Polish media in UK shocked by post-Brexit hate crimes; BBC News, 6/28/16

BBC News; Polish media in UK shocked by post-Brexit hate crimes:

"Police are investigating several cases, including racist graffiti daubed on the Polish and Social Cultural Association in London, and cards with the words "Leave the EU, no more Polish vermin" being posted through the letter boxes of Polish families and distributed outside primary schools in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.

Anecdotal reports of such abuse have also appeared widely on social media in the UK.

"Had to issue a red card to the family of patient who were abusing a Polish nurse. They told her 'pack your bags as you will be deported soon'", posted @secret_nhs, an anonymous Twitter account purportedly written by an NHS manager."

Save Your Sympathy. You Are The Problem.; Huffington Post, 6/20/16

C.J. Prince, Huffington Post; Save Your Sympathy. You Are The Problem. :

"By failing to speak up against discrimination and hate, you have made the world unsafe for LGBTQ people, fueling their own self-loathing and inciting homophobic rage in others. You are the reason hate crimes against LGBTQ people were up in 2015, and particularly against people of color, transgender people and those who are gender-nonconforming. You are the reason LGBTQ teens are the daily targets of harassment, bullying and violence in schools. And you are the reason they too often choose suicide over the pain of living as a human target.

You. Are. The. Problem.

If you really want to stand in solidarity with the victims, their families and our community a whole, stop vilifying our community by calling us pedophiles and predators. Stop telling people to hate the sin. Stop warning straight people we are out to destroy their marriages, their families and the American way of life...

If you really want to make sure this doesn’t happen again, you must finally recognize the link between a cultural climate that demonizes LGBTQ people and the attacks against them that inevitably follow.

If you can’t do that, please, have some respect for the fallen and say nothing at all."

Pope Francis Says Church Should Apologize For Discriminating Against Gays, Ask For Forgiveness; Reuters via Huffington Post, 6/26/16

Reuters via Huffington Post; Pope Francis Says Church Should Apologize For Discriminating Against Gays, Ask For Forgiveness:

"Pope Francis said on Sunday that Christians and the Roman Catholic Church should seek forgiveness from homosexuals for the way they had treated them.

Speaking to reporters aboard the plane taking him back to Rome from Armenia, he also said the Church should ask forgiveness for the way it has treated women, for turning a blind eye to child labor and for “blessing so many weapons” in the past."

Life’s Work: An Interview with Greg Louganis; Harvard Business Review, July-August 2016

Alison Beard, Harvard Business Review; Life’s Work: An Interview with Greg Louganis:

"After the Olympics, you signed very few endorsement deals. Wheaties didn’t put you on the box as part of its Legends series until this year. What did companies tell you or your spokespeople at the time?

I got a few local things but nothing big. A reporter in Chicago contacted Wheaties back in the 1980s to ask why I hadn’t been on a box, and the response to him at the time was “We didn’t feel that he fulfilled our demographics,” which was basically a nice way of saying, “It’s rumored that he’s gay.” That was kind of the mentality. But you never know. In ’84 there were so many incredible stories: Edwin Moses, Evelyn Ashford, Carl Lewis, Nancy Hogshead, Rowdy Gaines—all Olympic gold medalists. But the advertising world just totally rallied around Mary Lou Retton. And it was great for her. It’s not like we’re in competition with each other with this kind of stuff. You just never know who’s going to strike a chord.

How do you feel now that you have your Wheaties box?

It’s more meaningful now than it would have been in my heyday, because I’m being embraced as a whole person. I’m 56, a gay man, living with HIV, happily married. Who would have imagined that back in the 1980s? I also did some research and found that General Mills is ranked very high in terms of human rights: They have a diversity foundation, and they do a lot for the LGBT community. So the times have changed. We’ve just come so far."

Why So Few "Diversity Candidates" Are Hired; Harvard Business Review, 6/24/16

[Video] Harvard Business Review; Why So Few "Diversity Candidates" Are Hired:

"Finalist pools can reinforce the status quo. For more, read "If There's Only One Woman in Your Candidate Pool, There's Statistically No Chance She'll Be Hired.""

Happy Pride to you: my brave queer community; Guardian, 6/25/16

Steven W. Thrasher, Guardian; Happy Pride to you: my brave queer community:

"I am proud of LGBT people who work in the service economy, who largely remain invisible – and I am in awe at how they kept working in Orlando even as their friends, lovers and coworkers were being identified.

I am proud of gay people laughing at Trump when he told the internet to “ask the gays”, and I am proud of the queer people who are critical of Hillary Clinton. Our lives won’t be more valued by being nice to politicians.

And I am proud of LGBT people who are going to pride celebrations this year, and to those who recognize that staying home is best for them. We have been through a lot, and there’s a long road ahead. Self care can mean going out with our shirts off on the pride route or making a quiet dinner with our friends. But either way, we’ve got much to be proud of regarding what our extended queer family has done and where it’s going.

Happy Pride."

La Cucaracha; GoComics.com, 6/26/16

Lalo Alcaraz, GoComics.com; La Cucaracha:

"I don't like that kid."

President Obama Designates Stonewall National Monument; WhiteHouse.gov, 6/24/16

Simone Leiro, WhiteHouse.gov; President Obama Designates Stonewall National Monument:

"“I’m designating the Stonewall National Monument as the newest addition to America’s National Park System. Stonewall will be our first national monument to tell the story of the struggle for LGBT rights. I believe our national parks should reflect the full story of our country, the richness and diversity and uniquely American spirit that has always defined us. That we are stronger together. That out of many, we are one.”

President Obama"

"LUKE CAGE" ACTOR SAYS SERIES' DIVERSITY WILL INSPIRE KIDS; Comic Book Resources, 6/24/16

Anthony Couto, Comic Book Resources; "LUKE CAGE" ACTOR SAYS SERIES' DIVERSITY WILL INSPIRE KIDS:

""Luke Cage" villain Mahershala Ali ("House of Cards," "Hunger Games") has opened up about the upcoming Marvel-Netflix series, saying he believes it will be a major influence to kids who haven't been exposed to a leading black superhero.

In an interview with USA Today, Ali said of the series, "There are going to be so many kids out there who get to see a black man on that screen and aspire to be like him. We didn’t have that. They get to be included.""

Mark Cuban Pledges $1 Million To Dallas Police For LGBT Efforts; Huffington Post, 6/22/16

Curtis M. Wong, Huffington Post; Mark Cuban Pledges $1 Million To Dallas Police For LGBT Efforts:

"Mark Cuban has responded to the June 12 mass shooting in Orlando, Florida in a very big way.

In the wake of the tragedy, the billionaire businessman and owner of the Dallas Mavericks will donate $1 million to the Dallas police department in an effort to better protect the city’s LGBT community, CNN reports. The donation will be used to fund additional patrols in Dallas’s Oak Lawn neighborhood, which boasts a sizable LGBT community, as well as an estimated an estimated 16,000 hours of overtime for officers to enhance counter-terrorism efforts across the city.

In a press release, the 57-year-old entrepreneur stated that he was “proud to be able to help the city of Dallas.”

Meanwhile, Dallas Police Chief David Brown praised the effort, vowing to “earmark and track the expenditure of these funds to ensure its effective use in creating a safe environment” for the city’s LGBT residents.

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings echoed those sentiments, praising Cuban as “a man of action.”"

Orlando Massacre Inspires Some to Come Out as Gay; New York Times, 6/21/16

Julie Turkewitz, New York Times; Orlando Massacre Inspires Some to Come Out as Gay:

"On Tuesday, Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch visited some of the people injured in the attack and the relatives of some who were slain. She spoke of those who might choose to hide their sexuality out of fear of such violence in the future.

“Let me say to our L.G.B.T. friends and family, particularly to anyone who might view this tragedy as an indication that their identities — their essential selves — might somehow be better left unexpressed or in the shadows: This Department of Justice — and your country — stands with you in the light,” she said."

Frank Ocean breaks silence with blog on Orlando: 'Many wish we didn’t exist'; Guardian, 6/21/16

Amanda Holpuch, Guardian; Frank Ocean breaks silence with blog on Orlando: 'Many wish we didn’t exist' :

"Frank Ocean has mourned hateful acts towards the LGBT community in an emotional blogpost responding to the Orlando shooting, writing: “Many hate us and wish we didn’t exist.”...

“Many don’t see anything wrong with passing down the same old values that send thousands of kids into suicidal depression each year,” Ocean said. “So we say pride and we express love for who and what we are. Because who else will in earnest?”...

Ocean said: “I daydream on the idea that maybe all this barbarism and all these transgressions against ourselves is an equal and opposite reaction to something better happening in this world, some great swelling wave of openness and wakefulness out here.”"

LGBT people of color refuse to be erased after Orlando: 'We have to elbow in'; Guardian, 6/18/16

Steven W. Thrasher, Guardian; LGBT people of color refuse to be erased after Orlando: 'We have to elbow in':

"I’ve thought a lot about how Pulse’s Latin Night was just that: an autonomous space safe for Latino queers not in getting shelter from heterosexuals, but from a white gay culture that doesn’t see them.

