For over a year, Texas has been curating a list of people it knows are trans there are now over 100 names on this list. Those behind the list have refused to explain its purpose, but numerous historical reasons demonstrate why trans people and allies should be concerned.The state collecting this information raises a lot of red flags, not just in terms of peoples privacy and ability to exist not under a magnifying glass, Landon Richie, policy coordinator for the Transgender Education Network of Texas, told The Texas Newsroom. He then questioned how this information will be leveraged in terms of drafting and crafting additional legislation. Related Utterly abysmal: Protestors demonstrate why anti-trans bathroom laws cant be practically enforced The states collection of trans peoples data started back in August 2024, when Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) changed the rules for updating gender markers on Texan drivers licenses. While it had been possible (if complicated) to update those markers before August of that year, Paxton changed it so that markers could only be corrected because of clerical errors he refused to update gender markers for any other reason, even if a judge provided a court order.Since August 2024, anyone who has tried to change the gender marker on their license in Texas (for a reason other than a clerical error) has been denied. However, their information has been forwarded to an internal email address. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today While pro-trans activists spammed the email address with nonsense for some time, it seems that the account remained active and screened. According to The Texas Newsroom, the internal email address had collected 42 names by March 2025; by August 2025, that number had risen to 110.Despite requests from multiple news outlets, Paxton and the Department of Public Safety (DPS) which issues drivers licenses in Texas have refused to comment or offer any explanation for why theyre gathering information about trans people on a list. Since his initial policy change, Paxton has also investigated whether it would be possible for the state to retroactively reverse gender marker changes on existing licenses.This collection of names of trans people through the DPS was not Paxtons first attempt to use them to create such a list. In 2022, his office asked DPS to provide a list of changes from male to female and female to male for the last 24 months. The DPS was unable to comply without manually searching through 16,000 possible results. Ultimately, our team advised the [attorney generals] office the data requested neither exists nor could be accurately produced, Travis Considine, a DPS spokesperson, told The Washington Post in 2022. Thus, no data of any kind was provided. It is difficult to gather a list of trans people anywhere in the United States: even pro-trans advocacy groups struggle to provide an accurate estimate of trans people in any area because there are so many reasons why a trans person might not self-identify to a government agency, a non-profit, or at times themselves.Paxton and the state of Texas have found a way to identify a small proportion of the trans people in the state, and the question of why? should worry people. The state has attempted to criminalize parents for being affirming of their trans childrens genders, marking it as child abuse. They have also banned gender-affirming care for trans youth, and passed bathroom bans and Dont Say Gay laws.The various times in history when a government has begun to make a list of people who are part of a minority group have rarely ended well.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Nicki Minaj seemed to suggest that transgender kids are not healthy in a recent post trolling California Gov. Gavin Newsoms (D) chances of becoming president.Imagine being the guy running on wanting to see trans kids, Minaj wrote in a December 12 X post, along with an image of the Chucky doll from the Childs Play horror franchise. Not even a trans ADULT would run on that. Normal adults wake up & think they want to see HEALTHY, SAFE, HAPPY kids. Related It just breaks my heart: Gavin Newsom gets emotional talking about Rob Reiners death Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Imagine being the guy running on wanting to see trans kids. Haha. Not even a trans ADULT would run on that. Normal adults wake up & think they want to see HEALTHY, SAFE, HAPPY kids. Not GavThe Gav NotsGavOUTSend in the next guy, Im bored. pic.twitter.com/627bIhbD1j Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) December 12, 2025The Grammy-winning rapper, who has been cozying up to the current administration as of late, appeared to be referencing a viral quote from Newsoms conversation with Ezra Klein on the December 10 episode of the New York Times columnists eponymous podcast. Toward the end of their conversation, Newsom brought up his position on transgender women and girls right to participate in womens and girls sports, stumbling repeatedly when Klein pressed him on what, precisely, that position is.I dont think its f Newsom said, seemingly stopping himself from saying the word fair. Newsom has stated repeatedly over the past year that he believes allowing trans kids to participate in sports on teams that align with their gender identity is unfair.I want to see trans kids Newsom continued, before stopping himself again to note that he has a transgender godson, and to tout his record of signing pro-trans legislation. But he went on to suggest that advancing trans peoples rights results in other peoples rights being taken away. He also suggested that he has been canceled for his stance on the issue even as the Times described him as a frontrunner for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination. Despite Newsoms overly simplistic position on trans sports participation aligning with the anti-LGBTQ+ rights moral panic over the issue, MAGA world which apparently now includes Minaj seized on his I want to see trans kids quote. In characteristically troll-ish fashion, Elon Musks America PAC posted the quote along with a clip of the moment, as though it were a damning admission.Its unclear whether Minaj has actually listened to Newsoms conversation with Klein in which it seems reasonably clear that he meant to say something along the lines of: I want to see trans kids thrive. But her post came much closer to saying the quiet part out loud, i.e. that trans kids are not healthy, safe, happy, and that wanting to see trans kids in the world is tantamount to abuse echoing some of the rights most insidious anti-trans rhetoric.On December 13, trans pop star Kim Petras who previously collaborated with Minaj on the 2023 track Alone appeared to respond to the rappers anti-trans implication.trans kids r healthy btw, Petras wrote in an X post. trans kids r healthy btw kim petras (@kimpetras) December 13, 2025Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A new Justice Department memo from Attorney General Pam Bondi instructs the FBI to create a cash reward system to incentivize providing information against domestic terrorists. However, it also makes it clear that the targets of such domestic terrorist investigations will be Antifa-aligned extremists, including those promoting radical gender ideology.The FBI shall establish a cash reward system for information that leads to the successful identification and arrest of individuals in the leadership of domestic terrorist organizations, the memo reads. The memo, dated December 5, was leaked. Related DOJ plans to label trans Americans as mentally defective to take away their guns Bondis memo cites multiple laws that might be used to target domestic terrorism, but also lays out a clear vision for the priorities of the FBI in targeting suspected terrorists. Primary examples given are not the mass shootings and white supremacist actions that have plagued the nation; rather, the document names the doxing of law enforcement or the violent efforts to shut down immigration enforcement.While it raises the specter of extreme viewpoints, they are not the ones that previous studies have linked most domestic terrorism to. Bondis memo suggests that the perpetrators are certain Antifa-aligned extremists and that their animating principle is adherence to the types of extreme viewpoints on immigration, radical gender ideology, and anti-American sentiment. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today These ideas from Bondi are in line with Trumps September executive order Designating Antifa as a Domestic Terrorist Organization. As antifa is not a specific group, but simply the idea of being against fascism, it was suggested that the motivation behind the order was an aim to criminalize opposition.Hiding under the guise of national security, these supposed anti-domestic terrorism moves are more likely to be used against trans activists and immigration advocates. These moves and the idea that the far-left is the real threat to the United States fly in the face of the data and appear to be part of a coordinated move to shift the blame away from far-right actors.In 2020, the Center for Strategic and International Studies reviewed data from 25 years of domestic terrorist incidents. They found that the far-right was responsible for the majority of domestic terrorist attacks, with an increase as time went on. In 2019, they were estimated to be responsible for two-thirds of the events, and in 2020, that had risen to 90%.A National Institute of Justice study from 2024 found that far-right extremists were responsible for the majority of ideologically driven deaths. That study showed that since 1990, there were 227 attacks from far-right extremists, with more than 520 people killed, while that period saw only 42 attacks from far-left extremists, with 78 deaths. However, that was removed from the Justice Department website in the days following the death of Charlie Kirk, an attack that many on the right tried to blame on trans people before any evidence was known about the killer.In line with that move, also after Charlie Kirks death, the Heritage Foundation twisted data to claim that 50% of all major (non-gang-related) school shootings since 2015 have involved or likely involved transgender ideology. That was in an effort to get the FBI to create a new domestic terror threat category for Transgender Ideology-Inspired Extremism. The real data did not support those claims at all, but it was part of attempting to move the focus off of far-right extremist terrorism and claim it was trans people and the radical left.Back in March, the FBI cut staffing in the office focused on domestic terrorism and scrapped tools used to track those investigations. Many of those investigations targeted far-right extremists and white supremacists, and it was suggested at the time that those crimes might be less of an investigative priority under FBI Director Kash Patels leadership.Bondis memo does not at any point mention the wealth of far-right domestic terror attacks in the nation, nor does it touch on the issues of white supremacy and antisemitism, which often fuel those events.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A 30-year-old man has been charged with felony stalking after engaging in what police describe as a yearlong pattern of disturbing and intrusive behavior on the queer dating app Grindr.Matthew Huebschman of Appleton, Wisconsin, reportedly sent multiple unknown men to a victims home by posing as the victim on the app and instructing men to visit his residence and enter when they arrived. Related Man allegedly intimidated neighbor with anti-LGBTQ+ slurs before shooting & paralyzing him Over the course of more than a year, numerous men arrived at the victims residence under these false pretenses, said the Appleton Police Department in a statement.This sustained harassment created a persistent sense of fear and distress for the victim and their household.Police also said Huebschman was arrested after being caught watching the men arrive at the house from a spot nearby.Huebschman was arrested in October and pleaded not guilty on Monday.

In a scathing essay, Donald Trumps lesbian niece, Mary Trump, eviscerated her uncle for his disturbing post (and subsequent defense of it) that touted his own greatness while blaming legendary director Rob Reiner for his own murder because he spoke out for left-wing causes.Congratulations, Donald, Mary Trump began. Once again, you have gone out of your way to prove, to anyone who doesnt already know, that you are a depraved, deviant, damaged little man who cannot bear the thought that there are people in this world who are talented, valued, and lovedthree things you are not. Related Scumbag-in-Chief: Trump brags about his greatness while blaming Rob Reiner for his own murder She pointed out that the president is nothing without the spotlight, and as such, he should be sentenced to spend the rest of his life in a mirrorless room without access to the internet or sycophants who continue to believe or pretend to believe that anything you do or say matters.You are beyond redemption, she declared, adding that he continues to prove himself capable of the lowest low.She continued, There is noworst, there is onlyworse Who responds this way? Only the thirstiest, weakest, and most depraved of men.Donald is the worst of us, she concluded, begging the American people to also hold accountable those who enable him, a man who has nothing to offer but misery, pain, and suffering.

Fans have been losing their minds every week when they have to wait for the newest episode of Heated Rivalry to be released, but now there is another spicy gay series thats also going viral and being compared to the smutty hockey show. The Princes First Love has been going viral since a preview of the bite-sized gay enemies-to-lovers show ended up on social media. Made by the vertical streaming service ReelShort, which produces shows made to be viewed on a cell phone, The Princes First Love puts a gay and royal twist on the typical rom-com premise where enemies become friends before the young men eventually fall for each other. Lucas never expected to kiss a prince least of all in front of the entire school, the synopsis reads. What began as a feud with Prince Nicholas turned into a forced friendship, and that into something far more complicated. Every glance, every brush of hands, pulls them closer but Nicholas is torn between his royal duty and his growing feelings for the boy he once called an enemy. Neither dares to speak the truth until the moment it cant be hidden.With the promise of some spicy content the trailer for the show includes a shot of the prince holding Lucas on a dog leash while he kneels before him people have been comparing it to Heated Rivalry and Red, White & Royal Blue because of the royal angle. The low-budget series has a more PG-13 feel than Heated Rivalry, which has been praised by fans for its explicit gay sex scenes, and its unclear how spicy it will get as the show goes along. The series has 72 short episodes in total, with some less than 90 seconds long, but so far only nine have been released. The exact schedule for the rest of the episodes hasnt been released yet, but you can download the ReelShort app to watch the series as episodes drop. But once youve gotten caught up on The Princes First Love, what other steamy gay shows can you binge while you wait for the next episode of Heated Rivalry to come out?1. EliteThe incredibly queer Spanish-language Netflix series follows a group of teens at Las Encinas, an exclusive high school for some of Spain's richest students. The show has everything: hot actors, plenty of drama, a murder mystery, and the steamy scenes youre craving. Where to watch: Netflix2.OlympoOlympo jumped to the top of peoples watch list the moment it dropped because it features plenty of eye candy and enough spicy gay scenes to keep even Heated Rivalry fans satisfied with the spicy romance between Roque (Agustn Della Corte) and Sebas (Juan Perales). A second season hasnt been confirmed yet, but the show's popularity has people thinking well get more episodes sometime in 2026 or 2027. Where to watch: Netflix3.Young RoyalsYoung Royals follows the story of Prince Wilhelm (Edvin Ryding), a rebellious royal, who finds himself shipped off to a strict private school after a scandal where he ends up falling for classmate Simon (Omar Rudberg). Theyre chemistry is so palpable that fans have been shipping the two actors ever since.Where to watch: Netflix4.BootsAbout a closeted gay man who goes through U.S. Marine Corps bootcamp in the early 90s, Boots not only told a gay story but had plenty of queer people in front of and behind the camera. The cast is also full of hot actors and doesnt shy away from nudity and spicier scenes. Sadly, it was announced that the series wont get a second season, but that just means you can stream all of the steamy goodness in one day!Where to watch: Netflix5. Interview with the VampireAMCs Interview with the Vampire series gave us two perfect seasons following Lestat and Louis. Actors Sam Reid and Jacob Anderson had scorching hot chemistry and their sex scenes were full of spice, plenty of steam, and power dynamics that will make your toes curl. Where to watch: Netflix

Mason Gooding in ending 2025 on a high!The handsome actor is known for his popular roles in Ballers and Love, Victor, but the star is turning heads in his latest project Pools.Rocking a tight yellow bathing suit, Gooding's fans naturally went berserk on social media once the video was posted. Check out the highlights below! (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@)

Despite going viral for his nasty back arch, Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams doesnt think his fans are freaky enough yet. Williams back arch has been front of mind since a photo of the moment his character Shane Hollander crawled naked across a bed to his hockey rival Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) went viral on X, where it was viewed more than 24 million times. Now the actor is going viral again for his surprising answer to fan questions with Timid Magazine including what he thought about his sluttly little back arch getting so many views. (@) Yes, Ive kept tabs on my slutty little back arch, Williams said. Its actually not true, its not fully an arch. Its kind of like my right leg is up, my left leg is going down flat, but the ass shot is there none the less, and Im very proud.He even admitted his family knows about his back archs popularity, Its my proudest achievement. My dad loves it. (@) Fans may not be able to stop talking about his back arch his back dimples also went viral after episode 4 aired last week but Williams doesnt think people have gotten freaky enough yet. He clearly hasnt seen the posts about Shane being an omega.I love you, you guys are very nice, he said, but youre not that freaky yet, and I thought you guys would be I thought youd level up, but youre still so docile, and you know, like you havent went through puberty yet or something. But you guys just need to step it up.Well, now you have your mission, should you choose to accept it!

