Australia Enshrines Marriage Equality
In a bit of good news this tumultuous month, the Australian Parliament voted overwhelmingly to pass a law legalizing same-sex marriage. Becoming the 26th nation to have done so, Australia has joined dozens of nations that have enshrined the human…
Trump: Pence Wants To “Wants To Hang” All Gay People
While Trump’s popularity plummets, the Mueller investigation heats up, and elected officials file for the flailing president’s impeachment, there is an important question that needs to be asked: what would the White House helmed by arch-conservative Mike Pence look like?…
What Will Mattis Uncover In Review Of Trump’s Ban On Transgender Soldiers?
Callous, cold, irrational. Trump’s order banning transgender individuals from serving in the military has bee called a lot of things. Emerging from left-field in a series of unhinged tweets earlier this summer, the policy simply does not make sense. The…
Karen Handel’s Radical Anti-LGBTQ Worldview
Today’s special election in Georgia carries enormous weight. It could reaffirm the GOP’s reckless quest to rip healthcare from millions should its candidate come out on top. Alternatively, it could scare Republicans out of supporting the unpopular American Healthcare Act…
New Philadelphia Pride Flag Aims for Greater Inclusivity
A new pride flag unveiled in Philadelphia aims to be more inclusive. The flag – unveiled outside of city hall during a kickoff event for pride month – has added black and brown to reflect the racial diversity of the…
Taiwan Makes History As First Nation In Asia To Declare Same-Sex Marriage Legal
This week has seen a massive victory for equality on the international stage, as Taiwan has become the first Asian nation to declare the legality of same-sex marriage. The island nation’s highest judicial body – the Constitutional Court – ruled…
US State Dept. Shuts Out Gay Men Fleeing Persecution in Chechnya
The Russian LGBT Network – an NGO that has been helping gay men escape state-sponsored persecution in Chechnya – has confirmed reports that the US State Department has denied visas to some 40 individuals currently in hiding and in search…
Escaping Persecution in Chechnya: Russian LGBT Network Evacuates 40 Men
A representative from the Russian LGBT Network – a Russia-based NGO that advocates for LGBT rights – has told NPR that her organization has rescued dozens of men from persecution in Chechnya, the Muslim-majority entity located in Russia’s south. As…
Stephen Colbert Uses Homophobic Joke to Insult Trump on Late Show
Stephen Colbert may have gone a step too far with a recent spot on his favorite punching bag, Donald Trump. Along with the likes of Samantha Bee and John Oliver, Colbert has helped reasonable Americans find common ground in the…
Human Rights Win: SCOTUS Rejects Appeal Challenging Gay Conversion Therapy Ban
Considering the right’s full-throttled assault on the social good these days, it’s heartening to chalk up a point for human rights. The country was able to do just that yesterday with positive news from the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court…
Act Now: How You Can Counter LGBTQ Persecution in Chechnya
As we covered on Impact Tap, Chechnya authorities are allegedly rounding up gay men and putting them into detention centers filled with torture and abuse. In fact, they sound eerily similiar to concentration camps. One horrifying account from The Guardian…
Music Legend Barry Manilow Comes Out at 73
Famous musician and songwriter Barry Manilow has come out as gay. The 73-year old legend discussed his private life during an interview in which he revealed that he’s been married to his long-time manager Garry Kief since 2014. “Everybody knows…
Authorities in Chechnya Allegedly Arresting, Killing Gay Men
Alarming reports have emerged from Chechnya – the Russian-controlled republic located in the Caucasus – indicating that authorities may be rounding up hundreds of gay men, some of whom are being summarily executed. An expert on Chechnya who writes for…
St. Patrick’s Day Parade: Boston Organizers Ban LGBTQ Group
News coming out of Boston shows us that the fight for equality is never done, and that even after tremendous progress, the specter of regression is always present. Two years ago, the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council – the…
Normalizing Discrimination: Texas Mimics North Carolina’s Anti-Transgender Bathroom Bill
Some Republicans haven’t learned their lesson. Following North Carolina’s lead, state senators in Texas have introduced the “Texas Privacy Act,” a somewhat misleadingly titled legislation that meddles in transgender individuals’ privacy, barring them from using the restroom that corresponds to…
Are the Boy Scouts of America Anti-Transgender?
The Boy Scouts of America spent years bogged down in a losing fight against greater social equality for gay boys and men. The nationwide youth organization previously barred gay men from serving as troop leaders – a policy based on…
Impact Lab: A Thoughtful Discussion on Rape Culture, Sexism, and Homophobia
Join us for a deeply personal conversation between Bay Area activist Angie Hilem and Key Elements Group LLC President and CEO Lynette Zimmerman. The two discuss topics including rape culture, sexism, gender parity, and homophobia.