During the first year of the Trump administration, transgender and non-binary individuals saw a host of personal freedoms threatened through new proposals and bills. First came the removal of mandatory protections of trans students under Title IX in February of 2017. By September, the Justice Department filed a brief arguing for businesses to be able to discriminate against individuals based on gender and sexuality. A month later, a series of “license to discriminate” laws passed across the South, allowing individual businesses and services to turn away customers due to religious convictions.
Today, a new iteration of the bill that seeks to ban transgender individuals from serving in the military has come to the forefront. In light of these events, the Los Angeles City Council, as guided by the L.A. transgender advisory council, is seeking to pass a motion that would protect transgender and gender-nonconforming citizens on a local level.
“There is concern throughout the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, and Transgender community that the advisors surrounding President Trump will guide this country down a phobia-driven path to enact an extreme right-wing agenda, which runs counter to what we stand for in Los Angeles,” reads a motion signed by Councilmembers Mitch O’Farrell and Mike Bonin. “We are the “City of Angels,” known for our compassion, tolerance, and inclusion.”
The motion, if passed, would allow L.A.’s Transgender Advisory Council to “report and make recommendations to the Council on issues and topics affecting the Transgender community in the City of Los Angeles, including supportive services for the homeless, HIV/AIDS care, and job creation opportunities.” While L.A. has only taken steps toward becoming a sanctuary city recently, the city has been passing motions with an eye toward protecting LGBTQ+ citizens and members of the immigrant community since the start of the Trump administration. In December, after L.A. City Council approved plans to give the city a formal “sanctuary” label, Councilman Gil Cedillo told the Los Angeles Times that the decision would help the city maintain “harmony from the irrational, erratic actions of the Trump administration.”
Protections for transgender individuals won’t just help struggling young people across the state. Equality California, one of the most prominent LGBTQ+ organizations in the State, recently went public with a plea to Trump’s office to restore questions to an original HHS survey that take gender and sexuality into account. Noting that 50% of transgender-identified seniors live below the poverty line, Equality California wrote in a press release:“The issue of data collection on transgender people is not academic.Low-income transgender older adults are arguably the most vulnerable segment of our LGBTQ community – the ones who most need safety net programs like Meals on Wheels, family caregiver support, adult daycare, and senior centers to cover their basic needs.”
Another murder charge was laid Wednesday against Bruce McArthur, bringing the number of people he is alleged to have killed to seven.
McArthur, 66, appeared in court via video this morning to face his latest first-degree murder charge in the death of 42-year-old Abdulbasir Faizi, one of three missing men at the centre of Project Houston.
The College Park courtroom was moderately full, mostly with media there for McArthur’s appearance. He appeared via video dressed in an orange jumpsuit, standing close to the camera.
Faizi’s family has known about his death for two weeks, a relative told the Star. On March 29, his brother Farid Faizi changed his Facebook cover photo to a yellow candle in the corner of a black rectangle. Written across it in bold white font is the Quranic verse that Muslims read on the occasion of someone’s death: “Surely we belong to Allah and to Him we return.”
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT. Toronto police have released a photograph of a man who is believed to be a victim of alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur. Det. Sgt. Hank Idsinga says releasing the image is a “last resort” to find the man’s identity. (The Canadian Press)
Faizi was an immigrant from Afghanistan. He worked as an assistant machine operator at a now defunct, printing company in Mississauga. He was last seen leaving his workplace on Kitimat Rd., at about 7 p.m. on Dec. 28, 2010. He was reported missing to Peel Region police the next day.
Faizi lived in Brampton with his wife and two daughters. His last known location was in the Church and Wellesley Sts. area.
His car, a 2002 Nissan Sentra, was found abandoned on Moore Ave., near St. Clair Ave. and Mount Pleasant Rd. — a short drive away from where McArthur worked as a landscaper.
The charge comes just hours before Toronto police are scheduled to provide an update on the ongoing investigation.
Police are expected to update the public at 1:30 p.m. on three aspects of the investigation.
