International LGBTQ+ rights advocates are calling for an investigation following a brutal police raid on an LGBTQ+ friendly venue in Azerbaijans capital, Baku, late last month.According to Azerbaijani LGBTQ+ outlet Qy Vaar!, which first reported on the raid, police detained around 106 people at Bakus Labyrinth nightclub. Those detained were reportedly forced to remain outside in freezing temperatures for over 12 hours without warm clothing, water, or access to bathrooms. Related Bidens bold pledge on LGBTQ rights is being tested by Azerbaijan. What will he do? In a December 29 Instagram post, international LGBTQ+ advocacy organization ILGA-Europe reported that police arrived at the venue in buses and detained people in large groups.Kiy Vaara, who was reportedly among those detained, described the experience as traumatic according to Pink News. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today When I close my eyes, I remember the faces of the police like a nightmare, Vaara said. Even though I begged to go to the toilet several times, they wouldnt let me in. In that cold, without a jacket, I peed on my pants, and the urine froze on me.Detainees were later taken to the Nasimi District Police Department, according to Pink News. ILGA-Europe reports that detainees were photographed and fingerprinted, and authorities collected personal data. Detainees also reported physical violence and threats of extortion from police who reportedly demanded bribes in exchange for release and pressured detainees to testify against each other. ILGA-Europe also reported one case of sexual violence. Its unclear why authorities raided the club, or why they detained its patrons. As Pink News notes, homosexuality has been legal in Azerbaijan since 2000. However, ILGA-Europe ranks the country second to last among 49 European countries for its legal and policy practices regarding LGBTQ+ rights. The only country with a worse ranking is Russia.Both Qy Vaar! and ILGA-Europe released statements denouncing the raid.We know the perpetrators. The system that has ignored our rights for years, that does not prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the legislation, that has ousted the LGBTQ+ community from their places and forced them into invisibility, is the main culprit of this violence, an English translation of Qy Vaars statement reads, according to Pink News. The Ministry of Internal Affairs must conduct an urgent, independent and transparent investigation into the allegations of violence, degrading treatment, arbitrary detention, bribery, sexual violence and torture against 106 people detained at the Nasimi District Police Department.ILGA-Europes statement, shared on Instagram, expressed the groups deep concern over the raid. We stand in solidarity with the LGBTI community in Azerbaijan and support our member organisation in Azerbaijan, Qiy Vaars call for an urgent investigation and a public statement by the authorities, the statement read. Human rights and dignity must be upheld for everyone in Azerbaijan. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ILGA-Europe (@ilgaeurope)Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams knows he has a lot on his shoulders playing a gay hockey player.Williams stars as pro hockey star Shane Hollander in the hit Crave/HBO Max show about two on-ice rivals who fall passionately in love while trying to keep their sexualities private. Now, he's opened up about the pressures he felt to get the character, and the show's queer representation, right.Williams was on CNN News Central, where he spoke with anchors John Berman, Kate Bolduan, and Sara Sidner about the show and queer representation in hockey.During the interview, Sidner asked about Harrison Browne, the first trans hockey player in a pro league, who had a cameo on the show. He asked if Williams spoke to Brown about representation when preparing for the role.Williams says he spoke with Browne on set but only later learned "what he means to the community."Williams says it was in conversations with the show's creator, Jacob Tierney, that he figured out how he would approach the subject of his character's sexuality. He says he would talk "with Jacob about the character that he adapted because it was, you know, based on this book."I felt like the specificity was really the thing I just wanted to nail," Williams says. "Because to like try to like comment or understand everything of, you know, trans, gay, you know, bisexual, I was like, OK, no, that's too overwhelming. Let me focus on just this one character."Fans are loving Williams' portrayal of Hollander, making Heated Rivalry one of the most popular shows of 2025. Heated Rivalry has been renewed for a second season.

Christian nationalist hate pastor Joel Webbon invited neo-Nazi influencer Nick Fuentes onto his show, where they both pushed the idea that maybe Adolf Hitler and fascism werent so bad after all. Their conversation is just the latest example of the right-wingers embracing Fuentes and his extremist views.In a recent broadcast, Fuentes said the anti-Nazi phrase never again refers to a mindset that espouses, Never again will we allow a Hitler to come to power and to [cause] a Holocaust against the Jews or the gypsies or the gays or the disabled or whoever you know, the enemies of the state. Related Tucker Carlson says he can coddle neo-Nazis on his show because youre not the boss of him Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Fuentes called it a founding myth that opposition to Hitlers totalitarian fascism, his genocidal death camps, and deadly worldwide militarism necessitates a society where tolerance, multiracialism, religious pluralism has to be the new doctrine.What [believers of this myth] work out, basically is we cannot have an exclusionary nationalism, cannot have the kind of unity that they had in Nazi Germany they say is what created that the kind of pride in race nation, God that kind of cohesion that leads necessarily to exclusion, necessarily to persecution, Fuentes told Webbon. Webbon called it the post-war consensus that the answer to why America cant have nice things is because Hitler. In this case, nice things probably refers to Christian Nationalism.Webbon then said that Hollywood films over the last 80 years have put a lot of money, a lot of time, a lot of writing, a lot of effort has gone into, you know, to really building upon, you know, and solidifying this myth that that Hitler was the worst person to ever live, and the fascism is the scariest thing that theres ever been. I just dont find it compelling that hes the worst guy ever, you know.Webbon then said he believes the atrocities of the Holocaust were probably not as bad as weve been told, and that Hitler didnt even know necessarily some of the things that were going on. In June 2024, Webbon went off ondegenerate gays, saying that death, as a maximum penalty, would act as a deterrent to homosexuality. He also heartily agreed with a guest that17% of gay men regularly eat feces.Webbon has also previously said that Black civil rights leaderMartin Luther King Jr. is in Helland that racist, slave-owning Confederate leaders are in Heaven.Fuentes hasreferredto Black people as n-words, said that the GOP is run by Jews, atheists, and homosexuals, describedAdolfHitleras really fu**ing cool, has cast doubt that the Holocaust happened, said perfidious Jews must be given the death penalty after we take power,and said, A lot of womenwant to be raped They want a guy tobeat the s**t out of them.The leader of the massively influential GOP think tank, the Heritage Foundation, called Fuentes a friend to Republicans after right-wing broadcaster Tucker Carlson held a softball interview with Fuentes without challenging any of his extremist views. President Trump also dined with Fuentes in 2022.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Rightwing media is reporting that the Trump administration is considering printing a $250 bill with Donald Trumps face on it. This is the second plan from the White House to put Trump on currency, even though only dead people are traditionally memorialized on money in the U.S. Trump is still alive. Related Psychologist explains why Trump is enraged by reports on his health U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach told the rightwing Daily Caller that he wants Trump on a $250 bill because the U.S.s 250th anniversary is this year.When Trump appointed me to the job, I told him I wanted to do a $250 bill with his picture on the 250 birthday celebration, Beach said, adding that its currently illegal to put a living presidents face on paper money. 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 Now weve got a bill in the House, but its got to be passed by law, Beach continued. If it is, then we will do the $250 with his picture on it. In December, Beach said that he wanted to mint a dollar coin with Trumps face on it. Its technically not illegal to put a sitting presidents face on coins, as monarchies and dictatorships often do with their leaders.Congressional Democrats introduced a bill to ban the U.S. Mint from making any currency with the likeness of a living or sitting President. Since Republicans control both chambers of Congress and Trump himself is president the bill is unlikely to pass. Beach snarked that Democrats were so triggered by the proposed coin celebrating our nations 250th anniversary that they are trying to recklessly change law to block it.Beach told the Daily Caller that the Mint is moving forward with the Trump coin and that were going to put some kind of eagle or something on the back. He cant be on both sides. He can only be on the front, but its going to be a beautiful coin.Beach said that he believes the Republican Congress will pass a bill to legalize the Trump $250 bill, which was introduced last year by Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) in the House.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A professor at Texas A&M University was allegedly told to stop teaching Plato in an introductory philosophy course because of the schools new policy banning the teaching of gender ideology.Prof. Martin Peterson shared emails with the website Daily Nous detailing orders he received from administration to remove the modules based on race ideology and gender ideology and the Plato readings that may include these. These are readings from Platos Symposium, specifically from Aristophanes story about the origin of love and Diotimas ladder of love, which include discussions of love between people of the same sex. Related The president tried to bribe colleges into ending trans rights. Most have said no. The Daily Nous says that Peterson was contacted in December to review his syllabus for his Contemporary Moral Problems class and that the College leadership team discussed the inclusion of the offending Plato text. An email from Philosophy Department Chair Kristi Sweet refers to the schools Board of Regents policy banning courses that Advocate race or gender ideology or topics related to sexual orientation or gender identity without prior written approval of the member CEO. Her email says that some upper-level classes can discuss sexual orientation or gender identity if they can prove the necessary educational purpose, but the Contemporary Moral Problems class is introductory, so it gets no such exemption. 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 rules she is referring to were passed unanimously in November by the Board of Regents and restrict discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in university classrooms, ban professors from straying from their approved syllabi, create a database for AI to crawl through in search of banned content, and set up a hotline for students to report what they consider inaccurate or misleading course content. The new rules, which were immediately criticized for censoring professors and limiting academic freedom, came just after there was a controversy involving an education professor at Texas A&M who discussed gender fluidity in books with her students. A student confronted the professor, saying that the books promote something that is against our presidents laws, as well as against my religious beliefs, and posted videos of her protests in a 23-part social media thread, drawing attention from Republican lawmakers in the state. CAUGHT ON TAPE, Texas state Rep. Brian Harrison (R) posted on social media at the time. TEXAS A&M STUDENT KICKED OUT OF CLASS AFTER OBJECTING TO TRANSGENDER INDOCTRINATION and A&M President defends LGBTQ Studies.At the time, the professors discussion didnt violate any university rules, but it may now violate the Board of Regents new rules.Prof. Peterson wrote back to the department chair and said that his academic freedom is being violated by the new rules that ban certain Plato texts from being taught in college-level philosophy classes. He noted that the readings were connected to a lecture on sexual morality, that these topics are commonly covered in this type of course nationwide, and that they are included in the assigned textbook for the course. Please note that my course does not advocate any ideology; I teach students how to structure and evaluate arguments commonly raised in discussions of contemporary moral issues, he wrote. If you interpret System Rule 08.01 2.1(b) as prohibiting these topics, I would like to remind you that the U.S. Constitution protects my course content. Texas A&M is a public institution bound by the First Amendment. The Supreme Court has noted that academic freedom is a special concern of the First Amendment, which does not tolerate laws that cast a pall of orthodoxy over the classroom.'Artistophanes myth about the origin of love posits that humans used to have two heads, two sets of arms, and two sets of legs. They rolled around doing cartwheels with two halves and had three sexes: those that were male on both sides, those that were female on both sides, and those that were male and female. These people were too powerful and tried to climb Olympus, so Zeus split them in two, creating modern humans. They now search for their other half to feel whole again. This is meant to be an explanation for why people feel love today and why some people are gay and others are straight, although it may have been intended as an absurd joke for ancient readers.The Ladder of Love comes from Socrates speech in the Symposium and uses a ladder as a symbol for different types of love, where the lowest rung is physical attraction to a particular beautiful body and the highest is love of beauty itself, an everlasting loveliness which neither comes nor goes, which neither flowers nor fades.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Jodie Foster recalls seeing a lot of herself in fellow queer actor Kristen Stewart when they worked together early in Stewart's career.Foster who was nominated for an Oscar for Nyad and won an Emmy for True Detective: Night Country in 2024, and is starring in a new French film, A Private Life sat down for an interview with Variety, where she was asked to match some of her famous movie quotes with the projects they're from.In the interview, Foster was asked about the 2002 thriller Panic Room and what it was like to work with Stewart on the movie. Panic Room, directed by David Fincher, stars Foster and Stewart as a mother and daughter who must hide in a panic room when their new home is invaded by three men. It was Stewart's third film in her career, and one of her first big breaks."The second I met Kristen Stewart, I was like, 'Oh, she's my mini-me.' I just absolutely loved her."Foster recalled how she came onto the film as a last-minute replacement for Nicole Kidman, "like a week before filming.""And so, there was just something just amazing that I had just kind of fallen into this role where I got to be Kristen's mom," Foster says. "And then we seemed so alike. We had the same haircut! I spent so much time with this kid at 11 years old in this tiny little room that was 8 feet by 14 feet, and I have never enjoyed being stuck in a closet with a person as much as with Kristen Stewart as a kid."Foster said the two would talk about music, and that Stewart thought U2 was a "boy band.""I always was like, 'she's gonna be so great when she grows up. But she's not gonna be an actor, right? Because she doesn'thave that personality. She's not somebody who wants to put a lampshade on her head, and she doesn't want to sing for Grandma or be the center of attention.""So, I'm still shocked to this day that she's an actor. But now she's a director, so who knows, she might be moving into her hyphenate."Speaking of the closet, Stewart formally came out in 2017 during a monologue on Saturday Light Live. In her Variety cover story, Foster also addressed her famous 2013 Golden Globes speech that many took as a coming out."It was really important that it be so literary," Foster says of the speech and her references to her ex-partner Cydney Bernard, because I knew that it would be chopped up, misinterpreted. I wanted there to be a document for 20 years from now, my kids to go back to."Watch the interview below.

