Escalating the fight over Chick-fil-A’s religious rights, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued San Antonio on Monday as part of his investigation into the city’s decision to reject the chicken chain as an airport vendor.
The lawsuit, filed in state district court in Travis County, seeks a court order requiring San Antonio to turn over emails and other internal communications in which council members and city employees discussed the Chick-fil-A contract with each other and outsiders.
On Monday, Paxton repeated allegations that San Antonio politicians had engaged in religious discrimination, adding that Chick-fil-A’s leaders are “well-known for their personal belief in the Christian faith and traditional understanding of marriage.”
Last month both chambers of the Texas legislature passed the so-called “Save Chick-Fil-A” bill which would ban local governments from taking “any adverse action” against businesses based on their support for a religious group. Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to sign the bill. Also last month the Trump administration’s FAA opened its own probe.
YouTube have insisted that a right-wing influencer who targeted a journalist for years with homophobia did not violate the website’s hate speech policies.
Carlos Maza, a videographer for US news site Vox, publicly complained about the persistent abuse from a right-wing YouTuber, Steven Crowder.
The Twitter thread went viral, prompting the Google-owned platform to review Maza’s claims. However, the company concluded that Crowder’s comments did not violate guidelines.
What happened?
In a winding Twitter thread posted last week (31 May), Maza sketched out a situation that has spanned years involving homophobic and racist epithets thrown in videos.
This included when the host attacked Maza as a ‘gay Mexican,’ ‘lispy queer,’ and a ‘token Vox gay atheist sprite.’
‘Since I started working at Vox,’ Maza wrote, ‘Steven Crowder has been making video after video “debunking” Strikethrough.
‘Every single video has included repeated, overt attacks on my sexual orientation and ethnicity.
‘I’ve been called an anchor baby, a lispy queer, a Mexican, etc. These videos get millions of views on YouTube.
‘Every time one gets posted, I wake up to a wall of homophobic/racist abuse on Instagram and Twitter.’
Moreover, Mazos compiled an extensive report cataloguing Crowder’s actions, including a compilation video, and the times he had red flagged it to YouTube. Crowder, who has over three million subscribers, is also behind the ‘socialism for fags’ t-shirts.
‘Videos […] posted don’t violate our policies’
The pressure piled online, spurring YouTube to issue a public statement on Twitter.
YouTube said: ‘Thanks again for taking the time to share all of this information with us. We take allegations of harassment very seriously–we know this is important and impacts a lot of people.
‘Our teams spent the last few days conducting an in-depth review of the videos flagged to us, and while we found language that was clearly hurtful, the videos as posted don’t violate our policies.’
However, YouTube’s harassment an cyberbullying policy explicitly bars ‘content that makes hurtful and negative comments/videos about another person.’
In addition, the twitter account added: ‘As an open platform, it’s crucial for us to allow everyone–from creators to journalists to late-night TV hosts–to express their opinions w/in the scope of our policies.
‘Opinions can be deeply offensive, but if they don’t violate our policies, they’ll remain on our site.’
Harassment is ‘never ok’
Furthermore, a Google spokesperson gave Gay Star News background behind the investigation.
They explained that, in the videos flagged by Maza, ‘Crowder has not instructed his viewers to harass Maza on YouTube or any other platform and the main point of these videos was not to harass or threaten, but rather to respond to the opinion.’
But while the company did not directly comment on Crowder or his followers’ activity, they did express that ‘certain behavior,’ such as ‘doxxing’ and ‘encouraging viewers to harass,’ is ‘never ok.’
Carlos Maza slams YouTube
Following the investigation, Mazos hit out at the site.
He said: ‘I don’t know what to say. YouTube has decided not to punish Crowder, after he spent two years harassing me for being gay and Latino.
‘To be crystal clear: YouTube has decided that targeted racist and homophobic harassment does not violate its policies against hate speech or harassment.
‘That’s an absolutely bats**t policy that gives bigots free license.’
