Features

/ /

There’s a big Difference in the Way the New York Times Reported 100,000 Coronavirus Deaths and 100,000 AIDS Deaths

The New York Times made an impact with a front page dominated by the “incalculable loss” of 100,000 people who have tragically died of coronavirus in the US. The grim milestone puts the US far behind every other country in the world in dealing with the pandemic, and the death toll continues to rise day by day. “They were not simply names on a list. They were us,” the paper read on Monday (May 25). “Numbers alone cannot possibly measure the impact of the coronavirus on America.” So instead, the entire page was filled top to bottom with death notices of victims […]

/ /

LGBTQ-inclusive Entertainment Promotes Acceptance Study Finds

Movies, television shows and ads can help change attitudes about and erase prejudices towards the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community. That’s the big takeaway from a new study conducted by advocacy group GLAAD and Procter & Gamble, the world’s largest advertiser. It found that 48 percent of non-LGBTQ people became more accepting of gay and lesbian people over the past few years because of their representation in media, significantly higher than reported for those who did not see LGBTQ people in the media. Seventy six percent said they were comfortable seeing LGBTQ characters in films like “Love, Simon” […]

/ /

A Third of Trans and Non-binary Youth Attempted Suicide Last Year: Report States

A new study has revealed that nearly a third of trans and non-binary young people have attempted suicide in the past 12 months. More than 25,000 queer young people between the ages of 13 and 24 were surveyed for the peer-reviewed study by researchers at The Trevor Project, which has been published in the Journal of Adolescent Health. Of the trans and non-binary youth  young people responding to the survey, 78.2 per cent said that they have experienced discrimination because of their gender identity. Trans and non-binary youth report depression, physical abuse and thoughts of suicide. Asked about their experiences over the past […]

/ /

Gay Beach Destinations Plan for Summer, with Pandemic in Mind

Ben Rimalower, 44, has been vacationing on New York’s Fire Island since 2005. The island’s Pines section, a popular beach destination for gay men dating back to the 1920s, has been a reliably safe and sunshine-filled locale for Rimalower and his friends, primarily other gay men, to spend the summer. “I first fell in love with Fire Island from afar while in college in California during the early ‘90s,” he told NBC News. “It seemed like Shangri-La to me.” Rimalower said even on the “queerest blocks” of New York City, where he lives, he’s “uncomfortable kissing or holding hands” with […]

/ /

Long-acting Injection Beats Truvada Pill in HIV Prevention Trial

GlaxoSmithKline said an injection every other month of its cabotegravir drug was shown to avert an HIV infection more effectively than Gilead’s daily Truvada pill, potentially giving its ViiV unit a foothold in HIV prevention. The drug trial involving men who have sex with men was stopped early by an independent monitoring board after cabotegravir was found to be 69 percent more effective than the current standard of care, Truvada, the British drugmaker said on Monday. But the market segment GSK is eyeing is about to become more competitive as cheaper generic versions of Truvada are expected to be launched […]

/ /

How Technology Can Reduce Isolation for LGBTQ Elders

Today we are all adapting to the complications of COVID-19 and its impact on our daily life. As we abide by current “stay-at-home” orders, we are learning how this reality may affect others in our communities. Researchers have found that social isolation and the subsequent feelings of loneliness can be lethal. The AARP Foundation put some perspective on this when it announced that social isolation can cause similar health effects to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.  While we are all experiencing some level of isolation, the difficulty truly is compounded for some at-risk communities. Perhaps these feelings are no greater than for our […]

/ /

Long-acting Injection Beats Truvada Pill in HIV Prevention Trial

GlaxoSmithKline said an injection every other month of its cabotegravir drug was shown to avert an HIV infection more effectively than Gilead’s daily Truvada pill, potentially giving its ViiV unit a foothold in HIV prevention. The drug trial involving men who have sex with men was stopped early by an independent monitoring board after cabotegravir was found to be 69 percent more effective than the current standard of care, Truvada, the British drugmaker said on Monday. But the market segment GSK is eyeing is about to become more competitive as cheaper generic versions of Truvada are expected to be launched […]

/ /

School District is Making Sure Trans Students will always be Referred to by Their Name and Pronouns

Trans students in Philadelphia have been assured that their correct name and pronouns will always be used, as the city’s school board moves to address issues thrown up by coronavirus. In Philadelphia, trans students already have the right to be addressed according to their wishes. After a landmark policy was passed in 2016, trans students in the state are also backed in using the bathroom and playing on the sports team that corresponds to their gender identity — whether or not they have their parents approval or have taken steps to medically transition. SPONSORED CONTENTWhat Really Happens When a Conjoined Twin Dies and […]

/ /

US Navy Grants Waiver for Trans Troop to Serve as their True Gender in Blow to Trump’s Ban

A transgender service member in the US Navy has been granted a waiver to present as the correct gender for the first time since Trump’s trans military ban became law. Trump’s infamous ban came into force in April 2019, almost two full years after the president first announced his intention to exclude all trans people from the military. The Navy confirmed that a trans service member has been granted a waiver in a statement provided to CNN on Friday (May 15). “The acting secretary of the Navy has approved a specific request for exemption related to military service by transgender persons and persons with gender dysphoria,” […]

/ /

Friendship, Interrupted: Disconnection in the Era of COVID-19

My phone buzzed the other day with a long missive from a friend to a group Facebook chat we share with my husband and his fiancé. Earlier in the day, he had invited me and my husband over for dinner at their apartment. In the spirit of social distancing, I responded by suggesting maybe we do something outdoors—perhaps a picnic or a walk in the park? He was furious. He felt like we were avoiding their “COVID germs.” After a series of angry messages, he left the group chat—the digital equivalent of a gauntlet-drop. I looked at my husband, speechless. […]

«‹ 183 184 185 186›»