GLAAD joins call for advertisers to pull ads from the Daily Mail following anti-gay attack on parents-to-be Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black

www.glaad.org/blog/glaad-joins-call-advertisers-pull-ads-daily-mail-following-anti-gay-attack-parents-be-tom-daley

Give Workers £10k To Survive Automation, Top Think Tank Suggests
Britons should be able to bid for £10,000 to help them prosper amid huge changes to their working lives, a leading think tank suggests today.

The Royal Society for the Arts (RSA) has released research proposing a radical new sovereign wealth fund, which would be invested to make a profit like similar public funds in Norway.

The returns from the fund would be used to build a pot of money, to which working-age adults under-55 would apply to receive a grant in the coming decade.

People would have to set out how they intend to put the five-figure payouts to good use, for example, by using the cash to undergo re-training, to start a new business, or to combine work with the care of elderly or sick relatives.

It would be funded like the student grant system and wealthier individuals could be required to pay back more in tax as their earnings increase.

Ultimately, the RSA paper suggests, the wealth fund would finance a Universal Basic Income (UBI) as the world of modern work is turned upside down by increased automation, new technology and an ageing population.

The UBI would, the charity says, be best used to reward “good work” rather than simply replace existing benefits.

This proposal is not quite an unconditional model – which replaces all state benefits – currently being tested in Finland.

‘Households vulnerable to shock’

Anthony Painter, Director of the RSA’s Action and Research Centre, said: “Economic insecurity risks becoming the new normal unless we take action: around a third of the workforce today are economically insecure, and many more out of work can seem permanently excluded.

“The simple fact is that too many households are highly vulnerable to a shock in a decade of disruption, with stormclouds on the horizon if automation, Brexit and an ageing population are mismanaged.

“Without a real change in our thinking, neither tweaks to the welfare state nor getting people into work alone, when the link between hard work and fair pay has broken, will help working people meet the challenges ahead.

“Equally though those who advocate a Universal Basic Income must show how it is pro-work rather than post-work, and develop specific ideas to fund it. Our report is an attempt to do exactly that.”

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/rsa-research-universal-basic-income_uk_5a8589dee4b0774f31d2977e

AACAP Adopts New Policy Statement on “Conversion Therapy”

Earlier this month, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) approved a policy statement stating that “‘conversion therapies’ should not be part of any behavioral health treatment of children and adolescents.” Previously, practice parameters on “Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Youth” had been published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, stating, “clinicians should be aware that there is no evidence that sexual orientation can be altered through therapy, and that attempts to do so may be harmful… Given that there is no evidence that efforts to alter sexual orientation are effective, beneficial or necessary, and the possibility that they carry the risk of significant harm, such interventions are contraindicated.”

The new AACAP policy expands on this: “The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry finds no evidence to support the application of any ‘therapeutic intervention’ operating under the premise that a specific sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or gender expression is pathological. Furthermore, based on the scientific evidence, the AACAP asserts that such ‘conversion therapies’ (or other interventions imposed with the intent of promoting a particular sexual orientation and/or gender as a preferred outcome) lack scientific credibility and clinical utility. Additionally, there is evidence that such interventions are harmful.”

Conversion therapy has been universally criticized by the American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, American Medical Association and every other mainstream medical and mental health organization. Increasingly, more states are taking action to protect LGBTQ youth from the harmful practice. California, Connecticut, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and the District of Columbia have enacted laws or regulations to protect minors from being subjected to so-called “conversion therapy” by state-licensed mental health providers. In several states, these bills were signed into law by Republican governors, illustrating the bipartisan support for curbing the harmful practice.

And these bipartisan efforts are making a difference.

A Williams Institute study found that 6,000 LGBTQ youth who live in states that protect against the practice would have been subjected to conversion therapy by a licensed healthcare professional if these protections had not been put in place.

However, more work needs to be done. The same Williams Institute report found that approximately 20,000 LGBTQ minors will be subjected to conversion therapy by a licensed healthcare professional in states without laws protecting them from the practice.

That is why HRC is working with organizations such as the National Center for Lesbian Rights to expand the number of states that protect minors from conversion therapy, and with municipalities around the country to pass local legislation when states are slow to act. In the past month, the Washington State Senate and New Hampshire House of Representatives voted to advance legislation that would protect LGBTQ youth from conversion therapy. In addition, last week, Maryland lawmakers introduced bills in both state legislative chambers to safeguard LGBTQ minors from this dangerous and discredited practice.  

