Mainstream music embraces LGBT perspective; USA Today, 8/30/15

Sara Moniuszko, USA Today; Mainstream music embraces LGBT perspective:

"From Bette Midler and Madonna all the way through Lady Gaga's Born This Way, performers courting gay audiences and incorporating lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender themes into their songs is a pop music tradition.

But increasingly, it's more than just big-voiced divas tapping into the LGBT community: Just as Gaga’s 2011 hit was dubbed a LGBT anthem for its messages of self-love, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ Same Love made waves in 2012 with strong statements against homophobia and for acceptance.

Although the idea of including these themes into songs isn’t new, the recent and often more explicit interest of mainstream hitmakers is."

Architect Sought for Obama’s Presidential Library Complex; New York Times, 8/26/15

Julie Hirschfeld Davis, New York Times; Architect Sought for Obama’s Presidential Library Complex:

"The foundation overseeing the development of Barack Obama’s presidential library began a global competition on Wednesday to select the architect who will design the elaborate Chicago complex.

The start of the selection process is the latest step in Mr. Obama’s quiet but painstaking planning for his post-presidential initiatives, which his advisers say could cost as much as $1 billion.

The library, to be located on the South Side of Chicago, where the president had his political start as a community organizer, will be the crown jewel of the effort, a high-technology take on the traditional archival presidential library that will include space for innovation labs, a community garden and sports...

“We think there’s a real value to having a diverse group of participants in every element of this process,” Mr. Nesbitt said in a conference call Wednesday. “We feel really good about the group that has been invited to respond.”

The firms have until Sept. 16 to submit statements of interest in the project, including company profiles, résumés of their staff members, photographs and drawings of past projects, and examples of their diversity efforts."

Business Workshop: No discrimination based on sexual orientation; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 8/25/15

Elaina Smiley, Meyer, Unkovic & Scott; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Business Workshop: No discrimination based on sexual orientation:

"The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has clarified that employees are protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act from workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Title VII prohibits employers from discriminating against employees based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Many employers and employees have been unsure about workers’ legal protection from discrimination based on sexual orientation because it’s not specifically mentioned in Title VII...

Employers should treat complaints involving sexual orientation the same as other types of discrimination complaints and clearly communicate that they will not tolerate any type of discriminatory remarks, actions or harassment, including based on sexual orientation."

Bonfire of the Assets, With Trump Lighting Matches; New York Times, 8/26/15

Thomas Friedman, New York Times; Bonfire of the Assets, With Trump Lighting Matches:

"Normally, when your main geopolitical rivals are shooting themselves in both feet, the military manual says step back and enjoy the show. But I take little comfort in watching China burning money and Russia burning food, because in today’s interdependent world we’re all affected.

I also find no joy in it because we Americans, too, have started burning our most important source of competitive advantage — our pluralism. One of our two political parties has gone nuts and started following a pied piper of intolerance, named Donald Trump...

This is not funny anymore. This is not entertaining. Donald Trump is not cute. His ugly nativism shamefully plays on people’s fears and ignorance. It ignores bipartisan solutions already on the table, undermines the civic ideals that make our melting pot work in ways no European or Asian country can match (try to become a Japanese) and tampers with the very secret of our sauce — pluralism, that out of many we make one.

Every era spews up a Joe McCarthy type who tries to thrive by dividing and frightening us, and today his name is Donald Trump."

Diversity wins as the Sad Puppies lose at the Hugo awards; Guardian, 8/24/15

Damien Walter, Guardian; Diversity wins as the Sad Puppies lose at the Hugo awards:

"Thank you Sad Puppies, you’ve done more for diversity in sci-fi than an army of social justice warriors.

For those arriving new to Hugogeddon 2015 I will briefly reprise the state of play. The Hugos are a fan-decided award for sci-fi books. In Spokane, Washington, at the weekend, the Chinese science fiction author Liu Cixin won the big prize for best novel, but “no award” was declared in five other categories. The awards bring an end to months of controversy, in which George RR Martin himself waded in several times to urge fans to defeat the Sad Puppies.

The Puppies have riven the SF community this year by organising a reactionary vote in protest against the increasing number of women and writers and colour who have been winning the awards. This group of conservative authors and fans were able to make a sizeable impact because the awards are decided by a relatively small number of fans.

As I write it is clear that the Puppies’ disproportional effect on the Hugo shortlists was not reflected in the award winners. In fact, the fan vote was triumphant in nearly all categories, except a handful where the Sad Puppy bloc vote forced work of such poor quality onto the ballot that fans were left no choice but to nominate “no award” instead. It was the worst result possible for the Sad Puppy voters, and a personal humiliation for their leaders."

