Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

NATIONAL Puerto Rico action, firefighter, HIV drug, trans candidate, Janelle Monae
by Windy City Times staff
2021-01-31

This article shared 2170 times since Sun Jan 31, 2021
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro R. Pierluisi declared a state of emergency to combat violence committed against the transgender community, out.com reported. Pierluisi signed an executive order in response to the surge in violent killings of transgender people in the U.S. territory. The order provides specific mechanisms to combat the violence while also working to create a more equitable and inclusive environment for the trans community across Puerto Rican society. The island territory already suffered its first trans murder this year, when the body of Latinx trans man Samuel Edmund Damian was dumped in the middle of a dimly lit highway on Jan. 9.

A gay Black San Francisco firefighter is suing the city, alleging discrimination against him on account of his race and sexual orientation, according to The Bay Area Reporter. Keith Baraka was the first openly gay firefighter at Station 6, which is located in the Duboce Triangle neighborhood. "During his time at Station 6, Mr. Baraka not only witnessed maltreatment of the neighborhood residents because of their sexual orientation and gender identity by his fellow firefighters—he was also a target of similar harassment himself," the complaint stated, in part. "Mr. Baraka was consistently harassed based on his race and sexual orientation. His locker was broken into; his name was erased from the assignment board; when he entered the room, all non-Black personnel would leave." After Baraka complained, he himself was allegedly disciplined.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a long-acting, once-a-month injection that can replace the daily pills now used to control HIV infection, Instinct Magazine noted. Medical researchers expect the two-shot combo called Cabenuva will make it easier for HIV+ people to stay on schedule with their HIV medications. Cabenuva consists of two drugs packaged together—rilpivirine and cabotegravir—but given as separate shots once a month. Cabenuva is administered as two intramuscular injections in the buttocks by a healthcare professional.

Elisa Crespo could become the first transgender lawmaker in New York City, LGBTQ Nation noted. Crespo—who could fill the seat made vacant when out candidate Ritchie Torres made LGBTQ history in his election to Congress—is also the first LGBTQ woman of color to run for office in the Bronx. She is running in Bronx District 15, which is considered one of the poorest in the nation, in her effort to be part of the New York City Council. However, running in a special election slated for March 23, Crespo said breaking these barriers is not about her: "I try to focus on the people of my district and the issues they go through every single day."

Queer singer, songwriter, actor and producer Janelle Monae's project Fem the Future is partnering with Bing, which is supporting donations to Fem The Future, via Give with Bing, a press release noted. Fem The Future aims to provide young womxn and girls with the resources and support they need to overcome the challenges associated with growing up in under-resourced communities of color. The project establishes after-school and summer enrichment activities that increase exposure and access to a variety of careers, and provides grant opportunities to organizations that are providing access to arts, music and leadership development-centric pedagogies. See bing.com/JanelleMonae.

The U.S. Senate voted 78-22 to confirm Antony Blinken as the next secretary of state, The Washington Blade reported. Blinken during his confirmation hearing also said he would once again allow ambassadors to fly Pride flags at their embassies. He further pledged to raise the State Department's special envoy for the promotion of LGBTQ rights to an ambassador-level position.

The National LGBTQ Task Force issued a press release conveying its sadness about the death of Carmen Vazquez—a longtime LGBTQ+ and social justice activist who died Jan. 27 of COVID-related complications. National LGBTQ Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey said, "The loss of Carmen tears open a hole in the heart of the LGBTQ+, social justice, immigration, reproductive justice, and sexual freedom movements. And in mine. I'm deeply sad that one of our movement's most brilliant activists is no longer with us. I've never known this movement without Carmen in it." Vasquez was slated to be honored at the Task Force event Creating Change; at the 2020 Creating Change conference in Dallas, she was awarded the SAGE Award for Excellence in Leadership on Aging Issues.

