#not to mention the sexualization they will face solely based off their trans identity | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

forestofbeginnings · 3 years

Note

while I do agree with what you’re saying about character’s sexualities needing to be explored rather than being seen as the easy option, having “just a few” LGBTQ+ characters means every LGBTQ+ player is SEVERELY restricted in terms of who they can choose to be with, ESPECIALLY since those few LGBTQ+ characters run the risk of falling into harmful stereotypes to make it “obvious” that they are those characters. it leaves a LOT of room for separation rather than inclusion, for distance between players and characters bc the player may not think the other characters are worth getting to know when those characters arent the “few” LGBTQ+ ones. as much as it is important to have the detailed representation, as a member of the LGBTQ+ myself, I am equally happy with stories going in depth on character’s sexualities as I am with them just being completely normalised. video games are pleasant, peaceful escapes for people, and as much as it would be “realistic” for them to experience some kind of discrimination or self hatred, I personally prefer the idea that in the world of the game, everyone is just fine with it, as they should be. that leaves room for discussion on why the real world ISNT like that already, how we can HELP it become that way by assisting in the normalisation of it, etc. this is in no way a direct argument against you, it’s solely my standpoint on the whole LGBTQ+ marriage options. I just think it should be a fair game to everyone, and no player should feel their options are limited based on their own sexuality and having just a few characters in the game who match that, instead of it being equal for everyone, if that makes sense

That's a very good point, thank you for sending this to add to the conversation! I'll try my best to respond to all the good points you make.

(my reply is very long and under the cut and includes a lot of my Opinions of queer rep in video games so here we go)

I know you're probably talking about Fire Emblem when you're talking about the severely limited LGBT+ options. And it does suck, I'm pretty lucky that I fell hard for one of the few bisexual offerings in FE3H (looks fondly at Mercedes). But on the other hand...my primary experience with LGBT+ rep are Bioware games, where everyone has their own distinct identity. In Dragon Age Inquisition, out of the romance options there's 1 straight woman, 3 straight males (albeit two are limited to elves/humans), 1 pansexual male, 1 bisexual female, 1 gay male, and 1 lesbian. And most of the writing does not focus on their identities. In a majority of the romances, the most you get is a "sorry, not interested" from a character if you're not what they're into. The only route with clear focus on sexuality is for the gay man, which is fantastically written (and is written by a gay man about his personal experiences so take that as you will). All of the other LGBT+ characters’ stories don’t focus on their sexuality at all and don’t face discrimination for it.

The game isn't perfect (the writing for the lesbian is bad in the base game, just straight up bad), but it's what I think of when I say "everyone has an identity." No matter who you play, not all options are open to you. Doesn't matter if you're straight or LGBT+, your options are limited. And honestly, despite the more limited options...the impact that games like Fire Emblem and Dragon Age gave me are still things I remember fondly as a bi/ace woman. I loved Mercedes' romance in FE3H because she was specifically bisexual like me. I was absolutely giddy when Josephine's romance (the bi option in DAI) did not include a sex scene, which meant she could be asexual like me. And to me, I don't get as much excitement playing SoS or SDV. The girls like me because I'm the player. That's it. It’s not because they’re bisexual with their own identity, it’s because I’m the player. And it just reminds me of that quote from The Incredibles like "if everyone is super, nobody will be." Everyone is ""bisexual"" and...

I think when you talk about people not being interested in learning about other, non-LGBT+ characters, that's more a flaw in farming sims in general? Because you can't really...befriend a romance option. You can't learn their full story unless you're romancing them. Which, again, isn't a thing in Fire Emblem or Dragon Age. You can A support anyone in FE and it only becomes romantic if you choose to S support them. In Dragon Age, you learn a character's full story and learn about them regardless of romance. I don't think people will be less interested in knowing other characters...it's just if you don't want to romance them...you can't really know them? So why befriend a character if you can’t just be friends?

But I do really want to touch on the point you make on how LGBT+ romance doesn't need to be realistic and can be idealized. I 100% agree. Making it not a big deal and not put under a microscope helps it become normal. It's actually the kind of rep I prefer. I don’t like when huge deals are made about LGBT+ characters because it just accentuates that they’re different and ‘the other,’ rather than just another person that happens to not be heterosexual.