John Oliver Says It's Time To End Discrimination Against Gays; Huffington Post, 8/24/15

Ed Mazza, Huffington Post; John Oliver Says It's Time To End Discrimination Against Gays:

"John Oliver says it's time for the federal government to finish the job when it comes to gay rights.

Speaking on HBO's "Last Week Tonight" on Sunday, Oliver pointed out that while gay couples now have the right to get married, they don't have many other rights in much of the nation.

In some cases, they have no rights at all.

Now Oliver is calling on the feds to extend basic civil rights protections to the gay community."

ISIS LGBT Persecution: At UN Security Council Meeting, Gay Islamic State Victims In Syria And Iraq Discussed; International Business Times, 8/24/15

Aaron Morrison, International Business Times; ISIS LGBT Persecution: At UN Security Council Meeting, Gay Islamic State Victims In Syria And Iraq Discussed:

"Subhi Nahas, an openly gay Syrian refugee now living in the United States, says he fled homophobic brutality in his homeland. He told his story Monday to the United Nations Security Council in the panel's first-ever briefing on attacks against LGBT people in the Middle East by militants from the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS or ISIL.

Speaking in New York City to the U.N.’s key panel for international peace and security, Nahas said many of his lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender friends have not escaped persecution by militants -- and that stopping the attacks requires immediate global intervention.

“My friends are feeling alone and terrified living in places where people who don’t fit into what others deem as 'normal,' are being persecuted and killed simply for who they are and what they believe,” said Nahas, who resettled in the U.S. with help from an international organization that tracks anti-LGBT violence on refugees...

While it was not the first time the persecution of gays and lesbians has been mentioned before the 15-member council that includes the U.S., Britain, China, France and Russia as permanent members, the panel had never convened to talk specifically about attacks on LGBT people anywhere in the world. The Security Council has previously discussed the impact of Islamist terrorism on global peace, but acknowledging sexual minorities in this way was an "important step" for expanding human rights, said Samantha Power, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., who sponsored the meeting with her diplomatic counterpart from Chile."

Islamic State group claims it killed 30 people for sodomy, gay rights organization tells UN; Associated Press via US News & World Report, 8/24/15

Edith M. Lederer, Associated Press via US News & World Report; Islamic State group claims it killed 30 people for sodomy, gay rights organization tells UN:

"The Islamic State extremist group has claimed responsibility for killing at least 30 people for sodomy, the head of an international gay rights organization said Monday at the first-ever U.N. Security Council meeting spotlighting violence and discrimination against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people.

"It's about time, 70 years after the creation of the U.N., that the fate of LGBT persons who fear for their lives around the world is taking center stage," said U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power, who organized the meeting with Chile's U.N. envoy. "This represents a small but historic step."...

Jessica Stern, executive director of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, told the council that courts established by the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria claim to have punished sodomy with stoning, firing squads and beheadings and by pushing men from tall buildings.

Fear of the extremist group, which controls about a third of Syria and Iraq, has fueled violence by others against LGBT individuals, she said."

Gay men tell UN Security Council of being Islamic State targets; Reuters, 8/24/15

Michelle Nichols, Reuters; Gay men tell UN Security Council of being Islamic State targets">Gay men tell UN Security Council of being Islamic State targets:

"U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power said this was the first time the U.N. Security Council had discussed lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues.

"It is impossible not to take up the struggle for their rights as our own as we have other great human rights struggles," she told the meeting, according to her prepared remarks. "Today, we take a small but important step in assuming that work. It must not be our last step."...

An Iraqi man identified as Adnan told his story to the Security Council by telephone from an undisclosed location, as he said he was still not safe.

"In my society, being gay means death and when (Islamic State) kills gays most people are happy because they think we are evil, and (Islamic State) gets a good credit for that," he said, according to his prepared remarks.

"My own family turned against me when (Islamic State) was after me," said Adnan, who fled his home. "If (Islamic State) didn't get me, members of my family would have done it."

Adnan said Islamic State militants hunt down gay people through cell phone and Facebook contacts of people they capture."

UN Security Council Holds Inaugural Meeting on LGBT Issues; US Department of State, 8/24/15

John Kirby, US Department of State, Press Release; UN Security Council Holds Inaugural Meeting on LGBT Issues:

"Today, members of the UN Security Council held their first Arria-formula meeting on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) issues, particularly in the context of ISIL’s crimes against LGBT individuals in Iraq and Syria. This historic event recognizes that the issue of LGBT rights has a place in the UN Security Council. Around the world, the UN has documented thousands of cases of individuals killed or injured in brutal attacks simply because they are LGBT or perceived to be LGBT. This abhorrent practice is particularly widespread in ISIL-seized territory in Iraq and Syria, where these violent extremists proudly target and kill LGBT individuals or those accused of being so. No one should be harmed or have their basic human rights denied because of who they are and who they love.

