More than 60 companies, including Apple, Google and Ikea, are calling on Texas governor Greg Abbott to drop his “discriminatory” order for parents of trans kids to be investigated for child abuse.
In an advert in the Dallas Morning News, the businesses demanded Abbott “abandon efforts to write discrimination into law and policy”.
Meta, Johnson & Johnson, Ikea, PayPal, Capital One, Electronic Arts and many more firms all signed the ad, which ran in the paper on Friday (11 March).
“The recent attempt to criminalise a parent for helping their transgender child access medically necessary, age-appropriate healthcare in the state of Texas goes against the values of our companies,” the ad says.
The companies added: “It’s not just wrong, it has an impact on our employees, our customers, their families, and our work.”
Abbott’s 22 February order demands that state agencies in Texas “conduct prompt and thorough investigations” of gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth, including surgeries (which are not routinely, if ever, accessible to under-18s) and puberty blockers.
He called this healthcare “abusive” and said officials who failed to report it could face jail time. The order also requires teachers, doctors and civilians to report parents of trans children to the authorities and says the parents should incur criminal penalties for supporting their trans kids.
Abbott’s order comes in the wake of Texas attorney general Ken Paxton calling trans healthcare “monstrous and tragic” and claiming it “remains medically impossible to truly change the sex of an individual because this is determined biologically at conception” – a statement Abbott said he agrees with.
Both men’s comments about trans healthcare align with the position of “gender critical” activists in the UK, who maintain that it is not possible to change sex.
“Texas state leaders are forcing parents of transgender kids to decide between abandoning their lives, quitting their jobs, and leaving the state or fostering a safe, inclusive environment for their child,” Joni Madison, Human Rights Campaign interim president, toldAxios.
Pressure from corporations has had some success in pushing back against anti-trans political efforts in recent years, notably with getting rid of the so-called “bathroom bill” in North Carolina.
In 2016, hundreds of business leaders urged the repeal of North Carolina’s HB2, and multiple celebrities pulled out of appearances in the state, including Ringo Starr and Bruce Springsteen.
CEO Bob Chapek announced that Disney was suspending its political donations in Florida due to the state’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill, and he apologized for the company’s previous silence on the issue.
In reaction to the announcement, Sonja Spoo, director of Reproductive Rights campaigns at UltraViolet, a leading gender justice organization, issued the following statement: “It is long past time that Disney paused its political contributions to radical right-wing politicians pushing a vicious anti-LGBTQ and anti-woman agenda so contrary to the company’s stated values. But simply pausing donations to all politicians instead of the ones pushing this radical agenda – embodied by the Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill and 15 week abortion ban – misses the point. “Disney is the second largest funder of anti-abortion politicians in Florida, with more than $166,000 in political donations to Florida lawmakers. Company leadership is well aware of what Disney’s political contributions support, but did nothing, Disney is funding legislation that will actively harm their own employees and consumers alike. They must do more than just pause donations, they should demand money that they gave to these radical politicians be returned, and subsequently donated to people supporting women and the LGBTQ+ community. “If Disney paid attention to the political stances of who it gave to, it would have seen this coming. Abortion is a bellwether issue that often also indicates a politician’ssupport for other extreme and dangerous bills aimed at rolling back basic rights including bills that further restrict the Civil Rights for LGBTQ+ people and people of color. If you support abortion bans – you are more likely to support attacks on LGBTQ+ kids and more likely to support measures to disenfranchise Black, Indigenous, and other people of color at the ballot box. The legislation passed in Florida are more examples of how these sorts of cruel bills move together and reinforce one another—and how they are all supported by the same people. ”“Disney took an important first step today, but this should only be the beginning. Disney and other companies must evaluate their political stances of who they give to – and start to make decisions aligned with their values, and the real values of the American people.” According to a new report from UltraViolet, a leading national gender justice organization, Disney was the third largest contributor to elected officials in Florida who support the State’s 15-week abortion ban, HB 5. According to UltraViolet’s analysis, 69% of Disney’s political donations went to anti-abortion lawmakers in Florida, totalling $166,100 in contributions.
