OutBeat Radio News

Starbucks has a new ad featuring a young trans man that has caught the attention of the trans community in the UK on social media. 

Here in the U.S., New York’s Governor renamed a Brooklyn City Park after famed LGBTQ icon Marsha P Johnson making it the first park in the state named after a member of the LGBTQ community. 

If you watched this year’s Super Bowl, you probably noticed a number of queer-themed commercials for major brands.  But not everyone was excited about this ‘rainbow wave” of advertising.

(Photo: Still shot from commercial – Courtesy Starbucks)

Representative Marjorie Greene who is best known for many crazy Q-Anon-type conspiracy theories introduced a Bill last week to ban the flying of the rainbow pride flag at U.S. embassies around the world. 

In Mississippi, another transgender woman was found dead after being shot in her car.  Tragically, she was misgendered and her name disrespected by both police and local media. 

The Bay Area lost two activists last week for unrelated causes.  Carmen Vasquez and Hershon are being remembered this week for their life’s work in our local LGBTQ community.

(Photo: Marjorie Taylor Greene - Erin Scott, pool/AFP via Getty Images/NPR)

California Insurance companies were reminded by the State that they cannot discriminate against transgender men based on age and that even those under 18 are entitled to support for medically recommended reconstruction surgeries. 

Two new controversial laws went into effect this January 1st here in California. One requires state prison officials to honor the gender identity, pronouns, and names of transgender inmates and to house them at a facility that matches their gender identity. The other protects California LGBTQ youth from being unfairly placed on the state’s sex offender registry. 

Locally, the Cinnabar Theater in Petaluma announced plans to virtually present James Lecesne’s play, “The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey.”

(Photo: California State Capitol in Sacramento – Steven Pavlov, CC)

The Supreme Court in the Philippines closed any further arguments for marriage equality and same-sex marriage in the largely religious country will remain banned to the delight of some government officials. 

Meanwhile, a gay man was arrested for sending a threatening letter with a white powder in it to a gay bay in New York. 

In Florida, a youth football coach denounced homosexuality on social media and may be forced to quit coaching. 

Napa Valley College announced a brand-new class for this spring called Transgender Issues and Identities.

(Photo: Philippines Supreme Court in Manila - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0)

Outbeat News can be heard Sunday nights at 8 pm as part of Outbeat Radio.

A U.S. District Court of Appeals ruled against the U.S. Air Force and Trump Administration policy of discharging service members who are HIV-positive.  The court cited an outdated view of HIV and a violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act in their decision. 

Two seminary students in California who were expelled from school because they are married to a same-sex partner are suing the college for violation Title IX. 

Meanwhile, Rick Weltz, the president of the Golden State Warriors married his same-sex partner of 9 years in a ceremony officiated by Mayor London Breed.

(Photo: Court of Federal Appeals for the Fourth District, Richmond, Virginia, USA - Acroterion [CC BY-SA 3.0])

Vice President Mike Pence praised President Trump’s decision to allow adoption agencies to discriminate against LGBTQ couples in the name of religious freedom while more than 100,000 children wait to be adopted.  

In Tennessee, the state legislature passed a bill similar in content that makes it legal to deny same-sex parents adoption again in the name of religious freedom.  That state’s governor has pledged to sign the bill into law. 

And 44 federal legislators sign a letter to homeland security and ice officials demanding that transgender immigrants being held in ice detention facilities be released.

Outbeat News can be heard Sunday nights at 7 pm during Outbeat Radio on KRCB FM Radio 91.

(Photo by Michael Vadon [CC BY-SA 4.0])

New York’s Governor has signed a bill requiring all of the state’s single-use restrooms to be labeled as gender-neutral.  The new law received huge support in both the legislature and from more than 100 LGBTQ groups. 

A recent analysis of Amazon’s charity fundraising program, Amazon Smile, revealed a number of anti-LGBTQ and anti-abortion groups are benefiting from the charity.  Amazon Smile has raised more than 215 million dollars for non-profits including those anti-LGBTQ groups. 

