News
Casa Tomada Mirarte es la casa de todes en La Habana
Una pareja de lesbianas abrieron el espacio hace cuatro años
Nota del editor: Tremenda Nota es el medio socio del Washington Blade en Cuba. Esta nota salió en su sitio web el 14 de enero.
LA HABANA — Cocosolo es un pequeño barrio en la periferia del municipio Marianao. Un barrio marginal, dicen muchos. Aunque Cocosolo no debería llamarse así, porque en ese barrio no se está solo. Y si alguien lo duda, que visite Casa Tomada Mirarte, la casa de todes.
Myrna Rosa Padrón Dickson es de esas personas que primero sonríe y después habla. Dijo que me conocía, aunque aún no sé de dónde. Ella, junto a su mujer, Siria, lideran el proyecto de Casa Tomada Mirarte desde hace cuatro años.
Para los ojos de algunos la casa está en ruinas, se podría decir que inhabitable, pero los que saben mirar encuentran el arte en cada rincón.
“Es la casa de mi familia —allí donde Myrna cuidó a su padre hasta sus últimos días y ahora se ocupa del alzhéimer de su madre—. Por mucho tiempo estuvo cerrada y por cuestiones del clima atmosférico y económico también se ha deteriorado mucho. Nosotros hemos salido y entrado y la casa se ha quedado un poco sola. No es secreto ver cómo está constructivamente, pero tiene mucha espiritualidad”.
Pero así mismo, con paredes desconchadas y pedazos de techos que ya no están, es la casa de todes, como dice Siria a cada uno que llega: “Mi casa es tu casa”.
Entonces recordamos que ese también es el eslogan de la prestigiosa institución Casa de las Américas. Brindar la casa es lo que realmente sucede en Cocosolo, donde Myrna comparte con el público su propio espacio y lo convierte en la Casa Mirarte.
“Voy a poner el café. El que quiera que pase a servirse, porque no se lo voy a dar” —así me recibió.
A los pocos minutos de estar en la sala de Myrna, sale una persona con la cafetera en la mano, se para justo en la puerta que divide la cocina de la sala, mira a todos con cara de poder y manda que pasen a tomar café. Esa misma acción la repitió una y otra vez, y luego otra. Yo, que ya me sentía parte del lugar, fui por mi taza, pero solo en la tercera colada pude tomar.
Había allí más de una centena de personas abrazándose, riéndose, halagándose unas a las otras. ¿Se conocían? No creo que toda esa gente fueran amigos desde antes, pero lograron entenderse, dialogar, bailar, y tomar café.
“Hemos abierto las puertas para el intercambio del arte pero también para el intercambio de saberes en los que se encuentra la cultura queer y el feminismo en diferentes variantes” —dijo Myrna, micrófono en mano, mientras formaba parte de un panel que habló sin tapujos, con deseos de contar sus historias y de escuchar la de los demás.
Para Myrna es fácil hablar frente a muchos. Ella es educadora popular, algo de lo que siente orgullo porque le permitió adquirir las herramientas para entender todo sobre política, cultura y saberes hegemónicos. Desde la religión hasta su identidad sexual, desde la manera de hablar y cómo dirigirse a los demás, hasta la propia manera de brindar amor.
“Culturalmente somos un país machista y ese machismo, sexismo, homofobia, solo dividen. Para fortalecer la unidad, que no es esa unidad de la que se hablaba hace cincuenta años, sino esa otra unidad del nuevo pensamiento a la transformación social, a valorar lo diferente y lo diverso, para eso son estos espacios, y para eso estamos acá, en Casa Tomada Mirarte”.
