Table of contents for May/June 2022 in The Advocate

There’s been great progress in recent yea rs for LGBTQ+ youth, but discrimination, harassment, and political attacks continue, and many of these young people seek mental health services. One health care provider is offering a new option to meet this need. Charlie Health, founded in 2020, offers treatment through a video platform so clients can access services from their homes. Its intensive outpatient program is designed for teens and young adults who need more than a once-a-week therapy session — it’s usually nine to 11 hours weekly for six to 10 weeks and includes individual, family, and group therapy. And there are services specifically tailored for LGBTQ+ clients. “From harassment in schools to legal challenges to their right to authentically move through the world and access basic health care, LGBTQIA…

20% of Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2003) currently identify as LGBT 10.5% of millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) currently identify as LGBT The proportion of people who identify as LGBT roughly doubles with each generation, further evidenced by the fact that Gen Xers came in at 4.2 percent and baby boomers at 2.6 percent. This supports the idea that people are getting more comfortable being out with each generation as well as having less fear in exploring their sexual or gender identity. Source: data collected from a 2021 Gallup Poll on how different generations identify sexually…

The Court of Rome has cleared the way for a plaintiff to identify as nonbinary in their legal documents without having to go through the hurdles of hormone therapy or gender-affirming surgery. The decision, which came down March 7, is the first of its kind in Italy, according to local media. Now the plaintiff, Alex, who identifies as trans and nonbinary, can list their gender correctly on documents like their birth certificate. It’s an important milestone because it paves the way for affirmation of other nonbinary people’s identities, Alex’s lawyer, Giovanni Guercio, told the website Gay.it. Alex responded to the decision by saying “thank you” over and over, the lawyer noted. “It is a thank-you that those who are not born in this condition cannot understand. It is like a…

At a time of unprecedented visibility for LGBTQ+ Americans — and, arguably, unprecedented prog ress — there are also unprecedented attacks. These attacks include Florida’s “don’t say gay or trans” law, the governor of Texas declaring that parents who support their transgender children are child abusers, and more than 300 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in states around the nation this year, surpassing 2021’s record of 250-plus. The Republican-backed bills would restrict the rights of LGBTQ+ people in a variety of ways. Some, like the infamous Florida measure, now signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis, would ban or at least limit classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity. Others would keep books with LGBTQ+ content out of school libraries. Some would deny trans children access to medically necessary, often lifesaving,…

AS THE LOOMING legislative ax hovers over all our heads, the release of Harvey Fierstein’s memoir, I Was Better Last Night, couldn’t be better timed. Harvey’s voice has always been singular. In 1983, I was 17 years old when I watched transfixed as Barbara Walters interviewed Harvey. I was astonished when Harvey said, “I assume that everyone is gay unless I’m told otherwise.” My gay self-esteem was in the embryo stage and that was a staggering paradigm shift for me. When Barbara said, “A few years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to do an interview like this,” Harvey told Barbara, “You could have done it and you should have done it.” How could I be any less brave in my life than he was being on national television? That night,…

June Millington, a Filipina lesbian, founded the band Fanny in 1969 with her sister Jean Millington. The group was the first all-female rock band signed to a major label (Warner Bros.) Fanny released several albums in the early 1970s, and David Bowie called them “one of the finest fucking rock bands of their time.” The band’s story is told in the documentary Fanny: The Right to Rock. After Fanny disbanded, June Millington and Ann Hackler founded the Institute for the Musical Arts, supporting women and girls in music, in 1986. Proceeds from Millington’s new album, Snapshots, will benefit the Massachusetts-based institute.…

THE PURE JOY that radiates from Dexter Mayfield is contagious. He laughs frequently and smiles even more. He is enthusiasm personified. That energy has helped launch his career as a model and dancer, walking the runway for designers like Marco Marco and Fenty, and shimmying alongside superstars like Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, and Taylor Swift. Now Mayfield can add being the highlight of the Come Dance With Me judg ing pa nel to his list of accomplishments, because with a sparkly, smoky eye and the crack of an unfurling fan, all eyes are on him. On the CBS reality show, aspiring young dancers are joined by their supportive but untrained adult family members to (hopefully) dance their way to the top. And yes, it’s every bit as touching as you…

There’s been a swift response to support Ukrainian refugees, yet little response in support of LGBTQ+ and other displaced people who are refugees in Ukraine and now intertwined with the war. Before Russia invaded Ukraine, LGBTQ+ people fleeing persecution in Africa found Ukraine to be a haven. The majority of Ukrainians are in favor of equal rights for LGBTQ+ people. And there are antidiscrimination laws and other protections available that have made it unlikely that LGBTQ+ people could face persecution based on their identity. Since the invasion began in February, the European Union has agreed to open its doors to Ukrainians fleeing persecution due to the recent crisis. But no action has been taken to protect the refugees who are in Ukraine without the proper documentation as they flee to…