But literally the only romance-based video game I've played where a realistic struggle of an LGBT+ person is focused on is Dragon Age Inquisition. With the gay route I mentioned and touched on with a non-romancable trans man. Sexuality is not really spoken about in FE3H. Some characters are just...bisexual. Nothing more to it. Mercedes certainly doesn't say anything about it. She can just be romanced by both men and women. It is barely spoken about in Dragon Age games aside from character preference and Dorian's romance. In Dragon Age 2, one bisexual romance option mentions his first experience with a man. Another option is hesitant to date a female because of cultural reasons. That's it.

I do get your point. We don't need to include the realities of the world in our video games. But also...we're allowed to still acknowledge sexuality in video games. I joke about my bi/ace-ness all the time. Even in a perfect world of a farming sim...I'm pretty sure a character can make wisecracks about liking both men and women...or only men/women. Being bisexual always means some kind of discovery that you like more than one gender. Has this love interest dated someone of the same or opposite gender before? Will they tell me off-hand that I'm the first girl they dated? Will they express interest in a character of the opposite gender but can be romanced by a same-sex player? Representation doesn't need to be a sanitized thing completely removed from reality. Even in a completely perfect world where there is no such thing as discrimination against the LGBT+ community, we’re still allowed to speak about our sexualities. It’s a part of who we are.

When I say I want specific representation, I don't want a realistic depiction of the current-day struggles our community faces. I just want a character to say something that makes me know that they're like me. That they're specifically bisexual or specifically pansexual or so on. That they have their own preferences and are their own character and aren't blindly into me because I'm the player.

I do get why you want representation to be equal across the board. It is the easy option and a simple thing to do. But I want quality over quantity. I don’t want a character to marry me because I’m the player. I want a character to marry me because they’re bisexual or pansexual or a lesbian or asexual with romantic preferences or so on and so forth. And the reason why I’m so passionate about this and want farming sims to go towards this direction is because I’ve seen it done in other genres! It can work!

Inclusion of LGBT+ romance options does not have to be at the sacrifice of the identities of bisexual and pansexual individuals. And now I get off my soap box and drink some water because I just got my 2nd COVID vaccination.

#the curator speaks #warning: this is long but i did want to hit all your points!#and i do see your point and they are valid #but i really enjoyed your ask and even if you still disagree that's fine!

29 notes · View notes

aggressive-positivity-network · 3 years

Text

A lot of people are wondering why the Q-Force is such an insulting piece of media, along with any other movie, show, or book whose main selling point is how “inclusive” they are as compared to “normal” media.

It’s a lot more complicated than you think, and there’s a reason why we feel instinctively put off by such media. Why there’s such a visceral reaction of disgust.

Number one, companies usually misunderstand what having pride in your identity means. I’m not saying that there aren’t people who will shout it from the rooftops and will where colorful, gaudy, or different clothes to express their identity and sexuality. Honestly, power to them. But that’s not the only way to express pride, and one person may have several. Most pieces of media don’t give LGBTQA+ people that benefit. They are painfully different, either as a model minority or a comic relief. In a way, it’s giving some straight, cis people the comfort of knowing that you can always tell by certain behaviors or wardrobe that a person is queer, and that they will never be surprised. Being LGBTQA+ must be one of the first piece of information they need to learn, or they get “blindsided” or you’re “ruining the character.”

Number two, usually when a character is queer, there is room for little else. This trait is seen as exotic and exciting enough to make an entire character out of. There are a few characters that I admire for using the stereotype to their advantage and managing to flesh out a character around the generalizations, like Matthew from Big Mouth. However, most companies just want to get the additional LGBTQA+ audience, so they just throw a tweed sweater, fishnet stockings, and some bullshit coming out story against the wall to see what they get. And you can tell. Take a queer character from any piece of media and count how many of the obstacles they face being solely about their identity, or how many ways they can hint at being gay. And while real people have obstacles and jokes about their sexuality/identity, it’s usually less obvious, and changes based on the present company. Sometimes it doesn’t effect someone’s life at all unless it’s mentioned or in a romantic/sexual setting. And, if it does effect a person, it unfortunately may not be for the better. Hollywood has a habit of giving issues happy endings so that people who don’t experience it are convinced they don’t need to intervene.

