Fabrice Houdart | A weekly newsletter on LGBTQ+ Equality
This week: Milken, inclusive India, UN expert in UK, Australia Board Association, Uganda Bill, Disney overload, the Party of Freedom, Montana shenanigans, LGBTQ+ Asian-Americans, and more…
Welcome to my weekly equality news digest, where I share important (and much less important) news, updates, and commentary about the global LGBTQ+ equality movement at the intersection with business.
This week: Milken, inclusive India, the UN SOGIE expert in the UK, Australia Board Association, Uganda Bill, Disney overload, the Party of Freedom, Montana shenanigans, LGBTQ+ Asian-Americans, and more…
Global News
India: same-sex marriage, where do we stand?
If the court recognizes same-sex marriage, the question is whether it will tweak the law or defer to parliament, a setback that would make the situation more complex. The country expects a judgment by September (see BBC here). Check out the outpouring of support in the comments under The Lallantop’s segment with plaintiffs (The Lallantop is THE Hindi YouTube channel with 24 million subscribers): inclusivity is inherently Indian.
“I think society should understand their feelings and accept their marriage. if god has given birth to them on this planet then they have also right to live life with joy and happiness.”
Nepal: court case reiterates same-sex marriage decision
Next door, in Kathmandu, Human Rights Watch reports that the Supreme Court has instructed the government to recognize the same-sex foreign spouse of a Nepali citizen. See here.
“[W]e hold that it is an inherent right of an adult to have marital relations with another adult with her/his free consent and according to her/his will.”
France: the mea culpa of politicians who opposed same-sex marriage
Paris Match this week (I exclusively read highbrow publications) reports on conservative politicians expressing regrets about their opposition to same-sex marriage ten years ago. A mea-culpa linked to potential bids for presidential runs or weaseling their way into a cabinet role. We should forgive bigots because the Washington Post says forgiveness is good for our health, and I have no room for more resentments, but we should not forget:
“La Manif Pour Tous promised us cataclysmic prospects for the collapse of society. A civilizational shock, an upheaval of families. None of this happened, of course. »
Japan: countdown to the G-7 Summit
On Thursday, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) announced it would submit a bill covering LGBTQ+ non-discrimination before the 49th G-7 summit in Hiroshima in two weeks. Japan is the only G-7 country that does not prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ+ people or recognize same-sex unions. I get annoyed when people justify it by the “Japanese culture”; culture can never trump human rights. Period. No exception. Societal attitudes favor both propositions, as highlighted in this Washington Post article.
Uganda: Museveni’s petty games
Uganda Parliament passed the Bill again with minor changes. The Guardian reported that the UK funded a faith-based organization to support the Foreign Office’s “ambition for an open society in Uganda.” Now the organization is linked to the abhorrent new anti-homosexuality bill. Development organizations tend to rely heavily on faith-based organizations. A thorough review of World Bank or AfDB partners would probably unearth similar cases. Maybe a job for the Bank Information Center? Ugandan activist Frank Mugisha was on the Rachel Maddow show asking the World to pay attention to LGBTQ+ Ugandans.
Brazil: Bolsonaro, homophobia, and the proverbial Canary
Bolsonaro is back from a long stint in Kissimmee, Fla (with residents like Trump, DeSantis, and Bolsonaro, the “sunshine state” needs a new tagline) and almost immediately checked in at the federal police headquarters over the January 8 attacks on government buildings (see here). Let me rephrase that, the Jan. 8 attempt at a coup. A strong correlation exists between peddling homophobia and transphobia for political gains and eyeing dictatorship (also explains the DeSantis/Orban bromance).
Vietnam: transgender rights bill
A lawmaker made headlines by proposing a bill to lift the burden a 2015 law placed on trans people for gender affirmation (see here). Applicants must meet requirements regarding their psychological state and physiological changes.
UK: visit of the United Nations SOGIE Independent Expert
Victor Madrigal is in the UK for two weeks speaking with government and civil society representatives in several cities to “assess the situation of LGBTQ+ people in the Kingdom”. He announced he would share his preliminary observations on May 5th. This is a crucial visit in a fraught context over trans issues (see here).
US News
AAPI Heritage Month: the plight of LGBTQ+ Asian-Americans
I was surprised by the reaction to my AAPI Heritage Month piece “LGBTQ+ Asians in the US: between a rock and a hard place”: many reached out to me. There is a sense that the community and LGBTQ+-friendly businesses continue to keep them at bay.
“this truly highlights some of the sentiments I feel and see in my industry as I look to advance and forward my career”.
469 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in state legislatures and counting
The ACLU tracks 469 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the U.S. and produced this map. The animus is evident as most of these bills are just anti-LGBTQ+ posturing with little chance of passing. In the meantime, a Nebraska state senator with a transgender child is being investigated for a potential conflict of interest after she voted against a bill banning gender-affirming health care for minors. Ambiance, ambiance…
And yet, 1 in 4 students identify as LGBTQ+ in the U.S.
