As it explains, the purpose of the report is to ‘identify potential gaps in attitudes, knowledge, and institutional practices toward LGBTQ patients’.
In order to complete their survey and find results, the authors took a random sample of 450 oncologists from 45 cancer centers from the American Medical Association’s Physician Masterfile.
Promsingly, a majority of the oncologists affirmed the importance of knowing their patients’ identities and receiving LGBTQ education.
Regarding identities, more believe it’s important to know a patient’s gender identity (65.8%) compared to sexual orientation (39.6%). A large majority (70.4%) expressed interest in receiving education specifically about LGBTQ patients.
Following the survey, however, confidence dropped among oncologists about their own knowledge.
53.1% said they were confident about LGB health needs and information before taking the survey. That number dropped to 38.9% after the survey.
The numbers were even lower about transgender knowledge (from 36.9% to 19.5%).
A promising fact is that a majority of these doctors (83%) feel comfortable treating trans patients, but only 37% felt like they know enough to actually do so.
‘With this research, we’re really interested in looking at how discrimination affects not only patient health but also how can we intervene at the provider level to have an impact on quality of care,’ one of the author’s, Megan Sutter, told CBS News.
Another author of the study, Gwendolyn Quinn, revealed some of the questions they asked the oncologists.
They asked the doctors if they knew the LGBTQ community is more likely to spend time in the sun, use tobacco, and have substance abuse. They also inquired if women who have never had sex with a man are still at risk for HPV.
‘The answer to these questions is that they’re true, but many of the doctors in the survey didn’t think that,’ Quinn said.
She continued: ‘It’s not a patient issue. We should not expect people who identify as LGBTQ to train us about what their needs are. It is our obligation as institutions and providers of care to figure out how we can best serve them.’
A new study shows detailed anti-bullying laws can help decrease the suicide rate among LGBTI teenagers.
Suicide prevention organization The Trevor Project stated LGBTI teens are nearly five times more likely than their straight counterparts to have attempted suicide.
The Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law has found a connection between LGBTI-inclusive state bullying laws and lower rates of teen suicide attempts.
The report analyzed 2015 data on the leading causes of death among teens ages 14 to 18 in the US.
At the moment, all 50 states have anti-bullying laws. However, just 20 and the District of Columbia have laws explicitly protecting LGBTI kids. These states reported a lower rate of attempted suicides and sexual assaults.
The study also highlights that approximately 55% of LGBTI youth live in states that do not have laws that explicitly protect them from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
‘Anti-bullying laws that explicitly protect youth based on sexual orientation are associated with fewer suicide attempts among all youth, regardless of sexual orientation,” the report highlights.
‘Enumeration of sexual orientation in state anti-bullying laws is a first step,’ Ilan Meyer said. Meyer is the lead author of the report and a senior public policy scholar at the Williams Institute.
Russian campaigners have told The Daily Beast that Chechen authorities have ordered people to kill LGBT members of their own families, and have demanded ransoms for the release of detained LGBT relatives.
According to reports, at least 40 people have been arrested in the last two to three weeks, many of them tortured, in a new crackdown against LGBT people in Chechnya. Two gay men have reportedly died following torture.
“Chechen authorities demanded that relatives punish their gay family members by executing them,” one of the St. Petersburg volunteers for the Russian LGBT Network, who did not wish to be named, told The Daily Beast. “Several people who managed to escape have been raped with police clubs and tortured with electricity.”
The detentions were reportedly carried out by law enforcement officers in the southern city of Argun.
Alvi Karimov, spokesman for Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, told reporters Monday the reports are “complete lies and don’t have an ounce of truth in them.”
Svetlana Gannushkina, a prominent human rights defender, told The Daily Beast that on a recent afternoon she had received phone calls from a Chechen family, asking her to help an arrested male relative.
Gannushkina is a former member of the presidential Council of Civil Society and Human Rights in Moscow. “People in Chechnya believe that I can make a few phone calls and save their loved ones. This family asked me to help after police had arrested their relative and demanded one million rubles ($15,090) from them, otherwise the entire republic would know that they had a gay family member; and they said they would kill their boy. So there were two threats.”
Gannushkina put the family in touch with an attorney. On Jan. 10 she heard the man was free. “The police most probably took their money,” Gannushkina, now the head of Civil Assistance Committee, an NGO, told The Daily Beast on Thursday. “This situation sounded like one more awful atrocity in Kadyrov’s Chechnya.
A human rights campaigner in Chechnya, who declined to be named, told The Daily Beast that the recently detained gay men and women were threatened with prosecution under article #221 of the country’s criminal code, possession of drugs.
By Tuesday night, according to the human rights defender, police had released the detained gay men and women, who signed away their right to leave the republic. According to the source, officials retained the passports of the released LGBT people.
