lgbtq activism
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Alabama Deputy Suspended After Making Homophobic Comments About LGBTQ Teenager Who Took His Own Life
In the aftermath of 15-year-old Nigel Shelby, who identified as gay, taking his own life, a Madison County deputy has been placed on administrative leave in response to homophobic comments he made on social media. Newsweek reports that under an article published on Facebook by media outlet WZDX, which detailed fundraisers and local efforts to…
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‘Why Aren’t People Speaking Up for Us?’ Activist and Model Munroe Bergdorf Pleads for Trans Lives
Last September, transgender activist and model Munroe Bergdorf made headlines when her straight talk about racism cost her a coveted campaign with L’Oreal. But Bergdorf hasn’t let the experience silence her; in fact, she’s allowed it to further fuel her openness about the myriad issues affecting black people, women, and the queer and transgender communities.…
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Serving Face—and Tribute: Lena Waithe Honors the Trailblazing Legacy of Paris Is Burning
Wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the “unbought and unbossed” Shirley Chisholm to Saturday night’s MTV Movie & TV Awards, Trailblazer Award honoree Lena Waithe proved that she will always use her platform to elevate the marginalized, transforming her moment at the podium into a tribute to the gay and transgender icons and culture immortalized in…
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‘It Gets Better’: The Lie We Tell LGBTQ Youths
Editor’s note: For Pride Month, The Root and Jezebel are teaming up once again for JezeRoot, with content by writers of color around everyday life for LGBTQ individuals. Recently, I went to an LGBTQ “It Gets Better” panel at a comic convention. The panelists, one of whom is a good friend, talked about how things…