Fabrice Houdart | A weekly newsletter on LGBTQ+ Equality
This week: complete horror in Russia, wins in Poland, the UK Rainbow Laces divergence, a losing battle at SCOTUS, the Y.M.C.A. controversy, groundbreaking for the LGBTQ+ museum, and much more…
The astounding degradation of the Russia situation feels like an omen in the context of the newfound powerlessness of LGBTQ+ people in the U.S., illustrated by our pride in the vain arguments articulated in front of SCOTUS today. We are grappling with the demise of our historical allies, liberal democracies globally, and the Democratic party in the U.S. After decades of almost unmitigated advances, LGBTQ+ people find themselves constantly one move behind their opponents with hearts and minds, corporations, soccer teams, or in the highest courts. Some, often safe in their U.S. or UK ivory towers, enthusiastically prepare the most vulnerable queer people for martyrdom. Offering ideological cannon fodder is never a Plan B; it’s called “defeat.” An alternative would be finding out why we are losing support and adapting our messaging. Yet this newsletter is not all grim: look at Poland’s shift toward LGBTQ+ protections, the Development Bank’s advances on LGBTQ+ economic empowerment, and the groundbreaking of the American LGBTQ+ Museum. And this week's art, film, and fashion stories remind us that creativity is our superpower.
This week: complete horror in Russia, wins in Poland, the UK Rainbow Laces divergence, a losing battle at SCOTUS, the Y.M.C.A. controversy, groundbreaking for the LGBTQ+ museum, and much more…
Global News
Moscow: Police Raid Clubs Overnight Saturday
Early Saturday, riot police stormed three clubs, forcing patrons to the floor and leading them out with hands raised. Cell phones and laptops were also confiscated during the raid. One captured video is horrifying: every queer person should watch them. These actions coincide with the anniversary of Russia’s Supreme Court banning the “international LGBT movement.” Putin is making sure queer people have no other choice but to go back in the closet or leave: a step backward that was unimaginable ten years ago. Read this piece on Meduza.
Poland: Criminalizing Anti-LGBTQ+ Hate Speech
Far from the traumatic years of the “LGBTQ+-free zones,” the pro-European Polish government has approved draft legislation to expand its hate crime laws to include sexual orientation, gender, age, and disability. Public insults or incitement to hatred against these groups could lead to prison sentences. It is a shift after years of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric by the previous administration from the PiS party. Some have expressed concern over the omission of “gender identity” as a protected category, leaving trans individuals potentially exposed to discrimination. The bill now heads to parliament, where its passage is expected, though it may face resistance from President Duda, a vocal critic of “LGBT ideology.” See here.
Poland too: UN Expert Urges Government to Do More
Graeme Reid, the UN independent expert on violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (the cool crowd calls him “UNIESOGI”), has urged Poland to take action to protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination and violence. Despite promises by the government to introduce civil unions, progress remains slow, with same-sex couples still unable to marry or register partnerships nearly a year into the government’s tenure. Public consultations on a draft law for civil unions are underway. Still, Reid emphasized the urgent need for legislative reforms. He also warned of the alarming mental health consequences the PiS hostility (see above) has caused. Reid’s full report will be presented to the United Nations in June 2025. See here.
UK: Soccer Rainbow Laces Campaign Divergence
We must reframe the gay liberation movement to dispel the misconception that it is a “woke ideology” agenda. The Premier League’s Rainbow Laces campaign sparked controversy this year as three teams made headlines for diverging actions. Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi avoided sanctions after writing “I Love Jesus” on his rainbow armband, Ipswich Town’s Sam Morsy declined to wear the armband altogether, citing religious beliefs, and Manchester United bowed to Mazraoui citing religious objections. Which religion prevents one from standing against the global state of Apartheid for LGBTQ+ people? In the BBC piece, former Wales captain Laura McAllister called this posturing disappointing, stating captains represent entire clubs, including LGBTQ+ fans.