Since 2017, Russian and international LGBT networks have managed to help 150 Chechen victims of violence escape to Western countries. To evacuate one gay person from Chechnya abroad, volunteers have to raise up to 4,000 euros ($4,544).
“Since the beginning of the purge in 2017, we have heard dozens of stories from Chechens who we helped about local government officials ordering relatives to execute their family members”
CNN reported that the latest detentions started in December 2018, following the arrest of an administrator of a North Caucasus gay men’s group on the Russian social network VKontakte.
According to victims, a violent circle of top government officials and police commanders are driving the campaign to eject gay people from the republic.
“Since the beginning of the purge in 2017, we have heard dozens of stories from Chechens who we helped about local government officials ordering relatives to execute their family members,” one of the Russian LGBT Network’s campaigners told The Daily Beast. “These so-called ‘murders of dignity’ are popular in Chechnya.”
Dzhambulat Umarov, the Chechen Minister of National Policy, referred to the present detention, torture, and death allegations as “fantasy” and “nonsense.” Umarov added: “Considering the fact that they (gay people) have sick imagination to start from, I am not surprised that they can write nonsense like that.”
The Daily Beast interviewed Russian LGBT activists in Moscow and St. Petersburg, who organize the evacuations of LGBT victims of persecution from the republic.
Zoya Metisova, a 42-year-old psychologist and volunteer with the Russian LGBT Network, said that since mid-December the organization had received multiple pleas for help from LGBT Chechens.
“Chechens are too scared to speak with us on the phone, so we use an email for emergency calls,” Metisova told The Daily Beast. “So far no state agency has approached us with help or aid, we have to collect money and organize the evacuation. It is very concerning that now they grab and torture not only gay men but also gay women in Chechnya,” she added.
In 2017 more than 100 gay men were arrested and subjected to torture in the predominantly Muslim region. When journalists asked Kadyrov about arrests, he said: “Take them far away from us, so we don’t have them at home. To cleanse our blood, if there are any here.”
President Vladimir Putin has granted Kadyrov unlimited power. There is almost nobody in the republic, which has a population of 1.3 million, who is willing to give shelter to LGBT Chechens. Local human rights defenders face arrest, arson and murder.
Dmitry Gudkov, an ex-KGB officer and an opposition leader, told The Daily Beast that the reaction of Chechen authorities was “shameful,” and that the unlawful purge of Chechen LGBT people was making many senior law enforcement officers angry.
“Kadyrov has gone wild and it seems Putin cannot control him at all,” Gudkov told The Daily Beast. “Russia is not a sharia country but a democracy, where Chechen nationals have the same constitutional rights as everybody else. It is Putin who should protect their rights.”
The torture and murders of gay men and women have not stopped in the two years following the first crackdown.
“Kadyrov’s police demanded we give the names of other gay men to be threatened and beaten”
Arsen, a Chechen gay man, was 24 years old in February 2017, when several uniformed men kidnapped him on Putin Prospect, the main thoroughfare in Grozny, and locked him up with a dozen other gay men in a private apartment.
“Kadyrov’s police demanded we give the names of other gay men to be threatened and beaten,” he told The Daily Beast in a phone interview on Tuesday.
After he spent 11 days in a police jail in Grozny, Arsen’s family did not want to have anything to do with him. “I saw awful things, violent beatings; I was happy not to see any women in that jail. They would not have survived a day.
“Kadyrov’s government consider gay people perverts who have no right to live; my family renounced me, I had to escape from the republic to survive.”
The situation facing LGBT Chechens is getting worse. “This time we hear more about torture of women, and police raping both gay men and women with police clubs,” Metisova said.
Sergey Markov, a member of Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation, called on the Russian government to help the Chechen LGBT community.
“I have been saying for a long time, that there should be a safe state channel for them,” Markov said, meaning that LGBT victims of violence should know who to call in the government in case of emergency.
However, said Markov, “Russian officials do not like the topic, in general. They see foreign special services behind these allegations.”
“It is remarkable that this new wave of arrests began shortly after OSCE (Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe) published its report in December, confirming serious human rights violations in Chechnya, as if Chechen authorities launched a revenge,” Tanya Lokshina, associate director for Human Rights Watch’s Europe and Central Asia division, told The Daily Beast.
During the earlier anti-LGBT purge, Russian state law enforcement agencies claimed that all the allegations by LGBT activists about detentions, torture and deaths were false, since authorities had never received any concrete complaints from individuals.
Tatyana Moskalkova, High Commissioner for Human Rights of the Russian Federation, encouraged Chechen victims “not to be afraid to contact law enforcement agencies.”
But survivors of torture and persecutions say they are terrified of Chechen officials, who are a part of the Russian Federation law enforcement system.
Arsen, who has successfully claimed asylum in Canada, told The Daily Beast, “I can become a witness for a court hearing if Russia begins a serious investigation of crimes against LGBT people.”
