News
Demand for rights and anti-LGBTQ violence marks Chile’s political crisis
Protesters marching against rampant inequality in the country
CONCEPCIÓN, Chile — In less than three days a protest organized by students against the increase in subway fares turned into an imposing and unexpected national protest over years of inequalities in Chile that completely paralyzed the country and put the entire Chilean political class on notice. Millions of people have taken to the streets over the last few days to demonstrate their discontent.
Some of the massive marches have nevertheless ended with protesters attacking businesses, torching and looting supermarkets in the worst unrest the country has seen in decades. Chilean President Sebastián Piñera declared a state of emergency, deployed soldiers to the streets and imposed a curfew that deepened the conflict by unleashing the worst cases of human rights violations in the last 30 years in the Latin American country. A group of lawmakers have announced a constitutional complaint against Piñera.
“These weeks have been a time bomb that we all knew was going to explode, but we did not know that it would explode now and with such intensity,” said Alessia Injoque, executive president of Fundación Iguales, a Chilean LGBTQ organization. Franco Fuica, legislation and public policy coordinator of Organizando Trans Diversidades (OTD), a trans advocacy group, has a similar opinion.
“We are living a social revolution,” he affirmed.
The crisis in Chile has been brewing for a long time. Dictator Augusto Pinochet in 1973 staged a coup to topple Salvador Allende, Latin America’s first democratically elected Socialist president. Pinochet reversed Allende’s model and began to implement a diametrically opposed economic formula. The country became a sort of neoliberal laboratory and a cruel dictatorship that persecuted, tortured and killed its opponents.
A group of liberal economists who were educated at the University of Chicago, where they learned the ideas of Americans Milton Friedman and Arnold Harberger, who were known as the “Chicago boys,” led Pinochet’s economic changes. They implemented economic and social reforms that privatized everything, and were enshrined in Chile’s 1980 constitution that was adopted in 1980 and remains in place.
Chile is the only country in the world where water is privatized, retirement pensions are low, health is bad and the majority of households have difficulties making ends meet at the end of the month. A report the U.N. Economic Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) published in January that analyzed the evolution of poverty, spending and social inclusion revealed Chile continues to maintain its high rates of inequality. “1 percent of the population holds 26.5 percent of wealth,” the investigation concludes.
“We have been in an unfair system for years, where everything is done to ensure the same people always win. Beyond that injustice, there was impunity where nothing happened to people who caused a lot of damage that runs from pain to frustration. The government was indolent and everything came to a head,” said Injoque. The trans activist said they were truly afraid.
“I had chills when I found out that soldiers were out on the streets,” they said.
“Piñera declared war against my grandchildren on national television, deployed the army to shoot and kill them for peacefully protesting (against) their enormous suffering and the people realize there is complicity there and I hear another loud clamor: ‘Resign Piñera,'” Pamela Jiles of the Frente Amplio, a new political force in the Chilean Congress who has lead the impeachment movement, told the Washington Blade.
“My duty as a lawmaker is to constitutionally accuse Piñera, as Humanist Congresswoman Laura Rodríguez would have done, using a parliamentary procedure and a constitutional provision, to turn my back to the elite and face the people,” Jiles explained. “It cannot be anything else because he has already seriously jeopardized the nation’s security, has plunged the country into misgovernment and is the main — although not the only — person responsible for the deaths of those they should have protected.”
Brutal cases of human rights violations allegedly committed by the Chilean armed forces have been reported since the onset of this social revolution. Repression, abuse of power, indiscriminate violence, illegal detentions and deaths prompted U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, who is Chile’s former president, to decide to send a team of observers to verify the cases, which include a young gay man who was illegally detained, tortured and sexually abused by the police.
Josué Maureira, a medical student at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile who was arrested while bringing first aid to injured protesters, claims he was beaten until he was unconscious, mistreated because of his sexual orientation and gender identity, beaten again until his septum was broken, violated with a baton, threatened with death and jailed because of alleged attacks against police officers. The National Human Rights Institution has filed a sexual torture complaint.
“The states of emergency authorize the restriction of free movement, but not attempts to take people’s lives. The ‘exit from the crisis’ as the elite likes to say, is only Piñera’s exit. it is our obligation to stop the killing of innocent people,” said Jiles.
Shane Cienfuegos, an activist and investigations coordinator of Colectiva Neutres who in recent weeks has managed to unify the majority of LGBTQ groups, mentioned that “I have been in the streets since the subway evasion, activating constituencies. We summoned all the organizations and more than 50 came. We made a diagnosis and discovered that we were vulnerable.”
A massive demonstration across the country was called for Oct. 25. #LaMarchaMásGrandeDeChile (Chile’s biggest march) was a trending topic on Twitter around the world and television stations across covered the historic protest, which drew more than 1.5 million people. “The other thing that I was going to say, that we have also forgotten to mention, is apart from soccer teams and Chilean flags that are very important, there are many flags from the LGBTQ movement, many people with different sexualities are also present and they are movements that are protesting today and their flags are there in the streets,” interrupted Mónica Rincón, a CNN reporter and LGBTQ ally, on live television.
The majority of Chilean LGBTQ institutions on their social media networks backed the protests, while people of diverse sexualities were deployed in groups to participate. “We went out with a lot of passion and creativity to rise up with force and at the same time claim our rights that have been violated by the Chilean state for decades and go against a neoliberal system that oppresses us,” added Cienfuegos.
Chile in 1999 decriminalized sodomy, and in 2012 enacted an anti-discrimination law — to which activists have pointed as inadequate — and same-sex couples since 2016 have been able to enter into a civil union. A gender identity law that will recognize trans people’s right to identity will take effect in December of this year. There are also public policies that benefit sexual and gender diversity, but however, there is still much to do to win full equality in the country.
“We created a roundtable with 19 civil society organizations with a presence throughout Chile, to be able to work on certain matters of law that need to be modified to be able to ensure recognition, rights and guarantees to the LGBTQ+ community,” said Natalia Castillo, a young member of the Chilean House of Representatives from the leftist Frente Amplio party who is behind a multiparty group for the rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, trans and queer called the “Diversity Caucus.”
A marriage equality bill stalled in the Senate’s Constitution Committee more than a year ago. The “Diversity Caucus” led by Castillo, on the other hand, is working on the creation of other legislative initiatives in favor of sexual and gender diversity that will be presented in the coming weeks.
“I think that it is a great opportunity to perfect the anti-discrimination law, to promote a law that penalizes the incitement of hatred, and perhaps, this is the moment that LGBTQ+ people will be compensated by the Chilean state for their historic violation,” Fuica concluded.
West Hollywood
And the Winner of the 7th Annual Drag Queen World Series is…
The Drag Queen World Series raises awareness of the ongoing impact of AIDS and aims to erase stigma while raising funds for The Life Group LA
By Mike Pingel | WEST HOLLYWOOD – The Annual Drag Queen World Series returned to the field with the Los Angeles Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence battling it out with the West Hollywood Cheerleaders on Saturday, April 17, 2024, for a giant trophy, bragging rights, and a chance to raise money for The Life Group LA.
And the winner is…
The 7th Annual Drag Queen World Series ended in a tie between the Los Angeles Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and the West Hollywood Cheerleaders. The fun, wacky, playful, rule-bending softball game took place at Fairfax High School. The event was hosted by the Life Group LA in collaboration with the Fairfax High School Alumni Association’s Centennial Celebration and the High School’s GSA Youth Club.
The Los Angeles Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence brought their best softball tactics to distract the West Hollywood Cheerleaders, who were lead in the game. The Sisters held a tea party between third and fourth base, conducted a yoga class next to the pitcher’s mound, attempted to bribe the umpire with fake $100 bills, and even halted an inning to bless the bases while the Cheerleaders were up to bat.
This was not your ordinary softball game; it was a DRAG QUEEN softball game, where the rules changed constantly. For instance, although the real game score was 6 to 14 in favor of the West Hollywood Cheerleaders, the LA Sisters petitioned for a tiebreaker. The two teams engaged in a ribbon dance-off, and the umpire allowed the crowd to vote. The dance-off was worth 8 points, resulting in a tied game, 14 to 14! Both teams were able to go home and enjoy dinner, thanks to one of the many wacky rules that brought laughter and spectator participation to the game.
Throughout the day, West Hollywood Mayor John M. Erickson umpired; Jai Rodriguez (from Queer Eye) sang the National Anthem; Karl Schmid (from KABC-TV) threw the ceremonial First Pitch, and music was spun by Celebrity DJ Eur-O-Steve. This year’s announcers were TV/Podcast personalities Alexander Rodriguez and Norma Lee High. The 3rd inning stretch featured a performance by RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant Eureka O’Hara.
