Latest news with #BlackLGBTQ
Axios
6 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
Mayoral forum addresses violence against transgender Detroiters
Violence against transgender Detroiters must be more publicly acknowledged and discussed, a mayoral candidate said during a forum Friday organized by nonprofit LGBT Detroit. The big picture: The event — held as part of Black LGBTQ+ pride celebration Hotter Than July — featured conversations about environmental policy and voting rights, but it chiefly focused on the needs of LGBTQ+ residents. State of play: The three participating candidates, Saunteel Jenkins, Fred Durhal III and write-in Rogelio Landin, all said they'd support equity and inclusion for LGBTQ+ residents. All also committed to creating an office of LGBTQ+ affairs. Zoom in: Among other questions, moderator Roland Leggett of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters asked how candidates would address the safety of transgender residents. Context: Transgender people are over four times more likely than cisgender people to be victims of violent crime, per the Williams Institute, with Black trans women even more impacted. And Detroit is no exception. A range of factors are at play, national advocates say, from anti-transgender legislation and rhetoric to other systemic problems like poverty, unemployment and homelessness stemming from discrimination. What they're saying: Durhal said a "significant amount" of Black and brown transgender Detroiters go missing and "no one talks about it." He added that as mayor he'd set a tone for bringing people together for uncomfortable conversations on the topic and would incorporate implicit-bias training for police and other departments to build trust. Jenkins said she'd assure the city's civil rights department has the resources to address the issue and, overall, solve more murder cases, including violent offenders acting based on biases. She added she'd "lean in in every way possible to protect and ensure the expanded rights" through the state's civil rights act. In his answer, Landin agreed with Durhal and Jenkins and emphasized his commitment to equity and justice; he said he'd "double down" on efforts to protect residents.
Axios
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Forum to tackle LGBTQ+ issues in mayor's race
Mayoral candidates are invited to discuss issues impacting queer and transgender residents Friday as part of Detroit's historic Black LGBTQ+ pride event, Hotter Than July. Why it matters: LGBTQ+ advocates want to assure the next mayor has "a clear understanding" of the community's needs here in Detroit, says Roland Leggett, the forum 's moderator. State of play: The conversation will cover social justice, LGBTQ+ issues and environmental issues like pollution and affordable utilities. It's co-hosted by the Michigan League of Conservation Voters and nonprofit LGBT Detroit. As of early Thursday afternoon, the only confirmed candidate attending was former nonprofit CEO Saunteel Jenkins. It's part of Hotter Than July's daylong Annual Gathering for LGBT+ Issues at the U of M Detroit Center. If you go: The free event starts with an 8:30am breakfast, then the forum around 9:30am. It also includes a "State of the Movement" conversation with City Council Member Gabriela Santiago-Romero and others. What they're saying: LGBT Detroit executive director A. Nzere Kwabena tells Axios he's hoping to hear discussion about the national climate for LGBTQ+ rights and how the mayor of Michigan's biggest city can advocate for LGBTQ+ protections at the state level. Between the lines: Leggett, the conservation league's election protection manager, says Mayor Mike Duggan worked to ensure Detroit earned a maximum score on the Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index, which measures cities' law and policy inclusivity for LGBTQ+ people.
CBS News
20-06-2025
- General
- CBS News
Queer Motherland group aims to create safe space for LGBTQ+ Black Americans and Africans
A UCLA study finds that 1.2 million Americans identify as both Black and LGBTQ+, a growing community that often faces unique challenges. In response, a new organization is working to create safe spaces for queer Africans in both North Texas and across the globe. Personal journey inspires advocacy Olive Okoro, a Nigerian immigrant, knew she was queer from a young age but didn't come out until high school. When she did, her family responded with openness and a willingness to learn. "My family said, 'You know what, let's change it. Let's learn about what she is talking about,' and I honestly, really appreciate that about my parents," Okoro said. Group promotes queer African identity Okoro went on to found Queer Motherland, a group for Black LGBTQ+ individuals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and beyond. "It is a LGBTQ+ African group where we promote queer Africans around the diaspora, and we teach the knowledge and the education about how colonization has affected queer Africans' entire history," she said. Social media growth and first events The group has already gained thousands of followers on TikTok and Instagram and has applied for nonprofit status. Its first event, held in partnership with the Dallas Black Queer Collective at the Dallas Public Library, featured queer African literature and community discussions. Global board reflects international mission Queer Motherland's board includes members from Dallas, Houston, Chicago, London, and Ghana. One board member in Ghana, who asked to remain anonymous, shared the risks of being openly queer in a country where homosexuality is criminalized. "I live carefully to not step on the wrong foot and not to get myself in trouble," she said. Facing criminalization across Africa According to Amnesty International, 31 of Africa's 54 countries criminalize LGBTQ+ identities. Penalties range from prison time to the death penalty in countries like Mauritania, Sudan, northern Nigeria, and southern Somalia. "There is a lot to fight since it's not acceptable where we're from," the board member said. "Everyone is trying to put us in prison, lynch us, or kill us." A vision for global connection Despite the risks, Queer Motherland is pushing forward with a vision to expand globally. Okoro hopes to one day host an international conference featuring queer African speakers from around the world. "Our goal for Queer Motherland is to one day have a conference where we bring multiple speakers from different countries who are queer and African," she said. Empowering identity and visibility For Okoro and her team, the mission is about more than safety—it's about empowerment, education, and representation. "I want to have positive representation of queer Africans," Okoro said. "I want to use the opportunity to say, we are here, we are queer, and we're never, ever going to go anywhere."
