Fabrice Houdart | A weekly newsletter on LGBTQ+ Equality

This week: demonstrations in Argentina, Fidesz polls poorly, Spain’s DEI law, HRC's demise, the erasure of gender identity, surveying YOUR mood, things to look forward to, and much more…

Viktor Orbán and Javier Milei face backlash in Hungary and Argentina, a reminder that nobody escapes the political pendulum. History shows that it swings back toward the center. Meanwhile, in Spain—a thriving European economy that outpaced its peers and the U.S. GDP growth in 2024 - new law now mandates LGBTQ+ inclusion initiatives for all companies with more than 50 employees. Americans are resolutely on the other side of the pendulum. LGBTQ+ people are powerlessly watching the administration dismantling the inroads they had painfully achieved in agencies with USAID or the Department of Education. The very notion of “gender identity” has been erased even though trans individuals have always been part of humankind. At the same time, the resistance appears to struggle, as illustrated by the DNC meeting last weekend or the fate of HRC. It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings, though: Republicans seem to have forgotten (again) about hubris.

This week: demonstrations in Argentina, Fidesz polls poorly, Spain’s DEI law, HRC's demise, the erasure of gender identity, surveying YOUR mood, things to look forward to, and much more…

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Global News 🌍🏳️‍🌈

Argentina: Demonstrating Against Milei

Despite the Boston Tea Party legacy, marching in the streets is not America’s first pick. Americans don’t like walking. Hopefully, mass demonstrations and civil disobedience will return, though; it is a powerful way to send a warning to those who overreach. Argentinians took to the streets in Buenos Aires (watch THIS; it will cheer you up) and other cities, including 20 cities abroad, to protest President Milei’s demented speech at Davos (watch it below if you haven’t yet), where he likened homosexuality to pedophilia and announced plans to remove femicide from the penal code. Clad in rainbow flags and carrying banners that read “rights are not negotiable,” LGBTQ+ groups, unions, and political organizations rallied against the government's "economic violence, political persecution, and sexual repression." Milei's administration tested people’s patience by dismantling the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and slashing funding for historical memory initiatives. Sounds familiar? Read about it in the Blade.

Hungary: Victor Orban Behind In the Polls

In Eastern Europe, another leader is feeling the heat. A new Publicus poll reported by Europe Elects (see on X) shows Hungary’s opposition alliance, TISZA-EPP, leading with 42%, ahead of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz/KDNP-PfE, which stands at 37%. This is a positive sign in Hungary’s political landscape, as Fidesz has dominated elections for over a decade under Orbán’s nationalist and authoritarian-leaning rule. TISZA, a relatively new party, has rapidly gained traction, reflecting growing public dissatisfaction with corruption scandals, economic struggles, and Hungary’s strained relationship with the EU. Orban’s opponent has asked for early elections (they are currently planned for 2026).

Spain: New LGBTQ+ Workplace Equality Law Takes Effect

As many U.S. companies bend the knee and roll back LGBTQ+ workplace protections, Spain is moving in the opposite direction with Decree 1026/2024. The law, now effective, requires all companies with over 50 employees to implement clear, enforceable policies such as anti-harassment protocols, inclusive hiring and promotion policies, and specific training on LGBTQ+ rights. The law treats LGBTQ+ equality as a fundamental right and a corporate responsibility, as it should. As a reminder, Spain's economy outperformed its eurozone peers in growing by 3.2% in 2024, compared to 2.3% for the U.S.

World Bank: Could It Be Next On The Chopping Block?