I thought of this again the next day, when a young sex worker saw me typing on my laptop in the Parliament House’s courtyard. I was underneath an awning as the sky opened up and poured. He plopped down and tried to pick me up for a few dollars for bus fare. I just gave him the money instead.

He then lit up a cigarette and started telling me about how he fled Pulse. He went to most Latin Nights.

“I heard gunshots and I got the hell out of there.”

I asked if he knew immediately that the sounds were gunshots, or if he’d considered hiding in the bathroom. “Hell no! If you grow up in the hood, you know what gunshots sound like and you don’t wait around. You don’t walk towards gunfire like white people do in the movies.”

There was a dark comedy in what he was saying, a protective wit; he seemed not to take it too seriously because he survived and had perhaps known violence for much of his life. It was the kind of thing he probably would never have said to a white or straight reporter."

Pride After Orlando; New York Times, 6/17/16

Guy Branum, New York Times; Pride After Orlando:

"It’s a dark, cruel joke, but ours is a culture that is not unfamiliar with darkness and cruelty. When people kill us, pass laws against us, make cheap jokes about us, they aren’t actually saying all gay people should die. They’re saying all L.G.B.T. people should know our place, live in silence, lie about who we are. Societal homophobia wants us to be ashamed, and finds ways to punish us if we refuse. The greatest gay rebellion is honest expression of our truth.

When word surfaced that the Orlando shooter had frequented gay bars and dating apps, some speculated that he might have been doing research to plan his attack. Gay people understood the other very real possibility, that the attacker might be a man with homosexual desires whom society had filled with so much secret shame that he would do anything to prove his distance from the gay world. It’s a tragic, complex truth that means however revolting I find him, I also have sympathy for the ways shame and the inability to live honestly may have twisted this man into a murderer.

The people who were at Pulse nightclub in Orlando on Saturday made the choice to be out and gay, and they paid a horrible price for it. The people who were out in West Hollywood on Sunday, and who will come out around the country this month, were there for all the L.G.B.T. people before us who suffered and struggled to be out and honest, and we did it with pride."

‘It’s Sacred’: A Gay Refuge, Turned Into a War Zone; New York Times, 6/13/16

Michael Barbaro, New York Times; ‘It’s Sacred’: A Gay Refuge, Turned Into a War Zone:

"To fully grasp the unique horror of what happened inside Pulse — a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., that became the site of the worst mass shooting in America — you have to understand the outsize role that gay bars play in the history, lives and imagination of gay people.

They are refuges and havens, places where, the moment you cross the threshold, there is an unspoken understanding: You will feel accepted and safe.

In Orlando, that concept was perverted and upended in the most brutal way imaginable. The safe harbor became a bloody death chamber.

It was a gay bar that had liberated me and so many of my peers, once we finally summoned the courage to stick around and take a seat, putting us on a long path toward self-acceptance."

Donald Trump’s Use of ‘Pocahontas’ Has Native Americans Worried; New York Times, 6/17/16

Alan Rappeport, New York Times; Donald Trump’s Use of ‘Pocahontas’ Has Native Americans Worried:

"Navajo leaders had extended an invitation to Mr. Trump, as they have to other candidates, to meet with them, despite objections from a number of members over his repeated use of the name “Pocahontas” to deride Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. On Friday, Navajo officials said the meeting was not going to happen during Mr. Trump’s trip.

Nevertheless, Mr. Trump’s words have stirred a debate among Native Americans about how they should deal with him. For many, his mention of the historical figure is offensive and a sign that Mr. Trump, who has been accused of being anti-immigrant, also has problems with the people who first inhabited the country."

We’re Still Holding Out Hope For An LGBT Superhero On The Big Screen; Huffington Post, 5/30/16

Curtis M. Wong, Huffington Post; We’re Still Holding Out Hope For An LGBT Superhero On The Big Screen:

"Created by Shape History, a London-based advocacy group focused on social change, the #LGBTSuperheroes effort wants to inspire Hollywood to portray Iceman, Catwoman and Mystique, who have all been depicted as LGBT at varying points since their inception, as queer when their stories hit the big screen...

The group released a brand-new trailer, showing a male superhero with a few secrets of his own, at MCM Comic Con in London on May 27. Officials hope that the new clip will convince movie producers that there’s a strong and clear demand for an LGBT superhero, as evidenced by young adult novels, comic books and even weddings.

“We hope that we can demonstrate to the studios that there is a huge audience for accurate LGBT portrayal on the big screen,” Shape History’s Mike Buonaiuto, who directed the trailer, told The Huffington Post in an email, “and it won’t deter cinema­ goers to buy tickets.”"

The Power of Words: Answering the call to action on inclusion; Library Journal, 6/16/16

Rebecca T. Miller, Library Journal; The Power of Words: Answering the call to action on inclusion:

"“The words that we use can directly affect how we think,” says Dar. Now, she adds, the team is getting better at knowing what red flags to look for. “There aren’t necessarily easy answers,” Dar adds. “Now we have a safe space to surface issues. I hope if we keep doing it we can affect how our readers and reviewers think about the world.” Using this inclusive language, she adds, is a “subtle but important way to bring people into the fold.”

For the community of LJ and SLJ reviewers, Parrott and her team have developed and launched an eight-week online course called “Diversity & Cultural Inclusion in Professional Reviews.”

“We need to articulate better the issues around diversity and cultural literacy in books and media, and we can’t wait for the profession itself to diversify,” says Parrott...

Sometimes biased language is wielded to wound. More often and perhaps harder to recognize is when it is used out of unthinking habit. Habits are hard to break, especially when they are reinforced by acceptance of, for example, guys as a gender-neutral term. Sometimes, being more inclusive is about seeing something afresh.

“Just saying we’re going to become more inclusive isn’t enough. It’s an ongoing process,” says Parrott. “We don’t check off a box and say we’re done. It’s about conversations, and it might slow down some of our work, but it’s worth it.”"

The G.O.P.’s Cynical Gay Ploy; New York Times, 6/20/16

Charles M. Blow, New York Times; The G.O.P.’s Cynical Gay Ploy:

"Maybe Republicans want us to forget that, as ThinkProgress reported in December:

“Six of the Republican candidates vying for the presidency have signed a pledge promising to support legislation during their first 100 days in the White House that would use the guise of “religious liberty” to give individuals and businesses the right to openly discriminate against L.G.B.T. people.”

They want us to forget that although people of all political stripes have evolved on the issue of gay equality — including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton —Republicans are the trailing edge of that evolution.

No amount of the exploitation of fear and the revising of history is going to change what we know about the Republican Party and their continued abysmal record on gay rights.

In the wake of tragedy, you can’t conveniently hang the L.G.B.T. community on the tree of life as a glistening ornament."

Amid Tragedy, Libraries Can Offer Help and Hope: A statement from the chair of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Round Table; American Libraries, 6/14/16

Peter D. Coyl, American Libraries; Amid Tragedy, Libraries Can Offer Help and Hope: A statement from the chair of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Round Table:

"The GLBTQ community has been rocked by this past weekend’s horrific act of violence in Orlando, Florida. It is troubling and scary to know that our community was singled out in a place where we gather.

The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Round Table has been working closely with ALA in response to this tragedy, and it is of paramount concern to ALA that its members and conference attendees are safe. ALA is working with our conference venue to ensure the safety and security of those who attend.

We have also been working with Conference Services and other ALA units to provide programs in response to this tragedy. We are investigating holding a blood drive and are asking ALA members to participate. Many people do not know that most gay men are prohibited from donating under FDA guidelines, which is a stinging rebuke when your community has been so severely affected.

In conjunction with the Office of Intellectual Freedom we will hold a readout at the ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition. Attendees will have the opportunity to read from a banned or GLBTQ-related book to show support for the community.

Many have reached out and asked what they can do to help at home. We’d encourage libraries to let their community know they are a safe place. Let the community know about GLBT Book Month. Use the “Open to All” toolkit as a starting point if you are unsure how to offer services to GLBTQ customers.

Libraries can and should be safe places. Even if you are far from Orlando, there are those you serve who are affected by this tragedy. They are looking for help and hope. The library can provide that as we open our doors and are truly open to all."

First Person: A refuge no more: Gays bars have been safe havens for the LGBT community; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 6/18/16

Walter G. Meyer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; First Person: A refuge no more: Gays bars have been safe havens for the LGBT community:

"It was gratifying to see so many people — gay, straight and of all races — queue up to give blood for the victims in Orlando. It was touching to hear so many voices expressing outrage and solidarity. Equality Florida’s GoFundMe page to support the victims collected more than $1 million on its first day. But all this is not enough.

We need to speak up to shut down hateful rhetoric from any quarter that signals to people that it is somehow OK to kill people in a church or a gay bar.

Pittsburgh’s Fred Rogers was famous for a quote that spread across Facebook after the tragedy in Orlando: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of ‘disaster,’ I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers — so many caring people in this world.”

We all need to be helpers. And become more caring. And end the hate.

