Research/Study
ADL: Anti-LGBTQ+ hate sparks 350+ incidents in 11 months
More than 40 of the 356 incidents tracked by the ADL from June 2022 to April 2023 occurred in California alone
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2023/06/ADL-Hate-Map.png)
NEW YORK — Over the course of 11 months, researchers at the Anti-Defamation League tracked at least 356 anti-LGBTQ+ incidents of harassment, vandalism and assault, motivated by hate, in cities and towns across the United States. On Thursday, the ADL released its report detailing the heightened threats facing LGBTQ+ Americans today, in coordination with GLAAD.Â
These incidents stretch across 46 states from California to Connecticut, and include demonstrations designed to intimidate drag show organizers and attendees, bomb threats against hospitals that offer gender-affirming healthcare and a mass shooting at a queer-friendly nightclub that took the lives of five people in Colorado.
More than 40 of the 356 incidents tracked by the ADL from June 2022 to April 2023 occurred in California alone.
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2023/06/CA-Hate-map-600x334.png)
The blue circles on the map represent incidents involving drag, orange is where education was involved, green represents government and navy blue is for health care. Other incidents outside those kinds of incidents are marked with a purple circle.Â
The Year in Review: Anti-LGBTQ+ Hate & Extremism Incidents report reveals that of all the instances of anti-LGBTQ+ hate, 49% â nearly half â were perpetrated wholly or substantially by individuals associated with extremist groups.
âThis first of its kind report provides a sobering snapshot of the deluge of hatred the LGBTQ+ community faces every single day, sparked in large part by organized extremist activity,â said ADL CEO Jonathan A. Greenblatt. âWe hope these stark findings serve as a wakeup call to lawmakers, civil society leaders, and community leaders to stand up to this onslaught of hate and support our LGBTQ+ community.â
âThis new report makes abundantly clear that extremism is escalating against LGBTQ people and endangers every American,â said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. âA supermajority of Americans support LGBTQ people and our right to be safe. Extremists, including elected officials, must be held accountable for inciting violence and using vile rhetoric against marginalized people who just want to live in safety and peace. Targeting people for who they are, or for their race and faith, is an attack on fundamental freedoms, and the health and well-being of all in our country.â
The report also tracked those instances where no one known to have associated with those hate groups was involved. In all, there were 305 incidents of harassment, 40 incidents of vandalism and 11 incidents of assault.
Those numbers stand in stark contrast to the crime statistics released by Calif. Attorney General Rob Bonta this month, in his inaugural State of Pride report, as reported by the Los Angeles Blade.
According to Bonta, there were over 391 reported hate crime events in California between 2021 and 2022, motivated by sexual orientation bias, and 45 hate crimes motivated by anti-transgender or anti-gender non-conforming bias. Earlier this month, Bonta noted in 2021, California experienced an alarming 32.6% overall increase in reported hate crimes, the highest number of reported hate crimes in the state since the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
The Blade asked spokespersons at GLAAD and ADL to clarify why Californiaâs numbers could be so high compared to the 356 incidents tracked by those advocacy organizations.
The report, they said, was not âan effort to catalog every expression of anti-LGBTQ+ extremism and hate.â
ADL used victim reports, the media and partner organizations to compute its data, the spokespeople said.
âADL & GLAAD recognize that many cases of anti-LGBTQ+ hate and extremism are not reported publicly for a variety of reasons and thus this report does not claim to represent every instance of harassment, vandalism and assault,â they said, adding âthe report does not attempt to assess the total amount of anti-LGBTQ+ hate online.â
Of course, hate expresses itself in many forms beyond physical confrontation and intimidation. âThe report includes cases where individuals or groups were directly targeted with harassment online via anti-LGBTQ+ content, including through direct messages, on listservs or in social media settings where they would have the reasonable expectation of not being subjected to anti-LGBTQ+ hate,â the ADL told the Blade.
Read the full report at the ADLâs website by clicking here.
Research/Study
LGBTQ people in LA County struggle with cost of living & safety
Approximately 665,000 LGBTQ adults live in Los Angeles County, according to new research from the Williams Institute
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2024/02/California-Department-of-Aging.jpg)
LOS ANGELES – Approximately 665,000 LGBTQ adults live in Los Angeles County, according to new research from the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law that looks at the lived experiences and needs of LGBTQ people.
The majority (82%) believe that LA County is a good place for LGBTQ people to live and that elected officials are responsive to their needs. However, affording to live in LA County is their most common worry.
Over one-third (35%) of LGBTQ Angelenos live below 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL), including almost half (47%) of transgender and nonbinary people, and they experience high rates of food insecurity and housing instability.
Nearly one in three (32%) LGBTQ households in Los Angeles County and more than one in five (23%) non-LGBTQ households experienced food insecurity in the prior year. In addition, more than 60% of LGBTQ people live in households that are cost-burdened by housing expenses, spending 30% or more of their household income on housing. A quarter (26%) of LGBTQ people live in households where over 50% of the householdâs monthly income is spent on rent or mortgage payments.
âLA County represents a promise of equality and freedom to LGBTQ people who live here and throughout the country,â said lead author Brad Sears, the Founding Executive Director at the Williams Institute. âBut that promise is being undermined by the Countyâs rapidly escalating cost of living.â
This report used representative data collected from 1,006 LGBTQ adults in Los Angeles County who completed the 2023 Los Angeles County Health Survey (LACHS) conducted by the Los Angeles County Public Health Department. The data also included responses from 504 LGBTQ individuals who participated in the Lived Experiences in Los Angeles County (LELAC) Survey, a LACHS call-back survey developed by the Williams Institute.