In California, the City of West Hollywood City Council unanimously approved painting a crosswalk with the colors of the transgender flag and to add black and brown stripes to the existing rainbow-colored crosswalks as a way to support both the transgender community and LGBTQ people of color.

Outbeat News is a service of NorCal Public Media and can be heard as part of Outbeat Radio, Sunday at 7 pm on KRCB FM Radio 91.

(Photo: AxelBoldt - Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

A new study of LGBTQ Americans finds that the vast majority favors the participation of corporations and uniformed police in pride events, despite the fractional opinions of some radical pride organizers. 

In Washington DC, the Human Rights Campaign named Alfonso David as the new President, succeeding Chad Griffin.  David has family roots in Liberia and brings a strong human rights legal background to the HRC. 

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors designates the Castro neighborhood an LGBTQ historical district.

(Photo: Castro Street Theater - Jamezcd [CC BY-SA 3.0])

Outbeat News can be heard Sunday nights at 8:00 pm as part of Outbeat Radio.

This October, the United States Supreme Court will hear a potential landmark employment discrimination case that will determine if sexual orientation and gender identity apply to Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.  A group of republican law makers believe it does and have filed a brief in support of protecting LGBTQ people from employment discrimination under this act. 

The CDC released a new report that 40% of Americans have never had an HIV test, including 30% of those who are at high risk for an infection.

Outbeat News can be heard Sunday nights at 8:00 pm as part of Outbeat Radio on KRCB FM Radio 91.

Monday, July 15, 2019

The Netherlands announced that the country will eliminate all gender markers on all forms of identification except for passports by the year 2025. 

In California, a federal judge has ordered the release of the videotapes made of the infamous Proposition 8 trial held in 2010 that lead to same-sex marriage being stored in California.  But proponents of Proposition 8 immediately filed an appeal with the 9th Circuit Court hoping to block the release of the trial tapes. 

And in Santa Monica, California, workers at a Burger King are protesting management’s inappropriate and lacking response to an employee’s recent death from the Corona Virus.  Instead of taking responsibility, management blamed the transgender worker’s death on hormones.

Outbeat News can be heard Sunday nights at 8:00 pm as part of Outbeat Radio on KRCB FM Radio 91.

(Photo: Dutch flag – Dutchgamer, Yusuf Babayusuf / CC BY 4.0)

The new viral social media app that allows users to change a picture of their face to either age or be younger has raised concerns of some LGBTQ people about privacy after learning the app has strong ties to Russia. 

Here in California the Department of Justice released hate crime data from 2018 that shows a slight decrease in report hate crimes against LGBTQ people after two years of increases. 

Another popular steak-house restaurant in the Castro neighborhood is closing its doors after 12 years of business.

(Photo: Eureka Restaurant & Lounge in San Francisco, CA – via Google Street View)

Outbeat News can be heard Sunday nights at 8 pm as part of Outbeat Radio.

A 41-year-old female Russian LGBTQ activist was found stabbed to death in front of her home last week.  She had been listed on a website advocating for the hunting and torture of LGBTQ people. 

In gay-friendly St. Petersburg, Florida, a candidate for mayor said that he believes homosexuality is a choice. 

Locally, the San Francisco International Airport celebrated the opening of Harvey Milk Terminal 1, the first airport terminal in the world named after an LGBT icon.

Outbeat News can also be heard Sunday nights at 8 pm as part of Outbeat Radio.

(Photo: Harvey Milk Terminal - Gregory Varnum,  Own work [CC BY-SA 4.0])

A catholic priest has been indicted in Texas for allegedly exposing himself to a 15-year-old boy during confession when the young victim confessed to being gay. Earlier this month, a catholic bishop urged parents to keep their children away from Pride events because they were “harmful” to children. 

As part of Pride celebrations in Illinois, the governor signed an executive order to help protect transgender students in the state’s schools.

Here locally, San Francisco’s 49th annual pride parade was halted early on when protesters blocked the parade route for over an hour.

(Photo: Manuel La Rosa-Lopez - City of Conroe Police Department)

Outbeat News can be heard Sinday nights at 8:00 pm as part of Outbeat Radio on KRCB-FM Radio 91.

