Fabrice Houdart | A weekly newsletter on LGBTQ+ Equality
This week: the next German chancellor, crackdowns in Tunisia and Indonesia, Androgynous Idiots strike back in the US, the “CEO of everything gay,” athleisure vs. the boom boom vibe, and much more…
Do you hear queer people sing? Our community is growing tired of being 2025’s political scapegoat, as illustrated by Carla Antonelli’s fiery speech in Spain’s parliament this week. In the U.S., LGBTQ+ actors and allies in the cultural space, like Hunter Schafer, Pedro Pascal, and Jane Fonda, struck back this week, conveying the message that we have had enough. LGBTQ+ people are responding to attempts at erasing us from public life and business with action—boycotts (and buy-ins), legal battles, and organizing off-the-grid networks. This week, I finally saw signs of civil disobedience, defiance, and cultural backlash everywhere. After all, the annual Gallup survey just found that nearly one in ten U.S. adults now identifies as LGBTQ+; that’s a lot of people to antagonize and disrespect—Vive la résistance.
This week: the next German chancellor, crackdowns in Tunisia and Indonesia, Androgynous Idiots strike back in the US, the “CEO of everything gay,” athleisure vs. the boom boom vibe, and much more…
Global News
Spain: Trans Senator Asks Conservatives to “Leave Us Alone!”
Spain’s first openly trans senator, Carla Antonelli, confronted right-wing lawmakers over their attacks on trans rights. “Do you not feel any shame at all for trying to erase a historically persecuted group of people?” she demanded, calling out the far-right Vox party for its relentless opposition to LGBTQ+ protections. Antonelli, a longtime activist and former actress, has been a trailblazer in Spanish politics. Her impassioned plea was shared widely on social media by LGBTQ+ Americans still struggling to find their voice in the new context. Read more in Attitude.
Germany: Friedrich Merz on LGBTQ+ rights
Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germany’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and likely the next chancellor, has a mixed record on LGBTQ+ rights. While he opposed same-sex marriage when it was legalized in 2017, he has since stated he would not seek to reverse the law. His stance on same-sex adoption evolved in 2021 when he acknowledged that some LGBTQ+ couples may be better parents than heterosexual ones (some? The scrutiny alone means we consistently outperform). However, his past comments have sparked controversy, notably a 2020 remark that was widely criticized for conflating homosexuality with harm to children, for which he later issued a partial apology. Read more on PinkNews.
Tunisia: Escalating Attacks on LGBTQ+ Activists
Damj – The Tunisian Association for Justice and Equality – warns that Tunisian LGBTQI+ activists and organizations are facing a dangerous crackdown following a Queer Conference on January 31. They have been the target of an intense digital smear campaign, inciting violence and calls for its dissolution (see Amnesty’s article). The repression has escalated with over 84 community members arrested and trans activist Mira Ben Salah facing doxxing, threats, and harassment by both online actors and law enforcement. Media outlets have fueled hostility by framing queer activism as a national threat. DAMJ President Yosra Boudiaf said:
This regime seeks to erase us, but we refuse to disappear. Our communities demand not just survival, but liberation.
Netherlands: Make Holland Great Again
It’s not just the US that’s ditching crucial international aid :) The Dutch government, historically a key funder for LGBTQ+ rights globally, is shifting its development aid policy to “prioritize national economic and security interests.” A massive €2.4 billion annual budget cut will reduce aid from 0.62% of GNI in 2024 to 0.44% in 2029 because generosity is so 1999. Funding for gender equality programs, UN Women, and higher education in Africa will be eliminated, while climate-related aid will be significantly reduced. Instead, assistance will focus on water management, food security, and migration control, with stronger ties to Dutch businesses. The Netherlands will continue providing humanitarian aid but cut funding for organizations like UNICEF and the UNDP by 50%. See here.
Indonesia: Gay Men Sentenced to Flogging
In 2023, the Tourism sector contributed 4.1% of the Indonesian GDP, generating USD 15 billion in revenue. That’s why being gay isn’t the actual crime—being Indonesian and gay is. I mentioned here the police crackdown on a “gay party” a few weeks ago. In Aceh, two young gay men were now sentenced to brutal public floggings. And just a few islands away in Bali, LGBTQ+ tourists sip cocktails on Seminyak’s beaches with little fear of persecution.
UK: Stonewall Faces Job Cuts Too
Stonewall UK is bracing for significant staff reductions as it was, unknown to me, a recipient of the U.S. Global Equality Fund. The UK-based charity, which has received over £500,000 from the fund in recent years, is now undergoing an internal consultation that could see up to half of its workforce cut. CEO Simon Blake warned that without alternative funding, key international projects—like those supporting LGBTQ+ communities in Eastern Europe—may be at risk. See on the BBC.
