Lost-n-Found Youth in Atlanta, Ga. has a new interim executive director, Audrey Krumbach, who replaced its founder and executive director Rick Westbrook.
info: bit.ly/2KhlwMO.
The National Center for Lesbian Rights and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders filed their reply in support of their Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment on June 22 in Doe v. Trump — the first lawsuit filed to stop the Trump-Pence transgender military ban. If District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly rules in favor of the plaintiffs, that decision would permanently block the Trump-Pence transgender military ban from ever taking effect. The filing rebuts the administration’s attempt to “blinker reality and recast the Mattis Plan as something other than what it plainly is: a blueprint to ensure that no transgender individuals serve in our Nation’s Armed Forces ‘in any capacity.’”
info: nclrights.org. glad.org.
The NLGJA – The Association of LGBTQ Journalists 2018 National Convention will be held from Sept. 6-9 in Palm Springs, Calif. Registration and the event’s agenda is available online.
info: nlgja.org.
For the first time worldwide, the queer history of video games will be explored in a major museum exhibition: “Rainbow Arcade” that opens at Schwules Museum Berlin in December 2018. Dr. Adrienne Shaw from Temple University is serving as a curator in her role as the founder of the LGBTQ Video Game Archive.
info: lgbtqgamearchive.com. temple.edu.
The American Veterinary Medical Association shared that it believes that “diversity and inclusion make for a stronger organization and profession,” and has been celebrating Pride Month by sharing stories of LGBTQ veterinarians and their colleagues on their Facebook page.
info: pridevmc.org. facebook.com/avmavets.
GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders honored LGBTQ rights and breast cancer activist, anti-poverty advocate and political strategist Ann Maguire at its annual Summer Party on July 28.
info: glad.org.
The Point Foundation announced its 2018 scholarship recipients. The 20 LGBTQ students were chosen to be Point Scholars from more than 2,000 applicants. Point also welcomed 25 LGBTQ students to its Community College Scholarship Program. “This year’s scholarship recipients include seasoned advocates for LGBTQ rights and social justice, impressive young scientists, industrious medical students and competent young people who will undoubtedly impact professions from law to business and the arts,” the organization shared. “Many of the scholarship recipients have overcome barriers to their success that are all too common among LGBTQ individuals, including discrimination, immigration status, homelessness, family rejection and abuse,” they added.
info: pointfoundation.org.
The International AIDS Society has named South African Kevin Osbourne as its next executive director. He directed the society’s HIV advocacy and programs before his appointment. Osbourne has lived openly with HIV for more than half his life. He led the conceptualization and development of the PLHIV Stigma Index – which is used by UNAIDS as a tool to capture changes in stigma across 44 countries.
info: msmgf.org.
Stage, film and TV star Alan Cumming will join Cunard as part of the luxury cruise line’s Insights program on the Jan. 3, 2019 Transatlantic Crossing on the flagship ocean liner Queen Mary 2. While sailing on the seven-night voyage from New York to Southampton, England, Cumming will offer a Q&A session with guests and hosting a screening of “Instinct,” his new TV series on CBS in which he plays Dr. Dylan Reinhart. “Instinct,” which premiered in March and was just renewed for a second season, is an American police drama based on James Patterson’s “Murder Games.”
info: cunard.com.
In celebration of Pride Month, Barefoot Wine launched its Barefoot Bestie Labels, allowing wine lovers everywhere to customize Barefoot wine labels for them and their best friends to enjoy. Now through Sept. 8, the company is offering anyone looking to celebrate their best friend or sole mate the opportunity to choose from three varietals — Pinot Noir, Rosé, or Pinot Grigio — to customize their own rainbow labels through the Barefoot Bestie Labels website. Barefoot fans can craft their own special message or select one of six fun compliments for their bestie such as, “You always leave a little sparkle wherever you go” and “You’re made of 100% best friend material.”
info: barefootbestielabel.com.
Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County opened the area’s first LGBTQ Visitor Center to showcase attractions of interest to LGBTQ visitors. The Visitor Center is a result of a partnership between the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT Chamber of Commerce. The new center will be co-located with the Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT Chamber of Commerce in Wilton Manors, the county’s “gay-centric district with the destination’s largest concentration of gay residents and businesses,” the bureau shared.
info: sunny.org/lgbt.
A new report on the state of LGBTQ finances, which takes a look at student debt, retirement savings, and more, provides a window into the unique money challenges faced, but also explores potential ways the LGBTQ community can reduce feelings of financial stress, particularly in the areas of student loans, retirement, income, and workplace advancement. One thing that is a takeaway from this survey is that 60 percent of LGBTQ borrowers regret taking out student loans.
info: bit.ly/2KeamIp.
