Month: January 2022

Melanie Willingham-Jaggers Named New Executive Director of GLSEN

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Melanie Willingham-Jaggers

GLSEN’s First Black, Nonbinary Executive Director Commits to Prioritizing Racial Justice, Gender Justice and Disability Justice

GLSEN, the leading national organization working to guarantee lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ+) students a supportive and empowering education, has announced Melanie Willingham-Jaggers (they/she) will be the organization’s new Executive Director.

“LGBTQ+ students across the country are facing a crisis amid attacks on their rights and the ongoing pandemic, and we need bold leadership now more than ever,” said Rocío Inclán, GLSEN Board of Directors Chair. “A true leader for their community, Melanie always looks first to the grassroots leadership of the LGBTQ+ youth of color, trans youth and youth with disabilities who are on the frontlines, and centers their experiences and needs in all GLSEN’s work. Melanie is exactly the leader our movement needs to bring our fight for LGBTQ+ justice to the next level as GLSEN’s Executive Director.”

The news of Willingham-Jaggers’ new position was welcomed by additional leaders and advocates in the LGBTQ+ and education movements, as well as those in the fight for social justice among marginalized communities, including GLSEN founder Kevin Jennings, former GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard, Antoni Porowski, Wilson Cruz, Alicia Garza, Lateefah Simon, Ryan Li Dahlstrom, Marlene Sanchez, Brian Bond, Kierra Johnson, and Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen.

GLSEN has advocated for our nation’s K-12 schools since 1990 to be safer, more affirming, and inclusive environments for all youth. Willingham-Jaggers becomes the first person of color, first nonbinary person, and first Black woman to lead the organization in its three decade existence. They joined GLSEN in 2019 as Deputy Executive Director before becoming Interim Executive Director in early 2021.

“I am thrilled to continue and accelerate the important work GLSEN started more than 30 years ago,” said Willingham-Jaggers. “Education is the cornerstone of our democracy and GLSEN’s work is rooted in the belief that education can and should be an experience that is safe, inclusive, and affirming for all students. I am committed to ensuring our organization lives up to that promise and advances work based always on GLSEN’s core strategies: anti-racism, gender justice and disability justice.”

Willingham-Jaggers brings extensive experience as a leader in the social justice movements, including in curriculum design, facilitation, organizing within and beyond various marginalized and intersecting communities, such as including those who are currently or formerly incarcerated, involved in the underground economy, LGBTQ+, youth, immigrants, people with disabilities and senior citizens. They also have a proven track record of building and running successful high-impact programming, training and developing individuals and leading teams, as well as designing effective and value-responsive infrastructure that drive high levels of performance and impact across the organization.

“The appointment of Melanie Willingham-Jaggers heralds an exciting new chapter in the organization’s history,” said Kevin Jennings (he/him), CEO, Lambda Legal and GLSEN founder. “I look forward to seeing GLSEN reach new heights under their leadership.”

“Melanie’s expertise as an organizer and deep connections across movements are invaluable for the next chapter of GLSEN’s work,” said Eliza Byard, Senior Advisor, Campaign for Our Shared Future and GLSEN former Executive Director. “The world of K-12 schools has been turned completely upside-down over the past few years, and Melanie’s vision and experience will provide the essential ingredients of new strategies for a new time.”

Before joining GLSEN, Willingham-Jaggers served as the program associate director of The Worker Institute at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations. As a part of the leadership team, they worked to ensure the strategic, programmatic, and operational excellence of the Institute.

“With Melanie’s lifelong experience as an advocate and commitment to putting the voices of LGBTQ+ youth at the forefront of their work, GLSEN is ready to tackle this year’s new challenges. I’m grateful to join GLSEN and Melanie as they continue to work for LGBTQ+ equity in K-12 education for our nation’s students,” said Antoni Porowski.

From 2016-2019, Willingham-Jaggers also served as board chair of The Audre Lorde Project (ALP), the oldest center for community organizing for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit, Trans and Gender Non-Conforming People of Color, in the New York City area. Melanie’s work on the ALP board was rooted in the belief that as long as there are organizations connected to our freedom movements – those organizations must be internally safe, healthy and vibrant spaces, on which movements can rely if they so choose.

About GLSEN

GLSEN works to create safe and inclusive schools for all. GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or gender expression. Each year, GLSEN programs and resources reach millions of students and educators in K-12 schools, via action at the national, state, and local level. Since 1990, GLSEN has improved conditions for LGBTQ+ students across the United States and helped launch an international movement to address LGBTQ+ issues in education.

AIDS activist Peter Staley on his memoir ‘Never Silent’ and friend Dr. Fauci

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Peter staley

Actions Speak Louder Than Words
AIDS activist Peter Staley on his memoir ‘Never Silent’ and friend Dr. Fauci
By Lawrence Ferber

A key member of AIDS activist group ACT UP and a named plaintiff in the ongoing lawsuit against Gilead and other pharma companies for illegally extending the patent of PrEP and HIV medication tenofovir, Peter Staley will tell you that his life is an open book. Yet it took years of nudging from friends, including Anderson Cooper, to actually write that book himself.

