US: Students denied access to LGBT resource websites

The Sioux Falls School District’s internet filter carries an anti-LGBT bias, students say. Students are barred from accessing LGBT resource sites such as “It Gets Better” and “GLADD” on district devices according to Roosevelt High School senior and former city council candidate Briggs Warren.

Students who try to reach these sites are met with a large exclamation point under bold red letters reading, “access denied.” At the same time, conservative sites such as the Family Resource Council and Focus on the Family are accessible, meaning that students are able to reach sites projecting negative views of homosexuality but not those with positive views.

LGBT youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their straight peers, according to The Trevor Project, a suicide hotline specific to gay and questioning youth. This makes the blocked sites all the more troubling, according to ACLU executive director Heather Smith.

“Schools that block these resources, intentionally or otherwise, are sending a message that being gay, bisexual or transgender is wrong or shameful,” Smith said in a statement.  Read more via USA Today

UK: Government updates USA travel advisory to warn LGBT people

The UK government has updated its travel advice for the United States – to warn people gay people about new anti-LGBT laws. The Foreign Office updated its guidance this week in the wake of laws passed in North Carolina and Mississippi to permit discrimination based on religious belief.

The new travel advice warns: “Laws vary from state to state. When you are physically present in a state, even temporarily, you are subject to that state’s laws.

“The US is an extremely diverse society and attitudes towards LGBT people differ hugely across the country. LGBT travelers may be affected by legislation passed recently in the states of North Carolina and Mississippi. Before traveling please read our general travel advice for the LGBT community. You can find more detail on LGBT issues in the US on the website of the Human Rights Campaign.”  Read more via Pink News
 

South Africa: An African first – LGBT business network to be launched

In a major boost for South African LGBT businesses and entrepreneurs, an agreement to start an LGBT business network has been struck with the US National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC). Headed by The Other Foundation, a task team has been set up to begin the process of establishing the network – an African first. It will promote, empower and give a voice to LGBT businesses, advocate for LGBT supplier diversity and inclusion among corporates and provide networking opportunities for its members.

Speaking at the event, openly gay MP Zakhele Mbhele (DA) commented that many of the issues facing the LGBT community, including the heightened vulnerability of black lesbian women in particular, could be directly linked to the country’s socio-economic inequalities. He said that the economic development of all South Africans is vital, adding that, “We have to get the basis of this country fixed to tackle these manifestations of homophobia”.

Xhanti Payi, a trustee of The Other Foundation, told the audience that prejudice and discrimination has often kept LGBT people out of work in South Africa; affecting their ability to make a living: "We need to create spaces where people can create their own businesses and succeed,” he said, describing the founding of the network as “a very important initiative”.  Read more via Mamba Online

Australia: Gay CEOs unmoved by church pressure on marriage equality

Fairfax Media reported that the Archdiocese contacted Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce and SBS chief executive Michael Ebeid, urging them to reconsider their public endorsement of same-sex marriage.

Both companies were among hundreds of Australian corporations to pledge their support for the Australian Marriage Equality campaign last year, and both chief executives addressed a high-profile breakfast hosted by the AME in May.

Shortly after the AME campaign was launched, the Archdiocese addressed letters to many of the organisations involved, including Qantas, SBS, Telstra, the Football Federation of Australia and law firm Maurice Blackburn.

"I wonder whether you have questioned whether it is the role of a corporation such as yours to be participating in such an important matter that impacts all of Australian society now and into the future," wrote Sydney Archdiocese business manager Michael Digges. 

Read more via Catholic News

South Africa: Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom gives keynote at the annual International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association global convention

The 33rd Annual Global Convention of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) is the first business conference of its kind to be held on the African continent. Excerpt from the keynote:

...Perhaps we are now better described as a “Kaleidoscope Nation” – where things are constantly changing and shifting, and sometimes even colliding. But the beauty is all still there. The different colours are still wondrous. The shape and form of our nation shifts continuously, but it is up to us to define the dream, and to shape it.

I have no doubt that our shared dream is of a world where you can love who you choose to love, without fear or embarrassment; where the colour of your skin does not matter; where you can worship in your way, or not worship, if that is your choice. A world where our sameness is more important than our differentness – where you can be you and I can be me and we care for each other.

We became the first country in the world to include a sexual orientation protection clause in our Constitution to ensure the rights of all people. Consequently, LGBT people took pride of place as full and equal members of our society. It filled many of us with immense pride, but it was a hard battle and there was considerable opposition to it from some quarters.  Read more via eTN Global Travel Industry News

Philippines: Why call centers might be the most radical workplaces

You may not realize it, but the person on the other side of your customer service phone call might be transgender. On calls, Filipino workers can safely adopt women’s voices, names, and clothing, all while earning a decent wage. But their success at work doesn’t protect them from the discrimination they face outside of it.

