June 2022 - Page 3 of 3

First LGBTQ+ Inclusive Mosque to Open in Houston

8Jun

By str8darNo Comments

Community

First LGBTQ+ Inclusive Mosque to Open in Houston

HOUSTON - LGBTQ+ inclusive Mosque to open within the next few weeks. Pakistani-American Erum Rani who identifies as a queer muslim is spearheading the project. Once open it will become one of the few mosques in the U.S. that serve the LGBTQ+ community. In an interview with Fox 26 Houston, Rani reveals that she’s felt judged as a queer person at Mosque’s in the past. Which is what has inspired her to work towards opening an affirming Mosque. She argues that although religious conservatism may seek to vilify members of the LGBTQ+ community, queer people still have a right to safely practice their religions. Rani states that her past experiences are a testament to how necessary it is for the LGBTQ+ community to have secure places to practice their religions. The opening date has ...

8Jun

By str8darNo Comments

Politics

Kid-Friendly Drag Shows Spark Outrage

The attacks on the LGBTQ+ community continue as kid-friendly pride month events have sparked outrage among conservatives. This has led Texas republicans to promise to work towards introducing legislation that prevents minors from being able to watch drag shows. Texas republicans now threaten to move towards prohibiting minors from attending drag shows. State Rep. Bryan Slaton announced on Monday that he will introduce a bill that bans children from being present at drag performances. This after a Dallas Gay bar hosted a kid-friendly drag brunch last weekend. The event titled "Drag Your Kids To Pride" went viral when videos of kids tipping drag queens hit social media. Slaton took to twitter to call the events “disgusting and dangerous.” On Friday June 3, 2022. DC Public Schools h...

7Jun

By str8darNo Comments

Events

West Hollywood Pride 2022

The West Hollywood Pride celebration took place this past weekend in the heart of the city’s Gay area, also known as Boys Town. SoCal’s LGBTQ+ community took to the streets for the annual Pride festivities along with their allies and we have the photos! The West Hollywood Pride parade was on Sunday June 5, 2022. The caravan started on Crescent Heights and moved westwards towards Boys Town via Santa Monica Blvd. People of all ages arrived in Pride and rainbow colored gear to showcase their pride and support for the LGBTQ+ community. The event was a celebration of love and self-expression, a place where everyone could be themselves proudly and unapologetically. Everyone was invited: Sundays’ parade attracted spectators of all ages and...

WeHo Pride Parade 2022: Everything You Need to Know

5Jun

By str8darNo Comments

Events

WeHo Pride Parade 2022: Everything You Need to Know

The inaugural WeHo pride parade kicks off today at noon. Attending the parade is free and the festivities are open to people of all ages. The parade starts at Crescent Heights and moves westwards via Santa Monica towards the Gay heart of the city. There are several public parking structures in the area. Authorities will suspend enforcement of permit parking in West Hollywood until 7 a.m. on Monday. The city also offers a free Pride shuttle and encourages people to take public transportation as WeHo pride is expecting a big crowd this year. More things to do today in Los Angeles in celebration of Pride: West Hollywood Street Fair A weekend long street fair taking place in the West Hollywood park. OUTLOUD Raising Music Festival Enjoy a variety of musical ...

Kuwait: U.S. Embassy in Hot Water Over Pride Month Tweet

4Jun

By Ernesto FernandezNo Comments

World

Kuwait: U.S. Embassy in Hot Water Over Pride Month Tweet

Kuwait officials displeased with the U.S. embassy’s support of Pride month. On Thursday morning the American embassy in Kuwait shared a message on their official twitter celebrating pride month. The tweet calls Biden a champion for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. Even including a quote where Biden expresses his support for people’s right to love whoever they want to love. In the hours that followed, Kuwait’s foreign ministry of defense released a statement denouncing the tweet. While also announcing that they'd summoned a top American embassy official to give him a memorandum rejecting the post. Kuwaiti authorities referenced international guidelines of diplomacy in the memorandum. Before asking U.S. embassy officials to respect their laws and customs by not producing similar ...

