Fabrice Houdart | A weekly newsletter on LGBTQ+ Equality
This Week: Entrapment in Egypt, shameful Tunisian trial, Tyre Nichols, vilifying Gigi Sohn, new books from BEE & Kenji Yoshino, the movie “Close”, trying ChatGPT, & a new gay anthem..
This week: Entrapment in Egypt, a shameful trial in Tunisia, the murder of Tyre Nichols, the vilifying of Gigi Sohn, BEE and Kenji Yoshino’s new books, the movie “Close”, trying ChatGPT, the “Please, these gays” anthem and more…
Global News
Egypt: the sad entrapment game
The BBC reports that Egyptian security forces are continuing to entrap gay men online. General Sissi gets a free pass from France and the US on his awful Human Rights record as a strategic ally in the region. LGBTQ+ issues are a pawn for his regime to cater to conservative forces.
"We recruited police in the virtual world to uncover the masses of group sex parties, homosexual gatherings."
France: the tragic story of Lucas
Homophobia kills. And, yes, we must talk about it at school. Lucas, 13 years old, hanged himself in early January after being bullied “for several months due to his homosexuality.” His persecutors are now tried for "harassment resulting in death.” Read more about it here. I checked “Salon Beige,” a rightwing online outlet (see their take on it), and here was a comment:
“Maybe if this poor kid hadn't had to endure at school the LGBTQ++ propaganda [he][...] would continue to innocently play with his buddies watching the girls.”
China: war in 2025? The central LGBTQ+ issue
The category remains… uplifting news. A US Air Force general predicted that the US will be at war with China by 2025 (see here). That’s tomorrow by the way. A clamp down on LGBTQ+ civil society makes a peaceful reunification with Taiwan even more of a pipe dream. Our community seems oblivious to what’s at stake: InterPride canceled Taiwan WorldPride last year fearful of a geopolitical blowup (read more about it here).
Germany: acknowledging LGBTQ+ victims of Nazism
This year’s Holocaust memorial commemoration was an important milestone in LGBTQ+ history as the Bundestag dedicated it to queer victims. The president of the lower house noted in his speech that queer survivors "long had to fight for recognition". Read Enrique Anarte’s article.
Vatican City: interpreting the Pope’s innuendos
That’s a difficult exercise. Fr. James Martin asked for clarification on the criminalization comments and received a letter from the Pope (see here) which attenuates the “sin” part. In the meantime, the Pope has moved on and is touring DR Congo and South Sudan. As a side note, this newsletter was quoted in America Magazine by Michael O’Loughlin (see here).
Tunisia: stop the shame trial
Civil society organizations report that the Court of Appeal in Nabeul city set February 6 for the appeal on the outrageous ruling issued by a lower court in Grombalia city. The decision was to imprison “Maya”, a transgender woman for three years based on Article No. 230 which criminalizes homosexuality. Tunisian authorities should ensure that Maya and the others arrested in this case be released and acquitted. Read more on Sham’s Facebook page.
US News
Tyre Nichols’ murder at the hands of Memphis police officers
Nichols, a black twenty-nine-year-old FedEx worker and aspiring photographer with a four-year-old son, was beaten to death in Memphis by Police officers. The US debate on racism and police violence got reignited when the “George Floyd effect” was clearly fading. I liked this piece in the New Yorker titled “The Police Folklore That Helped Kill Tyre Nichols”.
FCC: the Gigi Sohn saga takes an ugly turn
Gigi Sohn, a prominent lesbian who was (re) nominated to the Federal Commission on Communications by Biden, is being particularly vilified in the past few days (see Daily Mail) and portrayed as a radical by right-wing pundits in order to derail her nomination. Sohn, who would be the first LGBTQ+ Commissioner (pictured below with her partner), terrifies cable companies because of her potential stand on net neutrality and broadband justice as outlined in TechDirt’s thorough analysis. The Victory Fund has been coordinating a response to the attacks asking for her swift confirmation.
The Rainbow Book Bus of Eric Cervini
LGBTQ+ Historian extraordinaire Eric Cervini and his partner are taking a “Rainbow Book Bus” throughout the South as an act of resistance to the book bans frenzy. Sometimes it really feels like 1939 around here. Read more about it here.
