Fabrice Houdart | A weekly newsletter on LGBTQ+ Equality
This week: the queerest DNC convention, meeting Audrey Tang, book bans in the UK, comply or explain on NASDAQ, Harley-Davidson caves in, Emilia Perez, Gladiator II, remembering Phil Donahue, & more...
Good morning from Chicago, where I am spending my third day at “the gayest US Democratic convention in history.” I have been running on five hours of sleep, so I am not sure this will be the most coherent newsletter, but I count on your indulgence.
This week: the queerest DNC convention, meeting Audrey Tang, book bans in the UK, comply or explain on NASDAQ, Harley-Davidson caves in, Emilia Perez, Gladiator II, remembering Phil Donahue, & more…
Live from the DNC Convention
The queerest convention ever
I had a good reason for leaving my UWS garden behind this week (besides, the twins are having a blast at camp in Pennsylvania, and I felt orphaned): America is at a turning point with potential global ripples. While LGBTQ+ presence on stage has been strangely timid, it is huge in the arena, hallways, and dancefloor. Between the Equality PAC, HRC, and Victory Fund bashes here, LGBTQ+ organizations have been reminding the crowd that the fight is intersectional. In particular, Kelly Robinson co-hosted a great party last night with Planned Parenthood. LGBTQ+ celebrities in Hollywood, including Billy Porter, Wilson Cruz, Dana Goldberg, Zachary Quinto, and Bruce Cohen, have also been lending a hand to the Harris-Walz ticket. Last night, Annise Parker told us this convention had the most LGBTQ+ delegates ever recorded (17% of delegates identifying as LGBTQ+, up from 11.5% in 2020), among them my friend Melissa Klarz (New York), who drove up after her flight was canceled, New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal or rising Delaware star Sarah McBride. One estimate is that the TGNCNB cohort is close to 50 delegates. My impression from roaming the halls is that this number is higher. The Victory Fund called on LGBTQ+ delegates to wear pink tonight, which might help highlight our incredible engagement in this convention. DNC Vice Chair Henry R. Muñoz III and the wondrous Claire Lucas are also prominent behind the scenes, and Randi Weingarten, President, AFT, was the star of the first LGBTQ+ Caucus meeting. On stage, though, as I mentioned, we are much less visible, and only Roberto Garcia got a speaking spot so far, and it wasn’t prime time. At the parties, I ran into Special Envoy Jessica Stern, Amb. Chantale Wong, Gov. Jared Polis, political heavyweights Steve Elmendorf, and Fred Hochberg. As for the media, Steve Clemons is everywhere; yesterday, I stopped by my friend Ari Shapiro’s booth and Brian Derrick’s lair, thanked Michelangelo Signorile for his kindness with this newsletter, and ran into Imara Jones walking in the Victory Fund event last night. The mood was buoyant in the arena last night, and as I stepped out during the roll call, I ran into Andy Tobias, Stuart Kurlander, Tim Warmath, and Jeffrey Marburg. In the corridors, many gays showcased cautious optimism, acknowledging that it would remain a tight race until the end and that we should continue fighting like the underdog. America still needs to learn more about Kamala’s policies. The comment I heard the most is that we learned in the past five weeks that things can change quickly.
Mobilizing the gay vote
The queer vote, particularly young people, has tremendous potential. I wrote about Isaac James’s OutVote efforts last week: he and his partner Ronen Miao are everywhere at this convention. Kelly Robinson is also working hard to mobilize the 75 million “Equality Voters.”
Honey, I Shrunk the Gays (2024)
What struck me the most is that … every single gay white guy above 30 at the convention is on Ozempic. It’s like a school reunion where everybody has been divided in two. No wonder the convention has beef with big pharma: the gays need that drug price to go down fast. I only hope that Ozempic isn’t a dark ploy by the Illuminati to get rid of our community: it has already shrunk it in half.
Global News
Taïwan: Meet Audrey Tang if you haven’t
Last week, the Guardian had a long piece about Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s first transgender cabinet minister, a renowned civic hacker, and genius, leading a global effort to use technology for social good. Her work, from combating misinformation to pioneering participatory democracy platforms, is rooted in open-source collaboration and inclusivity. Tang’s approach to digital governance—focused on transparency, trust, and broad listening—has transformed Taiwan’s response to challenges like COVID-19 and electoral integrity. Tang’s latest book, Plurality: The Future of Collaborative Technology and Democracy, is a must-read.