More than half (51%) of LGBTQ adults said they have been verbally harassed, with 39% experiencing this in the past five years. As a result, one in five LGBTQ people have avoided public places such as businesses, parks, and public transportation in the last year. About 40% of LGBTQ people do not believe that law enforcement agencies in Los Angeles County treat LGBTQ people fairly.
A companion study published today surveyed 322 trans and nonbinary individuals in Los Angeles County. Results showed that the cost of living in LA County was the most significant concern for trans and nonbinary respondents, with 59% indicating that it is a serious problem. More than one-quarter (28%) of the participants were unemployed, compared to 5% of LA County overall.
The survey also revealed significant disparities in health and health care access, especially for trans and nonbinary adults who were women or transfeminine, immigrants, and those living at or near the FPL.
âUnderstanding the life experiences of trans and nonbinary people is important so that we can begin to improve the quality of our lives in LA County,â said study co-author Bamby Salcedo, President and CEO of the TransLatin@ Coalition. âTrans and nonbinary people are best suited to envision ways to support and uplift the community, along with trans-led organizations that have already been doing this work. LA County must commit to greater support of the organizations serving our community.â
Survey respondents were twice as likely as the general population of LA County to report having fair or poor health (27%), being uninsured (14%), and going without health care (46%).
âDespite a supportive policy environment in Los Angeles County, experiences of stigma and discrimination still exist and can hinder access to necessary resources for trans and nonbinary residents,â said lead author Jody Herman, Senior Scholar of Public Policy at the Williams Institute. âIt is crucial for local officials and service providers to enact policies, provide education and training, and establish accountability to ensure respectful and positive interaction with the trans and nonbinary community.â
A third report focuses on LGBTQ peopleâs assessment of LA County programs and services and recommendations for local elected officials.
âThese findings from the Williams Institute provide invaluable data that will guide our Board, County departments, and the inaugural LGBTQ+ Commission in shaping policies and programs to truly deliver for our diverse LGBTQ+ communities,â said LA County Board Chair Lindsey P. Horvath, who initiated the motion to present the findings to the Board.Â
âIt’s especially critical that we support our trans, gender-nonconforming, and nonbinary communities, ensuring they feel safe and supported, and that they are able to afford to live in Los Angeles County. These insights will guide our essential and transformative work.â
âMany LGBTQ people provided recommendations for elected officials to improve quality of life in Los Angeles County,â said principal investigator Kerith J. Conron, Research Director at the Williams Institute. âLGBTQ people are asking for visible allyship, increased representation of LGBTQ individuals in elected positions and civil service, and housing and financial support.â
âThese recent findings serve as a sobering reminder of the persistent barriers faced by the LGBT community in Los Angeles County,â said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. âThese reports underscore the profound impact of the disparities on the health and wellbeing of a community that include our family members, colleagues, and friends. It is imperative that we not only acknowledge these inequities but actively engage in eliminating them. Through collaborative efforts with community leaders, policymakers, and the public, Public Health is committed to upholding principles of justice and equity by ensuring that every member of our community has the resources they need to thrive.â
Research/Study
New Polling: 65% of Black Americans support Black LGBTQ rights
73% of Gen Z respondents (between the ages of 12 and 27) âagree that the Black community should do more to support Black LGBTQ+ peopleâ
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2024/06/National-Black-Justice-Coalition-June-2024.jpg)
WASHINGTON – The National Black Justice Coalition, a D.C.-based LGBTQ advocacy organization, announced on June 19 that it commissioned what it believes to be a first-of-its-kind national survey of Black people in the United States in which 65 percent said they consider themselves âsupporters of Black LGBTQ+ people and rights,â with 57 percent of the supporters saying they were âchurchgoers.â
In a press release describing the findings of the survey, NBJC said it commissioned the research firm HIT Strategies to conduct the survey with support from five other national LGBTQ organizations â the Human Rights Campaign, the National LGBTQ Task Force, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Family Equality, and GLSEN.
âOne of the first surveys of its kind, explicitly sampling Black people (1,300 participants) on Black LGBTQ+ people and issues â including an oversampling of Black LGBTQ+ participants to provide a more representative view of this subgroup â it investigates the sentiments, stories, perceptions, and priorities around Black values and progressive policies, to better understand how they impact Black views on Black LGBTQ+ people,â the press release says.
It says the survey found, among other things, that 73 percent of Gen Z respondents, who in 2024 are between the ages of 12 and 27, âagree that the Black community should do more to support Black LGBTQ+ people.â
According to the press release, it also found that 40 percent of Black people in the survey reported having a family member who identifies as LGBTQ+ and 80 percent reported having âsome proximity to gay, lesbian, bisexual, or queer people, but only 42 percent have some proximity to transgender or gender-expansive people.â
The survey includes these additional findings:
⢠86% of Black people nationally report having a feeling of shared fate and connectivity with other Black people in the U.S., but this view doesnât fully extend to the Black LGBTQ+ community. Around half â 51% â of Black people surveyed feel a shared fate with Black LGBTQ+ people.
⢠34% reported the belief that Black LGBTQ+ people âlead with their sexual orientation or gender identity.â Those participants were âsignificantly less likely to support the Black LGBTQ+ community and most likely to report not feeling a shared fate with Black LGBTQ+ people.â
⢠92% of Black people in the survey reported âconcern about youth suicide after being shown statistics about the heightened rate among Black LGBTQ+ youth.â Those expressing this concern included 83% of self-reported opponents of LGBTQ+ rights.