And, finally, when most characters are a horrible representation of the LGBTQA+ community, it can put queer people in a position where they either have to make their own headcanons about other characters, or having to make do with what they’ve been given. This is especially harmful for younger queer people, because they’re shown the same images and messages about how they should be rather than what they can be. They might not think they are part of the community because they don’t want to dye their hair or dress in drag. Either that, or they think they have to constantly flaunt their sexuality/identity in order to be valid, which may not be safe in their environment. There are so few characters that are proudly LGBTQA+ without being just headcanoned or “revealed” to be queer by the creators years after the show ends. We should not be foaming at the mouth every time a character is confirmed to be bisexual or trans or asexual - we shouldn’t have to beg for representation. We should be able to have plenty of choices in media and plenty of good, solid representation. Of course you should be excited because a character represents you…but it shouldn’t just be the act of creators throwing a starving community a bone for variety points.

These points also apply to other minorities, like my neurodivergent peeps, POC, and women in fiction. But those each require their own points, if you would like to add them.

#lgbtpeople #lgbtq rights #lgbtq representation #queerbaiting #queer community #pride month #model minority myth #psa #this is a psa #send asks #ask blog #discourse #terfs do not touch #terfs dni #terfs aren't feminists

9 notes · View notes

frost-skyder · 5 years

Text

Lombun (Art Theif) Using Alts to Harass Artist

Note: This person is harassing an artist they stole from, and has done so multiple times already, and continues to threaten them. They have block-evaded by making multiple accounts, but it’s obvious it’s the same person just on writing style alone and behavior.

Hey, so the asshole I talked about in this post is at it again block evading by making new accounts to harass the original artist.

The first account they used was https://www.deviantart.com/nikoruthewolf to pretend to be a friend and to block evade when their first account was blocked.

Using this account, they left a very disgusting note:

Then chose to make another account directly using the user’s username to harass them:

https://www.deviantart.com/fablokiiisahypocrite/art/--798762781

They are again faking being the “friend” like most people do when they can’t face problems they’ve caused. They are comparing using and crediting a base to art theft that they did, which makes no sense, and are showing that they are lombun just from the writing style alone. Here’s the screens down below in case they get banned for their behavior.

Basically they are proving that they are a scumbag, again!

Below is the initial reason and callout I had on tumblr before they falsely accused it of a DMCA violation and art theft:

Note: The purpose of this journal is to make people aware of the situation, and to avoid the user mentioned. Please do not go out of your way to harass this person, or even contact them. Block so they don't do this to your artwork, and don't promote their behavior.

I’m doing this from a limited machine so it won’t be as thorough as most of my user warnings, but the deviant :devlombun: is heavy reffing/tracing the artwork of another artist I know. It doesn’t matter if the work is old, it’s still theft.

Original:

Traced Version:

https://www.deviantart.com/lombun/art/Mountain-Mist-AKA-Mist-or-Misty-781415012

Screenshot in case they take it down:

Literally in several areas the lines line up. It's obvious they traced parts.

They’ve done it even more after looking at their tumblr.

Originals:

https://www.deviantart.com/fluffomaru/art/Agent-Coulson-319821181

Stolen:

https://lombun.tumblr.com/post/183087921096/lol-the-green-ones-leg-is-broken

They are absolutely blatant.

Original:

Traced Version:

Another version they just posted:

https://lombun.tumblr.com/post/183226994546/really-ruff-one-handed-sketch-you-can-even-watch

Read the description on dA. Astounding.

It's almost like...you can trace off a screen, and off your other work...or fucking heavily reference from a piece next to you.

This one is just as painfully obvious. Before I made this journal, they took it down because people commented saying what they did wasn't okay, but I saved the responses and how they treated the original artist who just said they weren't comfortable with their artwork being heavy reffed and traced. What they said and did shouldn't be swept under the rug, and I wouldn't be surprised if other pieces from their gallery are also traced from other artists.

When the artist said they were uncomfortable with their art being traced and heavily-referenced, they went on a disgusting diatribe and tried to make it about ableism, phobia, and criticize the artist for their own style.

They threw in "a learning disabled person" as if what Lokii said had anything to do with their neurodivergency. Also tried guilt-tripping by saying that their lineart is given to students their mom works with. As an educator, I'm going to point out that none of us want stolen work given to our children. We want to promote artist integrity and literally you learn in school to not plagiarize. Besides sounding like an absolutely fake scenario, it isn't something schools would tolerate if they were aware.

They also continue to use the word "trigger" like a buzzer, when the artist never referred to themself as this. They said they were uncomfortable and rightly so. Nor were they even aggressive in their comment, and Lombun chose to lash out. They also chose to compare the artist's old work to a random toy they found, when neither of them look similar to each other. Besides them looking like a horse, the drawing and the toy look nothing alike. None of it looks traced, or even referenced. The only similarity is that the toy is arranged in a similar pose, which is a common pose for toy horses.

