Quickies: Going Home for the Holidays, Hopefully not to India, Maybe to Philly

Happy holidays from all of us here at Queereka! So many to choose from: Christmas, Hanuka, Solstice, Saturnalia, Newtonmas, Squidmas, Cthulhumas, or Festivus (for the rest of us). Let us know which you’re celebrating in the comments below!

• Surviving the Holidays while Trans – Being with family for the holidays can be a blessing or a curse. Check out these tips for trans youth and allies going home for the holidays.
• Gay Festivus Pole to Accompany OK Holiday Display – The Humanity Fund is erecting rainbow covered Festivus poles at several state capitol holiday displays.
• India Votes to Keep Gay Sex Ban – “Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s private member’s bill to decriminalise gay sex was rejected in the Lok Sabha on Friday, with the former minister saying it was ‘surprising to see such intolerance’. Tharoor had proposed to amend Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalises homosexual acts between consenting adults.”
• SPLC Forces Gay Conversion Org to Close, Pay Damages – “New Jersey Superior Court Judge Peter F. Bariso Jr. granted a permanent injunction today after an agreement by both parties requiring JONAH (Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing) to shut down entirely and prohibiting founder Arthur Goldberg and counselor Alan Downing from engaging in any form of conversion therapy commerce in New Jersey. “
• Philadelphia Gay Basher Convicted – “Kathryn Knott was found not guilty on four counts, including aggravated assault on each of the two men who were savagely beaten by a mob in Philadelphia in September 2014, according to Philly TV station WPVI. After deliberating for three days, the jury convicted the 25-year-old woman of simple assault, reckless endangerment, and conspiracy to commit simple assault.” Two men involved in the crime made plea bargains and received parole.

Featured image via Huffington Post