In the Philippines, call centers have become havens for gender-nonconforming people, a place where they can experiment with their gender presentation and identity. Since most of the labor takes place over the phone, employees assigned male at birth may adopt traditionally feminine names, take on a “female voice,” or wear women’s clothing while talking to customers, a freedom that would be impossible in most other industries in the country.

For decades, beauty parlors were a rare refuge where gender-variant Filipinas could openly work, at the expense of low wages. But today “call centers are the new beauty parlor,” said Naomi Fontanos, the head of a major Philippine transgender organization and herself a former call center worker.  Read more via Buzzfeed

US: Economic impact of HB2 mushrooms

The recent passage of anti-LGBT legislation in North Carolina and Mississippi has triggered protests and growing corporate backlash, with some companies refusing to expand in the states and high-profile performers canceling events.

The economic impact of the state’s controversial House Bill 2 continued to mushroom Tuesday, as Deutsche Bank announced it was freezing plans to create 250 jobs in Cary and a top Wake County economic development official said that five companies since early last week have canceled or postponed efforts to bring jobs to the county.  Read more via WRAL

Japan: Goldman executive to speak on Japan LGBT issues at LDP panel

Japan’s ruling party will interview employees at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and other companies to see how they are promoting inclusive workplaces for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

The Liberal Democratic Party of Japan’s committee on LGBT issues will speak on Friday with a Tokyo-based Goldman vice president who recently came out as a gay man, Hiroko Matsumoto, a Goldman spokeswoman said by phone. Employees at IBM Japan Ltd. and Panasonic Corp. will also be interviewed, according to the LDP’s website.

In recent years, Japanese companies have started rolling out LGBT-friendly policies such as diversity training and benefits to same-sex partners, even as many in society remain closeted. About 7.6 percent of people in Japan identified as LGBT in 2015, according to an online survey by Dentsu Inc. The same report estimated that the consumer market for this community may amount to 5.9 trillion yen ($53 billion).

“We need to first properly understand LGBT people, and foster an environment that eliminates discrimination at the workplace, at school and in society," committee chairman Keiji Furuya wrote. Read more via Bloomberg 

Instagram launches #VisibleMe channel dedicated to LGBT youth

Instagram has launched its first channel which is dedicated to LGBT youth. Users were encouraged to include the hashtag #VisibleMe in their posts to tell their story over the social media platform.

Raymond Braun, who organised the campaign, says he intends to shine a “spotlight” on diverse, compelling stories from LGBT youth.

“People are more likely to support the LGBTQ community when they know someone who identifies as LGBTQ, so I hope this project provides a platform and voice to young people, helping them feel empowered and supported.” 

 Read more via Gay Times
 

UK, Hong Kong, US: Pride and Prejudice 24-hour rolling event

'Pride and Prejudice,' challenged policymakers and industry leaders to rethink the future of the global LGBT movement and its impact on business. Attitudes towards LGBT people have changed with remarkable swiftness across much of the Western world. Gay marriage, a bellwether of progress towards equality, is increasingly being written into law. Businesses see competitive advantage in creating a reputation for inclusiveness. Yet global acceptance of LGBT people is not evenly distributed.

Worldwide, the situation ranges from mild intolerance to hostile rejection and violence. In many businesses, the “glass closet” remains a formidable barrier to advancement or authenticity. Discussion about same-sex relationships is controversial in many countries, but in a globalised world, gay rights are now a significant issue.

Participants in Hong Kong, London and New York will take part is a series of globally oriented conversations and tackle the thorny questions pertinent to their region, with a common question in mind: what is the cost of LGBT discrimination? Read more via the Economist

Russian crackdown on ‘Gay Propaganda’ extends to Calvin Klein Ad

Here are some things that Russian authorities have labeled gay propaganda: holding & signs that say “Gay is OK”; rainbow balloons; a friendship between a captive goat and tiger; and reporting on gay rights. Now, a Calvin Klein ad is being investigated as a potential offender after complaints were filed in the northern town of Arkhangelsk by locals who watched it on YouTube.

The advertisement, which features two men riding on a motorcycle together and two women running behind a fence and flashing freeway drivers, is the subject of a three-week investigation into whether it violates a 2013 law that legally prohibited promoting “non-traditional sexual relationships” to children. The ad also shows two opposite-sex couples kissing.

The 2013 law has had a chilling effect on LGBT rights activists and LGBT people in Russia, who have reported increased levels of harassment and hate crimes. Last month, a proposal to jail LGBT individuals who are open about their identity found support in Russia’s legislature, though the proposal was ultimately rejected. Read more via Foreign Policy

Saudis seek virtual freedoms denied in real life

When it comes to freedoms, human rights organisations will tell you Saudi Arabia doesn't have the best track record. And perhaps because compared to elsewhere there is limited personal freedom, defiance across the region has gone digital.

In this part of the BBC's special series "Saudis on social" we tell the stories of three anonymous accounts on Twitter which all tell of searching for virtual freedom in Saudi Arabia. But what impact does this secret life have on those who live this way?
Read via BBC & Watch the videos