In South Korea, the queer community is still facing opposition when it comes to societal acceptance. Enter Heezy Yang. Yang, who also goes by Hurricane Kimchi, initially began doing drag out of curiosity and had no idea how much empowerment it would bring. “The first few times, I didn’t have any agenda,” says Yang. But he realized it was a way to combine activism and his love of the arts. The lack of laws supporting queer South Koreans makes it difficult for this marginalized group in legal matters. Sexual orientation is a protected class, but gender identity is not. Gender-affirming…
Author: Segen Kidane-Assefa
Connecticut has launched a new statewide LGBTQ+ group, Equality Connecticut, to advance the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals throughout the state. The organization is working towards a larger presence in the State Capital to pass more laws protecting the LGBTQ+ community. The Equality Federation, made up of 44 states and their respective LGBTQ+ organizations, welcomes Equality Connecticut. The organization will be led by Matt Blinstrubas, who is an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community in Connecticut and has worked with many health and social justice initiatives. Blinstrubas worked with the Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health Collective and is now a consultant for…
In a new BBC documentary, journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin goes undercover to speak with members of Egypt’s highly persecuted LGBTQ+ community. Egypt has a history of punishing its LGBTQ+ citizens and now the are using more sinister methods to target this marginalized community. Shihab-Eldin spoke to queer individuals who were targeted using Egypt’s debauchery laws. There are no explicit laws against homosexuality in Egypt, but police and other private investigators have been using this loophole to target queer men and women. Police use apps like WhosHere, Grindr, and WhatsApp to find and fabricate evidence against queer individuals. Transcripts are collected, and…
Garden State Equality, an Asbury Park-based nonprofit, created an interactive Affirming Healthcare Map to connect LGBTQ+ individuals to gender-affirming healthcare. There are already 140 medical professionals listed, from optometrists to therapists. The map came together after a five-year process of collecting information on gender-affirming providers throughout the state. Providers who affirm LGBTQ+ identities “understand the complexities of being an LGBTQ person or the experiences that we face,” according to Garden State Equality trainer and project manager, Jamilah Smith. Gender-affirming care includes technicians, desk staff, and other employees within the practice and is not limited to care provided by doctors and…
Hogwarts Legacy, an immersive role-playing game (RPG), made its public debut recently. The game’s presale numbers hit over 500,000, with over 870,000 streamers on Steam within the weekend of its release (not including hidden Xbox and Playstation figures). But there’s more to the story than meets the eye. The game is surrounded by controversy due to J. K. Rowling’s long history of transphobia. Many fans of the franchise have spoken out about boycotting the game since royalties from sales would be provided to Rowling. However, fans in this group are a vocal minority. The game has a 93%, or “Very…
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has fired a senior aide over homophobic remarks. Masayoshi Arai made comments about not wanting to live next to an LGBTQ couple and “would not even want to see them” in an off-record conversation with outlet NHK. Arai quickly retracted his comments after they were made public. In an on-record conversation with reporters, Arai apologized for having used expressions that could cause misunderstanding. Prime Minister Kishida, however, told reporters that the comments were taken very seriously and Arai was removed from his post shortly after. “The remarks were outrageous and completely out of line with…
Spain has become the first country in Europe to offer paid menstrual leave, as well as expanded abortion and trans rights. The law provides the right to a three-day “menstrual” leave of absence, with the possibility of extending it to five days, for those with disabling periods, causing cramps, nausea, and dizziness. While a doctor’s note is required, the public social security system will foot the bill. Irene Maria Montero Gil, the equality minister for Spain, stated that without these rights, women were not whole people in the eyes of the government. While not the first country in the world…
Kentucky lawmakers are tryin to pass a law that will require drag shows to be held at least 1000 ft from areas that “cater to minors,” including schools, churches, parks, homes, and walking trails. The proposed law, S.B. 115, not only targets drag shows, but adult movie theatres, strip clubs, and adult cabarets. Kentucky state Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, one of the sponsors on the bill, comments that “These are adult-oriented performances; no child needs to be exposed to that.” Uma Jewels, a drag queen based in Lexington, disagrees with Tichenor. “Drag is just about the most unsexy thing I can…
New York Times contributors and LGBTQ groups are demanding that the paper change how they cover Trans Issues. In a letter signed by over 300 New York Times contributors, with a number of them identifying as trans and nonbinary, they stated: “the Times has in recent years treated gender diversity with an eerily familiar mix of pseudoscience and euphemistic, charged language,” and that recent reporting has omitted some source’s associations with anti-trans groups. In a separate letter, the Times was asked to take action to improve their coverage of the transgender community. The letter was signed by LGBTQ+ and civil…
The National Center for Lesbian Rights and the ACLU of Utah are coming together in a lawsuit against Utah’s new law banning hormone treatment and gender-affirming surgery for people under 18. Recently, Utah signed SB16, a law that would ban gender-affirming surgery for patients under the age of 18 and would pause any hormone treatments for patients not already being treated for six months.Utah, which has a GOP majority, argued that this legislation is in the best interest of children, as there is no conclusive research as to what long-standing effects these treatments will have. NCLR legal director, Shannon Minter,…