We would like to thank Chile for co-sponsoring this event with us. The United States will continue to raise the plight of targeted LGBT individuals around the world and work to protect their basic human rights."

Gay and Marked for Death; New York Times, 8/21/15

Frank Bruni, New York Times; Gay and Marked for Death:

"On Monday, he will tell his story at a special United Nations Security Council meeting on L.G.B.T. rights. American officials involved in it arranged for me to talk with him in advance by phone.

Although Monday’s discussion isn’t a formal one that Security Council members are required to attend, it’s nonetheless the first time that the council has held a meeting of any kind that’s dedicated to the persecution of L.G.B.T. people, according to Samantha Power, the United States ambassador to the United Nations.

And it’s an example, she told me, of a determined push by the United States and other countries to integrate L.G.B.T. rights into all discussions of human rights by international bodies like the U.N.

“We’re trying to get it into the DNA so that when you’re talking about minorities or vulnerable groups, you would always have L.G.B.T. people included,” Power said.

There has been a commendable acceleration of that effort since September 2011, when Barack Obama, in an address to the U.N. General Assembly, unsettled many in the audience by declaring: “We must stand up for the rights of gays and lesbians everywhere.”"

Movement Builds to Honor Greg Louganis on a Wheaties Box; New York Times, 8/22/15

Richard Sandomir, New York Times; Movement Builds to Honor Greg Louganis on a Wheaties Box:

"When Julie Sondgerath learned from the premiere of the HBO documentary “Greg Louganis: Back on Board” this month that Louganis, the transcendent Olympic diver, had never been on the cover of a Wheaties cereal box, she started a petition drive on Change.org to demand that General Mills correct an omission that has lasted more than 30 years...

Perhaps the Change.org petition will change minds at General Mills about Louganis. Or maybe the documentary will persuade Wheaties marketers of his diving achievements and struggles as a gay man.

“The thing people react to in the film,” said Cheryl Furjanic, its director, “is they see what an incredible athlete and human he is and they say, ‘If all these other people were on the Wheaties box, why wasn’t he?’ ”

Louganis is not actively campaigning on behalf of the petition (which has more than 5,000 signatures so far), but he said, “I know that it’s done out of love and compassion.”"

David Denson, Gay Baseball Prospect, Achieves a Key Victory: Being Himself; New York Times, 8/21/15

Billy Witz, New York Times; David Denson, Gay Baseball Prospect, Achieves a Key Victory: Being Himself:

"Denson has gained the public support of the Brewers’ manager, Craig Counsell, and their star outfielder Ryan Braun, as well as many current teammates. De Horta, who considers Denson like a brother, believes his recent resurgence may be related to his decision to come out.

“To anybody who feels the same way and is scared to come out, and once they do, to have his teammates and others have his back, that’s big time,” De Horta said.

He continued: “Imagine having that feeling of being trapped and scared to be who you are? To play this game, you have got to have fun; you have to be free. To feel trapped and have to play mental games, I can’t imagine how closed off that feels. I’m very proud of his team and I’m very proud of him. No doubt, there’s a big weight lifted off his shoulder.”"

Foundation creates fund in honor of disability activist; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 8/19/15

Joyce Gannon, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Foundation creates fund in honor of disability activist:

"In the late 1980s, a group of social activists in Pittsburgh envisioned a fund that would support grass roots causes as an alternative to traditional charitable giving platforms like United Way.

What evolved was the Three Rivers Community Foundation — a progressive fund that makes modest grants of no more than $4,000, and true to its founders’ vision, focuses on small nonprofits and social initiatives that spur community change.

To mark its 25th anniversary this year, the foundation has created a fund for disability rights in honor of Linda Dickerson, a longtime business consultant to nonprofits who has been a strong advocate for rights for people with disabilities in the Pittsburgh region.

It’s no coincidence that Ms. Dickerson, 54, is being recognized the same year the Americans With Disabilities Act celebrates 25 years as a federal law."

Is Donald Trump an American Putin?; Washington Post, 8/18/15

David Ignatius, Washington Post; Is Donald Trump an American Putin? :

"Trump’s tirades about illegal immigration, his loudest campaign theme, are part of a long and ugly story in the United States. Within 70 years of the republic’s founding, a party aptly dubbed the “Know-Nothings” was bashing immigrants, especially Catholics. Over subsequent decades, nativists were attacking every new thread of the American quilt — Irish, Italian, German, Slavic, Jewish, Chinese and African, as John Higham explains in his landmark history, “Strangers in the Land.”

