The News Lens: IKEA Unveils LGBT-Friendly ‘All Homes Are Created Equal’ Ad Campaign

A page in Swedish furniture retailer IKEA’s 2017 U.S. catalogue features two men — a Caucasian and an African American — cuddled up on the sofa, and comes with the caption “All homes are created equal.” A same-sex couple is also currently in the lead in a competition to select the next star couple on the cover of the company’s catalogue in Russia. [...]

Meanwhile in Russia, where homophobia often has translated into vicious attacks on same-gender couples, a gay men couple posing in a living room is currently in the lead in the "Face from the Cover" competition to choose the stars who will grace the cover of its next annual catalogue. [...]

In 2013, IKEA Russia came under criticism after it removed an interview with a lesbian couple from its Family Live magazine, ostensibly in order to comply with Russia’s anti-gay “homosexual propaganda” law. The company said at the time it deleted the feature — an interview with the London-based lesbian couple Clara and Kirsty — because of “possible legal ramifications.”

IKEA’s track record isn’t all bleak, however. A 2015 Christmas commercial in Germany featured “a subtle, yet highlighted gay kiss.” And in November 2015, IKEA U.S. proudly announced it had received a perfect score of 100 percent in the 2016 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), “a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBT workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation.”

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The Huffington Post: Understanding Homonationalism: Why Are There Gay People Supporting Trump?

In an election year where the GOP has adopted what’s been rightfully called the most extreme anti-LGBT party platform in history, some gay people ― notably white, cisgender, gay men ― are coming out of the woodwork to offer their support for Donald Trump and to display their disdain for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. [...]

Homonationalism, coined by Rutgers University professor Jasbir K. Puar in 2007 is, to put it simply, the intersection of gay identity and nationalist ideology.

As gay people have become “normalized” in American consciousness through recent historical milestones like the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in 2010 and the legalization of same-sex marriage in June 2015, these victories have created space for the homonationalist American who abandons intersectional activism and advocates racist, xenophobic, capitalistic self-interest.

Homonationalism involves conceptually realigning the ideas invested within the realm of LGBT activism to fit the goals and ideologies of neoliberalism and the far-right. This reframing is used primarily to justify and rationalize racist and xenophobic perspectives.

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The Guardian: Britain's view of its history 'dangerous', says former museum director

Neil MacGregor, the former director of the British Museum, has bemoaned Britain’s narrow view of its own history, calling it “dangerous and regrettable” for focusing almost exclusively on the “sunny side”.

Speaking before the Berlin opening of his highly popular exhibition Germany – Memories of a Nation, MacGregor expressed his admiration for Germany’s rigorous appraisal of its history which he said could not be more different to that of Britain.

“In Britain we use our history in order to comfort us to make us feel stronger, to remind ourselves that we were always, always deep down, good people,” he said. “Maybe we mention a little bit of slave trade here and there, a few wars here and there, but the chapters we insist on are the sunny ones,” he said.

MacGregor warned: “This sort of handling of history is dangerous as well as regrettable”.

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Deutsche Welle: US delivers stinging rebuke to Israel over West Bank home plan

In an unusually strong rebuke, the US accused Israel of breaking its trust over plans for a new West Bank settlement.

The White House on Wednesday condemned Israel as plans emerged for new settlement homes deep into the West Bank.

In its notably forthright response, the Obama administration lashed out at the proposal for some 300 housing units.

Spokesman Mark Toner said the plan undermined hopes for peace, and that it was "another step towards cementing a one state reality of perpetual occupation." [...]

US officials have, in recent weeks, adopted a stronger line in its dealings with Israel. Washington claims that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government is recklessly accelerating the home-building program despite international concern.

The Middle East Quartet - a contact group including the EU, Russia, United States and the United Nations - in July called on Israel to halt settlement building.

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Inhabitat: Poland unveils glowing bright blue bike lane that’s charged by the sun

Poland just unveiled an amazing new bike path that glows bright blue at night! The path near Lidzbark Warminski is illuminated by phosphor, a synthetic material that lights up after it’s charged by sunlight. Studio Roosegaarde’s Starry Night bike lane inspired TPA Instytut Badań Technicznych Sp. z o.o to create the glowing bike path. [...]

According to Next Nature Network, the luminophores, or “particles” in the bike lane material can emit a variety of colors, and the designers picked blue to best fit in with the surrounding landscape. They also researched the sustainability of the materials they utilized, and how to make the materials as cost effective as possible since the bike lane does cost more than traditional lanes.

While the Starry Night bike path provided inspiration, the technology utilized in the Polish bike lane is quite different from the Van Gogh-themed lane. Studio Roosegaarde’s bike lane drew on LEDs powered by a solar array and “light-collecting paint.” TPA Sp. z o.o.’s bike lane doesn’t require any power sources. The bike lane is still being tested, as it is not known how long the lane will last before it begins to wear out.

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