Gen Z women aren't trying to cancel the lesbian label they're just more likely to identify as bisexual. Among 913,253 international users of the queer womens and nonbinary dating app Zoe (71.1 percent of whom identify as female), 48.3 percent identify as lesbian, 39.8 percent as bisexual, 6.6 percent as pansexual, 3.4 percent as queer, 1.2 percent as gay, and 0.7 percent as asexual, according to a new report in Demographic Research. Related: Gen Z Is the Most-Queer Generation. They Also Want to Be Labeled the Least Gen Z users those born between 1997 and 2006 were slightly more likely to identify as bisexual than lesbian, with 45 percent of users ages 20 to 29 using the bisexual label compared to 42.2 percent who used lesbian. Those identifying as queer also decreased with age, as older users were more likely to identify as gay.Younger generations are showing us that sexuality is not a fixed category its a spectrum, Francesco Rampazzo, lead author and Lecturer in Social Statistics at the University of Manchester, said in a statement. Across the world, more young people are comfortable describing their identities in diverse and fluid ways.A separate survey from Gallup in 2024 found that out of the 9.3 percent of U.S. adults that identify as LGBTQ+, 56 percent said they were bisexual, 21 percent said they were gay, 15 percent said lesbian, 14 percent said transgender, and 6 percent said something else. The figures total more than 100 percent because the survey allowed respondents to report multiple LGBTQ+ identities.Another 2023 poll from Business Insider and YouGov found that Gen Z is more likely to identify as queer than a specific label. Gen Z is also more likely to embrace the bisexual label, as opposed to "binary terms that suggest they like only one type of person," with 13 percent of Gen Z identifying as bisexual compared to 7 percent of Millennials, 4 percent of Gen X, and only 1 percent of Boomers.Related: Less GOP and more LGBT Gen Z is more likely to be queer than Republican, survey reveals The report in Demographic Research is among the first to examine identity on a global scale, collecting user data from over 122 countries across all continents (excluding Antarctica). Data from nations where same-sex sexual relations are criminalized were not included in the study to prevent potential risks to users in those countries. "Our study is a reminder that technology isnt just transforming how people meet it is reshaping how we understand ourselves and each other," Rampazzo said.

Donald Trump and "transgender for everybody"In a presidency defined by perpetual attention meetings bleeding into photo ops, policy announcements collapsing into monologue few refrains have proved as durable for President Donald Trump as the line transgender for everybody. It arrives in his remarks like a reflex, surfacing in moments where it has no organic relevance, signaling not policy precision but the durability of a grievance. For Trump, the phrase functions as shorthand: a cultural alarm designed to stoke anxiety about transgender peoples existence while casting Democrats as the agents of social disorder.GLAAD has noted more than 50 times since January that Trump has deployed the phrase transgender for everybody or transgender for everyone in public events and interviews, usually in answers to unrelated questions or topics that have nothing to do with LGBTQ+ people. The Advocate contacted the White House to ask what Trump means when he uses the phrase.President Trump was resoundingly elected by the American people to restore common sense in our government and that includes dropping Democrats bizarre obsession with transgenderism, White House spokesperson Kush Desai said. "From cracking down on unscientific transgender procedures for minors to protecting girls sports, the Trump administration will continue to put an end to transgender-for-everybody policies.On Day One of his second administration, Trump signed a sweeping executive order redefining federal civil rights law interpretation to recognize only two sexes, effectively erasing transgender, nonbinary, and intersex people from federal recognition. That directive, now embedded across agencies from Health and Human Services to the Department of Justice to the Department of Education, has reshaped everything from data collection to nondiscrimination rules, creating a government-wide mandate to treat transgender Americans as legally nonexistent.A GLAAD spokesperson criticized Trumps constant invocation of transgender people. The presidents rhetoric against transgender people in isolation makes no sense, but GLAADs documentation paints the bigger picture for the press and the American people. Every time the President cruelly disparages LGBTQ people and our allies is also another time when he fails to focus on the problems of every American. Everyone needs food and health insurance that wont break the bank, the spokesperson told The Advocate. "We all worry about skyrocketing power bills to keep the heat and lights on. The Presidents campaign against transgender Americans is deeply harmful to the trans community, and its also hurting every American who wants solutions to real problems in their lives. Its a profound waste and abuse of his platform, and does nothing to make our country great.GLAADs Trump Accountability Tracker has cataloged more than 300 anti-LGBTQ+ actions, statements, and policies under Trump, offering a clear view of how his rhetoric aligns with the machinery of his administration. And the instances of Trump repeating transgender for everybody span not only high-profile speeches, including Oval Office press gaggles, bill signings, and routine presidential remarks.Yet the power Trump imagines this rhetoric to hold, its supposed ability to animate voters, to tip elections, to function as political kryptonite for Democrats, rests on shaky ground. As writer Katherine Alejandra Cross argued in Liberal Currents, the political class has spent years internalizing the myth that anti-trans messaging wins elections, treating the 2024 Kamala is for they/them; Donald Trump is for you ad as campaign gospel. That narrative hardened into orthodoxy among strategists and pundits, even as real-world evidence kept undermining it. The 2025 elections delivered a decisive rejection: in Virginia, where Republicans spent 57 percent of their ad budget on trans panic, voters handed Democrats a sweeping landslide. What follows is a slideshow documenting instances when Trump brought up transgender people in unrelated contexts. Viewed together, they form a portrait of a presidency in which transgender people, who, according to the Williams Institute, make up 1 percent of the population, have become a central axis of political storytelling.October 23, 2025 Homeland Security RoundtableDuring a conversation on national security and immigration, Trump veered suddenly into gender politics, pairing transgender for everybody with grievances about housing and interest rates.September 30, 2025 Pediatric Cancer Executive Order CeremonyAsked about layoffs tied to a potential shutdown, Trump answered with an attack on Democrats unrelated to the question.September 30, 2025 Oval Office Press Conference With Pfizer ExecutivesPivoting from pharmaceutical partnerships to gender-affirming care, Trump repeated the line while falsely describing medical treatments for trans people as dangerouscontradicting every major medical association in the country.May 30, 2025 Press Conference With Elon MuskIn remarks heavy with apocalyptic rhetoric, Trump suggested the nation would have been dead without the 2024 election result, citing transgender for everyone alongside border policy.June 18, 2025 Oval Office meeting with Juventus playersTrump joked with players from the Italian professional soccer club Juventus about whether a woman could make their team. The athletes appeared uneasy, and their manager quickly chimed in, saying they have an excellent womens team.June 18, 2025 Flagpole installationAnother version of the riffthis time in a short aside during an event about his newly-installed White House flag poles.August 26, 2025 Cabinet MeetingTrump used the phrase four times in one meeting. This is the first.August 26, 2025 Cabinet MeetingThis is the second time he used the phrase in the same cabinet meeting.August 26, 2025 Cabinet MeetingIn all, Trump returned to the line four different times, including in a riff about womens sports.December 9, 2025 Mount Pocono Affordability RallyWhat the White House promoted as a policy address on affordability quickly unraveled into a familiar cultural broadside. As voters across Pennsylvania continue to struggle with punishing housing, grocery, and medical costs, Trump used the October 9 speech to belittle those concerns as a Democratic hoax before drifting into a now-routine attack on transgender people. We dont have to sell transgender to everybody, he told supporters, later escalating into open mockery with a jab about families changing their sex if they werent feeling well that night.November 19, 2025 Saudi Investment ForumSpeaking before international investors, Trump claimed he avoids the topicseconds before repeating it at length, he mocked transgender athletes and assured the crowd he would weaponize the issue two weeks before the election.

A doctor and medical board member in Alaska who worked to outlaw gender-affirming care for trans minors in the state was charged last week with possession of child pornography. Days later, the charred remains of his body were identified after a fire engulfed his home in Wasilla.Dr. Ryan McDonough, an interventional cardiologist at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, was charged on Thursday with 10 felony counts of possessing child sexual abuse material after a months-long investigation. Numerous videos of young boys and girls being sexually abused, some including infants, were discovered on accounts associated with McDonough and on devices in his home, according to an affidavit by investigators. Related GOP lawmaker said trans people harm children. He just pled guilty to child porn charges. McDonough was appointed to the Alaska Medical Board by Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) in August, where he joined a conservative majority of physicians moving to outlaw gender-affirming care for minors in the state. With McDonoughs support, the board voted to advance one measure granting itself the power to discipline medical providers who provide it.The measure was a workaround after Alaska legislators balked earlier this year over the governors anti-trans crusade to end the practice in the state. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today What I see is a very small number of political appointees who happen to be physicians, going against the consensus of the professions theyre supposed to represent and regulate, Dr. Kevin Tarlow, a psychologist and assistant professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage, told Erin in the Morning at the time.Fewer than 100 childrenin the state currently receive gender-affirming care, according to Identity Inc., an Alaska organization serving trans youth.McDonough attended just two monthly board meetings after his appointment, as the investigation into his possession of the child sex abuse material ramped up. The Anchorage Police Department began investigating McDonough sometime after July 31, the Anchorage Daily News reports, when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children forwarded a tip from the internet file-sharing platform Dropbox that apparent child pornography had been uploaded to an account associated with the cardiologist. Another tip followed in August.In October, police obtained a search warrant for McDonoughs internet service provider, Google, and Dropbox accounts, where they discovered multiple folders containing the abusive images and videos.McDonough resigned from the medical board soon after, without providing an explanation.On Thursday, a task force composed of the Anchorage Police Department, Alaska Bureau of Investigations Technical Crimes Unit, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Securitys Investigations Unit executed a search warrant at McDonoughs home, where they seized his electronic devices. McDonough claimed no knowledge of the possession of child sexual abuse material but consented to the search, investigators said.McDonough was arrested and charged the same day, entering a plea of not guilty. On Friday, his wife posted a $50,000 cash bond and he was released, according to Alaska Public Media.Following the charges, McDonough was terminated from his position at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center.On Friday, Gov. Dunleavys office claimed no knowledge of the ongoing investigation into McDonough. Dunleavy found out today about the charges and was never aware of any criminal investigation against him, a spokesman said. Background checks do not reveal future or current criminal investigations involving an appointee to a board or commission.On Saturday night, firefighters responded to a call at McDonoughs house in Wasilla hometown to former Alaska governor and vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin (R) where they discovered the home engulfed in flames. Other occupants, including McDonoughs wife, fled the building to safety, but McDonough remained missing.His charred remains were discovered soon after and identified on Monday.An investigation into the fires cause is still ongoing, according to a report from Alaska State Troopers.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

