• ELIXHER
• On April 13, 2012

Laverne Cox: “Miss Universe” May Have Opened Its Doors to Jenna Talackova, but Trans Community Still Under Daily Attack

The transgender advocate juxtaposes the Miss Universe pageant’s recent decision to allow transwomen to compete with several recent shows of violence against African-American transwomen. In particular, Cox highlights Cece McDonald’s continued incarceration after a hate attack against her and her friends resulted in the stabbing death of one of their assailants. To read the op-ed, visit The Huffington Post. To sign the change.org petition urging Minneapolis to drop murder charges against McDonald, click here (10,000 signatures are needed before her trial date, April 30).

Brown University Introduces Festival Celebrating Black, Queer Playwrights

This past week, Brown University held the Black Lavender Experience, a four-day celebration of some of society’s most marginalized and underappreciated playwrights. Elmo Terry-Morgan, who fifteen years ago created the country’s only university course devoted to black, queer theater, said he initially wasn’t sure if there were even enough of these playwrights to sustain an extended festival. This year, enthusiastic crowds gathered on campus to enjoy performances by artists such as Ntare Mwine (of HBO’s Trireme) and Q-Roc, as well a showing of the movie Pariah. Learn more about Terry-Morgan’s branchild by visiting The Brown Herald.

Op-Ed: Is Aid Conditionality an appropriate countermeasure to achieve LGBTQ social justice in Africa?

Hakima Abbas argues that the imposement of aid restrictions in response to African nations’ LGBTQ oppression actually works against the social and political development of those countries. With eye-opening insight into the politicism behind aid agreements, Abbas explains the how ailing economies and crumbling infrastructures that result from aid cutoffs actually work to reinforce LGBT discrimination. Read his entire article at AllAfrica.com

Report: Gay and Trans Communities of Color Severely Lagging in Economic Prosperity

The Center for American Progress uses an aggregate of recent studies to analyze the black LGBT community’s performance economically and educationally, compared with the rest of the country. The findings are concerning; healthcare is lacking, students feel significantly less protected from harassment and bullying, and unemployment has risen at a much higher rate. Read about more of the disparities and the possible solutions here.