Several actors, DJs, models and Instagram influencers have come under fire for promoting a music festival in Saudi Arabia, a country with a horrific human rights record.
Electronic festival MDL Beast took place on 21-23 December in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, with a lineup that included DJs David Guetta, Dish Dash, Tiesto and Steve Aoki.
While the model Emily Ratajkowski reportedly rejected the festival out of concern for human rights, the actors Armie Hammer and Ed Westwick both attended, as did supermodels Jazelle, Joan Smalls, Amy Jackson and Alessandro Ambrosio.
The Conde Nast publication Glamour UK also included a sponsored campaign from the festival.
They are now being condemned for giving their support to the festival, with many noting that Saudi Arabia still enforces gender segregation and punishes homosexuality with death.
Podcast host and writer Aminatou Sow said on Twitter that influencer culture was “shameless”, while fashion commentator Diet Prada accused those involved of taking part in “rehabilitating” the country’s image in return for six-figure sums.
“What’s worse than an all white @revolve influencer trip?” their Instagram post asked. “Cashing big fat checks in exchange for #content creation (aka propaganda) to rehabilitate the image of Saudi Arabia, a country said to be causing ‘the world’s worst humanitarian crisis’, according to the United Nations.
“According to anonymous sources, six-figure sums were offered for attendance and geo-tagged posts.”
In a statement addressed to Diet Prada, Ratajkowski explained why she declined to attend the festival.
“It’s very important to me to make clear my support for the rights of women, the LGBTQ community, freedom of expression and the right to a free press. I hope coming forward on this brings more attention to the injustices happening there,” she said.
Praising the festival, Armie Hammer declared that it felt like a “cultural shift” – although the culture hasn’t shifted far enough to stop punishing homosexuality with public whippings, chemical castrations, life imprisonment, torture and death.
Journalist Yashar Ali responded by asking Hammer: “Did you find Jamal Khashoggi’s body while you were there?”
Another commenter asked: “How much did Mohammed Bin Salman pay you to say this?”
A school district is facing legal action from the mother of a 12-year-old who took his own life after homophobic bullying.
Marcy Peterson has filed a lawsuit against the school district in Upper Deerfield, New Jersey, after the suicide of her son Tristan in 2017.
Tristan faced bullying and taunting from his classmates at both Elizabeth Moore School and Woodruff School before taking his own life.
The lawsuit alleges that the school district failed to address “an extended and persistent period of bullying, intimidation, and harassment related to Tristan’s sexual orientation and identity.”
School district sued for ‘failing to act’
According to NJ.com, the suit alleges the student was “specifically subjected to threats from another student… at the Woodruff School related to his sexual orientation, which was witnessed by a staff member” – but the school “failed to properly prevent the abusive behaviour.”
It adds: “The defendants had a duty to provide for the safety and security of students.”
The wrongful death suit, filed in New Jersey Superior Court, accuses the defendants of negligence and violating anti-discrimination laws.
The school district said it could not comment on the litigation.
New Jersey students ‘should feel safe’
Laurie McGuire of GLSEN New Jersey told the outlet there was a need for LGBT+ inclusive education.
“As a community, I think we can probably all agree that we want all of our children to be cared about and to be supported and to be safe. We need to work together to create safe schools for all students.
““The idea that there are students that are marginalised, that there are students that are bullied and picked on and harassed because they are perceived or seen as different from others and that don’t fit the norm that society has created for them, those students need a space that is supportive and affirming.”
GLSEN’s 2017 national school climate survey revealed that ninety percent of LGBT+ students in New Jersey had heard the word “gay” used in a negative way, while 79 percent reported hearing homophobic slurs.
Sixty percent of LGBT+ students in the state said they had faced verbal harassment, while 20 percent reported physical harassment.
If you are in the US and are having suicidal thoughts, suffering from anxiety or depression, or just want to talk, call the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255. If you are in the UK, you can contact the Samaritans on 116 123.
A senior Thai legislator has been forced to apologise after two gay men kissed at a press conference in parliament on Wednesday.