The Drag Queen World Series raises awareness of the ongoing impact of AIDS and aims to erase stigma. It also serves as an opportunity to raise financial support for The Life Group LA, whose main goal is to provide education and emotional support to individuals infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
The Life Group LA, a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2005, offers much-needed information and emotional support through medical forums, emotional support groups, and the POZ Life Weekend Seminar, all free of charge. All services are provided in a non-judgmental and safe environment with compassion and understanding.
Safety, respect, and confidentiality are the cornerstones of Life Group LA’s philosophy, achieved through trained support group facilitators who practice active listening and conduct themselves with empathy and compassion.
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Mike Pingel has written six books, Channel Surfing: Charlie’s Angels & Angelic Heaven: A Fan’s Guide to Charlie’s Angels, Channel Surfing: Wonder Woman, The Brady Bunch: Super Groovy after all these years; Works of Pingel and most recently, Betty White: Rules the World. Pingel owns and runs CharliesAngels.com website and was Farrah Fawcett personal assistant. He also works as an actor and as a freelance publicist. His official website is www.mikepingel.com
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The preceding article was previously published by the WeHo Times and is republished with permission.
U.S. Federal Courts
4th U.S. Circuit Court: Gender identity is a protected characteristic
The court ruled that gender identity is a protected characteristic & Medicaid bans on treatments for gender dysphoria are unconstitutional
By Erin Reed | RICHMOND, Va. – The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday that transgender people are a protected class and that Medicaid bans on transgender care are unconstitutional.
Furthermore, the court ruled that discriminating based on a diagnosis of gender dysphoria is discrimination based on gender identity and sex. The ruling is in response to lower court challenges against state laws and policies in North Carolina and West Virginia that prevent transgender people on state plans or Medicaid from obtaining coverage for gender-affirming care; those lower courts found such exclusions unconstitutional.
In issuing the final ruling, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals declared that transgender exclusions were “obviously discriminatory” and were “in violation of the equal protection clause” of the U.S. Constitution, upholding lower court rulings that barred the discriminatory exclusions.
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling focused on two cases in states within its jurisdiction: North Carolina and West Virginia. In North Carolina, transgender state employees who rely on the State Health Plan were unable to use it to obtain gender-affirming care for gender dysphoria diagnoses.
In West Virginia, a similar exclusion applied to those on the state’s Medicaid plan for surgeries related to a diagnosis of gender dysphoria. Both exclusions were overturned by lower courts, and both states appealed to the 4th Circuit.
Attorneys for the states had argued that the policies were not discriminatory because the exclusions for gender affirming care “apply to everyone, not just transgender people.” The majority of the court, however, struck down such a claim, pointing to several other cases where such arguments break down, such as same-sex marriage bans “applying to straight, gay, lesbian, and bisexual people equally,” even though straight people would be entirely unaffected by such bans.
Other cases cited included literacy tests, a tax on wearing kippot for Jewish people, and interracial marriage in Loving v. Virginia.
See this portion of the court analysis here:
Of particular note in the majority opinion was a section on Geduldig v. Aiello that seemed laser-targeted toward an eventual Supreme Court decision on discriminatory policies targeting transgender people. Geduldig v. Aiello, a 1974 ruling, determined that pregnancy discrimination is not inherently sex discrimination because it does not “classify on sex,” but rather, on pregnancy status.
Using similar arguments, the states claimed that gender affirming care exclusions did not classify or discriminate based on transgender status or sex, but rather, on a diagnosis of gender dysphoria and treatments to alleviate that dysphoria.
The majority was unconvinced, ruling, “gender dysphoria is so intimately related to transgender status as to be virtually indistinguishable from it. The excluded treatments aim at addressing incongruity between sex assigned at birth and gender identity, the very heart of transgender status.” In doing so, the majority cited several cases, many from after Geduldig was decided.
Notably, Geduldig was cited in both the 6th and 11th Circuit decisions upholding gender affirming care bans in a handful of states.
The court also pointed to the potentially ridiculous conclusions that strict readings of what counts as proxy discrimination could lead to, such as if legislators attempted to use “XX chromosomes” and “XY chromosomes” to get around sex discrimination policies:
Importantly, the court also rebutted recent arguments that Bostock applies only to “limited Title VII claims involving employers who fired” LGBTQ+ employees, and not to Title IX, which the Affordable Care Act’s anti-discrimination mandate references. The majority stated that this is not the case, and that there is “nothing in Bostock to suggest the holding was that narrow.”
Ultimately, the court ruled that the exclusions on transgender care violate the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The court also ruled that the West Virginia Medicaid Program violates the Medicaid Act and the anti-discrimination provisions of the Affordable Care Act.
Additionally, the court upheld the dismissal of anti-trans expert testimony for lacking relevant expertise. West Virginia and North Carolina must end transgender care exclusions in line with earlier district court decisions.
The decision will likely have nationwide impacts on court cases in other districts. The case had become a major battleground for transgender rights, with dozens of states filing amicus briefs in favor or against the protection of the equal process rights of transgender people. Twenty-one Republican states filed an amicus brief in favor of denying transgender people anti-discrimination protections in healthcare, and 17 Democratic states joined an amicus brief in support of the healthcare rights of transgender individuals.
Many Republican states are defending anti-trans laws that discriminate against transgender people by banning or limiting gender-affirming care. These laws could come under threat if the legal rationale used in this decision is adopted by other circuits. In the 4th Circuit’s jurisdiction, West Virginia and North Carolina already have gender-affirming care bans for transgender youth in place, and South Carolina may consider a similar bill this week.
The decision could potentially be used as precedent to challenge all of those laws in the near future and to deter South Carolina’s bill from passing into law.
The decision is the latest in a web of legal battles concerning transgender people. Earlier this month, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals also reversed a sports ban in West Virginia, ruling that Title IX protects transgender student athletes. However, the U.S. Supreme Court recently narrowed a victory for transgender healthcare from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and allowed Idaho to continue enforcing its ban on gender-affirming care for everyone except the two plaintiffs in the case.
Importantly, that decision was not about the constitutionality of gender-affirming care, but the limits of temporary injunctions in the early stages of a constitutional challenge to discriminatory state laws. It is likely that the Supreme Court will ultimately hear cases on this topic in the near future.
Celebrating the victory, Lambda Legal Counsel and Health Care Strategist Omar Gonzalez-Pagan said in a posted statement, “The court’s decision sends a clear message that gender-affirming care is critical medical care for transgender people and that denying it is harmful and unlawful…We hope this decision makes it clear to policy makers across the country that health care decisions belong to patients, their families, and their doctors, not to politicians.”
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Erin Reed is a transgender woman (she/her pronouns) and researcher who tracks anti-LGBTQ+ legislation around the world and helps people become better advocates for their queer family, friends, colleagues, and community. Reed also is a social media consultant and public speaker.
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The preceding article was first published at Erin In The Morning and is republished with permission.
Texas
Gov. Abbott tells state ignore federal student LGBTQ+ protections
The new Title IX rules expanded the definition of sex-based harassment. Texas is also suing the Biden administration to block the changes
By Sneha Dey | AUSTIN, Texas – Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the Texas Education Agency on Monday to ignore a Biden administration rule that expanded federal sex discrimination protections to include LGBTQ+ students.
The Biden administration recently revised the rules for Title IX, the sweeping civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination at federally funded colleges and K-12 schools. The new rules, which are set to go into effect in August, redefined sex discrimination and sex-based harassment to prevent misconduct based on sex stereotypes, pregnancy, gender identity and sexual orientation. It codifies initial guidance documents that prompted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to sue the Biden administration last year.
“Congress wrote Title IX to protect women. Biden, with no authority to do so, rewrote Title IX to protect men who identify as women,” Abbott wrote Monday on social media platform X.
Abbott’s order came the same day Paxton announced he had sued the Biden administration Monday to block the Title IX changes. Texas joins a growing number of Republican-led states that have berated the new rules, setting the stage for a legal fight over LGBTQ+ student protections. They say the Biden administration misinterpreted the intent of Title IX.
In its final interpretation of Title IX, the Biden administration sought to extend a 2020 U.S. Supreme Court case decision related to workplace discrimination to students. The high court ruled in Bostock v. Clayton County that Title VII, a civil rights law that bars employment discrimination on the basis of sex, applied to gay and transgender workers.
The Title IX changes also walk back rules set during the Trump administration that required “live hearings” in which students accused of sexual misconduct could question accusers in a courtroom-like setting. The Biden administration kept Trump-era provisions that allow informal resolutions and prohibit penalties against students until an investigation is complete.
The Texas Tribune partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage.
