Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) was asked earlier today if Rep.-elect Sarah McBride (D-DE), who is transgender, is a man or a woman, a reference to a resolution introduced by House Republicans to ban her from using womens facilities at the Capitol.Johnson refused to take a stand. Im not gonna get into this, Johnson replied. Related Mike Johnsons stepmom calls out his crazy religious beliefs She said he refused to help his family because of his extreme beliefs. He said that all new members are welcome to the Capitol and that all persons are treated with dignity and respect, even though denying a persons gender identity could easily be understood as a form of disrespect. 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 Johnson then referred to it as a silly debate but added that theres a concern about uses of restroom facilities and locker rooms and all that. This is an issue that Congress has never had to address before, were gonna do that in a deliberate fashion with member consensus on it, and we will accommodate the needs of every single person. Reporter: Is Representative Elect Sarah McBride a man or a woman?Johnson: Look, Im not going to get into this[image or embed] Acyn (@acyn.bsky.social) November 19, 2024 at 4:40 PMRep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), who has a long history of transphobia, introduced a resolution yesterday banning trans women from using the womens facilities at the Capitol, just weeks after McBride became the first out trans person elected to Congress. Mace posted about her resolution dozens of times on X yesterday and specifically mentioned or re-shared posts about McBride in support of her resolution. She also referred to herself as a TERF, or a trans exclusionary radical feminist, and said that being transgender is a form of make believe dress up.McBride, though, has tried to downplay the resolution, saying that she is focused on issues that her constituents care about, like housing and health care. Delawareans sent me here to make the American dream more affordable and accessible and thats what Im focused on, she said.Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) joined Mace in demanding McBride be banned from womens facilities, accusing the Left of forcing their sick trans ideology down our throats and invading our spaces and our womens sports and saying that shes sick of this s**t. One of Greenes main focuses in Congress has been opposition to transgender equality, including a bill to ban gender-affirming care for trans minors at the federal level and to make it more difficult for trans adults to access it. Mace campaigned several times on anti-trans attitudes. In 2020, she told voters that her Democratic opponent and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) worked together to pass a bill that closed down a local Marine Corps base due to transgendered equality, even though there was no such bill.In 2022, Mace accused her Democratic challenger of providing SEX CHANGE SURGERY. PUBERTY BLOCKERS. GENDER CHANGING HORMONES. FOR CHILDREN? and giving four-year-olds cross-sex hormones, something that doesnt happen. Her challenger, who was a pediatrician running for Congress, was forced to resign from her job as a doctor, saying that the hospital that employed her left me out on a limb.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

The FBI issued a statement on November 15th and included details of text campaigns that have expanded from racist texts targeting Black people to high school students, as well as both the Hispanic and LGBTQIA+ communities. Some recipients reported being told they were selected for deportation or to report to a re-education camp. The messages [...]The post FBI Issues Alert on Anti-LGBTQ and Racist Text Messages first appeared on GLAAD.

Ryan Walters, the embattled superintendent of schools in Oklahoma, has ordered school districts across the state to show a video of him praying for president-elect Donald Trump.The unorthodox and highly political mandate from Walters, who is facing a recall effort in the state, has met firm resistance from local school administrators, who received the video and accompanying order on Thursday. Related Oklahoma GOP wants to impeach anti-LGBTQ+ education head Ryan Walters Walters has hired anti-LGBTQ+ extremists and demanded that schools teach the Bible. Republicans are fed up with his antics. At least seven large Oklahoma school districts said Friday they have no intention of showing the video, in which Walters discusses the goals of his new Office of Religious Liberty and Patriotism and ends with a prayer for the former and future president. 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 highly partisan message directed at children blames the radical left for attacking religious liberty in schools and claims teacher unions have mocked patriotism.We will not tolerate that in any school in Oklahoma, Walters says in the video. We want our students to be patriotic. We want our students to love this country, and we want all students religious liberty to be protected.Walters ends the minute and a half video with a prayer for former President Trump.Dear God, thank you for all the blessings youve given our country. I pray for our leaders to make the right decisions. I pray in particular for Donald Trump and his team as they continue to bring about change to the country, Walters says. Edmond Public Schools Superintendent Angela Grunewald notified parents in her district on Friday that she will not interrupt her schools locally decided curriculum with Walters video.Her district will continue to teach the Oklahoma state standard and curriculum approved by our local school board that we have always taught. Any changes to that would be based on local decisions.Earlier this year, the Oklahoma Supreme Court unanimously ruled that we have the authority to make these decisions at the local level and we will continue to do so, Grunewald wrote.Midwest City-Del City Public Schools Superintendent Rick Cobb wont show the video either, he told the Oklahoma Voice.We have seen the email and video sent yesterday by Superintendent Walters, Cobb said on Friday. We do not believe he has the statutory authority to require us to share this content. The Oklahoma attorney general backed up that claim with an opinion issued Friday.Not only is this edict unenforceable, it is contrary to parents rights, local control and individual free-exercise rights, Attorney Generals Office spokesperson Phil Bacharach said in a statement.Newly sworn-in Democratic state Sen. Mark Mann of Oklahoma City, a former member of the Board of Education there, encouraged other districts to follow suit, The Oklahoman reported. When Oklahoma needs to make gains in reading and math scores, the last thing we need to be doing is pushing the superintendents blatant, self-serving political agenda, Mann said.Walters unenforceable order accompanies the Christian nationalists crusade to distribute 55,000 Bibles to Oklahoma schools. He posted a video the same day his prayer message went out, celebrating the first installment of 500 Bibles arriving in AP Government classrooms.The Bible is back in Oklahomas classrooms. We are getting our kids back on track. pic.twitter.com/6dTjZKQ4pp Superintendent Ryan Walters (@RyanWaltersSupt) November 14, 2024Walters budget request was tailored to one particular version of the Scripture: the so-called Trump Bible, which bundles the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution with the Old and New Testaments into a single Christian nationalist text. The initial purchase earned the incoming president $25,000.Walters name has been floated as a possible secretary of education in Trumps second-term Cabinet. Both men have called for the U.S. Department of Education to be abolished.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Fox host Pete Hegseth Donald Trumps nominee for secretary of defense has repeatedly argued women should not be allowed to serve in combat roles due to the militarys problems with sexual assault yet his lawyer recently confirmed he, himself, paid off a woman who accused him of sexual assaulting her at a California conference in 2017.A recent statement from Hegseths attorney confirmed that the Fox News host paid the complainant as part of a civil confidential settlement agreement and maintains his innocence. Related Trump targets military for woke purge, picks Fox News host for Defense Secretary Fox & Friends Pete Hegseth made a fan of Trump by denouncing socially correct garbage. He also thinks women shouldnt be in combat roles. Hegseths lawyer has argued the encounter was consensual and that the accuser is trying to squeeze Mr. Hegseth for 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 Nevertheless, Hegseth claimed in a 2016 speech that sexual assault in the military was a major concern of his. We shouldnt be having military sexual assault. Everybody understands that. We need to be taking care of it, he said. You think you bring women into infantry, different units, you might exacerbate that a little bit? Im not saying thats anybodys fault, but thats an unintended consequence of that priority also.Three years earlier, he posited the same idea while speaking to Fox host Megyn Kelly, who questioned the ethics of holding women back from advancing in the military because some bad apples are sexually assaulting them. Hegseth responded that the end state of the military is not equality but rather the ability to fight and win wars. He doubled down on this position on women in combat just last week, although this time he more or less abandoned the guise of wanting to protect women. Im straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles, he asserted in a recent CNN interview. It hasnt made us more effective, hasnt made us more lethal, has made fighting more complicated. Weve all served with women, and theyre great. But our institutions dont have to incentivize that in places where, traditionally not traditionally, over human history men in those positions are more capable. Pete Hegseth 5 days ago: "I'm straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles." pic.twitter.com/0W3LDSakud Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 13, 2024Hegseths stance has led several woman veterans to voice concerns, including Elisa Smithers, who served in Iraq in 2005 when a ban on women in combat was still in place. Smithers said she essentially served in combat unofficially as a female searcher with the National Guard. But she later did not have access to the same benefits afforded to male combat veterans by the US Department of Veterans Affairs. They will still need these women in these roles, Smithers told CNN. So, well go back to this, like, pseudo attaching them to the unit. And then this perception by the men that, you know, the women are not in combat roles.Army veteran Elizabeth Beggs added that women are more than capable and that they have been in combat since the beginning of history. Not all women are capable just like not all men are capable, she said. Another veteran and military sexual assault survivor, who chose to remain anonymous, warned that Hegseths attitude could exacerbate the culture of sexual assault he claims to want to fight. Whenever a man does not see a woman as an equal, thats where youre going to see that kind of culture continuously get worse, she said. Its going to hurt the military force.Navy Veteran Wendy Coop said Hegseth could also be opening a dangerous floodgate. We have to look at the individual and stop saying your gender determines your ability to serve in the military, Coop said. And then what happens is that people say, oh, well, they dont belong in the military? They also dont belong in the police force. They also dont belong as firefighters. They dont belong in the Secret Service.Hegseth, 44, served as an Army infantryman in Iraq and Afghanistan and as a member of the Minnesota National Guard. He joined Fox News in 2015 and hosts the networksFox & Friends Weekendprogram, where Trump has been a frequent guest.In addition to purging women from combat, he also said he wants to get DEI and [critical race theory] out of the military academy so youre not training young officers to be baptized in this type of thinking.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Are you ready toSpillsome tea with Johnny Sibilly? Digital talk series Spill returns to Logos YouTube channel on Tuesday, November 19 at 12pm ET. Spillkicks off its return with the great Laverne Cox on November 19 continues weekly through December with singer David Archuleta (November 25), viral star Cosmo Lambino (December 3), choreographer Sean [...]The post Logos Spill with Johnny Sibilly Returns; Guests Include Laverne Cox, David Archuleta, Gigi Goode and More first appeared on GLAAD.

Every year, people and organizations around the country participate in Transgender Awareness Week from November 13th 19th. The campaign aims to help increase understanding about transgender people and the issues members of the community face. In honor of Transgender Awareness Week, GLAAD and Gilead Sciences hosted a panel discussion about Driving Trans Health, Policy [...]The post WATCH: Dominique Jackson talks mutual aid, safety, and more with transgender community leaders for #TransgenderAwarenessWeek with GLAAD and Gilead Sciences first appeared on GLAAD.

While Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has voiced some good ideas regarding childrens health issues, like eliminating processed foods from their diets and attempting to reduce childhood obesity, his insistence on spreading false and dangerous health-related conspiracy theories combined with his lack of background in the field of public health should automatically make him ineligible for the role of Secretary of Health and Human Services in the upcoming Second Reich of the Donald Trump administration.His conspiratorial platform in his failed 2024 run for the White House is quite extensive. He has been at the forefront of the anti-vaccine movement and is a popular speaker to audiences of parents who are fighting their school districts to lift the vaccine requirements for admission to most public schools. Related Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reveals plans to fire 600 federal health workers The Trump ally and anti-vax conspiracist takes aim at the agencies he loathes. Without any valid scientific evidence, he has falsely asserted that vaccines in children can cause autism. A wide consensus of several expert health organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, have foundno credible linkbetween vaccines and autism. Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today Kennedy has said that HIV does not cause AIDS, that wireless5G cellular networktechnology can cause cancer and other ailments, that prescriptionantidepressant drugscause mass shootings in the U.S., and that unapproved and potentially lethal use of treatments like ivermectin can cure COVID-19.He spreadsbaselessclaims that fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease. Though limited amounts in tap water have been shown to reduce dental cavities for decades, he has already lobbied Donald Trump to eliminate fluoride from drinking water when he takes office.He advocates for people to drinkraw unpasteurized milkeven though it often contains dangerous organisms. TheCDCreported that raw and pasteurized milk contain the same nutrients. He posted in hisX accountthat the Federal Drug Administration has waged a war on public health that includes aggressive suppression of products that advance human health and cant be patented by the pharmaceutical industry.In his 2021 book,The Real Anthony Fauci, he accused the worlds preeminent research virologist and public health expert of launching a historic coup dtat against Western democracy by exerting enormous influence over the media and public health.Kennedy linked vaccine mandates to the Holocaust by stating, Even in Hitlers Germany, you could cross the Alps into Switzerland, you could hide in an attic like Anne Frank did. Sorry, Jr., in your capacity as an environmental lawyer, I suppose I should not have expected you to know somewhat more about history. As a teenager, Anne and six other people hid in an attic in Amsterdam, not Germany, and we all know what happened to Anne and most of the others who hid there. Only Annes father survived the War.Kennedy continued byassertingthat the COVID-19 pandemic was engineered by humans to target Caucasians and Black people and that those who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese.This man reads from the same playbook that antisemites have peddled for years. During the Middle Ages, Christian leaders connected the earlier myth that Jews were baby killers by unjustly blaming Jews for bringing on the Bubonic Plague which killed nearly one-third of the entire European population into Asia by poisoning drinking wells, even though ticks spread the disease by rats. But nonetheless, lets blame the Jews.Originally appearing under the reign of Czar Nicholas II in Russia around 1895, an anonymous author who worked for the Russian secret police in Paris wrote a booklet,Protocols of the Learned Elders ofZion, to influence the policies of the Czar regarding Jews. It contained the alleged minutes of a supposed conference organized by rabbis to plot how Jews would overtake and dominate the world. So lets blame the Jews.Though Jews were allowed very little control over the conditions surrounding their lives in many European countries, by the end of the 19thcentury C.E., the stereotype of Jews as powerful with an interest in world domination persisted into the current era, led purportedly by the super-industrialist Rothschild family, and currently by George Soros. So lets blame the Jews. Even putting his blatantly antisemitic assertions aside, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is beyond unqualified to step foot near any of the many governmental health agencies in the United States and most certainly must not be granted the honor of serving as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.I hope the worm doctors found eating portions of his brain has not totally eliminated his cognitive processing of the scientific method of biological research and the drug approval process.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

