OutPerform | A weekly newsletter on LGBTQ+ Equality - Issue #32
US election day results, the death of bipartisanship on LGBTQ+, Afghan refugees in the UK, LGBTQ+ in ESG, a cabinet post for Randy Boissonnault, and "social pressure" to adopt "woke" language
Welcome to this week's edition of my weekly equality news digest (from a -1oC Connecticut this morning), where I share important news, updates, and commentary about the LGBTQ+ equality movement globally. Questions, feedback, and comments are always welcome. Would you mind sharing with your networks to continue helping us in moving the LGBTQ+ equality conversation forward?
US News
Election Day LGBTQ+ results.
As of this morning, the Victory Fund celebrated 59 wins and another 50 undecideds in races with LGBTQ+ candidates. Congrats to our friends Erik Bottcher (NYC) and Kirk McPike (Alexandria) as well Mayor Sean Strub (Milford, PA) who won his re-election race. A positive development in an otherwise dark omen for the upcoming midterm elections.
Catholic conservatives did not appreciate the Pope's embrace of Biden.
Biden and Francis laughing and smiling together this week was enough to set the Catholic conservative Twittersphere on fire in part because Biden supports same-sex marriage. Yet, the reaction is not representative of most US Catholics: 61% of them approve of gay marriage, according to the Pew Research Center (75% in Spain and France).
How the dream of LGBTQ+ bipartisanship died.
There is still bipartisanship in Congress but not on LGBTQ+ issues. As the chance of passing the bills, we championed: HR 1187 (Governance), HR 1443 (Access to Credit), or the Equality Act evaporates like Kyrsten Sinema's longtime friends. Sources tell me Republicans will block anything with LGBTQ+ in it. What did we do which precluded conservatives from embracing LGBTQ+ equality? Do Democrats also benefit in some ways from being alone in supporting these legislations?
Beth Robinson becomes the first lesbian appeals judge.
On Monday, the Senate confirmed Beth Robinson to the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in a bipartisan vote to contradict my previous point, making her the first openly LGBTQ woman to serve on any federal circuit court. Read Lambda Legal's statement here.
LGBTQ+ ESG: fad or trend?
I wrote a piece on the missing pieces needed for LGBTQ+ human rights impact to become part of the mainstream ESG agenda. The issue of metrics and an impact assessment tool remain bottlenecks to progress on making LGBTQ+ inclusion part of sustainability. Read it here.
Global News
Canada: openly gay MP Randy Boissonnault joins Trudeau's cabinet.
Congratulations to our friend Randy Boissonnault for his re-election as a member of parliament and his appointment as Federal minister of tourism and associate minister of finance. Boissonnault was previously the first Special Envoy on LGBTQ+ issues – a position that is now split between ministries. Maybe I will get to visit Montreal after all.
United Kingdom: June 2022 SafetoBeMe conference and the private sector.
On Saturday, I met with Lord Nick Herbert, the UK Prime Minister's Special Envoy on LGBT Rights and the Chair of the UK Government's forthcoming International LGBT+ Conference #SafeToBeMe. The Conference will have a pillar dedicated to the role of the private sector in global social change.
The United Kingdom and its conversion therapy ban loophole.
After a French law passed Congress to ban conversion therapy, the UK Government came up with a proposal to ban it with the caveat that it would still allow adults to seek out such therapies freely. Some are unhappy about "the loophole," which they see as an unnecessary concession to homophobic religions. Liz Truss, secretary of state for foreign affairs and minister for women and equalities, is blamed for leading the consultation and was previously blamed accused of being transphobic. It might be best if Liz focused her attention on the French row over fish.
Singapore: the foreign Interference Act shuts down multinational corporate activism.
Singapore is the largest receiver of foreign direct investment in the region by some distance, yet multinationals just got a more expansive gag order a month ago. If we needed one – it is confirmation that the Government couldn't care less about democratic principles.
Francophone Africa: paying the price of the French elite gay closet.
Gay people in the US have acquired much clout, the French less so. Please read my latest article on Medium, where I argue that the difference between the US-elite-driven movement and the French working-class-led movement has led to a gigantic financing gap in advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion in francophone Africa.
Australia: soccer player comes out.
Joshua John Cavallo, an Australian professional association footballer who plays as a left-back and central midfielder for Adelaide United, came out last week. Even social media, which is usually horrible, reacted positively. While an incredible development and not to be a football snob, Adelaide United's World Ranking is… 1004 – a lot remains to be done to advance LGBTQ+ equality in the world's leading soccer clubs.
Afghanistan: UK leads the way on LGBTQ+ Afghan evacuations.
The FCO continues its efforts to evacuate LGBTQ+ Afghans while the Taliban is hardening its discourse on LGBTQ+ issues. 29 LGBTQ+ people in "grave danger" landed in the UK two days ago. Rainbow Railroad claims the Taliban keeps a "kill list." Activists have criticized the Biden administration for not doing enough.
Israel: prominent LGBT leader resigns over sexual assault allegations.
Gal Uchovsky, a popular TV personality, reacted to a Kan public broadcaster's exposé by apologizing and saying he would be stepping down as president of IGY – Israel Gay Youth, a leading nonprofit organization serving LGBTQ youth in Israel.
Bulgaria and Tunisia: anti LGBTQ+ attacks.
Homophobia as a political platform could be spreading in Eastern Europe and this week, a right-wing Presidential candidate was in the news for having led an attack on an LGBTQ+ community center. In Tunisia, Human Rights Watch called attention to the attack on an LGBTQ+ leader on October 21st.
From the Cultural Desk
The New York Times on woke language.
This New York Times article on words is mandatory reading: BIPOC or POC? Equity or Equality? The Debate Over Language on the Left.
This quote gave me food for thought: "For white liberals especially, "there is social pressure to engage with these words in the social moment," Dr. Hudley said. "They see this as part of what it means to be an educated white person in certain places and spaces, whether they agree with it or not."
Support the Polish LGBTQ+ Community Center.
While some Polish lawmakers are doubling down on hatred, a Polish-based organization called Federacja Znaki Równości (Federation Signs of Equality) has run the Kraków LGBTQ+ community center since June 2019. London-based Polish artist, Lapinus Morgan, has organized a fundraising initiative called 'Love is not an ideology,' gathering a group of artists who donated their artwork now auctioned online. Even Sharon Stone supports it.
The Catholic Church angels: interviewing Michael O'Loughlin on his new book.
Here is a link to my interview with the author of "Hidden Mercy." Mike is correspondent for America Magazine - The Jesuit Review and the host of the podcast "Plague: Untold Stories of AIDS and the Catholic Church." Michael collected stories of the priests, nuns, and laypersons who took risks in embracing gay men with HIV. A must-read.
Job openings in the LGBTQ+ equality movement.
Out & Equal is recruiting a Senior Director of Communications. There is a consultancy vacancy with the UNICEF Human Rights Unit on Child Rights and SOGIESC. Kaleidoscope also has a commonwealth consulting opportunity on the TCEN webpage.
I streamed a silly camp queer thriller "The Estate" on Monday night.
I am not saying you should, but if you have $7 to waste, consider it. I found it entertaining, but I warn you the reviews are bad. Don't blame me if you don't like it!
See you next week. In the meantime, feel free to email me with any comments or suggestions, or news items I may have missed. I look forward to hearing from you.