Health research groups have responded to the lack of inclusive questions in the 2026 Census in Australia. They say that excluding gender, sexual orientation or diverse sex characteristics questions would make populations “invisible”.
Multiple health and research organisations have said that failing to add questionsimportant to the LGBTQ+ community in the upcoming census would put these groups at further risk of “marginalisation and disadvantage”.
Eight health research groups, including the Australian Human Rights Institute and the University of New South Wales’(UNSW) Kirby Institute, have urged the government to reconsider its decision.
He also said that the federal government informed the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to cancel questions on sexuality, gender and diverse sex characteristics because they “weren’t appropriate”.
Health research organisations say LGBTQ+ groups are at ‘increased risk of marginalisation’
Multiple health research organisations have issued a joint statement, urging the government to reconsider its decision to exclude questions aimed at the LGBTQ+ community in Australia’s 2026 Census.
The statement read: “When populations are invisible in the Census, they are at increased risk of marginalisation and disadvantage.”
The groups added that the questions had already “undergone rigorous testing” and the decision to exclude them was “not sufficient”.
It continued: “The omission of comprehensive data collection on sex, gender, and innate variations of sex characteristics in the 2026 Census will undermine our ability to understand the health needs and socio-economic well-being of LGBTI+ populations.”
“We call on our leaders to be clear and bold in ensuring no one is overlooked due to data gaps,” it concluded.
The statement was signed by UNSW’s Kirby Institute, the Centre for Sex and Gender in Health and Medical Research, the Centre for Social Research in Health, the Social Policy Research Centre, the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, the Australian Human Rights Institute, UNSW’s Community of Practice for Inclusive Research for Queer and Trans People, and People with variations of sex characteristics, and UNSW’s School of Population Health.
North Carolina’s anti-LGBTQ+ Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R)—who is running for governor and considers LGBTQ+ people as “filthy” “demons” who “mentally rape” children—is reportedly turning off so many moderate Republicans that he could risk harming former President Donald Trump’s ability to win the state in November, recent polling shows. Trump endorsed Robinson last March, calling him “Martin Luther King on steroids.”
“Trump is being weighed down by a very unpopular Republican candidate for governor,” Mick Mulvaney, Trump’s former chief of staff, told News Nation on August 17. “So Trump is going to have some difficulty in this state, in North Carolina, that he may not have in others.”
Recent polls suggest that voters disapprove of him. One showed Robinson running 14 points behind his Democratic opponent, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, and most polls show Stein beating Robinson anywhere from 6% to 10% — a significant gap, as the state’s 2020 and 2016 gubernatorial races were decided by less than 5%.
A recent Elon University poll found that one in six state Republican voters plan to ticket-split by choosing one party for president but another party for governor — comparatively, only one in 20 Democratic voters plan to do the same.
Another recent Bloomberg/Morning Consult poll showed the Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, leading Trump in the state by 1%. While that might sound small, Trump had been leading in the state by 8% in July, before President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race. Also, Trump won the state by a margin of just 1.34% in 2020, winning its 16 electoral votes in the process. In other words, Harris’ 1% lead could prove key to her winning the Electoral College.
Steve Kornaki, NBC News’ out gay national political correspondent, told WRAL, “Democrats say they hope that there’s an issue there with an unpopular Republican gubernatorial candidate sort of making the entire Republican ticket, the Republican brand in the state, less appealing…. Honestly, I think the Republicans are simply hoping that Trump is able to carry the state and, ultimately, that maybe lifts Robinson up a little bit.”
David Plouffe, a senior advisor for the Harris campaign, told Axios on August 20that Robinson’s unpopularity can help her win North Carolina. Plouffe, who served as a campaign manager for then-candidate Barack Obama in 2008, helped make him the first and only Democrat to win the state since Jimmy Carter in 1976.
“Mark Robinson, the gubernatorial candidate, is, you know, even more MAGA than Trump, which is saying something,” Plouffe said. “There’s a bunch of people who right now are voting Democrat for governor who aren’t yet Democrat for president. So we need to run a campaign to them. Huge opportunity.”