More than two-thirds of political contributions from the six highest-spending companies in Florida support politicians who oppose abortion. Among consumer-facing companies, top contributors to anti-abortion politicians are Comcast (first), Walt Disney (second), and AT&T (sixth). Since the 2019 midterm elections, Fortune 250 companies have given these same politicians $1.3 million. Companies that contributed more than $100,000 to right-wing anti-abortion candidates were Comcast, Walt Disney, and HCA Healthcare. UltraViolet’s research also reveals that some of the largest U.S. companies helped elect state legislators who went on to sponsor the wave of anti-abortion laws passed in 2021. A total of 111 Fortune 250 companies gave $5.4 million to these politicians in 16 states. Companies gave the most to sponsors of new restrictions in Texas ($3 million), followed by Ohio ($778,000), Tennessee ($351,000), and Oklahoma ($342,000). The top contributors were AT&T, Charter Communications, Berkshire Hathaway, UnitedHealth and American Electric Power (AEP).
Following weeks of criticism from Disney staff, writers and fans, Chapek argued that “diverse stories” are more impactful than a company statement against the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, SB 1834, also known as the Parental Rights in Education bill.
“As we have seen time and again, corporate statements do very little to change outcomes or minds,” he wrote in the memo, published in full by the Los Angeles Times
“Instead, they are often weaponised by one side or the other to further divide and inflame. imply put, they can be counterproductive and undermine more effective ways to achieve change.”
He went as far as to list these “diverse stories” – most of which feature no canonically LGBT+ characters.
“Encanto, Black Panther, Pose, Reservation Dogs, Coco, Soul, Modern Family, Shang-Chi, Summer of Soul, Love, Victor. These and all of our diverse stories are our corporate statements — and they are more powerful than any tweet or lobbying effort,” the Disney CEO wrote.
Michael Cimino in Love, Victor. (Gilles Mingasson/Hulu)
“I firmly believe that our ability to tell such stories — and have them received with open eyes, ears, and hearts — would be diminished if our company were to become a political football in any debate.”
Disney ‘both sides’ Don’t Say Gay politician donation criticism
Chapek said he had met with LGBT+ leaders within Disney who expressed their “disappointment” at the company’s silence.
As much as he found such concerns “meaningful, illuminating, and at times deeply moving,” Chapek did not commit to taking direct action against the bill.
“While we have not given money to any politician based on this issue, we have contributed to both Republican and Democrat legislators who have subsequently taken positions on both sides of the legislation,” he said.
He added that Geoff Morrell, the company’s chief corporate affairs officer, “will be reassessing our advocacy strategies around the world — including political giving — as he begins to integrate the communications, public policy, government relations and CSR teams”.
Chapek’s words echoed a previous Disney statement that stressed the importance of the “inspiring content” that Disney sells rather than publicly opposing cruel, dehumanising legislation.
Disney staff slam Bob Chapek for not taking a stand against ‘hateful’ bill
Employees were less than impressed by Chapek’s statement. Many expressed disappointment and frustration.
“I LOVED being a part of a Disney Channel show known for featuring gay characters AND storylines,” tweetedAndi Mack star Lilan Bowden.
“The ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill will be DETRIMENTAL to LGBTQIA+ kids,” she said, adding: “Hoping the company or more ppl in the company take action against this hateful bill. #DisneySayGay.”
Brock Powell, a Mickey Mouse Funhouse voice actor, tweeted: “Never been quiet about my love of Disney over the years but being loud about my own identity as a queer human took YEARS.
“Breaks me in pieces that a company that literally pays me to speak is paying to keep me silent by funding puritanical Anti-LGBTQIA+ politicians. #DisneySayGay.”
Animation writer Benjamin Siemon in a video posted on Twitter: “[Disney is] starting to include more LGBT characters that let kids know that being gay is all right.
“But when they have donated to the sponsors and co-sponsors of the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill and they have made no position against this bill, and they are going to continue donating to these politicians, they are essentially saying that this bill is OK.”
Dana Terrace, creator of the acclaimed, LGBT-inclusive The Owl House, said: “I’m f**king tired of making Disney look good.”
“Disney was recently found out to be donating large sums of money, hundreds of thousands of dollars, to the sponsors and co-sponsors of the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, a bill that effectively tells LGBT+ kids: ‘You don’t exist. You don’t deserve to exist. You shouldn’t even be talked about.’”
