Join the Sonoma County Library for eventsthroughout the month of July, from a virtual talk with bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo to live music performances. All events are free and you don’t need a library card to attend; registration is required for select events. See some of our July events below!
All Ages
Trio Nuevo Amanecer enchants audiences with romantic ballads of Latin America, classic folk songs, traditional Mexican music, and more. Catch a performance at these libraries: Roseland, Sonoma Valley, Rohnert Park-Cotati, Sebastopol, Healdsburg, or Cloverdale.
Keenan Webster: Afro Roots World MusicExperience the sounds of West African music with Keenan Webster! Webster’s mission is to use music for world peace and healing, to fight against racism, and to bring all people together. Join Webster at four libraries: Sebastopol, Healdsburg, Guerneville, and Windsor.
Kids
Little Chefs’ & Gardeners’ Story HourJoin children’s author Tenisha Bernal to explore little chefs’ and gardeners’ first words through interactive reading, coloring, puzzles, and games! Attendees will receive free books on a first come, first served basis. For ages 0-6. At two locations: Rohnert Park-Cotati Library and Bayer Farm in Santa Rosa.
The Treasure of AquilesCome join the adventures of Aquiles! Sing, dance and play with Cascada de Flores at 11 locations: Cloverdale, Healdsburg, Roseland, Guerneville, Petaluma Fairgrounds, Northwest Santa Rosa, Sonoma Valley, Central Santa Rosa, Rincon Valley, Sebastopol, and Windsor. For grades K-6.
Teens
Lyrics Workshop with KayattaLearn how to write your own lyrics with Bay Area hip-hop artist Kayatta. For grades 7-12. Get inspired at four libraries: Rincon Valley, Sebastopol, Central Santa Rosa, and Petaluma.
Paper Bead MakingLearn how to create colorful, eco-friendly paper beads! Join us for a creative class that shares various techniques for making unique, personalized beads for your own projects. For grades 7-12. At four libraries: Windsor, Northwest Santa Rosa, Rincon Valley, and Sonoma Valley.
Intercambio: English & Spanish Learning GroupPractice English or Spanish and help other learners in a friendly atmosphere at the Guerneville or Healdsburg Library this summer. Beginners welcome!
All library branches will be closed Thursday, July 4.We look forward to seeing you when we reopen on Friday, July 5!
Thank you for being a member of the Sonoma County Library community. Visit us online or in person at one of our branches. Be sure to check out open jobs at Sonoma County Library here. Questions? Please call your local library branch or click here to send us a message. Eventos en julio Únete a la Biblioteca del Condado de Sonoma para los eventos ofrecidos durante el mes de julio, como una hablada virtual con la exitosa autora Elizabeth Acevedo y conciertos de música en vivo. Todos los eventos son gratuitos y no necesitas una tarjeta de la biblioteca para asistir; sí es necesario registrarse para eventos seleccionados. ¡Vea una selección de los eventos de julio a continuación!
Para Todos
Trio Nuevo Amanecer cautiva el público con boleros y baladas románticas de América Latina, canciones folclóricas clásicas, música tradicional mexicana y más. Mira una actuación en estas bibliotecas: Roseland, Sonoma Valley, Rohnert Park-Cotati, Sebastopol, Healdsburg, o Cloverdale.
Keenan Webster – Música de raíces africanas para el mundoSiente los sonidos de la música de África Occidental con Keenan Webster. La misión de Webster es utilizar la música para la paz y sanación mundial, para luchar contra el racismo y unir a la gente. Únete a Webster en cuatro bibliotecas: Sebastopol, Healdsburg, Guerneville, y Windsor.
Niños
Hora de Cuentos para Pequeños Cocineros y JardinerosÚnete a la autora de libros infantiles Tenisha Bernal para explorar las primeras palabras de pequeños cocineros y jardineros mediante actividades interactivas: leer, colorear, rompecabezas y juegos. Los participantes recibirán un ejemplar gratuito de Little Gardener’s First 100 Words y uno de Little Chef’s First 100 Words por orden de llegada. Edades 0-6. En dos ubicaciones: La Biblioteca de Rohnert Park-Cotati y Bayer Farm en Santa Rosa.
