Fabrice Houdart | A weekly newsletter on LGBTQ+ Equality
This week: Pressman’s farewell, France’s Pigments project, Trump’s “Velvet Mafia,” money gays vs. creative gays, Rev. Mariann Budde wins the week, news from Davos, and much more…
After watching the heist of the century on TV on Monday, I concluded that the most annoying part of the new world order would be the wait. Hollywood prepared us for the Empire’s fall to wrap up neatly in 1h30 min, complete with a heroic speech and a CGI explosion. Instead, our decline is like the “Lost” series: ideals die slowly between commercial breaks for weight loss medication, AI, and faster financial transactions. The end will be slow, repetitive, and profitable. It will be tacky, too: it’s not a judgment: insane money, and contemplating it has never been my thing. None of the many characters involved in the new administration have created anything pretty; the people they target, on the other hand…. In 2025, I am taking on knitting 🧶✨and hanging out more with the “magical gays.” It will make all of this pass more quickly. Globally, things are looking brighter: France remains committed to LGBTQ+ economic inclusion, Ghana finally drops an awful law hovering like a Damocles sword over our community, and some exchanges commit to Ring the Bell for LGBTIQ+ Equality 2025 in May.
This week: Pressman’s farewell, France’s Pigments project, Trump’s “Velvet Mafia,” money gays vs. creative gays, Rev. Mariann Budde wins the week, news from Davos, and much more…
Global news
Hungary: Pressman’s Farewell
Out Ambassador David Pressman gave an interesting exit interview to the NYTimes this week. Orban, a close ally of Russia’s Vladimir Putin and a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, has reshaped Hungary into what the European Parliament calls an “electoral autocracy.” From media control and judicial interference to the erosion of academic freedoms, his policies have drawn admiration from U.S. conservatives, including JD Vance, who, Pressman hints, might want to emulate it. Hungary’s trajectory is a cautionary tale of how easily democratic institutions can be dismantled under concentrated power. Sounds like an omen?
So I think that the language that they used was to encode the critique in a frame of, “This is L.G.B.T.Q.” — in their words — “ideology infecting our society,” even if what was generating the legitimate political concern didn’t have much to do with L.G.B.T.Q. issues at all.
France: Mila Orriols And The Lesbian Far-Right Vote
Briefly a symbol of free speech and defiance against religious fundamentalism, Mila Orriols, a young lesbian who faced intense harassment after her critiques of Islam in 2020, has since aligned herself with far-right ideologies. Her trajectory mirrors a growing trend among some lesbian supporters of Marine Le Pen (see statistics ahead of the Presidential elections), who frame their identity in opposition to perceived threats from Muslim communities and align with the far-right’s narrative of protecting French secularism.
France: The Pigments Project Launches
Blinken told me a few weeks ago at Arlington Cemetery that other nations would have to carry the LGBTQ+ torch for a (little) while; why not Europe? Albin Serviant and Thierry Jadot spearheaded the Pigments Project launched Monday in France. The Project unites business, sports, and arts leaders to preserve hard-won rights, combat reactionary forces, and promote diversity as a driver of societal progress. See here.
UK: Court Rules Against Ban on Trans People in Public Meetups
A two-year legal battle by a women’s group in the UK seeking to exclude trans people from their public meetups has ended in defeat. The court ruled that the ban was discriminatory and violated equality laws. Read more here.
Ghana: Anti-LGBTQ Bill Declared ‘Effectively Dead’
There is some good news from West Africa. Ghanaian President John Mahama has announced that the controversial Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill is “effectively dead.” The bill, passed by MPs in February 2024, expired before it could be signed into law. Advocacy groups have cautiously welcomed this announcement. See the Blade.
UAE: Indian Transgender Woman Faces Travel Ban
Manjamma, an Indian transgender woman, Jogathi leader, and Padma Shri awardee whom I met a little more than a year ago, was barred from traveling to the UAE despite holding a valid Indian passport. Read more at Deccan Herald.
Her passport, listing her gender as “X,” was rejected by UAE authorities.
US News
Trump II: Tea Leaf Reading and Executive Orders
Talking about “X” markers, Trump’s executive order on Monday redefined sex as strictly binary and fixed at conception, erasing gender identity from federal policies. It ends self-ID on passports, prohibits federal funding for gender-affirming care in prisons, and bans transgender women from being housed in women’s shelters and prisons. Although lawsuits are expected, the orders have left many wondering what’s next. Chase Strangio argued in the Time that, well, YOU are following. As a side dish, the Trump Administration reiterated its ban on flying the Pride flag on Federal buildings.
The “Money Gays” flock to Trump Inauguration.
While the creative gays stayed at home, the “money gays” were front and center this week: Tim Cook and Sam Altman were omnipresent during the inauguration, and Peter Thiel had a big party that Alexandr Wang attended. It already paid off for them, but not for their community. The New Yorker claims this week (see Donald Trump play Church) that Trump “has no sense of his own continuity with the past or debt to the future.” I am here to tell you it applies to the Gay Trumpians, too, although it takes an entirely different level of amnesia. I have spent the past week arguing with people that we have failed to familiarize wealthy white gay Americans with their responsibility toward LGBTQ+ liberation globally. It is on us. In the words of Larry Kramer:
until we do that, and until we organize ourselves block by neighborhood by city by state into a united visible community that fights back, we’re doomed.
Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde Irritates Trump on Day 1
Donald Trump attended a service at Washington National Cathedral with his gigantic entourage on the first full day of his second presidency. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Episcopal bishop of Washington (not a lesbian, I checked), seized the moment to call on the president to show mercy toward LGBTQ+ individuals, immigrants, and others fearing persecution, invoking the moral imperative to “honor the dignity of every human being.” Trump later dismissed the sermon as “not too exciting” and was still talking about it on Wednesday:
Apart from her inappropriate statements, the service was a very boring and uninspiring one. She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe the public an apology!
GLAAD Monitors Federal Websites
GLAAD claims that the Trump administration has wiped nearly all LGBTQ and HIV-related content from WhiteHouse.gov and other federal websites, including the CDC and Department of State. Terms like "LGBTQ," "gender identity," and "sexual orientation" now yield zero results on key pages, with resources like Pride Month information and HIV prevention fact sheets gone. GLAAD’s President Sarah Kate Ellis condemned the erasure from a Swiss ski resort, calling it "censorship" and an attempt to make LGBTQ Americans invisible. Full details here.
USAID's New Guidance on LGBTQI+ Economic Inclusion
One last hurrah before the whole circus shuts down. USAID released its "Integrating LGBTQ+ Communities into Economic Growth Programming" guidance, offering actionable strategies to advance LGBTQI+ inclusion in economic initiatives. The guidance highlights key factors for success, including sustained investment, holistic approaches addressing intersecting barriers like housing and healthcare, and partnerships with local LGBTQ+-led organizations. Check out the complete guidance and summary infographic.
Supreme Court to Hear Mahmoud v. Taylor Case
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear Mahmoud v. Taylor, a case challenging whether parents in Montgomery County, Maryland, can opt their children out of lessons that include LGBTQ-inclusive picture books. Parents, citing religious objections, argue that being denied the ability to opt-out violates their First Amendment rights. The case could set a precedent impacting how schools address diversity in curriculums nationwide.
Stonewall Dems Are Back
Politico wrote about the National Federation of Stonewall Democrats' comeback after a 12-year hiatus. The group is uniting 21 state-level organizations to advocate for equality. Its focus includes holding Democrats accountable on transgender issues, challenging GOP-led policies, and bolstering LGBTQ+ representation in the 2026 midterms through a new political action committee.
What now?
Because Inauguration’s Day was a little much, I subscribed to the New Republic Daily and the Bulwark. It’s not like our organizations have mapped a way forward; they remind me of these words by Georges Suffert:
There remains the possibility of consoling ourselves for our inefficiency by simultaneously playing the roles of Antigone and Cassandra of the regime: we are proud and we will have been right. The future is heavy with threats; well then! We will denounce them to the very end and, if necessary, die on the altar of useless truths.
Queering the boardroom
DDI upcoming programing
The Director Development Initiative at UNC is hosting a series of virtual programs. Today at 4 p.m. EST, Understanding Board Opportunities: Mutual Funds and Investment Company Boards. Future sessions include Your Board Value Proposition and Your Board Targets on February 25 and Perfecting Your Board Resume and Board Bio on April 8.
Nasdaq Moves to Erase Board Diversity Rules
Nasdaq has officially filed to remove its board diversity rules following last month’s Fifth Circuit Court decision, invalidating them. The rules, which required companies to include women, minorities, or LGBTQ+ individuals on their boards or explain why they don’t, were deemed beyond the SEC’s authority. Nasdaq’s filing, submitted on January 17, confirms the exchange will comply with the court’s mandate by February 4. See here. This marks a significant setback, including for our data collection efforts.
A New Board Member for the Association
The Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors has announced the appointment of David V. Hedley III to its Board of Directors, where he will serve as Audit Chair. With a distinguished career in corporate finance and governance, including leadership roles at Sanmina Corporation and Bramshill Investments, Hedley brings decades of expertise to the organization.
The Gay business
Will federal contractors be pressured to give up workplace inclusion?
Reuters expects Trump to pressure private companies receiving government contracts to halt diversity hiring practices. The sweeping measures include revoking protections from 1965 and threatening civil investigations of large nonprofits, universities, and corporations. Critics warn that these measures undermine workplace equality and erode gains for LGBTQ+ people, women, and racial minorities.
The Atlantic on the end of DEI
In a tired look at the “post-DEI” era, The Atlantic explores how, between Elon Musk blaming California wildfires on "woke" fire chiefs to Mark Zuckerberg ditching DEI programs while praising “masculine energy,” anti-DEI sentiment is evolving into a badge of honor for tech bruhs.
