Fabrice Houdart | A weekly newsletter on LGBTQ+ Equality
This week: EU vs. Hungary, the semantics dance, World Pride, LGBTQ+ elder housing, Jack Drescher’s substack, Jessica Stern’s nomination, Jason Collins’ nuptials, and much more…
Activists worldwide are converging on DC for World Pride … with a few exceptions: those boycotting the US and those who could not secure visas. Hence, I am rushing to Midtown to grab lunch with the Argentine activist (and my friend) Mariano Ruiz. In other news, EU pushback against Hungary’s Pride ban, corporate retreats from DEI, and celebrations like Jason Collins’ wedding or Jessica Stern’s appointment at Harvard. Also: LGBTQ+ elder housing, a meth crisis on hookup apps, and a quote of mine (with a pronoun fumble) in The Christian Post. Let’s get into it.
This week: EU vs. Hungary, the semantics dance, World Pride, LGBTQ+ elder housing, Jack Drescher’s substack, Jessica Stern’s nomination, Jason Collins’ nuptials, and much more…
Global News
EU: 20 States Condemn Hungary’s Pride Ban
Twenty EU member states have condemned Hungary’s latest move to ban Budapest Pride under the guise of its “child protection” law. The condemnation signals growing frustration within the bloc over Hungary’s systematic erosion of LGBTQ+ rights and human rights in general. Advocates are urging the European Commission to move beyond rhetoric and take urgent legal action, specifically by requesting interim measures from the Court of Justice as part of its ongoing case. With the Advocate General’s opinion on the broader “EU values” case (Commission v. Hungary on the Justiciability of EU Values against Member States (C-769/22)) due on June 5, the credibility of the EU as a union founded on rights and freedoms is on the line. Read more on AP.
Uganda: The Forgotten Battle
Last year, the leader of a large US organization told me, “The house is on fire here; the rest of the world will have to wait.” With LGBTQ+ resources and attention concentrated on litigation in the U.S., it is indeed easy to forget that our most urgent battle is abroad. And yet, this timely piece in The Guardian on a new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) reminds us of the worsening plight of LGBTQ+ Ugandans and the clear links between state homophobic rhetoric and human rights abuse.
We want to live in Uganda as productive citizens without the threat of criminalisation and violence at every waking moment.
Italy: Court Recognizes Both Mothers in Rainbow Families
Italy’s Constitutional Court affirmed the right of children born abroad through medically assisted reproduction to be legally recognized as having two mothers (read more on France24). The decision ensures that both women in a same-sex couple are acknowledged as legal parents, eliminating the bureaucratic and legal hurdles faced by non-biological mothers. This ruling aligns with prior European Court of Human Rights decisions. It marks a significant advancement for rainbow families in Italy, particularly at a time when governments have been weaponizing laws against LGBTI people (see my October article - Meloni and Our Children).
US News
Why Democrats Can’t Talk Normal Anymore
In a Washington Post piece, Naftali Bendavid explores the Democratic Party’s post-2024 identity crisis—one increasingly shaped by a battle over words. From “equity” versus “equality” to whether “oligarch” resonates more than “rich people,” centrists like Sen. Ruben Gallego and Gov. Andy Beshear warn that elite-coded language is distancing the party from the voters it needs most. Their message: stop sounding like professors and start sounding like people. I get this argument, but it is also my experience that the same crowd resisting “equity” also can’t stomach “empathy” and that at first “DEI” was toxic and now “LGBTQ+” is toxic. I am not sure the semantics dance will save our work on workplace inclusion and corporate social responsibility, for example. Although, what do we have to lose?
WorldPride Meets the Politics of Disavowal
In a Washington Post profile, Ryan Bos—the force behind WorldPride D.C.—navigates complex logistics and a quiet crisis of solidarity. With corporate sponsors hedging, hotel bookings lagging, and queer travelers expressing real fear about entering the U.S., the celebration is colliding with a political moment defined by backlash and erasure. “Some sponsors are going back in the closet,” Bos admits, funding Pride while disowning its visibility. Pride, this year, is a stress test for queer resilience - I hope to see you in the streets of New York at the end of the month. Also, the Post has this excellent guide if you plan to be in DC next week.