Mary Trump, a clinical psychologist and the lesbian niece of President Donald Trump, criticized the president for ignoring the U.S. Capitol police officers who were injured or killed during the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riots, which the president encouraged by telling his followers to fight like Hell to help him overturn the stolen election.Donald spared no thought at all for officers who were injured and the five who lost their lives as a direct result of his insurrection, Mary Trump wrote in a recent post. The amount of trauma those officers, as well as members of Congress, and others in the Capitol suffered on that day was exacerbated in the aftermath of the insurrection when the Capitol police officers were betrayed by their government. Related Enough to make you weep: White House shares dystopian January 6th timeline drenched in propaganda After Donald Trumps Stop the Steal rally,Trump encouraged his followers to march to the U.S. Capitol, where they then incited an attempted insurrection.When I initially heard that Donald had planned to walk to the Capitol as well, I didnt believe it. He is a physical coward and there is no way he would have put himself in any kind of danger, Mary Trump wrote. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Five people died during the attempted coup, and roughly 140 police officers were injured. The injuries included a broken spine, a lost eye, lost fingers, brain damage, and multiple cases of PTSD. While ransacking the Capitol, therioters chanted Hang Mike Pence, shattered windows while trying to access congressional chambers, smeared feces in a hallway, and stole computer equipment, potentially constituting a national security breach. Trump pardoned all rioters earlier this year. Mary Trump noted that U.S. Capitol Officer Brian Sicknick suffered two strokes hours after two men sprayed him with a powerful chemical irritant and that four other officers who served that day died by suicide in the days and months following the event.Now, the Republican Party acts as if none of it happened, she added. It is as if those police officers did not risk their lives, did not suffer grievous injuries, did not have their lives and careers upended while protecting the people who have since turned their backs on them. As Donald and the cowards in the Republican Party would have us believe, the real heroes in this story, the true patriots, are the insurrectionists.During all of this, Donald did nothing except watch the events he put into motion on television. He was urged by those in his inner circle to do something to defuse the situation, not realizing he was getting exactly what he wanted. Those insurrectionists, the people in that mob, were fighting forhim; they were fighting to restore him to a presidency he believed belonged to him because he was incapable of accepting the truth and, at least to a degree, had come to believe his lie. Mary Trump then criticized congressional Republicans for choosing to protect the one man who has done more to weaken our institutions and destroy our constitutional order rather than punish the rioters and the president who riled them into insurrection.In the years since that horrific day, the corporate media, along with the Republican Party, Donald, and his inner circle, have done Yeomans work in trying to normalize the greatest betrayal of this country since the Civil War, she wrote.We cannot allow that to stand. It is up to us to remember how many people were involved in protecting our Capitol and the people in it, how many people tried desperately to hold the insurrectionists to account, and how much damage has been done by Donald and the Republicans in Congress not only to our democracy, but to our sense as Americans of what our country stands for.We must remember the lengths they have gone to to undermine the American peoples faith in free and fair elections, in the rule of law, and in justice of any kind, she concluded. We are the keepers of these memories, and we can never allow the memory of that tragic, horrific, treasonous day to fade.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Unless youve been living under a rock, you probably know that there is some drama going on between two former Disney Channel stars and a now-infamous mom group.But what exactly happened between early 2000s It girls Ashley Tisdale and Hilary Duff, and why cant people on the internet get enough of the drama?It all started when Tisdale, a mom of two young daughters, detailed her experience with a toxic friendship group of fellow moms in a candid personal essay for The Cut on January 1. (@) "When I became a mom, I craved connection almost as much as I craved sleep. So I did what a lot of us do. I joined a mom group," Tisdale wrote. "But heres the thing nobody prepared me for: Mom groups can turn toxic. Not because the moms themselves are toxic people, but because the dynamic shifts into an ugly place with mean-girl behavior. I know this from personal experience."The scathing critique didnt name names, but people on the internet were quick to point out that it was likely the group of celebrity moms that Tisdale was frequently photographed with, which includes Meghan Trainor, Mandy Moore, and Hilary Duff. Some internet sleuths even noticed that Tisdale no longer follows Moore or Duff on Instagram.Things just got messier from there. People on Reddit have reported that Duffs estranged sister is rumored to have liked The Cuts post about Tisdales article on Instagram, and now Duffs husband has entered the fray, posting a snarky response to the drama. (@) Matthew Koma took to his Instagram Stories to post a mocking faux-The Cut cover with a photo of himself and the headline, A mom group tell all through a fathers eyes: When Youre the Most Self-Obsessed Tone Deaf Person on Earth, Other Moms Tend to Shift Focus To Their Actual Toddlers.Not only has the messy drama been written about endlessly this week, but social media has been busy skewering everyone involved! (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@)

Happy New Year, Benito Skinner!The heartthrob is known for serving up a sexy selfie from time to time and his latest thirst trap is no exception.The Overcompensating actor is clearly hitting the gym and embracing his chest hair as 2026 kicks off, so fans naturally went wild on social media over the new pic. Check out the highlights below! (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@)

Gay Trump administration official Ric Grenell is raging over the latest performer to withdraw from the Kennedy Centers lineup after the president named the once-revered cultural institution after himself in December.Bla Fleck, the 18-time Grammy-winning folk artist, pulled the plug on his appearance with the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) on Tuesday, citing a charged political atmosphere following Trumps takeover of the venue. Related Ric Grenell is under Senate investigation for corrupt dealings at the Kennedy Center I have withdrawn from my upcoming performance with the NSO at The Kennedy Center. Performing there has become charged and political, at an institution where the focus should be on the music, Fleck said in a statement. I look forward to playingwith the NSO another time in the future when we can together share and celebrate art.Grenell blasted Fleck in response, mocking the artists explanation and accusing him of the very same behavior thats undermined the centers mission since Trump took charge. 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 You just made it political and caved to the woke mob who wants you to perform for only Lefties, Grenell posted to X.This mob pressuring you will never be happy until you only play for Democrats. The Trump Kennedy Center believes all people are welcome Democrats and Republicans and people uninterested in politics. We want performers who arent political who simply love entertaining everyone regardless of who they voted for, Grenell continued.Grenell posted his screed about Fleck on Tuesday, just an hour before reposting the same post again.Like Trump, Grenell spends his time in his official capacity leading the arts institution denouncing the previous regime with claims it left the Kennedy Center in a shambles. You just made it political and caved to the woke mob who wants you to perform for only Lefties. This mob pressuring you will never be happy until you only play for Democrats.The Trump Kennedy Center believes all people are welcome Democrats and Republicans and people https://t.co/vA3WLwFU03 Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) January 7, 2026Fleck was clear that its the president and his followers who have imposed the politics on the formerly bipartisan arts institution.It has become less and less a musically and artistically based situation and more of a highly politicized and divisive one, Fleck told The New York Times. This pushes against the deepest motivations of why I want to be a musician.Among other artists to cancel at the Kennedy Center are singer Issa Rae, Pulitzer Prize winner Rhiannon Giddens, Peter Wolf, Low Cut Connie, and the Gay Mens Chorus of Washington, D.C.In June, Lin-Manuel Miranda pulled the entire Kennedy Center run of the historical musical Hamilton from the venues lineup. Grenell accused the producers of working with Democratic Senators and the New York Times to boycott the Kennedy Center, refusing to perform for audience members who dont share their personal politics, and cosplay as victims of intolerance. In another X attack on a user highlighting the wave of withdrawals under the Trump loyalists watch, Grenell called the cancellations old news.The artists who are now canceling shows were booked by the previous far-left leadership. Their actions prove that the previous team was more concerned about booking far-left political activists rather than artists willing to perform for everyone regardless of their political beliefs. Boycotting the Arts to show you support the Arts is a form of derangement syndrome. The arts are for everyone and the left is mad about it, Grenell whined.In December, Grenell announced the so-called Trump-Kennedy Center is suing jazz artist Chuck Redd for breach of contract after Redd withdrew from a New Years Eve show. Grenell called Redd a nobody and asked for $1 million in damages. Grenell has become increasingly unhinged since Senate Democrats announced an investigation in November into his leadership of the center, where ticket sales have plummeted since Trumps takeover.Contracts, invoices, and facility use agreements reveal that you operate the Center for the enrichment of your friends and acquaintances, to dole out political favors, and as a playground for the President of the United States and his allies, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) wrote in a letter to Grenell informing him of the investigation.The Center is being looted to the tune of millions of dollars in foregone revenue, cancelled programming, unpaid use of its facilities, and wasteful spending on luxury restaurants and hotels an unprecedented pattern of self-dealing, favoritism, and waste, Whitehouse wrote. Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Viral video footage shows a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officerlethally shooting Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis woman,on Wednesday morning as she tried to drive her car away from ICE agents telling her to open the f**king car door so they can apprehend her. Good, who was married to a woman, ended up crashing her car into an electric pole and other cars. She was later transported from the scene of the shooting and died in the hospital.The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has claimed that the officer fired defensive shots at Good after she was attempting to run over him and other agents in an attempt to kill them an act of domestic terrorism. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has called the DHS claim bulls**t, calling the agents actions reckless and telling ICE to get the f**k out of Minneapolis. Related Trumps firehose attacks make resistance difficult. These queer student activists wont surrender. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today They killed my wife. I dont know what to do, Goods wife said through tears infootage taken soon after the shooting. We stopped to videotape [ICE activity], and they shot her in the head.Goods mother, Donna Ganger,toldtheMinnesota Star Tribune, She was probably terrified, adding that her daughter has never protested against ICE agents. Renee was one of the kindest people Ive ever known, Ganger added. She was extremely compassionate. Shes taken care of people all her life. She was loving, forgiving and affectionate. She was an amazing human being.In a social media post, the president claimed that Good was a professional agitator who viciously ran over the ICE officer. He blamed the shooting on the Radical Left. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem praised the officer, adding,This goes to show the assaults that our ICE officers and law enforcement are under every single day.Hundreds of supporters attended a vigil this evening in support of Good. While the U.S. Justice Department will never criminally charge the agent who killed Good, the agent could potentially be prosecuted after the current president leaves office, and state prosecutors could potentially charge the officer responsible with a homicide crime, if they found the shooting to be legally unjustified. Weve dreaded this moment since the early stages of this ICE presence in Minneapolis, Mayor Frey said in a Wednesday press conference. Having seen the video of myself, I want to tell everybody directly that [the DHS claim of self defense] bulls**t. This was an agent recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying, getting killed.I have a message for ICE. To ICE, get the f**k out of Minneapolis, Frey continued. We do not want you here. Your stated reason for being in this city is to create some kind of safety, and you are doing exactly the opposite. People are being hurt. Families are being ripped apart. Long-term Minneapolis residents that have contributed so greatly to our city, to our culture, to our economy, are being terrorized, and now somebody is dead. Thats on you, and its also on you to leave.Frey urged residents not to respond in any ways that would encourage the federal government to send a military crackdown in response. During a press conference, Gov. Tim Walz (D) called the shooting as preventable and unnecessary.[The presidential] administrations dangerous, sensationalizewd operations are a threat to our public safety, Walz continued. What were seeing is the consequences of governance designed to generate fear, headlines, and conflict. Its governing by reality TV. And today that recklessness caused someone their life.Weve been warning for weeks that the Trump Administrations dangerous, sensationalized operations are a threat to public safety. Governor Tim Walz (@governorwalz.mn.gov) 2026-01-07T22:57:40.520ZIn a statement toThe Advocate, Human Rights CampaignpresidentKelley Robinsonwrote, Today, a woman was senselessly killed in Minneapolis during an ICE action a brutal reminder that this agency and the Trump regime put every community at risk, spreading fear instead of safety. Reports that she may have been part of the LGBTQ+ community underscore how often the most vulnerable pay the highest price.Her family and the people of Minneapolis deserve a full investigation, real accountability, and decisive action, Robinson added. And we must remove ICE and their terror from all our communities before even more preventable violence occurs.Minnesota State Rep.Leigh Finke (D), the states first outtransgenderlegislator,called Goods killing devastating and placed responsibility for her killing upon the federal government. My reaction is one of great sadness. For those of us here in Minnesota whove been seeing what these federal agents ICE, CBP, others have been doing and how theyve been treating our communities and our neighbors, something like this felt very possible. But weve just had so many tragedies here. Waking up to this news was heartbreaking. Its terrible. Its one too many of these things.That kind of influx of law enforcement, often untrained young people coming in with a mandate to kidnap neighbors and abduct people and deport them, violence is the only way that something like that can go at some point or another,Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

As a kid, Destiny's Child was my En Vogue (IYKYK). From the moment I heard the first beat of "No, No, No Part 2," I became an instant fan. And if Destiny's Child raised you, too, this is your sign!The enduring legacy of the hit 90s group takes center stage in Destiny's Child: Iconic Reimagined Tour. "Say My Name," "Survivor," "Independent Women," and more are played in a bold, candlelit concert experience celebrating one of the music industry's greatest groups as played by a live string quarter.I sat down with Mathew Knowles, Beyonc and Solange's father, to discuss the upcoming show and the significant impact of Destiny's Child.Marie-Adlina de la Ferrire: Take us back to 1990. Did you have any idea how massive Destiny's Child would become?Mathew Knowles: I became involved when Destiny's Child, then known as Girl's Tyme, lost on Star Search. That's when I went back to school to learn more about the music industry. Coming from corporate America, I realized that success is not based solely on talent, but on passion, a strong work ethic, and a commitment to excellence. With those ingredients, along with exceptional talent and the right team, Destiny's Child could be the number-one female group of all time. That was always the goal, which was achieved.What did "success" look like to you back then?Success back then began with failure and the realization that those failures were opportunities to grow and improve.When did you first realize Destiny's Child was more than just a talented group but a global phenomenon?They worked very hard and became better with practice and performance. No gig was too small at the beginning, and I could see they wanted success.Tell us more about the upcoming tour.The Destiny's Child Iconic Reimagined Tribute celebrates the hits of Destiny's Child through the elegance of a string quintet, surrounded by thousands of candles, and pays a powerful homage to empowerment, harmony, and legacy. It becomes a moment to reimagine and to feel.If you could pick one Destiny's Child song that best represents the group's message of empowerment and unity, which is it and why?"Survivor," because it speaks about the journey of life and not the destination. It speaks to not giving up when others may not believe, to surviving life's obstacles and outcomes, and to overcoming challenges.Beyonc becoming a billionaire is a milestone. When you think back to her early years, what do you remember doing or teaching that helped plant the seeds for that level of cultural impact?Find your passion, work hard, reach for the stars, treat others with kindness, and never forget where you've come from.Destiny's Child: Iconic Reimagined Tribute kicks off its nationwide tour on January 9th with performances in Houston, Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C., and Miami, with additional cities to be announced. For tickets and more information, visit: DestinysChild.com.