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Sneha Dey is an education reporter for The Texas Tribune. She covers pathways from education to employment and the accessibility of postsecondary education in Texas, with an eye on college readiness, community colleges and career and technical training. Prior to joining the Tribune, she had stints at NPR’s Education Desk and Chalkbeat. Sneha is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. She grew up in New York and is based in Austin.
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The preceding article was previously published by the Texas Tribune and is republished with permission.
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Los Angeles
Los Angeles Tourism joins with LGBTQ+ folks to celebrate Pride
LA Pride returns, promising an incredible lineup of events, including LA Pride in the Park headlined by Ricky Martin
LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Tourism will join the 54th annual LA Pride festivities this June through its support of the organization and its annual lineup of events. LA Pride stands as one of the largest Pride celebrations in the United States and the world.
Throughout LA Pride, local Angelenos and travelers can secure a nearby hotel with the best available rates and enjoy welcome amenities, discounts and more at select properties.
“LA Pride beautifully captures the spirit of our City of Angels with its focus on unity, inclusivity, and self-expression,” said Adam Burke, President & CEO of the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board. “We are incredibly proud to invite both our fellow Angelenos as well as travelers from around the world to join us in celebrating our LGBTQ+ community.”
LA Pride returns, promising an incredible lineup of events, including LA Pride in the Park headlined by Ricky Martin, the LA Pride Parade & Block Party on Hollywood Boulevard, LGBTQ+ Pride Night at Dodger Stadium and PRIDE is Universal
LA Pride in the Park will take place on Saturday, June 8, 2024 across more than 20 acres of lush green space at LA State Historic Park. The event will feature dozens of local and LGBTQ+ vendors, a huge variety of food & beverage, beer gardens and a special lineup. The global icon Ricky Martin will headline LA Pride in the Park, with additional artists to be unveiled. As the first openly gay Latin artist to take center stage at LA Pride, this also marks Martin’s first-ever headliner Pride performance, anywhere.
The series of events during LA Pride includes the iconic LA Pride Parade which will be held on Sunday, June 9, 2024, in Hollywood Boulevard Area. Over 150 contingents will march this year, using the theme “Power in Pride.” The route will be along Hollywood Blvd, and surrounding streets. Those who can’t make it in person are able to watch a live broadcast on ABC7.
“LA Pride radiates a vibrant tapestry of acceptance, unity, and celebration year-round,” shared Gerald Garth, Board President, LA Pride/Christopher Street West. “It’s a testament to our city’s unwavering commitment to embrace diversity and foster an inclusive spirit that transcends boundaries.”
Additional top events during LA Pride include LA Pride in The Park, Parade Block Party, LGBTQ+ Night at Dodger Stadium and Pride is Universal. Read on for details on top events and hotel deals throughout Pride.
For more information about how to celebrate Pride in Los Angeles, visit DiscoverLosAngeles.com/GayLA.
LA PRIDE: EVENTS
LA Pride in The Park – June 8th
Returning to LA State Historic Park for a talented music line-up, dozens of food trucks, sponsor giveaways and activities and much more. LA Pride in The Park takes place on Saturday, June 8th. It’s all happening on over 20 acres of lush green space with a view of the DTLA skyline. Ricky Martin will headline LA Pride in the Park, with additional artists to be unveiled. Tickets can be purchased here.
Parade Block Party – June 9th
Don’t forget the fun Parade Block Party on June 9th, a free Block Party adjacent to the Parade, open from mid-day and going into the evening. With a performance stage, large vendor village, food, pop-up bars, and more. Last year, 35,000 people enjoyed this free Parade “after-party,” don’t miss it! Talent and other announcements coming soon!
LGBTQ+ Pride Night at Dodger Stadium – June 14th
Come watch the Dodgers take on the Kansas City Royals with LA Pride pre-game festivities featuring DJ party, and Pride merch for special ticket holders, only available at dodgers.com/lapride
Pride is Universal – June 15th
Our exclusive after-hours theme park takeover is a fan favorite. Pride is Universal will feature live DJs, Universal character meet-and-greets, photo ops, and more, with musical guests, drag performers and all new elements for this year. Hours, details, and new features to be announced. Tickets go on sale soon.
LA PRIDE: STAY & SLAY
Visitors coming to Los Angeles to celebrate Pride from June 8-11 can “Stay and Slay” with a collection of hotel offers specially curated by Los Angeles Tourism to welcome revelers from around the world. Highlighted hotel offers are listed out below.
Dream Hollywood Hotel
Tucked among the scenic Hollywood Hills, Dream Hollywood boasts 178 playfully sophisticated guest rooms with subtle nods to the mid-century modern aesthetic iconic to LA. Featuring accommodations with unparalleled views, Tao, Beauty & Essex, and The Highlight Room, one of the LA’s swankiest rooftop pools. Book the best available rate here.
The Godfrey Hotel Hollywood
Exuding the energy of old Hollywood and walking distance to Sunset Blvd, the new Godfrey Hotel features one of the largest rooftops in Los Angeles, four on-site bars, various indoor-outdoor event spaces and About Last Knife, an energetic, chef-driven gastropub-meets-steakhouse. LA Pride Staycation: Celebrate love with The Godfrey and receive 15% off the best available rate here.
Hollywood Hotel – The Hotel of Hollywood
Contemporary accommodations meet quintessential Hollywood glamour at Hollywood Hotel. From a sparkling pool to the Route 66 Bistro Bar & Lounge, the historic Hollywood Hotel reflects classic movie star style in every sense. Visit hotel site for best available rate here.
The Hollywood Roosevelt
The Hollywood Roosevelt is a complete lifestyle destination, fusing entertainment, art, culture, design and music all around the property while providing a glimpse at its storied past. Visit hotel site for best available rate here.
Kimpton Everly Hollywood
Kimpton Everly Hollywood is a breath of fresh air in the midst of one of the world’s most storied neighborhoods. The sophisticated Hollywood Hills-infused residential vibe invites lingering and intimate interaction in the café, living room and skyline pool area. Book the hotel’s best available rate here.
Loews Hollywood Hotel
Loews Hollywood Hotel rises 20 floors above the famed intersection of Hollywood and Highland. Spectacular views of the iconic Hollywood sign and Los Angeles cityscape set the stage for 628 rooms including 113 spacious suites, as well as the rooftop pool. *Use CODE: PRIDE to receive 2 comp cocktails at H2 Kitchen & Bar and complimentary upgrade to a suite. Website here.
Mama Shelter
Designed by Thierry Gaugain to honor the beauty of the SoCal landscape, Mama Shelter LA features five floors of uniquely decorated rooms, each a cozy haven in itself. 70 rooms have king-size beds decked out in 5* linen – fit for a movie star! The hotel boasts one of LA’s best rooftop bars, while dining options will appeal to carnivores and vegans alike. View hotel site for best available rate here.
Sheraton Universal
Nestled below the Hollywood Hills, the Sheraton Universal Hotel is just steps away from Universal Studios Hollywood and CityWalk. Unwind at the poolside lounge or be dazzled with a 270-degree view of Hollywood from the 20-foot windows of the rooftop Starview Room. Book the hotel’s best available rate here.
Thompson Hollywood
Thompson Hollywood is a luxurious new hotel that brings elevated service, and laidback California cool to the heart of Hollywood. The hotel features 190 sophisticated guest rooms and 16 suites, a rooftop pool with sweeping views of Los Angeles, and a state-of-the-art fitness center. The world-class culinary and nightlife destinations include the rooftop lounge Bar Lis, chef Lincoln Carson’s French-inspired Mes Amis, and The Terrace, which pairs European fare with Californian views. Use CODE: STAYPROUD to receive best available rate + bottle of wine + 10% donation to Hollywood LGBT Center. Website here.
Tommie Hollywood
Get comfy in a California way, at Tommie Hollywood. There’s a stylish rooftop pool, fitness center, and a terrace bar in the heart of Los Angeles. This 4-star hotel includes the latest restaurant by award winning chef, Wes Avila, Ka’teen. Use code: STAYPROUD to book the best available rate and receive a welcome amenity and bottle of wine, plus a 10% donation to Hollywood LGBT Center here.
W Hollywood Hotel & Residences
Welcome to the new Hollywood. W Hollywood brings together the magnetic spirit of the Golden Era, infused with epic innovation, elegance and excitement. Welcome backstage, where W guests are insiders in the vivacity of the spotlight. Receive 10% off hotel stay plus welcome amenity. Website here.
When you’re not celebrating LA pride at the parade or many events around the city, celebrate by visiting one of the many LGBTQ+ owned restaurants around Los Angeles. Start off in Casita Del Campo in Silverlake for Mexican dishes, make a stop Liberation Coffee House for a latte and end the night at n/naka which was featured in Season 1 of Netflix’s Chef’s Table. n/naka is your ultimate destination for fine Japanese cuisine. View the full guide to LGBTQ owned restaurants in LA here.