The Log Cabin Republicans have shown how self-loathing they can be by hiring a notable anti-gay influencer as an ambassador for their conservative “gay” organization. In a scathing opinion article for the Washington Examiner, Brad Polumbo digs into the Log Cabin group and questions their motives behind hiring Isabella Riley Moody. A self-described “homophobic troll,” Moody was named as an ambassador for the Log Cabin’s influencing group, Outspoken USA, this past Wednesday. She spoke about her new position in an enthusiastic tweet that said, “This is literally SO GAY! Happy to be a the token straight homophobic b*tch ambassador for…
Three months after the deadly mass shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs, the owners announced their plans to reopen the venue and re-establish themselves as a safe space in the community. “Our goal and intention has always been to return Club Q as a safe space for the Colorado Springs LGBTQIA+ community and will continue to tirelessly work towards that effort,” a statement posted to the venue’s Instagram account reads. Daniel Aston, Kelly Loving, Ashley Paugh, Derrick Rump, and Raymond Green Vance were the victims of the November 19 shooting that left an additional 22 injured. Among those killed…
Howard Bragman, a public relations master, and LGBTQ+ advocate has died from leukemia according to a journal entry from his partner, Mike Maimone. He was 66. “The enormity of our shared loss can’t be overstated. Howard was a constant in so many of our lives and the brightest star in his wide constellation of friends and family,” says Maimone. Bragman was a master of public relations for over 40 years, cofounding the firm Bragman Nyman Cafarelli (BNC, which later merged with PMK). He also founded Fifteen Minutes PR, and later in life, LaBrea Media. His clients included Stevie Wonder, Ricki…
Christina Aguilera, Jeremy Pope, and Bad Bunny will all be recognized at this year’s GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles on March 30. Aguilera will be presented with GLAAD’s Advocate for Change Award during this year’s ceremony. Previous winners of this award include President Bill Clinton. Aguilera has been praised as an activist in the LGBTQ+ community and her voice has defined a generation far beyond the GLAAD Awards. In 2004, along MAC Cosmetics, Aguilera raised $500 million for HIV research and has spoken out about legislation harming the queer community, like Proposition 8 and Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law.…
This March, India’s highest court will prepare to hear arguments on whether to legalize same-sex marriage. There are no laws in India criminalizing homosexuality, and equal rights for India’s LGBTQ community have been steadily expanding. Many of these changes have been spearheaded by the Supreme Court. In 2018, India decriminalized same-sex relations, overturning a years-old Colonial-era ruling. The current ruling party in India, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), opposed modifying the Hindu Marriage Act to include same-sex couples in 2020. However, the Hindu population, roughly 80% of the country, has gradually shifted its views when it comes to gay rights.…
New York City officials are encouraging patrons of gay bars to switch off the Face ID software on their phones before enjoying a night out. After the death of two gay men, Julio Ramirez and John Umberger, in Manhattan, city officials are encouraging other patrons to be mindful and disable their Face ID software to prevent robberies. Both Ramirez and Umberger were found dead after being robbed electronically of thousands of dollars. In a seminar hosted by the NYC Office of Nightlife Director, Ariel Palitz, and New York City Council Member Erik Bottcher, they outlined basic safety procedures for patrons…
Since the start of 2023, over 11 states have introduced legislation limiting transgender health care. This comes after a wave of anti-transgender legislation was passed in 2022, with over 23 states passing a combined 344 laws targeting gender-affirming care and protection against violence for transgender and non-binary individuals. Recently, Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed SB 16, a bill banning gender-affirming care to transgender patients under the age of 18. SB 16 also bans the use of hormonal treatments for patients not diagnosed with gender dysphoria before a certain date. Oklahoma also passed SB 129, which would prevent transgender patients under…
The 2023 Grammy award winners included a number of notable LGBTQ+ artists. From Sam Smith and Kim Petras to Steve Lacy, Brandi Carlile, and Wet Leg, the Grammys celebrated diversity and highlighted the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community to music and pop culture. Sam Smith and Kim Petras won the award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, with Petras becoming the first transgender winner. LGBTQ+ artists and allies also won in a variety of categories. Many tracks from Beyonce’s latest album, Renaissance, (and the album itself) won several awards, including Best Electronica/Dance Album and Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Plastic Off the…
The Food and Drug Administration has proposed removing the ban on blood donations from gay men, a policy long considered discriminatory by LGBTQ+ advocate organizations. The FDA is expected to adopt the proposal after a 60-day public comment period. The new policy will ask donors about their HIV status, partner status, and specific medications, rather than a blanket prohibition. The FDA’s new policy comes after a study of 1,600 gay and bisexual men tested the efficacy of a personalized sexual questionnaire to the FDA’s current time-based abstinence rules. “We feel confident that the safety of the blood supply will be…
A Colorado baker lost an appeal this week, after refusing to make a cake for a transgender customer. The Colorado Appeals Court voted in favor of Autumn Scardina, who ordered a pink cake with blue frosting from Jack Phillips and Masterpiece Cakeshop. The court argued that Phillips’ case was not a form of speech. stating: “We conclude that creating a pink cake with blue frosting is not inherently expressive and any message or symbolism it provides to an observer would not be attributed to the baker,” said the court in denying Phillips’ appeal. In 2018, Phillips appeared before the Supreme…