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) commented on the Montana House of Representatives passing an anti-transgender bill, HB 112, that the organization said "would ban transgender athletes from participating in sports, while the House rejected a bill that would have prevented transgender youth from accessing the best-practice, medically-necessary health care they need," a press release stated. HRC President Alphonso David said, in part, "Thanks to the loud voices of transgender Montanans and advocates for equality, the Montana House has wisely rejected the proposed ban on medical care for trans youth. As another anti-trans bill moves forward, we urge Montana's state senators not to give serious consideration to a policy in search of a problem."

Investigators believe a white man whose father is a former cop shot his Black lover to death—but he was sentenced to one year of jail time in connection to the shooting and didn't even face any charges stemming from the killing, LGBTQ Nation reported. "In order for the defendant to hide his feminine, bisexual nature, he executed my son and my grandson's father," said Dominic Broadus Sr., the father of the victim. "He fatally shot my son in the back of the head twice and tried to destroy any evidence of their relationship by deleting all text from his phone and destroying/hiding my son's phone, then calling three people before reporting the shooting to the proper authorities." Investigators believe that Broadus Jr. went to the home of Gardner Kent Fraser, and was shot there. Fraser, in fact, admitted he shot Broadus outside of his home in Florida; however, he claimed he shot him in self-defense.

In response to the now-famous photo of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (taken by Brendan Smialowski for Getty Images) at the inaugurations of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Sanders' campaign team turned it into a sweatshirt, PopSugar noted. The cotton fleece Chairman Sanders Crewneck is exclusively available on Sanders's campaign store, and 100 percent of the proceeds go to Meals on Wheels Vermont.

And speaking of Bernie Sanders, lesbian mother Jen Ellis made the "swittens"—as the large, hand-weaved wool mittens have become known as, LGBTQ Nation noted. In 2016, Ellis gave the items to several people who worked at her daughter's preschool. One of those people was the preschool's owner Liza Driscoll, who is Sen. Sanders' daughter-in-law; Ellis made an extra pair for Driscoll to give to Sanders, and the rest is online history. Although she is a huge supporter of Sanders, Ellis told Jewish Insider that she is still most elated by the fact that a woman is now vice president of the United States.

A small group of Iowa Republican senators released SF 167—a bill that would ban educators from any discussion of gender identity in some situations and require express written (opt-in) permission in others, according to a One Iowa press release. One Iowa Action Executive Director Courtney Reyes responded, "This bill misunderstands the concept of gender identity and treats it as if it is somehow so dangerous that it needs to be expressly forbidden in Iowa education standards. Everyone has a gender identity, not just trasngender people. This would put educators in the bizarre situation of not being able to mention that George Washington is a man or that Harriet Tubman is a woman. There are age-appropriate ways to talk about most concepts, and gender identity is no exception."

The book LGBTQ Lobbying in the United States—written by Dr. Christopher Pepin-Neff and published by Routledge—will be released soon, a press release noted. The book argues that gay rights lobbying in Washington, D.C. does not serve LGBTQ people—but that gay mainstream lobbying adopts issues, tactics and business models that punish marginalized queer and trans populations and help heterosexual institutions. The book is available for pre-order on Amazon.

OUT Maine has released the free guide "Best practices for LGBTQ+ inclusive youth programming," Bangor Daily News noted. It provides a road map, with concrete action steps for ensuring inclusive and welcoming programming for LGBTQ+ youth. It also serves as a training resource to increase administration and staff awareness of the current challenges facing LGBTQ+ participants. To request a copy, visit https://www.outmaine.org/programs/professionals.

Winston-Salem may join a growing number of North Carolina cities in passing an ordinance that would give people rights based on sexual orientation and gender identity, the Winston-Salem Journal reported. The city's committee on general government could take up the discussion during its February session, although some council members and City Manager Lee Garrity said nothing's likely to be rushed through. Orange County and the municipalities of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Durham, Greensboro and Hillsborough have passed LGBT-rights ordinances.

A former follower of the QAnon conspiracy theory apologized to Anderson Cooper for once thinking that the CNN anchor ate babies, HuffPost noted. In a preview clip of a then-upcoming CNN investigation into QAnon, Australia resident Jitarth Jadeja told Cooper that he "100%" believed the idea, which he claimed was prevalent among supporters of the unhinged movement. Jadeja ditched the movement in 2019 after watching YouTube videos that debunked its premises.

YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki said in a letter that the company has removed more than 500,000 videos spreading misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic since February 2020, USA Today noted. YouTube's policies prohibit misinformation about the coronavirus, including claims the virus is a hoax or promoting medically unsubstantiated cures. Conspiracy theories are shaping people's perceptions of the vaccine, according to a survey by Acxiom of 5,000 U.S. consumers from Nov. 25 to Dec. 4.

Brandon Straka—the gay MAGA influencer and self-described "former liberal" best known for creating the #WalkAway campaign to encourage Democrats to leave the party and support Donald Trump—was arrested for his alleged role in the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, according to out.com . Straka was taken into custody in Omaha, Nebraska, by the FBI and charged with multiple crimes after allegedly being turned in by a member of his own family. NBC New York reported prosecutors claim to have screenshots of since deleted tweets showing Straka actively participating in and at times directing the crowd following Donald Trump's "Stop the Steal" rally.

Cindy McCain spoke out after being censured by Arizona state Republicans for supporting President Joe Biden over Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election, People Magazine noted. "It is a high honor to be included in a group of Arizonans who have served our state and our nation so well … and who, like my late husband John, have been censured by the AZGOP. I'll wear this as a badge of honor," the widow of late Republican Senator John McCain tweeted. The state party also censured former U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake and current Gov. Doug Ducey.

The documentary Women in Blue will debut on PBS' Independent Lens on Monday, Feb. 8, a press release noted. Filmed from 2017-2020, Women in Blue follows Minneapolis' first female police chief, Janee Harteau (part of the LGBTQ+ community), as she works to reform the Minneapolis Police Department by getting rid of bad cops, retraining the rest, diversifying the ranks and promoting women—who statistically use less force than their male counterparts—into every rank of leadership.

The Biden administration is accelerating steps to feature abolitionist hero Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill—a change announced during the Obama administration that stalled under President Donald Trump, USA Today reported. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said it's important the nation's currency "reflect the history and diversity of our country." Among those who criticized the delay was Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, a New Jersey Democrat who co-chaired the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls.

Poet Amanda Gorman became a breakout star of President Biden's inauguration after her moving performance earlier this month—and now she's slated to recite an original poem during the pregame ceremony at Super Bowl LV, CBS News reported. Gorman, the youngest known inaugural poet, was commissioned to compose a piece about the "resiliency" of the game's three honorary captains: educator Trimaine Davis, nurse manager Suzie Dorner and veteran James Martin, according to an NFL press release. The three "community heroes" will serve as honorary captains during the official on-field coin toss ceremony. This year's Super Bowl will be a showdown between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Feb. 7.

Former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-Texas, is considering entering the 2022 Texas governor's race, Fox4News.com reported. O'Rourke—best known for his contentious loss to Sen. Ted Cruz in the 2018 Senate race and subsequent campaign for president—said that Texas had "suffered perhaps more than any other" during the coronavirus pandemic and accused Gov. Greg Abbott of "complete indifference" to assisting local leaders in trying to save lives.

Goya's board of directors voted to censure CEO Robert Unanue after public remarks he made in support of ex-President Donald Trump and his widely debunked claims of voter fraud, according to a Queerty item. "There is a war coming; now that the president is leaving today, they're still coming after the United States—the working class," Unanue said on Fox Business. The board reportedly decided that Unanue can no longer speak to the press about anything—whether it's politics or the company itself—without first getting permission.

Twitter permanently pulled the plug on the account of MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, Politico reported. A spokesperson for Twitter said, "This account was suspended for repeated violations of our civic integrity policy." Among other things, Lindell—who is considering a possible run for governor of Minnesota in 2022—alleged that the voting machine companies Smartmatic and Dominion Voting Systems were part of a conspiracy to rig the election against Trump.


This article shared 2170 times since Sun Jan 31, 2021
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

Nex Benedict's autopsy report released
2024-03-27
The full autopsy report for Nex Benedict (he/they)—a 16-year-old transgender and Indigenous student from Oklahoma's Owasso High School who died in February a day after a school fight—has been released. The Oklahoma Office of the Chie ...