Utah bans Gender-affirming care for minors
Chris Geidner wrote on his Substack about the new Utah law. He reports that “the final version of the bill signed into law bans surgical procedures for all transgender minors and creates a “moratorium” even on hormone therapy treatment for minors ...” The New York Times reminded us that this is only the first battle in a larger war: the majority of Americans oppose gender-affirming medical care for minors.
The Boardroom
Artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, and smoke and mirrors
I asked ChatGPT to write a poem on LGBTQ+ Board representation. The result was at first glance impressive but very light on substance: you tell me. It reminded me a lot of a scheme that preceded the creation of the Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors: “smoke and mirrors”. Our enthusiasm for ChatGPT could be misplaced too. When it comes to any human endeavor, improving Board Diversity or LGBTQ+ inclusion, pretentious verbiage and virtue-signaling should at least be accompanied by hands-on hard work.
The latest on the fight against “woke Wall Street”
Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services were questioned by Republican attorneys general from 21 states last month on their “woke”/ESG agenda”. In their response letter dated January 31st - they make a clear link between Board diversity and shareholder value:
“We will consider supporting reasonable, well-crafted proposals to broaden a board’s composition including, for example, to increase board diversity where there is evidence a board’s lack of diversity led to a decline in shareholder value.” (emphases added)
Korn Ferry believes the CHRO profile is en vogue
I like to joke that the CFO or CEO requirements in Board opportunity specs are synonyms for “one of us please”. Korn Ferry feels that CHROs are now in high demand.
LGBTQ+ Business
Tiernan Brady: the man who won marriage equality on two continents
In the Sydney International Herald, an interview of our friend Tiernan Brady, head of DEI at Clifford Chance: “the man who won marriage equality on two continents, tells this story” a reference to his leadership roles in both the Irish and Australian marriage equality referendums. There is something special about the architects of mariage equality like Evan Wolfson or Tiernan because to build bridges in our society, you must be something else. As Tiernan says:
“There is no other side; there is just one society where you’re having a conversation and trying to persuade people. Today’s opponent can be tomorrow’s advocate, if you’re smart and respectful in how you engage.”
Yoshino’s new book: a courageous guide for courageous conversations
DEI books can be awfully preachy so it was refreshing to read Kenji’s new book which is coming out on February 7: Say the Right Thing: How to Talk About Identity, Diversity, and Justice”. This week as I was typing my comment on Tyre Nichols’murder, I was reminded of the simple principles he outlines.
From the semi-cultural desk
Two documentaries by gay filmmakers make headlines
My friend Ryan White directed Netflix’s ‘Pamela, A Love Story,’ on Pamela Anderson’s life (read about it here) while Frederic Tcheng, the chic fashion-designer documentary filmmaker (“Halston”, “Dior and I,” or “Valentino: The Last Emperor”), co-directed with Bethann Hadison a film about Hadison’s life as model-turned-activist (read about it in Vogue). I happened to run into Frederic and Bethann filming at our “Design on A Dime” benefit last year.
HBO’s “the Last of Us” super-gay episode
LGBTQ+ people celebrated Sunday night’s episode featuring a post-apocalyptic gay love story. Bill’s character was gay in the original videogame making the whole “why did they make Bill Gay?” controversy annoying to many. Imagine the Twittersphere nervous breakdown when they learn that Ellie is a lesbian. My brilliant tweet on the matter was overlooked but the New York Times got it right as usual:
“What follows is a beautiful, exquisitely performed exploration of The Last of Us‘ central theme: that the ashes of the world are enough, as long as there is someone to live for amongst them,”
Close: beautiful but heartbreaking
I watched Close the latest movie by Lukas Dhont who previously gave us Girl, after it painfully made its way from Cannes to the US. Close is not a queer movie but highlights how homophobia and toxic masculinity are self-inflicted wounds not only for LGBTQ+ people but for all of society. Mandatory watching, there will be a quiz. Trailer here.