If youve been living under a rockor wishing you didformer President Donald Trump will return to the White House in 2025. Cue the "The Imperial March".The devastating defeat of Vice President Kamala Harris, in addition to Republicans grabbing hold of the Senate and maintaining a comfortable majority in the House of Representatives, has baffled many political pundits. Was Harris message more on good vibes than actual policies? Are Democrats too out of touch? Is it really about the economy? These were questions brought up time and time again since the loss. But a growing number of on-air pundits and politicians have laid the blame at the feet of one group: Transgender Americans.From Morning Joe to Democratic party members, individuals were quick to point the finger at trans issues being the ultimate loss for the U.S. Elections. Despite exit polls showing the issues for voters were economic and securityinflation and immigration ranking high on the listssomehow, somewhere, trans-Americans were the latest to blame. This is despite Kamala Harris and the gamut of the Democratic party ignoring trans issues from the first presidential debate to the final days of the election. I say this with certainty and some authority, as Ive observed each moment throughout the Democratic campaign. When Biden was in the running, trans rights were ignored in the debate; when Harris succeeded him and Tim Walz entered as a vice presidential candidate, trans rights remained largely ignored. From the Democratic National Convention up to her last interview with NBC, Kamala Harris sidestepped how to protect the rights and dignities of trans-Americans. Instead of a clear policy, we were told (read: gaslit) to refer back to her record. Instead of addressing the question with NBC Newss Hallie Jackson, she said, I believe we should follow the law, after giving a passionate plea about how she would defend abortion rights and the right for (cis) women to have control over their bodies. Trans rights, by and large, were overlooked and ignored throughout the entire campaign. So why choose to blame trans people?Annoyingly, pointing the finger at us could be their way of saying that identity politics got in the way of the race to the White House. This is a bit unfair, given that identity politics is almost always in play during election season. Lets take, for example, the working class. Yes, it is a classification. But, at the same time, it is often referenced to conjure up an archetype or image that voters can identify with. Some could interpret the working class term as code for saying white menforgetting, however, that working-class individuals also include non-white, transgender individuals. I think its time to be honest with ourselves: America isnt angry at trans folks. America, quite simply, isnt the girl she used to be. The country is like that friend who went from the center of the party to the wallflower overnight. The friend you would end your night out at a drive-thru, laughing your ass off and taking selfies, to the one who doesnt go out at all. She used to make fun posts on social media but now does nothing more than share memes and repost conspiracy theories. America has evolved into something we dont know anymore. Possibly something weirder than we thought. Its just sad. Its equally sad to see members and pundits who support the Democrats, deemed the progressive party and a champion for the marginalized, turn around at point fingers at a targeted community. After an election that saw their opponents spend hundreds of millions of dollars with anti-trans ads, I thought they would know better. And why is it sad, shameful even, to support trans rights?Defending the tired, the poor, and those yearning to be free used to be virtuous in this country. Weve seen the sheer excellence of Vice President Kamala Harris and other marginalized groupsregardless of color, culture, identity, or creedtime and time again, from the C-Suite to classrooms to homes and government. We must work twice as hard to get crumbs, have divine-like strength and time, but be humble about our success. All while ensuring our hair is laid, our outfit is fierce, and we carry ourselves with our heads high. Madam Vice President pulled together a campaign, hit record-breaking donations, and made campaign stop after campaign stop while reminding folks that shes first and foremost servant of the State rather than vying to be its master. This was the most public demonstration of Black girl magic on the most prominent platforms for the highest offices in the land. And, still, it wasnt good enough for the electorate. It wasnt trans folks, wokeism, or the near-possibility of having a nonwhite female, daughter of immigrants and from a single household. We can say the issues were apparent based on those exit polls. Or, we can finally admit that this still-maturing country will come up with any excuse to overpass a highly-qualified woman for a convicted criminal who has made hate acceptable again. As the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, it still has some soul-searching to doif one was ever there. But keep me and my trans siblings out of your mouths. Were not having it today, tomorrow, or any other time you wish to find a scapegoat in the room.Marie-Adlina de la Ferrire is the Community Editor at equalpride, publisher of Pride.com.Voices is dedicated to featuring a wide range of inspiring personal stories and impactful opinions from the LGBTQ+ and Allied community. Visit pride.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 Voices stories are those of the guest writers, columnists and editors, and do not directly represent the views of PRIDE.com or our parent company, equalpride.

For decades, there have been rumors that James Dean was gay, but now we're finally getting more inside details about his secret long-term relationship with a man, and we are SEATED. Earlier this year it was announced that a new biopic focusing on James Dean is in the works based on a memoir written by the actor's classmate at UCLA, former roommate, and alleged lover William Bast. The film will focus on Dean's years-long gay relationship that had to be kept secret because the actor's career was taking off.But a new biography released today is providing readers with all new juicy details about a second gay affair the Rebel Without a Cause star had that started with lust and ended in blackmail, Queerty reports.The star has been written about extensively over the years since his bad-boy appeal never seems to wane, but the brand new biography, out November 19, is full of information you may have never heard before, including details about his relationship with a closeted radio director and TV producer.In Jimmy: The Secret Life of James Dean, author James Colavito claims that Dean had a relationship with Rogers Brackett who he paid off to keep their relationship a secret because he was terrified of being outed as gay and starting a public scandal.According to the biography, in the days leading up to the premiere of his hit film East of Eden in 1954, Dean paid Brackett $800 the equivalent of over $10,000 today as part of an agreement that remained secret for 70 years. Dean paid the older wealthy executive off even though Brackett allegedly sexually exploited Dean during their relationship. "Implicit in the correspondence and conversations between Brackett's team and Dean's is the threat that the suit might become public, which both Brackett and Dean knew would destroy Dean's career," Colavito told the Daily Mail.In the biography, Colavito claims that Dean met Brackett while he was struggling to pay rent after dropping out of UCLA and moving back to Santa Monica. The unemployed actor caught the eye of the exec when he took a job as a parking attendant at the CBS Studios lot. Brackett was immediately taken with the handsome soon-to-be star, offering him a role in the radio drama Alias Jane Doe and eventually letting Dean stay in his home."Jimmy was like a child. He behaved badly just to get attention he was a kid I loved, sometimes parentally, sometimes not parentally," Brackett said of his age-gap relationship with Dean, according to Colavito.The relationship apparently grew tense as Dean's career took off and he didn't need to rely on Brackett anymore. Brackett considered him to be almost like an unruly son, while Dean thought of Brackett as his "heroic equal." Eventually, Dean scored the leading role in Elia Kazan's epic East of Eden, but just before it premiered, Brackett came asking for a handout. He was now hard up for cash, having lost his job, and said that since he helped turn Dean into a star, he was owed something in return. At first, Dean refused to give him any money, but the threat of a scandal forced his hand, and he ended up signing a letter of apology, but not before an "explosive argument" where Dean shouted, "I didn't know it was the wh*re who paid I thought it was the other way around."Things devolved from there, and eventually, Brackett filed suit against Dean, who ended up settling for $800 to be paid in $100 weekly installments. The actor also got Warner Bros. to pay Brackett a large "finder's fee" to keep him quiet."This story has never been told before, and all parties involved worked hard to make sure no one ever found out," Colavito said in his interview with the Daily Mail. "And for 70 years, no one did. The only reason we know about it today is that Dean's agent secretly kept copies of his papers hidden away for decades."

The FBI issued a statement on November 15th and included details of text campaigns that have expanded from racist texts targeting Black people to high school students, as well as both the Hispanic and LGBTQIA+ communities. Some recipients reported being told they were selected for deportation or to report to a re-education camp. The messages [...]The post FBI Issues Alert on Anti-LGBTQ and Racist Text Messages first appeared on GLAAD.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) proposed a resolution on Monday that would bar transgender people from using a bathroom that does not correspond with their gender assigned at birth. This would include Maces future colleague, the recently elected Sarah McBride of Delaware. McBride made history as the first openly transgender person to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. The resolution proposed by Mace calls for, prohibiting Members, officers, and employees of the House from using single-sex facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex, and for other purposes. Whereas allowing biological males into single-sex facilities, such as restrooms, locker rooms, and changing rooms designed for women, jeopardizes the safety and dignity of Members, officers, and employees of the House who are female.The Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Representatives would be responsible for enforcing the ban if passed. McBride responded to the proposed resolution on social media, saying, Every day Americans go to work with people who have life journeys different than their own and engage with them respectfully, I hope members of Congress can muster that same kindness. This is a blatant attempt from far right-wing extremists to distract from the fact that they have no real solutions to what Americans are facing, McBride continued. We should be focused on bringing down the cost of housing, health care, and child care, not manufacturing culture wars. Delawareans sent me here to make the American dream more affordable and accessible and thats what Im focused on.While speaking to reporters, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson responded to questions about the proposed resolution. I believe its a command we treat all persons with dignity and respect. We will, Johnson said. Im not going to engage in silly debates about this. Theres a concern about the use of restroom facilities and locker rooms and all that. This is an issue that Congress has never had to address before. Were going to do that in a deliberate fashion with member consensus on it. We will accommodate the needs of every single person.Bathroom bills targeting trans and gender nonconforming people are nothing new. While just a few years ago, these laws were typically unpopular with constituents, they have gained ground under the more recent anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and attacks. Just last week, lawmakers in Ohio attached a bathroom ban amendment to SB 104 (College Credit Plus Program). The bill passed the Senate and now awaits Gov. Mike DeWines signature. The post Rep.Nancy Maceintroduces Capitol Hill bathroom bill days after first trans Congress member elected appeared first on News Is Out.

A woman has testified to the House Ethics Committee that former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), President-elect Donald Trumps nominee to serve as U.S. attorney general, paid her for sex and also had sex with a 17-year-old girl at a drug-fueled party in July 2017, her lawyer told The Washington Post. Gaetz has previously referred to LGBTQ+ people as degenerates, but Christian conservatives are also saying he shouldnt become the next attorney general.The woman is one of two represented by Florida lawyer Joel Leppard. She said Gaetz paid them and other women for sex using Venmo and the PayPal app of his unofficially adopted son Nestor Galena. They also said Gaetz was under the influence of drugs during the party and that he only learned of the minors age after their sexual encounter. The women said Gaetz attended between five and 10 sex parties between 2017 and 2018. Related Matt Gaetz says school prayer bill will create more empathy as he cruelly mocks LGBTQ+ people He said that his bill will stop pansexual poetry hour in Portland as he decried degenerate content in schools. Leppard has called on the House Ethics Committee to release the report of its investigation into sex trafficking allegations against Gaetz. Christian Nationalist House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has said he doesnt think the committee should release it. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The ethics committee chair, Rep. Michael Guest (R-MS), said Johnson wont influence whether the report is released. The committee is set to meet on Wednesday to discuss the report, which has not yet been given to all committee members. Democrats and some Republicans have requested its release so that Gaetz may be questioned about the allegations during the Senate confirmation hearing for his appointment to lead the Department of Justice (DOJ). The aforementioned witnesses could be called to testify at such a hearing.In comments given to CNN last year, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) said of Gaetz, Theres a reason why no one in the [Republican] conference came and defended him [when he was first accused of sex trafficking and having sex with a minor]. We had all seen the videos he was showing on the House floor of the girls that he had slept with. Hed brag about how he would crush [erectile dysfunction] medicine and chase it with an energy drink so he could go all night.Gaetz denied Mullins accusation. Sen. Markwayne Mullin on Matt Gaetz: We had all seen the videos he was showing on the House floor of the girls that he had slept with. Hed brag about how he would crush ED medicine and chase it with an energy drink so he could go all night.Gaetz responds: This is a lie pic.twitter.com/h55hj0ag29 Manu Raju (@mkraju) October 5, 2023Trump has nonetheless defended Gaetz, saying he is a deeply gifted and tenacious attorney who will restore Americans badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department. In private, Trump has reportedly admitted that Gaetz may not receive Senate confirmation but has also been calling senators to whip up support.Numerous Republicans have expressed doubt about Gaetzs fitness for the role. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has said she doesnt consider Gaetz a serious nomination for attorney general. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) has said Gaetz will face an uphill climb to win Senate confirmation. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) has warned that Gaetz could become an embarrassment to the president. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) said, Hes probably got some work cut out for him to get a good strong vote, adding, Were not going to get a single Democrat vote in the chamber where Republicans will only have a 3-vote majority.Anti-LGBTQ+ Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AR), who spent last year unsuccessfully blocking the promotions of woke military officers, said that Republicans would work to eject any Republican senators who refuse to vote in favor of Gaetz as attorney general. Everybodys got an opinion up here, but at the end of the day, President Trump was elected by an enormous vote, and he deserves a team around him that he wants, its not us to determine that, Tuberville said, despite the fact that the Senate is specifically tasked with vetting the presidents Cabinet appointees in order to avoid any selections that could compromise national security.Recently, Mat Staver, chairperson of the Liberty Counsel a Christian nationalist legal advocacy group that opposes any expansion of LGBTQ+ rights said that Gaetz is morally disqualified to be attorney general because of his involvement in sex parties, adding The question is would he actually even enforce laws involving human trafficking?Staver suggested that Gaetz should withdraw his nomination so that Trump can choose a better nominee.Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel says that Matt Gaetz is morally "disqualified" to be Attorney General because of his involvement in "sex parties": "The question is would he actually even enforce laws involving human trafficking?" https://t.co/SvI67v7pV1 pic.twitter.com/ufMwSFghy8 Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) November 19, 2024Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Lesbian representation in movies and TV used to be few and far between, but now we are gifted with more lesbian characters every year. When lesbians were a rarity in media, we only wanted to see characters who could be seen as good and worthwhile to the predominately straight American viewing public, but now we want complicated characters and women behaving badly. We want to see the full breadth of the lesbian experience including problematic characters! From characters who cheat on their partners, commit crimes, or have chaotic personal lives, we love these messy lesbians.We love a fictional problematic lesbian!Lou and Jackie (Love Lies Bleeding)Yes, Jackie is a hothead who likes to use her fists to solve problems. Her relationship with Lou is volatile, and they are both murderers, but we still ended up rooting for their love story!Jamie (Drive Away Dolls)So, Jamie flirts with other women in front of her girlfriend and is all too happy to hold a suitcase hostage from criminals, but she's also a loyal AF friend, and, well, she's hot too.Josie and PJ (Bottoms)The whole premise of Bottoms is that lesbian best friends Josie and PJ start a fight club at school so they can trick cheerleaders into sleeping with them. They are not exactly model citizens, but they are also hilarious, and who can't relate to being an outcast in high school?Jobu Tupaki (Everything Everywhere All At Once)Yes, yes we understand Jobu's mega evil, is the living embodiment of Joy's nihilism. and massively destructive but let's be real she is also serving nothing but c**t. She the ultimate chaotic lesbian in the literal sense and turned lewk after lewk. Do we want to marry her? No. But one weekend of passion and destruction? Yes, please. Catra (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)Catra is peak lesbian toxicity turning rejection into rage when she believes Adora's exodus from the Evil Horde is also the abandonment of her. That being said, you can't help but love her. Her charm, her wit, her broken heart its all lesbian cat nip (pun intended). Also, that chemistry between her and Adora is poppin'. Don't believe me, rewatch "Princess Prom."Shane McCutcheon(The L Word)If any character epitomizes the term "chaotic lesbian" it's Shane McCutcheon. Played (iconically) by Kate Moennig, Shane was the Sapphic awakening for a generation of baby dykes. She blazed a trail through the hearts of not one but two versions of the landmark series but was exactly the cautionary tale of lesbian drama and heartache you craved to learn the hard way. Alex (Jagged Mind)The twisty lesbian horror movie Jagged Mind will have you on the edge of your seat, in no small part due to the main character Billie's new girlfriend, Alex. Alex's love is obsessive and deranged, and when she finally drops the mask and lets us see the real her, it's creepy and so much fun to watch!Marla Grayson (I Care a Lot)Ok, yes, she may be a con artist who bilked senior citizens out of their assets and life savings, but she's ALSO a ton of fun to watch!Aileen Wuornos (Monster)In Monster, Charlize Theron plays the real-life lesbian sex worker turned serial killer. Obviously, she's a killer, but Theron's performance is so raw and emotional you can't help but feel for Aileen Wuornos plus, the men she killed did seem terrible, so...Mrs. Danvers (Rebecca)The devious housekeeper played by the wonderfully campy Judith Anderson in Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca may not be called a lesbian in the movie, but her obsession with the late Mrs. De Winter is absolutely queer-coded.Barbara (Notes on a Scandal)Judy Dench got an Oscar nod for her role as Barbara in Notes on a Scandal. First, it's Judy Dench playing an obsessive lesbian school teacher, but if that's not enough, Barbara is in love with Cate Blanket's character, who is having an affair with a 15-year-old student. The title doesn't lie; it is scandalous.Santana (Glee)Santana was a bully, but as the show continued, her character became less one-dimensional, and we started to love the lesbian cheerleader. Watching her with her girlfriend Brittany was sweet, and she was also one of the first lesbian Latinas on TV. We love to see it!Bette Porter (The L Word)There are a TON of problematic lesbian on The L Word, but Bette has a long list of crimes, starting with cheating on Tina in the very first season. But she's also lovable, grows throughout the series and is played by the stunning Jennifer Beals so we can't but love her anyway.Cleo (Set it Off)Queen Latifah plays lesbian bank robber Cleo in this fun heist movie. Cleo is the embodiment of Be Gay Do Crime, and while her criminality may make her problematic, we love her for it.Finely (L Word: Generation Q)The reboot of The L Word may have only lasted three seasons, but it reunited us with some of our fave characters and introduced us to new faces like the chaotic Finely, who may have been cute AF, but she ends up hurting the people around her because she doesn't have her own shit worked out.

