Press Release

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US Supreme Court Rejects Lambda Legal’s Appeal In Title VII Anti-LGBT Employment Discrimination Case

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will not review the Lambda Legal case on behalf of Jameka Evans, a Savannah security guard who was harassed at work and forced from her job because she is a lesbian.

“By declining to hear this case, the Supreme Court is delaying the inevitable and leaving a split in the circuits that will cause confusion across the country,” said Greg Nevins, Employment Fairness Project Director for Lambda Legal. “But this was not a “no” but a “not yet,” and rest assured that Lambda Legal will continue the fight, circuit by circuit as necessary, to establish that the Civil Rights Act prohibits sexual orientation discrimination. The vast majority of Americans believe that LGBT people should be treated equally in the workplace. The public is on the right side of history; it’s unfortunate that the Supreme Court has refused to join us today, but we will continue to invite them to do the right thing and end this hurtful balkanization of the right of LGBT people to be out at work.”

“This term will not see the Supreme Court provide a national remedy to stop the pervasive discrimination against LGBT people in the workplace. But don’t despair; if you have experienced discrimination in the workplace, please contact Lambda Legal’s Help Desk,” said Nevins. “We urge Congress to pass a federal law explicitly banning discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation and gender identity.”

Several federal courts have affirmed the argument that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, when properly understood, protects LGBT employees. Most notably, the full Seventh Circuit overruled four of its precedents and ruled in April that Lambda Legal client Kimberly Hively could proceed under the Civil Rights Act with her claim that Indiana-based Ivy Tech Community College discriminated against her because she is a lesbian. In September, Lambda Legal argued before the full Second Circuit, which is reexamining two of its precedents in Zarda v. Altitude Express, the case of a New York skydiving instructor who was fired from his job because he was gay. No ruling has been issued yet in Zarda.

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HRC Equidad MX Report Recognizes 32 LGBT-inclusive Workplaces in Mexico

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation in partnership with PEMEX, Mexico’s largest state-owned petroleum company, has launched the 2018 HRC Equidad MX Report, a first-of-its-kind assessment designed to increase LGBT-inclusion in workplaces across Mexico. Thirty-two major major employers earned top ratings in the inaugural report, reflecting their commitment to LGBT equality and adoption of vital LGBT-inclusive policies and practices.

The 2018 HRC Equidad MX Report assessed major Mexican businesses and multinational companies based on three core pillars of LGBT inclusion:

  • Adoption of nondiscrimination policies;
  • Creation of employee resource groups or diversity and inclusion councils; and
  • Engagement in public activities to support LGBT inclusion.

“These employers have invested in LGBT inclusion in the workplace because it is both fair and smart business. The 32 honorees know that the economy of tomorrow is built by today’s talent and becoming more inclusive is key to attracting and retaining the best workforce, said Deena Fidas, HRC Director of HRC Equidad MX and Workplace Equality Programs. “We commend all of them on this designation of being a ‘Best Place to Work for LGBT Inclusion’ and look forward to continuing our work together in the coming years.”

Since September 2016, HRC Equidad MX has been on the ground working with Mexican companies to promote awareness about the importance of LGBT diversity and inclusion in workplaces across Mexico. The program creates consulting and education models for Mexican companies and organizations interested in furthering their inclusivity efforts. The companies will be honored at an event hosted by PEMEX, Mexico’s largest employer, for their commitment to creating LGBT-inclusive workplaces.

“Earning the HRC Equidad MX certification is a watershed moment that will motivate more people to build more respectful work environments. We are delighted to demonstrate PEMEX’s commitment to equality and non-discrimination policies, especially among its LGBT employees,” said PEMEX Inclusion Manager Melissa García Godínez. “We are proud that the talent and effort of our employees contribute to the growth our company regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Through HRC Equidad MX and the Corporate Equality Index (CEI), HRC Foundation has established guidelines to implement LGBT-inclusive policies, best practices and benefits across national and international corporations. Last year, HRC held its second-ever international launch of the CEI in Mexico City, recognizing the positive impact of leading companies for LGBT-inclusion. In addition, HRC Equidad MX released a Spanish-language business toolkit for workplaces in Mexico and Latin America.