The Trump Administration has issued a suicide note ending all exposure of Russian influence campaigns, Chinese political manipulation, and Iranian extremist recruitment drives that threaten U.S stability, writes Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Anne Applebaum.In September, the U.S. State Departments Global Engagement Center ended its agreements in two dozen countries to jointly expose malicious and deceptive online campaigns originating in Russia, China, or Iran, Applebaum wrote in a recent article in The Atlantic. Related Pam Bondi wants the government to create cash bounties for turning in trans equality activists She also mentions the Trump administrations recently released National Security Strategy, which seeks to end most U.S. involvement in its previous foreign agreements.The [Global Engagement Centers] former head, James Rubin, called this decision a unilateral act of disarmament,' Applebaum wrote. It is a suicide note. If the ideas within it are really used to shape policy, then U.S. influence in the world will rapidly disappear, and Americas ability to defend itself and its allies will diminish. The consequences will be economic as well as political, and they will be felt by all Americans. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Applebaum notes that the National Security Strategy ignores a decades worth of Russian cyberwarfare, political intervention, and sabotage; Chinese attempts to economically influence Africa and Latin America and digitally hack U.S. infrastructure software; and mentions no other rivals or conflicts concerning the United States.In fact the only enemy ideology mentioned in the strategy is European liberal democracy, Applebaum notes, adding, Not coincidentally, these are the same people whom the MAGA ideologues hate and dislike at home, the same people who are fighting to prevent MAGA from redefining the United States as a white ethnostate, who oppose the corruption of Americas democratic institutions, and who object when Trumps friends, family, and tech allies redirect U.S. foreign policy to benefit their private interests. [The people who created this strategy are living in a fantasy world, they are blind to real dangers, she writes. They invent fictional threats. Their information comes from conspiracist websites and random accounts on X, and if they use these fictions to run policy, then all kinds of disasters could await us.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Some of the best queer shows only last one season.Whether or not you love a TV series in particular, it's always great news to hear that an LGBTQ+ show is getting renewed. In recent years, projects like Euphoria, Heated Rivalry, The L Word: Generation Q, Heartstopper, and Peacemaker have all been greenlit for at least one more season.Unfortunately, the trend or terrible coincidence of queer shows being canceled after just one season (despite having so much potential and online buzz) continues. And these shows deserve some love, too! So, here's a list of some of our favorite LGBTQ-inclusive shows that, unfortunately, didn't go the distance.Check out a (longer that we'd like it to be) list of queer TV shows that only lasted one season, even though they definitely deserved to get renewed and expanded.'Boots'One of the most recent entries to this list is Netflix's Boots, which was canceled after just one season despite receiving critical acclaim, having intense momentum on social media, and including a strong cast of young actors who promoted the series as regularly as they could.'A League of Their Own'LGBTQ+ fans were incredibly excited about the A League of Their Own reboot series on Prime Video. However, the series didnt get renewed on the streaming service despite garnering a pretty big fanbase right off the bat.'Uncoupled'Neil Patrick Harris Uncoupled had a pretty big push once its first season dropped on Netflix, and fans were surprised that the streamer didnt renew it for a second season. Showtime subsequently picked up the show for season 2, but then also dropped it before filming even began.'Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies'The girls, gays, and theys who love musicals were immediately obsessed with the Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies prequel show which ran for a full season on Paramount+ but ultimately wasnt picked up for season 2.'Mid-Century Modern'Starring an iconic trio of Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer, and Nathan Lee Graham, Mid-Century Modern as a TV show felt like assembling "the gay Avengers." Even though the series didn't take off in a way that was expected, it was still recognized with a couple of Emmy Award nominations. Nonetheless, Hulu ultimately canceled the show after its first season.'Willow'Fans were obsessed with the Willow series, released on Disney+, that featured a queer main character. When fans received confirmation that the show wasn't picked up for a second season, it felt pretty heartbreaking, to say the least.'Smiley'Another LGBTQ+ show that quickly developed a large following was Netflixs Smiley. While some insist that this series was only supposed to have a one-season limited run, its writers went on record to say that they already had the plot for season 2 in mind.'High Fidelity'Hulu's gender-swapped adaptation of the novel by Nick Hornby and the classic John Cusack film -- which starred Zoe Kravitz as the record-store-owning, list-loving, bad-at-love Rob and featured gay romance storylines via gay main character Simon (David H. Holmes) -- was loved by critics, but didn't make it past season one. Kravitz recently said Hulu made a mistake canceling the show, and we can't help but agree.'The New Normal'It is possible that The New Normal was a little bit ahead of its time. This show was very well-received by LGBTQ+ audiences when it premiered on NBC, but maybe 2012 just wasnt the right time for a series like this to take off and sustain itself on broadcast television.'Super Drags'Super Drags was a fun, hilarious, and daring animated series featuring drag queens as its main characters. Considering how long most of the adult animated series from Netflix have run, it felt pretty disappointing when Super Drags wasnt even picked up for season 2.'Genera+ion'The HBO Max original series Genera+ion was one of our favorite shows of 2021, highlighting life for queer Gen Z youth. It starred Justice Smith along a diverse ensemble of young actors as a group of high school students in Orange County navigating what it's like to be young and different in a conservative town.'1899'lite heartthrob Miguel Bernardeau played a queer character while starring in this new Netflix series from the same creators of Dark. Unfortunately, 1899 was canceled after just one season.'I Am Not Okay With This'This coming-of-age black comedy had so much potential, yet it was canceled after just seven episodes, again, due in large part to the global pandemic. Starring Sophia Lillis and Wyatt Oleff from It, the show followed Sydney Novak, a 17-year-old girl who is simultaneously discovering she is a lesbian and has psychic powers.'Stumptown'Based on Greg Rucka's comic book, Stumptown starred Cobie Smulders as bisexual private investigator Dex Parios. A former marine with PTSD, Dex worked as an investigator in Portland, solving problems the police can't get involved in. The show lasted for just 18 episodes before being canceled partially due to the global pandemic.On the other hand, ABC did reportedly try to sell the series to another network or streaming service, so it's possible that Stumptown could come back in the future.'The Get Down'Baz Luhrmann's ambitious musical drama reached some great heights, but never stuck with audiences enough to get a second season. It's one season was split into two parts, exploring a group of young Black men trying to break into the world of rap and hip hop. One character named Dizzee (played by Jaden Smith) has a budding romance with another graffiti artist named Thor. Unfortunately, we never got to see where they could've gone.'The Society'This sci-fi series starring Kathryn Newton, Gideon Adlon, and Sean Berdy was about a group of teens who are forced to run their own community after the rest of their town disappears. The series featured a cute gay couple, Sam and Grizz, who had a cute first kiss after Grizz asked Sam, who uses sign language, to teach him the sign for "kiss me." Sadly, the show only lasted for one, ten-episode season because of the global pandemic.'My So-Called Life'When it aired on ABC from August 1994 to January 1995, My So-Called Life introduced us to some of this generation's most celebrated actors, including Claire Danes and Jared Leto. It also introduced the world to Rickie Vasquez, played by Out cover star Wilson Cruz, the first gay character played by a gay actor in a leading role in American television history. We still miss him. My So-Called Life ran for 19 episodes and is streaming on Hulu.'Everything Sucks!'Yes, yet another Netflix series canceled after just one season. Everything Sucks! was one of our favorite shows about what it's like being a teen, and in many ways, felt like a worthy successor to another one-season wonder, Freaks and Geeks. It was set in the real-life small town of Boring, Oregon and followed a group of teens at the local high school who join the A/V Club and Drama Club and team up to make a movie. The principal's daughter Kate starts out dating one of the boys, but quickly develops a crush on older Drama student Emaline, and later comes out.'Queer As Folk'Though it was highly-anticipated and featured an ensemble cast that included some of our queer faves like Jesse James Keitel, CG, Devin Way, Fin Argus, Johnny Sibilly, Ryan O'Connell, Kim Cattrall, and Juliette Lewis, Peacock axed the first and only season of Stephen Dunn's modern, rebooted version of the beloved gay series from the 2000s by Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman, which was based off of Russell T Davies' 1999 British TV series of the same name.The 2022 Queer As Folk followed a group of queer friends as they dealt with the aftermath and fallout of a tragic event that affected the LGBTQ+ community in New Orleans, and was praised for its fearless depictions of modern queer life.'Q-Force'Not during Pride Month!!! Netflix canceled the truly terrific animated series Q-Force, making it just the latest great queer show to only last one season. The show, which faced unfair and uninformed criticism across social media and the internet when it came out, was actually one of the funniest and most accurate depictions of queer life ever put in cartoon form. The show starred Sean Hayes as secret agent Steve Maryweather, the golden boy of the American Intelligence Agency who was forced into obscurity in West Hollywood after he publicly came out as gay. It also starred Matt Rogers as master of drag and disguise Twink, Wanda Sykes as the butch mechanic Deb, Patti Harrison as the trans hacker Stat, and David Harbour as the team's token straight.The show had some of the best queer comedy you'll find on TV and gave us representation like we'd never seen before. Q-Force we will miss you.'Tom Swift'The CW continued its canceling spree, adding Nancy Drew spinoff Tom Swift to its list of canceled shows. The show, which just premiered on May 31, follows a Black, young, gay, billionaire, genius inventor (played by Tian Richards) who is "thrust into a world of sci-fi conspiracy and unexplained phenomena" after his father disappears.'First Kill'Though the campy, supernatural teen series wasn't a hit with the critics, it did garner a considerable LGBTQ+ fanbase, especially for its portrayal of young, queer love between two girls.But the representation and visibility it provided to sapphics who just want a cute teen show to stan wasn't enough to save it from getting the ax after just one season on the streamer.'Cruel Summer' (2024 TV Series)The original, 1999 film Cruel Summer was always a fan-favorite among the gays and that audience was taken into consideration even more on Prime Video's 2024 TV series reboot. For one, a character like Scott Russell (played by Khobe Clarke) had a much more outwardly queer identity in this iteration. Moreover, the always-there undertones of queerness from the original film became more literal on the TV show. Unfortunately, the show was canceled after just one season on Prime Video.'The 4400'This reboot of the 2004 series, The 4400, about the titular number of people who mysteriously vanished over the last century suddenly reappearing with no memories of what happened, was also canceled after just one season. The show featured trans characters Dr. Andre Davis and Noah, as well as several lesbian characters like Keisha Taylor, Soraya Voss, and Jessica Tanner.

Author Armistead Maupin has been open about his sexuality since the 1970s, and over the weekend, he shared more details about his relationship with Rock Hudson, who died from complications from AIDS in 1985. In his new video, the Tales of the City author complimented the late iconic Hollywood Golden Age actor on his "legendarily large penis." Maupin explained that he met the actor through his lover, Jack Coates, at a social gathering in San Francisco. At this event, Hudson read the first chapter of Maupin's famous book aloud, which the author figured was Hudson's way of flirting with him. "I kind of think he kind of figured it would get me into bed, and it did."He ended up having a meal with Hudson and his partner, Tom Clark. The three hung out, and Clark called it an early night and went back to the hotel room. Hudson and Maupin followed shortly after and saw him asleep in bed when they arrived. They spent some more time together in the living room, and that's when Hudson made the first move. Maupin said he had a "grand old time making out," but he ended up not having sex because he was too tired and said that sleeping with Hudson was "too intimidating."Maupin said Hudson reassured him, saying he's "just a regular guy," which Maupin quipped back, "Well then, I'm Doris Day." The two "had better luck on subsequent visits," the author said. "He had a legendarily large penis; it wasn't the prettiest one I'd ever seen, but it was definitely the biggest."The two continued to hang out, and Maupin said in the video that Hudson was a "very sweet man" and that the Giant actor "seduced the world, at least the world that I knew, by being so kind and attentive.After Hudson shared with the world that he was living with AIDS in 1985, Maupin outed him and was condemned by other gay men for doing so. He said there was never an official falling out between him and Hudson, but the two didn't see each other after Maupin revealed his sexuality. "When Rocks illness became public, I spoke honestly about who he was and what that life had required of him," he wrote in the video's description, "I didnt realize at the time how controversial that honesty would be, or how deeply it would affect others. Years later, Ive come to understand that telling this story isnt just about memory its about visibility, courage, and the ways we quietly change each others lives. I remain grateful for having known him, and for the lasting mark he left on me."