Lessons from Bob Crandall
This week, our friend Bob Witeck had a thought piece in Fortune on Bob Crandall’s leadership as CEO of American Airlines. In the 1990s, Crandall faced anti-LGBTQ+ backlash for pioneering equitable policies, including same-sex partner benefits and LGBTQ-focused marketing. When conservative groups falsely claimed victory over the airline’s policies in 1998, Crandall issued a firm rebuttal, affirming America’s independence and commitment to dignity and respect for all.
The semi-cultural desk
What to read? Charles Consigny
The rise of the French Gay is good news as the American Gay is taking a nosedive. Have you finished all of Edouard Louis? What about starting to read his bourgeois corollary, Charles Consigny? I skimmed through his latest book this weekend, “Le Grand Amour.” Consigny, like Edouard Louis, complains a lot about the most pernicious consequences of homophobia on our well-being, although it is unclear what solution he envisions. He is a Trumper, too, but I forgive it as a form of provincialism: French people read US News through the lens of class when it is always about money.
Occurring during a period of retreat in freedoms, regression in the independence granted to individuals, dominance of leftist ideas in the media sphere, intellectual authoritarianism, and absolute standardization of individuals, the election of Donald Trump was, in my eyes, fabulous news.
What to watch? Vivre, Mourir, Renaître
After I finished watching Squid Game, which features a prominent trans character, I watched Gaël Morel's new film, Vivre, Mourir, Renaître, about personal heroism at the height of the AIDS epidemic.
The Secret Life of James Dean
Recently uncovered letters and personal records, detailed in Jimmy: The Secret Life of James Dean, confirm Dean’s queerness and expose how 1950s Hollywood suppressed his true identity. From blackmail attempts to coded press rumors, the book uncovers a secret life that shaped his art and defied an oppressive, homophobic culture. Dive deeper into this fascinating story in the latest Air Mail: The Secret Life of James Dean.
Edmund White’s Latest Memoir Instalment
In The Loves of My Life: A Sex Memoir, Edmund White masterfully blends wit, candor, and lyrical prose to recount decades of queer love, desire, and self-discovery. Spanning from the repression of the 1950s to the cultural storms of the 2020s, White’s memoir is a personal and cultural history, weaving vivid anecdotes with reflections on writing and identity. Pre-order it anywhere but on Amazon.
In other Queer news of interest…
Just so you can say something interesting and not political at your next gay outing, Antoni Porowski has opened up about “not [being] really in touch” with Bobby Berk. However, he cherishes the “beautiful memories” they shared while on the show. From the same middle-aged boy band, Jonathan Van Ness revealed that he has been using a GLP-1 medication to help manage his binge-eating disorder.
Coming and Going
Trump’s “Velvet Mafia”
The New York Post points out that Donald Trump’s second administration features a record number of openly gay and lesbian officials in prominent positions, something it dubbed the “velvet mafia.” Notable appointees include Scott Bessent and Ric Grenell, of course, Tammy Bruce as State Department Spokesperson, Bill White as Ambassador to Belgium, a real estate agent Art Fisher as Ambassador to Austria, and Jacob Helberg as Undersecretary of State for Economic Growth.
Allyn Shaw Chairs LGBTQ+ Center’s Board.
The Center welcomes Allyn L. Shaw, who succeeds Rahul T. as its new board president. Other new officers include Michael Broadbery as Vice President, Jeffrey Schneider as Development Chair, and Jill Schlesinger as Treasurer. See here.
Sam Altman’s child
In a recent podcast with Adam Grant, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed he is now expecting a child with his boyfriend (he had announced plans to have a family in 2023). Try explaining to a teenager the rationale behind being a Gay Trumper. Good luck.
The Gay Agenda
Thursday: A Little Webinar
January 23, at 6 PM, the Pride Business Forum will host a dynamic panel discussion on the evolving role of diversity and inclusion policies in U.S. companies and their global impact. Esteemed panelists include Vera Jourova, former Vice President of the European Commission, Charlie Rounds of Alturi.org, and yours truly. Register here.
Davos: LGBTQ+ Programming at Davos 2025
Tuesday was the Private Roundtable on Decriminalization of LGBTQ+ People at the Microsoft Café. Today, there is a Panel on LGBTQ Inclusion in Business in WEF’s Ice Village. Don’t miss the usual Rainbow Light-Up of the Promenade and reception that evening at the Accenture Lounge. Thursday offers an Open Forum on Protecting LGBTQ Lives, closing with an LGBTQ Nightcap, an annual cocktail reception hosted by Hub Culture. Also, check out this session on “Investing In Diversity”.
May 14-23: Ring the Bell for LGBTIQ+ Equality
Several exchanges in Europe and the UK have registered for the UN-led inaugural “Ring the Bell for LGBTIQ+ Equality” in May this year.
Well, that’s it for this week. Is it me, or was this newsletter exhausting (to write and to read)? I suggest you too distract yourself a little in the coming weeks. I have tickets to the Malpaso Dance Company for Saturday, I am confident that it will be a MAGA-free place… men in tights is not their thing.