Then went on a spiel about how they are trans, bisexual, having a bad ex, that they are a rape victim, and other bullshit that has nothing to do with their tracing. They went on an absolute rant, trying to use every single "I'm in a bad position don't expect me to be responsible for my own actions" guilt-trip, throwing people in those situations under the bus as well. I'm trans, gay, neurodivergent, and also a victim of sexual coercion but that doesn't excuse me doing terrible things if I commit them? It's almost like your identity and trauma doesn't justify being a horrible person...

Oh, not to mention the threatening about taking it to other social media to slander them, again using "Triggered Hypocrite" as if that's an acceptable term to use.

This isn't even where they ended their horrid rant.

They derail about it solely being about the pose, when it is obvious they heavily referenced and traced. I this nothing to do with the damn pose. It's the fact that they obviously copied.

The artist never alluded to owning the pose, nor was that the original issue. They continue to make it about them being personally harassed, refer to the artist as being entitled and "crying in a corner" because their art was blatantly ripped off.

The only reason the piece was taken down was because a few people were willing to point out how terrible they responded, and how obvious it was that they copied. Literally the only reason this piece is down now. I'm thoroughly disgusted by all of this. Thank you to the people who chose to speak up and notify the artist that they were being copied, and thank you to those who saw what this person said, and didn't look the other way.

The reason I'm still posting this journal despite the artwork being taken down is because of the reasons below:

1. Tried to use being trans and neurodivergent as some sort of bargaining chip and as if that somehow came into play with their tracing. Not to mention using trauma to derail why the artist was upset.

• Being trans and neurodivergent myself, I'm absolutely disgusted by this. Don't drag all of us down by fucking using our identity and mental health as some justification of your thievery, and make us all look bad by acting as if your divergency and identity is somehow connected with how shitty you're being.

Being LGBTQ+ or neurodivergent is no fucking excuse to be a horrible person.

2. Pulled comparisons that were not connected, nor made sense to try and shame the original artist.

• The art pieces they compared looked nothing like what they tried to compare it to, nor was it blatant tracing and heavy referencing. They compared an old art piece to a toy which literally didn't look similar at all. They also tried to use this to somehow shame the artist and make it seem as if they were the ones copying? Basically a red herring technique to distract from their behavior.

3. Threatened defamation, used ableist language, and basically lied about what the original artist said.

• They threatened to post what happened on another site, calling the artist a "triggered hypocrite." If they are neurodivergent, or actually know what trigger means at-fucking-all, they'd know that using it in that context is extremely ableist, demeaning, and in this case not even accurate. Using that term to try to cause harm to others or shame them is inherently ableist due to what the word actually stands for, and what it has to do with PTSD, neurodivergency, mental illness, trauma, etc. Basically they were purposely being disgusting and threatening to cause this original artist harm.

This kind of behavior isn't acceptable nor should it be tolerated. Theft is already disgusting, but how they went out of their way to reach this low is absolutely stunning and despicable. I suggest that if this person tries to watch you or favorite any of your things, block them immediately. If you find out their Toyhouse or other media, I suggest blocking those too so they can't see your older art pieces or your characters. It's obvious that they show no remorse for their actions, nor care about artists.

#art theft #scamming #beware #user beware #art theif #studio bullshit

5 notes · View notes

news-mashable-yahoopartner-blog · 6 years

Text

18 very gay and very good books you should read this Pride Month

Pride Month is officially here and that can only mean one thing: time to load up your reading list with stellar queer stories.

Of course, you should be mixing gay books into your to-be-read pile no matter what time of year, but this month, as you celebrate Pride, queer books can be the perfect way to explore the breadth and diversity of the LGBTQ community.

SEE ALSO: 9 meaningful ways to become part of Pride this year

Fortunately for anybody looking for a great gay read, the book world is filled with a bevy of queer stories of all genres.

Whether you're looking for a meditative poetry collection about queer identity and mental health, a deep dive into the New York City's ballroom culture in the '80s and '90s, a comic about a group scouts who find themselves plagued by supernatural creatures at camp, or a coming-of-age story about a shapeshifter who is navigating life and dating, there is a queer book out there for you.

Here are 18 very gay and very good books you should read this Pride Month.