The latest news comes one month after police took the rare step of releasing a photograph of a deceased man who investigators alleged was a victim of McArthur’s. The photo was released with the hope that a member of the public may be able to identify him.
McArthur, a self-employed landscaper, was arrested on Jan. 18 and was previously charged in the deaths of Selim Esen, Skandaraj “Skanda” Navaratnam, Andrew Kinsman, Majeed Kayhan, Soroush Mahmudi and Dean Lisowick.
Police have recovered the remains of seven people from planters found at a home in midtown Toronto where McArthur worked and stored equipment.
Police told the media earlier that they had identified three sets of remains from McArthur’s clients’ house so far: Kinsman, 49; Mahmudi, 50; and Navaratnam, 40.
In the wake of this case, the Toronto police board voted unanimously to commission an external investigation into how the force conducts missing-persons probes.
The independent investigation, initiated by groups within the LGBTQ community and brought forward by Mayor John Tory, comes in the wake of escalating questions about police action — or inaction — in the disappearances of the missing people from Toronto’s Gay Village.
But the review will not directly address police conduct connected to the ongoing McArthur investigation or any past police contacts with the accused killer, due to the ongoing investigation and future trial.
Questions have been mounting in recent weeks about past interactions between McArthur and police, following revelations that police questioned McArthur in 2016 in connection to an alleged assault on another man. He was let go.
The following year, McArthur is alleged to have killed Kinsman and Esen; police allege he killed Lisowick between April 2016 and March 2017.
The 2016 interaction was the second time police spoke with McArthur in the years before he was charged with murder. McArthur was questioned around the time Toronto police launched Project Houston, sources have told the Star.
Project Houston was the Toronto police investigation into three men who went missing between 2010 and 2012 — Navaratnam, Faizi and Kayhan. That probe ended after 18 months when police could find “no evidence to suggest criminal activity.”
“The 2018 theme for Pride, Generations of Strength, encourages us to express our gratitude to those before us who organized against and stood up to injustice, recognize those among us who advocate tirelessly for our progress, and lend our support to those who will lead us into the future. In this spirit of solidarity and strength, San Francisco Pride is pleased to be honoring this exemplary collection of individuals and organizations. Our communities are, have been, and will be better for their contributions.”
Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization, announced the endorsements of 10 openly LGBTQ candidates running for local office in 2018. The candidates are among a surge of out LGBTQ Californians seeking public office across the state — and a record number of LGBTQ candidates running throughout the country this year.
Equality California has endorsed the following candidates in their respective races:
San Francisco Board of Supervisors: District 8
Equality California has dual-endorsed Supervisor Jeff Sheehy and City College Trustee Rafael Mandelmanfor the Eighth District of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
Jeff Sheehy, who was appointed by the late Mayor Ed Lee in January 2017 to fill Senator Scott Wiener’s (D-San Francisco) vacant seat, is a longtime HIV/AIDS activist and LGBTQ civil rights advocate who previously served as president of the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club and as then-Mayor Gavin Newsom’s HIV/AIDS advisor.
“Supervisor Sheehy is a pioneer in our community’s fight for full equality and social justice and has been an incredible advocate for people living with HIV over decades,” said Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur. “A self-described ‘activist,’ Sheehy is committed to making San Francisco more affordable and safer for all.”
Rafael Mandelman is an urban development attorney and member of the San Francisco City College Board of Trustees, previously serving as the Board’s president. A San Francisco native, Rafael has dedicated his career to building affordable housing and revitalizing commercial districts in the Bay Area.
“Rafael Mandelman is a tireless advocate for San Francisco’s LGBTQ community and a champion for the city’s students and for San Franciscans experiencing homelessness,” said Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur. “We’re proud to endorse Rafael and are confident he would bring bold ideas, energetic leadership and a fresh perspective to City Hall if elected.”
San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools
Equality California has dual-endorsed Gary Waddell and Nancy Magee for San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools.
