Indian Activists Visit HRC, Share Challenges Facing Indian Transgender Community

Last week, HRC hosted eight advocates working on transgender issues in India at our office in Washington, D.C. The activists were visiting the U.S. as part of a State Department cultural exchange program with the aim of “understanding transgender issues in the U.S.” The activists hailed from a variety of states around India and their work spanned HIV prevention and care, mental health counseling, transgender rights, filmmaking and the arts. They came to HRC to learn about the state of the transgender movement in the United States and to share perspectives about the transgender movement in India.

Jay Brown, an openly transgender leader at HRC, and Sarah McBride, who was the first openly transgender person to speak at a major U.S. party convention and a member of HRC’s staff, talked about key developments in the transgender movement and notable victories in the U.S. Brown and McBride touched on the unprecedented visibility recently enjoyed by transgender Americans and how it has unfortunately been accompanied by a backlash in states such as North Carolina.

Sadhana Kinner, an activist from the eastern state of Odisha, praised the Indian Supreme Court verdict in April 2014. The decision granted transgender people legal status but Kinner criticized the slow implementation of the verdict. She noted that transgender people, some of whom identify as third gender or hijra, have always been more visible in Indian society compared to LGB people but they struggle to find jobs and are often confined to sex work, begging and the entertainment industry. Jaya Annamalai, an activist from Tamil Nadu, also said transgender Indians living with HIV face intense stigma.

HRC’s work to improve the lives of transgender people was detailed by Gabe Murchison and Tari Hanneman. Hanneman explained how HRC’s Healthcare Equality Index has worked with health systems to adopt transgender-inclusive policies and train their staff to work effectively with transgender patients. Murchison highlighted HRC’s work to prevent violence against transgender people and explained how HRC gives youth-serving professionals, including educators and child welfare workers, information and resources that help them support young transgender people.

Earlier this year, HRC joined Vyjayanti Vasanta Mogli, who was a member of the visiting group, at a workplace inclusion summit in Hyderabad to discuss the need for transgender-inclusive policies for workers in U.S. multinationals in foreign countries. To learn more about HRC’s work around the world, click here. 

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#AM_Equality Tip Sheet: September 27, 2016

LAST NIGHT — TWO CANDIDATES, ONE PRESIDENT: Last night, Hillary Clinton swept the floor with Donald Trump, calling out his endless stream of lies and remaining unflappable and presidential in the face of this constant interruptions and unprofessional behavior. Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine joined HRC President Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin) and Florida supporters for HRC’s debate watch party in Orlando. After paying tribute at Pulse nightclub, Kaine and Griffin — joined by former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) and retired NASA astronaut Captain Mark Kelly (@ShuttleCDRKelly) — spoke to hundreds of pro-equality voters at HRC’s watch party. Through our #TurnOUT 2016 campaign, HRC is working to mobilize and turn out LGBTQ and pro-equality voters in Florida and other battleground states across the country. In Florida, the LGBTQ vote could impact the outcome of races up and down the ballot. There are approximately 560,000 LGBTQ adults living in Florida — a substantial population given President Obama only won the state by a little over 70,000 votes in 2012. More from HRC and WMFE.

• Before the debate, Tim Kaine was joined by HRC’s Griffin, Giffords, Kelly, Senator Bill Nelson (@SenBillNelson) and Orlando Police Chief John Mina (@ChiefJohnMina) for a powerful visit to the Pulse Nightclub. There, they paid tribute to the 49 lives lost. Kaine remarked, “…I always hoped that the Virginia Tech one would be the worst one ever…as bad as that was, I hoped that nothing would ever eclipse it but, such as life we got work to do…” More from ABC and NBC.

TODAY: HRC JOINS AMERICANS FOR RESPONSIBLE SOLUTIONS IN ORLANDO: HRC President Chad Griffin will join Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, Navy combat veteran and retired NASA astronaut Captain Mark Kelly, for a rally and round table discussion to urge the majority of Americans who support common sense gun violence prevention laws to vote in November. The events mark the kick-off of a 14-state Vocal Majority Tour by Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC — which Giffords and Kelly co-founded. Four days after the devastating attack on Pulse, the HRC’s board of directors passed a resolution endorsing common-sense gun violence prevention policy measures.