El Tesoro de Aquiles¡Únete a las aventuras de Aquiles! Canta, baila y juega con Cascada de Flores en 11 bibliotecas.: Cloverdale, Healdsburg, Roseland, Guerneville, Petaluma Fairgrounds, Northwest Santa Rosa, Sonoma Valley, Central Santa Rosa, Rincon Valley, Sebastopol, y Windsor. Para los grados K-6.
The Los Angeles LGBT Center has strongly criticized the Supreme Court’s ruling in the case of the City of Grants Pass vs. Johnson, which allows U.S. cities to criminalize homelessness. The Center’s statement highlights the detrimental impact of this decision on marginalized communities, including LGBTQ+ individuals.
“The Los Angeles LGBT Center condemns the recent Supreme Court decision in City of Grants Pass vs. Johnson, enabling U.S. cities to criminalize individuals experiencing homelessness. This ruling not only perpetuates systemic injustice but also exacerbates the daily risks faced by marginalized communities, including LGBTQ+ individuals,” the statement reads.
The Center argues that the ruling undermines fundamental human rights by stigmatizing vulnerable individuals who already have limited access to housing and support services. It points out that housing is a basic human need, like sleep and food security, and emphasizes that many people lack the means to afford these necessities due to systemic failures.
“Our country must decide whether we strive to uplift our collective humanity or opt to embrace cruelty. Today’s decision is a clear step towards cruelty, and if left unchecked, poses devastating consequences,” the statement continues.
The Los Angeles LGBT Center, which provides dedicated housing for LGBTQ+ youth and seniors, expressed solidarity with those affected by the ruling and called for compassionate and comprehensive solutions to address the root causes of homelessness.
“We emphasize the urgent need for compassionate and comprehensive solutions that address the root causes of homelessness, rather than punitive measures that perpetuate cycles of poverty and discrimination,” said Terra Russell-Slavin, Chief Impact Officer of the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
The Center remains committed to supporting individuals impacted by this decision and advocating for humane approaches to homelessness.
The number of out LGBTQ people who have won elected office has increased nearly 200% since 2017, according to research published Wednesday and first reported on by NBC News.
The LGBTQ+ Victory Institute, which works to increase queer and transgender representation in public service, found that there were 1,303 out LGBTQ elected officials as of May, a 10% increase from 1,185 officials last year and a 190.8% increase from the 448 out officials in 2017, according to the organization’s latest annual “Out for America” report.
For the first time, there is also at least one out LGBTQ elected official in every state and in Washington, D.C., the report found.
“LGBTQ people are running in historic numbers right now, and we are winning,” Elliot Imse, the executive director of the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute, said.
However, Imse noted that LGBTQ people are still underrepresented in public service. A March Gallup poll found that 7.6% of the U.S. population is LGBTQ, and there are 519,682 elected positions, the Victory Institute report found, meaning the country would need to elect 38,193 more LGBTQ officials to achieve equitable representation.
“The representation gap is so large that we need a moonshot effort to close it, and that is more important than ever right now, given all the attacks in our communities from state legislatures and city councils across the country,” Imse said.
The country has had a wave of state legislation targeting the LGBTQ community, particularly transgender youth, in recent years, with each year surpassing the previous year’s record. As of this June, state lawmakers have introduced 523 such bills — including restrictions on transition-related health care for minors, trans students’ participation in school sports, and how LGBTQ topics can be discussed in schools — up from a total of 510 in 2023, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
Though representation of LGBTQ people has increased overall, the report found that the number of out transgender officials had decreased for the first time since 2017, from 50 last year to 47 this year.
