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Murders of LGBTQ+ People Often Go Unsolved. We’re Telling Their Stories.

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Out of the more than 300 transgender, nonbinary, or gender nonconforming deaths due to fatal violence reported by the Human Rights Campaign since 2013, about a third are still unsolved. A recent FBI report found that in 2022 there was a 13.8 percent increase in hate crimes based on sexual orientation and a striking 32.9 percent surge in those targeting gender identity compared to the previous year. It’s clear that there is an increasing rate of violence against LGBTQ+ people. But queer people being targeted for who they are isn’t new. Neither is a lack of sincere investigations into cases involving queer people, whether that investigation […]

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We must never stop fighting for incarcerated trans folks

As the Trans Day of Remembrance (TDoR) draws near, members of the LGBTQ+ community are preparing to memorialize those members of our community who were taken from us much too soon as a result of violence and discrimination. When we think about our deceased siblings, we experience a wide range of feelings, from sorrow to fortitude and everything in between. But there is one facet of this battle that is typically disregarded: the predicament of our transgender brothers and sisters who are currently behind bars.  When I think about TDoR, I am reminded of the hostility and violence that transgender […]

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Russian authorities ask the Supreme Court to declare the LGBTQ ‘movement’ extremist

The Russian Justice Ministry on Friday said it has filed a lawsuit with the nation’s Supreme Court to outlaw the LGBTQ “international public movement” as extremist, the latest crippling blow against the already beleaguered LGBTQ community in the increasingly conservative country. The ministry said in an online statement announcing the lawsuit that authorities have identified “signs and manifestations of extremist nature” in “the activities of the LGBT movement active” in Russia, including “incitement of social and religious discord.” Russia’s Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing to consider the lawsuit for Nov. 30, the ministry said. It wasn’t immediately clear what […]

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300+ Methodist Churches Bail Over LGBTQ Policies

CNN reports: The North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church voted Saturday to accept the decision of 261 congregations to leave the denomination over a divide on LGBTQ issues. “I realize how sad this time is for many, including myself,” said Bishop Robin Dease, the leader of the conference. “I just hate that those who are leaving us, I will not have the opportunity to meet or to be with.” The churches are breaking from the UMC after a 2019 decision by the national United Methodist Church to allow congregations to leave by the end of 2023, “for reasons of […]

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Pronouns are the essence of self-definition & we stand unwavering in our right to claim them

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Language is our battlefield. It is the arena where our struggle for recognition, acceptance, and justice plays out. When we, Black transgender women, wield words as weapons and shields, we challenge the very system that has oppressed us for far too long. Language isn’t just a tool; it’s our revolution. Marsha P. Johnson, an iconic figure in our fight for transgender rights, was a force of nature. She defied a world that tried to force her into a narrow box, a world that could not fathom the depths of her struggle. In the past, she referred to herself as a […]

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The relative acceptance trans folks once found in Iran is being destroyed by America’s culture war

Iran is one of the oldest civilizations on earth.  Throughout its history, many forms of gender expression have been celebrated – from the acknowledgment of a third gender to men wearing makeup to distinguish their noble and higher status in contrast with cultures like the Greeks, who were seen as less civilized. Many have tried to argue for the rights of trans people by pointing out the more accepting attitudes of ancient Iranian civilization, an attitude that is at odds with the modern interpretation of masculinity and femininity.  And a shift did begin to take place in the 1960s thanks […]

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Help Mukim Escape Anti-Gay Persecution & Torture

Queer Asylum Accompaniment (www.qaateam.org) is Sonoma County grassroots. We assist LGBTQI+ folks facing persecution in their homelands start new lives in the North Bay. We have never encountered a case as extreme as Mukim’s. He had a good job and was quite successful. Four years ago, during a cover police sting, Mukim was lured into a meeting with a man on a gay date site and thus began his nightmare. The police in his hometown, in an oppressive Muslim country, beat him, jailed him, and began 4 years of extortion. To protect his family, he paid the corrupt police weekly […]

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Florida House Clears Lawmaker of Sexually Harassing His Male Staffers

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A Florida lawmaker accused of creating a sexualized work environment and sexually harassing two male staffers was cleared in a House investigation. That’s the second time this year the Florida House of Representatives found no merit to accusations against Florida Rep. Fabian Basabe, a Republican. “Throughout this process, I never doubted for a moment that I would be cleared of these false and feigned allegations,” Basabe said. “I’d like to thank the investigators for their diligent work in ensuring a thorough examination of the facts; and also express my gratitude to my constituents who stood by me during this challenging time.” Two former […]

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GLAAD Release it’s Accelerating Acceptance 2023

As the LGBTQ community continues to expand and become more visible, the 2023 Accelerating Acceptance study reveals that a record number of non-LGBTQ Americans support equal rights for the LGBTQ community. The Study also shows that an overwhelming majority of non-LGBTQ Americans now believe that LGBTQ people should have the freedom to live their life and not be discriminated against, and that schools should be a safe and accepting place for all youth. With the release of this data, GLAAD finds that support for LGBTQ equal rights in America among non-LGBTQ people is now at an all-time high. Any narrative […]

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SCOTUS Rejects Florida Anti-Drag Law In 6-3 Ruling

NBC News reports: The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected Florida’s bid to enforce statewide a contentious law that targets drag show performances that, challengers say, imposes unlawful restrictions on free speech. The court, divided 6-3 with three conservatives dissenting, turned away an emergency request from Florida officials after lower courts blocked the law statewide. The majority did not explain its reasoning. Officially dubbed the Protection of Children Act, the law makes it a crime to admit a child to an “adult live performance” that the state deems sexually explicit. The three justices who would have granted the state’s request were Justice […]

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