DOJ Releases Report Detailing Unlawful Conduct of Baltimore City Police Department

Today, the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Civil Rights Division, released a report on its investigation of the Baltimore City Police Department (BPD) that concludes there is “reasonable cause to believe that BPD engages in a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the Constitution or federal law.” The report details the BPD’s pattern of unconstitutional stops, searches and arrests disproportionately targeting African Americans, its use of excessive force and its retaliation against people engaging in constitutionally-protected expression.

The report also expresses concern that officers are displaying unlawful gender bias in their interactions with female victims of sexual violence and transgender people. It cites several examples, including BPD officers making disparaging and inappropriate comments to transgender individuals, and refusing to acknowledge transgender people’s gender identity. In addition, DOJ investigators heard from several sources that the BPD lacks guidance on the appropriate process for searching transgender people.

These injustices are compounded by the many others faced by Black people of all gender identities and sexual orientations at the hands of BPD. The effect of this unlawful behavior is significant. “Systemic deficiencies in BPD’s practices contribute to constitutional violations, erode community trust, and inhibit effective policing,” the report states.

Data show that LGBTQ people are disproportionately affected by the criminal justice system. The 2011 National Transgender Discrimination Survey found disproportionately high rates of arrest and incarceration among Black transgender people when compared to all other racial and ethnic groups, and the Center for American Progress (CAP) and the Movement Advancement Project (MAP) released a report earlier this year on “how the broken criminal justice system fails LGBT people.” Today’s report from the DOJ provides examples of how these injustices manifest on the local level.

This DOJ report confirms the lived experience of many Black people, especially Black transgender people, in Baltimore. HRC is heartened to hear that the City of Baltimore recognizes the issues DOJ has identified and is committed to reform. As DOJ and Baltimore work together to improve the state of policing in Baltimore, HRC will continue to work with Congress and the Administration to push for criminal justice reform on the federal level.

www.hrc.org/blog/doj-releases-report-detailing-unlawful-conduct-of-baltimore-city-police-dep?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Approximately 2.2 Million LGBTQ Adults Struggle with Food Insecurity in the US

A new study by The Williams Institute found that one in four LGBTQ adults, approximately 2.2 million LGBTQ people, struggled to feed themselves or their families in the past year, compared to one in six non-LGBTQ adults.

SNAP, which stands for the federal “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program,” commonly known as food stamps, has become a vital program for LGBTQ adults. “More than 1 in 4 LGB adults aged 18-44 (27 percent) participated in SNAP, compared to 17 percent of non-LGB adults in the same age range,” The Williams Institute reported. “Food insecurity is not distributed evenly in the LGBT community. Certain racial and ethnic minorities (42 percent among African-Americans, 33 percent among Hispanics, and 32 percent among American Indians and Alaskan Natives), women (31 percent), unmarried individuals (30 percent), and those raising children (33 percent) are particularly likely to report not having enough money for the food that they or their families needed at some point in the last year.”

While the data did not include a breakdown of food insecurity among the transgender community, the transgender community faces disproportionately high rates of poverty, homelessness, and unemployment when compared to cisgender people, all factors that increase the risk of food insecurity.

HRC’s Health and Aging Program works to ensure the health and safety of LGBTQ people. The program’s Healthcare Equality Index helps healthcare facilities implement policies and staff training that lead to LGBTQ-inclusive care.

To learn more about HRC’s Health and Aging program, visit www.hrc.org/explore/topic/health-and-aging.

www.hrc.org/blog/approximately-2.2-million-lgbtq-adults-struggle-with-food-insecurity-in-the?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Majority of D-1 NCAA Basketball Coaches Denounce North Carolina’s Discriminatory HB2

In a questionnaire for CBS Sports, a majority of D-1 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) coaches who responded agreed that the NCAA should ban future tournaments in North Carolina until HB2 is repealed.

CBS Sports reporters Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander asked 110 D-1 coaches across the country: “Should the NCAA refuse to host any more NCAA tournament games in North Carolina until the HB2 law is amended or eradicated?” Fifty-six percent of respondents answered, “yes.”

“Norlander added that ‘a number of North Carolina-based head coaches told me they believe the NCAAT should leave NC until HB2 is changed,’” the Charlotte Observer reported.

The NCAA is not the only sports organization to speak out against the vile law. In July, the NBA stood up to North Carolina lawmakers who refused to repeal HB2 by pulling its 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte. Despite the NBA’s repeated warnings that it would have to consider moving the high-profile game out of the state if the anti-LGBTQ law was not repealed, the state’s General Assembly shamefully adjourned after 100 days of inaction earlier this month.

A day after the NBA pulled the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte, the NCAA also took a decisive step. It announced that all cities bidding to host championship games must submit a survey detailing their non-discrimination laws and policies.

The state’s General Assembly adjourned its short session last month after refusing to fully repeal the discriminatory law, and it is not scheduled to reconvene until January — leaving tens of thousands of people at risk in the interim.

According to a Public Policy Polling (PPP) poll released today, 58 percent of North Carolinians believe HB2 is hurting the state’s economy.

“When we last polled that (economy) question in June only 49 percent thought it was hurting the state’s economy so the high profile cancellation of the NBA All Star game may be helping to fuel those numbers,” PPP reported.