⢠âBlack peopleâs support for LGBTQ+ rights can be sorted into three major groups: 29% Active Accomplices, 25% Passive Allies (high potential to be moved), 35% Opponents. Among Opponents, âcompeting prioritiesâ and âreligious beliefsâ are the two most significant barriers to supporting Black LGBTQ+ people and issues.â
⢠10% of the survey participants identified as LGBTQ. Among those who identified as LGBTQ, 38% identified as bisexual, 33% identified as lesbian or gay, 28% identified as non-binary or gender non-conforming, and 6% identified as transgender.
⢠Also, among those who identified as LGBTQ, 89% think the Black community should do more to support Black LGBTQ+ people, 69% think Black LGBTQ+ people have fewer rights and freedoms than other Black people, 35% think non-Black LGBTQ+ people have fewer rights and freedom than other Black people, 54% âfeel their vote has a lot of power,â 51% live in urban areas, and 75% rarely or never attend church.
Additional information about the survey from NBJC can be accessed here.
Research/Study
63% of LGBTQ+ people have faced employment discrimination
The report’s findings also show 70% of LGBTQ+ people feel lonely, misunderstood, marginalized, or excluded at work
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2024/06/LGBTQ-Federal-Employess-Dept-of-Labor.jpg)
WASHINGTON -A newly released report on the findings of a survey of 2,000 people in the U.S. who identify as LGBTQ says 63 percent of respondents have faced workplace discrimination in their career, 45 percent reported being âpassed overâ for a promotion due to their LGBTQ status, and 30 percent avoid âcoming outâ at work due to fear of discrimination.
The report, called âUnequal Opportunities: LGBTQ+ Discrimination In The Workplace,â was conducted by EduBirdie, a company that provides s professional essay writing service for students.
âThe research shows basic acceptance remains elusive,â a statement released by the company says. âThirty percent of LGBTQ+ people are concerned they will face discrimination if they come out at work, while 1 in 4 fear for their safety,â the statement says. âAlarmingly, 2 in 5 have had their orientation or identity disclosed without consent.â
Avery Morgan, an EduBirdie official, says in the statement, âDespite progress in LGBTQ+ human rights, society stigma persists. Our findings show 70% of LGBTQ+ people feel lonely, misunderstood, marginalized, or excluded at work, and 59% believe their sexual orientation or gender identity has hindered their careers.â
According to Morgan, âOne of the biggest challenges businesses should be aware of is avoiding tokenism and appearing inauthentic in their actions. Employers must be genuine with their decisions to bring a more diverse workforce into the organization.â
The report includes these additional findings:
⢠44% of LGBTQ people responding to the survey said they have quit a job due to lack of acceptance.
⢠15% reported facing discrimination âgoing unaddressedâ by their employer.
⢠21% âchoose not to report incidents that occur at work.â
⢠44% of LGBTQ+ workers feel their company is bad at raising awareness about their struggles.
⢠Half of LGBTQ+ people change their appearance, voice, or mannerisms to fit in at work.
⢠56% of LGBTQ+ people would be more comfortable coming out at work if they had a more senior role.
At least 32 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws banning employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, according to the Human Rights Campaign. The EduBirdie report does not show which states participants of the survey are from. EduBirdie spokesperson Anna Maglysh told the Washington Blade the survey was conducted anonymously to protect the privacy of participants.
The full report can be accessed here.
Research/Study
2024 GLAAD Social Media Safety Index: Social media platforms fail
Despite moderate score improvements since 2023 on LGBTQ safety, privacy, and expression, all platforms insufficiently protect LGBTQ users
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2024/05/f-school-letter-grade-scaled.jpg)
NEW YORK – GLAAD released its fourth annual Social Media Safety Index (SMSI) on Tuesday giving virtually every major social media company a failing grade as it surveyed  LGBTQ safety, privacy, and expression online.
According to GLAAD, the worldâs largest LGBTQ+ media advocacy organization, YouTube, X/Twitter, and Metaâs Facebook, Instagram, and Threads â received failing F grades on the SMSI Platform Scorecard for the third consecutive year.
The only exception was Chinese company ByteDance owned TikTok, which earned a D+.
Some platforms have shown improvements in their scores since last year. Others have fallen, and overall, the scores remain abysmal, with all platforms other than TikTok receiving F grades.
â TikTok: D+ â 67% (+10 points from 2023)
â Facebook: F â 58% (-3 points from 2023)
â Instagram: F â 58% (-5 points from 2023)
â YouTube: F â 58% (+4 points from 2023)
â Threads: F â 51% (new 2024 rating)
â Twitter: F â 41% (+8 points from 2023)
This yearâs report also illuminates the epidemic of anti-LGBTQ hate, harassment, and disinformation across major social media platforms, and especially makes note of high-follower hate accounts and right-wing figures who continue to manufacture and circulate most of this activity.
 âIn addition to these egregious levels of inadequately moderated anti-LGBTQ hate and disinformation, we also see a corollary problem of over-moderation of legitimate LGBTQ expression â including wrongful takedowns of LGBTQ accounts and creators, shadowbanning, and similar suppression of LGBTQ content. Metaâs recent policy change limiting algorithmic eligibility of so-called âpolitical content,â which the company partly defines as: âsocial topics that affect a group of people and/or society largeâ is especially concerning,â GLAADâs Senior Director of Social Media Safety Jenni Olson said in the press release annoucing the report’s findings.
Specific LGBTQ safety, privacy, and expression issues identified include:
â Inadequate content moderation and problems with policy development and enforcement (including issues with both failure to mitigate anti-LGBTQ content and over-moderation/suppression of LGBTQ users);
â Harmful algorithms and lack of algorithmic transparency; inadequate transparency and user controls around data privacy;
â      An overall lack of transparency and accountability across the industry, among many other issues â all of which disproportionately impact LGBTQ users and other marginalized communities who are uniquely vulnerable to hate, harassment, and discrimination.