What’s surprising about Trump is that he has attracted such a wide following. He’s Reagan without Reaganism, running a campaign nearly devoid of ideas. Americans have had flirtations with demagogues, from Father Charles Coughlin in the 1930s to Sen. Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s. But the bullying authoritarian personality — the Putin style — usually doesn’t work here. This summer has been an exception, but history suggests that it won’t last."

Book Ban in Venice Ignites a Gay Rights Battle; New York Times, 8/18/15

Elisabetta Povoledo, New York Times; Book Ban in Venice Ignites a Gay Rights Battle:

"Tracing the origins of the reading list, Ms. Seibezzi explained that education research suggested that such prejudices were “consolidated at 3 years of age.”

She added, “So we said, ‘Let’s start there,’ ” to foster inclusiveness and respect for others...

Books that challenge the status quo are seen as eroding the church’s hold over social issues, said Francesca Pardi, the author of “Piccolo Uovo,” or “Little Egg,” the other book still on the forbidden list.

Her book, the tale of an unhatched egg that sees happiness in various family configurations, won the prestigious Andersen Prize in 2012, Italy’s top nod for children’s literature, even as a popular Catholic magazine cited it as a book to avoid.

“In Italy, it’s as if morality is the prerogative of the church,” Ms. Pardi said, “and so some principles are never put into discussion.” A book that shows that there is “room for all becomes very threatening, especially because it’s told in a simple language that shows there is nothing to be afraid of,” she said.

The book was “breaking down a taboo,” she added.

“Education isn’t about teaching how or what to think, but to pass values,” she said. “Kids won’t become gay if they read a book about two moms, but they will be happier if that is their family situation.”"

"X-Men" Star Shawn Ashmore Would "Absolutely" Be Interested in an Iceman Solo Film; ComicBookResources.com, 8/18/15

Meagan Damore, ComicBookResources.com; "X-Men" Star Shawn Ashmore Would "Absolutely" Be Interested in an Iceman Solo Film:

"However, due to the X-Men's nature as a team franchise, he doesn't think his odds at a solo film are good. "What I always loved about the X-Men is that it wasn’t about solo characters. I think that the characters really come to life when you put them in the context of the school with Xavier, with the team – that’s what I always loved about the X-Men. So I’m not sure if that would ever happen," he explained...

Ashmore has continued to follow his character Iceman for some time, even taking to Twitter to comment on the announcement that young Bobby Drake is gay. "Congrats Bobby!" the star Tweeted, adding, "Omg there is going to be an onslaught of fanfic!!""

ALA Ethnic Affiliates Form Joint Council of Librarians of Color; Library Journal, 8/17/15

Lisa Peet, Library Journal; ALA Ethnic Affiliates Form Joint Council of Librarians of Color:

"Five ethnic affiliates of the American Library Association (ALA) have joined together to form the Joint Council of Librarians of Color, Inc. (JCLC), a nonprofit organization that will work for the common needs of its members. JCLC is comprised of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA), the Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA), the American Indian Library Association (AILA), the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA,) and REFORMA: The National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-speaking. While each of the affiliates will continue as separate entities, advocating for library and literacy issues within their individual constituencies, JCLC will “promote librarianship within communities of color, support literacy and the preservation of history and cultural heritage, collaborate on common issues, and…host the Joint Conference of Librarians of Color,” according to a statement issued June 8.

The new organization takes its name from this conference, which brought the constituent groups together in 2006 and again 2012."

State Department Finds Its Fight for Gay Rights Abroad Resonates at Home; New York Times, 8/18/15

Andrew Siddons, New York Times; State Department Finds Its Fight for Gay Rights Abroad Resonates at Home:

"From the earliest years of the Obama administration, the State Department has made securing the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people around the world a priority. But the department is increasingly trying to secure equal opportunities for a group much closer to home: its own employees.

Around 50 percent of State Department positions around the world are effectively off-limits for Foreign Service officers who would want to move with their same-sex spouses, according to current and former department employees and Glifaa, an advocacy group for gay and transgender people in the State Department, the United States Agency for International Development, the Peace Corps and other foreign affairs offices in the government. Glifaa’s acronym comes from its original name, Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies...

These disputes could affect 100 to 200 families among the State Department’s 14,000 Foreign Service officers at American embassies and consulates abroad, according to officers’ estimates. (Neither the State Department nor Glifaa keeps an official count.)"

'Disrupting' Tech's Diversity Problem With A Code Camp For Girls Of Color; NPR, 8/17/15

Eric Westervelt, NPR; 'Disrupting' Tech's Diversity Problem With A Code Camp For Girls Of Color:

"One nonprofit group, Black Girls CODE, isn't waiting around for more diversity reports. The group is taking action with regular weekend coding seminars for girls of color. And this summer, it's held boot camps where young girls learn the basics of tech design and development...