For more information, visit discoverlosangeles.com, follow at facebook.com/DiscoverLosAngeles, or @discoverLA on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.
World
Out in the World: LGBTQ+ news from Europe & Asia
LGBTQ+ news stories from around the globe including Iraq, Germany, Council of Europe, United Kingdom and Hong Kong
IRAQ
BAGHDAD, Iraq – A law passed by the Iraqi parliament Saturday criminalizes same-sex relationships with a maximum 15-year prison sentence and also penalizes transgender Iraqis who face potential prison sentences ranging between one and three years under the new law.
Member of Parliament Nouri al-Maliki told the AFP news agency that passage of the measure was delayed until after Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani’s visit to Washington earlier this month. A second MP, Amir al-Maamouri told Shafaq News that the new law was “a significant step in combating sexual deviancy given the infiltration of unique cases contradicting Islamic and societal values.”
In a statement released by Matthew Miller, the Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, Miller noted:
The United States is deeply concerned by the Iraqi Council of Representatives’ passage of an amendment to existing legislation, officially called the Anti-Prostitution and Homosexuality Law, which threatens constitutionally protected human rights and fundamental freedoms. The law bans same-sex relations with steep fines and imprisonment and punishes those who “promote homosexuality.” Limiting the rights of certain individuals in a society undermines the rights of all.
This amendment threatens those most at risk in Iraqi society. It can be used to hamper free-speech and expression and inhibit the operations of NGOs across Iraq. The legislation also weakens Iraq’s ability to diversify its economy and attract foreign investment. International business coalitions have already indicated that such discrimination in Iraq will harm business and economic growth in the country.
Respect for human rights and political and economic inclusion is essential for Iraq’s security, stability, and prosperity. This legislation is inconsistent with these values and undermines the government’s political and economic reform efforts.
UK Secretary of State Lord David Cameron in a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter) called the law “dangerous and worrying.” He added “No one should be targeted for who they are. We encourage the Government of Iraq to uphold human rights and freedoms of all people without distinction.”
GERMANY
FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany – According to German media outlet Preussische Allgemeine Zeitung, a group of professional footballers from the Deutsche Fußball Liga [German Football League] will be announcing that they are gay on the International Day Against Homophobia, May 17.
PinkNewsUK reported the German outlet has quoted Marcus Urban as a source. Urban is a former footballer in Germany who came out after retiring. He was the second player worldwide to come out, only after British player Justin Fashanu in 1990. Fashanu was the only prominent player in pro English football to come out, until Jake Daniels in 2022.
Urban told Redaktions Netzwerk Deutschland [Editorial Network Germany] the move is part of an initiative in Germany in an attempt to encourage closet LGBTQ+ players and others working in football to come out. All clubs involved are said to have been made aware of the imminent announcement.
Urban is a co-founder of Diversero, a global community who celebrate and live diversity that he said contact with the players. Speaking about the closeted players he noted: “There is controversy there. Do I still want to wait until the world of football becomes the way I want it to be?”
COUNCIL OF EUROPE
(Photo Credit: Adrian Grycuk)
STRASBOURG, France – The Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has issued a set of standards and recommendations to European prisons aimed at ensuring that transgender prisoners, a highly vulnerable segment of the prison population, are treated with respect and protected from the risks of ill-treatment.
In its annual report for 2023, the CPT notes that it is increasingly meeting transgender persons held in prisons during its visits to states to monitor the conditions of detention of persons deprived of liberty. The CPT aims to provide guidance to governments and prison administrations, considering that European countries are currently implementing divergent policies and that there is a current debate as to how to treat transgender persons in prison.
CPT President Dr Alan Mitchell said: “Prisons are a microcosm of society, often with amplified issues given the smaller confined settings. Transgender persons held in detention can be in a situation of vulnerability and a heightened risk of intimidation and abuse. It is concerning that a few states still deny the existence of transgender persons and make no specific provision for their treatment in prison, which may expose them to ill-treatment. Governments should put in place safeguards to protect transgender persons in detention and ensure that they are treated with dignity and care”.
The report identifies as a challenge the widely divergent criteria of placement of transgender persons throughout Europe depending on individual states’ policies. Some are based on self-identification and declaration, others on legal recognition, and a few on gender-affirming surgery. Few states have specific policies and legislation to guide prison authorities on placement of transgender persons, often done on a case-by-case basis subject to an individual risk assessment.
In line with the European Court of Human Right’s case law, the CPT highlights that national legislation should provide for the recognition of persons of a gender other than that assigned by birth and not establish any pre-condition to legal gender recognition such as gender-affirming surgery. Consequently, when a person self-identifies as transgender in the prison admission procedure, this should be sufficient for the prison administration to treat the person as such.
The CPT considers that transgender persons should be accommodated in the prison section corresponding to the gender with which they identify. Although there have been a few unfortunate cases of the placement in women’s prison sections of transgender persons accused or convicted of sexual offences against women, the committee highlights that, as for any other prisoners, they should only be placed elsewhere for exceptional security or other reasons after an individual risk assessment. In addition, transgender prisoners should be consulted about their placement preference during the entry procedure and be given the option to keep their gender identity confidential.
During its visits to several states, the CPT met transgender women prisoners held in male sections who stated they did not feel safe, and some alleged having been sexually abused and assaulted by other prisoners or verbally abused by staff. In some countries, the CPT also met transgender women who reported that they were often not allowed to shower at different times as male prisoners, were humiliated by being referred to by their male names or prohibited from wearing women´s clothes.
In the CPT’s view, transgender prisoners should be allowed to dress in the clothes associated with their self-identified gender and be addressed by their chosen names by prison staff. Prison administrations should also address them by their preferred names, titles and pronouns in verbal and written communication, irrespective of official documents. Further, national and prison authorities should ensure that all prison staff is trained to understand and address the specific needs of transgender persons and the risks they are exposed to in the prison environment.
The committee urges national authorities to address the risks of discrimination of transgender persons in prison and implement policies to prevent and combat ill-treatment by prison staff and inter-prison violence and intimidation targeting them. It also provides guidance to ensure that body searches of transgender persons are not perceived as degrading by the persons concerned.
UNITED KINGDOM
LONDON, UK – The Austen Hays Limited law firm this week launched a class action lawsuit in The High Court of Justice in London against West Hollywood, California- based Grindr, alleging that the world’s largest LGBTQ+ casual encounters app had violated British data protection laws.
Reuters reported that the suit claims British users’ highly sensitive information, including HIV status and the date of their latest HIV test, were provided to third parties for commercial purposes.
In a statement released to the media a spokesperson for Grindr said: “We are committed to protecting our users’ data and complying with all applicable data privacy regulations, including in the UK. We are proud of our global privacy programme and take privacy extremely seriously. We intend to respond vigorously to this claim, which appears to be based on a mischaracterisation of practices from more than four years ago, prior to early 2020.”
The Austen Hays Limited law firm’s managing director Chaya Hanoomanjee responded saying:
“Our clients have experienced significant distress over their highly sensitive and private information being shared without their consent. Many have suffered feelings of fear, embarrassment, and anxiety as a result,” Hanoomanjee said.
“Grindr owes it to the LGBTQ+ community it serves to compensate those whose data has been compromised and have suffered distress as a result, and to ensure all its users are safe while using the app, wherever they are, without fear that their data might be shared with third parties,” she added.
So far 670 people have signed up to the claim, and the firm said “thousands” more people had expressed interest in joining.
The Irish Examiner reported on Monday, April 22 that the claim against Grindr will be focused on the periods before April 3, 2018, and between May 25, 2018, and April 7, 2020, meaning newer users are unlikely to be able to join. Grindr changed its consent mechanisms in April 2020.
Grindr, based in Los Angeles, announced it would stop sharing users’ HIV status with third-party companies in April 2018 after a report by Norwegian researchers revealed data sharing with two companies.
HONG KONG
(Photo Credit: Henry Edward Tse/Edmond So)
HONG KONG, China – A 33-year-old trans man who has been battling authorities to change his gender from female to male on his Hong Kong ID card since he first launched legal action in 2017, and winning a verdict from the Court of Final Appeal in February 2023, has finally been able to get his new ID card this week.
In an interview with Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post journalist Lo Hoi-ying, Tse told her: “I thought to myself, I have won the lawsuit over a year ago, why do I still have to go through all of this?”
Tse, the chairman of the NGO Transgender Equality Hong Kong, also filed a separate lawsuit against the government in March for what he said was a discriminatory delay in issuing him his new ID card.
