OutPerform | A weekly newsletter on LGBTQ+ Equality - Issue #33
This week: the tragic passing of activist Mark Glaze, LGBTQ+ economic inclusion on the Hill, more bad news from #China and #Russia, the global gay acceptance index 2021, "Tampa Baes" is on and more...
Welcome to this week's edition of my weekly equality news digest (this week from our temporary office in Hell’s Kitchen), 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
The tragic passing of Mark Glaze: gay activist and Washington, DC pillar.
Mark's premature death at 51 shocked and saddened many of us last week. The announcement was blunt on the role addiction, and mental health played in driving him to suicide. This New York Times obituary highlighted his legacy echoed by thousands who shared their memories of Mark on social media. The National Institue of Health (NIH) presented a study this week showing higher rates of suicide ideation among LGBTQ+ people. This is a reminder for us, on the heels of our friend Monica Boll's passing, of the need to check on and support each other.
A hearing on the Hill on LGBTQ+ economic inclusion.
Yesterday afternoon, Tanya Aspansa Johnson Walker (NYTAG), Todd Sears (Out Leadership), Spencer Watson (CLEAR), David Johns (National Black Justice Coalition), testified in front of the House Financial Services Committee in a hearing titled, "There's No Pride in Prejudice: Eliminating Barriers to Full Economic Inclusion for the LGBTQ+ Community." All articulated the case for an intersectional approach to addressing access to financial services highlighting striking disparities (read our full statement here and watch the hearing replay here). Maxine Waters unexpectedly enquired about the Dave Chappelle controversy during the hearing.
The Economist's not-so-subtle hints on "gender ideology."
The Economist has been focusing a lot lately on challenging what it perceives as "trans radicalism." Yet, anyone concerned about detransitioning should be equally worried about challenging the transphobia that is rife across the world (read the article here). Transgender Day of Remembrance is less than two weeks away (November 20th) and our friends at Out & Equal prepared a guide to mark it.
Afghanistan refugees: pushing the US to do more.
While the UK welcomed two groups of LGBTQ+ Afghan refugees in the last few days, the US lags. Activists went (virtually) to DC on Tuesday with Church World Service to demand Congress pass the Afghan Adjustment Act and urge President Biden to continue the evacuation of at-risk Afghans (see their petition here). Please watch the trailer of “Flee” - Denmark’s Oscar submission for best international feature about a gay man’s extraordinary escape from Afghanistan as a child refugee - it might be the best thing in this issue (read Hollywood Reporter’s take on it).
Chasing Rainbows: a new venture fund for LGBTQ+ founders.
Ben Stokes announced last week the launch of a new Venture Fund for LGBTQ+ and under-represented founders with the tag line "Investing For Equality To Bring About Equity" and a glittery unicorn logo. Read more here.
The “woke” agenda is not getting a good rap this week in the US.
In the New York Times “Why Wokeness Will Fail” by Bret Stephens. And on NPR “Woke Racism”: John McWhorter argues against what he calls a religion of anti-racism.
Global News
China: a prominent LGBTQ+ civil society organization shuts down its operations.
LGBT Rights Advocacy China - with which I have had a longstanding relationship, announced on social media Thursday it was ceasing all activities and shutting down its social media accounts. While this is the consequence of a larger crackdown on civil society, it illustrates how inclusion is no longer a topic civil society can tackle. It also means the private sector ought to ramp up its engagement in that arena. I interviewed Yahui Peng during Out Leadership's Asia Summit last October. Watch it here.
Russia: Justice Ministry goes after LGBT-Network.
Global human rights organizations all reacted strongly to the news that LGBT-Network, a prominent Russian group defending the rights of LGBTQ+ people (it plays a crucial role in response to Chechnya's atrocities), and five human rights lawyers from Komanda 29 have been added to a list of "foreign agents" by the Ministry of Justice. This is part of the growing pattern by the Russian authorities of harassment of LGBTQ+ civil society for political reasons. Unhinged Putin needs to hide his kleptocracy behind the "family and tradition" veil, and LGBTQ+ people are pawns in that process (also read: “Arrested in my pyjamas: I became a political prisoner at 23”).
Senegal: a Goncourt for Mohamed Mbougar Sarr.
Mbougar Sarr – the 31 years old Senegalese author who addressed same-sex relationships in his previous book "De purs hommes" received the prestigious literary Goncourt prize last week. In Mbougar Sarr's words: "a good homosexual in Senegal is either a homosexual hideaway, a public entertainer or a dead gay man." Last week I called out France for not doing enough to support LGBTQ+ grassroots movements in francophone Africa in terms of both advocacy and budget.
Italy: 47 years old Italian M5S politician comes out.
Vincenzo Spadafora, a populist Italian politician, came out as gay over the weekend. I guess it is news because his party, M5S, often abstained on divisive social-policy issues, including LGBTQ+ issues, to preserve its wide voters’ target. Meanwhile, our friend Ivan Scalfarotto (who funded "Parks – Liberi e Uguali" now led by Igor Suran), who has been out for years, was being attacked by Palermo Pride in what some described as Italy's "own cancel culture" (La "cancel culture" all'italiana: almost sounds like a delicious dish but isn't). Also in Italy, our friend Pavel Subrt of EMW will be featured in Divercity Magazine next event on November 18th at 3.00pm present issue # 12.