I’ve often said that I don’t mind being known as a writer who is gay, but that I don’t want to be known as just a “gay writer.” I didn’t want the adjective to define me.

Today I am a gay writer. And today I will serve my community with my pen and my camera."

Saturday Diary: To live with pride and stay alive; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 6/18/16

Olena Goncharova, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Saturday Diary: To live with pride and stay alive:

"When it comes to freedom of speech and other constitutional rights, Americans often take them for granted.

While in the summer of 2015 the American LGBTQ community celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to legally recognize same-sex marriage, thousands of miles away a group of violent homophobes attacked a peaceful march of 200 gay activists in Kiev, Ukraine.

When I tell people about that here in the United States, they seem not to believe it. But homophobia is real and raw in Ukraine, and every pride parade we have is a test of Ukrainian tolerance and police protection...

I personally know Mr. Skoropadsky and some members of Right Sector. Aside from their hatred of gays, they are decent people who consider themselves patriots. But don’t try to persuade them that LGBTQ equality should be accepted by Ukraine. They are not happy that the country is adopting gay-friendly policies to improve its chances of joining the European Union as an associate member.

Among those policies has been outlawing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity at work places – which, by the way, is still allowed in most U.S. states, including Pennsylvania. This gives hope to LGBTQ people in Ukraine and allows more of them to feel they no longer must hide who they are."

Two marines under investigation for alleged threat against gay bars; Guardian, 6/17/16

Sam Levin, Guardian; Two marines under investigation for alleged threat against gay bars:

"Two active-duty US marine corps members are under investigation for a social media post showing a man in uniform with a rifle and the caption “Coming to a gay bar near you!” – an apparent reference to the mass shooting at an LGBT nightclub that killed 49 people.

The 1st Marine Expeditionary Force is investigating the man in the photo, which was shared on Snapchat, along with another active-duty marine, who reposted the image with the message “Too soon?”, according to spokeswoman Major Staci Reidinger...

The photo was reportedly posted on a private Facebook group, called Camp MENdleton resale, which describes itself as a “group for male Marines, Corpsman, and other active duty, reserve, retired, and veteran service members”...

“Orlando was long overdue,” read the message, which was posted on a San Diego Craigslist page, according to local station KGTV. “Those people were walking diseases, bug chasers, and thank god for AIDS and 9-11 and now Orlando. San Diego you are next.”

A pastor in northern California also faced intense backlash this week after he delivered a virulently anti-LGBT sermon, saying Orlando is “a little safer tonight” and “the tragedy is that more of them didn’t die”."

Melvin Dwork, Once Cast From Navy for Being Gay, Dies at 94; New York Times, 6/16/16

Robert D. McFadden, New York Times; Melvin Dwork, Once Cast From Navy for Being Gay, Dies at 94:

"In 2011, after years of trying to remove the blot on his record, Mr. Dwork, supported by advocates for gay and lesbian military personnel and veterans, won his point. The Navy officially changed his discharge to honorable.

“It meant an awful lot to me because I know I never did anything disgraceful or dishonest,” Mr. Dwork said in a 2014 interview for this obituary, in which he spoke of painful military policies and glacially slow changes toward gay and lesbian service members.

Mr. Dwork, who became a hero to gay people for his persistence in fighting the dishonorable discharge, died on Tuesday in Manhattan, Alan Salz, the executor of his estate, said. He was 94.

Mr. Dwork was believed to be the first veteran of World War II to have an “undesirable” discharge for being gay expunged, although his case may have opened the floodgates for appeals in hundreds of similar cases. His was resolved shortly before the military ended its 18-year-old “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which barred openly gay people from service but prohibited discrimination against those not open about their sexuality."

L.G.B.T. People Are More Likely to Be Targets of Hate Crimes Than Any Other Minority Group; New York Times, 6/16/16

Haeyoun Park and Iaryna Mykhyalyshy, New York Times; L.G.B.T. People Are More Likely to Be Targets of Hate Crimes Than Any Other Minority Group:

"Even before the shooting rampage at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people were already the most likely targets of hate crimes in America, according to an analysis of data collected by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

L.G.B.T. people are twice as likely to be targeted as African-Americans, and the rate of hate crimes against them has surpassed that of crimes against Jews.

Politicians have been divided on how to define the Orlando tragedy. President Obama called it both “an act of terror and and an act of hate.” But some Republican officials have refused to acknowledge that it could be considered a hate crime."

The Guardian view on Jo Cox: an attack on humanity, idealism and democracy; Guardian, 6/16/16

Guardian; The Guardian view on Jo Cox: an attack on humanity, idealism and democracy:

"The slide from civilisation to barbarism is shorter than we might like to imagine. Every violent crime taints the ideal of an orderly society, but when that crime is committed against the people who are peacefully selected to write the rules, then the affront is that much more profound.

The killing, by stabbing and repeated shooting in the street, of Jo Cox is, in the first instance, an exceptionally heinous villainy. She was the mother of two very young children, who will now have to grow up without her. It is also, however, in a very real sense, an attack on democracy. Violence against MPs in Britain is mercifully rare. Only three have been killed in recent history: Airey Neave, Tony Berry and Ian Gow, all of them at the hands of the Irish republicans. Two others, Nigel Jones and Stephen Timms, have been grievously wounded, the latter by a woman citing jihadi inspiration and rage about the Iraq war. Whatever the cause, an attack on a parliamentarian is always an attack on parliament as well, which was as clear in Thursday’s case as any before...

Jo Cox, however, was not just any MP doing her duty. She was also an MP who was driven by an ideal. The former charity worker explained what that ideal was as eloquently as anyone could in her maiden speech last year. “Our communities have been deeply enhanced by immigration,” she insisted, “be it of Irish Catholics across the constituency or of Muslims from Gujarat in India or from Pakistan, principally from Kashmir. While we celebrate our diversity, what surprises me time and time again as I travel around the constituency is that we are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us.”

What nobler vision can there be than that of a society where people can be comfortable in their difference? And what more fundamental tenet of decency is there than to put first and to cherish all that makes us human, as opposed to what divides one group from another? These are ideals that are often maligned when they are described as multiculturalism, but they are precious nonetheless. They are the ideals which led Ms Cox to campaign tirelessly for the brutalised and displaced people of Syria, and – the most painful thought – ideals for which she may now have died."

Ian McKellen on LGBT community: ‘The world needs us'; Entertainment Weekly, 6/16/16

Allison Sadlier, Entertainment Weekly; Ian McKellen on LGBT community: ‘The world needs us' :

"The world needs LGBT people, Ian McKellan says in a video celebrating London’s Pride Day.

The X-Men and Lord of the Rings actor teamed up with other celebrities, including talk show host Graham Norton, for a video encouraging people to celebrate in England’s capital on June 25.

In the clip, McKellen urges people to adopt a #nofilter philosophy to life and live honestly. The 77-year-old openly gay actor asks viewers to “live everyday like it was Pride in London.” Norton calls, “it’s time to be confident, passionate, creative, honest, true, and free.”"

ALA president responds to Orlando mass shooting; American Library Association (ALA), 6/13/16

[Press Release] ALA President Sari Feldman, American Library Association (ALA); ALA president responds to Orlando mass shooting:

"American Library Association (ALA) President Sari Feldman released the following statement regarding the tragic mass shooting at Pulse, a popular GLBTQ nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

“The library community is deeply saddened by the tragedy at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando,” said Feldman. “Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends, and the GLBTQ community.

“Our nation’s libraries serve communities with equity, dignity and respect. ALA will carry this legacy to Orlando. In defiance of fear, ignorance and intolerance, the library community will continue its profound commitment to transforming communities by lending its support.

“In less than two weeks the ALA will host its Annual Conference and Exhibition at the Orange County Convention Center. We will work collaboratively with the leaders of ALA’s Task Force on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Round Table (GLBTRT); ethnic caucuses; and executive office to discuss our expressions of support. ALA Conference Services has reached out to our convention center partners and are working closely with them and local authorities to ensure that we will have a safe and secure conference.

“As the ALA prepares, I can’t help but recall past conferences where attendees rolled up their sleeves to foster change. ALA conference attendees were on the front lines of relief and social justice efforts as they supported New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina; Toronto during the SARS virus outbreak; and now continuing their support in Orlando despite this weekend’s senseless act of violence. We will actively reach out to local groups in Orlando to determine the most effective ways we can lend support and contribute to the healing.

“Librarians and library workers are community leaders, motivators and social change agents. During the conference attendees will hold the power to influence social change by means of example. Members will have an opportunity to support the people of Orlando by wearing armbands in support of diversity, equality and inclusion; volunteering for community relief projects; and supporting local minority owned businesses. The ALA also is currently working on efforts to support an onsite blood drive and Read-Out event.

“You can make a difference regardless of whether you attend the ALA Annual Conference. In a tragedy, we often feel overwhelmed or powerless, but within the next few days the ALA Annual Conference website at http://2016.alaannual.org will empower members to give support. The site will provide a list of relief organizations supporting Orlando shooting victims and their families. The site also will have information regarding ALA diversity and inclusion resources.