Dan Kanninen, the Harris campaign’s battleground state director, called Robinson the embodiment of “MAGA extremism” during an August 27 Pod Save America podcast, adding, “We’re going to link those two guys,” meaning Trump and Robinson.
Eager to win over Republicans who dislike Trump, the Harris campaign has started a state chapter of “Republicans for Harris.” The “never Trump” Republican group Lincoln Project has also added North Carolina to its planned ad campaign to woo moderates who are tired of Trump’s MAGA movement. Stein and Harris are also both outspending Robinson and Trump by millions of dollars in the state.
Stein’s campaign ads have highlighted Robinson’s past statements opposing abortions as “murder”—even when needed to protect the pregnant parent’s life—and saying that only slutty women want them. Polls have shown that voters largely oppose total abortion bans. Robinson recently said he supported a 12-week abortion ban with “common sense exceptions” for rape and incest.
Yesterday, Louis Money, a man who worked in a Greensboro porn shop, was one of six men who claimed that Robinson regularly patronized pornographic video stores two decades ago. Money claimed that Robinson regularly purchased bootleg pornographic video tapes from him for $25 each.
“We developed a friendship,” Money told WRAL. “He would bring pizza every night and he’d hang out for a few hours…. Many people remember him. I’m not the only one.”
Robinson’s campaign denied the accusation and said that the men only recognized Robinson because he worked at a nearby Papa John’s pizza store at the time. The accusation is notable considering Robinson’s repeated claims that LGBTQ+ people and allies are promoting “pornography” in school libraries.
In 2021, Robinson created an education task force to investigate and pull LGBTQ+ literature from public schools, as well as report instances of LGBTQ+ inclusion in schools. He has called public schools “indoctrination centers.”
Join the GLBT Historical Society and Books Not Bans for a celebration of banned books and the works of James Baldwin! A Black and gay writer, activist, and one of the most incisive and eloquent voices at the intersections of racial justice and queer acceptance, James Baldwin would have turned 100 this year in August, and we are highlighting his work, legacy, and impact on literature and queer history, amid a time when his work and other Black and queer creative legacies are being banned and challenged throughout the country.
Come to the GLBT Historical Society Museum for an evening of live readings from Baldwin’s works, drag performances inspired by Baldwin and the music and LGBTQ artists he surrounded himself with, and a discussion on the power of literature and performance toward liberation.
Fabulosa Books will be at the museum with a selection of James Baldwin books for purchase.
LOCATION
GLBT Historical Society Museum, 4127 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94114
Afrika America (she/her/hers) – Social Justice Warrior, Activist, Producer and Performer… These are just a few adjectives that characterize this phenomenal Drag Out the Vote Ambassador. She produces and performs in multiple shows throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago and around the country. Recently she won the title of Miss California Gold for the Ducal Council of San and was the Chairman for the Bay Area Queer Nightlife Coalition that pushed for diversity, equity and inclusion in all queer spaces! Having performed all over the world from Singapore to Cologne to Sydney, Australia and on America’s Got Talent…. She’s our DIVAlicious Dreamgirl …. Afrika America!!! @afrikaamerica
Anthony Rollins-Mullens (he/him/his) – is a native San Franciscan, performing here both on stage and in independent films for many years. His theatrical credits include the Narrator/Mysterious Man in Into the Woods, the Sheriff in the West Coast premiere of Groundhog Day, Willie in The View Upstairs, Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Toad in A Year With Frog and Toad, Louis Armstrong in Ella, the Musical, Tom Collins in Rent, Fred in Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Willie in Master Harold…and the Boys, and Waymon as Hunter Priestess in Good Goods. Anthony has had the joy of working with many storytelling companies, including American Conservatory Theater, Berkeley Playhouse, San Francisco Playhouse, New Conservatory Theatre Center, Oakland Theater Project, and Center REPertory Company. rollinsmullens.com
Coco Buttah (she/they) is a Non-Binary, Oakland based actor, dancer and drag queen, who performs all over the Bay Area and beyond. Coco grew up performing musical theater from a very young age. After being cast in a local production of La Cage Aux Folles they fell in love with drag and almost 10 years later, she is still going strong, she even chose her drag name from a broadway show. Coco likes to incorporate their love of theater, dance, comedy, and camp into her drag performances, and loves to spread joy and happiness when they perform. @cocobuttah85
Location
GLBT Historical Society Museum, 4127 18th St., San Francisco, CA 94114
Admission
Admission is free for members and $20 for non-members, though no one will be turned away for lack of funds. This event will likely sell out, so guests are encouraged to reserve their tickets early. Tickets are available here.
