South Korea’s top court ruled Thursday that same-sex couples are eligible to receive the same health insurance benefits as heterosexual couples, a landmark verdict hailed by human rights groups.
The Supreme Court said it ruled that the state health insurance agency’s refusal to provide spousal insurance coverage for gay couples was an act of discrimination that violates the constitutional principle of equality.
Thursday’s ruling is final and cannot be appealed.
“Today’s ruling is a historic victory for equality and human rights in South Korea,” Amnesty International said in a statement. “The court has taken a significant step towards dismantling systemic discrimination and ensuring inclusivity for all.”
A legal battle between a gay couple, So Seong-wook and Kim Yong-min, and the National Health Insurance Service began after the insurance agency revoked So’s registration as a dependent of Kim, prompting So to file an administrative suit.
In 2022, the Seoul Administrative Court ruled in favor of the insurance agency. But in February 2023, the Seoul High Court overturned the earlier verdict, saying that denying So’s spousal coverage rights without reasonable grounds was discriminatory because such benefits are given to heterosexual spouses.
Public views on gender issues in South Korea have gradually changed in recent years, but critics say the Asian country still has a long way to go compared with other developed countries. South Korea doesn’t legally recognize same-sex marriages.
“While this decision is a major milestone, the case itself is a sobering reminder of the lengthy judicial processes that same-sex couples must endure to secure basic rights that should be universally guaranteed,” Amnesty International said.
So and Kim welcomed the ruling.
“When I listened to the verdict, I was so moved that I couldn’t hold back my tears,” So told reporters outside the court. He said he hopes the ruling will lead to South Korea legally accepting same-sex marriages.
Kim said he is “very happy” because he thinks the court recognized his love for So.
At least 144 out LGBTQ athletes will be heading to Paris for the 2024 Summer Games, with a record number of out male Olympians participating, according to the LGBTQ sports site OutSports.
In the last Summer Olympics, held in Tokyo in 2021, there were at least 186 out competitors, but the list originally started at 121, according to OutSports co-founder Cyd Zeigler, who said the number increased as the sports news site became aware of additional publicly out athletes.
Zeigler said he anticipates that the number of out athletes on the 2024 list will grow as well.
“We’ve already, in the last 24 hours, heard of about a half dozen out athletes that we did not know of,” he said. He added that the new additions include more male athletes and will be added to Outsports’ tally next week.
Brazilian gymnast Arthur Nory Mariano is one of at least 18 out male Olympians competing in the Paris Olympics. Jam Media / Getty Images file
This year, at least 18 male athletes participating in the summer Olympics are publicly out. Zeigler said equestrian, an Olympic sport with eight LGBTQ men participating, has “long been a leader in this space of out men.”
The vast majority of athletes on the list of queer Olympians, more than 120, are women. Lesbians and other queer women represent at least half of two teams: the U.S. women’s basketball team, where six of the 12 players are out, and the Australian women’s soccer team, where at least nine of the 18 players are out.
Brittney Griner is one of six out players on Team USA’s women’s basketball team. Barry Gossage / NBAE via Getty Images
“Given how many lesbians are in women’s elite level sports, it’s just been a more welcoming place than men’s sports for a long time, just because of the huge percentage of elite level athletes, particularly in Western culture, who are LGBTQ in women’s sports,” Zeigler said.
However, Zeigler said that in the world of men’s sports, where LGBTQ athletes in the past might have been uncomfortable coming out, more male athletes are realizing that their teammates are more accepting than they may have assumed.
“That’s the biggest thing that people are finally starting to see, that despite the nonsense that goes on in some men’s locker rooms, it doesn’t reflect an actual level of acceptance. The level of acceptance is higher than what they think,” he said.
Germany’s Timo Cavelius will be first out gay man to compete in Olympic judo, according to Outsports.David Finch / Getty Images file
Some of the highest profile queer athletes at this year’s Olympic Games include British diver Tom Daley, track star Sha’Carri Richardson and trans nonbinary runner Nikki Hiltz.
At the U.S. Olympic Trials last month, Hiltz punched their ticket to Paris, running the second fastest time ever of any American in the women’s 1,500-meter race.
