National
From LGBTQ book bans to internet bans: A bipartisan attack on knowledge
Online safe spaces for queer youth increasingly at risk
āThey had LGBTQ-inclusive books in every single classroom and school library,ā Maxx Fenning says of his high school experience. āThey were even working on LGBTQ-specific course codes to get approved by the state,ā he said, describing courses on queer studies and LGBTQ Black history.
No, Fenning didnāt grow up in Portland or a Boston suburb. Fenning graduated from a South Florida high school in 2020. Floridaās transformation from mostly affirming to āDonāt Say Gayā has been swift, he says. āIt feels like a parallel universe.ā
Fenning, who just graduated from the University of Florida, follows the developments closely as the executive director of PRISM FL Inc., a youth-led LGBTQ nonprofit he founded at 17. āI’ve watched so many of the things that I kind of took advantage of be stripped away from all of the students that came after me,ā Fenning says. āItās one thing to be in an environment that’s not supportive of you. It’s another thing to be in an environment that’s supportive of you and then watch it fall apart.ā
āItās just gut-wrenching,ā Fenning explained, describing how Floridaās increasingly hostile legislation has transformed the state he has lived in most of his life.
Most recently, Florida passed HB3, āOnline Protections for Minors,ā which bans youth under 14 from having social media accounts. Youths aged 14 and 15 need parental consent before getting accounts and any minor must be protected from āharmful contentā online.
Unlike the previous legislation, which came predominately from the right and directly targeted issues like gender-affirming healthcare or DEI, HB3 is part of a bipartisan push across the country to regulate social media, specifically for youth. HB3 was co-sponsored by Michele K. Rayner, the openly queer Black member of the Florida Legislature, alongside many of her colleagues across the aisle. Similar national legislation, like Kids Online Safety Act, includes 68 Democratic and Republican sponsors.
Shae Gardner, policy director at LGBT Tech, explains that this legislation disproportionately harms LGBTQ youth, regardless of intentions or sponsors.Ā
Gardner says that while all these bills claim they are for the safety of kids, for LGBTQ youth, āyou are putting them at risk if you keep them offline.ā She explains that āa majority of LGBTQ youth do not have access to affirming spaces in their homes and their communities. They go online to look like that. A majority say online spaces are affirming.ā
Research by the Trevor Project, which reports that more than 80% of LGBTQ youth āfeel safe and understood in specific online spacesā backs this up. Specific online spaces that are under target from legislation, like TikTok, are disproportionately spaces where LGBTQ youth of color feel safest.
āFor LGBTQ people, social media has provided spaces, which are, at once both public and private, that encourage, and enhance ā¦ a great deal of self-expression that is so important for these communities,ā confirms Dr. Paromita Pain, professor, Global Media Studies & Cybersecurity at University of Nevada, Reno. She is the editor of the books āGlobal LGBTQ Activismā and āLGBTQ digital cultures.ā
Fenning emphasizes that with bills like āDonāt Say Gay,ā in Florida ā and other states including North Carolina, Arkansas, Iowa, and Indiana ā LGBTQ youth have less access to vital information about their health and history. āSocial media [are] where young people increasingly turn to get information about their community, their history, their bodies and themselves.ā
At PRISM, Fenning works to get accurate, fact-backed information to Florida youth through these pathways, ranging from information on health and wellbeing to LGBTQ history to current events. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Often youth tell him āI wish I learned this in school,ā which is a bittersweet feeling for Fenning since it represents how much young LGBTQ youth are missing out on in their education.
Morgan Mayfaire, executive director of TransSOCIAL, a Florida advocacy group, said that these internet bans are an extension of book bans, because when he was a teen, books were his pathway into the LGBTQ community. āFor me it was the library and the bookstores that we knew were LGBTQ friendly.ā Now 65, Mayfaire understands that ākids today have grown up with the internet. That’s where they get all their information. You start closing this off, and you’re basically boxing them in and closing every single avenue that they have. What do you think is going to happen? Of course, it’s going to have an impact emotionally and mentally.ā
Fenning says that social media and the internet were powerful to him as a teen. āI was able to really come into my own and learn about myself also through social media. It was really powerful for me, building a sense of self.ā Gardner agrees, sharing that legislation like this, which would have limited ā15-year-old me, searching āif it was OK to be gayā online, would have stagnated my journey into finding out who I was.ā
Gardner also explains that many of the bills, like HB3, limit content that is āharmfulā or āobsceneā but do not specifically define what that content is. Those definitions can be used to limit LGBTQ content.
