Fabrice Houdart | A weekly newsletter on LGBTQ+ Equality
This week: underground Iran, Sam Altman’s soul, Geffen’s divorce, Magnus Hirschfeld’s legacy, Kameny’s centennial, Mixner’s corner, having a gay voice and much more…
Bonjour from a rainy NYC, where I’ve just returned after two weeks immersed in how our global community is responding to the shifting world order. My thoughts are still unorganized, but one thing is clear: while Americans seem poised to double down on the familiar, it’s LGBTQ+ leaders abroad who are driving fresh thinking. Perhaps 2025 marks a turning point — a quiet reordering of our global movement, with less American cultural hegemony and more diverse leadership at the helm.
This week: underground Iran, Sam Altman’s soul, Geffen’s divorce, Magnus Hirschfeld’s legacy, Kameny’s centennial, Mixner’s corner, having a gay voice and much more…
Global News
Russia: Still Bottom of the Barrel
For the second year, Russia ranks dead last in ILGA-Europe’s LGBTQ+ rights index. A powerful new survey by “Coming Out” and the Sphere Foundation — the largest of its kind on queer life in Russia — reveals a society increasingly hostile and dangerous for LGBTQ+ people. Nearly half (48%) of respondents faced abuse or pressure in 2024, with trans Russians primarily targeted: 31% live below the poverty line, and over half avoid medical care out of fear. Read the full report here.
Every year, my mental health got worse and worse… After the ‘extremism’ ruling, my spouse and I realized that the future was irrevocably hopeless and bleak.
Romania: MAGA-like Candidate’s Defeat
Romania, ranked lowest in the EU for LGBTQ+ rights, narrowly avoided a hard-right turn as centrist Nicușor Dan defeated Trump-style nationalist George Simion in the presidential race. Simion, who campaigned in red caps and promised a “landslide,” instead delivered a sigh of relief to LGBTQ+ Romanians—and to Brussels. See PinkNews.
Europe: an LGBTQ+ Education Crisis
The third edition of IGLYO’s LGBTQ+ Inclusive Education Index & Map paints a bleak picture: seven European countries now ban even mentioning LGBTQ+ topics in schools, and overall progress has stalled or regressed in much of the region. While Belgium, Denmark, and Spain are among the few bright spots, most countries still fall short on anti-bullying policies, inclusive curricula, and teacher training. IGLYO warns that education is becoming a battleground in a broader anti-rights agenda—and calls for urgent action to protect learners' fundamental right to a safe, inclusive education. See here.
Europe: Macron Applauds Push to Ban Conversion Therapy
On May 17, President Macron hailed a European Citizens’ Initiative calling for a continent-wide ban on conversion therapies, which surpassed the one million signatures needed to trigger a formal response from the European Commission. Calling it a “fight for freedom, dignity, and respect,” Macron highlighted France’s 2022 ban and expressed solidarity with the growing European movement. Currently, only eight EU countries have entirely outlawed these harmful practices. Still, support is swelling across civil society and among public figures, marking a significant step forward on IDAHOBIT.
Full support to the European citizens calling for a ban on conversion therapies. France banned them in 2022. This is a fight for freedom, dignity, and respect. Together we will succeed.
Saudi Arabia: Sam Altman’s Billion-Dollar Balancing Act
In a curious twist of capitalism, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who is openly gay, met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman this week. Altman, who calls himself “the luckiest, most important job holder in history,” is an expert at juggling moral dilemmas and billion-dollar investors. MBS has been on a rehabilitation PR campaign for years, so I was not surprised to see this cute picture of the two of them.
Iran: A Queer Resistance Network
Check out this article in the Blade. In Iran, a covert queer network is challenging the regime’s campaign of coerced conformity. With homosexuality punishable by death, activists like Arsham Parsi and groups such as IRQR have built encrypted lifelines—safe houses, secret workshops, and digital havens—to help LGBTQ Iranians resist forced sex reassignment surgeries imposed by the state. This quiet rebellion, rooted in survival and dignity, defies a regime that erases identities through repression masked as a “solution.”
Vatican: Pope Leo XIV on LGBTQ+ Rights in First Major Address
In his first major speech to the Vatican diplomatic corps, he reaffirmed the Church’s opposition to same-sex marriage, declaring that family is “founded upon the stable union between a man and a woman” (anybody is mailing him a copy of Chasten’s new book?). As PinkNews reports, his remarks suggest a hardening of the Vatican’s stance compared to Pope Francis. Yet some queer Catholics remain cautiously hopeful.
United Nations: marking IDAHOBIT
If the US was conspicuously absent from last Friday's celebration, the UN looked undeterred by the DOGE specter. The UN Free & Equal campaign marked the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) with a new thematic campaign celebrating the power of communities (see Facebook, Instagram, and X) or here. IDAHOBIT 2025 statements have also come out from SGAntónio Guterres, High Commissioner Volker Türk, and Independent Expert Graeme Reid.
