Matt Lavietes

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Black LGBTQ Pride event vandalized at Atlanta hotel, police say

Atlanta police are investigating an act of vandalism that damaged property belonging to organizers of an LGBTQ Pride event dedicated to celebrating Black queer communities globally. The Atlanta Police Department said in a statement Wednesday that the incident  happened at a hotel in midtown Atlanta, where an event for Global Black Pridewas taking place. Authorities added that a preliminary investigation indicated that an intoxicated guest of the hotel caused the damage late Tuesday evening, and that they are still “following up on leads regarding the identity of the suspect and are working to determine why the suspect caused the damage.” Tables, pamphlets and […]

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Mormon church issues new restrictions on transgender members

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known widely as the Mormon church, issued a slew of new policies this week expanding its restrictions on transgender members.  The policies, released Monday, include rules barring trans people from working with children, becoming priests and serving as teachers. The church also expanded on an existing rule that barred trans people from being baptized. Trans members will also face possible annotation on their membership records, grouping them with churchgoers who have committed incest, sexual predatory behavior, sexual violence against children and embezzlement of church funds. “Church leaders counsel against pursuing surgical, medical, […]

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Florida’s official tourism site removes ‘LGBTQ Travel’ section

Florida’s official tourism website quietly removed a landing page for the state’s LGBTQ-friendly travel destinations sometime in the past four months. The website for the state’s tourism marketing corporation, VisitFlorida.com, had an “LGBTQ Travel” section that no longer exists, according to archived versions of the site viewable on the Internet Archive. The landing page previously featured blog posts and videos related to the state’s gay-friendly beaches, Pride events and LGBTQ road trip ideas. “There’s a sense of freedom to Florida’s beaches, the warm weather and the myriad activities — a draw for people of all orientations, but especially appealing to a gay […]

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N.H. governor signs bills restricting trans health care and sports participation

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu signed two anti-trans measures into law Friday that will limit transition-related care for transgender minors and bar some trans students from competing on school sports teams that match their gender identities. The health care measure, H.B. 619, will prevent trans minors from receiving transition-related surgeries and bar physicians from referring patients for out-of-state procedures. It does not ban other forms of gender-affirming care, such as puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapy. The law takes effect at the start of next year.  The sports measure, H.B. 1205, will require the state’s students in grades 5-12 to compete on […]

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Idaho drag performer awarded $1.1 million in defamation suit against blogger

An Idaho drag performer received more than a $1 million in damages in a defamation suit against a blogger who falsely claimed the performer exposed himself to a crowd that included children, according to an attorney for the performer. A jury on Friday ruled that Summer Bushnell defamed Eric Posey by posting on Facebook a doctored video of Posey performing at a Pride event in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in 2022, and falsely telling her followers that Posey flashed his genitals, according to the attorney, Wendy J. Olson. The jury awarded Posey $926,000 in compensatory damages for defamation and an additional […]

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State Department warns of terrorist attacks at Pride events abroad

The State Department has issued a global security alert warning Americans abroad that terrorists could target lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people and LGBTQ-related events during Pride Month in June.  “Due to the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations, or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests, the Department of State advises United States citizens overseas to exercise increased caution,” the warning, issued on Friday, reads. “The Department of State is aware of the increased potential for foreign terrorist organization-inspired violence against LGBTQI+ persons and events and advises U.S. citizens overseas to exercise increased caution.” Officials advised Americans abroad to stay […]

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FBI and DHS warn terrorists could target Pride events in June

The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security issued a joint public service announcement last week warning that foreign terrorist organizations, or FTOs, could target events during LGBTQ Pride Month. “Foreign terrorist organizations or supporters may seek to exploit increased gatherings associated with the upcoming June 2024 Pride Month,” the announcement reads. “FTO efforts to commit or inspire violence against holiday celebrations, including Pride celebrations or LGBTQIA+-related venues, are compounded by the current heightened threat environment in the United States and other western countries.” Officials cited “ISIS messaging” focused on anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and the arrests of three alleged ISIS sympathizers in […]

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Mississippi enacts transgender bathroom ban in public schools

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves signed a bill into law Monday that would bar transgender people from using bathrooms that correspond with their gender identities in the state’s public schools.  The legislation, titled the Securing Areas for Females Effectively and Responsibly Act, or the “SAFER Act,” mandates that the state’s schools have single-sex restrooms, changing rooms and dormitories. Its text defines someone’s sex as “‘determined solely by a birth,’ without regard to the fluidity of how someone acts or feels.” Reeves, a Republican, wrote in a statement on X that the law — which takes effect immediately — is intended to “keep Mississippi’s daughters […]

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Scotland pauses prescriptions of puberty blockers for transgender minors

Scotland’s sole clinic for treating transgender youths announced Thursday that it is pausing new prescriptions of puberty blockers for minors. Sandyford, a health clinic in Glasgow operated by Scotland’s National Health Service, said in a statement that it is indefinitely pausing new prescriptions of the medication for people under 18 who are experiencing “gender incongruence.” Patients who are already undergoing treatment will not be affected.  “We are committed to providing the best possible clinical care for young people accessing and understand the distress that gender incongruence can cause,” the clinic said. “While this pause is in place, we will continue to give […]

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Best Buy offers to screen LGBTQ nonprofit donations after conservative pressure, filing shows

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Best Buy offered to screen donations from its employee resource groups going to LGBTQ causes following pressure from a conservative think tank that holds shares in the company, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing made public this week. The SEC filing contains a monthslong email exchange between the National Center for Public Policy Research, which describes itself as a “nonpartisan, free-market conservative think tank,” and Best Buy. The dialogue, which hasn’t been previously reported, shows how the center said it would make “a splash” unless the consumer electronics giant moved in favor of its demands.  In some of the last correspondence […]

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