A new study of the longest-acting form of injectable PrEP, lenacapavir, has shown no adverse interactions with hormone therapy for trans women and men.Marketed under the brand name Yeztugo by Gilead Sciences, the twice-annual PrEP injectable was approved by the FDA in June, marking a big advance in long-lasting protection against HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Related U.S. ships groundbreaking HIV drug to Africa, but slashed funding threatens progress GlaxoSmithKlines PrEP injectable cabotegravir, known as Apretude and approved for use in 2021, provides two months of protection. Cabotegravir in pill form is marketed as Truvada and taken daily.Results of the lenacapavir study revealed levels of feminizing and masculinizing hormones remained generally comparable before and after its administration, researchers shared at IDWeek 2025, an annual gathering of infectious disease professionals, POZ magazine reports. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today In the most gender-diverse Phase III PrEP trial conducted to date, lenacapavir had no clinically significant impact on feminizing or masculinizing gender-affirming therapy concentrations, researchers said.While trans people make up about 1% of the U.S. population, they accounted for 2% of new HIV diagnoses in 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Compounding that statistic, prior studies indicate some trans people at high risk for HIV transmission are hesitant to take antiretrovirals for HIV prevention over concerns about their impact on hormone therapy. Estimates suggest that just 20% of gender-diverse people have used PrEP, while adherence can be as low as 30%.As of 2023, 45% of gay and bisexual men in the U.S. who are at high risk for HIV have used PrEP, according to the Centers for Disease Control in a report issued last year (which removed by the Trump administration from its website in January.A long-lasting alternative to daily medication could be key to improving those low numbers for trans people. Twice-annual lenacapavir injections are also more affordable compared to alternative HIV prevention options, with an estimated cost of just under $60 annually for the drug, versus $160 for six injections of Apretude, and hundreds of dollars a year for daily oral doses, even with health insurance.The study by Jill Blumenthal, MD, of the University of California San Diego and her colleagues looked at interactions between lenacapavir and hormones, including testosterone and estradiol, a form of estrogen. Those hormones are metabolized by enzymes that Lenacapavir can inhibit, potentially affecting hormone levels. The researchers conducted a pharmacokinetic analysis using blood samples from a subset of participants in an earlier efficacy study of the drug over 52 weeks. Among more than 2,000 participants, 14% identified as trans women, 1% as trans men, and 6% as nonbinary (mostly assigned female at birth). Of those, 253 people reported using gender-affirming hormones. Concentrations of estrogen and testosterone in these users were generally comparable before and after lenacapavir administration. Taken together with our prior findings that gender-affirming hormone therapy had no significant effect on lenacapavir pharmacokinetics, these data support the concurrent use of twice-yearly lenacapavir PrEP and feminizing or masculinizing gender-affirming hormone therapy without dose adjustment in gender diverse individuals, addressing a key barrier to PrEP uptake and adherence in a population that is disproportionately vulnerable to HIV acquisition, the studys authors said.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Despite initially denying that it would do so, the U.S. Coast Guard has changed its workplace harassment policies to downgrade swastikas and nooses symbols which threaten violence against Jewish people, Black people, and their allies from overt hate symbols to potentially divisive ones. When The Washington Post first reported this changing policy on November 20, the Department of Homeland Security (which oversees the Coast Guard) called the report fake news. Hours after the Posts report, the Coast Guards acting commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday issued a memo denouncing the symbols and saying that they both remain prohibited. Related Video from Republican gala shows actual Nazi getting slapped However, the Coast Guard put the new policy into effect on Monday despite its initial claims. The change comes as numerous instances of antisemitism in the Republican Party. The Trump administration has offered no explanation for the changed policy, though its Department of Defense has backtracked a Biden-era policy removing the names of pro-slavery Confederate generals from military bases.Early into Trumps second term, the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security made huge cuts in their departments eliminating positions focused on tracking racially motivated violent extremism and domestic terrorism, both of which are predominantly white and right-wing. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today .@CNN is spreading FAKE NEWS. It has ALWAYS been forbidden for swastikas or nooses to be displayed in the Coast Guard.There is NO reversal. The 2025 policy is not changingUSCG issued a lawful order that doubles down on our *current* policies prohibiting the display, pic.twitter.com/OEvJZHvFDx Homeland Security (@DHSgov) November 21, 2025 Its worth noting that Adm. Lunday replaced Adm. Linda Fagan, a woman who was ostensibly ousted because of her excessive focus on non-mission-critical diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Whats really disturbing is, at this moment, when there is a whitewashing of Nazis amongst some on the far right, and Churchill is painted as the devil incarnate when it comes to World War II, to take the swastika and call it potentially divisive is hard to fathom, said Deborah Lipstadt, who served as President Joe Bidens special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism. Most importantly, the swastika was the symbol hundreds of thousands of Americans fought and gave their lives to defeat. It is not potentially divisive, its a hate symbol.In October, Republican leaders nationwide were caughtproclaiming I love Hitlerand discussing killing opponents in gas chambers in a private chat. Also that month, U.S. Border Patrol published a video that used a song containing the word, k**e, an antisemitic slur.That same month, MAGA Rep. Dave Taylor (R-OH) was caught witha swastika symbol posted on his congressional office wall. He claimed it was put there as part of a ruse carried out by an unidentified group or individual against Republican Congress members.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Kim Chi has come a long way since being introduced to a global audience on RuPaul's Drag Race season 8, which she finished as a top 3 finalist. Despite only competing once in Mama Ru's queendom, Kim Chi got everything she needed: Millions of fans who fell in love with her right away, close friendships with fellow finalists Naomi Smalls and Bob the Drag Queen, the "Fat, Fem & Asian" catchphrase that addressed desirability politics in a fun/cheeky way, and even a moment at the finale to tell RuPaul about her dream to start her own makeup company.Three years after competing on Drag Race, Kim Chi indeed launched her makeup brand, KimChi Chic Beauty, and has consistently made herstory with the company. In 2022, for instance, KimChi Chic Beauty products became available for sale at CVS stores the first time that happened for a makeup brand run by a drag artist. This fierce queen was subsequently honored in the Out100 for continuing to build a makeup empire for herself.Now, Kim Chi has officially entered her author era. First by coauthoring a graphic novel for kids titled Donutella Hamachi and the Library Avengers alongside Stephan Lee, which featured illustrations by Utomaro. A month later, by publishing a cookbook titled Kim Chi Eats the World.In an interview with Out, Kim Chi opens up about how much she loves libraries and food, name-drops a few queens that she referenced in the Donutella Hamachi universe, and gets candid about what she sees as the future of her career. Kim ChiCourtesy of KimChi Chic BeautyOut: These books are adorable, and colorful, and I love the stories they tell. Let's start with Donutella Hamachi. Where did the idea for writing this book come about?Kim Chi: So, the first book is called Donutella Hamachi and the Library Avengers, and the book deal came about because of like a random tweet that I tweeted back in the day. I was reading about how lots of public libraries are getting defunded, and I was in my feelings, so I tweeted about how much the public libraries meant to me.Growing up, the library was such an important resource. Especially as a poor kid, living with my single mom. So that tweet ended up going viral, and then librarians from all over the world started messaging me saying like, "Thank you so much for speaking up for the libraries and the librarians. It means a lot to us."A publisher then reached out and asked me if I wanted to write a book about saving public libraries, and I think libraries are a very important source and the pillars of every community. It was like a project that I feel super passionate about.The second book, Kim Chi Eats the World, is so interesting and on-brand. You're a well-known foodie, and Drag Race fans know that you love trying things out and encouraging people to explore new cuisines. What can you tell us about the second book?Well, I'm also I'm a certified fat-ass, you know? Like, I work, and work out, so I can eat. [Laughs.] So the second book is called Kim Chi Eats the World, and it's a cookbook. I wanted to bring global flavors to like an audience that might not be familiar with what kind of cuisines there are around the world, so it's basically all my favorite flavors that I've tasted during my travel and how to recreate those recipes in your American kitchen.And none of the recipes are very threatening; they're very simple, easy recipes. So if someone's too scared to try, the stakes are low. I've also thrown a couple of fun, quirky recipes in there too, just to further educate the audience. Like, there's a chicken feet curry! You don't have to make it. But, you know, it's there if you're feeling adventurous. Book cover art for Kim Chi Eats the World.Union Square & Co.I want to circle back to Donutella Hamachi because I just think it's hilarious that you've turned Bob the Drag Queen into the villain of the book. And there's also a reference to Trixie Mattel. What can you tell the fans about that?Yeah! [Laughs.] So the library is called Firkus Public Library. [Editor's note: Trixie's out-of-drag name is Brian Michael Firkus.] The book, obviously, is loosely based on my life. So there's like a lot of sprinkles to like people in my like day-to-day life. And, you know, Bob being Well, technically, it's not Bob who's the villain, but the villain's name is Blob the Drag Thing.So good. [Laughs.]The character is based on Bob's whole thing about how like, "abolish all libraries," and "libraries just take up space." You know, he sort of had a viral meme moment about that. Pages of Donutella Hamachi and the Library Avengers photographed during the KimChi Chic Beauty launch at Ulta event on November 19, 2025 at the Museum of Ice Cream in SoHo.Courtesy of Robbie Nero for KimChi Chic Beauty/Ulta Yeah, Bob had that hot take/joke for a while. He'd be like, "Oh, why do we have libraries?" I think that's gone now, but it's hilarious to include that reference in the book.Yeah, it's like cheeky fun, you know? There's a lot of Easter eggs to my real life and real life people in the book.Are there other queens I must have missed? Are there some deep references?I want people to read the book to find out, but there are character names like Femme de la Crme [reference to BenDeLaCreme] and Miss Smalls [reference to Naomi Smalls].Are you enjoying this path of writing books? Do you want to continue doing more?Absolutely. I love a new adventure, and I love venturing things out. That's one of the reasons why I gravitated toward drag every day feels like a different adventure, and I get to play with different mediums, and I create different shapes on my face. I just love keeping myself challenged, artistically and intellectually. Kim Chi during the KimChi Chic Beauty launch at Ulta event on November 19, 2025 at the Museum of Ice Cream in SoHo.Courtesy of Robbie Nero for KimChi Chic Beauty/UltaI'm trying to remember if I knew that you had a passion for writing. Is that fair to say? That you have a passion for writing?I don't know if it's necessarily writing that I have a passion for, but I have a passion for retelling stories and creating a world. That's where my passion lies.As far as your makeup company, KimChi Chic Beauty, it's now been up and running for more than five years. How does that feel like? Five years, Kim! Congratulations.I know, it's crazy. Thank you. And we are sold all over the place, you know? Obviously on our website, but aside from that: Ulta, CVS, JCPenney, iHerb, and just various other retailers around the world. It's so cool to see people across different continents using my products and tagging me in them. I'm always like, "Oh my god!"It's like a dream come true. One of my dreams with my makeup brand is You know how certain products, like Airspun Powder, everyone knows what those products are? Like, they've seen it like sitting on like their grandmother's counter.Yes, of course.One day, when I no longer exist on this Earth, and I'm not here anymore, I want the legacy of my products to continue on, and get passed down from generation to generation. Affordable, good quality, for generations. Kim ChiCourtesy of KimChi Chic BeautyIt's always a trip for me to see cousins of mine, like little girls and teenagers, wanting to buy makeup from your company, or showing me a photo of something, and it's a KimChi Chic Beauty product. And these are little girls who have no idea about my work, who have never seen Drag Race. It's crazy.Yes! Personally, for me, it was very important that my makeup brand is not a "Kim Chi merch," but it's more of like a standalone brand of its own. And that's why I kept the price-point very fair.Performance-wise, the drag queen of it all, do you have any plans to slow it down? Do you have plans to speed it up? Have you changed your mind at all, one way or another, about going back on Drag Race to compete again?Oh, you know, never say never, right? [Laughs.] But right now I'm very happy with what I'm doing, and with my life. There's a lot of projects and things to keep me very busy and stimulated. But, again, never say never. Just, at this time, I'm not sure. I do think the show is amazing, and it's done wonders for the queer community and queer artists.Would you like to explore things like acting?I actually have taken acting lessons and singing lessons. Not because I want to pursue these as a career I don't know if I'm at the level to actually submit auditions for things like that but just to keep myself challenged.Kim Chi's two new books, Donutella Hamachi and the Library Avengers, and Kim Chi Eats the World, are both now available for sale. Cover art for Donutella Hamachi and the Library Avengers graphic novel; Cover art for Kim Chi Eats the World cookbook.Walker Books US; Union Square & Co.

Before Trumpism had its name, I felt its presence at the family dinner table. Growing up, my family was quick to 'other' individuals who didn't conform to their understanding of life. They made jokes that hinged on the diverse identities of many people in my life, like my friend Habtamu, who immigrated from Ethiopia, my boyfriend, Juan, and my great-aunt, who is a lesbian. When I stood up for them or felt upset, I earned the label "too sensitive." Someone always had to be the brunt of the joke, and it hurt me just as badly when it was anyone else as it did when it was me.Fortunately, from the moment I joined the cross country team in sixth grade, I could excuse myself for a lap around the neighborhood. In my first cross country portrait, I see myself for who I truly am. It is a snapshot of my freedom to be myself, somewhere between childhood and the socially imposed norms for expression that are recklessly enforced in middle school.I loved everything about cross country. How hard and social it was, and how free I felt running through the woods or hopping a teammate's back fence to eat frozen blueberries, hoping our coach wouldn't see us sneak back onto the sidewalk like none of it ever happened. My leadership skills in the running space came naturally. I brought people together and energized them, making them feel like running mattered and, most importantly to me, like they mattered.After my four years at Grayslake Central High School, increasingly characterized by my severely strained familial relationship that worsened when I came out as queer, I began a tenuous running career at Saint Louis University, for which I was grossly under-resourced. Without athletic financial aid and a sufficient mileage base, the burning pavement of Saint Louis and an Easy Mac-forward diet only took a few months to crack my femoral neck.Despite the pain, I desperately clung to movement, only stepping off the road when my teammates, wincing, told me I was limping so badly I should probably stop. The injury washed over me like a grief tsunami. I stepped up as a social justice leader on campus, where my empathy was an asset, and realized by graduation that maybe Missouri wasn't for me. This prompted my move to San Francisco for a fresh start. Amidst the chaos of my first year of teaching, I realized I am trans. In May of 2019, just a year after I moved west, I started my medical transition. This brought my family, who had by this time allied with Trumpism, great dismay. Cal in Japan. Carter K. HoweDays after my top surgery that July, I was dancing around my little carpeted bedroom on California Street. As soon as I was cleared to do so, I laced up a new pair of running shoes and hit the road, this time without a shirt. It was a clumsy moment, for sure. I still had a prevalent sports bra tan line, and my scars were fresh, but I did not care one bit. I was just ecstatic to be witnessed in the world as my new self. As my transition progressed, my evolving body and identity no longer felt aligned with the mandate to choose male or female to register for a race. This dichotomy troubled me as I stared at the two empty checkboxes on each race's website, feeling it would be dishonest to click either. How can I return to running, I wondered, if there's no way to do it as myself?This dilemma inspired me to initiate the addition of equitable non-binary divisions in races worldwide. Some races responded positively. But there have been many hiccups, which I largely attribute to the mass disinformation about trans people. Namely, the "unfair advantage" myth. Another roadblock has been the devaluation of the category due to its number of participants, whilst ignoring the cultural precedents. A conversation I had with Kathrine Switzer taught me that in 1972, the first year women were officially allowed to compete in the Boston Marathon, only eight women ran.In her footsteps, I refused to be disheartened by the challenges. I began reaching out to race organizations that host the World Marathon Majors, the world's most prestigious marathons. It has always been my dream to run in each race, and I wasn't going to give up just because I'm trans. Emails, Zoom calls, and in-person coffee meetings lasted years. By 2024, beginning with the New York City Marathon and ending with the Tokyo Marathon, all six of these races had instituted non-binary divisions. And by 2025, starting with the Chicago Marathon and ending with the London Marathon, I had placed first or second in each of the six.And what a gift these races were. Running through Boston knowing that I played an integral role in a profound moment in history, defined by the world's oldest annual marathon, legitimizing the existence and competition of non-binary athletes. 2:51, second place; the streets of Chicago were lined with people from my life before and after my transition. 2:48, second place; just past the Queensboro Bridge in New York City, a cyclist speaking into his headset, "Cal Calamia from San Francisco." 2:48 again, first place; the cool composure of Berlin, where I kept thinking Running is global. 2:41, second place; hardly sleeping in a room full of trans friends before Tokyo race day, then turning the corner to the vibrant downtown before heading back to that same room to eat onigiri in bed. 2:43, first place; showing up in a trans-flag-inspired custom kit for London, running strong and proud across Tower Bridge. 2:46, first place; becoming the first person ever to podium in all of the World Marathon Majors in a division I instigated felt like my life expanding before my eyes. Cal running in the Berlin Marathon.Keeley ParenteauMy younger self, teary-eyed at the dinner table, would be so proud not only of my pursuing passions but also the space I am creating for more people to live authentically and proudly.Throughout human history, we have made attempts to erase and ignore each other in an effort to justify the unjust world we live in. This year, a record-breaking 996 anti-trans bills have been introduced in the United States. Over a third of states have passed bills that prohibit trans athletes from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity, from elementaryschoolers to professionals. The conversation is worldwide, from the alt queer history of Berlin to the emerging trans representation in Japan. Meanwhile, politicians in countries like the United Kingdom and the United States attempt to restrict transness in public life by reducing gender to an "ideology" and fumbling new definitions of biological sex. And I fumble another attempt to get my family to understand the ways I am hurting.Under this administration, everything is at stake. Access to lifesaving resources, including sport, is being stripped from trans people against the advice of medical and mental health professionals. The assault multiplies for trans women, especially at the intersection of other identities like race and class.It is through running that I have learned that in life, between the start line and finish line, we are all just on our way. Beautiful, relentless, disciplined, and passionate in pursuit of our goals. Driven by the things and people we love most, we are constantly committing to outdoing ourselves beyond our wildest dreams. We're human. What is so hard for people to grasp about our togetherness?When it is all said and done, the qualities that distinguish us from each other are spectacular and inevitable. We will always find our way back to what makes us the most us: the places we come from, the songs we can't help but dance to, the sound of our laughter, the way our feet patting from left to right to left to right again create our own perfect metronome. So what, then, is there to do but to include, uplift, and celebrate across and beyond all differences.So much of what I have done has relied on me standing out and speaking up and being exceptionalthe first, the only. My great hope is that the footsteps I have left on all of these World Marathon Major courses and so many other trails, paved by others or blazed by me, will be trampled over by millions, billions, trillions of people of all kinds. I dream of a world where we, standing shoulder to shoulder in those jam-packed corrals, can look around and think nothing except "I love you. Good luck out there."Cal Calamia (they/he) is a trans marathoner, inclusivity activist, poet, educator, and community builder. Like and follow them on social at @calcalamia.Opinion is dedicated to featuring a wide range of inspiring personal stories and impactful opinions from the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Visit Out.com/submit to learn more about submission guidelines. We welcome your thoughts and feedback on any of our stories. Email us at voices@equalpride.com. Views expressed in Opinion stories are those of the guest writers, columnists, and editors, and do not directly represent the views of Out or our parent company, equalpride.