Thailand could become the first country in Asia to endorse same-sex marriage after a bill that would allow same-sex unions was approved.
The country’s Cabinet approved the civil partnership bill on Dec. 25, which has sparked debate among members of the LGBTI community. The move is seen as a milestone in efforts to improve legal rights for the estimated 6 million LGBTI people — an estimated 8 percent of the country’s total population — who live in Thailand.
Officials with the prime minister’s office told the Bangkok Post newspaper that a Thai citizen who is at least 20-years-old would be able to register their civil partnership with their same-sex partner, share assets and estates and adopt children under the bill. The officials say the differences are with eligibility for state welfare programs and income tax deductions.
While many in the country have applauded the move as the first step toward full marriage equality, some activists doubt the new bill will achieve this goal in the future. They prefer the amendment of existing civil codes to include same-sex marriages.
Pongthorn Chanlearn, a Thai activist who is the director of the M-Plus Foundation, a local LGBTI advocacy group, says the country’s LGBTI community is still debating the pros and cons of the civil partnership bill.
“Thai LGBTs are divided into two camps with regards to enacting the civil partnership bill,” Chanlearn told the Washington Blade. “On one side, same-sex couples will get the official recognition and support from the government if they can register their union, but it would go only as far as 80 percent of what the heterosexual couples have upon their marriage. The proposed bill will not satisfy the needs of people 100 percent but this is just the start.”
“On the other hand, those who don’t agree with the bill think marriage equality should be achieved under the current civil union laws, which guaranteed the equal rights for everyone, regardless of the gender and sexual orientation,” added Chanlearn. “Creating a separate marriage law for LGBT populations would classify them as second class citizens. Besides, there is no guarantee for this bill to move up to the full marriage equality in the future. Some believe if we have the bill, it would make the future amendment of existing civil partnership bill difficult.”
Chanlearn, who is an advisor to the drafting committee of the civil partnership bill, says he also supports the movement to amend existing laws to include the provision for marriage rights for LGBTI citizens. Chanlearn added he want to see compromise between two groups.
Thailand’s existing marriage laws reflect a traditional interpretation of gender and family arrangements that specifically refer to men and women only.
Despite its reputation as a paradise for gay tourists, Thailand does not have any written laws or regulations in support of the LGBTI community.
“Legal and policy reform is seen as difficult both because lawmakers tend to be conservative and, because the constitution and country’s laws are seen as sacred,” says the U.N. Development Program in its 2014 Being LGBT in Asia report.
Is Thai government using bill to deflect human rights criticism?
The bill is currently before the National Legislative Assembly, which has a backlog of 50 bills. Lawmakers will stop working a week before the country’s general election, which is scheduled to take place on Feb. 24. The bill will take effect 120 days after its passage.
Vitaya Saeng-Aroon, an LGBTI activist and director of Bangkok Rainbow Organization, says the Thai government has chosen to take the step-by-step approach because legislators behind the bill are not sure about granting full marriage rights to same-sex couples for now.
“The choice they made is not perfect, but they do believe that the bill, once effective, will become a useful tool to bring full marriage,” Saeng-Aroon told the Blade. “Oppositions may occur. No one can tell when full marriage will be realized because it depends on the social context. It will also depends on the new government to come after the general election, expected to be held in February.”
Thailand’s military has ruled the country since a May 2014 coup ousted the civilian government. The military government since then has been under pressure from international human rights advocates over the curtailment of civil and political liberties, imprisonment of dissidents and impunity for torture and other abuses in the name of peace and order.
The civil partnership bill was first drafted in February 2013, but debate was sidelined after the coup and a subsequent government reshuffle.
Some critics point out the military government hopes to push the same-sex partnership bill in order to improve its human rights record. Saeng-Aroon agrees the Thai government may have motivations to use the LGBTI rights issue to its advantage.
“The military government wants this bill as part of self-promotion in addition to their commitment with international agencies about human rights,” said Saeng-Aroon. “The bill is used as the government’s claim that they are progressing to the commitment.”
Thailand has a reputation for its relaxed attitudes toward LGBTI people, even though its society is largely conservative Buddhist. Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1956, and authorities actively promote the country as an LGBTI-friendly tourist destination.
According to the UNDP, a survey of social attitudes toward sexual orientation and gender identity found two-thirds of respondents had no objection to same-sex unions. Chanlearn says 80 percent of respondents who took part recent online survey on the civil partnerships bill that Thai LGBTI activists conducted said they support the bill.
Taiwan voters rejected marriage equality in 2018 referendum
Across Asia, conservative values and deep-rooted biases have crippled progress on gay rights. Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei ban sexual relationships between men, and Indonesia has seen an increase in raids targeting LGBTI people.