Imse said it’s “concerning” that the number of trans elected officials has fallen as both trans elected officials and trans people generally have faced more hostility, though the report didn’t evaluate whether the hostility is causing fewer trans people to run for or remain in office.
Despite the decrease in trans elected officials in the last year, the overall number of out trans, nonbinary, two spirit and gender-nonconforming people serving in elected office has increased 1,633% since 2017, from six to 104.
The number of known out gender-nonconforming, nonbinary or genderqueer elected officials has increased from none in 2017 to 57 in 2024. Just since last year, the number of out nonbinary officials has increased 70%, from 23 to 39, the report found.
For the first time, the report also found that less than half (48.2%) of LGBTQ elected officials identify as gay. The number of officials who identify as pansexual increased 28.6%, as queer 23.1 % and as bisexual 20.7%, while the number of lesbian elected officials increased by 8.3%.
The number of LGBTQ elected officials who are Black, Latino and Asian American and Pacific Islander increased by 17%, compared with a 9.3% increase of white LGBTQ elected officials.
Imse said the sharp increase in elected officials who are nonbinary, for example, shows that voters will support candidates with various identities.
“It’s a very hopeful message to see that even though so many people do not yet understand sexual orientation and gender identity in a detailed way, they are de-emphasizing the importance of that when they choose their elected officials and are much more willing to look for people because of what they stand for.”
Nebraska state Sen. John Fredrickson, pictured here in the state Capitol in Lincoln on Feb. 8, 2023, is the first openly gay man elected to the Nebraska Legislature.Margery A. Beck / AP file
Imse added that the data doesn’t show the effect that LGBTQ officials are having in their communities. He pointed to Nebraska state Sen. John Fredrickson, a Democrat who gave an emotional speech in April against a bill that would’ve barred trans students from using the school facilities that align with their gender identities and restricted their participation on school sports teams.
The bill needed 33 votes to pass out of committee. After Fredrickson’s speech, two of the bill’s Republican co-sponsors abstained from voting, bringing the final tally to 31-15 and effectively killing the bill.
Fredrickson said that, as the first openly gay man elected to the Nebraska Legislature, he never wanted his legacy to be about his identity.
“That said, I happen to have come into office during a time where we are seeing an unprecedented number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills being introduced, and I feel a high level of responsibility to my community to speak truth in these spaces,” Fredrickson said in an email. “I’ll be honest — it hasn’t always been easy, and it has taken a toll on myself and my family. That said, I go to bed every night knowing who I am, knowing my community, and knowing that I stand on the right side of history, and that is an honor.”
Fredrickson encouraged LGBTQ people who are interested in running for office to do so.
“Without being in these rooms, we risk the conversation continuing to be about us, not with us,” he said.
Turkey is an extremely popular destination, both for holidays and for people looking to get cost-effective dentistry and weight-loss surgery. But is it safe for LGBTQ+ people to visit?
Firstly, same-sex relationships and queer or trans people are not illegal in Turkey, but the country doesn’t offer any legal protection from discrimination in employment, education, housing or health care.
Same-sex marriages and civil partnerships are not recognised and, in general, the country is very conservative. People outside big cities can hold negative attitudes towards members of the LGBTQ+ community – but that’s not to say the major areas are liberal havens either.
Istanbul aerial shot. LGBTQ+ rights are complicated in Turkey. (Getty)
According to Intrepid Travel, gay couples should be wary of displays of affection except in private because kissing in public is frowned upon in relationships of any kind, but particularly risky for same-sex couples.
Following anti-government protests in 2013, president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan placed censorship restrictions on the press and social media, which halted Turkey’s EU membership application, and a failed coup in 2016 led to a state of emergency being declared.
This gave Erdoğan the opportunity to impose further restrictions on civil liberties and human rights. As a result, Istanbul Pride was banned in 2015 – shut down through police intervention– and banned again for the following two years. There were reports of widespread arrests and police violence against anyone who tried to defy the authorities.