āExisting content moderation tools already over-censor LGBTQ+ content and users,ā says Gardner, āthey have a hard time distinguishing between sexual content and LGBTQ+ content.ā Pain emphasizes that this is no accident, āthere are algorithms that have been created to specifically keep these communities out.ā
With the threat of fines and litigation from HB3, says Gardner, āmoderation tools and the platforms that use them is only going to worsen,ā especially since the same legislators may use the same terms to define other queer content like family-friendly drag performances.
In addition to being biased, it has devastating effects on LGBTQ youth understanding of their sense of identity, Fenning explains. āThat perception of queer people as being overly sexual or their relationships and love being inherently sexual in a way that other relationships aren’t does harm to our community.ā
Gardner acknowledges that online safety has a long way to go ā pointing to online harassment, cybercrime, and data privacyābut that these bills are not the correct pathways. She emphasizes āeverybody’s data could be better protected, and that should be happening on a federal level. First and foremost, that should be the floor of protection.ā
She also emphasizes that content moderation has a long way to go from targeting the LGBTQ community to protecting it. āTrans users are the most harassed of any demographic across the board. That is the conversation I wish we were having, instead of just banning kids from being online in the first place.ā
Being queer on the ground in Florida is scary. āThe community is very fearful. This [legislation] has a big impact on us,ā explains Mayfaire.
āI mean, it sucks. Right?ā Fenning chuckles unhappily, āto be a queer person in Florida. In a state that feels like it is just continuously doing everything it can to destroy your life and all facets and then all realms.ā
Despite the legislative steamrolling, several court wins and coordinated action by LGBTQ activists help residents see a brighter future. āThere’s a weird tinge of hope that that has really been carrying so many queer people and I know myself especially this year as we’re seeing the rescinding of so many of these harmful policies and laws.ā
For example, this March, Florida settled a challenge to its āDonāt Say Gayā legislation that significantly lessens its impact. Already, experts warn that HB3 will face legal challenges.
Pain emphasizes that social media is central to LGBTQ activism, especially in Florida. āThere have been examples of various movements, where social media has been used extremely effectively, to put across voices to highlight issues that they would not have otherwise had a chance to talk about,ā she says, specifically citing counteraction to āDonāt Say Gay.ā That is another reason why legislation like this disproportionately harms LGBTQ people and other minority groups, it limits their ability to organize.
Fenning emphasizes that HB3 directly attacks spaces like PRISM, which do not just share information for the LGBTQ community, but provide spaces for them. āFoundationally it provides an opportunity for the community,ā he says, but more than anything, it provides a space, where āyou can you can learn from your queer ancestors, so to speak, and take charge.ā And that is invaluable.Ā
(This story is part of the Digital Equity Local Voices Fellowship lab through News is Out. The lab initiative is made possible with support from Comcast NBCUniversal.)
U.S. Supreme Court
Concern over marriage equality in US grows two decades after first Mass. same-sex weddings
Gay and lesbian couples began to marry in Bay State in 2004
Two decades after Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage, a new study reveals both significant progress and ongoing challenges for married LGBTQ couples in the U.S., with a growing sense of insecurity about the future of their rights.
The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law surveyed 484 married same-sex couples from all 50 states and D.C. The study, released Monday, marks the 20th anniversary of legal same-sex marriage in the U.S.
Researchers found that 93 percent of respondents cited love as a primary reason for marrying, with 75 percent also mentioning legal protections. Over 83 percent reported positive changes in their sense of security, and 74.6 percent noted improved life satisfaction since marrying.
However, the study also highlighted persistent discrimination and growing concerns about the future. About 11 percent of couples who had a wedding reported facing prejudice during the planning process.
Alarmingly, nearly 80 percent of respondents expressed concern about the potential overturning of the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. This anxiety has been exacerbated by initiatives like Project 2025, a conservative policy blueprint that some fear could roll back LGBTQ rights if implemented.