Whats the gold star for?Simply put, a gold star lesbian is a lesbian who has never slept with a man. So, whats the problem? Why does this phrase need to die? Take a look at the following 10 reasons.1. It's another attempt to control womenAlthough some lesbians wear the term with pride, a lot also feel like its offensive. The current climate already aims to control womens reproductive systems, and the gold star that there are right and wrong ways for women to have sex. You deserve a gold star any time you have sex with whomever and however YOU choose to. Period.2. It reinforces negative LGBTQIA+ stereotypesThe gold star term also reinforces the idea that anyone on the LGBTQ+ spectrum can choose who they would like to have sex with. By asking why they havent had sex with the opposite gender, it insinuates they have a desire theyre simply not acting on, and thats simply not the truth.3. It places value on some sexual experiences above others.Most of us can probably agree that its totally weird and creepy to place a huge amount of value on the virginity of women and girls (virginity meaning, typically, penis-in-vagina hetero sex), because women dont lose value when they lose their virginity. The whole gold star lesbian thing places those same values of purity on lesbians who havent slept with men. A womans value shouldnt have anything to do with whom she has or hasnt slept with, regardless of what community shes in.4. There are plenty of lesbians who have slept with menand guess what? Theyre still lesbians.We live in a messed up heteronormative world that puts enormous pressure on women to partner up with men, and some lesbians do just that before they come out. It doesnt change the fact that those lesbians are still only attracted to women, and we shouldnt imply their sexuality is less legitimate, or that their attraction to women is any less pure.5. It plays into the narrative that bi women have less pure intentions when they date women.The idea that never sleeping with a man is the standard we should all strive to live up to plays into the idea that bisexual women are less desirable for lesbians to date, since theyre not as pure in their sexual desires or experiences.6. It can make it more difficult for rape survivors to talk about their experiences.Placing so much value on the gold star can make lesbians who have never had sex with men, but who have been raped by men, feel far more uncomfortable talking about their experience with other lesbians, because the gold star is so tied into ideas of status and purity.7. It can be used to justify transphobia.While gold star lesbian really just means a lesbian who has never slept with a man, penis is often equated with man in lesbian communities, and invoking the gross out effect of certain genitalia in gold star conversations is common. (We see it played for humor in online videos where lesbians touch a penis for the first time.) Heres the thing: no one really cares what genitalia your girlfriend has, and no one really cares who you date. But dont exclude trans lesbians, or the cis lesbians who date them from your definition of ideal or real lesbians.8. It centers men again.We know what you're thinking, doesn't rewarding lack of sex with men with a "gold star" decenter them? No ma'am it brings them back into the conversation unnecessarily. AGAIN. 9. Hierarchy undermines queer solidarityIf right about now your distrust and distaste for cis men is at an all-time high, we get it. The desire to distance yourself from them and make a statement about how much you aren't fucking with them of fucking them for that matter is absolutely understandable. Just make sure that it's not done in a way that undermines queer solidarity by creating a hierarchical dynamic in our Sapphic community. Our future may be uncertain, but our need for community is not. 10. Because fuck the gender binary, that's why.At the end of the day, this kind of thinking is so pass. We are queer, we are nonconformist, we are punk rock and rebellious against the status quo by our very nature. Love who you want, fuck you who want, and identify as you are. Don't let anyone put you in a box, even if it comes with a pretty gold star.

This week, GLAAD was the recipient of 12 Anthem Awards and named Nonprofit of the Year, for receiving the greatest amount of recognition across this years Anthem Awards categories. GLAAD and Ground Medias Here We Are campaign, championing transgender visibility, led honors among special projects, nonprofit campaigns and collaborations. GLAADs Equity in Media and Entertainment [...]The post GLAAD Wins 12 Anthem Awards and Named Nonprofit of the Year first appeared on GLAAD.

A resolution proposed by Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina misgenders transgender women and targets Rep.-elect Sarah McBride of Delaware, who is set to become the first out transgender member of Congress. The resolution seeks to ban transgender women from using female restrooms inside the Capitol, barring both House members and employees from using single-sex [...]The post Rep. Mace Targets Rep.-elect Sarah McBride with Anti-trans Resolution first appeared on GLAAD.

After passage of an updated and draconian book ban by the Tennessee Legislature in July, a single school district in the state has removed over 400 books from school libraries deeming them as appealing to the prurient interest.Books pulled from shelves range from graphic novels and picture books to acclaimed titles by authors Toni Morrison, Jodi Picoult, Angie Thomas, John Green, and Dr. Seuss. Related High school shuts down its library because of book-banning state law The law could even apply to the Bible. The long list of books removed from libraries in Wilson County Schools is now being distributed to other school districts in the state as a resource for librarians and administrators to strongly consider as they review their own collections under the updated state law, according to reporting from local news site Clarksville Now. 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 newlaw, which went into effect July 1, expands the 2022 Age-Appropriate Materials Act by prohibiting public school libraries from having books with nudity, or descriptions or depictions of sexual excitement, sexual conduct, excess violence, or sadomasochistic abuse, or any book that is patently offensive or appeals to the prurient interest.The books banned in Wilson County include popular novels like the Netflix-adaptedOne of Us is Lyingby Karen McManus, The Bluest Eyeby Toni Morrison, The Umbrella Academy comic book series by Gerard Way,Wacky Wednesday by Dr. Seuss, and Jodi PicoultsNineteen Minutes, which is the most frequentlybanned book of the 2023-2024 school year, according to PEN Americaslatest report.The same school year saw a dramatic 200% increase in banned books in schools nationwide with 10,046 titles removed from library shelves.Dozens of graphic novels, manga, and picture books by award-winning authors are among the titles removed by Wilson County Schools officials, includingThe Complete Persepolisby Marjane Satrapi, Hunter X Hunterby Yoshihiro Tagashi, andNo, Davidby David Shannon. The district says the removals are part of an ongoing process with the potential for even more books banned in the future.One Wilson County high school shut down its library at the beginning of the school year to accommodate the removal process. The Tennessee Association of School Librariansreportedin September that over 1,100 books have been removed from public schools since HB 843 went into effect.Efforts to ban books that have swept the country in recent years have largely targeted books by and about people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community, with conservatives attempting to paint the titles as pornographic. According to a recent report from the Tennessee Equality Project,seven out of nine of the most challenged booksin the state have queer themes or were written by an LGBTQ+ author.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Sabrina Carpenter is following in the footsteps of a long line of celebrities who came before her by headlining her own holiday special; only this one will be every Sapphics fantasy.Netflix just dropped a teaser trailer for the pop stars upcoming holiday special, A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter, and released a list of guest stars, and its full of queer ladies you love!While Sabrina will be hosting and headlining the special, shell also have comedic cameos, dancers, and duets with fellow singers.People like Shania Twain, Tyler, and Quinta Brunson are on the list of stars joining Carpenters special, but who were really looking forward to seeing are the queer women.Queer diva Chappell Roan, bisexual singer-songwriter Kali Uchis, queer actress Cara Delevingne, and bi comedian Megan Stalter are all joining in on the fruity or fruitcake-y holiday fun and we couldnt be more excited!The teaser shows Carpenter in outfits ranging from Santa-themed sequins to a Marilyn Monroe-inspired pink gown, singing a duet with Roan and joking around with Brunson.In a moment that gives us an idea of just how delightfully queer this Christmas special is set to be, the Espresso singer is also shown looking at two garment bags on a clothing rack, one labeled For the Girls and the second one labeled For the Gays we see you, Sabrina.A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter premieres on Netflix on December 6, 2024, at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

LGBTQ+ scholars and cinephiles can explain why queer culture and the supernatural have always gone arm in arm, skipping down the yellow brick road. The rest of us can sit back and binge-watch True Blood, Teen Wolf, Lost Girl, and Interview with the Vampire.Yes, we loved the stories, the romances, and the PLOT. And by plot we mean the hot steamy scenes that leave us feeling both nostalgic and very, h-word! Let's take a stroll through memory lane with 20 of our very favorites! 20.Allof 'Dantes Cove' sex scenes.Lets face it Dantes Cove was pure, unadulterated camp, and thats why we loved it. It was porn with plot lines linking sex scene to sex scene. Today, the shows (totally NSFW) sex scenes look like late-era 90s porn with movie-parlor pop and hairless, spray-tanned bodies. But that doesnt mean were not watching this hour-long compilation of all the shows sex scenes, amassed over the course of three seasons. 19. Alec and Magnus finally get it on in 'Shadowhunters'.Alec and Magnus' ship was one that the fans were VERY passionate about. Both for good and complicated reasons. All valid, all fair, but still we couldn't help but be happy to finally see these two take things to the next level. 18. And all the gay on 'Teen Wolf'.So much repressed, unspoken, agonizing gay.Hollywood needs to destroy the glass closet particularly now that the decadent, sort-of left-leaning world of American entertainment has an enemy in Donald Trump a monster the entertainment world created and a leader-elect with evident ties to Vladimir Putin, who banned all visible representation of homosexuality in his country. Gulp. Which is why all that queer-baiting on Teen Wolf stings. We sat through it, agonized through it, only to get scarce few same-sex moments. But some could easily argue that the entire show is one long repressed homoerotic urge. Heres a run-through of Teen Wolfs gayest moments.17. 'True Bloods Jason Stackhouse does a whitey-tightey dance for Lafayette.Remember when gay vampire Lafayette got Jason to strip dance on camera? Yeah. Us too. 16. That 'True Blood' murder scene when we learned Eric was a top.Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) tells Talbot to turn over and mounts him in the shows rather talked-about gay revenge murder. Watch it here.15. That ultra-bloody 'AHS Hotel' foursome with Lady Gaga and Matt Bomer.Because that happens, right? One of the most intense (and distinctly Ryan Murphy) scenes from American Horror Story: Hotel was when the Countess (Lady Gaga in her TV acting debut) and her eyeliner-wearing lover Donovan (Bomer), both vampires, seduced a couple at an outdoor movie screening at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Things got hot then very bloody. Watch it here. 14.Buffys Willow and Tara and the kiss that made everyone cry.We watched Willow (Alyson Hannigan) gradually discover her lesbian sexuality over the course of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, unearth her feelings for Tara (Amber Benson), and come out all in a way that felt refreshingly realistic to LGBT viewers. We watched Willow become stronger and more confident in her sexuality, then we got the kiss. It happened in a devastatingly sad episode (The Body). With so many bad examples of gay relationships on TV, in both supernatural fare and otherwise, Tara and Willows relationship is seen by many as the one that got it right. Watch the kiss below. 13. Dandy and Andy in 'AHS: Freak Show'.American Horror Story: Freak Show was the launch of Finn Wittrock, who may never live down his role as Dandy, the cute, doted-upon mamas boy-turned-serial-killer (in other words, a signature Ryan Murphy creation).On his first night out as a bona fide killer, he hits a gay bar and lures gay hustler Andy (Bomer) back to his shack in the woods. Andy thinks its a little dirty and creepy but hey, just another raunchy hookup in the woods, right? Bye, Andy. Watch it here.12. That lesbian love scene from 'Teen Wolf' that was a pleasant surprise.The male-heavy Teen Wolf parade finally introduced a lesbian couple about to have sex for the first time in a way that, as After Ellen noted, was the most lesbian way possible. Tent. Outdoors. Lots of talking about feelings and pauses to make sure they both felt loved and appreciated. We get it. 11. Thom and Harris have a steamy, frustratingly no-frontal sex scene in 'The Lair.'It would be impossible to go through all the gay sex scenes from The Lair, a sexed-up gay drama set in the same world as Dantes Cove, but heres a steamy NSFW sampling. Thom (breakout star David Moretti) and Harris (Jared Grey) hook up on the third season of The Lair, about a sleepy island town inhabited by a mix of vampires and other supernatural characters. 10. and then this ridiculously hot 'The Lair' foursome.There are literally endless hours of sex scenes from The Lair, which ran from 2007 to 2009, with consistently mixed reviews. Who knows what the hell is going on here? Who cares? 9. Josh and Aiden on 'The Originals'.The Vampire Diaries spin-off made sure to give vamp-loving queer fans some man-on-man action and not just as parody of straight love scenes. 8. Evan Peterss crazy gay millionaire and his boy toy from 'American Horror Story: Freak Show.'On American Horror Story: Freak Show, alum Evan Peters played a crazy millionaire art aficionado from the antebellum South a wealthy ancestor of season 4s Dandy Mott (future serial killer) who had a male lover with whom he likes to rouge each others nipples. A tub scene features the two going at it. 7. 'True Bloods infamously hot shaving scene.In season 6 of the vampire melodrama, Jason Stackhouse had (yet another) homoerotic daydream this one about the vampire-fairy Warlow (Rob Kazinsky). The result? An intense homoerotic shaving scene with a straight razor.6. Jason and Erics kinky 'True Blood' vamp-human sex scene.True Blood utilized blood connections to get more than a few homoerotic moments out of otherwise hetero characters. But the ultimate one came in Jason Stackhouses dream (after falling asleep in a church pew) about the vampire Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard) considered by many fans to be the hottest gay sex scene of the shows run. Belts were ripped off, throats gripped they literally lunged at each other. Watch it here. 5. The long-awaited gayanythingon 'Teen Wolf' that finally happened with Danny and Ethan.After season after season of queer-baiting LGBTQ+ viewers, the campy, supernatural werewolf drama Teen Wolf finally gave fans some action quick, passing, pants-on, but hey, something is better than nothing, right? Danny and Ethan, from rival packs, share a room at a haunted house and ditch their clothes. Thank the Lord. 4. Shower time with 'True Bloods Sam Merlotte and Bill Compton.This was not a sex scene, but to queer fans voiced frustration it could have been. Thanks to True Bloods blood connection that humans get when they sample vampire blood, Sam and Bill got hot and bothered around each other and decided to take a shower and then Sam woke up. (Nearly all the homoerotic scenes in the show were dream sequences). Watch it here.3. Louis and Lestat float in carnal bliss in 'Interview with the Vampire'While it doesn't take much to woo Louis, Lestat's steamy vampire seduction is extremely hot to behold. What starts off as friends engaging in a little voyeurism quickly turns into hot-man-on-vampire action. The chemistry is so fire it made us feel like we were levitating, too! Watch it here. 2. Bo and Lauren trib in 'Lost Girl'Honestly, we could pick a dozen scenes from this oh-so-steamy show, but this one between Lauren and Bo really stuck in our memories. The sensual closeups on their lips. The lingering belly shots, and of course the fact that unlike many other lesbian scenes that focus more on the kissing, we see that the two are basically tribbing. Hallelujah! Representation matters folks! Watch it here. 1. 'Sense8' and that infamous season 1 orgy.The psychic, cross-national, pansexual orgy scene that happened in episode 6 in Sense8s first season (which was popular, discombobulated, and queer as can be) will go down in TV history.The show follows eight people who are all psychically linked, meaning they can share abilities and also, as it turns out, sex. When a few of them got horned up, the rest followed, even though they were thousands of miles apart. The result? The hottest group sex scene ever and one that was apparently rather complicated to shoot.

