Fabrice Houdart | A weekly newsletter on LGBTQ+ Equality
This week: SOTU takeaways, decorum in America, a useless lesbian, réparations in France, Santos is back, key appointment in the Boardroom, my Miami stint, Ghana bill in limbo, Donatella in LA...
This newsletter is short, hasty, and nasty because of David Mixner’s passing, and I had to catch a plane to return to NYC as the Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors hosts two important dinners tonight and tomorrow. Please do not read it as a sign of disaffection: I still love you.
This week: SOTU takeaways, decorum in America, a useless lesbian, réparations in France, Santos is back, key appointment in the Boardroom, my Miami stint, Ghana bill in limbo, Donatella in LA...
Global News
Serbia: lesbian Prime Minister is out
I know it’s a harsh title, but it’s unclear what Lesbian Prime Minister Ana Branbić did for the community in her seven-year stint besides maybe pinkwashing by her presence in a country where anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments and state-sponsored homophobia run high (see this piece on recent police brutality). Amidst Belgrade elections 🗳️ issues, Marko Djuric, tipped to replace her - she is becoming Speaker- raises eyebrows and flashbulbs for dining with Milan Radoičić, a man more wanted than an encore at a Taylor Swift concert.
Greece: Thousands Rally for LGBTQ Rights in Thessaloniki
A few weeks after the country approved same-sex marriage, the streets of Thessaloniki were flooded with demonstrators on Sunday night after a transgender couple was attacked during the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival by a crowd of 300 people. The demonstration started at Aristotelous Square – the attack site – where a coalition of LGBTQ+ activists, women's groups, and student bodies had gathered. Thessaloniki Pride blamed the violence on the anti-marriage equality movement:
Incidents of violence have increased, especially in recent months, clearly due to the hate speech and abusive language that has been and continues to be expressed in the public debate within the Greek parliament, in churches, in the media, and on social media.
France: Assembly Adopts Historic Law for LGBTQ+ Reparation
Without apologies, there is no reconciliation. For the French National Assembly to unanimously pass a groundbreaking law aimed at reparation for individuals convicted of homosexuality between 1942 and 1982 acknowledges that what was done to LGBTQ+ people was not insignificant. The law, introduced by a socialist, triggered a remarkable consensus with 331 votes in favor, despite some hesitancy over the financial reparation aspect of the law (Read more on PinkNews). As the law returns to the Senate for further deliberation, France takes a significant step towards healing past wounds, following the examples set by Germany, the UK, Ireland, Spain, and Canada. Justice Minister Éric Dupond-Moretti, in a poignant address, extended an official apology on behalf of the French Republic to those who suffered under the discriminatory laws:
Sorry to the people – the homosexual people of France – who, for 40 years, suffered this totally unfair repression
World: the LGBTQ+ data desert
I joined a MakingCents panel at CIES2024 yesterday in Miami. I focused my remarks on urging donors to focus on research on the LGBTQ+ experience. Socio-economic, migration, and health outcomes are vastly unknown except in a few Western countries. Underinvestment in research is endemic, and only one organization globally is solely dedicated to researching these issues: the William’s Institute at UCLA.
In other global news
Ghana: It ain't over till the strong-boned lady sings: the bill seems to be in limbo. HRW’s piece this week highlights how African leaders are more vocal in denouncing it. A Russian activist was arrested for using the rainbow emoji in a hacked private chat.
US News
State of the Union: Biden or no Biden?
Intellectuals, artists, rentiers, and other members of the idle class rejoiced about their candidate, incumbent Joe Biden's performance at the State of the Union. Many started packing their kimonos for the Ambassadorship or political appointment that would come with his inevitable victory. Unfortunately, only about 10% of the population watched the address, still slightly more than those who watched the Oscars but barely a quarter of the number of people who watched the Superbowl. Here is the full transcript if you have time to mail it to Tennessee voters or your disgruntled uncle.
