Fabrice Houdart | A weekly newsletter on LGBTQ+ Equality
This week: Papaphilia, Queer Bells Ring Everywhere, Hungary’s homophobic hand grenade, Grindr headlines, more on Barry Diller, SAP caves in, #IDAHOBIT, March For All, and much more…
Bonjour from a very rainy New York, where I spent a few days with the twins before heading off to California tomorrow morning. Despite the weather, I found great joy in witnessing all the “Ring The Bell for LGBTIQ+ Equality” events around the globe and it’s only starting. This newfound optimism was also bolstered by last week’s meetings where I heard that our movement is facing “a crisis of imagination”. I find this message hopeful. Because if there’s one thing our people have never lacked, it’s imagination—creativity being one of our many superpowers. What if this moment of uncertainty means things are actually going to get much better for LGBTQ+ people? As we try to find our footing in a rapidly shifting global order, we can dream bigger, connect more deeply across borders, and find our true place in this world.
This week: Papaphilia, Queer Bells Ring Everywhere, Hungary’s homophobic hand grenade, Grindr headlines, more on Barry Diller, SAP caves in, #IDAHOBIT, March For All, and much more…
Global News
Vatican: Hope And Concerns
Chicago-born Cardinal Robert F. Prevost became the 267th pope, now known as Pope Leo XIV—the first American to lead the Catholic Church. Known for a 2012 speech criticizing “the homosexual lifestyle” and “alternative families,” Leo XIV’s record is not amazing. Though some note he’s expressed concern for migrants and spoken about “enlarging the tent,” many fear a rollback on LGBTQ+ outreach initiated under Francis. Early footage also sparked controversy, with some claiming Leo XIV visibly avoided a rainbow flag at a public audience—though others say it was a peace flag. LGBTQ+ groups like New Ways Ministry and DignityUSA urge the new pontiff to listen and evolve. Read more here.
Croatia: Marko Bošnjak Defies Backlash
At just 21, Marko Bošnjak, who just lost in the Eurovision semi-finale, is also confronting a homophobic media storm at home. Bošnjak’s win at Croatia’s national selection sparked immediate backlash, particularly from right-wing politicians who denounced his performance as “blasphemous” and even “satanic.” But the former church choirboy isn’t backing down. “I did not want to hide who I am. I do not want to live a double life,” Bošnjak said, noting the empowering messages he’s received from fans which surely include my friend William Lee Adams. Read more about Bošnjak here.
Hungary: Anti-NGO Bill Could Obliterate LGBTQ+ Advocacy
Hungary’s proposed anti-NGO law, submitted by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party yesterday, threatens to dismantle the country’s LGBTQ+ movement by targeting foreign-funded organizations deemed a threat to “Christian culture” or national sovereignty. Modeled after Russia’s foreign agent legislation, the bill would allow authorities to surveil, fine, and shut down NGOs that support LGBTQ+ rights—including those challenging traditional views on gender and family. With most Hungarian LGBTQ+ groups dependent on international funding, the law would effectively criminalize their existence. If passed, it marks not just a crackdown—it’s a death sentence for queer civil society. Read more on Politico.
London: An Historical Event At LSEG
This morning the London Stock Exchange (LSEG) joined stock exchanges in Toronto and Sydney in launching the inaugural Ring the Bell for LGBTIQ+ Equality—a new initiative co-led by UN Human Rights, the UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative, UN Global Compact, and the organization I co-founded in 2024 Koppa, the LGBTI+ Economic Power Lab. Timed ahead of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia, the ceremony, organized by the inimitable Krishna Omkar, underscored the need for economic inclusion as a core pillar of LGBTQ+ rights. The event, hosted by LSEG’s Pride Network and CEO Julia Hoggett, drew leaders from Deutsche Bank, Legal & General, Virgin Atlantic, and the wider financial community to visibly support inclusion in global markets. Also among the guests, you could see my colleagues Amar Nigma and Kelly Widelska and friends Meghan Stabler, Keighley Cougars’s Kaue Garcia, MP Alan Gemmell, Imara Jones and Gazal Dhaliwal. 👉 Read more
Europe: New ILGA Rainbow Map
ILGA-Europe’s 2025 Rainbow Map delivers a sobering message: LGBTQ+ rights are deteriorating in tandem with democracy across the continent. Sharp declines in the UK, Hungary, and Georgia reflect a growing wave of anti-LGBTI legislation, court rulings, and shrinking civic space—symptoms of a wider democratic erosion. “Democracy is being eroded quietly across Europe, like a thousand paper cuts,” warns Katrin Hugendubel, ILGA-Europe’s Advocacy Director.👉 Read the press release
Europe: Inaugural EPBN – WISE Awards
On May 9, the European Pride Business Network held its first-ever EPBN – WISE: Workplace Inclusion for Sustainable Europe Awards in Warsaw, honoring 25 LGBTIQ+ and ally professionals driving workplace inclusion across five countries. Among the honorees was my friend Xavier Vey, a L’Oréal alumni, celebrated for his bold advocacy. See the pictures here.
