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10 • BAY AREA REPORTER • December 15-21, 2016
Trump picks concern global LGBT groups by Heather Cassell
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GBT global activists remained concerned about safeguarding the status of the progress of LGBT rights around the world with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominations to the United Nations and to head the State Department. Trump formally announced the selection of Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson as secretary of state December 13. Last month, he announced that Republican South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley was his nominee be the next U.S. ambassador to the U.N. “Rex Tillerson’s nomination raises critical questions as to how a Trump administration plans to protect LGBTQ employees and contractors affiliated with the State Department, and ultimately whether it will continue American efforts to advance equality through U.S. foreign policy,” Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said in a December 13 statement. “For millions of people around the globe, their position on these and other issues are a matter of life and death. These are among the questions that senators – Democrats and Republicans alike – must ask.” Some Republicans and Democrats have expressed concern about Tillerson’s relationship with anti-LGBT Russian President Vladimir Putin and expect a rocky confirmation process, according to media reports. The nominations of Haley, 44, and Tillerson, 64, alarm global LGBT rights activists. Haley’s record is mixed at best
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Political Notebook
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Senator Barbara Boxer’s seat. Over the ensuing days Pérez had rolled out a slew of high-profile endorsements from Democratic Party officials throughout the state. Pérez was shaping up to be the clear frontrunner for Becerra’s 34th Congressional District seat, which is centered in downtown Los Angeles and covers the gayfriendly Eagle Rock neighborhood. But Pérez said his health issues
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Seeing in the Dark
From page 9
no one replied to our queries. It is also important to note that Cooper is dyslexic, according to Disabled World and Understood.org, and has openly discussed growing up with a disability. Yet, the outrage toward Cooper and 60 Minutes continues to grow across the country, as many people with disabilities feel as though the piece creates a dark sentiment toward people with disabilities, and that the law protects them. New York-based blind writer Stephen Kuusisto condemned Cooper in his personal blog, Planet of the
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News Briefs
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required. AEF, which continues to operate its emergency financial assistance program as part of PRC, distributes tickets to more than 20 different AIDS service organizations in San Francisco in early December. Each agency then makes tickets available to its clients. Each person with HIV/AIDS and their guests need their own invitation. Seating begins at 11:30 a.m., but guests can request specific seating times when they pick up their tickets, said Demetri Moshoyannis, PRC managing director of strategic partnerships. The holiday dinner is a monumental undertaking, coordinated
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to maintain the U.S. commitment to protect LGBT people around the world. “The U.S. must sustain efforts on the international level and at the U.N. because it is often the only platform to advocate for country-level change, since it is almost impossible to do any advocacy inside Iraq,” said Amir Ashour, founder of IraQueer, Iraq’s only LGBT organization, in a December 10 news release from OutRight Action International. The activists, who met at OutRight’s New York offices for the fifth annual OutSummit, also stated they would work with the Trump administration. “We are open and willing to work with the Trump administration because there is a greater good and a greater goal in mind, and that is to ensure equality and dignity for all human beings, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” Steve Letsike, co-chair of the South African National AIDS Council, said in the release. Some gay diplomats are hopeful that Trump won’t roll back LGBT rights globally. “It would look bad for Trump personally, and for his administration more broadly, if they were to suddenly just say no more Pride flags on embassies, no more Pride celebrations, ambassadors should not march,” gay former Ambassador Michael Guest said. The Blade reported he made the remarks at a panel at the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund Institute’s International LGBT Leaders Conference December 8-12 in Washington, D.C.t