Governor Spencer Cox has promised to veto a trans sports ban that was passed through in the last hours of the Utah legislative session.
State lawmakers debated and passed House Bill 11 (HB 11) on Friday (4 March) night, just before the end of the Utah Legislature’s 2022 general session. The proposed legislation would prohibit trans girls who want to compete in school sports teams corresponding with their gender identity.
After an hour of debate, the Senate passed the bill with a 16-13 vote, theSalt Lake Tribunereported. The House approved the legislation a few minutes later with a 46-29 vote, and several Republicans joined Democrats to vote against the bill.
The legislation now heads to Cox’s desk, and the Republican governor has promised to veto the bill immediately.
In a news conference after the vote, Cox said he was “stunned” after lawmakers quickly passed an amended version of the bill that included a full ban on trans girls competing in girls sports leagues.
A previous version of the bill sought to create a commission that would have determined the eligibility of individual students, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. But this part of the bill was scrapped on Friday in favour of an outright ban instead.
“I was as stunned as most members of the Senate were,” Cox said. “Some of the worst decisions get made at the last minute.”
He also directly addressed trans youth in the state who might have been listening to the debate, telling them that everything is “going to be okay”.
“We’re going to work through this,” Cox said. “We’re going to find a good path, and there are a lot of people that really love and care about them.”
Equality Utah welcomed Cox’s promise to veto the anti-trans bill and thanked him for “protesting transgender children”.
“With your veto, HB 11 is dead,” Equality Utah tweeted. “We are in tears. Thank you to every lawmaker, Democrat and Republican who voted against this insidious ban.”
Republican senator Daniel Thatcher teared up in an emotional speech opposing the trans sports ban during the floor debate on Friday.
He said was disappointed that his fellow lawmakers voted to pass the bill and worried about the message it would send to trans youth, Deseret Newsreported.
“Kids who just want to be loved, who just want to be seen, who just want to live,” Thatcher said. “I want them to know that I’m sorry that I couldn’t do more.”
He added: “I want them to know that we’re changing, and we are learning, and we are growing.”
Without Cox’s approval, it seems unlikely that Utah will join the 11 other states that have passed a trans sports ban into law.
Iowa is the latest state to pass through such legislation after governor Kim Reynolds signed a bill banning trans athletes Thursday (3 March).
Utah lawmakers could override the governor’s veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers. However, it would be unlikely to happen in Utah as some Republicans have vocally opposed the ban, the Associated Press reported.
The majority of teachers have a trans pupil in their class, with many saying they would like more help with how to support them, a new study has found.
Research by LGBT+ young people’s charity Just Like Us found that 55 per cent of teachers in England have at least one pupil who has come out as transgender, and 78 per cent say they would like more resources supporting them.
The study, which surveyed 6,394 teachers across England, also said that 87 per cent of secondary school teachers have had at least one trans student.
“Trans young people across the country are in schools with teachers who are crying out for the right resources to support them,” said Dominic Arnall, chief executive of Just Like Us.
Arnall added that a “small but vocal” anti-trans population can make it tough for students to grow up as trans, and that teachers with positive resources can make all the difference.
He added: “While we understand some might feel nervous about this there is really no reason to be.
“You don’t need to be an expert in gender to support trans young people.
“With a small but vocal minority of anti-trans individuals, it’s often a tough and terrifying time for young people growing up trans, so it’s very encouraging to see that the majority of their teachers want to support their pupils to be themselves and feel safe while learning, and we will do everything we can to help them with that journey.”
Isaac, a 22-year-old ambassador for Just Like Us, said: “I’m a transgender man who went to a girl’s school.
“I think the main obstacle to providing that support for trans young people is hesitance, for fear of getting it wrong. But I feel so much better when I know that a teacher is trying, even if they get it wrong sometimes, than if they don’t want to try at all.
“It sets an example for the young peers of trans pupils as future allies.”
The ban by Girls Day School Trust, a group of 25 independent schools in England and Wales, was implemented because, the group claims, to let trans girls become pupils would jeopardise the schools’ status as single-sex.