The possibility of a former President Donald Trump victory in the upcoming election has further intensified these concerns. Many respondents cited Trump’s previous U.S. Supreme Court appointments and his statements on LGBTQ issues as reasons for their apprehension. One participant stated, “The thought of another Trump presidency keeps me up at night. We’ve come so far, but it feels like our rights could be stripped away at any moment.”
The current political climate has 29 percent of respondents considering moving to another state, with 52.9 percent citing socio-political concerns as a primary reason. This reflects a growing sense of insecurity among LGBTQ couples about their rights and freedoms.
Brad Sears, founding executive director of the Williams Institute, noted, “The data clearly show that marriage equality has had a profound positive impact on same-sex couples and their families. However, it also reveals ongoing challenges and serious concerns about the future of these rights in light of current political trends and the upcoming election.”
Christy Mallory, legal director at the Williams Institute and lead author of the study, added, “This research provides crucial insights into the lived experiences of same-sex couples two decades after marriage equality began in the U.S. The high level of concern about potential loss of rights underscores the continued importance of legal protections and public support for LGBTQ+ equality.”
The study found that 30 percent of surveyed couples have children, with 58.1 percent of those parents reporting that marriage provided more stability for their families. However, many of these families now worry about the security of their legal status in the face of potential policy changes and shifting political landscapes.
As the nation reflects on two decades of marriage equality, the study underscores both the transformative power of legal recognition and the ongoing need for vigilance in protecting LGBTQ+ rights. The findings highlight the complex reality faced by same-sex couples in America today: Celebrating hard-won progress while grappling with uncertainty about the future, particularly in light of upcoming political events and potential shifts in leadership.
State Department
State Department hosts meeting on LGBTQ rights and foreign policy
Event took place before Pride Month reception
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday hosted a group of LGBTQ activists and politicians from around the world at the State Department.
The event ā described as a “Convening on U.S. Foreign Policy: National Security, Inclusive Development, and the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons” ā took place before the State Department’s annual Pride Month reception. Participants included:
ā¢ Jessica Stern, the special U.S. envoy for the promotion of LGBTQ and intersex rights
ā¢ U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield
ā¢ U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai
ā¢ U.S. Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti
ā¢ Suzanne Goldberg, senior advisor to the Under Secretary of State for Civil Security, Democracy, and Human Rights
ā¢ Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya
ā¢ U.S. Agency for International Development Senior LGBTQI+ Coordinator Jay Gilliam
ā¢ USAID Counselor Clinton D. White
ā¢ National Security Council Senior Director for Democracy and Human Rights Kelly Razzouk
ā¢ Assistant U.S. Secretary of Health Adm. Rachel Levine
ā¢ National Security Council Human Rights Director Jess Huber
ā¢ U.N. Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights Ilze Brandt Kehris
ā¢ Icelandic Ambassador to the U.S. BergdĆs EllertsdĆ³ttir
ā¢ Council for Global Equality Co-Executive Director Mark Bromley
ā¢ Outright International Senior Advisor for Global Intersex Rights Kimberly Zieselman
ā¢ Essy Adhiambo, executive director of the Institute for Equality and Non Discrimination in Kenya
ā¢ Pau GonzĆ”lez, co-chair of Hombres Trans PanamĆ” and PFLAG-PanamĆ”
“Forty-five years ago, thousands gathered in D.C. in what became the first national march for LGBTQI+, demanding their voices be heard,” said Thomas-Greenfield in a post to her X account that showed her speaking at the event. “We must continue to carry forward the spirit of these pioneers and fight for equal rights and dignity for all.”
Forty-five years ago, thousands gathered in DC in what became the first national march for LGBTQI+, demanding their voices be heard.
We must continue to carry forward the spirit of these pioneers and fight for equal rights and dignity for all. š³ļøāšš³ļøāā§ļø pic.twitter.com/oph2Ahmfhq
— Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield (@USAmbUN) June 28, 2024
President Joe Biden in 2021 signed a memo that committed the U.S. to promoting LGBTQ and intersex rights abroad as part of his administrationās overall foreign policy.