The conference was held by the Future Forward party to highlight Thailand’s marriage laws, with LGBT coordinator Ekkawat Pimsawan ceremoniously submitting a proposal calling for a legal change to allow same-sex marriage.
TV footage of the conference shows an MP standing next to the two men, James Panumas and Tattep Ruangprapaikitseree, and applauding as they embraced. The simple kiss was so extraordinary that it sparked widespread accusations of “improper” behaviour in parliament.
Senator Somchai Sawengkarn reportedly wrote on Facebook that he found the incident too shameful and beyond forgiveness, and urged parliament to probe the ethics of the MPs and the House committee concerned.
House speaker’s secretary Tankhun Jit-Issara said: “There are rules for using the press conference room that prohibit inappropriate language, insults, slander and indecent behaviour. Furthermore, users must maintain polite manners at all time in the establishment and follow other stated rules strictly.”
Parliament President Chuan Leekpai has demanded a report on two men and will later decide on what “punitive action” should be taken against those who arranged the event.
MP Mukda Pongsombat, who chairs the committee, was forced to issue an extensive apology for the display of public affection, and promised it would not be repeated.
“As the chairwoman, I accept a lack of prudence, but it was unexpected,” she said. “The committee did not plan for such incident to happen and we are sorry that the incident affected the image of the House of Parliament. I will admonish the persons involved and make sure that such an incident never happens again.”
She added: “While we are within our rights to express ourselves, we should also show respect for the venue.”
Thailand is often viewed as a very LGBT-friendly country, but public sentiment is not always so liberal. Thai law currently does not recognise same-sex marriages, civil unions, or domestic partnerships, although LGBT+ activists are fighting for this to change.
House and Senate Democrats, civil rights advocates and groups against HIV/AIDS were among those who voiced their objections this week to a Trump administration proposal that would allow recipients of federal grants, including taxpayer-funded adoption agencies, to discriminate against LGBTQ people.
The opponents of the proposed rule change, which would abolish LGBTQ non-discrimination requirements implemented during the final month of the Obama administration in December 2016, submitted their comments to the Department of Health & Human Services as part of the rule-making process.
“This is yet another step in the Trump administration’s efforts to erode civil rights protections and leave millions of people across the country again subject to discrimination,” the senators wrote. “Taken together, these actions leave vulnerable populations unable to access the services they need. We strongly urge the Department to enforce existing federal non-discrimination regulations that protect against discrimination based on sex and religion and rescind this proposed rule.”
HHS unveiled the proposed rule change in November under pressure from conservative groups, including Catholic adoption agencies who say placing children into LGBTQ homes violates their religious beliefs. Vice President Mike Pence said in remarks last month Trump himself gave the order to implement the change.
An estimated 430,000 children are in the foster care system and an estimated 125,000 of them are eligible for adoption.
But the proposal has far-reaching implications. It would not only allow adoption agencies to turn away LGBTQ people, but also allow federal grant recipients to deny them other services, including shelter and medical care.
A quintet of HIV/AIDS groups — AIDS United, National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors, the National Minority AIDS Council, the National Coalition of STD Directors and the AIDS Institute — expressed concern the proposed rule could hamper medical treatment, including the implementation of Trump’s own plan to beat the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030.
“We have the tools to end the epidemic, but rules that codify stigma and discrimination against LGBTQ individuals would be a significant step backwards in the fight against HIV,” the groups write.
Because the Obama-era regulation also prohibited discrimination on the basis of religion and sex, critics also say the Trump administration proposal could lead to discrimination against religious minorities and women.
In a separate letter led by Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), one of the seven openly gay members of Congress, 72 House and Senate appropriators in Congress say the proposal amounts to “opening the door to many types of taxpayer-funded discrimination by HHS grant recipients.”
“It is easy to imagine myriad ways HHS grantees could discriminate under this new rule,” the appropriators write. “Grantees could decline to provide HIV care to an LGBT person on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Grantees could refuse services to single or unmarried parents. Grantees could force a transgender child to undergo ‘conversion therapy’ in order to access their services.”
Zack Pruitt, senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, said in a statement the rule change is necessary because “every child deserves a chance to be raised in a loving home.”