Every year, the New Year's Eve broadcasts on the major networks like CNN and NBC are the same: the stations show thousands of people packed body-to-body in the middle of Times Square in New York City to watch the ball drop. Once the countdown is finished and the new year begins, confetti is dropped on the crowd, and the cameras pan to couples kissing while Frank Sinatras New York, New York plays in the background. This year, one of the first couples featured during the broadcast was a gay couple, Ricky Locci and DJ Petrosino, who embraced on national television.The two went to Times Square for New Years Eve on a whim to celebrate Loccis first year in NYC and were spotted by a production assistant who asked them if they wanted to kiss on TV. The couple, whove been together for a little over a year, agreed, put on the mandatory Planet Fitness sponsored hats, waited for the countdown, and, just like that, became a viral moment online. (@) A conservative X account called @EndWokeness clipped their kiss, and at the time of publication, the video has over 14 million views. A woman named Tara also uploaded a video of ESPN's SportsCenter host Scott Van Pelt reacting to seeing two men kiss on television that clip got over 10 million views on Instagram. See on Instagram We got a lot of love, not just some people we knew, but people all over the internet that just appreciated it, Locci tells Out in an interview a few days after their viral moment. And then we got a lot of hate. The couple said that they received messages and saw comments that were left under the videos of people saying that theyd be stoned or accused them of pushing propaganda and corrupting children.Both Locci and Petrosino were excited about the opportunity to share their love on such a large platform and reveled in their newfound attention after they left Times Square to meet up with some friends at a piano bar. While there, their kiss played on the television, and their friends told the other patrons it was them, and everyone cheered. The support they've gotten is the thing they'll take away from this whole experience. See on Instagram "Given our political climate right now, I think any kind of visibility is important. Even if we think it's already been said and already been out there, I don't think we can [push for visibility] enough," Petrosino says.His partner adds that New Yorkers admittedly sometimes live in a bubble, and there isn't much fear of retribution for being outwardly queer. For Locci, the positive reaction they've reminds him of how much it means to people who don't live in the city or who may not live in blue states/cities. The homophobia and the hateful rhetoric that were spewed at them started to affect them, Locci says, "but the actual moment was pretty phenomenal," and it was "such a special moment" because they're happy to continue to share and promote any representation they can.

Rachel Reid, author of the Game Changers series of novels that inspired the Heated Rivalry TV show starring Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander and Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov, has broken her silence on fans who speculated about her own sexuality and whether she would "have the right to write" these books about male hockey players who are gay/bisexual/queer and in the closet.During the latest episode of the I've Never Said This Before podcast, which featured an interview with Reid, host Tommy DiDario asked the Heated Rivalry author the signature question of the show: "What is one thing that you've never said before that you want to share today?""Oh, boy!" Reid replied. "The thing that I haven't said before, and I'm gonna say it carefully, is that I think I've seen a lot of talk online about my own sexuality, and that of members of my family as well. And some stuff is stated as fact, and some stuff is speculated. I've never said I don't talk publicly about my personal life for the sake of my family, and my children, and, you know, privacy."Reid continued, "But the thing I haven't said, that I think is important to me, is that I don't think it ultimately matters, because what I'm writing is I'm not a man, and I'm not a gay man, and I'm not a bisexual man. That's who I'm writing about. I don't think that the people that I am attracted to, at this stage in my life, gives me like any kind of credibility to write about gay men or bisexual men. So, as much as I know people want to know, I don't think it ultimately matters.""I would not ever, like, try to use my sexuality as a way of being like, 'See, I have the right to write these books,' because I don't think that that's how it works," Reid added. "It's like, you have to just be sensitive and thoughtful when you approach these books, [or] whatever you're writing. And, I don't know, that's a complicated now I'm saying way too much but yeah, basically those are the thoughts I've had the last few weeks when suddenly these kinds of questions are being asked about me." DiDario agreed, "I think that's really valid, and I think that's an important point too, because I think everybody has the ability to create the art that they want. They can write, or sing, or direct, or do whatever they want. I mean, tell any type of story they want. That's the freedom everybody has. It doesn't matter, at the end of the day, who you're sleeping with, or who you're not sleeping with. I think it's become such a focus on that, especially with actors and artists, and it's like, you've gotta separate the work from the human. It's a different thing.""Yeah, criticize the work," Reid responded. "Criticize the person making it if they deserve it, but criticize the work first."The I've Never Said This Before host added some context about how the overnight success of the Heated Rivalry TV show contributed to this wild reality that Reid is experiencing. "What a lesson you've had to kind of learn and face lately being thrown into the popularity of what this book series has become with the show," DiDario explained. "You're like, 'Suddenly people are wondering about my life.'""Yeah, no, it's definitely weird, because authors, generally, we don't like to be looked at," Reid replied.Fans can listen to Rachel Reid's full interview on I've Never Said This Before With Tommy DiDario on iHeart and all other podcast streaming services. The full video portion of the interview comes out Friday, January 9, on the show's YouTube channel.

The older I become, the more I notice how many people stop looking. They keep seeing, of coursethe eyes still take in the databut the gaze narrows to the familiar. They've memorized the route, the headlines, the dinner order. Curiosity gets mistaken for indulgence, and wonder for navet. I can't abide that contraction. I don't want to retreat into certainty. I want to keep misreading the world just enough to stay awake.The quiet glamour of aging, if there is such a thing, begins in the willingness to stay porous. I am not standing at the edge of life observing its current; I'm still in the river, waist-deep, shoes ruined, laughing at how cold it can be even in July.I used to think participation meant noise: presence proved by decibels, applause, a crowded calendar. Now I understand that staying involved can be quieter and far more deliberate. It means choosing engagement that fills my cup rather than drains; conversation over conquest, observation over commentary. When I walk through the city, I make a point to look longer than politeness requires: at scaffolding draped in green mesh, at an old woman's orange umbrella, at teenagers rehearsing some new rhythm of affection. I'm not studying them, but remembering what attention feels like when it isn't monetized.The world hums differently when you let it.Curiosity, at this stage, is no longer about collecting experiences. It's about refusing to become a closed system. Every question I still ask keeps the air moving inside me. The cynic calls this sentimentality. I call it maintenance. To remain curious in a cynical culture is an act of radical tenderness. It means expecting freshness where others assume repetition. It means believing that surprise still belongs to us. I've begun treating curiosity as etiquette: a way of saying to another human being, you still interest me. I ask the server how long she's worked here, the neighbor what song he's humming, the young man on the train what fragrance he's wearing. It's not small talk; it's a way of holding the present open a few seconds longer.Queer people have always lived by our attention. We learned early how to notice. The coded glance, the extra beat in a sentence, the room we might not leave safely. Our perception was once armor. It has since evolved into art. That training remains our quiet advantage. We are fluent in subtext and can read the atmosphere like a score. Aging only sharpens that literacy. The stakes are lower now, but the depth is greater. We can sense the tremor beneath a friend's practiced calm, the ache inside a joke, the beauty in an unremarkable afternoon. I've stopped framing queerness as reinvention and begun to see it as interpretation. The lifelong act of translating constraint into possibility.That skill doesn't age. It refines.Glamour, once mistaken for spectacle, has matured into presence. It's how one moves through noise without losing the signal. There's glamour in comprehension and the way someone listens fully before replying. There's glamour in refusal, and the elegant no that protects what's essential. And there's glamour in endurancethe steady continuation of curiosity even when the world turns inward. I used to equate visibility with validation.Now I recognize the subtle thrill of being part of the background that makes another's brilliance visible. Quiet glamour is not humility; it's mastery of focus. It's knowing how to aim your attention so precisely that meaning sharpens wherever you look.We talk about "settling down" as though stillness were the goal of a life well-lived. I prefer the idea of settling in, be that craft, community, or conversation, into the work of adding dimension to the day. I mentor writers half my age who are impatient for arrival. I tell them the point isn't to arrive but to keep developing taste. The world keeps revising; so must we. Aging isn't an edit; it's a co-authorship. Every time I learn something that undoes what I thought I knew, I feel the rush of being both student and witness. That's the nearest thing to immortality I can imagine: the capacity to be surprised again.The longer I live, the less I mistake withdrawal for wisdom. Observation means little if it doesn't return to the commons. I cook for friends even when the table wobbles. I attend readings, still curious about what language can do in other mouths. I donate, vote, correct pronouns gently, and remember birthdays sloppily but sincerely. None of this is heroism. It's a continuation. To participate, however modestly, is to declare: the world is unfinished, and so am I.Im practicing a slower attention now, the way a painter studies light on unremarkable objects. The practice isnt nostalgia; its calibration. To age curiously is to stay apprenticed to such detailsthe world keeps offering instruction if were willing to notice that the lesson doesnt always announce itself.I've stopped asking what I still have in common with youth and started asking what youth might learn from constancy. We are all temporary, but some of us have learned how to last beautifully by remaining in dialogue with change rather than defending against it. When someone younger calls me "sir" in that half-teasing, half-reverent way, I smile. Not because it flatters, but because it locates me in time: a witness still visible enough to be addressed. The work now is to meet the future with mannersto greet it, even when it arrives uninvited, and say, sit down. Tell me everything.I no longer measure life by its mirrors but by its intersections: how many rooms I've entered still willing to listen, and how many people I've met without the script ready. The quiet glamour of aging curiously is not about grace, endurance, or survival. It's about remaining in rehearsal with the world, alert to the next cue, and delighted by the possibility that we might still miss it. Then laugh, and catch the rhythm again. And when that rhythm shiftsas it always doesI intend to keep dancing, unhurried, curious, entirely awake.Clayton H. Eccard writes from New York, tracing the intersections of memory, reinvention, and queer attention. His essays explore how aging, curiosity, and beauty inform one another in a world still learning how to see us fully. He believes wonder remains the most radical cosmetic of all.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.

Not every gay TV character is gay from the start...Some gay characters are out before we even meet them. Others have big, important coming-out episodes early in their storylines. But for some, it can take years, or even decades, before they officially come out of the closet.Whether these characters were always planned to come out, started out as homophobic jokes, or grew to be seen as gay, they all took their time to come out. Here are 13 TV characters who took years from their first appearances to come out.Will Byers - 'Stranger Things'Fans suspected Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) might be queer early on in Stranger Things, and many picked up on the fact that he had a crush on his best friend, Mike. However, it wasn't until season 4 of the show that his sexuality was explored in depth. In the fifth and final season, Will comes out to his friends and helps save the world.Viktor Hargreeves - 'The Umbrella Academy'The first two seasons of the supernatural, comic-based series The Umbrella Academy were filmed before Elliot Page came out as trans, so his character is portrayed as a woman in those episodes. However, when the actor came out and transitioned, the show's creator, Steve Blackman, decided to write his transition into the show, make Viktor Hargreeves transition as well, and have him come out to his family in the third season.Valencia - 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend'When we first meet Valencia (Gabrielle Ruiz) in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, she's dating Josh Chan. This, of course, makes her Rebecca's number one enemy, as Rebecca moved to West Covina, California, just to be with Josh. She's portrayed as the "cool girlfriend," but eventually joins Rebecca's group of friends. In season 3, she meets party planner Beth (Emma Willmann), and the two begin a business and romantic relationship.Petra - 'Jane the Virgin'Petra Solano (Yael Grobglas) was a villain and antagonist to Jane on this American telenovela for several seasons and had relationships with several men, including Rafael. However, in season 4, she was accused of murdering her sister and grew close to one of her lawyers, JR (Rosario Dawson). Soon, the two fall in love and end up together.Buck - '9-1-1'For the first 99 episodes of this popular first-responder drama, many fans hoped that Evan "Buck" Buckley (Oliver Stark) was gay, often shipping him with his best friend and fellow firefighter Eddie (Ryan Guzman). Finally, on the show's 100th episode, Buck struggles with feelings of jealousy when Eddie gets closer to another firefighter named Tommy, only to realize he's got feelings for Tommy.Colin Hughes - 'Ted Lasso'Colin Hughes is a left wing for AFC Richmond, the team Ted Lasso coaches, and for the first two seasons, his sexuality is unknown (although he does comment that the team's sponsor Bantr is spelled like gay-hookup app Grindr). In the third episode of the third season, viewers found out that he is gay when his love interest, Michael, was introduced. Later, one of Colin's teammates, Isaac, finds out he's gay, and then Colin comes out to his entire team.Aiden - 'General Hospital'On the December 20, 2023 episode of General Hospital, Elizabeth Webber was in the kitchen baking with her son Aiden when he confessed to her that he has a crush on someone. Actually, his name is Tobias, he said. Four years ago on the show, Aidens mom and family started suspecting he was gay because of his love of baking and princesses. Now, half a decade later, he got to come out on his own terms.Stewie - 'Family Guy'Since the beginning of the show, fans have laughed at Stewie in Family Guy for being a gay baby, but his sexuality was never confirmed. Then, in 2018, nearly twenty years after the first episode aired, Stewie finally addressed it in an episode where he was talking to his psychologist (voiced by out actor Ian McKellen). Im not gay, Stewie tells his doctor. This whole thing isnt because Im gay so calm down, I can already see you licking your chops. Im sure you live for the coming out sessions.If anything Im less gay than I used to be, he continued, making a meta-joke about how some of the shows more blatant homophobia has been left in the past. Not that anybody at this school would care. But do I think Grant Gustin and I would make the most adorable Instagram couple? Yes, yes we would. Anyway, fluid is something I hear being tossed around. But Im confident in my heterosexuality. Thats a word, right?Bruce - 'Family Guy'Another gay Family Guy character who started as a joke is Bruce, a recurring character with a vest, one earring, a mustache, and a high-pitched voice whose catchphrase is Oh noooooo!In the season 19 episode Megs Wedding, Meg cant find a date to the school dance and starts dating Bruce. It all starts to snowball, and soon the two are engaged. When their wedding comes along, Meg sees how sad Bruce is (and how sad his actual boyfriend Jeffrey is), and she calls the wedding off. After two decades of gay jokes, Bruce finally says the words, Im gay.Smithers - 'The Simpsons'For 30 years Waylon Smithers has been devoted to and obsessed with his boss Mr. Burns, dreaming about him, getting tattoos of him, and dedicating his every thought and action to him. The character finally came out to his boss in an episode in 2016 when he became so distraught about Mr. Burns lack of affection for him that Homer tried to find him a boyfriend."In Springfield now, most people know he's gay, but obviously Burns doesn't," executive producer Al Jean told TVLine at the time. "We deal with that in two episodes... We actually do a lot with Smithers this year; he gets fed up with Burns not appreciating him and considers his options."Mr. Ratburn - 'Arthur'On the more positive side, in the PBS Kids series Arthur, Mr. Nigel Ratburn, the third grade teacher of Arthur and his friends, came out in an episode that featured a gay rat wedding. Mr. Ratburn had been a beloved character on the show for years, and viewers didnt know he was gay until he invited his students to his wedding. While they thought he would be marrying a woman, Mr. Ratburn ended up walking down the aisle with another man, much to his students delight.Miranda - 'Sex and the City' & 'And Just Like That...'Miranda Hobbes was played by out actress Cynthia Nixon on Sex and the City for six years. But it wasnt until the shows spinoff, And Just Like That..., that she came out. In the first season of And Just Like That..., Miranda has been getting close to a queer comedian and podcaster named Che Diaz (Sara Ramirez), and by the third episode, the two are alone together when Che offers Miranda some weed. At first, Miranda declines, but when Che offers to shotgun it directly from her mouth into Mirandas, Miranda changes her mind. The scene did a wonderful job of showing the growing intimacy between the two characters, and soon, theyd be in a full-blown relationship.Mac - 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'One the best examples of this trope is Mac from Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia. From the early seasons of the show, Mac was shown to be obsessed with mens bodies and muscles, was always completely dedicated to Dennis, and had such an over-the-top case of homophobia that it had to come from something inside. He was almost a parody of characters like Smithers and Stewie Griffin, doing the so closeted hes the only one who doesnt know hes gay bit in a way that punched up instead of down.After years of jokes about Macs sexuality and his related homophobia, he eventually came out to the rest of the crew in season 12. Then the next season, in one of the shows most powerful episodes, he comes out to his dad, a murderer in prison. The episode is one of the best in the shows history and ends with an emotional and beautifully choreographed dance where Mac comes out. Its one of the few Its Always Sunny episodes that makes you cry.

