Fabrice Houdart | A weekly newsletter on LGBTQ+ Equality
This week: a Thai love fest, a French dirty little secret, the Tonys, China: an LGBTQ+ free zone, Gaza and pinkwashing, the God Hates Pride Campaign, the Stonewall Monument visitors center, and more…
Happy Juneteenth, a US holiday commemorating the emancipation of its enslaved people (which was far from a panacea, as outlined by Ch. Blow in the NYTimes yesterday). Welcome to this week’s edition from Menlo Park, the “Capital of Venture Capital,” where the Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors hosts a Lifesciences dinner tomorrow. This trip prevented me from an overhyped heat wave and the equally overhyped twins’ 5th-grade graduation (🙄). As we enter the last week of Pride month, this newsletter oscillates between chaos and joy, from marriage equality in Thailand to an ever-darkening context in France and the U.S., but fear not; I’ll stand by your side until the very end like your own personal gay Dignitas Swiss nurse.
This week: a Thai love fest, a French dirty little secret, the Tonys, China: an LGBTQ+ free zone, Gaza and pinkwashing, the God Hates Pride Campaign, the Stonewall Monument visitors center, and more…
Global News
Ukraine: Pride in a war zone
An unexpected outcome of the Russian invasion has been progress on LGBTQ+ issues. LGBTQ+ soldiers allegedly accelerated a change in societal perception of homosexuals. But as usual, beware of oversimplification: only a few hundred gathered in Kyiv on Sunday for the Ukrainian capital's first Pride march since the Russian invasion. They were guarded by a heavy police presence and faced counter-demonstrators. You can find out more here and here. Is it problematic that gay people must either be reproducing, working, or fighting to be accepted? What if human beings had intrinsic value?
Thailand: a small step for the King, a giant leap for Asia
Congratulations to the Thai community, their allies, and human rights defenders, particularly my friends Midnight and Ten. The marriage equality bill passed its final reading in the Upper House of Parliament on June 18, sending waves throughout the region. It has now been sent to the King for approval. It will come into force 120 days after being published in the Royal Gazette, making Thailand the third territory in Asia after Taiwan and Nepal to legalize same-sex marriage. See here and here.
China: the last LGBTQ+ bastion falls
You won’t read this in the news. The only lesbian bar for almost a decade closed down. Lately, the authorities just kept on harassing the owners and the guests. They were told “LGBT must die” literally in English. That would do it. That’s where the Chinse communist party is more pernicious than the Polish Law and Justice Party (PiS, which still obtained 20 seats in the European Parliament last week by the way): it achieved an LGBTQ+-free zone without fanfare. After Shanghai Pride, LGBT Rights China, the Beijing Center, the last safe space for queer women in 🇨🇳 closed. That same week, Semafor pointed out the rise of vigilante groups in the country.
France: no « Sursaut Républicain » for the gayus
I promised you a well-kept secret. The media loves to paint poor LGBTQ+ people as fearful for their future under a Rassemblement National (RN) government. But rarely does it mention that a significant percentage of us vote FOR RN, often motivated by Islamophobia. Lesbians, in particular, have been increasingly siding with the far-right party. Wait for it: 30% of LGBTQ+ people announced their intention to vote for the far right in the first round of the 2022 Presidential elections, only slightly below the national average. A perverse consequence of an underdeveloped LGBTQ+ civil society has been the laissez-faire attitude of the community during this election cycle while everybody else is rushing to the barricades. The Gays are in good company, though; I read this week that CEOs are racing to build contacts with Marine Le Pen after recoiling from the radical tax-and-spend agenda of the rival left-wing alliance in the country’s snap parliamentary elections scheduled for the end of this month. Read this 2017 AP piece to understand how a third of LGBTQ+ people have become unexpected allies of their natural predators.
France (too): Macron throws trans people under the bus
Macron's recent condemnation of the Nouveau Front Populaire's proposal to allow gender changes at local town halls has sparked significant backlash from LGBTQ+ associations. Previously supportive of easing transition processes - something that the office of the UN Commissioner on Human Rights considers best practice - Macron's shift in stance, an obvious political strategy to flirt with conservative voters, has left many in the community feeling betrayed. I won’t comment as he remains my only chance for my way overdue Légion d’Honneur (I cannot count on Marine Le Pen, can I?), but LGBTQ+ Minister Clement Beaune showed courage in writing on X. You go, Glen Coco.
