Arabic Media's LGBT Bigotry

A new report confirms that Arabic media is spreading homophobia & transphobia in the region. OutRight Action International has launched a new report titled, ‘Arab Mass Media: A Monitoring Report Looking at Sexuality & Gender Identity in Arabic Media from 2014 to 2017.’ The report monitors widespread local & national newspapers in 14 countries in the Arab region, radio, TV channels & social media platforms to assess the current language journalists use to talk about LGBTQ people & if the coverage is positive, negative, or neutral. The report found that currently journalists in the region often use derogatory terms that perpetuate homophobia & transphobia & highlights evidence of hate speech inspired by religious doctrine, medical misinformation & legal fallacies being used to describe our LGBTQ community. Jessica Stern, Executive Director of OutRight Action International stated, “All around the world the use of homophobic & transphobic language in the media has perpetuated prejudice & lies about the LGBTIQ community. We must work to sensitize the media & journalists in order to change negative public opinions about LGBTIQ issues & move towards respect, equality & acceptance for all.” Nazeeha Saeed, OutRight’s Arabic Media Coordinator, noted that not all of the coverage was negative adding, “While most of the reporting is very negative & even derogatory, there are a few noteworthy exceptions. For example, when media reported on singer Ricky Martin’s engagement to a Syrian boyfriend, the language was surprisingly neutral. I think the reason is that foreign musicians & artists are given more leeway in society & so the reporting also becomes more accepting.” The report is available in both English & Arabic.
For More Info: outrightinternational.org
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Barrett Is Anti Choice & Anti LGBT

We urge the Senate to oppose the confirmation of Amy C. Barrett to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Professor Barrett’s statements & writings reveal a strong bias against reproductive freedom & LGBT rights. Her record demonstrates a dangerous lack of deference to long-standing precedent & judicial restraint. On women’s health Professor Barrett has criticized Roe v. Wade & expressed the view that abortion is “always immoral.” In a 2013 speech entitled “Roe at 40: The Supreme Court, Abortion & the Culture Wars that Followed,” she used extreme rhetoric to describe the Roe decision, stating: “The framework of Roe essentially permitted abortion on demand & Roe recognizes no state interest in the life of a fetus.” In this speech, she also declared that “Republicans are heavily invested in getting judges who will overturn Roe.” On LGBT rights Professor Barrett has also expressed deeply held opposition to marriage equality, signing on to an October 2015 letter that stated: “We give witness that the Church’s teachings – on the dignity of the human person & the value of human life from conception to natural death; on the meaning of human sexuality, the significance of sexual difference & the complementarity of men & women; on openness to life & the gift of motherhood; & on marriage & family founded on the indissoluble commitment of a man & a woman – provide a sure guide to the Christian life.” This language embraced by Professor Barrett, is in direct conflict with the Supreme Court’s June 2015 decision, Obergefell v. Hodges, 135 S. Ct. 2584 (2015), which established a constitutional right to marriage equality in America. Professor Barrett’s bias on LGBT issues would require her to recuse in all cases involving LGBT equality & must be explored at her hearing. Read Full Text…
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Trans Student Victory Targeted

The Kenosha Unified School District in Wisconsin has filed a petition for a writ of certiorari with the Supreme Court of the United States in Whitaker v. Kenosha Unified School District challenging KUSD’s discriminatory treatment of Ash Whitaker, a transgender boy. The petition asks the Court to review the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals’ recent ruling permitting Ash to use boys’ restrooms at school during his senior year of high school. The case also alleges that KUSD singled out Ash for discriminatory treatment in other ways & is currently moving forward in the federal district court in Milwaukee. Whitaker’s lawyers at Transgender Law Center and Relman, Dane & Colfax PLLC stated, “Both the federal district court & the appeals court have unambiguously ruled that KUSD violated Ash’s rights & subjected him to unnecessary harm. We’re disappointed that KUSD, instead of accepting these rulings, has chosen to waste time & money by filing an ill-conceived petition for review with the Supreme Court. The unanimous decision from the Seventh Circuit was correct & consistent with the decisions of other courts, which similarly have held that transgender students have the right to equal educational opportunities. It is troubling that KUSD would go to such lengths to defend its discriminatory & harmful actions against Ash, a high school student who just wanted to be treated like any other boy, especially now that he has graduated & started college. We are confident that KUSD’s wrongheaded & legally incorrect position will continue to be rejected, as it has been at every stage of this case so far.”
For More Info: transgenderlawcenter.org
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War On Transgender Troops