HRC ENDORSES FLORIDA’S PATRICK MURPHY FOR US SENATE: HRC has endorsed Congressman Patrick Murphy (@PatrickMurphyFL) for the U.S. Senate seat in Florida currently held by Marco Rubio. “The choice for LGBTQ Floridians could not be more clear in November. Patrick Murphy has a record of leadership on equality while Marco Rubio has dedicated his career to opposing LGBTQ equality,” said HRC President Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin). Last week, at Murphy’s urging, the IRS determined that OneOrlando Fund payouts to survivors of the Pulse shooting would be treated as gifts and therefore be exempt from federal income tax. In stark contrast, Rubio spent the two-month anniversary of the Pulse tragedy courting the support of anti-LGBTQ activists just miles from the site of the tragedy in Orlando. More from The Miami Herald.

Join us at 10:30 a.m. ET for today’s #HRCTwitterTakeover with Pulse survivor, @BrandonJWolf ahead of the @resp_solutions Bus Tour Kickoff! pic.twitter.com/5yQp8vrqBN

— HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) September 27, 2016

ROY MOORE — “NOTHING BUT TROUBLE FOR ALABAMA”: Tomorrow, notoriously anti-LGBTQ Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore will face a hearing to determine whether he should be removed from the bench for his more than decade-long record of unethical, extralegal actions — from his Ten Commandments crusade in 2001 to his present-day obstructionist tactics aimed at preventing marriage equality in Alabama. “It marks a fork in the road for our state,” said HRC Alabama State Manager Eva Kendrick in an op-ed for AL.com. “He’s blatantly pushed a personal agenda and ignored the rule of law and the code of ethics that guides the work of an Alabama Supreme Court justice.” Read the powerful piece at AL.com.

• #NoMoore: Check out HRC’s newest video highlighting Roy Moore’s unethical behavior and HRC’s efforts to fight back against it here.

WHAT WILL IT TAKE, GOV. MCCRORY? INVESTMENT MANAGERS REPRESENTING $2.1 TRILLION URGE FULL HB2 REPEAL:  More than 50 investment managers with accounts totalling more than $2.1 trillion are calling for the full and immediate repeal of North Carolina’s discriminatory HB2 law before damage to the state becomes irreversible. The signatories — organized by the Durham, N.C.-based Croatan Institute; Trillium Asset Management, which has offices in Durham; and the New York City Comptroller — assert that non-discrimination policies protecting LGBTQ individuals ensure that businesses “attract, retain and promote the best and the brightest,” and that such policies “are essential if we want companies — and our economy — to succeed.” More from The Charlotte Observer.

ICYMI: Check out HRC National Press Secretary Sarah McBride’s (@SarahEMcBride) Twitter storm highlighting the ways Donald Trump would set back LGBTQ equality. Find her tweets here.

(1) First debate is tonight and regardless of whether #LGBTQ issues come up, let’s compare the two candidates on equality, shall we?

— Sarah McBride (@SarahEMcBride) September 26, 2016

HRC & ROCK THE VOTE JOIN FORCES TO REGISTER PRO-EQUALITY VOTERS: To mark National Voter Registration Day and ensure that the voices of pro-equality voters are heard in November, HRC and Rock the Vote are offering simple, online assistance here to help those seeking to register to vote in their state.

STAND UP, SPEAK OUT DURING LGBTQ ALLY WEEK: Schools across America this week will be marking Ally Week, a time for allies of LGBTQ students to stand up, speak out and discuss what it means to be an ally to the LGBTQ community. Learn more from GLSEN.

WILL & GRACE CAST REUNITES TO (HILARIOUSLY) GET OUT THE PRO-EQUALITY VOTE: The cast of the groundbreaking TV show Will & Grace — Debra Messing (@DebraMessing), Eric McCormack (@EricMcCormack), Sean Hayes (@SeanHayes) and Megan Mullally (@MeganOMullally) — made a welcome comeback online last night urging viewers to vote, and taking well-aimed shots at Donald Trump. The show was a pioneer for LGBTQ representation in television, and many of  its stars are vocal supporters of LGBTQ rights. The video, which can be found here, already has nearly 950,000 views.