“Like the libraries we represent, the profession’s commitment to supporting communities, social justice, and abolishing intolerance is unwavering.”

The American Library Association is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 58,000 members in academic, public, school, government, and special libraries. The mission of the American Library Association is to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all."

In a moving, tearful speech, Utah's lieutenant governor apologized for past homophobia; Vox, 6/15/16

Emily Crockett, Vox; In a moving, tearful speech, Utah's lieutenant governor apologized for past homophobia:

"Cox talked about how he grew up in a small, rural town and that sometimes he "wasn’t kind" to kids in his high school class who were "different."

"I didn’t know it at the time, but I know now that they were gay. I will forever regret not treating them with the kindness, dignity, and respect — the love — that they deserved. For that, I sincerely and humbly apologize."

Since then, he said, "My heart has changed. It has changed because of you. It has changed because I have gotten to know many of you. You have been patient with me."

Cox said that the 49 "beautiful, amazing people" who died in the attack "are not just statistics. These were individuals. These are human beings. They each have a story. They each had dreams, goals, talents, friends, family. They are you, and they are me."

He concluded by asking listeners to "be a little kinder," and to try to love someone who is different from them. "For my straight friends, might I suggest starting with someone who is gay," he said."

We need to be angry to overcome the tragedy in Orlando; Guardian, 6/15/16

[Video] Steven W. Thrasher, Guardian; We need to be angry to overcome the tragedy in Orlando:

"Steven W Thrasher gives a personal response to mass killing at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Thrasher says we should approach this tragedy with love, but also a renewed sense of anger at gun lobbyists, hyper masculinity and other sources of oppression."

Have Christians Created a Harmful Atmosphere for Gays?; New York Times, 6/16/16

Room for Debate, New York Times; Have Christians Created a Harmful Atmosphere for Gays? :

"“Sadly it is religion, including our own,” a Florida bishop wrote after the massacre in a gay club in Orlando, that can “plant the seed of contempt, then hatred, which can ultimately lead to violence” against gays, lesbians and transgender people. One congressman said, “We are not blameless, when we tell government contractors it is O.K. to discriminate against someone because they are gay or lesbian – or tell transgender school children that we will not respect their gender identity.”

But is it fair to say that people share any blame for Saturday night’s attack because they oppose L.G.B.T. equality for religious reasons? And while the media is focused on the role that Muslim anti-gay rhetoric may have played in this slaughter, do conservative Christians need to accept greater civil rights for L.G.B.T people in order to create a less hurtful atmosphere in the United States?"

IN YOUR FACE JAM: Marvel, DC and the Current State of LGBT Superheroes; Comic Book Resources, 6/15/16

Brett White, Comic Book Resources; IN YOUR FACE JAM: Marvel, DC and the Current State of LGBT Superheroes:

"Whatever relationship 49 people in Orlando had with their label -- whether they accepted it, altered it, celebrated it, denied it, created it -- they died for it on Saturday night, the victims of a hateful man with a gun and a toxic relationship with his labels. This column, most weeks, is fun. That's not this week. I can't, as a gay man with a place to publish thoughts, not talk about this. I have to do everything I am able to do to make sure hate crimes against the LGBT community don't happen again. If that means writing 2,000-ish words in a column on a comic book site, then that's what it means. I will do everything I can to increase visibility and further acceptance of my community. And we need comic publishers to do the same thing.

Following the horrific events of the weekend, both DC Comics and Marvel Comics tweeted images expressing solidarity with the LGBT community, using the hashtag #OrlandoUnited. There's a lot to unpack here, and I got the suitcase popped open, but I want to say up front: thank you. While I don't think it should be considered a risky move to express support of the LGBT community, I do get that there are -- duh! -- bigots on Twitter. If they follow those two accounts, they got a rainbow in their face and a declaration that those publishers stand with the community those haters are bigoted against. That's not nothing, and it's a start...

Queer readers need those labels to be firmly slapped onto these characters for all to see. In the case of the queer community, labels -- and I mean the labels we choose for ourselves -- are life. They are bravery, courage and pride. I went through well over half of my life as an out gay man refusing to admit that "gay" described me. That one label doesn't sum up the complexities of my being, no, but I now know it is the one label that I wear that can get me killed. It is the label that would have given me entry into Pulse, given me a reason to feel at home. To distance myself from that label, a label that people like me were killed for, feels craven.

We need to see Marvel characters brave enough to wear their labels with pride."

Why it's time for the X-Men franchise to mutate; Guardian, 6/16/16

Ben Child, Guardian; Why it's time for the X-Men franchise to mutate:

"At the same time, the clamour for superhero movies to modernise has never been louder, especially since Marvel and DC Comics have already led the way in print. The current comic-book Ms Marvel is a Muslim Pakistani-American, while Gail Simone’s bravura 2011 reboot of Batgirl gave Barbara Gordon a transgender best mate. Meanwhile, several of the X-Men are gay in at least some versions of the comics. You’ll no doubt have seen the Twitter campaign urging Captain America to be given a boyfriend on the big screen: its point, I think, is that Hollywood’s superhero vision is inexcusably blander, hokier and tamer than what’s often seen in print.

Directors such as Guardians of the Galaxy’s James Gunn have warned against the idea of suddenly making every superhero movie an R-rated, “edgy” Deadpool rip-off. But in the case of X-Men, delivering a more grown-up take seems like a natural progression, especially since the saga’s colourful mutants have always made the most sense as an oh-so-subtle metaphor for the existential struggle of the societal outsider."

On the Orlando shooting and a sense of erasure; Guardian, 6/16/16

Olivia Laing, Guardian; On the Orlando shooting and a sense of erasure:

"What can we do? How can we be visible, especially if we exist in the blind spot between accepted definitions? We can keep finding language, we can keep insisting on our presence, our right to exist.

This morning, there was a poem on my Twitter feed, next to the video of Jones on Sky. It was by Mark Aguhar, a trans poet of colour, and it was called “Litanies to my heavenly brown body”. A series of blessings, to all the gender categories Aguhar could think of. “Blessed are the cissies. Blessed are the people of color, my beloved kith and kin. Blessed are the non-normative. Blessed are the disabled.”

I cried while I was reading it, and I cried again when I found out that Aguhar had killed himself at the age of 24. It isn’t easy to stay alive. But that poem glitters with hope and so I want to pass it on to you, in the ardent wish that we will all learn to see the people we habitually erase.

Mark, I want you to have the last word.

Blessed is the spectrum.

Blessed is respect.

Blessed are the beloved who I didn’t describe, I couldn’t describe, will learn to describe and respect and love.

Amen."

Prince William Appears on the Cover of Attitude, a Gay Magazine; New York Times, 6/15/16

Katie Williams, New York Times; Prince William Appears on the Cover of Attitude, a Gay Magazine:

"After meeting with a group of gay people who said they had been bullied, Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, appeared on the cover of Attitude, a gay magazine, and urged young people to report instances of abuse to an adult.

“No one should be bullied for their sexuality or any other reason, and no one should have to put up with the kind of hate that these young people have endured in their lives,” Prince William said in an accompanying statement. “You should be proud of the person you are, and you have nothing to be ashamed of.”

The cover was planned weeks before a shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., killed 49 people, but the magazine said in a statement that the type of hatred exhibited by the gunman, Omar Mateen, begins at an early age.

“Such violence does not exist in a vacuum but snowballs from intolerance and bullying that begins in classrooms, too often comes from politicians, religious leaders and is often not treated with respect by the media,” the statement read.

For Prince William, the decision to meet with members of the lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender community appears to be a further venture into gay rights issues and an extension of a broader effort to combat bullying."

Lessons of Hiroshima and Orlando; New York Times, 6/15/16

Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times; Lessons of Hiroshima and Orlando:

"“Science allows us to communicate across the seas and fly above the clouds, to cure disease and understand the cosmos, but those same discoveries can be turned into ever more efficient killing machines,” the president noted. “The wars of the modern age teach us this truth. Hiroshima teaches this truth. Technological progress without an equivalent progress in human institutions can doom us. The scientific revolution that led to the splitting of an atom requires a moral revolution as well.”

What the president was describing is the central strategic issue of our time: the growing mismatch between the combined rapid evolution of our technological prowess and the powers this gives to a single individual or group to destroy at scale (you can make your own gun now with a 3-D-printer), and the pace of our moral and social evolution to govern and use these powers responsibly.

And that brings me to the Orlando massacre — to what happens when, on a smaller scale, we refuse to reimagine the social and legal changes we need to manage a world where one loser can now kill so many innocent people...

We need to make choices appropriate for our age when technology can so amplify the power of one. We need common-sense gun laws, common-sense gender equality and religious pluralism and common-sense privacy laws.

But that takes common-sense leaders, not ones who think the complexities of this age can be bombed away, walled away, willed away or insulted away. Stop for a moment and reflect on what this week would have been like had Donald Trump been president — the carpet-bombing he’d have ordered in the Middle East, the fear and isolation his Muslim ban would have engendered in every Muslim-American, the joy that ISIS would have taken from being at war with all of America, the license this would have given to crazies in our own society to firebomb a mosque. And the backlash that would engender among Muslims around the world, the most radical of whom would be firebombing our embassies. When America goes nuts, the world goes nuts."