UK: a book ban problem
Knowing the UK also struggles with book bans will warm American hearts who might have felt alone. The Independent reports that LGBTQ+ books are being banned from UK school libraries following complaints from parents. Over half of the school librarians surveyed by Index on Censorship reported being asked to remove LGBTQ+ literature, with some complying due to fear of losing their jobs. Titles like This Book Is Gay by Juno Dawson, and ABC Pride have been pulled from shelves, sparking concerns from MPs, charities, and authors who warn that this censorship represents a regression in LGBTQ+ rights and risks harming young people who need to see themselves represented in literature.
WHO: Resurgent Mpox Outbreak in Africa
In response to the alarming resurgence of mpox cases in Africa, the World Health Organization has raised its global health alert to the highest level. This follows the detection of a more lethal strain of the virus, which has rapidly spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to neighboring countries. The outbreak, transmitted mainly through sexual networks, has caused nearly 1,500 deaths since 2022. The recent spike in anti-LGBTQ+ laws is going to make prevention even more difficult.
Unlike with heterosexuals, the overall population of gay and bisexual men has within it a smaller group that engages in behaviors that can sustain an mpox outbreak outside of Africa, Klausner wrote in a commentary in The Lancet Microbe
Qatar: Manuel Guerrero Aviña is out of jail, and the country
Manuel Guerrero Aviña, the gay British-Mexican national who was detained in Qatar earlier this year, is apparently out. Guerrero Aviña, who lived in Qatar for seven years, was arrested in February 2024 following what he describes as a “Grindr sting.” He endured 44 days in prison, struggling to access his HIV medication while facing intense interrogations focused on his sexual orientation rather than the drug charges he denies. After being convicted, given a suspended sentence, and fined, Guerrero Aviña was deported.
US News
Florida’s Official Tourism Site Quietly Erases LGBTQ Travel Section
In a petty and antagonistic move, Florida’s official tourism website, VisitFlorida.com, has quietly removed its "LGBTQ Travel" section, erasing content highlighting LGBTQ-friendly destinations, events, and travel tips across the state. The removal, which occurred in the last four months, is another silly attempt at marginalizing Florida's many queer visitors, especially as the site continues to maintain sections for other minority groups. Homophobia is always a self-inflicted economic wound, and Florida would be crazy to think their economy can withstand our increasing dissatisfaction with these constant provocations. Read more on NBC News.
Queering the Boardroom
Key LGBTQ+ movements in the Boardroom
Congratulations to our friend Michael Norton on his recent appointment as an Advisory Board Member at Biosphere Corporation. Richard Socarides, who serves on the board of the Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors, also joined a new board: Silent Falcon UAS Technologies. Eric Crombez, M.D., is now a Board Member at Abeona Therapeutics Inc.
PDA: NYC Luncheon on September 12th
Join me on Thursday, September 12th, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM EDT at Capital Grille in Midtown as I attend my first Private Directors Association’s New York City Neighborhood Luncheon. This is an excellent opportunity to network with fellow PDA members and guests. Members: $90 | Non-Members: $115
The NASDAQ companies “explaining” their lack of diversity
Most companies meet the low threshold of NASDAQ diversity requirements, but a few have had to justify ultimately lacking diversity on their board. Read this fascinating piece on the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance. Some, like Groupon, cite transitional phases. In contrast, others, such as American Coastal or Atlantic Real Estate Finance, improbably claim they could not find candidates who meet diversity goals and board needs. They must not have tried hard enough, as the Association did not get a call. The response that irked me the most was the following lame excuse by Oxford Square Capital *eye roll*:
“Consistent with our belief that an inquiry into those areas would represent a violation of those prospective Board members’ privacy, questions regarding those subjects were not asked during the recruitment or interview process and did not form a basis for the selection of the Company’s Board members.”
Would the Board be different if it had LGBTQ+ people?
I was interested in this Fortune article on Intel's latest challenges, emphasizing the risks boards face when choosing the wrong CEO, especially repeatedly. The semiconductor giant’s recent struggles are a textbook case of the “four wrong CEOs” theory, which suggests that no company can survive four consecutive poor leadership choices. Following the legendary tenure of Andy Grove, Intel cycled through four CEOs—including Bob Swan and Paul Otellini—who made critical missteps, like missing out on opportunities with OpenAI and the iPhone. The board’s decision to bring back Pat Gelsinger signals a high-stakes rescue mission. Still, it’s a reminder that the ultimate responsibility for a company’s decline often lies in the boardroom’s hands and that homogeneity and clientelism in the boardroom are not just a missed opportunity; it is risky:
This topic also raises the issue of corporate boards, whose most important job is making sure the company always has the right CEO. Why don’t they do that? An eminent advisor to boards told me that “boards are wimps.”