“This is bigger than just me. … I wanted to run this one for my community,” they said. “All the LGBT folks, yeah, you guys brought me home that last hundred [meters]. I could just feel the love and support.”
Team USA’s Nikki Hiltz will be one of at least three nonbinary athletes competing in the Paris Olympics.Christian Petersen / Getty Images
Hiltz will be one of at least three nonbinary athletes participating in Paris, according to Zeigler. They’ll be joined by U.S. women’s rugby player Kris Thomas and Canadian soccer star Quinn, who helped Canada win a gold medal at the Tokyo Games and made history in the process as the first openly trans athlete to nab an Olympic medal.
While Zeigler said that some people believe the ban on trans women participating in the women’s category for certain sports has an effect on the number of LGBTQ athletes at the Olympics, he said he does not believe that the bans are affecting the overall numbers.
Though the number of out athletes on the OutSports list is set to increase, some changes to the competition could also be contributing to a lower number of LGBTQ athletes in the competition. The elimination of softball as an Olympic sport, a sport that had eight LGBTQ women at the Tokyo Games, for example, has had an effect on the numbers.
Zeigler also pointed out that the Swedish women’s soccer team, which “surprisingly” didn’t qualify for Paris, had four LGBTQ players in Tokyo.
Women’s soccer, across all participating countries, is the queerest sport at the Olympics this year. Brazil’s team has eight out athletes this year, while Australia’s roster has nine — which Zeigler said “might be the most LGBTQ people we’ve ever seen on an Olympic team.”
It’s no secret that living in the UK as a trans person right now sucks.
Whether it’s politicians not letting up on their attacks against trans people or the Cass Report spelling uncertainty for the future, the transgender community in Britain has had it tough over the past decade.
But never fear, it turns out that there are other countries in the world – many of which are doing far better on trans rights than the land some have colourfully called “TERF Island.”
Several countries have passed Britain when it comes to trans equality, with many offering self-ID laws, a conversion therapy ban and medical waiting times for hormone therapy that don’t range from years to decades.
Here are just a few of the countries way better than the UK.
Spain
Spain’s “trans law” makes it a great place to live. (Getty)
Spain is quite possibly one of the most popular and famously great places for trans people to live. Not only does the country have self-ID laws and anti-discrimination policies, but it has also become a popular destination for private surgery services.
In late 2022, legislative body the Congress of Deputies of Spain passed a “trans law” which, among other details, allows unrestricted gender self-determination of minors from the age of 16. Those aged 14 and 15 are able to change sex on documents against the will of their parents if they win a legal case, with the support of a legal defender provided by the authorities. Children aged 12 and 13 can do the same change if a judge permits it.
Medical transition is also easily accessible through healthcare services.
The law also bans conversion therapies even when the person has asked for them, with anyone continuing the practices facing large fines.
And Spain’s citizens are overwhelmingly accepting of trans people, with 71 per cent of people saying they support gender-affirming care access for everyone, including teenagers.
Iceland
The Icelandic capital Reykjavik holds Pride celebrations in August. (Getty)
Iceland’s acceptance of transgender people has increased greatly over the past few years, making it one of the best countries in Europe – arguably the world – to transition.
Not only does the public overwhelmingly support LGBTQ+ individuals, including trans people, but a set of policies enacted since 2019 has made it one of the safest places for transgender men and women to live.
Equaldex, a community-driven equality index for LGBTQ+ rights, ranks the Nordic country as the best place to live as a queer person.
Transgender Europe, a not-for-profit organisation, which focuses on trans rights in the continent, has listed it as one of the best places to transition, with 30 of 32 indicators met – including non-discrimination laws, healthcare and legal gender recognition.
Canada
Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau joined Pride in Toronto. (Getty)
Canada’s reputation as an inclusive country for trans people has become all-the-more-welcome given the rise of transphobia in the neighbouring US.
The country is widely known as a refuge for trans Americans seeking to escape the volatility of politics in their homeland.
It’s reputation is more than justified, with protective laws and recognition of trans people spanning across legislation, including the recognition of non-binary people, housing discrimination prevention laws, and no restrictions on changing gender.