The dismantlement of USAID is terrible news for our movement. Another key development organization, which has only started to work on LGBTQ+ economic inclusion, on the chopping block is the World Bank. Knowing the organization, we can expect it will, at the very least, tone down its nascent engagement on the topic to avoid attention from the oligarchy. Father James Martin summarized in a compelling tweet why the current administration does not understand development aid:

Indonesia: 56 Arrested at "Gay Sex Party"

Metroweekly reports that Indonesian police arrested 56 men at a private gathering in Jakarta, labeling it a "gay sex party" and charging the event’s organizers under the country’s broad anti-pornography law, which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison. While homosexuality is not illegal in most of Indonesia, LGBTQ+ people remain frequent targets of police raids and persecution, with authorities using vaguely defined morality laws to justify crackdowns. With a new penal code set to take effect in December 2025, activists fear further criminalization of LGBTQ+ individuals under laws restricting extramarital sex and cohabitation—effectively making same-sex relationships illegal.

France: Candace Owens Sees Trans People Everywhere

As mentioned on LCI, the French are thoroughly annoyed by Candace Owens's peddling misinformation about the gender identity of our First Lady. Look at this surrealistic TikTok video. I lost thirty minutes in a rabbit hole discovering the nauseating universe of Candace Owens and her husband: who are these people? do they really exist? how did we produce these people who are convinced they are good Christians and yet behave in duplicitous ways? The cognitive dissonance is astounding.

I would stake my entire professional career on the fact that Brigitte Macron, the current first lady of France was born a man

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US News

The Return Of The Competent White Men

In a 1995 Time Magazine article, the author quipped: “Competent white men should be hired over less competent women and minorities; otherwise, sooner or later, the trains won’t run on time, and the planes will fall from the sky.” Ironically, what was written 30 years ago is now a serious political conversation: talk about regression. Darren J. Beattie, a Rubio appointee at State, wrote on X that:

Competent white men must be in charge if you want things to work.

Trans People Get Targeted Further

Trans people and their allies were busy demonstrating at hospitals across the country against Trump’s Executive Order on youth trans care yesterday. The WSJ claims that President Trump is preparing to issue an executive order today to effectively ban transgender girls and women from participating in female sports events in schools and colleges. I am no scientist, but trans athletes seem to be the last thing Americans should worry about. And as CNN boldly reminded us today:

Out of the approximately 510,000 athletes who compete across the NCAA, fewer than 10 are known to be transgender, NCAA President Charlie Baker told a Senate panel last year.

The Democrats Continue To Struggle

Besides Jamie Radksin, who has been saying the right things all week, the Democrats seem overwhelmed by the administration's multi-pronged assault. And this weekend's meeting showed that the DNC had not learned much since November. As The Atlantic’s Jonathan Chait lays out, the party’s leadership spent more time tangled in the legalese of gender balance rules and celebrating activists than addressing why voters rejected them. The DNC appointed the very experimented David Hogg as its co-chair. Chait points out an enduring disconnect: Americans prioritize the economy, healthcare, and immigration, while they believe Democrats are fixated on abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, and climate change. Chait concluded that when a protester screamed, "I am terrified!" she wasn’t the only one.

Hogg’s takeaway from the 2024 presidential race is that Democrats lost because they failed to rally the youth vote with a rousing message on guns, climate, and other issues favored by progressive activists.

Human Rights Campaign Cuts Out 20% of Its Staff.

Bloomberg recently quoted HRC’s CEO as saying the backlash on its corporate equality index is a “blip,” and yet the “blip” has affected its “financial landscape.” HRC is laying off 20% of its workforce, citing financial strain despite having over $70 million in combined revenue. Leadership insists the cuts will help the organization "sharpen its focus" on schools, workplaces, and political advocacy. Some might wonder if alternative cost-cutting measures—perhaps in top executive compensation -which Michael Petrelis called attention to a month ago —could have preserved more jobs. The organization’s timing feels tone-deaf, but the community did not react, which is telling.

Tulsi Gabbard’s Weird Anti-LGBTQ+ Sect Connection

As Donald Trump pushes to install Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence (DNI), The Wall Street Journal explored her deep ties to the homophobic Science of Identity. Gabbard’s association with the sect which doubles up as a pyramid scheme and whose leader, Chris Butler, reportedly demanded followers consume his toenail clippings as a sign of devotion—has raised legitimate concerns about her judgment. Newsweek wrote in 2024:

In the 1980s, Butler had written that same-sex desires are bad, and he called bisexuality an uncontrollable "sense gratification." The New Yorker reported he warned the progression from bisexuality was pedophilia and bestiality.