A spokesperson for the Trans Legal Project said: “Our strong view is that admitting a trans girl does not jeopardise the single-sex status of a girl’s school and the GDST is wrong about this.”
The Bisexual Resource Center (BRC), America’s oldest national bisexual organization, will celebrate the 9th annual Bisexual+ Health Awareness Month (#BiHealthMonth) social media campaign throughout March 2022.
#BiHealthMonth, founded and led annually by the BRC, raises awareness about the bisexual+ (bi, pansexual, fluid, queer, etc.) community’s social, economic and health disparities; advocates for resources; and inspires actions to improve bi+ people’s well-being.
This year’s #BiHealthMonth theme is “Connection.” This theme has been chosen to highlight the importance of connecting bisexual+ people to each other, to supportive communities and to health care resources that are affirming of their identities.
While there are many different ways that bi+ people can connect, the goal of connection is to build safe, inclusive spaces — in-person and online, locally and globally — for bi+ people to share their experiences and create meaningful relationships. When bi+ people are connected, it greatly improves their physical, mental and social health, particularly for bi+ people living in historically oppressed, marginalized or isolated communities.
“This year’s #BiHealthMonth is all about connection,” said Belle Haggett Silverman, president of the Bisexual Resource Center. “How are we connected as people? As communities? As a movement? We know that, while connection comes in many forms, it is always crucial for people to thrive individually and collectively. When we create spaces for bi+ people to come together and support each other, we can build a healthier, happier bi+ community and improve health outcomes for bi+ people worldwide.”
Throughout the month of March, the BRC will partner with a diverse array of leading organizations, including #StillBisexual, AIDS United, Athlete Ally, the Battered Women’s Justice Project, BiArtsFestival, Bisexual Queer Alliance Chicago, Bi Women Boston, Fandom Forward, Fenway Health, Howard Brown Health, Human Rights Campaign, LGBT Center of Wisconsin, Los Angeles Bi Task Force, Magic City Acceptance Center, Mini Productions, Milwaukee LGBT Community Center, NARAL, North Shore Pride, the NYC LGBT Center, PFLAG National, the National LGBTQ Task Force, SAGE, SpeakOUT Boston, Step Up For Mental Health, TAIMI, the Visibility Impact Fund and others to feature engaging and informative content, events, research, resources and actions. The BRC invites individuals, organizations, media outlets, companies and anyone interested to participate all month long by posting online using #BiHealthMonth, hosting local community events, donating to the Bisexual Resource Center and more.
Some #BiHealthMonth highlights this year include a screening of the short film “Treacle,” hosted by April Kelley; panels on bi+ health featuring conversations with BRC board members Gabby Blonder, Andrea Holland, and River McMican; new, original content from bi+ advocates, including Robyn Ochs; and a full calendar of BRC-hosted online events including a Bisexual Social and Support Group (BLiSS) meeting (March 2), a Bi+ Crafternoon (March 6); and an in-person Bi/Pan Guyz+ Social Night (March 23).
For more on #BiHealthMonth, follow the Bisexual Resource Center on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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The Bisexual Resource Center works to connect the bi+ community and help its members thrive through resources, support, and celebration. Through this work, we envision an empowered, visible and inclusive global community for bi+ people. Visit www.biresource.org for more information.
Alabama lawmakers on Tuesday night approved legislation that would bar transgender students from using school bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity.
The bill mandates K-12 schools require students to use multi-person restrooms and locker rooms that match the sex on their original birth certificate. The Alabama House of Representatives voted 74-24 for the bill after two hours of contentious debate where Republicans said it would address an ongoing problem in public schools but opponents said it targets trans youth to score political points. The bill now moves to the Alabama Senate.
“Right now, you’ve got males who are dressing up as females, who are identifying themselves as females, and wanting to use the female bathrooms,” Republican Rep. Scott Stadthagen of Hartselle told lawmakers.
Stadthagen said some schools are now being asked to accommodate transgender students who request to use the bathrooms that align with their gender identity. He said the bill is also about protecting girls’ privacy and safety.
“All you are doing is demonizing an already vulnerable population. It’s all under the guise of protecting children just to win cheap political points. That’s all it is,” Rep. Neil Rafferty, a Democrat from Birmingham, said during debate on the bill.