Moreover, Maza called out at the platform for sporting a rainbow-striped logo to celebrate Pride month.
Bud Light has released a limited-edition rainbow coloured aluminium bottle to raise funds for GLAAD to celebrate World Pride.
The bottles will be available in bars across the United States during the month of June, and Bud Light will donate $1 to GLAAD for each case sold up to $150,000.
Bud Light debuted the bottles at the GLAAD Media Awards, which took place last weekend in New York City. The campaign marks the latest in a 20 year partnership between Bud Light and GLAAD.
Bud Light is ‘for everyone to enjoy’
Andy Goeler, vice president of marketing for Bud Light, said the company has been supporting the LGBT+ community since the 1980s.
“The way we see it, our beer is for everyone to enjoy, so we are looking forward to seeing Pride bottles at bars throughout the month of June and beyond,” he said.
“With the release of these new bottles, we hope to create something that everyone can feel proud to hold during Pride month that also makes a positive impact for GLAAD’s initiatives and the LGBTQ+ community overall.”
“The way we see it, our beer is for everyone to enjoy, so we are looking forward to seeing Pride bottles at bars throughout the month of June and beyond.”
– Vice president of marketing for Bud Light, Andy Goeler
Meanwhile, Zeke Stokes, chief programs officer for GLAAD, welcomed the initiative.
‘Bud Light stood with the community at a time when many brands did not’
“For twenty consecutive years, Bud Light has partnered with GLAAD in its mission to accelerate acceptance of LGBTQ people.
“Bud Light stood with the community at a time when many brands did not, and their continued outspoken support sets the bar for other global brands.”
The bottles will make an appearance at The Governors Ball Music Festival in New York City.
Limited edition bottle released to raise funds for GLAAD and to mark World Pride
This is not the first time the beer brand has come out in support of the LGBT+ community. In 2013, the company supported the introduction of same-sex marriage in the US.
In 2016, the company released an advert which featured Amy Schumer and Seth Rogen which celebrated same-sex marriage.
A number of brands have appealed to the LGBT+ community with pride themed goods
A number of brands have tapped into Pride in recent years. Last month, beer company DC Brau announced that they will be releasing a limited edition can that honours Marsha P. Johnson for Washington DC Pride.
Johnson was an Arican-American transgender woman and drag performer who played a key role in the 1969 Stonewall Riots.
Meanwhile, Converse last month announced the release of its Pride collection for 2019. The soles of the shoes feature the rainbow colours, and the shoe also features the transgender flag colours.
According to a new survey of LGBTI attitudes in the US workplace, nearly half of all LGBTI employees fear being out will hurt their careers.
Glassdoor, a website specializing in workplace reviews, published the survey on Thursday (30 May).
The Harris Poll conducted the survey from 26 April – 6 May on behalf of Glassdoor, speaking to 6,104 US adults. A total of 515 identified themselves as LGBTI and employed in the survey.
Ultimately, respondents reported witnessing anti-LGBTI attitudes in the workplace, which affects their own anxieties about being out.
Bad attitudes lead to bad workplaces for LGBTI employees
Attitudes are different between LGBTI and non-LGBTI employees, which affect perceptions and feelings.
Over half (53%) of all LGBTI respondents said they’ve experienced or heard anti-LGBTI comments, while only 30% of non-LGBTI respondents reported the same.
Jesus Suarez, Glassdoor’s LGBTQ and Ally Employee Group Leader, stated: ‘Any employer that chooses to ignore implementing supportive working environments and policies risk missing out on hiring quality talent.’
Similarly, 70% of LGBTI employees said they would not apply to a company that doesn’t support its LGBTI staff. 46% of all employed adults (both LGBTI and non-LGBTI) said the same.
These environments — hearing negative comments and stress about company policies — affect LGBTI workers.
Nearly half (47%) said they believe being out would hurt their careers. The makeup of LGBTI employees who are out and not are close — 57% say they feel ‘fully’ out, while 43% said they are not.