"Organizations like this help bring more people into the pipeline just as much as a diversity board at a large corporation," says Keisha Michelle Richardson, who volunteered to mentor young girls at a camp session in San Francisco. Richardson is entrepreneur and senior software engineer at Westfield Labs.

"The biggest takeaway that I'd love them to get is just a love for building something with technology," says Richardson. "A love for tinkering. A love for someday maybe thinking about pursuing a career with this burgeoning industry.""

If Trevor Nunn is staying true to history, where are the pox-ridden actors?; Guardian, 8/17/15

Danny Lee Wynter, Guardian; If Trevor Nunn is staying true to history, where are the pox-ridden actors? :

"Real change needs diverse leadership and management. We have seen significant progress: Sky, Channel 4, ITV, the BFI, and Equity are all reviewing their policies on diversity. Rufus Norris publicly announced at Act For Change’s event in June that the National Theatre would be involved in creating a production specifically for disabled performers. Colleagues are finally being called to castings for which they would never have been considered, even two years ago. People are engaged.

Will this new attitude to diversity last? Will organisations and individuals pay lip-service to the issue until the clamour has died down, then go back to the old ways? We don’t yet know. History writes itself.

What is important is that we keep having these conversations publicly. It is not a question of shaming but of saying that in this day and age a company of that size, which is all white and able bodied, should stick out like a sore thumb. You can observe historical accuracy and be completely colour blind. They are two entirely separate things."

It's Getting Better: Pop Culture's Shift to Multi-Ethnic Characters Instead of Caricatures; ComicBookResources.com, 8/13/15

Kevin Mahadeo, ComicBookResources.com; It's Getting Better: Pop Culture's Shift to Multi-Ethnic Characters Instead of Caricatures:

"Comics haven't caught up to television and movies -- and television and movies haven't quite caught up to, you know, reality -- but it's all getting there. Slowly, yes, but also surely, we're moving closer to where it all needs to be.

In this climate, it's so easy to point out all the wrongs, all the mistakes, and to lash out at them and decry them and demand blood in retaliation. It happens far too often, and that sort of reaction -- rather than properly calling attention to the mistakes and discussing how to actually improve on them -- makes people afraid to even try. It slows progress. Rational discussion is important. Calling out and celebrating positive and progressive changes are important.

Because at the end of the day it's also important to remember: yes things aren't perfect, yes there is still a lot of a ways to go, but it is getting better. Let's work together to make it great."

Brewers Minor Leaguer Says He's Gay; MLB Lauds His Courage; Associated Press via New York Times, 8/16/15

Associated Press via New York Times; Brewers Minor Leaguer Says He's Gay; MLB Lauds His Courage:

""It's a very courageous move on his part to be the first one, the first active player to make this announcement," Milwaukee star outfielder Ryan Braun said Sunday. "Hopefully, everybody is at a point where we can just be supportive, not just understanding, but accepting and supportive of him and his situation."

In June, pitcher Sean Conroy of the Sonoma Stompers of the independent Pacific Association revealed he is gay. The Pacific Association is not affiliated with MLB. Denson's coming out follows similar disclosures of late across sports: Michael Sam (NFL draftee); Jason Collins (NBA); Derrick Gordon and Edward Sarafin (NCAA basketball, football) and Dale Scott (major league umpire)."

Marvel Reveals Inside Look at Diverse New Avengers Lineup; Wall Street Journal, 6/24/15

Michael Calia, Wall Street Journal; Marvel Reveals Inside Look at Diverse New Avengers Lineup:

"Marvel Comics fans are used to the Avengers lineup changing every so often. In the fall, an “all-new, all-different” Avengers will debut, this time with a new wrinkle that marks the company’s latest push for more diversity within its pages...

The new team will also include usual cohorts Thor and Captain America, but not the versions of the characters so many have grown up with. Instead, the female Thor (Jane Foster) and the black Captain America (Sam Wilson, otherwise known as Falcon), who debuted to much controversy last year, will join the crew...

The new Avengers, which were featured in a special story for this year’s Free Comic Book Day, will include other fresh faces beyond the new versions of Captain America and Thor. Marvel is looking to capitalize on the breakout success of Ms. Marvel, a Pakistani-Muslim teenager from Jersey City named Kamala Khan, whose comics were the company’s top digital sellers last year. Another new member, Nova (Sam Alexander, who has a Latino background), is also enjoying mainstream exposure as a key character on the popular Disney Infinity 2.0 videogame.

The team will also feature Spider-Man, but not the classic Peter Parker incarnation of the character. Marvel made waves a few days ago when it announced that Miles Morales, a young man of black and Hispanic descent, would be the main Spider-Man in the Marvel universe. Now Morales will also be an Avenger.

