A man in Montana was convicted for shooting a lesbian's home, a study found that bisexual women face increased risk of heart disease, and Vanessa Pappas came out as non-binary.
Federal Jury Convicts Man After Shooting Lesbian's Home
John Russell Howald of Basin, Montana, was convicted of hate and firearms crimes for firing an AK-style assault rifle at the residence of a lesbian and for pointing a gun at a Jefferson County deputy on Mar. 22, 2020.
Howald was caught on tape by a pastor stating that he “might have killed a lesbian” and was going to “get rid of lesbians and queers in Basin.”
The four-day trial that began on Feb. 14 found Howald guilty of hate crime acts and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence as charged in a superseding indictment. Sentencing will occur on Jun. 15 before Chief District Judge Brian M. Morris.
“This hate crime and violent campaign targeting the LGBTQ community is a reminder of the epidemic of hate violence targeting people based on their sexual orientation. All people have the right to feel safe in their homes and communities, regardless of who they love,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.
Study Finds Bisexual Women Face Increased Risk Of Heart Disease
Photo via Unsplash.
Research from the Columbia University School of Nursing found Bisexual Women were “half as likely” as heterosexual peers to have high scores on a scale measuring cardiovascular health. The study was published via JAMA Cardiology in “Differences in Ideal Cardiovascular Health Between Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Adults.”
The researchers used the American Heart Association's cardiovascular health score, which measures heart risks from 0 to 100, with 100 showing “ideal” heart health. Bi-women were half as likely to have a high health score (80-100) over a low score (0-49) compared to hetero women.
The score is based on blood sugar and pressure, cholesterol, body mass index, and health behaviors, including smoking, diet, etc.
The authors note that bi-women are most likely to live in poverty, delay healthcare because of financial issues, and have difficulty finding a healthcare provider.
"There is a need for tailored interventions to improve the CVH of SM individuals, particularly bisexual women. Investigators should conduct longitudinal research that examines social determinants that may explain the sexual identity differences observed in this study," the researchers conclude.
TikTok’s COO Comes Out As Non-binary
Photo via Vanessa Pappas, Twitter.
Vanessa Pappas, TikTok's Chief Operating Officer, came out as non-binary via LinkedIn and Twitter earlier this month.
Pappas primarily goes by “V” in their personal life and has recently started using both she/her and they/them pronouns. They are in a same-sex relationship and also identify as pansexual. Pappas identifies as “being both a woman and non-binary.”
They came after talking about “the importance of recognizing diversity” with their children and because of their professional standpoint.
As an open LGBT executive, Pappas is an outlier. Few Fortune 500s have LGBT chief executives. Only 26 of 5,670 board seats at Fortune 500s are held by LGBT individuals, according to a 2022 study by OUT Leadership.
“In my position I am also aware of how I have an ability to bring greater visibility, discussion and ideally acceptance within my community, whether among work, family or friends. This is important to me,” Pappas said on Twitter.