At the federal level, HRC is working to pass the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act, which would expressly classify the selling and advertising of so-called “conversion therapy” as prohibited consumer fraud. Last year, dozens of AACAP members joined HRC for a Children’s Mental Health Providers LGBTQ Youth Policy Lobby Day, where attendees lobbied on the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act and other legislation that would impact LGBTQ youth.

HRC commends AACAP for this new policy statement and is committed to ensuring that in every state, LGBTQ youth are protected from this destructive and detrimental practice.

www.hrc.org/blog/aacap-adopts-new-policy-statement-on-conversion-therapy?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Gus Kenworthy: ‘No Patience’ With Trump, Won’t Go to White House

Kenworthy reiterated his disdain for the administration and talked about the importance of being out on CBS This Morning.

www.advocate.com/sports/2018/2/15/gus-kenworthy-no-patience-trump-wont-go-white-house

If a Flawless Gay Vacation of Beach, Boys, Bars, and Brunch is Your Wish, Here’s the Perfect Destination

Island House.

For those wondering how to spend their hard-earned gay dollars this year, clear your calendars for a trip to the Conch Republic of Key West. The southernmost city in the continental United States has a rich gay history that still attracts flocks of LGBT travelers each year.

The island’s welcoming attitude (summed up nicely in local parlance, “Close to perfect, far from normal”) make it an ideal spot for gay visitors. With its unique blend of fun in the sun and vibrant LGBT hotspots, it’s easy to pack a long weekend (or indulge in an extended stay) on the island, but if you’re curious where to start, we’ve rounded up our TOP FOUR reasons to drop everything and book your trip to Key West right now.

Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau/HO

The Bars

No matter what kind of watering hole you prefer to wet your whistle, you’re sure to find the perfect place in Key West. There’s a variety of gay bars to choose from, running the gamut from mild to wild. Make your reservations to catch one of the nightly drag shows at 801 Bourbon Bar, home to the 801 Girls and their leader, the legendary drag queen Sushi. You can also catch the Aquanettes nightly performing at Aqua.

On the other end of the spectrum, if you’d rather see folks performing masculinity, check out the leather and Levi’s scene at 1 Saloon, where rough and tumble patrons compete for Best Chest, Best Butt and much more (like, a lot more) Fridays at midnight.

If you’re looking for a little something more laid back, Bobby’s Monkey Bar is the perfect spot to mix it up with the locals. The clientele is mixed gay and gay-friendly, so swing by for a low-key nightcap or casual cocktail.

Photo by Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau

The Beach

You certainly didn’t come to Key West to stay inside all day, so soak in the sun at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park. Although it’s a picturesque park, beachgoers be warned: It can get a bit rocky, so pack your swim shoes. The titular fort is also an interesting attraction to learn more about its role in the Civil War and Spanish-American War.

There’s also Dry Tortugas, which is a boat ride away, but worth it for the crystal clear waters, coral reefs and marine life. While there you can also check out Fort Jefferson, one of the largest 19th century forts in the United States.

Leave landlubbers behind for some adventures on the water. Hop aboard a jet ski or take to the sky parasailing with Fury. If that’s a touch too extreme, chill-y out with with your willy out aboard the Blu Q, Key West’s longest-running, all-gay charter. Check out the availability of their clothing-optional, all-male daytime sails and sunset cruises for gay men and women.

The Boys

While Key West makes a great romantic getaway for couples, single travelers will certainly have their, um, hands full with friendly locals and fellow travelers. Take full advantage of Key West’s welcoming clothing-optional culture with a stay at gay guesthouses like the iconic Island House, where the bumping poolside scene and video room will feed your wild side while luxurious rooms and a world-class café help you unwind, or Equator Resort, which includes 11 complimentary adult channels beamed right into your bedroom.

For a whole other kind of sightseeing, take a night to visit Bourbon St. Pub. Proudly hosting the Men of Bourbon, ogle sexy, shirtless go-go boys while sipping your vodka-soda. After you’ve had enough liquid courage, head upstairs to the clothing-optional New Orleans House to lose your inhibitions (and pants).

The Brunch

You certainly won’t go hungry during your stay in Key West. The island boasts a bustling culinary scene featuring mouth-watering meals from delicious fried conch fritters to high-end cuisine. Of course, the most important meal for any gay traveler is brunch. Take advantage of Key West’s fresh seafood options with Florida lobster benedict at Banana Café or a local yellowtail snapper benedict at Azur.

Don’t worry if you oversleep. You can always grab an Instagram-worthy donut at Glazed Donuts before hitting up the Sunday pool party at Island House or the traditional Sunday tea dance at La Te Da in the afternoon.

The post If a Flawless Gay Vacation of Beach, Boys, Bars, and Brunch is Your Wish, Here’s the Perfect Destination appeared first on Towleroad.