Image: Rescue Press

Paul Takes The Form of a Mortal Girl

Andrea Lawlor

You've never read a coming-of-age story like this. Paul Takes The Form of a Mortal Girl details the adventures of Paul Polydoris, a student in Iowa City who studies queer theory. Oh, and did we mention that Paul is a shapeshifter who can change from Paul to Polly at will. On the surface, it's an absurd sci-fi premise, but Lawlor uses it to deftly explore gender, identity, and the way we form relationships with other people as well as with ourselves.

Image: Harper Collins

The House of Impossible Beauties

Joseph Cassara

Joseph Cassara's The House of Impossible Beauties takes a deep dive into New York City's ballroom culture in the '80s and '90s by following a group of characters, each who enter the scene for a different reason. But what stands out about the book isn't just the novel's vivid portrait of the past, but also Cassara's breathtaking and unforgettable characters who are all trying to find their way.

Image: Lee Boudreaux Book

Less

Andrew Greer

Andrew Greer's 2018 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Less starts off with a character in crisis: our protagonist Arthur is a struggling novelist, feeling existential as he approaches his 50th birthday, and, to make matters worse, he's just received an invitation to his ex-boyfriend's wedding. Instead of despairing, Arthur says "NOPE" and instead embarks on a haphazard literary world tour. But what sells the book is Greer's resounding heart and humor, making this tale of romantic misadventures as funny as it is earnest.

Image: Harper Collins

Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit

Jaye Robin Brown

Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit follows Joanna "Jo" Gordon, an out teen who is suddenly pushed back into the closet when her evangelical father remarries, moves their family from Atlanta to Rome, Georgia, and asks Jo to hide her queer identity for her senior year. The only problem is Mary Carlson, the sister of Jo's new friend in Rome, who Jo is falling for. The result is a heartfelt novel about coming out and discovering young love. Also, shout out to the infinitely charming title of this book!

Image: Picador

Call Me By Your Name

André Aciman

You've probably seen Call Me By Your Name, the movie, but if you haven't read the book that it's based on, you're missing out. The novel tracks the love story of Oliver and Elio, but where the movie offers a third person look at both characters as they navigate their burgeoning romance, the novel places you solely in Elio's mind as his feelings develop from from mild crush to complete obsession. The details of the book are incredibly specific — it's a brief romance over one summer in Italy — and yet, and it's a testament to Aciman's beautiful prose that the love that Call Me By Your Name explores feels universal and extremely relatable.

Image: Mariner Books

Under the Udala Trees

Chinelo Okparanta

Under the Udala Trees is a book about star-crossed love. The novel follows the life of Ijeoma, a young girl who, at the start of the book, is sent away from her family in order to stay safe during the Nigerian civil war. While away, Ijeoma meets Amina, another girl also separated from her family. The two begin a brief relationship... only to find out that their love is forbidden. What follows is a beautiful novel about love and hardship as Ijeoma is sent home, forced into an unhappy marriage with a man, all the while grappling with her attraction to women.

Image: Penguin Books

madness

sam sax

Don't forget to add a bit of poetry to your reading list this Pride Month! If you're looking for a collection to start with, check out sam sax's collection madness. The poems in this collection cover everything from sexuality to mental health to culture and heritage, but what shines through and connects each of these threads is sax's incredibly thoughtful and evocative prose.

Image: Harper Collins

Release

Patrick Ness

If there is a hidden gem of queer lit, it's Release by Patrick Ness. The book is basically the gay YA version of Mrs. Dalloway (it even starts with "Adam would have to get the flowers himself," invoking Virginia Woolf's iconic opening line). In it we follow Adam Thorn, a 17-year-old student who finds himself having one of the most challenging days of his life. His boss at work is sexually harassing him, the ex he thought he was over suddenly makes a reappearance, and a big blowout is building between himself and his preacher father. (There's also a subplot about a ghost that's haunting the town.) But despite the impossible hurdles Adam faces, Release somehow feels nostalgic and charming as Patrick Ness outlines one teen's struggle to define himself.

Image: Square Fish

Last Seen Leaving

Caleb Roehrig

If the Babadook has taught us anything, it's that Pride is not complete without a little noir. To that end, if you are looking for a darker read this month, make sure you check out Caleb Roehrig's Last Seen Leaving. The book is a coming out story masked as a mystery thriller about Flynn, the primary suspect in an investigation when his girlfriend January disappears. Flynn's answers about his life with January don't quite add up... but maybe that has less to do about January and more about the secret that Flynn is keeping.