Instead of declaring war on white supremacists & neo-Nazis Trump has decided to go forward with his attack on our transgender community serving in the military. In doing so he’s breaking faith with top generals & admirals by issuing guidance to the Department of Defense which would effectively purge anyone found to be transgender from the armed services. We currently have 15,000 transgender troops serving this country & abroad. This policy would purge all of our transgender troops over the coming months & years denying them reenlistment, threatening to cut off their healthcare & implementing a permanent ban on recruiting transgender troops that was set to expire later this year. Matt Thorn OutServe-SLDN Executive Director stated, "The President’s order to remove transgender service members from the United States armed forces & deny them healthcare is nothing less than a purge. He is implementing this purge based on bigotry, motivated by agents of an ideology that has no concern for the national defense, & in blatant disregard of the experience of career officers who spent more than a year developing & implementing the current policy… We condemn the actions of the White House in initiating this purge. We condemn the disregard that the President has shown to transgender men & women who wear the uniform. We condemn the intent of any person who would make it the mission of United States military to discriminate against the very citizens they are charged to defend. And we condemn the indifference of any elected official who does not now stand up for both military personnel & the LGBT community by opposing this purge. OutServe-SLDN along with Lambda Legal will swiftly be filing a lawsuit in federal court to challenge this action."
For More Info: outserve-sldn.org
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Gloria Estefan To Be Honored

Grammy winning superstar & fierce LGBTQ ally Gloria Estefan will be honored at the 2017 National LGBTQ Task Force Gala in Miami, Florida. The annual fundraising event will take place at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach on Saturday, October 7th at 6:30P. Estefan will be presented with the National Leadership Award for her work to support LGBTQ people & the issues that affect our lives everyday. Rea Carey, Executive Director, National LGBTQ Task Force stated, “Every day, the National LGBTQ Task Force fights the injustices happening around the country. From challenging the Texas legislature’s attempt to discriminate against trans youth to standing side by side with our allies in Charlottesville to confront white supremacists to countering the barrage of anti-LGBTQ actions coming from the current administration, every day is a fight. But for one night in Miami we will step back to celebrate our community, our allies and leaders. We are humbled to have Gloria Estefan join us in this fight & proud to honor such an exceptional leader & ally for the LGBTQ community at the Task Force Gala – Miami. We know the next day we will continue the fight for full freedom, justice & equality for LGBTQ people around the country & in South Florida, energized by coming together in Miami in solidarity & love.” Also being honored this year at the Task Force Gala - Miami are local heroes, Alberto Arias & Wood Kinnard, who will be presented the 2017 Eddy McIntyre Community Service Award.
For Info & Tix: thetaskforcegala.org
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Trump Attacks Transgender Military

The buzz is that Trump is going ahead with his transphobic directive to expel transgender people from the military & stop the Pentagon from recruiting transgender troops as well as cutting off payment for sexual reassignment surgery & other medical treatments for those already serving. This backward transgender military ban is expected to begin within the next 6 Months. Trump falsely claimed in his Tweets last July that our transgender community should be banned from the military because of the financial cost & disruption associated with transgender service members. Currently there are 15,000 transgender service members in the US military. The financial cost of providing health care to transgender troops would be at most $8.4 million per year according to the New England Journal of Medicine which is one one-hundredth of one percent of the military's annual health care budget. Fifty-six retired Generals & Admirals have warned Trump that if his ban were to be implemented it would degrade military readiness. Transgender troops have been serving honorably & openly for the past year & have been widely praised by commanders. Eighteen foreign nations including the UK & Israel allow transgender troops to serve & none have reported any detriment to readiness. If Trump gets away with this it will impose one set of standards for our transgender troops, & another set of standards for everyone else which will cause disruption, distraction & even more chaos than the failed 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy.  
For More Info: outserve-sldn.org
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Folk Fights Back LGBTQ Event

LGBTQ artists Melissa Ferrick, Oompa, Evan Greer, Anjimile & Mark Lipman will be performing Wednesday August 23rd at Club Passim at 7P in Cambridge, Massachusetts to benefit Boston GLASS, (Gay & Lesbian Adolescent Social Services), an organization dedicated to improving the well-being of LGBTQ youth of color by providing them with a continuum of services & a community in which they can thrive. The event is being organized by “Folk Fights Back” a national organization of musicians seeking to support marginalized communities through benefit concerts. Tickets are $20 & $15 for students & club members. This particular series is particularly timely considering the Trump administration’s recent attacks on our transgender youth, attempted “transgender ban” on military service & the Department of Justice legal arguments against gay rights as they pertain to discrimination in the workplace. When I asked Melissa in 2015 what she would like to see happen for LGBT equality in the next few years Ferrick stated, “I would like to see more acceptance, certainly. I would like to see also the inclusion of our trans brothers & sisters more integrated. I’ve felt this way for a long time… I think inclusion & crossing the boundaries between each other would be huge. Less separation & more combining our populations. So I’d love to see more coming together.” In this exclusive audio byte I talked to Melissa about what advice she had for our LGBTQ teens. LISTEN:
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