Brevoort, who had the idea to add Morales to the team, thinks the team’s diversity will help lure in new readers. “I think that potentially gives you a wider chance to connect with a wider spectrum of the audience who may be able to see and invest themselves in the characters,” he said."

It’s Time to Get Real About Racial Diversity in Comics; Wired.com, 7/25/15

Laura Hudson, Wired.com; It’s Time to Get Real About Racial Diversity in Comics:

"Like virtually every other form of entertainment, the world of comic books has been increasingly grappling with issues of diversity especially over the last several years as social media and Internet platforms have amplified the voices of minority creators and critics. And in many ways, there’s been a sea change. “Diversity of every sort—racial diversity, gender diversity, acknowledging minority sexualities—is experiencing an explosion of recognition and representation in comics,” says C. Spike Trotman, creator of the long-running webcomic Templar, Arizona.

But as the faces on the pages popular comic books have steadily grown more diverse, the hiring practices of publishers haven’t necessarily kept pace. While there are certainly more minority creators earning bylines than there were a decade ago, the editors and creators of mainstream comics remain overwhelmingly Caucasian—a demographic imbalance that has sparked increasingly loud discussions about what diversity really means and where it matters."

George Takei on the lack of LGBT representation in Star Trek; Entertainment Weekly, 8/9/15

Entertainment Weekly; George Takei on the lack of LGBT representation in Star Trek:

"In a new video for Big Think, George Takei reveals he onced asked Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry why the original TV series didn’t feature LGBT characters.

“I did very privately bring up the issue of gays and lesbians,” said Takei, who played Sulu on the long-running sci-fi series. “And he was certainly, as a sophisticated man, mindful of that, but he said — in one episode we had a biracial kiss, Captain Kirk and Uhura had a kiss.”

That episode was “Plato’s Stepchildren,” which aired in 1968. The characters played by William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols locked lips while under the psionic thrall of controlling aliens. “That show was literally blacked out in the South — Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia didn’t air that; our ratings plummeted,” Takei continued. “It was the lowest-rated episode that we had. And [Roddenberry] said, ‘I’m treading a fine tight wire here. I’m dealing with issues of the time. I’m dealing with the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and I need to be able to make that statement by staying on the air.’ He said, ‘If I dealt with that issue I wouldn’t be able to deal with any issue because I would be canceled.’”

Roddenberry succeeded in bringing diversity to the program in other ways. For example, Takei went into detail on how his character got the name of Sulu. As he described, the crew of the Enterprise was meant to embody the various cultures of the world, and Takei’s character represented Asia."

Woman Behind #ILookLikeAnEngineer Says Campaign Against Gender Stereotypes Is ‘Long Overdue’; New York Times, 8/5/15

Kathryn Varn, New York Times; Woman Behind #ILookLikeAnEngineer Says Campaign Against Gender Stereotypes Is ‘Long Overdue’ :

"What started as an employee recruitment campaign has become a social media movement for women aiming to break stereotypes in the tech industry.

Using the hashtag #ILookLikeAnEngineer, thousands of women have tweeted photos of themselves with explanations of the work they do as engineers.

The hashtag caught fire over the weekend when Isis Wenger published a post on the website Medium about being featured in an ad campaign for OneLogin, the company she works for. The ad attracted much more attention than Ms. Wenger, who describes herself in the post as an “extreme introvert,” anticipated.

She typically doesn’t put a lot of thought into advertising and didn’t expect others would, Ms. Wenger said in an email. Many of the responses were positive, but several expressed disbelief that the ad accurately portrayed what female engineers look like.

“People generating discussions about whether or not I really was a platform engineer for OneLogin were also rather shocking,” she said.

Ms. Wenger said she had received “almost overwhelmingly positive feedback.” She has recruited collaborators to create a location-based app that will allow people to share personal stories about diversity issues in technology, she said."

Steel City Con features women who reach for the stars; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 8/6/15

Sharon Eberson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Steel City Con features women who reach for the stars:

"Nichelle Nichols would have left her iconic role as Lt. Uhura after “Star Trek’s” inaugural 1966 season had it not been for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

The story goes that the first African-American woman portraying a ship’s officer on a TV series — sci-fi or otherwise — found herself flooded with offers to appear in theater productions. The singer who worked with Duke Ellington decided to follow her musical roots and told “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry she was leaving the show.

Then she met the Rev. King at an NAACP fundraiser, and he told her he was a Trekkie and “your greatest fan,” Ms. Nichols recounted in the documentary “Trekkie Nation.”

When she told the civil rights leader that she was leaving the show, he said, “You cannot do that. … For the first time, we are being seen the world over as we should be seen.”...

Ms. Nichols’ role as the chief communications officer of the starship Enterprise also has inspired generations of women of color, including Ms. Ashley."