“Unfortunately, the previous regulation — finalized in the 11th hour of the Obama Administration — failed to protect all providers and discriminated against faith-based providers simply because of their beliefs about marriage,” Pruitt said. “That is not keeping kids first. HHS’s proposed rule to end this discrimination offers hope for children, more options for birth parents, support for families and increased flexibility for states seeking to alleviate real human need.”
Also submitting a comment in opposition to the proposed rule change was a coalition of Muslim groups: Muslim Advocates, American Muslim Health Professionals, Islamic Circle of North America Council for Social Justice and the Muslim Public Affairs Council.
Nimra Azmi, staff attorney for Muslim Advocates, said in a statement the proposed change “guts anti-discrimination protections enacted in 2016 and gives organizations that accept taxpayer dollars a green light to discriminate against Muslim parents and children.”
“Allowing an adoption agency or a foster care service to reject people because of their religion, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity will seriously harm families and children,” Azmi said. “If adopted, this proposed rule will undercut the core principles of religious liberty and anti-discrimination — which disturbingly appears to be the intention of HHS.”
The Washington Blade has placed a request in with HHS seeking comment seeking information on the number of comments obtained, the next steps in the process and when a final rule will be issued.
South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg has a small lead in a new survey of Iowa, but Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) are close behind.
The latest Iowa State University/Civiqs poll finds Buttigieg at 24 percent, followed by Sanders at 21 percent, Warren at 18 percent and former Vice President Joe Biden at 15 percent. The poll has a 4.9 percentage point margin of error.
No other candidate is polling above 4 percent in the survey. The results are similar to other recent polls in the Hawkeye State.
An Ames man was sentenced Wednesday to about 16 years in prison after he set fire to a church LGBTQ flag in June. Adolfo Martinez, 30, of Ames, last month was found guilty of a hate crime — a class “D” felony — third-degree harassment and reckless use of fire.
Police said he stole a pride banner hanging at Ames United Church of Christ, 217 6th St., and burned it early June 11 outside Dangerous Curves Gentleman’s Club, 111 5th St.
Martinez admitted to police that he lit the banner on fire with lighter fluid and a lighter after stealing it from the church, according to court documents.
A conservative law firm has threatened legal action against a school district over a policy that bans teachers from outing their students.
The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty sent a letter of demand to Madison School District, seeking the repeal of its policy on support for transgender, non-binary and gender-expansive students.ADVERTISING
The disputed policy, issued in 2018, directs that “school staff shall not disclose any information that may reveal a student’s gender identity to others, including parents or guardians and other school staff, unless legally required to do so or unless the student has authorised such disclosure.”
Madison School District could face lawsuit over policy that bans ‘outing’
The law firm, which says it is representing 15 parents with children in the Madison, Wisconsin school district, claims that the policies “violate our clients’ constitutional rights as parents.”
If its demands are unmet within 45 days, the group is expected to file legal action against the school board.
In a statement to the Wisconsin State-Journal, a spokesperson for the school district said: “Currently, our view of the challenged portions of the guidance document remains unchanged. We intend to review the letter closely and will formulate a response accordingly.
“[The district] remains dedicated to creating an inclusive and welcoming learning environment.
“Our commitment to this and all other inclusive practices in our schools remain unchanged.”
Conservative law firm claims parents have a right to know about their children’s gender identity
Luke Berg of Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty told the local newspaper: “Parents have a constitutional right to be involved in significant decisions that affect their child’s health and well-being.
“The decision to change gender identity, which should not be a surprise, is both highly controversial and potentially highly consequential, and that’s exactly the type of decision that parents need to be involved in.”
He added: “Our hope is that the School District will see the flaw in the policy and will be willing to make some changes.
“Obviously, we’d prefer not to file a lawsuit, but what we care about is protecting parents’ rights and changing the policy.”
Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization, announced endorsements of 12 pro-equality 2020 candidates on Tuesday. The organization released the following statement from Executive Director Rick Zbur:
“From local boards to Congress, Equality California remains dedicated to helping elect pro-equality champions up and down the ballot. We are proud to endorse these twelve pro-equality and openly LGBTQ champions who will advocate for our LGBTQ community in their hometowns, Sacramento and Washington, D.C. In 2018 we brought the ‘rainbow wave’ to California and in 2020, we are going to bring the ‘rainbow tsunami’ to the Golden State.”