Vietnam allows same-sex weddings, but these unions are not legally recognized or protected.
Taiwan’s Constitutional Court in May 2018 declared same-sex couples had the right to legally marry. The island’s residents in a referendum last November overwhelmingly rejected efforts to add same-sex marriage to the Civil Code, despite its reputation as a haven for LGBTI activism in Asia.
LGBTI Singaporeans are struggling to find somewhere to live in one of the world’s most affluent cities.
Conservative attitudes centered on a heteronormative family can push LGBTI Singaporeansfrom their family home.
What’s more, while Singapore’s government provides generous subsidized housing, it effectively excludes LGBTI individuals.
Finally, without anti-discrimination legislation to protect individuals in the private renting market, LGBTI tenants are at risk from homophobic or transphobic landlords.
The situation facing LGBTI house-hunters reflects wider hostility towards the community in Singapore. Section 377A of Singapore’s colonial-era Penal Code criminalizes gay sex with up to two years in prison.
Singapore lawyer Indulekshmi Rajeswari told the Property Guru that the government had often stated its intention to ‘encourage [heteronormative] families’.
According to Singapore’s 2016 National Youth Council Survey, 97 percent of unmarried young people live with their parents.
But, conservative families often push LGBTI youngsters out of the family home.
A local Facebook page of queer confessions receives many messages from LGBTI youngsters ejected from their homes.
Most, with nowhere to stay, end up crashing with friends.
Singapore currently has the world’s second highest rate of home ownership. This is because of a generous government housing program.
The government allows young married heterosexual couples to apply for grants at the age of 21. But, the policy excludes LGBTI residents, according to Rajeswari.
‘Only those in a recognized family unit—primarily married heterosexual couples—are normally allowed to buy a HDB [government-assisted] apartment’ the expert said.
LGBTI individuals — even couples — are only eligible for single person schemes at the age of 35.
‘It has always been harder for LGBTI people’ Singaporean Kyle Malinda-White told Gay Star News. ‘Gay couples cannot apply for public housing’.
‘Renting is the only way out for now’ he said, who founded an app, Prout, to get LGBTI people socializing in the city-state.
But, Singapore has no anti-discrimination legislation to protect LGBTI people.
Transgender Deveshwar Sham, who’s identification documents did not match his gender while he was transitioning, told Property Guru he had difficulty renting.
‘They don’t discriminate in front of us, or publicly, but they’ll say they already have a tenant,’ he told the website.
A federal court on Wednesday ruled against a lesbian couple who brought a lawsuit against a Missouri retirement home that rejected the women’s apartment application because their marriage is not “understood in the Bible.”
Bev Nance, 68, and Mary Walsh, 72, married a decade ago in Massachusetts and have been in a committed relationship for roughly 40 years. Michael Adams, CEO of SAGE, which advocates for LGBTQ seniors, said “this is sex discrimination, and it is against the law.”
“Mary Walsh and Bev Nance were discriminatorily denied admission to the Friendship Village retirement community for one reason only – because they are two women in a committed relationship rather than a woman and a man,” Adams told NBC News.
Google is under fire for allowing users to download a LGBTI ‘conversion therapy’ app.
Religious group Living Hope Ministries offers vulnerable LGBTI teens and adults ‘gay cures’ through prayer and therapy.
Every mainstream health group considers ‘gay cure’ therapy dangerous to a person’s mental and physical health.
The Texas-based group refers to LGBTI people as ‘sexually broken’ individuals.
Living Hope Ministries also encourages people to ‘walk out of false identities’, claiming LGBTI lifestyles are harmful.
The app also falsely portrays homosexuality as an ‘addiction’, ‘sickness’, and a ‘sin’.
Truth Wins Out has already been victorious in seeing the app removed from the Apple store.
‘By any standard, the app is awful,’ they say.
‘It brazenly compares homosexuality to an addiction. It casually trashes LGBT people as living “destructive lifestyles.”
Wayne Besen, executive director of Truth Wins Out, says it is ‘unconscionable’ that Google is still offering the app.
He said: ‘We are hoping this is simply an oversight from a very large company, rather than an objectionable policy decision that would warrant further action.’
A Living Hope Ministries spokesman said: ‘The claims made by Truth Wins Out are inaccurate and are not descriptive of our ministry or the free app that we offer or the other free services we provide individuals.
‘We are a discipleship ministry that holds to a traditional, orthodox, understanding of Scripture.
‘They also added: ‘We journey with individuals who seek out our help and help as they pursue a more intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
‘We are saddened by the efforts of Truth Wins Out to eliminate our voice in the public arena.’
William Barr, President Trump’s pick to become the next attorney general, held his cards close to the vest on LGBT issues Tuesday during his confirmation hearing, but hinted upon confirmation he’d pursue the anti-LGBT policies of his predecessor Jeff Sessions.