The U.S. Supreme Court is preparing to hear a case involving discrimination of same-sex couples seeking to adopt children from Catholic Social Services. Meanwhile, the Trump administration filed a brief defending the Catholic organization’s discriminatory practices under the guise of religious freedom. 

In Chicago, the mayor is vowing to fire a police officer who was caught on camera hurling profanity and anti-LGBT slurs at protesters.  

Kaiser Permanente researchers are reporting success with a new optional regimen involving the use of PrEP to present HIV infections and the results are truly promising.

(Photo: Kurt Löwenstein Educational Center International Team from Germany / CC BY 2.0)

Last week’s historic landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to protect LGBTQ people in employment was surprising on many levels, not the least of which include the justices who both supported and wrote the decision for the court. 

In Tennessee, a deputy sheriff was fired from his job after a local source discovered racist and anti-LGBTQ posts on the deputy’s social media site. 

In Foster City, officials reversed course on their decision about flying the rainbow flag.

A virtual Sonoma County Pride celebration is set to take place this Saturday.

(Photo: Ted Eytan / CC BY-SA 2.0)

The U.S. Supreme Court sent back another same-sex wedding cake case involving the exercise of religious freedom in a state that prohibits discrimination against LGBTQ people, but in another case the same week, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote an opinion that suggested precedent may not protect the national marriage equality decision and hinted that the right marry could be overturned if the Supreme Court were given the chance to look at that decision again in the future.  

(Photo: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas - U.S. government. [Public domain])

Here locally, it’s Pride week and the annual San Francisco Pride celebration and parade takes place next Saturday and Sunday.

Monday, June 24, 2019

Outbeat News can be heard Sunday nights at 8 pm as part of Outbeat Radio, exclusively on KRCB FM Radio 91.

LGBT activists used a drone to place a rainbow pride flag in the hands of a famous statue in the often anti-LGBTQ country of Ukraine. 

Pride celebrations happened virtually all over the U.S.; perhaps inspiring a 90-year-old man to come out of the closet for the first time while wondering about the love of his life from 50 years ago. 

Cities throughout the Bay Area raised the pride flag on official flag poles, but in San Ramon and Danville, the City Council’s voted to raise the Philadelphia version of the flag created in 2017 that includes a brown and black stripe representing LGBTQ communities of color.

Outbeat News can be heard Sunday nights at 8 pm as part of Outbeat Radio on KRCB FM-Radio 91.

(Photo: Courtesy of Kyiv Pride)

ParaDox [CC BY-SA 2.5]The World Health Organization voted to reclassify people whose gender identity doesn’t match their birth sex from having a mental disorder to simply being “gender incongruent.”  Being transgender is no longer regarded as a disorder by the WHO. 

Benson Kua [CC BY-SA 2.0]Cities across the Bay Area have voted to fly the rainbow flag during the month of June, except for one - the City of Dublin, but the backlash is causing the City Council to re-think their decision.

Monday, June 3, 2019

Outbeat News can be heard Sunday nights at 8:00 pm as part of Outbeat Radio.

June 1st marked the beginning of Pride Month and the 50th anniversary of the first pride march one year after the Stonewall Riots in New York.  Former vice-president Joe Biden issued a statement of unity with the LGBTQ+ community; this while President Trump was ordering the use of tear gas to combat protesters and despite his daughter, Ivanka, tweeting a short message of support.

Here in the Bay Area, the Foster City Council rejected community requests to fly the rainbow flag on the poles in front of City Hall. Meanwhile, cities all around them held ceremonies to raise the Pride flag. 

The McCarthy Library at Napa Valley College announced the first-ever virtual Pride Month exhibition now open and available online to the public.

(Photo: Tyrone Turner/WAMU/via NPR)

Richard Grenell is the acting Director of National Intelligence and the U.S. Ambassador to Germany - US Consulate Munich / Public domain.In Croatia, a crowd opposed to same-sex couple adoption burned an effigy of a same-sex couple and a child.  Croatia’s president condemned the action, but event organizers defended their actions. 

Here in the U.S., the Supreme Court agreed to hear a case from Philadelphia involving the adoption agencies operated by the Catholic Church and their desire to openly discriminate against LGBTQ couples. 