The following candidates received endorsements:
Congressional District 53: Georgette Gómez and Sara Jacobs (dual endorsement) Congressional District 8: Chris Bubser Senate District 19: Monique Limón Senate District 21: Kipp Mueller Senate District 29: Josh Newman Assembly District 55: Andrew Rodriguez Assembly District 73: Scott Rhinehart San Diego Supervisor, District 3: Terra Lawson-Remer Los Angeles Community College District Board: David Vela National City City Council: Marcus Bush Sacramento City Council: Steve Hansen
Names shown in bold indicate an openly LGBTQ candidate.
For a full list of Equality California’s 2020 endorsements to date, visit eqca.org/elections.
###
Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization. We bring the voices of LGBTQ people and allies to institutions of power in California and across the United States, striving to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ people. We advance civil rights and social justice by inspiring, advocating and mobilizing through an inclusive movement that works tirelessly on behalf of those we serve. www.eqca.org
The new head of the National Center for Lesbian Rights will be a Chicago-based activist who has served as a voice in the LGBTQ movement for black women, the organization announced Tuesday.
Imani Rupert-Gordon, who currently serves as executive director of Affinity Community Services in Chicago, is set to take the reins of the San Francisco-based LGBTQ group on March 16, 2020.
“I’m thrilled to join the team at NCLR and to help expand their incredible work,” Rupert-Gordon said in a statement. “As we continue the fight for legal protections to achieve LGBTQ equality, I’m excited to be part of creating a more inclusive LGBTQ movement that centers racial, economic and political justice.”
As the result of her activism in Chicago, the Illinois Human Rights Commission gave Rupert-Gordon its 2019 Activism Award. In a previous role, Rupert-Gordon served as the director of the Broadway Youth Center at Howard Brown Health, which has served more than 1,500 LGBTQ youth homeless youth.
According to her bio, Rupert-Gordon received a master’s degree from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Rupert-Gordon also worked as a lecturer and developed campus-wide programming for eight years at University of California Santa Cruz. In that role, she co-founded the Social Fiction Conference, which helps students examine issues of social justice through science fiction, gaming and fantasy.
The position was vacant at the National Center for Lesbian Rights after Kate Kendell, who had led the organization for 22 years, made the decision in March to step down.
Emily Doskow, board co-chair for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said in a statement Rupert-Gordon is “the perfect fit for NCLR’s mission, culture and commitment to bold leadership.”
“She is a dynamic leader with a wealth of experience and a strong vision for the organization’s future,” Doskow said. “We could not be more fortunate to have her joining NCLR.”
The incoming mayor of Bogota, who takes office in January, thanked her bride for “loving me always” and promised “to honor and love” her the rest of their days. Photographs show the pair dressed in white, holding a simple bouquet of flowers and smiling.
The couple’s union has become a rallying cause among supporters promoting LGBTQ rights in the traditionally conservative, Catholic country – though Colombia has permitted gay marriage since a landmark Constitutional Court ruling in 2016.
Lozano told Colombia’s BLU Radio that the couple has tried to marry previously but their schedules made organizing a wedding complicated.
“We told ourselves, ‘We have to do it now or another four years will pass by,” Lozano said. “Because Claudia’s priority the next four years will be her job.”
When she is sworn into office, López will become the first openly lesbian mayor of a capital city in Latin America, a region slowly advancing in improving LGBTQ rights but where long-standing cultural biases and inequality remain barriers.
López has been making waves in Colombia for years, starting from her days as an analyst shedding light on corruption in the highest echelons of power. In her personal life, she’s been equally upfront and transparent, sharing a passionate kiss with Lozano as the election results came in during the October vote for Bogota mayor.
Few details about the ceremony were released, but López said their white pant suits were crafted by Colombian designer Ángel Yañez.
“Thank you life for this marvelous year!” López hailed on social media. “I graduated with my doctorate, won mayoral office and married the love of my life!”