Gary Waddell, who currently serves as Deputy Superintendent of the Instructional Services Division, was previously an award-winning principal and school counselor. He has also received endorsements from California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, Congresswoman Jackie Speier and the California Teachers Association of San Mateo County, among other elected leaders and organizations.
“Dr. Gary Waddell is a champion for LGBTQ equality who has devoted his life to ensuring access and opportunity for all students and communities,” said Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur. “We are impressed by his vision of equity and inclusion and are excited to support his campaign for San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools.”
Nancy Magee, who currently serves as the County’s Associate Superintendent for the Student Services Division, was previously an award-winning high school English teacher for 20 years before becoming a high school librarian. She has also received endorsements from San Mateo County Board of Supervisors President Don Horsley, County Sheriff Carlos Bolanos and County Controller Juan Raigoza, along with a growing list of local elected leaders and educators.
“Nancy is a proven leader and LGBTQ civil rights advocate with a long track record of fighting to ensure all our children have a shot at success,” said Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur. “We are thrilled to support her campaign for San Mateo County Superintendent of schools and are confident she will work tirelessly to ensure that our schools are safe and supportive learning environments for LGBTQ youth.”
Davis City Council
Equality California has endorsed Linda Deos and Eric Gudz in their campaigns for the Davis City Council. There are nine candidates running for two open seats on the Council.
The daughter of a school teacher, Linda Deos is a consumer protection attorney who has taken on big banks and worked to establish the first help desk for underrepresented clients at the Sacramento Federal Court. Deos is the current President of the Northern California Bankruptcy Forum, Treasurer of the Yolo County Progressives and a member of both the Davis Democratic Club and the Yolo County Democratic Central Committee.
“Linda Deos is a dedicated, passionate community advocate dedicated to standing up for those who need a helping hand,” said Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur. “We’re excited to see Linda bring that passion with her to the City Council and continue fighting to ensure the voices of all Davis residents, including members of our LGBTQ community, are heard.”
Eric Gudz is an Eagle Scout and retired Army captain, who has led drug policy reform efforts in Davis in recent years. After returning from Afghanistan, Gudz worked with the Army’s Warrior Transition Unit, supporting the recovery process for other returning soldiers. Gudz currently serves on the City of Davis’s Bicycling, Transportation and Street Safety Commission.
“As an Eagle Scout, Army veteran and accomplished community leader, Eric Gudz has dedicated their life to serving others,” said Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur. “We’re confident that Eric will continue fighting for Davis families, small businesses and our LGBTQ community on the City Council”
Rancho Mirage City Council
Equality California has endorsed Robert Mueller in his campaign for the Rancho Mirage City Council. Robert is one of three candidates challenging the three incumbents on the Council seeking reelection to their at-large seats. Mueller has spent five decades as a top executive with Sony, JVC Kenwood and Panasonic and has been a strong community advocate for LGBTQ civil rights and social justice.
“Robert Mueller will bring experience, drive and a fresh vision to Rancho Mirage’s City Hall,” said Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur. “If elected, he’ll prioritize reducing crime, increasing government transparency and strengthening the city’s public schools — helping to ensure that every child in Rancho Mirage has access to a safe and supportive learning environment.”
Kern County Board of Supervisors, District 2
Equality California has endorsed Whitney Weddell for the Second District of the Kern County Board of Supervisors. Weddell has been a school teacher for nearly thirty years and a longtime community activist. She previously spent a decade building coalitions around the fight for marriage equality, traveling all over the Central Valley recruiting community organizers and volunteers.
“Whitney Weddell has a proven track record of thirty years of LGBTQ advocacy in Kern County, and we are convinced she will continue to lead as a Supervisor for the residents of the Second District,” said Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur. “She cares deeply about improving the lives of Kern County families and will bring a fresh perspective to the Board of Supervisors.”
San Diego City Council, District 2
Equality California has endorsed Dr. Jen Campbell for the Second District of the San Diego City Council. Campbell is an active community leader, having served on the Clairemont Town Council Executive Board, in a number of capacities in the San Diego County Democratic Committee and California Democratic Party and as a Board Member and interim Executive Director of The San Diego Human Dignity Foundation, a local LGBTQ nonprofit. She is a physician and practiced family medicine for 37 years.