The answers from Barr suggest he’d continue to uphold the Justice Department’s view that LGBT people aren’t protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights of 1964, which bars sex discrimination in the workforce. Additionally, Barr suggested he’d uphold religious freedom even at the expense of anti-LGBT discrimination.
In his opening statement before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Barr recognized the increasing number of hate crimes in the United States, including LGBT people, and pledged to address them under the Matthew Shepard & James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009.
“We can only survive and thrive as a nation if we are mutually tolerant of each other’s differences, whether they be differences based on race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or political thinking,” Barr said. “And yet, we see some people violently attacking others simply because of their differences. We must have zero tolerance for such crimes, and I will make this a priority as attorney general if confirmed.”
But under questioning on LGBT issues from Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Barr indicated enforcement of the hate crimes law would likely be the extent of his pro-LGBT advocacy at the Justice Department.
Booker initiated the questioning on LGBT issues by referencing a 1995 article Barr wrote for a conservative Catholic publication that laments growing acceptance of the LGBT movement compared to religious communities.
Asserting the 1995 article demonstrated a view being LGBT was immoral, Booker asked Barr whether he still holds those views, Barr replied “no,” but disputed the article conveyed anti-LGBT views.
After Booker insisted he was quoting the actual language, Barr said he’d inform the committee about his views. Barr reflected on the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 ruling for same-sex marriage.
“If I had been voting on it at the time — my view is that under the law, under the Constitution, as I originally conceived it before it was decided by the Supreme Court, marriage was to be regulated by the states, and if it was brought to me, I would have favored martial unions, single-sex,” Barr said.
When Booker interjected he was questioning Barr about his views in the 1995 article and whether the LGBT movement is immoral, Barr expressed a need for tolerance.
“In a pluralistic society like ours, there has be to a live-and-let-live attitude, and mutual tolerance, which has to be a two-way street,” Barr said. “My concern, and the rest of the article addresses this, is I am perfectly fine with the law as it is, for example, with gay marriage, perfectly fine, but I want accommodation for religion.”
When the New Jersey Democrat interjected LGBT youth are disproportionately bullied at schools, Barr interrupted to recognize anti-LGBT hate crimes. Booker acknowledged that before adding many LGBT youth report they are missing school because of fear of being bullied and are disproportionately homeless.
Booker asked Barr whether he thinks laws “designed to protect LGBT individuals from discrimination contribute to what you describe as a breakdown for traditional morality.”
Barr replied “no,” but added, “I also believe there has to be accommodation to religious communities.”
Booker acknowledged, “You and I believe in freedom of religion,” but shifted the focus to anti-gay workplace discrimination. Barr replied, “I think’s that wrong.”
When Booker asked whether that means the Justice Department should protect LGBT kids from harassment and hate crimes and pursue efforts to protect the civil rights of LGBT Americans, Barr replied. “I support that.”
Referencing his opening statement, Barr said, “As I said in the beginning, I’m very concerned about the increase in hate crimes.”
But when Booker asked Barr if he sees a role for the Justice Department in banning anti-LGBT discrimination, the nominee had a different take. Barr replied, “If Congress passes such a law.”
Barr then referenced the petitions currently before the U.S. Supreme Court seeking clarification on whether Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which bars discrimination on the basis of sex in the workplace, applies to cases of anti-LGBT discrimination.
“I think the litigation going on now on Title VII is what the the 1964 act actually contemplated, but personally, I think —,” Barr said.
Before Barr could finish and venture an opinion on Title VII, Booker interrupted and asked to verify whether lawmakers contemplated including LGBT people in Title VII. Barr rejected that idea, saying “no.”
“I think it was male-female that they were talking about when they said sex in the ’64 act,” Barr added.
Booker then interjected again by conflating anti-LGBT discrimination with sexual harassment: “So protecting someone’s basic rights to be free from discrimination because of sexual harassment is not something the Department of Justice should be protecting?”
Playing with one of the many U.S. Senate coasters before him on the witness stand, Barr insisted the onus is on Congress to make the law.
“I’m saying Congress passes the law, the Justice Department enforces the law,” Barr said. “I think the ’64 act on its face — and this is what is being litigated, what does it cover? I think for like three or four decades, the LGBT community has been trying to amend the law.”
Booker interrupted again before Barr could finish, saying the Obama administration’s Justice Department “was working to protect LGBT kids from discrimination.” (The Justice Department in the Obama years asserted anti-trans discrimination was illegal under Title VII, but took no position with respect to the law on anti-gay discrimination despite pleas from LGBT rights supporters.)
When Booker asked if Barr would pursue the Obama administration practices, Barr replied, “I don’t know what you’re referring to.”
“I’m against discrimination against anyone because of some status, their gender or their sexual orientation or whatever,” Barr continued.
