South Texas Pride Q&A: San Antonio to host first-ever Pride Month river parade in mid-June
This year’s Pride Month will feature the first-ever Bud Light Pride River Parade by Visit San Antonio on June 18. Maggie Thompson, director of River Walk operations, joined this episode of the South Texas Pride Q&A series to discuss more about the parade and what visitors can expect.
More LGBTQ couples can access Social Security survivor benefits. The challenge is getting the word out.
Until this year, LGBTQ people who contributed part of their paycheck to the pot weren’t getting anything back in terms of survivor benefits — simply because of their sexual identity, a lawyer said.
washingtonpost.comFlorida lawmakers advanced a bill that would allow parents to sue schools if staff speak to students about gender identity or sexuality
Known as the "Don't Say Gay" bill, the legislation says it protects a parent's "right to make decisions" on "the upbringing and control of their children."
news.yahoo.comLGBTQ dating ban at BYU probed in federal investigation
The U.S. Department of Education has opened a civil-rights investigation into how LGBTQ students are disciplined at Brigham Young University, a private religious school. The complaint under investigation came after the school said it would still enforce a ban on same-sex dating even after that section was removed from the written version of the school's honor code, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. Students can be punished for holding hands or kissing someone of the same sex, harsher discipline than that faced by heterosexual couples at the school operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
news.yahoo.com‘He Will End Up Canceling Himself If He Feels Like Nobody Can Cancel Him’: Cedric the Entertainer Weighs In on Dave Chappelle and Cancel Culture
Cedric The Entertainer cautions Dave Chappelle that his response to the scrutiny he’s facing for controversial LGBTQ comments he made during his latest Netflix standup […]
news.yahoo.comPresident Biden unveils Omicron plan as variant surges across U.S.
The Biden administration is unveiling new plans to fight the spread of the highly contagious Omicron coronavirus variant. CBS News correspondent Nancy Chen reports on the recent surge of COVID-19 cases in the country. Then, Dr. Ben Weston, an associate professor of emergency medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, joins Elaine Quijano on CBSN to discuss the latest.
news.yahoo.comVoodoo ceremony for twins in Benin to celebrate them as deities
In Abomey-Calavi near the port city of Cotonou in Benin, a voodoo priestess organises a large, traditional ceremony bringing together dozens of twins to be honoured as deities. In southern Benin, Nigeria and Togo, twins are worshipped as demigods.
news.yahoo.comSouth Texas Pride Q&A: Statewide advocacy organization fights against anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the Legislature
Advocates for the LGBTQ+ community say they are fighting to keep transgender children from losing their ability to participate in sports at school and fighting a number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the Texas Legislature.
KSAT 12 only Texas TV station to receive ‘excellent’ rating in GLAAD’s Local Media Accountability Index for 2021
KSAT 12 is one of three Texas media outlets and the only TV station to receive an “excellent” rating in the latest report from GLAAD, a national media monitoring organization that works against discrimination of the LGBTQ+ community.
Study: Pandemic eats into LGBTQ representation on network TV
The percentage of regularly seen LGBTQ characters on streaming as well as prime-time broadcast TV and cable during the 2020-21 season fell. Prime-time broadcast fell to 9.1% after reaching an all-time high of 10.2% last season. GLAAD's report, “Where We Are on TV,” found that 70 out of 773 series regular characters on broadcast scripted prime-time TV were LGBTQ. The group found good news on the second request in the latest study — over half of LGBTQ characters on cable television were people of color, meeting GLAAD’s challenge. The advocacy group noted that nearly half of all LGBTQ representation in prime-time scripted cable is seen on just three networks — FX, Freeform and Showtime.
‘My people are dying’: Transgender woman fears for her safety amid rise in trans homicides nationwide in 2020
SAN ANTONIO – D.D. Decor, a Black transgender woman, is worried her community is reaching a grim milestone. Around the nation, the transgender community has seen a higher number of murders in 2020, with the majority of victims being minorities. The organization says trans women of color are at a greater risk. “The number one -- the number two is one death too many in the transgender community,” he said.
San Antonio gay couple shares their experience adopting a child during pandemic
SAN ANTONIO – Clint and Wellington Rankin-Gibson fostered to adopt under two circumstances that could have come with barriers: one, in the middle of a pandemic, and two as a same sex couple. Clint and Wellington Rankin-Gibson and their children. (Credit: Clint and Wellington Rankin-Gibson) (Credit: Clint and Wellington Rankin-Gibson)Banks said the number of child removals has risen as domestic violence skyrockets amid the pandemic. Clint and Wellington chose SJRC specifically because of its good reputation and inclusivity for LGBTQ couples wanting to foster and adopt. If you’re interested in learning more about fostering or adoption, Banks said to contact agencies like SJRC and ask questions.