A Turkish policeman detains a demonstrator during a Pride march in Istanbul. (Getty)
In 2017, Turkey’s capital Ankara banned all LGBTQ+-rights-related events, saying there was a need to provide “peace and security”.
The Guardian has previously reported that queer Turkish people were “fearful of what may follow” and felt the president was waging a war against them.
In 2021, then interior minister Süleyman Soylu dismissed student protestors as “LGBTQ+ perverts” and said the government would not tolerate the “perverts who attempted to occupy the rector’s office” just days after Erdoğan praised the young people in Turkey who did not identify as LGBTQ+.
Istanbul Pride was banned in 2015 and police took strong action against anyone who defied the order. (Getty)
“We’ll carry our youth to the future, not as LGBTQ+ youth, but the youth from this glorious past. You are not the LGBTQ+ youth. You are not the youth who vandalises, but you are those who mend those vandalised hearts,” the president said.
It’s clear that Turkey is not particularly friendly towards LGBTQ+ people, despite no laws being in place to actively discriminate against the community.
Azoulay told of being harassed, beaten and scalded with boiling water by his fellow inmates, in homophobic attacks. He was jailed for 16 years but released in 2021.
What’s arguably even more significant when considering your travel plans is the fact the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office currently advises against travel to all parts of Turkey, whether you’re LGBTQ+ or not.
Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against FCDO advice and British embassy staff cannot travel to areas where FCDO advises against travel to help you in person.
Labour leader Keir Starmer has said he is “not in favour” of “gender ideology” being taught in schools, despite his education spokesperson suggesting the party would review the Conservatives controversial guidance on trans pupils.
Keir Starmer, who was previously applauded for condemning Rishi Sunak’s anti-trans ‘jokes’, has stated his opposition to the teaching of so-called “gender ideology” – a phrase which is widely considered an anti-trans dogwhistle.
Speaking with reporters during a school visit in Kettering, Starmer said: “No, I’m not in favour of ideology being taught in our schools on gender,” he said.
“I think we need to complete the consultation process and make sure that there is guidance that is age appropriate.
“That is helpful for teachers and has at its heart the safeguarding of children.”
A spokesperson for Labour equally told The Times: “Nothing should be taught in an ideological way in schools.
“Current RSHE [relationships, sex and health education] guidance requires under law that children are taught in an age-appropriate way the facts about ‘sex, sexuality, sexual health and gender identity’.
“Labour’s priority is the safety and wellbeing of every child.”
Labour leader Keir Starmer and Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Philipson visit a school in the East Midlands to take part in a student Q&A on June 24, 2024 in Kettering, England. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
However, this statement conflicts with the words of his shadow education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, who when asked about the Tories RHSE guidancein a recent BBC interview suggested Labour would review it, stating she does not want it to be a a “political football” or “culture wars” issue.
The current government confirmed in May that sex education for children under the age of nine and education about trans issues for all pupils will be banned following updates to legal guidance, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak saying at the time the changes were to “protect our children”. The statutory guidance on relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) more widely is currently under review by the government.
This also followed the Tories guidance on gender questioning pupils in schools, released in December 2023, which states teachers are allowed to “decline” a student’s request to use different pronouns, access to single-sex facilities should be based on “biological” sex and social transition can only happen if parents are informed.
In her BBC interview, Phillipson said: “There are trans people within society and their existence should be recognised.
“Many aspects of the draft had good and straightforward principles in it. Other elements of it, I think, drifted far too much into partisan and unnecessary language.”
Following the interview, Conservative education minister Gillian Keegan claimed Labour would “play politics with the lives of our children” whilst equalities minister Kemi Badenoch said on Friday she was “very, very worried” a Labour government would “undo the work we have done on gender questioning guidance for children”.
Rowling criticised Labour for “abandoning” women after Starmer’s appearance on BBC Question Time where he answered an audience question regarding his definition of a woman and his criticism of gender-critical Labour MP Rosie Duffield, saying she will “struggle to support them” because of the party’s “dismissive and often offensive towards women fighting to retain the rights their foremothers thought were won for all time”.