Released in October, Staley’s “Never Silent: ACT UP And My Life In Activism” (Chicago Review Press) is a jaw-droppingly frank 269-page read boasting a foreword by Anderson and back cover blurbs by Hillary Clinton and “Angels in America” playwright Tony Kushner.
While Staley’s experiences with activism and HIV — he was diagnosed with what they called “AIDS-related complex” in 1985 — comprised part of David France’s acclaimed 2012 documentary and 2016 book “How To Survive A Plague,” “Never Silent” details firsthand his personal highs and lows, including sexual and romantic, and his transformation from a closeted Wall Street bond trader to out-and-proud full-time activist. It includes some of ACT UP’s most outrageous, effective actions, like infiltrating big pharma and government offices and covering hateful GOP Senator Jesse Helms’ house in a giant condom.
The book also delves into the infighting that led to ACT UP splintering, Staley’s later crystal meth addiction and his subsequent (and outrageous) street poster campaign to combat its use, how he stopped the Oscar-winning movie “Dallas Buyers Club” from being subverted by an AIDS denialist screenwriter (Vanity Fair recently published a gripping excerpt:), and exploits with policy power players like Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Recently, Staley, who also co-founded and serves as secretary of PrEP4All, discussed the book’s numerous revelations, things he left out, Matthew McConaughey, and X-rated bucket list accomplishments.

How did you become friends with Anderson Cooper, and how did he encourage you to write a memoir?

Well, he was blown away by [the 2012 documentary] “How To Survive A Plague” and reached out by email and said, “If you ever want to get together, I’d really love that.” I jumped on that right away of course, and we had dinner and he gave me a tour of his house, I met the boyfriend, and that’s how it started. And within a week of that dinner he sent me a text: “You should write a memoir.” That’s when I disclosed to him how much I hated writing, and he said, “It’s not that bad; you write a little bit at night before bed and by the end of the year you’ve got half a book written.” My response was: “I’m not going to end my day doing something I hate. You don’t realize how much I hate it!” And I didn’t start writing until 2017 or 2018.

What was one mistake you wanted to avoid while writing this?

The biggest was being a blowhard. Overstating my importance. I think I’ve been pretty good at self-reflection most of my life, and I’m proud of what I’ve done, but I’m incredibly conscious of the fact that none of my first five years as an activist would have been noticed by anybody or made any difference if it wasn’t for the fact [that] I was just one member of a huge movement. 99.9 percent of my power derived from the collective for a good five years.

I was surprised by your level of frankness, especially regarding your sex life. The reveal that you contracted herpes even before your HIV diagnosis seems important, given how stigmatized that virus remains even today

Before AIDS, herpes was on the cover of Time magazine and people would commit suicide when they got a herpes diagnosis. It was AIDS before AIDS. It was a really horrifying diagnosis so, yeah, it was rough. But to be honest, I didn’t consciously think of that, to fight herpes stigma. You couldn’t tell my HIV seroconversion story without mentioning that’s how I found a doctor who helped save my life, [the late] Dr. Dan William.

Is there any progress on a herpes vaccine? It feels like doctors and pharma have just thrown their hands up.

It’s true. But if I [take acyclovir] every day I never have an outbreak. Acyclovir came out after my HIV diagnosis, and I asked if I should stay on it every day and my doctor said yes, so I’ve been on it every day since and have not had an outbreak.

You discuss your relationship with the late journalist and filmmaker Robert Hilferty, whose movie “Stop The Church” famously documented ACT UP’s “die-in” at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in 1989. However, you don’t mention his tragic suicide in 2009. Why is that?

I also don’t mention that Jef Mittleman, the beautiful Oberlin boy, died of an overdose, possibly a suicide — we don’t know — in a hotel room in NYC in 1994. The book is episodic, and each chapter tells of one specific action or period of time in my life, and if you were central to that narrative as I’m telling it, you’re in the book. It’s 99 percent me and 1 percent the people next to me. I don’t tell the rest of their stories, because that would chop up the narrative.

But I loved Robert. That grin and laugh, there was something a little wicked about the guy, like he always had some goods on you. He was really perceptive and could read a person so quickly, and my god he was sexy, and I don’t think he’ll mind a posthumous rating: he was incredible in bed!

Is there any story you left out and would, if you ever do a follow-up, include first?

Yeah, about a failed action, hopefully with a successful second attempt. I posted on Facebook in late August this cryptic message about how I was mourning the five-year passing of an action that failed, but might be reattempted. It involved dozens of people, a substantial budget, and was all very hush-hush. We managed to extract ourselves from the situation without getting arrested, and that allows us to attempt it again in the future. The issue [it addresses] has not gone away. But if I do a memoir in my ’80s, it’ll be in that one!

I understand you were firm on not wanting ACT UP to be in the main title. What other possibilities did you consider before settling on “Never Silent”?

