OutPerform | A weekly newsletter on LGBTQ+ Equality - Issue #47
This week: Pressure on Florida lawmakers, "Friends" censored in China, Russian LGBTQ+ network under attack (again), UK gets bad press, the Superbowl LGBTQ+ moments, the It Tiktok Gay couple, and more…
Welcome to this edition of my weekly equality news digest, where I share important (and, let's be honest, less important news!) news, updates, and commentary about the global LGBTQ+ equality movement.
Questions, feedback, and comments are always welcome. Would you mind sharing with your network to continue helping us move the LGBTQ+ equality conversation forward?
US News
Florida: private sector reaches out to lawmakers.
All the anti-LGBTQ+ bills currently being considered in the legislature, including SB280 (preemption bill), HB7 (restricting diversity training and school education), HB1557 (the infamous "Don't Say Gay" bill), and HB747 (allowing medical providers and insurance providers to deny healthcare to LGBTQ+ people) are sending a poor signal about the business environment in the state of Florida.
We wrote to Senator Simpson (President of the Florida Senate) yesterday, while on Monday, we signed the business coalition's letter to Florida lawmakers organized by Equality Florida. You can sign it too.
We copied on our letter several companies with large groups of employees in the state, such as Disney, Carnival, Virgin Voyages, Royal Caribbean Cruises which have a vested interest in LGBTQ+ equality in the state.
Amit Paley (Trevor Project) and Joe Saunders (Florida Equality) penned an op-ed on CNN highlighting why HB1557 could have disastrous consequences. They are not the only ones. The community is not having any of it.
Florida: but let's not count on Publix.
Talking about businesses standing up for human rights and decency, don't count on Publix Supermarkets. The Southern grocery chain, one of Florida's top employers with 833 stores, has often been accused of anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination. South Florida Gay News published an article documenting the chain's history on LGBTQ+ issues last May.
Indiana, South Dakota, and Arizona: some success.
Businesses often ask if their intervention is as useful as it seems to be. There is some “activism fatigue”. While we talk a lot about the damage caused to businesses and the economy by anti-trans bills, let's not forget defeating anti-trans bills saves LGBTQ+ lives. The Indiana bill (House Bill 1041) seems to be on the back burner for now after the February 9th Senate Committee hearing. Arizona's healthcare ban (SB 1138), which was before the Senate HHS Committee, seems to have died. You can still join the business opposition to the South Dakota anti-trans bill by filling out this form.
Global News
Russia goes after the Russian LGBT Network.
A court in St. Petersburg sidelined a lawsuit that Russia's Justice Ministry had filed against the leading Russian LGBTQ+ organization last Tuesday. While the attempt failed, the network fears it might not be the end of attempts at shutting it down. Read Human Rights Watch (HRW)'s take on the lawsuit here.
Hungary: HRW keeps up the pressure.
This week HRW denounced the recent judicial decisions harming LGBTQ+ civil society and the instrumentalization of LGBTQ+ issues for political gains. In particular, it called out a referendum putting minority rights up to the majority.
Great Britain: the trans conundrum.
This week, PinkNews reported that ILGA-Europe has warned in a new report that anti-trans rhetoric is causing "serious damage" in the UK, citing the BBC's "transphobic reporting." You can read the report here. The response from local LGBTQ+ groups was unclear.
Afghanistan: rumble amongst activists.
I often joke that some level of egomania is a requirement to be a social justice warrior. The job requires one to believe that one knows better than all of society. However, "some level" can quickly become unmanageable. This week a "legendary gay rights activist" made random public accusations against reputable actors involved in the Afghanistan LGBTQ+ people-at-risk evacuation. His messages created consternation but also undermined crucial cohesion in our work. The focus on our shared objectives must prevail.
Trinidad & Tobago: a trans Senator.
Good news from the Caribbean: Jowelle de Souza, a trans woman, joined the legislature this week.
Israel/New Zealand ban conversion therapy.
While the UK is still agonizing on the topic, the Israeli Health Ministry quietly put an end to the despicable practice of conversion therapy while New Zealand made it illegal for anybody under 18 years old.