Celebrities send love to ‘Juno’ star Elliot Page after coming out as transgender
Elliot Page, the star of the hit indie film “Juno” and the Netflix series “The Umbrella Academy,” came out as transgender Tuesday afternoon in a social media post, and celebrities are showing their love and support. Page wrote on Instagram, “Hi friends, I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot. https://t.co/sZF9ROPRFh — Ian McKellen (@IanMcKellen) December 1, 2020 Thanks Elliot for sharing your journey with the world. ❤️ https://t.co/6ndSWSorSH — Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil) December 1, 2020I’ve never met Elliot Page, tho I’ve been at events & shyly waved. — Amber Tamblyn (@ambertamblyn) December 1, 2020❤️❤️❤️ — dan levy (@danjlevy) December 1, 2020❤️ We love you, Elliot 🙆🏼♂️ — Adam Rippon (@AdamRippon) December 1, 2020“To finally love who I am.” What a sentiment.
Sarah McBride becomes the first openly transgender person to be elected state senator
While most Americans continued awaiting the presidential election results, history was silently being made in Delaware. Sarah McBride, 30, made history on election night by becoming the first openly transgender person to be elected to the state Senate in U.S. history. “I hope tonight shows an LGBTQ kid that our democracy is big enough for them, too,” McBride tweeted Tuesday night after the election was called. McBride is a former spokesperson for the LGBTQ advocacy group Human Rights Campaign and also became the first trans person to speak at a major political convention. McBride will represent parts of Bellefonte, Claymont and Wilmington, the state’s largest city.
New channel offers fare for women in the LGBTQ community
LOS ANGELES – An online channel devoted to women in the LGBTQ community is launching with shows including a pandemic-set romantic comedy and a paranormal drama. The channel debuts Thursday as part of Revry, a digital platform that offers free, queer-focused programming, including the 24/7 Revry News channel. “I’m overjoyed to offer a free, living and breathing space for queer female stories to be seen across the world,” Revry co-founder LaShawn McGhee said in a statement. Now called OML, it's become “a tentpole brand for the lesbian and queer female communities,” McGhee said. OML has expanded its female-driven content and outreach to a larger audience, a goal that will be enhanced by its partnership with Revry, OML founder Shirin Etessam said in a statement.
Critics urge Texas regulators to reverse decision allowing social workers to turn away clients who are LGBTQ or have a disability
Advocates called the move by the Texas State Board of Social Work Examiners, which has not yet been finalized, an attempt to create “two classes of Texans” during a press conference organized by the Texas chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. There is currently no law in Texas that protects LGBTQ people from discrimination. The code will no longer prohibit social workers from discriminating on the basis of a disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. Greg Abbott’s office recommended the change, board members said, because the nondiscrimination protections went further than those laid out in state law. The change sparked national backlash, including from 11 members of Texas’ congressional delegation who called on Abbott and the board to reverse the decision.
Mixed Philippine reaction on pope nod on gay civil unions
MANILA – Pope Francis’ endorsement of same-sex civil unions drew mixed reactions Thursday in the Philippines, Asia’s bastion of Catholicism, with a retired bishop saying he was scandalized by it while an LGBT group welcomed the pontiff’s remarks with relief. President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesman said the Philippine leader has long expressed support to same-sex civil unions but added it needed to pass through Congress. Retired Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes said he “had very serious doubts about the moral correctness” of the pontiff’s position. He said it ran against long-standing church teachings, which explicitly permit only the union of man and woman whether in civil, legal or church sacramental unions. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte has long supported same-sex civil unions and the papal endorsement may finally convince legislators to give their approval.
Texas legislators fighting new rule allowing social workers to deny service to LGBTQ, disabled clients
SAN ANTONIO – Organizations and legislators continue to lash out after the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners voted to allow social workers to refuse service to people based on disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. New Texas rule lets social workers turn away clients who are LGBTQ or have a disabilityIt’s a statement that Salcido is grateful to hear. “Social workers are the very people that are meant to be unbiased and to offer that support to somebody that is already experiencing a dark time or needing help navigating through their experiences,” he said. Members of the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners said Gov. Greg Abbott’s office recommended the change because the code’s nondiscrimination protections went beyond protections laid out in the state law that governs how and when the state may discipline social workers.
‘It’s such a monumental turn': SAISD alumnus says National Coming Out Day is important for students
SAN ANTONIO – Michael Alvarez was disappointed when he learned San Antonio ISD recommended its principals not promote National Coming Out Day. Alvarez graduated from Burbank High School in 2019 and is now a sophomore at UT Austin. Alvarez struggled throughout high school but eventually found the courage to come out to his family when he went to college. He described high school as a pivotal time, especially for LGBTQ students, and he hopes the district will recognize that. RELATED: ‘Our rights are at risk’: Texas rule allowing social workers to turn away LGBTQ+ clients, people with disabilities draws criticism
‘Our rights are at risk’: Texas rule allowing social workers to turn away LGBTQ+ clients, people with disabilities draws criticism
SAN ANTONIO – A change in policies has led to criticism of the Texas State Board of Social Work Examiners after it announced Monday that social workers will now be able to turn away LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities. According to the state’s current law, a social worker can face disciplinary action if they refuse services to clients based on religion, race or age. While these changes reflect the agency’s duty to duly enacted statutes, the Board and Council recognize the importance of legal protection from discrimination. Brown also serves as a licensed social worker. Brown said she believes social work is about adapting to others' needs, and refusing to help is detrimental.