I was scrambling for title ideas during the three years it took to write. A lot of memoirs use something personal that’s not obvious but you discover its meaning when reading the book. David France of all people suggested one that was like a lightbulb going off in my head: “Please Remain Calm.” You can hear me say it in “How to Survive a Plague,” and it became a funny line I would use whenever we invaded the offices of a pharmaceutical company. And it has a double meaning. I was known for not being one of ACT UP’s hotheads. I was not a screamer. My activism was always very politically driven and I rely on logic and model myself on Spock. But the publisher said no. The publisher wanted something obvious, and I’m always bad at reading the fine print in contracts, and in the publishing industry, unless you’re a Barack Obama, you have no say in the cover or title of your book!

I’m surprised that the publisher didn’t title it “Dr. Fauci’s BFF” or “Matthew McConaughey and Me”!

I met Jared Leto, but I never actually met McConaughey. “Dallas” and “Plague” came out at the same time, and we were at a couple of events together for the awards circuit and there was one moment I saw him leaving early, by the door alone waiting for his Uber, and I thought I’d go up to him and say, “Hey, Matthew, I’m the guy who caused so much trouble before you started shooting!” But I left him to his phone.

Speaking of Fauci, the final chapter is titled “Dinner With Tony,” which addresses his evolution from “tentative leader unwilling to rock the boat” during the 1980s to a good friend. Can you elaborate further on how he’s changed?

He slowly shed the widely held stubbornness of his peers in the scientific community that going slow and being methodical was sacrosanct. Without abandoning the basic tenets of high-quality scientific research, there are all sorts of inventive ways to speed things up and expand access at the same time. He applied many of those lessons to COVID-19.

Has he read the book yet?

He just got my book twice — an inscribed hardcopy for his bookshelf, and a Kindle version that’s easier on his old eyes.

What’s the biggest perk or upside of having your story told through movies and books over the past decade? Are there activist groupies?

I love the activist groupies! I wish they were a larger percentage of the community, but that’s what tipped the scales for me diving into writing. Not writing this book would be a lost opportunity, and that opportunity is inspiration because I’ve been contacted every week since 2012 by some millennial queer through social media [who] just saw “Plague” and it changed their life. A subset of them I stay in contact with and they’ve become activists, gone into medicine, or nonprofit work. That has blown my mind. They’re the ones who give me hope and I adore all of them.

Are shirtless pics welcome too?

Yes. Dick pics. And I will send one back! Another story I didn’t tell in the book was [filmmaker and artist] Gregg Bordowitz was working at GMHC [a NYC-based AIDS service organization formerly called Gay Men’s Health Crisis] and tasked with creating a series of X-rated safe sex videos that were funny and sexy and had lots of condoms and dental dams. This was 1989. He mentioned this to me and I said, “I’ll do it. I’m gonna die in a few years, I want to do porn. It was on my bucket list, what the fuck do I care? I gave up the dream of being president someday!” So I did a safe-sex short and that summer they premiered the video as part of the international AIDS conference in Montreal on a gigantic screen, and every AIDS activist in the country was there. I’m in the audience slumping down, my hands over my eyes. [Laughs.] If you dig far enough, you can find it! It was actually part of Gregg’s exhibition at MoMA PS1 this year! My erect penis was in a museum! Bucket list!

The Trevor Project Condemns Florida “Don’t Say Gay” Bill 

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The Trevor Project Condemns Florida “Don’t Say Gay” Bill Targeting LGBTQ Students

The bill would effectively erase LGBTQ students and history by banning classroom discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.

January 20, 2022 — The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people, condemned the Florida House Education & Employment Committee for passing HB 1557/SB 1834, also known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which would ban classroom discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity in schools, erasing LGBTQ identity, history, and culture — as well as LGBTQ students themselves. The bill also has provisions that appear to undermine LGBTQ support in schools and include vague parental notification requirements which could effectively “out” LGBTQ-identifying students to their parents without their consent.

“The Trevor Project’s research has found that LGBTQ youth who learned about LGBTQ issues or people in classes at school had 23% lower odds of reporting a suicide attempt in the past year. This bill will  erase young LGBTQ students across Florida, forcing many back into the closet by policing their identity and silencing important discussions about the issues they face,” said Sam Ames (they/them pronouns), Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs at The Trevor Project. “LGBTQ students deserve their history and experiences to be reflected in their education, just like their peers.”

The Trevor Project’s 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health found that more than 42% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth. According to a recent poll conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of The Trevor Project, 85% of transgender and nonbinary youth—and two-thirds of all LGBTQ youth (66%) — say recent debates about state laws restricting the rights of transgender people have negatively impacted their mental health. When asked about proposed legislation that would require schools to tell a student’s parent or guardian if they request to use a different name/pronoun or if they identify as LGBTQ at school, 56% of transgender and nonbinary youth said it made them feel angry, 47% felt nervous and/or scared, 45% felt stressed, and more than 1 in 3 felt sad.

If you or someone you know needs help or support, The Trevor Project’s trained crisis counselors are available 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386, via chat at TheTrevorProject.org/Get-Help, or by texting START to 678678. 