Answering questions a Q&A event at The Sun‘s London HQ on 24 June, Starmer said: “Of course I’d meet with her. Of course I would. She’s made some really important points.
“I’d welcome that discussion, because I do think that we made huge progress on women’s rights under Labour governments.
“On equality we made massive progress. There’s more work to be done if we are privileged to come in to serve this country.
Starmer added: “I want to make sure that we can bring people together.”
Streeting said trans rights has been a “difficult conversation, and not just within the Labour Party but within our country because we have had some tension between how you treat trans people with dignity and respect and inclusion,and also make sure that women’s rights, voices, spaces are protected.”
“I feel very optimistic, in fact, about the fact that we can reconcile those two things and move forward together as a country if we have a political culture that’s about bringing people together and navigating our way through these conversations with respect [and] genuinely listening to different perspectives, rather than seeing these differences as divisions to be exploited in – frankly – the way I think we’ve seen from from the current government,” he said.
Richardson was slated to compete at the Tokyo Olympics after she won the 100-meter final at the U.S trials three years ago, just one week after her mother passed away. She later tested positive for THC, one of the active components of cannabis, and received a one-month suspension which prevented her from competing that year. Richardson said at the time that she had smoked marijuana to cope with her mother’s death, coupled with the pressure of competing on such a large stage.
The athlete has spent the years since vigorously training under the mentality of “I’m Not Back, I’m Better.” She solidified her growth when she won the 100-meter world title at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Hungary, finishing with a personal best of 10.65 seconds and officially becoming the fastest woman alive.
“I’d say the message I’m sending out is to believe in yourself no matter what,” Richardson continued. “You want to remain solid in yourself. Stay grounded in yourself and your hard work.”
In an increasingly divisive political sphere, Becka Robbins focuses on what she knows best — books.
Operating out of a tiny room in Fabulosa Books in San Francisco’s Castro District, one of the oldest gay neighborhoods in the United States, Robbins uses donations from customers to ship boxes of books across the country to groups that want them.
In an effort she calls “Books Not Bans,” she sends titles about queer history, sexuality, romance and more — many of which are increasingly hard to come by in the face of a rapidly growing movement by conservative advocacy groups and lawmakers to ban them from public schools and libraries.
“The book bans are awful, the attempt at erasure,” Robbins said. She asked herself how she could get these books into the hands of the people who need them the most.
Beginning last May, she started raising money and looking for recipients. Her books have gone to places like a pride center in west Texas and an LGBTQ-friendly high school in Alabama.
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Customers are especially enthusiastic about helping Robbins send books to states like Florida, Texas and Oklahoma, often writing notes of support to include in the packages. Over 40% of all book bans from July 2022 to June 2023 were in Florida, more than any other state. Behind Florida are Texas and Missouri, according to a report by PEN America, a nonprofit literature advocacy group.
Book bans and attempted bans have been hitting record highs, according to the American Library Association. And the efforts now extend as much to public libraries as school-based libraries. Because the totals are based on media accounts and reports submitted by librarians, the association regards its numbers as snapshots, with many bans left unrecorded.
PEN America’s report said 30% of the bans include characters of color or discuss race and racism, and 30% have LGBTQ+ characters or themes.
The most sweeping challenges often originate with conservative organizations, such as Moms for Liberty, which has organized banning efforts nationwide and called for more parental control over books available to children.
Moms for Liberty is not anti-LGBTQ+, co-founder Tiffany Justice has told The Associated Press. But about 38% of book challenges that “directly originated” from the group have LGBTQ+ themes, according to the library association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom. Justice said Moms for Liberty challenges books that are sexually explicit, not because they cover LGBTQ+ topics.
Among those topping banned lists have been Maia Kobabe’s “Gender Queer,” George Johnson’s “All Boys Aren’t Blue” and Nobel laureate Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye.”