He said he would seek monetary compensation for the distress caused by the delay, which could not be forgotten even after changing his card. “Potentially in the future, if there are similar cases for the LGBTQ community, the government should not delay policy updates like this,” he said.
While Tse said that his new ID could make life easier for him and solve some surface issues, he conceded it was only a small step in the fight for transgender rights, the South China Morning Post reported.
“The updated policy is not fully trans-inclusive, as measures such as submitting blood test reports for randomized checks still violate our privacy,” he said.
“There are still many hurdles for us, such as marriage. These are all issues we have to confront, which cannot be solved merely by an ID change.”
Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse, Shafaq News, Redaktions Netzwerk Deutschland, Office of Public Affairs for the Council of Europe, BBC News, PinkNewsUK, Irish Examiner, & the South China Morning Post.
Federal Government
Health & Human Services reverses Trump era anti-LGBTQ+ rule
Public support for nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ Americans continues at high levels among the American public
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights has issued a final rule on Friday under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) advancing protections against discrimination in health care prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics), in covered health programs or activities.
The updated rule does not force medical professionals to provide certain types of health care, but rather ensures nondiscrimination protections so that providers cannot turn away patients based on individual characteristics such as being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, or pregnant.
“This rule ensures that people nationwide can access health care free from discrimination,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Standing with communities in need is critical, particularly given increased attacks on women, trans youth, and health care providers. Health care should be a right not dependent on looks, location, love, language, or the type of care someone needs.”
The new rule restores and clarifies important regulatory protections for LGBTQ+ people and other vulnerable populations under Section 1557, also known as the health care nondiscrimination law, that were previously rescinded by the Trump administration.
“Healthcare is a fundamental human right. The rule released today restores critical regulatory nondiscrimination protections for those who need them most and ensures a legally proper reading of the Affordable Care Act’s healthcare nondiscrimination law,” said Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, Counsel and Health Care Strategist for Lambda Legal.
“The Biden administration today reversed the harmful, discriminatory, and unlawful effort by the previous administration to eliminate critical regulatory protections for LGBTQ+ people and other vulnerable populations, such as people with limited English proficiency, by carving them out from the rule and limiting the scope of entities to which the rule applied,” Gonzalez-Pagan added. “The rule released today has reinstated many of these important protections, as well as clarifying the broad, intended scope of the rule to cover all health programs and activities and health insurers receiving federal funds. While we evaluate the new rule in detail, it is important to highlight that this rule will help members of the LGBTQ+ community — especially transgender people, non-English speakers, immigrants, people of color, and people living with disabilities — to access the care they need and deserve, saving lives and making sure healthcare professionals serve patients with essential care no matter who they are.”
In addition to rescinding critical regulatory protections for LGBTQ+ people, the Trump administration’s rule also limited the remedies available to people who face health disparities, limited access to health care for people with Limited English Proficiency (LEP), and dramatically reduced the number of healthcare entities and health plans subject to the rule.
Lambda Legal, along with a broad coalition of LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration rule, Whitman-Walker Clinic v. HHS, and secured a preliminary injunction preventing key aspects of the Trump rule from taking effect.
These included the elimination of regulatory protections for LGBTQ+ people and the unlawful expansion of religious exemptions, which the new rule corrects. The preliminary injunction in Whitman-Walker Clinic v. HHS remains in place. Any next steps in the case will be determined at a later time, after a fulsome review of the new rule.
Sarah Kate Ellis, CEO and President of GLAAD, released the following statement in response to the news:
“The Biden administration’s updates to rules regarding Section 1557 of the ACA will ensure that no one who is LGBTQI or pregnant can face discrimination in accessing essential health care. This reversal of Trump-era discriminatory rules that sought to single out Americans based on who they are and make it difficult or impossible for them to access necessary medical care will have a direct, positive impact on the day to day lives of millions of people. Today’s move marks the 334th action from the Biden-Harris White House in support of LGBTQ people. Health care is a human right that should be accessible to all Americans equally without unfair and discriminatory restrictions. LGBTQ Americans are grateful for this step forward to combat discrimination in health care so no one is barred from lifesaving treatment.”
South Carolina
SC Senate, K-12 bill mandates ‘a boy will use the boys’ bathroom’
The requirement was inserted into the S.C. Senate’s $13.8B spending plan, despite expectations of a lawsuit
By Skylar Laird | COLUMBIA, S.C. — Students in South Carolina’s K-12 schools would need to use bathrooms and locker rooms corresponding to their biological sex at birth under a rule senators inserted into their state budget package.
The proposal approved by senators 30-7 on party lines late Wednesday applies to multi-stalled school restrooms and places where students undress, to include locker rooms and gym showers. It also specifies that during overnight school trips, students of different genders can’t sleep in the same room or use the same multi-occupancy bathroom — unless they’re siblings.
All 30 of the Senate’s Republicans voted for it. Some Democrats didn’t vote.
The vote came a day after state Superintendent Ellen Weaver sent a letter to district superintendents and school board members statewide recommending that they disregard new federal regulations expanding sex discrimination protections in Title IX to include sexual orientation and gender identity. The federal rules are supposed to take effect Aug. 1.
Sen. Wes Climer, R-Rock Hill, acknowledged taking “a bit of a U-turn” in offering completely different state rules for public schools.
“I don’t have any particular delight in standing here discussing this. In fact, I find it baffling, insane that we’re even having this conversation,” he said after taking the podium to explain his proposal.
This “stipulates in school settings that a boy will use the boys’ bathroom, the boys’ locker room, the boys’ changing room, and a girl will use the girls’ bathroom, the girls’ locker room, the girls’ changing room,” he said.
The proposal, he said, is in response to an 18-year-old senior at Rock Hill High who’s daily using the women’s locker room. Climer didn’t elaborate, and a spokesperson for the school district did not immediately respond to requests from the SC Daily Gazette for comment.
Under his proposal, districts that violate the rule risk up to 25% of their state funding.
Technically, the budget clause is not an all-out ban. Rather, it bars school districts from using any state taxes to maintain facilities or pay for trips in violation of the rule. However, since revenue sources for school operations generally all go into the same pot of money, it’s effectively a ban, as Republicans intend it to be. It’s written that way because state budget clauses must pertain to budget allocations.
A court fight?
Sen. Tameika Isaac Devine, D-Columbia, tried unsuccessfully to get Climer’s amendment thrown out as not germane to the budget. She also argued it incorrectly attempts to change state law that declares it illegal to discriminate based on sex or in ways “degrading to human dignity.” But she was overruled.
“We know that this amendment will be a violation of constitutional law, and we could be sued. The state could be sued,” Devine said. “I think we are willfully ignoring that to play to people’s fears.”
She pointed to a 2015 federal lawsuit in which a transgender student in Virginia successfully sued the local school board for not allowing him to use the men’s bathroom or locker room.
A federal appeals court agreed with the lower court’s ruling requiring the school board to allow him to use the facilities of his choice. And the Supreme Court in 2021 decided not to hear the case, allowing that decision to stand.
Climer acknowledged a lawsuit is likely, and the same district court that ruled on Virginia’s case may rule the same way.
But he thinks the U.S. Supreme Court would take the case this time, especially since more states are adopting similar rules, so justices could be settling multiple cases.
Regardless, “it was the right thing to do,” he told the Gazette.
“It’s unconscionable that an 18-year-old man is in locker rooms with 14-year-old girls,” he said.
Sen. Deon Tedder, D-Charleston, said if the transgender female student Climer’s referring to has undergone hormone replacement therapy to have more feminine attributes, using the men’s room might be inappropriate.
“If that person was born a male and has physically transitioned and is no longer a male, by voting for this we’d be sending a female into the male’s locker room now,” Tedder said.
His arguments will likely come back next week.
Before adjourning Thursday, senators voted to put a bill banning gender-transitioning surgeries and hormones for transgender youth under 18 on priority debate status. Opponents have repeatedly said no such surgeries are happening in South Carolina.
Ten states require students to use the bathroom of the sex they were assigned at birth, according to Movement Advancement Project, an LGBTQ advocacy group.
That points to a changing climate from the days when North Carolina adopted a similar law, known as the bathroom bill, in 2016, causing nationwide uproar and losing the state major business deals. State lawmakers ultimately undid that law in 2017.
Back then, South Carolina lawmakers rejected a similar proposal from a GOP senator, with then-Gov. Nikki Haley calling it unnecessary.
“That ship has sailed,” Climer said.
Jace Woodrum, director of the American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina, called Wednesday’s late-night approval of a budget clause a way to “sneak an unpopular policy” into state law.
“Right now, in South Carolina, it isn’t easy to be a transgender kid,” Woodrum said in a statement to the SC Daily Gazette. “Transgender kids are often bullied, called incorrect names, left out of sports and activities, and made to use restrooms and locker rooms that put their safety at risk.