The grand premiere of RuPaul's Drag Race season 18 has broken yet another all-time record after delivering the highest season premiere rating and share (P18-49) in the history of the drag competition show.Drag Race season 18 episode 1, which aired on MTV a week ago, introduced fans to an all-new group of 14 queens and featured special guest judge Cardi B. Not only was this Drag Race premiere the No. 1 cable entertainment telecast of the day (Friday, January 2), but it also grew double digits in rating when compared to season 17.Breaking it down:Up 17 percent on P18-49 rating (0.674) in comparison to season 17 (0.577)Up 32 percent on P18-49 share (3.62) in comparison to season 17 (2.75)Ratings are no longer the end all be all measurement for a TV series in 2026, as seen through viral moments on shows like The Voice, American Idol, late-night talk programs, Saturday Night Live, Big Brother, and beyond. Social engagement, as of 2026, is just as important to measure a show's success.Fortunately, the grand premiere of Drag Race season 18 also delivered on social media: 24 million views (up 6 percent from season 17) and 1 million engagements. As a result, the season 18 premiere was the No. 1 most-social episode of the day on television.RuPaul's Drag Race season 18 releases new episodes every Friday on MTV.

The presidents lesbian psychologist niece, Mary Trump, recently took the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a test used to assess an adults cognitive impairmentand dysfunctions. Donald Trump bragged about acing the test in the past. But even though she did well on the MoCA too, she warned that the president displays evidence of declining mental abilities.The 79-year-old president took the MoCA earlier this year and claimed it was very hard. He then publicly insulted Democratic Reps. Jasmine Crockett (TX) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY) by suggesting that he would outscore the two progressive congresswomen of color if they took the same assessment. Related Trumps lesbian niece explains how his upbringing caused him to want Qatars luxury airplane Donald Trump also took a cognitive exam while receiving an MRI for unspecified reasons during a physical atWalter Reed National Military Medical Centerin January 2018. While he reportedly achieved a perfect score of 30, MRIs are a non-invasive imaging technique often used to assess brain activity, cognitive function, and even injury and abnormalities in the brain, the nervous system, or in other body parts.Mary Trump took the MoCA in a video that she posted online yesterday. The test involves tasks like drawing a clock, copying a cube, recalling a list of words, identifying objects, repeating sentences, and answering questions about the date and location. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today But even though Mary Trump did well on the test, which was conducted by someone offscreen, she said in just four words that the president is not a well man.I am not a neurologist or a neuropsychologist, but Ive been told that a doctor only orders that protocol [the MoCA] if theyre concerned that the patient may have suffered some kind of stroke or something, Mary Trump said.I dont know if this is true, she added, but once again, we have Donald bragging about the results not just of the MRI, which indeed he aced, but also the cognitive assessment. In all seriousness, Donald Trump is not a well man. We need to continue to focus on the ways in which he is deteriorating cognitively, psychologically, emotionally, and intellectually. This marks the second recent occasion in which a psychologist suggested that the president has demonstrated an immense cognitive decline.In October, Dr. John Gartner told The Daily Beast that the nearly 80-year-old president is exhibiting a massive increase in clinical signs of dementia, exacerbating the presidents malignant narcissism.Gartner noted the presidents disordered thinking and compared his rambling and nonsensical public speeches to dementia patients who pick up on one concrete physical detail and then free-associate away from the original topic. He also noted Trumps fabrication of nonexistent events and his forgetting of politicians and countries names.People dont make those kinds of [recurring speech errors] if theyre tired or if theyre aging, Gartner said. Its something very specific that is linked to dementia and organic, cognitive decline. This is really someone who could wake up and in a state of complete confusion and erratic irritation do something catastrophic. Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Queer pop icon Boy George left an encouraging comment on an emotional social media post from a mother supporting her transgender son.My son came out as trans six months ago and his father hasnt looked at him since. Just walks past him in the hallway like hes invisible, the mother wrote in a post published by the X user @crazyvibes_1. My boy is 17, sleeping on our couch because his dad changed the locks on his bedroom door, said he wont have that confusion under his roof. Related JK Rowling spars with Boy George over trans rights: I simply live in reality The mother explained that she has been crocheting a trans flag blanket for the last three weeks, secretly working on it after everyone in her house goes to bed. She got the pattern and colors from a shop employee who understood that she wanted to show support for her son.The stitches arent perfect because my hands shake now from the stress, from lying in bed next to a man I dont recognize anymore, she wrote, adding that her son watches her work on it sometimes without saying anything. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Last night, he asked if I was making it for someone, and I told him, Yeah, for the bravest person I know,' the mother continued. He figured it out then. Started sobbing.The mother wrote in her post that she planned to finish the blanket at night, wake her son the following morning before his father rises, pack her sons stuff, and move away with him to a small apartment she had already found.His dad can keep the house and his hatred, the mother wrote. Were choosing us. This blanket is going to be the first thing in our new place, draped over our second-hand couch, proof that someone saw him and loved exactly who he is. Were going to make it. My son came out as trans six months ago and his father hasn't looked at him since. Just walks past him in the hallway like he's invisible. My boy is 17, sleeping on our couch because his dad changed the locks on his bedroom door, said he won't have "that confusion" under his pic.twitter.com/rhDIQvRrHH Crazy Vibes (@CrazyVibes_1) January 6, 2026Responding to the post, Boy George wrote, Sadly though, the only confusion is in the fathers head. My dad, as was a mans man and he loved me. I have all his best and worst traits. I dont blame him for any of that. I am just glad to be here.The musician added, Love your kids no matter [what] because what you do [for] them truly matters.Boy George was the frontman for the 1980s band Culture Club, which was best known for their songs Do You Really Want to Hurt Me? and Karma Chameleon. Though the band separated in 1986 due to Boy Georges drug use, it reunited, toured, and released new music in the 2000s.In 2009, Boy George served a four-month jail sentence for falsely imprisoning a male escort in his London apartment and allegedly beating him with a chain. Boy George blamed drug use for his actions.In 2020, Boy Georgewas also accused of transphobiaafter tweets that seemed to disregard peoplespronouns as a form of attention-seeking. Some criticized his comments, especially since he embraced genderqueer fashions to establish himself as a counter-cultural icon. The musicians representatives said the resulting accusations of transphobia against him were so stupid it doesnt warrant a response.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

The 90s and 2000s were a time of churning for queer movements in India.The post A Place of Our Own appeared first on Autostraddle.

Hudson Williams made his late-night debut yesterday with an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, becoming the first Heated Rivalry star to do so.The Canadian actor and his costar Connor Storrie have been Everything Everywhere All at Once-ing since Heated Rivalry premiered its first two episodes. As exclusively announced by Out this past Monday, Williams was scheduled for a late-night appearance on NBC's The Tonight Show and fans couldn't be prouder that the actor made it onto such a huge platform.Below, our favorite moments of Hudson Williams on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Fans can watch the full episode on NBC.com and Peacock.Hudson Williams shows up looking this good for his late-night debut.See on InstagramHudson Williams looked amazing for this late-night debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.It's definitely giving leading man, mainstream actor era.Hudson Williams and Jimmy Fallon recreate Heated Rivalry's 'All the Things She Said.'See on InstagramWilliams and Fallon had a behind-the-scenes moment in which they recreated the iconic bar scene from Heated Rivalry episode 4, "Rose" lighting, staring at each other, and t.a.T.u.'s "All the Things She Said" included."It's a face-off," the caption reads.Hudson Williams stops Jimmy Fallon and Tariq's (unserious) Heated Rivalry fight.Jimmy Fallon and Tariq pretended to be fighting against each other while filming The Tonight Show.Thankfully, Williams knows a thing or two about turning rivals into lovers. Or friends!Hudson Williams teaches Jimmy Fallon how to do a hockey stretch.See on Instagram"This is basically 90 percent of where I was for filming," Williams explained.The actor then showed off a thrusting-style stretch that was literally giving Magic Mike. No complaints have been filed thus far.Hudson Williams didn't know what 'hockey smut' was before auditioning for Heated Rivalry.See on InstagramWilliams also told Fallon that he didn't even know what "hockey smut" was before auditioning for the TV show.The Heated Rivalry star then got into a tangent trying to explain how he covered parts of his body with an "intimacy garment," and it's pretty hilarious.

Protests have erupted across the country in the wake of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old queer mother Renee Nicole Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer on Wednesday morning in Minneapolis. Thousands of people showed up for a community vigil on Wednesday night at the site of the shooting. Video posted to social media of the event shows a massive crowd listening to a speaker declare, Because they want us to be afraid of each other, we have literally nothing to lose at this point So stand in solidarity with us, dont forget about us. Related ICE tore her away from her wife. Now shes suffering in an endless legal limbo. A protest has also begun this morning outside the citys Whipple Federal Building, which ICE has used as its regional headquarters. More protests are planned throughout the city today, including another at the site of the shooting, where faith leaders will reportedly speak out against ICE. A friend in Minneapolis just sent me this video. Looks like thousands have come together for a vigil after an ICE agent shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good. This was my neighborhood for several years before coming to Portland. Alex Baumhardt (@alexbaumhardt.bsky.social) 2026-01-08T01:05:34.158Z 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 Demonstrators in New York City also turned out to protest the killing on Wednesday in Manhattans Foley Square. Angelo Pinto, co-founder of Until Freedom, reportedly spoke at the rally, shouting, Are we outraged enough? No! Were not. We must be more outraged than we already are. We havent begun to scratch the surface of how outraged we must be.Another Foley Square protest is scheduled for today.Crowds also gathered in Miami, San Francisco, Boston, and Los Angeles, among other cities across the United States, on Wednesday. Minneapolis is suffering today, and we mourn them, said a nurse who spoke at the San Francisco rally.Weve known for months weve known since Donald Trump was elected that this was going to happen, organizer Holly Brown told a crowd of about 250 protestors in Portland, Oregon. What happened?Bystander video footageshows an ICE officerfiring three shots at Goodon Wednesday morning as she tried to drive her car away from agents, who were telling her to get out of the f**king car so they could apprehend her. They killed my wife. I dont know what to do, Goods wife said through tears infootagetaken soon after the shooting. We stopped to videotape [ICE activity], and they shot her in the head.Goods mother, Donna Ganger,toldtheMinnesota Star Tribune, She was probably terrified, adding that her daughter has never protested against ICE agents. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has claimed that the officer fired defensive shots at Good after she was attempting to run over him and other agents in an attempt to kill them an act of domestic terrorism. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has called the DHS claim bulls**t, calling the agents actions reckless and telling ICE to get the f**k out of Minneapolis.In a social media post, Trump claimed that Good was a professional agitator who viciously ran over the ICE officer. He blamed the shooting on the Radical Left. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem praised the officer, adding,This goes to show the assaults that our ICE officers and law enforcement are under every single day.An analysis of four different videos of the incident led the publication404 Mediato conclude that DHS is lying. The Honda was already turning to the right away from the officers when the one who allegedly feared for his life fired the shots. There were no other officers up the road where the car did fully level out, meaning no other fellow officers were at risk,the publication wrote, adding that the DHS has previously published misleading, wrong, or incendiary statements that do not reflect reality and that have been called not credible by at least one federal judge.Weve dreaded this moment since the early stages of this ICE presence in Minneapolis, Mayor Frey said in a Wednesday press conference. Having seen the video of myself, I want to tell everybody directly that [the DHSs claim of self-defense] is bulls**t. This was an agent recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying, gettingkilled.I have a message for ICE. To ICE, get the f**k out of Minneapolis, Frey continued. We do not want you here. Your stated reason for being in this city is to create some kind of safety, and you are doing exactly the opposite. People are being hurt. Families are being ripped apart. Long-term Minneapolis residents that have contributed so greatly to our city, to our culture, to our economy, are being terrorized, and now somebody is dead. Thats on you, and its also on you to leave.Frey urged residents not to respond in any way that would encourage the federal government to send a military crackdown in response. During a press conference, Gov.Tim Walz(D) called the shooting preventable and unnecessary.[The presidential] administrations dangerous, sensationalized operations are a threat to our public safety, Walz continued. What were seeing is the consequences of governance designed to generate fear, headlines, and conflict. Its governing by reality TV. And today that recklessness caused someone their life.Who was Renee Nicole Good?Goods mother called her one of the kindest people Ive ever known. She was extremely compassionate, Ganger said. Shes taken care of people all her life. She was loving, forgiving, and affectionate. She was an amazing human being.Her father, Tim Ganger, called her a wonderful person. A GoFundMe set up for her family describes her as pure sunshine, pure love.She described herself on social media as a poet and writer and wife and mom, the Associated Press reported. She had a 12-year-old and a 15-year-old from her first marriage and a 6-year-old son from her second. The father of the 6-year-old died in 2023.CNN said Good was a devoted Christian who participated in mission trips to Northern Ireland in her youth. She graduated in 2020 from Virginias Old Dominion University with an English Degree. May Renees life be a reminder of what unites us: freedom, love, and peace, Old Dominion President Brian O. Hemphill said in a statement. My hope is for compassion, healing, and reflection at a time that is becoming one of the darkest and most uncertain periods in our nations history.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Fox host Jesse Watters is facing blowback for his sneering description of a queer woman who was shot to death yesterday by an ICE agent.Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old queer Minneapolis woman and a U.S. citizen, was observing a protest from her car when ICE agents told her to get out of the f**king car. They were wearing masks and Good tried to drive away. Thats when an ICE agent shot her through the side of her car. She died at the hospital. Related Police are more likely to mistreat LGBTQ+ people, a disturbing new study finds Dozens of bystanders witnessed the situation, and it was caught on multiple videos, which belie the administrations claims that Good was trying to weaponize her vehicle and run over ICE agents. A clip of Watters discussing Goods death in dismissive terms is getting attention online. In the clip, he rages at her for putting her pronouns in her social media bio and mentions that she has a lesbian partner instead of saying she has a wife. 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 The woman who lost her life was a self-proclaimed poet from Colorado, Watters said. With pronouns in her bio!A 37-year-old white woman named Renee Good. The Daily Mail says she leaves behind a lesbian partner and a child from a previous marriage.She was a disruptor, though she considered herself a legal observer. But theres no evidence she had a law degree.According to the National Lawyers Guild, a legal observer is someone who documents government conduct against First Amendment-protected activity and provides support to people who are arrested at protests or other actions. They dont have to be lawyers.Despite Watters implication that Good was not really a poet, she wrote poetry and even won the prestigious Academy of American Poets Prize in 2020 for her poem entitled On Learning to Dissect Fetal Pigs.While Good was originally from Colorado, she moved to Minnesota with her wife a year ago. The previous marriage Watters is referring to was Goods marriage to comedian Timmy Ray Macklin Jr., who died in 2023. She was actually a mother of three, with two teenagers from her first marriage, prior to her marriage to Macklin.On Bluesky, people criticized Watters for what they perceived as an attempt to paint Good in a negative light so that people dont question why an ICE agent shot her in the face. Conservatives often do this to the victims of police or rightwing violence in an attempt to minimize such tragedies.When did pronouns in one's bio and a lesbian partner become capital offenses? LightScavenger (@lightscavenger.bsky.social) 2026-01-08T03:56:36.182ZThey are trying to make people that are not corresponding to the narrow right wing agenda appear as less deserving of the right to live. Implying that ofcourse she got shot and it was her fault. Ofcourse people who like poetry are not to be taken seriously smth like this. All grouse and sad (@mimonata.bsky.social) 2026-01-08T11:49:41.388ZHuh. No ones ever described me as my husbands straight partner. Im his wife. She was a WIFE. chillinout (@ajlhere.bsky.social) 2026-01-08T03:52:22.402ZThe pronouns thing really wigs them out. Murder, not so much. JEJ (@nobirdnonet.bsky.social) 2026-01-08T03:58:06.066ZTrying to turn the culture war into an actual war on your fellow citizens. Brian Finucane (@bcfinucane.bsky.social) 2026-01-08T12:50:45.573ZThis is what people on Fox are like. People watch Fox because they like this. Were Going To Keep The Popehat (@kenwhite.bsky.social) 2026-01-08T04:30:21.436ZImagine not just choosing but reveling in being this awful. Self-described poet really did it for me. Karen Schwartz (@pithywidow.bsky.social) 2026-01-08T04:47:28.169ZCharacter assassination when the facts aren't on their side.DARVO MidnightMinute (@midnightminute.bsky.social) 2026-01-08T03:50:54.331ZThe father of that child died. The child is now an orphan. I have some pronouns for Jesse Watters: disgusting dickdrip weasel stooge. Randi Mayem Singer (@rmayemsinger.bsky.social) 2026-01-08T07:39:08.384ZSubscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Hudson Williams is still grappling with his newfound fame and the success of the wildly popular television show Heated Rivalry, where he plays a closeted hockey player. The Crave/HBO Max series has had definite real-world impact. During a recent appearance on Andy Cohen's SiriusXM show Radio Andy, Williams said he's received DMs from professional athletes who are still in the closet. (@) "The people who reach out, somewhat anonymously, who are like, I'm a professional player still, and I'm still in the closet, he said in a clip posted on Wednesday. "Theyre [also] reaching out to Rachel [Reid], our author, who will then kind of relay these lovely anonymous emails. He says he's heard not just from closeted hockey players but also from football and basketball players, and it's made him realize the gravity of what representation means through the show. "Sometimes theyre just reaching out privately through Instagram, and those ones are the ones that really just kind of hit you and go, Oh, so this is a fun show, and its celebratory, but also sometimes its just hitting people right in the nerve.'"In an interview with CNN News Central, Williams also spoke about the pressure of making sure he felt trying get to the queer representation correct. "I felt like the specificity was really the thing I just wanted to nail," Williams says. "Because to like try to like comment or understand everything of, you know, trans, gay, you know, bisexual, I was like, OK, no, that's too overwhelming. Let me focus on just this one character."The success of the first season quickly led to its renewal for season 2, and the Canadian streaming service Crave announced it would begin production on the second season. During Williams's late-night debut onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, he started teasing what fans can expect for season 2."There are some meanies. There are some big baddies," the 24-year-old actor told the late-night host. "If season 1 is an internal battle, season 2 is an external battle."

