[Queer]line Junkie: 17 July '23

Shit’s Fucked in America

On 30 June, the US Supreme Court dealt a historical blow to queer rights by ruling a website designer could discriminate against LGBTQIA+ customers. The judgement cites the constitutional right to free speech and allows certain businesses to refuse to provide services for same-sex weddings, a decision that dissenting liberal judges called a "license to discriminate". Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor stated, "By issuing this new license to discriminate in a case brought by a company that seeks to deny same-sex couples the full and equal enjoyment of its services, the immediate, symbolic effect of the decision is to mark gays and lesbians for second-class status. In this way, the decision itself inflicts a kind of stigmatic harm, on top of any harm caused by denials of service."

Billionaire Got His Feelings Hurt On His Own Platform

Elon Musk, our billionaire, white, cisgender male who wants to start launching people into space, took to Twitter on 20 June to announce the word ‘cis’ is now a slur. Unsurprisingly,  everyone’s (least) favourite transphobic children's book author, JK Rowling, backed him up. Because, you know, a billionaire not understanding gender surely equates to the historical oppression of minorities.  

Google Pulls Out of Sponsoring Drag Show Because… Jesus

Google recently pulled their sponsorship of a drag show after Christian employees called it offensive. The show was scheduled to close out the company's Pride Month festivities, but they dropped the sponsorship after hundreds of employees signed a petition, calling drag a “direct affront to the religious beliefs and sensitivities of Christians”. Peaches Christ, an American drag performer, took to Facebook to respond, stating, “This is another example of the really disturbing rise in anti-queer and anti-gay rhetoric that is using drag performers and trans people as scapegoats.”

London Mayor Announces New Shelter for LGBTQIA+ People without Homes

On 10 July, Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, confirmed an additional £20 million of funding will be invested to help those sleeping on the streets in the capital. Out of this, £2.75m will be spent on setting up specific services to reduce homelessness, such as a new shelter for members of the LGBTQIA+ community sleeping rough.

New HBO Documentary Focuses on Trans Sex Workers

In a new documentary titled The Stroll, two trans filmmakers Kristen Lovell and Zackary Drucker aim to shed light on a community often stereotyped and undervalued. It was released on HBO Max on 21 June, after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival on 23 January. In an interview with The Guardian, Drucker said, “It was just time to tell this story. [...] There was a void, a generational void, where we went from the likes of Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P Johnson to this new generation that’s coming up and fighting again for trans rights, and there’s a generational gap. Trans history is something that’s not taught in schools, so the new generation really didn’t have an understanding of all this stuff.”

Nepal Becomes Second Country In Asia To Recognise Same-Sex Marriage

A landmark Supreme Court ruling in Nepal on 28 June cleared the way for marriage equality in the country. Although Nepal’s Civil Code currently describes marriage as being between a man and a woman, Justice Til Pradad Shrestha ordered the government to immediately begin registering same-sex marriages while it prepares legislation to amend the law. Now, hundreds of same-sex couples will be able to legally register their marriages.