Quickies: Chelsea Manning, Discriminatory State Laws, #QueerLoveLooksLike

• Chelsea Manning to Receive Hormone Therapy – The military has finally approved hormone therapy for Chelsea Manning. However, she will still be restricted to men’s haircuts for “security reasons.” – From Will
• “Trans Women of Color Deserve to Be Mourned as Much as Leelah Alcorn” – “Leelah was white, came from a middle-class family, and had media-friendly looks and skill with words. When you look at the stories of those like Islan Nettles, Zoraida Reyes, Yazmin Vash Payne, or Penny Proud, the pattern is impossible to ignore.”
• Sixth Trans Woman Murdered this Year (that We Know Of) – Twenty-two year old Bri Golec of Akron OH was apparently murdered by her father Friday night. Media reports have misgendered her. Our thoughts are with her community.
• NJ Judge Rules “Conversion Therapy” Fraud, Homosexuality not a Disorder – “The ruling marks the first time a US court has found that homosexuality is not a disease or a disorder and that it is fraudulent for conversion therapists to make such a claim.”
• Hundreds Rally at KS State House on V-Day – “Organizers in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community arranged the protest on short notice after Gov. Sam Brownback announced Tuesday that he would rescind an executive order issued by former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius that prevented some state employees from being fired on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.”
• New AR Law Bans LGBT Anti-Discrimination Bans – The bill has passed both houses, and Governor Asa Hutchinson has said he will sign the bill into law. The bill has been denounced as a “proactive act of discrimination” and highlights the need for LGBTQIA-inclusive national anti-discrimination law.
• Germany to Asylum Seekers: Uganda is Safe for LGBTIs – Two queer Ugandans who were driven from their homes after enduring sustained attacks have had their asylum bids refused by German local authorities on the grounds that Uganda does enough to protect LGBTI people. Their lawyers are fighting their refusals.
• Chinese Video for Queer Acceptance Goes Viral – [Warning: autoplay] “A touching short film, which tells the story of a young gay man who became estranged from his parents after coming out, and eventually being accepted by them years later, has gone viral with over 100 million views.”
• TV Show Glee Features 200-Member Choir of Actual Trans People – “At the climax of the episode, Newell sings Hairspray track ‘I Know Where I’ve Been in front of a choir comprised of over 200 real-life transgender people… The choir, which is thought to feature the most transgender people ever seen on TV, was put together with the help of LGBT media charity GLAAD, through a US-wide search.”
• #QueerLoveLooksLike This – Huff Po has a charming gallery featuring photos from the viral #QueerLoveLooksLike hashtag.

Featured image via Glee