Fabrice Houdart | A weekly newsletter on LGBTQ+ Equality
This week: Lebanon in retrograde, decriminalization in the Caribbean, a French outlook on America's future, London Pride, the Association of LGBTQ+ Directors, the LGBT Great 100, and much more…
Welcome to my new weekly equality news digest, where I share important (and less important) news, updates, and commentary about the global LGBTQ+ equality movement at the intersection with business.
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Global News
Lebanon got me so upset…
Minister of Interior Bassam Mawlawi canceled Pride events leading to the well-publicized destruction of a (gorgeous) rainbow floral display in Beirut (watch the shocking video), and he also sent an unnecessarily reactionary missive. In it, he vilified LGBTQ+ people as perverts and a danger to society (see my translation here).
Following calls spread on social media to hold parties and events to promote sexual perversion in Lebanon, given the negative effects of this phenomenon on the individual and the society…"
In a post, I explain how his homophobic outburst might have more to do with the political and economic context than the cultural context (read my conclusions here). I also call on the IMF to send a warning to Prime Minister Mikati not to scapegoat minorities to distract from the crisis. Human Rights Watch also called out the illegal canceling of Beirut Pride this week.
UAE's pressure on Amazon and FIFA's questionable choices.
The New York Times reports that the UAE asked Amazon to block LGBTQ+ products, including books, on its platform. Censorship comes on top of criminalization and frustrates social change. A reminder of the baffling FIFA decisions for holding the World Cup in UAE in 2021 and Qatar in 2022. International sports competitions are about inclusion, and host countries with poor human rights track records should show signs of progress. FIFA and sponsors such as Coca-Cola's hollow reassurances on human rights are not helping.
Antigua and Barbuda's High Court: criminalization is unconstitutional.
This is a big deal as the Caribbean represents enough votes at the United Nations to provide us with a comfortable majority over time. Yesterday, the High Court of Justice for Antigua and Barbuda ruled that Sections 12 and 15 of the Sexual Offences Act are unconstitutional. Let me add a nod to our visionary friends at OutRight Action International, who supported local activists in this fight. Read ECADE's press release.
United Nations: renewal of the IESOGIE mandate.
The Serpentine bar (if you know, you know) was in turmoil today as the vote for the renewal of the strategic Independent Expert mandate got brought up from Friday to Thursday. The renewal will go through, but our opponents (think Russia, Belarus, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and.. the Vatican - I will let you determine what these nations have in common) have introduced numerous antagonistic amendments. Keep your eyes on Geneva for once. Also, read this article by Arvind Narrain on whether or not we can now count on a supportive India (I believe they abstained last time).
Asia: leveraging economic power for change.
APCOM just released videos about a three-year project with Micro Rainbow International Foundation, supported by VOICE Global, engaging the Asian Development Bank and the private sector. It showcases successful efforts to leverage the power of the private sector outside of the Americas/Europe. Watch the videos here.
London: a MILLION people at Pride.
Over a million people participated in the biggest London Pride ever this weekend. That was inspiring. Read about it here.
France: chemsex, the great taboo.
I was interested to see this article about chemsex in Lille (auto-correct proposes “chemise”, no that’s not it, in fact the contrary), a major northern French city, because it ravages our community and is scarcely discussed in the US and Europe.
US News
What does it mean to be 'created equal'? by Kevin Jennings.
Our friend Kevin Jennings of Lambda Legal reflected on what equality truly means this July 4th on the cover page of the Dallas Morning News – read the full article here:
Those words say to me, 'Do better, America.' And what I mean by that is we have never been a country where people were truly equal […] It's an aspiration to continue to work towards, and we're not there yet.
Texas AG will defend sodomy law if Supreme Court revisits ruling.
Surely you can see the madness: on the one hand, Antigua and Barbuda declared decriminalization unconstitutional this week, and on the other hand, Texas' Attorney General suggests he would recriminalize. Read about it here.
Florida: the ahborent 'Don't Say Gay' law goes into effect.
«Don't say gay» is an extremely damaging piece of legislation created exclusively for political gains. LGBTQ+ people are an important part of the world children evolve in. Claiming our existence is inappropriate is not only hurtful; it is the root cause of the suffering most LGBTQ+ experience in childhood ultimately impacting their entire lives. In addition, DeSantis's capricious law undermines the US credibility in pushing for respect for human rights abroad. Read about it in the Post.
LGBTQ+ adults have a hard time financially.
Read this article. Anecdotally, we always knew it to be true, but increasingly there is empirical evidence that we have difficulties building wealth and planning for retirement. Career limitations, financial literacy, and the absence of safety nets are elements of explanation. LGBTQ+ inclusive finance (Rob Curtis' Daylight and Spencer Watson's Credit Union) might be part of the solution as suggested in this article.
What do they think of the US developments across the Atlantic?
If you have a minute, read the thoughts of French legal scholar Marie Anne Frison-Roche on the shocking SCOTUS decision.
A de-facto secession has started […] As an example, California whose population is comparatively rich, educated and young, will undoubtedly see an accrual of an internal migration of gay people, which are said to be more affluent, educated and young. State inequalities, which are already expansive, will only grow further.
Queering the Corporate Board
Launching the Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors.
Yesterday, we officially launched the Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors, the only non-profit membership organization (a 501©6) of LGBTQ+ people at the highest levels of corporate leadership and governance interested in Board service. Its mission is to develop, support, and increase the number of LGBTQ+ people on boards. Stay tuned; the website will be operational later this week. In the meantime, kindly follow our LinkedIn page and share it with LGBTQ+ people interested in Board service as we scale up our game in the governance space as a community. Time has come!
Where does private equity find its Board representatives?