What can be done
Naturally, LGBTI employees are more likely (68%) than non-LGBTI employees (48%) to believe their companies can do better. There is evidence to suggest this is true.
‘Still today, 26 states do not protect LGBTQ employees at work,’ said Suarez.
‘Many employers have an opportunity to build or strengthen the foundation for an inclusive culture that encourages employees to bring their full selves to work.’
This reality further highlights the importance of things like the Equality Act, which, if passed, would provide federal protections for people based on their sexual orientation and gender identity in numerous locations, including the workplace.
Clothing giant Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) has expanded its relationship with a leading LGBTI youth organization.
For the next year A&F will broaden its relationship with The Trevor Project. It is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTI young people.
This year’s partnership will expand the relationship since A&F began supporting the Trevor Project in 2010.
The expanded partnership will include participation at events such as the Pride Parade in NYC, proceeds up to $100,000 of sales from select A&F collections, and a customer round-up campaign in all U.S. stores and online.
‘Abercrombie & Fitch is honored to grow our partnership with The Trevor Project, as it works to meet the needs of LGBTQ youth with its vital crisis intervention and suicide prevention services,’ said Kristin Scott, president, Global Brands at Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
‘Trevor’s work touches many of our customers’ lives daily, and we are optimistic that by expanding our partnership, we can help increase the reach and impact of Trevor’s important work.’
Since the launch of the partnership A&F has raised more than $600,000. Last year, donations went to training digital crisis counselors. This allowed the Trevor Project more reach more than 1.5 million LGBTI youth.
The 2019 expanded partnership comes as the LGBTI community prepares to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots.
‘We are grateful for Abercrombie & Fitch’s dedication to The Trevor Project’s mission to end suicide among LGBTQ youth,’ said Amit Paley, CEO and executive director of The Trevor Project.
‘Abercrombie & Fitch understands the need to help LGBTQ youth in crisis is year-round. We look forward to working together to engage the brand and its loyal customers in support of our life-saving mission.’
In the report, the orgainsation noted that companies’ will experience increased profits and productivity states where LGBTI-inclusivity is supported.
It adds that states where LGBTI communities are marginalized can suffer economically as a result.
The survey measured all 50 states on factors such as economic, legislative, culture and wellbeing. They also measured the states on hate crime protection, work safety, and the attitudes of political leaders.
‘Societal marginalization of LGBT+ people has real and serious economic costs’
After Massachusetts, California came in at second place. They were followed by Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Oregon, with Hawai and New York tied at seventh place.
The bottom states were Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Dakota, South Carolina, and Mississippi.
‘Societal marginalization of LGBT+ people – which can often be subtle and hard to measure – has real and serious economic costs,’ Out Leadership said in their report.
‘Major legislative efforts to extend further legal discrimination, such the Religious Freedom Restoration (RFRA) law Mike Pence signed in Indiana in 2016, and North Carolina’s passage of the HB2 “Bathroom Bill,” damaged those states’ reputations for being business-friendly and harmed tourism, resulting in significant economic losses.
‘But discrimination doesn’t need to be headline news to be harmful, or to create real economic hardship for LGBT+ people.’
In contrast, the reverse was found in LGBTI-friendly states.
‘Research demonstrates that companies where LGBT+ people are supported enjoy increased profitability and stock prices as well as increased employee productivity,’ the report added.
‘Our index suggests that a similar relationship exists on a state policy level, and that states that aim to make LGBT+ people more welcome and included legally and culturally will experience significant rewards for doing so, particularly in terms of residents’ well-being and productivity.’
Massachusetts, the top-ranked state
Massachusetts has made numerous headlines regarding the state’s LGBTI inclusivity.
Many schools and universities have banned Chick-fil-A due to their LGBT+ stance. We’ve put together a timeline of the institutions that have removed or barred the fast-food chain from their campuses.
