Sara Banks, Author at STR8DAR

Ukrainian LGBT Activists Now Running Refugee Shelters Instead of Planning Pride Events

6Sep

By Sara BanksNo Comments

World

Ukrainian LGBT Activists Now Running Refugee Shelters Instead of Planning Pride Events

Ukraine’s LGBT community is standing together in solidarity as the country continues to be invaded by Russian forces. LGBT activists in Kiev have gone from planning Pride events to running refugee shelters in order to support the community. The Kiev Pride organization is now operating several LGBT shelters across Ukraine. With the organization's activists now focusing on supporting LGBT refugees rather than organizing the city's Pride events. Reports indicate that many of the refugees are coming from Mariupol, Kharkiv and other parts of eastern Ukraine that have been heavily targeted by Russian forces. The shelters offer them food vouchers, medicine, job advice and clothes to wear at job interviews or when exploring the city. Some guests use the shelter to get away from homophobic fami...

LGBTQ+ Suicide Helpline Targeted by Far-right Trolls

5Sep

By Sara BanksNo Comments

Health

LGBTQ+ Suicide Helpline Targeted by Far-right Trolls

Far-right trolls flooded the Trevor Project’s anti-suicide hotline in an orchestrated attack that sought to get young LGBTQ+ people to kill themselves last Tuesday. By inundating the helpline with fake calls, far-right trolls hoped that delayed waiting times would result in young LGBTQ+ people taking their own lives. The Trevor Project’s phone line is specifically designed to help connect young LGBTQ+ people with trained counselors that can talk them through whatever they’re going through. The organization had to put up a banner on their website to warn users of their prolonged waiting times during the attack. Reports indicate that the attack was orchestrated on a message board called 4chan which is popular among far-right extremists. Media Matters’ senior researcher, Alex Ka...

Two Gay Rights Activists Sentenced to Death in Iran

4Sep

By Sara BanksNo Comments

World

Two Gay Rights Activists Sentenced to Death in Iran

Iran has sentenced two gay rights activists to death, according to a report from human rights organization Hengaw released today. 31-year old Zahra, and 24-year old Elham received the sentence for the crime of “corruption on earth” as they stand accused of promoting homosexuality. The activists are currently being held in the women’s section of the Urmia Central Prison. Zahra has reportedly been denied access to legal counsel by Iranian authorities and has faced threats and verbal abuse while in custody, according to human rights organizations. Local gay rights activists are urging the international community to step in on behalf of the two women. Reports indicate that Zahra was arrested when trying to flee Iran for Turkey in October, 2021. She was then held in solitary confinement for...

UN Report: Some US States Undermining LGBT People’s Human Rights

31Aug

By Sara BanksNo Comments

US

UN Report: Some US States Undermining LGBT People’s Human Rights

A UN expert is reporting that LGBT people's human rights deliberately are being undermined by some U.S. states.s and urges the Biden administration to take action. The statement came from the UN’s Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, Victor Madrigal-Borloz. He also said that “despite five decades of progress, equality is not within reach, and often not even within sight, for all persons impacted by violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the United States.’’ In order to reach these conclusions, the expert visited several different U.S. states meeting with State officials and members of civil society. Madrigal-Borloz also addressed the country's current polit...

‘Straight Pride’ Rally Leads To Three Arrests in California

28Aug

By Sara BanksNo Comments

US

‘Straight Pride’ Rally Leads To Three Arrests in California

A “straight pride” rally organized by self-proclaimed “racist group” the National Straight Pride Coalition, resulted in several altercations and three arrests yesterday in Modesto, California. The rally was held in front of a Planned Parenthood and was met with caravans of pro-choice & LGBTQ+ rights advocates that were there to protest the rally. Fights broke out, signs were reportedly used as clubs, bottles were thrown and a nearby shrub was set on fire. About 250 people gathered for the rally and the counter protest. According to authorities, the three arrests were made on charges of failure to disperse. The “straight pride” event happened on Saturday morning in the area of McHenry Avenue and West Orangeburg Avenue. With altercations breaking out at around 11 a.m. leading to the...