Key Conclusions:
â Anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and disinformation on social media translates to real-world offline harms.
â Platforms are largely failing to successfully mitigate dangerous anti-LGBTQ hate and disinformation and frequently do not adequately enforce their own policies regarding such content.
â Platforms also disproportionately suppress LGBTQ content, including via removal, demonetization, and forms of shadowbanning.
â There is a lack of effective, meaningful transparency reporting from social media companies with regard to content moderation, algorithms, data protection, and data privacy practices.
Core Recommendations:
â Strengthen and enforce existing policies that protect LGBTQ people and others from hate, harassment, and misinformation/disinformation, and also from suppression of legitimate LGBTQ expression.
â Improve moderation including training moderators on the needs of LGBTQ users, and moderate across all languages, cultural contexts, and regions. This also means not being overly reliant on AI.
â Be transparent with regard to content moderation, community guidelines, terms of service policy implementation, algorithm designs, and enforcement reports. Such transparency should be facilitated via working with independent researchers.
â Stop violating privacy/respect data privacy. To protect LGBTQ users from surveillance and discrimination, platforms should reduce the amount of data they collect, infer, and retain. They should cease the practice of targeted surveillance advertising, including the use of algorithmic content recommendation. In addition, they should implement end-to-end encryption by default on all private messaging to protect LGBTQ people from persecution, stalking, and violence.
â Promote civil discourse and proactively message expectations for user behavior, including respecting platform hate and harassment policies.
Read the report here: (Link)
Research/Study
The Daily Wire: New vitamins will boost sperm & fight âwokenessâ
Marketing for The Daily Wireâs venture tries to cash in on fear of trans people & drag queens promoting an alternative to âwokeâ companies
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2024/05/daily-wires-new-vitamins.png)
By Mia Gingerich | WASHINGTON – The Daily Wire announced the launch of a new âmenâs lifestyleâ company named Responsible Man on May 1, promoting its only current product â a menâs dietary supplement that it says is âdesigned to help âĤ sharpen brain cognitionâ and that it suggests will help address what the outlet calls the âincreasing health riskâ of declining âsperm concentration.â
On April 30, The Daily Wireâs parent company Bentkey Ventures registered the assumed name âDaily Wire Ventures.â The next day, on May 1, it debuted Responsible Man, a new company for menâs health products.
The Daily Wire is promoting Responsible Man as an alternative to âwokeâ companies and by fearmongering about some of the outletâs frequent targets, namely gender-affirming care and drag queens, asking its readers, âDo you want to buy your menâs health products from a company that partners with drag queens and supports radical organizations that push gender procedures on children?â Responsible Manâs website uses similar language, promising its customers that âtogether, we can reclaim masculinityâ and claiming that âEmersonâs Vitamins are a simple step towards improving yourself, creating order, and building the future.â
Ad from Responsible Man’s website:
The Daily Wireâs promotion suggests Responsible Manâs products can help address various health issues, including the purported âincreasing health riskâ of declining âsperm concentrationâ worldwide, promising to help men stay healthy âfor the survival of the human race.âÂ
The companyâs only product, a menâs multivitamin, is marketed as being âprofessionally engineered by medical doctorsâ to âsupport your immune system, maintain energy production, sharpen brain cognition, and support the health of your heart and muscles.â
Claims made by The Daily Wireâs new company are not FDA-approved
According to disclaimers on Responsible Manâs website, the claims made to promote the companyâs vitamins âhave not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.â Multivitamins do not need to go through an evaluation process prior to entering the marketplace, and have generally proved ineffective in reducing the risk of heart disease and mental decline.
In the past, The Daily Wire has targeted certain medications used in gender-affirming care for trans youth for their use off-label without FDA approval, even though this is a common practice in prescribing pediatric medications. The Daily Wireâs Matt Walsh has been particularly fervent in wielding this point to target gender-affirming care.
The Daily Wire is promoting the new company by targeting Menâs Health magazine
The Daily Wireâs previous ventures into consumer goods have been framed in opposition to specific companies it deemed too âwoke,â such as Harryâs Razors and Hersheyâs Chocolate, for refusing to advertise with The Daily Wire and featuring a trans woman in an advertisement, respectively. (Jeremyâs Razors and Jeremyâs Chocolate, The Daily Wireâs answers to Harryâs and Hersheyâs going âwoke,â have received poor feedback from customers.)
The Daily Wireâs promotion of Responsible Man singles out for criticism Menâs Health, the largest menâs lifestyle magazine in the United States. Claiming that Menâs Health was âafraid of manhood itself,â The Daily Wire has declared itself âhere to give you a better option.â The lone source of outrage cited by the outlet is a Menâs Health article from November 2021 on âLGBTQ+ Language and Media Literacy.âÂ
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![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2021/10/Mia-Gingerich.jpg)
Mia Gingerich is a researcher at Media Matters. She has a bachelorâs degree in politics and government from Northern Arizona University and has previously worked in rural organizing and local media.
The preceding article was previously published by Media Matters for America and is republished by permission.
Research/Study
Half of LGBTQ+ college faculty considered moving to another state
Half of LGBTQ+ college faculty surveyed have considered moving to another state because of anti-DEI laws the Williams Institute found
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2024/05/Half-of-LGBTQ-college-faculty-surveyed-have-considered-moving-to-another-state.jpg)
LOS ANGELES – Anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) laws have negatively impacted the teaching, research, and health of LGBTQ+ college faculty, according to a new study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law.
As a result of anti-DEI laws, about half of the LGBTQ+ faculty surveyed (48%) have explored moving to another state, and 20% have actively taken steps to do so. One-third (36%) have considered leaving academia altogether.
