New House Speaker Mike Johnson has long anti-LGBTQ record, PAGE 10
NOVEMBER 03, 2023 • VOLUME 07 • ISSUE 44 • AMERICA’S LGBTQ NEWS SOURCE • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM
CALIFORNIA
Drag Queen Storytime in San Fernando shut down by protestors
SAN FERNANDO, Calif. - Protestors from several far-right anti-LGBTQ+ groups including, Gays Against Groomers California, CA State Coalition, Leave Our Kids Alone, and Saticoy Elementary Parents with others successfully shut down the planned Drag Queen Storytime at the San Fernando Library on Wednesday. On Wednesday morning when the drag queen reader arrived, Pickle, crowned as the City of West Hollywood’s inaugural Drag Laureate on July 16, 2023, was met by a hostile crowd estimated later by a spokesperson for the City of San Fernando Police to number less than 60 people. The protestors blocked the entrance to the library plaza as well as a rear entrance to the building, blocking it with a table. The protestors holding signs, some wearing t-shirts with ‘Leave our kids alone’ shouted at the drag entertainer. After it became apparent that there was not a peaceful solution to the stand-off, San Fernando Police escorted Pickle to her car and she departed. Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath, who had planned to take part in the event as a host and whose staff was present at the library, issued a statement to the Blade Wednesday evening: “Today, my office was set to host a Drag Storytime at the San Fernando Library as part of LGBTQ+ History Month. What was meant to be a celebration of love and inclusion turned into the opposite. Protestors claim they want to keep children safe while pounding on walls, shouting obscenities and slurs toward my staff and library staff, and using strollers to blockade moving vehicles. The hypocrisy is astounding. These disgusting tactics and efforts to incite violence prevented Pickle and Library patrons from even entering the building. I hope no one does to their families what they did to their neighbors today.
school board meetings filled with hate speech, Libraries will not be breeding grounds for indocand open and affirming churches vandalized for trination of hate and contempt toward our fellow welcoming LGBTQ+ people. What happened on neighbor. Wednesday in the San Fernando Valley is just the I apologize to the families who were excited latest in a continued pattern of harassment and about the event, but could not get in; to Pickle, a intimidation by far-right extremists. respected drag artist and West Hollywood’s Drag What should have been a fun and engaging Laureate, who was determined that the program event for children of all ages at the San Fernando be held; and to the dedicated Library staff who Library instead became an all-too-familiar scene shouldn’t have to show bravery by just showing of far-right protestors — who claim to be protectup to work. Drag queen entertainer ing children — shouting obscenities, threatening We could not hold the event. I am heartsick Pickle being denied access to violence, and impeding library staff and patrons and outraged about what took place. I apologize the San Fernando Library to participate in the previously from entering the building. to the families who were excited about the event, planned Drag Queen StoryDrag Queen Storytimes are beloved commubut could not get in; to Pickle, a respected drag time at the San Fernando Library on Wednesday, Oct. nity events that encourage learning and reading artist and West Hollywood’s Drag Laureate, who 25, 2023. (Screenshot/X-Twitter) comprehension in a fun environment. The queen was determined that the program be held; and to who was to lead yesterday’s event, Pickle, is a rethe dedicated Library staff who were threatened. spected drag artist and community member recently named West This has become all too common. It is unacceptable and I am Hollywood’s Drag Laureate. Although the event could not proceed, undeterred in lifting up our LGBTQ+ community and denouncing we are grateful to those who ensured her safety, as well as the safehate. The protestors’ message and actions today will not win in our ty of the families present who had planned to attend. We are also continued fight for LGBTQ+ rights and equality. We will continue to grateful to Supervisor Horvath for her support for this event and for build communities where every person is treated with dignity and her ongoing support for the LGBTQ+ community in her district and respect – and diversity is celebrated, not attacked or shamed. beyond. The LGBTQ+ community – joined in active support from allies – We will not back down from our fight to build a just and fully will continue the fight for inclusion and belonging.” equal world for all LGBTQ+ people. The majority of Americans — Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil particularly Californians — believe that their LGBTQ+ friends, famrights organization, released the following statement from Exily, neighbors, and coworkers should be treated with dignity and ecutive Director Tony Hoang in response to a Drag Queen Storespect. These tactics by far-right extremists will not succeed, and rytime: we will not be cowed.” “2023 has seen a marked increase in anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and BRODY LEVESQUE violence. Already this year, we have seen fistfights in Glendale,
California sues Meta over harm to young people’s mental health
countable.” SAN FRANCISCO — California Attorney In today’s lawsuit, Attorney General General Rob Bonta today co-led a biparBonta alleges that Meta violated federal tisan coalition of 33 attorneys general in and state laws, including the Children’s filing a federal lawsuit against Meta PlatOnline Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), forms, Inc. and affiliates (Meta). California’s False Advertising Law (FAL), Filed in the U.S. District Court for the and California’s Unfair Competition Law Northern District of California, the law(UCL). COPPA is a federal law that prosuit alleges that Meta, among other tects the online privacy of children under things, designed and deployed harmful 13 years old. California’s FAL prohibits features on Instagram and Facebook California Attorney General ROB false and misleading advertising. Califorthat addict children and teens to their BONTA co-led a bipartisan coalition of 33 attorneys general in filing a federal nia’s UCL prohibits unlawful, unfair, and mental and physical detriment. The atlawsuit against Meta Platforms, Inc. fraudulent business practices. torneys general are seeking injunctive (Los Angeles Blade graphic) According to the federal complaint, Meand monetary relief to address Meta’s ta’s misconduct included the following: misconduct. Creating a business model focused on maximizing young usAs part of this coordinated effort, eight attorneys general aners’ time on its platforms. nounced filing lawsuits against Meta today in their respective Employing harmful and psychologically manipulative platstate courts. The federal and state complaints are the result form features while misleading the public about the safety of of a nationwide investigation that Attorney General Bonta anthose features. nounced on November 18, 2021. Publishing reports purporting to show misleadingly low “Our bipartisan investigation has arrived at a solemn conclurates of user harms. sion: Meta has been harming our children and teens, cultivatIn spite of the overwhelming evidence linking its platforms to ing addiction to boost corporate profits,” said Attorney General young user harms, refusing to address those harms while conBonta. “With today’s lawsuit, we are drawing the line. We must tinuing to conceal and downplay its platforms’ adverse effects. protect our children and we will not back down from this fight. I While much of the complaint includes information condiam grateful for the collaboration of my fellow state attorneys tionally under seal as part of the investigation by the attorneys general in standing up for our children and holding Meta ac02 • NOVEMBER 03, 2023 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM
general, publicly available sources — including evidence disclosed by former Meta employees — also detail Meta’s efforts to attract young users and make its platforms addictive to children and teens. For example, the Wall Street Journal published an internal Facebook document in 2021 that said the following about young users: “They are a valuable but untapped audience.” In addition to the lawsuit filed today against Meta, Attorney General Bonta has an ongoing investigation into TikTok for harms to youth associated with the use of its platform. On March 5, 2023, Attorney General Bonta filed an amicus brief supporting efforts to compel TikTok to produce subpoenaed materials and evidence. The TikTok investigation remains ongoing. States joining today’s federal lawsuit against Meta are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Florida is filing its own federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. They are joined by the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, and Vermont, which have filed related actions in state court. LA BLADE STAFF
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Top five events during Palm Springs Pride Week Nov. 2-5
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. - Following are the top five events happening during Palm Springs Pride Week Nov 2-5. Make plans now! There’s something for everyone. Kylie Sonique Love, Nov 5 | 1:50PM Hornitos Stage Iconic singer, actress, model, and showgirl Kylie Sonique Love headlines Palm Springs Pride. Kylie Sonique, Love, RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 6 Winner and the first transgender person to ever come out on any reality TV show, and the first trans person to win RuPaul’s Drag Race in America, is coming to Palm Springs Pride. Kylie will be on the biggest stage in the biggest venue, headlining Sunday, Nov 5, on the Hornitos Stage at 1:50 p.m. Other headliners in the lineup include Idina Menzel, Sat, Nov 4 |8PM, 10,000 Maniacs, Sun, Nov 5 |3PM, Lisa Lisa Sat, Nov 4 | 7PM ARENAS DISTRICT OFFICIAL PARTY of PRIDE Featuring White Party Global DJs Arenas Road between Indian Canyon Drive and Calle Encilia, Palm Springs Presented by KGAY 106.5, Gay Desert Guide and White Party Global This block party is a signature event focused on the heart of the Palm Springs gayborhood … a celebration of Pride as well as the symbolic embrace of Arenas Road. LGBTQ+ bars and local businesses pack to the rafters and spill onto the streets for the biggest free LGBTQ+ street party in Palm Springs. The Official Party of Pride features White Party Global DJs DJ JAE FUSZ, and DJ MOHAMMAD. Join Pride revelers and dancers at the open-air beverage lounge. The block party invites residents and visitors to discover all that the Arenas District has
to offer. ENDEAVOR WITH PRIDE: A PRE-PARADE WORKOUT Sunday, Nov 5 | 8:30AM La Crema Wines Pride Parade Stage Kick off your day with ACE Certified Group Fitness Instructor Jase Nagaia in a special workout that’ll get your blood flowing and energy soaring. Groove to good music while enjoying a low impact workout, setting the perfect tone for an unforgettable parade day! Embrace the true spirit of pride as we come together in celebration of diversity and inclusion. This event is more than just a workout – it’s a chance to foster unity among all backgrounds and orientations, building connections that go beyond the workout mat. Create a vibrant tapestry of voices, experiences, and stories, all while breaking a sweat and having a blast. Let’s celebrate pride together with a morning of movement, joy, and community. Hornitos Stage Special Performances Saturday, Nov 4 GREATER PALM SPRINGS PRIDE PARADE SUNDAY, NOV. 5 | 10 A.M.-12:30 P.M Palm Canyon Drive between Tachevah Drive and E Amado Road, Palm Springs Known for its skies and year-round sunshine, the city of Palm Springs comes alive during the annual Pride celebration. Thousands of spectators gather along palm tree-lined streets to cheer and support local organizations, activists, and themed floats along historic Palm Canyon Drive. Enjoy emcee commentary as parade contingents pass by official reviewing stands. The La Crema Wines Parade Stage, located at E Granvia Valmonte and N Palm Canyon Drive, is hosted by television
(Photo Credit: Palm Springs Pride 2023)
