Hope and Future for Youth

I think that now's a sobering moment because we're actually realizing that we weren't as close to equality as we thought And we've got to continue the work of anyone that had bounced out in the fight after marriage, Hey, you gott to get back in because it is not over I'm Jane Koston, and this is what today The show standing with one of our civilization's strongest soldiers algae. Even President Donald Trump's multimillion dollar reflecting pool Rennault is not above the green machine A bystander speaking to the New York Post put it best. You know what I mean? Rdoing the reflective wall, I mean, it's It's I guess good in theory, but if they got one guy here only trying to you know get the whole thing blue again, I think he's gonna be here for a few years Ask anyone with a swimming pool You cannot stop it, you can only hope to delay it Algae, always, Wince On today's show, I speak with human rights campaign presresident, Kelly Robinson about pride the LGBTQ rights movement and how we can keep moving forward when some want to hold us back Before we get into all that, here's what we're following today. Tuesday, june sixteenth This is Taxpayer free. We have no taxpayer putting up ten cents. Back in March, Trump insisted his supposed four hundred million dollars ballroom would not cost taxpayers a dime And to give him credit, that was technically true. because the price tag was higher For everyone. According to the Washington Post, a contractor estimate from earlier that month said the project would actually cost six hundred million dollars, and taxpayers would foot about half the bill In May, Trump estimated his ballroom will be up and running in about two years What a great Gift to Americans, something they didn't want that they have to chip in for. Thank you I hate it Israel iss fighting Ezralah too long. And too many people are being killed And you don't have to knock down an apartment house every time you're looking for somebody There's a lot of people in those apartment houses and they're not all Ezboa that I can tell you. Worst person you know, making a great point. Trump's romance with Israeli Prime Minister Benjin Netanyahu appears to be on thin ice at the G seven summit today. Israel is a major sticking point in Trump's plans to end the Iran war Iran's top diplomats said that the tentative deal would require Israel to withdraw from Lebanon a condition Israel has already rejected. But a U. S. official who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity So the agreement did not call for an Israeli withdrawal So it seems like there's a lot to iron out before Friday, when the US and Iran are set to formally sign the deal in Switzerland We have insiders who have reported to us with a great deal of confidence that more than a million dollars has been spent on these supplemental slush fund payoffs payments made to particular members of the director's team And this is just extremely irregular in terms of the FBI and Department of Justice practice House Judiciary ranking member, Jamie Raskin spoke to Crookeds Washington correspondent, Matt Burke, about a new investigation into FBI director Cash Patel. Raskin announced his investigation today, citing reports that Patel may be using part of the FBI's budget to allegedly give bonuses to special agents on his security details and the director's advisory team If you haven't heard of that before, it's new. In May, nototice reported quote The team is understood to be made up of agents who are willing to pursue political targets set by the Trump administration I can't imagine why they'd be getting extra cash. Raskin is asking Patel for a record of any additional payments made on top of an FBI employeee's salary as well as a full list of people serving on the director's advisory team by Monday, june twenty ninth Okay, so you say that we're anti minority or anti. I didn't say that I asked C. Okay, okay, fine. be fair, fair. Don't start any stuff man don't give me a job Vice President JD. Vance Brave, the most intimidating interview known to man. sitting down with the ladies of the View today to promote his new book mean it The book is about Vance's experience converting to Catholicism But the View host covered a lot more than that Grilling the vice president on the Epstein files, his old criticisms of Trump and the administration's immigration policies. Here's View C host and a Nvarro on those policies I would urge you as a Christian and as a father to visit those detention centers where the children are being held and make sure that the conditions this country. So you guys have thrown a lot at me and I see we got thirty seconds left here, but let me say number one person you can go longong Never a good sign when you're watching the clock And that's the news Let's talk about Fried It'sune which means it's prride month. A month to celebrate the achievements of LGBTQ Americans and the impact they've had on our past and present. From the Madachine Society of the nineteen fifties to activists with AC Up in the nineteen eighties toureme Court plaintiff, Jemma Bergerfell in twenty fifteen to the millions of LGBTQ people right now. And we're living, loving, and continuing the fight for our rights Without them I would not be here, an out and proud married homosexual talking to you. Today. So