Poland says tax fairness for gay couples might cost too much
Trans people file suits to block Trump executive orders
Before we dive in, on Monday, The Advocate reported on Monday that police arrested the former editor of the Los Angeles Blade, “Brody Levesque,” on charges that he was actually a fugitive sex offender from Virginia, living in Northern California under an assumed identity to avoid the need to register in his home state. He’d been using that name while working as a journalist for several LGBTQ news outlets. The arrest actually happened on Jan 29 and was publicized at the time, but I believe The Advocate is the first outlet to have connected him to LGBTQ media. You can read a report on his original arrest and sentencing from 2005 here (trigger warning, obviously).
“Levesque” was my assigning editor at the Blade until he was fired last summer for unrelated reasons, but I never actually met the man in person, as he worked remotely from the Bay Area. I guess I don’t really know anything about him, to be honest. He’d always told me he was a fellow Canadian, but who knows what was true? He had reportedly been working on a new startup queer media site since then.
This is obviously an extraordinary situation. But unfortunately, not that extraordinary – just in December, the couple who run PinkNews were the subject of sexual misconduct allegations, which they deny.
Queer media is so important – especially right now. But it’s also becoming an increasingly difficult environment to work in. That’s one reason I’m glad to have this newsletter and all of you folks reading. And I’ve been really blessed with the growth this newsletter has had in the last month, too.
I’m not going anywhere, but if you’d like to help make sure I have the time and resources to keep up this newsletter’s quality, I’d really appreciate if you’d consider becoming a paid subscriber. But this newsletter will never be paywalled, because I think it’s important that this news is accessible to anyone who needs it, anywhere in the world. Thank you.
And now, the news
Poland: The ministry of finance is warning that government revenues could be harmed if the proposed civil union bill is passed as it would allow gay couples to reduce their tax burden by up to 27,000 zlotys (~$6600 USD). Apparently, the fact that the government is unfairly charging gays extra on their taxes is not a concern.
Belgium: The country opened its first health center for LGBTQIA+ people in Brussels. Meanwhile, a new coalition government was installed more than half a year after the 2024 elections. The government is a hodgepodge of right and left-wing parties, and LGBT rights are probably safe for now.
On a related note, President Trump has selected a gay man to be US Ambassador to Belgium.
Montenegro: Here’s a report on conversion therapy practices in Montenegro, where no law forbids them.
Georgia: The government has passed a new law to crack down on pro-democracy protestors with “administrative detention” (ie, without trial) up to 60 days, while also criminalizing many normal forms of protest and political opposition. Naturally, the US Embassy is now distancing itself from the protests.
Singapore: A survey shows that a majority of trans Singaporeans face workplace discrimination. The government recently passed a new workplace discrimination law that does not include protections for LGBT people.
Meanwhile, in the States
The New York Times reports that many of the government web pages pulled down by the Trump administration last week over mentions of “gender identity” have been restored following outcry from the scientific and medical communities. But not all. Keep fighting.
A lawsuit has been filed by trans teens and their families against Trump’s executive order to ban gender care for trans youth under 19.
Another lawsuit has been filed by a trans soldier who’s faced pressure to leave the military following Trump’s EO banning trans troops.
South Dakota: A bill requiring public schools to implement mandatory chaplain policies sailed through committee, despite being plainly unconstitutional. Even some Republicans seem alarmed by the bill for fairly obvious reasons – even if you’re religious, do you want a priest from a different church instructing your child without your awareness?
New Hampshire: Republicans are planning a “parental bill of rights” that would require schools to out LGBT students to their parents.
Colorado: The bill to codify same-sex marriage into state law passed second reading in the state senate yesterday.
Minnesota: State Republicans are pledging to file for recall elections against all 66 state house Democrats who have been boycotting the legislative session over Republican machinations to thwart the will of voters and grab power. Voters elected an evenly split house, but Republicans are refusing to sit one Democrat for dubious reasons and another was disqualified by court before the session began and the seat is empty until a yet-to-be scheduled special election. It’s yet another nihilistic power-grab by the state GOP – even if they had control of the house, they wouldn’t be able to pass legislation without Democrats cooperating in the senate. But the point is to undermine the entire democratic process.