A growing number of social media platforms are banning content promoting conversion therapy as a result of efforts from GLAAD. One of these platforms includes Spoutible, an alternative platform to X, launched in February of 2023. Last week, Spoutible founder, Christopher Bouzy, confirmed the ban was implemented. On the company’s website a mission statement describes the platform’s commitment to “creating a safe, inclusive, and enjoyable online space for all” while “mitigating targeted harassment, hate speech, disinformation, and platform manipulation.” Another site seeing similar changes is Post, a platform meant to share news and information and encourage conversation amongst users. Last year,…
Author: Lauren Mulvey
Two of the USA’s largest transgender rights organizations are merging in a step to unify against conservative politicians attempting to repeal trans rights. The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) and the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF) will come together as Advocates for Trans Equality or A4TE, indicated in a press release published last week. According to NBC News, the NCTE centers its work around federal policy reform and TLDEF works to strengthen trans rights through litigation. Both organizations were founded in 2003. Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, executive director of NCTE said “At a time when states are considering a…
The Caribbean is known as a tropical paradise and plays host to sunny vacations for tourists year-round, but are countries in the Caribbean a paradise for LGBTQ+ residents and tourists? One of the only countries in the Caribbean region where same-sex marriage is legal is Puerto Rico, but this is only because it is a U.S. territory. In 2015, when the Obergefell U.S. Supreme Court decision made it legal for same-sex couples to get married, couples in PR were granted the rights to make medical decisions for their spouses, become stepparents to their spouses children, and file for joint adoption…
If you’re feeling lucky, you might just be the winner of a three-night stay at Santiago Resort in Palm Springs, which has over one thousand 5-star reviews on Google and Tripadvisor. The winner will receive lodging for three nights, dinner for two at a local hotspot, and tickets to the aerial tram. Santiago Resort is a lush and luxurious retreat for gay men in the heart of Palm Springs where guests can enjoy stylishly decorated rooms, pillow-top King beds, elegant bathrooms equipped with walk-in rain showers, and fast wifi. Wake up each morning and take a swim just steps away…
Conservative lawmakers around the USA are focusing much of their energy on restricting the rights of the LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities. These politicians have been trying to subvert these communities with disruptions of the culture surrounding them. One of their primary takedown methods? Banning famous books. There are many books new and old which discuss LGBTQ+ topics, and conservatives are making attempts to ban incredible literary classics, along with new educational commentary. But this is no new tactic. Conservative parents have long been complaining to schools about their children reading books with even a mention of sexuality, race or…
A new report from The Trevor Project found that the prevalence of conversion therapy across the country is still disturbingly high. Findings from the study published in December found that there are around 1,320 conversion therapy practitioners in the USA, Around 46% of these practices hold active professional licenses and 54% operate at a ministerial or religious capacity. Those who hold licenses are oftentimes professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, social workers, and psychologists. The states identified to have the highest number of practitioners were Pennsylvania, Texas, Missouri, Ohio, and Minnesota. Conversion therapy is a medical or mental intervention meant to alter…
Actress Annette Bening spoke out against anti-trans rhetoric during a guest appearance on The View recently. Bening has a 32-year-old trans son who she shares with husband Warren Beatty. She spoke of her relationship with him to the show’s hosts. “At the beginning, I felt very protective of his privacy, because he’s the son of these two famous people,” she said. “I felt it was his right to say what we wanted to say publicly, or not.” Bening spoke about her shift from remaining quiet on political topics in the public sphere to speaking openly about her support for the…
Florida Republican House Rep. Dean Black has introduced a bill that would require “biological sex” affidavits for all Floridians. According to Them, the bill “amends various state codes to mandate that all identification documents adhere to the assigned sex on a person’s original birth certificate.” It goes further to require those applying for ID cards sign an affidavit promising they marked the sex category according to their birth certificate. Under this bill, “male” and “female” are the only state-recognized categories, and the word “gender” is to be replaced with the word “sex.” The bill even mandates that insurance companies cover…
As one of the world’s biggest pop stars, fans and pop culture vultures are always wondering what Taylor Swift is up to. And in recent years, many have been questioning the singer songwriter’s sexuality. Swift is known to leave easter eggs detailing her love life throughout her song lyrics, and it appears that some fans put a queer twist on some of her songs, suspecting that she has a romantic relationship with model friend Karlie Kloss. The New York Times published an opinion piece last week in which the writer specified that there were various “easy-to-decode clues” within Swift’s discography…
A new gender-affirming program from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s (UPMC) Health Plan connects the LGBTQ+ community with vetted health care providers who can provide specialized care. Under this new plan, health care providers would be required to take an online course to be better equipped and educated on the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. Once the course is completed, these providers are given a special designation which informs patients that the physician is trained. “Health equity is really important to us at UPMC Health Plan, and this is one way we are trying to hit the mark on…