After Orlando, Gay Rights Moves off Diplomatic Back Burner; New York Times, 6/14/16

Somini Sengupta, New York Times; After Orlando, Gay Rights Moves off Diplomatic Back Burner:

"Sexual orientation was one of those subjects burdened with too many cultural sensitivities. American officials, even if they wanted to advance it on the diplomatic agenda, were wary of offending their allies, not least in the Islamic world.

The attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., moved the needle.

In its aftermath, the United States corralled an unlikely group of countries to support a United Nations Security Council statement that condemned the attack for “targeting persons as a result of their sexual orientation.” Even Egypt and Russia — not known for embracing their gay and lesbian citizens — signed on, after what diplomats called intense consultations...

The attack in Orlando on Sunday enabled the United States to elevate the issue on the diplomatic agenda. On Monday morning, as the world was still absorbing the news of the attack, the alternate United States ambassador to the United Nations, David Pressman, told the 193-member General Assembly that condolences were not enough.

“If we are united in our outrage by the killing of so many — and we are — let us be equally united around the basic premise of upholding the universal dignity of all persons regardless of who they love, not just around condemning the terrorists who kill them,” Mr. Pressman said."

Donald Trump Responds to Orlando Attack by Exploiting Fear, Not Easing It; New York Times, 6/14/16

Patrick Healy and Thomas Kaplan, New York Times; Donald Trump Responds to Orlando Attack by Exploiting Fear, Not Easing It:

"Julian E. Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton, said Mr. Trump was using the attack as an I-told-you-so moment. “He would see this as a confirmation of all the things he has been saying about the threat the United States faces and the need to be more aggressive,” he said.

Professor Zelizer cast Mr. Trump as part of a political strain dating at least from the 1950s. “When the United States is faced with national security threats or national security crises, you play to fear, you play to the anger of the electorate and you offer promises of military might as the solution,” he said.

In the jittery aftermath of a terrorist attack, people find themselves leaning on “emotional reasoning, as opposed to thinking through these kinds of issues rationally,” said Samuel Justin Sinclair, an assistant professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School and a co-author of “The Psychology of Terrorism Fears.”"

A Time to Stand With Gay Americans; New York Times, 6/14/16

Frank Bruni, New York Times; A Time to Stand With Gay Americans:

"This is one of those moments, in the wake of terror, when we find the most apt and evocative ways to underscore our oneness and renounce our fear. When we make grand gestures. When we make pointed ones.

So Majority Leader McConnell, pick your rally. Speaker Ryan, accompany him. Governor Scott, attend the funerals of gay victims. Other Republicans and Democrats, recognize L.G.B.T. Americans with both your words and your presence at gay pride celebrations.

You want to show our enemies what America stands for? Then stand with us."

The narrative falls apart: Evidence that Omar Mateen was in the closet undermines GOP framing of the Orlando shooting; Salon, 6/14/16

Amanda Marcotte, Salon; The narrative falls apart: Evidence that Omar Mateen was in the closet undermines GOP framing of the Orlando shooting:

"With the caveats that it’s important to wait for more information, etc., it’s starting to look like this guy had serious personal issues and only latched onto the idea of ISIS because it’s in the news a lot and adds drama and impact to his actions.

Which isn’t to say that religion doesn’t play a role in all this. If Mateen was closeted and acting out in large part because of self-loathing and repression, then it’s more than safe to note that his religious beliefs were contributing to that. (Mateen’s father continues to issue religiously motivated anti-gay sentiments in public.) Many variations of Islam teach anti-gay views, just like many variations of Christianity; it’s foolish to deny otherwise.

But that, of course, is just the point. If the issue here is religiously motivated homophobia, then that’s a problem that is far from unique to Islam. It suggests the problem is not whether you read the Koran or the Bible, but whether or not you use religion as an excuse to wallow in bigotry. Which, in turn, implicates the Republican party that has spent decades stoking and exploiting Christian homophobia. You can pretend that Islam is a unique problem if the issue is violence done in the name of ISIS and their apocalyptic fantasies. Islam simply isn’t the only religion that teaches anti-gay views. There’s not a lot of wiggle room here."

The Corrosive Politics That Threaten L.G.B.T. Americans; New York Times, 6/15/16

Editorial Board, New York Times; The Corrosive Politics That Threaten L.G.B.T. Americans:

"While the precise motivation for the rampage remains unclear, it is evident that Mr. Mateen was driven by hatred toward gays and lesbians. Hate crimes don’t happen in a vacuum. They occur where bigotry is allowed to fester, where minorities are vilified and where people are scapegoated for political gain. Tragically, this is the state of American politics, driven too often by Republican politicians who see prejudice as something to exploit, not extinguish...

It’s hard to say how many politicians take these positions as a matter of principle and how many do so because it has proved to be an effective way in the past to raise money and turn out the vote. As the funerals are held for those who perished on Sunday, lawmakers who have actively championed discriminatory laws and policies, and those who have quietly enabled them with votes, should force themselves to read the obituaries and look at the photos. The 49 people killed in Orlando were victims of a terrorist attack. But they also need to be remembered as casualties of a society where hate has deep roots."

Anderson Cooper absolutely grilled Florida’s GOP attorney general over her support for LGBT people; Washington Post, 6/14/16

Aaron Blake, Washington Post; Anderson Cooper absolutely grilled Florida’s GOP attorney general over her support for LGBT people:

"Eventually, Bondi tried to steer things away from that territory, but Cooper wouldn't let her.

"You know what today's about? Human beings," Bondi said. "Today's about victims."

Cooper interjected: "It's about gay and lesbian victims."

"It sure is," Bondi said. "LGBT victims.""

On Sky News last night, I realised how far some will go to ignore homophobia; Guardian, 6/13/16

Owen Jones, Guardian; On Sky News last night, I realised how far some will go to ignore homophobia:

"This isn’t about LGBT people taking ownership of the pain and anguish. People of all sexual orientations have wept over this massacre, and all communities should unite in grief. It is highly likely that straight people died in the atrocity. When the neo-Nazi terrorist David Copeland detonated a nail bomb in the Admiral Duncan gay pub in 1999, one of the fatalities was a straight pregnant woman, having a drink with her husband and her gay friends. LGBT people are part of the wider community, and LGBT people and their straight friends party together in LGBT venues. But this was a deliberate attack on a LGBT venue and LGBT people. According to Omar Mateen’s father, the reportedly Islamic State-supporting terrorist had expressed revulsion at the sight of two men kissing. His co-workers have described his anti-gay comments. Omar Mateen could have chosen many clubs, full of people laughing and living, but he chose a LGBT venue. This was homophobia as well as terrorism. It is not enough to simply condemn violence: we have to understand what it is and why it happened.

It wasn’t only Sky News at fault. In the New York Times’ original reporting, it didn’t even point out that a gay club had been targeted. The Daily Mail didn’t bother to put the atrocity – the worst terrorist attack on US soil since 9/11 – on its front page, instead opting to stir up xenophobia over Turkish immigrants and publicising an offer of “free pearl and white sapphire earrings”. This is erasure of LGBT people – pure and simple – after their community was horrifically targeted.

LGBT people are varied, and have different experiences: the life experiences of a young working-class gay black woman and a gay white male multi-millionaire CEO are very different. But we all grow up in a society that still treats us as if we are inferior: we have all repeatedly encountered homophobic abuse, the stress of coming out repeatedly, or the fear of holding hands with a partner in public. To imagine LGBT people who may have endured distress and internalised prejudice – just because of who they are – spending their last moments in terror as a homophobic terrorist hunted them down is just unbearable."

Texas politician's tweet after Orlando massacre appalls Twitter; CNet, 6/12/16

Chris Matyszczyk, CNet; Texas politician's tweet after Orlando massacre appalls Twitter:

"Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick tweeted this a few hours after the massacre: "Do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." This verse from the Bible -- Galatians 6:7 -- may have its appropriate context.

Many on Twitter, however, took it as an affirmation of Patrick's anti-LGBT stance. He is against gay marriage. He's been described by Josh Earnest, the president's press secretary, as "a right-wing radio host elected to public state office."

Reaction to Patrick's tweet -- posted at 4 a.m. PT on Sunday -- was swift.

"Tweeted as new [sic] breaks of mass casualties at a gay nightclub. Vile. Have you no shame?" tweeted one commenter.

"Try being a human being for once in your life," tweeted another.

Just after 9 a.m. PT the tweet was deleted.

Later in the morning, Patrick's office issued a statement. It said in part: "Regarding his morning's scripture posting on social media, be assured that the post was not done in response to last night's tragedy. The post was designed and scheduled last Thursday.""

Can We Please Stop Pretending This Massacre Wasn’t About Homophobia? We are done being erased.; Huffington Post, 6/13/16

JamesMichael Nichols, Huffington Post; Can We Please Stop Pretending This Massacre Wasn’t About Homophobia? We are done being erased.:

"Few things, to me, feel quite as painful as the erasure of the sexual and gender identities of the victims when it comes to reporting on this attack.