Hirono picked up where Booker left off, asking Barr directly about the Justice Department’s friend-of-the-court brief before the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals arguing anti-gay discrimination isn’t covered under Title VII. As Hirono noted, both the Second Circuit and the Seventh Circuit have “rejected the department’s argument” about the law.
The Hawaii Democrat asked Barr if he’d appeal those decisions to the U.S. Supreme Court. In response, Barr seemingly referenced the petitions before justices, noting, “I think it is going up to the Supreme Court.”
When Hirono asked if DOJ will continue to argue Title VII doesn’t bar anti-gay discrimination, Barr initially declined to answer directly.
“It’s pending litigation and I haven’t gotten in to review the department’s litigation position, but the matter will be decided by the Supreme Court,” Barr said.
Hirono responded: “That sounds like a ‘yes’ to me. The department will continue to push the argument that has been rejected.”
At this point, Barr tipped his hand on his view Title VII doesn’t cover anti-gay discrimination.
“It’s not just the department’s argument,” Barr said. “It’s been sort of common understanding for almost 40 years.”
Asked by Hirono if discrimination is OK, Barr replied, “That’s not at all what I’m saying. I’m saying the question is the interpretation of the statute passed in 1964.”
“As I’ve already said, I personally, as a matter of my own personal feelings think there should be laws that prohibit discrimination against gay people,” Hirono said.
When Hirono asked Barr if he’d review the Justice Department’s position, Barr replied, “No. Because there’s a difference between law and policy.”
“I will enforce the laws as passed by Congress,” Barr said. “I’m not going to amend them. I’m not going to undercut them. I’m not going to try to work my way around them and evade them.
Hirono responded: “The DOJ doesn’t have to file an amicus brief either.”
The Hawaii Democrat wasn’t done on LGBT issues, asking Barr about an explosive report in the New York Times asserting the Department of Health & Human Services was preparing a rule to define transgender people out of existence under Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972.
Asked by Hirono if he believes transgender people are protected from discrimination under Title IX, Barr dodged.
“I think that matter’s being litigated in the Supreme Court, too,” Barr said.
When Barr added he doesn’t know the Justice Department’s position on the issue, Hirono said she’d ask him to review the issue.
LGBT groups have raised concerns about Barr’s confirmation as attorney general, asserting he lacks a commitment to protecting civil rights. (One longtime gay friend of Barr’s, however, former Time Warner general counsel Paul Cappuccio, has defended the nominee, telling the Blade, “He’s not going to ever let people be discriminated against, OK?”)
Jon Davidson, chief counsel of Freedom for All Americans, said Barr’s testimony “did little to assuage those concerns” of LGBT rights groups.
“While he testified he is “fine” with “gay marriage,” his comments that there “has to be accommodation to religion” — something not required or even permitted for other people’s marriages — is very disturbing,” Davidson said.
Davidson also raised concerns about Barr’s response on whether Title VII should cover anti-gay discrimination.
“In addition, although he said he thinks firing someone based on their sexual orientation is ‘wrong,’ he refused to disagree with the anti-LGBTQ positions the Justice Department has been taking when it comes to Title VII and he erroneously asserted that Title VII should be limited to what Congress believed it was accomplishing in passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964,” Davidson said. “That position has already been rejected several times by the Supreme Court, which has said that what Congress had in mind at the time is not controlling.
Ultimately, Davidson had a dismal forecast for Barr’s stewardship of the Justice Department.
“It appears that he intends to carry forward the positions of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, which have consistently opposed equal rights for LGBTQ people,” Davidson said.
Sharon McGowan, chief strategy officer for Lambda Legal, also said Barr’s testimony didn’t allay her concerns.
“I think he said absolutely nothing to alleviate any of the concerns that we have based on his record, and if anything, his comments only demonstrate that he is exactly what his record suggests that he is, which is someone who will not be a champion for civil rights generally or LGBT equality specifically,” McGowan said.
Barr’s confirmation hearing took place as the Justice Department is defending President Trump’s transgender military ban in court and has called on the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene. Barr didn’t address the policy, nor did any member of the Senate Judiciary Committee inquire about Barr’s view on the issue.
PFLAG National—the nation’s first and largest organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people, their families, and allies—announced that Brian Bond will join the organization as its new Executive Director, effective February 1st.
Board President Kathy Godwin said, “I am thrilled to welcome Brian to the helm of PFLAG National. He has a proven record of success unifying people across communities, building strong alliances and partnerships, and working in challenging environments and moments to effect change. His personal story—as a young gay man raised in rural America—will resonate with so many people, including our supporters and members. I know Brian is the leader PFLAG needs to continue our work, and greatly expand our reach.”