US News
WorldPride 2025: Celebration Under Siege
As TIME reports, WorldPride 2025 is landing in a few weeks in Washington, D.C., under uniquely hostile circumstances. The article notes corporate sponsors like Booz Allen Hamilton and Comcast have pulled out, fearing a White House backlash. Foreign governments, including Germany, Denmark, and Ireland, have issued travel advisories for LGBTQ+ visitors. The Kennedy Center canceled all Pride programming. Organizers have had to fence in the street fair with security checkpoints—a first in Pride history. Despite the tension, high-wattage events featuring Shakira, Troye Sivan, and Cynthia Erivo are going ahead. At the same time, a massive June 8 march to the Lincoln Memorial aims to reclaim the spirit of resistance. Also, check out this impressive mural.
DC Goes Big for Andry
On June 6, amid the celebrations of WorldPride in Washington, D.C., Crooked Media and The Bulwark are joining forces for a powerful live show and fundraiser at the Lincoln Theatre in support of Andry Hernández Romero, a gay Venezuelan makeup artist who was forcibly deported and disappeared into El Salvador’s infamous mega-prison under the Trump administration. Featuring Jon Lovett, Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, and surprise guests, Free Andry: A Crooked/The Bulwark Fundraiser At WorldPride blends political outrage with Pride-week celebration to raise funds for the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, which is fighting for Andry’s return.
Trump, HIV and Grindr
Our community is learning, the hard way, that Trump 2025 is not Trump 2017. Just as some began romanticizing George W. Bush, I now hear whispers of Trump 2017 nostalgia — the version where he pledged, in 2019, to end the HIV epidemic in the U.S. by 2030. That bold, bipartisan goal spurred genuine progress: broader PrEP access, at-home testing, and billions in HIV research. But now, the rug is being pulled. NIH has already canceled $450 million in grants, and U.S. aid cuts are gutting HIV testing abroad. In The Hill, Grindr CEO George Arison warns of the consequences, while cuddling the administration a little:
Trump could go down in history for his heroic 2019 goal — but only if he and his administration decide to see it through
Queering the Boardroom
New Exchanges Ring The Bell for LGBTQ+ Equality
After LSEG, ASX, and Toronto, Euronext rang the bell—well, bang the gong on Monday. Koppa’s Amar was in town and almost on time for the event. Frankfurt, Mexico City, and other exchanges will follow. Stay tuned and read more.
The Gay Business
NYC Pride Faces a Corporate Cold Shoulder
Among my many defects, I enjoy seeing my name in The New York Times. Mostly, because it means old crushes might text. Today, I voiced concern over the 25% drop in corporate sponsorship for NYC Pride, warning it’s not really about budgets but fear: “I find it very difficult to believe this is about the economic context… companies say, ‘I won’t engage on anything L.G.B.T.-related because I don’t want to find myself being a target.’” With $350,000 in lost funding, Heritage of Pride may cancel events and cut community grants, while once-proud sponsors like Target now request anonymity — a quiet retreat that speaks volumes. Read the article.
Koppa Welcomes Three Global Leaders to Its Inaugural Board
Koppa, which I co-founded with four friends, announced the addition of three trailblazing leaders to its inaugural Board of Directors: Ambassador Chantale Wong, a pioneer in public finance and international development; Victor Madrigal-Borloz, a globally respected human rights expert and former UN Independent Expert on LGBTQ+ issues; and Manisha Dhakal, a fearless advocate for trans rights and Executive Director of Nepal’s Blue Diamond Society. Their combined expertise and lived experience will strengthen Koppa’s mission to build queer economic power across the Global South. See the announcement here.
Copenhagen Tops “Open for Business” Index
Copenhagen has been named the world’s most “Open for Business” city, topping the 2025 global index that evaluates LGBTQ+ inclusiveness and economic competitiveness across 149 cities. The Danish capital earned AAA rating for its inclusive policies, strong governance, and dynamic innovation ecosystem. Cities with high LGBTQ+ inclusion outperform others in human capital, entrepreneurship, and investment attraction. As a proud advisor to Open for Business, I’m particularly heartened to see how the organization has become the global LGBTQ+ business platform of reference. See the full index here.
Semi-cultural desk
David Geffen’s Divorce
I like that this newsletter lived long enough to witness David Geffen's marriage and divorce. Everybody is focused on the fact that the marriage had no prenup, while I chose to focus on entering the race to become his next husband. I feel I am a reasonable option.
What to stream? The Wedding Banquet
I just watched The Wedding Banquet, and it reminded me of a piece I wrote titled “LGBTQ+ Asians in the US: Between a Rock and a Hard Place” about the specific experience of LGBTQ+ Asian-Americans. My son, who was watching it with me, quickly pointed out that we didn’t laugh much for a comedy.