Nine states have passed anti-DEI legislation related to higher education, and many others are considering similar legislation.
Using data gathered from 84 LGBTQ+ faculty, most of whom work at public universities, this study examined how the anti-DEI and anti-LGBTQ+ climate has affected their teaching, lives outside the classroom, emotional and physical health, coping strategies, and desire to move.
Many faculty reported that anti-DEI laws have negatively impacted what they teach, how they interact with students, their research on LGBTQ+-related issues, and how out they are on campus and in their communities. More than one in ten faculty surveyed have faced requests for their DEI-related activities from campus administrators (14%), course enrollment declines (12%), and student threats to report them for violating anti-DEI laws (10%).
Nearly three-quarters (74%) of the LGBTQ+ faculty said the current environment has taken a toll on their mental health, and over one-quarter (27%) said it has affected their physical health.
Some LGBTQ+ faculty, particularly those who were tenured, part of a union, or well-respected on campus, have responded to anti-DEI policies by becoming more involved in advocacy and activism on (33%) and off campus (26%). Some made positive changes to their teaching, such as adding readings that provide context for LGBTQ+ content and expanding the amount of discussion during class.
âThese findings suggest that anti-DEI laws could lead to significantly fewer out LGBTQ+ faculty, less course coverage of LGBTQ+ topics, and a lack of academic research on LGBTQ+ issues,â said study author Abbie E. Goldberg, Affiliated Scholar at the Williams Institute and Professor of Psychology at Clark University. âThis could create a generation of students with less exposure to LGBTQ+ issues and faculty mentorship and support.â
ADDITIONAL FINDINGS:
- About 30% of participants said that their college/university communities were conservative or very conservative on LGBTQ+ issues.6% said that they had experienced harassment or been bothered by supervisors or colleagues due to their LGBTQ+ status, political affiliation, or perceived âwokenessâ in the last six months.20% said that they were scared of this type of harassment.
- Nearly 30% of participants said that their home communities were conservative or very conservative on LGBTQ+ issues.5% said that they had experienced harassment or been bothered by neighbors due to their LGBTQ+ status, political affiliation, or perceived âwokenessâ in the last six months.37% said that they were scared of this type of harassment.
- Over 60% of survey participants who were parents reported at least one adverse event or change had impacted their children in the past six months, including bullying and harassment (26%), removal of books from classrooms (18%), and curriculum changes (35%).
Read the report here (Link)
Research/Study
Landmark systematic review of trans surgery
Landmark systematic review concluded regret rate for trans surgeries is “remarkably low,” compared to other surgeries & major life decisions
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2023/12/Transitions-LA-Blade.jpg)
By Erin Reed | WASHINGTON – In recent years, anti-transgender activists have used fear of “regret” as justification to ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth and restrict it for many adults. Now, a new systematic review published in The American Journal of Surgery has concluded that the rate of regret for transgender surgeries is “remarkably low.”
The review encompasses more than 55 individual studies on regret to support its conclusions and will likely be a powerful tool in challenging transgender bans in the coming weeks.
The study, conducted by experts from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, examines reported regret rates for dozens of surgeries as well as major life decisions and compares them to the regret rates for transgender surgeries.
It finds that “there is lower regret after [gender-affirming surgery], which is less than 1%, than after many other decisions, both surgical and otherwise.” It notes that surgeries such as tubal sterilization, assisted prostatectomy, body contouring, facial rejuvenation, and more all have regret rates more than 10 times as high as gender-affirming surgery.
You can see regret rates for many of the surgeries they examined in the review here:
The review also finds that regret rates for gender-affirming surgeries are lower than those for many life decisions. For instance, the survey found that marriage has a regret rate of 31%, having children has a regret rate of 13%, and at least 72% of sexually active students report regret after engaging in sexual activity at least once. All of these are notably magnitudes higher than gender affirming surgery.
Regret is commonly weaponized against transgender care. The recently released Cass Review, currently being used in an attempt to ban transgender care in England, mentions “regret” 20 times in the document. Pamela Paul’s story in The New York Times features stories of regret heavily and objects to reports of low regret rates. Legislators use the myth of high levels of regret to justify harsh crackdowns on transgender care.
Recently, though, anti-trans activists who have pushed the idea that regret may be high appear to be retreating from their claims. In the WPATH Files, a highly editorialized and error-filled document targeting the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, the authors state that the low levels of regret for transgender people obtaining surgery are actually cause for alarm, and that transgender people are “suspiciously” happy.
The idea that transgender people cannot be trusted to report their own happiness and regret has also been echoed by anti-transgender activists and influencers like Matt Walsh and Jesse Singal.
The review has sharp critiques for those who use claims of âregretâ to justify bans on gender affirming care: “Unfortunately, some people seek to limit access to gender-affirming services, most vehemently gender-affirming surgery, and use postoperative regret as reason that care should be denied to all patients. This over-reaching approach erases patient autonomy and does not honor the careful consideration and multidisciplinary approach that goes into making the decision to pursue gender-affirming surgeryâĤ [other] operations, while associated with higher rates of post-operative regret, are not as restricted and policed like gender-affirming surgery.â
The review is in line with recent data supporting very low regret rates for transgender people. The 2022 U.S. Transgender Survey, the worldâs largest survey of transgender individuals, which surveyed over 90,000 transgender people, found that for those receiving hormone therapy, regret rates are incredibly low: less than 1% report being a little or a lot less satisfied after beginning hormone therapy.
You can view a chart from the 2022 US Transgender Survey showing low rates of regret for hormone therapy here:
There is no evidence that transgender people experience high rates of regret for any transgender care, including transgender surgery. On the contrary, gender-affirming care saves lives.