Bond, a Missouri native with a degree in Public Administration from Missouri State University, is a former Obama Administration official and LGBTQ+ advocate with an extensive background in constituency outreach and coalition bridge-building. He most recently served as the Coalitions Director for the Climate Action Campaign in Washington D.C., working to protect clean air and promote action to limit climate change. Prior to that, he was the Deputy CEO for the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, PA.
During the Obama Administration, Bond served as Deputy Director for the White House Office of Public Engagement and primary liaison for the LGBTQ community. After the re-election of President Obama in 2012, he moved to the Environmental Protection Agency to work on the Administration’s climate initiatives as Associate Administrator for Public Engagement and Environmental Education. Prior to these roles, he served as the Executive Director of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund and is credited with expanding the success of the organization and support for LGBTQ candidates during his six-year tenure.
“I know what it is to be the scared kid growing up in a rural community feeling different and alone, struggling with accepting who I was and living in fear because I knew I was different,” said Bond. “As the Executive Director of PFLAG National—arm in arm with the hundreds of thousands of exceptional people who are the backbone of PFLAG—it is my goal to intensify all our efforts serving our diverse families and communities.”
“For communities of color, we can make this stronger through continued cultural inclusion work and expanded outreach, listening, and tools. We can build on PFLAG’s long and noteworthy trans-inclusive history to expand our programs for transgender and gender-expansive youth and their families. There is no question we also will find the best way forward for faith-based and more conservative families torn between loving their kids and loving their faith. PFLAG is uniquely positioned to do this work, with over 400 chapters in communities across the country, and over 45 years on the front lines of this movement. I am truly honored to take up this work with the dedicated leaders and volunteers of PFLAG, and the PFLAG National staff.”
The PFLAG National Search Task Force included board members and national staff representing a diversity of race, ethnicity, age, and professional experience. The Task Force undertook a thoughtful and deliberative search process which surfaced more than 15 qualified candidates nationwide before making their final recommendation.
The news of Bond’s appointment was welcomed by leaders in the LGBTQ+ equality movement, as well as other leaders in the fight for social justice among marginalized communities.
“During my time at the White House I saw firsthand PFLAG’s legacy of loving, affirming families and actively engaged allies at work. PFLAGers are changing hearts and minds in every corner of our country in support of equality for the LGBTQ+ community. I also witnessed Brian Bond’s commitment to moving equality forward with passion, empathy, and humility. Brian’s skill set, collaborative leadership style, creative thought process, and ability to build bridges across diverse communities and life experiences will serve PFLAG well. I am thrilled that Brian Bond has been selected as PFLAG National’s next Executive Director during this pivotal and critical moment in time.”
– Valerie Jarrett, Former Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama
“I wholeheartedly commend the PFLAG National Board of Directors for their selection of Brian Bond as the organization’s Executive Director. I have known Brian for over twenty years both professionally and personally. I am amazed by his ability to move within multiple communities—especially Communities of Color—with respect and humility, to achieve common goals. Brian has both the skill set and professionalism to build upon PFLAG’s success to expand the organization’s reach to provide more support for African-American parents who want to understand the struggle of their LGBTQ+ children in an oft-hostile world.”
– Earl Fowlkes, President/CEO, Center for Black Equity, Inc.
“Brian Bond embodies leadership. He has earned the trust and respect of diverse communities and coalitions over his lifetime because he has worked tirelessly to uplift people of all ages and backgrounds every step of the way. I count myself in that category, first as his summer intern and later as his successor as the White House LGBT Liaison and a committed partner in the fight for equality and justice. PFLAG, already an effective and important organization, has gained a talented, humble, inclusive, and strategic leader in Brian—and I look forward to the scores more families and young people supported by this work with Brian at the helm.”
– Aditi Hardikar, Former White House LGBT and AAPI Liaison
“I have had the pleasure to work for and with Brian Bond closely for over a decade. You follow and trust his vision because he embodies what he fights for everyday. As a Latina from an immigrant family raised from humble beginnings by a teen mother, I know that our rights and a seat at the table are not automatic. I have seen Brian time and time again not just stand up for ALL communities including communities of color and our most vulnerable but more importantly fight to give them the power they rightfully deserve. From Farmworkers to Latinx students on campuses, I have seen him purposefully and artfully lift up voices, genuinely listen and advocate for what was needed on ground without hesitation. PFLAG will gain tremendously from their selection of Brian Bond as their next Executive Director, I am excited for what the future holds for them.”
– Amanda Aguirre, Former Acting Director of Public Engagement at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Associate Director, White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
“Transgender people and our families couldn’t ask for a better ally than Brian Bond. Throughout his career, Brian has served as an invaluable partner in the fight for transgender equality, as well as a dear friend for nearly two decades. Brian has the vision and devotion to lead PFLAG and the millions of families it serves.”