Some LGBTQ+ people, having lived out and proud for years, find themselves back in the closet when they enter senior housing — something veteran activist LuAnn Boylan calls “a travesty.” Now, as director of marketing and leasing at Living Out Palm Springs, Boylan aims to offer an option that won’t require closeting. Living Out, under construction in that California desert city, will be an apartment community for active LGBTQ+ people aged 55 and older. Designed in a contemporary interpretation of mid-century modern architecture, it will have 122 units (several different floor plans are available) and amenities including pools, a restaurant and bar (under the direction of celebrity chefs Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken), a fitness center, a putting green, a dog park, housekeeping and concierge services, and more. Living…

The United Nations’ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) has found that Sri Lanka violated the rights of a lesbian who was discriminated against and threatened due to the country’s criminalization of consensual same-sex sexual activity. The case was brought to CEDAW by Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, a leading LGBTQ+ activist. Sri Lankan authorities have used Flamer-Caldera’s photo in presentations falsely claiming a rise in child abuse was connected to queer individuals, according to the committee. They also said she was “spreading” homosexuality and thus pedophilia. CEDAW said that Sri Lanka’s law banning same-sex sexual activity must be repealed and authorities need to take “immediate and effective action” over threats to Flamer-Caldera. “I am ecstatic to hear of this decision as it is a major win for all of…

The Australian advocacy organization For Film’s Sake has announced the conclusion of global feature film incubator Attagirl’s Audience Workshop. Attagirl, in its second year, is billed as an intensive narrative feature film development lab. It’s designed to support women and nonbinary filmmakers and help them develop their craft in innovative, distinct ways to compete with those from more privileged backgrounds. The Audience Workshop is the third workshop out of four in the program. Attagirl participants will next work on a script before a final pitch workshop in June. The workshop is meant to help participants learn about marketing and distribution, which often pose challenges to women and nonbinary filmmakers. The workshop allowed seven international teams to learn from industry experts about audience, design, casting, script development, and finance plans in…

DON MAISON Don Maison, a Dallas-based lawyer who focused on cases involving LGBTQ+ rights and HIV, died February 21 at age 74 after a bout with esophageal cancer. Maison was known for defending many of the gay men arrested for “public lewdness” at a bar called the Village Station in 1979. Later he became the longest-serving president and CEO of AIDS Services of Dallas. He once said that both his best and worst quality was “not letting go.” JOE TOM EASLEY Longtime activist Joe Tom Easley died February 13 in Miami Beach, Fla., of complications from lung disease. He was 81. He was discharged from the Navy in the 1960s for being gay, and he then became an activist against the Vietnam War, for consumer protection as one of Ralph…

Family life has been treating Tom Daley very well these days. The morning we speak, Daley looks relaxed and confident with his trademark bubbly persona and effervescent smile on persistent display. The better part of a year has elapsed since he took home an Olympic gold medal in the men’s synchronized 10-meter platform diving event with partner Matty Lee at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The mood on display in the Daley home in London this morning can best be described as organized chill. Dressed in a white T-shirt with a stitched rainbow heart that looks like it might even be the handiwork of Daley himself, the 27-year-old exudes the confidence of a champion who, while not slowing down as a father, husband, athlete, and activist, has still found time…

ALABAMA Máni Blunt Sometimes just being yourself is enough to enact change. As the Alabama programs manager for TransFamily Support Services, Máni Blunt, 30, is personally and professionally leading the charge. Blunt, who is genderfluid and transmasculine (he/they), connects and guides transgender and gender-nonconforming people through their journeys. They educate professional staff on cultural humility to best serve their trans clients, students, coworkers, employees, and others. They’ve also facilitated support groups for youth and young adults and coordinated public events with sibling LGBTQ+ organizations throughout Alabama. Together with another trans-serving group in the community, Blunt cohosted Huntsville’s first Trans Day of Visibility event. Blunt says he is especially happy about the large turnout. As far as inspirations go, Blunt says,“I had originally hoped my voice would sound like Neil Patrick…

With its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has been a constant presence in the news this year, and the freedoms of Russian citizens are again a subject of discussion. At the same time, along comes the film Firebird, about a forbidden gay love affair between two Soviet Russian military officers at the height of the Cold War. Shot in Estonia and released in April, Firebird (based on Sergey Fetisov’s memoir, The Story of Roman) tells the story of Sergey, played by out British actor Tom Prior. He’s a troubled young private counting the days until his military service ends. But his life is upended when the daring fighter pilot Roman (Oleg Zagorodnii) arrives at Sergey’s base. A dangerous and touching decades-long love story between the two men follows. “Because of the…