The restaurant company, which has approximately 2,000 branches in the US, often makes headlines due to its anti-LGBT point of view and support of “biblical families.”
Since their stance on same-sex marriage became known in 2012, universities and schools have ensured that they made their disapproval known by boycotting the company.
2012: Elon University votes Chick-fil-A off campus
Elon University was among the first to ban the restaurant chain. In October 2012, the fast-food chain was voted off the campus in North Carolina because of the company’s public opposition to equal marriage.
2013: Emory University removes branch from college site
In March 2013, Emory University, in Atlanta, Georgia, announced its decision to remove its Chick-fil-A branch from campus due to lack of student support.
The institute’s newspaper, the Emory Wheel, tweeted the news that Chick-fil-A was to be removed from the food hall’s new layout, which was being designed.
2014: High school bans restaurant from fundraiser
In 2014, a Californian high school banned Chick-fil-A from being served at their fundraiser. Ventura High School’s Principal Val Wyatt made the ban over fears that serving the anti-LGBT company’s chicken could alienate LGBT+ students and parents.
2015: University in Maryland blocks Chick-fil-A
John’s Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, voted against allowing a Chick-fil-A on campus in 2015. Their Student Government Association (SGA) chose not to “support the proposal of a Chick-fil-A, in a current or future sense, particularly on any location that is central to student life.”
They explained that “Chick-Fil-A’s former CEO Dan Cathy has publicly stated divisive statements against the LGBTQ+ community,” and that Cathy was “disappointed after the supreme court’s decision on same sex marriage.”
2017: Duquesne University blocks chain over ‘questionable history’ on human rights
In 2017, students protested against allowing a Chick-fil-A on campus at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh after a deal had closed. Student senator Niko Martini explained: “Chick-fil-A has a questionable history on civil rights and human rights.”
2018: Rider University bans Chick-fil-A and dean resigns
In late 2018, Rider University, in New Jersey, joined the institutions to ban having a Chick-fil-A on campus due to its LGBT+ background and track record.
The university’s dean, Cynthia Newman, resigned over the student vote to exclude the chain.
Newman said: “I felt like I had been punched in the stomach when I read that statement [about the ban] because I am a very committed Christian.”
Marriott International, among many big corporations, has gone on record in support of the LGBTQ community. Its CEO, Arne Sorenson, has been one of the most vocal defenders of LGBTQ rights in recent years as corporations have been pulled more squarely into divisive social and legal battles related to LGBTQ discrimination.
But now Marriott is among the corporations facing backlash over an event that will honor Brazil’s new and controversial president, Jair Bolsonaro, who has a history of homophobic comments. He also has made incendiary comments about gender, indigenous groups and torture.
The Marriott Marquis in New York City will be hosting the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce 2019 Person of the Year Award Gala Dinner, honoring Bolsonaro. The event attracted major corporate sponsors, including Delta Air Lines, UnitedHealth Group, Morgan Stanley and Bank of America.
Additional sponsors include HSBC, Citigroup, JPMorgan, UBSand Bank of New York Mellon, Santander, BNP Paribas and Forbes’ local licensee Forbes Brasil, whose publisher said it has been a media sponsor of the event for five years and will continue to sponsor it to strengthen ties between Brazil and the U.S.
Bain & Co. pulled out of event sponsorship on Tuesday, as did the Financial Times. Delta told CNBC on Tuesday afternoon that it had pulled out of event sponsorship.
Bolsonaro is reportedly receiving the reward for his prioritizing of Christian values and family. He’s been president of Brazil since January and has been a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage, homosexuality and abortion. According to the New York Times, which cataloged some of his controversial comments, Bolsonaro said he would “rather have a son who is an addict than a son who is gay” and that he was “proud to be homophobic.”
The event has been a magnet for controversy — the Marriott Marquis is not its first choice of location. It was originally planned to take place at The American Museum of Natural History’s Hall of Ocean Life. Yet pressure from environmental and LGBTQ groups resulted in the museum’s withdrawal.