HRC is proud to join with Accenture México (Accenture), American Express Company (México), S.A. de C.V. (American Express), AT&T, México (AT&T), Cinépolis de México (Cinepolis), Grupo Financiero Banamex, S.A. de C.V. (Citibanamex), CompuCom México (Compucom), Dow Química Mexicana, S.A. de C.V. (DOW), Edelman México, S.A de C.V. (Edelman), EY (EY), Ford Motor Company (Ford), GE México, S.A. de C.V. (General Electric), Google México (Google), Herman Miller México, S.A. de C.V. (Herman Miller), IBM de México (IBM), JP Morgan Grupo Financiero, S.A. de C.V (J.P. Morgan), Kellogg Company (Kellogg), Lubrizol Servicios Técnicos, S de R.L. de C.V. (Lubrizol), Mastercard de México (Mastercard), Nielsen México (Nielsen), PayPal México (PayPal), Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) and business subsidiaries (PEMEX), PepsiCo México – PepsiCo Internacional México, S. de R.L. de C.V. (Pepsico), Pfizer de México (Pfizer), P&G México (Procter & Gamble), SAP México, S.A. de C.V. (SAP), Scotiabank Inverlat, S.A. (Scotiabank)

SODEXO México (Sodexo), TE Connectivity México (TE Connectivity), The Boston Consulting Group (The Boston Consulting Group), UBER México Technology & Software (Uber), Unilever de México (Unilever), Walmart de México y Centroamérica (Walmart) to celebrate LGBTQ-inclusion in the workplace.

For more information on the HRC Equidad MX program, or to download a free copy of the report, visit hrc.im/equidadMX.

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On World AIDS Day, Barack Obama Joins Project Red to fight HIV

Former President Barack Obama screenshot

Former President Barack Obama has teamed with Jimmy Kimmel, Bono, Coca Cola, and Project Red to fight HIV on World AIDS Day.

In a special video, the ex-president shares good news about the fight against HIV and cracks a few jokes too.

“When it comes to the fight against HIV/AIDs, there’s some genuinely good news to share,” Obama says. “For the first time in history, more than half of all people living with the virus are on life-saving medication.”

“It sounds like a miracle, but it’s not the result of mysterious forces or chance. It happened because countless people working for years chose to make this process,” Obama continues. “You can help us win this fight. You can help us change lives and write a future full of progress and hope, so let’s all get to work.”

But, apparently, no matter how much you help, you won’t be able to pilot Air Force One. You’ll have to settle for changing lives.

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Lambda Legal Brings Together 28 Other LGBT Organizations to Oppose Nominations of L. Steven Grasz and Mark Norris to Federal Bench

Lambda Legal and 28 other national, state, and local LGBT organizations sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee ahead of a vote today urging them to oppose the nominations of Leonard Steven Grasz to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and Mark Norris to the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, stressing that their records “demonstrate that their appointments to the bench would cause grave harm to the LGBT community, as well as many other communities who rely on the federal judiciary to administer fair and impartial justice.”

In the letter, sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee this morning, the organizations set forth Steven Grasz’s “long history of targeting LGBT people,” and urge the committee to “heed the warning of the American Bar Association that Mr. Grasz is not qualified for an appointment on the federal bench because he is unable to put the law ahead of his personal beliefs and to administer fair and impartial justice to all litigants who might come before him.”

The letter notes that Grasz has “channeled his biased views into building a career of hollowing out laws designed to protect LGBT people from discrimination.” For example, Steven Grasz serves as the Director of the Board of the Nebraska Family Alliance (NFA) which has repeatedly targeted the LGBT community, including opposing “marriage equality, bans on conversion therapy, and anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people.” In his confirmation hearing on November 1, Grasz was given multiple opportunities by Senator Hirono to clarify and renounce his “‘deeply-held personal views’ and the positions of the NFA,” but repeatedly refused to do so. He also refused to answer Senator Feinstein’s questions about his views on so-called “conversion therapy,” (a practice designed to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity that has been deemed unethical by numerous leading medical associations), and refused to answer another line of questioning over whether or not same-sex parents were entitled to same rights as different-sex parents.