One of the presidents closest allies in right-wing social media, Laura Loomer, said that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is gay and that its well-known among Donald Trumps staff. Graham who is 70, has never married, and has opposed LGBTQ+ rights throughout his career has been the subject of gay rumors for years but has never publicly come out as gay.Loomers statements came during a deposition in her defamation lawsuit against HBO. She claims in the lawsuit that late-night host Bill Maher defamed her in 2024 when he suggested that she was having an affair with Trump. HBOs argument is that Maher has a First Amendment right to speculate about the relationships of public figures, just like Loomer has First Amendment free speech rights that she exercises as an influencer. Related Nancy Mace falsely accused this doctor of child abuse & she lost her job. Shes running for Senate. As part of that line of argumentation, HBOs lawyer asked Loomer about social media posts she made last year calling Graham gay. When is Lindsey coming out of the closet? We all you know youre gay, Lindsey, Loomer wrote in 2024 on X. She was responding to how Graham had called her toxic. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today And you responded to him on Twitter, right? HBO lawyer Katherine Bolger asked Loomer during the deposition, according to court records obtained by The Daily Beast. The deposition was conducted on June 4, 2025.Yeah, I called him gay, Loomer responded. Its well-known.Several of President Trumps staff have told me in confidence that that Lindsey Graham is gay, Loomer continued.Hold on, Ms. Loomer, Bolger responded. Theres no question.I know, Loomer said. Im just explaining.That part of the deposition went viral this week, and Loomer posted about it on X yesterday: I was under oath. I couldnt lie. That explanation is questionable because, according to the deposition transcript, she was not directly asked whether she believes Graham is gay. Graham was first elected to the Senate in 2002 after serving for almost a decade in the House of Representatives. He was a state lawmaker prior to that. Throughout his career, he has opposed LGBTQ+ rights, voting for the anti-LGBTQ+ Defense of Marriage Act in 1996 and voting for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex couples from marrying in 2006. I believe in the traditional definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman, he said at the time. His opposition to marriage rights for same-sex couples held until 2022, when he voted against the Respect for Marriage Act. He has also voted against employment protections for LGBTQ+ people, voted to confirm anti-LGBTQ+ judges, and even opposed adoption rights for LGBTQ+ people. He voted against including LGBTQ+ people in federal hate crimes legislation, saying that would divide Americans, and he opposed allowing gay and bisexual people to serve openly in the military. But he has also faced gay rumors throughout his career, well before gay adult film actor Sean Harding went public in 2020 with accusations that Graham had purchased the services of male sex workers who knew him as Lady G.Graham has always denied the rumors. I know its really gonna upset a lot of gay menIm sure hundreds of em are gonna be jumping off the Golden Gate Bridgebut I aint available, he told the New York Times in 2010. He maintained that denial in 2018 after comedian Chelsea Handler called him gay. She knows zero about me, Graham told TMZ at the time. To the extent that it matters, Im not gay.Loomer has a history of lobbing insults on the right and had a public feud with anti-LGBTQ+ Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) last year in which she called the Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Traitor Greene, a fake Christian wh**e, and the dumbest bi**h in Congress. Greene said that Loomer is mentally unstable, has never had a real job, and that she spends her time researching facts and then spinning them into lies to serve her agenda, which makes her a liar and it makes her dangerous. Loomer also made a crude comment about Greenes genitalia, saying that Greene had Arbys in her pants.What is the expression trying to convey? HBO lawyer Bolger asked Loomer during the deposition. It conveys the reason why she got a divorce by her own admission, Loomer responded.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A U.K.-based greeting card producer has apologized and destroyed all copies of a transphobic Christmas card featuring the Grinch, a grumpy anti-holiday monster created by childrens author Dr. Seuss.The card, created by greeting card illustrator Paper Salad in collaboration with the humorous greeting card publisher Emotional Rescue, showed an image of the green-furred monster in a Christmas sweater and Santa hat holding a tree ornament alongside the words, This Christmas, Im identifying as a Grinch. Related Happy Holidays is not the inclusive phrase we think it is Trans journalist Sophie Molly found a copy of the card in a Sainsbury grocery store, took a photograph of it, and posted it on Bluesky, writing, Please do better Sainsburys.Molly told PinkNews, [The card] belittles the identity of trans and non-binary people. Cis people saying they identity as something like a tomato, attack helicopter, or a Grinch I feel invalidates the lived experience of trans people. It tells the world that they think its a choice to be trans, something you can switch in and out of, like playing dress up. This is not true. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Trans people dont choose to identify as their gender its part of who they are, she added. Being trans or nonbinary is not something you can switch off, in the same way a cis person cant switch off being cis.The aforementioned publication noted thatthe media guide from the LGBTQ+ media watchdog GLAAD suggests avoiding stating that any trans person identifies as their gender identity. Transgender people are their gender the same way cisgender people are their gender, GLAAD wrote in its guide.Transphobic Christmas card in my local Sainsbury's (Berryden).Please do better Sainsbury's.[image or embed] Sophie Molly (@sophiemolly.co.uk) December 15, 2025 at 3:38 PM Molly added that the card made her worry, considering the current attacks on trans people unfolding in the U.K.In 2024, the U.K. government released the Cass Review, a wide-ranging review of Britains medical interventions for transgender youth that wascondemned by many trans people and allies. Following the review, the UL Department of Health and Social Care placed a permanent, indefinite ban on puberty blockers for trans youth.Earlier this year, the U.K. Supreme Court ruledthat the legal definition of a woman under the countrys 2010 anti-discrimination law, The Equality Act, is based on biological sex.Following the ruling, the U.K.s Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has recommended policies to ban trans people from restrooms and other public single-sex spaces.Jennie Rutter, creative director at Emotional Rescue, apologized on behalf of the company for the card, saying, We will remove this design from our range immediately. It was in no way our intention to cause anyone in the trans community offense.Jack Wilson, operations director at Paper Salad, apologized for the card, adding, We have removed the design from sale and destroyed all stock with immediate effect.Sainsbury said its committed to being an inclusive place to work and shop, adding, We value all customer feedback on this years [Christmas card] designs.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

As the House is set to vote on Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greenes (R-GA) ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth, she is lashing out at a fellow Republican House member for allegedly trying to water down her bill.WTF is Chip Roy doing????? she posted to X, referring to Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX). And this guy wants to be attorney general of Texas but refuses to protect children??!!! Related MTG just realized the GOP is sexist as she begs Mike Johnson to pass her anti-trans bill She was referring to her Protect Childrens Innocence Act, a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for trans minors and make accessing such care more difficult for trans adults. She has been trying to move forward with the legislation for years, but even though Republicans control the House, her partys leadership has been loath to give the bill a vote.That is, until she traded a vote for a military appropriations bill last week (the NDAA) for a shot at a floor vote on her anti-trans bill this week. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today But Republicans narrowly control the House, and Democrats are likely to vote in lockstep against her bill, so even a small number of Republican defectors will tank her bill. And it was already going to face an uphill battle in the Senate.Greene wrote on X that Roy introduced an amendment to her bill that would only make it ban gender-affirming care at facilities that receive federal funding and not all facilities. She then said that Roy was trying to protect Californias pro-trans policies, a searing insult in MAGA circles since California and Gov. Gavin Newsom are often held up as a bogeyman when it comes to trans rights issues.In other words, Chip Roy is trying to change my bill in such a way that his amendment would actually protect Gavin Newsoms California trans child sanctuary state policies and laws!!! Greene wrote. Any privately funded pediatric gender clinic would continue to operate free and clear under Chip Roys amendment!!! Chip Roy has introduced an amendment to gut the commerce clause of my bill, Protect Childrens Innocence Act, and replace it with his.His amendment only cuts federal funding from facilities that receive federal funding for pediatric gender affirming care (transgender surgeries, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) December 16, 2025In a separate post on her official government account, she posted a video of herself on the conspiracy theory-laden show Infowars, calling out Roy, saying shes disappointed that shes in a major fight with him. Both she and host Alex Jones referred to gender-affirming care which is backed by all major medical organizations in the U.S. as the standard of care for trans youth as child abuse.What happened to him? Jones shouted about Roy, acting very surprised by this news.I have no idea! Greene barked back. I cant understand the reasoning for it! She then compared her bill to federal bans on child sex trafficking, even though gender-affirming care is science-backed health care and not abusive. Child abuse is simply wrong and Republicans shouldnt be limiting the scope of criminalizing sexual child abuse. If Chip Roy cant even support protecting children, then he has no right being the Attorney General of Texas! We need fighters, not a Republican who enables Gavin pic.twitter.com/3FmksEpkR8 Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) December 17, 2025Roy, for his part, called out Greene for selling her vote on the military appropriations bill in exchange for a floor vote on her anti-trans bill.Marjorie was given this vote this week to buy her vote on the National Defense Authorization Act, he said at a House Rules Committee meeting yesterday. Everybody knows it. It happened right there on the floor of the House.Thats the kind of s**t that keeps happening around this institution all the time, including on our side of the aisle. And Im sick of it.Greene herself openly discussed trading her vote on the NDAA for a vote on her anti-trans bill last week, saying it was part of an arrangement with House leadership negotiated with Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA). Roy: Marjorie was given this vote to buy her vote on the NDAA that's the kind of shit that happens around this institution and I'm sick of it. pic.twitter.com/X5EVhBIRl5 Acyn (@Acyn) December 17, 2025Greene responded that its a shame vote-trading was necessary to get her bill a vote, but thats what it takes. She then accused Roy again of protecting gender-affirming care.Why is Chip fighting so hard to continue the trans agenda on kids? she wrote. On his X account, Roy explained his amendment, claiming that it is necessary to make Greenes bill constitutional. I support criminalizing gender affirming care, but 1) the constitution matters & we should not bastardize it to use interstate commerce to empower federal authorities (see FACE Act), 2) her bill is unlikely to become law, & 3) my amendment makes it more likely to become law, he wrote. I support criminalizing gender affirming care, but 1) the constitution matters & we should not bastardize it to use interstate commerce to empower federal authorities (see FACE Act), 2) her bill is unlikely to become law, & 3) my amendment makes it more likely to become law. https://t.co/6Alc6OWP98 Chip Roy (@chiproytx) December 16, 2025Currently, there are 26 states that ban gender-affirming care for trans youth. Those laws contain exemptions for cisgender youth who want gender-affirming care (like breast reductions for cisgender boys or breast augmentation for cisgender girls) and forced genital surgery on intersex youth. Greenes bill is no differentand would take those bans nationwide.But some Republicans have opposed these bans, including former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R). Some Republicans believe that the government should not dictate to doctors and patients what kind of care can be provided. Given how narrow a majority House Republicans currently have, only a handful of Republicans would have to defect to defeat the bill.The Trevor Project denounced the bill.Everyone in this country should have access to the care they need to stay healthy, including transgender and nonbinary young people, said Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, senior vice president of public engagement campaigns for the organization. Personal medical decisions ought to be made between patients, their doctors, and their families not through a one-size-fits-all mandate from the federal government. The multitude of efforts we are seeing from federal legislators to strip transgender and nonbinary youth of the health care they need is deeply troubling.If implemented, these efforts will have detrimental impacts on transgender and nonbinary youth in particular. The Trevor Projects research shows that access to this care is associated with significantly lower rates of depression and suicide risk among transgender and nonbinary young people who receive it. Its no hyperbole to say that restricting this medically necessary care risks the lives of transgender and nonbinary youth in communities all across the U.S.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