If that’s not enough, 78 per cent of Canadians support protecting trans people, while 58 per cent back trans healthcare for everyone, including those under the age of 18.
Chile
Queer Chileans have protections and support that people in the UK can only dream about. (Getty)
Chile’s long list of pro-trans and pro-LGBTQ+ laws speaks for itself. Not only has the South American country implemented self-ID, it also offers easily accessible trans healthcare, and even officially recognised non-binary people’s right to change gender two years ago.
Interestingly, Chile’s acceptance of LGBTQ+ rights as a whole seems to have lagged behind its protections for trans people, with the country electing its first transgender politician even before same-sex marriage was legalised.
Nonetheless, the overwhelming support for both trans and queer people is abundantly clear, with 80 per cent of people backing trans discrimination protection legislation.
Australia
Laws vary from Australian state to state but there’s always Sydney Mardi Gras. (Getty)
While Australia’s treatment of trans people and LGBTQ+ people at large varies from region to region, overall rights are far more widespread than in the UK.
Although things such as changing legal gender and anti-discrimination laws vary widely depending on which part of the huge county you’re in – some states require a year-long wait for gender recognition – on a federal level, Oz is widely supportive, with gender-affirming care access and discrimination protections.
Australia showed its feelings for trans people during the infamous visit of anti-trans pundit Posie Parker, with politicians and the majority of the public telling her to “get in the bin“.
Norway
Despite some negatives, Norway has laws that are beneficial to LGBTQ+ people. (Getty)
With its representation, anti-discrimination and right to healthcare laws, Norway is one of the best European countries to be in if you’re looking to transition.
While the country is still behind on things such as recognising non-binary people and gender-affirming care for under-18s, it offers housing discrimination bans, no censorship laws, adoption rights and self-ID.
Unfortunately, the country has begun restricting gender-affirming care for minors, citing an “uncertainty” and “lack of comprehensible research”, despite the overwhelming view of the public that it should be accessible.
Uruguay
Pride in Montevideo is a riot of colour. (Getty)
If you are looking for a place to live in South America as a trans person, look no further than Uruguay. The country is widely considered one of the safest places in the continent to be transgender and its laws play a large part in that.
Like many other countries, it is behind on recognising non-binary people on legal documents, but its laws on self-ID, discrimination protections and gender-affirming care access are among some of the best.
Uruguay lifted its requirement for surgery to recognise a trans person’s gender identity in 2018 and has implemented other pro-trans legislation since then.
Malta
Malta is widely considered a safe haven for LGBTQ+ people. (Getty)
Widely considered to be one of the best places to live not just as a trans person, but as an LGBTQ+ person in general, Malta is a safe haven for transgender people looking to live their life in peace, free from harmful rhetoric.
The small island, located in the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, features trans rights legislation that is, by the measure of several organisations, considered to be some of the best.
Non-binary gender recognition, housing discrimination protections, self-ID, gender-affirming care and censorship laws are just some of the policies implemented in a country where the public is incredibly tolerant to boot.
Despite relative progress in diversity, a new report highlights that the many British retailers still have mainly white boardroom members and inclusion is still a tough “nut to crack”.
Published by the British Retail Consortium, the 2024 Diversity and Inclusion in UK Retail Report revealed that despite dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), 35 per cent of British retailers still have an all-white boardroom and more than half lack any ethnic diversity on executive committees.
However, the report does paint a picture of progress, not least for queer members of staff: 67 per cent of retailers now have at least one queer person in a leadership role.
Meanwhile, the number of women in the boardroom have jumped from 32 per cent in 2021 to 42 per cent in 2024, while ethnic-minority representation has risen from 4.5 to 12 per cent.
On the flip side, the report highlights the lack of role models for disabled employees with only 11 per cent of companies having a disabled senior leader, down from 17 per cent in 2023.
Pinpoint policies towards trans inclusion and social mobility
UK retailers are choosing to ignore recent comments from equalities minister Kemi Badenoch – who believes DEI initiatives “divide, rather than unify” – with 98 per cent having a co-ordinated strategy towards such campaigns and policy.