Canada: An LGBTQ+ Pride Flag Controversy
In the Toronto Sun, Harold McQuaker, the mayor of Emo, Ontario, refuses to pay a $5,000 fine and attend a mandated awareness course after a tribunal ruled he violated human rights by failing to fly the LGBTQ+ Pride flag during Pride Month. The Ontario Human Rights Commission’s decision came after the LGBTQ+ group Borderland Pride sued McQuaker and the town for non-compliance. McQuaker called the ruling "extortionate" and claimed the flag wasn’t raised because the council lacked a dedicated flagpole, not out of malice.
World AIDS Day: Hope & Concern
We marked World AIDS Day on Sunday. Significant advancements in HIV treatment and prevention—such as the life-saving impact of antiretroviral therapy (U=U) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)—have made the goal of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030 a real possibility. Yet, persistent stigma, growing anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination, and the uncertain future of U.S. support for PEPFAR threaten to derail these gains. Structural barriers like criminalization and inequalities rooted in HIV/AIDS stigma are widespread, as UNAIDS' 10-10-10 goals remain unmet. Read more here.
Asian Development Bank: Two Key Developments
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has achieved two significant milestones in November. The ADB Board unanimously approved a new Environmental and Social Framework, ensuring "do no harm" protections for LGBTQ+ people in all ADB interventions. The Board also outlined a five-year roadmap to actively advance the inclusion of LGBTQ+ people under the principle of "do good." These measures represent a transformative shift toward embedding LGBTQ+ rights and protections into global development practices. I am glad as it is an agenda I championed at the World Bank a decade ago.
US News
American LGBTQ+ Museum: We Are A People
See what I am doing here? Starting with the positive. Yesterday, I joined the inspiring groundbreaking ceremony for the American LGBTQ+ Museum in New York City. In the crowd, I ran into Mitch Draizin - who played a key role in launching this project, Joseph Perta, Craig Konnoth, the Hochberg brothers, Brad Clark of the Gill Foundation, the activist Mark Segal sitting next to Klayton Fennell, Cindy Rizzo and Lisa Linsky, James Lima and Imara Jones (all three serve on the board). The event was a much-needed reminder that the U.S. movement can still get some things right (see my LinkedIn Post here) but perhaps more importantly, that we are “a people,” something I find myself reiterating to gay men much more than before these days. Speeches by Governor Kathy Hochul, Raquel Willis, poet Saeed Jones, and Broadway’s Jenn Colella reaffirmed why preserving our stories is vital during this precarious time. They also noted that, as LGBTQ+ people claim their space in America’s narrative, they also face erasure from schools and other public spaces.
Joyfully Losing A Transgender Rights Case
The way our troops sing this morning - in a big show by the steps of the Court - reminds me of the movie “All Quiet on the Western Front.” There is nothing to rejoice in a highly politicized U.S. Supreme Court hearing United States v. Skrmetti, a case challenging Tennessee’s ban on medical care for transgender minors, including puberty blockers and hormones. The question is whether the law constitutes discrimination under the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause. Plaintiffs, supported by the ACLU, argue that the ban discriminates based on sex, while opponents claim it prioritizes safeguarding children over ideology. A ruling in Spring 2025, a legal offering to Trump, will most likely uphold Tennessee’s law and reinforce state-level bans. See more about the case here.
Moderation Without Surrender: Democrats and Trans Rights
In The Atlantic, Jonathan Chait argues that Democrats face a false binary when it comes to trans rights: championing them unconditionally or abandoning them entirely. Instead, he proposes a pragmatic middle ground, where core protections—such as anti-discrimination laws and access to healthcare—are upheld. At the same time, unpopular positions like blanket policies on trans athletes in elite sports or taxpayer-funded gender-affirming surgeries for prisoners are reconsidered. Chait suggests this approach could preserve trans rights while reducing political vulnerabilities, allowing Democrats to defend dignity without being painted as extremists.
