The LGBT South is a weekly email newsletter, compiling national, regional, and local news important to LGBT Southerners. Subscribe to get the latest edition to your inbox every Friday morning and keep up with what the Campaign for Southern Equality is up to!
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“People think of the South and think there’s no capacity there. Not true. People have the skill sets; some of them, more than we know, have book knowledge. But they also have a lot of experience, even if they don’t have the technical aspect of it. Those leaders are going to continue to be there, whether we are in there investing or not. So how do you help people who don’t look at you as just a handout but look at you as a partner in helping to move their respective communities forward?”
– Ivye Allen, leader of Foundation for the Mid South in Jackson, Miss., on the lack of funding in the Deep South
Here’s your breakdown of what’s happening this week in the #LGBTsouth:
UNDERRESOURCED, OVERLOOKED
A new report by the National Center for Responsive Philanthropy and Grantmakers for Southern Progress shows in detail the reality most of us have known for a long time – the South, and especially the Deep South, are drastically underfunded. The report is the first in a series called “As the South Grows”, which will look at funding in the Deep South. The report show not just through numbers, but through stories as well, how these disparities affect citizens and organizers in the region and includes a list of positive action steps funders and donors can take to address these problems. You can read the full report here.
We also know that the LGBTQ community faces higher rates of poverty than the general population, and in Mississippi, it has been revealed that the overwhelming majority of low-income people applying for welfare assistance are being rejected. The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides support to people in need, but last year, of the 11, 717 Mississippians who applied for aid, only 167 were approved. It is unclear why this is happening, but any funds leftover for TANF may be redirected to other areas, rather than into the hands of people who need it the most.
In North Carolina, as in too many places across the country, residents are continuing to fight for access to clean water. For years, the byproducts of power companies have been contaminating drinking water in the state, and many have complained that the government has prioritized business interests over the health of citizens. These issues – lack of resources and investment in the South, poverty, social and environmental injustice – all feed into one another, continuing the cycle of inequality that affects our region and our communities.
BILLS, BILLS, BILLS
The North Carolina bill that was announced last week seeking to nullify same-sex marriages in the state will not move forward, according to House Speaker Tim Moore. Moore cited “strong constitutional concerns” and stated that “the U.S. Supreme Court has firmly ruled on the issue”. It is clear that this was nothing more than another attempt to insult and discriminate against the LGBTQ community.
On Tuesday, the Alabama Senate approved a bill that could allow adoption agencies to discriminate against LGBTQ couples. Yet another religious exemption bill, it passed 23-9, largely drawing support from Republican legislators. Alabama politics have been rife with controversy lately, most recently with the resignation of former Governor Robert Bentley, and some say this and other controversial bills are an attempt for Republican lawmakers to “rebrand”, while other see it as discrimination, plain and simple.
On Friday, the Trump administration withdrew the lawsuit filed last year against North Carolina in response to HB 2. The lawsuit was originally filed by the Justice Department under President Obama. Separate lawsuits, including one from Lambda Legal and the ACLU of North Carolina, will go forward, addressing the new law.
And in Texas, apparently influenced by the new N.C. law, a piece of compromise legislation has been proposed that is very similar. HB 2899 would prohibit municipalities from passing their own non-discrimination ordinances and existing ones would become null and void. It’s unclear if the bill will move forward, but it could be an indication that other states will follow North Carolina’s lead on blocking rights.
WHAT ELSE?
Joan Garner, the first openly LGBTQ Fulton County Commissioner (Georgia) passed away this week after a battle with breast cancer.
Two mothers – Kimberly Shappley and DeShanna Neal – share their stories of their daughters’ transitions at a young age.
This piece beautifully details the realities of queer life, love, and struggle in Jackson, Mississippi.
Essex Hemphill was a poet who gave voice to the Black gay experience in the ’80s – now a group of writers, activists, and friends want to make his voice heard again.
The drama Greenleaf, now in its second season, is creating space for representations of being queer, Black and Christian in the South.
Reports have surfaced that gay men in Chechnya, a region in western Russia, are being abducted, tortured, and held in makeshift prisons by the government.
A university in southern India will waive tuition for transgender students in an effort to address economic inequalities and homelessness.
WHAT THE CAMPAIGN FOR SOUTHERN EQUALITY IS UP TO
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We are excited to host a series of FREE “Protect Yourself” Clinic that centers the trans experience.
Led by and for trans folks, these clinics will cover a range of safety issues including: trainings in self defense and pepper spray, writing a safety plan, and using safety apps on your phone. Free and confidential HIV testing and counseling will also be available.
A clinics is coming up tomorrow, April 8 in Montgomery, AL. Thanks to The Knights and Orchids Society for co-hosting!
Interested in joining the CSE team? We are currently accepting applications for the Tzedek Social Justice Fellowship focused on Operations and Engagement at The Campaign for Southern Equality. The Tzedek Social Justice Fellowship (TSJF) is a transformational experience for emerging social justice leaders that builds the capacity of organizations to effect change in Asheville and beyond. The deadline to apply is Saturday, April 15. Visit our website to learn more!