An openly gay man has been appointed by the Trump Administration to lead the Department of National Intelligence.  This is the highest position held by an openly gay man in the federal government.

Hear Outbeat News Sunday nights at 8 pm during Outbeat Radio on KRCB FM.

(Photo: Richard Grenell is the acting Director of National Intelligence and the U.S. Ambassador to Germany - US Consulate Munich / Public domain)

Some good news from Spain, a drug commonly used to treat HIV was successfully used to treat a 62-year-old man infected with the Corona Virus. Officials said while it’s only one use in one case, the results were promising.

Like many other natural disasters, haters in the world are blaming gay people for the coronavirus.  One pastor attacked churches that have taken steps to limit the spread of the virus calling them names. Mark Steyn from FOX news claimed that the shelter in place order given in San Francisco was ordered to “prevent a big gay apocalypse.” 

Local elected leaders including Senator Scott Wiener issued statements this week calling for everyone to come together in support of our most vulnerable communities.

(Photo: Miguel Ángel Benítez)

A wedding video of a New York lesbian couple getting married has gone viral proving that love is more powerful than the coronavirus pandemic.

California State Senator Scott Wiener is calling on the FDA to lift the ban on gay men donating blood in anticipation of a national shortage of blood during this current health emergency. 

San Francisco Pride officials announced three of this year’s grand marshalls and also said they will announce in mid April if this year’s celebration will be postponed. 

Meanwhile, Sonoma County Pride officials made the decision last week to cancel this year’s Sonoma County Pride celebration scheduled for June 6.

(Photo: Reilly Jennings – via Instagram)

Outbeat News can be heard Sunday nights at 8pm as part of Outbeat Radio on KRCB-FM.

LGBTQ voter turnout on Super Tuesday was significant especially for those voters under the age of 45 in 12 of the 14 states that voted last week. LGBTQ civil rights leaders say the community’s voice is becoming more politically powerful. 

The Governor of Virginia signed into law a ban on conversion therapy for minors in his state paving the way for other southern states to follow suit. But anti-LGBT groups are calling this law a violation of the 1st Amendment. 

In California, the annual report on the demographics of judges shows the number of LGBTQ judges on the bench did not change in 2019.

Outbeat News can be heard Sunday nights at 8 pm during Outbeat Radio on KRCB FM Radio 91.

(Photo: Rainbow flag - Wikimedia Commons)

Author Armistead Maupin joined Cher and fans around the world to mourn the death last week of award-winning actress Olympia Dukakis.  Dukakis was the first actor to play a transgender character on American television. 

Here in California, Caitlyn Jenner, a transgender woman who announced her run for Governor in California, told a TMZ reporter last week that she opposes transgender girls participating in girls’ sports in school because it isn’t fair to biological boys.

And here locally, Sonoma County Pride organizers announced a month-long Pride celebration this June themed “Beyond the Rainbow.”  This year’s pride celebration promises to be the biggest yet here in Sonoma County with events happening every week, all month long.

(Photo: Olympia Dukakis - Montclair Film, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

A 23-year veteran teacher at a Catholic High School in Ohio was fired after it was discovered he was gay and married to a man. Students are fighting his termination. 

In New York, 2 gay men are working on the front lines of the COV-19 pandemic to provide backpacks full of basic living supplies to the homeless; one of the most vulnerable populations in the City. 

A new study was released last Tuesday by the American Atheists shows that 50% of LGBTQ people identify as religiously unaffiliated and suffer discrimination and stigma at a much higher rate than those who have religious faith.

Outbeat News is a service of NorCal Public Media and can be heard Sunday nights at 8 pm, as part of Outbeat Radio on KRCB FM Radio 91.

(Photo: Archbishop Alter High School – Courtesy of Change.org)

Another teacher at a Catholic school was fired by the church under the guise of religious freedom after requesting leave to seek treatment for breast cancer.  She died after filing a federal lawsuit and church officials continued to defend their actions.  

In San Antonio, Texas, the 11th transgender person to be murdered this year was stabbed to death in a barbershop by a crazed patron.  