Nosotres también existe
Habían pasado algunas horas desde que tomé la primera taza de café. Yo estaba allí desde las cinco de la tarde y no fue hasta pasadas las ocho de la noche que comenzó la actividad. Ya me había hecho a la ida de que no iba a comer nada en ese momento. Para comer habría tiempo…
Más de diez panelistas hablaban de sus proyectos, reían, se pasaban el micrófono unos a otros sin pena ni nervios, sin pudor. Hablaban y reían. Hablaban y hacían reír a los demás. A ratos mi estómago se entusiasmaba, hacía un ruido raro, como si riera también.
Entre las voces que se disputaban el micrófono estaba Nancy Cepero, una artista visual, grabadora específicamente. Pero también una de las mejores cocinando comida vegana.
Ya me habían hablado de ella. Había leído sobre ella, pero no la conocía. Y ahí estaba, justo en frente, sentada en el suelo, apretada entre sus colegas. No parecía importarle que la Real Academia de la Lengua Española no haya aceptado incluir todes. Porque Nancy seguía hablando con la e para sustituir la a y la o. Ella seguirá liderando Nosotres, un proyecto que funciona desde 2018.
Nancy se define a sí misma como activista. Usa el arte como pretexto evolutivo. Dice que antes veía las cosas de otra forma, incluso el propio tema de la racialidad lo entendía de un modo diferente, a la ligera. Sabe que desde pequeños usamos, tal vez de forma consciente (otras no tanto), un lenguaje racista, sexista, discriminatorio, que divide. Pero ella quiere despojarse de esos males, quiere que todes juntes luchen contra las desigualdades.
“Las discriminaciones nos tienen segmentados, pero lo importante es ver la necesidad de avanzar y crecer juntes como comunidad pero entendiendo las necesidades específicas de todes. Esa es una de las esencias de nuestro proyecto: aprender del afrofeminismo y crear espacios donde podemos ser nosotres mismes, con las libertades que uno merece”.
Para ella es fundamental que todes se sientan como una familia, que tengan la sensación de pertenecer a un hogar, aunque no tengan un espacio físico. Nosotres es un proyecto itinerante, diverso y divertido. Han empezado con un concierto, pero terminaron desayunando en la mañana.
“Porque la gente tenía muchas cosas que echar para afuera, mucho que compartir. Más allá del debate público hay una necesidad de conexión con gente común, que entiende la historia que estás contando, porque también vive como tú. En ese sentido lo logramos. Todes estamos en función de crecer juntes”.
Lideresas colombianas sanan desde el arte
El diálogo continuaba, como mismo continuaba creciendo mi hambre. Las opciones de comida estaban cada vez más lejos. La única persona que tenía fama de hacer comida para este tipo de actividades estaba sentada muy a gusto escuchando el debate, debatiendo.
Pero mi olfato no falló. Justo cuando las colombianas comenzaron a hablar sentí olor a comida. Un olor diferente al que siento en mi cocina o en la cocina de mi madre. Tal vez mi cerebro me estaba traicionando y el aroma que sentía era producto de mi imaginación, de mis deseos de comer…
Pero Jess Castaño y Vero Naki sí eran reales. Viajaron desde Colombia para participar de este encuentro, que no solo incluía un conversatorio, también prometía cerrar con un concierto.
“Nosotres vivimos en Bogotá, una capital blanquísima, donde además existe división dentro de la propia comunidad discriminada —aclaró Jess—. Si eres negra y te relacionas con gente de tu color no puedes ser marica, porque eres mal vista. Si decides participar en actividades donde haya mayor inclusión y diversidad, entonces vas a ser la única pareja de negras”.
A raíz de esa situación surge la necesidad de crear un proyecto como Posa Suto.
Jess hablaba rápido pero claro. Quería decir muchas cosas y el tiempo era poco. En cada intervención antes de la suya, asentía con la cabeza, se reía, como si entendiera qué pasa en Cuba.
“Optamos por tener nuestro propio espacio: Posa Suto. Porque llegábamos a muchos sitios y no nos dejaban entrar. Nunca nos dijeron que por ser negras pero eso estaba clarísimo”.