Europe: the pink divide analysis in the Washington Post.
"The jury is out on whether opposition to gay rights can be a winning political strategy in Europe," it concludes. (read the full article here).
Argentina: Fundacion Amal resettles refugees.
Rainbow Railroad does a fantastic job in Canada, Immigration Equality too in the US, but a lesser-known organization is Fundación AMAL Argentina. Fundacion Amal is the first non-Canadian organization to implement sponsorship programs with refugee populations that identify as LGBTIQ+ (primarily Syrians). Read about their work here.
The Williams Institute presents its 2021 LGBTI Global Acceptance Index.
The report, which measures public opinion regarding LGBTI people and policies in 175 countries, can be found here. The UK ranks 9th, France 19th, the US 23rd, and China 100th. Join the November 16 (11 a.m. EST) webinar to discuss key findings from the report. RSVP here.
The IDAHOBIT / May 17th’s theme was just announced…
This year’s theme is "Our bodies, our lives, our rights", so get ready for the 2022 edition.
The Boardroom
Nasdaq is woke, and the NYSE diversity initiative is a …(it rhymes with woke).
While Nasdaq champions LGBTQ+ diversity on Board, the New York Stock Exchange has been artfully ignoring it. NYSE's Initiative to Advance Board Diversity is led by an Advisory Council composed of 21 individuals. Not even one is openly LGBTQ+. Regrettable when you consider Gallup estimates 5.6% of the US population self-identifies as LGBTQ+ and that 0.5% of directors on Fortune 500 Boards are LGBTQ+.
The conservatives counterattack on Board diversity efforts.
If you want to place the litigation against aB979 and the NASDAQ-listing rule in a broader context, read this article by Susan Antilla: "While Financial Regulators Push Social and Economic Justice, Opponents Fight Back." This fits into my recent piece on the need to place LGBTQ+ issues squarely within the ESG framework.
LGBTQ+ non-profits
Two upcoming virtual events to attend: OutSummit and UN Business and Human Rights Forum
First, Outright Action International will have its yearly advocacy week (virtually) #OutSummit2021 on December 8-10 (register here). Second the UN Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law is taking place virtually on 16-17 November 2021 (register here).
Make sure your company reports its LGBTQ+ donations before Nov. 15th.
Today the overall contribution from "LGBTQ+-friendly" companies to LGBTQ+ organizations is a black box including for the companies themselves (see my article "What is the actual price tag for corporate "LGBTQ+ friendliness"?). We are working with the Global Philanthropy Project to bring transparency. Please help us ensure your company reports its LGBTQ+ philanthropy to GPP before the November 15 deadline (instructions in the article).
The Crypto non-profit guide to fundraising for the holiday season.
Our friend Wasim Ahmad published a crypto guide for non-profits who want to step aboard the crypto / NFT / Metaverse whirlwind ahead of Giving Tuesday and the Holiday Season. This end-of-year giving season will be good for crypto investors and non-profits who are ready.
Outright Action International is hiring and my G-Work career fair.
Outright has grown tremendously in the past few years, becoming a key group in advancing global LGBTQ+ equality (disclaimer: I serve on their Board). See several job openings here. Also Mygwork is holding its LGBTQ+ career fair next week on the 17th.
ILGA world’s new Executive Director.
A week ago, Julia Ehrt was appointed as the next Executive Director of ILGA World effective November 1, after Andre du Plessis left. Julia used to be ED at Transgender Europe (TGEU). Read the full announcement here.
From the cultural desk
Tampa Baes is live!
Did I ever tell you about the time I binge-watched the L-word during thanksgiving week twenty years ago in Chicago? The first episode of Tampa Baes, Prime Video's unscripted docuseries about 12 local lesbian pals, is available, and I watched it last night: the L-word was definitely more highbrow.
From Gay to Z: a queer compendium.
Given Justin Elizabeth Sayre's wit, creativity, and knowledge of our history, his new book will be mandatory foundational reading for anybody who self-defines as queer and anybody who doesn't—released this Spring.
In the New Yorker: the most ambitious diary in history.
The New Yorker's article on Claude Fredericks' insane diary this week is everything. They don't make gays like him anymore.
Harvey Milk's final revenge on the Navy.
A Navy ship named for Harvey Milk, who was forced to resign from the service for being gay, was launched in San Diego Saturday (read more on NPR).
Jennifer Brown's new book "Beyond Diversity."
"Beyond Diversity: 12 Non-Obvious Ways To Build A More Inclusive World" by Rohit Bhargava and Jennifer Brown is now out.
Also on concrete steps to achieve greater corporate diversity.
Join "How Colgate Achieved Transparency and Accountability in their DE&I Progress Reporting" on November 17 at 1 p.m. EST by registering here.
The "accelerating image cultures of the present."
The Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art is hosting a conversation between Avram Finkelstein, Camilo Godoy, and Omar Mismar on Tuesday, November 16, around their current exhibition, OMNISCIENT: Queer Documentation in an Image Culture.
See you next week (I will write from Paris where I will attend the L’Oreal Global D&I Advisory Board and part of the Women’s Forum Global Meeting). 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.