Who defines "unalienable rights"?
It probably shouldn't be Pompeo's new group.
Apologies to those who were waiting up to read tonight’s issue. Sorry, but I was enjoying my life a bit and the newsletter had to come later. But here it is! And it’s still chock full of LGBTQ news.
Pronouns to go around!
I mentioned yesterday about Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) including her pronouns in her Twitter bio, but she’s not the only presidential candidate to do so. Both Mayor Bill de Blasio (He/him) and Julián Castro (He/Him/Él) do as well!
Who gets to define “religious freedom”?
A massive group of organizations and lawmakers are calling on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to abandon his new “Commission on Unalienable Rights” because it will be used to impose anti-LGBTQ and anti-women policies. One letter came from a coalition of 180 civil rights groups, another came from 22 U.S. Senators, and a third came from a group of Catholic theologians with many other religious signers.
Almost all of the members of this commission have very socially conservative beliefs, so the likelihood of them hurting civil rights easily follows from their records. But as several religious organizations indicated in their letter, the commission’s efforts to enshrine discrimination according to “natural law” would clearly favor one set of religious beliefs over others.
Trans victory in North Carolina
When North Carolina’s anti-trans law HB 2 was repealed in 2017, it was replaced with a law (HB 142) that still wasn’t great for transgender people. It still blocked cities from passing nondiscrimination protections, and it also included some ambiguous language that could have been exploited to discriminate against trans people.
Today, the state settled a federal suit challenging the law, agreeing to a consent decree that clarifies its scope. According to the agreement, the law cannot be used to “prevent transgender people from lawfully using public facilities in accordance with their gender identity.” It also states that no future governor or agency can ever “bar, prohibit, block, deter, or impede any transgender individuals from using public facilities ... in accordance with the transgender individual’s gender identity.”
While there’s still a fight ahead to actually protect LGBTQ North Carolinians from discrimination, this decision seems to close the door on the chapter in which trans people were openly stigmatized by the law.
Anti-trans doctors beg Surgeon General to reject children
The tiny anti-LGBTQ hate group the American College of Pediatricians (not to be confused with the genuine American Academy of Pediatricians) has sent a letter begging the Surgeon General to issue a “warning, advisory, or admonition” against providing gender-affirming treatment to transgender kids. It’s full of the usual junk science about trans kids, but as David Cary Hart points it out, it does provide a helpful list of doctors to keep your kids away from.
Go to non-political shops that… play Christian music?
As major companies come under new scrutiny for their political donations to anti-LGBTQ companies, the Family Research Council urges you to instead go to local stores that aren’t so political — you know, with the shop owner that “plays Christian music” and “supports local churches’ Vacation Bible Schools,” but definitely doesn’t do anything to “wade into the social and political fray.” It’s “political” to affirm queer people, but it’s Christian to reject them!
Prep for PrEP
Right now, to enjoy the protective benefits of PrEP, patients need to take a daily pill. But new research shows promising results for an implant that could provide protection from HIV for a full year at a time.
Russian anti-gay hitlist leads to murder
A Russian website modeled after the movie Saw has a hitlist of LGBTQ activists, complete with personal details. One such activist saw her name on it and expressed fear for her life. A few days later, she was stabbed to death. There appears to be little effort to track down those responsible for the doxxing website.
A milestone for Japan
Japan has elected its first openly gay male lawmaker to the National Diet. Taiga Ishikawa ran on a marriage equality platform and promises, “It will happen within the six years of my term, I am sure.”
Another Straight Pride (white supremacist) parade?
Another group of white supremacists are attempting to organize a Straight Pride parade, this time in Modesto, California. Unlike the upcoming one in Boston, they aren’t pretending to have a veneer of queer-friendliness. They want to protect society “from being destroyed by the inherent malevolency/evil of the Homosexual/Sodomy Movement.” They sound nice.
How to respond to Straight Pride?
This is probably as gratuitous as I’ll ever get in this newsletter, but I thought it was worth sharing. Two gay adult film stars, Michael DelRay and Dante Colle, happened upon an anti-gay protester on the Santa Monia Pier. They asked him how to be forgiven for their sins, and he apparently said, “There’s no helping you guys.” So, they decided to enjoy it and proceeded to strip their shirts and gratuitously make out.
Yes, they’re hot, but I also think the clip shows how low the stakes really are compared to the wrath of God the evangelists proclaim. Two guys made out and the sky did not fall, and the juxtaposition with the Christian condemnations is just too perfect.
Janelle Monae for days
A day after we were talking about Tessa Thompson, there’s double exciting news for her partner Janelle Monae. Monae will be starring in the second season of the Amazon Prime show Homecoming, and she also stars in the new feature film Harriet, which had its trailer debut today.
And let’s be honest, this new Harriet Tubman biopic has a ton of queer cred too. It also stars Leslie Odom, Jr., who played a gay character on Smash, and in the titular role, the fabulous Cynthia Erivo, who crushed it as Celie in the revival of The Color Purple. (Her rendition of the queer anthem “I’m Here” can still bring me to tears.)
Until next time, stay platinum!
(Secretary Mike Pompeo photo credit: Flickr/Ninian Reid.)