About The Trevor Project

The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people. The Trevor Project offers a suite of 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention programs, including TrevorLifeline, TrevorText, and TrevorChat as well as the world’s largest safe space social networking site for LGBTQ youth, TrevorSpace. Trevor also operates an education program with resources for youth-serving adults and organizations, an advocacy department fighting for pro-LGBTQ legislation and against anti-LGBTQ rhetoric/policy positions, and a research team to discover the most effective means to help young LGBTQ people in crisis and end suicide.

Southern Spirit: A very queer vacay in historic Savannah

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Southern Spirit: A very queer vacay in historic Savannah

by Lawrence Ferber

The ghost of Kevin Spacey haunts this room. 

Actually, it’s the ghost of a rich, gay antiques dealer and preservationist, Jim Williams, whom Spacey portrayed in the 1997 film “Midnight In the Garden of Good And Evil,” although the latter seems somehow more likely to impart chills and cringe these days. I’m touring the Mercer-Williams House, one of Savannah, Georgia’s most famous 19th-century homes, including the actual study where Williams shot and killed his hustler boy toy, Danny Hansford (played by Jude Law in the movie, and I’m sure many queens would welcome his spectre), reportedly in self-defense.

Adapted from gay author John Berendt’s bestselling 1994 nonfiction novel, director Clint Eastwood’s movie shined a Hollywood spotlight on Savannah and its quirky denizens, including iconic transgender entertainer The Lady Chablis, who famously played herself, regularly performed at LGBTQ bar Club One and, sadly, passed away in 2016, which helped attract even more millions of tourists annually. In 2019, 14.8 million visitors came for Savannah’s mix of historic architecture, gorgeous willow-draped parks, movie locations (including the spot where Forrest Gump sat on a bench babbling inane philosophies about chocolates), a buzzing riverside entertainment zone and live-and-let-live genteel Southern attitude. Bless their hearts!

Today the lush, compact and walkable port city, hometown of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 8 queen Dax ExclamationPoint and Georgia Democrat Senator Raphael Warnock, boasts an even more progressive open queerness. There’s Halloween weekend’s vibrant Savannah Pride, the hipster Starland District, an influx of creative young energy thanks to Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD for short — fashion icon André Leon Talley sits on its Board of Trustees) and, this being one of America’s most haunted cities, an expanding population of spirits (including the drinkable type at Ghost Coast Distillery). 

Ultimately, Mercer House — once owned by the family of another iconic homegrown talent, prolific songwriter Johnny Mercer of Oscar-winning “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” ditty “Moon River” and Elvis’ “Fools Rush In” fame — proved an illuminating experience replete with photos of Williams and his parties, original antiques, paintings and furniture, especially for fans of the film and book. But the upper floor, where Williams’ sister still lives, and its working pipe organ remain off limits.

SAVANNAH STAYS

Many tourists stay around the tourist-heavy, shop-lined River Street, newly developed Plant Riverside district, and adjacent downtown, which all form Savannah’s equivalent of NOLA’s French Quarter and an active port where cargo ships routinely zip past along the city’s namesake river and hotels include an Andaz and new 416-room JW Marriott. However, my husband Matt and I opted for the neighboring, slightly inland Historic District. Its Perry Lane Hotel, which splits 167 rooms between two buildings and boasts a cheeky, upscale camp aesthetic in design, decor and property-wide collection of contemporary art, proved perfect and more chill. Just two blocks from Chippewa Square (site of the Gump bench, a temporary prop), there’s also a rooftop bar and pool where local queers regularly congregate for the gorgeous views and a kiki… but not so much for the pedestrian cocktails, one noted. “Nobody goes there for the drinks!” However, if you prefer gay B&Bs that capture the city’s historic flavor, and are allegedly haunted to boot, there’s the Foley House Inn, 

DIGGING YOUR SCENE: SAVANNAH’S TO DO’S

To get one’s bearings in Savannah, a tour is well-advised, and there are dozens listed on official tourism website Visit Savannah, from trolley to bicycle to themed walking tours. The latter include Black heritage, food, local indie boutique shopping, ghost/haunted (I’ll get to that later!), and openly gay guide Jonathan Stalcup’s engaging Architectural Tours of Savannah, which we joined and enjoyed. Stalcup juxtaposes structures and stories with photos of Savannah’s evolving cityscape since its founding in the 1730s by General James Oglethorpe and, as it turns out, some sassy queer facts if you take him aside post-tour. 

Many essential attractions are historic, educational and kid-friendly in nature, including the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters, Bonaventure Cemetery, and 100-plus-year-old Leopold’s Ice Cream, which draws snaking, hours-long lines of tourists daily for old-timey frozen treats. It honestly isn’t worth hours-long waits unless you’re the 8-year-old with extremely limited travel and life experience who loudly declared “This is the best ice cream I ever ate!” as I consumed a sundae and rolled my eyes so far back the time traveled to 2015 (pro tip: there are two satellite Leopold’s locations at the airport with little to no wait). Yet some of Savannah’s most intriguing musts are surprisingly modern and edgy. 