The letter also points out that at a 2013 convention in Omaha, “Grasz introduced a charter amendment to permit discrimination against LGBT people in employment.” He then agreed when asked by another convention attendee that the amendment would “create an exemption for business owners who don’t want to hire gays and lesbians to circumvent or do any end run around the city human rights ordinance.” Due to his deep and longstanding commitment to thwart, restrict and rollback the rights of LGBT people, the signatories to today’s letter believe that Grasz is simply “not fit for the job,” a lifetime appointment to the federal judiciary.

The letter also summarizes Mark Norris’s long record of targeting the LGBT community, noting that his “broader anti-civil rights record is so voluminous that it took the Alliance for Justice nearly 20 pages to summarize.” Among the most notable attacks on LGBT Americans was his support for “preemption legislation” in Tennessee that would prohibit cities in the state from passing non-discrimination protections on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. When Nashville enacted a nondiscrimination policy protecting LGBT people, Norris took the lead in pushing for the state’s preemption legislation, claiming that his efforts were “intended to balance the right of local governments and businesses to adopt anti-discrimination policies with the proper level of state oversight.”  Notwithstanding these statements, Norris’ efforts were easily understood as an unveiled attempt to nullify nondiscrimination protections in one of Tennessee’s largest cities.

The letter also points to Mark Norris’s more recent attacks on the LGBT community, including his support in 2016 for legislation allowing mental health counselors to discriminate against LGBT clients, stating that it was “intended to protect the religious liberty of professional counselors.” He has also notably attacked LGBT youth, supporting legislation that prohibits teachers from discussing homosexuality in schools. Finally, throughout his career, as the letter outlines, Norris has routinely tried to undermine marriage equality and basic rights for transgender Americans.

The full letter, below, was sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday ahead of a committee vote on the nominations today. The full text can be found below and here: https://www.lambdalegal.org/sites/default/files/legal-docs/downloads/29_lgbt_groups_oppose_confirmation_of_leonard_steven_grasz_and_mark_norris.pdf

Two other controversial nominees are on today’s Judiciary Committee agenda, although the Committee is not expected to vote on them today: Don Willett and James Ho are both nominees for the Fifth Circuit. Earlier this month, Lambda Legal brought together 34 other LGBT groups to oppose the nomination of Willett. The letter on Willett’s nomination can be found here: https://www.lambdalegal.org/in-court/legal-docs/dc_20171114_lgbt-groups-oppose-judicial-nominees

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GLAAD Calls Out Ed Gillespie’s Anti-LGBTQ Record in Race for Virginia Governor

As the the race for the governor’s mansion in Virginia goes down to the wire, GLAAD today called out Republican candidate Ed Gillespie’s anti-LGBTQ record leading into next Tuesday’s election.

GLAAD states that Gillespie’s actions during the 2017 gubernatorial race so far have proven that he is no “moderate” as he was once described, instead building his campaign on the racist stereotyping of the Latinx community and the foundation of a deeply troublesome anti-LGBTQ record.

“Ed Gillespie’s clear targeting of marginalized communities falls in line with the racist and anti-LGBTQ agenda of the Trump Administration,” said Zeke Stokes, Vice President of Programs at GLAAD. “His record of pushing anti-transgender legislation and opposing marriage equality – along with his dog-whistle campaign messaging – are out of line and out of touch with the values of the people of Virginia.”

The discriminatory anti-LGBTQ record of Ed Gillespie is an embrace of the same anti-LGBTQ agenda at the core of the Trump Administration, including Gillespie’s own push for a North Carolina-style legislation that would directly put transgender Virginians in harm’s way and his long record of opposition to marriage equality.