Join the GLBT Historical Society
Become a member of the GLBT Historical Society for free museum and program admission, discounts in the museum shop and other perks throughout the year.
Numerous anti-LGBTQ+ right-wing broadcasters — including Tim Pool and Dave Rubin — have been unwittingly working for a Russian government-funded media company established to push Russian propaganda and disinformation to American audiences, according to an indictment from the Department of Justice (DOJ). There’s no indication whether the broadcasters knew about the company’s Russian origins, but unsealed court documents showed that Russia favors former President Donald Trump to win the 2024 election, The Hillreported.
The FBI is now actively investigating the case which somewhat mirrors the Russian “troll farms” that flooded social media with anti-Democratic messaging during the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. Concurrently, the Biden administration announced on Wednesday Russian efforts to influence the 2024 U.S. election, and the DOJ announced its seizure of 32 web domains that Russia has used to spread its messages in the United States.
The DOJ indictment alleges that two employees of RT (formerly Russia Today), a state-controlled media outlet funded and directed by the Russian government, spent nearly $10 million over the last year to covertly finance and direct Tenet Media, a Tennessee-based online content creation company. The company, which platforms the aforementioned broadcasters, has published over 2,000 videos posted in the last 10 months on TikTok, Instagram, X and YouTube. Their videos have been collectively viewed over 20 million times, according to the DOJ.
While the indictment doesn’t specifically mention Tenet Media by name, referring to it only as “U.S. Company 1,” the indictment mentioned that the company describes itself as a “network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues.” That description matches the same one that Tenet Media uses on YouTube, according to New York Times reporter Aric Toler.
The RT employees — Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva — worked under the pseudonyms Helena Shudra and Victoria Pesti, and oversaw the company’s funding and hiring as well as the editing of its content.
Tenet Media’s YouTube channel features numerous anti-LGBTQ+ videos including ones titled, “Fellas, Is It Gay To Date A Trans Woman?”, “The TRUTH About Gender Ideology”, videos claiming that Pride parades regularly expose children to nudity and another falsely accusing the drag queen segment of the Olympic Opening Ceremonies for “mocking Christianity.” (The segment’s artistic director said it depicted a Dionysian feast.)
In a similar vein, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has accused the U.S. of pushing gender “perversions” on Russian schoolchildren. Putin has used this reasoning to justify attacks on LGBTQ+ citizens and his ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Tenet Media has published numerous videos attacking Ukraine for spreading violence and unrest in Russia.
“While the views expressed in the videos are not uniform, most are directed to the publicly stated goals of the Government of Russia and RT — to amplify domestic divisions in the United States,” the DOJ said.
Tenet Media’s webpage listing its “talent” includes Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, Tayler Hansen, and Turning Point USA chief creative officer Benny Johnson — all of them have shared anti-LGBTQ+ views on social media. Tenet Media has also featured talks between disgraced former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and conservative gay commentator Glenn Greenwald.
On Wednesday, the Biden administration announced that Russian government agents operated websites, social media and created fake social media personas to spread propaganda furthering Russian interests. The DOJ said it had already seized 32 web domains connected to the Russian plot and suggested it would seize more as part of its ongoing investigation, The Verge reported.
Numerous media studies have shown that Russian government-funded “troll farms” disseminated Russian state propaganda designed to fuel political divisions between Americans during the 2016 and 2020 elections. The exposure of Tenet Media is just the latest iteration of the same ploy — and it apparently is using anti-LGBTQ+ media figures as part of its anti-American campaign.
Australia’s Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt is “concerned” after Iran reportedly summons the Australian Ambassador to the country after sharing a pro-LGBTQ+ post on Instagram.