Many believe Elsie Hillman’s impact on the community will be long-lasting; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 8/6/15

Dan Majors, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Many believe Elsie Hillman’s impact on the community will be long-lasting:

"“Elsie Hillman was about people and what was fair,” said Esther Bush, president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh. “She is known for taking stands that had caused some people to quiver — in support of African-Americans, in support of women, in support of gays and lesbians. If they were people and they were not being treated fairly, Elsie was on their side.”

She always was...

"It was not just the resources, her heart was what made the difference. The best thing that Pittsburgh can do is to emulate Elsie’s heart, her support, her caring for people, her understanding of the human condition. She believed in us all.”"

Report Finds Wide Diversity Gap Among 2014’s Top-Grossing Films; New York Times, 8/5/15

Manohla Dargis, New York Times; Report Finds Wide Diversity Gap Among 2014’s Top-Grossing Films:

"That is one of the findings in a study, “Inequality in 700 Popular Films,” being released on Wednesday, that looks at gender, race, ethnicity and what one of the report’s researchers, Stacy L. Smith, describes as an “epidemic” when it comes to lack of diversity. The report was produced by the Media, Diversity & Social Change Initiative at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism..."

The “Inequality” report comes at a time of increasing criticism about the industry’s on-screen and off-screen practices, giving further empirical support to what has become a steady stream of righteous complaint. In May, the American Civil Liberties Union sent letters to state and federal agencies seeking an investigation of the hiring practices of the major Hollywood studios, networks and talent agencies. That same month, Senator Barbara Boxer, Democrat of California, and four other female senators sent a letter to the major studios asking them to respond to an earlier Annenberg/University of Southern California study that found that only 4.1 percent of top-grossing films over the last decade had female directors.

The “Inequality” report is part of a growing wealth of data about the industry’s practices that are, study by study, making the case for change."

Obituary: Elsie Hillman, philanthropist and GOP pillar, dies at 89; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 8/4/15

Dan Majors, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Obituary: Elsie Hillman, philanthropist and GOP pillar, dies at 89:

"Though she would never run for public office, she worked quietly behind the scenes. Throughout the 1960s, Mrs. Hillman was expressing concern about the lack of African-American voices in politics — particularly in the Republican Party. She connected representatives of Pittsburgh’s black community to chief executive officers of major corporations and expanded political outreach beyond the tradition of the black churches.

“You didn’t know if she was a Democrat or a Republican,” said Jackie Dixon, an African-American woman from Fox Chapel who was elected to the Carlow University Board of Trustees with Mrs. Hillman’s support. “She was a truthful, good-hearted person, and you have to respect people who stand for principles.”

The pull of Mrs. Hillman’s politics was driven by her push for people. During the 1980s, when the stigma of AIDS had many people scared beyond caring, she delivered food baskets to dying victims and stayed to eat with them. She established the Republican Future Fund to promote centrist policies and female candidates to state office. And she was a staunch supporter of reproductive rights, a position that frequently caused friction in the party.

“While we are traditionally the party of limited government intrusion and personal responsibility, the social extremist wing of the Republican Party has taken over and made abolishing choice a focus for the party,” she complained in a 2009 letter to the Post-Gazette...

Terry Miller, director of the university’s Institute of Politics, hailed Mrs. Hillman for the time, effort, money and influence she invested in people and causes — including rights for women, minorities and gays — often when the stands were not popular...

While Mrs. Hillman remained dedicated to her convictions, she watched with dismay as her party shifted to the right, with hard-line stands on the Equal Rights Amendment, gay rights and abortion."

Closing Ceremonies Held for Los Angeles Special Olympics; Associated Press via New York Times, 8/3/15

Associated Press via New York Time; Closing Ceremonies Held for Los Angeles Special Olympics:

"Thousands of athletes said goodbye to Los Angeles on Sunday in an emotional closing ceremony for the Special Olympics marked by cheers, tears and pride.

After more than a week of games, athletes from more than 160 countries gathered in chairs on the field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to receive applause and praise for their efforts. Placards from their national delegations were brought in along a giant red carpet.

Some 6,500 athletes took part in contests ranging from weightlifting to soccer. Although not everyone won gold, silver or bronze medals, every competitor received a performance ribbon and a chance to take to the victory stand following their competition. An estimated 500,000 people turned out to watch at venues in and around Los Angeles...

"These Games have been life-changing and we hope that this will only be a spark that will light the world on fire with the enthusiasm, courage and acceptance and inclusion for all people with intellectual disabilities," said Patrick McClenahan, president and chief executive of the games' organizing committee...

The Special Olympics, which began in 1968, was the brainchild of President John Kennedy's sister Eunice Kennedy Shriver. That first year's games in Chicago drew about 1,000 athletes from 26 states and Canada."