Rafferty said schools in his Birmingham district have handled accommodations for transgender student, “without targeting vulnerable youth that are already having issues with suicide, mental illness, bullying.”
Stadthagen, in urging support for the bill, cited sexual assaults that have happened in school bathrooms. But opposing lawmakers challenged him to name any bathroom assault where a transgender individual was the attacker.
“How many of those cases involved a transgender woman?” Rep. Merika Coleman, a Democrat from Pleasant Grove, asked. Stadthagen replied he didn’t know.
Similar policies in other states have resulted in litigation. The U.S. Supreme Court last year rejected a Virginia school board’s appeal to reinstate its transgender bathroom ban, handing a victory to transgender rights groups and a former high school student who fought in court for six years to overturn the ban.
The full 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was scheduled to hear oral arguments Tuesday in the case of a transgender student in Florida who was blocked from using the boy’s bathroom.
Republicans who spoke in favor of the bill said teachers and parents in their districts have expressed discomfort over transgender students using bathrooms that align with their gender identity.
Rep. Andrew Sorrell, a Republican from Muscle Shoals, said there is a transgender student using the girl’s bathroom at a high school in his district. Sorrell said he would not let his now infant daughter attend that school in the future without this bill.
“I think this is such a commonsense bill. I understand and appreciate that you are trying to protect our daughters,” Sorrell told Stadthagen.
The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ civil rights organization, condemned the passage of the bill.
“Today, the Alabama State House of Representatives took steps to discriminate against transgender students who deserve the fundamental human dignity of being able to use the bathroom without being discriminated against or humiliated,” Human Rights Campaign Alabama State Director Carmarion D. Anderson-Harvey said in a statement.
The Alabama bill is the second targeting LGBTQ youths to advance in legislative committee this year. A Senate committee last week advanced a bill that would outlaw the use of puberty-blockers, hormonal treatments and surgery to assist transgender youth 18 and younger in their gender transition.
Last year, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law a bill to block transgender girls from playing on female sports teams at public schools.
Dr. Mehmet Oz leans in to ask a little girl, “Do you remember when your parents thought you were a boy?”
The question was but a few seconds of a full 2010 episode of “The Dr. Oz Show” that focused on the experience of raising transgender children. But the clip now appears in an attack ad aired by a super PAC supporting one of his Republican primary opponents in the crowded and high-stakes race for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania.
Another campaign ad, from Republican U.S. Senate candidate Vicky Hartzler in Missouri, targets transgender people in sports and has her referring to an NCAA athlete — Ivy League championship-winning University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas — by her deadname and saying “women’s sports are for women, not men pretending to be women.”
And on Wednesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican who is running for re-election, ordered the state’s child welfare agency to investigate reports of gender-confirming care for kids as abuse.
Derision and disparagement of transgender people, and even of those perceived as their allies, are proliferating on the airwaves and in statehouses across the country as 2022 election campaigns heat up. It’s a classic strategy of finding a “wedge issue” that motivates a political base, political observers say.
“They are just weaponizing the fact that most everyday Americans don’t yet realize that they know someone who is transgender,” said Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. “It is easy to fall for a myth about a group of people you don’t know, and that’s just human. … It’s just really unfortunate to now see a group of politicians try to use that to their own advantage.”
Republicans use it because public opinion is on their side, said Neil Newhouse, a veteran Republican pollster.
The idea of restricting transgender athletes resonates with parents of high school athletes, motivates the Republican base, and carries swing voters by 2 to 1, Newhouse said.
In a primary, a Republican candidate can use it to establish their conservative credentials and to come out first or forcefully enough to own the issue, Newhouse said. Or it can be used to push a rival to the left, he said.
Asked for comment on the ad, which does not mention sports, Oz’s campaign — using inaccurate terminology to describe transgender women — said only that the celebrity surgeon doesn’t believe that “biological males should compete in women’s sports.”
The efforts to make political hay of transgender and other LGBTQ people extend well beyond just campaign ads.
At least 10 states have banned transgender athletes from participating in sports in a way that is consistent with their gender identity.
