National
AsylumConnect announces new executive director
Shalawn James is from Annapolis
An online platform that provides resources to LGBTQ refugees around the world has announced a Maryland native is their new executive director.
An AsylumConnect press release sent to the Washington Blade notes Executive Director Shalawn James’ first day with the organization was on May 24. James, who is originally from Annapolis, was most recently the acting executive director of the Mental Health Association in Pennsylvania.
“AsylumConnect allows me to be everything that I was told that I couldn’t be,” said James in the press release. “I am now a part of an organization that not only invests in me as a person but in the world as a collective. I am not only excited about this new found freedom but also humbled at the opportunity to advance this organization towards continued greatness.”
“As an African American lesbian I am acutely aware of how I am at times viewed in society,” added James. “I am also aware of my privilege as an American citizen. I have freedoms that are not afforded to everyone. I have spent my life’s work fighting for equity. AsylumConnect does this work in a far-reaching manner that is both needed and impressive.”
AsylumConnect launched in 2016, and the press release notes it has helped more than 75,000 LGBTQ refugees and asylum seekers connect with “independently verified safe legal, medical, mental health and social service providers.”
AsylumConnect’s decision to hire James took place against the backdrop of the Biden administration’s efforts to repeal some of the previous White House’s hardline immigration policies that placed LGBTQ asylum seekers and people with HIV/AIDS at increased risk.
“My hope for AsylumConnect is that one day we don’t exist because there is no longer a need for this service,” said James. “I hope that we impact change that is far reaching, beyond what we can fathom in this moment and that everything that we do, every life that we touch leaves the world a better, kinder, and more affirming place for all.”
National
Queen Jean is Tony’s first transgender winner
Designer/activist wins for work on ‘Cats: The Jellicle Ball’
It was a historic night at the 79th annual Tony Awards on Sunday as Queen Jean won the award for Best Costume Design of a Musical, making her the first out transgender person to win a Tony.
“This experience has been monumental. We are here for the legacy of queer people, trans people,” she said. “We are taking up space in ways we have to take up space. We have to shift the paradigm. So I just want to say, thank you all so much for this incredible honor. The world right now is deeply, deeply combating so many ailments, and we know as a society that when we come together, we can make real, permanent change.”
She won the award for her work on “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” and was also nominated for best costume design of a play for “Liberation.”
In addition to her stage work, Queen Jean is the founder of Black Trans Liberation, an organization that supports trans and gender-nonconforming people in New York City.
National
Madonna turns Times Square into massive dance floor
Pop icon celebrates Pride month with surprise performance
Pop icon Madonna celebrated Pride month with a pop-up performance in New York City’s Times Square on Thursday to the delight of 50,000 fans.
She performed for about 15 minutes high above street level, including several songs from her new album “Confessions II” due on July 3, along with a trio of songs from the first “Confessions on a Dance Floor.”
In addition to the brand new “Love Sensation,” she performed “I Feel So Free” and “Bring Your Love,” plus “Hung Up,” “Get Together” and “I Love New York.” She wished the crowd a happy Pride season; the event was shared with audiences through Grindr’s first-ever livestream.
National
Gallup finds LGBTQ support among Americans is dropping
Marriage equality support lowest since 2016
Gallup, one of the leading organizations in public opinion polling, has found that LGBTQ support among Americans is dropping.
The poll, whose data was collected using Gallup’s annual Values and Beliefs survey, was conducted in May and was published on Wednesday. The data was collected through telephone interviews from a sample of more than 1,000 adults living in all 50 states and D.C. using random digit dialing.
It highlights declining attitudes surrounding LGBTQ issues in multiple areas — from support for same-sex marriage to views on gender identity and the morality of one’s sexuality.
One of the most striking findings was that support for marriage equality fell six points from its 2022-2023 high.
The survey also found that 62 percent of Americans view gay and lesbian relations as morally acceptable, the lowest level since 2016 just after same-sex marriage was legalized nationwide by the U.S. Supreme Court.
One newer question on the poll found that the perceived morality of changing one’s gender has dropped eight points since 2021, indicating the American public is less supportive of transgender people.
The data attributes much of the decline to shifting Republican views alongside the party itself. Conservative leaders have pushed back against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs that were intended to foster greater acceptance of LGBTQ people and other historically disadvantaged groups.
President Donald Trump has been a guiding force behind waves of anti-LGBTQ sentiment, particularly when it comes to trans rights. The president has enacted multiple executive orders, including Executive Order 14168, “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” which mandates that gender be defined by one’s sex assigned at birth. He also signed Executive Order 14183, “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness,” which barred qualified trans applicants from joining the military and led to the removal of trans service members already serving in the armed forces.
Additionally, he signed Executive Order 14201, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” which prohibits trans female athletes from participating on women’s and girls’ sports teams.
In February, Gallup found that an estimated 9 percent of Americans identified as part of the LGBTQ community in some form.
The organization also found that 23 percent of adults under age 30 identify as LGBTQ, compared with 10 percent of those ages 30 to 49 and 3 percent or less among those ages 50 and older.
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