While our attention is focused on improving LGBTQ+ representation in public companies, most board positions are in private ones. Private equity-controlled companies now outnumber public companies in the US. We have made little effort to understand the board composition of private equity-backed portfolio company boards and ensure LGBTQ+ candidates are included. On the other hand, private equity has kept us at bay. This is one area on which the Association will focus in the coming months. I’d welcome your introductions to the private-equity Board search world.
The Community Corner
Reintroducing governance and oversight in US LGBTQ+ organizations.
Following ethical and fiduciary questions in a leading non-profit, I offered some elements of explanation as well as potential simple solutions, including the representation of beneficiaries, staff, and volunteers on the Board. Read it here.
Applying our lessons learned to the climate change movement.
While you were (hopefully) frolicking by the pool on Saturday, I spoke at the NYTimes Climate Change forward event in London in a session titled Pride and Prejudice: Applying Learnings From Other Social Movements to Climate. Watch the replay here - in particular on due diligence on corporate engagement around minute 17:00.
Our opponents' strategy in the US.
This 101, published by Political Research Associates (PRA), explains the who and the what of modern anti-LGBTQ advocacy. A good read as we build counter-narratives to the ones facilitating the overtaking of government institutions like school boards and public health departments by vigilantes with an anti-LGBTQ+ agenda.
LGBT Great Top100 Gamechangers.
Here is the full list for this millésime of most influential LGBTQ+ leaders in Finance. Delighted to see my friends Bisi Alimi (who joined me at a Vodafone event this morning – well at 4 a.m. so more the middle of the night, really - hence the bags under my eyes) Sarah Fennell (Macquarie) Zach Buchwald (Blackrock), Brad Baumoel (JP Morgan), Kate Hassey (HSBC) Thornall Hembrow (JP Morgan). Sheldon Mills (FCA…although what's up with this listing rule Sheldon?) or Bradford Pollard (Citi) are among the honorees.
Pride is over – what's next for LGBTQ+ Marketing?
Well, what's next is that LGBTQ+ customers and employees still appreciate customized content, as LGBTQ+ marketing wizard Matt Skallerud reminds us.
The 70 over 70 list
Thank you for sending me your nominations for our 70 LGBTQ+ leaders over 70 years old list globally. Please keep them coming!
The Semi-cultural desk
This felt good!
I am all for honoring the resistance but watching the Heartstopper cast stand up to anti-LGBTQ+ protestors at #PrideInLondon was fun. Watch the video here.
Blast from the past: former IGLHRC ED writes a novel.
Cary Alan Johnson, who once headed IGLHRC, wrote a new novel titled "Desire Lines" described as "a roller-coaster ride through New York in the 80s—the sex, the drugs, the trauma of AIDS… and the fierce determination to survive." Pre-order it at Bookshop.org and check out his website here too.
A gay Republican's memoir: 'Why We Did It.'
Gay Republican operative Tim Miller writes about his journey as the party goes berserk in a new book (see the New York Times article).
[He acknowledges] he stayed in politics because of his own thirst for fame and fortune. For all the reluctant Trump supporters' torturous rationales, maybe the reasons for why they did it don't get much more complicated than that.
#FreetheLogCabinRepublicans.
They are in an abusive relationship. Read this piece by Joyce Silver, who even suspects Log Cabin Republicans might be suffering from Stockholm Syndrome.
David Mixner has some solutions.
From his Hell's Kitchen observatory, David articulates two options: a civil war or a constitutional change. LA and the NY metropolitan area have more inhabitants than 40 states, yet only four senators combined. He even offers a third: moving hundreds of thousands of democrats to tiny states. Listen to David Mixner's podcast and subscribe. At $25/month, it is well worth it as wisdom is scarce at the moment here.
From the social calendar
Silent Disco at the NYC AIDS Memorial.
I am not a dancing type, yet I had the most amazing time with AIDS Memorial Board Chair Phaidon CEO Keith Fox. On the makeshift dance-floor I also encountered Matthew Bernardo (Housing Works – although I did not see much dancing), Laurent Claquin (Kering), Crawford and Bartek Sherman (PPL Hospitality), James Lima (who is on the LGBTQ+ Museum's Board), the legendary Debra Fraser Howse, Eric Sawyer (who co-founded Act-Up in 1987), Toby Usnik of the British Consulate and Lady Bunny. Read the full report here.
The Gay Agenda
July 8th (Friday): making Finance work for the community.
I will join "LGBTQ+ inclusion in the investment sector: good practices to make an impact" this Friday at ExecuPride at 9:50 a.m. EST / 2:50 p.m. London time. You can register here. Just before I make my entrance, Prof. Lee Badgett is providing a keynote.
July 22nd: East Meets West sold out.
Only three weeks to the 2022 East meets West Conference in Bratislava. The physical event is sold-out (a testimony to the importance of the ideological battleground in the East), but it will be streamed live on their website and LinkedIn.
July 27th/28th: Rise India
The 4th edition of India’s RISE Conference is around the corner. I will speak on "Global Perspective - LGBT+ in 2022", exploring the Changing World Order and what it means to be LGBT+ these days with Shangai Pride’s Charlene Liu and Ymania Brown (currently getting IESOGIE renewed in Geneva). More about RISE here.
Some personal news
Freedom: my long road to US permanent residency!!!
On this 4th of July, I shared the reasons why being approved for a green card was such a big deal. Read my thoughts here. Thanks to my friend and lawyer, Allen Orr, who until recently headed the prestigious Immigration Lawyers Association – something particularly noteworthy for an African-American and gay man.
I hope you have eaten enough rainbow for the whole year or at least the summer. See you next week and please help me get subscribers, as smart, engaged with our movement and curious as you are !