For The LGBT Community, A Trump Administration Brings Uneasy Future

After the announcement of Donald Trump as the President-elect, many in the LGBT community worried the effects and impact the future administration would hold. While Trump himself has rarely spoken on the issue of LGBT rights and freedoms, the general rhetoric used by him and his supporters have indicated that his platform and administration could…

Expect 2017 To Be The Year for Transgender Rights‏

The recent events so far this year in terms of the fight for transgender rights are building up to something potentially big in 2017. A culmination of North Carolina’s controversial House Bill 2 being contested by the Federal Government, a vacancy waiting to be filled in the Supreme Court, and the prospect of Democrats taking…

Recent Concerns With Bathroom Bills and Sexual Assault

The latest developments regarding numerous “Bathroom Bills” in states like North Carolina and Target’s recent policy change in regards to the transgender community has once again instigated a debate between the freedom and safety of trans individuals and the protection of people from acts of sexual violence. While legislators and conservative organizations have said these…

Divisions Over HRC’s Endorsement of HRC

Bernie Sanders made headlines and found himself under fire for criticizing the LGBT advocacy group Human Rights Campaign as being part of the establishment he is fighting against. This came shortly after the Human Rights Campaign announced their endorsement for Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee for President. The fallout on every side of this issue has been…

U.S. Human Rights Policy Needs To Change in Pivot to Asia from Middle East

As the United States looks towards its pivot to Asia, the government must revise its foreign policy and how it confronts issues on human rights. While the pivot is nowhere to be seen in the short term future, its investments and activities in the Middle East have the potential to preview future policies that are…

The Intersection of Bernie, Black Lives, and Everyone In Between

Senator Bernie Sanders has taken the country by storm with a clear populist message through underestimated grassroots efforts. His speeches across the nation have attracted thousands, with a recent rally in Portland hosting over 28,000 attendees. Yet his campaign has not been completely hassle free. The interruption of Sanders’ Seattle rally by Black Lives Matter…

Fiorina, Cruz, and The Rest of the GOP Do Not Understand the Middle East

Thursday evening brought together an ensemble of candidates in the first major Republican debate, separated into two time slots with the most popular ten featured at the main event. And while majority of the questions focused on immigration (a key 2016 election issue) and jobs, many candidates touched on their foreign policy especially in relation to the…

Caitlyn Jenner’s Journey Should Not Have to be Courageous

Standing on the stage of the ESPY Award ceremony, Caitlyn Jenner delivered a thought-provoking and emotional speech on her journey and that of thousands of other transgender individuals all across the nation. She had known her gender identity from an early age and spent years suppressing it, hiding herself from the world until her most…

Yemen and Gaza: Similar Reactions

Back at the end of March, Elliott Abrams wrote an article for the Council on Foreign Relations expressing the unfair bias Israel receives in relation to its campaign in Palestine and the seemingly passive attitude towards Saudi Arabia’s shelling of Yemen. He began with an excerpt from a Washington Post article detailing Saudi Arabia’s attack on…

TPP and Similar Trade Agreements Will Not Lift Up LGBT Lives

The article from eight US ambassadors on the LGBT community and the Trans Pacific Partnership reiterated the government’s support for human rights, yet raised concerns on it’s optimism of the TPP’s projected outcomes. As a member of the LGBT community, I am keenly interested in the pursuit of rights and protections for this community at…

Now Is Crucial Time For US To Act On LGBT Community in Middle East

The Middle East is facing a number of conflicts across the board, from ISIS springing up in destabilized regions to the Gulf Cooperation Council antipathy of Iran’s regional ambitions. Caught in the crossfire are millions of civilians, exposed to violence at home or fleeing towards refugee camps and safe havens. It’s a disastrous situation for…

The Best Mediator for The Yemeni Conflict Is Not A Superpower

Currently, Yemen is witnessing a major collapse as a result of failed negotiations, militant groups, separatists, and intervention by nations with their own strategic interests. It desperately needs stability and unity between the different political groups for the sake of its peoples’ well being and the future of the nation. It is important to note…