Following the footsteps of other progressive countries around the world, Greece is looking to move forward with the legalization of same-sex marriages. In July of last year, Greece’s prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made a promise to legalize same-sex marriage saying “Greek society is much more ready and mature.” Currently, Greece only officially recognizes same-sex partnerships as cohabitation agreements between same-sex couples, which do offer some rights also offered to married heterosexual couples, according to Pink News. Now, a finalized version of the bill is in the works, but it is expected to be controversial as it is strongly opposed by…
French President Emmanuel Macron has named Gabriel Attal the country’s newest, youngest, and first openly gay prime minister. Before assuming the PM position, Attal served as education minister along with several other government positions since the election of Macron in 2017. The New York Times reports that many suspect Macron’s choice of Attal is an attempt to bring a fresh and youthful perspective to the forefront for the remainder of his term as political pressure mounts from the right. In a post on X to Attal, Macron wrote: “I know I can count on your energy and your commitment,” when…
Teachers across the U.K. are pushing back against guidelines from the Department of Education that would allow teachers to openly misgender their students and out them to their parents. Despite hopes for a more accepting and positive experience for LGBTQ+ students, the Department of Education new guidance, released late last month, went in the opposite direction. Under this new guidance, school officials would be required to inform parents if students request to change their pronouns or wear school uniforms that do not align with their sex assigned at birth, with “very rare” exceptions for students who may be in danger…
New York State will celebrate the Capital Region’s first-ever Pride Ski Weekend running Jan. 20 – 21 at Belleayre Mountain in Highmount. The Pride Center of the Capital Region is partnering with Belleayre Mountain, the Ulster County Tourism Office of Film, SKI NY and I LOVE NY LGBTQ+ for two days of slope-side fun. Special lift ticket packages will be available to registering guests which includes access to amazing events like an Après Ski Tea Dance with DJ RVMBA on Saturday from 4 – 7 p.m. Dust off your skis or borrow some from the mountain’s equipment rentals and take…
Discord, the Instant messaging and social platform, has banned the use of deadnaming and misgendering on its platform as competing social apps become breeding grounds for hate speech. Though it may not be as popular as Instagram or X, as of 2023 Discord has around 153 million users who use the free application to share voice, video, and text messages, and develop communities for shared interests, According to Them, the platform updated its hate speech policy in April 2022, but only recently went public with their LGBTQ+ friendly changes. Their policy currently prohibits “‘repeatedly using slurs to degrade and demean…
New California bills enacted on Jan. 1 include protections for LGBTQ+ youth. According to ABC, one of these laws requires that foster families demonstrate their ability to meet the health and safety needs of children regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. In the public realm, bill AB783 requires businesses to put signage on single-user restrooms to indicate that the toilet facility is available to all genders. In education, bill AB 1138 requires that state colleges provide free and anonymous transport to and from sexual assault treatment centers where sexual assault forensic exams can be administered. AB 2282 increases penalties…
A new report from the Southern Poverty Law Center has discovered a network of 60 organizations promoting anti-LGBTQ disinformation. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is an American nonprofit serving as a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond, by partnering with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements, and advance the human rights of all people. The report entitled “Combating Anti-LGBTQ+ Pseudoscience Through Accessible Informative Narratives was released last week and revealed that a number of organizations fronting as hubs for medical and pseudoscientific information have taken part in a web of disinformation, specifically targeting trans…
Studies have shown lesbian women make around 9% more than straight women. And in the U.S. the disparity is even larger at 20%. This phenomenon was broken down in a viral TikTok from creator Aria Velz who analyzed multiple studies to try and find the answer. Velz points out that lesbians are oftentimes more educated than straight women, but they are also less likely to “have children, live more predominantly in cities, and have more professional jobs.” However, Velz goes on to explain that even when those factors are controlled, lesbians are still earning more than straight women. Her explanation?…
Studying at university can be time consuming and expensive, so it’s important to feel comfortable, accepted and supported at the school you select. There are Liberal Arts universities around the country known to be inclusive and LGBTQ+ friendly, but a few of them consistently show up in the ranks of best LGBTQ+-friendly in the U.S. These schools are typically selected based on academic programing, student social support services, LGBTQ+ campus populations and more. Here are eight of the most-welcoming in the U.S.A. University of Washington Equipped with gender-neutral restrooms, LGBTQ+ student networks and organizations, and access to change your gender…
Cardinal Peter Turkson from Ghana told the BBC it’s time the country moves toward LGBTQ+ acceptance as Ghanaian Parliament begins discussing a bill imposing harsh penalties on the community. Turkson has spoken out in favor of accepting the LGBTQ community, a view which is in opposition to Roman Catholic bishops in Ghana who deem homosexuality “despicable,” according to BBC. Turkson is Ghana’s top Catholic priest and first-ever Ghanaian cardinal appointed by Pope John Paul II. And though he maintains his opposition toward same-sex marriage, he doesn’t think homosexuality itself should be criminalized. “It’s time to begin education, to help people…