“We’re proud to support Dr. Jen’s campaign for San Diego City Council and know she will be an excellent advocate for our families and small businesses in the Second District,” said Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur. “She will be a strong addition to LGBTQ San Diegans’ representation on the Council and will continue to fight for civil rights and social justice for our community.”
Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, District 4
Equality California has endorsed Jimmy Dutra for the Fourth District of the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors. Dutra currently serves on the City Council in Watsonville and as the Mayor Pro Tem. The first openly LGBTQ member of the City Council, he has worked to enhance city contracts and legal documentation to protect the LGBTQ community and has expanded support for the local shelter for LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness. Dutra also serves on the Board of the LGBT Caucus at the League of California Cities.
“Jimmy Dutra is a committed leader with a proven track record of getting results for his community,” said Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur. “As County Supervisor, Jimmy will continue to be a strong advocate for progress toward a Santa Cruz County that is healthy, just and fully equal for all LGBTQ residents.”
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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
Two victims were attacked by four young men in Miami Beach after the city’s Gay Pride Parade Sunday in what police think may have been a hate crime.
In video footage of the incident, four young men — one wearing a Florida International University T-shirt — are seen walking up to a bathroom area on Ocean Drive and Sixth Street at about 7:40 p.m. Sunday. Two other men walk out, and are immediately attacked by the four. One of the attackers shouts a Spanish slur used to refer to LGBT men before he and the other attackers begin repeatedly punching the two men.
When the two victims, who sustained multiple injuries to their faces, began to run away, the attackers chased them, Miami Beach police said.
The Miami Beach Police Department is asking the public’s help in identifying a group of men who started a fight on Ocean Drive following the gay pride parade on April 8, 2018. Miami Beach Police Department Miami Beach Police Department
That’s when Helmut Muller, who was standing near the bathrooms at the time of the fight, went after the attackers to break up the fight. Muller said he saw when the men walked up and said the fight was completely unprovoked.
“It happened so quick,” said Muller, 29. “They almost killed this guy, literally.”
Muller said the two victims were injured badly, with multiple bruises and cuts.
When he tried to break up the fight, one of the attackers knocked him out and he hit his head on the concrete, he said. The fall left Muller with a large gash on the back of his head that required four stitches and a pool of blood on the pavement. The attackers then ran toward the beach.
One of the victims told NBC 6 News that he and his partner were holding hands when they were attacked.
“For me, the way we were dressed and everything and we were together, for me it was like, yes, it was a hate crime,” he said.
Police are asking for help to identify the men involved in the attack. Three are described as Hispanic white males, each about 5 foot 8, and between the ages of 19 and 24. Anyone with information should call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
Muller said the motivation behind the assault was “horrible.”
“I don’t agree with it,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re gay or straight, we all should respect each other.”
The four young men who police are searching for in connection to a felony battery investigation in Miami Beach. The men randomly attacked two men near Ocean Drive and Sixth Street on Sunday evening after the Gay Pride parade in Miami Beach. Miami Beach Police
Two Indonesian men have been arrested for having gay sex.
The university students had their rooms raided by residents in Aceh, the only region of the Muslim-majority country where Shariah law is in effect and gay sex is illegal.
Condoms and mobile phones belonging to the 21 and 24-year-old were handed over to police.
Indonesian gay man gets caned for having sex (Getty)
If found guilty, the men face being sentenced to 100 lashes at a public caning.
Marzuki, head of the Aceh Provincial Sharia Law Department, told local reporters that one of the men had ‘confessed’ to the charges.
Gay men in Indonesia being led to be lashed 83 times (Getty)
Marzuki said then that residents in the local area had been suspicious of the men because they of their apparent intimacy, and deliberately set out to catch them having sex.
While homosexuality has never been illegal in Indonesia, attitudes towards LGBT people have become steadily more extreme across the country in recent years despite a growing gay population.