A Cornell review of more than 51 studies found that gender-affirming care significantly improves the well-being of transgender individuals and also concluded that regret is rare. Low rates of regret for transgender people are not “suspicious.” Rather, they are evidence that the care transgender people seek is important, carefully provided, and helps them live more fulfilled lives.
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![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2023/02/Erin-Reed-600x596.jpg)
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.
Research/Study
90 percent of trans youth live in states restricting their rights
Slightly more than 75% of trans youth live in 40 states passed laws or had pending bills that restrict access to gender-affirming care
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2023/03/20230331_March_for_Queer_and_Trans_Youth_Autonomy_insert_4_c_Washington_Blade_by_Michael_Key.jpg)
LOS ANGELES – According to a new report by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, 93% of transgender youth aged 13 to 17 in the U.S.âapproximately 280,300 youthâlive in states that have proposed or passed laws restricting their access to health care, sports, school bathrooms and facilities, or the use of gender-affirming pronouns. Â
In some regions, a large percentage of transgender youth live in a state that has already enacted one of these laws. About 85% of transgender youth in the South and 40% of transgender youth in the Midwest live in one of these states.
An estimated 300,100 youth ages 13 to 17 in the U.S. identify as transgender. Nearly half of transgender youth live in 14 states and Washington D.C. that have laws that protect access to gender-affirming care and prohibit conversion therapy.
All transgender youth living in the Northeast reside in a state with either a gender-affirming care “shield” law or a conversion therapy ban, while almost all transgender youth in the West (97%) live in a state with one or both protective laws.
âFor the second straight year, hundreds of bills impacting transgender youth were introduced in state legislatures,â said lead author Elana Redfield, Federal Policy Director at the Williams Institute. âThe diverging legal landscape has created a deep divide in the rights and protections for transgender youth and their families across the country.â
KEY FINDINGS:
Restrictive Legislation
Bans on gender-affirming care
237,500 transgender youthâslightly more than three-quarters of transgender youth in the U.S.âlive in 40 states that have passed laws or had pending bills that restrict access to gender-affirming care.113,900 transgender youth live in 24 states that have enacted gender-affirming care bans.123,600 youth live in 16 additional states that had a gender-affirming care ban pending in the 2024 legislative session. |
Bans on sports participation
222,500 transgender youthânearly three-quarters of transgender youth in the U.S.âlive in 41 states that have passed laws or had pending bills that restrict participation in school sports.120,200 transgender youth live in 27 states where access to sports participation is restricted or state policy encourages restriction.102,300 transgender youth live in 14 additional states that had a sports ban pending in the 2024 legislative session. |
School bathroom bans
117,000 transgender youth live in 30 states that have passed laws or had pending bills that ban transgender students from using school bathrooms and other facilities that align with their gender identity.38,600 transgender youth live in 13 states that explicitly or implicitly ban bathroom access.78,400 transgender youth live in 17 additional states that had a bathroom ban pending in the 2024 legislative session. |
Bans on pronoun use
121,100 transgender youth live in 31 states that have passed laws or had pending bills that restrict or prohibit the use of gender-affirming pronouns.49,100 transgender youth live in 14 states that have restricted or banned pronoun use, particularly in schools or state-run facilities.72,000 transgender youth live in 17 additional states that had a restriction or prohibition pending in the 2024 legislative session. |
Gender-affirming care âshieldâ laws
163,800 transgender youthâover half of transgender youth in the U.S.âlive in 18 states and D.C. that have passed gender-affirming care âshieldâ laws or had pending bills that protect access to care.146,700 transgender youth live in 14 states and D.C. that have passed these protections.17,100 transgender youth live in four additional states that had a âshieldâ law pending in the 2024 legislative session. |
Conversion therapy bans
204,800 transgender youth live in 31 states and D.C. that ban conversion therapy or had pending bills that prohibit the practice for minors.198,000 transgender youthâabout two-thirds of transgender youth in the U.S.âlive in 27 states and D.C. that ban conversion therapy for minors.6,800 transgender youth live in four additional states that had a ban pending in the 2024 legislative session. |
âA growing body of research shows that efforts to support transgender youth are associated with better mental health,â said co-author Kerith Conron, Research Director at the Williams Institute. âRestrictions on medically appropriate care and full participation at school exacerbate the stress experienced by these youth and their families.” |
Read the report: (Here)
Research/Study
Same-sex couples vulnerable to negative effects of climate change
Same-sex couple households disproportionately live in coastal areas, cities & areas with poorer infrastructure and less access to resources
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2024/04/FEMA-Worker-surveys-flood-damages-Spring-2024-NE-US.jpg)
LOS ANGELES – A new report by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law finds that same-sex couples are at greater risk of experiencing the adverse effects of climate change compared to different-sex couples.
LGBTQ people in same-sex couple households disproportionately live in coastal areas and cities and areas with poorer infrastructure and less access to resources, making them more vulnerable to climate hazards.
Using U.S. Census data and climate risk assessment data from NASA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), researchers conducted a geographic analysis to assess the climate risk impacting same-sex couples. NASAâs risk assessment focuses on changes to meteorological patterns, infrastructure and built environment, and the presence of at-risk populations. FEMAâs assessment focuses on changes in the occurrence of severe weather events, accounting for at-risk populations, the availability of services, and access to resources.
Results show counties with a higher proportion of same-sex couples are, on average, at increased risk from environmental, infrastructure, and social vulnerabilities due to climate change.