A senior UN official has announced that anti-LGBTQ laws are impeding the fight against AIDS by preventing people from accessing lifesaving health services. According to The Guardian, currently 67 countries have laws that criminalize gay sex, nearly half of which are in Africa “the continent most affected by HIV” where prevalence rates for the virus are five times higher than in countries where same-sex relations are legal. Though much of the world is making slow progress in expanding LGBTQ+ rights, African countries are putting down harsh legislation in the opposite direction. This year Uganda made gay sex a crime punishable…
After taking strides toward including the LGBTQ+ community over the past few months, the Pope has officially approved the blessings of same-sex marriages in the Catholic church. The church began conversations to consider the approval of these blessings back in October when a document was released detailing the pope’s responses to questions posed by cardinals on same-sex marriage. Francis’ letter detailed that marriage is between a man a woman by Catholic definition, but addresses questions from the cardinals’ on gay unions saying “pastoral charity” requires patience and understanding that regardless, priests cannot become judges “who only deny, reject and exclude.” …
This year has been challenging for LGBTQ+ people around the world, but some countries have been making slow progress for their queer communities. We’re recapping some of the best LGBTQ wins around the globe for 2023. Though much of the western world has legalized same-sex marriage, there remain a great deal of hateful policies and rhetoric circulating in political and social spheres. Hundreds of laws have been put in place to limit the freedoms of LGBTQ+ people, making hypocrites of the countries which claim to embrace freedom and equality for all. Upward movement has been seen most prominently in the…
Thailand has taken another stride toward LGBTQ+ equality after the country’s Cabinet approved an amendment to its civil code to officially recognize same-sex marriage. Deputy government spokesperson, Karom Polpornklang, said the amendment with the Civial and Commercial Code will change the words “men and women” and “husband and wife” to “individuals” and “marriage partners,” allowing same-sex couples to be able to receive the same rights as hetero couples, according to AP News. The draft for the amendment is expected to be submitted to the Thai Parliament next month. Thailand has been slowly moving toward becoming the first Southeast Asian country…
A Republican politician in Florida wants to expand the oppressive “Don’t Say Gay” law that currently pervades the Florida educational system into the workplace. In late November, state Rep. Ryan Chamberlin introduced the bill which would ban government employees from changing their pronouns and also ban their co-workers from being required to use their preferred pronouns. The bill, HB 599, would also ban the penalization of employees on the “basis of deeply held religious or biology-based beliefs.” And if that wasn’t enough, it would also prevent nonprofits or employers receiving state funds from requiring employees to undergo training on matters of…
Police in Russia began raiding gay bars on Friday night after the top court approved a ban on the worldwide LGBTQ+ movement. So what does it even mean to ban a movement? The Supreme Court in Russia has officially classified the LGBTQ+ movement as an “extremist organization,” according to Time, and has banned any activism or advocacy for the rights of queer individuals. The court ruling was decided in response to a lawsuit filed by Russia’s Justice Ministry. In a statement released before the final decision, the ministry accused the LGBTQ+ movement of indicating “various signs and manifestations of extremism,…
Thousands of people participated in a pride event in New Delhi, India on Sunday after the country’s Supreme Court declined to legalize same-sex marriage. According to AP, “dancing to drums and music, the participants walked for more than two hours to the Jantar Mantar area near India’s Parliament. They held banners reading “Equality For All,” “Pride Not Prejudice,” and “Queer And Proud,” and walked with a shroud of rainbow balloons arching over them. The Supreme Court refused to legalize same-sex marriage claiming that it was ultimately Parliament’s responsibility to make the law. Prior to the decision, the Supreme Court saw 21…
The Ministry of Justice in Russia recently filed a lawsuit with their Supreme Court to outlaw the international LGBTQ+ movement, labeling it as “extremist.” The move follows decades long hostility from the Russian government toward the LGBTQ+ community, and years of limitations on LGBTQ+ rights in Russia. According to Al Jazeera, President Vladimir Putin has “put ‘traditional family values’ at the cornerstone of his rule.” Putin continues to exercise a tyrannical rule with many conservative laws limiting the freedoms of many of that country’s people. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the country has doubled down on left-leaning groups and…
The Church of England has agreed to bless same-sex marriages after a narrow vote by the organization’s ruling body, the General Synod. The plan will allow standalone services for same-sex couples to receive blessings for their marriages. However, the bishop of Oxford, Steven Croft, claims the services would be voluntary and no member of the clergy would be forced to perform such services. In just a few short weeks, queer Christians will be able to have a special service held on Saturdays to bless their unions. According to The Guardian “The proposal for standalone services on a trial basis came in…
The American Community Survey from 2022 indicated same-sex couples are more likely to be interracial than their opposite-sex counterparts. The U.S. Census Bureau conducts the American Community Survey each year to measure economic, social, housing, and demographic data from the American public. The survey, which assesses both married and unmarried couples, found that approximately 31% of same-sex couples in the U.S. are interracial while just 19% of opposite-sex couples belong to different races. Though there could be many reasons for this phenomenon, it’s easy to see that those who have been marginalized for their race and those who have been marginalized…