John Whaite, a prominent reality TV star known for winning The Great British Bake Off season 3 and making it to the finals of Strictly Come Dancing in a same-sex pairing, shared social media posts updating fans that he had been hit by a car and was taken to the hospital immediately."Last night | got run over (seriously)," Whaite wrote in an Instagram Story. "I rolled up the bonnet damaging it and the windscreen, before splatting onto the road and crawling to the pavement where some angel of a human threw his coat around me and waited with me for an ambulance. The doctors said, 'Thank god you're 16 stone of muscle because it could have been fatal.'The GBBO winner added, "Moral of the story build strong muscle and core strength, and don't wear black while crossing the road in the dark when an idiot comes speeding without looking... I've been scanned and poked and prodded and I'm ok. Still gay though."The original Instagram Story post shared on Whaite's fitness account @whaitelifter can be read below. John Whaite via Instagram Story.John Whaite (@whaitelifter) That post was followed by two other Instagram Stories shared by Whaite."For the avoidance of doubt, in my last post l said 'speeding.' I used the term figuratively rather than literally," Whaite explained. "I meant: It was sudden and shocking. I don't know what speed the driver was going. But it was enough to skittle me up onto his windscreen and down onto the floor." John Whaite via Instagram Story.John Whaite (@whaitelifter) Earlier this Thursday, Whaite shared another update with his fans.The reality TV star wrote, "I cannot thank our amazing police force and NHS enough. From the officer who was at the scene and the paramedics who kept me chatting and warm, to all the caregivers at the hospital. How lucky we are to have these angel creatures roaming the earth, by our sides." John Whaite via Instagram Story.John Whaite (@whaitelifter) This story is still developing

Kat Abughazaleh, who made a name for herself monitoring The Tucker Carlson Show on Fox Newsso you dont have tois running for Congress from the north side of Chicago.If she wins, the 26-year-old would be the youngest woman in history to take a seat in the House. Related Barrier-breaking Kim Coco Iwamoto explains how she took down a powerful Democrat The Palestinian American and bisexual journalist has family ties in the district and recently moved there from Washington with her boyfriend, Ben Collins, the CEO of The Onion.Abughazaleh made headlines in September when she was arrested protesting at an ICE detention facility in Illinois. She and five others face felony charges for their alleged involvement in a confrontation that went viral on social. 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 This political prosecution is an attack on all of our First Amendment rights, Abughazaleh said in a video responding to the indictment. Im not backing down, and were going to win.The candidate declined to talk about the ongoing case with LGBTQ Nation (she walked off rightwing podcaster Tara Palmieris show after she wouldnt stop questioning Abughazaleh about the incident), but shes still on the streets; shed just returned home from an ICE watch prior to our interview. LGBTQ Nation: At last count, youre competing against 16 candidates in the Democratic primary for Illinois 9th District. What is it about your candidacy thats going to take you to the general?Kat Abughazaleh: Until very recently, our leaders werent having to deal with people like Stephen Miller, Elon Musk, and Tom Homan on a daily basis. I know who these people are, and I know how to beat them, because Ive been winning against them in my career to this day.Additionally, I am the only true grassroots leading candidate in this race. I dont take any money from billionaires, from corporate PACs, or from Democratic-funded PACs. We are using our resources in a different way as well, to not just reach voters, but materially improve their lives. Our campaign office in Rogers Park doubles as a mutual aid hub. We make sure our events are accessible to everyone, no matter their income, and we try to make sure to help as many community organizations where we can and uplift the community.In a video on your campaign site, you say of Democrats, Unfortunately, this party has become one where you have to look at the exceptions to find real leadership as the majority work from an outdated playbook. Who are some of the exceptions you identify with?Id say some of the exceptions include Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib leaders of the Squad, as many call them. Additionally, Zohran Mamdani, I think, is the most notable exception that weve seen lately, and Democrats should be taking more from his and other progressive populist playbooks, including Bernie Sanders. He and AOC have been packing stadiums in red states rather than moving farther to the right. I recently interviewed a group of student activists, and I asked what they think is the single worst thing Trump has done in his anti-LGBTQ+ crusade. Whats your answer?Thats a horrible question! Look, the attacks on gender-affirming care are horrendous right now, and the insistence of this administration to erase trans people is on par with or is exactly from the same playbook as so many authoritarian leaders.What do you think is behind Trumps demonization of the trans community? Is it just personal antipathy? Is it something generational, or something straight out of that fascist playbook? Oh, this is the fascist playbook. This is what I covered as a reporter, and what my colleagues and I warned Democrats about. I watched as they tried to fish around with critical race theory and DEI to get Americans upset about the woke left, and it didnt work. And so they shifted to trans people, and used them as a cudgel to push their far-right agenda. This is what the right does all the time, where they try to present extreme positions as the norm.This is part of a concentrated playbook from rightwing architects like Russell Vought and other members of the Heritage Foundation, authors of Project 2025, and that entire group. Its horrendous, and it should also be expected. Every fascist regime of the last 100 years has focused on visible minorities and queer people, often as scapegoats for antisemitism, for antisemitic attacks, and were just the next part of this line.Youve forsworn fancy fundraisers for rich donors in your run for Congress. If George Soros, who helped fund your former outlet, Media Matters, came to you tomorrow and offered to foot the bill for a ballroom fundraiser at the Ritz Carlton and bought a table for $100,000, would you turn him down? And why? Well, first off, that sounds boring, so Id turn them down.We dont take any money from billionaires. We also make sure that all of our events are accessible to people, no matter their income. We always say you could donate literally $1, and we will make sure that youll be there.Our events are funk shows, and embroidery events that I teach, and its a lot of fun. So yeah, Im good on the ballroom.Youve also rejected focus groups in your run. Dont they serve some kind of purpose for identifying constituents concerns and testing your message? You know, weve done some polling when it comes to the typical type of tracker polls that campaigns do, and we kind of see just where peoples priorities are.But the reason that we didnt want to focus group test all of our messages is because a lot of this campaign is experimental. And part of our experiment is, Can I win by just saying what I believe? A lot of our political system is built on the idea of, No, thats impossible. So I want people to know who I am. Im not testing to see if this version of me resonates with people more than that version. What you see is what you get.Is part of your message an appeal to voters about trusting your gut, rather than political orthodoxy, maybe in the same way that Trump has done so effectively? I mean, kind of, yeah. There are some similar things. Covering the right has been really helpful, not just because I know their tricks, but because I also know how to use their tricks for good, in a weird way.For instance, they dont feel any shame. I think that you should be ashamed of sexually assaulting people for instance, grabbing them by the pussy. But I dont think that I should have to apologize for a picture of me sitting on a bar that I used to work at in fishnet stockings, which the right always brings out, as if this is something I should be ashamed of. And I feel like a lot of politicians would rush to be like, Oh no, Im not like that anymore. Who cares? How is that hurting anyone? Stop always trying to adjust to their expectations.Thats a great pic, by the way.Thank you. I kept it up for a reason.These are some short-answer questions. Whats the first thing that comes to mind when I say: Kamala Harris.Bored. Not again.Tucker Carlsons replacement, Jesse Watters.Oh, dear Lord. Can that be the answer? Tara Palmieri.(Laughing) Substack.Gaza.Pain.Normal gays.What does that mean?Thats what JD Vance calls them.Oh, right, yeah. All gays. All gays or none of us? I dont know. Do bisexuals count as normal gays? Just asking.The Washington Free Beacon.Do I have thoughts about them?I saw a hit piece they did on you and your boyfriend.Oh yeah, that was fun. They picked really cute pictures of us. Way to show everyone were, uh, cute. So, insecure? You told Buzzfeed, Ive gotten more rape threats than Ive ever seen in my life, in reaction to your Tucker Carlson monitoring, and, If I were a man, I would not get 10% of the comments that I get. Are you getting the same kind of engagement in your campaign for Congress? Oh, 100%. A little bit less, because I dont use Twitter anymore, but its still there.Oscar Wilde said the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about. Roy Cohn said something similar, and they were both gay, for what its worth. If hitting a nerve and getting that negative attention is in service to getting your message out, is the misogyny a plus, a minus, or a wash?I dont think its necessarily a plus. I think that it exists, and so why not use it as a tool?In your online role as a media and political influencer, you were talking for a living Not an influencer, but yeah. Youve taken that talent to videos and in-person appearances as part of your campaign. How are you adjusting to the other important role of a potential US representative, just listening?I mean, I love talking to people. I love listening. And I mean, that was my job as a journalist. You know, I worked for Media Matters, Mother Jones, People for the American Way. I love hearing what people care about. I loved hearing it before the campaign, and I love hearing it now. I like trying to figure out solutions with them.You own the fact that youve posted some mean tweets, and have shrugged off the reaction from figures like Elon Musk, who deposed you over your coverage of him. How would you compare Donald Trumps tweets about Rob Reiner to your own about Elon Musk?I mean, mine were based in truth. I do think that Rob Reiner would have found Trumps tweets funny, but for different reasons. Elon Musk is insecure and fragile, and maybe that guy shouldnt be making all of our decisions. So is the president. So really, a match made in heaven for the two of them.Like fellow progressive Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who you mentioned earlier, you were a bartender in your early 20s after college at George Washington University in D.C. What else do you have in common with AOC, and what sets you apart? I dont think youve called yourself a Democratic Socialist.Oh, I have plenty. Im a Democratic Socialist.Ive had people say like, Are you trying to be the next AOC? And I think she is her own thing. She is so unbelievable. She is and has been a huge inspiration for me since she first ran. And one thing that I really appreciate about her is her willingness to embrace new forms of communication and break the mold when a lot of the Democratic Party wont. I think we both understand digital communication in a way that the party doesnt at large, and that we are trying to help people through that. What do you say to critics whove accused you of carpetbagging Chicagos 9th CD?(Laughing) I always joke that I wish I had some sexy, cool answer to explain why Im running in the 9th District, but its boring. Its that I like living here. I like being in Rogers Park. I wanted to live here because its one of the most diverse communities in the country, and its an incredible place to be. I mean, anyone that lives here gets it.I think that one of the coolest things about this primary is how many candidates there are and how much choice people have. But I am one option, and I want people to be skeptical of people running for office, and that includes me. If theres someone else that you want to vote for, thats what a primary is for. So I always encourage people who want to ask any questions, come to the office, or set up a coffee. Well meet.You identify as bisexual, and youve been dating your boyfriend for the last year or two. Have you ever had a girlfriend?I have.Can you tell us anything about that?I mean, Ive had, like, brief, casual relationships with women, and then hook-ups, I guess. Im not sure I want to say that, but I guess I did.Anyways, yeah. I mean, for me, its always been about whats in someones skull, and less about whats in their pants. What does your boyfriend think about that?Really supportive. Hes fantastic. Hes a great partner. And one of the reasons I had a crush on him before I met him was because of how strongly he stood for the queer community. When a lot of people in media were throwing trans kids under the bus, he said, Uh, f**k that, and really focused his reporting on the stochastic terror that has now become ubiquitous around the country, but was really started as attacks on the queer community.Youve raised over $1.5 million in campaign contributions, the most of any candidate in the primary. Your closest competitors in the money race are both Jewish, as is the retiring rep in the district. Is House District 9 a Jewish seat, and if so, how do you convince voters that opposition to the Israeli government doesnt equal antisemitism? Skokie, which is part of this district, had the most Holocaust survivors outside of Israel, I believe. This has been a district with a huge Jewish population over the years, and that is still very true. This is also one of the most progressive districts in the country, and as a Palestinian person, when Im talking with people, I always stress how so many people that arent in our communities, especially the right, want to pit us against each other. Because they see it as an easy way to use trauma to create more hate.My position on Israel and Gaza is the same as how I feel about the rest of the world, and that is, every civilian deserves to live a safe, happy life, no child deserves to go to bed hungry, and every war criminal should be held accountable. And thats the same if its the Netanyahu government or Hamas. None of what I just said is radical, and its not radical to the vast majority of people in America, and certainly not in the 9th District. This is a district that has been impacted inordinately by October 7 compared to a lot of other districts, and at the same time, this is a district that has been fighting for peace and has been represented by someone who has consistently stood against the Netanyahu government. What are you looking forward to most about serving the constituents of District 9 if you win in November?A lot of what this campaign has done has been kind of experimental, and I think it would be really exciting to try something new and figure out how we can make our government work the best it can in the same way. I want to be at a point where the government is something that people dont think about because it works so well.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