GLBT Historical Society leaders in San Francisco announced that plans to build a permanent GLBT museum facility have been scrapped due to the coronavirus pandemic.

(Photo: Jason Meredith from Louisville, KY, US / CC BY 2.0)

Outbeat News is a service of NorCal Public Media and can be heard Sunday nights at 8 pm as part of Outbeat Radio.

Germany is one of the latest European countries to ban the harmful practice of conversion therapy for minors.  The new ban had very strong legislative support and provides wide spread protections for young people. 

Two police officers in Kansas City Missouri are facing a criminal investigation for excessive force involving a transgender woman who just months after the assault was found shot to death. 

PBS announced it will air a new series about gay life the south called “Prideland” this June during pride month.  But the hate group American Family Association is petitioning the network to halt the broadcasts calling “being gay unnatural and unhealthy.”

(Photo: Courtesy of PBS)

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected a claim last week from the State of Texas that was trying to sue the State of California over its government-funded travel ban based on anti-LGBTQ laws held by the Lone Star state.  Texas is one of ten states that California prohibits the use of taxpayer dollars to be used to fund travel to. 

The state of Montana may be the next state added to this list after Montana’s governor signed a new religious liberty bill into law.  LGBTQ advocates believe the bill will legalize discrimination of LGBTQ people based on religious beliefs. 

Last week three members of the transgender and gender non-conforming community murdered here in the United States including one woman in the South Bay Area.  Police are calling that murder a result of domestic violence.

(Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

A male couple in Tunisia, a country in North Africa, has become the first same-sex couple to have their marriage recognized in a Muslim-Majority country. 

Here locally, last week San Francisco Airport officials opened another part of the new Harvey Milk Terminal One with a large display of historical photos provided by the GLBT historical society and San Francisco public library. 

And organizers of the popular Folsom Street Fair and Up Your Alley event announced that both are canceled for this year due to the corona virus health emergency.  But don’t worry, organizers say they are planning a virtual event for you to enjoy.

Outbeat News can be heard Sunday nights at 8 pm as part of Outbeat Radio on KRCB FM Radio 91

(Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

President-Elect Joe Biden thanked specifically LGBTQ people for supporting his election during his acceptance speech. It was a first for a victory speech by a president-elect. 

In California, Todd Gloria will become the first openly gay man and a man of color to be elected Mayor of San Diego, the state’s second largest city. 

Plus, Governor Newsom’s appointment of Justice Martin Jenkins to the California Supreme Court was confirmed last week. Jenkins becomes the first openly gay man to serve the State’s high court.

Outbeat News is s service of NorCal Public Media and can be heard Suday nights at 8pm as part of Outbeat Radio on KRCB FM Radio 91.

(Photo: Courtesy Todd Gloria – via Twitter)

Hate crimes targeting LGBTQ people are up in the United States, while the total number of reported hate crimes has declined for the first time in several years.  The FBI released 2018 hate crime statistics last year detailing increased violence targeting LGBTQ people. 

The Trump administration’s attempt to deny LGBTQ people health care in favor of religious and moral beliefs has been blocked by 2 courts, both citing a violation of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. 

The American Psychological Association updated it’s writing manual this week to allow the singular use of “they, them, their” as an appropriate pronoun to reference gender non-binary persons.

Outbeat News can be heard Sunday nights at 8 pm as part of Outbeat Radio on KRCB FM Radio 91.

(Photo via Human Rights Campaign – hrc.org)

Vatican officials are rushing to clarify statements made by Pope Francis last week about supporting civil unions for same-sex couples. As Vatican leaders interpret the pontiff’s comments, he may not be as supportive of LGBTQ people as we thought. 

Meanwhile, couples in Missouri scrambled to City Hall to get married before right-wing judge Amy Coney Barrett was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Leaders in the LGBT community fear how Justice Barrett might rule on future LGBTQ civil rights cases.

Outbeat News is a service of NorCal Public Media and can be heard Sunday nights at 8 pm as part of Outbeat Radio on KRCB FM Radio 91.

(Photo: Pope Francis - Zebra48bo/CC BY-SA 4.0)

An Alabama printing company declined to print a special diversity issue of a South Alabama student magazine because the publication featured articles about LGBTQ people. 

