Our weekly column, News is Good, features positive news about the LGBTQ+ community. Too much of what we see in mainstream media coverage focuses on the challenges we face and not the celebrations. Here are a few things we’re excited about this week.
The National Hockey League walks back ban on Pride tape. After banning all Pride symbols from uniforms and equipment earlier this month, the NHL has at least reversed its ban on Pride Tape, according to an official post on social media. After backlash from fans, LGBTQ+ organizations and players, teams can now use Pride tape during warmups.
Scholastic reverses the decision to separate books with LGBTQ+ themes from its book fair package. Also walking back on a divisive move, Scholastic is changing course on their optional “Share Every Story, Celebrate Every Voice” collection, which excluded books with LGBTQ+ characters from its standard book fair package. After an outcry from authors, teachers, librarians and more, Scholastic issued a statement this week acknowledging the misstep. “We understand now that the separate nature of the collection has caused confusion and feelings of exclusion.” The company also apologized to Scholastic authors that was not included in the release, but has been shared on social media.
Queer-owned farm in New York wins innovation award. Rock Steady Farm in Millerton, New York, received the Capital Impact Partners and National Cooperative Bank Co-op Innovation Award. The farm, which is a queer-owned co-op received $40,000 to expand their work serving their community and providing access to nutritious, farm-fresh foods.
Mauritians celebrate the decriminalization of homosexuality with the first Pride parade in two years. Congratulations to the LGBTQ+ community of Mauritius. On Oct. 2, the Supreme Country of the African nation ruled that criminalizing homosexuality is unconstitutional. The community celebrated this week with a Pride march with the theme, “Together Always United in Diversity.”