personality Manny dela Rosa and guests. Broadcast Reviewing Stand is located at Thompson Palm Springs, 400 North Palm Canyon Drive. Host and Emcee Nicholas Snow. The Deaf Pride reviewing stand is north of E Amado Road at N Palm Canyon Drive and features sign language Interpretation. Seating is available for the Deaf community on a firstcome-first-served basis. Palm Springs Pride 2023 | Nov 2-5, 2023 37th Anniversary Celebration Nov 2 - Latin Pride in the Arenas District 5 pm-10 pm Nov 3 - Arenas District Block Party - 6 pm - 11 pm Nov 4 - Festival Marketplace and Entertainment 11 am -11:30 pm Nov 5 - Festival Marketplace and Entertainment 11 am - 6 pm Nov 5 - Parade 10 am - Palm Canyon Dr from Tachevah to Amado Tickets are not required but a great way to give back by donating to the local nonprofit Pride organization. Donations help keep Pride free and accessible to everyone. Visit https:// www.universe.com/embed2/events/palm-springs-pride-festival-tickets-H1C9T0 for donations. LA BLADE STAFF
Attorney General Bonta joins legal brief in support of trans students OAKLAND, Calif. — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a multistate amicus brief in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in support of the rights of transgender students in Doe v. Mukwonago Area School District. The case stems from a lawsuit challenging a Wisconsin school board’s policy barring an 11-year-old transgender student from using the girls’ restroom based on her sex assigned at birth. This school policy is part of a dangerous wave of discriminatory policies that target transgender children. In today’s brief, the coalition explains that the policy violates Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause, and describes the serious harms that result from unlawful discrimination on the basis of an individual’s gender identity. “Policies that single out and discriminate against transgender and gender-nonconforming students have no place in the classroom,” said the Attorney General. “No student should ever have to resort to the courts to prove they are entitled to respect. As we continue to witness grown adults targeting the rights of vulnerable students and trying to undermine their rights and dignity, today’s coalition stands in support of our LGBTQ+ student community across the country. At the Califor-
nia Department of Justice, we remain committed to ensuring a safe and inclusive learning environment that benefits all.” Over 1.6 million people in the United States, including approximately 300,000 youth between the ages of 13 and 17, identify as transgender. Transgender youth suffer levels of discrimination, violence, and harassment that far exceed those experienced by their cisgender counterparts. That kind of discrimination predictably inflicts physical and mental harms. Policies that prevent transgender students from using sex-segregated facilities consistent with their gender identity are unnecessary and unlawful. In contrast to the Mukwonago Area School District’s policy, all California schools have been required since 2014 to permit students to use sex-segregated facilities consistent with the student’s gender identity. In the amicus brief, the coalition supports the plaintiff’s lawsuit challenging the school district’s policy, arguing that the anti-transgender policy: Violates Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 by denying transgender boys and girls access to the same common restrooms that other boys and girls may use.
04 • NOVEMBER 03, 2023 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM
Violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution by stigmatizing a particular group and treating them less favorably based on their gender identity. Fails to recognize how inclusive laws and policies — such as those in California — produce important benefits and do not require significant expenditures. Attorney General Bonta is committed to defending the rights and safety of LGBTQ+ youth: Just this month, Attorney General Bonta issued a statement following the San Bernardino Superior Court’s oral ruling from the bench halting enforcement of Chino Valley Unified School District Board of Education’s (Board) mandatory gender identity disclosure policy. The ruling credited the Attorney General’s view that such disclosure policies are detrimental to the safety and well-being of transgender and gender-nonconforming students. Attorney General Bonta had previously issued guidance addressed to all California Superintendents and school board members after the court had initially granted a temporary restraining order (TRO), alerting stakeholders that the TRO enjoining the Board’s mandatory gender identity disclosure policy remained in full force
California Attorney General ROB BONTA listens intently to a member of the LGBTQ+ Community during a August 2023 presentation. (Photo Credit: Office of the Attorney General)
and effect. The Superior Court’s ruling came in a lawsuit filed by the Attorney challenging the enforcement of the Board’s forced outing policy. Prior to filing a lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta announced that he had opened a civil rights investigation into the legality of the Board’s adoption of the policy. Prior to opening the investigation, Attorney General Bonta in July sent a letter to Superintendent Norman Enfield and the Board of Education cautioning them of the dangers of adopting the forced outing policy and explaining that the policy potentially infringed on students’ privacy rights and educational opportunities. CONTINUES AT LOSANGELESBLADE.COM
CALIFORNIA
California Civil Rights Department files appeal in anti-LGBTQ+ case SACRAMENTO – The California Civil Rights Department (CRD), through its counsel with the Office of the Attorney General, today announced filing an appellate brief in defense of California’s efforts to enforce civil rights protections against LGBTQ+ discrimination in goods and services offered by businesses across the state. In the underlying lawsuit, CRD sought to protect the civil rights of a Bakersfield lesbian couple who, because of their sexual orientation, were unlawfully prevented from buying a cake for their wedding. In the appellate brief filed in state court before the California Court of Appeal for the Fifth Appellate District in Civil Rights Department v. Cathy’s Creations, Inc., CRD urges the appellate court to reverse the trial court’s erroneous decision, which held that the bakery’s refusal to sell the cake was not intentional discrimination and protected as speech or expressive conduct under the First Amendment. “In California, we refuse to stand down and let others roll back the clock on fundamental civil rights protections,” said CRD Acting Director Mary Wheat. “Every couple deserves to celebrate and mark their special occasions without fear of discrimination. Refusal to provide equal access to goods and services is against the law. I encourage all Californians who believe their civil rights have been violated to reach out to our office and work with us in fighting for your rights.” Under the Unruh Civil Rights Act, businesses and other public accommodations are required to offer full and equal access to goods and services without distinction based on protected characteristics such as sexual orientation. However, in 2017, a lesbian couple from Bakersfield who were excited to celebrate their marriage with their loved ones were unlawfully denied service by a local bakery,
Cathy’s Creations, Inc. The business — also known as “Tastries” — refused to sell the cake to the couple based on the bakery’s unlawful policy that limited the sale of wedding cakes to only celebrate opposite-sex marriages.
Tastries Bakery in Bakersfield sued for discrimination. (Screenshot/YouTube KERO ABC News 23)
As a result of the policy and denial, Tastries violated the Unruh Civil Rights Act. The bakery’s refusal to sell the couple a cake marred an event that should have been exciting and celebratory. The couple was shocked and humiliated. As demonstrated in the underlying lawsuit, they felt rejected as a result of the denial of service, which occurred at the bakery in front of their family and close friends. Just weeks after the incident, the couple filed a complaint with CRD, alleging that Tastries unlawfully refused to provide them full and equal service on the basis of sexual orientation. After investigating the complaint, CRD found cause to believe that Tastries had violated the law and filed
suit against the bakery in 2018 before the Kern County Superior Court. However, the trial court — ignoring the clear evidence of intentional discrimination and holding that Tastries’ referral to another business was the equivalent of providing full and equal service — ruled in favor of the bakery in late 2022. The court also erroneously ruled that the cake was protected under the First Amendment as speech or expressive conduct. This occurred despite the fact that it was a plain, predesigned cake used interchangeably by the bakery for a variety of celebrations, from birthday parties to baby showers. Following the decision, CRD filed a notice of appeal in early 2023, recognizing that, if left in place, the trial court’s misinterpretation of the Unruh Civil Rights Act could directly undermine enforcement of California’s antidiscrimination laws. CRD’s appellate brief makes it clear that: Tastries violated the Unruh Civil Rights Act by refusing to sell a wedding cake to the couple because of their sexual orientation. Providing a referral to a separate business establishment is not equivalent to providing full and equal service as required under California law. Because the predesigned, unadorned cake was not inherently expressive, it was not entitled to First Amendment protection traditionally given to speech or other expressive conduct. If you or someone you know has been impacted by discrimination by a business, CRD may be able to assist you through its complaint process. LA BLADE STAFF
Cindy Montañez, politico, environmentalist, & LGBTQ ally has died SAN FERNANDO, Calif. - San Fernando City Councilmember Cindy Montañez, current CEO of TreePeople, and former California State Assembly Member has died at the age of 49. The cause of death was not released, but Montañez had recently been diagnosed with aggressive and terminal cancer. The announcement of her passage came Saturday afternoon from the City of San Fernando in a statement: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of San Fernando City Councilmember Cindy Montañez, current CEO of TreePeople, and former California State Assembly Member. Councilmember Montañez was surrounded by her family at home in San Fernando when she passed on Saturday, October 21, 2023. “Cindy will be remembered as a fierce advocate and a champion for environmental justice across California. To her family Cindy will always remain a loving daughter, sister, aunt and great aunt, and will be missed dearly. “The family requests that their privacy be respected during this difficult time. Additional information regarding opportunities to celebrate Councilmember Cindy Montañez’ life will be shared as they are made available.” City News Service reported that she was the youngest
person ever elected to the San Fernando City Council in 1999 at age 25, and the youngest woman elected to the California state Legislature at age 28 in 2002. Two years later she chaired the powerful Assembly Rules Committee, becoming the youngest person, first Latina and first Democratic woman to hold that post. She was tapped as CEO of TreePeople in 2016. The educational and environmental advocacy organization works to support sustainable urban ecosystems in the greater Los Angeles area. In a statement to the Blade Saturday evening, Democratic Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur said: “Cindy Montañez was an amazing human. Someone who put her heart and soul into everything she did. Fighting for social justice, to make the world better for all communities, and to protect our environment especially for those most vulnerable. She was also a steadfast ally of the LGBTQ+ community. Always standing up when it mattered and fighting with us to defeat Prop 8. Everyone loved her.” “I’m deeply saddened by the passing of Assemblywoman Montañez,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in a statement. “The Assemblywoman was a relentless trailblazer who led with conviction and a vision of a better Los Angeles
San Fernando City Councilmember CINDY MONTAÑEZ, current CEO of TreePeople, and former California State Assembly Member. (Photo Credit: Montañez/Facebook)
for all. I join so many Angelenos in holding memories of the Assemblywoman close. My thoughts are with her friends and family as we mourn the loss of a great Angeleno.”
LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • NOVEMBER 03, 2023 • 05
SPORTS
NBA referee is first out trans nonbinary in U.S. pro sports
LOS ANGELES — Che Flores, who pronounces their first name “Shay,” is no stranger to basketball. But basketball has never ever seen someone like Flores on the floor. After refereeing at least 1,000 games over “I feel one hundred percent myself now,” says CHE FLORES. 14-years in three coun(Photo Credit: National Basketball League) tries, working in three professional leagues as well as college athletics and deciding the fate of 10 championship games, Flores started their second season in the National Basketball League this week. What’s different is that Flores did so as their authentic self: On Oct. 24, they came out as transgender nonbinary. “I can go through the world and even my job a lot more comfortably,” Flores told GQ Sports in their first interview about coming out. “One piece I was missing for myself was that no one knew how I identified,” they said. “Being misgendered as ‘she/her’ always just felt like a little jab in the gut.”
Maybe because it’s GQ, or maybe it’s because the reporter is cisgender but also happens to be the brilliant former editor of Jezebel, Emma Carmichael, her otherwise insightful profile of Flores starts with, you guessed it, a focus on clothing choices. Cue the trans trope. Flores is quoted denouncing polo shirts and khakis as clothes that they say they will “never freaking going to wear again.” And for their September trip to Brooklyn, ostensibly for the NBA referees’ annual preseason meetings, but more importantly, to announce their coming out, Carmichael relates that, “Packing felt different, less constrained. They felt they could finally dress in clothes that made them feel at ease in their body and true to their gender identity—clothes in line with who they really are.” “When I started refereeing, you had to look a certain way,” Flores told GQ. “This is the first time I’m comfortable expressing myself through my own fashion and not having to worry about it. I feel one hundred percent myself now.” Moving on from the clothing trope, Carmichael revealed what happened behind-the-scenes at the NBA, when Flores came out to Monty McCutchen, the NBA’s head of referee training and development during the middle of last season. “He immediately just called me ‘Che,’ with no problem, which just makes you feel more comfortable, and easier to let him
know everything that was related to my gender,” Flores told GQ. As a child, Flores said they were seen as a “tomboy,” the oldest child of a Mexican American father and Costa Rican mother in Highland Park in northeast L.A. “When I grew up, it was either you chose this feminine role or this masculine role and you identified as a lesbian and that was it,” they said. “That word never felt right with me. But I didn’t have any idea what else was out there to identify as.” Now 44, Flores said they came out as gay at 19, and despite “a bumpy start,” their parents are now strong LGBTQ+ advocates. And so is Flores, who is eager to be a role model for queer youth, who are under attack from coast to coast by right wing politicians, extremist religious leaders and conservative school boards and sports organizers. “I just think of having younger queer kids look at somebody who’s on a high-profile stage and not using it,” Flores said. “And I’m not using the league to an advantage in any way. This is just to let young kids know that we can exist, we can be successful in all different ways. For me, that is most important — to just be a face that somebody can be like, ‘Oh, okay, that person exists. I think I can do that.’” DAWN ENNIS
National Hockey League reverses ban on Pride tape NEW YORK - The National Hockey League confirmed in a short statement on its website on Oct. 24 that it has reversed a decision earlier this month to prohibit its players from placing tape on their hockey sticks representing social causes, including rainbow-colored Pride tape in support of the LGBTQ community. The reversal by the NHL came after a groundswell of opposition surfaced opposing the ban from a wide range of LGBTQ and LGBTQ supportive sports organizations as well as from some NHL team hockey players. The national LGBTQ advocacy organization GLAAD was among the organizations speaking out against the Pride tape ban. “After consultation with the NHL Players’ Association and the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition, Players will now have the option to voluntarily represent social causes with their stick tape throughout the season,” the NHL said in its statement. The LGBTQ sports publication Outsports, which was the first to break the story about the NHL ban on the Pride tape and other cause-oriented tape displays used by NHL players, has pointed out that the use of the tape has always been a voluntary decision by the players. At the time it adopted the ban on Pride tape and tape denoting other social causes, the NHL said it was responding to concerns raised by some players who objected to what they believed was the appearance that they were supporting causes they did not support. Some said they objected to the Pride tape on religious grounds. Several sports publications, including Hooked On Hockey Magazine and Daily Hockey Dose, reported that Washington Capitals star player Alex Ovechkin was among a small number of Russian players who raised objections to the display of Pride tape. Ovechkin was also reportedly among the players who objected to players wearing Pride-colored jerseys during practice sessions. Hooked On Hockey reports that some of the Russian players, who have family members living in Russia, were fearful
different teams had indicated plans to defy the now-rescindthat their family members could be persecuted, and the played NHL policy by displaying Pride tape on their sticks in upers might be detained if they visit their families in Russia uncoming games, a development that would place the NHL in der the anti-gay laws adopted under the authoritarian rule of the difficult position of deciding whether to penalize those Russian President Vladimir Putin. players with a fine or possible suspension from playing. Earlier this year, the NHL also adopted a policy banning CBS News reports that Travis Dermott, a player on the Arplayers from wearing the rainbow-colored Pride jerseys izona Coyotes hockey team, became during warm-up sessions on the ice. the first player to defy the NHL policy The Pride jerseys were never worn banning Pride tape on Oct. 21 when he during games. placed the tape on the shaft of his stick The NHL did not object to teams conin his team’s game against the Anaheim tinuing to have the Pride jerseys made Ducks. and sold, with players autographing In response to a question from the the jerseys. Some teams have sold the Washington Blade submitted prior to jerseys in auctions to raise money for the NHL’s decision to reverse its ban LGBTQ charities. A Washington Capitals player uses Pride on Pride tape, a spokesperson for the Outsports editor and publisher Cyd tape during warmups at Hockey is for Washington Capitals did not say whethZeigler said the NHL’s decision to ban Everyone night in D.C. er the Capitals would comply with the the Pride tape was completely unjus(Screen capture via Washington Capitals YouTube) Pride tape ban or penalize their players tified, calling it “the most stifling, anfor defying the ban. But the spokesperson, Sergey Kocharov, ti-LGBTQ policy any pro sports league in North America has said the Capitals remain strongly supportive of the LGBTQ ever issued.” community. Zeigler told the Blade the policy was unjustified, among “The Capitals stand proudly with and support the LGBTQ+ other things, because the players were the ones who decided community,” he said in his statement. “We strive to create and whether to place the Pride tape on their hockey sticks. cultivate an inclusive atmosphere for all our players, staff, and “No one ever complained that someone didn’t do it,” Zeigler fans and are committed to fostering an environment that welsaid. “So, this is the league just overreacting to a handful of comes all,” he said. Russian players who didn’t like it,” he said prior to the NHL “Although all players are free to decide on their level of decision to reverse the policy. “I think that’s what happened. involvement and engagement on Pride Night, and their efThey kowtowed to Vladimir Putin and to the Russians.” forts may vary from season to season, our commitment in The NHL said from the start that the ban on Pride jerseys this space won’t waiver,” his statement continues. “Everyone and Pride tape would not change its policy of supporting NHL is treated with respect and dignity regardless of their sexual teams that have been holding annual Pride Night Out games orientation or identity, and we will continue to advocate for in support of the LGBTQ community. All 32 NHL teams, infull LGBTQ+ equality.” cluding the Washington Capitals, have hosted Pride Nights or “Hockey is for Everyone” nights in recent years. Other media reports had surfaced that several players on CONTINUES AT LOSANGELESBLADE.COM
06 • NOVEMBER 03, 2023 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM
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Lawsuit: Abercrombie & Fitch complicit in sex trafficking scheme NEW YORK - On the heels of a BBC in-depth investigative report released earlier this month, alleging that the former CEO of the fashion brand Abercrombie and Fitch Mike Jeffries, as well as his British partner Matthew Smith, had recruited dozens of young males as ‘models’ to satisfy the pair’s sexual fantasies, dozens of men have filed a class action lawsuit alleging the fashion brand company Abercrombie & Fitch was also complicit in a multi-decade-long sex trafficking scheme. The class action suit was brought by a former model for Abercrombie & Fitch, actor David Bradberry, whose account of the abuse was documented by BBC journalist Rianna Croxford, in the BBC Select film documentary: The Abercrombie Guys: The Dark Side of Cool. Bradberry says that he and the other men were silenced for years by the fear of breaking non-disclosure agreements, describing their feeling of being exploited and traumatized by their experiences. Jeffries transformed Abercrombie and Fitch from a failing retail chain to a multibillion-dollar empire and the epitome of cool. He built Abercrombie into a global brand during his tenure as CEO from 1992 until 2014 when he departed. Bradberry filed suit in Manhattan in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on Friday against Ab-
The Associated Press reported that ercrombie, accusing the company of New Albany, Ohio-based Abercromenabling the former CEO to run a sex bie & Fitch declined to comment Fritrafficking operation that the suit alday. Earlier this month, the retailer leges had exploited and abused dozsaid that it had hired an outside law ens of young men. firm to conduct an independent inNews of the lawsuit, which is seekvestigation into the issues raised by ing unspecified damages, was first rethe BBC. It said the company’s current ported by The Wall Street Journal. leaders and board of directors were In the lawsuit documents filed, it not aware of the allegations of Jeffries’ states that Jeffries allegedly had modFormer head of Abercrombie & Fitch facing sexual misconduct. eling scouts scouring the internet and sexual abuse allegations by former male “For close to a decade, a new execelsewhere to identify attractive young models. (Screenshot/YouTube NBC News) utive leadership team and refreshed men seeking to be the next face of board of directors have successfully transformed our brands Abercrombie and Fitch. Often these prospective models beand culture into the values-driven organization we are today,” came sex-trafficking victims, sent to New York and abroad the company told the AP. “We have zero tolerance for abuse, and abused by Jeffries and other men, all under the guise that harassment or discrimination of any kind.” they were being recruited to become the next Abercrombie Jeffries’ attorney, Brian Bieber, said in a statement that Jefmodel, the lawsuit contends. fries “will not comment in the press on this new lawsuit, as he “Jeffries was so important to the profitability of the brand has likewise chosen not to regarding litigation in the past. ” that he was given complete autonomy to perform his role as “The courtroom is where we will deal with this matter,” BieCEO however he saw fit, including through the use of blatant ber added. international sex-trafficking and abuse of prospective AberBRODY LEVESQUE crombie models,” the suit contends.