An Arizona school district shut down a high schools planned performance of The Laramie Project, a play about the 1998 murder of gay 21-year-old Matthew Shepard, merely a few hours before it was set to premiere. The play has since been rescheduled, but students fear district officials may try and censor the plays central message.The themes and language in the play need additional acknowledgments and disclaimers for families and students in attendance, the district wrote in a statement published by KSAZ. The news outlet added that the cast had worked on the play since August, school administrators had approved it months ago, and each cast member had submitted permission slips signed by their parents. Related School district cancels trip to James & the Giant Peach play after parent complained about drag The play has 8 actors playing 20 roles. Some actors play cross-gender roles. This got the trip canceled. The district didnt specify which specific themes or language it objected to. The play which involves eight actors depicting over 60 real-life residents of the Wyoming town where Shepard was murdered doesnt depict Shepard or his murder. However, the play does include some anti-gay slurs and profanity as well as descriptions of violence, discussions of sexuality, and criticisms of Christian homophobia. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Many of our students have younger siblings, and we must properly inform families about the content they are going to see so they can make informed decisions about whether younger family members attend, the district wrote. In addition, we want to ensure proper mental health support is in place for those in the audience who may have strong feelings about the plays contents.The district also said that it and the high school recognize and support our LGBTQ+ students, staff, and community members and recognize the importance of The Laramie Project telling the accurate history of the incredible injustices this community has faced.The district has since rescheduled the performance to take place this Friday at 6:30 p.m. local time, but members of the high school drama club worry that the performance may be conditional. Im definitely on my toes, Podolak said. Are they going to shut us down again? Are they going to tell us we have to change our language the day of the show? If you change all the language that was said, is it really even a hate crime anymore? Youre censoring it, said the schools Drama Club President Ella Podolak.Anaya Connors, a senior at the high school said, A lot of the members of our cast are exactly who Matthew Shepard was. Its a chance to get our voices heard and be like, Were this way. This is who we are.'This isnt the first time the play has been shut down by a school district. In February, Timber Creek High School officials in Fort Worth, Texas shut down a student performance of the play without any explanation. The performance was allowed to proceed after an outcry by Keller Independent School District community members. Matthew Shepard Foundation presidentand Shepards motherJudy Shepard said she has recently seen an increase in attempts to cancel productions of The Laramie Project.My heart is broken when people still refuse to see how important this work is, Shepard said. The play, she added, might scare some kids. And it might wake some kids up. And it might make kids want to make change all of those things. And they have the power to do it.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

The third season of the gay reality dating series For the Love of DILFS begins with host Stormy Daniels arriving in style in a plunging silver dress and a hot car of her choosing. Once on the grounds of the mansion where drama, sexy romance, and big laughs courtesy of Daniels will unfold, she addresses what she calls the orange elephant in the room, announcing shes back because the conservatives havent found a way to stop me yet.The OUTtv series pairs younger himbos with daddies hoping to find true romance or something like it along the way. Of course, jealousy, stepping out, and swapping partners make for great TV. But the series that Daniels says shes proud of in part for the way it models sexy consent for viewers is more than passive entertainment. Celebrating queer love and having queer sex is a part of resistance and revolution, and Daniels says its critical now more than ever to support queer entertainment and art.Of course, Daniels made headlines and became a folk hero this spring when she testified in Donald Trumps criminal trial, where he was accused of falsifying business documents and illegally paying hush money to Daniels ahead of the 2016 election. During the trial, she detailed a sexual encounter with him in 2006. For her steady outspokenness regarding Trump, Daniels has become a MAGA target. Still, she leans into the joy of hosting For the Love of DILFS and representing her queer community.For the queer community, [For the Love of DILFS] is a very impactful, important show. It's the first of its kind. I never expected this role to be so important to myself, Daniels tells PRIDE.We wrapped season 3, fingers crossed for season 4. And this is a show that, keep in mind, I kind of said no to at season 1. I was like, I don't want to do reality TV. I don't want to be accused of exploiting the gay community, all this stuff, she adds. And then I really got to know them and see, it's not scripted, it's not contrived. We do have these really heartfelt talks about consent, about bodily autonomy, about gender and coming out and mental health and all of these things that are so, so important. Stormy Daniels hosts For the Love of DILFS on OUTtvOUTtvPress for For the Love of DILFS season 3 kicked off just days following Trumps 2024 election win. Though the series is about love and romance, the politics of queer identity were on Danielss mind while praising and promoting the series.Im very proud of it, and I hope that I could continue to do it. Hopefully, I don't get deported and I dont have to do it via satellite from my secret layer hiding from the orange elephant. Yeah, I said it, she says, referring to the man against whom she testified in May.Though Daniels peppers discussion of the impending Trump administration with some disarming humor, she acknowledges the gravity of his targeted attacks on trans people, LGBTQ+ history and art, and the promises of Project 2025.Ill be very frank with you, and it's a very scary time. We are now faced with the next four years where this show [For the Love of DILFS] may not be able to be a reality and maybe not aired in this country. I'm not sure what that looks like, but we do know that there was a lot of antigay, and anti-queer, anti-trans rhetoric in who is about to be our president's speeches. And that concerns me, Daniels says.My heart goes out to you [queer journalists]. Im concerned about you because not only are you covering queer things and this and that but he openly said he put a target on all the journalists' backs, Daniels says, speaking directly to PRIDE and the reporters for its sibling publications, Out and The Advocate.Im just as afraid for all of my queer friends and my queer community and my journalist friends as I am for myself and my family. So I hope for safety, and I hope that this, I hope that this doesn't go the way that it may go, she adds. Stormy Daniels hosts For the Love of DILFS on OUTtvOUTtvTheres plenty of humor and mayhem in For the Love of DILFS, with Daniels serving as a camp icon to the men who inhabit the DILF mansion. From Daddy TV producer Artie Davis, the series is not outwardly political, but as Daniels points out, supporting queer content or content for marginalized people under the new Trump regime could become an act of resistance.I want everybody to watch the show, even if its not particularly your cup of tea. First of all, whats wrong with you? Because its amazing and Im hilarious, Daniels says.In case they try to shut it down and I'm not talking about just For the Love of DILFS. I'm talking about queer programming as a whole, not just my show, Daniels pleads. For my straight friends, my straight fans, people who follow me for my adult [film] career, do me a favor, watch these shows, speak out about how important they are. Whether they resonate with you on a personal level or not is fine.Showing the world that these people on these shows who produce these shows are important as well, helps us with our livelihood and helps get the voices heard, she says.Watch the For the Love of DILFS season 3 trailer below. And watch the series beginning Nov. 26 on OUTtv. And to see our interview with Stormy Daniels, scroll back up to the top of the page! - YouTube www.youtube.com

Actress, writer, and activist Nicole Maines is giving readers the cold, hard truth in her new memoir: It Gets Better . . . Except When It Gets Worse. The national bestselling book chronicles the groundbreaking actresss life as a trans kid who had to fight for her right to exist in the classroom to an [...]The post Nicole Maines Talks New Memoir It Gets BetterExcept When It Gets Worse first appeared on GLAAD.

So there's this new queen of Las Vegas... Dita Von Teese is securing her reign as Sin City's hottest act as she performs her sexy and electrifying shows as part of her new residency at Voltaire Las Vegas.Following in the footsteps of Kylie Minogue and Christina Aguilera, Teese's show features everything that's made her career so iconic including plenty of skin, sensual dance numbers, and plenty of fetish."I've always had fetish-themed numbers in my shows. I got my start as a fetish and bondage model in the early 90s. I've always been interested in things that are risqu and combining them with high glamour," Teese tells PRIDE. See on Instagram The spicy show is also unapologetic, as Teese has dodged any backlash her show has received for featuring showguys rocking g-strings and plenty of gorgeous Bob Mackie costumes."When you think of Vegas, inclusivity and diversity does not usually come into play. I remember getting a little bit of pushback on that and I'm glad it's stopped a little. It was disheartening to feel that people weren't ready to see men wearing feathers and rhinestones."Not only have audiences learned to appreciate everything Teese's steamy residency has to offer, but her talented dancers have also stepped into their own sexiness by performing in the hit show."We certainly like to see all genders represented. They're performing burlesque and dancing topless with very little clothes on! I love watching them grow and evolve. Everybody looks so good and they're really into it."Fans can get tickets to see Dita Von Teese at Voltaire by visiting the official website here. To see the full interview, check out the video at the top of the page.

People have been making fun of Donald Trumps hair for years hell, we even joined in when his hair flapped off of his head during his criminal trial but no amount of jokes could have prepared us for the photo that is currently going viral on X (formerly Twitter).Over the weekend, photos started circulating on social media of Trump alongside Elon Musk, Donald Trump Jr., Mike Johnson, and Robert F Kennedy Jr. eating McDonalds together on a private jet-turned clown car. We know Trump has done a lot of vile things that he should be held accountable for, but ordering a filet-o-fish should send him straight to jail. But we digress Theres nothing funny about Trump and his band of conspiracy theorists, racists, and fraudsters, but right now our bellies are hurting from laughing hysterically after an apparent employee of Musks posted a photo from the trip that shows off Trumps hairor rather lack thereof, proving that Trumps claim thats hes a nice looking man with a full head of hair is nothing but fake news. (@) An X user named John OConnell reposted the photo with a close-up of Trump looking extremely bald, and it immediately went viral. We are living through a real-life The Emperor Has No Clothes situation here, and while many people ran to the comments to make fun of Trump and, of course, there were some die-hard Trumpers who kept trying to claim that the photo had been edited. One Trump stan even tried to claim that it was obviously a photoshop job because Trumps body was a different color than his face. Yeah, we'll let you fill in the rest there. (@) Whether the photo is a product of Trumps actual bald head being on display or an unfortunate trick of the light, we cant stop chuckling. From people commenting that this photo might end Trumps bromance with Trump (we can only hope!) to someone hilariously writing that the MAGA leaders followers are now going to start shaving their heads for Trump now to gifs of Kamala Harris laughing, the jokes are coming in fast and furious, and we couldnt be more thankful for the laughs.Keep scrolling to see the funniest reactions to Trump looking bald as a baby! (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@)

Susan Sarandon, beloved for her iconic roles in Thelma & Louise and Dead Man Walking, has once again proven why shes a trailblazer both on and off-screen. In a candid interview with The Times, Sarandon revealed shes currently single and open to dating people of any gender. Related | Nicholas Galitzine Gets Candid About Dating in HollywoodBreaking Relationship NormsSarandon isnt interested in sticking to outdated rules when it comes to romance. She values curiosity, humor, and intelligence over age or gender, breaking away from traditional relationship expectations. God bless you if you manage to find somebody who fulfils any of those things, whether theyre younger, whether theyre older, whether theyre female or male, whether theyre gender-fluid, whatever. Those are just details.Im open, she shared, emphasizing that connections are about shared values, not societal labels. Her approach challenges the norms and celebrates authenticity over conformity.Related | Susan Sarandon Confirms She is Bisexual AgainA History of FluidityThis isnt the first time Sarandon has openly discussed her fluid views on love and sexuality. She has previously described her orientation as up for grabs, aligning with a growing cultural acceptance of diverse identities. Her openness continues to spark meaningful conversations, normalizing fluidity and self-expression in relationships.Fans and Media ApplaudUnsurprisingly, Sarandons candid comments have resonated with fans and sparked admiration. As a Hollywood legend, her progressive perspective adds weight to ongoing discussions about gender and sexuality. By rejecting rigid labels and focusing on connection, Sarandon helps foster a more inclusive culture, one where individuality is celebrated.Leading by ExampleSarandons fearless approach to love is a masterclass in living authentically. By prioritizing humor, curiosity, and shared values, she shows us that love doesnt need limits. As society evolves, her philosophy offers a refreshing take on relationships, proving that embracing diversity is not just braveits beautiful.More Stories: Susan Sarandon Says Love Has No Limits Is Open to Dating All GendersMeet Cooper Kochs Gay Twin Brother: Our New Fav Power DuoChris Jones Remembers That Time His D*ck Fell Out of His ShortsThe 2025 Grammy Nominations Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, Billie Eilish, and More!What Is Project 2025? A Closer Look at Its Potential Impact on LGBTQ+ RightsThe post Susan Sarandon Says Love Has No Limits Is Open to Dating All Genders appeared first on Gayety.