That’s what the CDC claims. For Republicans, it means a race against a gigantic demographic shift. Either we live in a dictatorship by the time these kids are in their thirties, or the GOP is doomed: a battle for political survival, which explains its viciousness.
Montana: Zephyr, political gains over the family
A judge decided Zooey Zephyr would continue to work standing up. Zephyr has become a lightning rod for our fight: which is perfect for someone named after the Greek god personifying the west wind. The GOP governor of Montana, Greg Gianforte, signed a bill into law on Friday to restrict transition care for transgender minors. The twist here is that his son, who is non-binary, urged him not to do so. It’s going to make for an awkward Christmas dinner.
Your talking points: “The Party of Freedom” and “Old beats crazy”
The U.S. LGBTQ+ movement might struggle to define its narrative, but the Biden campaign has found one. My friends at Semafor report this quote by top party pollster Celinda Lake "I can tell you that freedom has been testing very, very strongly, and it was a major theme in 2022. The strongest critique of the MAGA Republicans is that they are taking away our freedom." There is another Biden talking point “Old beats crazy.”
LGBTQ+ refugees: Title 42 ends May 11th
The Biden administration is preparing for an expected influx of migrants next month by setting up regional processing centers throughout Latin America to determine whether migrants can enter the U.S. through refugee resettlement or other programs. The U.S. hopes the centers will help maintain some order when Title 42 ends on May 11, a tool they had used to more rapidly remove border crossers. You can sign a petition here. IRC wrote:
“We urge the administration to maintain [its] commitment, rescind the proposed asylum ban, and build back an asylum system in the U.S. that is safe, orderly, and humane.”
The Boardroom
LGBTQ+ Board Diversity at the Milken Institute Conference
I took one for the team (again) by hanging out with tall, straight finance bruhs in Beverly Hills for three days. It felt like “Succession” but without Rome’s sense of humor. My main takeaway was Deepak Chopra and Seth Rosen urging me to quit sugar because it damages my brain (I have been feeding my feelings for a year). Also, everybody was freaking out about AI, and every moderator had ChatGPT jokes. I think Brad Smith basically called Elon Musk an evil CEO. More seriously, Maxine Waters and Governor Newsom raised the alarm on LGBTQ+ rights, the weaponization of business, and the culture war. I thanked Newsom for having raised trans issues in this bruhwy context. Geena Rocero was the best voice for our movement at the Conference. In my panel, I reiterated points about systemic and cultural barriers to LGBTQ+ inclusion in the boardroom and the Association's goal to lead with talent. You can (must?) read my remarks here.
The Australian Association of LGBTQ+ Board and Executive Inclusion
Congratulations to my friends Mark Baxter 🏳️🌈 and David Brine for co-founding the Australian Association of LGBTQ+ Board and Executive Inclusion (ALBEI). With the LGBTQ Corporate Directors Canada and the Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors, it is the third initiative created in 2022/2023. LGBTQ+ inclusion in the boardroom is the next frontier, and thanks to Mark and Jane Griffith’s leadership, it is now a global movement. Next stop, the UK! Who is volunteering to set up a similar non-profit? I am serious, 🤙 Hit me up.
The 2023 Board Diversity Index from Watermark Search International and the Governance Institute of Australia was also published with a chapter by Mark. For the first time, it included LGBTQ+ Board diversity. Download the full report here.
“In Australia, ALBEI estimates between 10-15 people who identify as LGBTQ+ are currently on ASX200 boards, though we don’t have enough data to work with yet”
NASDAQ article on LGBTQ+ Board Representation
Colorful Capital echoed our report in an article on the NASDAQ platform. Colorful Capital is bringing capital support to enterprises founded and led by members of the broad LGBTQ+ community. I particularly enjoyed this sentence:
“To put it another way, investors not demanding more diversity on boards—including with LGBTQ+ candidates—are leaving money on the table.”
ESG: more like EsG
Diligent launched Board Reporting for ESG yesterday “to give a comprehensive view of an organization’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) posture.” The issue is that neither ClarityAI nor the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA), which provides the data, measures LGBTQ+ inclusion, a critical social inclusion component in 2023. The CSA looks at the breakdown of employees on gender/ethnicity/nationality or sexual harassment policies but completely ignores LGBTQ+ issues. Several proprietary indexes could play this role.
Thursday: the state of Board Diversity
The Boardlist is hosting Board whisperer Ilana Wolfe this Thursday, May 4, at 1 PM PST for a session on the state of Board Diversity. Register here.
LGBTQ+ appointment: Debra Chrapaty at Forge Global Holdings
Forge Global Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: FRGE), a global private securities marketplace, announced this month the appointment of Debra Chrapaty to its Board of Directors. Debra was also appointed to the Risk Committee. In 2021, Debra was named to Fast Company’s “Queer50 list,” a list of LGBTQ women and nonbinary innovators shaping our world.