Axios
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Your ultimate guide to Pride Month in San Francisco
San Francisco's most celebrated time of the year is here with a party-packed lineup of events. Here's what's happening this June: 🎥 International Queer Women of Color Film Festival: This year's theme, "Fierce Determination," showcases 50 films across seven screenings. Tickets free with reservation. When: June 13-15 Where: The Presidio Theatre at 99 Moraga Avenue 🥂 Bacon and Legs Drag Brunch: Drag icon Bobby Friday hosts this one-of-a-kind dining experience at Starbelly. Reservations required. When: June 14, 11:30am and 1:30pm Where: 3583 16th St 👠 Drag me Downtown: This series of block parties held every Friday throughout the month includes bold performances from drag artists, including the legendary Peaches Christ. When: June 13, 20 and 27 Where: Various locations in downtown 🍿 Frameline 49 Film Festival: Recognized as one of the longest-running LGBTQ+ film exhibitions globally, this year's event includes more than a dozen films showcasing queer and trans stories. Single ticket prices vary. When: June 18-28 Where: Various theaters across the city 🎤 Juneteenth at Oasis: Celebrating the Black LGBTQ+ experience with a special drag cabaret show and " Sinners" screening. Tickets start at $23. When: June 19, 7-10:30pm Where: 298 11th St 🛍️ Castro Night Market: The Pride edition of the monthly neighborhood event will feature three stages of drag and queer entertainment and 30 vendors. When: June 20, 5-10pm Where: 18th & Castro Streets 🎵 Gay Mens Chorus Pride Concert: Showcasing a live band, 200 singers and guest performer Justin Tranter, a Grammy-nominated nonbinary songwriter. Tickets start at $36. When: June 21, 1pm and 7:30pm Where: Curran Theater at 445 Geary St 🪩 DHOOM at Public Works: This queer, South Asian party will have performances from AAPI drag artists and DJs. $25 at door. Trans, non-binary and gender nonconforming people get free entry. When: June 22, 3-8pm Where: 161 Erie St 🎭 Infinite Pride at El Rio: This event hosted by theater collective San Francisco Neo-futurists features 30 plays centered on LGBTQ+ stories in 60 minutes. When: June 23, 8:30pm Where: 3158 Mission St 🔬 After Dark Pride Queer Science: Learn about the 606 Social Club, a secret society for queer and trans naturalists. Tickets start at $22. When: June 26, 6-10pm Where: Exploratorium at Pier 15 🏳️⚧️ Trans March: The annual gathering raising visibility for trans people marks the official kick-off to Pride weekend. When: June 27 Where: Begins at Dolores Park. Details TBD ✊ The 55th annual Pride Celebration: This year's theme — "Queer Joy is Resistance" — centers on the unapologetic celebration of one's identity amid today's political climate. Expect block parties, the annual Dyke March, live music and endless festivities. 🛼 Pride Rollerdisco: As over-the-top as it gets at this rooftop roller skating party at SVN West. Tickets start at $37. When: June 29, 2-9pm Where: 10 Van Ness Ave
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
From HIV to Hormone Therapy, Medicaid Cuts Threaten Atlanta's LGBTQ+ Community
As lawmakers push for sweeping cuts to Medicaid, fear weighs heavily on Tori Cooper. Cooper, a trans woman who serves as the director of strategic outreach and training for the Human Rights Campaign, told Capital B Atlanta that for her and other Black trans residents, these cuts will have a detrimental impact on their lives. 'The Black LGBTQ community will be greatly impacted, and Black trans folks even more so,' said Cooper. 'For years, we've acknowledged how systematic racism impacts the lives of Black LGBTQ people. Inequity and racist ideology and policies have traditionally led to worse health outcomes for poor, less educated, underemployed people and those of us who live in the South.' Last month, congressional House Republicans passed a bill that would cut billions over the next 10 years from Medicaid, the federal-state health care insurance program that helps pay for health care for low-income people. The bill also would prohibit gender transition care from being covered by the program. 'I worry that preventable health conditions like HIV will ravage my community,' Cooper said. 'I worry that Black trans people will lose some of the social and political traction that our transestors fought for. I worry that my Black trans family will have to go back into the proverbial closet for safety. Closets are made for clothes, not people.' Cooper worries that in a place like Georgia, where HIV rates are high and access to health care is already difficult due to the Georgia General Assembly's refusal to expand Medicaid, the Black LGBTQ+ community will be one of the vulnerable and bear the brunt of these looming cuts. In 2023, about 1 in every 4 Black Georgians was covered by Medicaid, compared to about 1 in every 10 white Georgians, according to the State Health Access Data Assistance Center. Nationally, Black LGBTQ residents are twice as likely to be enrolled in Medicaid compared to the general population, Victoria Kirby York, director of public policy and programs for the National Black Justice Coalition, told Capital B Atlanta. York said she's fearful that critical areas of health care for Black LGBTQ+ residents such as gender-affirming care, mental health services, and substance abuse treatment will all be impacted by the Medicaid cuts. 