Indiana is poised to be the 11th, although federal courts have blocked laws in Idaho and West Virginia. And then there are states that are banning or investigating gender-confirming treatment, such as Texas.
The narrative of transgender people as a threat has strong parallels to bathroom-use and same-sex marriage bans and can be traced to Anita Bryant’s “Save Our Children” campaign in 1977, said Andrew Proctor, an associate professor of politics at Wake Forest University who studies and teaches LGBTQ politics.
The political framing is often around protecting girls, which is probably designed to broaden its appeal, Proctor and others said.
“It’s good messaging. Who doesn’t want to protect children?” said Don Haider-Markel, a University of Kansas political science professor.
Although examples like Lia Thomas are few across the country, Hartzler — who cites her experience as a high school athlete and coach — said in an interview that the issue of trans athletes is ad-worthy in a Senate race because it is a “representation of the wokeness that is being inflicted upon us from all sides and has gone beyond common sense.”
A spokesperson for University of Pennsylvania athletics said Thomas would not comment on the ad.
The NCAA in January adopted a sport-by-sport approach for transgender athletes to document testosterone levels before championship selections. For high school sports, states have a hodgepodge of policies.
In Pennsylvania, the TV ad from the super PAC supporting Republican David McCormick tries to characterize Oz as a “Republican in Name Only,” or not conservative enough.
The ad rips a few seconds from the episode and presents it without the context of a show that looked at transgender children from a measured standpoint, with input from a pediatrician and their parents on the kids’ newfound happiness.
The clip in the attack ad stops after Oz gently asks the girl, from a military family, if she remembers when her parents thought she was a boy. The full episode continues:
“A little bit,” the girl answers.
“Talk to me about that a little bit,” Oz says. “What do you remember?”
The girl’s mother, sitting next to her, says: “Like, how did it make you feel when I used to take you and get your hair cut at the barber shop on base?”
“It made me very angry,” Josie answers.
“You did not like your hair cut,” the mother says. “Why not?”
Josie answers: “Because I’m a girl, not a boy.”
A political consultant to Honor Pennsylvania did not return messages asking how that makes Oz not conservative enough. A McCormick campaign spokesperson did not return messages asking whether McCormick agrees with the ad’s attack.
Josie and her mother could not be located for comment on being featured years later in a political attack ad.
“I think it’s incredibly sad when a political leader finds that the only way that they can get themselves elected to office is by attacking vulnerable children and their parents,” said Lisa Middleton, the transgender mayor of Palm Springs, California. “Of all the issues that are before us in this world and this country today … to make it more difficult for a transgender child and their parents to navigate their life to adulthood is irresponsible. It’s un-American.”
Republicans aren’t the only party that uses wedge issues — Democrats often cast the wealthy in a negative light for political gain.
But the GOP’s targeting of transgender people may have a shelf life, just as both parties’ efforts against same-sex marriage shifted along with public opinion, said Paul Goren, a political psychology professor at the University of Minnesota. If it doesn’t pay off with electoral wins, he said, then Republicans will move on.
In Texas, Abbott’s letter came just a week before the state’s Republican primary, the nation’s first for the 2022 cycle. It aligns with a recent legal opinion from state Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican who is also running for re-election, that is directed at gender-confirming treatments incorporating puberty blockers and hormone therapy.
Pushback in Texas is coming from civil liberties groups, medical professionals and district attorneys in some counties.
Kimberly Shappley, a Texas nurse and mother of an 11-year-old transgender girl, Kai, said she was distraught and had begun looking for a job in another state. The family has already been on edge for years over efforts to prevent transgender children from using public bathrooms that match their identity, she said.
“As the parent of a trans kid, I can tell you that our close-knit community is just a wreck,” Shappley said on a video news conference organized by the American Civil Liberties Union. “It’s just been a lot of tears. It’s been a lot of, ‘Do we have our documents in order? Do we have our plan in place? Is this the time we have to move?’”
But it’s hard to know where to go, she said.
“The whole United States is on fire with anti-trans legislation. It’s not just Texas,” Shappley said. “What is the safe place that you think trans kids can live right now? Because there’s not that many left.”