Arrest made in the shooting death of gay journalist Josh Kruger PHILADELPHIA, Penn. - The suspect in the murder of openly gay journalist Josh Kruger, 39, was taken into custody Wednesday evening a Philadelphia Police spokesperson confirmed. Robert Davis, 19, of the city’s Point Breeze neighborhood was arrested and is ROBERT DAVIS, 19, of being held without bail. the city’s Point Breeze neighborhood was On Thursday morning, the Philarrested and is being adelphia District Attorney’s Office held without bail in the said that they plan to charge Davis murder of gay journalist. (Photo Credit: Philadelphia with murder, possession of instruPolice Department) ment of crime, tampering with evidence and related offenses. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Davis sneaked through the window of his family’s South Philadelphia home Wednesday night after more than two weeks on the run and
asked his brothers for help. Davis’ older brother Jaylin Reason, told the Inquirer his brother appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol and was acting erratically. While trying to calm Davis down, Reason said, they got into a fight. He realized, he said, that the best assistance he could offer his brother was helping him surrender to police. “I didn’t want him to keep living outside and going around and doing something to put himself in a deeper hole,” he added. Reason told the paper that he calmed Davis down, and then asked his other brother to call the police. Together, they went outside, sat on the steps, and waited for 17th District officers to arrive. Davis surrendered and was taken into custody. In a series of interviews in early October with the Inquirer, Davis’ family told the paper that a years-long sexual relationship involving drugs factored into the murder. Davis’ mother and older brother are alleging Kruger commenced a sexual
and drug relationship with the teenager four years ago when Davis was 15. Damica Davis told the Inquirer that her son had been deceptive about the relationship with the journalist instead claiming that he was seeing an older white woman he had met online who worked for the ‘government and the messages on his mobile from “Josh” he claimed were because “Josh” was the woman’s gay brother. Reporting on the arrest, the paper noted that Reason said Davis had said he wanted to tell police everything, including the troubling details that he and Kruger, 39, had been in a sex and drug-fueled relationship since Davis was just 15. But Reason told his brother not to say anything to law enforcement officials until the family got him a lawyer. Davis was arraigned on the charges Thursday afternoon. A preliminary hearing has been tentatively scheduled for Nov. 13. BRODY LEVESQUE
Rep. Mark Pocan proposes national museum of LGBTQ+ history WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, reintroduced two bills on Friday that would “begin the process of creating a National Museum of American LGBTQI+ History and Culture,” according to a press release. The proposal was backed by all eight of the caucus’s openly-LGBTQ co-chairs, Democratic U.S. Reps. Mark Takano (Calif.), Sharice Davids (Kan.), Robert Garcia (Calif.), Becca Balint (Vt.), Ritchie Torres (N.Y.), Chris Pappas (N.H.), Angie Craig (Minn.) and Eric Sorensen (Ill.). Pocan’s first bill would create an eight-member commission to assess the viability of building the facility in D.C., directing its “recommendations to address whether
the museum should be part of the Smithsonian Institution.” Members of the commission, who will be chosen for their expertise in museum planning or LGBTQ research and culture, will have 18 months to develop a fundraising plan to support the project through public contributions and compile a report on the availability and cost of acquiring collections, among other responsibilities. Then, Congress will consider the second bill to formally begin creating the museum. Pocan, whose proposal comes during the National LGBT History Month observance, discussed the importance of his project in a statement:
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“As our community faces unprecedented attacks and attempts to erase our history, we must preserve and protect our stories for future generations. It is vital to remember our collective past — particularly when certain states, and even members of Congress, seek to constrain and repeal existing rights by passing bills that harm LGBTQI+ youth and our community at large. Let’s tell these stories, the good and the bad, and honor the many contributions the LGBTQI+ community has made to this nation with a museum in Washington, D.C. I look forward to the passage of this legislation and to visiting this museum in the near future.” CHRISTOPHER KANE
NATIONAL
LGBTQ activist who knows Mike Johnson warns he must be taken seriously New GOP Speaker believes he is on a mission from God
By CHRISTOPHER KANE | ckane@washblade.com that was legal work, but also moral work in the sense that Nearly 20 years after he wrote editorials in defense of I think that he thought he was helping carry out God’s will sodomy laws, does the new Republican House Speaker on Earth,” Parker said. Mike Johnson (La.) still believe that states are not just conNow the deputy director of Out Boulder County, in 2015 stitutionally permitted but also morally obligated to crimiParker was engaged in advocacy work focused on LGBTQ nalize sex acts between consenting adults? and reproductive rights on behalf of Equality Louisiana and Moving forward, is he willing to downplay or comproLouisiana Progress while Johnson, then a state legislator, mise on some of his socially conservative policy positions, was trying to pass his Marriage and Conscience Act. perhaps if it means protecting GOP members running in The legislation, which ultimately failed, sought protecpurple districts and, potentially, maintaining the Republitions for those who objected to same-sex marriage on cans’ majority control of the lower chamber next year? religious grounds, but it was characterized by critics as a Last week, Johnson responded to the pundits and politlicense-to-discriminate bill. ical reporters who were hungry for details about his views During this time, when he was regularly in touch with and eager to explore their potential political implications Johnson, sometimes speaking with him as frequently as by instructing them to “Go pick up a Bible.” twice per day, Parker said, “I developed a genuine appreciLike others who knew Johnson before the House GOP ation for parts of who he is” — though it was often difficult conference voted to make him the top elected Republican to reconcile how this was someone who “is super nice to second in line to the presidency last week, Bruce Parker you,” someone who, for example, “consistently” asked how says the evangelical congressman’s words should be taken Parker’s partner was doing, but at the same time “would as he intended them: literally. work very hard to make sure you don’t exist.” His message echoed comments by avowedly anti-LGBTQ “The Speaker understands himself to be an authenticalFamily Research Council President Tony Perkins, who said ly nice person,” Parker said, but his kindness should not during an interview with NTD Television on Oct. 27, “I’ve be mistaken for weakness, and “people would be making known Mike for probably over 25 years, and he operates a severe mistake to underestimate him” because the confrom his faith, and so that guides what he does…as Chrisgressman is “a smart politician” who is strategic in every tians engage in the political process, who are Bible believconceivable sense. ing Christians, it’s not difficult to know where we’re going, “There’s a correlation between being able to be super where we’re coming from.” nice and polite to a queer activist, and learning how to talk “It’s hard for people who don’t believe that way” to unabout your values and your mission in ways that are not derstand, Parker told the Washington Blade on Tuesday, read as off-putting to the vast majority of the population,” but Johnson says God communicates with him directly. “I Parker noted. think Speaker Johnson would say — or he would have said, While he is certainly a lower-profile figure than some to me, when I spoke to him frequently — ‘it’s not my posibomb-throwing members of the GOP conference like U.S. tion that has to change, Bruce; it’s God’s.’” Rep. Jim Jordan (Ohio), Parker said “it’s not that [Johnson] Likewise, with respect to his work on behalf of powerful is lesser known, it’s that he has a mild mannered approach organizations on the Christian right like Alliance Defendthat doesn’t feel threatening to people, and so he will hug ing Freedom, an anti-LGBTQ hate group monitored by you and be really sweet to you while trying to pass legisthe Southern Poverty Law Center, Johnson “would tell you
MIKE JOHNSON (La.), and Out Boulder County Deputy Director BRUCE PARKER, in 2015 after then Louisiana state Rep. Johnson’s Marriage and Conscience Act died in committee (Photo courtesy of Parker)
lation to make sure that you can’t get health care that is essential for saving your life.” Johnson “has an agenda,” Parker said. “He has had that agenda for a very long time. And he believes that agenda comes from a place bigger than him. And that is overlaid with conservative values and politics, but I think at its core, there is what he would understand as a divine mission.” So, while he can be expected to lead House Republicans strategically, “I can’t imagine how Speaker Johnson can put social issues on the back-burner because they’re not social issues to him,” he said. In his 20 years of advocacy work fighting for abortion and LGBTQ rights in Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Louisiana, and, now, Colorado’s Boulder County, Parker said he has never encountered someone as convinced as Johnson of the righteousness of his own positions. Parker suggested the fact that he was raised in the church and conversant in Christianity may have endeared him to Johnson, who, in turn, may have softened his anti-LGBTQ rhetoric if not his anti-LGBTQ policy positions, “which is a part of what good queer activists do in southern and conservative places,” he added, putting a human face on the issue. Still, “I don’t think that this is a person who will respond to political pressure,” Parker said. “I don’t think it’s a case where the right person can make a pro-LGBT argument and shift his perspective, and, so, I don’t know that that is a useful effort.”
