec. 15.
info: williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu.
Baptist leader shows ‘act of hospitality’
The president of the Southern Baptist Convention, J.D. Greear, has said in podcast that “when “communicating with a person who identifies as transgender, he personally would ‘lean toward’ using the individual’s ‘preferred pronoun’ as an act of ‘hospitality’ before the telling them biblical truth,” Christian News reported. The “truth” he refers to, however, is that gender is determined by genetics, not feelings. He also said that calling a person by their name instead of by a pronoun, is more acceptable, taking cues from writer Andrew Walker.
info: bit.ly/2pMkWBD.
‘EastSiders’ final season nears
The Daytime Emmy Award-winning Netflix series “EastSiders” will premiere on Dec. 1 and will feature a wedding between Thom and Cal with a bridal party that includes “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alums Manila Luzon and Katya, as well as social media stars Max Emerson and Chris Salvatore, and original “Queer Eye” culture expert Jai Rodriguez. Additional actors appearing in the series will be Jake Choi (“Single Parents”), Hailee Sahar (“Pose”), Tom Lenk (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), Daniel Newman (“The Walking Dead”) and Bryan Batt (“Mad Men”). Check out the trailer for a preview of the upcoming season.
info: bit.ly/2qHYXvV.
Methodists slate conference
Reconciling United Methodists will convene in Nashville, Tenn., from Feb. 27-29 for their Connection 2020 conference. The organization, which was formed in 1984 to offer LGBTQ congregants a support system when the church did not, now has over 1,000 member churches/communities/campus ministries and includes 40,000 individuals. “Even as The UMC wrestles with its future, RMN’s mission remains unchanged. We are steadfast in our commitment to LGBTQ justice, not only where The UMC currently exists, but across the expanse of any future expressions of Methodism or denominations birthed out of the Wesleyan movement,” the leadership stated and added that they will continue to “create, equip, and mobilize a movement of Methodists who will not wait for a General Conference to tell them how to be like Jesus.” There are currently 44 network church affiliates in North Carolina and 13 in South Carolina.
info: rmnetwork.org.
AMA calls for conversion therapy ban
In a Newsweek article, the American Medical Association called on the federal government to institute a nationwide ban on conversion therapy. Currently, there are 18 states and the District of Columbia that have official bans, according to the Map Advancement Project. In North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper signed an executive order that prevents the state’s Department of Health and Human Services fro, using state and federal funds to provide conversion therapy to those under 18, CNN reported and in March Puerto Rico’s governor signed a similar order, The New York Times added.
info: bit.ly/2rn8XdY. cnn.it/33cntCF. nyti.ms/2XRSxqx. lgbtmap.org.
Legal org names new director
Lambda Legal announced that Michael D. Shutt, formerly senior director for Campus Life at Emory University and an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Georgia, will become director of Lambda Legal’s Southern Regional Office, based in Atlanta, Ga. Shutt will oversee programming and outreach efforts in Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina and Mississippi.
info: lambdalegal.org.
Rates high for LGBTQ Southerners
The Raleigh News & Observer reported that depression and anxiety were “alarmingly high” among LGBTQ Southerners, according to a survey released by the Campaign for Southern Equality. Over 5,000 adults were questioned about their mental and physical health. Among the data collected, results showed that more than half of transgender individuals reported having suicidal ideation, those living in rural areas has lower physical and mental health ratings, of all respondents, 54 percent were reported to having depression and 46 percent anxiety.
info: bit.ly/2D8Y5Dg.
Shut down staged by student groups
A protest was held at North Carolina State University during mid-month when Youth Democrat Socialists of America and Antifa-offshoot Smash Racism Raleigh struck out on the campus during “Culture Wars,” sponsored by the conservative Turning Point USA. During the day’s event, Rep. Dan Bishop’s son, Jack, was allegedly hit in the face with spray paint in the Freedom of Expression tunnel, North State Journal reported. Bishop was spray painting a message to advertise Culture Wars when he was approached by two dozen protesters who began painting over his group’s efforts. Turning Point’s mission is to “combat liberalism” on college campuses and to “identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote freedom.” Activism co-chair of the socialists Skye McCollum, told The Technician that “free speech events like Culture Wars are ‘violent,’” adding that such events put the safe learning environment at risk. “Groups like NAACP at NC State, Planned Parenthood Generation Action at NC State, NC State College Democrats and two LGBT groups joined Smash Racism and the YDSA in petitioning NCSU’s administration to cancel the event,” North State Journal added.
info: bit.ly/33hlayn.