The Gay Business
Is the Disney battle, the end of ESG, DEI, and CSR
If I read one more article this week on how these acronyms are dead and we are in a time of backlash (like this on Axios), I will return to bed. My view, which I reiterated on LinkedIn this week, is that disappointment with the democratic process and transfer of trust to the private sector have led an entire generation to find more agency as economic actors than political ones. The train has left the station, and companies opting to ignore their human rights, governance, and environmental responsibilities are just selecting the extinction option in the medium term.
Also… it is time for our community to rally behind Disney
I did my part in dolling out a few grand on a visit with the twins to the Park last summer; now it’s your time! Join Disney+ or Hulu, buy a little mermaid sippy cup or Mickey's ears, send a friendly letter to Bob Iger; I don’t care but do something. Chapek had thrown us under the bus, but now that the company is embattled for its support for LGBTQ+ rights, we must fall in line.
Anheuser Busch: amid the storm
First, Anheuser Busch will be okay - look at this Yahoo Finance Q1 Earnings report. However, they repeat the Disney mistake by hoping to please both sides. HRC is on their back. The conservatives are upset. Here is a quote extracted from this Newsweek article (note the pun):
"Rather than come to the defense of a transgender woman, rather than defend a noble campaign that sought to reflect acceptance, and rather than let the campaign with Mulvaney speak for itself, Anheuser-Busch poured alcohol all over an extremist's fire, and that will continue to singe our community,"
From the semi-cultural desk
Met Gala: in my next life I want to be Anna Wintour
While I was drowning in an ocean of Navy blazers at Milken, other queer people were having a blast. The headline is hot: “Lil Nas X’s Whole Body is Covered in Nothing But Jewels, Silver Paint, and a Thong.” I love to say I don’t get men’s fashion anymore but this I get. are all the other queer celebs’ outfits.
IDAHOBiT’s campaign by Fondation Emergence
Fondation Emergence did it again! For the 20th anniversary of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, it launched a campaign "LGBTQphobias are irrational fears" I love it: I don’t suffer from gallinophobia but nomophobia for sure. I hate to brag (I don’t), but I serve as Governor of the Foundation Emergence and treasurer of the IDAHOBIT Committee.
A Netflix translator probably got fired
Netflix was called out for a rather unpleasant translation mistake
George Santos: the Queen of New York
Young Republicans embrace Santos as the Queen of New York this week, a bit of a stretch (see Business Insider). The real joke is there is such a thing as “young Republicans.” The New York Times gave Santos another entire story this week. Truly exhausting. I loved his inspiring quote:
"Don't let anybody tell you it's not your turn to go to Congress. I didn't wait for my goddamn turn. I never served in a single local elected position."
And one for my son TanTan: Chris Tyson from Mr. Beast
My beloved son TanTan knows I “write about gay stuff”. Lately, he has been insistent that I write about how “Mr. Beast” let “Chris” go because they are transitioning (this is a series on YouTube Kids, TanTan insists, but that sounds suspicious). He checked a week ago and asked if I had mentioned it. So here it is Chris was actually NOT fired from M. Beast.
When DeSantis will redefine the rides at Disney…
On a lighter note, congrats to Wayne Besen: he imagined what Disneyland would look like when DeSantis repossesses it. Rides like Disney witches burnt at the stake or forcing the little mermaid to de-transition into a fish will surely appeal to "One Million Moms", Moms for Liberty, and all the other far-right Moms out there...Watch the video here. He also penned a great piece in the Sentinel urging the community not to cancel Pride:
“This year, Pride committees should consider dropping the term “drag” and rebrand these events “Pride Fashion Balls.” If law enforcement shows up, the performers should stand firm and say, “Define drag queen. I identify as a fashionista.”
Coming and Going
The passing of Chuck Williams
Two weeks ago, sadly Chuck Williams, behind the institute of the same name at UCLA, passed. Read his obituary in The Advocate.
The Gay Agenda 📔
June 16th: 2023 International East meets West Conference in Vienna
Who doesn’t like a day with Pavel and Ludo in Vienna? You can register for free here. There is even a “significant other program”, meaning - I assume - they provide you with a husband for the weekend.
Thank you for reading. I took the red-eye to Boston this morning on JetBlue (! anybody wants to join JPMorgan and Equilar in sponsoring the Association?), so I do not take any responsibility for what I wrote as usual. Please forward this newsletter to people in your network who might be interested, as I am always seeking new friends. And see you next week: same time/same location. 😻
I appreciate your comment on Japan, that culture shouldn't be an excuse for being behind on anti-discrimination and pro-equality legislation for LGBTQI+ people. At the same time, I note that it's not the only difference for Japan in the human rights space compared to most other G7 - with their position on the death penalty particularly contrasting. However, cultural relativism in the area of human rights in general and LGBTQI+ more specifically is an excuse more often used by Russia, Iran, Pakistan, Egypt and their allies.
Thankfully, you will not hear culture used as an excuse by Japanese diplomats. So if anyone else is using that excuse, they're doing a disservice to Japan and the possibility for progress. It should be considered as a political issue that should and could be advanced through political processes and advocacy. It should be seen as surmountable and not waiting for a so-called cultural change after our lifetime.