Johnson signals opposition to expelling Santos Newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) sat down last week with Fox News pundit Sean Hannity for his first one-on-one with a broadcast news outlet. In a wide-ranging 40-minute interview, the speaker and Hannity broached a plethora of issues including the potential House vote to expel his fellow Republican, New York Congressman George Santos. Santos, who has been charged with a 23-count felony indictment by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, which alleges a bevy of financial crimes, was in federal court last Friday and pleaded not guilty to additional charges in the indictment, including
allegations of identity theft and transferring money to his personal bank account from a supporter’s credit card. Johnson told Hannity that he had met with the authors of a House resolution to expel Santos. U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-N.Y.), backed by the entirety of the state’s freshman Republican House delegation, U.S. Reps. Nick LaLota, Mike Lawler, Marc Molinaro, Nick Langworthy and Brandon Williams, introduced the resolution. The resolution will require a two-thirds majority of the House to pass. When queried by the Fox News personality regarding his stance on the Santos expulsion issue, the speaker sig-
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naled his opposition: “Here’s the reality, Sean. We have a four-seat majority in the House. It is possible that that number may be reduced even more in the coming weeks and months, and so we will have what may be the most razor-thin majority in the history of the Congress. We have no margin for error. And so George Santos is due due process. We have to allow due process to play itself out. That’s what our system of justice is for. If we’re going to expel people from Congress just because they’re accused, that’s a problem.” BRODY LEVESQUE
INTERNATIONAL
Out in the World: LGBTQ+ news from Europe & Asia
SOUTH KOREA S E O C H O GU, Seoul, South Korea - This past week on Oct. 27, the second highest court in (Photo Credit: South Korea upheld Republic of Korea Army) an earlier ruling for the fourth time, the Military Criminal Act, that criminalizes samesex relations in the military. The Constitutional Court of South Korea, in a five-to-four vote, ruled that article 92-6 of the military criminal act was constitutional. Justices in their ruling stated that same-sex activities might undermine discipline and harm the combat capabilities of the military. Same-sex activities between civilians however, is not a crime. Article 92-6 of the Military Criminal Act (“Article 92-6”) provides that a person who commits anal intercourse or any other indecent act with “a military person” shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than two years. Human rights activists have noted that The Korean military has invoked Article 92-6 to punish sexual acts between male servicemen with sentences of up to two years in prison — regardless of whether the acts were consensual or whether they happened within or outside of military facilities. Several of South Korea’s allies including the United States and the United Kingdom have repealed provisions similar to Article 92-6 of the Military Act of South Korea in order to align with international obligations to protect against the discrimination of LGBTQ+ people. The Executive Director of the Center for Military Human Rights Korea, which provides legal assistance to soldiers including those accused of breaking the anti-sodomy law, Lim Taehoon said the decision was “absurd, illogical, regressive and driven by prejudice. “While the world has been making progress in abolishing discrimination against minorities over the past 20 years, the minds of the judges have not advanced even a single step,” he added. Lim Tae-hoon pointed out that: “this law can be abused at any time to harass many sexual minority soldiers due to their sexual orientation. In addition, among the constitutional appeal cases supported by the Military Sexual Violence Counseling Center affiliated with the Military Human Rights Center, there is one case in which the military prosecutors believed the words of the perpetrator of same-sex sexual violence and suspended indictment by claiming that the sexual intercourse was consensual with the victim. “The perpetrator was sentenced to three years in prison by the final ruling of the Supreme Court and is currently serving his sen-
tence. Constitutional Court judges argue that the law of indecent assault should remain in place to protect victims of same-sex sexual violence in the military, but in reality, it is being abused as a means of imprisoning and punishing victims. Without understanding how the world works or how the law operates, they were caught up in prejudice and stubbornness and made regressive decisions.” JAPAN HAYABUSACHO-CHIYODA, Japan – Last week on October 25, Japan’s highest court ruled in an unanimous decision that the country’s law mandating sterilization surgery for transgender people as a requirement for legal gender recognition was unconstitutional. In the ruling, the 15 justices wrote: “Being forced to undergo sterilization surgery... constitutes a significant constraint on freedom from invasive procedures” in violation of the Japanese Constitution. Kanae Doi, the Human Rights Watch Japanese Director noted that since 2004, transgender people in Japan who want to legally change their gender must appeal to a family court. Under the Gender Identity Disorder Special Cases Act, applicants must undergo a psychiatric evaluation, be surgically sterilized, and “have a physical form that is endowed with genitalia that closely resemble the physical form of an alternative gender.” They also must be single and without children who are younger than 18. In May 2023, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the right of a trans woman government employee to use the restrooms in accordance with her gender identity. In November 2022, the government in Japan’s Kanagawa prefecture awarded another transgender woman workplace compensation after recognizing her depression was the result of harassment she faced from her supervisor. Earlier this month, a local family court ruled in favor of a transgender man - Gen Suzuki- who requested to have his gender legally changed without undergoing the surgery, the BBC reported. The family court judge, Takehiro Sekiguchi, said the current law violated Article 13 of the Constitution that stipulates all people shall be respected as individuals. According to the Japanese government’s statistics, the sexual minorities (LGBTQ+) make up for 3 to 8% of the population and that at most, the statistics estimate that around 0.7% of the population is transgender. They are an overwhelming minority. The overwhelming majority of people do not know about trans people, and various prejudices are widespread. The ``LGBT Understanding Promotion Act,’’ which was passed by the Diet in June 2023, includes the sentence ``We will take care to
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ensure that all citizens can live their lives with peace of mind,’’ but according to Japanese transgender activist Aya Nishida, the background to this is ``If you say you are a woman at heart, you are a man. This is because some people have discriminatory views such as, “If transgender people’s human rights are recognized, women’s human rights will be threatened.” Aya Nishida provides training on the human rights of transgender people to local governments, about issues surrounding transgender people. While the Supreme Court has ruled against the sterilization requirement, it has asked a lower court to review the requirement to have “genitalia that closely resemble the physical form of an alternative gender.” HUNGARY BUDAPEST, Hungary - The far-right anti-LGBTQ+ government of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Mihály Orbán has banned children under the age of 18 from visiting the World Press Photo exhibition Hungarian National Museum in the capital city, citing LGBTQ+ content in some of the photos. Since taking power, Orbán and his ruling party have waged an unceasing campaign to restrict the rights of LGBTQ+ Hungarians. In July of 2021, the government passed a law that bans the promotion of homosexuality and sex-reassignment surgery to minors in the country. This past summer Hungary’s second-largest bookstore chain was fined for violating the 2021 law that limits the access of minors to books, media content and advertisements that “promotes or portrays” the so-called “divergence from self-identity corresponding to sex at birth, sex change or homosexuality.” The chain was fined for selling copies of British author Alice Oseman’s LGBTQ+ graphic novel series ‘Heartstopper,’ a global phenomena due to the runaway hit Netflix show based on her books in the series. According to the interpretation of the Háttér Society, a Hungarian organization focused on LGBTQ+ rights, a parent could break the law solely by buying a child a young adult novel that features an LGBTQ+ character. Reuters reported that this past Saturday, the museum stopped selling tickets for the photo exhibition for youngsters after the far-right Mi Hazank/Our Homeland party had initiated a government inquiry, the party said. “Based on the initiative of Mi Hazank, youngsters under 18 cannot visit the exhibition at the National Museum as it violates the child protection law,” the far-right party told state news agency MTI. The new rule was posted on the museum’s website later on Saturday. Neither the museum nor the Mi Hazank Par-
POPE FRANCIS listens intently during the first synod on synodality in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, which concluded Oct. 28, 2023. (Photo Credit: Holy See Press Office)
ty responded to requests for comment. THE VATICAN VATICAN CITY - The month long conference held in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican regarding the future of the world-wide Roman Catholic Church ended on Saturday, without a clear course of action for the church on the issues of ordaining women as deacons or the treatment and care for its LGBTQ members. The gathering, known as a Synod of Bishops, followed an unprecedented two-year canvassing of rank-and-file Catholics. The 365 synod participants included 300 bishops along with lay men and about 50 women who were mostly lay people, Reuters reported. At the synod, the pope gave women and lay people a vote on Church affairs for the first time. The participants meet for a final session in a year, then the pope will write a document on issues facing the Church. A 41-page report, approved and published Saturday at the close of the conference, called for the results of earlier papal and theological commissions on women deacons to be presented for further consideration at the next assembly of the Synod of Bishops, to be held in October 2024. The report, titled “A synodal church in mission,” did not take a stand on LGBT issues despite discussion beforehand that the synod might call on the Church to be more welcoming to the LGBT community Reuters reported. During a press briefing after the publication of the final report, Cardinal Mario Grech, who heads the Vatican’s synod office, on a question regarding LGBTQ Catholics, said that the assembly felt a need to “respect everyone’s pace.” He added: “It doesn’t mean if your voice is stronger it will prevail.” Jesuit Fr. James Martin, a popular spiritual author and editor of the LGBTQ Catholic publication Outreach who took part in the synod as a voting member, told the National Catholic Reporter he was “disappointed but not surprised” by the result for LGBTQ Catholics. “There were widely diverging views on the topic,” said Martin. “I wish, however, that some of those discussions, which were frank and open, had been captured in the final synthesis.” BRODY LEVESQUE
V O L U M E 07 I S S U E 44
RON BLAKE
is a writer based in Phoenix, Ariz.