The Indonesian Psychiatrists Association classifies homosexuality, bisexuality and being transgender as illnesses.
The raid on salons was called “operasi penyakit masyarakat,” which translates as “community sickness operation”.
The police chief in Aceh said his officers also humiliated the trans women “by way of having them run for some time and telling them to chant loudly until their male voices came out.”
A bill with the support of most of the country’s main political parties is making its way through the legislative process.
Amendments have been accepted by the House of Representatives, but the whole Parliament must sign off on the bill before it makes its way to the President’s desk.
(Getty)
Andreas Harsono of Human Rights Watch said the new law “will create new discriminatory offences that do not exist in the current criminal code.
“It will slow down Indonesia’s efforts to develop their economy, society, knowledge [and] education … if law enforcement agencies are busy policing morality.
“It’s sounding like the Acehnese sharia code,” he added.
Comedian Eddie Izzard has been appointed to the Labour Party’s governing body.
The comedian and political activist, who previously identified as a transvestite but has since started using the umbrella term “transgender”, has vowed to become one of the first trans people elected to Parliament.
Earlier this year he failed to win election to the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee, just missing out to candidates from the party’s hard left Momentum faction.
However, this week he landed a spot on the body after all, as Momentum director Christine Shawcroft stepped down over an anti-Semitism scandal.
Eddie Izzard sits on a bench (Photo by Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)In a statement Izzard said: “Although this isn’t the manner in which I had hoped to join the NEC I’m honoured to step up and represent Labour members at the heart of our Party.
“This is a very important time for the Labour Party and we must stamp out completely the stain of anti-Semitism from a minority of members.
“It has no place in our Party. I have campaigned against hate my whole life and will continue to do so wherever it rears it’s ugly head. We must make amends and repair the damage with the Jewish community as Jeremy Corbyn has promised to do.
“We must get past this, for the good of the people Labour seeks to represent. We must unite our Party around the platform of hope that Jeremy Corbyn has built so that we can kick out this terrible Tory government and build a Britain for the many not the few.”
The comedian had missed out in January’s election to the NEC, picking up 39,508. The three available spots went to the Momentum-backed candidates, who picked up 65,163, 62,982 and 68,388 votes respectively.
The NEC is a crucial body that effectively controls Labour Party rules and policy.
Izzard previously vowed: “I’ll continue to do all I can to campaign for an open and welcoming Labour Party and to campaign with fellow Labour activists across the country to help Labour win the next election and put Jeremy Corbyn in Downing Street.”
He added: “This election has been an opportunity to talk about some of the important issues facing our Party and country, and I’m proud to have run a positive, energetic campaign with ideas on how to open up politics and give excluded groups in society more of a voice in our Party and country.”
(Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)
Izzard had said previously: “Being an actor and performing stand-up is what I do for a living, but being an activist has been part of me for a long time.
“I have always fought for the campaigns that I believe in, even when they are unpopular or I’ve been advised against it.
“I came out in 1985, joined the Labour Party in 1995 and I have now campaigned for LGBT rights, for the Labour Party, for Europe and have run marathons for charities for many years.
“I have campaigned against racists and fascists all over our country and around the world and I want all of our members to feel welcome in the Labour Party.”
(Photo by Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)
Izzard has pledged to make Labour more diverse.
“I have been a Labour Party activist for many years,” he said in a video, “now I’m standing for an open and welcoming Labour Party to get people from many different backgrounds into the Labour Party, and to fight this narrow minded Tory government.
“To get the Labour Party in, winning at the next general election and Jeremy Corbyn as the Prime Minister.
“I have the energy and the drive to represent labour party members on the NEC.
“I believe in doing politics differently and I want people from diverse and different groups to be part of the Labour Party and part of our political system.”
The ambitious comic had previously teased a run as the Labour candidate for Mayor of London – but given the incumbent Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan is hugely popular, it’s highly unlikely there’ll be a vacancy in the post anytime soon.
In an interview in the Guardian, Izzard – who identifies as transgender – suggested he now plans to run for Parliament instead at the next election, currently scheduled for 2021.
