Transgender woman arrested in Baltimore forced to stay in male holding cell

A transgender woman arrested during the anti-police riots in Baltimore was detained Wednesday in an all-male holding facility. She was released Friday. According to an Advocate.com report, Deairra Venable, 30, was originally booked as female, but when central booking authorities discovered she was trans, she was transferred to an all-male facility, Venable’s lawyer, Astrid Munn…

Read More

ViiV Healthcare announces $10 million initiative to accelerate response to HIV/AIDS among black gay and bisexual men

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.– ViiV Healthcare has announced the launch of a four-year, $10 million initial investment to fuel a concerted community response to the HIV epidemic among Black Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) in Baltimore, Maryland and Jackson, Mississippi, two U.S. cities hard hit by HIV/AIDS. The goal for this new initiative named…

Read More

HRC calls for stronger laws and increased protection of transgender women

WASHINGTON – In response to the discovery of 26-year-old Mia Henderson’s body in West Baltimore, the sixth transgender woman of color murdered this year – the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has called for more concerted efforts to protect transgender women from unprecedented levels of violence and harassment. Henderson – an African American, transgender woman –…

Read More

Maryland’s potential referendum on trans civil rights

Trans people are often tagged as either being predators or enabling predators in public restrooms. It seems to always be the one sure thing that will be trotted out when arguing against civil rights for trans people, especially public accommodation protections. Within the last month, Maryland has passed legislation that adds employment, housing and public…

Read More

Morgan State fraternity on probation until 2015 after gay student rejected

In a stinging rebuke, officials at Morgan State University, a historically black college in Baltimore, Md., have placed its Kappa Alpha Psi chapter on probation until fall of 2015 after a student complained that he was rejected because he is gay. Brian Stewart, 20, a former White House intern, filed the complaint in late October after…

Read More