The embassy shared the post to mark Wear It Purple Day on 30 August, a date that “strives to foster supportive, safe, empowering and inclusive environments for rainbow young people” in Australia.
Reuters reported that Iran summoned the Australian Ambassador, Ian McConville, to the ministry in the capital Tehran in response to the social post, which was dubbed as “norm-breaking” and “promoted homosexuality”.
Watt has since responded to the news, saying that the reaction from the Iranian government is “concerning”.
He told ABC News Breakfast on 4 September: “Certainly, the Albanese government’s views and our values are that we support all Australians, regardless of their sexual orientation, their gender, their race.”
The Minister added: “I am concerned to see this reaction from the Iranian government to the activities of the Australian Embassy.
“We’re very proud about the fact that our embassies promote Australian values internationally, and I’m very concerned to see an overseas government seemingly take action against an Australian Embassy that is upholding Australian values.”
Watt was asked whether there would be any “counter-reaction” in Australia, to which Watt responded: “It’s probably a little bit early for me to be predicting that.
“But I’m sure these are things that Penny Wong [Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and leader of the Government in the Senate] and others will be taking into account,” he concluded.
The original social media post in question read: “Celebrating ‘Wear it Purple Day’ with a splash of purple in every corner, and some delicious cupcakes made with love.
“Today, and every day, we’re dedicated to creating a supportive environment, where everyone, especially LGBTQIA+ youth, can feel proud to be themselves. Let’s keep championing diversity and inclusion for a brighter, more inclusive future,” the post went on to proclaim.
The Iranian Labour News Agency quoted McConville as saying the post was not meant to be an insult to the Iranian people or their values and the Islamic Republic was not mentioned in the post, which remains live on the embassy’s Instagram account.
Homosexuality is illegal in Iran and same-sex acts between men are punishable by death, while women face the possibility of 100 lashes. There are no protections for LGBTQ+ people from discrimination, and conversion therapy is believed to be widely performed.
Last year, Nicolette Mason, the founder of the Iranian Diaspora Collective, a non-partisan, queer-led, multi-faith group, told PinkNews that the country’s younger citizens wanted “to be able to live freely like the rest of the world”.
The results of a new survey published by Knight Foundation in partnership with Langer Research Associates shows that book bans, and the people who promote them, are losing support. The recent primary election results in Florida, home base for book-banning Moms for Liberty, show even more rejection at the ballot box.
First, the survey: Of more than 4,500 adults sampled, two thirds oppose book bans in public schools, and 78% trust school staff to stock shelves with “appropriate” titles. And although 60% of respondents view “appropriateness” as a reason to place restrictions on book access, Book Riot’s Kelly Jensen notes, “‘appropriateness’ here is not about topics like diversity, queerness, social-emotional learning, climate change, and other issues that have been the target of the book banning agenda.”
While Americans largely share a distaste for book bans and 23% are aware that these kinds of censorship efforts are happening in their community, only three percent have gotten involved, with two percent fighting to retain challenged titles and one percent attempting to ban them. In other words, says Jensen, an incredibly small subset of people are “instigating the astronomical rise in book bans nationwide.”
Diminishing Returns
Both Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Moms for Liberty took major hits during last week’s election. Eleven out of 23 DeSantis-backed candidates lost their races.
While Moms for Liberty’s list of school board endorsements in Florida somewhat differs from that of DeSantis, the results match a trend that started with recent elections: Campaigning on book bans is a losing platform. Of M4L’s list of endorsements in Florida, only three candidates won. Six lost their campaigns, while an additional five will be headed to a runoff election in November.
Of note in Indian River County: Candidates endorsed by DeSantis and M4L lost their races. Indian River is the birthplace of M4L. Stitching an article from the Associated Press, author and social media personality Jeffrey Marsh said, “even the people of Florida don’t want school board members who harass LGBTQ kids, who ban books, who push Christian nationalist agendas in schools.”
Florida and the Waning Influence of Moms for Liberty
Last week’s losses come after years of coordinated assault against books by and about LGBTQ people and people of color. According to a PEN America report, July-December 2023 saw more book bans than the entire 2022-23 school year. In Florida alone, there were 3,135 bans in 11 school districts.