Genital Exams? Ohio House Republicans Pass Anti-Trans Bill

3Jun

By Sara BanksNo Comments

Politics

Genital Exams? Ohio House Republicans Pass Anti-Trans Bill

OHIO - House republicans passed a bill this week that targets transgender athletes in high school and college sports. This means that female trans athletes in Ohio now have to play on teams of the gender they were assigned at birth. The bill states that disputes are to be settled through “genital examinations.” The house voted on Wednesday as the country celebrated the first day of Pride month. Republicans were able to ban transgender girls from girls sports by passing the bill through a back-door path. They added it to a bill that was meant to provide mentorship and resources to teachers. Transgender female athletes now have to play on male or co-ed teams. Students that want to dispute the team they're allowed to play on must bring a signed doctors note confirming their biological...

3Jun

By Ernesto FernandezNo Comments

World

LGBTQ+ Soldiers Defending Ukraine

Russia initiated their invasion of Ukraine in Feb. 2014. when they unlawfully annexed the Crimean peninsula. The conflict escalated to a full-scale war on Feb. 24, 2022. as Russia invaded the entire country, forcing more than 6.8 million people to flee the Ukraine. The majority of those who’ve made it out of the country are women & children. The Ukrainian government barred men aged 18-60 from leaving the country just one day after the conflict intensified. The possibility of Russia gaining control of Ukraine is even scarier for LGBTQ+ Ukrainians. Russia is infamous for it’s intolerance & discriminatory laws. Although Gay marriage isn’t legal in either country, Ukraine has a history of being more tolerant. Ukraine differs from Russia in allowing Pride celebrations, freedom of sp...

LGBTQ+ Asylum Seekers Face Dangerous Situation at U.S. Border

3Jun

By Sara BanksNo Comments

Politics

LGBTQ+ Asylum Seekers Face Dangerous Situation at U.S. Border

Asylum seekers trying to migrate to the U.S. through the southern border with Mexico have mostly been denied entry since title 42 was issued in March, 2020. The Trump era policy allows for the immediate expulsion of migrants countering national asylum laws in what they claim to be an effort to contain the spread of Covid-19. Thus forcing LGBTQ+ migrants to await their asylum hearings in northern Mexico. The LGBTQ+ migrants that seek asylum at the U.S. border are primarily fleeing Central American countries due to violence, discrimination, persecution & poverty. In fact, studies suggest that members of the LGBTQ+ community are more likely to be victims of violent crimes in these nations. Title 42 has created a dangerous situation where migrants from all over the world have been ...

FIFA Accused of “Hypocritical Virtue-Signaling” After Tweeting About Pride Month

3Jun

By Sara BanksNo Comments

Sports

FIFA Accused of “Hypocritical Virtue-Signaling” After Tweeting About Pride Month

Television personality Piers Morgan calls out FIFA for performative allyship to the LGBTQ+ community after the soccer organization sent out a tweet in celebration of Pride month. FIFA tweeted a lengthy message supporting pride while ensuring that they’re working towards the upcoming world cup being “a celebration of unity and diversity.” The world cup starts on Nov 21, 2022. in Qatar and is one of the world’s most watched sports championships averaging 517 million viewers per game. Being LGBTQ+ is a crime in Qatar that is punishable by up to 3 years in jail. There aren’t any known cases where being Gay has resulted in the death penalty, however according to Qatar law homosexuality merits execution. With this in mind, Morgan tweeted that he considers FIFA’s support to the Gay ...

1Jun

By Ernesto FernandezNo Comments

Community

Pride 2022: Where We Are

While pride month is a great opportunity to celebrate the progress we've made, it's also important to be aware of the current threats the community faces as we continue the fight for equality. We’ve gathered the following statistics that shine light on the current state of the community and the issues that plague it. A Gallup poll has revealed that more adults now identify as LGBTQ+ in the U.S. than ever. In fact, the study found that people from generation Z are twice as likely to identify as LGBTQ+ than millennials. Gallup first conducted this poll in 2012 and the percentage of adults who identify as LGBTQ+ has since doubled. According to an analysis from NBC News along with Freedom for all Americans, 238 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been filed in 2022 so far. A survey cond...