Vero es más calmada. Empezó a hablar sin estar preparada porque, en un arrebato, Jess le puso el micrófono enfrente y la dejó sin opciones. Entonces se escuchó su voz por primera vez.
“El proyecto fue posible gracias a que ganamos una beca de la Open Society Fundations, una organización gringa dirigida a jóvenes feministas de Latinoamérica. Gracias a esa ayuda logramos tener la casa. Queríamos lograr un espacio tolerante, respetuoso, donde nadie se meta con nadie, donde cada uno tenga la libertad de ser como quiera ser.
“Muchas veces nos sumergimos en la cotidianidad. Entonces el tiempo de compartir en espacios inclusivos, diversos, es poco. Sin embargo, necesitamos compartir con personas como nosotres, que tengan las mismas dudas, los mismos problemas”.
Jess sabe que el camino seguirá siendo escabroso, que pocas veces disfrutará de sus derechos fácilmente. Porque, aunque exista Posa Suto, aún hay mucha discriminación en Colombia, como también la hay en Cuba. Para ellas lo importante es sanar desde el arte.
“Estamos convencides de que la cosa es por ahí. Nos sentimos a gusto en Casa Tomada Mirarte y estamos felices de poder reunirnos con tanta gente negra, tanta gente marica, tanta gente hermosa dispuesta a escuchar y a compartir”.
Otra vez las Krudas Cubensi
Si algo no me falla es el olfato. A veces quisiera tapar mi nariz, porque delata todos los olores que hay a mi alrededor, y son agradables, me traen recuerdos que solo se activan en mi mente gracias a que pasaron por el filtro de mi nariz. Y esta vez yo quería seguir oliendo, quería pensar que no me equivocaba, que podía comer…
Justo cuando acabó el conversatorio habló de nuevo. Lo había hecho desde el principio porque era moderadora de la actividad. Su sentido del humor era más grande que su cuerpo, y su volumen corporal no es nada despreciable. Entonces retomó el mando de la situación, ahora para anunciar que había comida. Santas palabras mágicas que salieron de su boca: “Apúrense, que hay que comer”.
En la mesa se sirvió comida vegana colorida, diversa como todas las personas que estaban en la Casa Tomada Mirarte. No hubo mejor elección. Una comida sana, diferente, con combinaciones raras pero posibles, con sabores nuevos, y poco degustada en los hogares cubanos.
Y todos comimos, y volvimos a tomar café. Y reímos. Y entramos otra vez en la zona caliente, donde antes se dialogó y ahora se escuchaba música, donde sería el concierto de las Krudas Cubensi.
Odaymara y Olivia Prendes son las Krudas Cubensi, una de las agrupaciones más importantes de la diáspora cubana. Están radicadas en Estados Unidos. Se fueron cuando aún la ley de pies secos, pies mojados invitaba a tantos cubanos a probar suerte en el país más temible del mundo.
Salieron de Cuba en el 2006 y cada año regresan. Volver las llena de energía para seguir creando. Recordaré a Odaymara Cuesta durante muchos días, quizás cada vez que tenga hambre mi mente traiga su recuerdo. Se parecía a mi madre, que primero anuncia que hay comida y después ella misma es quien te sirve el plato. Pero Odaymara es rapera, de las primeras mujeres que subió a escena para batirse en un ambiente feroz, donde el machismo estaba, y sigue estando, a la orden del día.
“Al final creo que estamos recogiendo el fruto de lo que Krudas fundó en el año 1999. Siempre fuimos un grupo muy futurista, muy adelantado a nuestra época. Y ahora estamos viendo que de alguna manera muchas personas están recogiendo nuestro trabajo de 20 años.
“Cuba y sus gobernantes son parte del circuito de la hegemonía blanca mestiza de toda América Latina. Y aunque hay que reconocer que se han hecho algunas cosas positivas, también hay que decir que la gente por su cuenta ha encontrado la manera de seguir adelante. Hay que emprender, porque no se puede esperar a que el gobierno dé nada”.