My hero’s journey after surviving rape
A quest to help others — and to share the experience with Stephen Colbert My recent visit to Washington, D.C. was timely for October’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month. It was an exhilarating opportunity to speak out as more than a domestic violence victim. I too wanted people to see me as more than an expendable Dixie cup. More than just an LGBT throwaway. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America brought me to the District from Arizona to put this proud, resilient gay man’s uplifting PTSD and domestic violence recovery adventure into a film. After filming wrapped, I visited Georgetown and the University of Maryland and randomly engaged scores upon scores of students using a social interaction therapy that’s been effectively helping me overcome a brutal incident of domestic violence and the LGBT discrimination that accompanied it. Those D.C.-area students warmly embraced me and my therapy of engaging strangers and creating social practice artwork on large foam boards, adding to what’s become kind of a modern-day AIDS quilt now at more than 4,200 square feet. On those boards, issues like mental health, abuse, and equity in our LGBT community are being addressed. One dynamic person at a time. One powerful story at a time. My trauma happened when three men entered my Phoenix loft one night. I was held down, beaten, and raped. One of the guys had been my longtime partner. It was domestic violence too. Four police officers and the three perpetrators surrounded me in my loft. I was clad only in ripped underwear with semen speckling my body standing in the middle of that bloody crime scene. Later it was officially determined that no arrests were made because the responding officers didn’t know what to do with the awkward situation since I’m gay. Those officers missed one important detail. LGBT people are still people. I’m still a human being. I’m a son, brother, spouse, cousin, uncle, friend, nephew, neighbor, grandson, and someday I’m going to be a dad. On that evening, I made a harrowing 911 call. The transcript documents that the 911 dispatcher hauntingly heard the rape live. I was clearly a victim of domestic and sexual violence.
That rape dismissal immensely exacerbated the trauma for me. I was eventually diagnosed with dissociative amnesia in addition to PTSD. This amnesiac condition is extremely rare, associated with experiencing a severe trauma. It’s the same diagnosis that Matt Damon’s character had in the action thriller Jason Bourne movies. His character has no recollection of what happened to him, providing the chilling theme for the films. As a result of experiencing the violence coupled with the LGBT discrimination, I couldn’t remember most of that traumatic night. For three years I was in a terrifying place with an abundance of pain, confusion, and constant nightmares. Then a trigger began unlocking memories for me. The recalled memories from that trauma spiraled me out of control. All was lost until an unexpected moment of laughter from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert stopped me from dying by suicide at 10:44 p.m. on Nov. 2, 2015. That spark started my Hero’s Journey. This kind of journey is from a literary theme that’s been used in classic movies like “The Lion King,” “Harry Potter,” and “Star Wars.” It begins with a disruption. A call to action. To head out on an adventure. To face down our fears. To overcome challenges. And to return back home transformed and triumphant. That fortuitous call to action nudged me out of my home so I no longer isolated from the PTSD. It was the muse to get me to meet strangers each day, to learn to talk about and process the trauma with them. It gave me a purpose in life. To get their written support for healing. And to reach a symbolic goal. To become a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. I’ve now engaged 32,652 complete strangers one by one over eight years on this cross-country odyssey. Those individuals contributed stories of support for my efforts in 94 languages with 27 Sharpie marker colors on 501 giant foam boards, drawing those comparisons to the famous AIDS quilt. Fingers crossed. One day I’ll get that invitation and proudly deliver this massive collective story of hope, equity, inclusion, triumph, and laugh therapy to The Late Show to inform, entertain, and inspire millions of folks in our LGBT community and beyond to head out on their very own Hero’s Journey.
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BYPO PHOENIX
is a D.C. native and organizer and artist. Visit byporevolution.com to learn more.
When wolves cry wolf
Reflecting on my experience of being raped by gay couple The voices of sexual assault survivors are typically muted or silenced, particularly in the LGBTQIA+ community. We’ve seen the media and our courts focus on perpetrators without acknowledging the impact on those of us fighting a system and a culture that sweeps victims’ stories under the rug. Within the queer community there is a familiar similarity in the response (denial and distraction) of powerful men accused of sexual assault. These are sadly not isolated incidents within the queer community. We just don’t talk about them, at least not publicly. A discussion about consent within our community is imperative as society continues to bring attention to this conversation at large. As young queer people, many of us are objectified and reduced to conquests by often older or more powerful peers. We learn to believe that our primary value to many is sex rather than equal treatment and respect. While society rightly talks a lot about women who are objectified and targeted, we barely acknowledge that sexual assault is an issue in the LGBTQIA+ community. We’ve seen countless examples in the media in which victims of sexual assault experience more ridicule and hatred than the perpetrators. Sexual predators broadly deny their criminal behavior while their victims spend a great deal of time recovering from the trauma predators cause. With constant denials, predators often receive support from their friends and fans who rush to their defense without any facts about the crime. Victims are demonized and shamed despite evidence and corroboration, even in the face of prosecutions, indictments and convictions. In an effort to gain equality and respect, the queer community has often turned away from the reality of sexual assault in our own community. When one of my attackers, David Daniels, was granted tenure at the University of Michigan in 2018, I knew that I needed to come forward about what he and his husband did to me. I felt devastatingly sure that I wasn’t the only person he victimized, and I felt an overwhelming responsibility to prevent future rapes. The #MeToo movement championing accountability was making progress, and I had been in therapy for years to process the assault in ways that honored my dignity and didn’t destroy me. Empowered, I felt confident in my decision to cry foul. Before I exposed the truth, I thought
I knew what coming forward might mean for me. I was reluctantly prepared for media attention and scrutiny, as well as a shadow that would hover over my personal and professional life. I was aware that this news would be uncomfortable for a lot of people, especially since the men who raped me had power, status and wealth. I wrote a public statement about how being raped impacted my life and career in the years that followed. I spoke with investigators who brought charges against David Daniels and Scott Walters, the men who have recently admitted to raping me. After the District Attorney’s office assigned a prosecutor to this case, a trial date of April 2, 2020, was set. Multiple young men came forward with their own experiences alleging abuse. The University of Michigan completed an investigation into Daniels’ abusive behavior as alleged by 20 students, and the Board of Regents unanimously fired him without severance on the basis of what they found; a rarity at this institution. Yet even after the university’s investigation into the behavior of David Daniels, I remain the scapegoat for his firing by many of his friends and fans in an effort to distract and deflect. Why are we inclined to believe denials even when crimes are brought to light? Victims face accusations of attention-seeking when we come forward publicly, and we face accusations of cowardice when reporting anonymously. As a society, we see countless examples of predators calling their reckoning a witch hunt, but is the burden placed on victims not exactly that? The power dynamics that pervade these crimes often include a charismatic and familiar predator and their less-powerful prey. Yet charisma is not synonymous with integrity, even through a queer lens. When one lives with integrity, one understands the potential to reconcile our mistakes. The dominant denial script of predators lacks that integrity. Predators do not want to admit or be held accountable for their actions because of the consequences they might face. Despite any consequences they may experience, rapists do not live with the nightmarish reality they’ve inflicted on their victims. When a survivor comes forward after years or decades, people often ask “why now and not right away?”. Sadly, it’s because my experience is the devastating norm — coming forward means accepting delayed justice at best.
LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • NOVEMBER 03, 2023 • 15
‘Fellow Travelers’ mixes queer love, politics for sexy history lesson A relationship enduring across the years despite resistance and betrayal
In a time when every streaming platform is falling over itself to present the newest “must binge” series, the phrase “Event TV” really has no meaning. Yet once upon a time – just a few decades ago, in fact, when three major networks and a handful of cable companies highlighted every season with “hot topic of the day” shows from “Roots” to “The Band Played On” – it was something television viewers expected, a standard part of the small-screen line-up that inevitably generated ratings and provided a cultural touchstone (or at least, a good topic of discussion in the break room at work) for millions of people. If that era were still going on today, “Fellow Travelers” would be a perfect fit for the category.
MATT BOMER and JONATHAN BAILEY star in ‘Fellow Travelers.’