10 global glamazons are returning to Mama Ru's queendom to compete on RuPauls Drag Race UK vs The World season 3 the epic All Stars-esque series based in the U.K. and featuring queens from around the world.Just like in the past two seasons, RuPaul challenges powerhouse Drag Race UK queens to face off against drag artists from international spinoffs of the series. In the end, only one of them is crowned Queen of the Mother-tucking World and receives a grand prize of 50,000.Notably, this season features three U.K. queens and only one U.S. queen, which certainly impacts the dynamics within the competition.Editor's note: All images, personal information, and descriptions are courtesy of BBC/World of Wonder.Fontana (Drag Race Sweden Season 1)Placement: Finalist; runner-up (Drag Race Sweden season 1)Maxi Challenge Wins: Girl Group ChallengePronouns: any (out of drag), she/her (in drag)This Swedish Brazilian firecracker left So Leopoldo behind for world domination.Born in Brazil, Fontana moved to Sweden aged 20, where she quickly established herself as one of Sweden's finest drag queens serving up high octane performances, and a vibrant look inspired by their Brazilian roots. Fontana's drag aesthetic is Brazilian splendor blended with fashion, and Scandinavian chic. Praised for her beauty skills, and polished looks, Fontana is a passionate and formidable racer who made it all the way through to the final of their race. Fontana says in her own words: "I'm not here to play dirty, but I am here to take out the trash. I am ready to fight."Gawdland (Drag Race Thailand Season 3)Placement: Finalist; 3rd place (Drag Race Thailand season 3)Maxi Challenge Wins: The Rusical; The Makeover ChallengePronouns: he/him (out of drag); they/them (in drag)This Bangkok beauty is stunning, and unpredictable!Gawdland may be petite, but they have a colossal reputation on Bangkok's drag scene. A formidable glamazon, Gawdland sailed through Drag Race Thailand, with only a brief stumble in the Snatch Game, collecting wins in the Rusical and the Makeover challenge, on their way to the final. With a flawless face card, razor-sharp drag, and a performance style powered by pure adrenaline, they embody the creativity that Thai drag is celebrated for.Now entering the UK and global arena for the first time, Gawdland plans to be "as crazy as possible," adding: "This is not RuPaul's best friend race I'm here to win."Kate Butch (Drag Race UK Season 5)Placement: 5th place (RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 5)Maxi Challenge Wins: Acting ChallengePronouns: they/them (out of drag), she/her (in drag)The comic sans of drag is ready to glamp again.Kate Butch wheeled into the Werk Room with an effervescent theatrical flourish, firmly establishing themself as a comedy queen, making all the judges laugh heartily, and most crucially, Mama Ru. A master of perfectly judged silliness, the Yorkshire beauty thrived in the acting and comedy challenges, serving up "a wild Kate Bush" for their Snatch Game, and taking home a RuPeter badge win for their melodramatic acting skills in Holedark.Kate exited the race after a little stumble on the makeover challenge, but they've been winning in life ever since with a flourishing stand up and theatre career, and multiple film and TV appearances. Kate has even made their mark on the TV quiz scene. With the Shrek films as their specialist subject, Kate took home the winning trophy on Celebrity Mastermind whilst dressed as the Dragon from Shrek, because, why not?!Kate is ready to slay for the UK! Describing their drag as "glamour and camp: glamping," Kate is indeed the queen of glamping.Mariah Balenciaga (Drag Race Season 3; All Stars 5)Placement: 9th place (RuPaul's Drag Race season 3; RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars season 5)Pronouns: he/him (out of drag), she/her (in drag)This veteran ballroom beauty is ready for her Ru-demption moment.Representing America and the mothership, here comes Mariah! A polished glamazon with an acerbic wit, Mariah is an OG legend in every sense. Aged 18, she made her debut on New York's ballroom scene in 1999, where she quickly became a legend of the scene. And in 2011, when Drag Race was still in its early infancy, Mariah was chosen by Ru to compete in season three. The Atlanta beauty served up glamourpuss and one-liners in equal measure, establishing herself as one of the famed "early season girls."Nine years later, All Stars came knocking and Mariah returned to the mainstage, bringing grace, class, and maturity to the proceedings. Her self-penned powerful song "Stains on the Wall" left an indelible mark on many and garnered a showering of praise from Ru, and guest judge, Ricky Martin. In spite of a shock early exit, she remains undeterred and views her longevity as her superpower.At 44, Mariah is the eldest of the cast, but with 27 years of drag evolution under her belt, she's undoubtedly the most experienced of the cast: "Y'all are going to get Mariah 3.0," she says. "I don't care what it takes, I'm doing it!"Melinda Verga (Canada's Drag Race Season 4)Placement: 5th place (Canada's Drag Race season 4)Maxi Challenge Wins: Snatch GamePronouns: he/him (out of drag), he/him (in drag)Oh, Canada! This showgirl is 100% faithful to winning.Melinda Verga is an old-school entertainer with bags of charisma, as evidenced by his chosen drag name (look up the Spanish translation!).Storming his season to become one of Canada's most talked-about queens, Melinda Verga is a force to be reckoned with. His meltdowns and unfiltered interviews made him instantly meme-able. Melinda showcased adept comedy skills by securing the Snatch Game win and after surviving lip sync after lip sync, the audiences admired his passion and nerve. Since Drag Race, the Filipino-Canadian queen has become a Canadian Reality TV star who appeared on Traitors Canada. Yet again, he famously didn't hold back on that show, either. The experience has clearly informed his game tactics.As Melinda puts it: "I'm ready for some backstabbing and manipulation, I'll send these b*****s home."Minty Fresh (Drag Race Philippines Season 1)Placement: 5th place (Drag Race Philippines season 1)Maxi-Challenge Wins: Talent Show; Design ChallengePronouns: he/him (out of drag), she/her (in drag)This Filipino powerhouse is ready to claim the win!In 2022, Minty Fresh walked into Drag Race Philippines and made an immediate impact. A frontrunner from the start, Minty sealed an immediate win for the talent show and went on to take another win for the Design Challenge. Garnering huge praise for his ultra stylish stunning looks, it was only a fateful girl group challenge that led to his exit at the semi-finals. Famed for serving a stunning face card and polished looks, Minty is a proud representative of the fierce Filipino drag scene. In fact, for Minty, it's a matter of national pride. Minty promises to serve a spectacle: "It's a full production, baby. You'll be obsessed. I'm not a showgirl, I'm a headliner."Serena Morena (Drag Drag Mxico Season 1)Placement: 8th place (Drag Race Mxico season 1)Pronouns: he/she/they (out of drag), she/her (in drag)This Mexican lady is ready to fiesta forever all night long! Serena Morena had an unforgettable run on the first ever season of Drag Race Mxico. Finishing eighth and winning legions of fans with her charisma, uniqueness, and a fondness to shock audiences, Serena is a cheeky gal, who still lives with her mum! An enthusiastic siren, Serena is more than ready to represent Mexico in the Olympics of Drag.Thrilled to be in the UK "especially for the men," Serena brings the promise of chaos, warning the competition: "I'm a nasty lady. I'm Mexican. Don't mess with me!"Sminty Drop (Drag Race UK Season 4)Placement: 9th place (RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 4)Pronouns: he/him (out of drag), she/her (in drag)This Lancashire hotpot is set on global domination, one sad-twerk at a time.Sminty Drop burst onto RuPaul's Drag Race UK with a cocktail of chaos, and ice cool fashion. Constantly praised by Ru and the judges for her creative avant-garde runway looks, Sminty's look was certainly unique, with her BBC runway take on the Antiques Road Show proving to be a memorable hit with the judges. The Lancashire lass also brought a lot of charisma to the race and even after a fateful improv challenge, Sminty turned her saddest moment to joy, by bidding the cast and judges farewell with an unforgettable sad twerk as her final exit. The "sad-twerk exit moment" caught fire with the Drag Race community, and thus, a Drag Race icon was born. Since then, Sminty has sad- twerked her way around the world, releasing music and strutting the runways of Paris Fashion Week.Ready to represent her country in drag, Sminty Drop is back with a vengeance: "I'm never going to be Miss Congeniality. They need to know who the top dog is."The Only Naomi (Drag Race Germany Season 1)Placement: 10th place (Drag Race Germany season 1)Pronouns: he/him (out of drag), they/them (in drag)The only Naomy can't wait to meet the one and only Mama Ru!The Only Naomy Naomy for short is a German supermodel. You may have already guessed that their name is inspired by another famous supermodel, with whom they share many similar traits including a beautiful face, and a statuesque presence.Naomy made their Drag Race debut on the first ever season of Drag Race Germany in 2023, where they received praise for their deft make-up artistry and edgy looks. Exiting at the Rusical challenge, Naomy didn't get the chance to show off their full bag of tricks, but this time round they are ready to go the full distance for Germany.Naomy issues this warning: "Don't mess with me, I might be the villain of the season."Zahirah Zapanta (Drag Race UK Season 6)Placement: 10th place (RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 6)Pronouns: he/him (out of drag) she/her (in drag)Re-enter the void with Nottingham's finest Filipino beauty queen.Zahirah Zapanta entered the Werk Room dripping in furs and diamonds a befitting entrance for the Nottingham beauty queen, who went on to showcase herself as a talented seamstress, and a magician with the make-up brush. Often the loudest in the workroom, Zahirah is no wallflower, and her unfiltered commentary and team spirit made her a firm fan favorite. However, a ghoulish girl band challenge turned out to be Zahirah's undoing.Born in the Philippines, Zahirah's drag aesthetic is inspired by the stunning Filipino beauty pageant queens of her youth mixed with a little bit of modern-day British club kid. Zahirah is undoubtedly a powerhouse of a beauty queen, and with her initial Drag Race journey cut short, she plans to bring out the big guns for an epic comeback.Zahirah has a clear game tactic, declaring: "I ain't scared of none of these girls. This time, I'm ready to fight tooth and nail."Watch: Meet the queens of RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs the World season 3.RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs the World season 3 premieres January 27 on WOW Presents Plus.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) tore into a Fox News producer for suggesting she appear on host Jesse Watters show.Jesse Watters would like to invite you on his show,the producer told her, asking if shed consider making an appearance. Related Fox host rages that woman shot to death by ICE put her pronouns in her bio! He has sexualized me on his show, he has sexually harassed me on his show, she replied. He has engaged in horrific, sexually exploitative rhetoric.The producer responded, Thats not true. It is true, Ocasio-Cortez snapped back. Because he accused me of wanting to sleep with Stephen Miller. So why dont you tell me what you think is acceptable to tell a woman?Fox Producer: Jesse Watters would like to invite you on his showAOC: He has sexualized and harassed me on his show.FP: Thats not trueAOC: He accused me of wanting to sleep with Stephen Miller. So why dont you tell me what you think is acceptable to tell a woman. pic.twitter.com/MaPwsYQWy3 Acyn (@Acyn) January 7, 2026Ocasio-Cortez was referring to a 2025 segment of Foxs The Five during which Watters responded to her mocking Millers height by claiming she secretly wants to sleep with him. Im sorry, you cant have him, Watter said. He then went on a long diatribe about how awesome he thinks Miller is, calling him a high value man who is brave and on a mission.The man is not overcompensating, Watters said. Ocasio-Cortez posted the video of her exchange with the Fox producer on social media and wrote, You can either be a pervert or ask me to be on your little show. Not both. Good luck!