Según la visión de esta rapera negra y queer, Cuba sigue resistiendo.
“Antes era casi imposible pensar que existiera un espacio como Casa Tomada Mirarte. Ni la Alianza Afrocubana, ni Afrodiverso, ni Nosotres, ni ningún otro proyecto con características similares hubiera sido posible”.
No es un secreto las adversidades que sufren las personas queer. Muchos fueron los testimonios que contaron los valientes y las valientes en la casa de Myrna, de todes. Algunos felices, otros más desgarradores, porque conocer que los agentes de Policía Nacional Revolucionaria, cuya misión es proteger a la población, son de los principales agresores, es realmente triste.
Hay que multiplicar estos escenarios, trabajar en nuevas apuestas desde la perspectiva de género para combatir posturas sexistas equivocadas, la violencia de género. Es necesario que la sociedad cubana adopte un lenguaje inclusivo y tolerante, que se encamine hacia una libertad completa e igualitaria. Casa Tomada Mirarte es, casi seguro, un comienzo.
Ghana
Ghanaian president welcomed to Philadelphia amid backlash over anti-LGBTQ bill
Lincoln University cancelled event with John Mahama
Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, known for making anti-LGBTQ legislative promises, was scheduled to appear at two local colleges this week — but plans have changed. Although Mahama will still attend a community dialogue at Temple University, he will no longer be honored at Lincoln University — a Chester County HBCU. He will, however, be presented with an award by the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia. The cancellation of the Lincoln event came shortly after LGBTQ activists spoke out about his appearances.
“Due to unforeseen circumstances, the university is cancelling the visit from President John Dramani Mahama,” Athena Griffith-Howard, associate vice president of marketing and communications at Lincoln University, told PGN.
According to a press release about the scheduled event, Mahama was set to receive an honorary doctorate from Lincoln University on Thursday, March 26, “in recognition of his outstanding contributions to public service, democratic governance, peaceful international and inter-African relationships, and global advocacy for justice, equality, and education.”
Although Griffith-Howard did not respond to additional questions about the matter, Joy News — an independent news organization that markets itself as the “most credible” journalism in Ghana — reports that the university has rescinded his honorary degree and cancelled the visit due to Mahama’s anti-LGBTQ stance.
“It is both surprising and regrettable that, just hours ago, the Embassy received a communication from the university indicating that concerns had been raised by a group regarding President Mahama’s perceived position on Ghana’s Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill,” a statement released by the Ghana Embassy on March 24 reads.
Mahama has repeatedly vowed to sign the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill into law if it passes out of parliament. He has also made statements against queer and transgender people.
“The position of my government [is that] marriage is between a man and a woman. A person’s gender is determined at birth. And then also, that the family is the foundation of our nation. That is our position,” Mahama said in a speech on Nov. 18, 2025.
Intimacy laws — which criminalize LGBTQ sex and the use of sex toys — already hold a three-year prison sentence under Ghana law, stemming from legal frameworks that previously governed the country when it was controlled by the British government. Ghana became the first African country to gain independence from European colonization in 1957 — but rather than repeal the antiquated law, leaders chose to incorporate it into their own penal code in 1960. The country’s supreme court upheld the law in 2024.
The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill — often simply referred to as “the anti-LGBTQ+ bill” — would further criminalize LGBTQ people and expression and add new risks for allyship. If passed, the punishment for intimacy violations would increase to a possible five-year prison sentence. LGBTQ people could also be punished for simply identifying as LGBTQ with a new three-year prison sentence.
The proposal would also ban LGBTQ serving organizations, even those that only partly serve LGBTQ people. Violations would include up to five years in prison. Allies could face 10 years in prison for supporting LGBTQ people or promoting LGBTQ rights online, in newspapers, or through other verbal or written communications. Journalists who report on LGBTQ topics are also at risk.