The suburb of Chandler, Arizona, resoundingly rejected a proposal to build a 422,000-square-foot AI data center within its borders, despite pleas from bisexual former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), who has been working with the Trump administration to make America an AI powerhouse.Sinema gave public comment at two separate city council meetings on behalf of the New York developer, Active Infrastructure, the company behind the data center proposal. She also explained that she is the founder of the AI Infrastructure Coalition, which is supported by major corporations like Microsoft, Meta, and ExxonMobil, Politico reported. Related Massively influential GOP group hires leader who wants to criminalize homosexuality On the day of the vote, she also went on Fox News to lavish praise on the Trump administrations approach to AI development and claimed that the left is spreading misinformation about data centers that is putting the country in jeopardy.Foreign countries, Sinema said, want to control the AI. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today This really is a national security race. Weve got to win it. China is doing everything it can to dominate AI globally, and they will program the AI with Chinese values. We have got to win that race, and President Trump is 100% right. Weve gotta double down and make sure that American values are the values of the world and that we control this global AI agenda, and thats why these data centers are so important all across the country.She decried a supposed massive effort on the left to come into communities and give misinformation around water and energy and AI data centers. Indeed, Chandler residents expressed concerns that the data center would drain resources by using too much water and raising power prices. Sinema claimed thats all wrong. This administration is doing a good job of telling the truth, creating more energy domestically Were actually using less water with AI data centers than in the past, she said on Fox News.On the other hand, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, a nonpartisan environmental nonprofit, called AI data centers resource-ravenous, with one mid-size data center needing as much water as a small town and larger ones requiring as much as a city of 50,000 people. The group referred to AI data centers as mechanical monsters whose rapid proliferation can put an enormous strain on local and regional resources. It brought up one planned Meta data center in Wyoming that will use more electricity than every home in the state combined. Chandler city councilmembers and residents didnt buy Sinemas claims. Chandler Vice Mayor Christine Ellisreportedly voted no after Sinema couldnt answer her question, Whats in it for Chandler? If you cant show me whats in it for Chandler, then we are not having a conversation,Ellis said.The Chandler planning office reported that more than 200 comments were filed against the data center, and only eight were in favor. The Trump administration is working with AI companies to establish data centers across the country, Politico explained, but Chandler is not the only local government resisting the effort. Officials in at least five other states have also voted down proposals. In November, Sinema said shes excited to be working hand in glove with the Trump administration as a lobbyist leading a Big Tech effort to expand the U.S. artificial intelligence industry.She alsoreportedly warned local politiciansin Arizona that Trump may force them to build an AI data center whether they want one or not, a sentiment she echoed during public comment at the Chandler meetings. Chandler right now has the opportunity to determine how and when these new, innovative AI data centers will be built, she said.When federal preemption comes, well no longer have that privilege.At the time, OD Harris, a member of Chandlers city council, toldPolitico, As a local official, we never appreciate when a county, a state, or a federal official attempts to insert their authority into our local process. We represent what the voters want because were closest to the people.Sinemas alignment with Trump and Big AI isnt really surprisingWhile serving in the U.S. Senate, she positioned herself as a political moderate and a reliable ally to the business community: voting against several of former President Joe Bidens labor nominees, opposing an increase in the $7.25 federal minimum hourly wage, preventing tax increases on private equity and venture capital earnings, and providing taxpayer subsidies to exporters.While she highlighted her bisexuality before her election to Congress, she largely avoided mentioning it afterward.During her last senatorial term, she joined another fellow former Democrat, Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV), to block the elimination of the filibuster, and with it, Democrats hopes for enacting legislation on expanded voting, LGBTQ+ rights, the economy, and climate change. It was a stand that brought scorn from Democratic colleagues and voters, alienating Sinema from her non-wealthy constituents and party members.The Arizona Democratic Party voted to censure Sinemain January 2022, citing her failure to help pass federal voting rights legislation. Arizona Democrats also blasted her for being noticeably absent on the campaign trail during the 2022 midterm elections. Her unpopularity and ineffectiveness compelled then-Arizona Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego to successfully run for her Senate seat in 2024. Polling showed that majorities of Arizona voters from every political affiliationall disapproved of her. Her low approval ratings made her one of the five most unpopular senators in the entire nation.She would have faced Gallego in a re-election race, but instead, shedisaffiliated from the Democratic party, becoming an Independent, and then announced her retirement, since her re-election defeat seemed all but certain. She then usedher farewell Senate speechto defend the filibuster.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Good news: It's dead. The media feud between I Love LA star Jordan Firstman and the Heated Rivalry actors Hudson Williams (Shane Hollander) and Connor Storrie (Ilya Rozanov) which even featured actor Franois Arnaud (Scott Hunter) entering the chat has seemingly come to an end.On Tuesday, December 16, Williams shared a selfie sitting right next to Firstman. The same selfie was then re-posted by the Rotting in the Sun actor. Both of them added heart emojis to their respective posts.From the looks of it, Williams and Firstman XCX'd their beef over "a pack of cigs, a Bic lighter, and a strappy white top with no bra," as both actors are seen smoking in the selfie. (@) These are also two hilariously chaotic actors who could very well be joking about making amends over a certain activity in which people feel like lighting up a cig after the act.After all, Firstman did say in a viral comment that he "would let either boy to anything to me." Neither Williams nor Connor Storrie identify as anything but straight, however, so Firstman will have to keep that one in fan-fiction territory for now. (@) "I think the show is super fun and sexy I just don't think it feels like real gay sex which is okay!" Firstman wrote in a TikTok comment re-shared by Heated Rivalry fans on social media. "I don't think it's in insane take. I would let either boy do anything to me tho."What did Jordan Firstman say about Heated Rivalry? Jordan Firstman as Charlie Cohen on I Love LA.HBO MaxFirstman expressed an intense reaction during a recent interview when asked to comment on parallels between gay storylines explored on I Love LA and on Heated Rivalry."I'm sorry, I watched those first two episodes of Heated Rivalry and it's just not gay. It's not how gay people fuck," Firstman told Vulture, adding: "A straight guy could not write that. They don't know what the camaraderie of gay sex is. So, yeah, I think I definitely led the charge with that."What did Franois Arnaud and Hudson Williams say about the Jordan Firstman controversy?After that particular quote went viral, Heated Rivalry star Franois Arnaud (who plays Scott Hunter on the gay hockey show) clapped back with an Instagram comment."Is there only one way to have 'authentic' gay sex on TV?" Arnaud asked in his comment under a Just Jared post. "Should the sex that closeted hockey players have look like the sex that sceney LA gay guys have?" Franois Arnaud reacts to Jordan Firstman's criticism in an Instagram comment.Instagram (@justjared) Arnaud an out bisexual man starring as Scott Hunter on Heated Rivalry received a lot of praise for defending his costars and the overall project, which has an out gay showrunner, Jacob Tierney, at the helm.(It would've been odd for the lead actors of Heated Rivalry, Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, who both identify as straight, to have defended their performances of queer characters in response to a queer actor's criticism, after all.)What did Hudson Williams say about Jordan Firstman's Heated Rivalry comments? Hudson Williams via Instagram Story.Instagram (@hudsonwilliamsofficial)Yet, Williams did respond to Firstman's comments with an Instagram Story statement in which he promoted HBO Max's I Love LA."But truly go watch I Love LA! Jordan and the cast are great," Williams wrote.Heated Rivalry is streaming on HBO Max. I Love LA is streaming on HBO Max.

Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) isnt afraid of bullies, not when she has already fought (and won) the hardest battle of her life.For three years, Craig and her former partner worked to convince the Tennessee courts that being gay did not disqualify them from retaining custody of their son, Josh, whom theyd raised from infancy after his birth mother selected them to adopt him. Related He won marriage rights for same-sex couples in Utah. Now hes running for Congress. Josh is now 28 years old with a toddler of his own, but Craig says that, even all these decades later, the ferocious mama-bear energy she needed to win the right to be his mother lives on.Right now, shes using that energy to run for U.S. Senate in Minnesota after already making history as the first lesbian mom in the House of Representatives. Craig has served in Congress since 2019, when she eked out a victory despite running in a Republican stronghold that had only sent two Democrats to Congress since the 1940s. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today She has since proved her staying power. Despite once being considered one of the Houses most vulnerable incumbents, she won her most recent reelection in a landslide and is currently serving her fourth term.LGBTQ Nation spoke with Craig about her secret to connecting with conservative voters many of whom evidence suggests voted for both her and Donald Trump in 2024 as well as her thoughts on the best way forward in these politically tumultuous times. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.LGBTQ Nation: In your campaign announcement video, you spoke about your battle to adopt your son. Why did you include it? What about that battle shaped the way you see your fight against the Trump administration?Rep. Angie Craig: I got up every single day for almost 3 years, and my partner and I didnt know whether we would have our son to put to bed that night. So every fight Ive taken on from a district that had been in Republican hands for three-quarters of a century is kept in check by the fact that Ive already fought the hardest fight of my entire life. I will always stand up to bullies, and this administration is bullying communities that we care deeply about, like the immigrant community, like the LGBTQ+ community, and particularly our trans neighbors.Your battle to adopt Josh took place in Tennessee, which was also at the center of U.S. v. Skrmetti, the recent SCOTUS case that greenlit state gender-affirming care bans. After all this time, Tennessee parents are still fighting to have power over their own kids, albeit in different ways. Does your journey with Josh give you hope that this anti-trans hysteria might take a similar arc?My life experience has been that [we find success] if we build support with our neighbors. It wasnt that long ago where Republicans tried to ban same-sex marriage in Minnesota through a constitutional amendment, and we went neighbor by neighbor, we went faith group by faith group building support for the fact that love is love. I think that theres an opportunity in America to do the same with trans issues, but we have to understand that we have to go do the work to help people understand that folks who are trans are our neighbors as well. Most people have never met a trans person in their life, and so we have to go do the hard work of building support in our communities.Some Democrats seem lost on how to talk about trans rights, and especially the sports debate, where some are feeling more emboldened to side with Republicans. Where do you fall on that, and how do you think Democrats need to handle trans issues in the upcoming elections?I think we have to acknowledge that [the sports] issue in particular by many people is seen as a fairness issue, right? I personally believe that parents, local sports associations, and our local schools are best equipped to make those decisions. Thats exactly why Ive never supported a nationwide blanket ban that Ive been asked to support as a member of Congress. I think as we have those conversations within our local communities, we can help others understand. You talked about gender-affirming care a moment ago. Its not a conversation that any politician should be anywhere near. Republicans like to talk about parents rights, but you know, there is no politician in a better position to make those very personal decisions for the trans community than the people who are actually involved, including their parents.You also just reintroduced a bill to protect LGBTQ+ foster kids from discrimination, which has been introduced many times before. Why was now the right time to bring that back? Are these kids facing outsized challenges under Trump?Well, certainly every member of the LGBTQ community is feeling outside pressure because of the Trump administration. I think that we have to continue to push for the rights of LGBTQ Americans even in the face of the headwind coming from this administration. We should use this time to build community support for many of our issues. There will be a time, and I believe it will be soon, when Democrats take back the majority in this country in the House, in the Senate, and the White House. So as Democrats, we need to be building the support from our communities now while we push back strong against the Trump administration.That legislation also talks about rights for same-sex couples who want to foster and adopt. Do you feel especially connected to that due to your fight for Josh?Yeah, this is a really personal piece of legislation to me. Josh was 4 months old when he came to live with us. His birth mother placed him in our home, and again, for almost 3 years after we didnt know, are we going to be able to raise this child that we put to bed every single night or if the state of Tennessee was going to rip him away from us. This 4-month-old baby is now a 28-year-old young man who is married, and he and his wife decided that they wanted their first child to be adopted. So theyre raising our grandson, Wyatt, and hes just this amazing little boy.This fight was so personal to me, and its a fight that Im sorry that were still having to go through that many years later in places throughout our country. I would love to be able to be part of changing that forever, where no one whos LGBTQ ever has to fight this fight again.Now that your sons are adults and youve seen the men theyve become, what do you think were some of the biggest benefits for them of being men raised by two moms? Our sons have been raised to treat women respectfully. Theyve been raised to know what love is and what a strong family looks like, and so we just couldnt be more proud of our boys as they become men and, most importantly, I think we showed them what its like to love our kids unconditionally. I see in our two sons who now have boys of their own I see the kind of parents that our sons are and just how involved they are in the little things the diaper changing and the getting up with them.What they saw was love, and inside a family, I think theres nothing more important you can teach your children than that.Youre known for your bipartisanship. What have you learned from working across the aisle that can help you fight the Trump administration? Do you feel like its still possible to work alongside Republicans?At this moment in time, Ive got one fist closed, which is fighting the policies that are detrimental to our communities, and Ive got my other hand extended, looking for ways in which Republicans might still be willing to work alongside a Democrat. But unfortunately, with this administration, theres more fist than hand extended because of the attacks that they are laying out on so many of our communities.I think the most important thing as a member of Congress to know is when to work with folks and when to fight. Ill give you a couple of examples. I was the first swing district Democrat in the country to come out in favor of Donald Trumps first impeachment because he had committed impeachable offenses, and I thought that would cost me my first re-elect. This seat had been in Republican hands for three-quarters of a century. Political operatives told me, This might cost you your first re-elect, and I did it anyway because it was the right thing to do.Two years before Joe Bidens debate that people talk about causing him to drop out of the presidential race, I was among only three sitting elected representatives in the country to call for Joe Biden not to run for reelection, and I was the 4th Democrat in the country to call for it after that disastrous debate. I think what Ive proven during my time in the House, and what I will continue to prove as a US Senator, is Im going to do what is right for our communities, and Im going to tell people the truth, no matter who it pisses off from time to time.The truth is the establishment in D.C. didnt really think I was the best candidate to run and win in a seat that Republicans had held for three-quarters of a century, and we proved them wrong, and Im going to keep doing what I think is right in the U.S. Senate just like Ive done in the House.Youve also seemed to crack the code on connecting as a Democrat with rural voters. Whats your secret? Well, the first secret is just to show up and listen to them. If you sit down with a group of family farmers right now, theyll tell you that input costs are high. What does that mean? It means that Trumps tariffs are driving up costs for everybody to be able to farm these days. And then, of course, their trade war has also meant that they actually cant sell their soybeans once theyre grown. So just showing up and listening to what other people are concerned about and then working on those issues.I talk about my own family just like any other person who was serving in elected office would, but Im more interested in whats happening in their families and what their family struggles are, and if you do that and they know that thats your heart, what weve proven is theyll vote for you.Looking to 2028, if Democrats do manage to take back the House and gain more power in the Senate, what are some of the first steps to undoing the damage of the past two years? Themost important first step is just oversight on this administration, and thats what taking back the House would give us. It would give us subpoena powers to be able to look into, in particular, the corruption thats going on inside this administration, the family ties to Trump, as well.At the end of the day, if we take back the House, we should work on what we promised voters we will work on. How are we going to make healthcare more affordable for their families? How are we going to make sure that the trade war ends so that grocery costs come down, that our family farmers get back their markets?We need to work on the things that we tell people that were going to do for them, and if we can do that, then people will continue to elect Democrats in this country.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Michael Wolff, a journalist who has written four books about Donald Trump, is warning the country that Trump is off his f**king rocker.Wolff was speaking on his Inside Trumps Head podcast about the death of legendary director Rob Reiner and Trumps unhinged response to it, where he accused Reiner of dying of TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME and made Reiners death all about himself. Related Rob Reiner predicted this may be the last time you see me months before death Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today It had nothing to do with Donald Trump, who again, in this instance, has, you know, has to insert himself into the situation so he becomes the star of this, said Wolff, whose bookAll or Nothing: How Trump Recaptured Americawas published earlier this year.Wolff said that theres no reason for Trump to have responded as he did and that it can only hurt him, but Trump did it anyway, and its a sign that he cant hold it together anymore.But this is something to have said this, and it was unnecessary for him to say anything, to have dived in and so proactively done something that will create nothing.Thats derangement.Trump is off his f**king rocker. Wolff said that even though he thinks Trump is losing it, that doesnt mean he wont be able to cause damage for years to come. As anyone has gone through this, just because your older parent, lets say, is showing signs of losing it, does not mean that they will not continue down the road of losing it for quite some time, he said. We do have three years to go.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Hello Out readers, unfortunately, I'm here with the sad news that Netflix's show Boots has been canceled after just one season.The show, which starred Miles Heizer as Cameron Cope, a young gay man in the U.S. Marine Corps when being gay could get you kicked out of the military, had one terrific season on Netflix.While attending this year's Out100 party, Heizer, who was the cover star of The Advocate, said he was "manifesting Boots season 2," but now it seems his hopes have been dashed."Well, I'm sad to report that Boots isn't being renewed for a second season. I want to thank everyone for the overwhelming love and support they gave this show. It truly shattered my expectations, and I couldn't be more grateful," Heizer said in a new statement."Yes, I'm pretty disappointed we won't be returning. But the friends I made and being called woke garbage by the pentagon are things I will cherish for the rest of my life," he added.This means that Boots joins other great LGBTQ+ shows like A League of Their Own, Mid-Century Modern, My So-Called Life, and Q-Force in the ranks of queer shows canceled after just one season.It feels even more critical now to enjoy shows like Heated Rivalry while they're airing.Keep reading for all the best pop culture news and our Woman Crush Wednesday!- Mey RudeNetflix's 'Boots' is canceled: Stars react to the heartbreaking newsHeated Rivalry feud ends: Hudson Willams and Jordan Firstman work it out on the remixI didnt just run the worlds major marathons. I changed themIn her author era, Kim Chi is avenging libraries and eating the world24 LGBTQ+ TV shows canceled after just one season (but deserved more)Rock Hudson had a 'legendarily large penis,' Armistead Maupin says'The Prince's First Love' & 5 more shows to watch between 'Heated Rivalry' episodesMason Gooding shows off his ripped body in sexy new filmHudson Williams knows you love his 'slutty little back arch' and he wishes fans were more 'freaky'Disney making live-action Gaston movie without Luke EvansWoman Crush WednesdayGrammy-winner Kim Petras is our Woman Crush Wednesday for clapping back at Nicki Minaj's anti-trans social media posts.Subscribe to The Advocate / Out Magazine for the holidays!For a limited time, start your subscription next year for just $6.00.

GLAD Law has filed civil rights complaints against two hospital systems in Connecticut, claiming that their decision to suspend gender-affirming medical care for trans youth was unlawful and violated anti-discrimination policies in the state. The 10 plaintiffs named in the lawsuit include the parents of trans children and an 18-year-old trans man who is being denied care.The families we represent are living through a nightmare, being told with no warning their trusted doctors can no longer provide the care that has stopped their childrens suffering and allowed them to thrive, Hannah Hussey, a staff attorney with GLAD Law, said in a statement. These families have been forced to scramble for a new place to get the care their kids need, which means navigating issues such as delayed care, risks to their physical and mental health, new health care costs, and time-intensive travel, and having to start all over to establish relationships with new providers if they can find them. Related Hospitals are ending their trans youth programs at an accelerating rate The case involves two hospital systems in Connecticut that were the largest gender-affirming care providers for trans youth in the state: Yale New Haven Health and Connecticut Childrens Medical Center. Both hospitals announced in July that they were rolling back their gender-affirming care programs for anyone under the age of 19. Yale New Haven Health stopped prescriptions for hormones or puberty blockers, and Connecticut Childrens Medical Center said its program would be winding down entirely, citing a complex and evolving landscape.These announcements came shortly after Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) signed a bill reaffirming the states commitment to prohibiting discrimination by healthcare providers. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The decision was made despite there being no state-level ban or federal law prohibiting the provision of gender-affirming care to minors. The only official statement made against the practice came from the presidents executive order Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation.That order, which is a statement of intent for the executive branch and not a law, threatened federal funding and resources for institutions providing gender-affirming care. The order used the strange cut-off age of 19 years old, meaning that the presidential administration was looking to deny care to 18-year-old adults who would be making all of their own health care decisions. Since the Connecticut hospital systems also used 19 as the cutoff age, it seems likely they were complying with the presidents wishes in advance.Thats a really important point here, said Hussey in an interview with The Advocate. There was no federal, there was no state policy requiring the hospitals to shut off this care. And to the contrary, Connecticut has strong non-discrimination laws that protect access to health care for transgender people.Hospitals cannot be made to believe throwing trans people under the bus is risk-free, trans journalist Erin Reed said on social media about the case. The lawsuit goes to the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities and hinges on the fact that gender-affirming care was only suspended for trans people. Cisgender youth are still able to receive the same medications and treatments. Because of that, it means that the trans patients were being discriminated against based on their gender.While gender-affirming care is often thought of in connection with trans people, cisgender people are the recipients of the majority of such care. It includes treatment for low testosterone, estrogen supplements, and top surgery for cis men who suffer from dysphoria. State-level gender-affirming care bans carve out exceptions for cis people, showing that they are not attempting to ban any procedures but just restrict who can access them.The cessation of gender-affirming care for young people at these hospitals has had a considerable impact on many families, not only because they were complying with laws that dont exist, but because of the way that it was handled and how unexpected the move was. The decisions took effect almost immediately in a state that had been viewed as safe for trans families fleeing red states. GLAD Law notes that one of the families in the lawsuit moved to Connecticut from a state with laws hostile to transgender people, in large part for the purpose of securing stable access to health care for their transgender child, then abruptly learned from the media and other parents that their childs medical care was ending.These families have lost their faith in the health care system to serve their children, Hussey added. They are questioning how they can lose access to care overnight in a state with strong laws like Connecticut.Through the lawsuit, GLAD Law hopes a court will order the hospitals to resume providing gender-affirming care to all patients and to comply with Connecticut law, treating all patients equitably.These two hospital systems are among the 21 that, by August, had reportedly temporarily or indefinitely rolled back their programs.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten detailed just how bad Donald Trump is polling right now, noting that his net approval rating has been in the red for 281 consecutive days. He has spent more time underwater than Jacques Cousteau, for goodnesssake, Enten joked. The bottom line is this:The American people dont likewhat Trumps doing, and theyhavent liked what Trumpsdoing for a long period of time. Related Donald is the worst of us: Trumps gay niece tears him apart for depraved post on Rob Reiner He added that this is true across every key issue. From immigration to foreign policy to trade to the economy, the president is polling negatively, he explained. Negative, negative,negative, negative, negative.Its just not any good for thepresident of the United States, regardless of what he says tonight, Enten said, referring to a presidential address Trump plans to give this evening. Addressing any Republicans who hope he can turn it around in the next ten months before midterms, Enten said that history shows second-term presidents in the red at this point in their presidencies have not polled positively by midterm elections. Hesagain going to have to breakhistory, Enten explained. Hes done it before.But hes really going to haveto do it if he really wants togive his Republican Party muchof a chance come the 2026midterms.

Out Rep. Sarah McBride (D-DE) called out House Republican leadership for scheduling multiple votes on anti-trans bills this week instead of trying to pass a bill to stop health care costs from skyrocketing at the end of the year. They would rather have us focus in and debate a misunderstood and vulnerable one percent of the population, she said during a press scrum outside the Capitol with out Rep. Julie Johnson (D-TX) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), instead of focusing in on the fact that they are raiding everyones health care in order to pay for tax breaks for the wealthiest one percent. Related A Person With Parents: How Sarah McBride and her family stay strong in the face of transphobia All Republican politicians care about is making the rich richer and attacking trans people.McBride was referring to two bills that are scheduled for a vote this week: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greenes (R-GA) Protect Childrens Innocence Act, which would ban gender-affirming care for trans youth and make such care harder to access for trans adults, and Rep. Dan Crenshaws (R-TX) bill to ban Medicaid from covering gender-affirming care, which Greene has also co-sponsored. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Meanwhile, subsidies for Affordable Care Act (ACA, or Obamacare) healthcare policies are set to expire at the end of this year, something that will increase what many people pay in premiums each month starting next January. Republican leadership refused to schedule a vote on a bill to extend those subsidies, but, in a major defeat for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), four House Republicans broke ranks today to sign a petition with all the Democrats to force a vote on the bill.They are obsessed with trans people, McBride said. I actually think they think more about trans people than trans people think about trans people. McBride then called out Republicans for using trans peoples rights as political pawns and said that standards of care should be decided by trained professionals, not politicians in Washington whose medical knowledge includes thinking that vaccines are the equivalent of the Holocaust, a reference to Rep. Greene.I get its hard to understand what it feels like to be trans, she said. I get that its hard to understand what it feels like to be me. I get that its hard to understand this care and the need for it.But one of the things that gets so lost in this conversation is that the transgender adults of today were kids once. I was a kid once. I didnt have the courage to come out until I was 21, but its a fact I have known about myself for my entire life.And my biggest regret in life is that I never had a childhood with that pain of hiding ones identity, she continued. I marvel at the courage of transgender young people today who are sharing themselves with their families and this world, despite the toxicity and the hate that too often emanates from the building behind me. A vote on Greenes bill is expected later today.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

The memo teases out a directive from President Donald Trump.