Heated Rivalry star Connor Storrie can't stop and won't stop!The 25-year-old actor has been setting Hollywood ablaze as one half of a spicy pro hockey romance in the Crave/HBO Max show Heated Rivalry. Recently, he and Abbott Elementary star Janelle James got together to announce the nominations for the Actor Awards, where Storrie revealed an iconic Halloween costume he once wore.When asked by Variety whether singer Miley Cyrus might make music for the show, Storrie had a story ready to go."Not to expose myself a little bit, but in 2013, I think it was - remember that MTV movie awards thing where she was with Robin Thicke? Do you remember this? It was a big cultural moment at the time," Storrie says in the clip. "Me and my best friend, I was Miley Cyrus for Halloween, and he was Robin Thicke."After saying that he was in middle school when he wore the costume, Storrie said he doesn't think the photos exist anymore, but "I want to plant the seed for people to try and find that, and I don't think they will."Now, fans have found a photo. (@) In the photo, Storrie can be seen standing in what looks like a school hallway with two friends. One is dressed as popular (at the time) YouTube character Miranda Sings, while Storrie is wearing a long white t-shirt, black leggings, a bear backpack, and sunglasses and a headband with his bleach-blonde hair sticking up and his tongue sticking out. To Storrie's right is the friend dressed as Thicke in a black-and-white stripped suit. (@) Storrie's revelation comes off the news of Cyrus saying she'd love to record a song for the second season of the show."Oh, I'm so in. Book me. Get me booked!" the singer said when asked, admitting that she hasn't watched the show yet.When asked how he would feel about Cyrus collaborating with the show, actor Franois Arnaud, who plays Scott, said he hopes they can work it out."I think we might get a little bit bigger budget for season 2, but I dont know if we'll get Miley budget," he said. "I think if she sees the show, she might give us a discount.

A recent study shows a clinically meaningful reduction in suicidality among transgender and gender diverse young people when they started getting hormone therapy to treat gender dysphoria, adding another piece of evidence to back keeping gender-affirming care available for trans youth.The study, published byThe Journal of Pediatricsin November and appearing in the journals February 2026 edition, examined whether hormone therapy (HT) reduced suicidality in trans and nonbinary young people. This is an important question since lawmakers who want to ban gender-affirming care usually present it as dangerous, even though the science shows that it is life-saving. Related GOP lawmakers to permanently ban gender-affirming care even after their own report supported it Researchers conducted a retrospective chart review of responses to the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ) submitted by more than 400 patients between the ages of 12 and 20 at a multidisciplinary pediatric gender health clinic in the Midwest.All of the 432 patients were receiving hormone therapy, while 30 of them had been on puberty blockers prior to beginning treatment with hormone therapy. All received HT for at least three months, with most receiving treatment for at least 364 days and some for 1,899 days (about five years). Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Researchers found that suicidality significantly declined from pretreatment to post-treatment. According to journalist and trans rights advocate Erin Reed, some patients ASQ responses indicated a 68 percent decline in suicidality after receiving HT for an extended period of time. GCN reports that 18.5% of participants showed a decrease in suicidality, while 1.4% showed no decrease in their non-zero ASQ scores. Most participants (75.5%) showed no suicidality at both the start and conclusion of the study.As Reed notes, researchers also found that patients who had received puberty blockers prior to beginning hormone therapy showed lower suicidality scores when they began HT than the general study sample. While, as GCN notes, 4.6% of the studys participants showed an increase in suicidality over the course of the study, according to researchers that could reflect underlying mental health issues, environmental stressors, relief at baseline knowing they may be starting HT, or pre-existing trajectories or worsening suicidality that may have slowed, but not reversed, rather than an adverse effect of HT.Citing a similar 2024 study, Reed argues, Together, these studies sharply contradict conservative narratives claiming that transgender youth are poorly screened for care or that regret and harm are widespread outcomes of treatment.Hormone therapy for the treatment of gender dysphoria in young people, the researchers concluded, was associated with clinically meaningful reductions in suicidality over time, extending prior findings with a larger sample and longer follow-up. These study findings provide clinical evidence supporting the mental health benefits of timely access to HT in this population, they wrote, and show a stable and clinically meaningful association between HT and reduced suicidality.However, in his Substack newsletter, out science journalist Benjamin Ryan whose work in recent years has been highly critical of gender-affirming care for minors noted that critics have called the study weak and accused the authors of overstating its findings and baselessly suggesting that the treatment definitively caused the positive outcome.But according to Reed, the studys authors addressed demands for randomized control trials in research related to youth gender medicine. Although randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are considered among the most rigorous methods for evaluating treatment efficacy, they are ethically and practically challenging in the context of adolescent HT for GD. Masking is not feasible, control group retention is poor when treatment is accessible elsewhere, and equipoise is contested (ie, there is no longer genuine uncertainty among clinicians about whether treatment is beneficial), given the growing consensus around the benefits of HT for GD, the studys authors wrote. Many thus view it as unethical to withhold a medically indicated intervention from youth experiencing high distress.In the absence of randomized control trials, they added, observational studies provide important insights by examining outcomes in real-world clinical settings without assigning participants to treatment or control groups. In medicine, observational designs are commonly used when randomization is infeasible and are often sufficient to inform clinical guidelines, especially when findings are consistent.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A Senate Republican called out the administration for its increasingly belligerent rhetoric when it comes to annexing Greenland.The president and his top policy advisor, Stephen Miller, have both refused to say that the U.S. wouldnt invade Greenland in order to steal the island from NATO ally Denmark, a move that could lead to a war with Europe since Article 5 of NATOs charter requires all members to join in the defense of any member nation that gets attacked. Related These Republicans are giving Trump the finger & supporting transgender rights We live in a world in which you can talk all you want about international niceties and everything else, Miller told CNNs Jake Tapper earlier this week. But we live in a world, in the real world, Jake, that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power. These are the iron laws of the world that existed since the beginning of time. 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 Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), who is very conservative, wasnt having it. On Wednesday, Tillis bluntly called Miller stupid for his comments on Greenland in a Senate speech.Look, either Stephen Miller needs to get into a lane where he knows what hes talking about or get out of this job, Tillis told Tapper on Wednesday. There is no more important alliance than the NATO alliance. And Denmark has punched above its weight. It came to Afghanistan, lost 43 soldiers on the ground, fought in some of the most contested regions, honoring their Article 5 commitment to the United States.Tillis added that it is concerning that the prime minister of Denmark is warning the U.S. that attacking Greenland would end NATO and that it shows that Mr. Miller does not know anything about the alliance.And Stephen Miller doesnt represent the US government; he represents the Article II branch. And I, as a member of the US Senate, get to weigh in to this issue, he continued. And I know, whether they say it out loud or not, most of my colleagues agree with me. Tapper asked him why Republicans arent saying more about the administrations threats to NATO, which include the presidents statements that the U.S. should pull out of the alliance.Tillis pointed to his role as the GOP leader of the Senate NATO Observer Group to explain why he is the only Republican who appears to oppose the administrations plans to end NATO.Its very important for the NATO alliance to know that we have their back because theyve had ours. We need to make it very clear that our strength and our ability to project power to stand off against Putin, to stand off Russia, to stand off China, Iran, it all rests on this exquisite capability that we have under NATO.The only country to call on other member nations to come to its defense in the history of the alliance is the United States, which did so after the World Trade Center attacks.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

In the wake of the murder of queer woman Nicole Renee Good at the hands of an ICE agent, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) warned that ICE has now become an anti-civilian, paramilitary organization, rather than only an anti-immigrant one.Bystandervideo footageshows an ICE officerfiring three shots at Goodon Wednesday morning as she tried to drive her car away from agents, who were telling her to get out of the f**king car so they could apprehend her. Related We have literally nothing to lose: Protests erupt across U.S. after ICE kills queer wife & mother People are getting taken off the streets for exercising their free speech rights, Ocasio-Cortez told the press. The president, himself, has asserted that in fact one of the reasons that this murder may have been justified is on free speech grounds. So this is now turned into what our greatest fear is and has been for a long time around ICE, that this will be used as an anti-civilian force that has no accountability.In response to the killing, Trump posted on Truth Social, accusing Good of being very disorderly, obstructing and resisting, even though she was driving away. 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 AOC: What we saw today was a horrific act of violence. What we have seen and are now seeing is that ICE has not just become an anti-immigrant forceit is becoming an anti-civilian, paramilitary organization. People are being taken off the streets for exercising their free speech pic.twitter.com/Xw2axVd8Wu Acyn (@Acyn) January 8, 2026The situation is being studied, in its entirety, but the reason these incidents are happening is because the Radical Left is threatening, assaulting, and targeting our Law Enforcement Officers and ICE Agents on a daily basis, Trump wrote. They are just trying to do the job of MAKING AMERICA SAFE. We need to stand by and protect our Law Enforcement Officers from this Radical Left Movement of Violence and Hate! The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has claimed that the officer fired defensive shots at Good after she was attempting to run over him and other agents in an attempt to kill them an act of domestic terrorism.Ocasio-Cortez slammed the Trump administration for lying about the circumstances surrounding the incident and spreading propaganda. Their editorializing of this event to justify a public murder is disgusting. It is horrifying. Watch it for yourself, and make that assessment to yourself on which of these leaders are lying to you with their statements. Raju: The Speaker and others have said that this driver was weaponizing her vehicle.AOC: Their editorializing of this event to justify this is disgusting. Watch it for yourself and make that assessment for yourself on which of these leaders are lying to you. pic.twitter.com/UZWR036bi5 Acyn (@Acyn) January 8, 2026Ocasio-Cortez said theres no doubt that the shooting was murder. And murders in cold blood need to be prosecuted, she said. What we saw today was a criminal a criminal murder a woman and shoot her in the head while she was trying to escape and flee for her life. What we saw today was a manifestation of every Americans worst nightmare, which is their government turning into a tyranny. AOC: What we saw today was a criminal murder a woman while she was trying to flee for her life. What we saw today was a manifestation of every Americans worst nightmare: their government turning into a tyranny. pic.twitter.com/DySJ24yMzT Acyn (@Acyn) January 8, 2026Ocasio-Cortez is far from the only one enraged at the story the Trump administration is peddling. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has called the DHS claim bulls**t, calling the agents actions reckless and telling ICE to get the f**k out of Minneapolis.An analysis of four different videos of the incident led the publication404 Mediato conclude that DHS is lying. The Honda was already turning to the right away from the officers when the one who allegedly feared for his life fired the shots. There were no other officers up the road where the car did fully level out, meaning no other fellow officers were at risk,the publication wrote, adding that the DHS has previously published misleading, wrong, or incendiary statements that do not reflect reality and that have been called not credible by at least one federal judge.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

The small town of Loogootee, Indiana, is once again the subject of litigation after town leaders efforts to shut down a Pride festival. A new lawsuit accuses officials of trying to nix the event by ordinance for the third time in three years.The ordinance it has adopted continues Loogootees pattern ofattemptingto unconstitutionally restrict this celebration of the LGBTQ+ community, Ken Falk, legal director for the ACLU of Indiana, said in a press release that accompanied the suit. Related A small town tried to shut down a Pride festival. The ACLU fought back and won. Advocacy organization Patoka Valley AIDS Community Action Groupfirst held the Pride fest in 2023 in the towns public square without incident. It drew about 200 attendees.The next year, however, following the election of a new mayor and council members, the town passed a burdensome ordinance that effectively overturned prior approval of the groups 2024 permit request. 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 group refiled its application in compliance with the new rules, but that permit request was ignored. A subsequent lawsuit by the group changed city officials minds; the permit request was approved, and the Pride fest was on for a second year. Attendance grew to about 350 people, according to court documents.Patoka Valley filed its request for a 2025 event soon after, but once again, town officials didnt respond. In January 2025, the city council amended the permit process once more; while they finally approved a 2025 permit, the new ordinance barred the group from holding the event in the town square. Festival organizers took the town to court again, claiming both the 2024 and 2025 ordinances were unconstitutional and a violation of their First Amendment rights.In August, district court Judge Richard L. Young agreed, entering a permanent injunction preventing the enforcement of the citys 2025 ordinance; Patoka Valley held its 2025 festival in September.It is so important for our local LGBTQA+ community to be celebrated and seen, Tracy Brown-Salsman, vice president of the Patoka Valley group, said in a news release at the time. Having our 3rd Annual Loogootee PrideFest downtown on the public square is so important because that visibility matters. Visibility literally saves lives!Loogootee Mayor Brian Ader said town officials were deeply disappointed by the ruling and were making plans to appeal. This issue is not about free speech, but instead it is about politics, Ader told the Indy Star. The latest lawsuit addresses what the town did next.After failing to appeal the ruling and ignoring yet another permit request for 2026, the town revised the events ordinance in late December with a new rule barring any public event from taking place within 240 feet of the town square fountain.Lawyers for Patoka Valley claim its a near-verbatim copy of the 2025 ordinance, on which the court had just entered an injunction months earlier. So once again, the group is suing, this time asking the court not only to declare the ordinance unconstitutional but also to hold town officials in contempt for violating the final ruling by Judge Young back in October.Court orders must becomplied with, and Loogootee, by enacting an ordinance thatcontainsprovisions enjoined by the Court, is in contempt of its lawful orders, ACLU legal director Falk said, adding, We will continue to vigorously defend our clients right to hold the event at their desired location in the heart of Loogootee.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Matt Rogers is debunking the rumor that he and Andy Cohen have slept together. After his flirty relationship with Cohen sparked rumors that theyve hooked up in the past, Rogers opened up about their relationship on the newest episode of his Las Culturistas podcast, which he hosts with Bowen Yang. By the way, just to make this explicitly clear. I have never had sex with Andy Cohen. I will never have sex with Andy Cohen, he said.Rumors about the possibility that Rogers and the Bravo host slept together stemmed from his last appearance on Watch What Happens Live last month, where fans clocked the flirty nature of their relationship.Rogers, who is currently dating Below Decks Fraser Olender, said that if he and Cohen were going to have sex, that ship would have already sailed. (@) At one point, I kind of wanted to in the very, very, very beginning, he admitted. But if we were going to have fked, it would have happened by now, probably many times. If you ever see me talking to Andy in a way that would suggest weve had sex, its because we are flirting, because its funny.Rogers went on to say that as an executive producer at Bravo, Cohen is now his boss the Las Culturista Culture Awards are broadcast by Bravo so thats where their relationship begins and ends.He is a friend. He is now our boss. Thats the extent of it, he said.Rogers also pointed out that the straight women watching Bravo need to mind their business when it comes to the relationships gay men have with each other.And if youre going to make f*king content about this, like get this persons fking name right, he continued. Yeah, that one girl called me Matt Fraser, which obviously I didnt think it was a mistake. But I sometimes think that straight women just need to stop and remember they are straight women before they talk about the way that gay guys are being. Sure.