“LGBTQI+ rights are human rights,” said Blinken. “Our government has a responsibility to defend them, to promote them ā here and everywhere.”
Blinken noted consensual same-sex sexual relations remain criminalized in 64 countries, with the death penalty in 11 of them.
He specifically highlighted Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor OrbĆ”n’s government’s “smearing scapegoating, stigmatizing LGBTQI+ persons ā vilifying them with degrading labels, denying them equal rights, normalizing violence against them.” (Gay U.S. Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman this month marched in the annual Budapest Pride parade.)
Blinken noted Iraqi MPs earlier this year “passed legislation that punishes same-sex relations with up to 15 years in prison.” He also pointed out that Indonesian lawmakers approved a new criminal code banning extramarital sex.
“In a nation where same-sex couples cannot marry, these laws effectively make all same-sex conduct illegal and they undermine privacy for all Indonesians,” said Blinken.
“Weāre defending and promoting LGBTQI+ rights around the world,” he said.
Blinken noted seven countries ā Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Namibia, Singapore, the Cook Islands ā have decriminalized consensual same-sex sexual relations over the last two years. He also highlighted Greece, Liechtenstein, and Thailand this year extended marriage rights to same-sex couples, and other countries are banning so-called “conversion therapy.”
“These achievements are possible because of incredibly courageous human rights defenders and government partners on the ground, but I believe Americaās support is indispensable,” said Blinken. “When we engage ā sometimes publicly, sometimes privately, sometimes both ā when we share our own knowledge and experience, we can and we do achieve change.”
Blinken also announced the U.S. now considers sexual orientation and gender identity are part of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that took effect in 1976.
“This is one of the key treaties committing nations to upholding universal rights,” he said.
“In our regular reporting to the council on human rights, we will continue to include incidents of discrimination or abuse committed against LGBTQI+ persons, now with the clear framework of this well-supported interpretation,” added Blinken.Ā “That will further empower our efforts.”
Blinken reiterated this point and the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to the promotion of LGBTQ and intersex rights abroad when he spoke at the State Department’s Pride Month event.
“Defending, promoting LGBTQI+ rights globally is the right thing to do, but beyond that, itās the smart and necessary thing to do for our country, for our national security, for our well-being,” he said.
The White House
Jill and Ashley Biden headline White House Pride celebration
First lady celebrated historic pardons of LGBTQ veterans
First lady Jill Biden and the president and first lady’s daughter, Ashley Biden, headlined the White House Pride celebration on the South Lawn on Wednesday, followed by a performance by singer and actress Deborah Cox.
“My dad has built the most pro-equality administration” in history, Ashley Biden said, crediting the work of LGBTQ people of color like Marsha P. Johnson, a prominent figure in the Stonewall uprising of 1969, as well as “so many of you [who] have continued to lead their fearless fighting against against injustice here and around the world.”
She introduced her mother as “the woman who taught me to be myself up showed me in so many ways how I can make a difference” and who “works every single day, tirelessly, to ensure that all people have the opportunities and freedoms that they deserve.”
“I hope that all of you feel that freedom and love on the South Lawn today,” Jill Biden said.
Her remarks were briefly interrupted by a protestor’s chants of “no Pride in genocide,” which was drowned out by chants of “four more years.”
The first lady noted how many of the attendees came “here from states that are passing laws targeting LGBTQ Americans.”
“There are those who see our communities and our families and wish to tear them down,” she said, “those who can’t see that the world is so much bigger and [more] beautiful than they know ā but when our homes are threatened, when they strip away our rights, and deny our basic humanity, we say, ‘not on our watch.'”
“Pride is a celebration, but it is also a declaration,” the first lady said, highlighting the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges nine years ago, which established marriage equality as the law of the land.
She then credited the accomplishments of the Biden-Harris administration on matters of LGBTQ rights, including the repeal of the previous administration’s ban on military service by transgender servicemembers and the FDA’s loosening of restrictions on blood donation by gay and bisexual men.
The first lady also celebrated the president’s announcement earlier on Wednesday that he will pardon LGBTQ veterans who were discharged and court martialed because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
“We will never stop fighting for this community,” she said.
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