A Chechen warlord and close adviser to Ramzan Kadyrov, the region’s leader, was said to be killed in Ukraine as Russia began its invasion of the country. Russian human rights groups have said the adviser had been involved with the persecution of LGBTQ+ people. “Magomed Tushayev, one of Ramzan Kadyrov’s top warlords, has been killed in action in [the] Hostomel [airport]. Ukraine’s elite Alpha Group is reportedly fighting Chechens in the airfield,” Ukrainian journalist Illia Ponomarenko tweeted in late February. A Twitter account affiliated with the Ukrainian Armed Forces also reported Tushayev’s death. The account wrote, “Magomed Tushayev, leader of the 141 motorized regiment of the Chechen National Guard, was killed!” While outlets like The Jerusalem Post reported on Tushayev’s killing, his death is still disputed by some, according to…

When it comes to homelessness, violence, addiction, and behavioral disorders like obsessive-compulsive behavior, LGBTQ+ people are disproportionately affected. UCLA Extension, a continuing and professional education program that’s part of the University of California system, recently announced a $1.5 million grant from the federal government that allows the creation of a training certificate so health professionals can better address these disparities. The Behavioral Health Support Specialist Training Certificate will provide training to “upskill” health care support workers in greater Los Angeles. Obtaining the certificate will not require tuition — participants will receive a $5,000 stipend — and the study will consist of nine courses, including Working with Diverse Populations in Behavioral Health, Navigating High-Stakes Conversations and Motivating Patients, and Fundamentals of Human Sexuality. UCLA Extension officials applied for the federal grant…

A report released in late March says armed groups in Iraq have abducted, raped, and killed LGBTQ+ people without consequence. Drafted by Human Rights Watch and the Sweden-based Iraqi LGBTQ+ rights group IraQueer, the report “Everyone Wants Me Dead”: Killings, Abductions, Torture, and Sexual Violence Against LGBT People by Armed Groups in Iraq documents numerous cases of LGBTQ+ people being targeted by armed groups connected to the Iraqi government and even the police. “LGBT Iraqis live in constant fear of being hunted down and killed by armed groups with impunity, as well as arrest and violence by Iraqi police, making their lives unlivable,” Rasha Younes, LGBTQ+ rights researcher at Human Rights Watch, said in a news release. “The Iraqi government has done nothing to stop the violence or hold the…

1 Bakin’ 9 to 5 Grammy-winning country music legend, queer icon, and longtime LGBTQ+ ally Dolly Parton has partnered with Duncan Hines to create a new line of Southern-inspired desserts. The collection includes cake mixes and frostings drawing from some of Dolly’s family faves, such as coconut cake, chocolate buttercream frosting, and banana cake. “I have always loved to cook and, growing up in the South, I especially love that authentic mom-and-pop kind of cooking,” said Parton. What could be better for a Pride party than Dolly-inspired desserts? (Shop.DuncanHines.com) 2 Faithful to Marianne Good news for Marianne Faithfull fans: the musician’s acclaimed 1999 album Vagabond Ways has been re-released with additional goodies. The album was originally recorded at Teatro Studios in California and produced by Mark Howard and Daniel Lanois, and the BMG…

THE TIMING OF The Memory Librarian, the debut short story collection from Janelle Monáe, is eerily prescient. Texas has passed a law that restricts classroom instruction on controversial social and historical issues. School districts across the United States are asking that educators teach “both sides” on subjects like the indisputable atrocities of the Holocaust. Politicians are knowingly lying, trying to make us doubt, even erase our memories, and Monáe has taken note. “One of the main points that’s super important is about the threat of censorship, memory censorship,” she says, speaking on The Advocate’s LGBTQ&A podcast. “Memories are essentially our stories that we tell ourselves to survive.” Expanding on the world created in her career-defining album, Dirty Computer, Monáe writes of a future where memories can be controlled and erased. Surveillance is…

In a buoyant early scene early in Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life, the documentary’s titular subject, clad in leather pants and a gladiator helmet, takes the stage at HustlaBall Berlin to accept one of the gay porn industry’s highest honors in front of a cheering crowd. Afterward, he texts his mother, “Mom, I’m the best actor in the porn world.” The high doesn’t last. The camera returns to the HustaBall another year to capture the reality of how some of the world’s most beautiful men project an illusion. Dozens of muscled bodies crowd in a back room, injecting each other’s penises with stimulants to stay hard. Agassi, crouched in a corner, smokes a pipe of crystal meth. “Every time I watch this scene, I get scents of mold in my…

MOVIES Crush This sweet coming-of-age romance is the perfect summer watch. The film focuses on Paige, an aspiring artist who finds herself unexpectedly joining her high school track team just to get closer to her crush — that is, until her heart is drawn in another direction. Not only does it feature out actors Rowan Blanchard and Auli’i Cravalho as its leads, but it’s also a story that centers queer joy rather than just a coming-out story. Crush premieres on Hulu April 29. Firebird Both a romantic drama and a Cold War thriller, Firebird depicts the steamy and forbidden love story between a daring fighter pilot and a young soldier. Set in late 1970s Estonia, the film sees the couple forced to keep their love quiet because, should it be…