Incorporating an antebellum railroad depot in its design, the contemporary SCAD Museum of Art hosts multidisciplinary, provocative exhibitions by international talents like queer French artist Mehryl Levisse, whose immersive “White Wig,” featuring five sculpted wigs by Parisian drag queens, will be on display through December 12, 2021. Artwork and home goods by SCAD’s own faculty, students and alumni, plus books, accessories and more, fill out sister retail space shopSCAD. 

Only open Thursday through Sundays, Graveface Museum is destination-worthy for those obsessed with serial killers, cults, sideshows and pinball machines, with a permanent collection of artifacts related to the above, including a pair of underwear worn by lesbian serial killer Aileen Wuornos and artwork by John Wayne Gacy (shockingly, John Waters hasn’t been by yet!), plus a horror-movie-themed arcade and shop. 

And Chocolat by Adam Turoni is one of Savannah’s retail musts. A queer chocolatier who channels Southern culture and flavors through his sophisticated, high-quality, artful creations, Turoni’s Historic District Bull Street boutique is designed like a home library, its shelves displaying trays of Red Velvet, Mint Julep and Georgia Peach truffles plus gold-dusted honeycomb bars and much more. To the rear, a glass-enclosed kitchen provides views of chocolate-making in action, while Turoni himself often works the register and can be chatted up. Another Chocolat location, on Broughton Street, is dubbed the “Dining Room,” while a third can be found in nearby Charleston, South Carolina (there’s a lot of brand crossover between the two sibling-esque destinations, including Savannah Bee Company, Byrd’s Famous Cookies and the trailblazing Husk restaurant). Private chocolate-making classes with Turoni can also be arranged via the Perry Lane Hotel.

COFFEE AND CUISINE

Being a coffee snob and caffeine junkie, a priority was finding Savannah’s best cold brew. Conveniently, a branch of popular local cafe Franklin’s was a few blocks from my hotel offering a solid cold brew and yummy pastries. Downtown’s queer-owned Blends roasts its own beans, as does Perc, whose owner Philip Brown, a hipster-bear literal daddy, staffs his flagship warehouse-cafe with LGBTQs and is himself the proud father of a trans child. Perc also sells a killer dehydrated instant version, plus excellent bagged beans (Perc expanded to Atlanta in 2020 and opened its second location there in 2021, so this could well become the Southeast’s Stumptown!).

Hungry, we had our first breakfast at local and tourist fave B. Matthews, where reservations are highly recommended during peak hours. Passing numerous rainbow flags, I noticed its listing as both “LGBTQ friendly” and a “transgender safe space” on Google Maps, while the lowcountry Southern-tinged food was excellent. I savored a cheesy, decadent shrimp and grits bowl I would happily return for, plus fried green tomatoes. Another brekkie-must with outdoor seating to boot, The Collins Quarter serves brunch daily and its “Swine Time Beni” — bacon and hollandaise-topped poached eggs over pulled pork and French toast — is bar none the most decadent, heart-clogging eggs Benedict iteration I’ve encountered. And if you’re hungry and hunty, once a month the Moon River Brewing Company and Club One collaborate for a family-friendly Sunday drag brunch. 

Savannah has upped its culinary game substantially in recent years with enterprising young chefs bringing color, presentation and locavore ethos to plates. As a foodie I was psyched to try Husk, and while the interior design proved stunning, drinks lovely, and a bonus to be greeted by a seemingly nonbinary host, the food was hit-and-miss (my boneless heirloom pork entree was shockingly tough, but its side dishes sublime and brightly flavored). 

Happily, 2021 arrival Common Thread and Savannah native Zach Shultz’s Cotton & Rye proved high points, with outstanding, fresh, memorable cuisine; request a table with view of the kitchen at the former, and do not sit outdoors during summertime at the latter lest you risk being tormented by hangry flies while eating. As for supporting LGBTQ-owned restaurants, the traditional French Circa 1875 and Italian La Scala Ristorante are the work of gay couple Jeffrey Downey and Donald Lubowicki.

NIGHTLIFE IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL

If you’re a natural at networking, befriending queer locals is well-advised, since even before COVID hit private house parties became Savannah’s dominant form of local socializing and nightlife for LGBTQs (Grindr and Scruff, we’re giving you stink eye). Only one LGBTQ+ bar, the multi-level dancing and drag queen destination Club One, still stands — there are 18+ nights, a plus for SCAD students — since the delightfully divey Chuck’s Bar closed in 2019. 

As with many cities, drag shows have become a magnet for godforsaken decidedly un-gay bachelorette parties and rowdy (albeit ally-ish) heterosexuals. This certainly proved true with Savannah’s Yes Queen! Pub Crawl. My hubby and I were the sole queers participating besides the delightful Venezuela-born queen and aspiring fashion designer leading the tour, Marie Con, and her lowkey boyfriend. It basically entailed Marie creating a loud public spectacle while we searched for her fictitious sugar daddy, Richard, aka “Dick”; stopped at non-gay bars for drink specials; and, at her insistence, grabbed each other’s butts to form human centipedes while crossing the street. It was a bit #MeToo and I really wished #TimesUp, but I did cull valuable intel from Marie about the scene and local drag collective, House of Gunt, before fleeing early. 