An LGBTQ+ related book is seen on display at Fabulosa Books, in the Castro District of San Francisco on Thursday, June 27, 2024. “Books Not Bans” is a program initiated and sponsored by the store that sends boxes of LGBTQ+ books to LGBTQ+ organizations in conservative parts of America where politicians are demonizing and banning books with LGBTQ+ affirming content. (AP Photo/Haven Daley)
Robbins said it’s more important than ever to makes these kinds of books available to everyone.
“Fiction teaches us how to dream,” Robbins said. “It teaches us how to connect with people who are not like ourselves, it teaches us how to listen and emphasize.”
She’s sent 740 books so far, with each box worth $300 to $400, depending on the titles.
At the new Rose Dynasty Center in Lakeland, Florida, the books donated by Fabulosa are already on the shelves, said Jason DeShazo, a drag queen known as Momma Ashley Rose who runs the LGBTQ+ community center.
Becka Robbins, events manager and founder of the “Books Not Bans” program at Fabulosa Books, packs up LGBTQ+ books to be sent to parts of the country where they are censored on Thursday, June 27, 2024 at the Castro District of San Francisco. The bookstore is sending LGBTQ+ books to where they are censored to counter the rapidly growing effort by anti-LGBTQ+ activists and lawmakers to ban queer-friendly books from public schools and libraries. (AP Photo/Haven Daley)
DeShazo is a family-friendly drag performer and has long hosted drag story times to promote literacy. He uses puppets to address themes of being kind, dealing with bullies and giving back to the community.
DeShazo hopes to provide a safe space for events, support groups, and health clinics, and build a library of banned books.
“I don’t think a person of color should have to search so hard for an amazing book about history of what our Black community has gone through,” DeShazo said. “Or for someone who is queer to find a book that represents them.”
Robbins’ favorite books to send are youth adult queer romances, a rapidly growing genre as conversations about LGBTQ+ issues have become much more mainstream than a decade ago.
“The characters are just like regular kids — regular people who are also queer, but they also get to fall in love and be happy,” Robbins said.
As American society navigates an era marked by deep divisions and heightened cultural conflicts, specifically targeting trans people,Delaware State Sen. Sarah McBride stands at the forefront of a historic transformation. She’s positioned to become the first outtransgender person elected to the U.S. Congress, and McBride’s candidacy for Delaware’s at-large House seat is a powerful symbol of progress and a stark reminder of the ongoing battles forLGBTQ+ rights.
The Democrat captured the essence of this pivotal moment in a recent conversation with The Advocate.
“While my candidacy reflects our progress, the urgency of this moment underscores the challenges we face,” she said.
The momentum behind McBride’s campaign is substantial, buoyed by endorsements from influential figures such as House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, who holds the seat now and is running for the U.S. Senate, and an impressive fundraising total nearing $1.9 million.
Numerous groundbreaking milestones punctuate McBride’s political journey. McBride is the first transgender state senator in U.S. history. She also made history as the first out trans person to serve in the White House, during the Obama administration, and the first to speak at a major party’s national convention, in 2016. Her 2018 memoir, Tomorrow Will Be Different: Love, Loss, and the Fight for Trans Equality, with a foreword by President Joe Biden, reflects her close ties with the current administration.
As a state lawmaker, McBride’s legislative accomplishments are noteworthy. She was pivotal in passing paid family and medical leave, advancing gun safety measures, and safeguarding reproductive rights.
Last October, McBridechampioned Delaware’s legislation to ban the “gay and trans panic” defense, making it the 17th state to enact such a law. This legislation prevents defendants from justifying violent actions based on the discovery of a victim’s LGBTQ+ identity. McBride convinced all her colleagues — Democrats and Republicans — to cosponsor and support the bill.