The bill would force families and community members to report those found in violation of the statute to local law enforcement.
“If the parliament of the people of Ghana endorse the bill and vote on it and pass it and it comes to me as president, I will sign it,” Mahama said during his November speech.
Since the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill was introduced in 2021, LGBTQ Ghanaians and allies have experienced widespread discrimination and physical violence — including harassment and arrests, raids on LGBTQ centers (which have led to at least one closure), as well as a hostile media landscape. When the bill was first passed by parliament in 2024, anti-LGBTQ incidents more than doubled.
The proposal was not signed into law by the former President Nana Akufo-Addo, who characterized the proposal as a backsliding of human rights. At the time, Ghana’s finance ministry also warned that signing the bill would place several billions of dollars in funding in jeopardy as a similar anti-LGBTQ bill in Uganda led the World Bank to suspend new funding to that country.
This threat would be especially difficult for Ghana to bear given recent funding cuts made by the Trump administration, which have been especially problematic for some African countries.
Ghana previously relied on USAID funding for social programs and health services, but Trump’s funding cuts led to a $156 million loss — including approximately $78 million that previously funded malaria prevention, maternal and child health, family planning, reproductive health, nutrition, and the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Despite the funding cuts, anti-LGBTQ leaders — including those in Ghana — have been emboldened and empowered by the Trump administration’s own anti-LGBTQ efforts, citing that they no longer fear economic sanctions if their own anti-LGBTQ bill passes.
According to activists, Mahama urged parliament to reintroduce the bill after he took office in January 2025 — around the same time Trump began issuing executive orders, which have negatively impacted LGBTQ Americans.
Mahama is currently in the U.S. to lead a delegation at the United Nations to advocate for reparatory justice for the Transatlantic Slave Trade. He will present a landmark resolution to the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on March 25 — seeking a formal declaration of the Transatlantic Slave Trade as a crime against humanity. The visit also includes a wreath-laying ceremony to honor the lives of enslaved Africans who perished in the U.S.
LGBTQ rights advocates keenly understand the importance of holding the U.S. accountable as direct drivers of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and for the atrocities that occurred to African people on American soil as the country built its economic and social power off of their oppression.
In a press release about Mahama’s visit to Philadelphia, a growing coalition of Philadelphia’s LGBTQ and allied leaders — including Philly Pride 365, GALAEI and ACT UP Philadelphia — called the invitation to speak at Temple University “even more concerning” given the human rights focus of the delegation.
“You cannot come to a global stage calling for justice, repair and recognition of historical harm while simultaneously supporting or advancing policies that criminalize and endanger another marginalized group,” said Tyrell Brown of Philly Pride 365 in the joint statement. “That contradiction is not just political. It reflects a fundamental failure to understand intersectionality and the interconnected nature of oppression.”
“Justice is not selective. Human rights are not conditional,” Brown continued. “If we are serious about repair, it must extend to all people — especially those currently being targeted by state-sanctioned harm.”
There is a colonialist link between the continued oppression of LGBTQ Africans with harmful rhetoric and money coming from the U.S. At least 20 US-based conservative Christian groups, which have spent over $54 million since 2007 on anti-LGBTQ efforts in Africa, are linked to anti-LGBTQ bills and laws across the continent.
“We support the reparations resolution. The argument it rests on is morally sound,” reads a press release issued by JustRight Ghana — a Ghana-based human rights organization. “The transatlantic slave trade classified human beings as property based on what they were born as. It said that certain categories of people, by virtue of their birth, had no rights, no dignity, and no protection from the power of the state.”
“That is the same logic that runs through every clause of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill 2025. Section 3 says that being born with a particular sexual orientation makes you a criminal,” the press release goes on to state. “The moral architecture is identical. The only thing that has changed is who the target is.”
The World Affairs Council of Philadelphia still intends to present Mahama with its International Statesperson Award on March 27.
