LGBT News

Turkish President Agrees: Homosexuality Brings Disease

NBC News reports: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday threw his weight behind Turkey’s top Muslim cleric, who caused a storm by claiming homosexuality “brings disease and causes this generation to decay.” In his first sermon during the holy month of Ramadan on Friday, Ali Erbas also maintained that hundreds of thousands of people every year are exposed to HIV …

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San Francisco’s Folsom Street Fair To Be “Held Virtually”

The SFist reports: It’s official: Up Your Alley and Folsom Street Fair will continue on as digital events for 2020, with plans underway to champion each happening’s celebrated sex-positivity and sense of community — from behind a screen. It doesn’t take having a Ph.D. in epidemiology to realize that now’s not an opportune time to plan large-scale physical gatherings, especially …

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Meryl Streep, Audra McDonald, Christine Baranski Don Bathrobes In Epic Ladies Who Lunch Sondheim Tribute

The Hollywood Reporter reports: Meryl Streep, Audra McDonald and Christine Baranski donned bathrobes and guzzled drinks for their performance of “The Ladies Who Lunch” during a special tribute to Stephen Sondheim that aired online Sunday night. The trio also were seen imbibing on wine and other libations during their performance of the song from Sondeim’s Company. Streep even mixed her …

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LIVE VIDEO: GLAAD Presents Star-Studded “Together In Pride” With Babs, Buttigiegs, Rosie, And Many Others

Via press release: Billy Porter, Pete & Chasten Buttigieg, Rosie O’Donnell, Jonathan Van Ness, Brian Michael Smith, Ross Mathews, and Tyler Oakley will join GLAAD’s livestream event, “Together in Pride: You are Not Alone,” tonight at 8pm ET on GLAAD’s YouTube channel and Facebook Live. Billy Eichner and Lilly Singh will co-host the event, which will include special performances from …

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HHS To Scrap Medical Protections For LGBT Patients

Politico reports: The Trump administration is moving to scrap an Obama-era policy that protected LGBTQ patients from discrimination, alarming health experts who warn that the regulatory rollback could harm vulnerable people during a pandemic. The health department is close to finalizing its long-developing rewrite of Obamacare’s Section 1557 provision, which barred health care discrimination based on sex and gender identity. …

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EU High Court Rules Against Ex-Politician Who Said He’d Never Hire Gays As They’re All “Genetically Abnormal”

Courthouse News reports: An Italian lawyer who was sued after talking on the radio about his aversion to hiring gay people failed Thursday to secure relief from the EU’s highest court. “Homosexuals are abnormal, they have physical and genetic anomalies,” lawyer Carlo Taormina had said in a 2013 broadcast of the Italian shock jock radio program “La Zanzara.” Taormina went …

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US May Cut Back Intel Sharing With Anti-Gay Countries

The New York Times reports: The Trump administration is considering cutting back on sharing intelligence with partner countries that criminalize homosexuality as part of a push by the acting director of national intelligence, Richard Grenell, to prod those nations to change their laws. The intelligence community should be pushing American values with the countries it works with, Mr. Grenell said …

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Chicago Pride Postponed, Organizers Set Hopes On Fall

Chicago’s ABC News affiliate reports: Chicago’s Pride Parade will be postponed for the first time in its 50-year history, organizers said Wednesday. The parade was originally scheduled for June 28. Organizers are still hoping to hold it this year. “We announce this postponement in hope that conditions will allow the parade to take place later this summer or early fall,” …

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De Blasio Cancels All June Events Including NYC Pride

ABC New York reports: New York City has canceled all non-essential events in June, including the Puerto Rican Day Parade, the Pride March and the Salute to Israel Parade, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Monday. “It’s not a happy announcement, but it’s one we have to make. And look, a lot of these events will be postponed,” he said. …

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San Francisco Pride Canceled, Was 50th Anniversary