Despite widespread opposition to the law, the General Assembly has been unwilling to even consider repealing the anti-LGBTQ components of the law, including its ban on transgender people accessing restrooms consistent with their gender identity in government offices and schools, and removal of municipalities’ ability to pass LGBTQ-inclusive non-discrimination laws.

www.hrc.org/blog/majority-of-d-1-ncaa-basketball-coaches-denounce-north-carolinas-discrimina?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Amber Rose: A Wig Won't Make My Son Gay

The model blasted antigay commenters who objected to her son wearing a wig on Instagram.

www.advocate.com/people/2016/8/10/amber-rose-wig-wont-make-my-son-gay

Trump Using Omar Mateen's Father Against Hillary

The Clinton campaign is forced to disavow the support of Seddique Mateen, who appeared at a rally of hers this week.

www.advocate.com/election/2016/8/10/trump-using-omar-mateens-father-against-hillary

YouTuber Gigi Gorgeous: I Was Detained in Dubai for Being Trans (Video)

Calling the five-hour ordeal “one of the scariest moments of my life,” Gorgeous told fans her story through Instagram. 

www.advocate.com/transgender/2016/8/10/youtuber-gigi-gorgeous-i-was-detained-dubai-being-trans-video

BBC Forced To Apologize For On-Air Homophobic Joke During Olympics Coverage

Paul Hand. Photo via Twitter.

Ah, the kiss cam. That cute, time tested stunt seen at sporting events around the world to keep people entertained during slow moments between the action.

Related: Hockey Fan Gets Surprised Smooch From Man Seated Behind Him

It’s a lot less cute when you add homophobia into the mix, as TV presenter Paul Hand did while commentating on the women’s tennis singles quarterfinals of the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

“Let’s hope they don’t go on to two blokes sat next to each other,” Hand said, after encouraging straight couples to kiss.

Related: Nike Drops Ad Championing Transgender Athlete During Olympics

The BBC has issued an apology, saying, “The comment was ill-judged and we apologise to any of our viewers who were offended.”

And indeed, many were:

Dear @BBCSport, homophobic and Russophobic comments by Paul Hand are hurtful and mean.

— Marta (@MStolzova) August 9, 2016

Disgusting homophobia by @BBCSport‘s commentator Paul Hand during the Tennis. Indefensible.

— (((JP Kesseler))) (@jpkesseler) August 9, 2016

Wow!! @BBCSport I think someone needs a word with Paul Hand. Why shouldn’t the camera have picked out two guys?!?! t.co/93k1Zgrx2G

— Gary Patrick Brown (@gpb1979) August 9, 2016

And this is what is wrong with some people in society. Sad. Paul Hand hang your head in shame t.co/Fk3sh31HmD

— Andy Bigh Hargreaves (@therealbig_h) August 9, 2016

Watch video of the “joke” below.

This year’s Olympic Games has a record number of out athletes, one of whom, Team Brazil’s Isadora Cerullo, got engaged to her girlfriend in Rio after her rugby match with Team Australia.

Related: Tom Daley Unwittingly Steals Spotlight From Equally Adept, Speedoed Daniel Goodfellow

Some of the athletes have been subjected to homophobic slurs from crowds, in particular members of the American women’s soccer team. Team USA includes several out lesbians. The head coach, Jill Ellis, is also a lesbian.

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Colton Haynes On The Struggle Of Being A Gay Heartthrob, Infamous XY Photos

It would be easy to write Colton Haynes off as a pretty boy, an Instagay thirst trap, etc. But the truth is it’s damn hard to hate on someone who comes off as profoundly wounded as the former Aarow star does.

“If one more person tells me I have champagne problems I’m going to break the champagne bottle over their head,” Haynes tells Out’s R. Kurt Osenlund. In the magazine’s September cover story, the 28-year-old actor talks candidly about his well-publicized battle with anxiety, and all the other issues that have contributed to it.

Related: Watch Colton Haynes’ Butt Do A Jiggle For Team USA

Haynes opens up about that infamous XY cover shoot (“This was, like, the cover of Vogue for me. I was like, ‘This is it! I’m going to be in a magazine!’ I truly thought it was going to be this serious moment in my career.”) and his PR team’s efforts to scrub the photos from the Internet once his star began to rise (we were even threatened with legal action if we ran the photos). Haynes says he worried about how that was perceived by the LGBT community: “I looked like I was fucking gay-bashing,” he says. “Like I hated myself or I hated the gays, which was never the intention at all. I was just young and trying to make it in this town and doing what these people were telling me to do.”

He takes The Real O’Neals star Noah Galvin to task for his comments back in June criticizing the way Haynes came out, revealing that Galvin had initially expressed support. “When I came out, Noah tweeted, ‘Welcome to the family,’ and ‘So proud of you,’” he says. “Then, all of a sudden, I’m the worst, I’m a terrible person, and I’m a shame to the gay community.” His thoughts on Galvin’s public mae culpa? “I think anyone in their right mind would call bullshit on that.”

Related: Colton Haynes Publicly Responds To Being Called “The Worst” By Noah Galvin

But the story isn’t all celebrity in-fighting and gay-on-gay shade. It gets kind of dark. Haynes claims that a former manager dropped him for being gay and suggested prostitution as a viable career alternative. He opens up about the trauma of high school bullying after he came out to a classmate at 14, which led to a troubled adolescence of drug experimentation and running away from home.

And then there’s his father’s suicide: “I was told that my dad killed himself because he found out I was gay.”

Here’s hoping Haynes gets a big hug from one of his three celebrity crushes—John Cena, Idris Elba, Ryan Reynold—sometime soon!

Read the full story here.

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