LGBTQ youth conversion therapy banned by governor in Hawaii
The Governor of Hawaii, David Ige, recently signed a bill banning therapists from offering conversion therapy to LGBTQ youth, making Hawaii the 12th state, along with California and Washington, to pass the legislation.
In explaining his rationale, Ige referenced past scientific research that has proven that the therapy is ineffective and about the psychological damage it can have on youth. According to Ige, the therapy often leaves LGBTQ youth feeling depressed and isolated.
Pakistan passes into law new protections for transgender community
This weekend, Pakistan’s new transgender nondiscrimination protections bill, “Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2018,” was passed into law.
The bill creates protections for the transgender community in several different areas, including employment, housing, and healthcare, among others.
The passing of the measure marks a significant moment in the country’s history, as it joins several other countries around the world offering such protections for the transgender and LGBTQ communities. More importantly, it has shown recognition of the transgender community on behalf of the Government of Pakistan.
Vietnam, New Zealand and Botswana, among other countries, have signed similar transgender protections legislation in recent years.
LGBTQ advocates protest Betsy DeVos by projecting data onto Education Dept. building
Activists from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), led by artist Robin Bell, projected data about LGBTQ youth onto the Education Department building in Washington, D.C.
The projection read “How do you sleep at night?” and listed data taken from a recent HRC survey about mental health issues for LGBTQ youth.
The survey targeted teenagers ages thirteen to seventeen from all U.S. states, including Washington, D.C. It found, for instance, that 70 percent of surveyed LGBTQ youth were bullied in school, 95 percent had trouble sleeping at night due to anxiety, and 5 percent felt their teachers were supportive of the LGBTQ community.
DeVos was not present for the display.
Transgender woman killed in India over false kidnapping rumors
A mob murdered a transgender woman and injured three others in the Hyderabad suburb of Chandrayanagutta, in the south-central region of India on Sunday.
The attack was precipitated by local viral WhatsApp messages, which claimed that transgender women there were plotting to kidnap children. “Related” images of dead children had also been shared in connection with this, but upon further investigation, they allegedly originated from either the war in Syria or the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya people in Myanmar.
Twelve people have been arrested in connection with the attacks so far. Police have also partially blamed WhatsApp for the attacks, as the platform has, as of recent, been used frequently to spread fake news and similar rumors.
Sir Ian McKellen voices disappointment in Hollywood’s LGBTQ lack of inclusion
British actor Sir Ian McKellen, known for his roles in Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, recently expressed disappointment in the amount of LGBTQ representation in Hollywood.
He was dismayed when it was revealed that the Harry Potter character Dumbledore will not be directly labeled as gay in an upcoming spin-off movie.
Afterward, he also voiced concern as to representation of other groups in the industry, claiming that Hollywood has historically mistreated women and communities of color.
McKellen, who is openly gay himself, also referenced the fact that he was once denied a movie role due to his sexuality. When, during the audition for the 1983 film Betrayal, he mentioned he was gay, he was almost immediately removed from the office.
McKellen claimed, overall, that Hollywood consistently ignores the LGBTQ community.