LONDON TO EXPAND GENDER OPTIONS ON CITY FORMS: London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced that the city plans on expanding gender options on city forms, recognizing intersex and non-binary identities. More from Pink News. 

READING RAINBOW
The Huffington Post shares an open letter providing resources to parents of transgender children… Mic takes a look at Pope Francis’ stances on LGBTQ equality… NewNowNext reports that Modern Family has cast the first openly transgender child actor…

Have news? Send us your news and tips at [email protected]. Click here to subscribe to A.M. Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading!

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Oscar Wilde’s House, Five Other Sites Recognized For Significance To Gay History

Oscar Wilde photo by Napoleon Sarony. Wilde’s house photo via Historic England.

The former home of writer Oscar Wilde is one of six sites recognized by Historic England, an arm of the British government, for having significance to LGBTQ history.

Duncan Wilson, the chief executive of Historic England, said in a telephone interview with The New York Times that the decision was “part of a deliberate policy of looking at what we protect and commemorate by a listing, to see that it is more representative of society as a whole.”

Related: Explore Dublin, London And Paris With The Spirit Of Oscar Wilde

Wilde lived in the house, at 34 Tite Street, with his wife, Constance Lloyd, and their two children from 1884 until his trial for “gross indecency” in 1895.

The listing on Historic England’s website reads:

It was the family home of Oscar Wilde and his wife Constance Lloyd from their marriage in 1884, and that of their children, Cyril, born in 1885, and Vyvyan, 1886. The family lived there until Wilde’s trial for ‘gross indecency’ in 1895, when he was sentenced to two years with hard labour after being found guilty of engaging in sexual acts with other men. Following his conviction, Constance took the surname ‘Holland’ in a bid to disassociate herself from the scandal, and moved her sons to schools in Europe. The house has a London County Council (LCC) plaque on it, recording the association with Wilde. Brick-built with two-storeyed bay window. Three storeys, basement and attic. E W Godwin decorated the interior for Wilde in 1884.

Oscar Wilde’s former home in London until 1985. Photo via Historic England.

Another site designated significant to LGBTQ history in England is the Red House, in Aldeburgh, where composer Benjamin Britten and his partner, singer Peter Pears, lived together from 1957 until Britten’s death in 1976. It is run by the Britten-Pears Foundation and is open to the public, unlike the Wilde house which is still a private residence.

Red House, in Aldeburgh, England, where Benjamin Britten and his partner lived. Photo by Philip Vile, Historic England.

Two other homes made the cut as well.

Shibden Hall, in Halifax in West Yorkshire, was the home of Anne Lister, which she shared for several years with her partner, Ann Walker. Lister kept diaries, partly in code, about her relationships with women.

St. Ann’s Court, in Chertsey, a suburb in Surrey, was home to two men, Gerald Schlesinger and Christopher Tunnard, who designed it in response to laws that made homosexual sex a crime, even in one’s own home. The master bedroom was able to be separated into two, so as to give the illusion that they slept apart.

Related: It’s Official: Stonewall Inn Is A National Monument

The Burdett-Coutts Memorial Sundial at St. Pancras Gardens in London was also selected. It honors, among others, Chevalier d’Eon, a French spy and diplomat, who fought in the Seven Years’ War and presented both as male and female at various points throughout life.

The Burdett-Coutts Memorial Sundial. Photo by Loz Pycock on Flickr, CC 2.0.

The grave of Amelia Edwards, a writer, musician and founder of Egyptology, rounds out the sites considered an important part of “queer history.”

It is located in St. Mary’s Churchyard, Hendon. She and her partner, Ellen Braysher, lived in the nearby town of Weston-super-Mare.

www.queerty.com/oscar-wildes-house-five-sites-recognized-significance-gay-history-20160927?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

PHOTO: Hunky Men Stroke Each Other’s Alter Egos In Budapest

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Rosie O’Donnell Responds to Donald Trump Debate Jab: An ‘Orange Anus’ Who Will ‘Never Be President’

At the end of last night’s debate with Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump decided he’d bring up his decade-long feud with Rosie O’Donnell, seemingly spurred on by accusations from Clinton about his derogatory remarks toward women.