“For trans people, for LGBT people, for everyone … we must reject stigma in political discourse and promote equal rights,”
Gaza: Pinkwashing and the conflict
With no end in sight for the conflict in Gaza, The Guardian highlights this week how queer Palestinians are denouncing Israel’s 'pink-washing' strategy this Pride season. A November 2023 Instagram post by the Israeli government featuring a soldier with a rainbow flag amidst Gaza's rubble has become a symbol of the Israelis’ deliberate tactic to cover atrocities under a bright Pride flag.
Olympics: Lia Thomas Loses Legal Battle, Exits Paris
Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas has been ruled out of the Paris Olympics after losing a legal challenge against World Aquatics. The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld rules barring anyone who has undergone male puberty from competing in female categories. This decision hailed as a victory for women's sports by World Aquatics, received singularly little attention.
US News
Maryland: fear and loathing in Chestertown
My friend, journalist/global socialite Steve Clemons, was shocked to observe the ever-growing hate epidemic in the US intruding in his backyard. He reported this week in a Washington Note resurrected for the occasion that in Chestertown, four young vandals (his word, a little désuet but you get the point ) drove all over town, tearing LGBTQ+ flags off of the homes of people displaying them. They have now been identified and will be charged. Separately, he discusses the horrendous attack experienced by Columbia’s Ben Chang, who was violently assaulted by someone who told him to go back to his country (which happens to be the USA). It might sound anecdotal, but it is one of these situations in which we all feel it but are not sure it’s not our imagination or paranoia. Clemons puts it best:
The issue here is that hate is around us, whether in a big city or a small village, and we need to call it out.
Trumpism: Anti-Gay Paranoia and the American Public
While the Log Cabin Republicans enjoy their lovefest with Melania (see below in the gay agenda), former President Donald Trump’s stance on LGBTQ+ issues remains pivotal. Although Trump himself may not harbor deep-seated homophobia, he is acutely aware that many of his staunchest supporters, particularly Christian nationalists, view the LGBTQ+ movement as a subversive force. This alignment explains the seamless integration of anti-gay paranoia and election denialism among his base. A recent Gallup poll underscores this tension, revealing that only 41 percent of Republicans find same-sex relationships morally acceptable: this should be an alarm bell for our national organizations. In the NYTimes this week, political strategist Dick Wadhams also notes the "God hates Pride" email campaign likely served to galvanize this faction.
Delaware: Sarah McBride one step closer to Congress
The US is gearing up to have its first trans member of Congress elected this November as Sarah McBride's last Democratic political opponent figured out he was at odds with the times (read more in Time magazine). McBride is famously Biden's protégé; the Bidens are friendly with her parents. She is the daughter of Delaware attorney David McBride, who spoke about her life this week on this radio show. Last week, she received four standing ovations at the Equality PAC gala dinner in DC. Sewrependitously, Jennifer Coolidge did not show up to steal the show.
Christopher Street Subway Station Renamed
Late in this newsletter, I mentioned the events surrounding the grand opening of the Visitor’s Center next week. It will be staffed by park rangers to educate the public about the significance of the Stonewall Inn. The Christopher Street-Sheridan Square Subway Station in New York City will be renamed Christopher Street-Stonewall National Monument Station. Spearheaded by my friend Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblyman Deborah Glick, this development is amazing. See here.
The Right’s Next ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Target is Children’s Programs
The Hill mentions Ms. Rachel’s troubles this week. A wildly popular children’s content creator, she has become the latest target of conservative outrage. Ms. Rachel recently celebrated Pride Month with a heartfelt message: “I’m so glad you’re exactly who you are.” Oh, what a rooky mistake !!! These sent right-wing pundits like Matt Walsh into a frenzy, calling for boycotts, the guillotine and igniting a storm of online abuse. The attacks on Ms. Rachel sadly reflect a broader, insidious trend: the far right’s baseless claims that the LGBTQ+ community is “recruiting” children.
Queering the boardroom
Tomorrow, the inaugural 75 Top LGBTQ+ People in the Boardroom
Stay tuned; the Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors and BoardProspects collaborated on the June issue of Board Recruitment, which will be published tomorrow. It will list the top 75 LGBTQ+ people in the Boardroom. Follow my LinkedIn.
The Top 50 Queer Persons in Business
I love this list, which also includes many members of the Association, some of whom will attend our dinner here tomorrow night. Fast Company included Beth Ford, CEO of Land O'Lakes; Jen Wong, COO of Reddit; Sue Nabi, CEO of Coty; Roberta Kaplan, who needs no introduction; Tara Bunch, Global Head of Operations at Airbnb; J. Bob Alotta, SVP of Global Programs at Mozilla Foundation; Amy Errett, Founder and CEO of Madison Reed; Christy O'Gaughan, Chief Data Officer at GE Healthcare; the late Cecilia Gentili, Trans Activist; Liana M. Douillet Guzmán, CEO of Folx Health; Masha Gessen, Author, and Journalist; Lanaya Irvin, CEO of Coqual; Caitlin Kalinowski, Head of AR Glasses Hardware at Meta; Nancy B. Mahon, Chief Sustainability & ESG Officer at Estée Lauder; Shamina Singh at Mastercard; and of course my personal favorite Chantale Wong, U.S. Ambassador, and Executive Director to the Asian Development Bank.