State of the Union II: the irony of it all
Do you know what the word of the week was? « Decorum ». Viewers seemed disappointed that SOTU felt like a circus show; there were hecklers, MAGA truckers hats, clownish facial expressions of the Speaker, women dressed for the White Party in Miami, and a fiery campaign speech. I found it entertaining, but some felt a mostly unwritten etiquette was broken that night. Let me be clear: you cannot wear athleisure, relax the House dress code, wear shorts at dinner, constantly talk about money, speak loudly on your phone at the airport, put ice in your wine, and hope people will show self-discipline when the President talks. Embrace America’s kitschiness or, as I do, shield yourself by living like it’s 1922.
State of the Union III: LGBTQ+ Rights
Despite being allegedly jacked up on uppers, Biden did not wear a rainbow cape and soared above the Capitol as planned for logistical reasons. Yet, his spirited defense of transgender rights, call to pass the Equality Act, and pointed criticism of book bans satisfied the gays. His emphatic “I have your back!” to transgender Americans was a response to the wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation sweeping across states, which Biden masterfully juxtaposed against his administration's achievements and plans on things that are not related to bathrooms. Kelley Robinson, President of the Human Rights Campaign, the national LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, still hoped for a few more concrete actions.
Pass the Equality Act, and my message to transgender Americans: I have your back
A decline in Support for Same-Sex Marriage
If you pay your non-profit leaders like CEOs (see my rant last week), you should judge their performance based on their results. For the first time in nearly a decade, support for same-sex marriage in the United States has decreased, according to a recent survey by the rather legit Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI). The American Values Atlas survey, conducted from March to December 2023 (22,465 adult sample with a margin of error of ±0.82 percentage points), indicates a drop in support for same-sex marriage from 69% to 67%, marking the first decline since a similar dip between 2014 and 2015. Additionally, the survey revealed a reduction in support for non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ individuals, falling from an 80% peak in 2022 to 76% in 2023. PRRI CEO Melissa Deckman attributes this shift to the increasing use of LGBTQ rights as a wedge issue in American politics (see here).
Florida: a victory on "Don't Say Gay or Trans" Law
Despite DeSantis trying to spin it as his victory, it’s a significant victory for LGBTQ+ rights: Equality Florida has announced a settlement in their challenge against Florida’s "Don't Say Gay or Trans" law. The agreement, achieved with the Florida State Board of Education, Department of Education, and various school districts, dismantles the most detrimental aspects of the law, restoring free expression in classrooms regarding sexual orientation and gender identity, reinforcing anti-bullying protections, safeguarding Gay-Straight Alliances, and ensuring non-discrimination in educational and extracurricular activities. Nadine Smith, hailed the settlement as a stride towards rectifying the law’s damage and affirming the dignity of all LGBTQ+ individuals in the State.
Queering the Boardroom
LGBTQ+ Directors in Miami
The Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors hosted a dinner sponsored by JPMorgan in Miami last night (see Ron Thurston’s post). We had a fascinating conversation on tactics to keep momentum in our efforts to improve the representation of LGBTQ+ people in the Boardroom despite the pressure on Boards to self-diversify decreasing. One key conclusion was the need for the Association to scale up its focus on private Corporate Boards, including private equity Boards. If you know anybody at BlackRock, State Street, Vanguard, TP, or KKR, ask them to give me a call: I have binders and binders of gays🙂
Mandy Norton joins the RBC Board
Amanda Norton, a respected finance executive and active advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, was appointed to the Royal Bank of Canada's board. She is already serving on the Board of Credit Suisse. Read the announcement here.
The Gay business
Tata Steel opens DEI week
I woke up at 4 a.m. Monday to join our friends at Tata Steel in India. The event, which brought 700 hundred participants, including many blue-collar workers, is a testament to how workplace diversity remains a global corporate agenda despite artificial controversies in the U.S. Read more about the event here.
Grindr: your hook-ups have never been that profitable
Grindr released their 2023 results last week - revenue grew 33%. Users sent 121 billion chats in 2023, an estimated 15% of which were attributed to you. Grindr reportedly laid off 82 of its 178 employees in September after workers threatened to unionize, and most remote employees declined to return to the office.