He said: “The plan was always to run [for office] in 2020, though Theresa May has changed that with her failed power grab. So now it’s the first general election after 2020.”
The star added that he would give up performing entirely if elected.
The comic said: “I would. It’s like [former MP] Glenda Jackson; she gave up acting for 25 years to concentrate on it, then she turns up back as King Lear.”
In the same interview, Izzard opened up about coming out as trans.
The comic explained that coming out as trans was by far one of the scariest things he could do, and in turn that made other obstacles less threatening.
“I think coming out as transgender allowed me to put myself in other terrifying situations and work them out once I was in them.
“I knew I would get through the bad, terrifying bit – and there was a lot of that when I was a street performer – and eventually get to a more interesting place.”
Izzard sometimes presents as male and sometimes as female.
Eddie Izzard (Photo by Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)
Opening up about his gender in 2016 during a marathon challenge, he said: “I use it as a badge of identity – I am a transgender guy who came out 31 years ago.”
The star went on to explain that he often identifies as female and male – but that he felt society should not become so “obsessed” with gender.
“I’ve got boy genetics and girl genetics. We get obsessed by it in humanity. We’ve been obsessed for 5,000 years of civilisation and people are still being murdered – in Uganda they were trying to sentence people to death.
“If you look at a tiger, you go ‘ooh, tiger!’, we don’t go ‘girl tiger’ or ‘boy tiger’. We are obsessed by the genders because we grow up in one gender or another. No other animal is obsessed by our gender – they don’t give a monkeys about our gender.”
Izzard added that sexuality and gender identity should not matter, but rather what you do in life should be what defines a person.
“No matter what sex or sexuality, how you self-identity, or who you fancy, matters not one whit – what do you do in life? What do you make? What do you add to the human existence? That’s what’s matters.
“It all comes back to Nelson Mandela: Try and put something into the world, and leave something positive.
“The confidence that it has given me, coming out 31 years ago in 1985, is immense – but it was a very hard journey. Very hard.”
Gay dating app Grindr is sharing the HIV status of its users with outside firms, it has been revealed.
A Norwegian nonprofit has discovered that the information is being shared with two private companies that help “optimise” apps, Localytics and Apptimize.
The information also includes users’ screen names, GPS data, email address and phone ID.
“Thousands of companies use these highly-regarded platforms. These are standard practices in the mobile app ecosystem,” Grindr Chief Technology Officer Scott Chen told BuzzFeed, who verified the claims.
“No Grindr user information is sold to third parties. We pay these software vendors to utilise their services.”
“The limited information shared with these platforms is done under strict contractual terms that provide for the highest level of confidentiality, data security, and user privacy.”
Grindr’s privacy policy warns users that information shared on the platform can be disclosed.
James Krellenstein, a member of ACT UP New York, told BuzzFeed: “To then have that data shared with third parties that you weren’t explicitly notified about, and having that possibly threaten your health or safety — that is an extremely, extremely egregious breach of basic standards that we wouldn’t expect from a company that likes to brand itself as a supporter of the queer community.”
The company also shares users’ sexual orientation, relationship status, “tribe,” and ethnicity with the companies if the information is listed in their profile.
It is the latest Grindr security flaw to be exposed in the past month after it was revealed location data is being shared, even when users opt out.
The security flaws were discovered by Trevor Faden after he created C*ckblocked, a website that enabled Grindr users to find out who had blocked them.
In order to take advantage of the feature, users were made to enter their username and password.
Once they had, Mr Faden was able access a large amount of private data, including unread messages, deleted photos and user location data.
Wendy Becker, who married her longtime partner, Mary Norton, in Massachusetts in 2006, told NPR that she welcomes the change.
“It really normalizes our experience on an American government form so that everybody looking at it and everybody filling it out sees that we exist,” said Becker, who is part of an early census test run in Rhode Island.
Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution requires that a population count be taken every 10 years. The first census was taken in 1790; the 2020 census will be the 24th count.