We didn’t flee early from another popular and quintessential Savannah after-dark activity: a ghost tour. Although hoping for the guide known as “Prince,” who styles himself like the iconic late musician, our adults-only Sixth Sense haunted tour was led by the black-clad “Lady Ravenwood,” whose ensemble included an LGBTQ+ rainbow and a shiny pair of steampunk glasses (not sure how steampunk figures in here, but OK). 

Being a skeptical Scully to my hubby’s I-want-to-believe Mulder, I rolled my eyes as Ravenwood told us of murder victim ghosts and flashed images of blue orbs hovering on her phone, and I begged for a spirit or demon to attach itself to us to spice things up (“Burn sage!” my hubby’s fellow true believer friend texted in a panic). Alas, no blue orbs or demons followed us home, but darned if glowing happy memories of Savannah don’t frequently haunt and beckon us back.

NY-raised entertainment and travel journalist Lawrence Ferber has contributed to publications including Entertainment Weekly, New York Magazine, National Geographic Traveler, The Advocate, NewNowNext, The NY Post and TripSavvy. He also co-wrote/co-created the 2010 gay romcom “BearCity” and authored its 2013 novelization.

Our Identities Under Arrest

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LGBTQ Identities are Under Arrest

Arrests and prosecutions for consensual same-sex sexual acts, or for diverse gender expressions, continue unabated across the world. And yet, they are considerably under-reported.

Our Identities Under Arrest is a new publication by ILGA World offering a global overview of the enforcement of laws criminalising consensual same-sex sexual acts between adults and diverse gender expressions.

The report reviews hundreds of cases in which law enforcements subjected LGBT and gender-diverse persons to fines, arbitrary arrests, prosecutions, corporal punishments, imprisonments and more – up to (possibly) the death penalty.

Governments often argue that criminalising laws are ‘dormant’, but this report offers evidence that such claims are largely inaccurate. How – and how often – they are enforced can vary abruptly and in unpredictable ways, making both our communities on the ground and asylum seekers who managed to flee live perpetually under threat.

The Our Identities under Arrest report will be of great value to the advocacy work of human rights defenders. It will assist asylum seekers and the legal experts working on their cases. And it will provide researchers, media outlets, governmental and global agencies with the necessary information to build a holistic picture of how the criminalisation on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression really looks like.

Click the link below to read the full report:

Our_Identities_Under_Arrest_2021-1Download

Decriminalization of sex work is good public health policy

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Scott Schoettes

By Scott Schoettes

Sex work needs to be decriminalized in the United States. My desire to see this come to pass is not (completely) self-interested. It is a matter of human rights and personal autonomy, and a natural extension of Lawrence v. Texas, the landmark 2003 Supreme Court case that established the constitutional right to engage in same-sex sexual activity. Just as importantly, however, decriminalization of sex work is an HIV prevention and public health strategy.

First, criminalization drives sex work underground and impedes public health efforts to reach sex workers and their clients with HIV prevention, treatment, care and support programs. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has documented that, in large part due to the criminalization of sex work, sex workers frequently have insufficient access to adequate health services, male and female condoms, water-based lubricants, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) following condomless sex or rape, management of STIs, drug treatment and other harm reduction services, protection from violence and abusive work conditions, and social and legal support.

Due in part to the illegal nature of the work, sex workers often face discrimination and rejection in accessing healthcare, with damaging health results. Occupational stigma of criminalized work increases vulnerability to stress and diseases, compounding health care needs while simultaneously acting as a barrier to healthcare services essential to prevention. When sex workers do seek out healthcare services, they often are regarded in ways that reinforce criminal stigma, which can deter sex workers from seeking care at all and from disclosing their occupation for fear of discrimination by their healthcare provider and disclosure of their identity and activities to law enforcement. For sex workers living with HIV, these concerns are compounded.

Second, the use of condoms as evidence undermines prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, as well as other public health goals. Though a few jurisdictions have reformed their practices in recent years, many jurisdictions still view the mere possession of condoms as evidence of the intent to engage in prostitution or other prostitution-related crimes. Arresting and prosecuting people who carry condoms reduces use of an extremely effective and affordable prevention tool, particularly for people engaged in (or profiled as likely to engage in) “street level” sex work. And using condoms as evidence makes managing sexual health more difficult because it forces individuals to weigh the risk of prosecution for a prostitution-related crime against the risk of transmitting or acquiring HIV and other STIs.

Third, criminalization increases violence against sex workers. Where sex work is criminalized, there are alarmingly high rates of physical and sexual violence against sex workers by clients, individuals posing as clients, police, exploitative “pimps,” and others. Abuse is fueled when perpetrators recognize the barriers criminalized sex workers face in seeking justice, perpetuating physical and sexual violence with impunity. Furthermore, abusive intimate partners can exploit the illegality of sex work and may threaten to expose their partners to police as tactics of control.