US News
LGBTQ+ Identification in the U.S. Hits Record High
A new Gallup survey finds that nearly one in ten U.S. adults now identifies as LGBTQ+, a figure that has almost tripled since 2012, with Gen Z leading the charge. More than half of young LGBTQ+ adults identify as bisexual, and the percentage of transgender respondents has more than doubled since 2020. One question remains: how did we not parlay our demographics into real power? Read more here.
LGBTQ+ Federal Workers Are Back in the McCarthy Era
Federal employees who are LGBTQ+ or involved in the DEI scarecrow are bracing for a government-wide purge reminiscent of the infamous Lavender Scare of the 1950s. A recent directive from the Office of Personnel Management has ordered agencies to prohibit employee resource groups (ERGs) that focus on “unlawful DEIA initiatives,” raising the alarm among queer federal workers who fear retaliation simply for seeking workplace community (back in my DC days, I attended every GLIFAA party, well it’s now going underground). Reports indicate that employees in agencies such as the USDA and the Department of the Interior have been asked to disclose the names of ERG leaders and some DEI-affiliated employees have already been placed on administrative leave or fired. The chilling effect is already palpable—LGBTQ+ networks within the government are going dark, scrubbing contact lists and advising members to safeguard their employment records. Read more at Mother Jones.
Black Leadership In Turbulent Times
In a Gay Times column, Eliel Cruz examines the rise of Black executive directors at major LGBTQ+ organizations—including HRC, the Trevor Project, and GLSEN—at a time when the U.S. movement faces unprecedented financial and political challenges. Cruz discusses deep funding cuts, layoffs, and a backlash against DEI efforts that threaten to undermine their work. He questions whether these leaders are being given the resources to succeed or bearing the burden of fixing systemic failures.
What Democrats Are Getting Wrong About Transgender Rights
Masha Gessen argues here this week that Democrats are miscalculating the political stakes of transgender rights. She claims many Democrats are retreating from the issue, falsely treating it as separate from reproductive rights. But as Gessen points out, the right’s obsession with controlling trans bodies is rooted in the same anxieties that have long driven reproductive restrictions: the fear of lost fertility, the enforcement of rigid gender roles, and the desire to police who can reproduce. Gessen warns that abandoning trans rights now could come at an irreversible cost. I’d be anxious (like most LGBTQ+ Americans), but GLAAD reassuringly stated this week that:
While Republicans have erected a trans “boogeyman” to fear-monger and divide people, [...] It’s not successful.
Queering the boardroom
March 6th: LGBTQ+ Board Excellence, What’s Next?
The NACD Northern California Chapter hosts a virtual discussion with Beth Sasfai, Vanessa Ruda Seiden, and yours truly on LGBTQ+ leadership in corporate governance. We will discuss topics such as LGBTQ+ representation across industries, governance challenges, and the role of diverse directors in high-performing boards. Register using this link.
A Little Survey For You
Are you currently serving on a Corporate Board or actively seeking your first seat? The Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors has a quick survey for you to complete.
The Gay Business
The DEI Tightrope: Finding the Right Balance in Corporate Messaging
Legal experts Kenji Yoshino, David Glasgow, and Christina Joseph outline best practices for navigating the strange landscape in a new Harvard Business Review piece. They discuss framing diversity goals, hiring practices, and training programs without triggering legal pitfalls. Their key message? Silence isn't the answer, but neither is carelessness.
SCOTUS Takes on "Reverse Discrimination"
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in Ames v. Ohio Dept. of Youth Services this morning, challenging the legal standards for so-called "reverse discrimination" claims. Marlean Ames, a heterosexual woman, alleges she was unfairly passed over for promotions in favor of less qualified gay colleagues. Lower courts dismissed her lawsuit, ruling that she failed to prove her claim against an employer “that unusual” for discriminating against a majority group. Now, SCOTUS will decide whether such heightened evidentiary standards for majority-group claims should stand—potentially paving the way for more lawsuits challenging diversity-driven hiring.
Apple Walks the DEI Tightrope
Apple shareholders overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to scrap the company’s DEI programs, signaling continued corporate resistance to Trump-era attacks on diversity initiatives. However, CEO Tim Cook acknowledged that Apple may have to tweak its approach as legal challenges mount, stating that while its commitment to inclusivity remains firm, compliance with evolving laws might necessitate adjustments. Can Apple still obtain DoE contracts with DEI programs in place? See in The Post.
The semi-cultural desk
JD Vance Redefines Masculinity
America is exploring its artificial masculinity crisis in the oddest ways. This week, its shiny new Vice-President had concrete advice for young men: “…don’t allow this broken culture to send you a message that you’re a bad person because you’re a man because you like to tell a joke, because you like to have a beer with your friends, or because you’re competitive.” The gays were not consulted for this prescription, but I would have had additional suggestions, like more mud-wrestling, reinstating gang showers at the gym, and watching old cowboy movies.
