Welcome, GO readers, to our revamped weekly roundup of the biggest lesbian, bisexual, queer, and transgender women’s news and entertainment stories! We’ll be recapping the biggest hits each week and talking to the newsmakers, movers, and shakers behind them.
LGBTQ Survivors Say “Me Too”
In the wake of the two dozen allegations against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, survivors of sexual harassment and assault began tweeting on Sunday about their own experiences. Hundreds of thousands tweeted “Me Too,” and posted on Facebook, to signify that they have experienced some kind of sexual misconduct. “Me Too” not only demonstrated the pervasiveness of sexual harassment and assault but also highlighted how lesbian, bi, queer and transgender people face this trauma. In fact, bisexual women and transgender people face astonishing levels of sexual misconduct and intimate partner violence, according to Heron Greenesmith, a policy attorney who documented how bi women were using “Me Too” to tell their stories.
“Health research shows that bi women and bi transgender people experience extremely high levels of sexual violence. Bisexual woman have long faced sexual violence and have long spoken against it. It is crucial to lift up their stories and draw a line between biphobia and sexual violence,” Greenesmith wrote in an email to GO. “There is emerging research, particularly out of Indiana University, finding that bisexual people face bias from straight and gay and lesbian people. And that bias may be related to the tangible disparities that bisexual people face in mental health, economic insecurity, and sexual violence.” It’s been incredible to see so many tell their stories — a thousand glasses raised to the survivors who are navigating their own trauma while Weinstein dominates the media.
NewFest Highlights LGBTQ Women
NewFest, New York’s queer film festival, kicked off on Wednesday, Oct. 19. With over 140 films, the programming celebrates LGBTQ stories on screen. On Saturday, the festival will turn its lens to the the stories of lesbian, bi, queer and trans women with Girls Shorts, a collection of eight short films. The program has a history at NewFest, and will run for about 90 minutes, according to Lucy Mukerjee, the Director of Programming at OutFest and NewFest. “The Girls Shorts program is a tradition within the festival, where queer women come together to see themselves and their stories. This female visibility, both onscreen and in the theater, is a valuable moment for us as women to feel validated and empowered,” Mukerjee told GO in an email.
The event doesn’t just stop at the films. Filmmaker Sekiya Dorsett will be leading a question and answer session. “It’s one of my favorite times of the year when I get to binge on us on the big screen,” Dorsett, the director of ‘The Revival Movie: Women & the Word,” told GO in an email. “NewFest is bringing the best in films again this year. This year’s films are bringing some serious feels. Best to bring a friend, a lover and some extra tissues.” I hear you about the tissues!
Trump Made A Joke About Hanging Gay People
After a week when the Department of Justice walked back protections for federal contractors, President Donald Trump made a shocking joke in a New Yorker profile about Vice President Mike Pence. During a conversation about gay rights, Trump said: “Don’t ask that guy—he wants to hang them all!” The “joke” was a callous remark, given that LGBTQ people are still executed around the world and face hate crimes here in the U.S. But, it was revealing. As Indiana’s governor, Pence signed a Religious Freedom Restoration Act to make it easier for businesses to discriminate against queer people. It was truly chilling insight, perhaps, into how Pence views the community.
This Tweet About Bisexual Lighting Is Everything
Do you ever see a post on social media that makes you feel, seen, heard, and validated? No? Well, I have a gift for you. An astute Twitter user posted images of bisexual characters in bisexual lighting and the images are incredible. There’s Charlize Theron’s character from Atomic Blonde in a cascade of blue light, with hot pink shades in the back — a curious display not too far off from the bisexual pride flag. Then, there are other characters who fans imagine as bisexual. Don’t take it from me, look at the tweet!
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