“In many cases, simply being present and collaborating on a range of issues helps to open some of the most closed hearts and minds,” McBride reflected. Her ability to cultivate bipartisanship in Delaware’s state legislature is a model she hopes to replicate in Congress. “There are so many issues where we can find common ground. They might not always make headlines, but there are a lot of day-to-day quality of life issues thatDemocrats andRepublicans can work together on.”
She recalled an incident in 2016 when she took a selfie in aNorth Carolinabathroom, defying the state’s controversial “bathroom bill” that restricted transgender people from using government buildings’ restrooms aligning with their gender identity. The photo went viral, exposing her to a torrent of online vitriol. Yet McBride remains undeterred, drawing strength from her community, family, and friends.
“The negativity and hatred we see toward the trans community writ large bothers me, but the hatred and the insults that are directed specifically toward me don’t bother me any more than the broader hatred,” she noted.
Her platform addresses the pressing issues facing Delawareans, advocating for universal health care, affordable child care, and comprehensive gun control measures. “We need people in federal office who have a proven record of rolling up their sleeves, diving into the details, and bringing people together to deliver lasting change,” she emphasized.
The path to this historic moment became more apparent last week when McBride’s primary opponent, Eugene Young,dropped out of the race. Young, the former director of Delaware’s Housing Authority, suspended his campaign without specifying a reason, leaving McBride unopposed in the Democratic primary. This development, coupled with Delaware’s strong Democratic lean, virtually assures McBride’s victory in the general election.
Annise Parker, president and CEO of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, remarked on the significance of this. “With trans rights under assault in states across the country, Sarah McBride’s ability to clear the primary field to represent Delaware in Congress proves that voters want their leaders focused on solving the issues that matter to their daily lives – not singling out their trans neighbors,” Parker said in astatement.
Moreover, Delaware Gov. John Carney, a Democrat, endorsed McBride’s campaign Friday, underscoring her effectiveness and dedication. “Sarah McBride has been a strong advocate for all Delawareans. She is a hardworking public servant who cares about the details and the impact that legislation can have on folks up and down the state,” Carney said.
Since launching her campaign a year ago, McBride has built an impressive coalition of supporters, earning endorsements from over 20 Delaware unions, eight statewide elected officials, and numerous colleagues in the General Assembly. Her endorsers include prominent figures such as House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, and House Democratic Chair Pete Aguilar.
McBride’s popularity was displayed prominentlyat the recent Equality PAC Gala, where she received a standing ovation. The event, held atWashington, D.C.’sUnion Station, celebrated a decade of advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights and urged support for queer candidates in the upcoming election. Several speakers highlighted that if McBride wins, she would represent President Joe Biden in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Reflecting on this prospect, McBride expressed gratitude for Biden’s support, noting his legacy as the most pro-LGBTQ+ president in U.S. history.
“Joe Biden is a giant here in Delaware,” she said. “Knowing [Biden’s late son] Beau was a personal and professional privilege, and having the opportunity to get to know and work with his dad has been an incredible blessing. Representing Delaware and the Bidens would be an honor.”
A new report by the U.K. youth charity Just Like Us has found that many schools still don’t talk openly about diverse families, resulting in what the group describes as social stigma, discrimination, and poor wellbeing for the children and parents of LGBTQ+ families.
The new research independently surveyed 1,012 LGBTQ+ parents across the U.K. and interviewed families about their experiences.
More than half (56%) of lesbian and gay parents face negative comments about their families, while forty-two percent of their kids have experienced remarks about having LGBTQ+ parents, according to the research.
“Every parent wants to send their child to school in the morning and feel reassured that they will be safe, happy, and ready to learn,” said Laura Mackay, Chief Executive of Just Like Us.
“But many LGBT+ parents are instead feeling worried, isolated and unsure whether they or their children will face hurtful and invasive comments, unfair treatment and outright discrimination simply because their family isn’t heterosexual or cisgender.”
Half of lesbian and gay parents are worried their child will be “bullied because they have LGBT+ parents” and “not be accepted” (48% and 52%, respectively), and almost a quarter (23%) say their children have felt “upset or hurt by negative comments at school about LGBT+ people.”