Key LGBTQ+ moves in the boardroom
Amy Errett was appointed Board Member at Wild Salmon Center on June 15th. Robert Garrett Smith joins as an Advisor at The Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors, starting June 7th. Daniel N. Swisher Jr. has become Chief Executive Officer at NodThera, effective June 6th.
Please nominate an LGBTQ+ person for the NACD Awards
Until June 30, NACD has accepted nominations for its annual Directorship 100 awards, recognizing the most influential directors and governance professionals. It is critical to our mission that LGBTQ+ people be among the honorees. Please take a minute to write a submission here. Honorees will be recognized at the Directorship 100 Gala, which will be held on Monday, December 16, in New York City.
The strange excuses in the ASX pushback
The ASX Corporate Governance Council's proposal to expand diversity reporting to include race, sexuality, age, Indigenous heritage, and disabilities has received strange pushback from straight white women who should know better, like Diane Smith-Gander or the Governance Institute of Australia’s chair Pauline Vamos. They mentioned successively "box-ticking" culture, potentially imposing undue burdens on smaller companies, and the fact that D&O questionnaires are too long. Asking people about their identity and disclosing them is a no-brainer; Diane and
Pauline’s tired arguments are just excuses to delay what is now considered best practice and arguably information stakeholders should have had for a while. My advice: get on with the times or move out of the way.
The HKEX bad example
These comments are not insignificant. For example, in a very 1999 move, HKEX launched this week a new board diversity hub focused on gender, overlooking LGBTQ+ diversity. How do you think that makes me feel?
The gay business
Disney: Oh, that‘s so cute
Semafor reports that Disney and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointees to the governing district for Walt Disney World have buried the hatchet after the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District voted unanimously on Wednesday to approve a $17 billion development deal for the resort, two years after the company publicly opposed the state’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law. Interestingly enough, the news comes out the same week that we learned from the Orlando Sentinel that Disney, after a two-year hiatus, has started again doling out money to the Republicans who sponsored the anti-gay bill. I am not an investigative journalist, but you know who is? Spencer MacNaughton (link here) whose fundraiser is taking place this Monday.
Go woke, go broke
The video below is four years old, but it is still good…Similarly, in a recent episode of The Daily Show you can watch here., Jon Stewart criticized corporations for their performative support of social issues like Pride and Black Lives Matter. Stewart argued that companies often adopt progressive stances only when they benefit their profits, quickly retreating when these positions threaten their bottom line.
Corporate DEI: An Existential Moment for Change
In Bloomberg Law, Stacy Hawkins of Rutgers Law School argues that despite these attacks, DEI is not on the decline but instead evolving. Companies, she says, are shifting their strategies to address both right-wing accusations of "woke indoctrination" and left-wing critiques of superficiality. For instance, businesses are reframing DEI language to focus on broad opportunities rather than specific racial or ethnic benefits, and universities are pivoting from race-based admissions to highlighting applicants' experiences with race. I don’t know, sounds fishy, you decide … In the meantime, A group of Republicans, including Sen. J.D. Vance, introduced a bill that would ban diversity, equity, and inclusion programs within the federal government.
The semi-cultural desk
This one is dedicated to Keith Wetmore wherever he is
Politico reports Melania Trump is hosting yet another fundraiser for Log Cabin Republicans at Trump Tower. I am just going to leave this here.
Watch Adagio on Netflix
I will shift to it after finishing the Sharks in The Seine.
Watch Lost Boys and Faeries
What transpired at the Tony’s at Lincoln Center
I know you are more swifties than theatergoers, but Jonathan Groff won a Tony. You must have heard that. Here is his acceptance speech. To read more about all the queer's moments at the Tonys, go on PinkNews.
Rashad Robinson on Sing Sing
Here is a tip for happy living: listen to Rashad. Always do. This week, he posted on instagram, “Colman’s new film Sing Sing is so beautiful and important... well done!”
Please take better care of Ian McKellen
Ian, 85, lost his footing during a fight scene in “Player Kings” at a London theater yesterday. He is all we have left. If we are not careful, one day, “gay seniors” will mean Andy Cohen, Cynthia Nixon, and that vapid queer eye character whose name I can never remember.