Adapted from Thomas Mallon’s 2007 novel of the same name, Showtime’s sweeping eight-episode historical romance, which premiered with its provocative first episode on Oct. 27, checks off all the necessary boxes to pique the zeitgeist of our time. Presenting a fictionalized-but-authentic narrative that weaves real-life history into an intensely intimate love story spanning decades, it touches on issues of hotbed importance to our modern world while spinning an irresistible tale of forbidden romance – tempered by hard reality – that both blends into and epitomizes the lived reality of a generation. To cement its status as a show that is not to be missed, it casts gay heartthrobs Matt Bomer (“Magic Mike,” “The Normal Heart,” and any number of Ryan Murphy projects) and Jonathan Bailey (“Bridgerton”) as the star-crossed couple at its center, whose love plays out across a period of queer American political experience that spans from the deeply closeted pre-Stonewall era of 1950s America
to the cultural trauma of the AIDS epidemic. Simultaneously telling both the beginning and the end of its story, “Travelers” moves back and forth through time as it follows the love affair between two gay men – war hero turned government man Hawkins “Hawk” Fuller (Bomer) and political idealist Tim Laughlin (Bailey) – through three-and-a-half decades of American history. Juxtaposing the story of their increasingly enmeshed relationship – alongside that of a queer couple of color, a Black journalist (Jelani Alladin) and a gender-bending nightclub performer (Noah J. Ricketts) – with the years-later saga of their reconnection after a devastating betrayal has torn them apart, its dominant throughline is tied to the underreported (though irrefutably documented) history of homophobic discrimination by the U.S. government. That began with the McCarthy “Red Scare” era purge of known-or-suspected homosexuals employed within government service, justified by the presumed security risk associated with anyone participating in a “deviant” lifestyle – that would eventually culminate in the debacle of the nation’s indifference to AIDS and the rising death toll that was taking place in plain sight. It’s not the first show to tackle this subject matter; America’s response to AIDS, and the deeply ingrained cultural homophobia that laid unabashedly behind it, has been explored so much that it has become almost a thematic trope. As to the topic of queer life in an environment where “passing” as straight is purely a matter of survival, it’s a subject as relevant to queer existence in much of the world today as it has ever been, which we’ve rightly seen it reiterated time and again. But given the current push in American politics to erode the hard-won advancements of the LGBTQ community toward acceptance and equality, it’s hard to complain about a show that wants to explore it on our screens yet again. Even so, it’s also hard not to go into “Fellow Travelers” without noting the common ground it shares with other dramatic narratives covering the same ground – especially, perhaps, playwright Tony Kushner’s seminal and now-iconic Pulitzer-winning “Angels in America,” with which it invites comparison by virtue of its inclusion of real-life poster boy for internalized homophobia Roy Cohn (played here by Will Brill) and its focus on closeted characters working within the U.S. political establishment – and wondering if it will have anything new or noteworthy to say. Based solely on its first episode, you might be prodded toward even more skepticism; establishing itself with a broad strokes and a glossy tone, it feels a bit like an old-school tearjerker, evoking the Douglas Sirk-ish social melodramas of its (predominantly) vintage setting even as
16 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • NOVEMBER 03, 2023
it moves from past to future and back again. It’s stylish, even lovely, but seems built on a distancing artifice. And its romantic leads, the characters to which we are supposed to attach ourselves, might be hard to swallow – for some viewers, at least – simply because they are gay men seemingly content to live their real lives under cover while working for a governmental system that facilitates their oppression. To put it simply, it all feels a little too “Hollywood.” Yet despite this, or perhaps because of it, the show draws us in. Though at first we might think it tends toward the shallow, drawing on familiar formulas and offering up two thinly drawn protagonists in hopes we’ll accept them simply because they are played by a pair of impossibly handsome leading men – but the ideas it presents are important, and the history it documents illuminates a past that has remained obscured for far too long, so we’re willing to jump on board. Besides, those leading men are not only very handsome, they have a winning chemistry together, and the authenticity of the casting pays off by delivering a queer screen couple that feels genuine – and that’s not just because of their unapologetically sexy love scenes. Even if their story doesn’t quite make sense to us yet, we want to see more of them. That’s a very good thing, because as the series moves along, the tone changes drastically. Though the world of episode one is full of blithe denial and resignation to a status quo that might make our hindsight bristle, it’s a world that quickly changes as the show progresses, a change driven home by the show’s time-jumping framework. The oppression gets worse, the danger gets real, and the effect those things have on the lives of these two men – one a seemingly amoral pragmatist who has accepted and embraced a closeted life as a condition for success and the other a passionate “true believer” naïve enough to fall under the spell of a right-wing political ideology – has an impact. They change, they make choices and suffer consequences; in other words, they deepen, and as they do, the show does too. That’s because show creator Ron Nyswaner, despite making some changes from the novel, understood the throughline at its core and held tight to it in building the series. Ultimately, “Fellow Travelers” is not a story about politics, or social causes, or any of the other weighty issues that shape its trajectory. It’s a story about love, enduring across the years despite resistance, opposition, and betrayal; whether it ends happily or not – and you won’t get any spoilers here – it is lived passionately. Because of that, we care, and because we care, those big ideas land even more soundly. JOHN PAUL KING
David Vela: A Champion for LACCD’s LGBTQIA+ Rights By BEKAH WRIGHT
Out of the blocks, David Vela tells people, “I’m not apologetic about having what the right would call a gay agenda.” Likely, this is one of the reasons Vela has made so much headway for LGBTQIA+ rights through his work as the president of Los Angeles County Community College District’s (LACCD) Board of Trustees. For Vela, understanding this need began early. Born in Boyle Heights, as a child, Vela moved to Echo Park after his mother married his stepfather. The family saved towards buying a house in Linwood. Then, his parents divorced. “I had a pretty tough childhood,” he recalls. “There was a period when I witnessed a lot of violence in our home. We were on food stamps and moved a lot.” Vela applies what he took away from those experiences to his work for the LBGTQIA+ community.
DAVID VELA (Courtesy of David Vela)
Then, a single mother, Vela’s mother, moved the family to Bell Gardens, where David spent his school years. While at Bell Gardens High School, Vela got involved in student politics. “Even then, I had a John Galbraith philosophy and understanding that poverty exists, though it’s not spoken about.” It was Vela’s grandmother who instilled the importance of higher education in him. “She taught me that a college degree is the most important thing you can invest in. No one can take your education away, and it can lift an entire family out of poverty.” After high school, Vela attended UC Santa Cruz. With his eye on pre-med, he transferred to UCLA, where he earned his BS in biological anthropology. His passion for public policy was flamed at UCLA, where he undertook the role of vice president of Chicanos in Community Medicine. Additionally, he had an internship with Hermandad Mexicana Nacional, a non-profit that advocates for immigrant rights. The position would prove integral in his future. Vela was all set to attend medical school when he woke up one morning with a realization—he didn’t want to enter that field. Instead, “I knew I was going to be involved in public policy. I just felt it.” In short order, he found himself in Pepperdine’s Master of Public Policy program with concentrations in international relations and economics, on a full scholarship. In many ways, Vela felt like a fish out of water. “The notion of upward mobility was a world I’d
never been exposed to, so that was a value-added component, although sometimes lonely.” Post grad school, Vela began working with Greenlining Institute, an Oakland-based advocacy think tank and non-profit with a mission to provide communities of color—those that had been the targets of redlining in the past—economic opportunities with banks, various foundations and the Federal Reserve. While with Greenlining, Vela was contacted by Cathryn Rivera-Hernandez, whom he’d met during his Hermandad Mexicana Nacional internship. At the time, RiveraHernandez was Governor Gray Davis’s general counsel. California’s Employment Development Department (EDD) needed Latino and unemployment outreach. Was Vela interested in a senior advisor role? “Cathryn was the first person who took a chance on me,” Vela says. He admits though he accepted the job, “I was way too young for that job right out of grad school.” During Vela’s tenure with the EDD, 9/11 occurred. “I was in charge of offering Rapid Service unemployment applications to all the workforce hubs throughout the state.” This was followed by a stint as a senior legislative assistant handling Labor, Transportation, and Economic Development for former California State Assemblymember Jackie Goldberg. Politics and education suddenly collided for Vela while serving East Los Angeles political aid for LA County Supervisor Claudio Molina. This found him visiting schools for ages K through 12 to alert the community to county services available to them. Vela impressed parent councils of the Montebello School District, who asked him to run for school board. In 2007, Vela heeded their call, ran for school board, and won. “I was an openly gay school board member in a very conservative Latino town.” Having witnessed the bullying of LGBTQ students in K-12, one of Vela’s first actions was to pass a districtwide antibullying resolution. “It was revolutionary at the time,” he says. “Back in 2007, parents didn’t even want to recognize that they had gay children. During this time, dual enrollment and articulation movements began. The program made it possible for kids as young as middle school-aged to earn community college credits through their classes. “The fact that we could help students access community colleges was a game-changer,” Vela says. “Once they stepped foot in just one class, their wheels started turning, and they began to see possibilities for their future education.” It was his first exposure to Los Angeles’ community college system, the largest in America, with nine schools and over 200,000 students. Vela began to see a future for himself there, too. In 2018, Vela was the first openly gay member on LACCD’s board of trustees. “We were at the cusp of what was to be a very draconian, anti-gay agenda from the Trump administration,” he recalls. “I felt like I had to kick doors open and say, ‘I’m here representing queer students of all denominations, shapes and sizes, and we deserve protection.” In 2020, Vela stepped into the role of president for the LACCD Board of Trustees. That October, Vela, who also chaired the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on LGBTQIA+ Affairs, put forth a district-wide LGBTQIA+ Bill of Rights. “At the time, what existed in terms of rights was very piecemeal,” he says. “For example, whereas East LA PAID ADVERTISEMENT
College had a strong footprint of services and safe zones, West LA College did not.” The resolution passed, bringing myriad impactful changes, such as reviewing and updating anti-discrimination policies and procedures. Another focus of the Bill of Rights was a slate of LGBTQIA+ events to bring visibility to the community, starting with an annual celebration of LGBTQIA+ History Month. As momentum has grown, campuses acknowledge Pride Week by flying the Pride Flag. On tap, too, a trans job fair and an LGBTQIA+ ball. The LACCD held its first district-wide Lavender Graduation, a ceremony to honor LGBTQIA+ students and allies for their achievements in LACCD colleges. “It started with 50 students,” Vela says. “Now, in our fifth year, we honored 200 LGBTQIA+ students. It’s one of the most moving things I’ve seen in the district.” In addition, Vela advocated for safe zones where LGBTQIA+ students could study, hang out, meet with faculty, and address personal situations, such as serving as a safe place for trans women to administer hormones. “It evolved into a campaign for DAVID VELA (Courtesy of David Vela) ongoing state funding, which resulted in a $10 million one-time allocation--for either rehabilitating existing structures or building new ones, staff and operations-to have these centers throughout California community colleges.” Several Dream Resource Centers and BIPOC organizations merged into the efforts. That $10 million has become a permanent part of the state budget. Underway is a district-wide LGBTQIA+ curriculum and courses. “They’re currently embedded within an interdisciplinary model,” Vela says. “And in conjunction with the Academic Center, we’re moving forward with creating an LGBTQIA+ Studies department at each college.” Vela’s term as LACCD board president concludes at the end of 2023. His involvement with the board, though, will continue. As integral as LACCD is to Vela’s life, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. He is the owner and chief executive officer of Velada Consulting, a public outreach firm that works with high-level capital construction. Beyond this, he’s a founder of Honor Pac, a political action committee that empowers LGBTQ+ Latina/o/e communities. “We have to stand up,” Vela says. “United, and with the right assistance and community support, we can overcome oppression.” The Montebello resident finds time to devote to his family, specifically his grandmother, mom and three nieces. His partner, Victor Valerio, provides a sense of balance in Vela’s high-speed life. “He reminds me that you can be in politics in an altruistic way, and they don’t have to define you.”
