NYC in support for the Malaysian LGBT community following recent violent hate attacks

Protestors for LGBT Rights in Malaysia, September 2018. Photo Credit: @MalaysiaLGBTQ Twitter

FROM THEFAYTH'S MAILBAG, A NOTE FROM LGBTQ MALAYSIA

"Since last Thursday, September 27th, for three consecutive days, the streets of NY were painted in pink as a sign of support and solidarity with the LGBT community in Malaysia, as many supporters and protesters gathered in front of Malaysia's Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad's hotel who was in NYC for the United Nations General Assembly.

Behind this initiative and the protest is a group of former Malaysians, volunteers and activists based in NYC, who felt that as the hate campaigns against the LGBT community are raging through Malaysia, the only hope left for the members of that community is to turn to the West and ask for its support in their struggle.

3rd day that the streets of NY in front of Dr. Mahathir’s hotel were painted in pink as a sign of support and solidarity with the LGBTQ community in Malaysia that is under #unacceptable violent attack after he declared that Malaysia will not accept their rights. @DebonairPierre pic.twitter.com/p2NnHk0hDO

— LGBTQ Malaysia (@MalaysiaLgbtq) September 29, 2018

The peaceful protestors were hoping to increase the global awareness of the violation of the human rights of the LGBT community in Malaysia and get the attention of the Western media and the public support.

Since Malaysia’s general elections on May 9, 2018, there has been a significant increase of instances of persecution, discrimination, and violent hate crime against the LGBT community.

This hostility towards LGBT is evident both from within society and from the administration.

Protest for LGBT rights in Malaysia - NYC Sep. 28, 2018 Video Credit: LGBTQ Malaysia Youtube

Within a spread of a few days, Blue Boy, a local club in Kuala Lumpur was raided by the police in attempt to mitigate the LGBT culture from spreading into the society, a transgender woman was beaten and abused in the street, a lesbian couple was publicly canned in the streets of Terengganu by the orders of the Sharia court, and the list goes on.

This behavior is encouraged and fueled by the statements of the highest-ranking governmental officials, including those of the Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad himself, who was quoted saying that “faith will save you from being gay”. 

In addition, the authorities are organizing “camps” and “seminars” with the purpose of curing the LGBT disease. There were also statements that a regulator would be set up to monitor LGBT activity online.

Last Friday, Dr. Mahathir stated that “There are certain things that we cannot accept even though it is accepted as human rights in the West. This includes LGBT and same-sex marriage”. He then added that - A couple with their own children, or even adopted children, is considered a family. But two men and two women is not considered a family.”

As state supported and sponsored homophobia is increasing, members of the LGBTQ community in Malaysia are beaten, caned, abused, humiliated and terrorized. They are deprived of their basic human rights, accused of being a social disease and are in midst of an unprecedented attack."

FOLLOW Malaysia LGBTQ on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MalaysiaLgbtq

Protestors for LGBT Rights in Malaysia, September 2018. Photo Credit: @MalaysiaLGBTQ Twitter 

Protestors for LGBT Rights in Malaysia, September 2018. Photo Credit: @MalaysiaLGBTQ Twitter

Read more about what's happening in Malaysia for LGBTQIA people:

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/09/28/zaid-id-be-pm-for-all-malaysians-including-the-lgbt-community/
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/22/malaysia-accused-of-state-sponsored-homophobia-after-lgbt-crackdown
https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/08/07/malaysia-should-find-right-path-lgbt-rights
https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2163222/lgbt-rights-new-malaysia-still-have-long-way-go-after-activists-portraits
https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/03/asia/malaysia-gay-rights-lesbian-caning-intl/index.html
https://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Malaysian-LGBT-Community-Facing-State-Funded-Homophobia-Activists-20180822-0010.html

BiNet USA President Faith Cheltenham Is Bruin Pride

Had some fun recently at UCLA's LGBT Resource Center, shooting a segment for "I am Bruin Pride", a documentary and archival project honoring the words, stories, and contributions of LGBT students, faculty, staff and alumni of UCLA.

  

 Image Copyright Jack Kaden, I Am Bruin Pride Project 2015

About The "I Am Bruin Pride" project:
UCLA's LGBT Campus Resource Center proudly presents the I Am Bruin Pride Project, a documentary and archival project honoring the words, stories, and contributions of LGBT students, faculty, staff and alumni of UCLA.

“I Am Bruin Pride” presents the stories, experiences, and contributions of LGBT students, staff, faculty, and alumni of UCLA in an inclusive and diverse manner. Each interviewee has been picked based on a variety of factors contributing towards a diversity in race, experience, orientation, and identity. Featuring a poster series and an interview, “I Am Bruin Pride” documents the important histories of those within the UCLA LGBT community.