What to watch? Overcompensating
I have been watching “overcompensating” in hotel rooms lately while patiently waiting for my melatonin to kick in. Benito Skinner’s Overcompensating, reviewed this week in The New Yorker by Inkoo Kang, is a sharp and unexpectedly moving satire about a closeted college jock performing straight masculinity to absurd extremes. Also, FYI, Benny has a thirsty spread in Attitude Magazine. Overcompensating - Official Trailer | Prime Video
Pillion Rides Cannes in Style
Harry Lighton’s Pillion, adapted from Adam Mars-Jones’s Box Hill, was Cannes’ queer talk of the town. Alexander Skarsgård, in full dom mode, electrifies as Ray, the alpha biker who awakens something primal—and unexpectedly romantic—in Harry Melling’s gentle, barbershop-singing Colin. I will watch it.
About Magnus Hirschfeld
Born on May 14, 1868, Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld was a trailblazing gay, Jewish-German sexologist whose revolutionary work laid the foundation for modern understandings of gender and sexuality. In honor of his birthday this week, British writer Daniel Brook has released a powerful new biography celebrating Hirschfeld’s legacy—and reclaiming him from the margins of queer memory. Known as the “Einstein of Sex,” Hirschfeld co-founded the world’s first LGBTQ+ rights organization in 1897 and opened the pioneering Institute for Sexual Science in Berlin on May 14, 1919. That same institute would later be destroyed by Nazi youth in one of history’s most infamous acts of anti-queer censorship, yet Hirschfeld’s ideas have endured. Brook’s book revives Hirschfeld’s pioneering research and his improbable love story with Li Shiu Tong, a young Chinese medical student and Hirschfeld’s devoted partner. 📖 Read more on Literary Hub.
Do you have “Gay Voice”?
In USA Today, Oxford linguistics student Erin Broadhurst set TikTok ablaze with her thesis on the so-called “gay voice,” racking up over 8 million views — proving once again that queers asking big questions still break the internet. Broadhurst studied identical YouTubing twins (one gay, one straight) and found that both adjusted their speech depending on who they were talking to — gay or straight. It’s called accommodation theory aparently. Her work in "lavender linguistics" adds a clever data point to a long, messy conversation about voice, identity, and the slippery slope between stereotype and science.
Coming And Going
Kameny’s 100
This week marks what would have been the 100th birthday of Dr. Frank Kameny — a man who didn’t just fight the system; he rewired it. Fired from his government job in 1957 for being gay, Kameny didn’t disappear quietly. Instead, he sued the federal government, coining the now-iconic slogan “Gay is Good,” and laying the groundwork for a movement. His activism predated Stonewall, helped declassify homosexuality as a mental illness, and ultimately led to the end of the federal government’s ban on LGBTQ+ employees. Read more on Kameny’s centennial.
Gill & Miller Recognized
Tim Gill and Scott Miller were named to the TIME100 Philanthropy list for 2025. Gill, who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom earlier this year, and Miller, a former U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland, have directed nearly $450 million in grants through the Gill Foundation. Their recent focus has been defending marriage equality and supporting state-level bans on conversion therapy, including a case now headed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Beth Ford At The Pinnacle of Business
You can count on two hands the number of lesbians at the top of corporate America, which is why Beth Ford’s recognition at No. 12 on this year’s Fortune Most Powerful Women list is a big deal. As CEO of Land O’Lakes, Ford defies expectations in an industry — and a power list — still overwhelmingly straight and male. Her presence is a rare and powerful reminder that LGBTQ+ leadership at the highest levels of business is possible, impactful, and long overdue.
The Gay Agenda
June 5: LGBT+ VC Summit
The 3rd Annual LGBT+ VC Summit is an invite-only gathering of LGBTQ+ people and their allies in venture. Reserve your spot.
June 11: GLAAD Turns 40, Still Sparkling
GLAAD and The Hollywood Reporter will toast Pride ’25 with an exclusive West Hollywood bash on June 11, marking four decades of what the invite describes as “rewriting the script” for LGBTQ representation. The organization has so much to celebrate. See here.
June 27: Mixner’s Corner Dedication in NYC
On Friday, June 27, at noon, the corner of West 47th Street and Eighth Avenue will be renamed “Mixner’s Corner” in honor of LGBTQ+ civil rights icon David Mixner. I’ll attend as David was always an encouraging presence in my life, and I genuinely miss him.
That’s it for this week — running a bit late again, as I’m still struggling to catch up after weeks on the road. Time zones are less forgiving when you’re a middle-aged Frenchman. This weekend, I’m off to Hudson with the twins, where I plan to nap generously while they frolic enthusiastically in the mud. See you next week, hopefully a bit more rested and a touch less jet-lagged.