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18 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • NOVEMBER 03, 2023
BOOKS
Family of trans daughter faces terrifying threat from gov’t
Book addresses what happens when lawmakers target youth
By TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER The piece of cake you cut into did not have a pastel center. There were no pretty balloons in a box, no colorful confetti, no “Team Pink” or “Team Blue” T-shirts or bracelets. You didn’t have a gender-reveal party for your baby because you didn’t want to know. As in the memoir “Letter to My Transgender Daughter” by Carolyn Hays, you’ll let your child tell you in person. She never expected another baby. After seven years, Carolyn Hays thought she was done with diapers and late-night feedings but the pregnancy test didn’t lie. This was good news. The whole family was excited to welcome another member into the household. The baby was a boy – but as soon as he could talk, he told everyone he was a girl. No problem; Hays’s other children rolled with it; they “saw” their sibling for who she was. Teachers were also nonplussed; they gave the girl a nickname, and extended family members quickly learned to use it. Hays and her husband balked some‘Letter to My Transgender Daughter’ times, though. They hoped it was a By Carolyn Hays phase. They gave their daughter “girly” c.2023, Blair Publisher | $17.95 | 282 pages things and allowed her to wear girls clothing, but they tried “boy on the outside/girl on the inside” wordage. Their daughter patiently corrected them each time until eventually, they, too, saw the truth. Their youngest child was a girl. They were, at that time, “a big, loud East Coast family, new to the Bible Belt” but they’d found community in the South, and a support group so Hays could parent her trans daughter better. Everything seemed to work out – until the knock on the door. The representative of the Department of Children and Families couldn’t tell Hays who’d made a complaint about them, or when. They could only guess who was offended by their personal family matter, or their total acceptance of their daughter. All they knew, she said, was “We could lose custody. We could lose you.” If you are someone who loves a child – any child, even a cis child – be prepared to have your heart fall out of your chest. “Letter to My Transgender Daughter” is a nightmare, not because of the book itself but because of what very nearly happened to its author and her family. Indeed, this “letter” in book form goes from mildly confessional to outright terrified, and author Carolyn Hays susses out all of your emotions and turns them raw. Hers is an honest story, not only of a trans girl but of parents who walk through the steps of acceptance. Cue the ominous music, though: you know what’s coming but foresight doesn’t diminish the outrage and fear you’ll feel, once you get there – although Hays doesn’t completely let you roll in misery. Readers will be delighted by the precociousness and determination in her daughter’s patient steadfastness, and by Hays’s family memories. Now out in paperback, “Letter to My Transgender Daughter” is an absolute read for parents and for trans adults. Read it – then check the headlines and see if it doesn’t cut your heart to pieces.
FEATURE
GLSEN raises over $100,000 at star-studded fundraiser HOLLYWOOD - GLSEN raised more than $100,000 for its work supporting LGBTQIA+ students in K-12 schools at its star-studded Rise Up LA gala at NeueHouse Hollywood Oct 28. The glitzy event honored gay country musician Orville Peck with GLSEN’s Champion Award and actress Annette Benning with its Advocate Award. The event was emceed by drag performer Mo Heart who set the tone for the night with a call to continue the fight to ensure schools are safe spaces for queer kids. “GLSEN has been instrumental in transforming our nation’s schools to make sure that they are a safe and an affirming environment that all youth deserve,” they said. “Tonight, we have come to celebrate all of the fantastic accomplishments of this fantastic organization so far, and to rise up for the continued necessary work, which is to ensure that LGBTQ+ students are safe at schools.” Orville Peck, whose debut albums Pony and Bronco have earned him critical acclaim around the world, said he wishes his schools had the resources GLSEN provides when he was a growing up in South Africa and Canada. “Encouraging and fostering safe spaces and encouraging young LGBTQIA+ people is so important. Those are such formative years. They’re the years we build our confidence and gather all our trauma unfortunately,” he said. “I didn’t have that. I had extremely loving and supportive parents. That was my safety. I didn’t have anything like that in school, but I would have loved it.” Annette Benning, who has earned Oscar buzz for her performance in the biopic Nyad, about the lesbian swimmer Diane Nyad, spoke passionately about how her experience raising her own trans son led her to become an advocate for LGBTQ equality. “I have felt the responsibility to speak out and speak up as transphobia has invaded our government at the local, state, and federal levels. It is hurtful, and it is shameful. It is being used as a tool of the far right to rally their base and turn out the vote,” she said. “I am so proud of my son.
Out Country Artist ORVILLE PECK with GLSEN Executive Director MELANIE WILLINGHAM-JAGGERS. (Photo by Rob Salerno)
Actress ANNETTE BENNING speaking to GLSEN gala attendees.
I have learned so much from him. And you do not want to make this momma mad.” Benning also related the heartache that many trans children and their parents are currently experiencing in Republican-controlled states that are criminalizing trans health care. She told the story of one of her friends, the mother of a trans child in Texas, who was forced to sell her home and move her family to California due to the threat of state harassment. “They and their children are being used as political pawns and the collateral damage is very real,” she said. “Can you imagine being brought up on criminal charges or being reported to child protective services because you are just trying to do what is best for your child?” “These people are political refugees in our own country,” Benning added, to audible gasps from the crowd. The night also featured musical performances by Iniko and Noah Cyrus. Other celebrities on hand for the event included pansexual comedian and actor Wayne Brady, who performed the song “I’ll Cover You” from the musical Rent with GLSEN Board Chair Wilson Cruz, who’s best known for his roles on Star Trek: Discovery and My So-Called Life. “I’m so glad to be a part of this now, because I want to help those kids… to be who they want to be. That’s all any of us ask for at the end of the day,” Brady said. Comic actresses Fortune Feimster and Sherri Cola and actor Leo Sheng were also on hand to introduce the night’s honorees. A moving part of the evening’s program came when GLSEN gave students who’ve gotten to experience their
programming spoke to the how the organization has impacted them. Owen Grossman, leader of his high school’s gender and sexuality alliance spoke about how “Don’t Say Gay” bills being passed in many Republican-controlled states affect all students. “School isn’t just a place where we learn about math and science. It’s the place where we learn about each other and our world. When queerness is erased from our schools in all capacities, when it is made out to be a threat, students learn that queerness is taboo, something other, something punishable. That view directly contributes to mental health issues in queer students, and prejudice in non-queer students,” he says. “GLSEN has always been important, but this year, it’s taken on added importance.” Attendees at the gala collectively pledged more than $108,000 toward GLSEN’s work in schools. GLSEN Executive Director Melanie Willingham-Jaggers says the fundraiser was an opportunity to build up community networks for legal and political battles ahead. “Tonight is an incredible time to both celebrate and get in formation and galvanize ourselves for the fight ahead,” Willingham-Jaggers said. “GLSEN’s so important right now, because there are politicians who ought to be governing in the interests of all of us, who are picking off the most vulnerable in our community, our kids.” “Classrooms are the frontline of this battle, and we demand that every single classroom is safe for every single kid,” she says. ROB SALERNO
(Photo by Rob Salerno)
LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • NOVEMBER 03, 2023 • 19