We as LGBT people spent decades being told that we don’t exist or that our lives do not matter. We’ve been murdered in the streets and incarcerated for trying to live authentically as who we are. When we were dying by the thousands from AIDS in the 1980s and 1990s, those in positions of power turned a blind eye.

And now, when are are slaughtered in a nightclub — historically the pinnacle of safe space and community for queer people — the world is trying to erase us once again.

Let me say this loud and clear: this was an invasion and massacre of the queer community.

If you have trouble understanding the idea of a nightclub as a safe, sacred space, then you’ve clearly never been made to feel like your love is illegitimate, incorrect and something that should be hidden away from the world. You’ve clearly never needed a safe space. We always have.

But we will not hide anymore and we will not allow the media — or anyone — to erase what this situation is really about: 49 queer and trans people, mostly of color, slaughtered in their sacred space during the one time of the year when we are supposedly celebrated by the public.

And if your reporting or conversation is not centered around that idea, then you should do some serious self-reflection. Ask yourself, why am I having trouble accepting that part of the narrative? Why do I so deeply deny that someone could be driven to do something so horrific over an immutable aspect of another’s identity?"

World Landmarks Light Up In Glowing Tribute To Orlando Victims; Huffington Post, 6/13/16

Suzy Strutner, Huffington Post; World Landmarks Light Up In Glowing Tribute To Orlando Victims:

"Dozens of world landmarks lit up in dazzling color to express solidarity and honor victims of the horrific mass shooting in an LGBT nightclub in Orlando on Saturday.

From the World Trade Center in New York to Brisbane’s Story Bridge to a local courthouse in Nashville, iconic structures sent their love to a city far, far away."

Orlando Attack Roils Gay Community, Painfully Accustomed to Violence; New York Times, 6/12/16

Sheryl Gay Stolberg, New York Times; Orlando Attack Roils Gay Community, Painfully Accustomed to Violence:

"The gay rights movement, of course, is no stranger to the fear of violence. That includes the days when gay people worried about being branded “faggots” and beaten, whether in small towns or in gay centers like New York; the 1973 arson attack on a gay bar in New Orleans that left 32 people dead; the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard. All are cultural touchstones for the community.

In 2015, the F.B.I. reported that 18.6 percent of the 5,462 so-called single-bias hate crimes the previous year were attributable to sexual orientation; 47 percent were attributable to race. But Jay Brown, a spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign, said that hate crimes against gay people were underreported, and that finding accurate statistics was “extremely challenging.”

Movement leaders, speaking anecdotally, said they sensed an increase in violence against gay people this year — perhaps, some said, because of the divisive presidential campaign, or because of high-profile policy fights like the one over the Obama administration’s recent directive requiring schools to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms of their choice.

“I sincerely believe that this is following a trend, that we often see an uptick during presidential elections — particularly when the vitriol increases about our community,” said Lorri L. Jean, who runs the Los Angeles L.G.B.T. Center, a nonprofit advocacy, health and social services organization."

LGBT Community Mourns Orlando Attack, Boosts Security At Pride Events; NPR, 6/13/16

Camila Domonoske, NPR; LGBT Community Mourns Orlando Attack, Boosts Security At Pride Events:

"With sorrow, anger and expressions of unity, the LGBT community across the world is mourning Sunday's deadly attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando. Meanwhile, security has been increased at LGBT landmarks and events in cities across America.

The attack — in which a gunman killed 50 people, making it the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, and injured 53 — struck during Pride Month, which commemorates the Stonewall Riots of 1969 and the gay rights movement more broadly...

And at the Tony Awards — the annual celebration of Broadway shows — the entire ceremony was dedicated to the victims of the attack.

Lin-Manuel Miranda, who received a Tony for his wildly successful show Hamilton, read a sonnet for the victims. The poem begins in personal territory, before turning to Sunday's "senseless act of tragedy":

My wife's the reason anything gets done She nudges me towards promise by degrees She is a perfect symphony of one Our son is her most beautiful reprise.

We chase the melodies that seem to find us Until they're finished songs, and start to play When senseless acts of tragedy remind us That nothing here is promised, not one day.

This show is proof that history remembers We live through times when hate and fear seem stronger We rise and fall, and light from dying embers Remembrances that hope and love last longer.

And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love cannot be killed or swept aside I sing Vanessa's symphony. Eliza tells her story Now fill the world with music, love, and pride."

World Leaders Show Their Support After The Mass Shooting In Orlando; Huffington Post, 6/12/16

Nick Robins-Early, Huffington Post; World Leaders Show Their Support After The Mass Shooting In Orlando:

"World leaders and politicians around the globe expressed their support Sunday for families and victims of the deadliest U.S. mass shooting in modern history.

Earlier that day, suspected attacker Omar Mateen killed at least 50 people and wounded dozens more at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Authorities are investigating the killings as an act of terror, as information continues to emerge on the attack.

Many of the leaders offering solidarity following the shooting in Orlando are from countries, such as France and Belgium, that have suffered their own horrific attacks recently."

Republicans Are Erasing LGBTQ People From Their Own Tragedy; Slate, 6/12/16

Mark Joseph Stern, Slate; Republicans Are Erasing LGBTQ People From Their Own Tragedy:

"There are many more examples of aggressively anti-gay politicians tweeting about the Pulse shooting, but one common thread ties them together: None of them mention that the shooting targeted, or even involved, the LGBTQ community. Indeed, not a single congressional Republican who tweeted about the shooting mentioned LGBTQ people. That stands in stark contrast to President Barack Obama’s clear assertion that “shooter targeted a nightclub” where “lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender people “came together to be with friends, to dance, sing, and live,” and “to raise awareness and speak their minds and advocate for their civil rights.”

Republicans’ silence is actually quite apt. As a party, after all, the GOP has spent decades attempting to degrade sexual minorities and even drive them out of public life. It is altogether fitting, then, that conservative politicians are erasing LGBTQ people from their own tragedy. The gesture of support, I suppose, is basically benevolent. But let’s be clear about this: The 50 victims of Orlando’s LGBTQ nightclub massacre died as full and equal citizens under the law in spite of the Republican party’s best efforts to relegate them to second-class citizenship."

The Scope of the Orlando Carnage; New York Times, 6/12/16

Frank Bruni, New York Times; The Scope of the Orlando Carnage:

"The Islamic State and its ilk are brutal to gay people, whom they treat in unthinkable ways. They throw gay people from rooftops. The footage is posted online. It’s bloodcurdling, but it’s not unique. In countries throughout the world, to be gay is to be in mortal danger. To embrace love is to court death.

That’s crucial context for what happened in Orlando, and Orlando is an understandable prompt for questions about our own degrees of inclusion and fairness and whether we do all that we should to keep L.G.B.T. people safe. We don’t...

Often our politicians can’t find their voices. But sometimes their words are precisely right."

President Obama, speaking about the victims on Sunday afternoon, said: “The place where they were attacked is more than a nightclub. It is a place of solidarity and empowerment where people have come together to raise awareness, to speak their minds and to advocate for their civil rights. So this is a sobering reminder that attacks on any American, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation, is an attack on all of us and on the fundamental values of equality and dignity that define us as a country.”"

The Orlando Massacre: A Reminder of the Dangers LGBT People Live With Every Day; Huffington Post, 6/12/16

Michelangelo Signorile, Huffington Post; The Orlando Massacre: A Reminder of the Dangers LGBT People Live With Every Day:

"Hatred against LGBT people is clearly something we’ve lived with for decades, and even in these days of big victories we see a ferocious backlash playing out which is also motived [sic] by bigotry. Many of us often take for granted the freedoms we’ve won, and certainly we don’t think twice about going out for a good time, dancing and enjoying ourselves — and we might not want to think about the dangers that still face LGBT people. And the American media, too, seems complacent; early on major news organizations reporting on this mass shooting, like The New York Times and CNN, weren’t reporting the fact that Pulse is a gay club, or were downplaying that fact — a relevant fact, especially if this turns out to be a terror attack or a hate crime.

Hate crimes against LGBT people haven’t dissipated since the arrival of marriage equality and have in fact been on the rise in recent years. While we still know very little about this morning’s brutal massacre at Pulse in Orlando, this terrible tragedy is a reminder of the threat of violence against LGBT every day, and that we must always remain vigilant."

Mass Shooting At Orlando Gay Nightclub: What We Know; NPR, 6/12/16

Merrit Kennedy, NPR; Mass Shooting At Orlando Gay Nightclub: What We Know:

"A gunman opened fire at a gay nightclub in Orlando early Sunday, killing at least 50 people and wounding at least 53 others. It's the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

The death toll far exceeded initial estimates. Orlando Police Chief John Mina had initially told reporters that "around 20" people succumbed to gunshot wounds inside the Pulse Orlando nightclub. He later said police found far more victims once they gained full access to the scene. The suspect is also dead, he says.

