NewFest is offering people in Arizona free virtual access to a selection of its 130 films, including all 100 short films, for the festival's duration. Executive director David Hatkoff said the festival has a responsibility to show up when access to queer stories is threatened and that organizers refuse to stand by in the face of attempts to silence queer voices. The measure follows President Trump's February executive orders targeting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion positions and rescinding Executive Order 11246. Paradise Valley Community College's Desperado LGBTQ+ Film Festival canceled its 2026 events, citing compliance obligations that could jeopardize federal funding and campus positions.
People living in Arizona will be able to view a selection of the New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival's 130 films, including all of its 100 short films, online and for free throughout the duration of the festival, its parent organization NewFest announced in a statement Tuesday. "As the country's largest LGBTQ+ film festival, we have a responsibility to show up when access to queer stories is threatened," said executive director David Hatkoff.
Trump signed executive orders in February calling for the termination of all DEI positions in the federal government and directing private companies to abandon the practices. He also rescinded Lyndon B. Johnson's Executive Order 11246, which went far beyond DEI by implementing civil rights protections that prevented the federal government from discriminating "against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin."
"As a publicly funded institution, we must comply with these orders. Failure to do so would jeopardize the district's federal funding, including student financial aid and grants that support over 300 positions across our campuses," the group wrote. "The loss of such funding would create a ripple effect, significantly affecting students, faculty, staff, the community, and the educational services we provide."
Collection
[
|
...
]