Fabrice Houdart | A weekly newsletter on LGBTQ+ Equality
This week: Chocolate activism, Thailand's marriage equality, China's silent battles, Ghana's countdown, Hungary's hypocrisy, the Gentili controversy, a tragedy in Oklahoma, the NASDAQ legal battle…
Welcome back to the latest installment of your Wednesday noon (this time live from my 2024 Asia Tour) beacon of all things significant and stimulating in the LGBTQ+ sphere. This week, we're taking you on a global and domestic journey through the ebbs and flows of LGBTQ+ rights, the intersection of identities with culture, policy, and society.
This week: Chocolate activism, Thailand's marriage equality, China's silent battles, Ghana's countdown, Hungary's hypocrisy, the Gentili controversy, a tragedy in Oklahoma, the NASDAQ legal battle…
Notes from my Asian expedition
Another bittersweet Valentine’s Day in Japan
I haven’t gone on a date for a while, so I did not mind spending the most romantic day of the year in Tokyo with my wondrous children. In addition, local LGBTQ+ activists had decided to turn Valentine's Day into a meaningful statement for equality so it felt perfect. Distributing chocolates at Shinagawa Station (see here), they marked five years since initiating a historic legal fight for same-sex marriage rights in Japan—the only G7 nation without any form of same-sex union. Despite widespread public support, the conservative government's resistance benefiting from some complacency has delayed progress. More than a dozen couples have courageously filed lawsuits in the country. Amidst the bustling morning commutes of Tokyoites, the chocolate resistance campaign was a reminder that the fight for equality perseveres, one sweet gesture at a time.
But much progress in the region
We arrived this morning in Singapore for Outright International’s Board Meeting. The country's decision to decriminalize gay sex, juxtaposed with its constitutional amendment to safeguard the traditional definition of marriage, illustrates the complex, often contradictory, landscape of LGBTQ+ rights in the region. Southeast Asia appears to be warming up to the idea of same-sex marriage. In an unanticipated move, Thailand is leading this charge, with its parliamentarians, including those from the military, showcasing bipartisan support for marriage equality. The societal consensus, with a staggering 96.6 percent of Thais allegedly in favor of the move, is mind-blowing. Yesterday, the Prime Minister also ordered the long-awaited gender identity law to be expedited. These developments are part of a broader, albeit inconsistent, trend in the region towards recognizing LGBTQ+ rights. For example, Vietnam acknowledged in 2022 that homosexuality is not a disease, despite its ambivalence towards same-sex marriage legality - after the hilarious video I included below. Finally, here is a sad snippet I heard today:
In China, you don’t get shot in the street, but you get shot in your mind
Global News
Ghana: a Strange Effort to delay anti-LGBTQ+ Bill Fails
At this point, local activists welcome any effort to delay the anti-LGBTQ+ bill from passing, even the fear of turning penal institutions into paradoxical havens of homosexuality. That was the desperate argument of Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who pointed out the gay elephant in the cell: punishing LGBTQ+ offenders with jail time might turn the country’s prisons into a government-sponsored sodomy afterparty. The fact that some believe Ghanaian jails are immune to same-sex relationships in the first place proves how delusional the country is when it comes to homosexuality. Unfortunately, pressure to push the bill forward (see here) is so immense that even these efforts failed:
The issue before us is behavioral, and it is my humble view that in dealing with behavioral matters, incarceration is not the solution. To jail a person for his/her sexuality will not be the solution to maintaining our Ghanaian family values and ensuring proper human sexual rights.
Ghana (too): Anti-LGBTQ+’s Bitter Aftertaste for Chocolatiers
Do you know who will never purchase homophobic cocoa? Willy Wonka and the Oompa Loompas (cue to Hugh Grant’s dance here). The potential boycott of the main Ghanaian export could leave a bitter taste in the mouths of chocolatiers such as Hershey, Mars, Nestle or Blommer. With Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire at the heart of the world's cocoa production, supplying three-quarters of the global demand, the implications of such legislation stretch far beyond LGBTQ+ people, threatening the livelihoods of millions of farmers and the sustainability efforts of the $128 billion chocolate industry. The industry, already scrutinized for its environmental and ethical practices, might face more difficulty when the horrendous law passes. The gays failed at boyvotting Equinox because it kept them in shape, chocolate bars that’s a different story.
Europe: where next?