Image: Topside Press

Nevada

Imogen Binnie

Nevada follows Maria, a young trans woman living in New York City, trying to navigate the punk scene while also working in retail. When Maria's girlfriend breaks up with her by revealing that she's been cheating, Maria's world is turned upside down. On a quest to escape it all, Melanie embarks on a cross country road trip where she meets James, a stoner living in Nevada who is just as lost as Maria. As the book jumps between both James and Maria's perspectives, Nevada offers a thoughtful look at identity and the trans experience.

Image: BOOM! Box

Lumberjanes

Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, and Brooke A. Allen

If you're looking for some comics to check out this Pride month, be sure to check out Lumberjanes. The series documents the adventures of a group of scouts — Jo, April, Mal, Molly, and Ripley— as they spend a summer together. The only thing is, their camp is plagued by supernatural creatures including yetis, three-eyed wolves, and giant falcons. In addition to featuring stunning art, the book is also incredibly inclusive as the story delves into each diverse character, making Lumberjanes the perfect Pride Month read.

Image: Mariner Books

Fun Home

Alison Bechdel

Fun Home is a graphic memoir about coming out and finding love, centered around two people. The book documents Alison Bechdel (who also came up with the Bechdel test), her experience exploring her attraction to women, and the way that her father resisted her identity. But, after Alison's father is hit by a car and killed, she reflects on his past and realizes that he may have had his own struggles with his sexual identity.

Image: Mariner Books

How To Write An Autobiographical Novel

Alexander Chee

To read Alexander Chee's essay collection How To Write An Autobiographical Novel is to stand in a hall of mirrors, watching as a single person, and all of the identites that compose them, is reflected from all angles. The essay collection is a deep dive into Chee's past as he documents his expereinces as a gay rights and HIV/AIDS activist, a rose gardener, a writer, and more. But at the core, the book explores how we use writing to shape who we are and how who we are shapes our writing.

Image: Harper Collins

They Both Die At The End

Adam Silvera

As the title probably suggests, They Both Die At The End is not what we could a "happy" book. The novel follows a day in the life of two boys, Mateo and Rufus, who get early morning calls from Death-Cast telling them that today is the day that they're going to die. Though initially strangers, Mateo and Rufus are soon brought together through the Last Friend app, a social network that connects people on their last day alive. But as Mateo and Rufus embark on a quest to check items off their bucket list while they still have time, their friendship grows into something more, ultimately exploring what happens when we fall in love with someone we know we only will have a very limited time with.

Image: St. Martin's Press

You Know Me Well

David Levithan and Nina LaCour

Sometimes all you need is a good friend. And that's where You Know Me Well comes in. The book is about Mark and Kate, two students who have remained total strangers even though they've sat next to each other in class for an entire year. When the they run into each other unexpectedly at a bar in San Francisco, each dealing with a small crisis (Kate has just run away from love while Mark is dealing with the fact that the boy he loves is interested in someone else), they become fast friends. Documenting Mark and Kate's adventures with love, relationships, and growing up, You Know Me Well reveals how our friends can become our greatest lifeline.

Image: graywolf press

The Argonauts

Maggie Nelson

The Argonauts defies categorization in the best way. The book is a poetic memoir about Maggie Nelson's relationship with Harry, a gender-fluid artist with whom Nelson falls in love and begins a family. But in addition to the incredible story, The Argonauts radiates with stunning observations about being queer and in love, making the memoir feel less like a book and more like the perfect rendering of a person's heart on a page.

Image: graywolf

Don't Call Us Dead

Danez Smith

Fair warning up front: Don't Call Us Dead is a devastating poetry collection. But this book is as beautiful as it is painfully raw. Throughout the collection, Smith writes about race, queer identity, and AIDS, with an electrifying amount of passion and care, making this book a must-read for Pride Month.

Image: Harper Collins

Leah on the Offbeat

Becky Albertalli

You may know Becky Albertalli for her novel Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda (which was turned into a fantastic movie Love, Simon). But now Albertalli is back with a new book: Leah on the Offbeat. Where Sapiens outlines Simon's adventures in coming out, Leah on the Offbeat reveals that Leah is struggling with her identity too: she's bisexual and working to muster the courage to come out to her friends. But as Leah navigates her senior year of high school, she realizes that she may love one her friends more than anyone else might expect.

WATCH: The history of Pride

#_author:MJ Franklin #_uuid:5463376a-0d9e-315b-b8fe-ccc9c83bd348 #_lmsid:a0Vd000000DTrEpEAL #_revsp:news.mashable

0 notes

tragicbooks · 7 years

Text

13 ways Trump's been terrible for LGBTQ people during his first 5 months.

