By Ashley R. Lierman A new update to the popular Sims 4 will remove gender restrictions from character options, letting players fully customize their characters’ genders, clothing, and option to whatever they choose. The move came as a result of lengthy consultation with the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), Out.com reports: Electronic Arts […]
Year: 2016
Watch: Colbert Checks the Math on All-Gender Restrooms
Whoopi Goldberg to Produce Series about Transgender Models
By Ashley R. Lierman The Advocate reports that Whoopi Goldberg will be producing an upcoming television series called Strut. The series will be a modeling show focusing on models from Slay Model Management, the “first transgender modeling agency.” According to Goldberg, the series will “give viewers a unique opportunity to spend time with real people […]
Queer Quest 20 – Why I’m Not Mad At Deadpool
By Ashley R. Lierman Last fall, before the Deadpool movie came out, I reported on an interview where Ryan Reynolds and director Tim Miller confirmed that the movie would portray a pansexual Deadpool. At that time, it wasn’t clear what the character’s sexuality would have to do with the movie itself, and to a certain […]
EU says North Carolina’s HB-2 violates UN treaty
By John Mack Freeman The European Union has issued a statement urging the state of North Carolina to reconsider the anti-GLBT law HB-2. Via The News and Observer: A statement posted on the EU website from spokeswoman Catherine Ray says the laws “discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons” and “contravene the International Covenant […]
First openly gay civilian military head confirmed
By John Mack Freeman Eric Fanning has been confirmed as Army Secretary after nearly eight months of delay on his nomination. Now that he is confirmed, Fanning is the first openly-GLBT individual to be the civilian head of one of the branches of the military. Via Washington Blade: Never before has the U.S. Senate confirmed […]
House approves bill allowing discrimination against GLBT contractors
By John Mack Freeman This week, the House of Representatives voted 277 to 147 (mostly along party lines) to approve the 2017 defense authorization bill. Included in that bill is a measure that would allow religiously-affiliated contractors to discriminate against GLBT people. This measure was put forward by Steve Russell and is targeted at undermining […]
LGBT groups banned from UN AIDS conference by request of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
By John Mack Freeman The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has requested that the United Nations ban several GLBT groups from an upcoming conference on HIV and AIDS. Via Towleroad: Though no official reason was given for the ban, nearly all of the groups denied access to the event were linked to LGBT rights. US ambassador to […]
Read: Excerpt from A Day In May, Celebrating Irish Marriage Equality
By Ashley R. Lierman A new book by Charlie Bird focuses on marriage equality in Ireland, which was voted into law at this time one year ago. The Advocate presented an excerpt from the story of John Paul Calnan in the book, about the heartache of a bereaved partner before same-sex marriage was the law […]
Watch: Samantha Bee on “Potty Prefect” McCrory
By Ashley R. LIerman On her show Full Frontal this week, Samantha Bee was another commentator to tear into North Carolina’s recent transphobic law House Bill 2. Her shaming of Governor Pat McCrory as “potty prefect” of the state came as part of a larger piece on how moderate and liberal voter apathy in the […]