A blurb about the award on the institution’s website reads, “The International Statesperson Award of the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia is the highest honor the Council bestows — a tribute for global leadership. It is presented periodically and awarded to distinguished international figures and world leaders whose work has advanced the twin goals of peace and freedom and resulted in a significant positive impact on world affairs.”
Mahama is also still invited to participate in a community dialogue event that will be held at Temple University on the evening of March 26. The event is advertised as celebrating Ghanaian music and artistic culture, comedy, and heritage — featuring celebratory performances as well as a dialogue with Mahama and other national leaders.
“Attendees will have the opportunity to hear firsthand from the president on Ghana’s vision and emerging opportunities, engage in conversations that help shape diaspora partnerships, and explore business, investment, and cultural collaboration opportunities,” reads an Instagram post about the event. “The evening also marks a historic moment as part of the president’s first official visit to Philadelphia.”
The event was planned before Lincoln University canceled its conferment and according to a press release, Mahama intends to convene with people of the Ghanaian diaspora during the Temple University visit.
“This conversation reflects something bigger than a single event,” reads an Instagram post published by Temple University Black Alumni Alliance about the event. “It represents connection across the diaspora, leadership across borders, and the importance of creating spaces where global perspectives and lived experiences can meet.”
In response to PGN’s request for comments and answers to questions, Steve Orbanek, Temple University’s executive director of communications and media relations, emailed the following statement:
“Temple University unequivocally opposes the exclusion of or discrimination against members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Temple takes pride in providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students, faculty, staff, alumni, neighbors and friends regardless of their race, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation or identity.
“President Mahama will be in the United States to attend the United Nations General Assembly during the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The US-Ghana Chamber of Commerce invited him to participate in a community event and approached Temple about using a venue on campus.
“As a public university, Temple regularly provides space for speakers as part of our ongoing commitment to academic inquiry, open dialogue and public service. We have made venues available for third-party organizations, including political parties or campaigns, regardless of their political viewpoint or stance. The presence of any speaker on campus is not an endorsement by Temple University of the speaker or their views.
The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill that has been recently reintroduced in Ghana’s Parliament is deeply troubling and runs counter to the mission and values of Temple University. Temple’s strength is its people, and every member of our community adds to the cultural richness of our institution. We are committed to cultivating an educational environment founded on respect, open-mindedness, and the appreciation of others.”
The Philadelphia coalition of LGBTQ leaders rejects the idea that hosting a speaker does not reflect the views of the host institution and underlined that platforming political leaders with ties to problematic policies still produces harm.
“Providing a platform to a leader advancing policies that endanger LGBTQ lives and undermine HIV prevention is deeply irresponsible. Institutions of higher education should not normalize or legitimize harm under the guise of dialogue,” said Sam Sitrin of ACT UP Philadelphia in the joint statement.
“Universities should be spaces that uphold human rights and evidence-based public health,” added Jose Demarco of ACT UP Philadelphia. “Hosting leaders associated with policies that criminalize LGBTQ people and undermine HIV prevention sends the wrong message at a time when lives are at stake.”
Temple’s Center for Anti-Racism — an initiative of Temple’s Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, Advocacy, and Leadership (IDEAL) — which is promoted on flyers and social media as hosting the event, has not responded to PGN’s questions or requests for comments. The event, which was previously included on the university’s events listings, is no longer visible but has not been canceled as of Wednesday, March 25. It is unclear if the university is taking any steps to protect or uplift LGBTQ students during the event.
The Philadelphia coalition of LGBTQ leaders called the decision to host the event in light of the local community’s response “harmful and careless.” They also raised concerns about Temple University’s process to repair wounds and are pressuring Temple to cancel the event and formally apologize to Philadelphia’s LGBTQ community.
“According to organizers, the university had knowledge of the concerns surrounding President Mahama’s [anti-LGBTQ] record as early as Thursday [March 19] but did not conduct meaningful outreach to community partners, nonprofits, or local leaders most impacted by the issue,” the coalition’s press release reads.