If a Flawless Gay Vacation of Beach, Boys, Bars, and Brunch is Your Wish, Here’s the Perfect Destination

What Is It Like To Have A Hysterectomy In Your 20s Or 30s?
“I never had a single doubt about having children,” wrote Lena Dunham, about her decision to undergo a hysterectomy at the age of 31. The actor, who has endometriosis, explained that she did not make the decision lightly. “With pain like this, I will never be able to be anyone’s mother. Even if I could get pregnant, there’s nothing I can offer.”

Doctors found that in addition to endometriosis, where tissue that behaves like the lining of the womb is found outside of the womb, she also had retrograde bleeding – where her period ran in reverse, meaning her stomach was “full of blood”.

Dunham wrote that following the surgery to remove her uterus, she is hopeful that her ovaries might still contain eggs and is also considering adoption. In light of her poignant piece, we spoke to four women about what they want others to know about having the surgery.

1. ‘Don’t view it as an exhausting battle.’

Elizabeth Sparkes had a hysterectomy two weeks ago and says “it was the best option” for her. It’s worth noting that this surgery is not a cure for endometriosis, which affects one in 10 women of reproductive age in the UK. (If you’d like to find out more about the condition, you can read more here.)

The 36-year-old lived with endometriosis symptoms from the age of 12 but wasn’t diagnosed until she was 26. After having two children, one naturally and one through IVF, Elizabeth made the tough call to have a hysterectomy.

She wants other women to know that while extreme, sometimes this form of treatment really is the best option. Her advice is simple: “Try not to see it as a battle, which is kind of exhausting. Instead, view it as a challenge.”

Self-care is also incredibly important to Elizabeth. “For me the whole journey has been made easier by self-care steps like meditation, not asking others’ opinions too much, listening to my body and being mindful of my thoughts – for example, not seeing it as a fight.”

2. ‘Try to be positive.’

Hazel Galloway was diagnosed with cervical cancer when she was 26. One month later she had a hysterectomy to remove the cancer from her body.

Hazel, who lives in Leeds and is now cancer-free, says a positive outlook really helped her through this difficult time. “I viewed it as: this is the best way to deal with something to ensure long-term health,” she explains. “It made me reevaluate how I live my life and has helped me focus on exercise, eating better and not over-working. Life is short so you should spend time doing the things you enjoy.”

Her surgery happened quickly which meant she didn’t really have time to consider the repercussions of having her uterus removed. She only began thinking about the effects while recuperating.

“Being in recovery, while everyone else was at work, I had a lot of time to think about my own life ahead of me. I never thought at the age of 26 I’d be thinking that I can’t have children. But everyone’s life has a different path and it’s something I’ve just had to come to terms with.”

Rae Martin, 55, from Herne Bay had a hysterectomy at the age of 34 after suffering with heavy periods for years. She had children in her early twenties, but still worried that having her womb removed would take away her femininity.

The social media consultant now describes her hysterectomy as “the best thing I’ve ever done,” as before surgery her periods were so heavy that she had to plan her life around going to the toilet.

Her advice for others considering surgery is “don’t be scared”.

She says: “I was so frightened because I thought I wasn’t a woman, I wouldn’t feel feminine, I was frightened that I’d be put into the change [early menopause]. But I wasn’t, they saved my ovaries so I had a normal menopause. Having a hysterectomy gave me my life back.”

4. ‘Ask for therapy afterwards.’

Elizabeth Broadhurst, 40, from Suffolk, was just 33 when she had a hysterectomy. She experienced symptoms of endometriosis for 21 years prior to being diagnosed, which included pain during sex, bleeding between periods and seven heartbreaking miscarriages. At the worst point, she was bleeding for 24 days of the month. “I wanted to be a mum so much,” she says. “I was being defined by the fact I wanted to be a mum and was so blinkered by it that I couldn’t see what I was doing to my health.”

After taking medication to ease her symptoms, Liz realised she could never go back to the level of pain she had been experienced before. When the medication became less effective, doctors gave her the opportunity to have a hysterectomy and within a couple of months she was on the operating table having her womb, ovaries and part of her bowel removed. “I felt at that point that having it done would relieve me from all the pain,” she explains. “I didn’t understand just how mentally challenging it was going to be afterwards.”

Post-surgery Liz says she experienced PTSD and found it very difficult to be around pregnant women or babies. She wishes she had been offered therapy or counselling after, as the mental pain overwhelmed her. “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with,” she says. “In the end I paid for my own counselling.”