The suspect has been tentatively identified as Omar Mateen, two law enforcement officials tell NPR's Carrie Johnson...

Authorities say it is not clear whether Pulse Orlando was targeted specifically because it is a gay nightclub. "We don't know that that had any specific impact on the actions taken this evening, at least not yet," Hopper says.

Terry DeCarlo, head of the GLBT Center Of Central Florida, told WMFE reporter Catherine Welch that they're opening crisis hotlines to help the LGBT community.

"We can't confirm — and I've talked extensively with the police department — that it was a direct hate crime against the LGBT community, it could have just been a person looking for a packed nightclub to go in and start shooting. We can't confirm that yet," he says. He adds that his main concern now is providing support for community members and their families.

The Human Rights Campaign says it has lowered its flag to half mast.

"This tragedy has occurred as our community celebrates pride, and now more than ever we must come together as a nation to affirm that love conquers hate," HRC President Chad Griffin says in a statement."

Thousands march for LGBTI rights in Warsaw amid rising hostility; Guardian, 6/11/16

Alex Duval Smith, Guardian; Thousands march for LGBTI rights in Warsaw amid rising hostility:

"Thousands of people have marched with rainbow flags through Warsaw in a sign of defiance against a rising tide of extremism under Poland’s nationalist Law and Justice government.

Speeches at the start of the Equality parade – which began at the symbolic Palace of Culture and ended with a “beach party” across the Vistula river – warned of LGBTI freedoms being at their lowest point for two decades in the staunchly Catholic country...

Hate crimes in the broadest sense – often carried out by nationalist extremists against immigrants – are on the rise in Poland. A report to parliament in April found that 1,548 such crimes were reported to the police in 2015 – close to double the number reported the year before."

Trump promises to protect one group of Americans, to the exclusion of all others; Washington Post, 6/11/16

Colbert I. King, Washington Post; Trump promises to protect one group of Americans, to the exclusion of all others:

"As a Christian, I neither want nor need the president of the United States to protect either my faith or me. However, I do want and expect the chief executive to respect and defend all Americans, regardless of their faith or their non-belief.

Whether Trump was pandering to the crowd or just expressing his own religious bias, the result was the same: The man who would be president promised protection to one group of Americans to the exclusion of all others, strictly on the basis of religious faith."

Donald Trump Is Proving How Mortally Dangerous He Is To LGBT Equality; Huffington Post, 6/10/16

Michelangelo Signorile, Huffington Post; Donald Trump Is Proving How Mortally Dangerous He Is To LGBT Equality:

"Contrary to those in the media and elsewhere who claimed he was “far more accepting” on LGBT issues than other GOP candidates, Donald Trump is proving that he very much will be a force against LGBT equality if elected president. And he’s doing it in a more insidious, under-the-radar way than any previous GOP presidential nominee.

Though he rarely raises his positions against LGBT rights on the campaign trail, Trump is making pacts with anti-LGBT forces. Today, Trump spoke at the Road to the Majority summit in Washington, an event attended by Christian right activists and sponsored by the Faith and Freedom Coalition and Concerned Women for America, both of which fight against LGBT rights. “I’m with you 100 percent,” he said, and, knowing the event was televised live on the cable networks, he spoke with a dog whistle on LGBT rights, alluding to attacks on “marriage and family” and championing “religious freedom,” which of course has been the term used by evangelicals to deny LGBT people of rights. The crowd roared with approval.

And on June 21, in New York, Trump will have a private meeting with over 400 of the most bigoted, most homophobic and most influential anti-LGBT advocates in the United States — from Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins to James Dobson, founder of the Focus on the Family — the bedrock of the religious right, which has been a prominent part of the base of the Republican Party for decades. Many of these groups, like Family Research Council, have been labeled as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center."

Trump’s ‘Pocahontas’ attack leaves fellow Republicans squirming (again); Washington Post, 6/10/16

Matea Gold, Karoun Demirjian and Mike DeBonis, Washington Post; Trump’s ‘Pocahontas’ attack leaves fellow Republicans squirming (again):

"The “Pocahontas” line spurred chatter at former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney’s ideas summit Friday in Park City, Utah, where some attendees said they were aghast at Trump’s many race-based lines of attack.

Stuart Stevens — the chief strategist on Romney’s 2012 presidential bid, who, like Romney, has vowed not to vote for Trump — said the candidate’s use of “Pocahontas” to attack Warren was both racist and inappropriate.

“If you said this in a sixth-grade class, the teacher would tell you, ‘Don’t say this,’ ” Stevens said.

“This is a sick guy, and Americans are not longing for a president who’s going to go out and use ethnic slurs against people,” he said. “It’s amusing in the same way telling dirty jokes around a frat house can get laughs, but most people grow out of that. It’s childish.”"

Meet Rachel Levine, one of the very few transgender public officials in America; Washington Post, 6/1/16

Katie Zezima, Washington Post; Meet Rachel Levine, one of the very few transgender public officials in America:

"Levine, 58, is one of the appointed state officials, and her foray into politics was more of a fluke than a concerted effort to work in government. In 2014, she was a top doctor at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and served on the board of Equality Pennsylvania, a statewide gay rights group, when Gov.-elect Tom Wolf (D) asked her to co-chair his transition team for health matters.

Wolf later asked her to serve as physician general. After a few days of debate, she decided to do it, mostly because she thought she could “make a difference from a broader point of view, from a broader brush...”

But first she had to get confirmed by the Pennsylvania Senate. Levine had been openly living as a transgender woman for a few years, and felt she could move past the issue simply by sitting down one-on-one with officials and talking about medicine and public health. Levine was unanimously confirmed."

The First Gay President?; New York Times, 6/11/16

Frank Bruni, New York Times; The First Gay President? :

"“I’m not interested in being a poster boy,” he told me. He has not, since his op-ed, spoken frequently or expansively about being gay.

He doesn’t hide it, though. His partner, Chasten Glezman, a middle-school teacher, moved in with him this year and sometimes accompanies him to public events.

One day Buttigieg popped into Glezman’s classroom with an offering from Starbucks. That night, he got an email fuming that the children had been unnecessarily exposed to certain ideas.

He wrote back “explaining how what I was doing was the same kind of thing a straight couple would do,” he told me. “I didn’t go in there to discuss L.G.B.T. issues. I went in there to bring a cup of coffee to somebody that I love.”

“But it was one of those moments,” he added, “when I realized we can’t quite go around as if it were the same.”"

Diverse dance lineup planned for PrideFest; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 6/11/16

Jane Vranish, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Diverse dance lineup planned for PrideFest:

"Liberty Avenue’s two stages will feature no less than seven dance presentations. Dance curator Richard Parsakian asserts that no other American city’s LGBT pride event can equal Pittsburgh’s powerful dance lineup.

The owner of Eons Fashion Antique on Ellsworth Avenue in Shadyside uses his vintage clothing and accessories to dress performing arts groups such as Attack Theatre and Quantum Theatre and to bring a stylishly fun factor to other events. When Mr. Parsakian is involved, movement will follow. “I feel everyone should have an exposure to dance,” he says...

He arrived in Pittsburgh in 1971 as a Vista volunteer and immediately fell in love with the dance community. His passion was driven by “the physicality of dance, the impossibility of it. ... I like to be taken on these journeys … to be shocked,” he says.

As a longtime member of Pittsburgh’s LGBTQ community, Mr. Parsakian goes out of his way to be inclusive. Twenty-two years ago, he designed the 30-by-30-foot rainbow flag that will once again open the parade down Liberty Avenue. He has assembled an array of local talent to underscore the city’s commitment to dance.

“It brings a Pittsburgh voice to PrideFest, where the bands will be regional and national,” he notes, and “elevates the cultural aspect.”"

The Pirates have a diversity problem; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 5/1/16

Larry A. Silverman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; The Pirates have a diversity problem:

"Yet, for all the team’s success on the field over the past few years, being at PNC Park on Jackie Robinson Day was a sober reminder of the one area in which the Pirates organization has failed to live up to Jackie Robinson’s hopes and dreams for baseball — diversity.

Here are the facts. According to the 2016 “Racial and Gender Report Card” by Richard Lapchick, published by the Institute for Diversity & Ethics in Sports with the support of Major League Baseball:

• Thirty of the coaches on MLB teams (10.6 percent) are African-American. The Pirates have zero African-American coaches.

• Twenty-five of the vice presidents on MLB teams (6 percent) are African-American. The Pirates have zero African-American vice presidents.

• Ninety-nine of the senior administrators on MLB teams (5.4 percent), including assistant general managers, are African-American. The Pirates employ one of those 99 (although during the off-season the league did hire away the Pirates’ African-Amercan director of player personnel, Tyrone Brooks, to head a new MLB diversity program).

• The principal owner, president, general manager and manager of the Pirates are all white, although the Pirates are hardly alone in this. There are only two African-American managers and two African-American general managers on the 30 MLB teams, and no African-American owners or CEOs.

No one is suggesting that the Pirates intentionally exclude African-Americans from on- and off-the-field leadership positions. Nevertheless, the facts do suggest that the Pirates organization must ask itself some tough questions:

Why have the Pirates lagged far behind the other 29 MLB clubs in hiring and promoting African-Americans for key leadership roles?"

