5 THINGS TO KNOW

‘No promo homo’ laws affect millions of students across U.S.

Seven states forbid LGBTQ-inclusive sex-ed in public schools, and a new report from GLSEN details the effects of these so-called “no promo homo” laws. Annabeth Mellon said the sexual education lessons she received at her rural Alabama middle school were inadequate at best.

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Canadian government to lead first ever trade missions for LGBTQ businesses.

The Canadian government will lead trade missions for women, Indigenous and LGBTQ businesses and entrepreneurs later this year, International Trade Minister said Saturday. The announcement was part of a speech promoting the Liberal government’s progressive trade agenda at the party’s national convention in Halifax.

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11 inspiring quotes from LGBTQ executives for a new generation.

Leadership comes in many forms. In the past, leadership within the LGBTQ community was in risking coming out, protesting and political activism. More recently, it’s sharing our stories with students on college campuses, in the media and in the boardroom.

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Navy, Marine leaders: no problem with transgender troops.

The top military leaders of the Navy and Marine Corps said Thursday they have seen no discipline, morale or unit readiness problems with transgender troops now serving openly in the military. Gen. Robert Neller, commandant of the Marine Corps, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that some of his…

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Gay conversion therapy survivors share painful legacy of ‘ex-gay’ treatments.

“It’s wrong… it’s totally unacceptable. I’m an example of the enormous damage that it can do to people.” That was Ron Smith’s reaction to Health Minister Greg Hunt’s refusal to condemn a controversial plan by a section of Victoria’s Liberal Party to debate gay conversion therapy. The 71-year-old former Baptist minister is a survivor of electroshock therapy…

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Gay couples actually stay together longer than lesbians (or heterosexuals).

A new report challenges stereotypes about gay male relationships and how long they last. A study from The Williams Institute at UCLA followed more than 500 Vermont couples—including gay, lesbian, and heterosexual relationships—over the 12-year period from 2002 to 2014. Researchers found that, overall, gay male couples were the least likely to part ways.