While the One Male Condom is not markedly different from the hundreds of other condoms on the market, it is the first that will be allowed to use the “safe and effective use” label for reducing sexually transmitted infections during anal sex. It is also approved for use as a contraceptive and as a means to reduce STIs during vaginal intercourse.
“This landmark shift demonstrates that when researchers, advocates, and companies come together, we can create a lasting impact in public health efforts,” Davin Wedel, president and founder of Boston-based Global Protection Corp, maker of the One Male Condom, said in a statement. “There have been over 300 condoms approved for use with vaginal sex data, and never before has a condom been approved based on anal sex data.”
Courtney Lias, director of the FDA’s Office of GastroRenal, ObGyn, General Hospital and Urology Devices, noted that the risk of STI transmission during anal intercourse is “significantly higher” than during vaginal intercourse.
“The FDA’s authorization of a condom that is specifically indicated, evaluated and labeled for anal intercourse may improve the likelihood of condom use during anal intercourse,” Lias said in a statement. “Furthermore, this authorization helps us accomplish our priority to advance health equity through the development of safe and effective products that meet the needs of diverse populations.”
Anal sex poses the highest risk for contracting HIV, with the risk of HIV transmission from receptive anal sex about 18 times higher than receptive vaginal sex. Gay and bisexual men accounted for 69 percent of the 36,801 new HIV/AIDS diagnoses in the U.S. in 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Queer men of color were overrepresented within this group, with Black men representing 37 percent, Latino men representing 32 percent and white men representing 25 percent of these new diagnoses, according to the CDC.
One Male Condoms are available in standard, thin and fitted versions, and the fitted version is available in 54 different sizes.
A clinical trial of 252 men who have sex with men and 252 men who have sex with women found the One Male Condom has a failure rate of 0.68 percent for anal sex and 1.89 percent for vaginal sex, according to the FDA, which defined condom failure as condom slippage or breakage.
Dr. Will DeWitt, clinical director of anal health at the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center in New York City, said the newly approved condoms could be a helpful tool for HIV/AIDS prevention.
“The hope would be that people would be more willing to use condoms for anal sex and to have that direct encouragement would increase the rates of people using them,” DeWitt said. “Condoms still remain an important tool for people who don’t want to or can’t use PrEP.”
PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, is typically taken in the form of a daily pill to prevent HIV/AIDS in people who are not diagnosed with the virus. Last year, the FDA also approved an injectable PrEP shot that can be given every two months.
DeWitt did, however, add that he is worried the One Male Condom name and marketing could alienate those who engage in anal sex but do not identify as male.
“Anal sex really does belong to everyone,” DeWitt said. “Even if it’s the perspective of who has to wear the condom, it’s not just male bodies and male identified folks who need to use it.”
While health experts have long encouraged the use of condoms for STI prevention through anal sex, DeWitt said FDA’s official approval is long overdue.
“Here we are in 2022, and we are only now getting condoms approved for anal sex,” DeWitt said, noting that it’s been more than three decades since the start of the HIV crisis. “It’s a little frustrating that it’s taken this long to have this kind of official endorsement.
Some of the top companies in the U.S. that show public support for the LGBTQ community have donated thousands of dollars to the politicians behind a piece of Florida legislation opponents deemed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
The bill, which has versions in both the Florida House and Senate, would ban classroom discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity that are not “age-appropriate” in schools — though it is not clear what is considered “age-appropriate.” It also includes a provision that could effectively “out” LGBTQ students to their parents without their consent.
Despite opposition from Democrats and LGBTQ rights advocates, the “Don’t Say Gay” bill is gaining momentum in the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature.
Two weeks ago, Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis appeared to voice support for the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, saying at a press event that it was “entirely inappropriate” for teachers and school administrators to have conversations with students about their gender identity.
“I know the ramifications of a bill like this could be detrimental to our LGBTQ youth,” out Florida state Senate candidate Eunic Ortiz told the Washington Blade.
Yet, a recent investigation from Popular Information, a political Substack newsletter run by veteran progressive journalist and political staffer Judd Legum, found some of the nation’s top companies — like Comcast/NBC Universal, UnitedHealth Group, Duke Energy, AT&T and Walgreens — have donated to the politicians behind the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
Comcast/NBC Universal, for example, donated $1,000 to state Sen. Dennis Baxley, the main sponsor behind the bill in the Senate. In addition, the company gave a total of $28,000 to the top supporters of the anti-LGBTQ legislation since 2020, according to Legum and two other reporters, Tesnim Zekeria and Rebecca Crosby.
