Jamie Kirchick on gay rights & free speech; Robert Shibley asks, “Is Harvard Doomed?”; FIRE launches ‘Expression’, and more!

Bringing you the latest free speech news (6/15/25)

Story of the week

• No gay rights without free expression (Expression) by

  James Kirchick

So much of the widespread acceptance that LGBT people enjoy today is attributable to free expression. Social attitudes were gradually changed by films like 1972’s That Certain Summer, the first gay-themed TV-movie and one of the earliest positive portrayals of gay people, and TV shows like Will & Grace, which brought lovable gay characters into the homes of millions of people across America and around the world. (And which then-Vice President Joe Biden cited as playing a role in his own evolution on the issue, a gaffe that forced President Obama to declare that he, too, now supported marriage equality). The AIDS activism of the 1980s and 1990s, much of it confrontational, awakened the country to the devastating effects of a terrible disease. The decision by celebrities, athletes, politicians, and business leaders to come out continues to have an immeasurably positive impact on the way straight people treat their gay neighbors, colleagues, and family members. Indeed, coming out is itself an act of free expression; every gay person utilizes it when they acknowledge the truth about themselves to others.

This week in ERI

• Is Harvard Doomed? by Robert Shibley

• Première édition de Substack Live d’ERI: AMA feat. Adam Goldstein, Angel Eduardo & me

This week in (FIRE’s new Substack!)

Expression

We’re very excited to announce the launch of FIRE’s new Substack, ‘Expression.’ Subscribe to get the very best writing from staff and friends of FIRE delivered straight to your inbox.

• A New McCarthyism: How one Dane views free speech in America by

  Jacob Mchangama

• Why ‘SLAPP’ lawsuits chill free speech and threaten the First Amendment by

  Angel Eduardo

• The Deported by

  Amy Sohn

This week in FIRE’s blog

• People want AI regulation — but they don’t trust the regulators by

  Jacob Mchangama

• Introducing Expression, FIRE's official new Substack

• University of Michigan has ended private surveillance contracts but the chill on free speech remains by Clare Rigney

International free speech stories of the week

• Brazil Court Majority Favors Tougher Social Media Rules (Barron’s)

"We must, as a court, move in the direction of freedom with responsibility and regulated freedom, which is the only true freedom," Judge Flavio Dino said during Wednesday's session, broadcast online.

Not doing so would be like "trying to open an airline without regulation in the name of the right of free movement," he added.

• Macron says he’ll ban social media for under-15s in France (Politico) by Joe Stanley-Smith & Klara Durand

• Hong Kong police tell people not to download ‘secessionist’ mobile game (The Guardian) by Helen Davidson

Pre-order of the month

The War On Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech—And Why They Fail (Heresy Press) co-authored by Nadine Strossen and me comes out on July 1! Pre-order your copy today!