this is also a weird and very scary time for many of us The Trump administration's anti LGBTQ backlash has pushed thousands of trans people from their home states and given some of the worst people in the world permission to start fantasizing about taking away our right to marry to which I say, What do we do now att a time that feels both like the greatest dreams of those who came before us and increasingly terrifying for many of us To find out, I talked to human rights campaign president, Kelly Robertson Kelly, welcome to Wday Hey, thanks for having me, Jane The human rights campaign declared a state of emergency in twenty twenty three for LGBTQ people in the US How would you compare the environment then to now under the second Trump administration Everything is exponentially worse. And here's the thing In twenty twenty three, when we declared that national state of emergency, people said, o, aren't you overreacting? You know, we know all the bad bills are happening. We see hate crimes increasing, but is it as bad as you say? And now here we are a few years later and every warning has turned into a reality I want to hear a little bit more about that. Like I think that that was something that for so many people in twenty twenty three and twenty twenty four, you kind of felt like the queer person crying wolf. like this was happening, this was starting to happen. you could kind of feel it. but what has been escalating? Because it feels like it it's not just Red states, it's not just the federal government, it's a little bit of everything. Yeah, well, it's not by accident In twenty twenty two when Roe V Wade was overturned There was a wave of elections where our opposition flat out lost. They lost on their efforts to undermine democracy and the power of the vote. They lost on almost every ballot initiative to protect abortion freedom in the country. And so they went to the drawing board again to see what could be the next issue that they could draw divisions in the United States on And the executive director of the American Principles Project is actually on record as saying we threw issues at a wall to see what stuck. an attack on the trans community is what stuck So from then, we've seen them pour hundreds of millions of dollars not into only anti trans attacks, but also into undermining marriage equality. So much so that right now nine states in the country have introduced some sort of bill or amendment in states that undermines marriage equality. So anyone that thought that these fights are over, anyone that thought that our rights were solid or safe, you know, you got to get back in the fight. We have to make sure that we continue the effort to move equality forward because it is truly under attack I think that that's something that's so hard for me as a gay woman, and I'm sure for you, someone running the organization that is supposed to move us forward is that been fifty odd years of like two steps forward, three steps back. You go back to the nineteen seventies and you have the beginnings of gay pride, the first Christopher Day March. you have people who are themselves out in public for the first time in a lot of major cities. then the eighties. You have massive backlash and the AIDS crisis And you have the nineties of kind of this forward, backward, forward, backward, forward, backward. And we get to Uberergfell v. Hodges, we get to know, the legalization of marriage equality nationwide. We get to the mass acceptance of marriage equality and then we have backlash. How do you deal with that where it's like You want to be moving us forward. You want to be talking about issues that are talking about making it easier for LGBT people to build families. You want to be talking about, what do we need to be moving forward as part of the American fabric And then you're still having to deal with this old bullshit. I mean, look O perspective is a little different I think that day by day, things feel hard and challenging and like we're not making progress But if you zoom out and look at the story over decades or over generations, we absolutely are You know, like you said, all of those accomplishments that happened from the seventies to the eighties to the nineties to the early two thousands, that was one generation I even think about myself, like I'm a queer lady living with my wife in a house that we own in the suburbs with two kids and we're on the verge of buying an electric vehicle. someomebody's wildest wildest imagination, you know? So I mean, I think that we are making progress, but the reality is and I think this is the hard part that that prorogress is fragile And that's true for every civil rights issue in our lives. And I think that for the fight for equality, people actually thought that we were further along than we are Like a lot of people don't know that it's one Supreme Court decision Bosk that protects us from being fired at work because we're gay There's one Supreme Court decision and one federal law, a Bergkefellld and the Rpect for Marriage Act that guarantee marriage protections. And in fact, there's no federal nonis discrimination protections for us to exist across the board. We don't have equal civil rights across this country. So I think that now's a sobern moment because we're actually realizing that we weren't as close to equality as we thought And we've got to continue the work of anyone that had bounced out of the fight after marriage. Hey, you got to get back in because it is not over. We'll get back to my conversation with Kelly in a moment, and because it's pride, you have to listen It's the law. But if you like the show, make sure to subscribe, leave a five star review on Spotify and Apple podcasts, watch us on YouTube, and share with your friends. O to come after some ads What A I is brought to you by Bilt. 