Mitt Romney: A Trump Presidency Would Spawn ‘Trickle-Down Racism’; Huffington Post, 6/10/16

Mollie Reilly, Huffington Post; Mitt Romney: A Trump Presidency Would Spawn ‘Trickle-Down Racism’ :

"Citing Trump’s recent racist remarks about U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who is handling two lawsuits accusing the for-profit Trump University of fraud, the previous Republican presidential nominee said that even if Trump tones down his rhetoric, he’s already revealed his true colors.

“He indicated what he believes in his heart about Mexicans and about race by the comments he made about Judge Curiel, and he may try to distance himself from that, but we know what he believes,” Romney said.

He also noted that Trump refused to apologize for his remarks.

“I don’t want to see trickle-down racism. I don’t want to see a president of the United States saying things which change the character of the generations of Americans that are following. Presidents have an impact on the nature of our nation,” Romney said. “And trickle-down racism, trickle-down bigotry, trickle-down misogyny, all these things are extraordinarily dangerous to the heart and character of America.”

He added, “This is not a matter of just policy. It’s more a matter of character and integrity.”"

Why the X-Men Will Survive the Coming Superhero Movie Apocalypse; Inverse, 6/6/16

Ryan Britt, Inverse; Why the X-Men Will Survive the Coming Superhero Movie Apocalypse:

"In X-Men and Philosophy, editors Rebecca Housel and J. Jeremy Wisnewski argue that X-Men asked the “big questions” right when the comic book debuted back in 1963; “What are our obligations to one another? What does it mean to be human?”

Further, it’s fairly common knowledge that the X-Men were conceived by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee as a kind of allegory for all sorts of civil rights battles, or as Lee put it in 2013; “an anti-bigotry story.” Part of that anti-bigotry story manifests itself by showing the mutants living in a perpetual fear of persecution, afraid to be themselves...

It could be argued that all superhero stories are outsider narratives, but the X-Men feel like the outsiders among outsiders. Which, paradoxically brings them closer to normal at least for the reader, or moviegoer. And that’s partially because there aren’t a lot of scenes in X-Men movies or comics where the public heaps them with praise. Superman has statues erected to him. Batman has the bat signal. The Avengers are so famous, that in their world, they’re required to get jobs as federal employees. The X-Men aren’t like that. Everything about their nature is a little bit behind-the-scenes, meaning the people who care about them the most, the only people rooting for them, are the fans. This feeling of intimacy might be the key to why these characters—and the films specifically—consistently connect."

The Judicial System According to Donald Trump; New York Times, 6/6/16

Editorial Board, New York Times; The Judicial System According to Donald Trump:

"Federal judges have repeatedly and emphatically refused to recuse themselves from cases because of their race or ethnicity. These rulings were driven by two realizations: Ethnically based challenges would reduce every judge to a racial category, which would be racist in itself. And such challenges would make judges vulnerable to recusal motions — for reasons of race, ethnicity, gender or religion — in every case that came before them.

In other words, once these challenges were allowed, there would be no end to them.

The gravity of this matter has clearly eluded Donald Trump, who has cast aside the Constitution and decades of jurisprudence by suggesting both ethnic and religious litmus tests for federal judges. These pronouncements illustrate that Mr. Trump holds the rule of law in contempt."

The Madness of America; New York Times, 6/6/16

Charles M. Blow, New York Times; The Madness of America:

"...[T]here is a line one dares not cross, and that is the one of responding to violent rhetoric with violent actions.

As I have said before, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said it best in his 1967 book “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?,” and he is worthy of quoting here at length:

“The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate. So it goes. Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that...”

In a democracy, the vote is the voice. The best way to reduce the threat Trump poses is to register and motivate people who share your view of the threat...

Trump and his millions of minions have replaced what they call “political correctness” with “ambient viciousness.”

This won’t “make America great again,” because the “again” they imagine harkens back to America’s darkness. We are the new America — more diverse, more inclusive, more than our ancestors could ever have imagined."

Donald Trump Finally Admits His Campaign Is Racist; Huffington Post, 6/6/16

Amanda Terkel, Huffington Post; Donald Trump Finally Admits His Campaign Is Racist:

"Paul Manafort, Trump’s chief strategist, recently told The Huffington Post that Trump is unlikely to pick a woman or minority as a running mate because that would be seen as “pandering.”

If he were to become president, Trump would have the power to nominate candidates to the Supreme Court and other spots on the federal bench. But between his comments about race, religion and gender, the people Trump thinks would be unbiased enough to serve may make up a very narrow slice of the population."

Megyn Kelly Slams Donald Trump’s ‘Mexican’ Judge Remarks: ‘That Is Not The Way Our System Works’; Huffington Post, 6/7/16

Dominique Mosbergen, Huffington Post; Megyn Kelly Slams Donald Trump’s ‘Mexican’ Judge Remarks: ‘That Is Not The Way Our System Works’ :

"Kelly strongly disagreed with O’Reilly’s position.

“That is not the way our system works,” she said on her show an hour later.

“If a litigant making stink about a judge necessarily resulted in a conflict that would force the judge to step down, it would lead to chaos in our court system,” she added...

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich also skewered Trump’s position.

“We don’t judge you as part of a group. That would be to suggest that blacks can’t get a fair white judge, whites can’t get a fair black judge,” Gingrich said on “The John Gibson Show.” “Once you go down that road, you destroy America. You can’t take a group definition and apply it.”

On Sunday, Gingrich called Trump’s comments about Curiel “one of the worst mistakes Trump has made.”

“I think it’s inexcusable,” Gingrich told Fox News."

Massachusetts Poised to Expand Protections for Transgender People; Jess Bidgood, 6/1/16

Jess Bidgood, New York Times; Massachusetts Poised to Expand Protections for Transgender People:

"Amid a roiling national debate over transgender rights, lawmakers in the Democratic-led House in Massachusetts on Wednesday passed a bill that would expand protections against discrimination for transgender people and allow them to use bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity.

The State Senate, also controlled by Democrats, passed a similar measure here last month. With support for the House’s bill from Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, Massachusetts appears ready to cut against the current of states that have opposed some protections in public accommodations for transgender people.

“No one should be discriminated against in Massachusetts because of their gender identity,” Mr. Baker said on Tuesday in announcing his support of the bill after months of avoiding a direct endorsement of such a measure."

Faculty workshop targets classroom inclusivity; University Times, 5/26/16

Marty Levine, University Times; Faculty workshop targets classroom inclusivity:

"Susan Marine of Merrimack College is bringing her inclusive classroom workshop to Pitt once again to help faculty from all disciplines with, she says, “the kind of language we use, the kind of context we explore in our classrooms, and how we respond to situations that come up in the classroom around gender and sexual identity.”

Marine, faculty member and director of the higher education graduate program in Merrimack’s School of Education and Social Policy, has 17 years’ experience teaching and conducting research on transgender politics, women’s colleges and student affairs practice. The workshop, called “Constructing a Truly Open Learning Environment for LGBTQIA Students,” takes place June 7 and 8 in the University Club. It covers how to make classrooms “truly inclusive,” with a focus on “classroom practices, curricular integration and tools for responding effectively to bias.” Marine says Pitt is the only university that has hosted the entire two-day event...

Faculty can register for the workshop at www.eventbrite.com/e/diversity-institute-for-faculty-development-an-inclusive-classroom-practical-lessons-and-techniques-tickets-23190787269.

Asian-American Actors Are Fighting for Visibility. They Will Not Be Ignored.; New York Times, 5/25/16

Amanda Hess, New York Times; Asian-American Actors Are Fighting for Visibility. They Will Not Be Ignored. :

"In September, it was revealed that in the planned adaptation of the Japanese manga series Death Note, the hero, a boy with dark powers named Light Yagami, would be renamed simply Light and played by the white actor Nat Wolff. In “The Martian,” released in October, the white actress Mackenzie Davis stepped into the role of the NASA employee Mindy Park, who was conceived in the novel as Korean-American.

The list goes on. In December, set photographs from the coming “Absolutely Fabulous” film showed the Scottish actress Janette Tough dressed as an over-the-top Asian character. Last month, Marvel Studios released a trailer for “Doctor Strange,” in which a character that had originated in comic books as a Tibetan monk was reimagined as a Celtic mystic played by Tilda Swinton.

And in the live-action American film adaptation of the manga series Ghost in the Shell, scheduled for next year, the lead character, Major Motoko Kusanagi, will be called Major and played by Scarlett Johansson in a black bob.

Studios say that their films are diverse. “Like other Marvel films, several characters in ‘Doctor Strange’ are significant departures from the source material, not limited by race, gender or ethnicity,” the Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said in a statement. Ms. Swinton will play a character that was originally male, and Chiwetel Ejiofor a character that was originally white. Paramount and DreamWorks, the studios behind “Ghost in the Shell,” said that the film reflects “a diverse array of cultures and countries.”

But many Asian-American actors aren’t convinced."