âGiven the disparate impact of climate change on LGBTQ populations, climate change policies, including disaster preparedness, response, and recovery plans, must address the specific needs and vulnerabilities facing LGBTQ people,â said study co-author Ari Shaw, Senior Fellow and Director of International Programs at the Williams Institute. âPolicies should focus on mitigating discriminatory housing and urban development practices, making shelters safe spaces for LGBT people, and ensuring that relief aid reaches displaced LGBTQ individuals and families.â
âFactors underlying the geographic vulnerability are crucial to understanding why same-sex couples are threatened by climate change and whether the findings in our study apply to the broader LGBTQ population,â said study co-author Lindsay Mahowald, Research Data Analyst at the Williams Institute. âMore research is needed to examine how disparities in housing, employment, and health care among LGBT people compound the geographic vulnerabilities to climate change.â
Read the report
Research/Study
Right-wing pastor & podcast host: Â LGBTQ movement equals Hitler
Podcast host and Ohio county commissioner nominee has pushed baseless conspiracy theories and compared the LGBTQ movement to Hitler
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2024/04/Molly-Butler-Media-Matters-1.png)
By Payton Armstrong | WASHINGTON – Right-wing pastor and podcast host Drenda Keesee, who is running uncontested in November for a Knox County, Ohio, commissioner seat, has spread unhinged conspiracy theories about climate change, abortion, âsatanic hordesâ causing people to identify as LGBTQ, and global elites working to bring about a âNew World Order.âÂ
Notably, Keesee has claimed that solar farms are part of a plot to âcreateâ food and energy shortages, said LGBTQ people âsentence themself to hell,â compared the LGBTQ movement to Adolf Hitler, and labeled the feminist movement an âoccultic agendaâ to âget women to fight to kill their children.â Keesee is also a proponent of the âSeven Mountain Mandate,â a theological approach that calls on Christians to impose fundamentalist values on all aspects of American life.
Keesee is running unopposed in November to be a Knox County commissioner after winning her primary on an anti-solar farm platform. Several local media reports have failed to document Keeseeâs extreme rhetoric and views, including one from the local NPR affiliate covering her primary win.
Below are several examples of Keesee spreading extreme conspiracy theories about LGBTQ people, a âNew World Order,â climate change, and abortion.
Keesee has pushed bigotry and conspiracy theories about LGBTQ people, including that âsatanic hordesâ and âdemonic spiritsâ cause people to be trans
- Keesee claimed that âsatanic hordesâ and âdemonic spiritsâ cause children to identify as trans and commit violence. Keesee warned that âchildrenâs spiritsâ and souls are âat stake,â declaring that âdemonic spirits are attacking them and satanic hordes are infiltrating them and even possessing their bodies, which is why weâre seeing more violence among youth, weâre seeing trans violence.â Keesee denied that people can be trans, saying that âyou can change their hairstyle, you can do all kinds of surgeries on the outside, but it cannot change what God created a person.â [Drenda On Guard, 10/27/23]
From the October 27, 2023, edition of Drenda On Guard
- Keesee suggested that LGBTQ people are following âSatanâs agendaâ and will be in âeternal hellâ and âthe lake of fireâ if they donât ârepentâ before Jesus returns. In a Facebook livestream, Keesee called it âabominationsâ and âSatanâs planâ âwhen a man lies with a manâ and when people âexperiment with bodies and change them from what God designed them to create â be created male and female,â seemingly in reference to gay and transgender people. She emphasized that when they âreject God and receive Satanâs agenda âĤ They actually sentence themself to hell.â [Facebook, 9/7/21]
From a September 7, 2021, Facebook Live video
- Keesee called the LGBTQ movement âa cultâ and gender-affirming care âhideous, occultic, satanic indoctrination.â During an episode of her podcast, Keesee recounted a story of a child questioning their sexual orientation and gender identity, claiming the child had been coached at school. Keesee claimed that one of the World Economic Forumâs âagendasâ is to make children âquestion the most basic things of humanity,â including âwhether theyâre even male and female,â in order to âbring us into transhumanism.â [Drenda On Guard, 11/17/23]
- Keesee compared the LGBTQ movement to Adolf Hitler and said the movement is trying to âturnâ children âagainst God and parents.â Keesee claimed that the LGBTQ movement is pushing its agenda âinto early ages because just like Hitler, they know if you’re gonna mold a child, you mold them at the youngest age you can.â Keesee added that âit makes [her] want to put on [her] boxing glovesâ because children are being âbombarded constantly with messaging that makes them question whether they’re a male or female.â She claimed that schools pressure kids to identify as LGBTQ through âpropagandaâ that is âintroduced in their classroom every day â the rainbow movement, teachers wearing, you know, rainbow, questioning their gender in everyday conversations in school.â [Drenda On Guard, 11/17/23]
From the November 17, 2023, edition of Drenda On Guard
- Keesee claimed that Satan âis really the authorâ of LGBTQ inclusion and declared that support for LGBTQ people is a sign of âthe last days.â Keesee lamented âthis whole push of LGBTQ on our daughters and our sons,â and declared that it is âSatan who is really the author of this.â Keesee also said that she saw âa church with steps that were painted rainbow,â noting that, âJesus said in the last days there would be great heresy, great apostasy âĤ Satan is playing hard for the souls of men and women and especially children.â [Drenda On Guard, 12/15/23]
Keesee has promoted the âNew World Orderâ conspiracy theory about a totalitarian world government, connecting it to LGBTQ inclusion and efforts to curb climate change
- According to the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, âProponents of the âNew World Orderâ conspiracy believe a cabal of powerful elite figures wielding great political and economic power is conspiring to implement a totalitarian one-world government.â Conspiracy theorists frequently attribute global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change to the âNew World Order.â The conspiracy theory also often incorporates antisemitic narratives.