Numerous LGBTQ+ elected officials, all Democrats, are speaking out on the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis Wednesday, saying there is no justification for ICEs action and that there must be a thorough investigation.Good was married to a woman and had a 6-year-old son from a previous union.Related: In baseball fields, gardens, birthday parties, and more, the increasing barbarism of masked ICE agentsRelated: Chicago alderperson describes sanctioned violence after ICE detained her for simply asking questionsMinnesota U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, whose district is near Minneapolis, posted on X that she and her colleagues have often warned of the dangers of the Trump Administrations chaotic, reckless, and unnecessary ICE operations in our cities.Today, our worst fears became reality when an ICE agent shot and killed a woman in South Minneapolis, she continued. This is beyond unacceptable. Its unconscionable and sickening.To Donald Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, she directed this statement: ICE must leave Minnesota NOW. (@) The administration has claimed that Good, who was in an SUV, somehow posed a threat to the ICE agents. DHS said a person weaponized a vehicle, prompting an agent to fire what the agency described as defensive shots. But video shows a dark SUV attempting to drive away from the scene when three shots ring out.No matter how the Trump Administration spins this, we all saw it, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey posted on X. Renee Good was a mother and an American citizen. My heart breaks for her family. ICEs dangerous, aggressive tactics dont make us safer. Just the opposite. This has to stop. (@) Colorado Gov. Jared Polis published this statement on his website: What took place in a Minneapolis neighborhood is deeply disturbing, and the loss of Renee Good is tragic. My thoughts are with Renees family, especially her young child, friends, and loved ones including those in Colorado. There must be a full investigation into this incident, and accountability. The American people deserve answers about what happened today. It's been reported that Good was from the Colorado Springs area and had family in Colorado, he said.U.S. Rep. Becca Balint of Vermont referred to the horrific videos of Good being gunned down. I will do everything in my power as a member of Congress and as a member of the Judiciary Committee and as an American who has a conscience to make sure that the people responsible will be brought to justice, she said in an X video. She added that ICE needs to get out of our cities and is causing more harm than good. (@) ICE just killed someone in Minneapolis, U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the highest-ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, posted on the platform. This Administration's violence against communities across our country is horrific and dangerous. Oversight Democrats are demanding answers on what happened today. We need an investigation immediately. (@) U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen of Illinois, who is also on the Oversight Committee, posted a video on X saying he had spoken with Garcia and agreed that an investigation must take place. When watching the video, Sorensen said, it appeared to him that Good posed no threat. (@) California State Sen. Scott Wiener, who is running for a U.S. House seat, also weighed in on X. The President and Department of Homeland Security are working overtime to try and justify killing an innocent civilian, he wrote. "We cant let them get away with this. (@) Donald Trumps ICE just murdered a woman in cold blood, U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin posted on TikTok. The mayor of Minneapolis is right: get the f*ck out. TikTok Congressman Pocan (WI-02) TikTok Congressman Pocan (WI-02) www.tiktok.com 641 likes, 159 comments. Check out Congressman Pocan (WI-02)s post. Wisconsin U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, wrote on Facebook, This is a tragedy, and Im thinking of our neighbors to the West. We need an investigation into this incident and accountability. But this we do know: Trump is sending in masked agents into our neighborhoods, is causing chaos, and is not making our communities any safer.U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York posted on X, A fatal ICE operation in Minneapolis is the latest proof of an agency out of control under Trump's watch. Lethal force demands immediate accountability and transparency. We need an independent investigation now. This is unacceptable. He included a post from Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of Homeland Security, giving the administration's version of events, but he made clear he wasn't buying it. (@) U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride of Delaware wrote on X, "I am appalled that a woman was shot and killed by an ICE officer in Minneapolis today. Im holding the victim and all of Minnesota in my thoughts as they shoulder this tragic loss. While were still gaining more information, today makes one thing clear: public safety has never been this administrations priority when they send ICE into communities to break up families and its unchecked actions and insufficiently trained new officers are putting lives in jeopardy." (@) U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson of Texas published a statement on her House website addressing both the Minneapolis shooting and the situation in her home state. I have repeatedly demanded that Secretary Noem and the Department of Homeland Security rein in ICE agents and they have refused, Johnson said. ICE has unlawfully detained U.S. citizens, undermined the rule of law, and now, with zero accountability, has killed an American citizen. This is unacceptable. Law enforcement is meant to protect and serve. Instead, ICE has sown fear in our communities. Agents are abusing their power, and by refusing to identify themselves to local law enforcement, they continue to erode trust in our police and put Texans at risk. With a rise in ICE impersonations and attacks on officers, particularly at the Dallas ICE field office, transparency is critical. At a minimum, ICE must identify themselves to the Dallas Police Department to protect public safety. Johnson has written a letter to Noem demanding that ICE agents identify themselves to local police.

Renee Nicole Good was many things a wife, mother, poet, singer, devoted Christian, and "extremely compassionate" human being but she was not a "domestic terrorist."The 37-year-old was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Wednesday morning in Minneapolis, Minnesota, sending shockwaves across the nation. The incident occurred after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) deployed roughly 2,000 federal agents in the state as part of an aggressive crackdown on supposed fraud.The DHS has said that rioters began blocking ICE officers during what it called targeted operations" near East 34th Street and Portland Avenue. The department alleged that Good weaponized her vehicle by attempting to run over agents, labeling her actions as "domestic terrorism" and those of the officers as "self defense," but multiple eyewitness accounts and video footage from the incident contradict this. Related: Shocking video shows ICE agent fatally shooting woman in south Minneapolis The footage shows Good was attempting to leave the scene by turning right when an agent approached her vehicle from the side and opened fire into her driver's seat window. The vehicle then accelerated, crashing into a nearby light post, with the officer who was seen firing the shots then walking away from the wreckage. Good's extrajudicial killing has been condemned by LGBTQ+ lawmakers and activists, as well as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who have called for a thorough investigation and for ICE to withdraw its agents from the state. Meanwhile, a GoFundMe for Good's wife and children reached over $600,000 in the 24 hours since her death. While Donald Trump fallaciously calls her a "professional agitator," Good's loved ones are mourning a "loving, forgiving, and affectionate" mother of three who loved writing and was not particularly politically active. Here's everything we know about Good so far. Renee Good had a wife and three childrenGood had three children a 15-year-old and 12-year-old from her first marriage, and a 6-year-old from her second marriage to Timmy Ray Macklin Jr., who died in 2023 at age 36. She was returning from dropping her youngest off at school when ICE agents shot and killed her, Good's first ex-husband told The Associated Press.The identity of her current partner has not yet been confirmed, but video circulating on social media shows a distraught woman mourning Good at the scene of her killing, referring to her as her wife. A person wearing the same outfit as the woman can be seen in another video leaning over a bloodied body in the drivers seat of the SUV.They killed my wife. I dont know what to do. We stopped to videotape, and they shot her in the head," the woman says through sobs in the footage, with a damaged SUV visible in the distance behind her. We have a 6-year-old at school. Were new here."Good was a U.S. citizen born in Colorado, but previously lived with her wife in Kansas City, Missouri before moving to Minnesota last year. She previously worked as a dental assistant and at a credit union, her ex-husband said, but had recently become a stay-at-home mom. Renee Good was a poet with a passion for singingGood described herself in her Instagram bio, which featured an LGBTQ+ Pride flag, as a poet and writer and wife and mom and shitty guitar strummer from Colorado; experiencing Minneapolis, MN. Good's ex-husband that she was a devoted Christian who had taken part in mission trips to Northern Ireland in her youth and participated in a choir during high school. Her love of singing would lead her to study vocal performance in college, though writing was her ultimate passion.Good graduated in December 2020 from Old Dominion University in Virginia with a degree in English, and won an award the same year for one of her works. She also hosted a podcast with her second husband before his death. This is yet another clear example that fear and violence have sadly become commonplace in our nation," ODU President Brian O. Hemphill said in a statement. "Indeed, this tragedy reflects the deep strain being felt in countless communities across our nation. As citizens, it is our duty and right to call upon leaders and officials to restore civility in all facets of our lives, especially at the hands of those who are entrusted to protect and serve."May Renees life be a reminder of what unites us: freedom, love, and peace," he continued. "My hope is for compassion, healing, and reflection at a time that is becoming one of the darkest and most uncertain periods in our nations history.Renee Good was not a domestic terroristWhile the DHS has labeled Good's actions as "domestic terrorism," multiple videos from the incident contradict their claims. Testimonies from Good's loved ones also dispute that she was an activist, let alone a terrorist. Good was a creative at heart, according to her ex-husband, not someone who was politically active. He said that she had not participated in a protest in all the years that he had known her, and did not have a criminal record beyond a parking ticket.Good's mother shared the same characterization of her daughter. Donna Ganger told The Star Tribune that Good was not part of anything like that at all, referring to ongoing protests against ICE, and that she would never act so violently. Renee was one of the kindest people Ive ever known, she said. She was extremely compassionate. Shes taken care of people all her life. She was loving, forgiving, and affectionate. She was an amazing human being.

Utah officials have ordered Gregory Maguire's novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West off public school library shelves, increasing the statewide crackdown on titles deemed "sensitive" under a controversial education law and its recent H.B. 29 Sensitive Material Review Amendments.The book, published in 1995, inspired Stephen Schwartz's 2003 hit Broadway musical of the same name, and two record-breaking film adaptations 2024's Wicked and 2025's Wicked: For Good directed by Jon M. Chu and starring Cynthia Erivo (as Elphaba) and Ariana Grande (as Glinda).Wicked is one of three books that were formally banned on January 5, 2026 along with Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes. This censorship law from the Utah State Board of Education was first passed in 2022 and was subsequently amended in 2024, as reported by Playbill. Altogether, this law has already banned a total of 22 books that "strip library collections of a broad range of books they classify as containing 'sensitive materials,'" the report adds.The American Civil Liberties Union of Utah has filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah on behalf of authors and two anonymous high school students, arguing that this law violates the First Amendment by ignoring the educational value of published works that are age-appropriate. See on Instagram Furthermore, the ACLU underscores that a disproportionate number of banned books were written by women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ writers.The full list of 22 books banned in Utah under this new law and its recent amendments can be found below (via The Salt Lake Tribune).Water for Elephants Sara GruenTilt Ellen HopkinsFallout Ellen HopkinsTricks Ellen HopkinsBlankets Craig ThompsonA Court of Thorns and Roses Sarah J. MaasA Court of Mist and Fury Sarah J. MaasA Court of Wings and Ruin Sarah J. MaasA Court of Frost and Starlight Sarah J. MaasA Court of Silver Flames Sarah J. MaasDamsel Elana K. ArnoldEmpire of Storms Sarah J. MaasForever Judy BlumeLike a Love Story Abdi NazemianLiving Dead Girl Elizabeth ScottMilk and Honey Rupi KaurOryx & Crake Margaret AtwoodWhat Girls Are Made Of Elana K. ArnoldThirteen Reasons Why Jay AsherWicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West Gregory MaguireNineteen Minutes Jodi PicoultThe Perks of Being a Wallflower Stephen ChboskyThis story is still developing

A New Years kiss between Ricky Locci and DJ Petrosino in Manhattans Times Square went viral after it aired on the ESPN cable sports network, receiving a somewhat awkward and surprised reaction from the networks anchorman. While the couple says theyve received a lot of online hate after a right-wing social media account shared a video of their broadcast kiss, theyve also received lots of love and were happy to provide positive queer representation to viewers in more conservative areas. Related Boy George gives loving note to a mom who bravely supported her trans son Its been an interesting mix of reactions! Locci told Outsports. Weve had a lot of support, with people saying the kiss warmed their hearts, that they were so happy for us or that they needed to see that, especially after this last year.Locci, a physical therapist on Broadway shows, also runs a personal training company focused on LGBTQ+ health and wellness. His partner, DJ, works in interior design and has previously performed in New York City for over a decade as an actor and dancer. The two have been dating for just over a year. 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 couple said that an ESPN production assistant asked if they wanted their kiss televised, and then had the couple wear two mandatory Planet Fitness-sponsored hats while they awaited the midnight countdown for their now-viral smooch.We thought it would just be shown on the Jumbotrons, Petrosino said. We didnt know it was going to be televised. We kiss all the time, so we didnt think it was that big of a deal. After the kiss, the couple went to a local piano bar and saw ESPN air their embrace. When their friends told the other patrons that it was them on the TV screen, some of the bar patrons cheered in celebration. Soon after the kiss aired, people started contacting the couple through various messaging and social apps, expressing love and support.We got a lot of love, not just some people we knew, but people all over the internet that just appreciated it, Locci told Out magazine.While ESPN anchorman Scott Van Pelt seemed caught off guard when the same-sex smooch aired on his network, Locci said he found his reaction funny, as did many social media commenters who interpreted Van Pelts reaction as either one of disapproval or titillation. Its crazy how you saw people take his reaction and try to make the worst out of it. I guess theyll interpret it the way that they want, Locci said. Noting Van Pelts hesitation when commenting on the kiss on-air, Locci added, It speaks to the nature of the society that weve created that he didnt want to say the wrong thing.Some people are like, Oh my gosh, hes disgusted! And others are like, Hes aroused! Our interpretation was just that he was surprised and didnt want to say the wrong thing.Petrosino added, With it being on a sports network, where people kissing in general is not seen much, its unexpected in and of itself.Given our political climate right now, I think any kind of visibility is important. Even if we think its already been said and already been out there, I dont think we can [push for visibility] enough, Petrosino told Out.Locci agreed, saying that their broadcast kiss may mean even more to ESPN viewers who live in rural areas or red states. ESPNs footage was also shared by anti-LGBTQ+, right-wing social media accounts.We got a lot of hate, Locci told the aforementioned magazine, adding that social media commenters said that they should be slaughtered and accused them of pushing propaganda and corrupting children. Its heartwarming to see that, while everyone else is spending New Years with family and friends, End Wokeness was screen recording gay people kissing https://t.co/RxYyTZT4Cm no context memes (@nocontextmemes) January 1, 2026However, in an emotional Instagram post, Locci wrote, In my 20s I struggled with depression and coming out. In my 30s I kissed my boyfriend on National television after having one of the best years of my life.Loving yourself and finding confidence is a constant work in progress. Some days you can feel like the most confident person in the world and others you can feel like the smallest. Its important to love both versions, he said.Patience is a virtue, Locci told Outsports, and loving yourself is how you can really embrace your queer identity. Then a relationship like the one we have will come along. For some, it may be easy to find. For others, it may be hard. But it doesnt mean that its unattainable. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dr. Ricky Locci, PT, DPT, CSCS (@ricky_locci_dpt)Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.