Declared that Florida “will not comply” and would “fight back” against recent Title IX rule updates announced by the Biden administration, which include specific protections for LGBTQ students and prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
While calling book ban accusations against him a “hoax” and stating that Florida book bans are a “false narrative,” DeSantis walked back earlier book ban efforts under the “Don’t Say LGBTQ” law (House Bill 1557). Florida now limits book challenges to one title per month for “residents who don’t have a child in school.”
Spoke at Moms for Liberty’s 2023 national summit, and appointed M4L co-founder Bridget Ziegler to an oversight board he created to take on Disneyafter the company critiqued DeSantis’ anti-LGBTQ agenda. Ziegler and her husband Christian were later investigated as part of a rape allegation from a woman they had a sexual relationship with.
Signed House Bill 1557 into law in 2022. The legislation, informally known as “Don’t Say LGBTQ” or “Don’t Say Gay,” initially forbade discussion about sexual orientation and gender identity in K-3 public schools. The following year, DeSantis expanded the ban to all grades. Said DeSantis, “Schools are not there for you to try to go on some ideological joyride at the expense of our kids.”
In 2023, DeSantis and the Board of Governors appointed several members to the New College of Florida Board of Trustees. This month, passersby discovered that the college tossedhundreds of LGBTQ-inclusive titles from their dismantled Gender and Diversity Center.
Moms for Liberty appears to be trying to rebuild after its trouncing at the polls in 2023 and 2024, and devastating personal scandals against its co-founder and her disgraced husband. M4L has invited former President Donald Trump to speak at their annual summit this week, Trump’s second time addressing the group.
The Dominican Republic’s Constitutional Court will hear a challenge on August 30, 2024, to laws that criminalize consensual same-sex conduct by officers in the police and armed forces, Human Rights Watch said today. In an amicus curiae brief, Human Rights Watch said that these discriminatory laws violate the rights under international law of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) officers to equality, privacy, and the ability to work without fear, among others.
“These draconian laws are a stain on the Dominican Republic’s human rights record and contribute to an unchecked discriminatory environment in the police and armed forces,” said Cristian González Cabrera, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch. “State-sanctioned bigotry has no place in a democratic society governed by the rule of law and in a region that has mostly disavowed the criminalization of private sexual acts between people of the same sex.”
The Dominican Republic does not ban same-sex conduct by private individuals. Yet, it lags behind on LGBT rights, lacking comprehensive civil anti-discrimination legislation, same-sex marriage or civil union rights, and gender identity recognition for transgender individuals, Human Rights Watch said. In recent months, LGBT activists have criticized a proposed criminal code for not providing protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity, including hate crimes provisions.
In 2019, a viral video exposed a Dominican army sergeant in a same-sex encounter, leading to his dismissal. The army cited a “duly proven serious fault that tarnishes the morals and ethics of the institution.” The sergeant filed an appeal. An administrative court dismissed his case in 2021 on procedural grounds, but the sergeant filed a new appeal and is awaiting a final decision.
In 2014, the then-director of the National Police told a congressional committee that existing legislation “does not allow people who are homosexual” to be part of the force. In response to questions about what would happen to homosexual officers already in the police force, the then-director asked for them to be identified, news reports said.
Anderson Javiel Dirocie de León, one of the lawyers leading the constitutional challenge, told Human Rights Watch: “The discriminatory provisions mean that LGBTI officers serve in constant fear of being discovered, sanctioned, and losing everything, including their livelihood. The provisions convey a message from the state that LGBTI people are inherently unfit to perform public functions and can be considered criminals for being who we are.”
In 2004, the Dominican Republic’s congress passed a broad criminal procedure reform that limited the ability of the police and the armed forces to criminally sanction officers, but made clear that those institutions retain their administrative “disciplinary powers.” In 2019, the Constitutional Court clarified that criminal cases against officers should be heard by ordinary criminal courts, but it did not strike down the provisions on sodomy in the security forces’ codes of justice.