In Texas the state’s attorney general is partnering with the Catholic Church to sue the federal government in order to allow private religious adoption agencies that receive federal funding to openly discriminate against LGBTQ people. 

Then, this year’s holiday concert by the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus happens Sunday, December 15 in the Green Center at Sonoma State Unversity.

Outbeat News can be heard Sunday nights at 8 pm as part of Outbeat Radio on KRCB FM Radio 91.

(Photo: SF Gay Men's Chorus - via Green Music Center)

Last week the FBI released the statistics for reported hate crimes in 2019.  You won’t be surprised to know the numbers are up including a dramatic increase in hate crimes targeting transgender people. 

3 people have filed suit in West Virginia after being denied health care benefits supporting treatment for various aspects of gender dysphoria.  This follows the U.S. Supreme Court hearing considering again the Affordable Care Act. 

Meanwhile, in New York, state officials announced changes in that state’s DMV system that will allow gender non-binary people to select an X as a gender marker.

Outbeat News is a service of NorCal Public Media and can be heard as part of Outbeat Radio, Sunday at 7 pm on KRCB FM Radio 91.

(Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Last week’s national election included more than 600 out LGBTQ candidates and dozens won their seat.  A transgender woman was elected to the U.S. Senate, a gender non-binary woman of color was a state seat, and an out lesbian will become a county sheriff in Ohio beating the man who fired her allegedly because she was gay. 

Voters in Nevada made same-sex marriage a right in their state Constitution.

California Senator Scott Wiener and Assembly Member Evan Low, two out gay men, won re-election to their state office.

Outbeat News is a service of NorCal Public Media and can be heard Sunday nights at 8 pm as part of Outbeat Radio on KRCB FM Radio 91.

(Photo: Sheriff-Elect Charmaine McGuffey - Charmaine Mcguffey For Sheriff/Facebook)

Last week Governor Newsom nominated the first openly gay man to the California State Supreme Court. 

The United States Supreme Court began their new term last week and two of the court’s most conservative justices called for a case to overturn marriage equality for LGBTQ people.  The brazen statement could become a reality with the almost certain addition of a 6th conservative justice. 

This year’s Out Watch Film Festival will be presented virtually with four amazing films.

(Photo: Martin J. Jenkins will be the first openly gay man to serve on the California Supreme Court – via YouTube)

Outbeat News is a service of NorCal Public Media and can be heard Sunday nights at 8 pm as part of Outbeat Radio on KRCB FM Radio 91l.

A 23-year-old gay Saudi Arabian YouTube star has been arrested for violating that country’s public decency law because he posted a picture of himself wearing a bathing suit while on a beach. 

Legislators in Uganda are planning to re-introduce a “kill the gays” bill that would provide the death penalty in certain cases for being homosexual in Uganda.  Government officials declared that homosexuality does not occur naturally in Ugandans.  

In California, Governor Newsom signed into law the Safe and Supportive Schools Act which will provide bi-annual LGBT awareness training for school teachers and staff.

Outbeat News can be heard Sunday nights at 8:00 pm on KRCB FM Radio 91.

(Photo: Suhail al-Jameel claims he was arrested for sharing the photo on the left – Courtesyy of Suhail al-Jameel)

October 21, 2019

The two men who opposed each other in the landmark Supreme Court marriage equality case in 2015 have now teamed up to oppose the nomination of conservative judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court. 

The annual World AIDS Day is coming up on December 1st and officials from the National AIDS Memorial announced last week that the 10,000 panels of the AIDS Quilt will be put on virtual display for the world starting on November 16th. The AIDS Quilt was an idea conceived by Bay Area activist Cleve Jones to remember and honor those who lost their lives to the disease. 

Locally, Face to Face announced the closure of the 3 Monkeys Thrift store. Your last chance to find a local treasure is on December 15.

Outbeat News is a service of NorCal Public Media and can be heard as part of Outbeat Radio Sunday nights at 8 on KRCB FM Radio 91.

(Photo: Amy Coney Barrett - Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP, via NPR)