After the celebrated approval of same-sex marriage by Greece last week, where will progress will come from next in the region? There is still room for progress on equality. Some European countries only allow civil unions; this is the case for Italy, Cyprus, Croatia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. Six other countries do not recognize any form of official union for homosexual couples: Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, and Poland. These six countries, as well as Croatia, ban marriage for same-sex couples in their constitutions. See more details here. Hopefully, they understand the very clear signal of Greece evolution on the topic.
Hungary: Orban’s family values
Surprise, surprise, Viktor Orban's 'family values' are very selective. A presidential pardon aimed at covering up sexual abuse in a children's home has sparked a public outcry against Orban's ruling party. This affair has already led to the downfall of two of Orban's political allies. Amidst this storm, Orban juggles a constitutional amendment, the hunt for a new presidential candidate, and the upcoming challenge of European parliament elections. The man who once vowed to protect Hungary's youth from the perils of 'Western liberalism' now faces accusations of condoning sexual abuse in educational facilities. This could very well bring Orban down once and for all. Read about the sordid scandal here.
US News
Gentili: Saintly send-off ruffles feathers
In a twist befitting a modern-day parable, Cecilia Gentili’s final act at St. Patrick's Cathedral ended up stirring a national debate. Choosing the cathedral's grandeur as the stage for Gentili's farewell, friends and family celebrated a life of fierce advocacy with a joyous defiance that ruffled ecclesiastical feathers. The fantastic pictures in Vogue did not move the Archdiocese of New York, which decried the "scandalous behavior" from feathery red dresses to eulogies branding Gentili as "Saint Cecilia, Mother of all whores". The overreaction gave Gentili’s funeral the media coverage it deserved. The Archdiocese went as far as to lament the "deceptive" ceremony, challenging the church's self-proclaimed openness in a tweet. Gentili’s send-off blended a sacred traditions with the rainbow hues of rebellion, reminding us that we are all both saints and sinners.
Supreme Court: old man shouts, “Get off my lawn!”
This week, Justice Alito, always unafraid of appearing regressive, threw some shade at Obergefell v. Hodges. He warned us of a dystopian future where those determined to remain prejudiced against homosexuals might be branded as bigots by the government. God forbids! Where does that leave the freedom to discriminate at the heart of the U.S. constitution? Read about it in the New York Times.
[The appeals court ruling] exemplifies the danger I anticipated in Obergefell v. Hodges. Namely, that Americans who do not hide their adherence to traditional religious beliefs about homosexual conduct will be ‘labeled as bigots and treated as such’ by the government
Oklahoma: The Tragic Death of Nex Benedict
In a heart-wrenching development, the tragic death of 16-year-old non-binary student Nex Benedict following an assault in an Oklahoma school restroom has sparked a nationwide conversation on the safety and rights of transgender and non-binary students in schools. As the legal team from ACLU of Oklahoma and Lambda Legal calls for a thorough investigation into the school's response to the altercation, the tragedy of Nex Benedict serves as a grim reminder that the inflammatory rhetoric and discriminatory legislation targeting transgender youth in the U.S., which is politically motivated, has real consequences.
Alabama: your frozen embryos should get a bedtime
In Alabama, a Supreme Court ruling has classified frozen embryos as "children," stirring significant concerns within the fertility care sector (see in the Washington Post). This decision emerged from a lawsuit involving three couples who had undergone In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatments and sought to sue for wrongful death after their frozen embryos were destroyed. The ruling, which reverses a lower court's dismissal, is seen as a direct challenge to the practices surrounding IVF, potentially impacting the state's fertility clinics and specialists. Critics argue that such legal interpretations could drastically elevate the costs and legal risks associated with IVF, possibly leading to clinic closures and a migration of fertility specialists out of Alabama. This development is particularly alarming for the LGBTQ+ community, many of whom rely on IVF for family building. The ruling not only questions the fundamental rights to fertility care but resumes the broader national debate on reproductive rights and the definition of life.
Queering the Boardroom
Renewed attack against NASDAQ Diversity Disclosures
Reuters reported yesterday that the full US appeals court has decided to take another look at the Nasdaq board diversity rule requiring disclosure of Board composition. With the conservative-leaning 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stepping into the fray, the directive faces renewed accusations of enforced quotas. Nobody has asked the opinion of the Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors, but the disclosures are a positive move towards more transparency that benefits shareholders. Don’t you think Charter Communications investors should know that 14 of its 15 Board members are men for example? Isn’t it going to catch up with the company at some point?