The Meth Crisis on Hook-Up Apps
A new report by Uncloseted Media and Queer Kentucky dives into how apps like Grindr and Sniffies are fueling a growing meth crisis among gay men. While chemsex and Party and Play (PnP) culture aren’t new, the story of Robert McAllister—a young Kentuckian whose meth addiction began with a Grindr hookup—illustrates the devastating ease with which users can access drugs through these platforms. Despite public health concerns, apps are slow to act: harm reduction pop-ups and UK-specific guides fall far short, especially in the U.S. where overdose deaths from psychostimulants like meth continue to rise. Calls for stronger safeguards—and honest conversation—are growing louder - a reminder that the sacro-saint market cannot take care of all externalities.
Watch This Trans Woman Open Her Passport
This is a cool and refreshing video. You can read the background story here.
The Gay Business
Verizon Ends DEI
NPR reports that Verizon agreed to dismantle many of its DEI policies to secure FCC approval for its $20 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications. A “blip,” you said?
Grindr as a Hunting Ground: The Tragic Case of Alessandro Coatti
The brutal killing of Alessandro Coatti, a scientist who was traveling through South America researching local cultures and ecosystems, has sent shockwaves through the LGBTQ+ community. Lured to his death by criminals using the Grindr app, Coatti’s murder is not an isolated incident—it is part of a disturbing pattern. From Colombia to South Africa, and even major Western cities, queer men have increasingly become targets of violence via dating apps that were supposed to offer connection and liberation. While Grindr revolutionized how gay men meet, it has also become a tool for predation. It is past time Grindr invested in user safety features, such as verified profiles, travel alerts, and region-specific safety warnings, and treats security not as a liability issue but as a core value. Read more about the case here.
Financing Queer Aging with Dignity
The Milken Conference ended in Beverly Hills with Scott Bessent as the guest star. On that occasion, the Milken Institute launched a report, Models for Financing Affordable and LGBTQ+-Affirming Elder Housing at Scale. As the LGBTQ+ elder population grows, so does the shortage of inclusive, affordable housing. With only about 1,500 affirming units available nationwide, and waitlists stretching up to six years, the report proposes five financial models—from social bonds to impact investing and pay-for-performance structures—to stimulate sustainable development, something we will discuss during Koppa’s October Global LGBTQ+ inclusive finance conference. Read the full report.
Queering the Boardroom
This afternoon: Boardroom Wisdom with Nancy Schlichting
At 3 PM today, the Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors will host a conversation with Nancy Schlichting, one of healthcare’s most respected voices and a trailblazer in corporate governance. As former CEO of Henry Ford Health System and now Lead Independent Director at Baxter International, Schlichting brings decades of experience driving ethical, people-centered leadership. Her Walgreens Boots Alliance and Encompass Health board roles reflect a deep commitment to inclusive, values-driven governance. RSVP here and join us in a few hours.
Inclusion Pays Off in the Boardroom
According to a new Egon Zehnder global survey of 450 corporate directors, inclusion is a strategic asset in the views of most board members. 94% of board members say embracing diverse perspectives is a top priority, with 90% linking it to better decision-making. Boards are increasingly bringing in directors from underrepresented backgrounds, including younger professionals and LGBTQ+ voices, despite persistent challenges like limited board seats and overboarding. Encouragingly, 97% of directors surveyed acknowledge that all perspectives are now heard in their boardrooms.
6% of respondents added minority sexual orientation directors to their board in the past 5 years
LGBTQ+ Board Diversity In The News
A recent article in LGBTQ Nation spotlights January 2025 research from Northeastern University. The study claims that companies with LGBTQ+ board members outperform their peers in financial metrics and ESG scores, attributing this to the "viewpoint diversity" they bring. The article references the Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors and our Board Monitor Report.
Semi-cultural desk
You know who won Cannes? Lux Pascal
Lux Pascal, trans activist and sister of Pedro Pascal, dazzled in a gold Georges Chakra gown at the Cannes premiere of Eddington. Read more in Hola.
Featured in the Christian Post
Being quoted in The Christian Post was an ego boost this week, even if sandwiched between an ominous Bible verse and a lament over rainbow branding. But what truly made me smile was the parenthetical aside: “(I am not sure of the preferred pronoun).” Really? Fabrice left you in such deep linguistic confusion? It was the most common guy name of the 1990s.
