Check out the latest in bisexual and transgender news!
AfterEllen Publishers Deny Shutdown, Fire Editor after Advertiser Backlash
(SFGN) Trish Bendix, editor in chief of lesbian and bisexual women’s media site AfterEllen, announced in a blog post that the site would be shutting down. In the backlash since the post, publishers have denied the shutdown and have fired Bendix, revoking her severance pay. Bendix said she was given permission by the publishers to announce the shutdown on social media. However, once fallout began with the site’s advertisers, publishers denied the news and fired Bendix two days early via email, reports LGBTQNation (http://bit.ly/2cSKQuL).
In the email, Emrah Kovacoglu, General Manager of TotallyHer Media, writes, “I told you that I was open to you continuing to work for us as a freelancer, if you were open to it, but I don’t know if that is possible now. I’m hoping we can work through it but the company is going to have to evaluate what kind of damage this has caused before they decide what to do…I also wanted to let you know that the company has decided today will be your last day rather than Friday and you will no longer be receiving a severance.”
White House Hosts Third Bisexual Community Briefing
(SFGN) In honor of the last day of #BiWeek on Monday, the White House hosted more than 100 leaders and advocates for a community briefing on bisexual issues. The event was live streamed at www.whitehouse.gov/live/white-house-bisexual-community-briefing.
The briefing focused on policy and cultural issues of significance for the American bisexual community. It featured panel discussions on bisexual policy priorities, steps the administration has taken to support bisexual people, personal narratives and stories from bisexual Americans, and current challenges that the community faces. The 2016 briefing is the third time that the White House has invited bisexual community members to meet with the administration. This is the first time one of those meetings is on the record.
A number of individuals across the movement spoke at the briefing, including Faith Cheltenham of BiNet USA, author and activist Loraine Hutchins, Ellyn Ruthstrom of SpeakOUT Boston, Heron Greenesmith of MAP, Eliel Cruz of Faith in America, Alexandra Bolles of GLAAD, and Kayley Whalen of the National LGBTQ Task Force.
Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore Releases Songs Supporting Chelsea Manning
(EDGE) Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore released a new single to support a campaign that aims to free transgender soldier Chelsea Manning, who was sentenced to 30 years in military prison for leaking classified information to WikiLeaks.
Manning also made headlines for coming out as trans, and more recently went on a hunger strike so she could receive medical treatment for her gender dysphoria, which the Army approved.
Moore's new single is called "Chelsea's Kiss" and is backed with the track "Sad Saturday." The songs will be released on Oct. 8 as part of Cassette Store Day, Pitchfork reports. Partial proceeds will go to the Chelsea Manning Support Network.
You can now listen to the songs on Soundcloud. Pitchfork writes, "In the song, Moore refers to 'orders too gruesome to carry out.' In the final verse, he sings: 'Security breacher, angel baby/Punk princess, take reign on me/The queen, king, first transgender ruler/The royal highness of my majesty ... Cure for evilness, Chelsea's Kiss.'"
There will be a release party on Oct. 8 at Lion Coffee + Records in London.
Listen to the track at http://bit.ly/2cxjJBD.