A New McCarthy-Era Climate In Academia

According to The Boston Globe ("Trump’s Orders Stun College Campuses as He Follows Through on Promise to ‘Attack the Universities,’” Jan. 30), elite schools like Harvard and Northeastern are scrambling to remove DEI language from their websites, and researchers are left uncertain about the future of their work. A temporary halt on NIH grant reviews has further destabilized academic institutions, while threats to revoke the visas of foreign students who participated in pro-Palestinian protests signal a broader crackdown. 

U.S. Funding Freeze Threatens Global LGBTQ+ Rights

I wrote this week on how the global LGBTQ+ movement does fit well under MAGA’s narrow foreign policy objectives. Yet, it is dismantling years of work and, in the process, treating devoted development practitioners horribly: “To uproot them and call them back to Washington like criminals while dealing with families and logistics is cruel.” Outright International is sounding the alarm on the devastating impact of the cuts on international funding for LGBTIQ rights. If your organization has been affected, share your story by taking Outright’s anonymous survey here.

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Surveying YOUR mood

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The Gay Business

Shape the Future of LGBTQ+ Inclusive Finance

The Global LGBTQ+ Inclusive Finance Conference, hosted by Koppa at Mastercard’s NYC Tech Hub on October 9-10, will bring together financial leaders, policymakers, investors, and entrepreneurs to advance LGBTQ+ economic inclusion. If you're a professional in finance, policy, or LGBTQ+ advocacy, kindly share your insights on the Conference design in this survey. You’ll get my eternal gratitude.

A Philanthropy Fund for LGBTQ+ Communities Launched in India

A groundbreaking Pride Fund has been launched in India to tackle the chronic underfunding of LGBTQ+ organizations. My friends Radhika Piramal, Parmesh Shahani, the Godrej Group, and Keshav Suri spearheaded the initiative to provide sustained and structured financial support to queer-led NGOs nationwide. Read more |Download “Against All Odds” Report

The Myth of Meritocracy vs the Reality of LGBTQ+ Exclusion

In The New York Times, David French argues that Trump’s efforts to “restore meritocracy” entrench a different kind of favoritism that rewards ideological loyalty and/or family ties over valid qualifications. Indeed, what a coincidence that the extended Trump family also happens to be the best picks for top jobs. The whole debate is unnerving. Despite LGBTQ+ individuals representing a significant portion of the population, they remain vastly underrepresented in top executive roles. True meritocracy is about breaking down the barriers that have long privileged a select few while denying others a fair shot.

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The semi-cultural desk

Leo Woodall Charms Again in Apple TV+’s One Day

If you fell for Leo Woodall’s roguish charm in The White Lotus Season 2, you won’t want to miss him in Apple TV+'s new thriller "Prime Target.” Woodall portrays Edward Brooks, a queer Cambridge postgraduate whose groundbreaking research into prime numbers entangles him in a perilous conspiracy. Trailer below:

Plainclothes (2025): Desire, Deception, and the Cost of Repression

Carmen Emmi’s feature debut, Plainclothes, is in the news after its Sundance premiere, blending queer noir with a searing critique of 1990s entrapment tactics against gay men. Starring Tom Blyth as Lucas, an undercover cop assigned to lure and arrest men for “lewd conduct,” and Russell Tovey as his unwitting target. The movie is inspired by real-life police stings and Emmi’s reckoning with repression. See this snippet on instagram.