To avoid police detection, criminalized sex workers often displace themselves to isolated (and more dangerous) settings, effectively forcing them to trade away their safety and well-being. When criminalization prompts sex workers and their customers to move their encounters off main streets and into less trafficked areas, they are exposed to greater risk of violence, more pressure to engage in unprotected sex, and other hazards.

Violence against sex workers is often not registered as an offense by the police and in some cases is perpetrated by police. Sex workers report severe sexual violence, including forced unprotected sex by police officers, both at the time of arrest for prostitution-related crimes and while in custody on those criminal charges. And the criminalization of sex work means the violence that occurs in the context of sex work has been largely unmonitored, resulting in few to no legal protections afforded to sex workers by police and judicial systems.

In countries where sex work has been decriminalized, access to care improves, STI rates decrease, and safer sex practices increase. Though the UN has identified sex workers as a “key population” in the global fight against HIV for many years, the current National HIV/AIDS Strategy fails to include them among the “priority populations” in the United States. Here’s hoping sex workers are identified as a priority population in the next iteration of the NHAS and that the barriers to prevention, care and treatment identified above are addressed while progress is made toward full decriminalization.

Scott Schoettes is an attorney and advocate who lives openly with HIV. He engages in impact litigation, public policy work, and education to protect, enhance, and advance the rights of everyone living with HIV. This column is a project of TheBody, Plus, Positively Aware, POZ and Q Syndicate, the LGBTQ+ wire service. Visit their websites – http://thebody.com, http://hivplusmag.com, http://positivelyaware.com and http://poz.com – for the latest updates on HIV/AIDS.

SAGE Dedicates $1 Million to Support Trans Elders

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Transgender and Nonbinary Elder Program Equity Fund

SAGE, the world’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ elders, recently announced the Transgender and Non-Binary (TGNB) Elder Program Equity Fund. The decision to create the Fund emerged following SAGE’s collaboration with Trans Equity Consulting (TEC), led by Cecilia Gentili and Cyd Nova, to develop theorganization’s strategy to build more TGNB-related services and advocacy for elders.

The TGNB Elder Program Equity Fund will dedicate $1 million to support TGNB-focused services and advocacy at SAGE, both in New York and nationally. These opportunities are vital to TGNB members of SAGE’s community, as trans older people are at a higher risk of discrimination, marginalization, health disparities, and poverty as they age.

“It feels particularly appropriate to announce this initiative during Trans Week of Awareness because the need to amplify and recognize trans experiences is the very core of the TGNB Elder Program Equity Fund,” said SAGE CEO Michael Adams. “Decades after Stonewall, which was led by TGNB people, TGNB elders are still pushed to the margins in society and even within the communities they helped to create.

“Equality cannot be achieved without action to dismantle the anti-TGNB oppression that many of our transgender and non-binary elders still face today. The TGNB Elder Program Equity Fund is what that action looks like,” said Joanna Rivera, SAGE’s Manager of TGNB Outreach & Community Engagement.

“This initiative allows us to continue honoring our TGNB elders while they are still with us, letting them know that we see them and embrace them as valuable members of our community.”

“Transgender and non-binary elders have survived and fought for equality in various capacities over the years, and this recognition through the TGNB Elder Program Equity Fund is a definitive step towards the respect, change, and acceptance we deserve,” said SAGE constituent Sandi Salas.

The TGNB Elder Program Equity Fund was created with a gift from the Estate of Jack Dowling to honor his friendship with legendary transgender activist Marsha. P. Johnson. The two formed a bond from their time spent together during the community heyday of Chelsea Piers and became close acquaintances and kindred spirits. Dowling, who passed away in February of 2021 due to COVID-19 complications, wanted Johnson’s legacy to live on for trans elders for years to come through his generous gift to SAGE.

Heather Mizeur Runs for Congress

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Heather Mizeur

From the Victory Fund: Heather Mizeur has spent her professional life over the last 25 years passionately engaged in public service. She is a policy expert, a former legislator, a small business owner, a farmer and the founder and CEO of a non-profit organization focused on social justice. 
 
Heather’s life is defined by a commitment to service and stewardship that was formed in her early years. She is the oldest daughter of a factory welder who was an active United Auto Worker for more than 30 years. Five generations of family farming also run deep through her DNA. Heather’s spiritual life, rooted in her Catholic faith, is the animating force behind her dedication to social justice — a passion and faith shared by her wife, Deborah. They met on Capitol Hill while Heather was U.S. Senator John Kerry’s Domestic Policy Director and were married in 2005, pledging then to do everything they could to bring marriage equality to Maryland. 
 
Heather was known in Annapolis as a legislative powerhouse during the eight years she served in the Maryland General Assembly — leading the charge on passing marriage equality, banning fracking, enacting criminal justice reforms, and expanding health insurance for children, women, and families. After leaving elected office, Heather founded Soul Force Politics, a non-profit organization dedicated to bridging the worsening divisions in American politics and civic life. Heather’s career also includes four years of national service as a member of AmeriCorps. 