California: A Volleyball Team Battle
The New York Times reports that San Jose State University’s women’s volleyball team has become a flashpoint in the national debate over sports, as a lawsuit aimed to bar a transgender player from competing in the Mountain West Conference tournament. Filed by a co-captain and assistant coach, the suit argued that the player’s inclusion violated Title IX and female athletes’ rights to fairness. However, federal judges rejected their claims, allowing the athlete to compete. The controversy has fractured the team, led to boycotts by rival schools, and thrust the Spartans into the political spotlight.
Michigan: Lawmaker Calls for Gay Marriage Ban
In PinkNews, Michigan Republican state Rep. Josh Schriver sparked outrage after stating on social media that same-sex marriage should be "illegal again," calling the 2015 Supreme Court ruling that legalized it a "perverted" decision. His comments did not please Attorney General Dana Nessel, who is in a same-sex marriage, and Rep. Jason Morgan, who labeled the remarks "anti-family" and "extreme." The U.S. 2025 state legislative session is going to be a free-for-all.
Minnesota: A Bitter Cocktail of Guns and Homophobic Sentiments
We would call this story a chien écrasé (roadkill) in French. Still, I extracted it as an example of how ugly rhetoric can quickly turn into something more serious in a country where everybody has a gun. What began as a quiet Sunday for Corinne Pfoser and her fiancée, Kayla Lindenfelser, in Elk River, Minnesota, turned into a harrowing ordeal involving police, SWAT teams, and a standoff with their neighbor. Mark Stinson, 48, hurled homophobic slurs at the couple before threatening them with a gun. When police arrived, Stinson barricaded himself inside his home, prompting an hours-long standoff that ended with his arrest for felony terroristic threats and second-degree assault. Read more here.
The gay Business
U.S. DEI Rollbacks Have Global Ripples
Unfortunately, the rollback of DEI initiatives by major US corporations like Walmart, Ford, and Toyota is spreading globally. See this article in India Today, for example. It suggests that corporate India should learn from these setbacks. I got to know about MEI, *eye roll*, a term coined by the youngest gay billionaire, Alexandr Wang:
MEI - Merit, Excellence, and Intelligence - has emerged as a proposed alternative.
Queering the Boardroom
Corporate Board Diversity Progress Slows in 2024
A new study by The Conference Board, discussed in Bloomberg Law, reveals that while women now hold a record 34% of S&P 500 board seats, progress in diversifying boards by race and ethnicity has slowed. More than two-thirds of newly appointed directors in 2024 identify as White, reversing earlier gains in representation for non-White groups. The report suggests this slowdown may stem from waning momentum amid rising political and social scrutiny.
Key LGBTQ+ appointments
Thomas Ranese announced he joined Intuit as CMO. Debra Chrapaty is joining the Board of Udemy.
The semi-cultural desk
A TIME Capsule of Prejudice
My friend Grant recently sent me TIME Magazine’s 1966 essay "The Homosexual in America" (Robby Starbuck was born in 1988). The piece derides queer existence as a “pathetic little second-rate substitute for reality,” dismissing LGBTQ+ lives as inferior and unnatural. Its conclusion warns against the “glamorization” of homosexuality. What struck me was the casual cruelty of the piece; read it for yourself.
It deserves no encouragement, no glamorization, no rationalization, no fake status as minority martyrdom, no sophistry about simple differences in taste—and, above all, no pretense that it is anything but a pernicious sickness.
Alex Consani: A Historic Win for Model of the Year
Alex Consani became the first transgender woman to win Model of the Year at the Fashion Awards in London. Known for her viral TikTok presence and runway appearances for Chanel, Stella McCartney, and Victoria’s Secret, Consani said, “Change is more than possible—it’s needed.” See here.
Conclave: Catholic Pageantry
I decided to watch Conclave, the papal election drama starring Ralph Fiennes, after hearing how upset the Catholic Church was about its plot—and I wasn’t disappointed. While I found the production design captivating, the film’s 7.4 IMDb rating feels slightly inflated.