Gay porn star Lane Rogers, who went by the stage name Blake Mitchell, has died at the age of 31. The adult film star was killed in a motorcycle accident Monday while visiting friends in Los Angeles, according to TMZ. According to an adult film industry blog, he collided with a box truck near the Pacific Coast Highway in Oxnard, a community about an hour from L.A., and the fire department arrived shortly after the crash was reported. He was pronounced dead at the scene. An investigation into the crash is ongoing.The film star made his debut in the adult film world in 2014 and quickly gained a following online. Soon after his death was announced on social media, there was an outpouring of love for the actor by his fellow adult film stars and his friends. "@LaneVRogers was one of my longest friends in LA, and was such a genuinely kind and caring person. He made everyone around him better, and Im deeply saddened to lose him," one of his friends wrote on X. "I was supposed to see him the day after his passing, life changes so fast and Im grateful that our last conversation was full of the love and friendship we shared. I will miss you so much." (@) Another person who knew him wrote, "I am sad to hear of the passing of my friend @LaneVRogers in a tragic motorcycle accident! Anyone who knew him was lucky enough to know what fearless authenticity was. He was unapologetically himself, something I admired and envied him for! Rest in peace, dear one!"The writer for the adult industry blog, who goes only by Zach, wrote in the post announcing his death about how they had formed a connection with Rogers. "Ive covered Lane Rogers here since his debut as gay porn star Blake Mitchell in 2014, and throughout all that coverage (the awards, the movies, the interviews, the thirst traps, the book tour), never once did I think Id be reporting something this unspeakably tragic," the post reads. "Im not sure if Im in shock or disbelief, or an impossibly fucked up combination of both. I hope to share more later, including reactions from industry colleagues and peers, but right now, these words swirl in my head when I think of Lane: Relentlessly loyal, opinionated, brutally honest yet fair, forgiving, level-headed, hilarious, inquisitive, ethical, and endlessly full of life."Zach ends the post writing, "He so sincerely wanted everyone to be better and saw the good in everyone. He was among the brightest and most ambitious people Ive ever known. Lanes friendship over the last 10 years is one of the greatest gifts that running this website has ever given me."

Everyone would like to believe that the porn they watch is a private matter, but a hacker group just proved that even your most intimate viewing habits could become public. The hacker collective ShinyHunters announced on Tuesday that they stole data belonging to premium customers of adult film website Pornhub and have threatened to publish the private information, Reuters reports. ShinyHunters sent extortion demands to Pornhub which boasts more than 100 million daily visits and 36 billion visits per year claiming that they stole 94GB of data containing over 200 million records of personal information from premium members, the website BleepingComputer first reported. Were demanding a ransom payment in Bitcoin to prevent the publication of [Pornhub] data and delete the data, ShinyHunters told Reuters.Between this and the risk that your smart sex toy can be hacked, its getting harder and harder to keep your sex life private, even if you never leave the comfort of your own home.The data breach didnt come directly from Pornhub, but instead, ShinyHunters hacked into Mixpanel, a company that provided data analytics to Pornhub until 2021.It is important to note this was not a breach of Pornhub Premiums systems. Passwords, payment details and financial information remain secure and were not exposed, the adult film website wrote in a security announcement.The scope of the data breach is not yet known, but Reuters independently verified that at least some of the hacker groups claims are true. ShinyHunters shared data of 14 users of Pornhubs premium services, and the publication was able to match the details of six of those people with information that had been dumped online in a previous data breach.

Anyone else miss lite?Arn Piper won over the hearts of fans around the world for his portrayal of Ander Muoz during the first four seasons of the critically acclaimed Netflix show.Since then, the actor has starred in many other projects and loves to tease his fans with some thirsty content on his social media. His latest shirtless selfie is sending fans into a frenzy, check out the reactions below! (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@)

Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of killing anti-LGBTQ+ Christian Nationalist activist Charlie Kirk at a campus speaking event in September, reportedly said little to friends about transgender issues in the year leading up to Kirks assassination.On Wednesday, The Washington Post published a report based on interviews with 21 people who knew Robinson and hundreds of online messages from the past five years, in which there is little to corroborate the Trump administrations narrative that Robinson had been radicalized by left-wing extremists. According to the Post, friends described a quiet young man who seemed disillusioned with both political parties. Only one person quoted in the Posts story recalled Robinson ever mentioning transgender issues. Related Charlie Kirk shooting suspect told trans roommate he had enough of his hatred As the Post reports, Robinson grew up in a conservative family in predominantly Mormon St. George, Utah. Friends told the paper that as a 17-year-old high school senior in 2020, Robinson took an interest in current events, including the presidential race, but indicated that he felt that both political parties had failed to help regular people in the U.S. High school classmate Xander Luke recalled that Robinson didnt like hateful people and bullies because they looked down on people for just living their lives.Friends also cast Robinson as something of a loner who, according to the Post, made himself hard to know, and seemed to prefer to spend time with friends online even before the Covid 19 lockdowns of spring 2020. The Posts analysis of three Discord chat archives dating back to January 2020 turned up no references to Kirk in messages sent by Robinson, though the paper notes that it is possible for Discord users to delete their own messages and that the archives did not preserve all videos and images that had been posted in the chats. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Former co-workers who worked with Robinson as electrical contractors around St. George after he dropped out of Utah State University following his first semester in the fall of 2021 also spoke with the publication. They said he rarely interacted with them, though he showed interest in one conversation about a co-workers new pistol. At least two friends told the Post that Robinson liked guns.Friends who played the card game Magic: The Gathering with him at his St. George apartment beginning in early 2024 said Robinson came across as libertarian or conservative. He loved his guns, he loved his beer, he hated the government. Thats the impression that I got, one friend told the Post. According to the Post, while Robinson never discussed his sexuality with anyone the paper spoke to, several friends said that he grew close to one of his two roommates, who had been assigned male at birth, around this time, and the two were seen cuddling and kissing around their apartment. My bf is the best, luv u, the roommate reportedly captioned a photo of the two posted to Instagram.Around this same time, the roommate reportedly began coming out as trans to various friends and speaking out about anti-trans sentiment in Utah. They also became increasingly distraught following Donald Trumps reelection in 2024, which they saw as a loss for trans rights.As has been widely reported, this roommate has not been charged in relation to Kirks death and has been cooperating with authorities in the investigation. As the Post notes, according to prosecutors, Robinsons mother has said that he had started to lean more to the left prior to Kirks assassination and had become more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented.But of the 21 people the Post spoke with, only one said that Robinson had begun to criticize right-wing fear-mongering over trans rights after he started dating his roommate. According to the Post, other friends said they noticed no change in his politics and do not recall him ever talking about trans issues.According to the paper, over the course of four video calls from the Utah County Jail, Robinson did not react to or comment on any of the Posts reporting, nor did he respond to messages sent via email.The Posts report somewhat undercuts the narrative that emerged among MAGA influencers and talking heads online in the immediate aftermath of Kirks death that the assassin was motivated by so-called radical transgender ideology. That false narrative quickly spawned an anti-trans disinformation campaign as President Trump and his allies signaled their intention to use Kirks death as a pretext to crack down on organizations that fund progressive causes. The Trump administration has also reportedly discussed a plan in which the FBI would consider transgender suspects as a subset of its Nihilistic Violent Extremists threat category, giving the administration political and media cover to target trans people.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Carl Nassib is sharing a hilarious pre-coming-out NFL story in a newly resurfaced podcast clip from earlier this year.Nassib, a defensive end and linebacker who made history in 2021 as the first active NFL player to come out as gay, was on The Pivot Podcast with hosts and former NFL players Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor, and Channing Crowder when he shared a "hilarious" story about how NFL players subverted his expectations before he came out. (@) In this clip, shared by X account @FBGreatMoments, when asked if the NFL was filled with stereotypical "meatheads" before he came out, Nassib says that actually, he has stories that show the opposite is true.Nassib recalls a game from 2020 in which his Raiders faced his former team, the Browns. The Browns kept running bootleg plays in the opposite direction of Nassib, meaning he had to run all the way across the field each play."They did three bootlegs in a row to start the second half, and I was so mad," Nassib says. "And these are all my former teammates, and so I'm chasing the third one, I said, 'Stop the gay ass bootlegs!'""The entire Browns O-line turns around at me [and says], 'You can't say that!'" Nassib remembers. "And I was like, 'Oh man, the league is ready for this! You know what I mean? They are ready for me! Like, we got some allies here!"As the hosts laughed, Nassib pointed out the irony that he, who was about to come out, was the one who used "gay" pejoratively, and he got "shut down by five massive dudes in stereo."Nassib also acknowledges that he was "ignorant" with his own comments, but jokingly adds, "but stop running boots!"Nassib was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 2016 and also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Las Vegas Raiders.He came out in 2021 while playing for the Raiders, becoming the first active NFL player to do so. He rejoined the Buccaneers for the 2022 season and retired from the league in 2023.

Donald Trump has installed new bronze plaques underneath the White HousesPresidential Walk of Fame that insult former Democratic presidents, The Independent reported.The official portrait of former President Joe Biden has been replaced with an image showing an autopen signing Bidens name. The plaque underneath says: Sleepy Joe was, by far, the worst President in American History taking office as a result of the most corrupt Election ever seen in the United States. The plaque also says Biden had Radical Left handlers, showed devastating weakness, and had a severe mental decline. Related Analyst sums up horrendous Trump approval ratings: Negative, negative,negative, negative The plaque under former President Barack Obama states: One of the most divisive political figures in American History [He] crippled small businesses with crushing regulation [and] spied on the 206 Presidential Campaign of Donald J. Trump. As President, he passed the highly ineffective Unaffordable Care Act, resulting in his party losing control of both Houses of Congress, and the Election of the largest House Republican majority since 1946.Under President Ronald Reagans portrait, the plaque says: Known as The Great Communicator, he was re-elected in a landslide in 1984, and left office with high approval He was a fan of President Donald J. Trump long before President Trumps Historic run for the White House. Likewise, President Trump was a fan of his! Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Ronald Reagan was a fan of President Donald J. Trump long before President Trumps Historic run for the White House. Likewise, President Trump was a fan of his! pic.twitter.com/aQNrCxNfiu Nancy Cordes (@nancycordes) December 17, 2025 The Independent noted, The Trump administration has taken no shame in using its prominence to troll the opponents of Trump through social media, speeches, and other means.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A clout-hungry MAGA city council member in Californias Coachella Valley is using his position as Palm Deserts mayor pro tem to try and divide whats long been a close-knit community of desert cities over the issue of LGBTQ+ rights.Young Republican Joe Pradetto introduced a resolution last week to rewrite the citys Pride resolution to strip it of references to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to bar the city from hanging the Pride banner from City Hall under the guise of government neutrality. Related Ron DeSantis forced this city to remove Pride crosswalks. So it put up Pride bike racks instead. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The proposal rocked the community of cities around Palm Springs, a longtime bastion for LGBTQ+ residents and visitors.Initially slated for review at the councils next meeting in January, the uproar prompted officials to call an emergency session yesterday to debate it.Asked about the urgency, a city spokesperson told the Desert Sun, Scheduling the meeting immediately is how we ensure that transparent consideration happens promptly, rather than leaving the matter unresolved.Longtime councilmember Jan Harnik was more blunt, calling the proposal destructive, and adding We had to act on it immediately.The meeting attracted hundreds from across the Coachella Valley. Nearly everyone who spoke in three and a half hours of public comment denounced Pradettos resolution, saying the proposed change would be harmful to both LGBTQ+ populations in the valley and to the economy of Palm Desert.For queer residents and tourists, this proposal implies youre not welcome in Palm Desert, said Jacob Frick, whos lived with his husband in Palm Desert for 11 years and grew up in a generation filled with homophobia.Even if this proposal doesnt pass today, significant damage has already been done, Frick said.You say Palm Desert is welcoming to everyone, but your actions suggest otherwise, Eugene Williams told Pradetto, after the mayor pro tem spent 15 minutes defending his resolution.The blowback wasnt limited to Democrats. Over the weekend, Republican California Assemblymember Greg Wallis said Pradettos call to ban the Pride banner was a slap in the face to LGBTQ+ residents.One speaker called that description right on the money. Read my statement below on the proposal to cancel Pride Month in Palm Desert. At a time when LGBTQ+ Americans face increasing attacks on their rights and dignity across the nation, our local leaders should stand for inclusion. pic.twitter.com/0YmPhNH3Gl Assemblymember Greg Wallis (@AsmWallis) December 13, 2025Pradettos losing opponent for his council seat, Kathleen Kelly, spoke about the importance of visibility for the community, and the banners place on City Hall during Pride month in November.What does it mean that some of your constituents have pushed back about Pride? he asked, rhetorically. Maybe it means that current policy is important and is working, because that pushback reveals how important it is to celebrate the occasion visibly as a prompt to learn about other peoples experience.A city staff member added to that argument. Stripping the Pride resolution of inclusive language sends a message that visibility itself is something to be withdrawn, said Bobby Keatinge.But Pradetto stood by his proposal, maintaining the citys current policy gets it wrong. The governments role should be as neutral referee, he said.When the government uses public facilities to elevate one group, even with the best of intentions, it creates an implicit priority, Pradetto claimed.The council disagreed, voting down his proposal 4-1. Pradetto was the lone vote in favor.Veteran local news anchor Fred Roggin interviewed Pradetto prior to the meeting, with the MAGA mayor pro tem trying to sell his neutrality argument to one of the gayest populations in the country.Read the room, Roggin said in the intro. A lesson in how media should hold elected officials responsible for bad positions based on fear, hate & creating an "other." @FredRoggin is on @NBCPalmSprings. He confronted the new Palm Desert Mayor Pro Tem about stopping recognition of #PrideMonth.https://t.co/suqNYprSFN Tim Massie (@tcmassie) December 17, 2025Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.