On April 29, 2024, James Lantz drove from Vermont to the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg. When he got there, he walked to the gallery of the Senate hall and glued his hand to the railing, waiting for state Senate Majority Whip Ryan Aument (R) to arrive.When Lantz saw Sen. Aument, he confronted him: You are culpable for the deaths of five trans children! Wearing a white sweatshirt with a trans flag and large black words that read: ASK WHY 5 DIED.com, Lantz was arrested fifteen minutes later by the Pennsylvania state capitol police, held in jail for roughly 12 hours, and eventually charged with a felony and two misdemeanors. Related 40% of LGBTQ+ youth have considered suicide, new CDC study finds Queer youth were also more likely to abuse substances and miss school due to bullying. Lantz told LGBTQ Nation that Aument didnt say anything in response, just looked a little freaked out that somebody from the gallery was yelling at him specifically, and, you know, calling him out. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Lantz went to the Pennsylvania State Capitol that day because five trans children have died by suicide in the past 18 months alone, all in Sen. Auments district. During this time, like most Republican politicians across the country, Aument proposed and passed stringent anti-LGBTQ+ bills targeting trans youth. Trans people the five dead trans children here were made collateral damage of the rights harmful political rhetoric.Lantz, a filmmaker in Vermont, found out about the suicides when he was doing research for a project focusing on LGBTQ+ suicides. He shifted his project to make a documentary series about the trans suicides in Lancaster on his website, www.angrygaygrandpa.com.Part of the reason Lantz felt it was important to make such a strong show of activism is because of his own identity. Lantz came out as a gay man two years ago at age 60.I came out after 30-plus years of marriage and six decades on this planet, so I feel like Ive got a lot of time to make up for it in terms of being AWOL for any kind of gay rights movement that was happening when I was a teen, when I was in my 20s, Lantz explained.James Lantz in the shirt he was arrested in while protesting Sen. Ryan Aument | Provided Another driving factor behind the urgency of his protest is his own health. Lantz has stage four cancer. He carried a doctors note warning that his bones are brittle and more at risk of breaking in case the capitol guards wanted to rough him up.When you have stage four cancer, your decision-making is very different. I dont have time to waste.Its just 100% unacceptable. These were beautiful kids who didnt have to die by suicide, Lantz said. I wanted to elevate the story. The trans teen suicide crisis in Lancaster CountyLancaster County, Pennsylvania, has a population of 552,984 and is a Republican stronghold, with 58% of residents voting Republican in this years presidential election. Its gone red for every presidential election since 1964, and the vast majority of elected offices are held by Republicans. It is also a fairly Christian area, with pockets of both Mennonite and Amish communities, and 47.2% of the population identifying Christian.The first suicide was Robyn Bittenbender, who died by suicide at the age of 12 on September 10, 2022. Brayden Snyder, age 15, October 25, 2022. Theadora Thea Cassidy, age 18, on September 22, 2023, then three weeks later, River Paige Olmsted, age 17, on October 16, 2023.When you have trans voices themselves, telling politicians, Your policies are exacerbating my psychological stress, my feeling of social dislocation and isolation, those politicians, all they want, can say, Well, no, they dont. You have to listen to the voices who are actually being affected by them.Mark ClatterbuckThe most recent death was this year, on February 27. Ash Clatterbuck, age 22.I am a transgender man. I, too, feel the pain, the deep ache of anxiety, the cracking pressure in my chest as the weight of the world closes in. The lost grip. The feeling of helplessness, he wrote in December of 2022, shortly after the Club Q shooting in Colorado Springs, Colorado.His close friend, president of Lancaster Pride Evan Rowell, said of Ash, His infectious laughter and smile lit up even the darkest of rooms. Its tough for me to think of him as anything other than my friend. He was genuinely one of the kindest and most compassionate people Ive ever met, and I feel his absence every single day. Ash was the first openly trans kid at the Mennonite high school he attended. His father, Mark Clatterbuck, said, It was a real process of educating administration and teachers about trans rights, the necessity and importance of using proper pronouns, calling him by his, his, his name. For Ash, it was a really mixed experience, mostly negative.Ash transferred his senior year of high school to a secular school that was affirming of trans youth. He was involved in Lancaster Pride and in social justice movements advocating for environmental rights and gun control. He attended Montclair State University in New Jersey, where he was a junior majoring in political science and journalism at the time of his death.Mark Clatterbuck, when asked if he believes that Republican politicians who use anti-trans rhetoric, such as Sen. Aument, played a role in the death of Ash and other trans youth, he responded, I have no doubt. He pointed to his son writing in an op-ed to his local paper that it is unwise dangerous, even to pretend that the rhetoric spewed by public figures does not play a role in these occurrences after the Club Q shooting.When you have trans voices themselves, telling politicians, Your policies are exacerbating my psychological stress, my feeling of social dislocation and isolation, those politicians, all they want, can say, Well, no, they dont. You have to listen to the voices who are actually being affected by them, Clatterbuck said.I believe those voices. I believe my son when he wrote that.Ash Clatterbuck speaking at a rally | Family photo Research on anti-trans rhetoric lends support to the youths voices. A study recently published in Nature Human Behavior found that enacting anti-trans laws like gender-affirming care bans and sports bans lead to a 72% increase in suicide attempts among transgender individuals in those states over states that did not pass such legislation. In general, 81% of transgender adults have considered suicide at some point in their lifetime.Now a majority of states ban gender-affirming care for transgender minors. This means that Lancaster County, with its five young people dead in two years, is likely to repeat itself elsewhere. Perhaps the only thing that will make Lancaster County different is that so many suicides happened in such quick succession, attracting attention on social media. State Republican leaders dont want to talk about thisThe Clatterbucks have not received any outreach from their political representatives about their sons death, though Mark Clatterbuck has reached out multiple times to several elected officials, including Sen. Aument.Our political leaders must come together and not only refrain from subversive language, but actively discourage and condemn it.Ash ClatterbuckHe even contacted a neighbor who is also a Republican state senator, Scott Martin, and wrote a really vulnerable, personal, not political, letter asking to have a conversation together as neighbors, just to talk about Ashs experience and about the very, very real and human toll that the policies you supporthave on kids like our son.Clatterbuck said that Sen. Martin hasnt even acknowledged the letter.Likewise, after Lantzs arrest, Aument said that no one from the Lancaster County, community had ever asked to speak with him about the issue of trans youth. Clatterbuck called Auments office to talk about the death of his son and said he was told to go to meet with Martin, his neighbor who had ignored his letter.Sen. Ryan Aument | Screenshot I thought that as neighbors, as a parent, as people who claim to be people of faith, as you think, decent human beings, we can at least sit down after the death of our son we could sit down and at least just talk, Clatterbuck said, just to ask why are you doing this? Whats driving this? Would you reconsider your beliefs?As the responses of elected officials show, the deaths of trans children in Lancaster County have not led to a sudden change in rhetoric. Pennsylvania Republicans are still trying to pass legislation aimed at marginalizing trans children in schools. The ACLU is tracking five anti-LGBTQ+ bills in Pennsylvania this year. One bill, H.B. 2421, which would ban gender-affirming care for trans youth, has been referred to a committee. Another, H.B. 216, would ban trans girls from participating in sports.The Independence Law Center, a conservative legal organization affiliated with the Pennsylvania Family Institute, recently won a contract to develop athletic, student records, and parental rights policies at the Penn Manor School District in Lancaster County. The Southern Poverty Law Center designates the Pennsylvania Family Institute as an anti-LGBTQ+ hate group. Rowell of Lancaster Pride said that this will have a deeply harmful impact on trans kids.When trans kids are the targets of discriminatory laws or school board policies, they hear a message that they are less than their cisgender peers. This can have a profound effect on their mental health, Rowell said.The Pennsylvania Family Institute, whose lawyers are behind the contracts, state that they believe that Family starts with a healthy marriage between one man and one woman and trans women competing in sports is not only bad for girls who identify as girls, it is also bad for girls who identify as boysthe only people who win are males who get to steal opportunities from women. The idea that transgender girls are really just boys pretending to be girls in order to win in school sports is a transphobic stereotype. Warwick School District, another school district in Lancaster County, lost their superintendent of 15 years after signing with Independence Law Center in May. In an interview with LancasterOnline, the former superintendent, April Hershey, said, I didnt feel like I could live up to my own personal beliefs in that position any longer after she recommended against hiring a religious a law firm to shape curriculum.Mark Clatterbuck sees conservative Christians as one the largest drivers of anti-trans rhetoric. He said that he believes that they see themselves as in the trenches of a cosmic war. And its not just life or death right for them, its like the feet of Gods kingdom and I do think that helps explain this anti-trans discrimination.Clatterbuck said that its the only way I can ever make sense of what appears to just be the base cruelty of these elected leaders. His son agreed. In a Medium post from November 24, 2022, Ash wrote: Repeated rhetoric proclaiming that the United States is a Christian nation, founded on Christian principles, and meant to uphold Christian values is a dangerous threat to individual freedom and the entire democratic system upon which this country was founded. Our political leaders must come together and not only refrain from subversive language, but actively discourage and condemn it.Editors note: This article mentions suicide. If you need to talk to someone now, call the Trans Lifeline at1-877-565-8860. Its staffed by trans people, for trans people. The Trevor Project provides a safe, judgement-free place to talk for LGBTQ+ youth at1-866-488-7386. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at1-800-273-8255.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Black transgender women consist of nearly half of the 36 known murders of trans and gender non-conforming people over the last year, according to a new report from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). The number of such murders has risen over the past few years, and transphobia and anti-trans policies have made these groups even more susceptible to poverty, social isolation, illness, and violence, the HRCs report said.The report covers the 12-month period from the day following 2023 Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) 2023 (November 21, 2023) through TDOR of this year (November 20, 2024). It found that 77.8% of all victims were trans women, 61.1% were women of color, and half were Black trans women. Additionally, 54.3% were under the age of 35; 21.7% were killed by intimate partners, and 8.7% were killed by friends or family members. Only 11.1% of the victims were trans men. Related I am a trans man incarcerated in a womans prison where feminism is a four-letter word I was maliciously told that feminism is considered an act of attempting to interfere with prison operations by an employee. The HRC began tracking these murders in 2013, and the organization has counted 327 murders since that time. Two-thirds of these deaths occurred in the following 10 states (ranked from highest number of deaths to lowest): Texas, Florida, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Maryland, and North Carolina. In these states, 10% occurred in Texas and 9% occurred in Florida. Both have anti-trans laws on their books. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Since 2013, 38.2% of all cases havent resulted in arrests, and only 48.1% resulted in a criminal conviction. Nearly 69.3% of all the murders were committed with a firearm. The more recent murders have occurred amid a political climate where Republicans introduced over 550 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in state legislatures nationwide in 2023 and over 500 in 2024 of these, 85 were signed into law in 2023 and 40 were signed into law in 2024. Many of the bills that became law targeted gender-affirming care for trans minors, banned trans individuals from playing sports, or rolled back LGBTQ+-inclusive school policies that affirming queer identities.Proponents of this legislation have demonized trans people and their allies with hate-filled rhetoric and misinformation about indoctrinating, sexualizing, and mutilating children that embolden anti-trans stigma and violence. Furthermore, right-wing influencers have weaponized this rhetoric to spread hateful anti-trans messages on social media and to attack corporations and businesses that support their LGBTQ+ employees and customers. Trans and gender-expansive people (the reports term for anyone whose gender expression differs from the biological sex they were assigned at birth, including nonbinary people, Two-spiritpeople, and cross dressers) face transphobia and anti-trans stigma from multiple sources, from state and federal policies and discriminatory institutional practices in schools, workplaces, and doctors offices in their communities, to rejection, abuse, and violence in their interpersonal relationships, the report said.These multiple forms of stigma result in lower access to status, opportunity, and resources, higher risk of poverty and homelessness/housing insecurity, social isolation, and worse physical and mental health outcomes for trans people, all of which results in increased risk for violence, the report added.The epidemic of violence against transgender and gender-expansive people is a national tragedy, HRC President Kelley Robinson wrote in the report. Each life stolen from us in this way is the result of a society that demeans and devalues anyone who dares challenge the gender binary. This year, weve seen an explosion of violent and hateful rhetoric aimed at the LGBTQ+ communitywords that make both physical violence and discriminatory legislation more palatable for those in need of a scapegoat. This is one of many reasons why, last year, HRC declared a State of Emergency for LGBTQ+ people for the first time in our over 40-year history. To help prevent future violence, the HRC urged lawmakers to pass the Equality Act federal legislation that would add gender identity and sexual orientation to pre-existing anti-discrimination laws and to pass similar laws on the local level; prohibit the use of anti-LGBTQ+ and trans panic defenses by assailants in courtrooms; address the over-policing, police brutality, misconduct and harassment issues that disproportionately harm Black citizens; decriminalize sex work; increase LGBTQ+ data collection at the federal and state levels; and increase access to name and gender marker updates on identification documents.The actual overall number of murdered individuals is likely higher, the report added, but such deaths are often under-reported due to misgendering by family, police and media; causes of death being unknown or not being publicly provided by legal authorities; made unavailable and also due to victims of violence who dont contact police for fear of harassment.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) reportedly said that shed fight Rep.-elect Sarah McBride (D-DE) if McBride tries to use womens facilities in the Capitol. Greene made the comments during a meeting held the day before the Transgender Day of Remembrance, which is a day to build awareness of violence against trans and nonbinary people.Two unnamed people who were in the room at the time told Politico about Greenes threat. When Greene was asked about the comments, she didnt confirm or deny them, instead saying that she shouldnt have to beat up anyone. Related Marjorie Taylor Greene says trans camp counselors should be beat into the ground The congresswoman is calling for violence against transgender people after spending a large part of her life tormenting them. Its pretty aggressive for biological men to be invading our spaces, she said. 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 On Steve Bannons War Room broadcast, Greene said that McBride using the restroom is assault, which it is not. Assault is commonly understood to be a physical attack on someone; in the law, assault refers to a specific verbal threat or attempt to inflict bodily harm. A woman using the womens restroom is neither of those things.This is an assault! Greene said, after she deadnamed McBride. Im not kidding you. It is like a physical assault for a man to come in, charging into our private places: bathrooms, locker rooms, our gyms.Yesterday, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) introduced a resolution to ban transgender women from using womens facilities in the Capitol. Trans people have been visiting and working in the Capitol for years, and Mace has said that her resolution was filed just because McBride was elected and will be the first out transgender member of Congress.McBrides response to what can only be described as a concerted attack on her dignity has been muted, saying that she hopes for kindness.Every day Americans go to work with people who have life journeys different than their own and engage with them respectfully, I hope members of Congress can muster that same kindness, she wrote on X. This is a blatant attempt from far right-wing extremists to distract from the fact that they have no real solutions to what Americans are facing. We should be focused on bringing down the cost of housing, health care, and child care, not manufacturing culture wars.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

We remember the names of the transgender people whose lives have been lost to anti-trangender violence over the years.The post TDOR: In Memoriam first appeared on GLAAD.

Op-Ed By Neverending Nina As we celebrate Trans Day of Remembrance 2024 I wanted to remember this trailblazing music icon Jackie Shane and why I am glad to be walking fiercely on the path she helped pave. Her 2017 best historical album Grammy nomination for (Any Other Way) album at the 61st Grammy Awards, where [...]The post Trans Day of Remembrance 2024: Honoring the Legacy of Jackie Shane first appeared on GLAAD.