The gay business
Harley-Davidson caves in
I have been driving a Triumph for years after I gave up my Ducati Monster in 2019 (Ducatis, like Italian men, age poorly), but I was also hoping to get a Harley once I made it in life (the clock is ticking I know), well, no more! Companies like Harley and Tractor Supply live in a strange world where farmers and motorcycle riders are all straight and cisgenders. They are in for a rude awakening. Harley-Davidson announced it is discontinuing all DEI initiatives after facing backlash from anti-diversity critics. The company revealed it has not had a formal DEI program since April 2024, and it no longer maintains hiring quotas or supplier diversity goals. Harley-Davidson also stated it will no longer participate in Human Rights Campaign (HRC) scoring and plans to remove socially motivated content from its employee training materials. The decision comes after conservative commentator Robby Starbuck criticized the company for being “woke.”
Semi cultural desk
Jarren Duran’s jersey sales up since his homophobic comments😳
Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran has seen a surprising spike in jersey sales, but not for his stellar 2024 performance, just for calling a baseball fan a “f*got.” His outburst, directed at a heckling fan, led to a two-game suspension and an apology from Duran and the Red Sox. Shockingly, his jerseys quickly sold out online following the incident, reflecting how we lose the hearts and minds battle in some places. Fox News is delighted.
George Santos expected to plead quickly
Former New York Congressman George Santos, who notoriously fabricated much of his background to secure his brief political career, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and identity theft. Facing up to six years in prison and over $570,000 in restitution, Santos admitted to stealing identities, including those of his own family, to funnel donations into his campaign. His lies, ranging from claims about his work history to fabrications about his heritage, eventually led to his expulsion from Congress. This piece in The Guardian is a nice trip down memory lanes into the many lies of Santios.
The Gay Body Image Obsession: From Hollywood to Instagram
If you missed this piece by Mike Harris in The Times. Gay men have traditionally internalized the pressure of the male-on-male gaze, but today, the pressure to have the perfect body is universal, thanks to social media and Hollywood. Films and TV shows continue to showcase unattainable physiques, reinforcing these ideals. Despite claims of progress, body image issues remain deeply ingrained, revealing that while cultural norms may evolve, the anxieties they generate persist, hence the “Ozempic convention.”
Karla Sofia Gascon in Emilia Perez
Karla Sofia Gascon, starring in Emilia Perez (watch the trailer below, a seven on IMdB), embodies a personal and professional transformation narrative in the movie that mirrors her life. Once known as Carlos Gascon, her journey from being typecast in limited roles to leading a groundbreaking film speaks to the power of redefining one’s identity. Emilia Perez, a genre-defying film blending music, comedy, and drama, offers a compelling reflection on themes of gender, identity, and societal expectations—topics that align with Gascon’s transition experience.
The Return of Gladiator
I would call that a gay-adjacent piece of news. Twenty-four years after the first Gladiator, Ridley Scott is back with a sequel and a new cast of stars. Paul Mescal takes on the role of Lucius, the son of Maximus, while Pedro Pascal steps into the armor of a Roman general. The release date is November 13th.
A New Era of Power Lesbian Fashion Redefines Style for Everyone
At Pelosi’s party yesterday, I noted that Becca Balint was wearing a very lesbianish vest. Aol writes about the evolution of “power lesbian” fashion has ushered in a bold, playful, and gender-fluid aesthetic that’s catching the eye of women across the spectrum of sexuality. No longer confined to the rigid power suits of the past, today’s style icons like Kristen Stewart, Janelle Monáe, and Reneé Rapp mix traditionally masculine elements with feminine touches.
Coming and going
Remembering Phil Donahue: A Legacy of LGBTQ+ Allyship
Phil Donahue, who passed away at 88, was a monumental ally of the LGBTQ+ movement. His 1990 show dedicated to ACT UP featured iconic activists like Larry Kramer, Ann Northrop, Mark Harrington, Robert Garcia, and Peter Staley, marking a significant moment in public awareness of the AIDS crisis. Donahue's support extended beyond airtime; his early financial contributions helped sustain GLAAD during its formative years, and in 1982, he hosted one of the first national TV discussions on AIDS. See NPR.
The Gay Agenda
September 10: 50/50 Women on Boards Global Summit
I am thrilled to participate in the 50/50 Women on Boards Global Summit on September 10 in New York! Join me and colleagues Heather Marie Spilsbury, Jennifer Reynolds, and Ozzie Gromada during the Power of Partnerships: Driving Boardroom Diversity. To learn more, see here.
Well, that’s it for today; before continuing the DNC festivities, I am sashéing to Steve Clemons’ event Good Trouble: America's Youth, Career-Tech Ed, and a Healthier Economy. I leave you with this picture of my valiant efforts to blend in the arena last night.
I am a believer in the fact that Mpox does not exist and we are being told crap from drug companies which WHO is paid lots.
of dirty money to.
Oh it came from monkeys really.