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Being a renter and now owning a home is better with built Join the membership for where you live at joinbilt d. com slash wad That's JO I NbiLT d. com slash wad Make sure to use our URL so they know we sent you This episode of W Day is brought to you by Wild Green Wild Gin is the first bake from frozen subscription box for sourdough breads, artisanal pastries, and fresh pastas Unlike many store bought options, Wild Grain uses simple ingredients you can pronounce. and a slow fermentation process that can be easier on your belly and richer in nutrients and antioxidants Plus, all items conveniently bake in twenty five minutes or less with no thawing required Wild Gra's boxes are fully customizable In addition to their variety box, they have a gluten free box, vegan box, and protein box I'm absolutely obsessed with their giant chocolate chunk cookies. so delicious every time. Imagine having fresh, bakery quality bread, pastries, and pasta at home without any trips to the store. And don't just take my word for it. They have over forty thousand five star reviews and have been voted the best food subscription box by USAoday for three years in a row for a limited time WildGrain is offering our listeners thirty dollars off your first box, plus free croissants for life. When you go to wildgrain. com slash wild to start your subscription today thirty dollars off your first box and free croissants for life when you visit wowgrand. com slash watch orr you can use promo code Wad at checkout Let's get back to my conversation with human rights campaign president, Kelly Robinson Yeah, I think that that was something I remember after the marriage decision is that there were a bunch of organizations that were like, well, we did it We're done now. That was the thing. That was our fight. We are good to go And I think the pivot has been so hard because So many people believe that marriage was it. Like that was like, we get marriage and that's that's the whole ballgame What have you been hearing from people in the LGBT community who have been impacted by the Trump administration's actions beyond marriage? Because the Trump administration will be like, well, you know, we've got married gay men in the administration, but I don't think that means very much to someone who's had to move their family out of state because of anti trans policies. someomeone for whom you've seen the ways the Trump administration takes anti trans invective to level set repulse pretty much everybody. like it just seems to be So many people checked out after marriage, but so many people didn't have the privilege to do so. What have you been hearing from them People are hurting right now This administration has done everything that they can since day one to undermine our rights and our lives. You know, I talked to trans people that were kicked out of the military and I talked to somebody who had served this country for twenty years with honor, only to be denied the dignity of retiring in her uniform. How is that patriotic just because she's trans I hear from families all the time. They're debating whether or not they can stay in the state that they've lived in for generations or even stay in this country because they're afraid for the safety of their kids. Look, I even talked to a parent I a trans kid the other day who said You know, I pray for the day where one day I can worry more about my kids finishing his vegetables and whether or not he survives to the next day. This is life and death and whether you are you know somebody that cares about HIV in this country and access to care, somebody that cares about health carere premiums, somebody that cares about civil rights, somebody that cares about democracy, Everything is on the line and so many of the actions of this administration and extremists are not undermining some of our rights, or undermining all of them I think something else that's been weird to observe is that you know, if you go back to Ten eleven years ago Pride month was kind of overwhelming because it was like every company covering themselves in rainbows, which I'm aware a lot of people had problems with. But it turns out it's worse when they're not. And there's been a sixty five percent drop in Fortune five hundred companies participating in HRC's corporate equity index ranks companies based on their diversity, equity, and inclusion practices, especially with regard to LGBT people, like, you know, with regard to parental leave or helping people, you know, start families. It's been it turns out that haaving everybody turn their Twitter bio into something LGBT related was way better than having people pretend pride just isn't happening. What's that experience been like for you at HRC and why do you think so many companies are being so The whiplash effect is