“When institutions fail to proactively engage communities on issues of this magnitude, it reveals a disconnect between stated values and actual practice.”
Coalition members joined additional Philadelphia-based leaders in sending a letter to Temple University’s IDEAL initiative and Center for Anti-Racism — noting their concern for the event but also openness to dialoguing directly with the event’s organizers to seek intentionality and transparency.
“This is not an abstract policy discussion. It is about the safety, dignity, and survival of LGBTQ people globally. For many in our communities, including African and Caribbean diaspora members here in Philadelphia, these policies have direct emotional, familial, and cultural impact,” the letter reads. “Hosting this dialogue without intentional accountability risks legitimizing rhetoric and policies that endanger lives.”
Those who signed the letter described themselves as leaders who are Black and Brown, LGBTQ, representatives of HIV/AIDS organizations, and individuals working in government, civil society and DEI spheres in Philadelphia. They include activists of ACT UP Philadelphia, representatives from SMUG International and Bebashi, Ronda Goldfein of the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania, Jacen Bowman of Philadelphia Black Pride, Andre Ford of The COLOURS Organization, Sappho Fulton of Womxn Beyond Borders, Hazel Edwards of GALAEI, Simon Trowell of Mazzoni Center, José Benitez of Philadelphia FIGHT, Tyrell Brown of Philly Pride 365, Darius McLean of William Way LGBT Community Center, state Rep. Andre Carroll, state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, Philadelphia Councilmember Kendra Brooks, and Philadelphia Councilmember Rue Landau.
They underline that proceeding without addressing concerns would risk harm to the very students and communities IDEAL purports to support.
“As Black and Brown and African LGBTQ leaders, with the support of our allies, we are requesting that the organizers of this event include questions about this truly dangerous legislation and highlight the real world impact on Ghanaian LGBTQ people, their families and their communities,” the letter insists. “Though we believe in autonomy for all nations, and that Americans should not dictate the policy of other nations, we also believe that these deadly policies should not go unquestioned or unchallenged, especially since this event is sponsored by IDEAL, which has a strong commitment to the BIPOC, LGBTQ and Ghanaian students at Temple.”
They underlined that questions about the matter should come directly from the event’s organizers rather than become the responsibility of the community during a Q&A. The signed leaders hope to receive a response by Wednesday evening — and PGN will follow up with continued reporting when more information about the university and community’s plans are known.
“Silence, in this moment, is not neutrality: it is complicity,” the letter emphasizes.
District of Columbia
‘Out for McDuffie’ event held at D.C. gay bar
Mayoral candidate cites record of longtime support for LGBTQ rights
More than 100 people filled the upstairs room of the D.C. gay bar Number 9 on Thursday night, March 26, to listen to D.C. mayoral candidate Kenyan McDuffie at an event promoted as an “Out for McDuffie” meet and greet session.
Several local LGBTQ activists who attended the event said they support McDuffie, a former D.C. Council member, in his run for mayor while others said they had not yet decided whom to vote for in the June 16 D.C. Democratic primary election.
As of March 27, eight other Democrats were competing against McDuffy in the June 16 primary, including D.C. Council member Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4), considered McDuffie’s lead opponent. Lewis George also has a record of strong support on LGBTQ issues.
Most political observers consider McDuffie and Lewis George the two lead candidates in the race, with the others having far less name recognition.
The two lead organizers of the Out for McDuffie event were LGBTQ rights advocates Courtney Snowden, a former D.C. deputy mayor in the administration of Mayor Muriel Bowser, and Cesar Toledo, a local LGBTQ youth housing services advocate.
“I’m a candidate for mayor of Washington, D.C. and I’m running for mayor because I love this city,” McDuffie told the gathering after being introduced by Snowden. “And now more than ever we need leadership to take us to the future,” he said, adding that he and his administration would “stand up and fight” against President Donald Trump’s efforts to intervene in local D.C. affairs.