Russia could ban same-sex emoji under 'gay propaganda' laws; Guardian, 8/1/15

Chris Johnston, Guardian; Russia could ban same-sex emoji under 'gay propaganda' laws:

"Not content with making the country one of the most homophobic places on the planet, Russian authorities are now taking aim at “gay emojis”.

According to Izvestia newspaper, the country’s media regulator could ban the characters from social media if an investigation finds they contravene laws intended to prevent gay “propaganda”.

The investigation was started following a complaint made by Russian senator Mikhail Marchenko of the far-right Liberal Democratic Party.

He claims that emojis depicting same-sex couples violate a controversial 2013 law that prohibits the “promotion” of non-heterosexual relationships."

Stage preview: Billy Porter comes home as star of 'Kinky Boots'; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 8/2/15

Sharon Eberson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Stage preview: Billy Porter comes home as star of 'Kinky Boots' :

"Mr. Porter has spoken openly about the pains of growing up a black gay Christian, who began singing in the Pentecostal church. Acceptance has been hard-fought for most of his 45 years.

“I just cried,” he said of hearing the recent Supreme Court ruling in favor of same-sex marriage.

“I realized, and I’ve been realizing it more and more inside of this conversation, that for many years I drank the Kool-Aid of ‘My love doesn’t matter.’ This evolution that we’re seeing has cracked open inside of me in a way that I didn’t even know could exist,” he said...

Facing an audience full of friends and family with a show that delivers messages of perseverance and acceptance is particularly sweet.

“To be able to be a representative of the idea that hard work and patience pays off is what makes me so thrilled about it. … Where I came from, I’m supposed to be a statistic, and I’m not. And just that representation alone is the reason for me to come,” he said."

The Scholarship in Selfies; New York Times, 7/31/15

Laura Pappano, New York Times; The Scholarship in Selfies:

"Consider Parmigianino’s “Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror” for what it is: a selfie. Painting a Renaissance masterpiece takes more skill than tapping a camera app, but in the emerging field of selfie studies, they can be part of the same conversation.

Selfies engage the tradition of journaling and self-portraiture (also consider Cindy Sherman), says Mark C. Marino. His “#SelfieClass” was a section of Writing 150 at the University of Southern California last spring, with three sections planned for fall. One assignment: Use selfies to examine the diversity (or lack of it) in your friend network on Facebook.

Applying an academic lens to selfies is not frivolous, says Miriam Posner, who teaches “Selfies, Snapchat and Cyberbullies” at the University of California, Los Angeles. Glib pop-culture critics may point to them as evidence of “vanity and exhibitionism,” but she sees something deeper. Selfies raise important questions about identity, culture and technology. Like: What do selfies say about what we choose to document, how we craft images for different groups (family on Facebook, friends on Instagram), or reveal or hide about our identity? Is Kim Kardashian making art? And what of the selfie stick? It’s worth a class discussion."

Confederate Symbols, Swastikas and Student Sensibilities; New York Times, 7/31/15

Joseph Berger, New York Times; Confederate Symbols, Swastikas and Student Sensibilities:

"PROTECTING STUDENTS FROM OFFENSE

Colleges must acknowledge that memorials to slavery advocates “might be hurtful to their students and should take proactive measures to remove them or address these sentiments,” says Mitchell J. Chang, a professor of education at the University of California, Los Angeles, whose research focuses on campus diversity programs. “For African-American students, these are reminders that they are second-class citizens, that there’s a certain racial order in the country’s history and that it’s still playing out on campus.”

Students who display imagery that offends, he says, would benefit from the “teachable moments” that can ensue if they are challenged, he says. Last fall, two women at Bryn Mawr mounted a Confederate flag in their dormitory as an expression of Southern pride and declined to take it down until angry demonstrations erupted.

“Students are often naïve about what that flag means to other people, that others may view it as very aggressive behavior,” Dr. Chang says. “This is why students come to college, to learn that their interpretation of a symbol may not be universally shared by everyone. By the time they leave college, they should understand what the repercussions may be.”

Echoing that view, Benjamin D. Reese Jr., a vice president and chief diversity officer at Duke, emphasizes that in a multicultural world, students need to understand the nuanced “difference between intention and impact.”...

SAFEGUARDING FREE SPEECH

Those who take a more expansive view of free speech insist that officials often overreact in their eagerness not to offend. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education was quick to remind the George Washington University that even Nazi-style swastikas are protected by the First Amendment.

State schools cannot ban them under constitutional free-speech protections unless displayed in the course of an illegality, like vandalism or “a threat of imminent violence,” says John F. Banzhaf III, a professor of law at G.W. While the courts have given private organizations more leeway, he says, as a practical matter private colleges would also be subject to the constitutional law because their handbooks boast of respecting free speech."