Ozon’s “Peter Von Kant”: a clever play on Fassbinder
“Peter Von Kant” (read the Washington Post review here) mixes both Fassbinder’s 1978 movie "The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant” and Fassbinder’s own life. A piece of trivia: Salim is inspired by El Hedi Ben Salem, a Moroccan Berber who had a complicated relationship with Fassbinder and acted in three of his movies, including "Ali: Fear Eats the Soul” before meeting a rather tragic premature death. Trailer here.
Xavier Nolan is over you but still produced a series
Xavier Nolan can’t stand making movies for you anymore as he told Le Figaro last week but he has a new TV series out (watch the trailer here) “the Night Logan woke up”.
Brett Easton Ellis new novel: Shards
I credit Brett Easton Ellis for my decision to move to the US to come out in the early 2000s. I had read French translations of “Less than Zero” and “the Rules of Attraction” which included gay characters that were neither pathetic nor degenerate so I packed up and left. For those who know the story, I cried at the airport (read reflections on the anniversary of my move). Logically, I just bought BEE’s new novel “Shards” which is almost 600 pages long. Not sure if this is compatible with my single dad lifestyle and math homework. Here is the New York Times review.
The Baby Cop newest religious freedom martyr
This former policeman wants the right to oppose same-sex relationships on social media. Jacob Kersey, 19, quit the Port Wentworth Police Department in Georgia earlier this month because his hierarchy gave him a warning about his social posts. His tweets are tiresome.
George Santos gets demoted
From “US News” to the bottom of the “semi-cultural desk” because I am really over this shady character. A crack has appeared in his BS armor and he’s stepping down from the Science Committee and the Small Business Committee he had been appointed to. #Boring. On the other hand, the Washington Post’s Dan Zak had a great piece on Robert Zimmerman, Santo’s competitor, who - even more infuriatingly - is a decent, honest, and qualified man.
You MUST listen to this: it will make your day
A little anthem: please these gays, they are trying to kill me: here. The New York Times says everybody is listening to it at the club (is there still a club?). I take such pleasure in the rare instants where I feel a part of the mainstream culture.
The Gay Agenda
3rd class of Queering International Development
Yesterday my Georgetown students heard from Clifton Cortez, the World Bank Global Advisor on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. It was a wonderful opportunity to take a trip down memory lane to the early days of 2011. It is hard to believe but before that date, very few LGBTQ+ initiatives existed mostly led by Swedish organizations RFSL and SIDA. A true testament to our capacity to foster change. Next week trans activist Rikki Nathanson will join us.
The launch of Fabrice Houdart Consulting
Last week our friends at Offit Kurman, P.A. and Candace Dellacona hosted in New York the official launch of Fabrice Houdart Consulting, the firm I set up with my business partner Stephen Smith in June to help guide companies on the treacherous road of marketing, communication, and inclusion around #LGBTQ+ issues globally. As a plus, for lack of a babysitter, my sons joined the event and even wore jackets. Among the guests,JP Morgan’s Justin LaCoursiere, Ann Marie Gothard, Gaingels’ Brandon Parkes, Girish Ganesan, Amit Paley, Rob Smith of the Phluid Project, Matthew McMorrow who had opened earlier that day NYC’ $11bn train station, Professor Lev Sviridov, our very own Chiqui Cartagena, the dapper Toby Usnik, Tom Garruto and of course Joseph Taiano. See pictures here
April 30th - The 519 Gala in Toronto
The 519, created in 1975, is one of the leading LGBTQ+ community centers in the world. Join their 2023 gala here.
Coming and going
A virtual job in Canada
This is Canada week for this newsletter. Dignity Network Canada, which focuses on global LGBTQ+ rights, is hiring for a new position! This is a great opportunity for someone who loves networking, collaboration, and international LGBTQ+ human rights at a point when Canada is taking a leadership role on the topic.
Apply to join Outright’s Advocacy week, May 8-17
Every year Outright hosts LGBTQ+ activists from around the world for a week of high-level meetings & activities at UN Headquarters in NYC. If you are or know a global LGBTQ+ activist who would benefit from joining the 2023 Advocacy Week from May 8-17, they can still apply here.
Join the Point Foundation’s mentorship program
Learn how YOU can provide life-changing support for LGBTQ students at this link.
That was really a lot for this week. It’s heavy on (semi) culture because I had a leisurely weekend. Please share this newsletter with your network and see you next week.