Her advice to other women is: ask for help and ask for therapy. “You know your body and you know what you can take,” she says. “It’s atrocious that we go through this, but there are many positives that come afterwards. Try to look for the positives in the darker days.”

Liz is running the Brighton Marathon for Endometriosis UK. You can donate to the cause here. She also blogs here.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/what-it-is-like-to-have-a-hysterectomy_uk_5a8566eae4b0774f31d24bc8

Devocionario de Cuaresma: Gracia y Misericordia

La gente considera su fe como una fuente de orientación e inspiración; esto no es diferente para las personas LGBTQ y sus familias o amigos. Durante la temporada de Cuaresma, HRC compartirá devocionarios de líderes religiosos, personas LGBTQ y aliados. La campaña busca crear un ambiente en el que las personas LGBTQ de fe y sus aliados puedan practicar las tradiciones espirituales de su fe en un ambiente acogedor e inclusivo.

La temporada de Cuaresma marca los días que conducen a la crucifixión de Jesús y la posterior resurrección. Para los cristianos, la resurrección es tanto una celebración de la vida como un recordatorio de que las personas continúan sufriendo, incluidos los miembros de la comunidad LGBTQ.

Es importante notar que el tiempo de Cuaresma es una práctica de muchas denominaciones cristianas y puede no tener un impacto en todos los lectores. A lo largo de esta serie, HRC busca ampliar y honrar las voces de los líderes de fe que afirman ser LGBTQ en muchas tradiciones religiosas.

La publicación de hoy se presenta a continuación en inglés y español y proviene de la obispa Hope Morgan Ward de North Carolina Conference, Iglesia Metodista Unida. Para obtener más información sobre la campaña devocional de Cuaresma, visite hrc.im/Lent.

“Bienaventurados los misericordiosos, porque ellos alcanzarán misericordia”. -Mateo 5:7

En esta temporada de Cuaresma, demos gracias por el carácter de nuestro Dios.

El Señor, el Señor, un Dios clemente y misericordioso, lento para la ira y abundante en amor inquebrantable. Dios dice estas palabras en Éxodo 34:6. Moisés y Dios habían perdido la paciencia con la gente, atemperando su decepción de forma oportuna. El becerro de oro había sido diseñado y destruido. Las tablas de la ley habían sido creadas y destruidas. Me imagino a Dios respirando profundamente para empezar de nuevo. Entonces instruyó a Moisés a llevar nuevas tablas a la cima de la montaña. El Santo habla de la bella descripción del carácter divino: Dios es clemente y misericordioso, lento para la ira y abundante en amor inquebrantable.

Estas palabras que describen a Dios, se encuentran a lo largo de la Biblia y se repiten en Nehemías, Nahum, Jonás, Joel, Salmos y Proverbios. El Nuevo Testamento hace referencia a esto a través de las enseñanzas y el ejemplo de Jesús y las experiencias de María y Mateo, Pablo y Lidia, Dorcas y Pedro.

Jesús nos invita: Lleven la vida de Dios, sean misericordiosos como Dios es misericordioso. El camino nos desafía. En la novela “Un hombre llamado Ove”, el amigo de Ove no aceptaba el matrimonio de su hijo y le confiesa a Ove: “Es difícil cambiar cuando has estado equivocado por mucho tiempo”. A pesar de ello, él cambia de parecer y bendice el matrimonio.

Nos regocijamos cuando los corazones cambian. Buscamos justicia para todas las personas, espacio para la plena participación, una vida abundante y afirmación para todas ellas. Hacemos esto para imitar a Dios.

Oramos por la iglesia de Jesucristo y por todas las personas de la fe. Muchas de ellas han estado equivocadas por mucho tiempo. Oramos para que estos corazones cambien.

Que los corazones se ablanden y sean llenos. Que la capacidad aumente para acoger a todas las personas, especialmente, a las personas LGBTQ en las comunidades de fe.

Este es el deseo profundo de Dios para con nosotros, su propósito, a través del tiempo y para siempre.

Dios misericordioso, oramos en este día por todas las comunidades de fe y por todas las personas LGBTQ que siguen siendo acogidas con vacilación o aquellas que no son bienvenidas en absoluto. Confesamos esto como contrario a la voluntad creadora y clemente de Dios. Oramos para que llenes a las comunidades de fe con un testimonio misericordioso y profético en este mundo quebrantado. Amén.