The data gathered in the census is used for reapportioning seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and calculating the distribution of federal funds to state and local governments. The number of representatives allocated to each state also determines the number of electors each state has in a presidential election.
By law, the Census Bureau cannot share answers from individual persons with the CIA, FBI, Internal Revenue Service or any other government agency.
Cecilia Chung, senior director of strategic projects for the Transgender Law Center, told NPR that she’d like to see the Census Bureau add additional questions about sexual orientation and gender identity.
“You know, these are all labels,” Chung said. “But if we don’t have the proper labels when we try to look at the picture, there will be a lot of missing pieces, like jigsaw puzzles.”
The Degenderettes “Queers Never Die” skeleton puppet, hanging outside the Hormel Center. Photo credit: James Menchini.
The Degenderettes: Antifa Art exhibit opened on Saturday, March 17 to a crowd of LGBTQIA people, many of whom were newcomers to the Library. Over a hundred visitors came to see the “Queers Never Die” skeleton puppet, original “Trans Dykes are Good and Pure” shields, Color Guard bats, trans labrys, merit badges, and other objects created by this crew of artist-activists for use in the marches, protests, die-ins, and street actions in which they’ve been engaging since 2014. People of all ages were in attendance, including many young adults and one infant. St. Patrick’s Day Parade-goers wandered in from the Civic Center and mingled.
One youth who identified themselves as queer and gender-variant expressed their gratitude for the presence of art in the Library that made them feel “safe and powerful” in their identity. They talked about how far too often, queer youth– and specifically queer youth of color–are underrepresented in art and media; and that they struggle to find areas where they are not required to choose between their blackness and their queerness. This exhibit made them feel like the Degenderettes were on their team and cared about their identity as a black queer person.
Given the political and confrontational messages displayed in the Degenderettes’ work, the Hormel Center staff had been uncertain about what to expect in the way of public response on opening day. It was a pleasure and a delight to experience the deluge of positive feedback from library patrons.
The exhibit runs through July 19, and we encourage you to stop by to take a look!
Programs
Tobacco as a Social Justice Issue Tuesday, April 3, 6-7:30 pm 3rd Floor, Main Library
Has the June ballot measure to repeal San Francisco’s ban on flavored tobacco products got you thinking about public health in LGBTQIA and African American communities? Join us for a group discussion with guests:
Bob Gordon, LGBT Tobacco Education Partnership and Coalition of Lavender Americans on Smoking and Health
Carol McGruder and Valerie Yerger, African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council
RoShon Murray, Rafiki Coalition
Co-sponsored by the San Francisco Public Library’s James C. Hormel LGBTQIA and African American Centers.
Sprightly Sundays 4/1, 4/8, 4/15, 4/22, 4/29, 12:30-2:30 p.m. LGBTQIA Affinity Center, 3rd Floor, Main Library
Weekly hangout for 18-25 year old youth to craft, connect, and have a cup of coffee together. April activities are organized around the theme of data security.
“Show Us Your Spines” RADAR Residents Reading Thursday, April 12, 6-7:30 pm LGBTQIA Affinity Center, 3rd Floor, Main Library
For 14 years, the RADAR Reading Series has featured the best in emerging and underground queer writers, hosted right here at SFPL.
This month, in the second round of our new “Show Us Your Spines” format, a new batch of RADAR writers will read from work inspired by their March residencies in the Hormel Center LGBTQIA Archives on the 6th floor!
April RADAR residents are:
Aria Sa’id
Vernon Keeve III
Itoro Udofia
Yeva Johnson
Hosted by RADAR Productions Creative Director, Juliana Delgado Lopera.
The 30th Annual Lambda Literary Awards: Bay Area Finalists Reading Tuesday, April 24, 5:30-7:30 PM Latino/Hispanic Room A/B, Lower Level Main Library
Lambda Literary’s Finalists Reading Series features finalists nominated for the prestigious Lambda Literary Award, whose winners will be announced at a June 4th ceremony in New York City.
The Bay Area reading will feature regional authors r