WATCH: “Rosie O’donnell, I said very tough things to her, and I think everybody would agree she deserves it.” – Trump #debates pic.twitter.com/cDfBr2lpZ4

— Good Morning America (@GMA) September 27, 2016

Rosie O’Donnell responded on Twitter: “HE WILL NEVER BE PRESIDENT.”

HE WILL NEVER BE PRESIDENT … @WeinerAnne

— Rosie (@Rosie) September 27, 2016

Rosie also tweeted the video she says inspired Trump’s anger toward her, saying, “the 5 mins orange anus can’t seem to get over — tell the truth – shame the Donald #ImWithHer”

t.co/EvxYa7A4bL — the 5 mins orange anus can’t seem to get over — tell the truth – shame the donald #ImWithHer

— Rosie (@Rosie) September 27, 2016

The post Rosie O’Donnell Responds to Donald Trump Debate Jab: An ‘Orange Anus’ Who Will ‘Never Be President’ appeared first on Towleroad.

Rosie O’Donnell Responds to Donald Trump Debate Jab: An ‘Orange Anus’ Who Will ‘Never Be President’

Transgender Child Actor Jackson Millarker to Make Debut on ‘Modern Family’ This Wednesday

Jackson Millarker, an 8-year-old transgender child actor, will make his debut on ABC’s Modern Family this Wednesday.

Writes the episode’s director Ryan Case, on Instagram: “This is Jackson Millarker. He’s 8 years old, from Atlanta, and just happens to be transgender. He plays Lily’s friend Tom in this week’s Modern Family and he’s wonderful. One of the many reasons I love being a part of this show.”

Variety reports:

In the upcoming episode — entitled “A Stereotypical Day” — parents Cameron “Cam” (Eric Stonestreet) and Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) permit their daughter Lily (Aubrey Anderson-Emmons) to have her transgender friend Tom over for a play-date. Both parents are filled with pride that they have done well in raising an accepting and open-minded child. But that pride quickly diminishes when Lily insults her friend, which they use as a teachable moment.

The post Transgender Child Actor Jackson Millarker to Make Debut on ‘Modern Family’ This Wednesday appeared first on Towleroad.

Transgender Child Actor Jackson Millarker to Make Debut on ‘Modern Family’ This Wednesday

LGBT Activists in Mexico Out Four Priests Alleged To Be In Same-Sex Relationships: VIDEO

Prior to last weekend’s march in Mexico City against same-sex marriage, LGBT activists in Mexico outed four priests they allege are in same-sex relationships.

Attended by an estimated 80,000 people, the march last Saturday was “organized by Catholics and the ultra-conservative National Front for the Family,” according to Telesur.

Commenting on the outings, Cristian Galarza, an organizer for the National Pride Front said “Everyone deserves the right to be in the closet but when you come out and condemn homosexuality, condemn gay marriage, and try to influence a secular state, you’ve lost the right to the closet.”

RELATED: 12-Year-Old Mexican Boy Attempts to Block Thousands of Anti-Gay Protesters

Insisting that they “respect” LGBT people, Magdalena Ibarrola, one of the Mexico City protesters said “we’re not in favour of the government imposing an ideology that does not match up with reality.” She added that gay adoptions are harmful and corrupting for children.

Responding to the outings, LGBT rights group All Out’s Enrique Torre Molina said:

“They can spin it anyway they want, but they’re ultimately using someone’s sexual orientation as a tool against that person, which is exactly what the LGBT movement is not about. If anyone knows how tough it can be to have your sexual orientation used against you, it is a gay or lesbian person.”

Earlier this year, Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto presented legislation in favor of same-sex marriage after a 2015 supreme court ruling saying it was unconstitutional to refuse gay couples the right to marriage.

Last week, Father Hugo Valdemar, the spokesperson of Mexico’s Catholic church accused the country’s anti-discrimination watchdog, Conapred, of persecution.

Watch a report on proposals for same-sex marriage in Mexico below.

(Image via Twitter)

The post LGBT Activists in Mexico Out Four Priests Alleged To Be In Same-Sex Relationships: VIDEO appeared first on Towleroad.

LGBT Activists in Mexico Out Four Priests Alleged To Be In Same-Sex Relationships: VIDEO

Young, Gay, and in Love in China

www.advocate.com/photography/2016/9/27/young-gay-and-love-china