And eighty-eight per cent of companies have LGBTQ+ initiatives woven into their DEI strategy, with specific initiatives dedicated to the experience of trans and non-binary employees.
The report points out some respondents mentioning that launching trans-inclusive activities is a strong symbol of support to the wider LGBTQ+ community.
Inclusion is ‘nut the industry still needs to crack’
There is still much work to be done, however.
The UK retail sector has an estimated 3.5 million employees, with most working at store level and many feeling a lack of inclusion.
Those feelings are most prominent among those who chose “other” or “prefer not to say” when it comes to their sexual orientation, Black/African/Caribbean employees, and those aged between 25 and 34.
The chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, Helen Dickinson, said:“I am proud to see the strides retailers have made in three years to improve diversity, especially at a time when D&I could easily have been relegated to the side lines in the face of a turbulent economic backdrop.
“But inclusion is the nut the industry still needs to crack. The progress made on diversity will only be meaningful and effective when it happens in tandem with a workforce where every employee feels happy and included.”
Emisil.com conducted research to find out the best LGBTQ+ party destinations for 2024. The study analyzed data such as safety scores, LGBTQ+ friendliness, average drink price, average closing time, and the number of gay clubs and bars in each city. Data was sourced from Numbeo, Equaldex.com, TripAdvisor, and Yelp. These metrics were then integrated into a composite score to highlight the best cities where the LGBTQ+ community can enjoy the night out.
Findings summed up:
City
Country
Safety Index
Safety Level
World Equality Index (LGBTQ+ friendliness)
Average drink price
Number of Gay Bars and Clubs Listed on Yelp
Average Closing Time
Composite Score
Madrid
Spain
72.87
High
81
$3.80
73
6:00 AM
91.3
Copenhagen
Denmark
74.15
High
85
$8.72
29
5:00 AM
84.4
New York
United States
49.24
Moderate
73
$8.00
440
4:00 AM
83.3
Amsterdam
Netherlands
71.68
High
80
$7.05
52
5:00 AM
81.2
Berlin
Germany
55.45
Moderate
80
$4.88
105
5:00 AM
78.5
Vienna
Austria
69.80
High
77
$4.88
31
4:00 AM
74.7
Lisbon
Portugal
70.19
High
75
$3.25
21
4:00 AM
71.9
Taipei
Taiwan
84.55
Very High
66
$2.48
22
4:00 AM
70.1
Helsinki
Finland
75.43
High
78
$8.68
9
4:00 AM
69.0
Toronto
Canada
56.75
Moderate
81
$5.86
71
3:00 AM
68.2
First up on the list of LGBTQ+ party destinations is Madrid, Spain, with a composite score of 91. The city is highly gay-friendly, with a World Equality Index score of 81. It has 73 gay bars and clubs, where the parties go on until 6 AM in the morning. The average drink price is one of the lowest at just $3.80.
Second on the list is Copenhagen, Denmark, scoring 84 out of 100. The city has a World Equality index of 85, which is the highest on the list. Copenhagen offers more than 20 gay party spots open until 5 AM, with an average drink price of $8.72.
The third LGBTQ+ party destination is New York, United States, with a composite score of 83. When it comes to LGBTQ+ nightlife, New York is unmatched, with over 400 bars and clubs staying open until 4:00 AM.
Amsterdam, Netherlands, is the fourth destination for LGBTQ+ partygoers,scoring 81. The city is highly LGBTQ+ friendly, with a score of 80 on the World Equality Index and a safety index of 71.68. Parties go on until 4 AM, with the average drink costing $8.
With a composite score of 79, Berlin, Germany, is the next destination for queer nights. The city offers more than 100 gay bars and clubs, with an average drink price of $4.88, which is among the lowest compared with most European cities on the list.
Vienna, Austria, is the sixth destination for LGBTQ+ nightlife, with a composite score of 75. The city has a high safety index of 69.8. In terms of the average drink price, it mirrors Germany.
Lisbon, Portugal, ranks seventh on the list of LGBTQ+ party destinations, scoring 72. The city has a high LGBTQ+ friendliness score of 75. Like Vienna, parties last until 4 AM, but Lisbon has a slightly lower number of gay bars and clubs, with 21 venues overall.