A North Dakota house bill banning drag performances has advanced to the Senate, and the Human Rights Campaign is speaking up. House Bill 1133 is an anti-LGBTQ+ bill restricting drag performances in the state of North Dakota. The new bill would classify drag performances as adult-oriented entertainment that cannot be done on public property, or in places where people under the age of 18 are present. Human Rights Campaign Legal Director Sarah Warbelow released a statement following the vote, condemning all anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, and calling it a “coordinated push led by national anti-LGBT+ groups.” In 2022, a record-breaking 315 anti-LGBTQ+…
Last Friday, the Church of England formally apologized for its treatment of the LGBTQ community. “The occasions on which you have received a hostile and homophobic response in our churches are shameful, and for this we repent,” said bishops in an official statement. The statement comes after a five-year debate on the church’s stance on sexuality. Same-sex marriage, however, will not be recognized by the Church of England. Instead, the church proposes that same-sex couples have a church service including prayers of thanks after a civil marriage ceremony or a registered civil partnership. Some members of the church acknowledge that…
A recent protest outside of the NCAA Convention in San Antonio brought attention to their decision to include transgender athletes in women’s sports. The protest was organized by the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) and included University of Kentucky swimmer, Riley Gaines. The current policy states that transgender student-athlete participation is to be left on a case-by-case basis, determined by “the national governing body of that sport.” This policy falls flat when considering that in several sports, trans women are banned at both the national and international levels, including swimming and rugby. Last year, Gaines competed against the University…
Ellie Prohan is a queer, U.K. DJ and promoter who is using her music knowledge and broad fanbase to combine two niches of culture: the LGBTQ+ community and hip-hop music. Born in the United Kingdom in a Persian household, queer visibility was not something that was openly celebrated, much less in heavily male-dominated spaces like hip-hop or the DJ world. Prohan, however, looks to change that, with her new collaborative playlist, EnGayged, in exclusive partnership with Apple Music. The playlist features both artists who identify themselves within the queer community, as well as allies. In an interview with GayTimes, Prohan…
An NYC law student has been reported missing after being in Hell’s Kitchen. Jordan Taylor, 29, a first-year law student at the City University of New York dissappeared on January 6. According to his brother Alton Taylor, he was at The Q, a gay bar in Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan, just before he went missing. His phone and wallet were located in the early hours of the morning on Jan. 7 in separate areas. There are fears that this latest case is related to a string of murders in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. Last November, two men, John Umburger and Julio…
Yeshiva University’s longstanding fight with on-campus LGBTQ+ organizations come to a head. The New York State Supreme Court has ordered YU to acknowledge YU Pride Alliance, the university’s on-campus queer organization. The verdict comes after a 2022 ruling stating that Yeshiva University, regardless of previously held status, is not a religious institution, but a public one, and cannot discriminate on the basis of gender orientation or sexual identity. YU was sued by four members of the YU Pride Alliance in April 2021. After the court ruled in the student’s favor, the university filed for an appeal, which they lost. This…
A federal judge has ruled in favor of religious schools over a Title IX lawsuit. The lawsuit was brought forward by current and former students who challenged the faith-based exemptions of these institutions if they received federal education funds. Judge Ann Aiken, a federal district judge in Oregon, expressed her sympathy toward the students. However, she argued that Title IX exemptions do not target LGBTQ+ students or the community. While Title IX protects against sex-based discrimination in federally funded colleges, it does allow for religious exemptions. Religious schools are supporting the verdict, including Shirley Hoogstra, president of the Council for…
In April 2022, a Russian court shut down the largest LGBTQ rights organization in the country. Now they’re back and ready to fight. The Russian LGBT Network, a St. Petersburg-based gay rights group, and their parent company, the Charitable Sphere Foundation, were accused of violating Russia’s homophobic propaganda laws and carrying out illegal activities under the guise of being a charity. The organization faced a lawsuit from a ministry representative after its liquidation from the Putin administration. Additionally, on Dec. 5, Putin signed a law expanding “LGBT propaganda” under Russia’s restrictions. According to the new law, any online or written…
On her first day in office, Arizona governor Katie Hobbs signed an executive order increasing protections for LGBTQ+ workers in the workplace. The new legislation will require employers to include anti-discrimination clauses in their hiring forms and insure hiring and recruitment in all state agencies is based on merit, rather than sexual orientation or gender identity. This executive order is the first of many in what Hobbs is calling her First 100 Days Initiative, which will also include tackling issues such as affordable housing and securing the water future for Arizonans. The Director of the Human Rights Campaign for Arizona,…
The UK has blocked legislation that would allow trans people in Scotland to change their gender without a medical diagnosis. Under the current system, trans people in Scotland must have a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, a condition proven by a mismatch between a person’s body and gender identity. They must also show proof of living as their chosen gender for at least two years, and be at least 18 years old. The new gender recognition reform bill would leave this decision up to self-discretion; changing the waiting time to six months and the legal age to 16. Human rights and equity…