Married soccer stars Kristie Mewis and Samantha Kerr are expecting a baby. The couple announced the news on Instagram along with a series of black and white photo booth pictures of the happy couple in which they are holding a sonogram. Mewis-Kerr baby coming 2025! the caption reads. Kerr who is considered one of the best womens strikers in the world is currently a forward for the Australian womens national team and also plays for Chelsea FC. Mewis now plays for West Ham United FC which congratulated the couple on its website and also spent a long time representing the United States on the womens national team. Related Colton Underwood and husband welcome their son, Bishop Our world is a million times better, the former Bachelor contestant wrote on Instagram. A 2022 article in Gaffer described the couples love as electric: The chemistry they have surrounds them like an aura and the genuine love for each other oozes out in their body language. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sam Kerr (@samanthakerr20)In 2023, they announced their engagement in People. Mewis called Kerr her biggest supporter, always listening to me nag and complain all, all of my crazy antics.They announced their relationship in 2021 with a heartwarming photo on Instagram. Rumors had been swirling after the pair shared a touching moment on the field when Team USA beat Team Australia at the Tokyo Olympics. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sam Kerr (@samanthakerr20)The post announcing the pregnancy was flooded with a mix of congratulatory comments as well as homophobic ones.England manager Sarina Wiegman condemned the bigotry, telling reporters it was disappointing. Chelsea FC also provided a statement to Reuters calling the comments unacceptable and hateful.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

In a scathing essay, Donald Trumps lesbian niece, Mary Trump, slammed the president-elect for continuing to act as Putins puppet as the war in Ukraine reaches its 1000th day. Mary Trump wrote about how Ukraine has displayed shocking strength, which Russia did not expect and which has caused Russian President Vladimir Putin to beg North Korean troops for help. She then lamented that Ukraines stunning display of resistance, with the help of the United States and the European Union, may all have been for naught now that her uncle will be the next president. Related After Donald Trumps election, LGBTQ+ people are getting mysterious texts for reeducation camp The FBI is investigating the racist & homophobic texts. The fate of Ukraine and Zelesnkyy may rest with Donald Trump, Putins puppet, a man who is enamored of and beholden to the very autocrat who wants to destroy our ally, she wrote. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today As unthinkable as it may be, we must contemplate how the world will react if, as seems likely, Donald withdraws the United States support from Ukraine in order to appease Vladimir Putin, his puppet-masterand our enemy. What will happen to Ukraine and Zelenskyy when one of their staunchest allies betrays them?Mary Trump brought up Ukraines ability to beat extraordinary odds, recalling a moment in 2022 when Ukrainian border guards sent a strong message to a Russian ship: Russian warship, go f**k yourself. What Ukraine has done since Russia violated international law and illegally invaded is nothing short of astonishing, she continued. And they have done it despite the fact that they havent received all of the assistance it deserved from us whether because of Republican obstruction or the short-sightedness of the Biden administration. Its going to get so much worse under the Trump administration, she said, so we must continue to support Ukraine in whatever way we can. And we can start by saying to my uncle, Go f**k yourself.'After her uncle won the presidency, Mary Trump who devoted election season to doing everything she could to warn the public that her uncle was a grave danger to us all posted on social media, I am so deeply sorry. I thought better of us. She called it a nightmare on her blog and said it will be much worse than 2016. But today I am possessed of an exquisite detachment that, while I know it is bad for me, I will hold onto for as long as I can. Because I really did think we were better than this, and I dont want to confront the feelings associated with recognizing just how wrong I was.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Despite his promise yesterday that all persons will be treated with dignity and respect and that we will accommodate the needs of every single person when it comes to restroom policies at the Capitol, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has banned transgender people from using the restroom that corresponds to their gender identities in the Capitol buildings. Johnson announced the policy in a public statement today that said all single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildings such as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms are reserved for individuals of that biological sex, The Hill reports. Related Sarah McBride explains how she pulled off her historic victory McBride insisted anti-trans ads werent what swung the election in Donald Trumps favor. Women deserve womens only spaces, he added, even though his policy will force trans women to use mens spaces. 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 Today is the Transgender Day of Remembrance, which is a day to honor the trans and nonbinary people who lost their lives due to transphobic violence. Yesterday, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) threatened to beat up Rep.-elect Sarah McBride (D-DE) because shes transgender as Greene and Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) mounted a campaign to ban trans women from using womens facilities at the Capitol in reaction to McBrides historic election to Congress.While members of Congress have private restrooms in their offices, this rule will still affect trans members of Congress when they have to spend long periods in other parts of the Capitol complex, like on the House floor, as part of their job duties. Moreover, transgender staffers and trans people who visit Congress will have to find other accommodations outside of the Capitol complex. Banning trans people who visit the Capitol which is a large set of buildings from using the restroom could make them more unlikely to talk to their members of Congress.Johnsons announcement comes a day after Mace introduced a resolution banning trans women from using womens facilities at the Capitol. At first, Johnson wasnt willing to comment on Maces resolution and promised that McBride and others would be treated with dignity and respect. Hours later, though, he issued a statement denying McBrides identity, telling reporters: For anyone who doesnt know my established record on this issue, let me be unequivocally clear: a man is a man, and a woman is a woman, and a man cannot become a woman.That said, I also believe thats what scripture teaches, what I just said, but I also believe we treat everybody with dignity. We can do and believe all those things at the same time, he continued.McBrides response to what can only be described as a concerted attack on her dignity has been muted, saying that she hopes for kindness.Every day Americans go to work with people who have life journeys different than their own and engage with them respectfully, I hope members of Congress can muster that same kindness,she wrote on X. This is a blatant attempt from far right-wing extremists to distract from the fact that they have no real solutions to what Americans are facing. We should be focused on bringing down the cost of housing, health care, and child care, not manufacturing culture wars.The banning of trans people from womens bathrooms in the Capitol represents the beginning of extreme anti-trans talking points brought to life at the federal level, said Black trans woman Imara Jones, the CEO of TransLash Media. This process will gain steam in January and beyond, as Republicans make good on their campaign promise to target trans people and erase them from public life.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

As the dust settles on the election, we now move towards the practical reality. One of my biggest questions: What will the new Trump administration do to transgender people like me?Its easy to say he will round us up and put us in camps. But it probably wont look like that. They probably wont be called camps. It probably wont be called rounding up. It will be more subtle than that. That subtlety makes it even more dangerous because it will be easier for cisgender people to miss it. Theyll be affected too, though, so their awareness is critical for both us and themselves. Related The spirits of Black trans women are unbreakable & no hateful rhetoric can strip us of our worth It has become increasingly clear that true solutions for our community come from within. And so we must save ourselves. Lets look at whats already happened. Over the last several years, Republicans have pursued anti-trans legislation with a zeal that would make you think we are a plague on society. Over 1,000 anti-trans laws have been proposed over the last two years, covering everything from medical care to IDs to bathroom usage to sports to the way we dress. Trump has promised to enact similar laws at the federal level, and Project 2025 calls for even more. Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today To understand what the oppression of trans people will look like, note what it looks like for other groups. Mass incarceration of Black men has been accomplished, not by some blunt edict like round them up, but by a combination of draconian laws with disproportionate punishments, over-policing, and economic oppression that denies access to basic human needs. For trans people, laws around cross-dressing have been used to accomplish similar oppression.Under Trump, trans oppression may look like banning hormone replacement theory, followed by arresting those of us who try to obtain hormones anyway. It might look like requiring gender markers on IDs to match our sex assigned at birth, and then charging those who continue to use the ID that matches our gender with fraud or perjury. It could also look like involuntary commitment to mental institutions. All of these, even if rarely enforced, create an environment of fear, where we always wonder when the next law or crackdown will come. It will lead to high (but not total) incarceration rates of trans people, just like we have today for black men due to the "war on drugs", and increasingly also have for unhoused people.It will, as always, affect the more marginalized first.5/7 Celeste Irwin (@CelesteFinally) November 10, 2024Of course, all of these actions will continue to affect the most marginalized among us. Trans women of color or those with disabilities will find it harder to gain employment, leading to more precarious lives.Thats all to say, dont wait for some blunt, lock up all the trans people message. While we cant rule anything out completely, its hard for me to imagine it will start that way. But the effect of those other laws will be similar. And even if trans people choose to comply, we will experience a prison of another kind.If you are cisgender, we need you to ally with us to push back on whats to come because we simply have very little political power. But I also want you to consider how the erosion of our rights will lay the groundwork for the erosion of yours. We have common cause, and each step they take to strip my rights also fashions a weapon to use against you.Lets take abortion access. For decades, conservatives, particularly religious conservatives, have said that they are not trying to control womens bodies but rather protect the life of the unborn. They use such arguments to avoid having to take on bodily autonomy itself. But for trans health care, if lawmakers override the endorsements of gender-affirming care given by every major medical organization in this country it creates a precedent to directly attack other forms of bodily autonomy. As many on the far right have recently declared in the wake of Trumps win, Your body; my choice. This is not a case of outlawing medications or procedures that are now proven to be bad medicine (e.g., conversion therapy); its just banning things they dont like because they dont like them.In short, if my healthcare decisions are no longer between me and my doctor, yours wont be either. Lets consider employment and education discrimination as well. I am strongly considering going into teaching. But the new administration may create a national Dont Say Gay/Trans policy in our schools. This could result in my inability to even be a teacher, as I am pretty obviously transgender.Trans teachers already experience harassment, but soon it could go even further. Not only that but teachers would be required to deadname and misgender trans youth. They may also stop trans girls from wearing feminine clothing. From there, its easy to get to strict gendered dress codes for all. Once again, the targeting of trans kids creates precedent that removes freedom of expression for all. Fundamentally, our rights are your rights.As we move towards January 20th, its time to get connected to your local LGBTQ+ center and see how you can help. Stay informed by following trans journalists. Write your representatives (either party) to tell them you stand with trans people. Talk to cisgender friends and help them see the threats. Wear shirts or put stickers on your door or car that show that you support trans people, including trans kids. Get loud.Finally, check in on your trans friends. The GOP spent over $200 million demonizing trans people during the election, and theres a good chance theyre having a rough time right now. Spend time with them and let them know youre there for them. We need that now more than ever.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Many in the LGBTQ+ community know what its like to have an identity crisis, especially one marred by religious affiliations and personal beliefs. A lot of members of the community are also, unfortunately, all too familiar with things like queerbaiting to capture the attention of an audience.Disneys High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star Joshua Bassett is seemingly all too familiar with these topics himself.Quick backstory, for the uninitiated: Bassett accidentally came out in 2021 following some drama he had involving relationships with both Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter. ""Who doesn't think Harry Styles is cool?" gushed the singer at the time. "Also, he's hot. He's very charming too. Lots of things. I guess this is also my coming out video I guess." He then told People that, although he wasnt intending to come out, doing so left him liberated.Following that, he also told Attitude that coming out was one of the easiest things hes ever done.Fast-forward to a year or so later, and fans started worrying because he deleted all of his coming out posts from Instagram and started talking about his Christian spirituality. from Fauxmoi (@) These posts sparked further concern in fans who feared that he may have been radicalized or that his accounts had been hacked. (@) Fans' worry escalated after Bassetts baptism at a profoundly anti-LGBTQ+ church, a move he apologized for after admitting he did not endorse all of the churchs policies and beliefs. (@) While Bassett is far from the only one to have inner conflict, fans are irritated that, ahead of his 2025 tour, he posted a video of himself almost kissing another man, captioned #DontMissTheKiss.In the video, as they pull away from the pretend kiss, Bassett says, You want to see this? You better buy your tickets for Europe, baby. What, are you not gonna be there when him and I lock lips? Buy your tickets before its too late.@joshuatbassett#DontMissTheKissNeedless to say, this ruffled feathers because people believe its a marketing ploy to help him sell more tickets, and not something authentic to who he is. Plus, others are questioning his loyalty to Christianity now, as well as whether or not hes still actually questioning his own sexuality. (@) Were all for people figuring themselves out, but this one does seem a little icky considering the current volatility of the queer community in this political state. Though, admittedly, a number of fans also don't consider this queerbaiting since he has at least publicly addressed his sexuality at some point in the past.Grab your tickets for the tour, if you want them, and keep scrolling for other reactions to the kiss. (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@)

Transgender people are being targeted by Republicans who are feeling empowered by the results of the general election as they begin taking over Washington, D.C. On Wednesday, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson of Louisiana announced a policy banning transgender people from using bathrooms aligned with their gender identity in the U.S. Capitol and House Office Buildings.The policy, announced in a statement from the speakers office, reserves all single-sex facilities in the Capitol complexincluding restrooms, locker rooms, and changing roomsstrictly for individuals based on their gender assigned at birth.All single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildingssuch as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker roomsare reserved for individuals of that biological sex, Johnsons statement read. He noted that unisex restrooms are available throughout the Capitol complex and that each congressional office has a private restroom.Women deserve womens only spaces, Johnson concluded.Related: Republicans are trying to ban transgender Congresswoman-elect Sarah McBride from using the women's bathroomThe policy, which applies exclusively to areas under House jurisdiction, does not extend to Senate-controlled spaces within the Capitol, where Democrats remain in control until January. The new rule follows rising tensions among GOP members of Congress over the election of Rep.-elect Sarah McBride, a Democrat representing Delaware, who will be the first out transgender member of Congress when she is sworn in.South Carolina Republican U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace has acknowledged targeting McBride with measures designed to bar transgender people from gender-affirming facilities. Mace admitted her proposed resolution, which specifically aimed to prohibit transgender women from womens restrooms in the Capitol, was absolutely in response to McBrides election.Im absolutely 100 percent going to stand in the way of any man who wants to be in a womens restroom, in our locker rooms, in our changing rooms, Mace told reporters, misgendering trans women in her comments.The Advocate contacted McBride, who was unavailable to comment.

Just a day after Speaker of the House Mike Johnson told reporters, I believe its a command we treat all persons with dignity and respect, he has officially banned elected transgender congresswomen Sarah McBride and any trans staff from using a bathroom that doesnt correspond with their assigned gender at birth. All single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildingssuch as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker roomsare reserved for individuals of that biological sex, Johnson said in a statement. It is important to note that each Member office has its own private restroom, and unisex restrooms are available throughout the Capitol. Women deserve womens only spaces.This announcement comes after Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.)proposed a resolutionon Monday that would bar transgender people from using a bathroom that align with their gender identity, and just over two weeks after the nations first transgender member of Congress, Sarah McBride of Delaware, was duly elected by her constituents in an overwhelming victory. News is Out will continue to bring you updates on this developing story. The post Speaker Mike Johnson bans trans people from using bathrooms matching their gender identity on Capitol Hill appeared first on News Is Out.