In another report, a survey conducted by Experian in conjunction with Pride Month 2018 on LGBTQ financial planning shows that the U.S. LGBTQ community is more inclined to spend money than save it when looking at their habits and attitudes. The respondents came from a pool of 500 LGBTQ and 500 non-LGBTQ individuals.
info: bit.ly/2yvlz67.
Flatbread Grill, a fast-casual Mediterranean bakery and grill with locations in Hoboken and Jersey City, created an exclusive menu item to celebrate diversity and raise awareness for the underserved LGTBQ community. Rainbow Hummus has been used to raise funds and support an ongoing partnership with the Hudson Pride Center located in Jersey City. The sisters who founded Flatbread Grill chose to partner with Hudson Pride Connections Center for its active support and education of an at-risk population. The hummus’ flavors were infused with spirulina (blue), roasted carrot (orange), turmeric ginger (yellow), roasted cabbage (purple), kale and parsley garlic (green), and pickled beet (red).
info: flatbreadgrill.com. hudsonpride.org.
Alex Iovine and her girlfriend were kicked out of an Uber vehicle over second weekend in June because they were kissing in the backseat. The driver, Ahmad, proceeded to call their actions as illegal and refused to continue their ride. In New York City discrimination is illegal, including against the LGBTQ community.
info: queerrising@gmail.com.
A new study found that LGBTQ workers in the U.S. are outperforming LGBTQ workers in eight other countries with regard to retirement readiness. This first-of-its-kind study, “LGBT: Retirement Preparations Amid Social Progress,” is a collaboration between Aegon Center for Longevity and Retirement and non-profits Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies and Instituto de Longevidade Mongeral Aegon. It is based on findings from a survey of 900 LGBTQ workers and retirees across nine countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom and the U.S. Finding among U.S. respondents found that the LGBTQ workforce surpasses their global LGBTQ peers in retirement.
info: transamericacenter.org.
“Unapologetically BLACK!” — the philanthropic 2018 Gentlemen’s Ball Weekend — will be held from Oct. 5-7 in Atlanta, Ga. It includes discussions and education on diversity, a welcome reception, scholarship presentation ceremony, live entertainment, Sunday brunch and special guests. This year’s theme is “a great and necessary reminder for us to reside in the knowing that our innate power individually and as a people, is fueled by our blackness. Sometimes, the resilience and tenacity that’s ingrained in us as we stand at the intersection of Black & LGBTQ++ is often forgotten; second fiddle to our sexual identity. But we say ‘no more’. This year, we offer the opportunity to honor our heritage, to celebrate our ancestors, and to embrace our future,” said co-founders Juan and Gee Smalls. “We are a witness to the injustices that occur not only in our backyard, but across the nation. We believe that bringing the community together … will increase the unity in our community by reminding the world where we stand. This is a chance for us to help progress our collective healing,” the Smalls added.
info: thegentlemensfoundation.org.
A YouGov data report suggests that fewer Americans today identify as completely heterosexual.
info: bit.ly/2MQXd9U. bit.ly/2yCUUEy.
The Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide is celebrating its 25th year of publication. The magazine, first published in 1994, has been considered a pioneer for LGBTQ rights while spotlighting the challenges affecting the gay and lesbian community. Such issues include housing and employment discrimination, denial of public accommodations, the hardships of receiving proper healthcare and the lack of adequate HIV/AIDS pharmaceuticals for patients.
info: glreview.org.
Out Leadership has launched #OutLEADER, a campaign celebrating inspirational LGBTQ and allied business leaders. During the campaign, a new profile will be published every week. Executives profiled in the campaign each responded to a set of common questions covering a range of topics including their coming out stories, their experiences of being out at work, useful advice they have learned from bosses and coworkers and their personal desert-island choices.
info: outleadership.com.
A new study examining the psychological effects of ballot measures related to same-sex marriage in 2012 found that LGBTQ individuals were more likely to be stressed as the total number of televised campaign advertisements increased. The study also found that the substance of the campaign advertisements influenced LGBTQ individuals’s emotional well-being. Ads that opposed same-sex marriage evoked sadness, while supportive ads brought about enjoyment and happiness. The quantity and tone of the ads had no effect on the stress levels and emotional well-being of non-LGBTQ people.
info: williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu.
Donna Minkowitz, the original writer of the Village Voice story that inspired “Boys Don’t Cry,” has taken a look back on her reporting — and the sizeable error she still regrets in “How I Broke, and Botched, the Brandon Teena Story.” In her reflection on the story she said it proved to be “the most insensitive and inaccurate piece of journalism I have ever written,” adding that she has been “ignorant about trans people.”
info: bit.ly/2to7TEd.