Marriott’s Sorenson was among the first CEO “activist” leaders when he took on Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer in 2014 over legislation perceived as discriminatory. Brewer vetoed the legislation. Sorenson also said at the time of the 2017 battle over the North Carolina bathroom bill perceived as discriminating against LGBTQ rights, “I have personally received hundreds of emails in the last week complaining about the position I have taken with respect to the law in North Carolina. I think the way the law was passed was trying to drive a wedge between people who think and believe different things, as opposed to building a bridge. We end up creating a polarized and exclusionary environment with laws like that,” he told CNBC.
When North Carolina’s bathroom bill became a focal point for corporate social activism, Charlotte, North Carolina-based Bank of America spoke out, with its CEO Brian Moynihan telling shareholders, “We’ve been steadfast in our commitment [against] discrimination. We have been a leader in LGBT practices since the [19]90s.”
Delta has spoken out against anti-LGBTQ legislation — often referred to by backers as “religious freedom” bills — in recent years, including bills introduced in its home state of Georgia. The airlines’ decision to end discounts to NRA members, another hot-button social issue for corporations, led the state legislature to even attempt to punish the airline by removing a tax break.
MARRIOTT, CREDIT SUISSE DEFEND DECISION
Marriott is sticking by its decision to host the event for Bolsonaro.
“Diversity and inclusion are part of the fabric of our hotel’s culture and operations. We have welcomed all for over 90 years and focused on putting people first. We are required by law to accept business even if it conflicts with our values,” said a Marriott spokesperson to CNBC. “Acceptance of business does not indicate support, or endorsement of any group or individual.”
Openly gay New York State Senator Brad Hoylman told the Daily News “The only award President Bolsonaro should be receiving is bigot of the year. [It is] incredibly offensive that a business in my Senate district, which has a large LGBTQ population, would host a man who once said he’d rather have a dead son than a gay man.”
“It’s imperative that the companies and organizations associated with this event first understand the egregious anti-LGBTQ record and rhetoric of the Brazilian President and then stand by LGBTQ people in Brazil and everywhere by withdrawing their support,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD to CNBC. “His brand of anti-LGBTQ activism is actively [hurting] LGBTQ Brazilians and companies that host or participate in this celebration of him need to take a stand.”
A spokesperson for Credit Suisse, one of the event sponsors, said the bank, “like other major banks who operate in Brazil, has taken a table at this year’s event, as we have for the past 15 years.”
Representatives for UnitedHealth, Morgan Stanley, HSBC, Bank of America, Citi, JPMorgan, UBS, Bank of New York Mellon and Forbes could not provide a comment by press time.
Congratulations on your marriage! After spending the last several months on planning, your special day and the honeymoon have come and gone, and now you’re wondering what’s next. Whether you’re planning on buying a home, having a child, or simply enjoying life as a married couple, it should all start with you and your spouse establishing a financial roadmap, which includes assessing paycheck tax withholding and updating financial beneficiaries.
The first step in establishing a roadmap as a married couple involves your taxes, specifically your paycheck withholding taxes. Due in part to the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017,” signed into law by President Trump, some have experienced confusion and other unpleasant surprises because of changes to the withholding tables. While I always advise reaching out to a tax professional, here is a quick way to do it yourself:
Step one: Determine if it is best to file your taxes married jointly or married separately. This will depend on how close in salary each spouse makes. There are many ‘marriage calculators’ available to you, but the simplest calculator is hosted by the Tax Policy Center.
Step two: The IRS website offers a withholding calculator that determines how much tax you should actually withhold based on your filing status. It’s important to make sure to account for any dividends/interest and short-term capital gains. The calculator will tell you what filing status, how many withholdings (usually 0 or 1) and if you should request an extra specific dollar amount to be withheld. It’s important to note that the IRS expects you to withhold around 90% of your tax due (although this tax season has been different) or face a penalty. To ensure you’re on the right path, it may be smart to do another check-up around November to make sure you’re on track.