“Our strength is in the 700,000 beautifully diverse residents of Washington, D.C.” he told the gathering. “And as Courtney said, I didn’t just show up and run for mayor and then start saying that I’m going to be an ally for the queer community, for the LGBTQ+ community,” he said, “I’ve lived my entire professional life fighting for justice and fighting for fairness.”
Following his speech, McDuffie told the Washington Blade, “We’re going to fight to protect our LGBTQ+ community every single day. That’s what I’ve spent my career doing, making sure we have a beautifully diverse and inclusive city.”
He remained at Number 9, located at 1435 P St., N.W., for nearly an hour after he spoke, chatting with attendees.
The White House
Trump tells Fox News he won the ‘gay vote’ — but polls tell a different story
Trump falsely claims LGBTQ support on Fox despite polling showing overwhelming opposition.
President Donald Trump claimed he won the “gay vote” in 2024, despite evidence showing otherwise.
While appearing by phone on Fox News’s panel show “The Five” on Thursday, Trump falsely claimed he performed particularly well among gay voters while discussing the ongoing war in Iran — a conflict he initiated without formal congressional approval.
“Now I think I did very well with the gay vote, OK? I even played the gay national anthem as my walk-off, OK?” Trump said on air.
“And I think it probably helped me. But I did great. No Republican’s ever gotten the gay vote like I did and I’m very proud of it, I think it’s great. Perhaps it’s because I’m from New York City, I don’t know…”
His claim contradicts 2024 polling from NBC News, which found that the GOP presidential ticket captured fewer than 1 in 5 LGBTQ male voters — a figure that may also include bisexual and transgender men. Trump’s support among LGBTQ female voters was even lower, at just 8%.
White LGBTQ voters favored Vice President Kamala Harris over Trump by a margin of 82% to 16%, while LGBTQ voters of color backed Harris by an even wider 91% to 5%.
Trump also used the appearance to criticize “Gays for Palestine,” saying: “Look at ‘Gays for Palestine’… they kill gays, they kill them instantly, they throw them off buildings, and I’m saying, ‘Who are the gays for Palestine?’”
He further pointed to his campaign’s use of the song “Y.M.C.A.” by the Village People — which he has repeatedly described as a “gay national anthem” — noting that it was frequently used as a walk-off song at rallies, as an indication that he and his campaign were supported by the gay community. The track, long associated with camp and hyper-masculine gay imagery, became a staple of Trump campaign events.
The Village People were later booked to perform at Turning Point USA’s inaugural ball celebrating Trump’s second inauguration. Lead singer Victor Willis previously criticized Trump’s use of the song dating back to 2020 and considered legal action to block it, but ultimately said there was “not much he can do about it.” He later acknowledged the renewed exposure was “beneficial” and “good for business,” boosting the song’s popularity and chart performance.
Despite Trump’s claims of strong support from gay voters, polling has consistently shown otherwise — even as several prominent gay men have held roles in or around his orbit, sometimes dubbed the “A-gays.” These include Richard Grenell, former executive director of the Kennedy Center and Special Presidential Envoy for Special Missions; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent; Under Secretary of State Jacob Helberg; Department of Energy official Charles T. Moran; and longtime supporter Peter Thiel, co-founder and CEO of Palantir.
His efforts to portray himself as aligned with the gay community stand in conflict with policies advanced under his leadership. These include removing LGBTQ-related data from State Department reports, attempting to narrowly redefine gender identity in federal policy, restricting access to gender-affirming health care, and rolling back anti-discrimination protections. His administration also rescinded initiatives focused on LGBTQ health equity, data collection, and nondiscrimination in health care and education — moves advocates say contribute to stigma and worsen mental health outcomes.
Additionally, some HIV programs and community health centers have lost funding from the federal government after supporting initiatives inclusive of transgender people as a direct result of Trump-Vance policies.
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