La Campaña Devocional de Cuaresma es un recurso basado en la fe que recopila meditaciones escritas por 47 líderes de fe alrededor de EE. UU. Este proyecto conjuntamente con el trabajo de educación pública con líderes religiosos en los estados de la iniciativa Project One America de HRC y el Programa de Religión y Fe de HRC es posible en parte gracias al apoyo de la Fundación E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter.

www.hrc.org/blog/devocionario-de-cuaresma-gracia-y-misericordia?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

#AM_Equality Tipsheet: February 15, 2018

HRC MOURNS VICTIMS OF PARKLAND, FLA., HIGH SCHOOL MASSACRE, CALLS FOR ACTION ON SENSIBLE GUN SAFETY LAWS: Said HRC President Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin): “It’s been 19 years since Columbine. Five years since Newtown. The inaction in the wake of these tragedies has gotten us to 18 school shootings in the last six weeks. Kids are dying — we can’t tolerate politics as usual anymore.”

Schools, concerts, churches, nightclubs, movie theaters. America’s epidemic of gun violence continues with more lives lost, families broken, dreams shattered. How many more must die for lawmakers to act?

— Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin) February 14, 2018

COLORADO’S GOP LAWMAKERS DEFUND STATE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION THROUGH JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE ACTION: “By voting to withhold funding from the very division responsible for upholding the state’s civil rights laws, Colorado’s GOP lawmakers are stoking the flames of discrimination against LGBTQ people, people of color, people of faith, people with disabilities and women,” said JoDee Winterhof, HRC Senior Vice President for Policy and Political Affairs. “This reckless action will not go unnoticed by the fair-minded majority of Colorado voters who will hold them accountable. Republican lawmakers on the committee must immediately take action to restore funding to the Colorado Civil Rights Division.” The department is  charged with protecting the civil rights of all Coloradans in the areas of employment, housing and public accommodations. More from HRC.

THROWBACK THURSDAY — HONORING VALENTINE’S DAY BY REFLECTING ON THE DAY LOVE WON: Writes Jim Obergefell (@JimObergefell), named plaintiff on the Supreme Court case that brought marriage equality to the nation: “[Valentine’s day] is a day to honor and embrace the legacy of love created by a series of landmark Supreme Court decisions that recognize the virtues of all loving relationships in the eyes of our government.” More from USA Today.

.@JimObergefell on the “legacy of love” created by the Supreme Court and the crucial need for the justices to reinforce that legacy in the upcoming Masterpiece Cakeshop decision. t.co/sc4dCffsmX

— Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin) February 14, 2018

HRC ENDORSES JOHN KAUL FOR WISCONSIN ATTORNEY GENERAL: “Over the past year in particular, we’ve seen the crucial role attorneys general play in protecting the rights of all Americans, including the LGBTQ community,” said HRC Wisconsin State Manager Wendy Strout. “We are proud to endorse Josh Kaul for Attorney General and look forward to working with him to ensure Wisconsin is a welcoming and inclusive place for all.” More from HRC.

LAWMAKERS INTRODUCE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL ACT TO HONOR BILLIE JEAN KING: The tennis star (@BillieJeanKing) has spent decades as an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ and women’s equality. More here.

MORNING MUST READ — “AMID ALL THE NOISE IN D.C., DREAMER’S FATE HANGS IN THE BALANCE” by Glenn D. Magpantay, executive director of the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance, in Advocate.

ON VALENTINE’S DAY, TOM DALEY (@TomDaley1994) AND DUSTIN LANCE BLACK (@DLanceBlack) ANNOUNCE THEY WILL SOON BECOME PARENTS!

Happy Valentines Day ❤️��‍��‍��❤️ pic.twitter.com/yo1JG1Lp5E

— Tom Daley (@TomDaley1994) February 14, 2018

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

GHANA POLICE SAVE TWO WOMEN FROM ANTI-LESBIAN LYNCHING: More from NewNowNext.

READING RAINBOW – Bookmark now to read on your lunch break!

The Aurora (Ill.) Beacon-News reports that the city has approved its first-ever Pride parade; Washington Blade sashays in Burberry’s new scarf featuring rainbow colors for the LGBTQ community; BuzzFeed shares a heartwarming story of a same-sex couple who accidentally proposed to each other at the same time.

Have news? Send us your news and tips at [email protected]. Click here to subscribe to #AM_Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading!

www.hrc.org/blog/am-equality-tipsheet-february-15-2018?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Berlin: Hartz-IV-Empfänger baut Cannabis im Kinderzimmer seiner Tochter an

www.huffingtonpost.de/entry/hartz-iv-cannabis-kinderzimmer-tochter_de_5a855d1fe4b0058d5566203a

College sweethearts: Inside the lives—and loves—of a new generation

www.glaad.org/amp/college-sweethearts-inside-lives-and-loves-new-generation