Ed Gillespie’s Anti-LGBTQ Record

Opposition to Marriage Equality

  • Opposes marriage equality: “‘I believe in my faith,’ which says marriage is between a man and a woman, he said. ‘So I don’t believe in government sanction of same-sex marriage.’”
  • While chair of the Republican Party, called on the GOP to “pursue whatever policy is necessary” to stop marriage equality: “The Republican Party platform is clear: We believe marriage is the legal union of one man and one woman. We must pursue whatever policy is necessary to protect this institution, including a Federal Marriage Amendment to the United States Constitution.”
  • Reportedly pressed former president George W. Bush to add extra lines to a 2008 commencement speech that explicitly condemned marriage equality.
  • As senior adviser to Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign, advocated for a federal marriage amendment.
  • Classified judicial rulings on marriage equality as “unhealthy”: “We’ve had courts injecting themselves into this decision making process, into the political process, in a way I think is generally unhealthy for unelected judges to make decisions about whether or not government should sanction gay marriage or not.”

Support of Anti-Trans Measures/Policies

  • Advocated for North Carolina–styled “bathroom bill.”
  • His campaign derisively said of his position on transgender bathroom access: “Ed doesn’t think girls should be compelled to share a locker room shower or hotel room on an overnight band trip with boys.” Gillespie believes that parents and local school boards should “enact common-sense policies to protect the safety and privacy of our children.”

Claimed Being LGBTQ as a “Choice”

  • Once claimed LGBTQ people are making a “choice” and that asking for acceptance is “religious bigotry”: “I accept people for who they are – and love them. That doesn’t mean I have to agree or turn my back on the tenets of my faith when it comes to homosexuality. I think when people say, ‘Well, no. That’s not enough that you accept me for who I am, you have to agree with – and condone – my choice,’ that, to me, is religious bigotry, and I believe that’s intolerant. I think they are the ones that are crossing the line here.’”

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Cannabis Business Groups to Host Fire Relief Fundraiser in Santa Rosa

In response to the devastating fires that swept through Northern California this month, the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) and its state affiliate, the California Cannabis Industry Association (CCIA), are hosting a cannabis industry fundraiser for community fire relief efforts Nov. 6 in Santa Rosa, Calif.

While preparing for the state’s January 1 implementation of legally regulated adult-use cannabis sales, several cannabis farms preparing for the shift have been destroyed and many more crops have suffered smoke damage. Due to federal law, state-legal cannabis cultivators have difficulty obtaining access to insurance which would otherwise offset the losses incurred by the damaged farms and have limited or no access to FEMA relief.

“Many in our own business community have been hit hard by this tragedy and we are proud to be able to come together and support the victims of the devastating fires at this critical time,” said Aaron Smith, NCIA executive director. “The North Bay is cannabis country and it’s our duty to give back to our friends and neighbors who have lost everything.”

Cannabis business leaders and supporters will gather at the fundraising reception to help raise much-needed funds for victims of the fires in Sonoma and surrounding counties. The money raised will provide financial support for the Redwood Credit Union’s North Bay Fire Relief Fund which has been established in partnership with California State Senator Mike McGuire and The Press Democrat.

Representatives from the California Growers Association will also be participating in the event and raising funds to support their organization’s Wildfire Relief Fund, which provides financial relief for legal cannabis farmers who have lost their livelihoods in the Northern California fires.

Event details:

Cannabis Industry Fire Relief Fundraiser
Monday, November 6 — 6:30 to 9:00 p.m.
Hyatt Vineyard Creek, Dry Creek Ballroom & Knight Valley Gardens
170 Railroad Street in Santa Rosa, CA.


Confirmed speakers:

Ernesto Olivares, Santa Rosa City Council Member
Paul Gullixson, Press Democrat Editorial Director
Aaron Smith, National Cannabis Industry Association Executive Director
Lindsay Robinson, California Cannabis Industry Association Executive Director
Hezekiah Allen, California Growers Association Executive Director
Nick Caston, CCIA-Sonoma County

For more information, visit thecannabisindustry.org/fires.

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Covered California Announces Lower Prices for Most Enrollees in 2018 as Open Enrollment Approaches

Covered California will kick off open enrollment Wednesday with the launch of a new comprehensive marketing and outreach campaign as well as upgrades to the consumer shopping experience for those seeking health insurance.

“While we know there is confusion because of the uncertainty in Washington, we want people to know that Covered California is rock solid,” said Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California. “We’re offering stability, choice and affordable options in 2018 in the face of uncertainty in much of the country.”