Transgender people have always existed, but from the average history class, you wouldnt know it. These five pioneers are just a handful of trans men in history who made wavesfrom a revolutionary tuberculosis researcher to a powerful gospel singer.Billy TiptonAmerican jazz musician and bandleader Billy Tipton started his career as the leader of a band playing on KFXR. He went on to tour the Midwest, play a two-year run at Joplins Cotton Club with George Meyers band, and tour the Pacific Northwest with George Meyer. In Longview, Washington, Tipton started the Billy Tipton Trio. Tipton was scouted by a talent agent in Santa Barbara, Calif. from Tops Records, and the Trio recorded two albums of jazz standards, which sold well for an independent record label. Tipton also performed skits on the vaudeville circuit, imitating celebrities like Liberace and Elvis Presley.He also had several long-term relationships, including one with Kitty Kelly, a nightclub dancer. Though Kitty was lacking in the parenting department (she abused her adopted sons), Tipton was an involved father who loved to go on Boy Scout camping trips with his sons. Tipton died at age 74, and while paramedics were trying to revive Tipton, one of his sons learned he was transgender.Alan HartAlan L. Hart was an American radiologist, physician, and tuberculosis researcher who pioneered the use of x-ray photography in tuberculosis detection. The tuberculosis screening programs he implemented saved countless lives. Hart was also one of the first documented transgender men to undergo surgical transition in the United States at the University of Oregon Medical School. Hart married Inez Stark, but when a medical school classmate outed him, the resulting blow to his career and financial strain took a toll on their marriage and she left him in 1923.His second marriage to Edna Ruddick in 1925 lasted until the end of Harts life. After obtaining a masters in public health from Yale, Hart moved with Edna to Connecticut, and she became a professor at the University of Hartford as he continued his work to fight TB. In addition to his medical research, Hart was a prolific writer. He published four novels and a number of short stories.Willmer "Little Axe" BroadnaxWillmer Broadnax was a gospel quartet singer, known for his powerful tenor voice. He performed as a lead singer of Five Trumpets alongside future Soul Stirrer Paul Foster. Broadnax later joined the Spirit of Memphis Quartet, which recorded for King Records. He also worked with the Fairfield Four, and the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi. He headed a quartet called Little Axe and the Golden Echoes which released singles on Peacock Records. After his death in 1992, it was discovered Broadnax was transgender. Broadnaxs older brother, "Big Axe" Broadnax, was aware and stood by and sang with his brother.Charley ParkhurstAlso known as One-Eyed Charley, Charley Parkhurst was an American farmer, rancher, and stagecoach driver in California. He was born in New England and raised in an orphanage, but ran away and took the name Charley. He followed the Gold Rush out west and built a reputation as one of the finest stage coach drivers on the West Coast. Parker was only outed after death.Lou SullivanAmerican author and activist Lou Sullivan is known for his trans rights activism, and for identifying as gay and trans. Sullivan was the editor of The Gateway newsletter produced by the Golden Gate Girls/Guys (later the Gateway Gender Alliance). He also wrote several guides for trans men, lobbied the American Psychiatric Association and World Professional Association for Transgender Health to remove sexual orientation from the criteria for gender identity disorder, and was a founding member of the GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco. Dr. James BarryA trailblazing physician and military surgeon, James Barry is renowned for being the first European recorded to perform a successful C-section in Africa, which both mother and child survived. Born in Ireland, Barry graduated from medical school in Edinburgh before serving in the British Army. His career was marked by his fierce advocacy for public health reforms, particularly in sanitation and care for marginalized groups. Though it wasnt until after his death that it was discovered Barry was transgender, Barrys life is a testament to resilience, brilliance, and the pursuit of justice in medicine.Albert D.J. CashierAlbert D.J. Cashier, a true Civil War hero, lived authentically despite societal constraints. Born in Ireland, Albert immigrated to the U.S. and enlisted in the Union Army, serving valiantly in several battles, including the Battle of Shiloh and the Siege of Vicksburg. Post-war, he continued living, working, and maintaining his identity until his passing. Albert's legacy highlights the courage to live one's truth, even in the harshest times.Harry AllenKnown as Harry Livingstone, Harry Allen was a bold and unapologetic figure in early 20th-century Washington state. A trans man, Harry gained notoriety for run-ins with the law, including bar fights and drunkenness. He was also a notorious ladies' man, with several of his paramours reportedly ending their lives themselves following the heartbreak by Allen. Arrested in 1911 in Spokane, Washington, the chief of the police tried to force Harry to wear feminine clothing, going so far as to threaten Harry with solitary confinement. He refused, choosing to wear his male garbs throughout his stay. Allens story is a powerful reminder of the resilience of trans men in history who dared to live as themselves despite societal backlash.Karl M. BaerA pioneering activist and trailblazer, Karl M. Baer was one of the first to undergo gender-affirming surgery in the early 20th century. Though born intersex and assigned female at birth, Karl came out as a trans man at the age of 19. Two years later, in 1906, he underwent surgery and later received gender recognition after having a new birth certificate issued. Michael DillonMichael Dillon made history as the first trans man to transition using testosterone and phalloplasty procedures medically. A British physician and author, he wrote Self: A Study in Endocrinology and Ethics, advocating for compassionate care for trans individuals. Dillons journey from a deeply closeted life to a groundbreaking transition story inspires trans communities worldwide.

Ever since Agatha All Along star Joe Locke admitted that he insisted the show get rid of a movie poster from his characters bedroom before filming, fans have been dying to know what movie he had a problem with. Now, the mystery is finally solved!If you watched the delightfully Sapphic Marvel show, youd know that Locke plays gay superhero Wiccan, whose bedroom is covered in rainbow flag decor, a Trans Lives Matter flag that Locke was involved in including on set and a poster for the witchy movie Haxan. But before filming began Locke gave one gay movie poster the boot.In an October interview with The Wrap, the 21-year-old Heartstopper star admitted he asked for one movie poster to be removed from his characters bedroom set because he said the LGBTQ+ community has moved on from.But what movie did Locke think was outdated? Turns out the young actor had a problem with the gay teen rom-com Love, Simon.After Agatha All Alongs supervising art director Drew Monahan posted new set images to social media, eagle-eyed fans noticed that a giant Love, Simon movie poster was in the place where the Trans Lives Matter flag ended up in the show, with the flag moved down lower.Locke told the publication that he didnt think his character would have been a fan of the film. There were a few film posters up there that I didnt necessarily think that he would have watched. Im not going to name the films... Like, very good representation for that time, but weve moved on from that sort of thing, he explained.And so we replaced one of them with the 'Trans Lives Matter' flag, he said before praising the set dressers and prop department because there was so much incredible stuff there.Locke continued, But you know, that set was probably one of my favorite sets of all of them, because its so witchy, and theres many candles, and you know, all of the posters.Its not too much of a surprise that the actor had a problem with the Love, Simon poster, considering that people had mixed feelings about it when it was released. On the one hand, having a gay romance on screen was still groundbreaking in 2018, but other LGBTQ+ people felt like the movie catered more to straight audiences than the queer people represented on screen. But regardless of whether you think Love, Simon is great or cringe, were loving the fact that the creators of the show listened to the queer cast member about what their LGBTQ+ character would and wouldnt like is a huge step in the right direction!

A resolution commemorating November 20, 2024 as Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) introduced today by four members of the Congressional Equality Caucus states that theres currently an epidemic of violence against transgender Americans that will worsen under Donald Trumps anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-trans agenda.The resolution, which was co-sponsored by 92 Congressmembers, notes that at least 38 transgender or gender nonconforming people have been violently killed in the U.S. and at least 327 killed worldwide since the last TDOR. These murders have been fueled by anti-trans legislation that has worsened rates of violence, suicidality, homelessness, carceral abuse, health care disparities among trans people, the resolution states. Related Black women make up half of the 36 trans people murdered over the last year A new report from the Human Rights Campaign sheds lights onto the victims and causes of transphobic violence. Our bicameral resolution is a powerful reminder that anti-trans rhetoric can cost lives, said Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA), one of the four Equality Caucus members who introduced the resolution. 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 So many people especially youth in the trans community are feeling scared and anxious right now, worried about their ability to get the health care they need, the future of their rights, and their safety, Jacobs added. Donald Trumps anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-trans agenda will likely fuel this anxiety and violence against queer communities.The resolution notes that one-third of transgender women and one-half of transgender women who are Black, Middle Eastern, multiracial, or undocumented have ever experienced homelessness.It also noted that one in 20 trans people attempt suicide each year, a rate thats almost 10 times higher than the rest of the U.S. population. These rates are especially high amongst trans youth who have had their rights to gender-affirming care stripped in 26 states, despite such care being considered as the best standard by all major American medical associations. The rollback of these medical rights have left parents afraid their children may be removed from their homes if they seek such care for their trans kids, the resolution adds.It also notes that trans immigrants have died in American detention centers due to medical neglect, injury, and abuse at the hands of staff, and that trans inmates in jails and prisons also experience high levels of violence and discrimination.The epidemic of violence has been hampered by a severe lack of data, the resolution states, highlighting a need for Congress and the executive branch to pass legislation and policies to protect and preserve trans peoples lives. As anti-transgender rhetoric and legislation has increased in the United States over recent years, unfortunately so has anti-transgender violence, said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) who also co-introduced the resolution. Too many transgender people have been killed just for living as their true, authentic selves. These instances, coupled with countless other acts of discrimination, are terrifying but we wont waver. I will never back down from fighting to ensure that all trans individuals can exist freely without fear of hate.The resolution was co-introduced by Jacobs and Jayapal, who are both members of the Equality Caucus Transgender Equality Task Force, as well as by Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) and Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI). Editors note: If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at988lifeline.org. TheTrans Lifeline(1-877-565-8860) is staffed by trans people and will not contact law enforcement. The Trevor Project provides a safe, judgement-free place to talk for youth viachat, text (678-678), or phone (1-866-488-7386). Help is available at all three resources in English and Spanish.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Donald Trump announced hes tapped former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) impresario Linda McMahon to head up the Department of Education (DOE) in his second term. And, in further apparently not a joke news, Linda McMahon of the WWE for Secretary of Education. LULZ PWNED as a theory of governance, I guess,posted McGill University professor of political theoryJacob T. Levy on Bluesky, summing up the mood around Trumps latest provocative cabinet pick. Related Texas judge expands injunction against Dept. of Educations trans student protections This ruling restricts any argument that sexual orientation and gender identity applies to Title IX McMahon will lead the effort to roll back protections the Biden administration established for LGBTQ+ youth, and in particular trans students, who benefited from his DOEs interpretation of Title IXs prohibition against sex-based discrimination to include transgender people. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today In his first term, Trump reversed similar protections established by the Obama administration. Trump has said he intends to do so again.Linda will fight tirelessly to expand Choice to every State in America,and empower parents to make the best Education decisions for their families, Trump said in a post to his Truth Social platform announcing McMahons nomination. Choice refers to using public taxpayer dollars to fund private for-profit schools that can reject students for any reason and avoid all government oversight. Doing so is a major aim of anti-LGBTQ+ Christian activists. Voters in three states defeated school voucher ballot initiatives in the November elections. Studies have found that not all areas have private schools and that taxpayer-funded vouchers mostly benefit wealthy families whose students already attend such schools. The president-elect described McMahon, who headed up the Small Business Administration in his first term, as a fierce advocate for Parents Rights, adding, We will send education BACK TO THE STATES and Linda will spearhead that effort.Trump was clear about his plans for the DOE on the campaign trail, claiming hed abolish every job at the Cabinet-level agency except for the head of the department and the secretarys secretary. The DOE provides 10% of K-12 funding, enforces civil rights laws in schools, and runs a $1.6 trillion federal student loan program. To officially eliminate the department, Trump would need congressional approval.McMahon, 76, has been deeply involved in advancing MAGA policy in her role as chair of the board at the America First Policy Institute, founded in 2021 to promote Trumps public policy agenda in the wake of his election loss to President Joe Biden. She raised $83 million through her America First Action super PAC for Trump in 2020. The former wrestling executive has minimal experience in the education field. She served for two years on the Connecticut Board of Education and for 16 years as a member of the board of Trustees at Sacred Heart University, a private, Roman Catholic school in Fairfield, Connecticut.McMahons past history as a wrestling mogul, along with her on-camera appearances battling WWE superstars like Stone Cold Steve Austin, have been both a distraction from her MAGA bona fides and one more source of scandal among Trumps cabinet picks.Donald Trump taps former WWE executive Linda McMahon to serve as education secretary.McMahon is a co-chair of Trump's presidential transition team and headed the Small Business Administration during his first presidency.McMahon strongly opposes DEI programs, calling them pic.twitter.com/PR3zV1JhYB Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 20, 2024Separate civil suits were filed against McMahon and her husband and WWE co-founder Vince McMahon in October by five anonymous plaintiffs who once worked as ring boys, teenagers who helped set up WWE events, the Washington Post reports. The plaintiffs claimed the couple allowed them to be sexually abused by other high-ranking WWE employees.The McMahons are currently separated. Linda McMahon left the organization in 2009.Trumps education policy pitch boiled down to a false claim that schools around the country are taking kids and performing operations on them. There are some places your boy leaves the school, comes back a girl, Trump insisted repeatedly on the campaign trail, even though its a flat-out lie. Republicans oppose Bidens Title IX protections for LGBTQ+ studentsThe Biden administrations trans-inclusive interpretation of Title IX has already met fierce resistance in red state legislatures and school districts. The revised rules, unveiled in April, rely on the Supreme Courts 2020Bostock v. Clayton Countydecision, which said that laws forbidding sex-based discrimination include sexual orientation and gender identity.In August, a Texas judge ruled the court declares unlawful the interpretation in the Guidance Documents as well as in any future agency action that the anti-discrimination provisions of Title IX include sexual orientation or gender identity.Texas is one of 26 states that has blocked enforcement of the DOEs rules, and Republican attorneys general have sued the DOE for trying to enforce them.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A new gay wrestler has entered the ring and we are cheering! Even as reality gets scarier for queer folks, the world of pro wrestling seems to be cracking its door open to the community. There are, of course, Anthony Bowens, Abadon, Trish Adora, Leyla Hirsch, Kiera Hogan, and more AEW talent who are out and proud professional wrestlers. WWE boasts some as well, including Dakota Kai, Piper Niven, and Tegan Nox, to name a few. However, Aaron Evil Gay Rourke is making history for that promotion as the first out male athlete to receive a contract from WWE, according to Instinct. Specifically, Rourke is the first gay male athlete to have already been out when he signed, unlike the others we mentioned.Rourke is the latest inductee into the leagues ID Program, which helps indie wrestler prospects develop their skills and characters to help create a pathway to joining the WWE on-air. WWE ID will identify the top independent wrestling prospects with an official WWE ID Prospect designation and support their developmental journey. WWE ID will give fans the opportunity to follow the paths of these standout prospects on the independent wrestling scene through curated, behind-the-scenes content, as well as highlights and matches showcased across WWEs social platforms, according to the WWE Recruit website. See on InstagramSo, who is this new gay hunk poised to take over the professional wrestling world? Rourke is a New England-based grappler, originally from Long Island, New York, whos been wrestling since 2018 and has made multiple appearances at EFFYs Big Gay Brunch, an LGBTQ-friendly wrestling event. Rourke has also held multiple titles, including CW Heavyweight Champion, CAP TV Champion, and WrestlePro Silver Champion.Rourke earned his spot in the WWE ID program following a match with Rex Lawless, after which ring announcer Rich Palladino presented him with the offer to join the program. Ive been dreaming of this moment since I was a kid, and I have to thank everyone who has gotten me here. To my doubters and the people who said this couldnt be possible, thank you because your criticisms and your judgments made me the workhorse I am today. For anyone who has been told that their dreams are too big, let me be the example that you absolutely can, Rourke said in response. Needless to say, were rooting hard for this out and proud wrassler to go pro. In the meantime, let's all appreciate his talent with thirst traps and sexy wrestling pics. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaron Rourke (@perfectaaron1) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaron Rourke (@perfectaaron1)See on InstagramSee on InstagramSee on InstagramSee on InstagramSee on InstagramSee on InstagramSee on InstagramSee on InstagramSee on InstagramSee on InstagramSee on InstagramSee on InstagramSee on InstagramSee on InstagramSee on Instagram View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaron Rourke (@perfectaaron1) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaron Rourke (@perfectaaron1) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaron Rourke (@perfectaaron1) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaron Rourke (@perfectaaron1) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaron Rourke (@perfectaaron1) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaron Rourke (@perfectaaron1) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaron Rourke (@perfectaaron1) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaron Rourke (@perfectaaron1) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaron Rourke (@perfectaaron1) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaron Rourke (@perfectaaron1) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaron Rourke (@perfectaaron1) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaron Rourke (@perfectaaron1) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaron Rourke (@perfectaaron1) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaron Rourke (@perfectaaron1) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaron Rourke (@perfectaaron1) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaron Rourke (@perfectaaron1) View this post on Instagram A post shared by LIVE Pro Wrestling (@liveprowrestlingevents) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaron Rourke (@perfectaaron1)

The Cincinnati City Council is going to spend $500,000 on all forms of healthcare for transgender youth, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.The original motion for this came on Monday and aims to prioritize gender-affirming care for minors within the city. This will come out of the overall $22.1 million budget for the Cincinnati Health Department. Related Charmaine McGuffey beat her old boss in an election after he fired her. Now its the rematch. Sheriff McGuffey talked to LGBTQ Nation about how things have improved since she took over after he fired her for speaking out on use of force. The motion passed with a 9-0 vote. An additional vote to solidify the ordinance is still pending. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Increased risk of suicide is a very concerning thing in this population, said Cincinnati Health Commissioner Grant Mussman to council members during the Budget and Finance Committee meeting. For children, especially young children, having that mental health support is very important.The money will be allocated over the next two years. The care is to be contracted to external experts while trying to avoid any repetition of the same work.Mental health care, which is included under this vote, will not be directly provided and will be sought through external submissions.City Council member Mark Jeffreys, who has a transgender child, helped pass the bill. Over the last two years, Ive become acutely aware of the needs in this community, he said. And I believe now is the time for us as a city to say that transgender youth are human beings and deserving of basic dignity. Theres just a lot of fear, a lot of anxiety out there in this community.Former City Council member Chris Seelbach, also the first openly gay council member to be elected to office, promoted the motion.This vote is not about politics its about protecting lives, he told council members during the committee meeting. Its about ensuring that every child in Cincinnati, regardless of who they are, knows they are valued and safe.Editors Note: If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at988lifeline.org. TheTrans Lifeline(1-877-565-8860) is staffed by trans people and will not contact law enforcement. The Trevor Project provides a safe, judgement-free place to talk for youth viachat, text (678-678), or phone (1-866-488-7386). Help is available at all three resources in English and Spanish.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Lane Colten is giving his fans everything they want by cranking out plenty of hot content.Why is that? Well, the vers hunk recently signed on as a Carnal Media exclusive model, so he has quite a few spicy collaborations coming down the pipeline."I love this so much. Consistently, I'm feeling more liberated. I'm really able to find my happiness here. I want to keep exploring more things. I want to keep being a model of course. I don't see an end," Colten tells PRIDE. See on Instagram The star has starred in a ton of sexy videos since his debut in adult entertainment back during the COVID-19 pandemic, but he has plenty of fresh and exciting films releasing very soon."I get excited very easily! Pretty much any idea that gets ran by me, I'm absolutely down. The spectrum is huge. I have a lot of stuff on the table that I haven't explored yet that's coming up... anywhere from mild to wild."Fans can keep up with Lane Colten by following him on Instagram here. To see the full interview, check out the video at the top of the page.

