Progress in the United States has been stunning: LGBTQ Americans can now serve openly on the military's front lines; LGBTQ characters are front and center on television and in mainstream movies; same-sex couples can marry. And yet, there is still far to go to fully actualize equality for LGBTQ people. As the last year has shown, LGBTQ movements are now at a crossroads with how to approach the unanswered questions and unfinished business.
From so-called bathroom bills in North Carolina to religious freedom laws in Indiana, The Atlantic convened a series of wide-ranging conversations to explore the ways the politics behind gender and sexuality impact American lives. The Atlantic explored the complexities of the national conversation on equal rights, from national security to pop culture. By gathering policymakers, activists and leaders driving the news to discuss critical issues across the spectrum of communities, The Atlantic dove into what it means to be LGBTQ today.
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Speakers
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Ta-Nehisi Coates National Correspondent The Atlantic @tanehisicoates -
Gavin Grimm High School Senior and Plantiff G.G. vs. Gloucester County School Board -
Vanita Gupta Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General and head of the Civil Rights Divison Department of Justice @CivilRightsAAG -
L'lerrét Ailith Communications Manager BYP100 @llerretallure -
Steve Clemons Washington Editor at Large The Atlantic @SCClemons -
Alex Wagner Senior Editor The Atlantic @alexwagner -
Barry Jenkins Filmmaker Moonlight @BandryBarry -
Eric Fanning Secretary U.S. Army @SECARMY -
Kristina Arriaga Executive Director Becket Fund @ArriagaKristina -
Doug Brooks Senior Director Gilead Sciences -
James Esseks LGBT Project Director ACLU @JamesEsseks -
Nathaniel Frank Director, What We Know Project Columbia Law School @nfrankresearch -
Emma Green Staff Writer The Atlantic @emmaogreen -
David Isay CEO StoryCorps @daveisay -
Carrie Johnson Justice Correspondent NPR @johnson_carrie -
Michael Kharfen Senior Deputy Director, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD & TB Administration DC Department of Public Health -
Spencer Kornhaber Staff Writer The Atlantic @skornhaber -
Kelsey Louie CEO GHMC @KelseyLouieGMHC -
Margaret Low President AtlanticLIVE -
Hayden Mora Founder and Principal The Parallax Group -
Eric Silverberg Founder and CEO Scruff @ScruffApp -
Kasey Suffredini Chief Program Officer Freedom For All Americans @KaseySuffredini -
June Thomas Culture Critic Slate @junethomas -
Darwin Thompson Executive Director NAESM -
Matt Thompson Deputy Editor TheAtlantic.com @mthomps -
Catalina Velazquez President Consult Catalina @ConsultCatalina -
Randi Weingarten President American Federation of Teachers @rweingarten
Agenda
- Wednesday, November 16
- 2:00 p.m.WelcomeMargaret Low, President, AtlanticLIVE
- 2:05 p.m.A New CourseNathaniel Frank, What We Know Project, Columbia Law School
Hayden Mora, Principal, The Parallax Group
With Matt Thompson, Deputy Editor, TheAtlantic.com - 2:35 p.m.Remarks from AFT
Produced by our underwriter the American Federation of Teachers*Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers
*This session is produced by our underwriter the American Federation of Teachers, and not by The Atlantic’s editorial team. - 2:40 p.m.StoryCorpsDavid Isay, Founder and President, StoryCorps
With Margaret Low, President, AtlanticLIVE - 3:05 p.m.Masculinity in the MoonlightBarry Jenkins, Filmmaker, Moonlight
With Ta-Nehisi Coates, National Correspondent, The Atlantic - 3:30 p.m.Fighting HIV: Lessons in Progress and Inequalities
Produced by our underwriter Gilead Sciences*Darwin Thompson, Executive Director, NAESM
Kelsey Louie, CEO, GHMC
With Doug Brooks, Senior Director, Gilead Sciences
*This session is produced by our underwriter Gilead Sciences, and not by The Atlantic’s editorial team. - 3:40 p.m.Civil RightsVanita Gupta, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General and head of the Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice
With Carrie Johnson, Justice Correspondent, NPR - 4:10 p.m.Defending Religious FreedomKristina Arriaga, Executive Director, Becket Fund
With Emma Green, Staff Writer, The Atlantic - 4:40 p.m.Fighting Over School BathroomsGavin Grimm, High School Senior and Plaintiff, G.G. vs. Gloucester County School Board (by Skype)
James Esseks, LGBT Project Director, ACLU
With Alex Wagner, Senior Editor, The Atlantic - 5:05 p.m.Building an Inclusive MilitaryEric Fanning, Secretary, U.S. Army
With Steve Clemons, Washington Editor at Large, The Atlantic - 6:05 p.m.PrEP Michael Kharfen, Senior Deputy Director, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD & TB Administration, DC Department of Public Health
Eric Silverberg, Founder and CEO, Scruff
With Alex Wagner, Senior Editor, The Atlantic - 6:35 p.m.LGBTQ in EntertainmentJune Thomas, Culture Critic, Slate
With Spencer Kornhaber, Staff Writer, The Atlantic - 7:00 p.m.MovementsL'lerrét Ailith, Communications Manager, BYP100
Kasey Suffredini, Chief Program Officer, Freedom For All Americans
Catalina Velazquez, President, Consult Catalina
With Emma Green, Staff Writer, The Atlantic - 7:25 p.m.Closing Remarks Emily Akhtarzandi, Managing Director, AtlanticLIVE