Open enrollment is the one time of year when anyone who needs health insurance can enroll without needing to meet special qualifying conditions. Covered California’s open-enrollment period will continue for three months, while open enrollment in 42 other states will end on Dec. 15.

“While we encourage all consumers to sign up by Dec. 15 to get coverage that starts on Jan. 1, we will continue with open enrollment through Jan. 31 to give our consumers time to explore their options, change plans if they need to and shop for the health coverage that’s right for them,” Lee said.

A new analysis by Covered California shows the importance of going to http://www.CoveredCA.com to shop and compare, because some changes in 2018 rates may work in the consumer’s favor.

“For the 1.1 million Californians who enroll with us and get financial help, on average the price they pay will actually go down — even though their underlying rate is going up,” Lee said. “And Californians who are uninsured need to see if they, too, can get great coverage that costs them only a small fraction of the health plan’s regular rate.”

The analysis looked at the real-world impact on the price consumers will pay after the cost-sharing reduction (CSR) surcharge, which will increase the amount of financial help available to consumers.

Among the findings from the analysis:

  • The average price subsidized consumers will pay for coverage will go down by about 1.5 percent from 2017 to 2018 — a decrease of $9 per month or $108 per year. As a result, Californians receiving financial help will be paying at least $118 million less for their coverage in 2018 than they did in 2017.
  • Subsidized consumers who keep their existing plans will be paying on average $115 per month for coverage that has a monthly total premium of $579, which is an average monthly savings of more than $450 per month.
  • Everyone who does not receive financial help — representing about 15 percent of those enrolled through Covered California and the 1.1 million Californians who purchase directly from their plan “off-exchange” — can avoid paying the CSR surcharge by switching tiers or purchasing a near-mirrored Silver plan off-exchange.
  • In 2017, unsubsidized Californians paid on average $115 less per month, or $1,380 less per year, because the state’s consumer pool is one of the healthiest in the nation, with costs approximately 20 percent lower than those in the federally facilitated marketplace. Consequently, unsubsidized Californians saved more than $1.3 billion in 2017 thanks to the state’s healthy risk mix.

The complete analysis can be found here: https://www.coveredca.com/news/pdfs/CoveredCA_Affordability_Delivered_11-2017.pdf.

Research commissioned by Covered California this summer indicates that consumers are very familiar with Covered California, with 96 percent of those surveyed having heard about Covered California and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. However, there is some concern about the future due to ongoing discussions at the federal level.

“The distant thunder in Washington is causing concern among Californians,” Lee said. “We want to make sure they know Covered California is stable, offering the same quality coverage in 2018 that we have offered since we opened our doors in 2014.”

In an effort to carry that message to Californians, Covered California will launch its new statewide advertising campaign on Wednesday with the message “Life can change in an instant” to drive home the message that anyone can find themselves suddenly needing health insurance.

“We all know someone who was suddenly injured or who received an unexpected diagnosis. Our new ads show incidents Californians can relate to — cutting your hand in the kitchen, slipping on stairs or falling off a ladder — to drive home the value of health insurance,” Lee said.

The ads were shot with the help of actors wearing helmet cameras to capture the incident from the viewer’s first-person perspective.

The advertising campaign, which includes ads in English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean and Vietnamese, can be viewed here: https://vimeopro.com/coveredcanews/instant-tv.

In addition to television, the campaign message is also integrated in all advertising mediums, including radio digital, out-of-home (billboards, bus shelters and convenience store posters) and print advertisements, all of which promote the need for and value of having health insurance, as well as tailored messages reminding Californians how to sign up for coverage.

On Wednesday, Covered California will begin a bus tour to promote open enrollment across the state, with stops at enrollment locations where murals will be painted during open enrollment to promote health and draw attention to locations where individuals can enroll in coverage and get the care they need.

“Covered California is part of the fabric of California in communities all across the state, and community art is increasingly part of that fabric as well,” Lee said.

All artwork is consistent with local city ordinances and reflects the communities and activities of the diverse people of California, promoting health and attracting attention to locations where individuals can enroll. (More information about mural locations and artists will be shared with the media in the days ahead).