Taipei, Taiwan, is the ninth-best city for gay parties, with a composite score of 70. Regarding the safety of walking home at night, the city has the highest score on the entire list, at 84.55. There are more than 20 gay bars and clubs, where the average drink price is the most affordable, costing only $2.48.
Ninth-ranked Helsinki, Finland, has a composite score of 69. In its 9 gay-friendly clubs and bars, the party goes on until 4 AM, with drinks costing on average higher at $8.68. Compared to Taipei, Helsinki has a higher World Equality Index score of 78.
Toronto, Canada, closes the list of LGBTQ+ party destinations with a composite score of 68.2. The city has the same World Equality Index as Spain, but it has slightly fewer gay bars and clubs overall, with 71 venues partying till 4 AM.
LGBTQ+ people have a significantly lower rate of homeownership than their straight and cisgender peers, and U.S. lawmakers are demanding to know why.
Several members of the House of Representatives have sent a letter, exclusively shared with The Advocate, to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau inquiring about the “disparities” in homeownership and the lack of data surrounding LGBTQ+ households. The group asked Director Rohit Chopra to create a Data Action Plan involving sexual orientation and gender identity minorities and to investigate queer consumers’ complaints about home-buying services.
The lawmakers also called for the CFPB to “do so in alignment with best practices and rigorous research about how to responsibly collect these data in ways that safeguard privacy, security, and civil rights.”
The letter cited a recent report by the Urban Institute, which found a 5-percentage-point gap in homeownership between LGBTQ+ households and their straight and cisgender counterparts, even after accounting for financial and demographic characteristics. The disparities were most prevalent among LGBTQ+ households of color, as only 35 percent of Black and queer households are homeowners, compared to 51 percent of Black non-LGBTQ+ households and 77 percent of white non-LGBTQ+ households.
“Further data analysis to better understand these trends and provide evidence-based policy recommendations is limited by a lack of publicly available data,” the letter reads. “Responsible data collection on sexual orientation, gender identity, and variations in sex characteristics is critical to support intersectional research to better understand the credit experiences of LGBTQI+ homebuyers with respect to mortgage rates, loan terms, loan amounts, and denial rates for mortgage credit.”
“Such data and research are essential to support evidence-based policymaking to improve the economic security and housing stability of the LGBTQI+ constituents that we serve,” it continues.
The letter was signed by 20 members of the House of Representatives, led by Democrats Ritchie Torres and Raja Krishnamoorthi. The group requested that Chopra give a response by no later than July 31.
Trans non-binary middle-distance runner Nikki Hiltz is on their way to the Paris Olympics after a nail-biting finish at a trial race.
The American track star defended their national championship in a final 1500m race at the US Olympic Track and Field trials, with a record time of 3 minutes, 55.33 seconds.
During the intense final push between Hiltz, Elle Purrier St. Pierre and Emily Mackay, the trans non-binary competitor held off the competition.
Hiltz’s win, the second-fastest by an American in the event, means they will make their Olympic debut in Paris later this year.
Olympian St. Pierre, who had already qualified for Paris, took command in the race’s first 61 seconds, telling reporters after the race that she knew the “field was really deep” and wanted to make it “honest”. But in the final lap, Hiltz and Mackay began to close the gap, culminating in a bolt towards the finish line.
“I told myself: ‘I’m not going to think about all the love and support until 100m to go. Then you can let it all fill you up and push you to the finish line’,” Hiltz said.
Their partner, Emma Gee – the first out LGBTQ+ student athlete to compete for Brigham Young University, in Utah – congratulated them in several Instagram posts.
“Y’all, they are headed to Paris,” she wrote. “Nikki Hiltz is an Olympian. Olympic Trials 1500m champion.”
Speaking to the Paris 2024 Olympics press team, Hiltz said that despite being ready for the event, their competitive prowess was still a shock.
“A month ago I was in 3:59 shape, now 3:55,” they said. “Where I’ll be in a month? I don’t know and I don’t want to put limits on that. I knew I was going to have to [set a personal record] to make this team, but 3:55? I haven’t gotten my head around that. I haven’t wrapped my head around the Olympics… there’s so much catching up to do.”