Jonathan Bailey on Heartstopper.
“Heartstopper” seems to allow people to feel catharsis and a sort of melancholic nostalgia for what could have been. I was feeling all of those things anyway…[…] Everyone above the age of 40 should be forced to watch it.
Village People Founder On “Gay Anthem” Label
In a December 2 Facebook post, Victor Willis, founder of the Village People, said he allowed Trump’s use of the song—despite his support for Kamala Harris—because it boosted the track’s popularity. Willis also condemned labeling the song a “gay anthem” as “damaging,” threatening legal action against outlets perpetuating the claim. Though the LGBTQ+ community has long embraced “Y.M.C.A.,” Willis maintains it’s a universal track, calling its association with gay culture “misguided.”
Sabbath Queen: Faith and Radical Faeries
Sandi DuBowski’s Sabbath Queen, recently reviewed in The New York Times, offers a glimpse into Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie’s 21-year journey of self-discovery. The documentary traces Lau-Lavie’s evolution from the Radical Faeries’ queer community to Conservative Judaism, all while questioning family, faith, and identity.
Photographer Bernard Faucon Faces Abuse Allegations
Renowned French photographer Bernard Faucon is facing three complaints for rape and sexual assault, with incidents allegedly occurring in the 1980s when the accusers were minors, aged 16, 15, and 11. According to an investigation by M Le Magazine du Monde, the complaints were filed on March 13, 2024, and the authorities interviewed two victims. While French law allows victims to file complaints for rape up to 30 years after reaching adulthood, the cases are now reportedly time-barred.
Wilson Cruz: A Soldier of Art and Activism
Wilson Cruz, the groundbreaking actor and activist, is featured in Paul Robinson's Twelve Soldiers, a photo and storytelling series spotlighting LGBTQ+ changemakers.
The Week Of JK Rowling
JK Rowling—also in the news this week for the Barbra Banda controversy— criticized the NYTimes’ characterization of the backlash she encountered as “unsparing criticism” and a “rewriting of history.” Rowling argued that our movement's tactics—such as ostracization and guilt-by-association—have silenced critical voices and harmed livelihoods. This week, Newsweek also wrote: JK Rowling Might Have Just Won the Culture War.
WBD's backing of Rowling "is a business move by a studio plain and simple," Dylan Thomas Cotter, a publicist and transgender advocate
Coming and Going
Happy Birthday
Two of my favorites are ADB Executive Director and Amb. Chantale Wong and editor extraordinaire Keith Fox had important birthdays last week.
The Gay Agenda
December 9th: OutSummit 2024
Join Outright’s OutSummit on December 9 for a global, hybrid conference uniting activists, policymakers, and allies to advance LGBTIQ rights. With keynotes from Tarek Zeidan and Rep. Dina Titus, this is a must-attend event to strategize for change. Register now!
December 11th: Humans of Pride 🎥🏳️🌈
Humans of Pride, a powerful documentary celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion, will have a private screening on December 11 at the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center🌟 Watch the trailer here.
April 17/18: Inaugural LGBTQ+ Inclusive Finance Conference
Koppa, the LGBTQ+ economic empowerment lab, will host the inaugural Global LGBTQ+ Finance Forum in New York City this December. The two-day event will bring together financial sector leaders, LGBTQ+ founders, and advocates from the Global South and East to explore inclusive finance solutions. Through panels, workshops, and skill-building sessions, the forum aims to close gaps in access to capital, promote best practices, and foster cross-sector collaboration.
Well, that’s it for this week. You might have noted that I am not in the best of moods today: frankly, the news from Russia shocked me a little. But I am feeling happy with the holidays: in two weeks, I am flying out to Hanoi with the twins for a family trip in Vietnam and Cambodia, and I am looking forward to spending time disconnected from the news.