Lee said shopping and enrolling in coverage is easier than ever this year due to upgrades to the online experience:

  • For the first time, Covered California’s website, www.CoveredCA.com, is mobile-friendly, enabling consumers to shop, find local help, enroll and manage their account on a cell phone or tablet.
  • The application for health coverage has been simplified for easier navigation.
  • Upgrades to the website make it easier for consumers to find resources and in-language phone support in 12 languages on the homepage and under a new “Contact Us” page (https://www.coveredca.com/find-help/contact/).

The upgrades and new advertising begin as Covered California starts its fifth open-enrollment period with current membership of about 1.3 million enrollees.

Since 2014, more than 3 million people have purchased health insurance through Covered California, and nearly 4 million have enrolled in the state’s Medi-Cal program. Together, the gains have cut the rate of the uninsured in California by more than half.

Consumers interested in learning more about their coverage options should go to www.CoveredCA.com where they can get help to enroll. Free, confidential help is available at more than 800 storefronts statewide or by working with more than 17,000 certified enrollers who can assist consumers in understanding their choices and enrolling, including individuals who can assist in other languages. In addition, consumers can reach the Covered California service center by calling (800) 300-1506.

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Treasurer John Chiang Urges CalSTRS to Divest in Sellers of Banned Assault Weapons and ‘Bump Stocks’

State Treasurer John Chiang today urged CalSTRS board members to divest the pension fund’s holdings in wholesale or retail sellers of military-style assault weapons, ammunition and other devices such as “bump stocks” that are banned in California.

Below is a transcript of the Treasurer’s speech:

“Chairman Keiley and Investment Committee members…

“Exactly one month ago, on October 1st, a gunman – perched on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel – opened fire on a crowd of innocent concert goers at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival on the Las Vegas strip.  From the moment the first round was fired to the last one that Stephen Paddock put into his own head, approximately 10 minutes passed.  But, it was an eternity for the 22,000 concert goers desperately fleeing the 15-acre enclosed concrete lot . . .

. . . trying to find cover,

. . . clinging to life,

. . . saying their last goodbyes.

“Most Americans are shocked and deeply saddened by the massacre that killed 58 people and injured 546.

“But shock and remorse provide little consolation to the families who must now bury a child, a sibling, a spouse, or a loved one.  There is a time for demonstrations of grief and declaring “never again,” as there is a time to focus on what needs to be done.

“We have an opportunity today to do what needs to be done:  to deny weapons of mass carnage to another killer stalking our innocent loved ones at school, work or . . . . a Sunday evening concert. 

“In 2013, this board responsibly reacted to the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School by divesting from companies that manufacture fire arms and ammunition that are illegal in California.  While it was a complicated, two-year divestment process, we emerged from 2015 free of any investment holdings in companies that manufacture firearms and ammunition illegal for sale or possession in California.

“Now, I am urging you to go further.

“I respectfully call upon this board to divest its holdings of wholesale or retail sellers of these banned weapons. Neither taxpayer funds nor the pension contributions of any of the teachers we represent – including the three California teachers slain in Las Vegas – should be invested in the purveyors of banned military-style assault weapons.

“This includes bump stocks, slide-fire devices, and other accessories that can accelerate a semi-automatic rifle’s rate of fire.  These relatively easy-to-buy and inexpensive aftermarket products allow semi-automatic weapons to simulate automatic fire.  A rifle that may normally fire at a rate of 45 to 60 rounds per minute can be altered to release a torrent of devastation at 400 to 800 rounds per minute.

“The deadly efficiency of these senseless products was on display last month when 58 were killed and more than 546 wounded in the span of ten minutes.  According to the ATF, twelve bump-fire stocks were found on weapons recovered from the murderer’s hotel room.

“This issue is of enduring importance to me.”

“It would be recklessly inconsistent for anyone who supports California’s assault weapons ban to believe that investing in companies selling these weapons or ancillary devices ensures teachers’ retirement security.