Spirit day nixed
Fayetteville, N.C.’s Reid Ross Classical High School canceled its “Gender-Bender” day that was part of the school’s homecoming spirit week festivities and replaced it with Meme Character Day, WLS reported. Students were given the option to “cross-dress” in traditional female or male attire. Parents and advocates were concerned that the day’s event crossed the line. A parent, Valentina Graham said the theme was “shocking.” She added that she accepted a child who chose to crossdress personally but felt that an institution’s promotion to do so was unacceptable. Advocates also took exception to the theme as well, but from a different viewpoint. They felt it was insensitive. LGBT Center of Raleigh’s Kori Hennessey said that it hindered students “who identify as transgender or gender non-conforming who still struggle to be accepted,” WLS added.
info: abc11.tv/2QJo2Br.
Gay parents in Israel have to self-identify
A gay couple in Tel Aviv attempted to register their twins for day car and sought financial aid from the government and hit a roadblock, LGBTQ Nation reported. Israeli regulations states that there has to be one person identified as the father and the other the mother when making an application for financial aid. They spoke to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and explained their circumstances. They were taken aback when they were asked if one of the couple was more dominate, thus providing a way to comply with the guidelines. The couple stated that it was 2020 and that it “just seems crazy” that the situation got bogged down in semantics. Later another official called them and apologized for the circumstances and told them that their paperwork would be processed without the originally requested information.
info: bit.ly/35to8Bg.
Early bird reg open for youth summit
Pridelink’s 2nd Annual LGBTQ+ Youth Summit to be held on Jan. 25, 2020, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at the University Readiness Center, 301 N. Campus Blvd., in Spartanburg, S.C., has opened its registration process. Early bird rates are $25 through Dec. 17. The event consists of a plenary, breakout sessions and more. Those unable to pay the full amount can pay what they can.
info: bit.ly/2QO5Ere.
History month icon noms due
The Equality Forum has issued a last call for nominations for the organization’s 2020 LGBT History Month Icons. The deadline is Dec. 6. Forms are available online.
info: bit.ly/2OMO8B4.
Subaru helps raise HIV/AIDS funds
Corporate sponsor Subaru of America lent their support to raise funds for the Dining Out for Life single-day event held nationally across North America. This year’s record-breaking totals amounted to more than $4.2 million that will be used to assist HIV/AIDS service providers in their work. Restaurants contributed a percentage of sales while local HIV/AIDS service organizations helped fill the 2,429 participating restaurants with an estimated 380,867diners.
info: subaru.com. diningoutforlife.com.
Medicaid numbers in on study
Over 150,000 transgender adults are enrolled in Medicaid in the U.S., according to a new analysis by the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. Eighteen states and D.C. have chosen to specifically include coverage for gender-affirming care under their Medicaid programs or are in the process of extending coverage, while 12 states exclude coverage for such care and 20 states have not expressly addressed coverage.
info: bit.ly/37BvioQ.
Trevor responds to CDC survey
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released their School Health Profiles, a system of surveys assessing school health policies and practices in states, large urban school districts and territories. In response, The Trevor Project’s Director of Research Amy Green, Ph.D., stated, “A safe and supportive school environment is imperative to a comprehensive public health approach aimed at ending suicide among LGBTQ youth. The CDC’s latest School Health Profiles results indicate that schools across the nation are continuing to make progress in creating safe and supportive environments for LGBTQ students.” Green is an expert on implementing evidence-based strategies to create safe and supportive schools for sexual and gender minority students (credentials). “Our recent survey of LGBTQ youth mental health shows that 39 percent of LGBTQ youth respondents seriously considered attempting suicide in the past 12 months. We know that youth who attend schools that have policies that are inclusive and supportive of LGBTQ have reduced rates of suicide attempts. While there’s still progress to be made, the ongoing efforts of school districts to support vulnerable populations such as LGBTQ youth are vital to saving lives and providing life-affirming care.” A more comprehensive report on Trevor’s findings is available online.
info: thetrevorproject.org. cdc.gov.
Catholic org director praises Pope
News Ways Ministry Executive Director Francis DeBernardo shared his sentiments about Pope Francis’s recent condemnation of the persecution of lesbian and gay people, stating that actions “typical of Nazism have reappeared in modern life,” and include the oppression of “people of a homosexual orientation,” among other marginalized groups.
info: newwaysministry.org.