Here's the link to the "I Am Bruin pride" nomination form. Anyone is welcome to nominate themselves or someone else.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1hRgkUh3kViavmDuz19w7bdiqKx-qO_Au7YoL5kWl8HQ/viewform

In prep for my interview I put together some bullet points of what I got up to while at UCLA...and what I've been up to recently!

UCLA Accomplishments

1998

Sexual Violence Prevention Program Director, Student Welfare Commission

1999

HRC Campaign College Internship on Gore 2000 campaign

(My reference letter was provided by UCLA LGBT Center Director Ronni Sanlo)

2000

Board member, La Familia

2001-2004

• Co-chair/Co-Founder, UCLA’s BlaQue
• Co-chair/Co-Founder, UCLA’s Fluid
• Co-Founder, UCLA’s Queer x Girl
• Co-chair/Co-Founder of UCLA’s Queer Alliance 
• Managed organization’s budgets (over $67,000) 
• Created annual Queer Student Leadership Retreat in Lake Arrowhead
• Co-created “The Other Side of The Rainbow (TOSTR)” to celebrate LGBT POC
• Established computer lab for Queer Student Center
• Presented at UC-LGBTIA conference, Feb.  2004.  UC San Diego.

2005
Chair – UCLA’s EnigmaCon 2005: A Tsunami Relief Benefit

UCLA AWARDS 

UCLA Women for Change Student Leader Award, 2003 

“Zeke” Weber Award for Excellence in Activism and Education, 2005

Accomplishments at large

• Appearances on 2006 Emmy award-winning FX Networks docu-series show on race in America, “Black. White”.
• Successful corporate launches of web/digital projects for clients like Macmillan’s tor.com, Oprah Winfrey Network’s “Finding Sarah” show, and Warner Bros.’ “Harry Potter Book 7 Part 2” film.
• Writing for Huffington Post, Advocate, South Florida Gay News, and the BiNet USA blog or my personal testimonies on Truth Wins Out, #StillBisexual, I’m From Driftwood and the Center for American Progress.
• Speaking engagements at locations as varied as the California Democrats State Convention, The GLBT History Museum, The United States Senate Hart Building, San Diego Comic Con, UCLA, The White House, HRC’s Time to THRIVE Conference and Yale University.  
• Appointee, University of California LGBT Task Force (2012-2014)
• Co-organizer, 2013 Bisexual Community Issues Roundtable at the White House
• 2014 invitee and stage participant, White House Executive Order signing 
• First president of a bisexual non-profit to meet with a sitting U.S. President alongside other LGBT leaders.
• Parent to a child, “Storm”

Best Reason to Buy Girl Scout Cookies EVER!

From The HuffingtonPost.com's
Girl Scout Launches Cookie Boycott Campaign After Organization's Inclusion Of Transgender Child

She goes on to note, "I am asking you to take action with me and boycott Girl Scout Cookies." The video eventually concludes with a tagline for the Honest Girl Scouts site, which describes itself as a group "concerned with the alarming choices GSUSA has been making," and "advocating for a change back to simply building girls of good character." 

2 of my sisters were pretty hardcore Girl Scouts so I kinda learned a lot about how they're not exactly gender normative or as heterosexist as I thought at first.  My mom had tried to get me into it when I was kid but I was far more interested in the Boy Scouts so we couldn't come to any agreement.

Seems like genius marketing cause they should see a bump in sales this year!  I cannot wait for my cookies!

http://www.girlscoutcookies.org/

Don't forget the Cookie Finder, only 1 week left till they're on sale again! http://www.girlscoutcookies.org

I'm in the US Census LGBT Outreach Campaign Video!

Look it was pretty hot in Dallas ok? Interestingly enough when I was in that FX Networks reality show, Black. White. I got caught on camera hellsa ASHY. Obviously, I need someone devoted to my moisture. Hmm...take that as you may!

A really positive LGBT story on ESPN?

I think having Brendan as part of our program has been a blessing. We are much more aware of what you say and how we say it. I am guilty as anyone. We need to be reminded that respect is not a label, but something you earn by the way you live your life." -- Miami University hockey coach Enrico Blasi

"Imagine if I was in the opposite situation, with a family that wouldn't accept me, working for a sports team where I knew I couldn't come out because I'd be fired or ostracized. People in that situation deserve to know that they can feel safe, that sports isn't all homophobic and that there are plenty of people in sports who accept people for who they are." -- Brendan Burke


Read the whole thing, I found it encouraging and enlightening; too often we are silent and think without us all the battle will be won.