Hiltz came out publicly as trans non-binary in 2021, writing on Instagram: “Hi I’m Nikki and I’m transgender. That means I don’t identify with the gender I was assigned at birth. The word I use currently to describe my gender is non-binary. The best way I can explain my gender is as fluid.”
LGBTQ+ students don’t feel safe in their schools because of bullying and discrimination, some of which is coming from the staff meant to protect them.
Among queer Gen Z youth ages 16 to 27, 52 percent have experienced bullying because of their sexual orientation, with 13 percent reporting that they were bullied by teachers or administrative staff, according to a new survey from global children’s charity Theirworld. Of those who were bullied, 36 percent said that they did not report it, and of those who did report it, half said that staff and teachers responded poorly.
Because of this, 49 percent said that they do not feel accepted by teachers and administrators, and 38 percent don’t believe schools are safe environments for LGBTQ+ students.
One student, a Black woman from Ohio, described her school as “a place of dread rather than a place of learning,” saying that she was “often called derogatory names and the target of hurtful jokes, which made me feel isolated and unwelcome.”
Students also reported alarming rates of violent experiences, with 64 percent reporting verbal abuse, 33 percent citing online abuse, 26 percent facing threats of violence, 12 percent reporting physical abuse, and 12 percent reporting being sexually assaulted. In addition, 25 percent said they had been purposely misgendered.
Because of this, 25 percent saying they feel personally unsafe in school, and 35 percent have missed class at some point because of bullying. One Hispanic pansexual woman from California described her experienced being “assaulted by males in the female locker room after gym in 7th grade.”
“They were predominantly males who were dating females in my gym class. They thought I was trying to see their girlfriends naked,” she said. “I just wanted to change and go to class.”
Justin van Fleet, President of Theirworld, said that “it is unacceptable that LGBTQ+ youth continue to face bullying and discrimination in schools — the very place where they should feel secure and safe.”
To help combat these issues, Theirworld has launched a global task force on safe schools for LGBTQ+ youth. The task force will allow LGBTQ+ youth leaders and their allies to have a platform and network to advocate for more inclusive education policies in communities around the world.
“Schools must be inclusive environments where every child feels valued and respected,” Fleet said.
Attacks on rainbow flags, crosswalks, and other LGBTQ+ symbols occurred in over 40 cities nationwide during Pride Month, according to NBC News. Overall, the attacks occurred in 21 states; a majority occurred in blue states like California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Washington, but some also occurred in red states like Idaho, Montana, Texas, and West Virginia.
While most of the theft and vandalism of these symbols seem to have been carried out by “lone wolf” individuals rather than coordinated by extremist groups, many local police, news reports, officials, and victims stated that this year’s number of attacks increased from previous years. The attacks have coincided with an increase in anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and legislation from Republicans and other conservatives.
“We have seen an increase in hate-motivated violence against the LGBTQI community,” said acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “There are many communities that are afraid to report to state or local law enforcement officials, and sometimes those fears are rooted in a history of troubling relationships between those communities and their local law enforcement.”
In Boise, Idaho, an annual display of 60 rainbow flags was vandalized four times through June. Michael Dale, president of the board of directors of Boise Pride, the local LGBTQ+ advocacy group that sets up the display, said, “It happens all the time now. We have to go there and put them back up. But if there’s anything to say about Boise is that we’re resilient. No matter what the cost is, we’re not going to back down.”
One victim of vandalism, Amanda Gentry, said that when she first hoisted a rainbow Pride flag outside of her law firm’s office in rural Warren County, Tennessee, her gay associates warned her, “Do you want rocks thrown through your window?”
She wasn’t intimidated and wanted to show support for LGBTQ+ people in her small town. However, the night after she displayed the flag, a surveillance video camera outside the office caught a man cutting it down. Local news reports of the vandalism compelled some local conservatives to contact Gentry and express their disapproval of anti-LGBTQ+ violence.
“I had people who had never thought about it before — it resonated,” Gentry said. “And to me, that was worth every single bit of it. Period.”