– Mara Keisling, Executive Director, National Center for Transgender Equality
“Brian Bond is a fantastic selection by PFLAG National as its next Executive Director. His steadfast dedication to LGBTQ issues throughout his career, especially for youth and those most vulnerable in our community, alongside his top-notch excellence in leadership, community organizing, and strong relationships with leaders across the nation will allow Brian to thrive at PFLAG. I cannot think of anyone better to be at the helm and I wish him and the whole PFLAG family much success in the coming years ahead.”
– Raffi Freedman-Gurspan, Director of External Relations, National Center for Transgender Equality
“The smartest hire I ever made was recruiting Brian Bond to lead the Victory Fund when I was co-chair. PFLAG will benefit from that same vision, tenacity and work ethic that has made Brian a success throughout his career.”
– Jeff Trammell, Former Co-Chair, Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund
“Having followed in Brian’s footsteps as President Obama’s LGBTQ liaison, I know firsthand the incredible work he did in the early days of the Obama Administration to build the foundation of what later became an unparalleled presidential record on advancing LGBTQ equality. Brian is exactly the kind of advocate and leader that queer kids across America—and their families and allies—need in their corner. His passion and compassion, strategic vision and capacity to execute, national network and local relationships, and most importantly his commitment to and long track record of inclusivity will be a tremendous asset to PFLAG. I can’t wait to see him take this critically important organization to the next level.
– Gautam Raghavan, former Obama White House LGBTQ Liaison; Vice President for policy at the Gill Foundation; current Chief of Staff to U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07)
“PFLAG has played a central role for the past 45 years in changing hearts and minds in the continuing quest for LGBTQ equality in this country, which is why I am extremely pleased that Brian Bond will be PFLAG’s incoming Executive Director. I have worked closely with Brian for many years to ensure that Indian Country has a voice at the table. He is a passionate advocate for inclusion and full participation and consistently turns words into meaningful and impactful action. Nothing is more important than family in Indian Country, I am confident, based on our past work, that Brian will do the work to help ensure that PFLAG best meets the needs of all communities to affirm, respect and celebrate diversity and families.
– Keith M. Harper, Former US Ambassador;
Permanent Representative to the UN Human Rights Council
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PFLAG is the nation’s first and largest organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people, their families, and allies. With over 400 chapters and 200,000 members and supporters crossing multiple generations of American families in major urban centers, small cities, and rural areas across America, PFLAG is committed to creating a world where diversity is celebrated and all people are respected, valued, and affirmed. To learn more, visit pflag.org, like us on Facebook (/pflag), or follow us on Twitter (@pflag) or Instagram.
A conservative Christian group in the US has urged a district judge to block trans women from using a faith-based women’s shelter.
Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) sued the city of Anchorage in Alaska to stop the authorities from applying a gender identity law to the Hope Center women’s shelter.
The ADF – which has been labeled an anti-LGBTI ‘hate group’ by some rights organizations – argues that issues of privacy and religious freedoms are at risk.
The case was brought about after a trans woman was turned away from the shelter last year.
ADF attorney Ryan Tucker argued that a number of women who used the shelter had been survivors of abuse or violence, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports.
He went on to say that allowing biological men to stay in the same shelter would be highly traumatic for some of the women, adding that some ‘would rather sleep in the woods’ in sub-zero temperatures rather than use the shelter which allowed trans women.
Tucker argued that there were other shelters available for biological men in the city.
ADF protesting marriage equality at the Supreme Court | Photo: Facebook/Alliance Defending Freedom
The shelter operators filed a lawsuit against the Equal Rights Commission last year after a trans woman complained that she was turned away in August last year.
The shelter argues that this was not because of her gender identity, but because she was intoxicated and had been fighting in a different shelter.
The operators say they are suing to clear their names of any wrongdoing.
Assistant municipal attorney Ryan Stuart countered that the legal moves were premature as the Equal Rights Commission had not finished their investigation.
The investigation is currently on hold, in part because of the shelter’s lack of cooperation, Stuart added.
The ADF is a controversial organization in the US, and in the past have argued that LGBTI rights infringe on religious freedoms.
They have been labeled a hate group by legal advocacy organization, The Southern Poverty Law Center, who say the ADF wants to push transgender people ‘back into the shadows’.
LGBTI rights group the Human Rights campaign described the ADF as ‘one of the nation’s most dangerous organizations working to prevent equality for LGBT people’.
The group is most commonly known for defending Jack Philips, a Colorado baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple.
The case went to the US Supreme Court, which sided with the baker. However, the court ruled in a limited capacity and said that their ruling might not apply to other cases.
This case is another instance of trans rights recognition, which has become a major talking point in the US.
There have been many recent arguments over whether trans people can use toilets in line with their actual gender, and whether trans women prisoners should be housed in male or female correctional facilities.
Conflict over trans rights has increased amid the deeply polarised climate of Donald Trump’s presidency.