In recent years, countries in the region, including Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, and the United States, have scrapped laws that criminalize same-sex conduct by officers.
In its amicus curiae brief, Human Rights Watch said that the criminalization of same-sex conduct violates international standards, including the rights to be protected against arbitrary and unlawful interference with one’s private and family life and to one’s reputation or dignity, as emphasized by the United Nations independent expert on sexual orientation and gender identity.
While the provisions under constitutional challenge prohibit same-sex conduct only in the military and police context, they make the Dominican Republic one of the few remaining countries in the Americas to criminalize same-sex conduct.
“President Luis Abinader and Congress should not wait for the Constitutional Court ruling and should promptly introduce legislation to repeal these outdated and discriminatory laws that meddle in officers’ private lives,” González said. “Repealing these laws would send a strong signal to LGBT people and the world that the principles of equality and nondiscrimination are of the utmost importance in the Dominican Republic.”
Kamala Harris’ journey to become the first Black and South Asian vice president of the United States is nothing short of groundbreaking. Now, as the 2024 presidential nominee, understanding Kamala Harris’ political stances offers valuable insight into her vision for the future.
What key issues define her political agenda, and how might they affect her candidacy and the shaping of the nation? Let’s take a look at her stances to explore these questions further.
Gaza
As the Democratic presidential nominee, Harris has articulated her robust support for Israel’s right to defend itself, emphasizing the necessity of protection against threats from militant groups like Hamas. At the same time, she has acknowledged the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza, highlighting its severe impact on Palestinian civilians.
In her recent remarks, Harris affirmed her commitment to working with President Joe Biden to negotiate a cease-fire and secure the release of hostages held by Hamas. “Now is the time to get a hostage deal and a cease-fire deal done,” she asserted in her Democratic National Convention speech.
Moreover, Harris has consistently addressed the rights of Palestinians, advocating for their right to “dignity, security, freedom, and self-determination.” Her stance underscores a nuanced approach, aiming to maintain support from both pro-Israel Democrats and those advocating for Palestinian rights.
However, her campaign has said she doesn’t support an embargo on the sale of U.S. weapons to Israel, something long sought by pro-Palestinian protestors. She risks alienating them and other progressive voters if she doesn’t explain how her administration would differ from the current one’s approach.
If she becomes president, Harris is expected to replace some of the chief architects of the Biden administration’s strategy in Gaza, The Wall Street Journal reported. Her national security adviser, Philip Gordon, has emphasized the need for diplomatic (rather than military) foreign policy solutions. However, she has not yet laid out concrete details about the diplomatic levers she could use to force Israel to end its targeting of Palestinian civilians.
Kamala Harris has consistently championed the need to protect reproductive rights, advocating for national legislation that mirrors the protections once granted by Roe v. Wade. In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, which overturned Roe, Harris emerged as a key figure in the Biden administration’s efforts to keep the issue at the forefront. Her proactive stance was underscored by a historic visit to an abortion clinic, marking the first such visit by a sitting vice president.
During her tenure in the Senate, Harris was a vocal supporter of abortion rights. She co-sponsored legislation to ban states from restricting abortion rights and opposed a bill to ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. She has also advocated for laws requiring states with histories of restricting abortion rights to obtain federal approval for new abortion-related laws.
In her speech at the end of the 2024 Democratic National Convention, she mentioned that former President Donald Trump and his conservative allies are “out of their minds” for intending to empower extremists, cut social programs, and outlaw abortion across the country.
Taxing the rich
Kamala Harris supports a comprehensive tax plan that would increase taxes on the wealthiest Americans and large corporations to generate nearly $5 trillion in revenue over the next decade. She would increase taxes on individuals earning more than $400,000 a year — a group representing approximately 1.8% of America’s top income earners. She has pledged to ensure that middle and lower-income families don’t face increased tax burdens.
Additionally, Harris wants to raise the corporate tax rate from the existing 21% to 28%, which would generate an estimated $1.3 trillion over ten years, according to the Treasury Department. By targeting affluent individuals and major corporations, she seeks to address economic disparities and secure funding for essential government initiatives without affecting the broader population.
