The Balance Sheet

The Balance Sheet: January 12, 2024

Enjoy this week's roundup of LGBTQ+ business news!

Travers Johnson

Travers Johnson

— 8 min read
The Balance Sheet: January 12, 2024

Happy New Year! I hope your 2024 is off to a great start.

I want to kick off our first newsletter of 2024 by thanking you for being here. I don't take for granted the space that we take up in your inbox each week, and I hope that you find our roundup of queer business news informative, inspiring, and useful. We have some really amazing things coming up in 2024 and I'm grateful to be in community with you along the way.

The themes for Queerency this year are Connection, Collaboration, and Community, so please don't hesitate to reach out to let us know how we can serve you or with ideas on how we can collaborate.

And as always, your support of our work is always appreciated.

SUPPORT OUR WORK

Here's to a wonderful 2024!

Trav 💜

Top Line

Stories With Main Character Energy

10 Queer Brands to Get You Through Dry January

Whether you're participating in Dry January or just Damp January, here are 10 queer-owned and -created brands and resources to help you avoid alcohol.

Read the full story at Queerency

5 Black Queer Folks Who Influenced Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Although Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. died more than a year before the Stonewall Uprising and the start of the Gay Liberation Movement, he was friends, colleagues, and acquaintances with numerous LGBTQ+ folks during his lifetime. From advisors to legal theorists to donors, here are five Black queer folks who influenced Dr. King's work and contributed to the Civil Rights Movement.

Continue reading at Queerency.

Gay bagel shop owner shot dead on vacation in New Orleans
Jacob A. Carter, a popular bagel shop owner and gay man, is being remembered by loved ones after he was shot and killed last week.
PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ newsAli Condon
GoLocalProv | News | LGBTQ Club Sues City of Providence, Alleging Discrimination on Basis of Sexual Orientation
A club that “caters its business to members of the LGBTQ community” in Providence has sued the city in federal court, alleging that the establishment — and its customers — have been “unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of sexual orientation by Providence police.”
GoLocalProvGoLocalProv News Team
Trans woman sues for $3 million over alleged discrimination
Atlanta trans woman Robyn Casias is seeking $3million in a lawsuit against AT&T over alleged discrimination.
PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ newsChantelle Billson

Equity

Queer-Owned and -Allied Businesses In the News

Backstage Capital founder visits Philadelphia to promote new book
Arlan Hamilton, known for making a splash in the VC space as a queer Black woman, is on a mission to create 1,000 Black millionaires.
Technically MediaDanya Henninger
Online map shows queer-owned spaces around the globe - Marketplace
After traveling the U.S. and having a hard time finding inclusive spaces, Charlie Sprinkman founded Everywhere Is Queer, a map of queer-owned businesses.
MarketplaceLily Jamali
New Bookstore Centering Banned Books Is Coming to Florida
Independent bookstores that also operate as community spaces.
AutostraddleKayla Kumari Upadhyaya
Dr. McKernan gives back while delivering Big Gay Smiles
Local dentist donates 10 percent of earnings to finding HIV cure
Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay NewsOmari Foote
Queer-friendly hair salon opens in Brookfield - Riverside Brookfield Landmark
Two cousins opened a new hair salon in Brookfield. Goldiloxx is a queer-friendly and family owned salon that focuses on creativity and inclusivity.
Riverside Brookfield LandmarkAmina Sergazina
Inside Harold’s Haunt: the queer, witchy ‘they bar’ of Millvale, Pa.
Millvale queer bar Harold’s Haunt welcomes all, including the dead that haunt the Pittsburgh-area neighborhood, according to its owner.
WESASara Stewart | Spotlight PA

In partnership with Sonara.ai

Sonara is a new tool that uses AI to automate your job search and take the work out of finding a position. Job hunting is a numbers game, so the more applications you submit, the more interviews you’ll get.

All you have to do is upload your resume and it applies to hundreds of relevant job openings for you. This gives you your time back and allows you to be more selective about which interviews you take.

There’s a free trial to start using Sonara, and then it switches to a monthly subscription. But as a member of the Queerency community, you can save 20% off your first month using this link: bit.ly/46vDsNm

Assets

Good News in Queer Business, Politics, and Culture

France’s new millennial prime minister is the youngest and first openly gay person to hold the position
34-year-old Gabriel Attal replaces Elisabeth Borne and takes on the role after a bruising year for President Macron.
FortuneSamy Adghirni
Mechanic Shop Femme empowers women and LGBTQ+ car owners through automotive education
Milwaukee-based automotive educator Chaya Milchtein provides accessible information about car ownership in her blog and her upcoming book.
WUWMNadya Kelly
Learn About the Black and Queer Owned Anime Convention Coming Early 2024
Learn about the anime convention that’s being put together for Black and queer people, by Black and queer people
BLAC DetroitCody Yarbrough
Gender-neutral toy sections required in big California retailers
big California retailers are required to have gender-neutral toy sections, under a law that went into effect on Jan. 1.
Q Voice NewsPhillip Zonkel

Facts & Figures

Data to Digest

NYS report shows employment discrimination ‘pervasive’ problem for trans community
In its first study on workplace experiences of trans residents, the state found abundant challenges faced by the community.
NewsdayVictor Ocasio
New report outlines problems faced by LGBTQ+ nursing home residents
Authors recommend supportive policies, training for nation’s 15,000 facilities
Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay NewsLou Chibbaro Jr.

Liabilities

Challenges to Overcome

Ohio House votes to override veto of HB 68, bill banning trans youth care, sports participation
The Ohio House has voted to override Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto a ban on gender-affirming medical care for minors and transgender girls sports ban.
ABC NewsABC News
Transgender woman running for Ohio House disqualified for not disclosing deadname
A transgender woman running for an Ohio House seat has been disqualified for failing to disclose her former name on petitions circulated to voters, in violation of a seldom-enforced state law. Loca…
The HillSarah Fortinsky
Puerto Vallarta’s LGBTQ center closes
Puerto Vallarta’s LGBTQ center, SETAC, which focused on health and wellness and ran the city’s PrEP program, effectively closed late last month amid financial struggles and allegations from employees of mistreatment and management.
Bay Area Reporter
Alabama Archives hosted LGBTQ speak. Now lawmakers want board fired.
A bill before the Alabama Legislature would replace trustees with political appointments.
alKyle Whitmire | kwhitmireal.com
Florida GOP doubling down with new anti-LGBTQ bills for 2024. What you need to know
At least 11 bills targeting transgender people specifically and LGBTQ+ people in general have been filed for the 2024 Florida Legislative Session so far.
Tallahassee Democrat, Tallahassee Democrat

Future Outlook

Opportunities & Events to Know About

Creating Change 2024

Join the nation’s foremost political, leadership, and skills-building conference for the LGBTQ+ movement at the Hilton Riverside in New Orleans from Wednesday, January 17 to Sunday, January 21, 2024! Enjoy a mix of Institutes, keynote presentations, annual awards, and more than 100 workshops and caucuses.

Learn more and register here

Black Identity Development Conference

Join LGBTQ+ author and activists George M. Johnson, Hope Giselle, Dr. Torie Weiston-Serdan, and BrandElsa Pereira on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at the inaugural Black Identity Development Conference.

Learn more and register here

Read more