Once you have given the IRS calculator’s recommendations to your employer’s payroll team, you will most likely have a new take home pay amount. From here, you’ll be able to use your new combined take home pay to determine your monthly budget.
As newlyweds, approaching budgeting will be a little different than when you were single. For many people, merging finances after being previously financially independent can cause uneasiness. I recommend creating one family budget – this includes housing, groceries, and, most importantly, joint social expenses (evenings out, travel, etc.). To help manage these expenses create a joint cash and credit account, so both partners can see how the family budget is doing. Split the total expected expense in an amount that seems fair relative to each spouse’s income. Many payroll departments allow you to deposit a portion of income into more than one bank account, which makes things a lot simpler.
The balance of your paycheck remains yours to spend or save – and hopefully surprise your spouse with something nice every once and awhile. Overtime, many couples further consolidate their finances, but the above is a good way to begin your life together.
Finally, don’t forget to compare your respective employee benefit plans. Update any beneficiary information on your retirement plans (don’t stop maxing out those contributions!) and determine who has the best health coverage. Do not just look at the per paycheck cost, but rather weigh the different deductibles, health network type (HMO, PPO, etc.), and total coverage. I won’t lie – it can be very confusing, but your human resources representative or current insurance carrier’s customer service are highly trained in describing each policy’s features.
Just remember, financial planning at the start of your marriage will ensure a strong foundation for the future.
(Information contained herein is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice or recommendations. Advice may only be provided after entering into an advisory agreement with an Advisor.)
Financial services firm JPMorgan Chase has banned staff from booking into Brunei-owned hotels after the country introduced death by stoning for gay people.
A senior manager at JPMorgan told the newspaper the company had issued a notice on its internal booking system but had “not said anything publicly.”
The company’s decision follows a similar move by Deutsche Bank, who announced the removal of the Dorchester Collection hotel group from its list of suppliers on April 4.
The Dorchester Hotel in London and the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles are among the high-profile hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei.
Actor and activist George Clooney led calls for a boycott of Brunei-owned hotels late last month when news broke that the small southeast Asian country—which has a population of just 400,000 people—was introducing death by stoning for gay people.
In an op-ed for Deadline, Clooney wrote: “Every single time we stay at or take meetings at or dine at any of these nine hotels we are putting money directly into the pockets of men who choose to stone and whip to death their own citizens for being gay or accused of adultery.”
“Brunei is a Monarchy and certainly any boycott would have little effect on changing these laws. But are we really going to help pay for these human rights violations? Are we really going to help fund the murder of innocent citizens?”
His call for a boycott was later supported by celebrities such as Ellen DeGeneres and Elton John.
In the letter, they claimed that executions of gay people will be rare, and said “there appears to be a misconception” about the penal code.
“The criminalisation of adultery and sodomy is to safeguard the sanctity of family lineage and marriage of individual Muslims, particularly women.”
– Brunei letter to the European Union
The letter claims: “The criminalisation of adultery and sodomy is to safeguard the sanctity of family lineage and marriage of individual Muslims, particularly women.
The Sultan of Brunei, who introduced death by stoning for gay people earlier this month (AFP/Getty)
“The offences, therefore will not apply to non-Muslims unless the act of adultery or sodomy is committed with a Muslim.”
It adds that the death penalty has an “extremely high evidentiary threshold (…) to the extent that convictions may solely rest on confessions of the offender.”
MEPs UNimpressed with the letter
The letter did not assuage the concerns of MEPs who voted in favour of a resolution strongly condemning the Sultan of Brunei for human rights violations.
MEP Marietje Schaake said: “The ferocious corporal punishments that have been introduced in Brunei, like punishing gay sex with death by stoning, are repugnant and go against all international human rights legislation.
“Capital punishment could even be imposed on children. We, as Europe, have to respond unitedly.”
The resolution threatens Europe-wide sanctions against Brunei over the law.