What to Read: Philippe Besson’s Engrenage Fatal

I mentioned last week that I cried watching “Lie With Me” based on Besson’s “Arrête avec tes mensonges.” After years of not crying, this has been the blessing of my mid-forties. Philippe Besson’s new novel, Vous parlez de mon fils, explores school bullying and the devastating impact of online harassment. The story follows Hugo, a 14-year-old boy tormented by his peers and his parents’ desperate yet futile attempts to protect him. Drawing from his own experiences, Besson paints a chilling portrait of how social media amplifies cruelty, often leaving victims with no escape.

The Karla Sofía Gascón Saga

"Emilia Pérez" star Karla Sofía Gascón went from Oscar darling to persona non grata faster than you can say "tweetstorm." After snagging 13 Oscar nominations, including Best Actress, Gascón's past offensive tweets resurfaced, featuring jabs at Muslims, George Floyd, and even the Oscars themselves. Netflix promptly distanced itself, leaving her Oscar dreams in tatters. Gascón's apologies did little to quell the backlash, proving that your past can haunt you, which is why YOU (and I) can never run for office. See in Variety.

Two Dads, One Mouse

In a development that might make conservatives clutch their pearls, Chinese scientists have successfully bred a mouse from two male parents—and apparently, the fact that it made it to adulthood is a big deal.

The Case for Unplugging from Queer Dating Apps

In OUT magazine, Alexander Cheves makes a compelling case for stepping away from queer dating apps, arguing that the spontaneity, risk, and pleasure of real-world cruising are being lost to digital convenience. Grindr’s latest push toward AI-assisted matchmaking, as detailed in The Wall Street Journal in October, where CEO George Arison envisions a future where chatbots play wingman, was the last straw for him. Cheves argues that these apps, once radical tools for queer connection, have become data-hungry corporations, surveilled spaces, and—too often—sources of alienation.

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Coming and going

Charles Moran Steps Down as Log Cabin Republican President

Strange timing… After five years at the helm, Charles Moran announced his departure as President of the Log Cabin Republicans. He will remain in his role until a successor is appointed.

Ireland: Jerry Buttimer appointed Junior Minister

Congrats Jerry. Out Cork TD Jerry Buttimer has been elevated to junior ministerial rank in the Departments of Transport and Rural and Community Development.

Georgetown’s GHD Internship Program

The graduate program in international development at Georgetown University, Global Human Development (GHD)—where I taught—funded summer internships for at least 10 weeks of full-time work overseas from June to August. They provide a living stipend and cover the cost of roundtrip economy class airfare or a living stipend for US citizens. Examples of previous summer internships can be found here. You can see the roster of first-year students here.

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The Gay Agenda

February 12: LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion In US vs. India

Pride Circle and Koppa are hosting a crucial webinar exploring the ripple effects of recent US policy shifts on LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion in India. With US multinationals deeply embedded in India's corporate fabric, will there be a contagion effect? I’ll discuss these challenges with Zainab, Zoya, and moderator Ramkrishna! 🌍🏳️‍🌈 Register here.

February 19: The Cost of Exclusion

At 11:00 a.m. EST on the 19th, join me and an incredible lineup of speakers for Egale Canada’s virtual panel on The Cost of Exclusion: Why LGBTQ+ Representation in Leadership Matters. I’ll speak alongside M.V. Lee Badgett (Chief Economist at Koppa) and Mitzie Hunter. Register here: egale.ca/cost-of-exclusion.

May 17: IDAHOBIT 2025: Celebrating the Power of Communities

The IDAHOBIT 2025 theme, “The Power of Communities,” is timely, focusing on collective action and solidarity. ILGA suggests you browse through ideas on how to mark the day, access resources, and register your event

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Well, that’s it for this week. Sorry for the one-hour delay. The newsletter is a bit longer than usual for obvious reasons. It’s an unpleasant time, and I like to remind myself that my life was never guaranteed to be exempt from geopolitical turmoil and regression. Getting both engaged and distracted is my advice. I went to see Luna Luna at The Shed on Sunday, and I am excited by the upcoming White Lotus III (out on Max on February 16). Here is another movie I plan to watch this weekend: “Companion” (see trailer below).