SAGE and the Movement Advancement Project released “Nursing Home,” the latest in a series of ads illustrating the devastating harms Americans face as a result of not having non-discrimination protections. The new ad featured an older gay man and his family on the first day he was to move into an assisted living facility. When the director of the facility learned the man is gay, he refused to allow him to move in. Many facilities do provide quality care for LGBTQ older adults. However, there exists a coordinated nationwide effort to pass religious exemption laws and policies, and file lawsuits that would allow individuals, businesses and even government contractors and grantees to use these religious exemptions to discriminate against a range of communities, including LGBTQ seniors. Earlier this year, the Trump administration established the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division at the Department of Health & Human Services to shield medical providers who deny care based on religious or moral beliefs. LGBTQ older adults are particularly vulnerable to discrimination, because religiously-affiliated organizations provide a majority of the services they rely on for their most basic needs.
info: sageusa.org/carecantwait. lgbtmap.org.
The Richmond City Council adopted a Human Rights Commission on June 11. In addition to the classes protected under the Virginia Human Rights Act, the newly certified commission will specifically investigate discrimination claims on the basis of “sexual orientation, transgender status, [and] gender identity.”
info: gayrva.com.
Activist and attorney Zaylore Stout is launching his premiere historical coffee table book, “Our Gay History in 50 States” that treks nationwide state-by-state giving historical context to “people, places and events that are all a part of the complicated woven pattern of our growth as a community both locally and nationwide.” A Kickstarter campaign and brief video are available online.
info: buff.ly/2JkW9wm.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Surveillance Summary on the 2017 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey shows mixed results for youth, especially for youth of color when it comes to HIV and other STDs. “While there were encouraging signs across all races and ethnicities in terms of decreased sexual activity, it is alarming that condom use dropped so significantly” said Linda H. Scruggs, director of NMAC’s Leadership Pipeline and Youth Initiative. “This report indicates that youth, particularly youth of color, are engaging in riskier behavior and are at greater chance of contracting HIV or other STDs. It also shows that, with a decreased use of condoms, we will need to look at biomedical prevention methods, like Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP). While there is no data in this update about LGBTQ youth, we know that data is coming soon and we look forward to seeing it,” Scruggs added. “Through NMAC’s Youth Initiative and our Building Young Leaders of Color (BYLOC), we know that youth are eager to take a leadership role in the fight against HIV in their communities and with their peers,” said Scruggs. “The data from this update and coming updates gives them the information they need to effectively communicate with their peers and develop HIV fighting strategies for their communities.”
info: cdc.gov. nmac.org.
A new Care2 petition started by Austin Sailas, cousin of Aaron Salazar, is calling on Amtrak to open their investigation to the FBI to investigate the beating of Salazar who was found injured and unconscious near a desolate set of tracks in Truckee, Calif. as a hate crime. Salazar remains in a coma in a hospital in Reno, Nev. The Care2 petition has gathered over 22,000 signatures.
info: care2.com/go/z/ForAaron.
There are 559 known openly LGBTQ elected officials in the United States — and America needs to elect 22,837 more to achieve equitable representation — according to LGBTQ Victory Institute’s newly released 2018 Out for America report. The report documents the severe underrepresentation of LGBTQ individuals in key positions of power, along with demographic data that demonstrates the need to elect more LGBTQ people of color, women and bisexual and transgender individuals. The report also found that transgender representation more than doubled since the last Out for America report in 2017 (from six to 13 elected officials), and that fewer LGBTQ Republicans are in office (16 instead of 19) since the last report, despite overall known LGBTQ elected officials rising by 24.8 percent.
info: outforamerica.org. victoryinstitute.org/OFA2018.
Gabriel Lim designed a T-shirt campaign for Pride season, “Fuck ISIS in the Butt” (printed in Arabic), saying that he would contribute 50 percent of sales to All Out to fund Pride in countries where it’s not safe enough. “I want to help advocate the importance of LGBTQ+ being visible for struggling queer youths in countries where there’s no public representation, and they feel that they don’t know what’s wrong with themselves, because they don’t know people like themselves exist.” The campaign will be renewed weekly until the end of pride season in August.
info: everpress.com/fuck-isis-in-the-butt.
Peter Tatchell has launched a new report, “The Economic Cost of Homophobia,” which shows that countries that criminalize being gay suffer significant economic disadvantages; lost tourism revenue; lost inward foreign aid and investment; and lost talent and skills as LGBTQ individuals flee abroad. The report “doesn’t gloss over the human rights abuses endured by hundreds of millions of LGBT+ people worldwide, but conclusively proves that discriminating nations have an economic reason, apart from human decency, to repeal unjust, outdated and unnecessary laws,” Tatchell’s team shared.
info: petertatchellfoundation.org. bit.ly/2K7ZCPK.
In its latest installment, “Blood Flags,” the FCB Health’s Blood Equality initiative, further challenges discriminatory blood ban against gay, bisexual and transgender men. The initiative is a pro bono advocacy and awareness campaign in partnership with the Gay Men’s Health Crisis.
info: bit.ly/2tptTPU. fcb.com. gmhc.org.