"But We Loved" Podcast / Jordan Gonsalves
Last week, I met with the amazing Jordan Gonsalves, and I will publish my full interview shortly. Through intimate interviews with LGBTQ+ elders, Jordan uncovers the untold stories of queer history in a new podcast called “But We Loved.” In one of his latest episodes, Martin Boyce, who was part of the historic Stonewall Riots in June 1969, recounts the events of that night in detail and reflects on how his actions changed America for generations to come. A timely listen this week.
The Gay Agenda
HRC hosts Pride Celebration at VP Residence
I am personally grateful that Rose Montoya did not go topless. HRC hosted the annual Pride event at the Vice President's Residence. Pictures here.
June 27th: the Association at the NYSE
I will speak about Board Diversity with two of my favorite people in the Boardroom: Myrna Soto and James Cole Jr.
June 28th: the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center's grand opening
Join me in congratulating Diana Rodriguez and Ann Marie Gothard, whose ambitious vision will become a reality next week as President Biden unveils the SNMVC. The New York Times mentioned how the new visitors’ center at Stonewall National Monument will open on June 28, the 55th anniversary of the night in 1969. The center will be a focal point of the eight-year-old, 7.7-acre monument, including Christopher Park and several surrounding streets. I am so excited to be there for it next week and be able to tell the twins what happened.
June 28th, DNC's 25th Annual Pride Gala in NYC
That same night, I will see you at the DNC's 25th Annual Pride Gala, held in New York City and hosted by the Bidens (well, I am hosted by Jeffrey Marburg as is Alfredo Pelicci showing his eclectic taste in friends). The event will feature performances by Billy Porter, Wilson Cruz, and Ariana DeBose.
June 30th: We March !!!
Marching with the twins in New York is the highlight of my year. Passing the SNMVC with them this year will be particularly meaningful.
Coming and Going
Steve Lesike in Parliament
Our friend Steve Lesike was sworn in last week as a South African MP.
Bruce Bastian: Tech Pioneer and LGBTQ+ Advocate Passes at 76
Bruce Bastian, renowned for co-founding WordPerfect and his dedicated advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, passed away on June 16 at the age of 76. As a member of the Human Rights Campaign, Encircle, and Equality Utah, he championed LGBTQ+ rights, impacting numerous lives indelibly. Our community will profoundly miss Bastian's philanthropic efforts and commitment to inclusivity. In the Blade.
Well, that’s it for this week. Apologies for the 1 hour delay; I was tempted to sleep in because I am flirting with burnout and send this by noon PST rather than EST, but that’s not the kind of gay I am. I am a run-of-the-mill pathological type A approval-craving overachiever, gay for better or for worse. I celebrate Juneteenth, though, so I will close my computer for the rest of the day. I drew myself a bath, and before I start a biography of Frederick Douglas, I will be watching Under Paris - a viral Netflix movie about a fictional Shark in the Seine - wishful thinking for grumpy Parisians disgruntled about the Olympics disruption or an allegory for the country politics of chaos, who knows?. If you feel frustrated by this newsletter, let me leave you with this poem by W.B. Yeats, recommended by the wise Krishna Omkar (the LGBTQ+ Yoda really), titled « The Stare’s Nest in My Window.»
We had fed the heart on fantasies,
The heart’s grown brutal from the fare,
More substance in our enmities
Than in our love; oh, honey-bees
Come build in the empty house of the stare.
Regarding the concern about pinkwashing in Gaza, this goes both ways. It is not difficult to understand anyone's concern for Palestinians in Gaza, but it is difficult to comprehend the utilization and even misappropriation of pride in campus protests, when it comes without any expression of concern about the specific concerns and disproportionate risks that LGBTQI+ people face from especially harsh persecution by Hamas.
An example to illustrate this can be found in the recent statement of our friends at ILGA, addressing Gaza ahead of the Human Rights Council session which began on Tuesday. You would be hard pressed to find any statement from ILGA on any other situation that doesn't involve specific concerns about LGBTQI+ people (i.e., you'll find more statements about homophobic legislation in Uganda or similar situations with specific concerns for LGBTQI+ people etc.). Worse yet, while addressing Gaza, ILGA doesn't take the opportunity to address the specific threats to LGBTQI+ people, beyond the general population, only noting in one word that they are criminalized. The World Congress of LGBTQ+ Jews expressed some concerns about ILGA's statement here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C8QOaGoq9LP/?igsh=MTQ4YzFia3Mwc2lvbQ==