Was Athleisure America’s Problem All Along?
Did America’s woes start with athleisure rather than an unwritten ban on having beer with friends? Possibly. That was the late Karl Lagerfeld’s theory. The NYTimes warned us a few months ago that Hakeem Jefferies’s shoewear would be the downfall of democracy. Indeed, nothing says societal decline like swapping tailored elegance for drawstring waistbands and sneakers with everything. This theory made its way into The Atlantic, which had a fantastic feature on the perfect suit, and the New York Times one about copying Ted Danson’s look in “A Man on the Inside.” It’s all part of the Boom Boom vibe: impeccably curated excess—think silky Tom Ford shirts unbuttoned just so, perfectly tailored trousers that suggest but never scream, and loafers that cost more than your rent (even in the courtroom), all effortlessly draped over a body that’s spent hours pretending not to try.
Hunter Schafer, Pedro Pascal, and Jane Fonda say it like it is :)
Hollywood is incarnating la résistance. Hunter Schafer—known for Euphoria and The Hunger Games—called out the Trump administration after discovering that her new U.S. passport had been changed from female to male without her consent: “A letter on a passport can’t change that, and f*ck this administration.” See her TikTok video here. As for Pedro, whose sister Lux is trans, he wrote, “I can’t think of anything more vile and small and pathetic than terrorizing the smallest, most vulnerable community of people who want nothing from you except the right to exist.” And Jane said: “C’est pas fini, les conneries?” (I paraphrase).
Benito Skinner and “Overcompensating”
In Vanity Fair, Comedian Benito Skinner, best known for his online alter ego Benny Drama, is stepping into a new era—this time, on television. In the article, Skinner reflects on his journey from closeted teen in Idaho to viral internet sensation and now the star of Overcompensating (Prime video, which does not have a premiere date yet), a semi-autobiographical dramedy about a high school football player struggling with his sexuality.
Tristan Schukraft vs. The Fire Island Gays
Tristan Schukraft dubbed the “CEO of Everything Gay,” is making waves with his $17 million purchase of the Fire Island Pines commercial district. As The Wall Street Journal recently highlighted, Schukraft sees himself as a cultural preservationist, reviving LGBTQ+ landmarks from The Abbey in West Hollywood (I went there) to Circo in Puerto Rico (I didn’t). But his vision of luxury, embodied by his Tryst Hotels brand, has some longtime Pines devotees worried. Ah, Fire Island gays— always on brand - blissfully unaware of the latest assault on trans rights and LGBTQ+ inclusion in business but deeply distressed over summer vibes…
Also….
JVN lost weight. And the new documentary “The Callers”.
Coming and going
Dylan Mulvaney in the NYTimes
In a profile of Dylan, the NYTimes describes how, after years of sharing her transition journey with millions online, Dylan Mulvaney embraces a new chapter with more boundaries. The trans influencer and performer, once at the center of a nationwide Bud Light boycott (remember the Bud Light controversy? Those were the good ol’ days), now sees privacy as a luxury worth cultivating. In her upcoming memoir, Paper Doll: Notes From a Late Bloomer, she reflects on the highs and lows of her meteoric rise.
Sam Altman Is a Dad
That’s good news for everybody. Maybe he’ll be more interested in the long-term consequences of AI. Just kidding, billionaires are immune to it all.
The Gay Agenda
ILGA Asia
The ILGA Asia Conference 2025 will take place February 25–29 in Kathmandu, Nepal. It unites LGBTQ+ activists, policymakers, and allies to strategize for equality across the region.
March 17: Navigating the LGBTQ+ Funding Crisis
On March 17, at 10 AM EST / 3 PM CET, the Global Philanthropy Project (GPP) will host a grantmakers-only webinar titled Moving from Shock to Action: How Philanthropy is Responding. With at least $105M in funding cuts hitting the Global South and East, this session will explore urgent short-term responses and long-term strategies for sustainability.
October 21-25: ✈️ IGLTA 2025 Global Convention Palm Springs!
The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA) is bringing its 2025 Global Convention to Palm Springs, California, from October 21-25, uniting 2,000+ LGBTQ+ and allied tourism professionals from 40+ countries to advance inclusive travel. I skipped Osaka this year - or maybe I wasn’t invited - but plan to stay in their CEO’s West Coast mansion in October. Register now to secure your spot!
Well, that’s it for this week. I hope you are practicing self-care as instructed. I watched Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy—because sometimes, after a week of political absurdity, corporate backpedaling, and civil rights under siege, you only need a charmingly chaotic British woman reminding you that dating Leo Woodall at 50 is still possible. If Bridget can survive heartbreak, public humiliation, and the perils of aging in a world obsessed with youth, so can I.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this newsletter are solely my own and do not necessarily reflect those of any organizations, institutions, or individuals mentioned.