Has he really been that bad for LGBTQ people? Let's retrace our steps.

Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Colorado in 2016. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.

Last summer, Donald Trump promised "to protect our LGBTQ citizens."

The assurance — seemingly the first time LGBTQ rights were acknowledged by a nominee at a Republican National Convention — came as a sigh of relief to some LGBTQ people and allies hoping for continued progress on queer rights, even in the event that Trump would win the election: Could lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans finally have a Republican ally in the White House?

To find out if Trump's promise held up, let's recap the first five months of his presidency as it pertains to LGBTQ rights:

1. Trump rescinded federal bathroom protections for transgender students.

Photo by Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images.

With Trump's approval, the Justice and Education Departments rejected guidelines suggested under President Barack Obama that allowed trans students across the country to use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender.

The reversal gives state and local officials more sway in forcing kids to use the bathroom that aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth — a move that puts them even more at risk of violence.

2. Trump stopped data collection on LGBTQ seniors, making it difficult to know if and how certain programs affect them.

Photo by Isaac Lawrence/AFP/Getty Images.

The Trump administration pulled questions relating to sexual orientation and gender identity from an annual survey given to seniors by the Department of Health and Human Services. The data collection is crucial in pinpointing where and how federal dollars should be spent on programs benefiting older Americans, NBC News reported, and could negatively affect services like transportation, caregiver support, and home-delivery meals for LGBTQ seniors.

3. Trump has surrounded himself with blatantly homophobic and transphobic officials with huge influence over policy.

Trump with Mike Pence. Photo by Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images.

Bringing years of abhorrent views on LGBTQ people and their rights to Washington, Trump's cabinet truly does showcase a remarkable collection of bigotry, Michelangelo Signorile reported in The Boston Globe.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' family foundation has donated millions of dollars toward groups solely focused on slashing LGBTQ rights. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price called Obama's transgender-inclusive policies "absurd." Attorney General Jeff Sessions has an "alarming record on LGBTQ equality," according to the Human Rights Campaign, and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson once compared sex between people of the same gender to bestiality and pedophilia.

While he was governor of Indiana, Vice President Mike Pence signed a bill into law allowing businesses to discriminate against LGBTQ patrons based on religious beliefs and supported conversion therapy — a form of child abuse — for LGBTQ children.

Unsurprisingly, none of these people have showed signs of changing their beliefs on LGBTQ rights since taking office.

4. Trump's messaging and America-first fiscal priorities are emboldening anti-LGBTQ movements around the world.

Photo by Kirll Kudrjavtsev/AFP/Getty Images.

The "Trump Effect," as The Daily Beast coined it, is empowering hate groups worldwide — not only in regions like the Caribbean and Latin America, but in even the most LGBTQ-friendly countries, like the Netherlands and the U.K., according to OutRight International. What's more, whatever budget passes through a GOP House and is signed by the president will likely slash tens of millions of dollars in funding for programs that prevent HIV transmission and protect LGBTQ people from persecution overseas.

5. Trump has done nothing to stop — or even condemn — the mass arrests and murders of gay, bisexual, and transgender men in Chechnya.

Photo by John MacDougall/AFP/Getty Images.

Since April, at least 100 LGBTQ men have been arrested, tortured, and even killed by law enforcement — all while the Chechen government refuses to acknowledge LGBTQ people even exist there.

Many world leaders have spoken out against the atrocities. Not Trump.

6. Trump signed an executive order allowing for more leniency in letting churches get political.

Trump visits a Las Vegas church in October 2016. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.

In early May, Trump signed an executive order that eased guidelines prohibiting churches from being politically active, Reuters reported. With the move, pastors and religious figures can more freely endorse political candidates without losing their tax-exempt status — a move that could result in more anti-LGBTQ political rhetoric being spewed from the pulpit.

And the order doesn't stop there.

7. Trump has allowed certain religious organizations to discriminate when it comes to health care provisions for LGBTQ employees.

Photo by Thomas Samson/AFP/Getty Images.

Under the same executive order, religious groups can now more easily deny health insurance to employees when the care conflicts with their beliefs. A Christian charity group, for example, could legally refuse to cover certain drugs related to HIV prevention or the costs associated with gender confirmation surgery for a trans person.