Gay News

Thailand parliament passes landmark marriage bill
2024-03-27
On March 27, Thailand's parliament approved a marriage-equality bill by an overwhelmingly large margin—a landmark step that moves one of Asia's most liberal countries closer to legalizing same-sex unions, media ...


Gay News

An interstate trans healthcare crisis: Illinois prepares for influx of people seeking gender-affirming care
2024-03-26
With hard-won rights, such as access to hormone replacement therapy or permission to use one's chosen pronouns in school, breaking down in states across the country, trans residents of all ages are left with a choice: ...


Gay News

Kara Swisher talks truth, power in tech at Chicago Humanities event
2024-03-25
Lesbian author, award-winning journalist and podcast host Kara Swisher spoke about truth and power in the tech industry through the lens of her most recent book, Burn Book: A Tech Love Story, March 21 at First ...


Gay News

Wyoming is latest state to ban gender-affirming care for minors
2024-03-24
On March 22, Wyoming became the latest state to prohibit gender-affirming care for minors, The Hill noted. In doing so, it joined 23 other states that passed laws restricting or banning the treatment. Legislators in both ...


Gay News

Chicago alder proposes renaming street after Obama
2024-03-22
Openly gay Black Chicago Ald. Lamont Robinson has proposed renaming Columbus Drive after former U.S. President and city resident Barack Obama, media outlets noted. The street stretches through the Loop from East Grand Avenue to DuSable ...


Gay News

No charges filed in Nex Benedict fight; campaigns call for Walters' removal
2024-03-22
In Oklahoma, Tulsa County District Attorney Stephen Kunzweiler announced that no charges will be filed in connection with the fight that happened the day before transgender, nonbinary high school student Nex Benedict died by suicide, NBC ...


Gay News

Congressional Equality Caucus on FY24 bills passing the house
2024-03-22
--From a press release - WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), released the following statement after the House successfully passed the final funding bills for Fiscal Year ...


Gay News

JP Karliak morphs into non-binary character for Disney+'s X-Men '97
2024-03-22
series X-Men '97, a revival of the popular X-men: The Animated Series that's both continuing the ongoing mutant storyline and breaking new ground along the way. The character of Morph now looks more like the comic ...


Gay News

WORLD Uganda items, HIV report, Mandela, Liechtenstein, foreign minister weds
2024-03-21
It turned out that U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Senior LGBTQI+ Coordinator Jay Gilliam traveled to Uganda on Feb. 19-27, per The Washington Blade. He visited the capital of Kampala and the nearby city of ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Va. marriage bill, AARP, online counseling, Idaho items, late activist
2024-03-21
Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed bills protecting same-sex marriages at a state level, surprising some, WRIC reported. The bills—passed out of both chambers along mostly party lines—will require clerks ...


Gay News

LGBTQ+ candidates Marcelino Garcia, Precious Brady Davis win primary elections to keep MWRD seats
2024-03-21
Marcelino Garcia and Precious Brady-Davis, the two openly LGBTQ+ incumbents in the race to keep their seats on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD), won their primary elections and will move on to the general this ...


Gay News

Small LGBTQ+ candidate pool nevertheless scores some important victories March 19
2024-03-20
Relatively few openly LGBTQ+ candidates were running in the March 19 Illinois Primary Election. But there were some significant contests in play at the local, state and federal levels. Openly gay Ald. Ray Lopez (15th Ward) ...


Gay News

Gay Irish prime minister to step down
2024-03-20
In a surprise move, openly gay Irish Prime Minister (or Taoiseach) Leo Varadkar has announced his resignation, citing "personal and political, but mainly political reasons," according to CNN. Varadkar said he felt he was no longer ...


Gay News

Chicago's LGBTQ+ Advisory Council sets a new course
2024-03-18
Chicago's LGBTQ+ Advisory Council held its first meeting of the calendar year on Feb. 28 at City Hall in the Loop under the leadership of the recently appointed chair Jin-Soo Huh. The LGBTQ+ Advisory Council is ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.