- Keesee suggested that solar farms are part of a New World Order plot to âcreateâ energy and food shortages. She claimed that solar farms âdon’t produce cropsâ but âdestroy the actual dirt and soil of the richest farmland in America,â declaring that âthey do that because they’re trying to create a food shortage, so they can create an energy shortage.â Keesee assured her audience that âthe globalists, in the end, will not get their way. A new world is coming, but it’s not going to be their great reset, their fourth industrial revolution, their New World Order. It’s going to be the king setting up his kingdom.â [Drenda On Guard, 3/29/24]
From the March 29, 2024, edition of Drenda On Guard
- Keesee claimed that abortion, âLGBTQ agendas,â critical race theory, and âthe climate emergencyâ are part of the plot to âbring us into the New World Orderâ and âdestroyâ America. In an episode titled âThey Want To Enslave Humanity?!â Keesee said that through critical race theory, abortion, and âLGBTQ agendas,â global elites are trying to âdestroyâ the nation âlike Hitler did with Germany.â She claimed that elites are attempting to âbring us into the New World Orderâ and that âit’s not a conspiracy theory.â Keesee also claimed that thereâs an agenda âto make government Godâ and âremove parents,â to âweaponiz[e] the children then against our country.â [Drenda On Guard, 11/17/23]
From the November 17, 2023, edition of Drenda On Guard
- Keesee said that the âclimate agenda,â support for trans children, and porn addiction are part of an effort to âdestroy the Republic of the United States of America in order to bring us into their New World Order, their great reset.â Keesee decried the affirmation of trans children, saying, âTransgendering, transitioning, gender-affirming, whatever â they keep changing the names and make it sound more and more beautiful and wonderful and affirming in love. It’s not love. It’s lust.â She claimed that âthe climate agenda,â âthe crisis of pornography,â and âtransgenderingâ are âtied to how they bring about the New World Orderâ to âbring down free nations, and get them to give up their freedom, and their freedom over their children.â [Drenda On Guard, 10/27/23]
From the November 17, 2023, edition of Drenda On Guard
- Keesee said that the âclimate agenda,â support for trans children, and porn addiction are part of an effort to âdestroy the Republic of the United States of America in order to bring us into their New World Order, their great reset.â Keesee decried the affirmation of trans children, saying, âTransgendering, transitioning, gender-affirming, whatever â they keep changing the names and make it sound more and more beautiful and wonderful and affirming in love. It’s not love. It’s lust.â She claimed that âthe climate agenda,â âthe crisis of pornography,â and âtransgenderingâ are âtied to how they bring about the New World Orderâ to âbring down free nations, and get them to give up their freedom, and their freedom over their children.â [Drenda On Guard, 10/27/23]
Keesee is a proponent of the Christian nationalist âSeven Mountain Mandateâ
- The âSeven Mountain Mandateâ is a âquasi-biblical blueprint for theocracyâ that asserts that Christians must impose fundamentalist values on American society by conquering the âseven mountainsâ of cultural influence in U.S. life: government, education, media, religion, family, business, and entertainment. Several Republican public officials have come under scrutiny for their connections to the Seven Mountain Mandate, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Parker.
- Keesee has made the Seven Mountain Mandate central to her commentary in right-wing media. Right Wing Watch reported that âKeeseeâs main focusâ is on âpromoting Seven Mountains Dominionism,â and highlighted various instances in which Keesee has pushed the Seven Mountain Mandate. In a recent appearance on the Christian nationalist program FlashPoint, for example, Keesee claimed that the âhand of Godâ was responsible for her victory because Christians must take âour place in the [seven] mountains of influence and leadershipâ in order to save America. [Right Wing Watch, 3/26/24]
- Keesee is the author of Fight Like Heaven!, which lays out the Seven Mountain Mandate and âshows you precisely how to fight like heaven, kick hell out, and take back these mountains for the Kingdom of God!,â per the bookâs description on Amazon. The Amazon description notes that the book âidentifies the Seven Mountains of Influence that the Antichrist spirit has invaded.â [Amazon, accessed 4/5/24]
- Keesee has also repeatedly promoted the Seven Mountain Mandate on social media and encouraged followers to âtake the mountains to influence others for Christ.â For example, last summer, Keesee wrote: âWe have a choice: give control to God or the adversary. The seven mountainsâgovernment, economy, health, education, media, and familyâcan be influenced by either force. Let’s unite as a church, conquer each mountain with grace, and reclaim them for God’s Kingdom!â [Twitter/X, 6/26/22, 6/13/23]
Keesee said the feminist movement is a âdemonic, occultic agendaâ to âget women to fight to kill their childrenâ
- Keesee said that feminism âshakes its fist in the face of Godâ and suggested women should come âunder the covering of men.â Keesee said that feminism makes women selfish and invoked Satan, saying, âIt is a selfishness that says, just like Satan said in Isaiah 9 âĤ âI’ll make my throne above God’s throne,â and it is us enthroning ourselves.â Keesee also expressed agreement with her guest that feminism is a âperversion of God’s word,â and went on to complain that âwomen donât know how to be a woman of God that comes under the covering of men.â [Drenda On Guard, 5/12/23]
- Keesee called the feminist movement and abortion a âhideous, demonic, occultic agendaâ to âget women to fight to kill their children.â Keesee called feminism âdemonic to the coreâ and asserted that âSatan wants to divide the male, the female, emasculate the men, remove them as the protector â the defender, the strong voice, to protect their kids â and get women to want to attack their own God-given right to bear children.â [Drenda On Guard, 11/17/23]
From the November 17, 2023, edition of Drenda On Guard
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The preceding article was previously published by Media Matters for America and is republished with permission.
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