These crimes have coincided with the introduction of at least 510 anti-LGBTQ+ bills nationwide by Republican legislators over the last year. More than 30 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have gone into effect in 2024, fewer than the 84 enacted in 2023, according to Human Rights Watch. The bills have predominantly targeted transgender youth, gender-affirming care, and LGBTQ+-inclusive policies in local schools. Concurrently, right-wingers have falsely vilified queer people and allies as “groomers” looking to “indoctrinate” and “sexualize” children.
In April 2023, the Leadership Conference Education Fund (LCEF), a national civil rights group, warned that hate crimes would likely spike during the 2024 presidential election, just as they have during each of the last four presidential elections.
To help counteract such violence during the upcoming election season, the LCEF asked public officials to refrain from and speak out against hate speech. The LCEF also suggested that social media platforms invest in content moderation teams to de-platform sources of hate — even if those sources are political candidates or advertisements.
Additionally, the LCEF said that the federal government should confront and address white supremacist violence through existing civil rights infrastructure and not through federal anti-terrorism agencies, which have historically criminalized already marginalized communities.
It is frustrating, alarming, sad, and more than a little scary that this still needs to be said in 2024, but here we go, once again, for the record:
Trans. Rights. Are. Human. Rights.
Some so-called “leaders” throughout the country have decided that the trans community—including gender non-conforming, non-binary and intersex folks—make an easy target as political pawns in their hate-filled culture wars. Which is why it is more important than ever for the entire LGBTQ+ community and our allies to stand up boldly on behalf of the entire trans family.
Simply stated, there is no LGB without the T.
Do not for a second delude yourself into thinking that this latest attack on the trans community is “not your fight.” Ignoring transphobia does not make cisgender queer people any safer. They are coming for all of us. Look at the ominous historical precedents. The Weimar Republic was one of the most accepting political climates in recorded history. It took but a few, short years for the Nazis to take power. And where did they begin? The offices of Magnus Hirschfeld, renowned sexologist whose Institute for Sexual Science supported the rights of sexual and gender minorities, most notably the trans community. The historical parallels to today are dark indeed. Rev. Martin Niemoller famously stated of the progressive inaction during the Holocaust, “Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
We cannot allow passivity and apathy to define our future. It is incumbent and imperative for all of us to stand up for the transcommunity because it is the right thing to do. While those who seek to marginalize the TGNCNBI community attempt to position it as a recent phenomenon, trans folks have existed since the beginning of time, just like the rest of the LGBTQIA+ rainbow.
Intersectionality is more than just an intellectual buzzword when it comes to our civil rights movement. It means that an attack on reproductive autonomy is an attack on trans men and bisexual women, for example. It means that Black LGBTQ+ Lives Matter, too.
For us at the Leonard Litz LGBTQ+ Foundation, it means whether you identify as transgender, gender nonconforming, nonbinary, intersex, or anywhere on the rainbow spectrum, we stand with you. Today, Tomorrow, and Always.
Last year, we were pleased to announce the launch of the Leonard Litz TransPLUS initiative. In response to the unprecedented challenges facing transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary, and intersex (“TGNCNBI”) members of the LGBTQ+ community, the program is providing support for organizations and individuals whose work focuses on those most impacted in this current environment.
As we all continue to embrace the nuanced, socialized, and evolving experiences of gender identity and expression, the Leonard Litz TransPLUS Initiative seeks to center and uplift those voices in our community that have historically been relegated to the far margins of the movement.
In addition to grant funding, the TransPLUS Initiative amplifies voices of TGNCNBI leaders and builds greater awareness of the community’s socio-economic and political challenges. For example, at the Creating Change Conference held in New Orleans this past winter, we were thrilled to present the Transgender Leadership Award to the very deserving Mariah Moore, who has fought tirelessly on behalf of the trans community, especially Black transgender women. At a time when more and more of our trans friends and family are being singled out for discrimination and abuse, Mariah has chosen to step up and lead the fight for human rights.
It is time for all of us to step up. We are grateful for the opportunity to lead this effort at Leonard Litz, and look forward to helping to recognize, support, and celebrate the most impactful programs, services, and advocacy efforts for the TGNCNBI community.