“Instead of trying to make schools safer and fairer for all students, South Carolina lawmakers are bullying transgender students,” he continued. “They need to get their priorities in order.”
The bathroom requirement was one of many education-related clauses senators added to the budget before voting late Wednesday to send the amended, $13.8 billion spending plans back to the House.
They included one letting students from small private schools try out for public school sports teams, mirroring a bill advanced by the Senate Education Committee. With just six legislative days left in the regular session, that’s among bills running out of time to make it through the process. Putting it in the state budget makes it a one-year law. The proposal would allow students using state-funded scholarships for private school tuition continue playing on a sports team not offered at their new school.
Spending differences
Senators debated for two full days on the budget advanced by the Senate Finance Committee, mostly on policy. Very little of the floor debate involved dollar figures.
A final budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 is still weeks away. The House will get another chance to tweak its plan before the two versions go to a six-member committee of House and Senate members to hash out the differences.
One major distinction between the two proposals is how to spend $600 million in surplus sales tax collections that have built up since 2020 in an account for property tax relief. Gov. Henry McMaster recommended lawmakers put it toward fixing bridges.
The Senate plan would put $100 million toward accelerating an income tax cut. The rest would go to road and bridge projects, aside from $53 million set aside for the University of South Carolina’s new medical campus.
The House had proposed spending $500 million on a one-time property tax relief, averaging $359 per homeowner.
Senators also agreed upon higher raises for state employees than the House passed in its budget. The Senate budget would give all employees making less than $50,000 a $1,375 raise, with everyone else getting a 2.75% boost.
The House plan had recommended a $1,000 raise to anyone making $66,667 or less and a 1.5% raise to employees making more.
Both chambers agreed on raising first-time teachers’ pay to $47,000 minimum in the coming year, up from $42,500. They also agreed on a minimum salary schedule, giving teachers annual increases for experience through 28 years in the classroom. That’s one part of the budget now guaranteed. With both chambers in agreement, those teacher pay raises are now locked in as final.
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Skylar Laird covers the South Carolina Legislature and criminal justice issues. Originally from Missouri, she previously worked for The Post and Courier’s Columbia bureau.
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The preceding article was previously published by the South Carolina Daily Gazette and is republished with permission.
The South Carolina Daily Gazette is a nonprofit news site providing nonpartisan reporting and thoughtful commentary. We strive to shine a light on state government and how political decisions affect people across the Palmetto State. We do that with coverage that’s free to both readers and other news outlets.
We’re part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
West Hollywood
West Hollywood in brief- City government in action this week
Interested in WeHo Pride text updates? Policy Changes to the Sunset Arts & Advertising Program, ‘Public Safety Meet & Greet’ plus more
Interested in WeHo Pride text updates- Opt-in by texting ‘Pride’ to (323) 848-5000
WEST HOLLYWOOD – The City of West Hollywood is reminding community members who want to be in the know about all things WeHo Pride to opt-in to the City’s text message program by texting “Pride” or the rainbow emoji (🌈) to (323) 848-5000.
Users may unsubscribe at any time by texting STOP to the number. Details about the text message program are provided at www.weho.org/text. Regularly updated information about WeHo Pride, including a calendar of events, can be found at www.wehopride.com.
The City’s text platform does not function as a voice number and is not monitored for questions; West Hollywood City Hall may be reached for voice calls at (323) 848-6400. Service requests may be submitted via the City of West Hollywood Official App or using the City’s website by visiting www.weho.org/servicerequest.
Community members are advised that the text message program is not a tool for emergency alerts/notifications. The City of West Hollywood and the West Hollywood Station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department provide community safety and emergency alerts/notifications via Nixle, which is used by more than 8,000 public safety agencies. Nixle alerts may include severe weather or traffic information, criminal activity details, missing person alerts, and more.
To opt-in, text a West Hollywood ZIP code to 888777. More information is available at www.nixle.com. Los Angeles County, additionally, provides emergency notification text messages via Alert LA County; more information is available at ready.lacounty.gov/alerts.
The City’s text message program is built on the Community platform, which is currently used by corporations, public figures, sports teams, celebrities, and government entities such as President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama, Former First Lady Michelle Obama, The White House, and more.
The platform helps users to choose subjects about which they prefer to receive text messages and will not distribute unrelated advertising or spam messages. As the first municipal government using Community, the City of West Hollywood has enjoyed a unique opportunity to help shape a new standard of local government text communications.
The City’s text message program is part of an array of ways that the City works to engage with community members including:
City website news – www.weho.org/news
City events and meetings calendar – www.weho.org/calendar
Engage WeHo – engage.weho.org
Opt-in email subscriptions – www.weho.org/email
WeHoTV YouTube channel – www.youtube.com/wehotv
WeHo TV broadcast and streaming – www.weho.org/wehotv
The City maintains social media pages across all major platforms and urges community members to follow the City (@wehocity) and turn on notifications to get the latest news, updates, and information. Visit www.weho.org/socialmedia for details.
For more information about the City of West Hollywood’s text message program, please contact Jayce Simpson, City of West Hollywood Digital Media Officer, at (323) 848-6402 or at [email protected].
For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
City of West Hollywood Recognizes May as Building Safety Month
The City of West Hollywood recognizes May as Building Safety Month. The City will host a Building and Safety Division Open House event on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the West Hollywood City Hall Courtyard, located at 8300 Santa Monica Boulevard at Sweetzer Avenue. The community is invited to meet City staff, learn about the work of the Building and Safety Division, and enjoy light refreshments.
Building Safety Month is an international campaign that takes place in May to raise awareness about building safety. This campaign reinforces the need for the adoption of modern, regularly-updated building codes, and helps individuals, families and businesses understand what it takes to create safe and sustainable structures.
The City of West Hollywood’s Building and Safety Division is responsible for the enforcement of the building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical codes as adopted by the City Council. The Division is also responsible for enforcement of the California State accessibility regulations and energy conservation regulations. The Division reviews and processes building permit applications, performs plan check reviews of construction documents and performs building inspections for construction projects in the City. These services are provided directly to the community using a variety of methods including a public counter, website, phones, mail, e-mail, and extensive field site visits.
Each May, the International Code Council, its members, and a diverse partnership of professionals from the building construction, design, and safety communities come together with corporations, government agencies, professional associations and nonprofits to promote building safety through proclamations, informational events, legislative briefings, and more. The City understands the need for safe and sustainable structures where we live, work, and play.
All communities need building codes to protect their citizens from disasters like fires, earthquakes, weather-related events, and structural collapse. Building codes are society’s best way of protecting homes, offices, schools, manufacturing facilities, stores, and entertainment venues. Code officials work day in and day out to keep the public safe.
For more information about the City of West Hollywood’s building and safety division, please visit the Building and Safety area on the City’s website or contact Cynthia Zabala, the City of West Hollywood’s Senior Plan Check Engineer, at [email protected] or at (323) 848-6892.
For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
‘Public Safety Meet and Greet’ on May 1 at Plummer Park
The City of West Hollywood invites community members to a Public Safety Meet and Greet event on Wednesday, May 1, 2024 at 6 p.m. at Plummer Park’s Community Center, located at 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard. Drop in; no RSVP is needed.
Attendees will have an opportunity to meet City staff members from its Community Safety Department, as well as members of the City’s Public Safety Commission and representatives from the West Hollywood Station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles County Fire Department Station 7 and Station 8, and Block by Block Security Ambassador program.
This informal event will provide interactions with the City’s public safety partners and a place to learn about available resources and discover ways to actively contribute to keeping West Hollywood a safe place – all while enjoying pizza, salad, vegan options, and other refreshments.
The City of West Hollywood’s Community Safety Department works to ensure public safety and to strengthen the quality of life for residents, businesses, and visitors in West Hollywood. The Community Safety Department fosters a community policing approach and works with a variety of organizations, agencies, and partners to provide targeted community programs to reduce crime and increase neighborhood livability; to facilitate emergency management and disaster preparedness; and to coordinate law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services personnel for all major special events utilizing a unified command approach. Community Safety programs and services are provided though the Public Safety Administration Division and Neighborhood and Business Safety Division in collaboration with the West Hollywood Station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Los Angeles County Fire Department, and the Block by Block Security Ambassadors program. The Community Safety Department serves as the direct liaison to the City’s Public Safety Commission and Business License Commission.
For the latest updates and information, please download the City’s Community Safety in the City of West Hollywood publication.
For more information please contact Anita Shandi, the City of West Hollywood’s Public Safety Manager, at [email protected] or at (323) 848-6446.