real, right? And right now, we need companies to stand on their grounds for the future. Look, thirty percent of Generation Z identify as a member of our community, one in ten of every adult. We have one point four trillion dollars of buying power. We are not a small marginal community. We are a growing force I think that we have to act like it. So this Pride month, we got to have a little bit of swagger when we have those hundreds of millions of people in the streets all across the country because you're right. there are some companies that have relented in this fight They've acquiesced to an administration that is threatening them from the left and from the right, right? Now is the time that we actually have to push them to get on the right side of equality and ask ourselves, if we felt like the commitment was not deep enough before that it only showed up in Rbow loogos, what do we have to do right now to make more meaningful and enduring change And I think some of the work that we've done with companies to look at their internal policies and practices to ensure that there's equitability, to ensure that they're actually doing self ideem work so that we know who is in their company and if they're having different experiences from others. And yes, visibility matters. We need to get folks back in the street because the way that we are going fail in this movement as if our powerful allies are silent in the midst of attacks. So I think this Pride Month is really a critical one It is one where we're learning a lot where folks are you know struggling, especially in some of the midsizize and smaller cities with lack of Pide sponsorships, but you still have people showing up Like for HRC, we've gained a million new members in the last two years alone. That's because especially when people see the cruelty and the harm and the hate, they still want to show up for the fight. We got to be there to catch them I was struck by something you were just mentioning, talking about how like You're a married queer lady with a wife and two kids and a home and you're gonna buy an electric vehicle. I'm a married queer lady. You know, we've been married for eleven years I think that for both of us, I think, you know, we're close to the same age I never thought this would be possible Absolutely never once in the history of me being a little queer kid. What would you say to young people now, for whom Young people now, people younger than us, they're like, you know, they're eleven, twelve and they know who they are, they're coming out, they're talking about it, but they also are witnessing this kind of sh backlash because you know they're in our context too. What would you say to them where they're experiencing simultaneously I think the greatest openness LGBT people have ever experienced in the history of ever, but also a backlash of assholes That clash of assholes is exactly what they're experiencing. But you're right, the first thing I want any young person who is coming into themselves to know is that they are not alone. There are millions of people that are literally standing beside them and ready to fight for their rights, for their lives, for their love, for them to be who they are And as horrific as things are today, we can together create a different tomorrow. It's like you said, I couldn't have imagined that my life would be possible. So I hope that together we can manifest a future for our kids for the next generation that's more free and more equitable than anything we can imagine today. But that is going to take work. and that's always been the story of America, right? too turn our dreams and our ideas into policies and actions that can actually change the course of history Kelly, thank you so much for taking the time to join me Thanks, Jean, happappy beer and happy Priide That was my conversation with human rights campaign President, Kelly Robinson Before we go Erin Ryan and Alyissa Master Monico are hysterical women And they mean that in whatever way you want to take it. In case you missed the latest episode of Hysteria, they broke down the most recent Epstein files updates, and Maine's Democratic Senate nominee Gram Plner and interviewed first partner of California, Jennifer Sebel Newsom New episodes of Hysteria drop every Thursday on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts That's all for today. If you like the show, make sure you subscribe, leave a review. Welcome Venus and Serena back to Wimbledon and tell your friends to listen And if you're into reading, and not just about how Serena Williams would play at Wimbledon for the first time in four years when she joins her sister Venus in Women's doubles like me W Day is also a nightly newsletter. Check it out and subscribe at cick d. com slash subscribe I'm Jane Kusten And not only do the William Sisters have twelve singles titles at Wimbledon between them They also won six titles as doubles partartners. That is so many titles. Whatater Day is a production of crookedia Our show is produced by Kaiten Plummer, Emily F four, Eric Mrison, and Arian Hill. Our team includes Hay Jones, Greg Walter, Matturg, Joseph Dutr, Joannah Case, and Desmondayor. O music is by Kyle Murdock and Jordan Canter. We' help today from the Associated Press. Our production staff isroudly unionized with the Wrerers Gild of America East