#AM_Equality Tipsheet: February 14, 2020

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HRC RELEASES COMING OUT RESOURCE FOR BLACK LGBTQ PEOPLE: Coming Out: Living Authentically as Black LGBTQ People, a valuable resource for members of the Black LGBTQ community, comes during Black History Month, a time when we recognize and celebrate the long history of Black leadership in the LGBTQ movement. “For those of us who identify as Black and LGBTQ, coming out can present a variety of challenges, and this important resource serves as a guide as we navigate our very personal journeys to living authentically,” said HRC President Alphonso David(@AlphonsoDavid). “Although we come from a wide range of cultural, regional and ethnic backgrounds, we often share similar experiences -- and barriers -- in coming out.” Find the resource and learn more at HRC. 

ANTI-LGBTQ BILL PROHIBITING TRANSGENDER STUDENT FROM COMPETING ON TEAMS ALIGNED WITH THEIR GENDER IDENTITY STALLED IN AL HOUSE COMMITTEE: “This bill... is discriminating plain and simple,” said HRC Alabama State Director Carmarion Anderson. “Transgender people are people. Transgender men are men. Transgender women are women. This bill is misguided and regional stigma, discrimination and misinformation about who transgender youth are.” More from WTVM and AL.com.

NBC HONORS BLACK HISTORY MONTH WITH LGBTQ TRAILBLAZERS, NAMES HRC PRESIDENT ALPHONSO DAVID, BAYARD RUSTIN, LORI LIGHTFOOT AMONG LIST OF HISTORY-MAKING PIONEERS: From 1960s civil rights activist Bayard Rustin to Chicago’s first Black woman and LGBTQ mayor Lori Lightfoot (@LightfootForChi), Black LGBTQ Americans have long made history with innumerable contributions to politics, art, medicine and many other fields. More from Gwen Aviles (@gwenfaviles) and Ariel Jao (@arieljao) at NBC.

FEEL-GOOD FRIDAY -- SIX YEARS AGO TODAY, ACTRESS AND ADVOCATE ELLEN PAGE (@EllenPage) CAME OUT AT HRC’S TIME TO THRIVE CONFERENCE: The seventh annual Time to THRIVE Conference starts today in Washington, D.C. Learn more here. 

  • Any media interested in covering this event must RSVP to Madeleine Roberts at madeleine.roberts@hrc.org. 

As we celebrate #ValentinesDay and kick off @HRC's seventh annual #TimeToTHRIVE Conference, take a look back at @EllenPage's inspirational speech from our inaugural conference when she came out publicly on Feb. 14, 2014. ❤️������������ pic.twitter.com/bB3mIsaFSx

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) February 14, 2020

HRC’S NICOLE COZIER SPEAKS ON THE IMPACT OF DWYANE WADE SUPPORTING HIS 12-YEAR-OLD TRANS DAUGHTER: “Dwayne Wade did exactly what we want parents and advocates to do which is loving his daughter unconditionally, presenting his daughter in her authenticity unapologetically,” said HRC’s Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Nicole Cozier. More from Tobias Rodriguez (@tobiasjroad) at ABC7

"@DwyaneWade did exactly what we want parents and advocates to do, which is loving his daughter unconditionally." @HRC’s Nicole Cozier spoke with @ABC7News about the beautiful message of love and acceptance Wade has displayed for his trans daughter. pic.twitter.com/Ljh7cyu94M

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) February 14, 2020

ALLEGHENY COUNTY, P.A. CITY COUNCIL APPROVE BAN PROTECTING LGBTQ YOUTH AGAINST SO-CALLED “CONVERSION THERAPY”:  “[T]his measure before us today is about bringing to an end, as a matter of law, a harmful and discredited practice, [and] it is also about preserving human dignity,” said Councilor Paul Klein, the bill’s sponsor. More from Hannah Lynn (@hanfranny) at Pittsburgh City Paper.  

USA TODAY’S SUSAN MILLER WRITES THAT PROGRESS TOWARD LGBTQ EQUALITY ‘IS A JAGGED LINE’: Miller (@susmiller) discusses significant breakthroughs and ongoing challenges toward LGBTQ equality in the past decade, from banning so-called “conversion therapy” to protect LGBTQ youth to pushing back against anti-LGBTQ legislation across various states. “Progress is ‘a jagged line,’” Miller writes. “There’s backlash, but sometimes it’s like a rubber band. And we emerge from that backlash, growing much further.” More from USA Today.

GET CULTURED - Entertainment, arts and sports news!

NEW DOCUSERIES VISIBLE: OUT ON TELEVISION HIGHLIGHTS LGBTQ REPRESENTATION IN AMERICAN TELEVISION: “Like any good story, [Visible] has heroes, villains, triumphs, obstacles, conflict, and catharsis,” writes Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya. “It contains many messages at once, but there’s one that stands out across it all: Television still needs more LGBTQ stories, and it needs LGBTQ people creating them.” Visible: Out On Television is a new five-part docuseries from Apple TV+. More from Upadhyaya (@KaylaKumari) at The AV Club.

REFINERY29 SHARES A LIST OF THE MOST UNFORGETTABLE QUEER LOVE STORIES IN FILM: Check out the list from Elena Nicolaou (@elenawonders) from Refinery29.
GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

YOUNG LGBTQ PEOPLE IN VIETNAM FACING STIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION, TAUGHT BEING LGBTQ IS A “DISEASE”: Advocates are calling on the Vietnamese government to take action to promote LGBTQ equality. “We need stronger steps from the government to tackle discrimination and create a safe and inclusive educational environment for our youth,” said director Ngo Le Phuong Linh of the ICS Centre, an advocacy rights group in Vietnam. More from Kate Hodal (@katehodal) at The Guardian

  • Human Rights Watch’s new report Vietnam: LGBT Youth Unprotected documents how pervasive myths about sexual orientation and gender identity in Vietnam contribute to violence and discrimination.

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