and silent at most about her stance on LGBT rights during her political career, reported Washington-based Metro Weekly. She has been more moderate in recent years, calling for respect during debates about samesex marriage and LGBT adoption. She even refused to support a bathroom bill similar to North Carolina’s House Bill 2, the anti-transgender law, publicly stating that her state doesn’t have an issue, according to the newspaper. It’s unclear if Haley will continue to semi-speak out on behalf LGBT people if confirmed into her new role representing the U.S. at the U.N. Tillerson poses a completely different threat because of his close relationship with Putin and a mixed history on LGBT rights as the head of Exxon Mobil. A few years ago he received Russia’s “Order of Friendship” medal from Putin. Exxon Mobil resisted implementing policies protecting its LGBT employees in the U.S. and around the world up until 2015. In 1999, when Exxon acquired Mobil, domestic partner benefits and company policies protecting LGBT workers were eliminated by the merger, according to human rights organizations. Exxon Mobil became the only company to score a negative 25 on HRC’s Corporate Equality Index in 2012 and 2013. The oil company’s score only rose due to protections implemented by U.S. federal laws and policies and President Barack Obama’s executive orders that forced the company to protect its queer employees, ac-
cording to experts. Last year, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s samesex marriage ruling, LGBT Exxon Mobil employees in the U.S. finally received full protections. Yet, in a 2014 blog post on the company’s website, Ken Cohen, Exxon Mobil’s then-vice president for public affairs, denied that the company discriminates against members of the LGBT community. “Exxon Mobil does not discriminate, will not discriminate, and has not discriminated against members of the LGBT community. Period,” Cohen wrote. However, “substantial evidence” of Exxon Mobil’s discriminatory hiring practices against LGBT people was found by the Illinois Department of Human Rights in 2014. That prompted the department to join pending legal action against the company by Freedom to Work and the Equal Rights Center, reported the Washington Blade. Exxon Mobil received an 85 percent rating on HRC’s 2017 Corporate Equality Index. The multibillion dollar company was docked points due
to its philanthropic arm’s guidelines allowing donations to non-religious organizations that discriminate against LGBT people and its antidiscrimination policy only covers U.S. LGBT employees, reported the New York Times. Tillerson’s anti-LGBT policies are mostly reflected through Exxon Mobil, but he’s also taken smaller pro-LGBT stances recently, such as with the Boy Scouts of America. Tillerson was president of the Boy Scouts from 2010 to 2012, and was “instrumental” in ending the ban on gay youth in the organization through his lobbying efforts, his colleague John Hamre told the Dallas Morning News. The Boy Scouts lifted its ban against gay youth in 2013. In 2015 it lifted the ban against adult participants, but troops chartered by religious organizations are permitted to exclude gay people as den leaders, scoutmasters, or camp counselors.
would prevent him from running the type of campaign for the open congressional seat voters deserved. “As such, I am bringing my campaign to a close, despite the overwhelming support that I have seen,” stated Pérez. Despite his diagnosis, Pérez pledged to remain civically involved. He currently serves on the University of California Board of Regents. “I’m going to take the next couple of days off as I prepare to focus on my health. I expect to be back at full
force before too long,” stated Pérez. “While I won’t be a candidate for Congress at this time, you will still see me actively engaged in my business and in advancing the progressive causes we all care deeply about.” Without Pérez in the race, several candidates who had decided not to run against him are expected to now seek the seat. And it alters the chances of those who had already jumped into the race, such as Democrats Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez and labor activist Wendy Carrillo and Green
Party candidate Kenneth Mejia. Gomez quickly picked up endorsements from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and state Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) on Monday. And late Tuesday night Arturo Carmona, a social justice and civil rights advocate and former deputy political director for Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, entered the race. Another Democrat, Sara Hernandez, a former aide to Los Angeles City Councilmember Jose Huizar,
also made her bid official this week. So far no other LGBT candidate has entered the race. To date there is only one out member of California’s congressional delegation, gay Congressman Mark Takano (D-Riverside).t
Blind. He writes: “On Sunday evening, CBS ran a vicious piece about the Americans with Disabilities Act, essentially portraying it as a profound impediment to business. ... Anderson Cooper should be ashamed of himself, though one supposes he lives in such a perfect bubble he’s beyond social irony. Or perhaps he’s a single issue politician.” Other disability advocates believe Cooper and 60 Minutes are antagonizing the ADA even though the law has been around for more than two decades. And, not knowing the law never makes a person not accountable.