CBS News reports: San Francisco Pride officials announced Tuesday they were cancelling the 2020 Pride Parade and the weekend Pride 50 celebration over concerns raised by the continuing coronavirus outbreak in the San Francisco Bay Area. The parade and weekend celebration of diversity and the LGBTQ community, originally scheduled to take place June 27-28, annually brings massive crowds to San …

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Virginia Governor Signs LGBT Protections Bill Into Law

The Washington Blade reports: Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Saturday signed a bill that adds sexual orientation and gender identity to the state’s nondiscrimination law. “This legislation sends a strong, clear message — Virginia is a place where all people are welcome to live, work, visit, and raise a family,” said Northam in a statement. “No longer will LGBTQ Virginians …

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SF Gay Men’s Chorus Pays Tribute To First Responders

Via press release: Today, San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (SFGMC) Artistic Director Dr. Timothy Seelig and Executive Director Chris Verdugo announced the launch of SFGMC TV, a free online platform showcasing exciting performances, dynamic interviews, singer spotlights, and more. SFGMC TV will allow supporters to stay connected with the Chorus during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and beyond by offering content …

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LGBTQ Rights Pioneer Phyllis Lyon Dies At Age 95

The SFist reports: One of the founding members of the Daughters of Bilitis and one half of the first same-sex couple to be legally married in San Francisco in 2004, Phyllis Lyon, has passed away. She was 95, and reportedly died of natural causes early Thursday. Lyon and her wife Del Martin were famously the first couple to be granted …

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Randy Rainbow Pays Musical Tribute To Andrew Cuomo

YouTube star and national heartthrob Randy Rainbow is back today, but this time rather than endless barbs aimed at Glorious Leader and his army of bootlickers, Randy gives us a straightforward (heh) tribute to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The song is set to the tune of “Sandy,” from the 1978 film version of Grease. Glorious and full of laughs.

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FDA Reduces Restrictions On Gay Male Blood Donors

NBC News reports: Amid what it’s calling an “urgent need for blood,” the FDA revised its blood donor guidelines on Thursday, significantly easing the restrictions on men who have sex with men. The new guidelines reduce the donation deferral period for sexually active gay and bisexual men from 12 months to three, meaning these otherwise healthy men will now have …

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MASSACHUSETTS: Provincetown Bear Week Canceled

Via press release: Provincetown Bears is saddened to announce the suspension of Bear Week Provincetown 2020. Members of our board have watched the rampant developments of the coronavirus pandemic and we believe that it is not advisable for us to host the crowded parties this summer that are the hallmark of Bear Week. Although we are suspending the events scheduled …

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CANADA: Toronto Pride Canceled Under City Orders

Global News reports: The City of Toronto has cancelled events through June 30 amid the coronavirus pandemic, including the annual Pride Parade. Toronto Mayor John Tory made the announcement during an update on the city’s response to COVID-19 Tuesday afternoon. “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Toronto is cancelling all city-led major events, festivals, conferences, and cultural programs …

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Uganda Exploits Coronavirus To Arrest 20 LGBT Persons

ABC News reports: A gay rights leader in Uganda says 20 members of the local LGBT community have been detained after police raided their shelter and accused them of violating coronavirus-related social distancing measures. “It is evident that they were arrested because of their homosexuality,” Frank Mugisha [photo] said Wednesday, expressing concern for their safety as “some of them are …

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GOP Idaho Gov Signs Two Anti-Trans Bills Into Law

Courthouse News reports: Idaho Governor Brad Little Monday evening signed into law two bills that place new restrictions on transgender individuals in the state. The first of the two bills the Republican governor signed targets a transgender person’s ability to request a birth certificate change. Under the new law, transgender individuals will no longer be able to change their listed …

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Singapore Court Rejects Bid To Overturn Gay Sex Ban

Coconuts Singapore reports: Members of Singapore’s LGBT community reacted with dismay today to word that gay sex remains a criminal offense after the high court dismissed three challenges to the antiquated law. The court’s reported ruling comes four months after the court heard arguments from attorneys representing three men: DJ Johnson Ong; a retired doctor named Roy Tan; and Bryan …

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