Santonio Coleman, a gender-nonconforming person from Athens, Georgia, was found mortally wounded on a popular hiking trail near the University of Georgia on Saturday, October 19. They died from their injuries not long after.Athens-Clarke County Policearrived at the scene after a man walking his dog discovered Coleman collapsed on the trail and bleeding profusely from their head, WXIA in Athens reported. Related Bullies gave a trans boy a concussion. His school did nothing. He was jumped by a group of students theres even video of the horrific attack. Police are investigating the incident as a homicide and possible hate crime. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Colemans younger sister, Lakiesha Fleming, recalled San had gone out on Friday night, which wasnt unusual, she said. The next morning, police contacted their mother with the news that Coleman was in the hospital.The family arrived to find Coleman covered in blood, Fleming said. It was unclear at the time what caused their injuries. Police speculated they had fallen and hit their head.But the family said after seeing their injuries and returning to the trail where they were found, they believe their loved one was attacked.Coleman fell when they tried to keep on going after they were attacked, Fleming said, attempting to make their way home, which was about a mile away. Fleming said Colemans phone was taken so they couldnt call for help.They took my best friend, Fleming said through tears.In a statement, Athens-Clarke County Policesaid, Detectives are investigating the circumstances that led to the death of Santonio Coleman. ACCPD does not have additional information to share as it is an active investigation.At a celebration of life held earlier this month, Coleman was eulogized as generous, protective, and reliable. They loved doing their family and friends hair. A friend of Colemans mother said to laughter that they were heavy-handed but did a good job.My cousin would do anything for anybody, said Sharday Johnson, Colemans cousin. I just want justice, and my family wants justice. Thats all were asking God for, is justice.Colemans sister Lakiesha told WXIA she wont stop until she finds it. Youre going to pay for it, Fleming said of Colemans killer. Because Im not going to let this go until the death of me. I promise you Im not.Santonio Coleman is at least the 29th trans or gender-nonconforming person killed in 2024, according to the Human Rights Campaign.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

KUST. turns up the pre-holiday heat with Thong 01, a new luxury addition to mens underwear that blends comfort, sophistication, and sustainability. Made from eco-friendly viscose silk produced in Poland, this premium fabric is soft, breathable, and designed with the environment in mind.Each piece is handmade in Poland by a renowned lingerie manufacturer with expertise dating back to the 1960s, ensuring top-notch quality and artisanal craftsmanship. Available in black, white, nude, and baby pink, Thong 01 is finished with a subtle ribbon detail - an elegant, playful nod to KUST.'s commitment to confident, distinctive style.This holiday season, with its minimalist and daring campaign, KUST. invites you to explore a capsule collection that celebrates exceptional quality and a stylish, self-assured attitude. The campaign redefines masculinity through an artful, sculptural portrayal of the male form, embracing the beauty of the naked body in a striking and sophisticated expression of confidence.You can learn more at www.kust.com and follow on Instagram @kust.premisesModel: Ignacio Felmer ignaciofelmerPhotography: Kuba Stachowiak jakubkuboviakYou can learn more at www.kust.com and follow on Instagram @kust.premisesModel: Ignacio Felmer ignaciofelmerPhotography: Kuba Stachowiak jakubkuboviakYou can learn more at www.kust.com and follow on Instagram @kust.premisesModel: Ignacio Felmer ignaciofelmerPhotography: Kuba Stachowiak jakubkuboviakYou can learn more at www.kust.com and follow on Instagram @kust.premisesModel: Ignacio Felmer ignaciofelmerPhotography: Kuba Stachowiak jakubkuboviakYou can learn more at www.kust.com and follow on Instagram @kust.premisesModel: Ignacio Felmer ignaciofelmerPhotography: Kuba Stachowiak jakubkuboviakYou can learn more at www.kust.com and follow on Instagram @kust.premisesModel: Ignacio Felmer ignaciofelmerPhotography: Kuba Stachowiak jakubkuboviakYou can learn more at www.kust.com and follow on Instagram @kust.premisesModel: Ignacio Felmer ignaciofelmerPhotography: Kuba Stachowiak jakubkuboviakYou can learn more at www.kust.com and follow on Instagram @kust.premisesModel: Ignacio Felmer ignaciofelmerPhotography: Kuba Stachowiak jakubkuboviakYou can learn more at www.kust.com and follow on Instagram @kust.premisesModel: Ignacio Felmer ignaciofelmerPhotography: Kuba Stachowiak jakubkuboviakYou can learn more at www.kust.com and follow on Instagram @kust.premisesModel: Ignacio Felmer ignaciofelmerPhotography: Kuba Stachowiak jakubkuboviakYou can learn more at www.kust.com and follow on Instagram @kust.premisesModel: Ignacio Felmer ignaciofelmerPhotography: Kuba Stachowiak jakubkuboviakYou can learn more at www.kust.com and follow on Instagram @kust.premisesModel: Ignacio Felmer ignaciofelmerPhotography: Kuba Stachowiak jakubkuboviakYou can learn more at www.kust.com and follow on Instagram @kust.premisesModel: Ignacio Felmer ignaciofelmerPhotography: Kuba Stachowiak jakubkuboviakYou can learn more at www.kust.com and follow on Instagram @kust.premisesModel: Ignacio Felmer ignaciofelmerPhotography: Kuba Stachowiak jakubkuboviak

Move over, traditional holiday specialsNetflix is giving the season a glittery remix with A Nonsense Christmas. Sabrina Carpenter headlines this festive extravaganza, and shes teaming up with rising star Chappell Roan to gift fans a yuletide surprise. The duo will join forces for a duet in Netflixs upcoming holiday special, A Nonsense Christmas, debuting December 6.A Holiday Duet Fans Have Been Waiting ForWhile the exact song remains under wraps, this collaboration has been a dream pairing for fans, especially after both Carpenter and Roan had explosive 2024s. With overlapping Grammy nominations and chart-topping hits, their duet promises to be the holiday anthem that defines the season.But the festive fun doesnt stop there. Carpenter will also perform with other major stars, including Tyla, Shania Twain, and Kali Uchis. Adding to the holiday cheer, the special features comedic skits with Quinta Brunson, Cara Delevingne, and SNLs Kyle Mooney, blending music and laughs for the ultimate holiday experience.Following in Iconic FootstepsA Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter. Sabrina Carpenter at the Sunset Gower Studios in Los Angeles, CA. Cr. Alfredo Flores/Netflix 2024While Mariah Carey remains the undisputed Queen of Christmas, Carpenter is making her mark with her first holiday special. Her festive endeavor joins the ranks of iconic pop divas like Lady Gaga, who brought holiday magic with A Very Gaga Thanksgiving in 2011 and Lady Gaga and the Muppets Holiday Spectacular in 2013.A Banner Year for CarpenterShort and Sweet, Carpenters Grammy-nominated album, has solidified her place in pop royalty. Hits like Espresso and Please Please Please dominated playlists, and her infectious energy has earned her a devoted LGBTQ+ following. The trailer for A Nonsense Christmas even winks at her fanbase, with a garment bag cheekily labeled, For the Gays.Carpenters Los Angeles tour stop recently went viral when SNLs Marcello Hernandez joined her on stage as his character Domingo from the Espresso sketch, creating yet another unforgettable moment in a year packed with highlights.As she caps off 2024 with this holiday special, Carpenter proves shes more than just a pop starshes a cultural phenomenon. With Chappell Roan by her side, A Nonsense Christmas is shaping up to be the holiday event fans wont want to miss.Get ready for holiday cheer! A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter premieres December 6 at 9 p.m. ET on Netflix. More Stories: Chappell Roan & Sabrina Carpenter to Sing a Duet for Netflixs A Nonsense ChristmasSusan Sarandon Says Love Has No Limits Is Open to Dating All GendersMeet Cooper Kochs Gay Twin Brother: Our New Fav Power DuoChris Jones Remembers That Time His D*ck Fell Out of His ShortsThe 2025 Grammy Nominations Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, Billie Eilish, and More!The post Chappell Roan & Sabrina Carpenter to Sing a Duet for Netflixs A Nonsense Christmas appeared first on Gayety.

Keeping up with new gay slang can be tricky to keep up with, but The Wrong Sauce podcast hosts are here to untangle the definition of a new queer term on the block: "soft masc." A clip from a recent episode of the podcast where hosts Tip and Lou and guest Anna Clabaugh talk about the characteristics of a "soft masc" lesbian is currently making the rounds on TikTok."What is a soft masc?" Tip asks."They tend to have some emotional responsibility in some way for being with a femme person, but they tend to overcompensate sometimes withc certain elements of their presentation," Anna explains to the confused hosts. "So they're a little more masc, but maybe in the bedroom you don't feel that same energy."Tip chimes in, asking the important question, "So they could be like a bottom?"@wrongsaucepodcastA soft masc is like Las Vegas New Episode 75 out today #wlw #lesbiansoftiktok #lgbt"They could be," Anna answers, before Lou chimes in with her guess of what a soft masc lesbian would be like in the bedroom. She jokes, "They front as top, but they are bottom, is that it? They front as bottom, but they are top?""They could be," Anna answers. "It's a crap shoot. It's like Las Vegas, you never know," Tip decides."It's a gamble," Lou agrees.Okay, so that might not have answered all of your questions about what a "soft masc" is and how it's different from a "soft butch," but people in the comments of the TikTok video seemed to agree with their assessment."I always thought I was a soft masc bc I have a girly pop personality. I'm dominant tho through and through," one person commented. "I'm a soft masc but not a bottom. I'm versatile who likes dominant femmes," another person wrote, while someone else succinctly described what "soft masc" means: "I love the Jessica + Roger rabbit vibe."Other viewers watched the video and realized the new term may describe them, "damnI guess im a soft masc i never knew lmao."

Three out LGBTQ+ Congress members have blasted holier-than-thou Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson (LA) for banning Rep.-elect Sarah McBride (D-DE), the sole transgender House member, from using bathrooms in the Capitol that match her gender identity. The queer Congress members also criticized Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) for introducing legislation that would ban trans people from using restrooms in any federal government buildings nationwide.Despite initially promising to accommodate the needs of every single personand treat all persons with dignity and respect, today Johnson announced that all single-sex restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms in the Capitol buildings are reserved for individuals whose biological sex matches them. His announcement threats from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Mace (R-SC) to beat upand intimidate McBride if she tried to access womens spaces in the Capitol. Related 96 House Democrats introduce resolution blasting GOP for harming trans people Anti-trans rhetoric can cost lives, said Rep. Sara Jacobs, one of the Congresspeople who introduced a resolution for the Trans Day of Remembrance. Speaker Johnsons holier-than-thou decree to ban transgender people from using bathrooms that align with their identity is a cruel and unnecessary rule that puts countless staff, interns, and visitors to the United States Capitol at risk,Pocan said in a statement issued Wednesday evening, adding, Republicans cant even pass a Farm Bill or pass major appropriations bills, so they turn to using these cruel attacks to distract from their inability to govern and failure to deliver for the American people. 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 How will this even be enforced? Pocan continued. Will the Sergeant at Arms post officers in bathrooms? Will everyone who works at the Capitol have to carry around their birth certificate or undergo a genetic test? This policy isnt going to protect anyone but itisgoing to open the door to rampant abuse, harassment, and discrimination in the Capitol.Pocans comment came shortly after Mace introduced a bill seeking to ban trans people from using bathrooms matching their gender identity in federal buildings nationwide. On Wednesday, Mace also had a meltdown on Scripps News, misgendering McBride, discussing her genitals and claiming that McBride would assault her.Pocan wasnt the only LGBTQ+ member of Congress to criticize the Republicans for their grandstanding on the issue. Out Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT) criticized Maces bill on X, Where is the part that lowers grocery costs? Drug prices? Or builds housing? Oh, rightits just about cruelty and feeding your need for attention. Where is the part that lowers grocery costs? Drug prices? Or builds housing? Oh, rightits just about cruelty and feeding your need for attention. https://t.co/E5eSWweVyp Rep. Becca Balint (@RepBeccaB) November 20, 2024Out gay Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) told MSNBC on Tuesday, I am disgusted by those vile comments and these efforts. Why we are focusing on singling out one memberone new member, a freshman member of this bodynow? Why were policing that person and where they use the restroom is shameful. We should push back on this disgusting rhetoric and actions.Sarah McBride has the support of our entire caucus and clearly of the people of Delaware who sent her here to represent them, Garcia continued. We should allow her to legislate. Instead, this is the kind of vile behavior that we should expect from the new Republican majority. Theyre not talking about lowering the cost of groceries; theyre not talking about making housing more affordabletheyre policing where someone uses the restroom. Natalie Johnson, Maces former communications director, pointed out that, in March 2021, Mace posted a comment on X (then-Twitter) declaring, I strongly support LGBTQ rights. No one should be discriminated against. Religious liberty, gay rights, and transgender equality can all coexist.Johnson wrote, If you think [Maces] bill is about protecting women and not simply a ploy to get on Fox News, youve been fooled, and added, I dont want to see your botched, cheap hooker-inspired boob job on my television. Can we introduce a bill to bar that?In a statement issued Wednesday, McBride wrote, I will follow the rules as outlined by Speaker Johnson, even if I disagree with them. I dont want to see your botched, cheap hooker-inspired boob job on my television. Can we introduce a bill to bar that? pic.twitter.com/azBOJ4Nmpf Natalie Johnson (@nataliejohnsonn) November 20, 2024Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.