Her campaign spokesman, James Singer, articulated her vision by saying the plan is “a fiscally responsible way to put money back in the pockets of working people and ensure billionaires and big corporations pay their fair share.”
Healthcare
During her 2019 presidential campaign, Harris supported the introduction of a “Medicare-for-all” public option that would allow people to choose between public and private health insurance. While she has since backed away from this plan, during her time in the Senate, she supported bills that expanded Medicare coverage in individual states.
She has supported the Inflation Reduction Act, which allows the federal government to negotiate drug prices for those most commonly prescribed under Medicare. As vice president, she has also spoken about the Biden administration’s efforts to reduce medical debt.
During her current presidential campaign, she has pledged to improve healthcare access by reducing drug prices and expanding coverage under the 2010 Affordable Care Act, a federal law that Republicans have long sought to repeal. She has also publicly opposed Republican proposals to privatize or cut health care programs for elderly and lower-income Americans.
The 2024 Democratic National Platform has also pledged to ensure that health insurers adequately cover mental health and substance use treatment.
Although she has not introduced new policies for tackling climate change, she has supported the Biden Administration’s pledges to fight climate change, pledged U.S. investments into helping other countries fight climate change, and previously supported the Green New Deal, which would invest federal funds into state and local efforts to end pollution and build renewable energy sources.
LGBTQ+ issues
Kamala Harris has consistently demonstrated her commitment to LGBTQ+ equality, building a record of support that spans her career in public service. As California’s Attorney General, Harris played a pivotal role in restoring marriage equality in the state by refusing to defend Proposition 8, a voter-approved measure that had revoked the right to same-sex marriage. Her decisive actions helped pave the way for the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that ultimately struck down the proposition.
As a vocal opponent of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, Harris has condemned policies that restrict the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly those affecting transgender youth. She emphasized her stance by saying, “The fight for equal rights is patriotic. We believe in the foundational principles of our country; we believe in the promise of freedom and equality and justice.”
As president, she has pledged to support the Equality Act, a bill that would add LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination protections to the 1964 Civil Rights Act. She has also pledged to continue protecting transgender students and gender-affirming care and to oppose anti-LGBTQ+ book bans in red states.
A vision for progressive change
Kamala Harris stands as an advocate for progressive change, pushing for policies that tax the rich, expand healthcare, fight environmental pollution, and expand LGBTQ+ civil rights. While her current campaign hasn’t always detailed the specific policies she’ll pursue as president, the Democratic National Platform and her past actions and statements reflect her long-term dedication to these issues.
The U.S. Census Bureau is testing questions about sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) on the American Community Survey (ACS).
The bureau received approval from the White House Office of Management and Budget on July 11 following a brief period to receive public comment on the questions, the Bay Area Reporter reported. The announcement follows through on a commitment by President Joe Biden during Pride Month two years ago when he issued a directive to federal agencies directing them to find ways to better gauge and serve the LGBTQ+ community.
The ACS is sent to 295,000 households every year. The results are used to analyze household data and allocate federal funding.
In 2022, the ACS found approximately 1.3 million same-sex couple households in the U.S. Of those couples, around 741,000 (or 57 percent) were married while the rest were not. Additionally, 31 percent of the married same-sex couples were interracial, significantly higher than opposite-sex married couples.
Of particular interest to the Bureau is the use of proxy reporting in responding to census questions.
“In 2023, the AHS asked SOGI questions of adult respondents in regular, occupied housing units; one-half of the sample included experimental proxy questions for all members of the household along with the self-response questions,” the Bureau wrote in a press release announcing the proposed SOGI questions in June. “This research will help us understand how LGBT households compare to non-LGBT households on things like housing characteristics, housing costs, and housing quality, among others. It will also tell us about differences or similarities in trends between respondent and proxy data.”
The news was welcomed by a former Census Bureau and SOGI expert Nancy Bates, who is a lesbian.
“This is a watershed moment for both the Census Bureau and the entire US federal statistical system,” Bates told the Reporter via email. “I eagerly await the findings and ultimate implications this will have for the LGBTQI+ community.”