For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
Hepatitis C Community Educational Forum
The City of West Hollywood will host a free Hepatitis C Community Educational Forum in Los Angeles County. The forum will take place on Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. at the City of West Hollywood’s Council Chambers/Public Meeting Room, located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard. The forum will be preceded by a reception with a light dinner, courtesy of Gilead. Pre-registration is requested via Eventbrite. Limited parking will be available in the adjacent 5-story West Hollywood Park parking structure and event attendees will receive a two-hour validation.
The Forum will also be available for viewing on WeHoTV. Broadcast will be provided in West Hollywood on Spectrum Channel 10; the Forum will be streamed on the City’s WeHoTV YouTube channel www.youtube.com/wehotv and on Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Roku streaming platforms by searching for “WeHoTV” using search functions.
“Hepatitis C is on the rise nationally and here in Los Angeles County we are seeing the highest numbers of newly infected people in California,” said City of West Hollywood Mayor John M. Erickson. “It’s important that our community is aware of ways to avoid becoming infected, but also to provide a forum to educate those who are at elevated risk of contracting the virus about the importance of getting tested and seeking treatment.”
The Hepatitis C Community Educational Forum will feature a moderated panel discussion with physicians and public health policy experts, including:
- Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, MD, MPH, Clinical Professor of Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Population and Public Health Sciences and former CDC medical epidemiologist, and San Francisco City and County Deputy Health Officer;
- Prabhu Gounder, MD, medical epidemiologist with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health overseeing surveillance and outbreak investigations for viral hepatitis, healthcare-associated infections, and respiratory diseases including influenza; and
- Brian Risley, MFA, Manager of the HIV/Hep C Health, HIV & Older Adults and Women Together Programs at APLA Health, and Co-Chair of the Hepatitis C Task Force for Los Angeles County.
The panel discussion will be moderated by Hernán Molina, MPA, Governmental Affairs Liaison for the City of West Hollywood.
Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). If left untreated, HCV can lead to serious health complications, including liver cancer, cirrhosis, and death. The virus usually spreads when someone comes into contact with blood from an infected person. A great majority of people become infected with HCV by sharing needles, syringes, or any other equipment used to prepare and inject drugs. While uncommon, hepatitis C can spread during sex, though men who have sex with men (MSM) with HIV have the highest risk of acquiring HCV sexually, and MSM on PrEP are at elevated risk. Approximately 10% of new HCV cases reported are among MSM.
Hepatitis C can spread when getting tattoos or body piercings in unlicensed facilities, informal settings, or with non-sterile equipment. Many people who are newly infected with HCV do not have symptoms and do not know they are infected. Approximately 20% of people newly infected with HCV can clear the virus in the first six months; however, a majority of people develop chronic hepatitis C, which is a lifelong infection that stays in the body.
Testing for HCV, which is the only way to know if the virus is present, is very important for those groups most at risk of infection. An antibody test will reveal if a person has been infected with the hepatitis C virus — either recently or in the past. If there is a positive antibody test result, another blood test is needed to tell if the infection remains active or if it was a past infection and cleared on its own.
New cases of HCV have been on the rise nationally, including in the state of California. From 1994 to 2018, there were 714,737 new chronic cases of HCV reported to the California Department of Public Health. In 2018, Los Angeles County had the highest number of newly reported chronic HCV cases among non-incarcerated people in the state of California. There are currently 2.4 million people in the United States living with HCV. In recent years, HCV has been related to more deaths than HIV. As there is no vaccine to prevent HCV, the only effective way to prevent getting infected is to avoid contact with infected blood, especially through sharing needles or syringes. There are new and highly effective direct-acting drugs available that have a nearly 100 % cure rate.
A high percentage of individuals who are aware of their HCV+ status do not seek treatment. According to a September 21, 2022 report by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), only one in three HCV+ patients who have insurance seek timely treatment, and patients who are covered by MediCal are 46% less likely to receive treatment, even though HCV medications are fully covered.
A recent survey of 533 cases in Los Angeles County’s Service Planning Area 4, which includes West Hollywood, shows that 84% of patients were aware of their HCV+ status but approximately 70% had not accessed treatment. This City of West Hollywood-hosted panel will seek answers as to why people are not accessing treatment when highly effective medicine is available; explore outreach conducted by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the State’s public health agency, and examine best practices for cities to increase awareness of the presence of HCV, to educate about the effective treatments available, and to connect HCV+ individuals to treatment.
For more information about the Hepatitis C Community Educational Forum, please contact Hernán Molina, City of West Hollywood Governmental Affairs Liaison, at [email protected] or at (323) 848-6364.
For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
West Hollywood Encourages Community to Weigh-In on Policy Changes to the Sunset Arts & Advertising Program
West Hollywood is encouraging community members to provide feedback on proposed policy changes to the Sunset Arts & Advertising Program. The Sunset Strip is where entertainment, nightlife, and iconic billboards set the scene for West Hollywood’s dynamic culture. Known for its innovative signage, the Sunset Strip has been a premier outdoor advertising venue since the 1960s and ’70s, when recording artists debuted albums on custom-painted billboards. Today, technology propels advertising into new realms, transitioning from painted murals and vinyl to dynamic and creative billboard displays.
The Sunset Arts & Advertising Program was adopted in 2019 with the intent to allow a limited number of new billboards on Sunset Boulevard. The program includes a rigorous design excellence competition where only a select number of applicants are awarded the opportunity to proceed with applications for new billboards. The proposed amendments will provide additional clarity for defined terms, clarify intent and vision principles, and strengthen the standards, including those around brightness and orientation of the new billboards.
The proposed amendments focus on making guidelines, vision, and standards clearer for the public and applicants; clarifying the language of standards and guidelines to make them easier to understand and follow; bolstering the lighting standards with specific and measurable standards; and incorporating best practices into the policy.
The City invites residents, businesses, and frequent visitors to share their feedback and suggestions on Engage WeHo. PDF documents of proposed amendments to the program, a map of billboard locations, the original Sunset Boulevard off-site signage policy, and the Sunset Boulevard lighting study are available by logging in or creating an account at https://engage.weho.org/SAAP. The feedback portal is open now and will remain open through Sunday, May 19, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. (You must be logged in to provide feedback). The City’s Community Development Department will gather feedback submitted during the review period and present proposed program updates at a future date.
Goals for the Sunset Arts & Advertising Program are:
- Revitalization: The principal benefit of the program is to help revitalize the Sunset Strip. Through this program, new development and façade remodels were encouraged and this has led to several projects completely redeveloping underutilized, and sometimes deteriorating sites;
- Historic Preservation: The program encourages the designation, restoration, and preservation of historic buildings. Once designated, the income from a billboard helps the property owner maintain the historic building;
- Streetscape and Public Realm: An important aspect of the program is the improved streetscape that is part of many of the projects. The goal is to create meaningful public realm enhancements that actively engage and enrich the pedestrian experience along Sunset Boulevard, providing interesting places to sit, to view, and to engage with streetscape elements, some of which will be interactive. Program projects also contribute to capital improvement projects, such as the Sunset & La Cienega Boulevard Intersection Improvement Plan, which will improve this intersection for both the pedestrian and the motorist;
- Economic Vitality: This program helps individual property owners and business owners with additional revenue to improve and maintain their buildings and businesses, thereby encouraging economic stability and growth. Iconic businesses such as the Rainbow Bar & Grill, the Roxy Theatre, the Whisky a Go-Go nightclub, and the Comedy Store will be ensured a stable and steady income, helping to maintain these important businesses on the Strip; and
- City Content & Arts Programming: Each billboard must provide a contribution of time (17.5% per hour, 10.5 minutes per hour) to city content (public City announcements and/or public art). At the top of every hour, full motion animated billboards will display ten and a half minutes of City content and/or arts programming curated by the City of West Hollywood in consultation with the City’s Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission. This is an important aspect of the program, helping the City achieve the goal of bringing art to everyone using Sunset Boulevard and adding to the vibrancy and aesthetics of the Sunset Strip, ensuring its importance and relevance as a world-famous destination.
For more information about the Sunset Arts & Advertising Program, please visit the City’s website. Feedback collection on proposed policy updates via https://engage.weho.org/SAAP will close on Sunday, May 19, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.
For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
West Hollywood Celebrates All Things Canine on World Dog Day 2024
The City of West Hollywood is pawsitively pumped to co-sponsor The Vanderpump Dog Foundation’s 7th annual World Dog Day event in West Hollywood, which brings together hundreds of people and their furry friends to celebrate dogs for a day of fun and entertainment.
The 2024 World Dog Day event will take place on Saturday, May 11, 2024, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at West Hollywood Park, located at 647 N. San Vicente Boulevard. Admission is free and open to the public; canine companions must attend on a leash.
