Issue Highlights
Who Are the Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom? - The New York Times
Tim Gill - After founding the tech company Quark, which produced novel layout and design software through the 1980s and ’90s, Mr. Gill sold his stake to concentrate on charity work aimed at L.G.B.T.Q. rights and advocacy. His foundation has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in campaigns to shift policy on issues such as marriage equality and bullying in schools.
Jane Goodall - The scientist and activist, who turned 90 this year, is known for her breakthrough work on the study of primates and human evolution.
Marriage equality champions Bonauto, Wolfson receive Presidential Citizens Medal
Bonauto and Wolfson received the award — the second-highest civilian honor behind only the Presidential Medal of Freedom — for their work fighting for marriage equality in the United States in the years before the Supreme Court established nationwide marriage equality with its landmark decision in 2015. They formally received the awards alongside other honorees at a White House ceremony on the evening of Jan. 2.
Year in review: What changed for LGBTQ rights in 2024
Four states — Ohio, Wyong, South Carolina, and New Hampshire — enacted new bans on gender-affirming care for trans youth, and now 40% of trans youth who live in the US reside in states with such bans, according to the report published by MAP.
LGBTQ Social Justice
2024 LGBTQ Rights Global Progress - Latin America and Caribbean
First in a series of updates about LGBTQ rights internationally, region by region
BBC lists Ugandan lesbian activist among world's 100 inspiring and influential women
Nabagesera has successfully sued newspapers and the Ugandan government for anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric: she has twice challenged anti-homosexuality laws in Ugandan courts and is currently challenging a 2023 act.
Congo activist wants to 'De-Westernize' the LGBT struggle
a movement in the central African country to re-emphasize indigenous African stories and ideas in the struggle for sexual and gender equality, in order to highlight local experiences and histories and reach the wider community on its own terms.
Kenya blocks LGBTQ+ refugees from resettling in Canada
Kenya refuses to allow LGBTQ asylum seekers to access exit interviews
New Mexico Becomes Fourth State to Introduce Anti-Book Ban Bill for 2025: Here's What They Are (& What You Can Do To Help Pass Them)
Libraries would be required to have policies noting that they do not ban books on the basis of “partisan or doctrinal disapproval of the material’s content or based on the author’s race, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation or political or religious views pursuant to rules promulgated by the state librarian.”
Florida Judge Allows State Prison Officials to Withhold Medical Care for Transgender Incarcerated People | American Civil Liberties Union
A federal district court judge has rejected a preliminary injunction request, allowing enforcement of a new Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) policy aimed at withholding gender-affirming medical care to those diagnosed with gender dysphoria and forcing transgender women into their male gender assigned at birth.
Post-Election 2024 Anti-Trans Risk Assessment Map
The risk of severe anti-trans legislation has increased nationwide for transgender youth and adults.
Great Apes & Gibbons
From Chimpan-A to Chimpanzee, These Apes May Have Humanlike Culture - The New York Times
Researchers describe a link between genetic relatedness and sophisticated tool use in primates in East and Central Africa, suggesting their culture is cumulative.
Vets from Cornwall help orangutans in Indonesia
Dr Nigel Hicks and Sara Fell Hicks, founders of the Orangutan Veterinary Aid (OVAID) charity, travelled to the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP) Centre outside Medan, Sumatra.
They said a landslide destroyed the clinic, its medical supplies and many of the enclosures - and two orangutans have since died.
World's only bonobo sanctuary aids orphaned apes in developing social skills
Researchers wanted to see what impact rehabilitation in the Congolese sanctuary of Lola ya Bonobo had on the social and emotional skills of orphaned bonobos, compared to those who were raised by their mothers, at different points in time across the animals' lifespans.
Philanthropy
Soros' Open Society Foundations say they remain focused on human rights | AP News
Another new program focuses on protecting environmental defenders that will work in a few countries, like Colombia and the Democratic Republic of Congo and end after five years, said Sharan Srinivas, a director of programs at OSF.
“We did a survey of what other donors are supporting and in general, we saw that this is where the gap is,” he said of people who come under attack for defending land, water or other resources.
‘We wanted to change philanthropy’ - Hilary Pennington and Kathy Reich in conversation - Alliance magazine
After a decade of shaping the Ford Foundation’s global impact, Hilary Pennington, executive vice president for program since 2013, and Kathy Reich, Director of Building Institutions and Networks (BUILD) since 2016, come together to mark a pinnacle point in their careers. In December 2024, Hilary will announce her retirement from Ford, and Kathy will move on to start a new chapter in her career.
Social Justice Donors vs Mainstream Wealthy Donors
The strategic mindset of SJ donors extends to how they structure and evaluate their giving. They are significantly more likely to have a guiding strategy (65% versus 41% of general donors) and to use sophisticated giving vehicles like donor-advised funds (73% versus 5%). Moreover, while only a fifth of general donors monitor or evaluate the impact of their donations, more than two-thirds of SJ donors engage in some form of impact assessment. This emphasis on strategy and evaluation suggests a more holistic intentional approach to philanthropy among SJ donors.
Only 0.16% of all US charitable giving supports LGBTQ+ groups despite recent increases
ccording to the latest edition of the LGBTQ+ Index, developed by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy’s Equitable Giving Lab. Put another way, less than US$1 out of every $500 donated in 2021 – the most recent year for which data is available – went to support LGBTQ+ organizations.
The intersection of trust-based philanthropy and AI adoption in small-to-midsize foundations
By automating administrative tasks, AI gives grantmakers more time to engage with grantees face-to-face and understand their unique needs. For foundations committed to TBP, this allows a deeper focus on relationship building.