Sweden: National Security Adviser Resigns After Grindr Leak
It was the shortest tenure in national security history: Tobias Thyberg took up his post as Sweden’s top security adviser on Thursday and resigned by Friday. The reason? Anonymous emails to the government revealed old, sexually explicit photos from his former Grindr account—images he failed to disclose during vetting. “I should have informed about this, but I did not,” he told Dagens Nyheter. I guess my political career should be over too then. Read more here.
Australia: Grindr Attacks on Gay Men
In Victoria, Australia, 35 people—some as young as 13—have been arrested for using apps like Grindr to lure, assault, and rob queer men. Authorities say the attacks were filmed and shared online, prompting renewed scrutiny of dating apps’ failure to protect users. “These attacks are deliberate, organised, and hateful,” said LGBTIQA+ Commissioner Joe Ball. Full story via LGBTQ Nation. Also Grindr is now selling erectile dysfunction pills under a new service called Woodwork.
US News
Fox News’ Anti-Trans Spin Exposed
The meme below was circulating on social media this week. A 2023 segment spotlighted a trans woman who competed in a marathon—implying unfair dominance—despite her finishing far from the top ranks. The coverage is part of a recurring pattern: using isolated or statistically unremarkable events to stoke moral panic. Critics across journalism and advocacy warn that this strategy distorts facts to serve an ideological agenda—one that sidelines real issues in favor of culture-war theatrics.
Ohio: Hate-Fueled Book Burning Sparks Outrage
A man in Beachwood, Ohio, checked out 100 books from a local library—titles focused on Jewish history, African American heritage, and LGBTQ+ education—only to post a video of himself burning them. The incident, condemned as “fundamentally un-American” by State Senator Kent Smith, has ignited widespread backlash. Read more about it here.
LA LGBT Center Fights for Trans Rights Amid Federal Funding Threat
The Los Angeles LGBT Center is at the center of a federal lawsuit challenging this administration's efforts to defund organizations that acknowledge transgender identities. The Center, alongside other LGBTQ-serving nonprofits like the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and Prisma Community Care, alleges it was told to scrub terms like “LGBT,” “trans,” and “queer” from its materials or forfeit vital federal grants, including a $2.25 million lifeline for survivors of domestic violence. The case, now pending before a federal judge in Oakland, argues that these conditions amount to an unconstitutional demand to deny trans people’s existence. See in the SF Chronicle.
Ben Ryan on the Persistence of Cancel Culture in HIV Advocacy
Veteran HIV journalist Ben Ryan has found himself at the center of controversy over his reporting on pediatric gender medicine. During a recent HIV advocacy Zoom call, tensions escalated to the point where he was nearly ejected. In a Substack post titled How Cancel Culture Is Still Coming For Me, Ryan details what he describes as years of professional backlash from activists critical of his reporting. He argues that calls for ideological conformity within progressive spaces can stifle scientific debate and harm the very causes they aim to protect.
Queering the Boardroom
Barry Diller and the Boardroom Closet
Barry Diller’s coming out at 82 is a high-profile reminder of how deeply queerness has been compartmentalized in corporate America and how ahead of the game I was on that one. As one of the few openly gay men to have shaped the modern entertainment and tech landscape from the top, his story underscores why visible LGBTQ+ leadership remains so rare in the Fortune 500, where just a handful of executives - 28 to be exact - are openly queer. Diller’s long silence speaks volumes about the cultural cost of assimilation in elite business circles—and why board diversity must include sexual orientation and identity in meaningful, measurable ways. Read the NYT piece.
This Week in the Boardroom
Denice Torres stepped down from the board of 2seventy bio, and Lorrie Norrington will exit Autodesk in June. Reginald Van Lee left Fortitude Re. Dr. Laura Shawver joins Life Science Cares.
The Gay Business
Global Ring The Bell Events
The Ring The Bell for LGBTIQ+ Equality initiative started strong in Toronto, Sydney and London (see also above) this week. The message is powerful: the private sector has a responsibility in ensuring LGBTQ+ people find their right place in the economy. See more in the Blade and check out the press release here. These bell-ringing ceremonies will continue with 9 Euronext exchanges on May 19th, as well as Mexico and Frankfurt on May 23rd.
GLAAD: Platforms Flunk LGBTQ + Safety Test
In its latest Social Media Safety Index, GLAAD takes aim at Big Tech for failing LGBTQ+ users—again. The report, released May 13, gives dismal scores to platforms like YouTube (41/100), Facebook and Instagram (45), and X (a rock-bottom 30), citing a wave of policy rollbacks that have made online spaces more hostile. Most egregiously, Meta now permits content calling LGBTQ +people "mentally ill," while YouTube quietly removed gender identity from its hate speech protections. Read SKE’s missive here.
SAP Retreats from Diversity Goals Under U.S. Pressure
German tech giant SAP has scrapped its gender parity targets and removed diversity metrics from executive compensation—despite previously pledging 40% female representation by 2030. The move, reported by Le Monde, follows warnings from U.S. embassies to European suppliers to scale back inclusion efforts or risk losing contracts. The article discusses how SAP’s capitulation exposes how fragile “inclusive capitalism” becomes when faced with political backlash and bottom-line pressure.