Nearly a quarter (24%) of those surveyed say their children have been “left out of social arrangements seemingly because they are from an LGBT+ family.”
The same number holds for lesbian moms and gay dads who “feel isolated as an LGBT+ parent” and “depressed or anxious about my LGBT+ family not fitting in or not being treated fairly.”
Those numbers are even higher for trans parents.
“As an LGBT+ parent, compiling this report has been far from reassuring,” said Amy Ashenden, Director of Communications and Engagement for the charity. “Some of the findings are harrowing.”
The report reveals that anti-trans rhetoric has seeped into some school communities. Nearly a third (30%) of transgender parents have heard negative comments about trans people at school.
Lesbian moms face invasive questions about their families, too, the report shows. Almost forty percent have been asked by “strangers” about their child’s sperm donor.
More than a third (35%) of all LGBTQ+ parents say their school refers to families as “moms and dads” as the default, while just one in five gay, lesbian, and trans parents say their school openly discusses LGBTQ+ families with pupils.
“There is clearly so much work to be done to help schools and nurseries understand the huge impact that an inclusive – or unaccepting – school environment can have on LGBT+ families,” Ashenden added.
A federal judge inCalifornia has ruled that a lawsuit brought byLGBTQ+ veterans against theDepartment of Defense will move forward. The forward momentum of the suit, which claims the Pentagon has failed to discharge LGBTQ+ service members honorably post-don’t ask, don’t tell, marks a significant victory for those caught up in the homophobic policy.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph Spero’s decision allows the plaintiffs to argue that the process of correcting their discharge papers is not only lengthy but also re-traumatizing, Reutersreports. These veterans, discharged under discriminatory policies, contend that being forced to navigate a complex system to amend their records violates their constitutional rights to equal protection and due process.
The class action, filed in the Northern District of California, aims to mandate the Defense Department to proactively update the discharge statuses of LGBTQ+ veterans. Lawyers for the plaintiffs celebrated the ruling, noting its importance during Pride Month as a step towards rectifying past injustices.
The lawsuit highlights the struggles of veterans who have been unfairly labeled with less-than-honorable discharges. Such discharges can prevent them from accessing crucial benefits, including healthcare, loans, job opportunities, and tuition assistance. The discharge papers often explicitly state the reason for their discharge, effectively outing them whenever they need to present their military records.
“Requiring LGBTQ+ veterans to first bear the stigma and discriminatory effects of carrying indicators of sexual orientation on their DD-214s, and then navigate a broken record correction process to seek resolution, violates their constitutional rights,” thelawsuit states.
While the Pentagon cited an existing procedure for discharge upgrades, Spero noted that this process might need to be revised and could perpetuate discrimination. The Pentagon argued that a two-page application process exists for veterans seeking discharge corrections, claiming that legal representation is unnecessary and that most cases are resolved within ten months. However, the plaintiffs argue that the process is opaque and burdensome, often requiring legal assistance and forcing veterans to relive their traumatic experiences.
In January, three gay Democratic U.S. congressmen — California Rep. Robert Garcia, Wisconsin Rep. Mark Pocan, and New Hampshire Rep. Chris Pappas — sent aletter to the Department of Defense,urging a quicker response to resolve cases of LGBTQ+ service members dishonorably discharged under DADT and the outright ban that preceded it. Garcia, Pocan, and Pappas emphasized the moral obligation of the U.S. government to correct these wrongs and restore honor to LGBTQ+ veterans. “Our service members made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our country. ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ was a policy that should have never existed in the first place, but we’re unfortunately still feeling the repercussions of it to this day,” Garcia said in a press release.
The case, Farrell v. U.S. Department of Defense, seeks to address the systemic issues within the department by ensuring that all veterans discharged under DADT and similar policies receive the honorable discharges they deserve. This move could affect thousands of veterans who served their country but were discharged due to their sexual orientation.