“Divestment in such companies would be faithful to CalSTRS’s existing investment policy and uphold the Board’s fiduciary duty to the pension system’s members.  Current policy requires us to view our investment decisions through a number of prisms, one of which is risk of investing in companies making products detrimental to public health and safety.  It would be difficult to argue that battlefield assault weapons and aftermarket accessories designed to rain down bullets don’t fall into this category.

“I respectfully ask you to assign staff to develop a comprehensive accounting of CalSTRS’s exposure to companies which sell the products mentioned in this letter and find a path to divestment.

Thank you.”

 

Short URL: http://lgbtweekly.com/?p=83830

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Exhibition Features New Work Inspired by Groundbreaking Queer Journal OUT/LOOK

Front cover of OUT/LOOK, No. 1 (Spring 1988). Courtesy of GLBT Historical Society.
Front cover of OUT/LOOK, no. 11 (Winter 1991). Courtesy of GLBT Historical Society.
A new multimedia exhibition at the GLBT History Museum explores the story of OUT/LOOK, a groundbreaking national queer quarterly published in San Francisco from 1988 to 1992. Embracing gender and racial diversity and bridging academic and community perspectives, the magazine developed an avid readership. The show and its associated programs, publication and website are designed to spark intergenerational conversations about the legacy of OUT/LOOK and its era.
Curated by E.G. Crichton, “OUT/LOOK and the Birth of the Queer” features new works by 38 culture-makers, each asked to find inspiration in one of the 17 issues of the magazine. This diverse group includes writers, visual artists, performers, curators, activists and representatives of two organizations, all belonging to the two generations of queers who have grown up since the five-year lifespan of the magazine.
“The last issue of OUT/LOOK was published 25 years ago, yet people still tell me they miss it,” Crichton says. “Members of younger generations I speak to — including the participants in this project — express surprise that we were already wrangling back thenwith intersectional identities, marriage equality, the politics of respectability, who decides our tactics for resistance and other contemporary concerns.”
“Walking through the gallery, listening to the audio tour, visitors will be introduced to OUT/LOOK through historical materials and through artists’ and writers’ provocative new responses to the original magazine,” Crichton adds. “They’ll get a taste of innovative queer thinking and the sharp debates in and about the LGBTQ community at a pivotal time in the late 1980s and early 1990s. And they’ll discover lots of links to issues that are very much alive today.”
“OUT/LOOK and the Birth of the Queer” opens on October 6, 2017, with a public reception from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the GLBT History Museum, 4127 18th St., San Francisco. The event will include remarks by the curator. Many of the exhibition contributors will attend, as will founders and editors of OUT/LOOK. Light refreshments will be served. The exhibition runs through January 29, 2018.

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New Global Study: One in Four People Say Same-sex Couples Should be ‘Charged as Criminals’

More than one in four people (28.5%) believe that those in same-sex relationships should be ‘charged as criminals’, according to a new survey of over 100,000 people across 77 countries and territories around the world.

Unsurprisingly, the 2017 ILGA-RIWI Global Attitudes Survey showed that there were major differences in views towards sexual and gender minorities in different regions.

45% of respondents in the 15 African countries surveyed agreed that people who engage in same-sex relationships should be charged as criminals, by far the highest percentage around the world.

Elsewhere, 36% of of respondents from the Middle East agreed with that sentiment, compared to 15% of respondents from Australia and New Zealand, and 19% from North America, South America, and Western Europe.

In the UK, one in six (17%) people said they believe that same-sex couples should be charged.

 

“It is worrying that these attitudes towards criminalisation hover around the 20% mark in many developed countries,” said Aengus Carroll, lead survey researcher and co-author of the report.

When asked if they personally know someone lesbian, gay or bisexual, 41% of respondents from around the world said they did, while 40% said they didn’t, and 19% said they weren’t sure.

The survey found that when respondents know someone belonging to a sexual or gender minority, their attitudes tend to be “markedly more expansive or inclusive” than when people don’t know someone.

While 55% agreed that equal rights and protections should be applied to LGB people, and 59% said the same for trans people, that figure rose to 73% among people who knew someone from either

Elsewhere in the survey, 48% of respondents around the world said they could respect their religion while being accepting of people in same-sex relationships, compared to 30% who felt the two were incompatible.

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