Why some gay men aren't cheering FDA decision to lift blood donation ban (+video)
The FDA lifted the ban based on a study by the government in Australia, which, along with the United Kingdom and New Zealand, dropped a lifelong ban on gay men as blood donors to 12 months. “Ultimately, the 12-month deferral window is supported by the best …
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Daily Archives: December 22, 2015
Cristiano Ronaldo bigger than Shakira and Wayne Rooney still punch-drunk: everything football taught us in 2015
Cristiano Ronaldo bigger than Shakira and Wayne Rooney still punch-drunk: everything football taught us in 2015
Disclaimer: If you are a gay football fan, luxury liner may be an actual prison … No: the fuming Citizen waited for the players at their hotel and tried to get them to stop and chat, when they were polite but busy, he lost the rag and set ten match …
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Detroit Lions hold off New Orleans Saints 35-27 on Monday Night Football: Live chat recap
Detroit Lions hold off New Orleans Saints 35-27 on Monday Night Football: Live chat recap
The Detroit Lions have kicked off the final game in Week 15 of the 2015 NFL season with a trip to New Orleans where they beat the New Orleans Saints 35-27 on Monday night. Follow along as we bring you live updates and analysis from the game from kickoff …
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Parents react to charges against 13-year-old for racist social media conversation
Parents react to charges against 13-year-old for racist social media conversation
A white 13-year-old now faces charges over a racist online chat. It’s a case we first brought you in October – when the case was first turned over to authorities. The Berrien County Prosecutor says the 13-year-old, a student at Upton Middle School …
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Ex-beau detains, tortures techie for 5 days
Ex-beau detains, tortures techie for 5 days
In September, she left for Dubai to work there. Hasan continued to harass her. “Hasan used to force the survivor to video-chat with him every day. If she failed to do so, he used to blackmail her saying that he will meet her father directly and explain …
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NAB 2015
Gay Mexican immigrant wins federal court case, can remain in Miami
Gay Mexican immigrant wins federal court case, can remain in Miami
Border officials reinstated the expedited removal order, despite pleas by Crespo-Cagnant not to send him back to Mexico where he feared persecution as a gay man. A few weeks later, Crespo-Cagnant returned across the border into the United States.
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US gay blood donation rules now in line with NZ
US gay blood donation rules now in line with NZ
Gay men in the US will now be faced with the same rules as New Zealand men when donating blood after the US Food and Drug Administration relaxed a 30 year-old rule. The new rule allows gay men in the US to give blood 12 months after their last sexual …
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FDA Changes Blood Donation Restrictions
FDA Changes Blood Donation Restrictions
While the one-year ban has been criticized by activists, it matches policies in other countries, including Australia, Japan and the UK. Gay rights activists said the new policy is a “step in the right direction,” but falls short. The policy shift was first …
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Congressional Spending Bill Includes Funding to Support LGBT Equality Abroad
Congressional Spending Bill Includes Funding to Support LGBT Equality Abroad
When Congress finally passed a government-wide spending bill for fiscal year 2016 late last week, it contained some good news for international LGBT rights.
First and foremost, Congress approved about $100 million more in funding for democracy and human rights than they did last year. “Democracy, Rights and Governance” programs, which are the general pot for funding a wide variety of human rights activities, will receive $2.48 billion dollars, which is about $78 million dollars more than the 2015 levels. The National Endowment for Democracy, which also funds international human rights activities, saw a significant increase of $35 million above last year’s level of $135 million. This extra $100 million means that the United States’ LGBT activities around the globe could get a share of that funding.
Congressional lawmakers also wrote an accompanying report explaining the bill’s intent. It contains a number of “directives” in which Congress requires the administration to submit reports on a variety of topics. This year’s bill requires the State Department to submit a report to Congress “on steps taken…to prevent discrimination and abuse against LGBT persons abroad, and to respond to discriminatory laws, including in The Gambia and Nigeria.” It also recommended funding for the State Department’s Special Envoy for LGBTI Human Rights and for USAID’s Senior LGBT Coordinator.
This was the first time that lawmakers had an opportunity to reference the Special Envoy in a spending bill, since the position was only created earlier this year. While they did not include direct funding for the position or the office, this is a positive first step to ensure that the office is continued – and hopefully funded – into the next administration. This is also the first time budget writers have referenced USAID’s Senior LGBT Coordinator, a position that was only created in 2014. Regardless of who wins the general election next year, this language demonstrates that Congress supports the continuation of these two crucial positions beyond the last day of the current administration.
The focus on Nigeria and The Gambia in the bill is also important. While the Obama Administration has taken a number of historic steps to promote the human rights of LGBT people around the world, including the appointments at USAID and at State mentioned above, there are a few places where greater action could be taken to protect LGBT people.
In Nigeria, lawmakers passed the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act early in 2014, which outlawed same-sex marriage, same-sex relationships and even LGBT organizations. Unfortunately, the U.S. response to the Nigerian law has been muted, far from the robust U.S. reaction to Uganda’s notorious Anti-Homosexuality Act later that same year.
There has been a similar story in The Gambia. Officials there publicized a new law in late 2014 punishing LGBT Gambians and there have since been crackdowns and arrests of LGBT people. President Yahya Jammeh even threatened to “slit the throats” of gay men in his country. And yet, to date, the U.S. has only responded by removing The Gambia from a trade preference program. The U.S. government should use its authority to ban certain Gambian officials from entering the U.S. if they have been guilty of human rights abuses against LGBT people.
While legislation as big as this one will always contain wins and losses, it is welcome news that Congress included strong funding for democracy and human rights, as well as language focusing attention on two difficult countries for LGBT people. HRC thanks the bill’s authors, Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Pat Leahy (D-VT) and Reps. Kay Granger (R-TX) and Nita Lowey (D-NY) for securing these advances for LGBT equality around the globe.