May 17th: ringing the bell for LGBTQ+ Equality
In an ambitious move to promote LGBTQ+ equality within the financial sector, the Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors has reached out to the Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Initiative to support the dozens of LGBTQ+ organizations working on the "Ring the Bell for LGBTQ+ Equality" event scheduled on May 17th, the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT). This global initiative, which wants stock exchanges worldwide hosting opening or closing bell events, aims to spotlight the critical importance of diversity and inclusivity in the business landscape, particularly within the global financial markets. By rallying for a more inclusive economic environment, this collaboration seeks to leverage the power of financial institutions to uphold and celebrate LGBTQ+ rights, encouraging the integration of LGBTQ+-friendly policies across the financial sector.
The Gay Business
Adobe employees discontented with Florida's selection
Business Insider reports that hundreds of Adobe employees are voicing their concern over the decision to relocate the flagship MAX conference from its traditional California setting to Miami Beach—a state they describe fostering a "hostile" political climate. This resistance materialized through a 10-page petition boasting over 500 signatures, underscores a growing tension between corporate decisions and employee values. The petitioners are urging Adobe to reconsider the move, highlighting Florida's controversial policies on race, LGBTQ rights, and gender-affirming care as fundamentally at odds with the company's proclaimed ethos. I never understood what anybody ever saw in Miami in the first place.
The semi-cultural desk
Brain and gender: Stanford Medicine in dangerous waters
A new Stanford Medicine's groundbreaking study is under scrutiny. By employing an AI model with a staggering 90% accuracy rate in distinguishing between male and female brain activity scans, Stanford Medicine's research ventured into the contentious waters of sex-specific brain patterns and neuropsychiatric conditions that manifest differently across genders. The New York Post immediately rejoiced: Men’s and women’s brains do work differently, new research proves. However, critics from the LGBTQ+ community question the study's implications for trans and non-binary individuals, highlighting a potential oversight in the inclusivity of the data sets. The study's silence on whether the brain distinctions it identified are innate or shaped by societal pressures further fuels the nature versus nurture debate. As this dialogue unfolds, it underscores the delicate balance between scientific exploration and its interpretation in the context of gender identity, reminding us of the complexities within our brains and the society we navigate.
My Little Pony vs. the Russian Empire
Rather than the kleptocracy, Navalny’s murder, or a bloody war, little ponies named Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rarity constitute real risks to the future of Russia. The Moscow police recently shut down a My Little Pony fan convention, Mi Amore, over allegations of promoting LGBTQ+ propaganda. Despite the absence of any illegal activities, the organizers decided to conclude the event earlier than planned, following police intervention based on a complaint that accused the event of promoting "non-traditional relationships and related symbols, adult content for minors, and general horror and darkness." No comment. Impressed by all these achievements, the Belarus vassal indicated this week it had prepared a similar bill banning "abnormal relationships, pedophilia, and the voluntary refusal to have children ».
Russia: books removed from Megamarket
Russia's Sberbank has confirmed the removal of over 250 book titles from its online marketplace, Megamarket, in compliance with the country's laws against "LGBT propaganda." The banned list, initiated by the Association of Internet Trade Companies (AITC) in December 2022, features classics and contemporary works alike, such as Oscar Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray," Haruki Murakami's "Norwegian Wood," Fyodor Dostoyevsky's "Netochka Nezvanova," and several titles by Stephen King. Despite the ban, some readers have reported that titles like "The Picture of Dorian Gray" and "Norwegian Wood" remain accessible on Megamarket, highlighting inconsistencies in enforcing the ban. “Judo: History, Theory, Practice” by Vladimir Putin, remains available too.
The Gay Agenda
February 29th: ALBEI’s launch in Australia
The Australian Association of LGBTQ+ Board and Executive Inclusion (ALBEI), spearheaded by influential figures such as Mark Baxter, David Anthony, and David Brine, ALBEI, aims to address the significant underrepresentation of LGBTQ+ individuals in Australian boardrooms. In collaboration with Pride in Diversity, ALBEI is leveraging years of data and insights to advocate for meaningful change. The initiative’s launch event is planned at Corr’s offices.
Well, that’s it for this week; it’s a bit slim, but jetlag is brutal at my age. My children, on the other hand, are like fish in the water marveling at functional infrastructure, subway manners, and an overall appetite for community living.
Thank you for your writing. I enjoy getting a more worldwide view of the LGBTQ world.
Thanks Fabrice. I was looking forward to reading about China's silent battles but they were too silent to find in this newsletter. At the UN they've become more visible against gender equality, including LGBTQI+ equality. For example, last year they supported an amendment to remove a reference to sexual orientation and gender equality from a resolution on elections. To me this looks like opportunism, to score cheap points with conservative countries, as I mention in my recent blog post:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/countering-98440144