This year’s World Dog Day will be the ultimate dog lover event! Enjoy vendors, live music, raffles, and many other activities for you and your furry friend. West Hollywood Park and the dog parks will continue to be open to the public during this year’s event. The event organizers will provide waste bags and waste stations as needed to accommodate demand.
World Dog Day is a day that focuses on the celebration of dogs. The day aims to draw attention to the amazing, empathetic creatures that dogs are, while raising awareness about global dog abuse, and very specifically the Yulin Dog Meat Festival. The Dog Meat Festival in Yulin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, begins on June 21 each year. More than 10,000 dogs are reported to be captured, transported in cages, and killed for human consumption every year for this annual event. In addition, more than 10 million dogs are killed annually in China for the dog meat trade. This festival epitomizes the cruelty of the dog trade industry. Many of the dogs are stolen from their owners. Many die during transport to the slaughterhouse after days or weeks without food or water, and others suffer illness and injury during transport, such as broken bones.
In 2016, the City of West Hollywood passed a Resolution condemning the Dog Meat Festival in Yulin. The City of West Hollywood has a long history of supporting measures that promote the protection of animal rights and the City is a recognized leader in legislation that ensures the welfare of animals. In April 2003, the City became the first municipality in the nation to prohibit cat declawing. In February 2010, the City passed an Ordinance to address the inhumane conditions endured by “puppy mill” animals by prohibiting the sale of dogs and cats in companion animal stores. In September 2013, the City’s fur Ordinance went into effect, which prohibits retail establishments from selling, trading, distributing, importing, or exporting any fur product.
The Vanderpump Dog Foundation was formed to aid in ending this international atrocity and to also better the lives of dogs domestically. The Foundation is built on a platform of education, legislation, and activism. Through the organization’s legislative campaigns, domestic and international awareness, and rescue and rehabilitation efforts, it hopes to end the barbaric torture once and for all.
The City of West Hollywood invites canine members of the community and their humans to sniff out a spot and romp around at the City’s two dog parks at West Hollywood Park. A small dog park and large dog park are located on each side of the park’s basketball courts and each area features expanses of open space with shade trees, small mounds and turf terraces, and water stations. In addition, the City operates the William S. Hart Park and Off-Leash Dog Park located at 8341 De Longpre Avenue.
For more information about upcoming dog events in the City of West Hollywood, please call (323) 848-6460. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
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For up-to-date information about City of West Hollywood news and events, follow @wehocity on social media, sign-up for news updates at www.weho.org/email, and visit the City’s calendar of meetings and events at www.weho.org/calendar.
West Hollywood City Hall is open for walk-in services at public counters or by appointment by visiting www.weho.org/appointments. City Hall services are accessible by phone at (323) 848-6400 and via website at www.weho.org.
Receive text updates by texting “WeHo” to (323) 848-5000.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania school board reverses, reinvites Maulik Pancholy
Some of the speakers prior to the vote reportedly referred to the cancellation of the event as being based in homophobia
CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Penn. — In a 5-4 vote this past week, the Cumberland Valley school board reversed its decision to cancel an appearance and event on anti-bullying by openly gay actor and author Maulik Pancholy after an hour-long meeting during which it heard considerable criticism from community members.
Pancholy, best known for his work on NBC Television’s 30 Rock and who authored “The Best at It,” a semi-autobiographical debut novel that explores the queer main character’s journey to self-acceptance and self-love in the 7th grade in a small Indiana town, was set to attend an anti-bullying school assembly scheduled for May 22 at Mountain View Middle School in Mechanicsburg, Pa.
However, anti-LGBTQ+ activists including newly elected board member Kelly Potteiger, who is a member of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s listed extremist group Moms for Liberty along with board member Bud Shaffner and board chair Greg Rausch in an off agenda discussion brought up the event and strongly objected to Pancholy’s presence.
WPMT Fox 43 reported that Rausch asked Shaffner: “My only question is, do we even have any idea what he’s going to be talking about? I know he’s a homosexual activist and what have you and has written books and things like that but do we even know what he’s going to be talking about?”
Potteiger weighed in: “It’s not discriminating against his lifestyle, that’s his choice, but it’s him speaking about it and it did say that’s not the topic, but that’s what his books are about and he will probably talk about his pathway because he talks about anti-bullying and empathy and inclusion so part of that is his journey as an individual,” said Potteiger. “And as a self-proclaimed activist, that’s where it gets concerning I think.”
“If you research this individual, he labels himself as an activist, he is proud of his lifestyle and I don’t think that should be imposed upon our students at any age,” added Shaffner.
The board ended up in a unanimous 8-0 vote a week ago to rescind permission for Pancholy to visit the school. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that in a 5-4 vote Wednesday, the school board reversed its decision after an hour-long meeting during which it heard criticism from community members, including LGBTQ + students impacted by the board’s earlier decision. Some of the speakers reportedly referred to the cancellation of the event as being based in homophobia.
In an Instagram post, the actor and author expressed his thanks to the board reversing course.
Santa Monica
Beloved funky Santa Monica diner asking public’s help
“We are deeply grateful for your support, whether it’s through a donation or simply spreading the word. Thank you for your generosity”
SANTA MONICA, Calif. – Driving along the Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica it’s nearly impossible to miss the bright Irish Green building with the array of rooftop life-size statuary ranging from dinosaurs to knights of the crusade and even a superhero or two.
Since 1973 Patrick’s Roadhouse has been feeding Angelenos and tourists alike with an impressive menu and award winning cuisine. Celebrity Food Network chef Guy Fieri has even showcased the diner on two episodes of his popular show “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.”
Chef-owner Anthony Fischler and his team have carried on the vision of founder Bill Fischler, who fifty years ago had envisioned a place where people could gather for delicious meals and good company. The diner has become an LA icon. and has served stars like Lucille Ball, Tom Hanks, Sean Penn, Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Arnold Schwarzenegger and many, many others. It even gets a mention in the epic 1991 movie Point Break.
The Santa Monica Daily Press reported: There’s a tale on the diner’s website that tells of one time when Schwarzenegger was eating at his usual table and his mother wasn’t too impressed with what he’d ordered. She barged into the kitchen and announced to everyone that she was cooking instead. The end result was something called Bauernfrühstück, which is German for “farmer’s breakfast” and so it was renamed “The Governator” for easier pronunciation and put on the menu for all to order.
Patrick’s Roadhouse owner Anthony Fischler confirmed this, telling the Daily Press, “Oh yes, that’s 100% true. She [Schwarzenegger’s mom] basically took over the kitchen, you did not want to mess with her,” he said.
Now the diner is in financial distress, a legacy of the after shocks of the coronavirus pandemic that shuttered nearly all businesses in California during the mandated closures. According to a GoFundMe write-up, the diner was forced to shut its doors after 51 years this past week after being hit with a large rent deferral payment accumulated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fischler managed to keep all of his employees paid though struggled to stay afloat with limited revenue from takeout orders. Despite all of this, Fischler’s team forged on to support the community by providing meals to frontline workers, students, and first responders, though they found themselves unable to meet the demands of this accumulated rent when the deferral period ended, and the large lump sum just came due.
Talking with the Santa Monica Daily Press, Fischler said the ultimate goal is to secure a new long-term lease and to raise a total of $250,000, with $200,000 to be allocated for back rent and $50,000 for immediate building improvements. Those improvements will help rejuvenate the establishment and ensure its immediate reopening.
“We’ve had quite a lot of interest from very big, high net-worth individuals who have come forward and conversations have begun, but it’s all very tentative and nothing has been signed,” Fischler says, also confirming that he’s spoken to Schwarzenegger as well.
Fischler stresses that the company that owns the land is not being unreasonable and they’re open to potential offers, once that specific amount of money has been raised. “There’s even been talk of trying to make the building a historical landmark,” he says.
Anthony Fischler and his team in addition to private angel donors are also asking Angelenos for their help.
“Every contribution counts, no matter how small. Your donation will not only help us save Patrick’s Roadhouse but it will also help to preserve a piece of Santa Monica’s history. Additionally, we have some big-name and famous customers who have pledged their support, and we hope you will join them in contributing to this cause,” said.
We understand that not everyone can contribute financially, and that’s okay. Your moral support and sharing of this campaign are equally valuable. *Please note: If we don’t reach our fundraising goal and secure a new lease, all funds raised will be returned to donors less fees charged by GofundMe.com.
We are deeply grateful for your support, whether it’s through a donation or simply spreading the word. Together, we can ensure that Patrick’s Roadhouse continues to serve delicious food, continues to create lasting memories, and continues to be a cherished part of Santa Monica for generations to come. Let’s save this American icon! Thank you for your generosity and love for Patrick’s Roadhouse.
If you are interested in helping to save this iconic and beloved diner head here: (Link)
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