The ‘Q’ Word: Reclaiming and Redefining Queer
Once a slur hurled in courtrooms and alleyways—and probably still is—“queer” has been reclaimed as a banner of fluidity, defiance, and identity. For some, it stands for questioning; for others, it’s an embrace of the unboxable. As USA Today reminds us this week, younger generations are leading this linguistic revolution, while many elders still feel its sting. I always joke that while I cannot deal with French slurs, English ones carry no emotions for me.
J-Lo: On the Semiotics of a Pop Star’s Kiss
Jennifer Lopez’s same-sex kiss at the 2025 AMAs generated the predictable spectrum of outrage and eyerolls (see Fox News), but what’s more interesting is its complete lack of symbolic weight. In a media economy where queerness is often deployed as a flash of relevance rather than a position of solidarity, this gesture was perceived as less transgressive than transactional.
Theorizing Homosexuality, with Jack Drescher
If you've ever felt trapped between pop-psych headlines and half-remembered Freud quotes, let me recommend something both rigorous and readable: Jack Drescher’s ongoing Substack series, Theorizing Homosexuality. In Part II, Jack deftly traces our millennia-long obsession with the “cause” of homosexuality—from Plato’s proto-gendered myths to Kinsey’s scale, and from pathology to the politics of “normal variation.” It’s intellectually generous, historically grounded, and, crucially, reminds us that even the best theories reflect the cultural values of their time. Read here.
Coming and Going
Jessica Stern Appointed Senior Fellow at Carr-Ryan Center
Jessica Stern, former U.S. Special Envoy for LGBTQI+ Rights under the Biden administration, has been named Senior Fellow at the Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights at Harvard Kennedy School. In this new role, she will contribute to the Center’s Global LGBTQI+ Human Rights Program, bringing her experience in international advocacy, multilateral diplomacy, and policy development. Read the full announcement.
Jason Collins Gets Married
A decade after making history as the first openly gay NBA player, Jason Collins married film producer Brunson Green (The Help) in a beautiful ceremony in New York. See OutSports.
Sophie Koch Appointed Germany’s Queer Commissioner
At just 31, SPD lawmaker Sophie Koch has been named Germany’s new federal commissioner for the queer community. Representing Saxony and proudly “part of the community,” Koch aims to bridge urban-rural divides and champion LGBTQ+ rights nationwide. She succeeds Sven Lehmann, inheriting a role critical to countering rising anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment.
The Gay Agenda
June 3rd: Global Strategies Against Anti-Trans Backlash
Join a timely webinar hosted by SOGI Campaigns - on which Board I serve - and the Alliance for SOGIESC Inclusion in Development (ASO), focusing on strategies to counter rising anti-trans sentiment worldwide. Anchored by a newly released ASO report, the event offers tools and frameworks to support inclusive, intersectional advocacy. Register here.
June 5th: GiveOut Day
On June 27, LGBTQ+ nonprofits across the U.S. will rally support during Give OUT Day, the only national day of giving for queer causes. Join the movement and fuel the fight for equality! giveoutday.org. Also, consider donating to Koppa and the Association.
June 19-22: Boots on the Ground in the Pines
Fire Island Pines is preparing for a powerful Juneteenth weekend with Juneteenth: Boots on the Ground (June 19–22) bringing together Black queer artists, thinkers, and allies in a powerful convergence of Pride and emancipation. From Texas Isaiah’s visual narrative of liberation to a beachside conversation on joy as resistance led by Emil Wilbekin and a final act of communal defiance through dance with A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham, this is Juneteenth with intention. See more here: fippoa.org/cobe.
Well, that’s it for this week. I watched The Room Next Door, Almodóvar’s latest available on Netflix, over the weekend — and while it has nothing to do with this newsletter (unless you count the gay Carmelite), its quiet meditation on the grace that can emerge even in life’s darkest moments felt timely—a reminder, perhaps, for all of us navigating change, loss, and renewal.
🔁 Erratum from last week: We missed congratulating David Bohnett on being named to the TIME100 list of most influential philanthropists—a well-deserved recognition. Through his foundation, David has championed LGBTQ+ leadership and fueled real progress in public service.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this newsletter are solely my own and do not necessarily reflect those of any organizations, institutions, or individuals mentioned.