Tammie Stevens, a living skills trainer for people with visual impairments at the Center of Vision Enhancement, reacted to Cooper and 60 Minutes with disgust and rage. “They have to have been living under a rock not to know that there is accountability for noncompliance with existing laws of any kind. Yes, the lawyers were taking advantage of the situation. Yes, there exists a situation to be taken advantage of. Villainizing the people that the law was meant to protect clearly misses the point,” Stevens wrote in an email to the B.A.R. According to the Current Popula-
tion Survey, people with disabilities are the largest minority group in the United States. Furthermore, Disability-Marketing.com states that of the 54 million people limited in their activities due to long-term disability: • 73 percent are the heads of households • 46 percent are married • 58 percent own their own homes • 77 percent have no children • 48 percent are principal shoppers Lastly, the aggregate income of people with disabilities tops $1 trillion. This includes $220 billion in discretionary income. Sadly, Cooper and 60 Minutes
used their platform to fuel fear among small business owners, instead of showing how complying with the ADA isn’t just the law, but also a smart business investment.t
by a group of volunteers who began planning in September. Led by Neil Figurelli, more than 100 volunteers work as serving assistants. The core team includes Cindy Roberts, Joanie Juster, Terry Irvin, Randy Schiller, Gavin Middleton, Glennon Sutter, Rafael Musni, George Macaluso, and Stanley Wong. Liz Baldwin of Bon Appetit Management Company will donate 80 cooked turkeys with all the fixings. Volunteers prepare the mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce. There will also be assorted vegetables, bread, cookies and cakes, and Cumaica coffee. The dinner is underwritten by corporate and foundation gifts, including the aforementioned Bon
Appetit, Kaiser Permanente, Mosaic Event Management, White Rain Productions, and the Eli and Mae Rosen Foundation.
bership perks have been added and Frameline will debut a new website and ticketing platform next spring. According to a pricing schedule, it appears that costs will increase by about $10 in the “Friend” categories, but jump to an additional $100 in the “Patron” category. For example, for an individual, the Friend category, now $50, will increase to $60, and includes two tickets. Members can renew now at the current pricing. For more information, visit http://www.frameline.org.
viduals in nine California counties, including San Francisco, will receive a federal grant of $500,000 per year for up to three years to expand substance abuse disorder treatment, behavioral health, and HIV/AIDS services for underserved populations at risk for the disease. The grant is from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which last week announced a total of $4.5 million to programs in the state for mental health and substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery. HealthRight 360’s grant was in the targeted capacity expansion HIV category and it was one of three California agencies selected for the funding.t
Sputnik International
Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Frameline to raise membership prices
Frameline, the organization that produces the annual San Francisco LGBT film festival, has announced that effective January 1 its membership pricing will increase. According to a letter mailed to subscribers, Frances Wallace, Frameline executive director, said that over the past 10 years the organization has held member costs steady, “but it is now necessary for us to adjust pricing to accommodate growing expenses.” Wallace added that new mem-
Plea to Trump
LGBT activists around the world used International Human Rights Day, December 10, to urge Trump
HealthRight 360 receives federal grant
HealthRight 360, a family of integrated health programs that provides services to over 38,000 indi-
A longer version of this column is online at ebar.com.
Web Extra: For more queer political news, be sure to check http:// www.ebar.com Monday mornings at noon for Political Notes, the notebook’s online companion. This week’s column reported on a sharp rise in AIDS charitable giving in 2015.
Belo Cipriani is a disability advocate, a freelance journalist, the award-winning author of Blind: A Memoir and Midday Dreams, the spokesman for Guide Dogs for the Blind, and the national spokesman for 100 Percent Wine – a premium winery that donates 100 percent of proceeds to nonprofits that help people with disabilities find work. Learn more at www. belocipriani.com.