Marriage Equality Bill Still “Incredibly Important” to Biden

26Aug

By Sara BanksNo Comments

Politics

Marriage Equality Bill Still “Incredibly Important” to Biden

The Respect of Marriage Act which seeks to codify same-sex marriage, still “incredibly important” to Biden said White House press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre yesterday. The bill was left as unfinished business by the senate before leaving for August recess. The White House Press Secretary was asked if Biden has reached out to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to ensure that he schedules a vote on the bill. She responded that she had no private conversations to read out but reiterated Biden’s support for the bill and for the LGBTQ+ community. “This is incredibly important to the president. We heard from him back in 2012 when he was one of the first voices to talk about how important marriage equality was being ahead of many others. He has been an advocate for the community. He...

7 Openly LGBTQ+ Candidates Win Their Primaries in Florida

25Aug

By Sara BanksNo Comments

Politics

7 Openly LGBTQ+ Candidates Win Their Primaries in Florida

In the aftermath of Florida’s “don’t say gay” bill, seven candidates that are openly LGBTQ+ won their primaries Tuesday night. LGBTQ+ representation in the Florida legislature will triple if they are able to beat their republican rivals in November. The candidates are running for state House or Senate seats in Florida and have advanced to the general election in November. Florida’s governor Ron DeSantis, who’s responsible for signing the “don’t say gay” bill into law, also won his primary last night. The bill bans “instruction” about gender identity or sexual orientation for students in kindergarden through the third grade “or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.” The law also requires educators to...

Two Men Face Up to 20 Years in Prison for Having Sex by Window in Moscow

24Aug

By Sara BanksNo Comments

World

Two Men Face Up to 20 Years in Prison for Having Sex by Window in Moscow

Two gay men in Moscow face up to 20 years in prison after being arrested for having sex by an open window. According to a Baza telegram channel report from today, the men will have to spend 2 months in a detention center while the crime is investigated. The men are being charged with "Violent acts of a sexual nature against children under the age of 14," which has a maximum penalty of 20 years. This after two boys aged 12 and 13 allegedly saw the men having sex and told their mothers who contacted authorities. 21-year old Timur and 22-year old Daniil stand accused of having sex with each other on the windowsill of an open window in their Moscow apartment. One of the defendants has told authorities that they undressed to fix a water pipe in the bathroom. While sex bet...

Republican Politician Extorted Over Gay Sex Tape

24Aug

By Sara BanksNo Comments

Politics

Republican Politician Extorted Over Gay Sex Tape

Republican candidate for Wisconsin state assembly, Peter Schmidt was blackmailed for $50,000 by a man that claimed to have a video of the politician performing oral sex on another man. The self-proclaimed “strong conservative and christian” won the republican primary earlier this month by 64 votes before reports of the allegations were made public. Schmidt made the criminal complaint in 2019 when an employee on his family farm threatened to send a video of Schmidt performing oral sex on another man to his family unless he received $50,000. Schmidt was able to negotiate with the alleged blackmailer, getting the price down to $5000 before contacting authorities and telling his family himself. “I’m a strong conservative and Christian, but there was a brief moment I struggled wit...

Tucker Carlson Suggests That Chemicals in Milk May Turn Kids Trans

23Aug

By Sara BanksNo Comments

Entertainment

Tucker Carlson Suggests That Chemicals in Milk May Turn Kids Trans

Tucker Carlson suggested that chemicals in milk may turn kids trans during a segment on his prime-time show on Fox last night. This when reporting on an Amish milk-farmer that was fined by the FDA after a listeria outbreak was linked to his produce. In 2016, a deadly outbreak of listeria was linked to raw milk from an organic Pennsylvania farm owned by Amos Miller. Two people became ill from the bacteria in 2014 and one of them died. It took investigators two years to determine the source of the bacteria. The FDA also found listeria in samples of raw chocolate milk produced by the same company in early 2016. The farm had been able to avoid inspections as it only supplied produce to members of their private club and not to retail stores. The FDA has long advised against the co...