Find out more at www.heathermizeur.com

José Matthews on Protecting Trans Youth

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José Matthews

Update: Since this article was written the policy to support transgender and nonbinary students was passed by the Red Clay School District.

In January of this year, the Christina School District in northern Delaware became the first school district in Delaware to adopt a policy to support transgender and nonbinary students. José Matthews hopes the Red Clay School District will be next.

Matthews believes that students should never have to worry about their sexual orientation or gender identity being a barrier to their education. “Christina has shown such grace and leadership in this realm when they passed their policy. I think we can do the same, but it’s going to take a lot of encouragement for the school board to do the right thing,” states José.

This is not a new mission for the youngest member of the Red Clay School district. José, who was elected to the school board in 2018 at the age of 22, first brought a proposal to support trans and gender diverse students to the school board more than four years ago.

“This board has had four years to make a difference, and in reality, they’ve had a lot longer than that. I know we need to continue to raise the issue and we need to let folks know there is hope out there, and we need to fight for it.”

Despite the challenges, Matthews enjoys serving on the school board, balancing this volunteer position along with a full-time job in the healthcare industry. “There is something really rewarding about being able to wake up every day and speak to parents, students, and teachers, and make it possible to educate our children. It’s really not a small feat to run the largest school district in the state.”

He also enjoys connecting with LGBTQ+ students. “When I went to school, I really didn’t have any teachers that identified with the LGBT community. It’s been incredibly rewarding to have a number of students reach out to me and say how important it is for them to see someone sitting in a position of power as a gay man. I am humbled and honored to represent the community and be a part of the community that way.”

José has learned a lot from LGBTQ+ students. “I’ve learned that they are strong and resilient. But I’ve also learned the need to continue to fight for equitable policies that ensure that no student in our district or our state should have to worry about their sexuality or their gender identity being a burden or interfering with their educational experience.”

Looking at elected officials up and down the state, José emphasizes that there are voices and people missing in this work. He would like to see more young people, more people of color, and more LGBTQ+ people running for school board positions.

He cautions, however, that it is a big commitment. “I would encourage those interested to talk to people in your community and get some sound advice. Talk to your school board members, the people in your community, your school district leadership; have open conversations to make sure it’s the right decision for you, but more so, make sure it’s right for the community.”

As for advancing the Transgender and Gender Diverse Student Policy, co-sponsored by fellow board member Adriana Bohm, José comments, “I think folks need to pay attention. They need to pay attention to what’s happening at the local policies, because a lot of the time the local policies can have more of an impact on our lives than the larger policy debates that are happening.”

He continues, “Folks need to understand how important these school board roles are, and people need to engage if they are not. If you are not engaged, now is the time to do so, because our students and their futures are at stake. We need to fight for social justice and equality. And I need people to join me in this fight.” 

This article originally appeared in Letters from CAMP Rehoboth.

Black Trans Filmmakers Declare Transphobia Is a Sin

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Transphobia is a sin

SEATTLE, Jan. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — When Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi and J Mase III began co-editing the Black Trans Prayer Book a few years ago, they had no idea how much the idea of dismantling toxic religious practices would resonate around the globe. In January of 2019, they hosted the first of what would become an annual event called the #TransphobiaIsASin Campaign. This social media event’s purpose is to bring attention to religious violence impacting Trans, Non-Binary and Gender Expansive people globally (especially those that are Black, Brown and/or Indigenous.)

On Saturday, January 15th, Dane and Mase will launch the fourth iteration of this campaign which has had thousands of participants from countries all over the world, and they want to invite anyone to participate that is “invested in ending religious (ie: all) violence against Trans, Non-Binary and Gender Expansive Peoples.” Dane and Mase go on to say, “Anti-Trans religious violence does not just look like demonizing Trans people within worship spaces. It is the theology that finds its way to the tongues of politicians who create anti-Trans policies. It manifests as the framework that blooms violence against Trans people on the street, in their families, and in community at large.”

The two say one of their ultimate goals is to make theologies of liberation more accessible than theologies of violence. For them, this campaign gives people from all over, looking to share in that vision, a space to connect and build. Currently working on adapting their text, the Black Trans Prayer Book into a documentary, they have outlined ways for people everywhere to participate in this weekend’s #TransphobiaIsASin event:

  1. Take a photo of yourself with a sign saying one of the following lines: “Transphobia is a Sin,” “Transphobia is Haram,” “Trans People are Divine,” or “Trans People Exist Because Our Ancestors Existed”
  2. Use the hashtag #TransphobiaIsASin
  3. Post to social media on or close to Jan 15th

To close out the campaign, Lady Dane and J Mase will be holding a workshop to delve deeper into healing from religious trauma on Tuesday January 18th at 4pm PST/7pm EST. Follow along by checking out the hashtag #TransphobiaIsASin on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and all social media platforms. Learn more about their work at www.TheBlackTransPrayerBook.org.