The Blade reached out to several representatives at Comcast but did not immediately receive a response, nor did Popular Information.
Comcast has publicly supported the LGBTQ community in recent years. “Some people may think the LGBTQ rights journey is done and the struggle is over, but it isn’t. Our job is to continuously educate,” said Yvette Miley, senior vice president of MSNBC and NBC News, on its website.
UnitedHealth Group has donated at least $200,000 to DeSantis since 2020 despite his public support for the “Don’t Say Gay” bill and other anti-LGBTQ legislation, according to the article.
The healthcare company has received perfect scores from the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ organization, Corporate Equality Index. Its chief talent officer, Ryan Craig, has also said, “Strengthening the sense of community among our LGBTQ+ employees and allies” makes the company stronger. https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=WashBlade&dnt=true&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=eyJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2hvcml6b25fdHdlZXRfZW1iZWRfOTU1NSI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJodGUiLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3NwYWNlX2NhcmQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib2ZmIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH19&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1486716900079927308&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonblade.com%2F2022%2F02%2F19%2Ftop-lgbtq-supporting-companies-bankroll-dont-say-gay-bill%2F&sessionId=17ccd4a9af6d38b05809589364151bcde7d9ac4b&siteScreenName=WashBlade&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2582c61%3A1645036219416&width=550px
UnitedHealth Group did not immediately respond to the Blade’s request for comment. Public Information’s request also went unanswered.
Duke Energy, one of the largest electric companies in the U.S., has donated $34,000 to Florida legislators behind the “Don’t Say Gay” bill since 2020, including $25,000 to DeSantis and $1,000 to Baxley, according to the investigation.
“We are guided by our vision of an inclusive environment where employees feel a sense of belonging,” Cameron McDonald, Duke Energy’s vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer, said in a statement. “We make sure to integrate diversity and inclusion into everything we do.”https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=WashBlade&dnt=true&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=eyJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2hvcml6b25fdHdlZXRfZW1iZWRfOTU1NSI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJodGUiLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3NwYWNlX2NhcmQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib2ZmIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH19&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1401954613226622982&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonblade.com%2F2022%2F02%2F19%2Ftop-lgbtq-supporting-companies-bankroll-dont-say-gay-bill%2F&sessionId=17ccd4a9af6d38b05809589364151bcde7d9ac4b&siteScreenName=WashBlade&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2582c61%3A1645036219416&width=550px
The Blade attempted to reach Duke Energy representatives by phone and email but have yet to receive a response. Legum’s team also couldn’t contact the company for comment.
AT&T has donated $86,000 to the politicians behind the bill, including $80,000 to DeSantis and $500 to Baxley, Popular Information reported.
The company has supported the LGBTQ community on social media, partnering with the national LGBTQ youth suicide group the Trevor Project during last year’s Pride month. https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=WashBlade&dnt=true&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=eyJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2hvcml6b25fdHdlZXRfZW1iZWRfOTU1NSI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJodGUiLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3NwYWNlX2NhcmQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib2ZmIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH19&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1401355695430291456&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonblade.com%2F2022%2F02%2F19%2Ftop-lgbtq-supporting-companies-bankroll-dont-say-gay-bill%2F&sessionId=17ccd4a9af6d38b05809589364151bcde7d9ac4b&siteScreenName=WashBlade&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2582c61%3A1645036219416&width=550px
“At AT&T we understand that unity starts in our own community, and we are committed to being a company that recognizes, embraces, and standings with LGBT+ people,” it said in a statement.
Warner Media, the company that owns AT&T, did not immediately respond the Blade’s request for comment.
Walgreens has donated at least $28,000 to DeSantis and four lawmakers who have voted in favor of the bill, according to Popular Information.
For Pride 2021, Walgreens Boots Alliance, its parent company, said it “created and encouraged everyone … to use a special Pride month background when they appeared on video during meetings to express their allyship.”
The company also did not respond to the Blade’s request for comment.