That is, Rabbi Denise L. Eger wrote for NewNextNow, "private health decisions between an individual and their medical team will be affected by the religious views of their employer."

8. Trump is fighting for health care reform that would force thousands of HIV-positive people off their care.

Photo by Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images.

LGBTQ Americans (particularly gay and bisexual men of color and trans women) have been disproportionately affected by the AIDS epidemic, which is why moves by the GOP to overhaul the Affordable Care Act is setting off alarm bells for advocates everywhere.

Behind closed doors, Republicans are drafting a health care bill that will likely reverse the bulk of key Obamacare provisions. Earlier legislative efforts suggest the bill, if passed, could decimate our progress on defeating HIV/AIDS by dismantling the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion and making certain HIV drugs inaccessible to those who need them most.

Trump's complete disregard for prioritizing a national strategy on the issue is one big reason why a number of experts just resigned from the White House's HIV/AIDS advisory panel.

"As advocates for people living with HIV, we have dedicated our lives to combating this disease and no longer feel we can do so effectively within the confines of an advisory body to a president who simply does not care," the experts penned for Newsweek on June 16.

9. Trump's education department is scaling back civil rights investigations, hurting kids who are transgender in the process.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Photo by Manel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images.

The Washington Post reported on June 17 that the Department of Education is dropping a consequential discrimination case involving a trans student in Ohio who was harassed by teachers and students and barred from using the bathroom that corresponds with her gender.

Because Trump rescinded federal guidelines protecting trans students in February (see #1 on this list), the department reversed its decision to deem the school's actions as discriminatory, officials said.

It may be just one case — but it's indicative of an even more worrying big picture. The move is part of a larger shift away from enforcing civil rights laws through the department, and that change in attitude and policy is one the Ohio student's advocates are calling "dangerous" for LGBTQ students nationwide.

10. Trump is quietly removing mentions of LGBTQ people and their rights on federal webpages.

The Obama White House's LGBTQ page has been replaced with this generic page.

Just as Trump was inaugurated into office, several White House pages on various issues temporarily disappeared as the new administration took over — not an uncommon hiccup during a presidential transition. Obama's page dedicated to LGBTQ matters, however, still hasn't been replaced.

On June 15, the Department of Commerce removed sexual orientation and gender identity from a list of protected groups in its equal employment opportunity statement, BuzzFeed News noticed. (After the report published —and the department faced swift backlash — the list was updated to include LGBTQ protections once again.)

Federal websites lay out what the president and his administration's priorities are. Erasing them from government websites is a clear sign that the challenges faced by LGBTQ people aren't of immediate concern for Trump and his administration.

11. Trump's proposed travel ban barred LGBTQ refugees from entering the U.S., putting them more at risk of violence.

A transgender refugee from Honduras who is temporarily staying in Mexico hopes to make it to the U.S. eventually. Photo by Guillermo Arias/AFP/Getty Images.

Trump's executive order on immigration served as a blanket ban on refugees coming from a handful of Muslim-majority countries. Among those fleeing their homelands for safety and security, though, are LGBTQ people escaping persecution based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Take Ramtin Zigorat. He's a 27-year-old LGBTQ activist and refugee stranded in Turkey after being sentenced to death in Iran for being gay. The UNHCR had granted him admission to the U.S., but that was put on hold after Trump's travel ban. He's one of many.

"Maybe they will kill me tomorrow," he told CNN back in March. "You always live with this fear."

12. Trump decided against including questions related to sexual orientation or gender identity on the 2020 census.

Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images.

Questions on those matters have never been on the census. But a proposal to include them in the 2020 survey was rejected by the Census Bureau, leaving LGBTQ people invisible, yet again, in one of the most crucial collections of federal data we have.

If data doesn't exist on a marginalized population, it becomes impossibly more difficult to service their specific needs.

13. Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch — a right-leaning justice with a questionable track record on LGBTQ rights — to the Supreme Court.

Photo by Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images.

Arguably one of the most lasting impacts Trump will have on civil rights is his picks for the Supreme Court — which is why his decision to nominate right-leaning Gorsuch has LGBTQ advocates on edge.

"For a conservative, he may stake out some admirably unorthodox positions on the bench," wrote Slate's Mark Joseph Stern after noting Gorsuch's bigoted stances on transgender equality and gay marriage. "But an embrace of LGBTQ rights will not be one of them."

So, to get back to the initial question: Do lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans finally have a Republican ally in the White House?

The evidence speaks for itself.

0 notes

socialviralnews · 7 years