'Thirty-two percent of [LGBTQ people] versus 15% of the general population use Medicaid in order to access health care, and that number is even higher for transgender members of our community, where 45% of the community are relying on Medicaid,' York said. Although Georgia is one of the 10 states that did not expand Medicaid, leaving hundreds of thousands of residents uninsured, the proposed budget cuts will still be felt. The state could potentially lose billions in federal Medicaid funding, and hundreds of thousands of Georgians could lose Medicaid coverage over the next 10 years, according to reporting from the Kaiser Family Foundation. Matthew Rose, senior public policy advocate with the Human Rights Campaign, told Capital B Atlanta these cuts will put a strain on the state's budget, resulting in a push by state lawmakers to make 'draconian' decisions on how to further cut costs. This could mean cutting back on some of the optional health services and medicines provided underneath Medicaid in Georgia, such as HIV preventative medications or mental health services, or lawmakers could tighten eligibility requirements so fewer residents are covered by the insurance program. When it comes to HIV, Maxx Boykin, the campaign manager for Save HIV Funding, told Capital B Atlanta he worries Medicaid cuts could exacerbate the already high HIV transmission rates in the state, as many people living with HIV rely on Medicaid for medication and wraparound services like home health care and therapy. Read More: CDC Cuts HIV Communications, Leaving Vulnerable Black Georgians in the Dark According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Medicaid is the largest source of insurance coverage for people with HIV in the United States, covering an estimated 40% of the nonelderly adults with HIV, compared to just 15% of the nonelderly adult population overall. According to the CDC, Georgia had the second-highest HIV diagnosis rate and the second-highest rate of HIV related deaths in 2023 in the U.S. Additionally, Georgia had the highest rate of new HIV infections in 2022. In addition, despite constituting about 32% of Georgia's population, Black people accounted for approximately 71% of new HIV diagnoses in 2021. 'When thinking about HIV, that means less people will have access to the medications that they need, and we will see an even larger spread of HIV in our communities, and a big part of that will be because the majority of people living with HIV actually need Medicaid,' said Boykin. Maisha Standifer, the director of population health at the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at the Morehouse School of Medicine, said the elderly and those with disabilities shouldn't be forgotten when thinking about Medicaid and the LGBTQ community. According to the Human Rights Campaign, in the U.S., LGBTQ+ adults, and transgender adults in particular, were significantly more likely than non-LGBTQ+ adults to self-report having at least one disability. Standifer said that for Georgia's Medicaid program, people ages 65 and older and people with disabilities account for more than half of the state's $16 billion Medicaid spending. 'We have community partners who are 30-plus years living with HIV and aging. So with aging naturally comes other chronic conditions. We're talking about diabetes, cancer, heart disease,' said Standifer. The cuts to Medicaid are part of the Trump administration's efforts to curb federal spending to offset the cost of extending the president's 2017 tax cuts for high-income earners. Of further concern to Rose with the Human Rights Campaign is the impact on the LGBTQ community when the Medicaid cuts are layered on top of the proposed SNAP cuts in the bill, creating even more harm to LGBTQ people's health. 'We've seen the result of what hunger can do, which is why we feed people, why we created these programs in the first place, and the SNAP cuts would be devastating. … Then you tack them on to the fact that you're not eating as much, which weakens your immune system, and so it makes it easier for you to get sick, so it's a compounding issue,' said Rose. While the Medicaid cuts are still under review in the Senate, advocates are encouraging anyone in opposition to the cuts to reach out to their representatives and share their concerns about the proposed legislation. 'We need to hold our elected officials accountable, both on the federal side, the state side, and our local side, to make sure they're actually doing what's right for folks,' said Boykin. The post From HIV to Hormone Therapy, Medicaid Cuts Threaten Atlanta's LGBTQ+ Community appeared first on Capital B News - Atlanta.
