London – The Guardian reports that the children of same-sex couples fare just as well, if not better, than those of heterosexual couples, research has shown. While data on so-called “sexual minority families” is limited, the UK’s Office for National Statistics recorded 212,000 same-sex families in the UK in 2019, a 40% rise since 2015. The number of same-sex parents rose from 4,000 in 2010 to 12,000 in 2013. A new study backs up previous research, concluding that a child’s development has little to do with their parents’ sexual orientation or gender identity. “Contrary to many concerns, our review found […]
Protest over 32 anti-LGBTQ Commonwealth nations
London – Forty, mostly African, LGBT+ protesters shouted “Stop Commonwealth homophobia” as King Charles and Commonwealth leaders arrived at Westminster Abbey March 13th for the annual Commonwealth Day service. They were demanding the repeal of anti-LGBT+ laws and “protection, not persecution.” Thirty-two out of 56 Commonwealth member states criminalize same-sex relations, in defiance of the “toothless” Commonwealth Charter. Seven have life imprisonment. The protest coincided with Uganda’s legislators proposing a vicious new Anti-Homosexuality Bill. It is one of the most repressive laws in the world. Today’s protest was supported by Out & Proud African LGBTI, African Equality Foundation and the […]
Uganda Parliament passes gay death penalty bill
Kampala, Uganda – Alex Bollinger reports for LGBTQ Nation that Uganda is moving to pass a bill allowing the death penalty for being gay and making even identifying as LGBTQ+ a crime, and the White House has come out against the bill. “We have grave concerns with the passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Act – AHA – by the Parliament of Uganda yesterday and increasing violence targeting LGBTQI+ persons,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. “If the AHA is signed into law and enacted, it would impinge upon universal human rights, jeopardize progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS, deter tourism […]
Trans Health Equity Act Passes Maryland Senate
Governor Moore says he’ll sign The Trans Health Equity Act has passed in the Maryland Senate and was heading to governor Wes Moore, who has said he will sign the bill. “We should not be asking any Marylander to validate their humanity. We should not be asking any Marylander to try to justify their humanness,” Moore told the LGBTQ+ Caucus on March 21st. The legislation would expand Maryland Medicaid benefits to cover gender-affirming procedures. “This is monumental progress for such an important bill,” FreesState Justice said in a statement. “We are proud to be part of the coalition of advocates […]
Mother suing school and those who bullied son over suicide
York County, Pennsylvania – A mother in Pennsylvania is suing her town’s school district and six students over bullying she says led to her 15-year-old son’s suicide. Zachary Kirchner took his own life in the basement of his family home in southeastern York County, Pennsylvania in April 2021. He had told classmates he wanted to kill himself. His death followed years of harassment by students and neglect by school administrators in the Red Lion School District, according to the lawsuit filed by Kirchner’s mom, Hope Amspacher. “Student defendants relentlessly harassed, belittled, and broke down decedent by telling him to ‘Kill […]
Minor-league baseball player comes out
Chicago – Although scant attention was paid to the announcement by American press, the UK LGBTQ website Gay Times recently reported a story about a team member of the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, a White Sox-owned Single A Team player who recently announced he’s gay. “This may be my most personal thing I ever share, and it’s that I’m proudly and happily part of the LGBTQ+ community,” Anderson Comas posted to his Instagram account on February 19th. The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers are owned by the Chicago White Sox and identified as a Single A Team, which is more or less a […]
GOP zeros in on books about race, LGBTQ people, US history
Philadelphia, PA – There are stories nearly every day now from somewhere in the U.S. Schools and libraries are banning books. School boards are debating what books can be allowed in classrooms. This past week it was Mississippi, Arizona, and Tennessee. The template is Texas, where parents and others can report books that should be pulled from the shelves for content — notably LGBT+ and racial content. Some of these book banning stories are local, others are statewide, but the trend is very much national. And while much of the book banning has been in traditionally red states, suburban school […]
Bidgood, pioneer Gay erotic filmmaker, dies from COVID-19
New York City – Lily Wakefield writes in Pink News that filmmaker and gay erotic photography pioneer James Bidgood has died aged 88 from complications related to COVID-19. According to the New York Times, Bidgood passed away on Monday, 31 January, in Manhattan, New York. Bidgood was the creator of the cult queer film Pink Narcissus, which visualizes the sexual fantasies of a gay sex worker, and he released it anonymously in 1971. He filmed the entire movie in his tiny New York City apartment over seven years, and it was only publicly revealed that he was the film’s director, […]
Former HRC president sues organization alleging racial bias
Washington, D.C. – Alex Bollinger reports for LGBTQ Nation that the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is being sued by its past president for racial discrimination. HRC is one of the largest LGBTQ organizations in the country. It fired its president Alphonso David – the organization’s first Black leader – last September following accusations that he tried to help provide cover for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) alleged sexual harassment. David saying racial discrimination is “rife” at the LGBTQ organization. “HRC underpaid David, and then terminated him, because he is Black,” his complaint states. The lawsuit was filed in a […]
Georgetown among 10 worst for censorship, foundation says
Philadelphia, PA – Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C. two Texas and seven other schools, have earned the dubious distinction of making the Foundation of Individual Rights in Education’s list of “10 Worst Colleges for Free Speech,” which FIRE released on February 2. Collin College in McKinney earned its spot on FIRE’s 10 Worst list by dumping four professors who dared criticize college administration. Professor Lora Burnett recently won her First Amendment lawsuit against the school after Collin College refused to renew her contract. And award-winning Professor Michael Phillips was notified in January that his contract would not be renewed. According […]