Quickies: CeCe McDonald Interview, Pope “Exploited” by Davis, Biden’s HRC Address

• “CeCe McDonald Reflects On Life And Activism Since Her Release From Prison” – “Right now I’m really focused on the Black Trans Lives Matter movement here in Minneapolis with other trans, queer and gender-nonconforming people of color on doing some more physical action work and just bringing a different forefront to Minnesota in general.”
• Ottawa Sex Shop Fined for Selling Binder to Underage Teen – Under city by-laws, retailers licensed as adult stores can’t sell to minors, even if the product in question has no age restrictions. Venus Envy has a history of serving the trans community with trans-friendly staff selling binders and other gender affirming items. They’re currently looking for a work around to allow them to sell non-sex-related items to teens.
• “The Vatican Has Fired A High-Ranking Priest Who Came Out As Gay” – “The Catholic Church on Saturday dismissed high-ranking Vatican official Monsignor Krzysztof Charamsa, who worked in the Holy See press office, after he revealed to an Italian newspaper he was gay and has a male partner.”
• “Vatican Says Kim Davis ‘Exploited’ the Pope” – “Papal spokesman Federico Lombardi is disputing Liberty Counsel’s version of the meeting between renegade antigay county clerk Kim Davis and the pope, saying people shouldn’t read too much into it.”
• Biden’s HRC Address – “Although he’s previously articulated support for comprehensive legislation prohibiting anti-LGBT legislation, Biden took the opportunity of his speech to explicitly endorse the Equality Act, which would amend the Civil Rights Act and the Fair Housing Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity.”
• Daniel Pierce, One Year Later – [Warning: Autoplay] The gay teen reflects on his experiences a year after having been kicked out of his home. Video of the incident went viral and prompted a very successful a crowd funding campaign which has paid for Pierce’s living expenses, and part of which was donated to the Lost-n-Found Youth shelter.

Featured image via THE OPPORTUNITY AGENDA/FLICKR