DEI Backlash Reaches African Gender Investments
The U.S. anti-DEI crusade is now derailing gender equity efforts far beyond U.S. borders. As Semafor reporters Alexis Akwagyiram and Preeti Jha reveal, African investment funds focused on women-led businesses are struggling to raise capital as U.S. institutional investors retreat from anything explicitly tied to diversity, equity, or gender. Gender-lens investing—once heralded as a strategy to unlock untapped markets in Africa—is now a casualty of political posturing. “Investors are pulling back from anything explicitly tied to DEI or gender equity,” said Gwera Kiwana of Launch Africa Ventures. What does it mean for our efforts to trigger LGBTQ+-friendly investments globally?
The semi-cultural desk
Cannes 2025: From Biker BDSM to Lesbian Motherhood
The 78th Cannes Film Festival is now underway. Among the most anticipated LGBTQ+ movies is Oliver Hermanus’s The History of Sound, a tender WWI-era romance starring Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor. Kristen Stewart makes her directorial debut with The Chronology of Water. First-time director Harry Lighton delivers Pillion, a BDSM-infused biker romance with Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling, while Hafsia Herzi’s La Petite Dernière sensitively explores the intersection of lesbian desire and Muslim identity. Other highlights include the quietly political Love Letters, a portrait of lesbian parenthood in 2014 France, and Julia Ducournau’s Alpha, a likely-queer story set against the early days of the AIDS crisis. More via PinkNews.
"Burning Rainbow Farm"
Burning Rainbow Farm, directed by Justin Kurzel (Nitram, The Snowtown Murders), casts Sebastian Stan and One Day breakout Leo Woodall as Tom Crosslin and Rollie Rohm, gay cannabis activists whose Michigan utopia was destroyed in a deadly 2001 police siege (read about the true story here). Kurzel calls it “a love story about two outliers who raise their middle finger to hate”.
“The Paper”
The Office is getting a spin-off, and The Paper might just be the sapphic-laced, queer-coded mockumentary we've been waiting for. Set in a struggling local newsroom in Toledo, Ohio, The Paper follows the same fictional documentary crew that once haunted the halls of Dunder Mifflin. Oscar Nuñez returns as Oscar Martinez—still gay, still fabulous, and now apparently thriving in a city three times the size of Scranton. The new cast includes Sabrina Impacciatore ( the queer-coded hotel manager from The White Lotus), Gbemisola Ikumelo (A League of Their Own), and *queer comedian Alex Edelman. With Domhnall Gleeson at the helm and The Office showrunner Greg Daniels co-creating alongside Michael Koman, The Paper is set to premiere this September on Peacock. Full story via Pride.
Kit Connor and Manu Ríos Cast in Queer Medieval Zombie Epic
Spanish actor and Élite star Manu Ríos and Heartstopper’s Kit Connor are co-starring in a new medieval horror film titled "The Wild Hunt", set in a world plagued by a zombie apocalypse. Directed by Nathalie Biancheri (Wolf), the film follows two young squires navigating blood, betrayal, and what can only be described as deeply homoerotic tension beneath those heavy velvet robes. Queer internet users were quick to lose composure over the casting news—“They put Manu Ríos and Kit Connor in one film like they weren’t going to cause a cultural collapse,” one tweet read. Full story via Instinct Magazine.
Remembering a Hidden Hero of Gay Liberation
In a moving essay for The Guardian, writer Christopher Stephens recounts how a volunteer reading assignment with a blind man in Oxford transformed into a profound friendship—and an unexpected lesson in queer history. Over years of shared books, letters, and stories, Stephens discovered that his companion, Roger Butler, had quietly but courageously come out in a national newspaper seven years before homosexuality was decriminalised in England and Wales. Read the full story.
The Gay Agenda
May 17th: IDAHOBIT
As the world marks IDAHOBIT this friday under the theme “The Power of Communities,” LGBTQ+ people are facing an alarming rollback of rights. Yet, this year’s message is clear: in the face of repression, solidarity remains our greatest strength. See ILGA’s PRess Release.
June: Pride: March for all
March for All—a powerful new platform from agency Johannes Leonardo— was launched this week to ensure that even those who can’t march, still do. Debuting ahead of WorldPride 2025 in Washington, the initiative allows participants to “march for” someone unable to celebrate openly due to repression, criminalisation, or fear. Through downloadable bibs, fundraising tools, and a visible presence at the June 8th International Rally + March for Freedom, the platform turns celebration into global solidarity. I give credit to my friend at JL, Jonathan Daly.
Well that’s it for this week. Apologies for the unprecedented delay (7 hours!) in sending this out. Instead of my own crisis of imagination, please blame a combination of my recent travels, lunch with the very handsome Julian Morris and the Ring the Bell initiative.
An absolutely incredible event. Thank you for all the amazing work you are all doing. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