Hong Kong: are the Gay Games 2023 still taking place in Asia?
It was unclear from the news of the pairing with Guadalajara, whether some events will still take place in Hong Kong (read the news here). See also Dennis Philippse’s announcement this week in “coming and going”.
The Boardroom
A lighthearted review of challenges to US Board mandates.
NASDAQ and AB979 face a flurry of lawsuits, but I am on top of it, not to worry. Read my lighthearted review of the ongoing legal challenges here and the implications for Corporate America.
OutQUORUM Summit on LGBTQ+ Board representation: March 22-24.
The Summit, virtual this year, is the annual LGBTQ+ governance gathering where we take stock of progress on LGBTQ+ representation, look at the agenda ahead and consolidate the OutQUORUM network. You can register here.
The Gay Agenda
Tuesday: Czech Republic: Pride Business Forum Voices.
On Tuesday, our friends at the Czech Pride Forum will welcome six speakers about Workplace Equality and Coming Out, including our friend Pavel Subrt, the co-founder of East meets West. ️ Register here.
Wednesday – Amb. Chantale Wong is sworn in at Treasury.
Next week, I will take a quick trip to DC as Secretary Yellen swears in Ambassador Chantale Wong as the US Executive Director of the Asian Development Bank on Wednesday. Read a summary of the reactions to her confirmation last week.
Thursday: Equality Imperative on LGBTQ+ Mental Health.
I will host an Equality Imperative roundtable next Thursday at 10 a.m. on the specificities of LGBTQ+ mental health, the role companies can play in supporting their LBGTQ+ employees, the pitfalls and opportunities of online care such as TalkSpace, and the toll Covid and isolation took on our community. If you are interested in this topic, please email me, and I will send you the Zoom link.
Coming and Going
Dennis Philipse leaves the Gay Games Hong Kong.
Philipse wrote this week, "It has been an honor to have founded and led Gay Games 11 Hong Kong 2023, a visionary startup organization, during the last seven years, the last two full time in a volunteer capacity." Let's acknowledge our service in a sub-region that has become a priority for the movement.
From the semi-cultural desk
If you're like me, you skipped the Superbowl…
I was watching "Inventing Anna"… you can catch up on Billie Jean King and the LGBTQ+ moments of the Superbowl here.
China censor "Friends" LGBTQ+ content we didn't know about.
The BBC and the Washington Post report that Chinese streaming platforms are sanitizing LGBTQ+ content. Which is weird because "Friends" was never known to be gay-friendly, and well, it was even reputed to be homophobic. The running joke that people think Chandler is gay or an episode where Joey convinces an acting student to play a character "homosexually" did not make the series a positive force for our community.
The “It” TikTok gay couple I didn’t know about.
Every week I think about becoming a world-famous TikTok influencer but then get distracted by issues such as making dinner for the twins or watching the "Gilded Age." Apparently, Nick Champa and Pierre Boo are the gay couple to follow on Tiktok. Also, Pierre is French; read about them on NBC News.
One Million Moms and the Zillow ad.
The Christian Post reports that, following the portrayal of a lesbian couple in this super-cute Zillow ad, One Million Moms said in a statement that it "stands up for biblical truth, which is very clear in Romans 1:26-27 about this particular type of sexual perversion." Who are these people? who speaks like that in 2022? And why are they linking to an ad they believe to be diabolical in their article?
Check out the NYC Pride's new logo.
The new logo unveiled this week is rather cool and backed by a good argument. While we are on the topic of NYC, read this uplifting article: 1st openly transgender NYPD detective shares his story, challenges faced.
The rainbow gift that is not too tacky.
I had to think about a suitable rainbow gift this week (don't ask!) and I thought I'd share with you the shortlist so you can reward your fearless ERG leader. This gift is inexpensive (ships from the UK). My favorite is a Ferragamo scarf here. And finally, Hermes if you are feeling especially generous.
On this note, see you at the same time next week and thank you for reading!