The semi-cultural desk
Santos' Second Act: A Congressional Comeback?
Kevin Spacey and Galliano had the decency to wait a few years for their return. While George Santos, who weaseled his way in SOTU, flamboyantly announced he’s running for Congress again. He will challenge Nick LaLota for New York's 1st District. Santos, the sixth lawmaker ever to be expelled from the chamber, is undeterred by his 23 federal charges, including fraud and misuse of campaign funds. OnlyFans did not pay as much as he expected, I guess. Talk about decorum.
Donatella Versace's Elevating Experience at L.A. LGBT Event
Donatella Versace found herself momentarily captive in an elevator while attending an event at the L.A. LGBT Center co-hosted with Dwyane Wade. The fashionista and her entourage were stuck for 10-15 minutes. Unfazed, Versace humorously incorporated the elevator escapade into her speech after being named the Organization's Global Ambassador and generously donating $50,000 to the center. Meanwhile, Dwyane Wade, accompanied by Gabrielle Union and his transgender daughter, Zaya, spoke passionately about his support for the LGBTQ+ community. (see more here)
John Galliano: From Fashion's Pinnacle to Pariah and Back
Talking about Galliano and fashion, check out Kevin Macdonald's new documentary, "High & Low: John Galliano," released March 8th, chronicling the designer’s tumultuous journey of the once-revered fashion designer. Galliano, known for his pivotal role in the transformation of Christian Dior into a pop-cultural sensation, hit a career-low with his 2011 racist and antisemitic outburst in Paris, marking a dramatic fall from grace. The film delves into Galliano's life, from his groundbreaking early work to his battles with addiction and grief, offering a hair-raising portrait of his addiction and its impact on his life and career. Now a decade sober, Galliano makes a dramatic return with his latest show for Martin Margiela, hailed as a historical triumph by fashion critics.
Kara swisher’s new book
I have been reading Swisher’s new book Burn Book: a Tech Love Story. It’s exciting and a grand narrative of how greed replaced idealism in tech. It is also reassuring to see how Swisher has no unresolved self-confidence issues. The book could be summarized as “I am a genius, everybody is an ass**le, and I saw all of it coming,” which is coincidentally also the theme of this newsletter.
Édouard Louis’s new book
I like my gay communists, so I have a weakness for Edouard Louis, the French enfant terrible. Check out his new book here.
Watch Gentlemen on Netflix
There is no gay subplot, but it is the best series since White Lotus.
The Gay Agenda
March 25th: Funeral of David Mixner
The Funeral Service for David Mixner will be held on March 25th, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. EDT at the Church of St. Paul The Apostle, 405 W. 59th Street (59th and Columbus Ave.) Donations can be made to Ali Forney. I hope to see you there.
April 13-20: 🚢 smooth sailing with our leaders
A real treat or a retreat? Jaymes Black (Family Equality), SKE (GLAAD), Kelley Robinson (HRC), and Imani Rupert-Gordon (NCLR) are enjoying a well-deserved vacation sailing from San Diego to Mexico, not on David Geffen’s yacht but on an Olivia Cruise. If I were a lesbian, I’d jump on the occasion. Lily Tomlin is also part of the trip. See here.
The Gay Agenda
Coming and Going
Mixner: the send-off of a King
The New York Times echoed David Mixner's passing in a long article. That is meaningful. I almost counted the words because I had nothing better to do. Karine Jean-Pierre also acknowledged his death and contributions at the White House Press Conference. You can read about his impact in The Advocate. I am eagerly awaiting the Clintons' Reaction.
Jean Freedberg retires from HRC
Jean, who single-handedly led the global HRC program, announced she retired this week. We are grateful for her service.
An Executive Director Opening
The Stonewall Community Foundation seeks its next Executive Director to scale the organization while building on past successes.
Well, that’s it for today. I must nap on this plane if I don’t want to be cranky (crankier?) tonight. Also, thanks for your kind notes in response to my piece on David Monday; it meant a lot.